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Say that you want to go on holiday, that your husband cannot take days off, that you can’t handle all (or one) of your kids by yourself, that you have no nanny to take along, and that you do not want your mum or his mum around. This is when you should seriously think about Hotel del Bambino in Finale Ligure, on the Italian Riviera.
This small hotel accommodates only families with children and is TOTALLY baby-proofed, most likely more than your own home. It is obviously fully equipped to welcome children of all ages with cots, baby baths, changing tables and all sort of electrical equipment you may need.
But these are just things. What I think makes the difference in this place are the owners: Mr. Gianni and his wife, Sapienza. They truly love children and have devoted a lot of effort and thinking to how they can make your life on holiday with kids easier. (more…)
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Aug 03, 2008
Last Sunday we decided to face the afternoon heat (we are now in the 30s here) and head to the Giardini Pubblici to visit the new Butterfly Oasis next to the Natural History Museum. It’s a pavilion that hosts an exhibition of many species of butterflies, imported weekly from Africa, South America and Sout-East Asia. The 200 sqm area is divided in two sections. The first part explores the meaning of colours in nature, with loads of pictures and a few live animals. The second part is the true butterfly exhibit, where a tropical environment is recreated to showcase butterflies and cocoons in their habitual settings. The visitor can walk through plants and climbing orchids while butterflies fly all around him. The Butterfly Oasis is, at this stage, a temporary project open until the end of September but the administration says they will, by the end of the year, open a permanent butterfly house that will be four times bigger, making it the largest in Italy. We had a nice time, and although it is not as big and nice as the one in the London Zoo, I highly recommend it, especially if you or your kids have never seen a butterfly house!
Another positive effect: after standing in true tropical heat to look at the butterflies, even Milan weather is more bearable!
-Michela
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Jun 25, 2008
The latest trend in Milan is something called temporary shops. These are stores which are open for a short and fixed period of time. The reasons may vary — sometimes it’s because the flagship store is being refurbished, sometimes an outlet for last season’s collection is needed, sometimes it’s a rehearsal for something new to come.
The last reason is what is behind the new Benetton temporary shop in the very centre of Milan. It’s a baby/children concept store that will stay open for two months, until the end of July. The clothes on sale belong to the Autumn-Winter 2008 collection and you can also find a maternity range. The decor is quite cool and there are also a few services new to any children’s shop in Milan. There is a personal shopper that can help with selecting the next season’s key pieces, and there is a hair stylist from the Aldo Coppola team that will cut your child’s hair for free!
Benetton PR claims a new store with these characteristics will open permanently in Milan by the end of this year.
-Michela
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Jun 17, 2008
What have they got in common? Nothing you’d think. But they successfully coalesce in the new Coffee Design here in Milan, which reopened in full swing this April.
The place has just been refurbished by Michele De Lucchi, and it is now more sleek and airy. The kitchen is now behind a huge glass wall and chefs can been seen working from the main bar counter. The menu is the fruit of the cooperation of Carlo Cracco — a Michelin starred chef, and the Autogrill group, already present in more than 50 locations where food and culture mix, like the Prado museum, the Jardin de Versailles or the Empire State Building. 
The menu is a balanced mix between delicious sandwiches, healthy salads, selections of cheese and cold cuts and a few warm traditional Italian dishes presented in a very modern way. There is also an impressive wine list!
So where do the kids fit in? You can get every dish in a child’s portion for about 2/3 of the price! So civilized, and so rare in Milan…
-Michela
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May 18, 2008
The 13th flower show of the Orticultural Association of Lombardy “Orticola” took place last weekend in Milan in the nice surroundings of Giardini Pubblici. It was obviously nice to look at all the flowers, plants and garden furniture on show, but what I thought was surprising was the effort made to make children feel welcomed! For the three days of the show, children (who enter free until they are 12) could attend all sorts of labs, where activities were designed to put them in touch with nature… and I believe city kids need all the contact they can get. (more…)
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May 14, 2008
Clothes shopping is probably the only place where being a woman has its advantages, even from a very early age. More choice, more styles, more colours. If you are a mother of a boy I’m sure you have experienced some frustration when shopping for your son. Typically in shops, there is much more devoted to little girl’s clothes.
Maria Cristina, owner of ‘Lunamora Boy’ here in Milan, had a boy after 3 girls and when shopping for the little one she realised she was not as happy with the choice available as when she was shopping for the girls. That’s why she decided to open a shop where she would sell only boy’s clothes. This tiny boutique at the end of Via Solferino, in the Brera neighbourhood, is heaven for stylish little men – from newborn up to 12 years. She stocks mostly Italian brands, like Amelia, Kangra, Grifoni, Brooksfield, Gant, Sun68. (more…)
admin in
Apr 30, 2008
Spring is here! Days are longer and warmer… which means more ice cream to me.
I’m very lucky to live a short walk from one of the best ice cream makers in the world. I’m talking about Grom.
