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. (more…)
Emilie in Paris
Mar 04, 2010
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Before we moved to a new house a few weeks ago, we used to live in an apartment building. Parking in the basement, large elevator, and the rooms conveniently laid-out on one single level. Disadvantage: no garden. Advantage: no stairs.
Last week I came home from work and found my 4-year-old daughter sitting on the sofa with a package of frozen red cabbage wrapped in a tea towel, pressed to her forehead. A bump the size of an egg was slowly developing. You guessed it, she fell from the stairs (or, as she stated, her little brother pushed her, but I’m not sure how much of a truth there is in that). Poor girl.
Now I’m not against red cabbage, (we prepare it with a little sugar and apples — truly delicious with good sausage or game), but don’t you think this cute little elephant from Goodies of Desire would do a much better job at soothing a little (or bigger) owie? I do, and thus, from now on, I keep one in the freezer compartment of my fridge for cases of emergencies. Good to have around.
The friendly elephant is filled with cherry pits and the label says that in addition to the usual bumps and bruises it can also be useful for ‘Kopfenschmerzen & Kater’ (headache & hang-over) or ‘Milchstau’ (engorgement). VERY good to have around. (more…)
Esther in Amsterdam
Mar 03, 2010
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Clearly I have been living under some sort of rock. Am I the only person who didn’t know this thing existed!?!? I mean, “technically”, I suppose I knew it was out there but I never actually owned one and nobody ever mentioned it to me before. I am totally and completely devastated that I have lived so long with so many pilled sweaters and even more cashmere baby sweaters and blankets that I have tossed over the years. You know what I am talking about right? Those little balls of fluff that gather within minutes of wearing a new sweater. Anyway I went to Amazon — read the reviews — and the Izumi Sweater Shaver came in the mail the other day. Needless to say, I could not put the thing down. I figured it would work wonders on kids sweaters and baby blankets, so I just wanted to share as clearly people were holding out on me! It’s made in Japan so it looks pretty cool, if not a bit sinister. So if like me, you are sick of all the nice things you buy looking beat up so quickly – this might be the answer to your prayers. It really does work.
-Dina
Dina in New York
Mar 03, 2010
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It was lovely to meet Courtney recently as she began her big adventure along Australia’s east coast. It’s funny the feelings it stirred in me. I really wanted her to have a good time in Sydney. And I wanted her to love my neighbourhood of Bondi as much as I do. So I sent her off a quick list of things to do with children, and I thought it might be useful for anyone else visiting Sydney.
Of course, this list is not exhaustive and is skewed to areas near where I live. So I’d love to know your suggestions if you live locally.
Nielsen Park, Vaucluse – a Harbour pool that is kid-friendly with the most amazing view of the Harbour Bridge while you swim. There is a kiosk where you can get takeaway food, a café or you can just take a picnic. There are a few walks in this area too. There’s loads of great advice on this blog – Family Fun Sydney too.
Watson’s Bay – you can get ferries here to the city or just enjoy the park and wander around the streets which have the cutest cottages – used to be a fishing village although now highly coveted for real estate so everything is made over. But still has lots of charm. You can eat with your family at the pub there – Doyles or get takeaway fish n chips. (more…)
Natalie in Sydney
Mar 02, 2010
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Thanks to a tip from Sara, I stopped into a great children’s shop in Bangalow (just inland from Byron Bay) called Echidna Place, which is where I discovered Scruffy Dog — a cute Australian brand of children’s shoes. I promised my husband I woudn’t do any shopping while we’re here (only browsing!)… but I must say I was seriously tempted by the Buddy sandals. And I also love the Bonnie strappy sandal… but my daughter is too young for them, much to my husband’s relief!
Scruffy Dog’s aim is to produce good-quality, stylish children’s shoes which are also affordable and comfortable (no easy feat!). The brand is growing rapidly too — one of my favourite American shops, Sweet William, is now stocking the Buddy sandal (pictured). Perfect for summer…
-Courtney
Courtney in London
Mar 02, 2010
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It has seriously been freakishly cold here in Paris. We have seen snow, snow, snow and more snow. First it was fun, then it was plain cold, and now it is just fustrating. It means that children have to play indoors most of the time and it is really hard to keep them from going completely stir crazy…
So we have been building forts, castles, caves and jungles — it is amazing how much you can do with some chairs and a couple of blankets… and some dress-up items.
One of the big hits of this winter has been a lion mask we got from the gorgeous Shak Shuka online eco-boutique. It looks great and it is amazing how much one mask can stimulate a game that is starting to go stale. I am really glad there is no one living under us right now, as I am not sure what they would think of the lioness and her cubs roaming around in the flat above them…
- Emilie
Emilie in Paris
Mar 01, 2010
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Whippet Grey began as a story-book, one full of enchanting objects … and that’s just the feeling you get when stepping onto the web pages of this online store. Whippet Grey is a family-run business selling various curiosities for the home, garden, you & the kids. With the departments sounding like chapter-headings; “Secret Garden” or “Curious Objects“, Whippet Grey is a lovely cyber-space to spend a coffee break.
