Bubble Umbrella from Totes
Rain. Good for the flowers and trees. Not so great for my disposition…or my hair. Most kids however, love when the opportunity arises to break out the rain gear which is why I really like this umbrella from Totes. One — it is a bubble which means better bodily coverage. Two — it’s clear so kids can look through to see where they are going instead of struggling and banging into things. Three — it’s cheap and cheerful, so when it breaks or disappears, like all umbrellas eventually do, I won’t feel so bad. Also worth nothing is that the smaller version is good for an adult as I have used one many times when I can’t find my own umbrella, which is always…
-Dina
Liberty everywhere
There seems to be a new spring feeling in the air that a lot of designers have picked up on — everywhere you turn you can see lovely Liberty style fabrics. One of my favourite shops here in Paris, Merci dedicated its whole shop to Liberty fabrics earlier this year — cute stuff for kids and grown-ups including tops, bags, aprons, handkerchiefs, and this pretty Liberty Print Suitcases.
I have also noticed that Smallable has several designers — Poppy Rose and Luco for example– doing beautiful dresses for girls out of delicate liberty patterns. And it does not have to be real Liberty fabric; my local supermarket, Monoprix, has loads of little Liberty-style bags and clothes for this season. (more…)
Elias & Grace special shopping weekend
Elias & Grace is one of my favourite chidren’s boutiques in London. The shop is always on top of the latest trends in children’s wear and stocks all my favourite brands. But what really sets them apart is their ability to style the pieces, to put outfits together. Their ‘looks’ are always so cute (both the girls and the boys) which makes it easy to buy complete outfits for your kids or to give the perfect gifts.
And… if you can get it all at 20% off… even better! For this weekend only, enjoy a special spring shopping discount of 20% off when you shop in store or online. Just enter SS510 at check-out, or mention it in store. Valid from today until midnight Monday 24th May.
By the way, how cute is that white blouse (pictured left)? So summery, so pretty. I want one for myself!
-Courtney
Ships Ahoy! See-Saw Swing from Haba
We got this fantastic Ships See-Saw Swing
There are several places to purchase it online, or if you’re in Los Angeles, check it out at The Acorn Store in Santa Monica. This is my go-to spot for creative and wooden toys – great for gifts!
xKaela
Shoegoo
Children generally grow quickly, so they often don’t wear down their shoes before they outgrow them. There is one big exception to this rule though: play shoes — shoes which are pulled through the mud, jumped on and dragged along on bikes. These shoes get worn down, especially around the toes and the heels, in the blink of an eye.
A friend of mine recently reminded me of Shoegoo, a genius product that the skater boys I lusted after in my misspent youth used to use all the time. It’s a gel that you spread around the used toes or heels of the trainer. Overnight it hardens and builds a protective new layer around the shoe. It does not make the shoe look “as good as new” but beaten up play shoes are given a new lease of life and it beats having to buy new shoes every month.
You can pick a tube of Shoegoo up from most skateboard shops, all over the world.
- Emilie
Colour-me-in T-shirt by Pure Baby
I can’t imagine a young child who wouldn’t be rapt to receive a gift like this ‘color me in’ t-shirt by Pure Baby. It is 100% organic cotton, handprinted with sweet animal motifs that will appeal to boys and girls alike and is ready for coloring in with 8 fabric crayons provided. So cute! Pure Baby is one of my favorite Aussie brands, especially for their soft organic pyjamas which always come in a cute little coordinating pouch (so handy for hair elastics, clips, pegs…). I spotted this little gem while checking out their new website and immediately made a mental note to keep it in mind for birthdays… and I can vouch for the softness and quality of their cotton — it’s just like butter and washes beautifully!
For orders, local and international, please check their website.
-Sara
Welcome Ava!!!
Esther’s baby girl has arrived!!!
Ava Johanna van de Paal
3.08 kilos and as cute as can be…
She rushed into this world just 15 minutes ago. Literally…. rushed! Esther went into the hospital with mild contractions and within an hour her baby was born. Amazing.
