A busy week in Sydney
We’ve just spent the past week in sunny Sydney, and it just flew by! It was difficult to try to see and do all the things on our list whilst trying to live the beachy, laid-back lifestyle that Sydney is known for. But we did our best. Sydney is amazing in this way — it’s a vibrant cosmopolitan city with so much to offer, yet it also has a very ’surfer dude’ beachy vibe which is really fun and refreshing. Everyone here is beautiful, the food is delicious, the shopping is very tempting, and there’s a noticeable buzz in the air. Maybe it’s because it’s summertime, or maybe it’s just Sydney. In any case, we love it here!
We’re staying in a really lovely guest house in Bondi Beach, and it has turned out to be the perfect place for us. We’ve even made some new friends who are staying here as well and who, coincidentally, are also from London! Such a small world.
Here is a re-cap of the past week…
Oeuf Angel Sweater
Lately, whenever I see an item of children’s clothing I like or a beautiful piece of children’s furniture I hanker after, more often than not, it comes from the same place — Oeuf NYC. Oeuf is spearheaded by a French/American husband & wife team who design all these beautiful items, always with the same principle in mind: to make something great without taking advantage of the environment and the people making it.
I recently got this beautiful little jumper (pictured) for my daughter from the fab web shop Zebre a Pois. She pretends that she can fly when she wears it and I love it because it is beautifully made and I do like to shop ethically when I can. Sure it comes at a price and it isn’t always possible, but great to do when I can…
- Emilie
Pimp your baby car seat with Hagou Originals
After two children I felt I just couldn’t justify putting my third one in that same old car seat. For some reason (hormones?) I felt it should be new, clean and pristine, like the little baby who will be in it. I had already started working on convincing my husband that we really need to buy a new maxi cosi (he doesn’t automatically feel the same way about it as I do, so odd), until I came across the universal car seat covers from Hagou Originals. (more…)
It’s the little slings…
My girls are all about playing “house” these days… so when I found this sling in a local kids store a few weeks ago I nearly passed out and died from the cuteness. I was never a “sling” person really, more of a Baby Bjorn gal myself, but the doll sling was just too cute to resist. When the girls put them on they instantly looked like two little hippie mothers on route to the local food co-op. I was almost expecting them to start swapping Quinoa recipes and stories about the joys of their home births in their apartment bathtubs (I am so going to get killed for this).
No offense to the “sling” wearers of course. I am totally kidding. I think they are cute on adults as well. I also found these adorable ones on Etsy from SnuggyBaby. So adorable!
-Dina
10 things to do in Paris with children
A little while ago I was asked by Ciao Bambino to guest write a post for them about my top ten favourite things to do with kids in Paris. They’re running a feature this week all about kids in Paris and have asked a few writers to contribute.
You can read my post on the Ciao Bambino blog here. Hope you like my ideas (it was really difficult to decide on ten!) and do let me know if you have any other favourite things to do and see in Paris!
- Emilie
Collingwood Children’s Farm
Nestled in a bend of the Yarra River, amongst the river red gum and paperbark trees (a very typical Australian setting!) is the Collingwood Children’s Farm…. a little slice of country life right in the heart of Melbourne, only 4 kilometres from the CBD. It’s a magical place for city children (and adults) and an absolute favorite with family and friends.
Here, children can get up close and personal with all the typical farmyard animals and immerse themselves in farm chores. They can get their hands dirty milking the cows, bottle feeding the lambs, waddling with the ducks, patting the rabbits, feeding grass to the horses and all the while marvel at the sight and smell of the pigs. They can also look for eggs — a great way to teach them that eggs and milk don’t come out of cartons (as I am lead to believe some ‘other’ children think is the case… not mine, of course! ) (more…)
AngelSounds: listen to your unborn baby in a heartbeat
Good news! I had my 20-week scan, and the little girl (!) in my belly seems to be happy and healthy, at least as far as the echoscopist could tell at this stage. Hurray!! It was of course a major relief, especially given the doubtful scan I had had at 12 weeks… And I’m super excited!
I’m also feeling the baby really well now — of course I had been feeling little things before twenty weeks, but nothing compared to the clear kicks even my husband can now feel on the outside! Even though we just saw our baby alive and well on the hospital screen, it is always nice to feel the baby’s movements just to prove she’s doing alright in there. I admit that in my first two pregnancies I sometimes poked my belly to make the quiet baby inside of me move, just to put my overly worried mind at ease. Poor baby!
Thankfully, I now have an AngelSounds fetal heart detector at home so I don’t have to disturb my little girl in her fetal sleeps. I can hear her heartbeat at every moment I please, no hospital or midwife needed! (more…)
Rustic fairy wands
These were a last minute improvisation the day before our fairy tea-party. Two days before the party I suddenly realised the Fairy Queen did not have a wand – OH NO! I had a quick look online but no one could guarantee delivery because we’ve had 2cm of snow here in South London (to be fair some places in the UK have had a lot more but still everything grinds to a halt).
