Renaissance Culinaire

Beauties aren't they!

The first bulbs have bravely climbed out of their loamy tombs, careening their paper white heads toward the sky.

You are on your way to a local eatery, with your family. You are enjoying the sun, having spent many days enduring the gray, often times rainy blah weather that comes with winter. You want to eat food which doesn't require sullying your kitchen and a load of dishes. You are aching for an evening outside of the house - you and the family have cabin fever.

This friends is not a fairy tale - this was my sentiment, this was my afternoon.

I got the extreme honor to review a Inglesina 'Avio' stroller. And this transport was perfect for having my 3yr old boy in tow, especially when taking him to a local eatery. For any parent who has ever ventured with children out into the public, there is a allot of preparation. More so when you are on foot, and parenting a 3yr old child.

What's In the Box:

When I received the Inglesina Avio Stroller in the color black, it arrived  in several parts - the seating area, harness, stroller hood and storage basket all had to be attached to the main base/ frame of the stroller. The product Manual included comes in every language imaginable. There is a rain shield included. There is also an included adapter, for those of you that have babies and want to use the Inglesina Avio Bassinet (a.k.a "Carrycot"), which is sold separately, or clip on infant car seats (brands that work: Graco, Peg Perego and Britax) .

I was very impressed with the quality of the materials used to make this stroller. Everything is solid and durable.


Handling:

The Inglesina Avio Stroller is touted as 'the perfect stroller for on the go urbanites'. Translation - this stroller is best for strolling on sidewalks and smooth developed indoor or paved outdoor surfaces.

What I have discovered is that the Inglesina Avio stroller is different than allot of less-expensive non-jogging strollers in that it's wheels actually have ball bearings. This gives the stroller the ability to roll very smoothly with hardly any vibration within the stroller seat, with minimal pushing. The wheels are fixed in position, so the turn radius is not that sharp - it will make a smooth turn however, within a 5 foot radius.

Standing at 5'5", I am very conscience of handle placement. The Avio stroller's handle is in a position comfortable enough to hold, but I really wished the handle had an adjustment option.

My husband however is nearly 6 foot tall and said "This stroller is perfect for dads who are 5'11" - 6'2", very smooth ride and will put the toddler to sleep on a rough night within 10 minutes". He experimented with the Avio while taking the evening walk when our son was over-tired and fighting sleep.

Stow-ability:

Let me say that I have owned at-least 5 strollers between the years 2003-2011, starting with my first child. 4 out of 5 had the capability to be folded for stowing. The latest being a Jeep Overland Limited 'Music on the Move' Jogging Stroller.

Of all the strollers I have owned, though, the Inglesina Avio Stroller is able to fold into the most space saving compact shape of all (I am not including those cheap umbrella strollers, that are a dime-a-dozen, in this category.).

The mechanism to fold this stroller is great (see photo at left, demonstrated by my husband) - It is reminiscent of a crossbow, when pulled back it creates tension and gathers enough backward force so you can lock it into place.

Think of it like the pulling motion when starting a lawn mower, instead of a "pull cord", you are pulling a designated handle located on the back of the stroller.

If you press down sternly on the middle of the main handle (the one you use to push the stroller) with one hand, and press the red button (to unlock) on the handle base, gently, yet firmly pull at an outward-upward motion - making sure that the harness or other parts of the stroller do not become entangled into the folding parts, it will fold very compactly.



Key Points of Inglesina Avio when folded:

Cool Features:

The Inglesina Avio stroller has some very nice options.

• Seating: The stroller seat  is washable. And very adjustable, with the harness straps position, and can recline to several lower positions, so that your child is comfortable - my son loved being able to lay down in the lowest position when he was tired.  
• Storage: The included fabric under-stroller basket is very accommodating. I was able to fit 2 full fabric grocery bags in there, with no further adjustments. There is also a expandable drink holder located on the lower left back of the stroller frame - I really appreciate this placement. ( Most strollers with a drink holder place them above the child's seat area, which is totally illogical - what if there was a spill?).
• For Weather: The Avio hood is constructed to be very durable, I liked the surface area it covers, the bill (like on a baseball cap) is a great feature which is nice for keeping sun out of sensitive eyes.  The included 'L'Inglesina Baby S.p.a' rain cover clips to the hood and bottom foot pad. 
• Optional Accessories: There are a host of  accessories to buy for the Inglesina Avio Stroller. Including a mesh 'summer cover' to keep the bugs at bay; 'Winter Muff' for bundling up your lil ones; Carrying case for the stroller; 'Carry Cot Bassinet'; 'Full Rain Cover', etc.