Esther, we are all so thrilled for you and your family. We love you and can’t wait to meet that little bundle!
xoxo All of us at Babyccino Kids
Sunja Link
I am so in love with everything in the Sunja Link children’s collection. The designs are all so sweet and so original. I just love the little wooden buttons on these red and blue striped shorty pants. And this dark grey suspender skirt is about as cute as it gets.
Sunja Link is a Canadian-based designer who also has a women’s wear line. She is known for her attention to colour, fabric, and subtle details which make her designs so distinct. I like the mix of earthy fabrics with classic design… Like this peter pan collar dress (which I have for my daughter) — the design itself is quite traditional, but the fabric gives it a unique and modern feel. I also think all the pieces are so wearable — they’re smart without being too fancy.
You can buy directly from the Sunja Link website, and they ship internationally.
-Courtney
Amazing Travel Tote
I don’t know what it is with me and 1980’s nostalgia brands, but for the last few years I have been completely addicted to LeSportSac. I happen to live near one of their outlet stores so I have been quite fortunate in terms of getting some amazing bags for next to nothing. The company is always rolling out new patterns so there is something that will appeal to everyone. I think this tote makes for a perfect weekend bag and is an ideal carryall for a long day out with the kids. It’s large, but not cumbersome, and it zips at the top to hide any chaos that might lurk inside. I also like that it has plenty of pockets for keys, cellphone and loose change. And most importantly, it’s machine washable! They also make a great baby bag. Visit one of the stores for a larger selection and if you can locate an outlet store — even better.
-Dina
DIY Colourful Lanterns
My daughter made one of these glass jar lanterns at school for her Christmas dinner, and I thought they were so cute that I’d have her make a few extra — they’re just lovely on a summery (garden) dinner table! They’re really easy to make (a child can do it), and all you need are some empty glass jars, some coloured art tissue paper, Mod Podge, a brush and zig-zag scissors. Just cut squares of different sizes of the tissue paper and glue them on the glass jar, slightly overlapping. When finished, paint a layer of Mod Podge, let dry, insert candle and presto! Fun to make, and with great results. I’m planning on hanging loads of them in a tree for a summer dinner — I’ll have to put my daughter to work!
xxx Esther
Win!! Priti Nail Polish set
Esther has already raved about the non-toxic Priti Nail Polish — it’s free from all the chemicals (toluene, formaldehyde, DBP and carcinogens) normally found in nail polish, and is safe enough for mothers-to-be and children. The Priti Princess Polish for kids comes in an 8ml bottle — perfect for little hands. And the Priti Soy Polish Remover is the only polish remover I’ve ever found to be 100% biodegrable and non-carcinogenic. It is soy and corn-based, derived from farm crops, and does not contain any petroleum ingredients — and it works!
Now for the exciting news… The stylish eco boutique, Shak Shuka, is generously giving away a Priti nail polish set which includes: one Priti Polish (for mums), one Priti Princess Polish (for kids), and one Priti Soy Remover. The winner can choose the colours.
Just leave a comment below by Wednesday, May 26th, and we’ll pick one winner at random. Good luck!
P.S. Congratulations to Dana from Wisconsin, USA who won our last give-away: The cute outfit from Smallable!
Liz Earle, natural skincare
I’ve been on the look-out for skincare that works for a while now. I have my requirements, of course: it should be gentle, natural, affordable and smell really good. It should also be simple and straightforward — what I don’t like are those brands which offer a million products to be used on top of each other depending on your specific skin type, age, mood, and financial situation. I mean, I’m never sure of my skin type, nor of my age, not even of my mood and surely not of my financial situation. I’d rather not know! Lastly, they should be available on my doormat. I’ve tried some French brands that I liked but had so much trouble finding them outside France, it was a disaster!
