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It is hard to believe but Merci, one of Paris’ most fashionable concept stores has been out-trumped by a kid’s store. Just a stone’s throw away from Merci on the corner where the boulevard Beaumarchais turns into the boulevard Filles du Calvaire, Bonton has opened up a 800 M² new flagship shop. It is absolutely fabulous! On over 3 floors you can find clothes, clothes and even more clothes, a book shop (with a GREAT selection of books), a bakery, a sweets bar, a hair dresser, a deco area and I don’t even remember what else.
Rebecca (who used to write for us from Washington and who has, luckily for me, moved back to Paris) and I went to the opening and had a blast. The Prosecco was flowing, there was a huge counter full of hams and cheeses and little sandwiches. It was a great way of discovering the shop and the new Bonton summer collection.
Oh, did I mention that they also have one of those old-fashioned photo booths with a bucket full of dressing up hats in front of it? We also took advantage of that, though we were the only grown-ups queueing up for it in a huge line of kids…
- Emilie
BONTON
5 boulevard Filles Du Calvaire
75003 Paris
Open: Monday – Saturday 10:00 – 19:00
Emilie in Paris
March 4th, 2010
Is this little girl not absolutely adorable? That face! That hat! The vest…! I could practically eat her up! Luna Ninos is an Australian brand I discovered when my son was a baby. They design and knit their products in Melbourne without linking, sewing or seams… making their beanies and bonnets, booties, baby blankets and cardigans comfortable and lightweight. They use only the finest natural fibers — pure cotton or extrafine merino wool, and each season offer an array of delectable colours, from the more muted (mouse, spinach, bamboo…) to the very bright (aqua, rosa and tomato….). Luxurious yet practical — everything is machine-washable (fortunately as I have absolutely no patience for hand-washing!). I especially love their tree blankets — not only visually superb, but proceeds from their sale support the Wilderness Society of Australia, saving our beautiful old growth forests, which is a really good thing…
To view their stunning collection and for online orders, click here!
-Sara
Sara in Melbourne
February 26th, 2010
Check out this YouTube video featuring Julie from Famille Summerbelle cutting out, by hand, her New York map. I saw it on the Famille Summerbelle website and could not resist writing about it. The whole thing took 20 hours to make, but don’t worry, the video only lasts 2 minutes. It is seriously insane to watch — I personally would have sliced off the tip of my finger in the first minute….
I really like watching someone work with pen, paper and scaple instead of a computer, just like in the good old days.
I also have to say that I have a real soft spot for Julie’s work, especially her cut-out maps. They are lovely and full of little details which are acute observations of the cities on the maps.
- Emilie
Emilie in Paris
February 26th, 2010
As you know we recently moved to a new house. It has a little garden, but it’s by no means bigger than the previous apartment, so our children are still (happily) sharing a room. My husband and I went through some effort to make it a lovely, cosy space (we have really sweet kids, you know), so we painted, hung bookshelves, assembled cabinets, and glued an enormous, wonderful wallpaper tree to the wall.
Inke Heiland originally designed her wallpaper silhouettes for her little boy’s room, but after great results and very positive feedback she decided to start producing the designs, which are now available from her webshop. All handmade from the most exquisite vintage wallpaper, these trees come as a do-it-yourself kit, completely cut out, with clear instructions, wallpaper glue and brush present in the tube. It was a bit scary at first as neither of us have wallpapered before, but the application process was surprisingly easy, and though I’m not saying it was 3 minutes work — more certainly we spent over 3 hours — the result is absolutely fantastic. The kids are super proud and adore their room. And yes, I admit, it did turn out rather nicely.
I really recommend Inke’s designs — they’re highly original, will instantly spice up every kids room and they certainly complement different interior styles very easily. They’re available through her webshop, or through our favourite eco shop ShakShuka.
xxx Esther
Esther in Amsterdam
February 23rd, 2010
If you have a sewing machine, this Valentines decoration is easily made, and my kids really liked the project!
Just potato-stamp hearts on paper; I used recycled paper but you can use any sort really, even newspaper. No need to be perfect here, my 2-year-old had quite some production going. Let the paint dry and cut the hearts out. Again, slightly outside the outline of the stamp is fine, my 4-year-old girl was perfectly capable of doing it all herself! How typical for this age…
My machine had black thread in it and I didn’t bother changing it. I think it actually looks quite nice like this. Make sure to leave some thread at the ends for attaching!