Grom is a pretty young company, started by two thirty-somethings living in Piedmont and already active on the wine scene. They noticed that there was a gap in the market — nobody applied to ice cream making the same attitude that top restaurants have with cooking: buy the best and freshest ingredients. So they started their business venture and it’s going very well. (more…)
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Apr 03, 2008
Museums in Milan are not too exciting for kids; they could do with some re-styling and the addition of some hands-on activities. So when Esther came for a visit on one of the few rainy weekends in January, I was not sure where we could go with our four kids! (Shopping all day was definitely out of the question)!
I opted for a lunch at the cafeteria of la Triennale followed by a visit to the just opened Design Museum. 
La Triennale foundation di Milano is a cultural institution that funds and hosts exhibitions and various cultural activities in the fields of architecture, design and contemporary art. Since 1933 it has been based in Milan, in the Palazzo dell’Arte, which is located quite conveniently (on a sunny day) next to Parco Sempione, a decent-sized urban park.
The choice couldn’t have been better… even though they were refurbishing the kitchens so all we could get for lunch were (nicely filled) paninis! (more…)
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Mar 16, 2008
My family spent last week in Pozza di Fassa, in the Dolomites region of northern Italy. I knew from the start that it was not going to be an intensive skiing holiday (my daughter is breastfed and my older son has become quite clingy since the birth of his sister). There was no way I could escape for a whole day for some much needed activity on the slopes… but I was hoping for a few hours of freedom here and there.
My plans were immediately offset when my mother-in-law broke her wrist on the first day. (She was supposed to help me entertain the kids and let me have some alone-time).
It was then that the ParkBimboNeve, a sort of ‘kinderheim’ (which I didn’t take into great account at the very beginning of the holiday), suddenly looked like the best invention after the pill and the washing machine–all of which work in favour of women liberation! (more…)
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Feb 24, 2008
Monday:
Take it easy on Monday morning, as so many things are closed! Go to a nice bar and have the typical Italian breakfast: cappuccino and cornetto (the italian croissant) and get a babyccino for your kids. To get the full experience you should have it quickly and while standing up, but that may not be ideal with children in tow.
Wherever you are you should not be too far from a stop of the 29/30 tram line: it’s a line that does a complete loop around Milan following the (now inexistent) Spanish walls. The trams in service on this line are very old, similar to San Francisco’s cable cars, and children love them! Wait until rush hour is over and board one, tickets are 1 euro and kids below 10 go free.
Get off in Corso Vercelli, one of the nicest shopping streets in Milan. Corso Vercelli, together with its continuation Via Belfiore and Via Marghera is probably one of the best places for shoes, kid’s shops and jewellery (together with everything else). Take a break and have a gelato at Grom, undoubtedly the best ice cream in the world! Reboard the tram and complete your tour. (more…)
admin in
Feb 18, 2008
I took my older son to this exhibition whose title could be (freely) translated as “Please do not touch”. It’s in the Triennale, and it’s only for kids between the age of 2 and 6. It’s an interactive exhibition dedicated to the little ones and inspired by Bruno Munari ’s work. Munari, a famous Italian artist, had a great consideration for children and used to think their games were “very serious pastimes”. The exhibition is an interactive circuit where children discover things by touching them.
(more…)
admin in
Feb 13, 2008
Italians invented espresso and cappuccino. Fantastic! Humanity will be grateful forever. Then we stopped there.
Why is it that every other country capitalized on our inventions, and now have more choices when getting a hot drink than the average Italian could ever dream of?
Our range is limited to espresso, espresso macchiato, cappuccino and caffelatte. No choice regarding the size, the type of milk or even the container.
I could possibly agree that what we have is the best, but I’m sure that there is space for some product proliferation (I’m a microeconomist after all, I know these things). More choice could not hurt the average Italian bar customer.
Starbucks is now present in so many countries (even Romania) but does not dare to enter the Italian market, fearing rejection from the espresso-purists. In the last couple of years Lino’s Coffee , a chain that offers a large variety of coffee drinks (using flavours even!), has started opening cafés in many Italian cities.
Who knows, if they are successful then maybe Starbucks could be convinced to step in as well?!
The day may not be too far away when, stepping out pushing the Bugaboo, I will find my fix of tall-skinny-hazelnut-wet-latte with just two pumps of syrup right around the corner!
-Michela
admin in
Nov 25, 2007
On Saturday morning we decided to go and have a look at the new food hall on the 7th floor at “La Rinascente” (which is basically the only department store in Milan).
It does look great. It reminds me a bit of the 5th floor at Harvey Nicks (in London) …although it’s possibly smaller.
There’s a restaurant, coffee bar, chocolate (Valrhona) corner, juice bar, sushi bar, sandwich bar and a mozzarella bar. Plus you can buy some fine teas, biscuits, ham, cheeses, sauces etc.
So why am I telling you this? (more…)
admin in
Nov 07, 2007
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