I recently discovered Liz Earle Natural Skincare, and I must say I’m a fan! Her face essentials line is as easy as 1,2,3 — clean (cleanser), boost (tonic) and repair (moisturiser). The cleansing part is done with the mulim cloths provided, and it does the trick wonderfully well, exfoliating at the same time! Oh, and the smell of the moisturiser is divine!
The products come with very clear instructions on how to use them, they are very affordable, all natural, locally sourced and as organic as possible, and best of all, they smell really good. They can be ordered on-line, and shipped worldwide. Easy does it!
xxx Esther
Pedal Power
Having recently returned from one of my all-time favorite cities in the world, as well as Esther’s stomping ground — Amsterdam, I now have a serious case of bicycle-itis. The whole bicycle culture over there is just completely enchanting to me. Visions of every age using the power of the pedal as the main form of transportation, unlike Los Angeles, where the smallest of errands usually entails a full car load up. Not only that, but the bikes in Amsterdam are works of art as far as I’m concerned. My husband and I would duck into any bike shop we’d come across and excitedly “choose” which style ride we needed to have in our possession back in the States. My kids couldn’t get enough of piling into a cargo bike and away we’d go! And not only does bike riding appeal to my “green” side, it appeals to my “fun” side and totally takes me back to my childhood and the feeling of freedom that goes along with riding a bike. The geography of L.A. makes it highly unlikely (i.e. only in my dreams) to become a bicycle driven city, but that does not mean we can’t have our own little slice of the Dutch life. Thanks to the super friendly brother duo, Adam and Josef Bray-Ali, owners of Flying Pigeon LA, we Angelenos now have direct access to the SUVs of bicycle family fun. (more…)
Hello from Los Angeles
I am so excited to be the newest member of the fabulous Babyccino women! As a mother, a lover of great design and a frequent traveler, Babyccino Kids was such a great discovery for me. Besides having the pleasure of becoming friends with the amazing Esther, Courtney & Emilie, the posts have been so helpful when revisiting cities like Amsterdam, Paris and London with kids for the first time, which can be challenging to say the least! I am thrilled to now be able to share my city, Los Angeles, with all the interested readers near and far. L.A. is huge, so we have quite a bit to cover! There are a TON of things to see and do (and buy!), and it’s a great place to visit with kids. I’m looking forward to sharing the fun with you all!
xKaela
Welcome, Kaela… Welcome LA!!
It’s funny how sometimes you can meet somebody and within hours chat as if you’ve known each other for years. This happened when I met Kaela in Amsterdam a couple of weeks ago. Good thing she was forced to stay in town for an extra few days due to the strange phenomenon of an Icelandic ash-cloud… So we could spend some more time together and chat about everything in our lives, from kids (she has 2) to bathing suits (she has plenty of them as she lives in LA!) to cooking (she’s a chef-cook!) to design (she’s an interior designer!) to Babyccino Kids. She’s a fun, sweet, interesting, beautiful and stylish woman and we’re all very proud to introduce her as our new LA contributor (yes, finally)!
Without further ado — please welcome our new contributor from the exciting, cosmopolitan, sunny, city-of-the-stars: Los Angeles!
xxx Esther
Bugaboo Bee, the coolest buggy on the block!
Lucky me! Because I’m in Amsterdam — the home of the world famous Dutch company Bugaboo, I have already gotten my hands on the shiny new version of the Bugaboo Bee. And I’m loving it!! Even though my baby isn’t here yet, I’ve tested it already on my 3-year-old boy, who will have a hard time parting with it when his little sister is born.
Besides the fact that the Bee is cool because it’s modern, innovative and original, it’s also amazingly small, lightweight and easy to maneuver. At the same time it’s super complete: it’s a fully equipped pushchair that can be used from newborn up to around age four!