My daughter’s bed looked lovely instantaneously! (The wallpaper bird is from Inke, more about that later.)
xxx Esther
P.S. Inspiration for this project came from Maya*Made
Esther in Amsterdam
February 12th, 2010
How cute are these cupcake kits!!!! What a simple solution to make you look like a baking rock star! Meri Meri has something for just about every occasion and the quality is just beautiful. Now that the coldest months are rolling into the city I like doing cooking projects in the afternoon to deal with those often painfully long hours between the “end-of-school” and the “start-of-dinner”. There are tons of other really adorable and creative things on the website as well — invitations, thank you cards and notepads. And speaking of cupcakes… I want one.
-Dina
Dina in New York
February 10th, 2010
With Valentine’s Day approaching soon, I couldn’t resist purchasing this amazingly cool heart shaped frying pan. I’m not yet sure whether I’ll serve the pancakes or the eggs, or maybe both… But I’m positive my family will love them (and me)!
I got mine from this shop here in the Netherlands, but it’s — among other places — also available from this UK website.
xxx Esther
Esther in Amsterdam
February 9th, 2010
We experienced again that moving house with a family is not an overnight job — it’s like giving birth, you sort of forget how painful it actually is! The new house is very nice though, and room by room it’s slowly coming together.
Here are some tips that I have found helpful for before, during and after the move:
1. Take measurements (including ceiling heights) of the new place before the move and make a basic plan of what furniture should go where. Think about how you will get bigger pieces into the new house — is the doorway big enough? And the stairwell? Does it fit through the windows, maybe?
2. Clearly label the boxes. It should be extremely clear to what room what box should go — don’t worry too much about the content. Your kids can help label / decorate the boxes!
3. Don’t overload boxes with heavy items (books), they will be too hard to handle and they will only break. Keep inserts of drawers together: dump them in a ziplock bag, in the new house you can easily dump them in the drawer again. Only bother wrapping breakable pieces and keep them in a separate, clearly labeled box.
4. Keep handbags, laptops, telephones, passports, jewelry and other small valuables together and move them in your own car. Also keep a box with power cables, extension cables, router for internet connection and a couple of table lights with you. And the tool box!
5. Pack a suitcase with overnight essentials for your family, toilet paper, clean bedding for the beds and some towels. Make the beds in the new house as soon as possible, chances are high you’ll be too exhausted later!
6. Buy plenty of drinks and some beers. Think about cups and glasses. Make sure to have plenty of bread and cheese available for sandwiches, and ingredients for coffee. Buy some bags of crisps and apples. Keep all of the food in a separate bag, and keep telephone numbers for delivery services handy. Don’t even dream about cooking!
7. Try to have the kitchen and bathroom cabinets in the new place clean before you move, so you can start unpacking in these rooms. It’s nice to have these rooms in working order as soon as possible!
8. The kids should be ‘out of the way’. Ask if they can play at a friend’s house for the day, and ask if they can have dinner there as well. Make sure the kid’s room is cozy and their beds are made before they come home from their day activity!
9. Buy some new DVD’s for the kids, these days are exhausting for them as well and they will love to lounge on the couch, while you can focus on some more unwrapping and organizing.
10. Get plenty of garbage bags for all the stuff you decide you don’t need after all. Think of the new place as a new start!
xxx Esther
P.S. Thanks Bibi, Rebecca, Katie, Destri, Sandra and Vicky for your advice, we followed it all and it really helped!
P.P.S. Do you have more tips for a smooth move? Please leave a comment!
Esther in Amsterdam
February 7th, 2010
Most parents discover fairly early on that if they want to meet in a cafe with friends and have any hope of conversation (one that spans more than 10 seconds), then a distraction for the children in the form of a book/toy is imperative. It allows at least some semblance of communication between the adults whilst in the company of young children — where you can form a full sentence… in one go!!
Many cafes in Melbourne answer this need, providing crayons and butcher paper to occupy the kids. And that certainly helps! But Family Life Home & Café in Grattan Street, Prahran goes one step further. Not only is it a divine Balinese inspired space, incorporating a cafe and boutique, but it has a gorgeous imaginative play area for the children.
So… whilst you leisurely sip your cappuccino on a comfy couch, chat to friends, read the newspaper (without being interrupted every. single. sentence) and shop for hand-made toys, eco homewares, exotic recycled furniture and some great kidswear — the children are happily playing nearby in the enchanted forest or putting on a show in the gazebo! Happiness all around!
If you are visiting, be sure to check out the kidswear. Not only do they carry some great Aussie designers like Mill&Mia, Sudo and Jellyfish but they also carry a more obscure Balinese designer called Paul Ropp. His distinctive and vibrant pieces are truly amazing!
Family Life will also throw a fantastic kids birthday party, with every little detail taken care of!
