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
A very cool lamp…
You can’t help but feel better if you step through the doors of a Jonathan Adler design store. His bright and quirky designs make for great housewarming gifts, and recently I’ve noticed they are trying to launch a new “Junior” line for kids (although between you and me — most of it is not really my taste). I did however spot, and now worship, this giraffe lamp!! It kills me that the head sticks out of the top! Kills me. Not only is it perfect for a kids room but could work easily as a desk lamp. Selfishly, I am getting it for myself… not my kids.
-Dina
My Bread
After mentioning my love for bread baking last week, I received a couple emails asking which pizza dough recipe I use. The good news is that both the No-Knead bread recipe and our favourite pizza dough recipe come from the same source: Jim Lahey’s My Bread. We have a large stack of bread-baking recipe books, but this one is definitely our favourite. What I really love about the book is how he uses photos to walk you through the recipes, step by step, making it nearly impossible to mess up. And his pizza dough really is the best.
The book is available from Amazon (UK and US).
-Courtney
Dear Avocado…Thank you.
The summer in New York City has been brutal. I’ve heard that it was the hottest July on record but August was pretty unbearable as well. Meanwhile, I have been outdoors most of the time, forgetting to re-apply sunscreen and definitely not taking care of my hair which now is the consistency of straw. So… the other day while sitting around making guacamole with a friend, she suggested I mash up an avocado, mush it around with an egg yolk and put it in my hair. So next thing I know I am massaging in the green goop and wrapping my head in saran wrap (sexy!) and after sitting with it for 45 minutes I was shocked! It really did give my hair a noticeable boost as it felt suddenly thicker and healthier. I am going to do it with the kids because I think they would love it — especially after a summer of chlorinated pools!!! I also hear that Mayo works well — I will try that next and let you know.
Just to recap: mash up avocado, mix in egg yolk, apply to hair (more at the roots), sit for a bit, rinse it, done.
-Dina
(Image from For The Birds)
Bembo’s Zoo
My friend, Al, told me about this wonderful website which has apparently been running for years and years and years but I never knew about it. Bembo’s Zoo actually started life as a book, designed by world renowned graphic designer, Roberto de Vicq de Cumptich (I know, fabulous name!). The concept used the letters of the alphabet to create animals (using type font, Bembo). It was turned into a flash-animated website and is utterly mesmerising — you can spend hours just clicking through the alphabet and watching the animals unfold. My children love it and it is a great way to start familiarising them with the letters. Enjoy!
-Mo
Planter’s Crema Riparatrice
A true discovery this summer has been the Viso Mani Corpo repairing cream from Planter’s. Made from all natural ingredients, and with a delicious, gentle smell, this cream is equally suitable to put on your body, hands and face. Perfect for when you’re traveling!
It’s lovely for after bath or shower and rich enough to give nutrition to dry skin. And good for children’s cheeks too! A summer favourite, but this cream will from now on live in our house the whole year around. Available in Europe through Soap.
xxx Esther
Our New Bunk Bed. The Pros. The Cons.
I was quite inspired by Natalie’s post a while back when she wrote about this absolutely beautiful bunk bed from Australia. Like her, I am somewhat obsessed with the idea of a bunk bed and it got me to thinking about getting one for my girls. When their recent birthday loomed, a plan was hatched to get one, and after months of hard-core research I decided to get this particular one from Room and Board (which is simple and beautiful in person).
We talked about its arrival for weeks on end – nailing out the details of who was on top, who was on bottom. Talking about how we would drape a sheet and make a cave out of the lower bunk AND how exciting it would be to have a bigger room with more space for toys! The excitement could barely be contained….Then it arrived… (more…)
Native shoes in mini sizes
I am so excited… I just discovered that Little Fashion Gallery are stocking Native shoes in mini sizes! I have long been bemoaning the fact that these cool shoes didn’t come in kids sizes and…well...here they are! The perfect summer holiday shoe in my opinion — so versatile, so robust with the utility of a Croc but really so much more style! And in such delicious colors too. Made from 100% EVA, an environmentally amphibious material that makes them ultra-comfortable and all-terrain; molding perfectly to the foot. I can’t wait to get my hands on a pair (for the kids and also for myself — I am eyeing the shell white here)!
- Sara
Mila’s day dreams
If you haven’t seen it already — please check out Mila’s day dreams blog. I defy you not to make it one of your favourites. Since I read about it I am totally hooked and check it out daily. A truly wonderful and imaginative maternity hobby! What a cool, cool mum.
-Mo
Il Tutto: stylish baby bags
Being a new mum doesn’t always bring out the physically best. For instance, after three babies my belly looks like a cross between gelatin pudding and a hot cross bun. My hair is a constant explosion of dry and frizzy dullness (and I’m losing it as we speak) and well, now that I’m at it: my bikini line looks like a Brazilian… rain forest.
Not the best ingredients for feeling like a yummy mummy. But, help is at hand: the moment I throw my uber-glamourous, luxurious Il Tutto Layla over my shoulder I instantly convert from tired looking, un-cute mum to a cool, hip and stylish mama. Or at least I feel that way! My back automatically straightens, my hair seems to look ‘interesting’ (Tina Turner looked good too after all) and surely soon the seventies will be sexy again. (more…)
What’s in a name?
Unless they’re called William III, or Jesse James Junior, you might have gone through nine months of nervous brainstorming — what should I call my new baby? I found it to be a very difficult task, and my husband and I have spent more than a few hours debating about it! I guess I like short, catchy names, because all our kids’ names have no more than 4 letters. I also like names that work in multiple languages. And they should work well with our family name (van de Paal).