So I used the ends of some blossom branches I had bought as decoration (I know, blossom in January???). I folded some coloured corrugated card in half (the corrugated part is important to give some elasticity to stretch round the stem), and then I drew a star on the back. I cut these out together so I had 2 identical stars and then stuck them around the twig using PVA glue — this bit was a bit tricky to get the stars lined up and to apply pressure for a few moments so they stuck in place. I was so pleased with the result that I ended up making a whole bunch so all the fairies could have one! (more…)
Ola and Olek
We do get really spoiled, writing for Babyccino… it so much fun discovering lovely new kid’s brands as a job and finding out more about them. Before I had kids I seriously had no idea that there were so many great brands out there, ranging from cheap and cheerful to seriously luxurious.
My newest discovery is Ola and Olek, the brain child of a UK designer who is doing some phenomenal designs for kids. The clothes are quirky, fun, simple and easy-to-wear (lets face it, the kids need to feel comfortable). Eliza, the designer, is really particular about the fabrics she uses — they are all great quality but also very practical. As much as she can, she avoids using fabrics that needs to be hand-washed or dry cleaned. (more…)
The Toadstool Tea
I can’t believe my daughter has just turned one — time has flown. Now I know a one-year-old might not appreciate a proper birthday party, but I can’t resist one. And in the spirit of being ‘girly’ there was nothing for it but a fairy tea-party, to be more specific The Toadstool Tea (for those of you unfamiliar with fairy-lore, The Toadstool Tea is a secret party for all the fairies, elves and imps to celebrate the Fairy Queen’s birthday. It takes place under the thicket deep in the middle of the forest (according to Mo)).
Toadstools, it turns out, are not only a really great theme for a party but also rather fashionable. In my month or so of preparation I saw them everywhere (I couldn’t resist adding a cute Toadstool money box from Cath Kidston (stores only) and this adorable Shinzi Katoh print to her presents). Toadstools also make for a fun theme because they are easy to draw and craft. Here are some other toadstool ideas… (more…)
Bilingual alphabet book
Although my husband and I speak English for work on a daily basis, our children speak only Italian. We do make an effort by teaching them a word every now and then and by showing them some English DVDs, and we truly welcome any activity which will help our kids learn a bit of English in a fun way.
That’s why we were so happy to receive a personalised bilingual alphabet book by Sweet Arts Design. The idea is as smart as it is simple! The book is a regular alphabet book with a picture for every word, but the smart idea was to use words that have the same initial in the different languages. Ours is, of course, an English-Italian one but you can also choose Spanish and French.
The books are printed to order so you can have it personalised with the child’s name, you can choose the picture on the cover, the background letter and the cover colour.
Books are either soft or hard-cover and you can order them from their website where you can also find loads of other items with their cheerful and sweet prints.
-Michela
NUI Organics
Did you know that there are at least 10 sheep for every one person living in New Zealand!?! There are more sheep here than in any other country, except Australia. And apparently the New Zealand merino wool (all from the south island) is some of the best in the world — it’s extra soft and breathable, making it a good choice year round because it keeps you warm in the winter and cool in the summer months.
NUI Organics is a New Zealand-based company selling a beautiful range of organic wool baby clothes — so soft and so cozy. I love the cardigan with extra big hoody (pictured) and the simple wool dress with big wooden button. I just really love the natural colors and simple shapes of the whole range.
You can find the NUI Organics range at Elias & Grace in London (some pieces currently on sale!), or you can order online.
-Courtney
Amsterdam wall stickers from Zuuz
Don’t you love these wall decals? I mean, even if you don’t live in Amsterdam, you surely must like them!?!
These supercool stickers are made by Zuuz, and besides the fact that I really like the images of the typical Dutch canal houses, I love the fact that they are so big — my daughter can draw on them even when she’s standing up! We have a long hallway in our current apartment so we could fit both the crayon sticker set and the outlined houses set next to each other, and it really looks fantastic.
I never knew crayon stickers were so much fun for the kids — my daughter really loves drawing in the windows, the doors, and the people… Brilliant!
These (and other) fun wall decals are available through Dutch webshop Zuuz. (BTW, I love the combination of these wall decals and the pendant lampshade I wrote about earlier!)
xxx Esther
Invisible Zinc
All those scorching Australian summers that I spent oiling myself with ‘Hawaiian Tropic’ –- how it makes me cringe! If only this product was around when I was in my late teens… okay, who am I kidding, I still would have ignored the facts, all for a deep bronze tan that didn’t ever last. The fact is that the sun ages your skin prematurely and causes cancer. Whilst I did come to my senses long ago, I am sure that I still wear the damage of those early reckless years. These days, I don’t leave home without having applied Invisible Zinc to each and every member of my family (husband excluded here, he is not partial to me assaulting him with ‘goo’ every morning — not for want of trying, mind you).
