Parties

You may never get away with serving a homemade birthday cake if you treat your child to one from Party Favors. Named Best of Boston numerous times, these beautifully decorated, scrumptiously delicious cakes are hard to resist. You'll be glad to cheat on your diet once you get a taste of a cake made with real buttercream. Too decadent!

You can purchase a ready-made or specialty cake. Special orders must be made a minimum of 10 days in advance; cancellations or changes 4 days in advance. A ready-made 10-inch cake which serves 15 to 18 people is $28.95.

In addition to cakes, you'll find a large selection of cookies, cupcakes, chocolates, and candies. ("Best Cupcakes," according to the Phantom Gourmet). If you're looking for non-edible party accompaniments, the shop also carries balloons, cards, wrapping paper, and paper party goods. You'll find a nice selection of children's birthday party invitations downstairs.

The Icing on the Cake is dedicated to creating the most beautiful and delicious cakes in town. Their designers work individually with each customer to plan the perfect cake for their event. Award-winning bakers and decorators then fashion your cake with the traditional care and attention to detail that have become things of the past in many modern bakeries. Check out their website for some of the special kids' cakes they can create!

Specializing in rich, butter-laden cakes, Rosie's Bakery doesn't sell your run-of-the-mill supermarket sheet cake. Kids whose taste buds have graduated from sickly sweet frosting and bone-dry cake may actually appreciate a grown-up gateau.

Special molds are available to create characters like Cookie Monster and Big Bird. Big Bird, which serves 15-20 people (probably even more kids), is $45. Other specialty cakes are also available, and orders must be placed at least 48 hours in advance.

When your sweet tooth is acting up, quiet those bicuspids with fresh-baked brownies, cookies, cupcakes, and other tempting treats.

In a world of phony baloney entertainers, Rami Salami, aka Philip Bloom, is the real deal. You'll find the self-proclaimed King of Balloon Twisters perfecting his craft at Faneuil Hall near the corner of North and Congress Streets in Sam Adams Park, and at Harrod's in London if you happen to be in the neighborhood!

Mr. Salami has a unique way of focusing attention on his young audience while including the grown-ups in on the fun. With the help of a very accurate water-squirting camera, rubber chicken, a Big Dig dog (it's a plastic rat! Ha! Ha!), and other silly props, he draws even the wariest of children into his magical circle of fun. A little barrier with colorful graphics and some mini stools keep the adults out, while giggling kids await their time with Rami.

Patient stool sitters are rewarded with the most elaborate balloon accessories you're likely to see. Humongous hats with interesting, inflatable baubles compliment the tiniest of noggins. During outdoor, uncontracted appearances, Rami requests a minimum $2 donation per creation. A small price to pay to see your child proudly sport a new chapeau.

Birthday Parties: The fun begins when Rami opens up his rolling suitcase full of props. After a bit of joking around, he plucks the guest of honor out of the group and creates the first silly hat of the party. Any one who wants a hat gets one!

The balloonery continues with the construction of a house, a spaceship, or a huge geodesic dome. If space permits, the sculpture is attached to the top of a telescoping pole and balanced on Rami's chin. A 10-minute comedy/magic show, and the singing of Rami's theme song, signal the end of the fun.

Yuri's interactive variety show includes dancing and singing, magic, parades, juggling, stories, and more. No two parties are the same, as Yuri tailors each performance to the moods and interests of his young audience and engages everyone in the festivities - including the adults.

Parties are available in the greater Boston area, western Massachusetts, and southern Vermont.

Juggling! Unicycling! Accordion music. Fun for all ages!

Davey the Clown is a physical comedian, juggler, unicyclist and accordionist. Davey's show contains stellar (but silly) juggling, amazing magic, incredible unicycling on a 6-foot unicycle (space permitting), wacky antics, balloon sculpture, tons of audience participation, and a rubber chicken! After the show, Davey leads a parade with kids from the audience on noisemakers, backing him up on the accordion (makes for excellent photo op's). This is all topped off with fantastic balloon creations for all the kids, and an extra large one for the birthday child.

David Holzman, Davey's creator, has a Master's Degree In Elementary Education.

Photo Fun Box offers custom-made photo booths that are great for any event - birthday parties, social events, weddings, or corporate events.

Photo Fun Box representatives arrive 45 minutes prior to your event to set up the booth. The booth is 40" wide x 79" long x 87" tall. The photo booth is equipped with an 8 megapixel camera and photo printing system. All equipment is contained within the booth. Once the booth is set up, it runs on its own; however, an on-site technician is provided for the length of the event to assist guests in and out of the photo booth.

How does it work? Party-goers simply step into the booth, strike a pose, push the button, and the booth takes four photos with 3 second intervals in between each photo. The best part is each photo is immediately visible after it is taken on an LCD screen located in the booth. After you have taken your four photos, simply step out of the booth and instantly you get a 4 x 6 print of your memories!

Established in 1990, The Green Planet sells natural and environmentally friendly products, with a focus on natural, wooden, and cloth toys and games. The products are educational and encourage creative, open-ended play, including science kits, doll houses, puzzles, classic children's books, cooperative games, books about social issues, cotton stuffed animals, infant toys, puppets, arts and crafts kits, and music CDs and cassettes.

While you're there, check out the environmentally friendly household products (non-toxic pest control, for example), organic cotton clothing for babies, recycled stationery, yoga videos and supplies, and eco-friendly gifts.

For fun birthday parties, you can choose either yoga or "creative space" (art, music). Parties begin at $15 per child.

Yoga classes are available for the whole family, from pre-natal through adult. You'll find classes for children, toddlers, mommy and me, pre-teen, teen, and adult. Classes range from $12-$15/class.

There are also creative space classes for children in art, music, creative movement, and chess. Both yoga and creative class sessions range from 6 to 15 weeks, and cost from $12-$15 per class. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged.

Kids Fun Stop is an indoor play space for children with slides, a craft and activity center, a playhouse, an infant area,a climbing tunnel, and a lot more.

Birthday parties are an option on the weekends. They run $220 for 1 1/2 hours of exclusive use of the facilities and snack room for up to 15 children ($8 for each additional child, to a maximum of 20 children; parents supply their own cake, food, and beverages). Birthday parties can be held Fridays 6pm to 7:30pm, and Saturdays and Sundays from 2pm to 6pm. Call for availability.

Classes include Parent's Yoga, Pilates, or Zumba fitness classes, while your children play (for free) and mommy and me classes - dance exercise for mum and baby/toddler. Visit the website for the current schedule.

Kids Fun Stop is an indoor play space for children with slides, a craft and activity center, a playhouse, an infant area,a climbing tunnel, and a lot more.

Birthday parties are an option on the weekends. They run $220 for 1 1/2 hours of exclusive use of the facilities and snack room for up to 15 children ($8 for each additional child, to a maximum of 20 children; parents supply their own cake, food, and beverages). Birthday parties can be held Fridays 6pm to 7:30pm, and Saturdays and Sundays from 2pm to 6pm. Call for availability.

Classes include Parent's Yoga, Pilates, or Zumba fitness classes, while your children play (for free) and mommy and me classes - dance exercise for mum and baby/toddler. Visit the website for the current schedule.

Children's Technology Workshops offers Robotics, Animation, Digital Video Production, Digital Art, Video Game Design, and more. Options include icamp by Children's Technology Workshop summer day camp, after school programs, birthday parties, introductory workshops, weekend programs, and much more! Sessions are available in various towns north and west of Boston. Check the website for specif