You Get What You Pay For

So I took Owen and Stewart down to the Roadium swap meet on Redondo Beach Blvd.

It is an awesome place to take kids because it's just like a giant garage sale. You can walk around, have a churro, and buy the kids some crummy toys that will break before you get them to the car.

I bought the boys each a SpongeBob cellphone. They are total safety nightmares as they run on two watch batteries inserted into a plastic compartment which breaks open every time the phone is dropped (and it was dropped a LOT). The carry strap comes loose with a simple tug to become a convenient strangulation hazard and the numbered buttons twist off as well for possible chokings.

I found that out on the way home when I heard Stewart say "No more buttons. We'll have to get new ones!" and glanced in the rearview mirror just in time to see him dump a handful of tiny plastic pieces into his brother's lap.

Luckily, Owen is 4 and a little bit over the whole putting things into his mouth scene (unless of course they are Skittles).

Anyhow, we had a great time, and I highly recommend the Roadium as an outing for kids (can't take credit for this one, though- Marylou took me there a month ago for the first time).

To get there from the Westside, take the 405 south to Redondo Beach Blvd. and go East, which is left. The Roadium will be several blocks down on the right. Parking is a dollar or so. Make sure to bring cash because they have all kinds of things you never knew you wanted, but no one takes Visa.