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Issue date: Nov 28, 1999
In this article:
 For
travelers
For
the kitchen
For
kids
Back
to Personal Finance
Holiday Gift
Guide
12 great choices
For travelers
Frequently on the road, USA WEEKEND Contributing Editor Soledad
O'Brien says there's never been a better time to pack great
new products to make your trip more pleasant. Three standouts:
Tranquil
Moments
Stress? What stress? If you're bug-eyed with all the complications
of flight delays, cancellations and cramped seating these days,
Tranquil Moments for Travel provides a collection of six portable,
soothing sounds, such as that of a rain forest. Of course, it works
at home, too. Use it to drown out an annoying sound (construction,
in my case) with a soothing noise you can fall asleep to. $75 at
Brookstone, 1-800-351-7222; more sounds are $20 a card.
Travel Smart
Worldwide Hair Dryer
If saving space in your carry-on is a priority, pick up this tiny
hand-held hair dryer from Franzus. It weighs only 10 ounces and
folds up into a compact 5-by-3 inches. At 800 watts, it will do
the job. $17.95; via Samsonite at 1-800-547-2247 (ask for extension
8000).
Best Travel
Steamer
Face it: Not all hotels have the ironing board ready in your room.
Hammacher Schlemmer sells a steamer it says is the best for removing
wrinkles (in your clothes, that is). It also gets high points for
consistency of steam -- but frankly, where it counts is that it's
small and easy to pack. Holds 5 ounces of water; has an 8-foot cord.
$29.95, 1-800-543-3366.
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For the
kitchen
Microplane
Graters
Finally, hand graters that are easy to use. Virtually indestructible,
stainless-steel Microplane Graters produce shredded lemon peel,
cheese and chocolate in a few strokes. These greater graters, first
used as woodworking tools, are razor-sharp and have comfortable,
easy-grip handles. $9-$18; call Lee Valley Tools, 1-800-461-5053.
Cuisinart
Cordless Rechargeable Hand Blender
Purée-ing goes portable with this wonder tool: the cordless
hand blender. Comfortable to hold, it runs as long as 15 minutes.
By eliminating the cord, cooks can purŽe soup right at the stove
(and skip the mess of transferring to a food processor). It's also
perfect for on-the-go smoothie lovers. $69.95, 1-800-726-0190.
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For
kids
Flight Control Buzz Lightyear
In anticipation of Toy Story 2, Mattel's Buzz has retractable
wings and claims 50 authentic phrases and sound effects. Open his
face shield and he may say, "Ahh, the wind in my face! The wind
in my mouth! Yuck! Bugs in my teeth!" Age 4 and up. $40; 1-800-524-8697.
Babyz
These desktop infants from Mindscape Entertainment grow hair and
teeth, learn to speak and walk, and play with toys. The Babyz don't
develop in uniform fashion, either; it depends on how well they
are taught by their playmate. Changing diapers is part of the process,
too, albeit not a very messy one. On the computer, just drag and
drop a clean diaper on the Babyz. Age 5 and up. $29.99; 617-761-3000.
ABC Jungle
Fun
This toy from VTech combines computer-styled learning with a video
game. Plug its colorful keyboard into the TV, and children learn
letters, sounds and other alphabet skills through music, sound effects
and animated animals. Age 3 and up. $49.99; 1-800-521-2010.
Furby Babies
A techno upgrade of the Furby craze of '98. This new line from Tiger
Electronics features newborns, but they're hardly unsophisticated.
They're twice as adept at interacting with other Furbys. They learn
to speak English faster and need to be rocked to sleep and burped
after a feeding. They interact with other Furby Babies in much more
playful fashion than they would with a Furby "parent." They're sensitive,
too. After an energetic play session, for example, you may hear
one Furby Baby say to another, "Gee, you sleepy." That baby responds
with a yawn and, "Ahh, maybe me nappy-poo." Age 6 and up. $29.99;
1-888-387-2901.
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