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Travel interviews

Featuring Mercatore on Recife & Olinda, Brazil

16 Feb
2012

Tomorrow is the official kick of Carnival! A beautiful celebration in many countries, and nowhere more famous than in Brazil. If you ever consider spending a carnival there with the children (something I’d love to do when ours are a bit older and can appreciate the all-night partying), you might prefer to skip Rio’s, and head to the Northeast of Brazil, to the (slightly) smaller but equally thrilling Carnival of Olinda. Outside of Carnival, the region is equally a delight. I toured the NorthEast of Brazil quite extensively, backpacking, when I finished university, but I never got a chance to go back. I still dream of the colors, the food, the smiles of the people. I’ve said it before on the blog, I must have been a Brazilian in another life so much I love this country (read these posts on Rio here and here). I’m so happy that Cecilia Fernandes from the famous Brazilian children’s clothing line Mercatore is sharing here the Best Of her native region, in and around the city of Recife. Muito obrigada Cecilia!

MEET CECILIA & THE MERCATORE FAMILY

As I don’t have any kids, I’m going to describe the Mercatore family and how it started. My mother Graça (55) founded Mercatore in 1980 in an old building of a sugar mill in the State of Pernambuco, northeastern Brazil. She intended to take the woman from the hard and seasonal work of sugarcane fields into embroiderers and seamstresses with a sensitivity to produce delicate and sophisticated pieces. At that time, she only had Maurício (33), my oldest brother but soon she had Eduardo (31), Maria (28), Me (27) and Luiza (25). We all grew up between lines, needles and cane. The family keeps growing and now he have Tom (10), Raul (7), Francisco (3) and João (18 months). We were all born in Recife, city where I now divide my life with São Paulo.

MERCATORE’s INSPIRATION

Pernambuco is a very rich state in crafts. Our slogan is Bordado a mão em um país tropical, which means hand embroidery in a tropical country. At Mercatore, we are also very influenced by the bright colors that you find in our food, façades of colonial houses and obviously the Carnival. We try to use all this background with what happens in the design world, and make fresh, happy and timeless clothes that will pass on from generation to generation.

THE BEST OF PERNAMBUCO

The state of Pernambuco is really amazing because it combines culture, nature and food. And I would say the most authentic Carnival of the country. The best places to go are: Recife, Olinda and Carneiros Beach.

Ps: I’m not even mentioning the paradise island of Fernando de Noronha, which deserves a whole chapter on its own! In case you make it there, don’t miss a dinner at Zé Maria (it happens twice a week, on Saturday’s & Wednesday’s).

PLAY in RECIFE

1) Oficina Francisco Brennand – Is an open-air museum with a great garden. Francisco is one of the greatest brazilian artist alive and he is very often there (and he is just like Santa Claus). After strolling between art and animals stop at the Café Brennand and taste the best cakes ever. Don’t go back home without buying some ceramics that are for sale in the coffee store. Address: Propriedade Santos Cosme e Damião s/n, Várzea Recife – PE 55. 81. 3453-1326

2) Parque da Jaqueira – This is the oldest park of the city. The gardens were designed by the master of landscaping Burle Marx. Really nice to play with other kids and for a picnic in the shadows of the Jackfruit tree.

3) Parque Dona Lindu – Designed by Oscar Niemeyer, this park is located in front of Boa Viagem Beach. Good place for skateboarding.

4) Livraria Cultura – Best bookstore. It’s right next to a cloister that was transformed in a mall (Paço Alfândega), in the old town.

EAT in RECIFE

Beijupirá – Northeastern cuisine for a romantic dinner Avenida Saldanha Marinho s/n, Olinda – Tel: 51190-660 (ao lado da Igreja da Misericórdia) 55. 81 3439-6691

Alphaiate – Bar with great food and family friend Avenida Boa Viagem (2° jardim) – Pina Recife

Wiella – International cuisine Avenida Engenheiro Domingos Ferreira, 1274 – Boa Viagem Recife Tel:51011-050 55 / 81 3463-3108

Chiwake – Peruvian Cuisine Rua da Hora, 820 Recife – PE, 52020-010 55. 81 3423-1529

SLEEP in OLINDA

I wouldn’t stay in Recife as it’s a bigger city and Olinda offers many more charming and tasteful small Pousadas (ie b&b). Try Pousada do Amparo or Pousada Quatro Cantos.

SHOP in RECIFE

For artisanal and rustic items, go to:

- Mercado de São José for handicraft and straw baskets.

