I discovered these adorable reusable lunch bags called “LunchSkins” this weekend in a little store downtown.  They are made from a special fabric that is lead-free, bpa-free and phthalate free. It is also dishwasher safe.

I have to admit that until now I had used plastic containers for my kids’ sandwiches. It seemed better than disposable plastic bags, but I still didn’t like the idea of using plastic every day. My kids were excited to see the bags in their lunchboxes this morning!

Lunchskins is the brainchild of 3 Green Moms, three moms who wanted to find an alternative to plastic bags for their kids. On their website, lunchskins.com, they also sell smaller snack size bags and larger sub size bags.

This weekend, Benjamin and I planted our herb garden. Last summer we had a small plot right outside our kitchen. By mid-summer, it was overgrown and a huge success so this year, we more than doubled the space. In addition to the mint and chives that came back strong and hearty from last year’s garden, we replanted basil, rosemary and parsley and added oregano. We are also experimenting with ancho chilies and jalapeno peppers.

Gardening is a great family activity. It gets you outside and active (turning the soil, pulling out old roots and all that digging aren’t as easy as they look). It turns kids on to how things grow – it is awesome for them to watch and help the tiny seedlings grow into big plants. Even better, albeit riskier, is to start with seeds.  Plus gardening, especially growing herbs or vegetables, gets kids interested in trying new flavors and foods. To get them excited about helping out, a gardening kit is a great kids’ gift for a young child. At GIFT HERO, we love the Kid’s Watering Can Kit from Toysmith.  It’s the perfect summer birthday gift for 5 and up. It includes a colorful metal watering can, shovel, rake, trowel and gloves…for that rare child who doesn”t want to get his hands dirty.

How many weekend mornings do you wake-up and realize you have 48 free hours and no plans? That was quite a luxury pre-kids but now, it just makes me panic. I recently discovered a great resource that helps me avoid such crises.

Macaroni Kid is a free weekly e-newsletter and website that lists all of the best events and activities for kids and families in your community. It was started about a year and a half ago in the Hamptons(aka the east end of Long Island, NY) and it now reaches more than 125 communities around the country.  Local parents write each edition and put their own spin on it. I use Macaroni Kid in Manhattan and in the Hamptons – the events they list are things I actually want to go to and that both Benjamin and I will enjoy. Last weekend, we found out about Curious George Family Day at the Jewish Museum which was a ton of fun (and killed 3 hours on Sunday afternoon).

The NYC edition (www.nyceast.macaronikid.com) is run by Manhattan mom Monica Storch.  Monica does a wonderful job listing free events such as library and bookstore storytimes as well as cool places to go that you might not otherwise hear about like the Glass Gardens at NYU and the Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden on E.61st street.  Each week, she also hosts awesome giveaways (full disclosure, last week she did a giveaway for a $50 GIFT HERO gift certificate).

I encourage you to check out Macaroni Kid and sign up for your local edition. If you are lucky enough to live in Manhattan, visit Monica’s website to sign up.  For other cities, visit http://national.macaronikid.com/ to learn more.

I recently learned about an awesome find for New York City moms (and dads too) - ikidny.  ikidny is an iphone app that lists the information a NYC parent needs to navigate our busy city including parks, playgrounds, changing tables, indoor playspaces, museums, libraries, subway stations with elevators, kid-friendly restaurants, and more. Just tell ikidny what you are looking for and it gives you suggestions and maps.

ikidny was created by NYC born and bred Lara Serebrier Paul.  Her’s is a classic entrepreneur story – her son was born and she identified a market need that wasn’t being filled…so she did it herself!  Lara found navigating NYC with a baby a challenge so she sketched out her app, found a developer and “gave birth” to her second baby – ikidny!

I’m embarrased to say that I don’t have an iphone (yet) so I downloaded the app to Benjamin’s ipod touch and now use it all the time. It is really awesome – and very smart.  When I first downloaded it, I was downtown at a restaurant. I figured I would have to enter my location so it would “know” where I was.  I was thrilled that ikidny knew exactly where I was and told me that my closest subway was across the street and a playground was only a couple of blocks away.

Lisa and I had lunch with Lara and discovered that she and her team source and enter all of the data into ikidny to ensure it is up-to-date and accurate. This is what differentiates them from other tools in the market – they take responsibility for the integrity of the data.

If you are or know a NYC mom, you really should check out ikidny. With summer coming up, you really need need this indispensible tool – how else will you find the closest park with sprinklers for your toddler? Download it here from the itunes store.

From time to time, Lisa and I love to write about products we think are great. I was recently introduced to something I just had to share.

If you are like me, sometimes jeans (and other pants too) are a little big in the waist. So, they sag and you are constantly tugging at them to keep them up. You don’t want to wear a regular belt because it creates an ugly bulge in front and you don’t want to pay a tailor to take them in.

