The Biz: The Grapevine

New technologies are making it easier for parents and caregivers to keep tabs on baby’s safety and development from the womb to the nursery and beyond, and iBaby is one of the companies leading the charge. iBaby is a company that creates baby-care applications to be used in conjunction with Apple products and has recently released some new baby monitoring devices that many parents will love.

Hartford was the brain child of Yves Chareton and born in New York City in 1979. Chareton had a vision to recreate the 40s and 50s vintage shirts he found in the flea markets in Porte de Clignancourt in Paris in the late 60s. It was not long before the Hartford name became synonymous with quality fabrics, rich colors and above all authenticity. Hartford grew to create a complete menswear line, then in 2000 expanded again to include a vintage-inspired beachwear collection, a women’s clothing line, and finally a children’s clothing collection. The common thread is that all the lines share the enduring philosophy upon which the Hartford label was built.

“Itty bitty” brings to mind the tiny little feet of newborns and the sweet smiles from satisfied toddlers. It probably doesn’t bring to mind the grandness of an established company, but it should. Pavilion Gift Company is exactly that: dedicated to bringing evocative treasures to families and friends. Its Itty Bitty & Pretty (for girls) and Itty Bitty & Handsome (for boys) collections are studies in comfort and old-fashioned sweetness. From the coordinating bibs to the boxers and wearable blankets, Itty Bitty is targeted at grabbing attention and tugging at the heart.

If you haven’t been there, you certainly know someone who has: you leapt from a taxi with kids and luggage in tow only to be searched by strangers at security checkpoints. You then spent several aggravating hours on the plane trying to keep the kids happy and when you touched down, you made a beeline for the rental desk. Of course, you made arrangements with the rental agency for the kids’ car seats — but when the rental agent informed you that the seats weren’t there, you had only a few options: rush around like crazy trying to find an alternative… or start walking. Or, if you are like Grainne Kelly, inventor of the BubbleBum inflatable safety seat, you could just whip out your car seats and be on your way.