Focaccia
I know I live in France but sometimes it is nice to have some bread other than a baguette. I found this recipe for Foccacia the other day and it is great. It is by one of my favourite cooks and food writers, Nigel Slater, who has written some fabulous recipes for the Guardian. It is super easy to make and completely delicious. I even got my children and some of their friends to get involved and they loved slapping and prodding a piece of dough… great way of getting some dough kneaded.
The great thing about Foccacia is that you can garnish it with whatever you have handy in your kitchen: cherry tomatoes cut in half, cheese, olives, any kind of herb or just plain salt and olive oil. I do love this kind of recipe — it’s super simple and whatever you do with it, it always turns out great.
- Emilie
Back to school
It is so strange, we literally have just come back from our holidays and barely 24 hours later I am getting my girls ready to go back to school. The sandals are being put away and being replaced by sensible shoes, new autumn dresses are going to replace their shorts and little sun dresses. I am a little bit melancholic about it, but it is also the start of a new year full of exciting things. Also there are so many lovely back-to-school items…
I love this little school bag by the french label Miniseri — it is so simple and cute and the perfect back-to-school bag. In fact it is so cute I am trying to figure out if my laptop might fit into it… don’t you think it would make a great laptop bag? Though I am not sure my kids will be willing to share…
- Emilie
Picard
The French are known for their elaborate cuisine, but there is a secret hidden in many French freezers and its name is Picard. When I first moved to France I could not figure out what went on in the Picard shops — they are huge expanses, kept all white, with freezer upon freezer standing beside each other… and, as I found out, full of frozen food. Even then I wasn’t convinced — years of terrible frozen pizzas and microwave dinners had turned me off frozen food. Turns out the French are addicted to their local Picard, and with reason — Picard food is (mostly) fantastic. (more…)
Kitasticks Chopsticks
Esther did a brilliant post a while ago on how to make your own child-friendly chopsticks. I admit to being a bit lazier and got my girls some Kitasticks — chopsticks that can be linked to together and are super easy to use. These great little sticks were designed by a Finnish design collective, (it is always a success story when Northern European design meets Asian design) and I picked them up at Merci. The kids love them — the prospect of using chopsticks rather than their usual forks and knives got them so excited that they insisted on eating a sandwich with their new chopsticks. Not exactly what I had in mind, but oh well…
- Emilie
Tangle Teezer
The Tangle Teezer is definitely loud (I have only ever seen it in bright pink) but this brush is not supposed to be pretty; it is supposed to save you and your long-haired children from unnecessary pain… and believe me, it works.
I have an everyday fight with my eldest daughter’s curls on my hands — it is like a battle of wills between those curls and me! I am always looking for new things to make brushing easier, and this gadget does the trick. You can pick it up at most Boots and other chemists in the UK.
- Emilie
Weekend get away: Athens
Greece is a dream holiday destination — the beautiful islands, the history, the coffee and the food. Athens is the the main hub and starting point for most trips to Greece, so why not spend a couple of days discovering this historic city, before hitting the beach?
Pepi, an Athens native, was gracious enough to give us some tips and ideas on what to do in Athens with children. She grew up in the city of Patras before coming to Athens many years ago. During her studies she spent a year in Scotland before settling in Athens. She now lives with her husband Chris and their little daughter Alice in this city full of history. Pepi is now a full time mom and spends her time with her daughter discovering and playing. Here are her insider tips: (more…)
Summer Holidays Must-Haves
I am just about to go away on holiday for the next few weeks. I read this article in the Guardian and had to laugh… a lot of it rang so true. I thought I was the only person in the whole world who got disproportionately annoyed by my fellow passengers resting their elbows on “my” armrest on a plane. Summer holidays are so much fun but I am not a big fan of the packing, preparation and traveling, especially with kids. This time I am going away by car which is bliss. I get to take so many more extras…
So my main must-have holiday items this year are: (more…)
Beetroot
I think I only discovered the beauty of beetroot in my thirties. If I am not mistaken, when I was a kid, beetroot used to come out of a tin and had the texture of a wet piece of Styrofoam. Now that I have started buying fresh beetroot and have learned to roast or steam it, I have developed a new appreciation for this vegetable. Plus, my kids love it… though that might have more to do with the fact that I told them that their pee would turn pink if they ate loads. (This is very exciting if you happen to be four years old). So here are a couple of things that I have started making with beetroot…
1. I roasted them for an hour in olive oil and a bit of lemon juice and balsamic vinegar in the oven with a garlic clove or two and I then served them as a side dish garnished just with a bit of parsley. (more…)
Sally Test
Here is, at long last, the new Babyccino Kids Charity (so sorry it has taken me so long to post about it). As you may remember we want to bring attention to smaller charities which don’t have the marketing budget of the bigger ones, but also need support, as they make a huge different in people’s lives. Justyn Strother and fellow blogger and talented photographer lives in Kenya with her husband and four children. She introduced us to Sally Test, a pediatrics centre in Western Kenya. Here she will explain all about it… (more…)
Ferm Living Wallpaper
I am in the midst of redoing our little holiday cottage in France. It is a VERY slow moving process as every summer I only have time to do a small part, but it is fun and gives me a great excuse to day dream all year long. It also means I spend a lot of blissful time leafing through interior decoration magazines and surfing the web, dreaming up different room ideas.