Our first baby is called SARA van de Paal. I’ve always thought Sara is a beautiful name, very old-fashioned, but at the same time very simple and modern. I like how there are so many As in the first and last name. (more…)
Little Nutty Helmets — for the coolest bikey in town
Nutcase is the maker of awesome helmets and their Little Nutty line caters the under five set. In Oz it is legal requirement to wear a helmet when riding a bicycle and given that so many are so cringe worthy (seriously lacking in the style stakes) these make me so very excited to hop on my bike once again. There is a cool design to suit every member of the family — in fact there are so many cool designs I seriously defy anyone, young or old, not to find one that suits their personality or acceptable to their sense of aesthetic. The Little Nutty range is particularly adorable and ‘dial-to-fit’ sizing makes getting the correct fit for this helmet simple – just turn the dial on the back of the helmet to make it fit your child’s head exactly, growing as the head grows. So cool. Enough said!
For stockists of Nutcase and Little Nutty in the USA and Canada, click here; for Europe click here and for Australia, click here. For everywhere else in the world, see here.
- Sara
Apünktchen — very cool caps for boys
I love, love, love these hats from Apünktchen! My 3-year-old looks so cool in it, I just want to eat him up. And I’m going to get one for my big boy (= husband) too! Apünktchen is a German brand, and besides the caps they also have a very nice collection of clothes. I’ve been secretly checking the winter collection already, and I feel I will order some pieces here as they are very very special and cute… The website is in German, but it’s easy to navigate (TIP move your mouse over the bright green dots) and if you’re interested in ordering pieces just send an email to Anette, the owner and designer.
xxx Esther
Birdhouse Wallpaper
How cute is this Birdhouse Wallpaper I’ve just discovered?! I love the worn-out background and all the detailed little birds — and it almost looks as if you could actually touch the different textures. I think it would be so cute to cover a bedroom wall with this paper, adding a bit of colour/texture to a child’s room.
My husband and I have actually just bought an old, very run-down house in London and are in the midst of planning a complete renovation (exciting but terrifying!). So I am officially on the hunt for cute interior design ideas, and I’m sure I’ll be sharing my discoveries with you along the way. If you have any good tips or ideas — please share!
-Courtney
Everything in its place…
I have a real love/hate relationship with technology and I am absolutely TERRIBLE when it comes to keeping things charged. It’s a problem worthy of an intervention. When I go to use my Ipod there is generally enough power to get me through only one or two songs, and rare is the day when my digital camera does not immediately flash “low battery” the minute I snap a picture. My mother – sensing my distress and also noticing that my cell phone rarely worked — bought the following charging station for our house and it has served as a gentle reminder to keep things “juiced” and has solved the issue of keeping everything in a neat and tidy space. As many of you know, I am on a mission to get organized and this whimsical grass caddy looks great on the counter. Kikkerland has tons of silly things for the home so do check out the rest of the website.
-Dina
A quick word on Baker’s Twine
I have a bit of an obsession with baker’s twine. I ordered 4 huge spools of it a few months ago and I am looking around for more. Now I’m no crafty, but even I can think of a million uses. In fact, we seem to be using it in some shape or form at least once a day (yesterday my daughter used it to make some bunting for her dolls house). Great for gift wrapping instead of ribbon, just team with brown butcher paper… It is also beautiful for wrapping baked goods. It adds a nostalgic, rustic look that is simple and classic. Traditional red and white baker’s twine is perfect but I am totally smitten with these delicious, eye-popping colors from The Twinery.
- Sara
DIY Stick Horses
Before the birth of Ava I had already concluded that my soon to be 5-year-old daughter should have a proper birthday party — no excuses. For months and months she’d been talking about a ‘pony’ birthday (probably secretly hoping we would get her a real horse), which is not an easy theme for a party, especially if you don’t want to end up with loads of plastic trash!! So, 9 days after giving birth, my husband (still on paternity leave — this is Europe!) and my mother-in-law and I spent a whole evening making 7 stick horses for my daughter’s party. I got some rough instructions from This Vintage Chica, went to the market to get broomsticks, stuffing, and decoration, and to HEMA for some groovy socks, biggest size. We worked hard and stayed up late, but the result was a HUGE success! Part of the party was about personalising the horses with letters and glitters, and part was a horse racetrack, and of course all the girls got to take their own stick horse home. The kids absolutely loved their horses and are still playing with them today.
If you feel like making your own stick horse — it’s pretty easy, you don’t need a sewing machine at all. An (old) broomstick and an (old) sock will do. Here’s the how-to:
Klick Desk by P’kolino
I just ordered a pair of these Klick Desks by P’Kolino for my girls and I can’t wait for them to arrive! I have been on the hunt for a cute and practical workspace for them for a while now and I simply love the way these look — clean, modern and functional. The desk/chair combo snaps closed into a solid cube and there is storage space under the seat for art supplies and paper. Genius. I was also pleased to learn that the company was founded by two DADS!!! The website currently only offers three colors (red, green and orange) but definitely check out all that they have to offer as P’Kolino makes a bunch of really great things!!
-Dina
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
Nina’s House
I’m so impressed by the design of this little house. How clever it is: crib, playpen, storage cabinet and changing table all in one! Such fun, so super innovative and beautiful!! The Dutch designer, Dave Keune, thought about all the little details: the entire roof can be opened with bright yellow ropes. The base can be lowered and the rails removed to create a bed when the baby gets older. And (I love this detail), the chest of drawers below the changing table can be opened and closed with a slight push of the knee, so that both hands can still be available while changing the baby’s nappy. Good thinking, Dave!!
xxx Esther
