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babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Snickerdoodles

Whenever I mention the word ’snickerdoodle’ to my friends in Europe, they think I must be talking about some rare breed of dog, or an exotic flower. So, either it’s just an American thing, or possibly something specific to my family

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Cute stripy cardigan

I bought this cardigan for my daughter back in June when I visited the Benetton temporary store in Milan that was already selling the autumn-winter collection. Fortunately I didn’t have to wait till the fall to let her wear it since here in the

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Inner city kid

I have irrefutable proof that my daughter is a real Parisian city kid. She is a pro at ordering food and drinks in a café and even knows the difference between a crème and a noisette and what kind of coffee to order for her father and me. But now w

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Inn the Park!

My husband took our little family to this restaurant on Mother’s Day this year. It was a lovely (but cold) day, and was a perfect setting for a Mother’s Day brunch. Inn the Park is, as the name implies, in the middle of the lovely St. Jam

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

A blockhouse

Yesterday I came home from a busy day of work, and I found my kids playing with their building blocks and little people. My babysitter seriously has the most creative ideas: look how cute this ‘house’ is she came up with! The blocks are j

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Toy mirror

I have to admit this is not really my idea (it’s Esther’s), but one of the best toys to place in your baby’s playpen or cot is a baby mirror. Babies are intrigued by their image (without knowing it’s their own), so it’s

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Wooden kitchen

Last Christmas my parents gave my kids the ultimate ‘pretend play’ toy: a cute wooden kitchen with all the accessories. My parents clearly knew that there was no way we were going to lug this hefty thing from Seattle back to London with

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

My prized possession

I was very lucky to know Courtney when my first daughter was born, as her son was 6 months older than my baby girl. This meant that whatever I needed to know, I could run straight to an expert, as she had learned everything about babies a few months

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Trainer chopsticks DIY

Courtney wrote about trainer chopsticks a while ago, and the ones she suggested are without a doubt very stylish and great for use at home! If, however, you’re in a (Japanese) restaurant and - God forbid - forgot to bring your child’s fan

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Cooking with flowers

I’m spending the month of August on the Seiser Alm in the Dolomites region of Italy. It’s a lovely place and extremely kid friendly, so definitely worth a trip if you like the mountains and enjoy hiking. It’s full of little restaura

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

The Little Red Hen

I’m not sure how common this story is in Europe, but having grown up in America I remember reading this classic folktale both at home and in school. I actually remember my mom using this story to her advantage every time she needed help around

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Not a onesie but a three-sie!

You just dressed up your baby in his cutest outfit, ready to go out to visit friends, when he starts screaming like crazy - he must and shall have a banana. Running late already, and trying to organize the nappy bag, snacks, jumpers, drinks, toys etc

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Honfleur

Paris in the summer can get too much; it is hot, sticky, polluted and packed with people. The metro is unbearable and the boulevards become huge blazing heat tunnels, as there is nothing to block the sun. Luckily enough, the sea and the little harbo

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Jack Purcell sneakers

I have been wearing Converse Chuck Taylor sneakers since I was 12, and believe me… that’s a long time! I’ve had them in many colours, low or high and I still have a pair in my closet. But this summer my Converse addiction could thri

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Aerolatte milk frother

I am starting to be known for serving a good cappuccino: good, strong coffee with perfectly foamed milk on top. The coffee comes from Illy, and the foam is the quick work of a handy little gadget called the Aerolatte milk frother (another kitchen too

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Flawless!

Before getting married, Danish born Mette Mitchell worked as a trend adviser in interior design and she regularly traveled to Japan. After having her first baby, Mette left the corporate world and using the Japanese philosophy of Wabi-sabi, she creat

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Geraldine Valluet

You can find Geraldine Valluet’s shop on one of the little streets heading up to the Sacré Coeur in Montmarte. Her jewelery is so diverse I thought that several jewelers were displaying their wares in her shop, but once you start looking close

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Courgette soup

In summer, courgettes (or zucchinis for the Americans and Italians amongst us) are readily available and thankfully very cheap (am I the only one who finds grocery shopping so extremely expensive these days?). I love courgette soup and cook it a lot

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Kushies bib

I may be a bit obsessed but I tend to make my 3-year-old wear a bib most of the time. He isn’t too messy but I just do not like stained shirts and I do not want too many clothing changes (especially on holidays). The latest addition to our bib

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Natural History Museum

It is a marvel of a museum, a truly beautiful building with extraordinary exhibits. The Natural History Museum here in London first opened its doors in 1881, and his home to some of the most fascinating and rare objects (like the heaviest woolly mamm

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Pockaboo

Almost every time I sit down to breastfeed the telephone rings, and I can almost guarantee that it is lying on the other side of the flat. So I am running around following the ring, and the poor little thing is not really having a very enjoyable time

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Puma baby

Am I talking about my son a lot these days? I’m just so in love with him at the moment - at 18 months he’s at such a cute age. Just in between being a baby and a small boy, he’s a bit like a small puppy - playful, a little clumsy, a

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Orangery Restaurant

If you’re visiting London, you’ll probably want to make a booking for afternoon tea to be assured a true English experience. If you’re coming to London with your kids, you should plan on having tea at the Orangery Restaurant in the

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Hiking and napping

My husband and I love hiking in the mountains and every summer we spend the largest part of our holidays in the Dolomites, in the northern part of Italy close to the border of Austria. So when our first son was old enough to sit, we bought a good bac

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Creme de Violette

Call me a sentimental old fool but since I have a baby called Violette, I find myself drawn to anything with a violet flavour or scent. Fortunately for me there are a lot of violet-flavoured items around France. Some smell so bad that they might as w

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Helen Ficalora charms

I have worn the same necklace for the past 5 years and I just love it. I receive compliments and questions (”whose initials are those?”) all the time. It’s a simple, thin gold chain with two gold charms dangling from the end: an M

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Towel too tiny?