The invisibelt is my savior for these wardrobe malfunctions. It is a smooth, undetectable plastic belt with a flat clasp. It easily adjusts for different pairs of jeans (it adjusts like a bra strap). I discovered invisibelt through it’s designer and company founder, Kathy Kramer. Kathy is my neighbor in my new building and our kitchens basically look into one another in the center of the building (aka the airshaft!). We didn’t know each other and she was watching me in my kitchen pulling up my sagging jeans. When we met, she gave me an invisibelt and my problem was solved!  Now, if I am wearing an untucked shirt, I pretty much wear my invisibelt every day.

At the request of her young daughter, Kathy recently added invisibelt girl to the collection. Designed for ages 5 to 15, the styles are adorable - I especially love the bones ‘n bows (pictured) pattern. I kind of want this one for myself.

Consider this post a page out of our “brag book.” We were thrilled when one of our favorite local resources for families, Time Out New York Kids, wanted to include us in their Party Ideas issue. Along with two other NYC-based stores, GIFT HERO is listed as a place to “make buying gifts for your tot’s friends a breeze.”

Find us on p.39 of the April 2010 issue. In addition to Shopping recommendations, the issue’s Time to Party section is full of wonderful ideas for birthday party themes, venues, invites, activities, foods (we especially love the cupcake recommendations on p.28), favors, and entertainment. One of my favorite parts is the party ideas by season…I’ve already got ideas for Benjamin’s 7th birthday next December!

Central Park was delightful this weekend – sunny weather in the 60s and 70s.  The park was teeming with people celebrating the beginning of spring.  Josh and my husband played baseball for hours. Maya and I visited the Central Park Zoo and then walked home, watching the Park’s resident  jugglers and musicians perform along the way. Central Park is truly an oasis of calm in this big city.

One of the things Maya kept noticing was that some of the flowers and trees that have begun to bloom. Cherry blosssoms and also some beautiful white and purple flowers that we couldn’t name. The tulips aren’t quite up yet, although the green stems are up so flowers will surely follow in a couple of weeks.

Since we live here in NYC we don’t have our own garden, but this is the time of the year when many people are starting to work on theirs.  At GIFT HERO, we sell this wonderful Kids Watering Can Kit, which makes an ideal spring birthday gift for a boy or girl age 4 and up. We also sell the Kids Garden Tote, which has the same tools in a canvas bag minus the watering can.

Welcome spring!

It’s amazing to me how many “national holidays” there are.  Forget about Memorial Day, Labor Day and Veterans Day…there’s a day commemorating everything from board games to secretaries to popcorn. Today, December 15th, is National Cupcake Day!

Who doesn’t love cupcakes? For some reason they taste better than a slice of cake. They are a classroom classic for birthday parties at school. Benjamin and I are a little obsessed with the Big Top Cupcake pan – we see the commercial for it all the time on Discovery Kids. I promised him we would get one when we move into our new apartment and actually have a functioning kitchen.

For a mess-free cupcake experience, check out the new Bake and Decorate Cupcake Set from Melissa & Doug.  With this adorable set, kids can create their own pretend cupcakes and decorate them over and over again with dry erase markers that look like frosting tubes. This kids’ gift is a must-have for any play kitchen.  It is guaranteed to deliver hours of fun for kids 3 and up.

It is no surprise to me that my former colleague Alicia Rockmore co-founded a company that helps women get organized. Many, many years ago, when I was literally fresh out of college, I had the privilege to work with Alicia, who was a little older, but a lot better organized! I remember marveling at the neatness of her office, and how she always seemed to know where everything was – she actually had a “system”. By contrast, my office had files and papers stacked one on top of the other, with no apparent rhyme or reason. I would often have a “general idea” of where a document or file would be. I hate to admit it, but I am still organizationally challenged.

A few months ago, I reconnected with Alicia and signed up to receive Buttoned Up’s weekly newsletter. In just a short time, it has proven to be invaluable. For example, when Buttoned Up did a piece on organizing and throwing out old makeup, it suddenly occurred to me that the breakouts on my face were probably due to the fact that I had been using the same blush and powder for far too long. I threw them out, and presto – problem solved.

So do yourself a favor and sign up for the Buttoned Up free weekly newsletter. It’s well worth it – I promise! They also have a Facebook page and post a Tip of the Day – so you can get your daily organizing fix!

How cute are these new kids’ birthday party invitations designed by Alphamom and available on Pingg?  I have stopped using paper invitations, mostly because it is better for the environment. Alphamom and Pingg have partnered together to offer these hip and edgy new designs. I think I will have to use the Princess one pictured here for Maya’s party.

What’s more, you can use these designs for free. Here’s the link to check them out for yourself