I particularly like the “Children’s Den” split into 3 sub-chapters; Animal Kingdom, Budding Artist and Discovery Trail — there are some beautiful and different gifts for children of all ages. I love this shaggy black sheep rocker (if only there was justification for another rocker!) and have just ordered these ‘play-shapes‘ for my son’s 3rd birthday — we are very into any good rainy-day activities and these not only fit the bill but are beautiful to boot!
Oh and also their sale just started — temptation just got a bit more tempting!
- Mo. x
Mo in London
Mar 01, 2010
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Very recently I wrote about how we decorated our children’s new room with a wonderful wallpaper tree from Inke Heiland. Inke’s silhouettes are made from exquisite vintage wallpaper and will instantly spruce up every kid’s room.
These birds come in a set of 2 with a bag of wallpaper glue attached, so the only thing you need is a bit of time on your hands and a cute place for the birds to go. But that shouldn’t be too difficult — they’re for instance very cute on top of a cabinet, or a curtain rail, or a light switch…
Do you think you could find a good spot for a set of birds? Great! Because Inke is very kindly offering TEN sets of handmade, vintage birds to TEN lucky readers!
Just leave your comment below by Sunday, March 14th and we’ll pick a winner at random.
Good luck!!
xxx Esther
P.S. Colours and patterns will be chosen randomly.
Esther in Amsterdam
Feb 28, 2010
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I do love New York but there are also a lot of things that I really hate about it.… the lack of parks and open spaces, and the complete absence of places to just sit down. The other day I took my girls to the New Museum on the Bowery. I have been wanting to go since it opened and there was an exhibition by Urs Fisher which looked bizarre and cool. There was, after all, a croissant hanging from the ceiling on fishing wire with a butterfly on it! Anyway– the exhibition was indeed cool but the best discovery of the day was the little cafeteria with tables and chairs that they had in the back of the main lobby. It’s a nice place to sit (for free!) and shockingly, it was very kid friendly – they even serve peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. So for those roaming around Soho or the East Village with a stroller looking for a place to just sit for a few minutes — stop in. Admission is free for everyone under 18.
-Dina
Dina in New York
Feb 27, 2010
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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
Feb 26, 2010
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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
Feb 26, 2010
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About a year ago, I told Courtney we should start a pyjama shop. I seriously thought Europe was missing something as simple as this — I’m always on the look-out for cute and affordable pyjamas (preferable the old-fashioned 2-piece variety) of good quality and design, but they are really difficult to find. I’m not sure what happened to the idea — it certainly wasn’t carried out (one of us was probably having a baby or something), but I’m so glad to have discovered that somebody else did!
PJ Basics is an initiative by a Dutch lady called Elsina, and her webshop focusses mainly on kids pyjamas, but there are also some other cute bedroom-related products. I have the pictured pyjamas for my son and they are our all-time favourites. The quality is great, they stay in perfect shape and are seriously cute on. They are also super comfortable as they don’t have itchy labels or annoying seams. I ordered some for my daughter too and they arrived this morning — they have the cutest flowery fabrics and I love the embroidery details. I seriously can’t recommend these pyjamas enough!
Elsina just translated her web-site in English, and ships worldwide. Bravo!
xxx Esther
Esther in Amsterdam
Feb 25, 2010
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We’ve just completed our 30-day drive up the eastern coast of Australia in a campervan, driving more than 4,000 km from Sydney to Cairns with a few detours in between. We did and saw some amazing things, but I think it’s safe to say that we’re happy our camping days are behind us! I’m still not sure whether it was the best or worst decision we’ve ever made – there were moments where I nearly divorced my husband, disowned my children (only kidding, of course!) and swore I’d never return to Australia. BUT it was a really wonderful way to see the country, and the highlights of our trip were well worth the struggles — snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef was worth the journey alone! I think it all would have been much more enjoyable (and easy) if we didn’t have the kids, but the irony is that the kids LOVED the campervan and could carry on camping forever.
I’m sure in years to come we will look back at our camping trip with really fond memories but right now I’m happy to be sleeping on a mattress, eating good meals and staying put for more than three days at a time.
Anyway, now that I’m a ‘camping expert’ I’ve compiled a list of all the pros and cons of traveling in a campervan (with young kids). (more…)
Courtney in London
Feb 25, 2010
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Following on from Emilie’s recent post about places in Paris to find chic clothes at less-than-chic prices I thought I’d let you know about some of my favourite spots on a typical London High Street. Now most Mums in London will know of these national treasures but if you are visiting London they are worth checking out.