The seat, which can recline completely and is ergonomically designed to be suitable from birth, can be put either rear facing or forward facing in a few simple steps (the new design greatly improved as opposed to the old one, where reversing the seat took a masters degree in space-ship engineering). It may (but doesn’t have to) be taken off completely in the case you want to use it with just the car seat, which easily clips on. But, there’s no annoying dismantling in two parts before you can fold the buggy — it folds flat with seat and all, in one part and in one movement… easy peasy. Even the grandparents got it immediately.
I must say, after two babies and three pushchairs, this IS the most versatile, handy buggy we’ve had so far!!!
More to come on the Bee after I’ve had the baby…
xxx Esther
My Adidas
I love wearing my old-school sneakers (aka trainers) around the city streets — not only are they comfy but they make me feel young again and even somewhat hip. It’s pretty hard, however, to “keep it real” when you are pushing around a shopping cart filled with Annie’s Organic Cheddar Bunnies at Whole Foods. As much as I do see moms (myself included) in the neighborhood sporting a pair of retro-kicks – I know full well that it just doesn’t really work. It’s kind of like seeing a grandmother in a pair of low-rise jeans or an infant in a tuxedo. As I see it, Adidas, as adult footwear, “jumps the shark” once you hit age 25 and is no longer cool.
But on a child…forget it….game over. I love it when I see a little boy wearing a pair of Sambas or a newborn in an ironic pair of velcro Shells. Cracks me up every time. Zappos has a huge selection of Adidas and Puma’s kid’s shoes for boys and girls that are perfect for the summer. I just got these unisex sneakers (pictured) for each of my girls. They have no idea why I like them so much but they dig the orange stripes and like that I get such intense joy out of them. There is a time and a place for everything and the old school sneaker ship sailed away from me long ago. Time to pass the torch.
-Dina
Kouch
I absolutely love these children’s couches by KOUCH. Hand crafted in Melbourne, they are good looking, safe, sturdy, functional and built to last (with a lifetime guarantee to boot). And they don’t sport a single Disney/Wiggles character (so your living room won’t suffer in the name of your toddlers faddish inclinations). Although specifically designed for children 1 – 5 years, the Kouch has ample room to share with a ‘big’ person for a book, a play, a snuggle or best of all… all three!
It’s good to know that they are also endorsed by specialised children’s chiropractors for providing good postural support to delicate little spines!
For more information as well as color customised orders, just click here.
- Sara
Broer&Zus
I did already tell you about Broer&Zus, one of my favourite children’s boutiques in Amsterdam, and I have already raved about their fantastic own label as well. But I recently stepped into the store again, and just have to tell you yet AGAIN how lovely the store is and how I like their own label! Take these girlie dresses… how can one resist? Made of cool cotton in an array of bright, fun colours and with the perfect A-line tunic shape — they are SO fun! Sweet for hot days, but equally cute for colder days, paired with leggings.
I also picked up one of these super cute starred onesies for the new baby. Can’t wait to try it on…
In addition to their own label, they also showcase a great collection of superb brands. If you’re not in Amsterdam any time soon to check out the shop, please don’t worry — they have a great webshop and ship internationally.
xxx Esther
Eco Fashion Rocks — a place to buy and sell children’s clothing
I just recently sat down to the daunting task of organizing all my kids’ clothes — handing down items from oldest to youngest son, boxing up things which are too small, and trying to organize all the baby clothes which my daughter grew out of way too quickly. It is shocking how many things were barely (or even never) worn. And the boxes of outgrown clothes are literally taking over my house!
Thankfully I had heard about Eco Fashion Rocks — a site where you can buy and sell children’s clothing. I literally sent a stack of never-worn clothes over to them… and just this week received a payment into my bank account. Easy as that!
Eco Fashion Rocks is also a good place to find great bargains — like this Petite Bateau smock dress available for only £7! What I really like about the site is that they personally rate every product — from ‘perfect’ for never worn items in mint condition to ‘good’ for lightly washed items. It means you know exactly what you’re getting when you buy. Check out the website for more details on how to buy or sell.
-Courtney