Closing Thoughts:

My 3yr old boy is right at the cusp of saying goodbye to motherly pushes via the stroller, all together. So this year and the arrival of the Avio marks the 'coup de grâce' of strollerdom , so to speak.

My families experience with the Inglesina Avio Stroller has been pleasant, which makes the parting with strollers, all together that much more bittersweet.

The Inglesina Avio Stroller is a good fit for parents in search of a higher-end, stylish, non-jogging stroller, for either infant or toddler, with a host of options and great compact-ability, that can be used for around-the-town jaunts.

For more product info you can download the Inglesina Avio Product & Accessories Spec Sheet below in pdf format.

Download
| Inglesina Avio Product & Accessories Spec Sheet
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The daily grind. Whether you are a high powered executive or working a minimum wage job, or stay at home parent - everyone has their stressors. Factoring in lack of sleep, deadlines and financial woes can make for one un-happy, sleep deprived camper.

You don't have to be a jet setter to experience a spa style session. In-fact you don't even have to purchase expensive high end concoctions in a jar - no, you can make them yourself and be satisfied knowing all the ingredients are natural and safe for your use.

For some of these recipes I consulted one of my favorite sites, Spa Index.com

SpaIndex.com Tip: You've heard the adage "Never cook with wine you wouldn't drink." This holds equally true for home spa remedies.

Never use ingredients for your home spa treatments that you wouldn't want to eat. Your skin, the largest organ on your body, breathes and is porous. It will absorb the properties of the ingredients you are using. Don't "clean out the fridge or pantry" to create your home skincare remedies. Use fresh, high quality ingredients for the best results, and do not store the treatment longer than the shelf life of the most perishable ingredient. - This is great advice, true of beauty or cooking!

Relaxation Techniques:

The key to achieving  total relaxation  is the act of brushing aside any woes or obligations for at least 10 minutes and giving yourself time to reflect on relaxing.  There are several ways to get you started :

Spa Treatment Recipes:

Photo Courtesy of MarkAndMarina

Preheat oven on lowest setting. Finely grate the ginger just enough so that you have about an 1/8 teaspoon of ginger "juice." To obtain the juice, squeeze the freshly grated ginger over a small bowl. Place the ingredients (including the ginger) in a glass container and heat just until the cocoa butter is melted and the oils are blended. Pour into a clean, dry container and store in a cool dry place. You can add a few drops of orange or other essential oil for a nice twist.

Chocolate Facial Mask:
This creamy mask is an excellent moisturizer, leaving your skin baby soft. Recommended for normal skin.

• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 3 tbsp. heavy cream
• 2 tsp. cottage cheese
• ¼ cup honey
• 3 tsp. oatmeal

Mix all ingredients together (a bullet blender / food processor is ideal) and smooth onto face. Relax for ten 10 minutes, then wash off with warm water.

Beer Hair Rinse

Coffee Body Scrub:

And for the "Man Hide" - Here is an aftershave that probably combines a few of his favorite ingredients.

David Harap gently eases the reader into entertaining and cooking, with the first section entitled "Entertaining 101", which gives tips on stress-free entertaining, tools, metric conversions, and even talks about the 10 assumptions of all recipes.

Each of the 15 sections include tasty, innovative recipes which include appetizers, entrées with complimenting sides, and a delicious dessert to complete the themed experience. 

The recipes are written in an easy to understand fashion, intended to help aid in a less-stressful entertaining experience.  Included in the book are shopping and equipment lists, with blank pages  after every section to allow you to jot down thoughts or notes - making Entertain Like a Gentleman perfect for the cooking inept or the seasoned culinary traveler.

So hopefully when you are looking to find gifts this season, think of those who suffer from CPD, and try to  enable them, into the culinary world, which they fear so well. Encourage them, and give them the tools to inspire confidence. But over all, be supportive.