Before reading, please don't forget to Paypal $5.50. (go first to www.paypal.com, then my addy, which is:) Strollerqueen@hotmail.com
We are as a ship, sailing beneath the inky midnight sky...Darkness surrounds us, on the endless ride, punctuated only by the night twinkling stars..."Are there fairies in the Milky Way?" Strollerprincess asks.
Then suddenly, the city beneath rises up, the lights embracing us, beckoning us towards Ninevah, the Emerald Kingdom, the Land in which all dreams come true......
DUH DUH DUH DUH DUH DUH DUH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THE GRAND, EXALTED, BIGGER AND BETTER THAN EVER 2006 STROLLER ROLL-OUT BEGINS!!!!!!!
As once again the doors swing open to the Great Hall, we catch our breath with trepidation. Rows, upon rows, upon rows of temptations, stretching seemingly to infinity, stretch long before us. How can we do this? How can we possibly separate the wheat from the chaff, to tell our Loyal Subjects just what they want to know, before their eyes glaze over with boredom, or our feet get destroyed on the miles of concrete floors? We are, Dazed and Bedazzled in Las Vegas!
And so, we begin where always we begin, at the friendly Kingdom of Inglesina. Once there, we embrace our favorite stroller friends, the Kings of Inglesina, the always dapper and ever congenial Luca Tomasi and Stellario D'Urso. But before we can utter nary a word, we are rendered completely speechless. By the drop dead gorgeous most beauteous creature that looms large before us.
It is the "Classic", in "Rosa Antico." And we know in our heart, before we continue any further, that this will be the winner of the Show's "MOST BEAUTIFUL" award. 
But of course, there is more. So much much more. Here we see the beginning, of the first major trend of the show--pastels. Namely, pink, sky blue, lime, and orange. The Zippy alone will come in 7 colors, with accent colors on the legs.
And guess what? Loyal Subjects, you asked, you pleaded, and they listened. The weight limit on the Zippy has now been increased to 45 pounds. AND--the 2006's will come with an adult
bumper bar, AND...duh duh duh duh....a SNACK TRAY! Stellario says the emphasis on this year's collection is "Fashion." 
After working with architects and designers, they came up with a variety of new colors, including this adorable Espresso, in shades of Lilac and sage. 
The Espresso no longer comes standard with the boot and rain cover, but they will be available as accessories.
Further, due to YOUR requests, the Kings of Inglesina have designed an entirely new lightweight model, the "Trip." It weighs 13 pounds, has large wheels, a see-through window on the canopy,extendable legrests, and full recline. The Liberty will no longer be available, but the Magnum will, in 3 different chassis'.
In mideval times, it was common for Kings to form strategic alliances with other Kings, to shore up their weaknesses and fortify their strengths. And what is old becomes new again. Thus, the "marriage" between the Inglesina Kings of fashion and fabric, and the mechanical safety genius of the Kings of Compass. Though unique in the industry, there is nothing new under the sun.
Yes, the innovative car seat gurus at Compass have now formed a strategic alliance with Inglesina, using the same high fashion fabrics as their strollers.Which also illustrates the second trend of the show. The absolute need to pair a stroller with a car seat. Manufacturer after manufacturer insisted to me that sales of their models remained flat, until they made them car seat compatible. Which is a big reason why we don't see more cool Euro strollers this side of the pond. Unless and until they get their carseats US approved, they won't sell their strollers here. 
Speaking of Compass, there has been quite a buzz about their new, lightweight umbrella tandem. It weighs 23 pounds, has a fully reclining rear seat, all-wheel suspension.
The smaller folded footprint makes it easy to get in and out of the trunk, and to maneuver in tight spaces.
Here again, we see the cool color trend. Even our beloved, rugged, off-roadin' Mountain Buggy was wearing new jazzy clothes. 
The solid colors now have a checked seat, and there is a Brit-influenced Houndstooth. The new fabrics are softer and plusher than prior years. Note again, the second trend. The obsession with car seat compatibility.
Shock aborbers have been added to all wheels, and the finish has been changed from powder-coated to an annodized aluminum finish. Maybe the biggest change, and the one we have all pleaded for, is that the canopy has been raised two inches higher. Thereby effectively eliminating the need for purchasing the additional, X-Tall hood. It also now has pockets, YAY!
Speaking of beloved, they didn't have to do it, but they did it anyway. Kool Stride has come out with a new and improved '06. Check out this wicked mesh sun visor. 
And check out their newly designed child snack trays, rigid underbasket, and adult trays:
Rain covers, seat pads, and alloy wheels are now standard with all models.By the way, these are the guys who make the "UGot2", the add-on seat you can buy to turn a single into a tandem. And did I mention there's a swivel wheel in the works?
This is a prototype. The finished version will have a 12" front wheel. But it's not all cosmetic. The ingenious father and son team of Gene and Oscar Smith taught me more about stroller engineering in 10 minutes than I could learn from an entire seminar. What the ideal angle is for the front wheel fork, how the 5 degree negative camber helps avoid the tippiness of narrow, high-profile vehicles, the strength of aluminum vs. steel frames, and so on and so forth. 
Oh, and they make THE most awesome trikes! Helped me cut down on my walking time around the huge great hall! 
Speaking of a fabulous, but underrated line, check out the 2006 Chicco's. The reason for the delay of the wonderful "Ct 01", aka "C1", is that they were awaiting car seat approval. It's a shame, because the colors are now slightly dated. The model itself, though, is terrific. Rear footsteps, adjustable suspension, linked brakes, child snack tray., adult cupholder, full canopy. And of course, the incredible "twisty" handles, which makes this full-featured umbrella almost as easy to steer one-handed as a Mac.The colors available in the US will be "Iceberg", Notting Hill", "Blackberry", and "Explorer." 
The "Cortina", or "C2", has been delayed for the same reason. But it, too, will be in stores shortly. It is reminiscent of the old Peg Atlantico, with it's single bar handle. 
Their bare bones umbrella is the "C5". It is replacing the London/Tuscany. They have also introduced a double version of this, shich will be lighter than the current twin Citta and Velocitta. 
We would be terribly remiss if we didn't now mention another one of our all-time favorites. Not a stroller, but THE must have stroller accessory. Many of us here in the Kingdom have several, in different colors, to match our numerous strollers. And so, without further ado, I award "Best Business of the Show" award to, "Skip Hop."
Not only because they went from ground zero to the stratosphere in a nanosecond, but also because they have been knocked off in about the same amount of time. Not since the widescale copies of Macs have I seen such an astonishing amount of wanna-be's. And why not? It was a brilliant, but simple idea. Which no one thought of, until, Ellen and Michael Diamont. It's said that neccessity is the mother of invention. And in Ellen's case, becoming a mother was the reason she found it necessary to invent this indispensable product. And did I mention how awfully cute and sweet she is? New colors are "Lilac", "Pink Camo", and "Kelly Green." They also have a darling little changing pad out now, called the "Pronto." 
Up next, what are the other main trends we'll see in '06? Two you will like, one you won't. And who wins the hottest new line? All this, and more, when the BIG STROLLER ROLL-OUT continues! Stay tuned...