I’m a huge fan of Swedish kids clothes shop P.OP (Polarn O Pyret) which sells playful and colourful kids clothes and a small selection of maternity wear. Think lots of stripes and lots of colour. They have 4 shops in and around London (Brent Cross, Westfield, House of Fraser (Oxford Street) and Kingston) but a further 10 or so stores around the rest of the UK.
Next up: Zara Home (no, not Zara Kids): A very small selection but I love their quilts and blankets for kids and they always have a tiny rail with really sweet sleep-wear/snuggly-wear. I have had some great finds there. (more…)
Mo in London
Feb 24, 2010
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Over the summer break I spent a bit of time decorating my home. (No, the pic above is not of my place — but somewhere I might now be able to stay.) One of the reasons was that I wanted to take some photos so I could list it on a house swap website.
We featured an article on house swapping a couple of years ago in the magazine where I work. It seemed like a great idea. But I always wondered — is it too good to be true?
Well, I believe that you should “give it a go” — as Aussies like to say. So I took the plunge and listed with two sites. Creative Caravan tags itself as “Craiglist for Creatives” — the idea being that you can swap with like-minded people.
The other website is Homelink. I did a bit of research and was attracted to this one because there is strong membership within Australia so if I want to take a trip to Byron Bay or Tasmania then I can swap with people who live there… as well as people in Italy. And within a week of listing I got a message from someone wanting to swap in Martinique!
- Natalie
Natalie in Sydney
Feb 24, 2010
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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. (more…)
Esther in Amsterdam
Feb 23, 2010
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England is not known for its cooking, but sometimes that reputation is uncalled for. Sure, jellied eels, deep-fried pizzas and french fry sandwiches (aka chip butties) are not to everyone’s taste, but in a cold, wintery climate a warming dish cannot be beaten. There is one thing I miss in particular from my London days: a good savoury pie.
Every country seems to have its own variation on a baked crust with a savoury filling, but it is hard to beat a good English pie… ask my children, I think they would agree.
This is my version of a pie, but any suggestions or spins on the subject are more than welcome. (more…)
Emilie in Paris
Feb 23, 2010
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These days, it seems, nothing comes with a guarantee, and quantity usually takes precedence over quality. Not the case, however, with the Tilley hat. These hats have been around for ages – we used to wear them when we were little – and they’re still made with the same good old-fashioned care.
In anticipation of our big trip ‘down under’, my siblings gave each of my boys a children’s T3 Tilley Hat for Christmas, and it’s the one thing we ‘don’t leave home without’. I think these hats have got to be the best sun hats on the planet. They’re UV-protected (with the maximum UPF 50+ rating), rain-proof, they don’t shrink and won’t get floppy if wet, they have two different drawstrings to keep the hat in place, and they’re machine-washable. And like I said, they’re guaranteed for life (even insured against loss!) – you just can’t beat that! They’re made in Canada, but available internationally.
P.S. They also have a secret little pocket in the top of the hat. Tell me a kid who won’t love that!
-Courtney
Courtney in London
Feb 22, 2010
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Seems like everyone I know is having a baby all of a sudden. Funny how it always happens in waves.
With “three being the new two” and “twins being the new singleton” in NYC, the maternity business is booming! When I was pregnant I was determined to remain somewhat stylish (well with the roots growing in and the adult onset acne, the least I could do was wear a semi-decent outfit.) One of my very favorite brands to discover along the way was Nom de Naissance, which is based out of LA and is carried at my very favorite maternity store in NYC, Belly Dance Maternity. This adorable West Village shop carries a well edited selection of labels like Splendid, Diane Von Furstenburg and Ripe with the premise being that you can still dress like you did before you got prego. Two other amazing stores that I discovered along the way were Cappucine in Tribeca which does not have an on-line website but is definitely worth the visit. The owner carries both maternity wear and adorable regular clothes in larger sizes (and the owner is French so you know it’s cool). The other place that I found was Bump in Brooklyn which opened after I had the girls but it looks ultra, ultra swank. For the gals that are not into “Pea in a Pod” and “Liz Lange” – these stores are for you.
-Dina
Dina in New York
Feb 22, 2010
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How superbly cute is this card? I just sent it out for my son’s third birthday party (which will be this week, and still needs to planned completely). Don’t you think it looks like the real thing?
Well, it’s not… not really. I just discovered Cocodot, a wonderful source of the most gorgeous designs and, best of all, paperless for perfect simplicity and extreme eco-sensibility!
I must say I was always a bit skeptical about using e-mailed invites, but after having sent out my first one, I’m a convert. Completely.
How extremely easy it is! How perfect to keep track of the guest list and interact with the invitees! How sweet are the designs! How wonderful for an at-the-moment-not-very-organised, overworked mama…
The service is not free, but compared to paper mail it’s quite cheap, and the ease of creating, sending and planning your correspondence is great. I’m planning to use it loads.
xxx Esther
Esther in Amsterdam
Feb 21, 2010
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