The concept behind Invisible Zinc is technology that provides a physical (not chemical) barrier between you and the sun’s UVA and UVB rays. They use a world patented form of Zinc Oxide that has been milled down so that it is no longer visible to the naked eye …fortunately you can banish all images of the white zinc-nosed, speedo-clad Aussie lifeguard, not quite the look I favor either when I head for the beach! Zinc Oxide is a natural sunscreen agent that sits on the skin reflecting dangerous UVA and UVB rays without unnecessary chemical sun-filters (incidentally, most chemical sunscreens offer little or no protection against UVA rays).
So Courtney, take note! This Aussie product is a must-have for you and your family over the coming months… and for those of you shivering in the Northern Hemisphere, as strange as it may seem, summer is just around the corner! (-:
-Sara
Australian Design Store
I am sooo jealous of Courtney and her family heading down-under for 3 months. While we will be dealing with the winter blues over here in France she will be skipping around Sydney in a little skirt and flip-flops!
Actually, I can’t complain as I did a similar trip two years ago and had a great time discovering Australia and Australian style. I love the fact that the style is so relaxed over there. Things aren’t taken as seriously and I guess, because life does revolve around the great outdoors, kid’s clothes are especially simple and fun.
The Australian Label Rock Your Baby is a great example for easy-going Ozzie wear. They just don’t take themselves too seriously: they make rock’n roll playsuits and T-shirts, with a couple of skull and cross bones thrown in for good measure. My daughter loves her new sailor dress, and maybe more importantly, I love it too!
A new website called Australian Design Store has decided to make it their mission to introduce all of us Europeans to Australian labels, so check out their site — they have some great little things!
- Emilie
Richmond Park
Richmond Park is the largest royal park in London, covering 2,500 acres of land and has been a Royal Park since Edward I (1272 – 1307). There are around 650 deer that roam free and stand elegantly among the ferns, blending in to the landscape, which is why it is sometimes known as ‘The Deer Park’. We’re very lucky, as we live a stone’s throw away from the park and go almost daily. So I have some favourite places to mention…
We often park up at Pembroke Lodge* (a lovely canteen/tea-room which used to be the residence of our Prime Minister, Lord John Russell in 1847), and from there walk north to King Henry VIII’s mound, where on a clear day you can see 12 miles to St. Paul’s Cathedral! Or we head east across the road to the ponds. *Note: Pembroke Lodge tends to bring out freshly made (warm!) scones at around 3pm daily, served with cream and jam. There is nothing nicer than a sweet-treat after a bout of fresh air, I find. (more…)
Auckland, NZ
After a 12-hour overnight flight from Los Angeles, we landed in rainy (!!!) and grey Auckland, NZ. Not the most welcoming sight for a family seeking summer, but I was so relieved to have survived the flight that I didn’t care too much. And by that afternoon the sun was out and shining. Apparently New Zealand is known for its potential to have all four seasons in one day!
We stayed for the first four nights in a charming neighborhood called Devonport, which is across the bay from Auckland (by bridge or by ferryboat). The town feels a bit like something out of southern California in the 1950s — it’s quaint and friendly, and we definitely enjoyed the slower pace… and good coffee (another thing they’re known for!). (more…)
All natural make-up from Whoops Bunny
Every Friday my daughter is allowed to bring a toy from home to her pre-school. In the afternoon, the kids can share their special toys and games with their classmates.
Such a nice initiative, I thought, and so I’ve been suggesting that my daughter bring puzzles, simple board games and other easy-to-share and educational toys. My daughter, however, has been coming home super excited about the make-up her little friends brought from home to share. Alas! Make-up? First, is she sixteen yet? (No, only four.) Second, aren’t these make-up kits for kids filled with nasty chemicals and artificial colouring? (I’m pretty sure they are!)
Recently I came across the Whoops Bunny all-natural make-up sticks. Problem solved! The sticks come in five colours and look cute with the little bunnies on them. The colours are bright but translucent, so the whole thing looks extremely innocent when applied and doesn’t remind me of grown-up make-up at all. (more…)
Adorable Brocade Dress for Girls
Just had to share this little adorable dress that I found the other day at The Gap. Honestly, if you threw a Prada label on the thing it would be worth zillions. I love the Gap for basics but every now and then they put out something really great for kids.
The dress runs true to size, and it’s just such a sweet little party dress. The photo really does not do it justice at all. There are also matching shoes (that I would pair with cropped jeans) for maximum cuteness. Why don’t they make this stuff in my size? No fair.
-Dina
Antoine et Lili
The Antoine and Lili flagship stores must be some of the cutest rows of shops I have ever seen. I was walking past them today and they were so bright and cheerful on a grey winter’s day!
They can be found along the canal St Martin, an area which, for a long time now, has been attracting lots of little shops and restaurants. If the rumours are to be believed the Antoine et Lili shops were actually the first independent shops to open up in this area, turning the area into a trendy little spot.
Anyway, if you are in Paris and like kitsch and bright colours, Antoine et Lili is a must. The kid’s store especially is a bright, bright space with great toys, presents and clothes from the world over. It is definitely not minimalist, but colourful and loud! I also love the homewares shop were you can find great Mexican waxcloths and fabulous melamine plates for the whole family. (more…)