- Sara
Sara in Melbourne
February 1st, 2010
We’re moving. This weekend. To a tiny little house in the same neighbourhood. We’ve been in an apartment for the last few years, so we’re super excited to have a garden, even though it will be teeny tiny!
Although we’ve moved a couple of times before, from country to country, and even with kids, it seems like we have never had so much STUFF to move as we have now!! When my husband (then boyfriend) and I moved to NYC 9 years ago, (and moved in together for the first time), our ‘things’ consisted of 8 boxes. It seems like we must have around 80 now!
Last week, in a faint attempt to get organized, I decided to go through all of the old baby and kids clothes that I’d gathered in big garbage bags in our basement… Ouch. Who knew that two children (admittedly of different sex) could have gone through so many clothes?
Now that I know I’m having a girl, I could at least give away most of the baby boy clothes. But of course we have kept the girly things, the baby bath, the tummy tub, the bath seat, the Bumbo seat, the activity mat, the moving music mobile, the play pen, the toddler bed… I think we’ll need a moving van by itself just for the kids stuff!
Did you move house with children before? Any tips?? Tell me, is there any secret that I should know about that will make the transition as easy as possible? (And please don’t tell me I should have been preparing for weeks already!)
xxx Esther
Esther in Amsterdam
January 28th, 2010
Like many households with children, we are the proud owner of an Ikea Bekvam step stool, which lives in our kitchen and is used all the time. It helps the kids reach the counter, it helps our Peruvian sitter to reach the upper cabinets (mounted extra high to accommodate tall Dutch genes), and it helps me to reach the upper, upper cabinets that even tall Dutch girls can’t reach!
A handy gadget, this Bekvam. It’s not, however, the most original piece of interior (hear the architect speaking?), and to be honest, mine is so much in need of a layer of paint that I hardly dare to display it in my kitchen!
Thankfully we now have the beautiful, modern, fresh, and well-designed Tess stool in the house. A lovely addition to our household! It’s being used in the bathroom to brush teeth, dragged to the kitchen when there’s a threat of a fight over the Bekvam, and used as a side table or stool where and whenever needed.
Designed by the two lovely Dutch ladies of NU (who share 5 kids between them), the Tess is well tested and proofed, and characterizes typical Dutch no-nonsense, practical modernism. My cup of tea! (And as soon as we have a house with a fireplace as in the photo, I WILL make sure I have three Tess stools in the house, lined up as pictured.)
Tess stools are made in solid oak and available plain or lacquered — just send an email to NU for information (go to the contact page of their website).
xxx Esther
Esther in Amsterdam
January 24th, 2010
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
Esther in Amsterdam
January 12th, 2010
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.
Antoine et Lili
95 Quai de Valmy
Paris 75010
Tel:+33 1 40 37 58 15
- Emilie
Emilie in Paris
January 8th, 2010
I am completely smitten with a virtual wonderland called Kindergallery. Actually it is a very genius online art gallery but it might as well be a wonderland — it is so gorgeous and enchanting!
Based in Sydney (with a second home in Berlin), Kindergallery sources and sells exclusive art works for children — original paintings, limited edition works, prints, stretched canvases, box art and wall decals. It is the brainchild of Fiona Lang, mother of two and curator of the stunning collection. She gathers the very best of Australian and international artists including Ida Pearle, Shinzi Katoh, Anna Ventura and one of my personal favourites, Meredith Gaston.
What I love about this collection is that each piece has clearly been handpicked to inspire the imaginations of young kids, but will also appeal to the discerning, style-conscious parent. And the best part? There is something for every budget! Works can be purchased for under AU$50, but Kindergallery also focus on providing that really special, once in a life time purchase too.
Whether you are in the market for some artwork or not — have a look at the website, it is guaranteed to make you smile!
-Sara
Sara in Melbourne
January 5th, 2010
I am so in love with all the lovely ornaments by Maileg this year! They could not be any cuter. Last year I picked up some of the little soldiers, which I loved because they look so British, and this year I discovered the darling birds and mushrooms!
They’re the perfect ornaments for a house full of kids because they won’t break if they fall off the tree — plus they just look so playful and fun.
Maileg is a young Danish company which also makes lovely toys and decorative objects. You can find Maileg pieces in London at Elias & Grace and Petit Aimé, or buy online at Nordinary.
