Off the Shelf
Playtime, unplugged
Most toy stores are stressful, ironically enough: multiple electronic gadgets whizzing near the door, lighting so bright it feels positively confessional, and a sales staff as uninterested in helping as the atmosphere is uninviting. Kettlemuck’s in Henderson is noticeably different. Upon entering, you’re greeted by jungle sounds, like falling water and chirping birds, which have the effect of soothing even the most harried soul. The lights are normal. The atmosphere, serene. It all feels very The Nature Company circa 1994, or like a low-key F.A.O. Schwartz.
I even found myself using my very best “inside voice” when talking to owner David Stefaniak, possibly the nicest toy store proprietor I’ve ever met. With his wife, Carolyn, and the help of their three children, Colette, 14, Olivia, 12, and Noah, 10, the Stefaniaks opened Kettlemuck’s a year ago with this mantra: “Imagination only is required to power any of our toys.”
In other words, none of the toys is battery-operated, so customers are left to create their own scenarios, solve their own puzzles, and dream, well, the impossible dream in this increasingly electronic world: playtime built entirely around creativity, not pre-determined constructs, licensed products or screen time. Because the business is family-owned, the Stefaniaks are personally invested in everything they sell. In fact, nothing hits the sales floor before it’s been tested by the family at home. (Tough job.)
Kettlemuck’s — so named for a weird elf who lives along the wall of a giant sand box in the center of the store — carries puzzles by niche brands, play sets made from recycled materials, fair-trade homemade instruments from around the globe, lifelike stuffed toys, and Schleich’s legendary collectable figurines, manufactured in Germany since the 1950s. Five dollars gets your child entry into The Great White Sand Dunes (actually filled with 4,000 pounds of beads made from recycled milk jugs), a small bag, and the chance to dig for toys. Whatever fits in the bag is theirs to keep. (I so wanted to dig.)
(Kettlemuck’s Toy Shoppe , 10895 Eastern Avenue #120, 776-8349, www.kettlemuckstoyshoppe.com) — Gigi Generaux
The browser
Mix-and-match makeup
In the 2000s, M.A.C. from Canada was the postmodern makeup to own for those divas desirous of magenta eye shadow, taupe lipstick, and the kind of glitter liner that says “Ashanti trendy” not “Hannah Montana tacky.” In this decade, that brand is Inglot, a European company which offers high-impact pigments ranging from innocent pink to shocking chartreuse, with names so minimalist that they’re numbers. M.A.C. revolutionized the makeup industry by offering mix-and-match palettes for eye shadow in the late 2000s. Inglot took that concept a step further by offering mix-and-match palettes for everything, from blush, to lipstick, to concealer. Called “The Freedom System,” the name sounds like yellow press propaganda, but actually means the convenience of being able to carry your entire, custom-designed maquillage ensemble with you at all times — very handy for late evenings out or travel abroad. That, plus the line’s knockout array of faux eyelashes, in everything from spikes to fans to feathers. So go glut on your Inglot and call us when you’re done. — G.G.
New and notable
Getting baked
There’s nothing like getting into the holiday spirits — giving, receiving and drinking them. But what about livening up the nosh served with your favorite varietal? Enter CookieZen, which sent us sweet and savory rounds for wine pairing. Could they do better than tiny hot dogs on sticks?
These gourmet bakers are savvy party people. The all-natural recipes use kosher salt and less sugar, and the cookies gained delicious depth when flavorful ingredients were emphasized over sweetness. The espresso chocolate peanut butter cookie — enjoyed with bold reds, of course — was rich, but not overly so. The sea salt chocolate oatmeal and apricot sage were great companions to crisp whites. Not a wrong combo in the box. (Cookies & Corks. $7.95 for large box, $3 small; Tuto in Bellagio; Elements in Aria; www.cookiesandcorks.com) -- Maureen Adamo