I stumbled over the Ferm Living Wallpapers the other day and now I am revisiting all my decoration decisions in my head. I got especially excited when I realised that they had a great kid’s selection, with some beautiful designs both for girls and boys rooms. Do have a look at the great Rush Hour wallpaper for boys and the Dotty wallpaper for girls. And even if you are not planning to wallpaper a room, Ferm Living also have a fabulous rage of wallstickers for kids.
- Emilie
Stuffed Zucchini Flowers
I am just back from the French country side where we have spent a lovely few days of just playing or, alternatively, doing strictly nothing. It is so nice to get out of the city sometimes… One of the big bonuses of our summer house is that our neighbour lets us pick vegetables out of his vegetable garden, which is quite a change from picking vegetables from the supermarket shelves. It actually takes a lot of thinking out of the equation as we organise the menu around what is available in the garden, and start coming up with new ideas for recipes depending on the pick of the day. Last week was all about Zucchini — my good friend Russell who was visiting, had eaten stuffed Zucchini flowers in a tapas bar in London, so he tried to recreate the tapas dish and it was amazingly good! Here is the recipe:
Marie de Paris
Estelle from Nordinary recently introduced me this lovely series of books from Paris-based editing house, ABC Melody.
The books feature children in cities all over the world, and they are really well done. You have Marie à Paris, Eva à Stockholm, Charlie from London and lots more. They beautifully describe each child’s life: what they do during the day, eat for breakfast, how they live and how they spend their free time. Marie de Paris is my daughter’s favourite book at the moment as she totally identifies with this little girl and the life she leads. The book captures the daily life of a little Parisian perfectly. The other books in the series are great too and really make kids realize how children in other cities live, perfect for multi-cultural children. (more…)
Giant Bubbles
I just read this post about how to make girant bubbles on Bambino Goodies and I am hooked. Imagine making huge bubbles out of hula hoops and bent, metal coat hangers? I seriously cannot imagine anything more fun. I personally recommend adding in a couple spoonfuls of sugar. Who knows why… but it makes the bubbles even stronger. I am now off to my local pharmacy to pick up a bottle of glycerine and some non-eco washing up liquid to produce the perfect bubble!
- Emilie
Weekend Getaway: Barcelona
To introduce our new weekend getaway feature, here is our first post from Marta in Barcelona. Barcelona is one of my favourite Mediterranean cities. It has the perfect mixture of culture, beauty, beach life and beautiful weather. It always strikes me as such a relaxed city that is easy to explore and perfect to visit ‘en famille’.
Whilst searching for someone with inside info about visiting Barcelona with kids I remembered Marta. Marta lives with her husband and little son in the wonderful Gracia part of Barcelona. She is a professional translator and also a blogger. Her blog English in Barna, is about life in Barcelona, her blog A Bilingual Bébé gives tips to Spanish speaking parents on how to raise their child bilingually, and finally she also blogs for the international organisation Pocket Cultures. All in all Marta is the perfect person to start off our new feature. I do hope you enjoy discovering Barcelona through her post. And please do leave us any comments or recommendations you have about Barcelona. The more ideas the merrier… (more…)
Babyccino Kids Weekend Getaways
Before having kids, traveling was a piece of cake. You could book a last-minute flight, zip off to an unknown destination, take a quick break, relax and discover a new city. It didn’t really matter where you stayed, where you ate, how long it took to get there, etc. But now, all those logistics must be considered and the itinerary planned. It seems the easiest thing to do is head to a city you already know, or visit friends who can show you around, or get recommendations from a friend who has been before. Which is why (drum roll please) we’re so excited about this new Weekend Getaways feature…
We will be continually featuring different travel destinations from around the world, offering a mini Weekend guide for what to do and where to go, all written by a local parent or a frequent traveler to the city — an expert with tips to share. It will make discovering new cities all the more do-able to have a reliable list of things to do/see with your kids.