Merry Christmas!
xoxo Courtney
Courtney in London
December 23rd, 2009
My family is in the grip of ‘Masterchef’ fever! My kids are so enthused by this reality television program that I practically have my youngest deriding me for not making the terrine for his school lunch. And while the downside for me is that the bar has been raised (my rather unspectacular cooking now looks even more… unspectacular), the show has reinforced the value of good eating, team-building and the importance of accepting constructive criticism. My daughter particularly has been caught by the cooking bug. This morning she made us a lovely, albeit slightly burnt dish of scrambled eggs, grilled tomato, and baby spinach — we devoured it… every char-grilled morsel!
A friend recently introduced me to a great children’s cooking website called Wholesome Productions which creates a fabulous range of children’s cooking kits. They also sell party cooking kits for those brave enough to host their own kid’s cooking party.
The Pizza Baking Kit (pictured) is particularly adorable because it comes in a genuine pizza box and includes an apron, chef’s hat, a pan, rolling pin and an easy-to-follow washable recipe book… a great present for this holiday season! I have also found a ton of kid’s cooking utensils and baking sets at Mini Whisk and these are worth a mention because they come in a range of cool themes (Australiana, love hearts, flying etc.) and they are really well-priced too. Alternatively, add a cute little recipe book to some mini-sized cooking tools, or a little chef’s hat to a pint sized rolling pin and there you have some practical and fun gift ideas for all the aspiring master chefs out there!
-Sara
Sara in Melbourne
December 23rd, 2009
Because we always do Christmas with our family in the states, I still haven’t bought my kids their own Christmas stockings! And while I LOVE going home for the holidays, I can totally see the appeal of staying put and celebrating together as a family in our own little home. Maybe one day (I’ve heard London is really cozy and quiet at Christmas time).
Anyway, I’m on the look-out for the perfect Christmas stockings and I just discovered these darling hand-knit wool stockings from Sundance. I love the homemade look of them, and the mix of all the different colors and sizes.
I also love the wool stockings at Sweet William. I think it would be a cute idea to buy them and then embroider your kids’ names on the top white cuff. So cute!
Oh, and it would probably be a good idea to buy the Christmas sacks Mo wrote about earlier… in case Santa were to bring too many gifts to fit inside!
-Courtney
Courtney in London
December 21st, 2009
I wrote about the wonderful fabric wall stickers from I love Mae a while ago. Again, they’re just adorable! My daughter has the twitters (pictured) above her bed, and we love them…
Feeling lucky? Great! Peta from ‘I love Mae’ is very kindly offering one set of small fabric wall stickers of choice to one lucky Babyccino Kids reader!
Just leave your comment below by Monday, January 4th and we’ll pick a winner at random.
Good luck!!
xxx Esther
P.S. Check out the super pretty and free dowloadable Christmas wrapping paper from I love Mae — adorable!!!
P.P.S. Congrats to Sarah who won the three dresses from Hucklebones!!!
Esther in Amsterdam
December 19th, 2009
I keep trying to work out a trip that might take me in the direction of Hereford (about 2.5 hours west of my house). I haven’t come up with one yet but would one day really like to visit the store of Mark and Sally Bailey, Bailey’s Home & Garden.
In the meantime I will have to continue browsing their lovely website. Mark and Sally describe their interior style as the ‘recycled home’ so they have some great vintage gems alongside some beautiful homewares from small, family run companies.
I love everything they sell but they have some particularly beautiful wooden toys for children. I bought the xylophone for my daughter because I love the simplicity of it, and I’m quite tempted by the Noah’s Ark and these cheeky chappies (pictured).
They don’t have e-commerce set up on their site so you need to browse and then give them a bell with you order and credit card details.
(Note: For more on Mark and Sally you can check out their interiors book, Recycled Home. Available through their website or from Amazon.)
-Mo
Mo in London
December 18th, 2009
We recently moved and so we had plenty of white walls to fill up! I was looking for something to hang in my children’s bedroom and landed on Mishmish studio. Artist Susie Lubell offers high quality prints of her original watercolor paintings, which means professional archival ink and professional museum etching paper. Her subjects are sweet and airy, perfect for children’s rooms and nurseries, but she also has an animal section and a more spiritual one. I also have the feeling that the print I chose will not look out of place in an older child’s bedroom, so this means it will probably last until my daughter will replace it with the poster of her favourite pop-band I guess!
Each print can be personalised with the child’s name, birth date and a special quote. Susie is happy to offer suggestions, but you can have your favourite quote printed if you prefer. I picked an inspiring and well-wishing Native American proverb that I was not aware of, and it somehow seemed perfect for my daughter.
Michela
P.S. Remember to write BABYCCINO on your note to seller for a 20% discount until December 31st (it will be a Paypal refund)
Michela in Milan
December 9th, 2009
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