At some point your baby gets so big, he will outgrow his cute little hooded towel… I know for new parents among us this is hard to imagine, but trust me, it will happen! Sooner than later! Not to worry though, the clever people at Ikea found th

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Farm on a string

Agricolino, this little-farm-on-a-string toy, was bought 2 years ago and has lived in our restaurant bag ever since. When my first son was a bit over a year old he was learning animal names so the game was to set up a farm and name all the elements.

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Nuxe Spa

While I was pregnant a couple of months ago, I found my own personal eden, otherwise known as the NUXE Spa. I have written about the NUXE products before, which I love and use on my face, hands and all over the place. So when I found out that there w

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Beautiful, but be careful!

Chinese Lantern (physalis alkekengi) is a truly fascinating plant. First, there are little white flowers. Then, in late summer, they develop into fruits, protected by larger, papery pods - green at first, but later becoming bright orange, perfectly r

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Mrs. Booth

Mrs. Booth, based here in England, is a mother and graphic designer who designs cute, educational gifts for children. She specializes in letters (alphabet coloring books, alphabet friezes, stickers, name cards, etc.) and numbers (number cards and a

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

De Taart van m’n Tante

Yesterday I took my little family for a treat: we went to ‘De Taart van m’n Tante‘ (Cakes of my Aunt) for coffee and cake. ‘De Taart van m’n Tante’ is not just an ordinary tearoom with your everyday kind of cake &#

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Stacking cups

I am sure you all own a set (or more) of stacking cups, but I just wanted to tell you that this is the toy we’ve been taking on holidays since my first son was a few months old. They take up so little space which makes them so convenient to pac

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Clafoutis

I was brought up on Clafoutis, a previously little-known dessert from a little known region I come from: the Limousin. While reading the food reviews in several newpapers, I have noticed that the clafoutis has left the Limousin and has become a desse

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Eco party bags for kids

For my son’s birthday party last month I walked to my local party store and hastily grabbed a bunch of little plastic toys and party favors, grabbed a bunch of paper bags, and threw them all together to make 20 different party bags. I’m

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Adjustable slicer

This adjustable slicer from Rosle is one of the many kitchen tools that I had put on my wedding registry. Four years later I am still very pleased with that choice; I use it so much I can hardly imagine my cooking life without it. It helps when slici

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Fall Down Tree

My little boy has reached the age where he loves pointing out different animals and tries to make the appropriate sounds. Mooo, quack quack, meow! These lovely prints from Adam Record are currently decorating his bedroom corner (he shares a bedroom w

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Cirier Candles

There is nothing better than a good candle to create a civilized atmosphere after a long day with kids. Some of my favorites are the scented Cirier Candles. CIR is one of the oldest candle producers in France and they produce candles for Guerlain, Ca

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Lavender’s Blue, dilly dilly…

Are your kids in to nursery rhymes? My 3-year-old is constantly asking me to rehearse nursery rhymes for him. And he’s actually quite quick at learning them and repeating them back to me. Tired of “Jack and Jill” and “Humpty

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Easy Mediterranean sea bass

I’m not sure if it has ever happened to you, but sometimes I’m facing the fish counter and my mind goes blank - I can’t think of an easy and quick recipe for fish and so I end up not buying anything, or at least nothing new. One of

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

De Parade

Once a year, a magical event hits the city of Amsterdam… De Parade! Although ‘De Parade’ does translate into ‘The Parade’, it is nothing like one - it is in fact a theater festival, disguised in an old-fashioned looking

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

How to wean?

The other day I went to an Italian pharmacy (admittedly in a little village lost in the mountains of Liguria). They were selling baby food, and, as my youngest is getting closer and closer to the weaning age I was interested to see what they had to o

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Tools memory game

My 3-year-old son is finally at the age where he’s really into board games. It’s great because it’s a fun way to engage with him, and we both really enjoy playing with each other (I was getting bored with building train tracks)! Fo

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Kid-proofed holiday

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 y

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Raining? Go tropical!

The Tropenmuseum (Tropical Institute) of Amsterdam is one of those museums where you walk in and feel the grandeur of what once was… I have that same feeling in similar beautiful buildings, like the Natural History Museum in London, or the Roya

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Bubbles for ever

This is how is works at my house: I buy a tube of bubbles for a treat and there is great excitement, so much excitement that within a maximum 15 minutes the whole content of the tube has landed on the floor and my daughter wants “MORE!”

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Migi and Petite Alma and the connections…

It’s not every day that your husband’s ex-wife is a talented designer, has a cute range of baby products, AND is someone you get along with! Secondly, it’s not every day that one of your friends (Kirby Woodson - don’t you love

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Childen’s Classic Stories

I recently bought Children’s Classic Stories (Storie Classiche in Italian) and I have been reading one (more often two) stories each night to my older son. It’s a great collection of fairytales, fables and folktales from all over the worl

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Paris Plage

There is no way the Parisians are going to be outdone by the Dutch. Amsterdam might have Strand Zuid, but we have Paris Plage — at least 2km of golden sand and palm trees all along the right bank of the Seine with scantly clad Parisians and Pa

babyccino has posted a new entry on: BABYCCINO! Kids and the City

Make a bus!

If you live in a climate like the one we enjoy (?) in Amsterdam, you can’t count on it to be warm and sunny everyday - not even in summer. If you need a fun activity for a rainy (summer) day, maybe you’ll get inspired by these buses I ma

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