Today’s article over at SavvyMom is about a new(ish) store in Ottawa called Nest.
Oy. I love that store. But I am very very sad they weren’t around, oh, eight or 10 years ago when my girls were wee.
I’m sure the owner, John-Paul, thought I was a total nutcase when I was there. I don’t know what got into me that day (I guess I was over-caffeinated AND hyper excited to be there). Not only did I talk his ear off (I think I actually saw him picking it up off the floor as I was leaving) but I think (to his shock and dismay) that I fondled almost every item in the store.
I walked around saying brilliant things like: What’s this? And what’s this? Oh, what’s this?
The majority of the items are made of wood. What is it about WOOD that is so darn appealing? Wooden toys are warm, they’re soft, they’re uncommonly smooth and have a satisfying heft to them. Have we evolved to appreciate wood more than any other material?
Nest is full to the rafters of gorgeous toys. Many are German-made but there are a whole bunch of locally-made toys as well. So so so charming.
The article mentions a few of my personal favourites: multilingual wooden blocks (a display sign listed all of the languages, and had a note about the blocks not being available in Klingon – ha!) as well as Efie cherrystone warmers (had I known at the time that they smelled like cherry pie I would have bought one on the spot!). There were a hundred other things I wanted to take home with me. I was practically paralyzed by a wooden stacking toy that was shaped like a campfire. I could picture it perfectly on my mantle.
These toys are heads and shoulders and arms and legs above the plastic crap that comes off the slow boat from China. They’re an investment. They’re art. They’re heart. What lovely gifts for that special someone.
Next time you’re downtown I urge you to check out Nest!
ETA: I forgot to mention that Nest is offering SavvyMoms a 10% discount on all regular-priced items (excluding Ruskovilla items) from now until the end of February, 2010. Just mention you’re Savvy!