After all, traveling with kids is a lot of fun, especially if you know where to go. We hope our tips inspire you.
- Emilie
Football Fever
I have completely caught the football fever! While I normally never watch football and only have a faint notion of what ‘offsides’ means, I get so excited every four years when the World Cup is on! I love seeing all the different ways the teams play, the outrageous behaviour of some players and the impressive sportsmanship of others. I am even starting to argue about games and playing styles, hoping that no one will catch on that I actually have zero background information and that my new found enthusiasm is going to disappear the moment the final ball has been played.
Football World Cups do have everything: suspense, politics, gossip and even outrageous fashion (if you follow the footballers wives). This year, most of my teams are out, though I am still cheering very hard for Germany. Has anyone else caught the football fever? Or am I the only female jumping up and down in front of the TV after the kids have gone to bed?
- Emilie
Playtime Paris
I am so excited, this weekend I’ll be heading to one of my favourite children’s events in Paris. Playtime Paris is a bi-yearly children’s trade fair in the lovely Bois de Vincennes on the outskirts of Paris. A lot of my favourite children’s companies come together to display their new collections… There’s Lili and the Funky Boys, Antik Batik, Moon Kids, Petite by Sophie Schnoor, Soeur and many, many more.
While moms can browse the stands, there will be lots kids entertainment. Check out the So Chic Kids disco on Saturday night — I went with my children to one of their last events and it was a huge success. During the day there will be ateliers and entertainment. And for you “gourmand” out there you can discover my new favourite Parisian cupcakes made by Cakes by Cloe. I reckon this is going to be a fun day out!
- Emilie
Eco Stickers
My kids are great but do have a tendency to get distracted. The amount of times I have found the water running in the sink or lights left on all over the place, it feels like we are wasting enough energy to power a small country. I just read about these little stickers today and thought they were definitely worth a post! These nifty little stickers are designed to be stuck beside sinks, bathtubs and light switches, to remind you to turn off your water and your electricity. As they need to be big enough to be noticed, a lot of thought has gone into making the stickers a reminder and a good looking sticker at the same time. I really love the designs — very simple and to the point!
In keeping with the ecological message the stickers are made in France in the most earth friendly manner as possible. The website is only in French at the moment. (more…)
La Fee Clochette
My 4-year-old has taken to introducing herself as Sleeping Beauty, whilst her little sister is apparently not called Violette anymore, but Tinkerbell — in French “La Fée Clochette” (sounds so much lovelier in French, doesn’t it?).
So it is fitting that her favourite item of clothing at the moment is a beautiful little bikini by French label La Fée Clochette.
As I mentioned I have a particular love for Liberty Fabrics and this little bikini is just too cute. When my little girl wants to feel very grown up she wears the top, but often she just runs around in the little pants — I do love the summertime! This little bikini is available from the great website Zebre à Pois which has a sale on at the moment. The bikini and other Fée Clochette items are 50% off.
- Emilie
Things to do with BOYS in Paris
I have been discovering lots of BOY friendly activities here in Paris — a far cry away from the usual shopping and coffee-drinking that you normally associate with this city. I reckon our Babyccino Boys Theme week is the perfect opportunity to share them with you…
The Argonaute at the Parc de la Villette: The Argonaute is a 1950’s submarine that was taken out of commission in the ’80s and is now moored in the Parc de la Villette, right beside the Cité des Sciences, Paris’ science museum. It is fascinating. The submarine has been kept exactly the way it was and you get a real feeling of what it was like to live and work in such a confined space. The motors are completely exposed and the audio tour (available in several different languages), describes the life on a submarine really well.
Dinosaur exhibition at the Grand Palais: All the boys I know are going wild about the Dinosaur exhibition at the Grand Palais. The exhibition is not too big to be overwhelming but it is a great way to get to know this species that fascinates so many boys. The animated models are VERY realistic, so small children might be slightly scared. Children discover how dinosaurs lived and ate and there is even a replica of a dinosaur poo (somehow poo never fails to get a rise out of the under-18 crowd).
Play area at the Parc de Belleville: This play area is our favourite place to go at the moment. It has been built specifically for city kids to get them to use their imagination and get to know their physical capabilities better. It is such an unsual structure that every kid interprets differently: for some it is a boat, for some a village, for some a jungle and for some just a great place to let go of some steam.
- Emilie