- Casa da Cultura for hammocks and linen tablecloths.

For design, go to:

Ovo: Clothes and costume get mixed. It’s very fun. (kids)

Osklen: One of the iconic brazilian brands.

Galeria Mariana Moura: One of the most recognized contemporary art gallery in the country.

INSIDERS TIPS

Another great place to go on a family vacation by the beach is Trancoso in Bahia state. I often go there because it is between São Paulo and Recife. The town is very quiet and the beach is amazing. The Uxuá Casa Hotel is a amazing place to stay with the kids, as you have your own house and kitchen. And all the houses face the Quadrado, the heart of the town, where people join to talk, the kids play soccer and there are tiny stores and delicious local restaurants.

Mercatore has their own website, but for now they only deliver in the Brazilian territory. Any international retailers & e-shops reading?!

To visit the stores in Brazil, keep those addresses:

Recife: Rua Souto Filho, 96 – Pina (55.81.33264418)

São Paulo: Rua Oscar Freire, 232 – casa 04 – Jardins (55.11.30623339)

Shopping JK Iguatemi (opening April 2012)

Category: Away from it all, City & Culture, Fresh air, Inspiration, Play Time, Rhyme Time, Sea Sand Sun, South America, Travel interviews

Tagged: carnival, olinda, pernambuco, recife

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February 16th, 2012 | 9:00pm by BozAround

Featuring Famille Summerbelle on Ile de Re, France

6 Feb
2012

You’ve heard me talk about Famille Summerbelle products many times. I love their aesthetics, a certain old school charm mixed with very intricate designs and sharp colours. From their world map on Marcelo’s wall to their family tree on Amalya’s wall, we live with Famille Summerbelle at home. As the cold winter days have finally arrived in Europe, it’s time to talk about Sunny Escapes for Spring & Summer. I’ve never been to Ile De Re but it’s a well-known hideaway for Parisians with taste & a thing for simple pleasures. Think cycling, eating ice creams and taking long walks on the beach. Here’s Julie’s Best Of. Merci Julie.

MEET Famille Summerbelle

Bonjour, I’m Julie a French designer. I live with Simon who’s British, and we have 2 children Ophelia 5 year old and Lucien nearly 2. I lived in London for 10 years. I set up my business Famille Summerbelle with my husband after our daughter was born. When Ophelia was 2, we decided to take a little break so we sold our flat in London, put all our belongings in a storage place and went off to travel Around the World for few months. It was, as you can imagine a wonderful experience! We are now settled in France just outside Paris. We work between Paris and London.

At Famille Summerbelle we create decorations and accessories for the home. The inspiration for the business comes from the combination of family life experiences and a love of design and interior decoration. It started as a way of creating the things that we wanted for our own home.

L’ile de Ré is a great place to come with children. It’s very difficult to drive on the island, yet happily it’s an excellent place to cycle with purpose-built cycle paths running all over the island. So number one we’d recommend renting bikes. With many cycle rental shops (who all cater for families) to rent your vacation bikes, getting around is both fun and damn good outdoor exercise for everyone! We’d also highly recommend renting a gite or apartment. Beside the benefit of additional space, L’ile de Ré is a great place to develop your culinary skills! There are great fresh food markets, fishmongers and butchers as well as many supermarkets. We’ve enjoyed many more great meals eating in than in restaurants!

Other than that, I’d just say Explore – there is so much to do and see on the island

PLAY on ILE DE RE

Our children love sitting on the trailer at the back of our bikes as we race around exploring the island. We usually go to the long white sand beach at Bois Plage to relax while they build sand castles. In the town of La Flotte activities for children were available all Summer. We enrolled our children and their cousins in a Sand Castle competition. It was so funny as most parents were enjoying the process even more than their children!

As we stay in the town of La Flotte, we can walk for 5 minutes to the centre where you find ice cream shops at every corner. We stop at La Martinière and order an ice cream à la fleur de sel (local delicacy). Opposite is the merry-go-round and 100 meters away the playground.

We love to cycle to the town of Saint Martin, say hello to the donkeys wearing pantaloons, go for an ice cream on the port and for a tour of the carousel in the little fair ground. We love going to this particular carousel as it is very beautiful and the guy in charge plays good music, offers free wifi (a clever bonus for the parents!) and is very funny.

If the weather is poor (and you don’t fancy a windswept walk along the beach!) then you can always head to La Rochelle and visit the town or the excellent Aquarium. It only takes 15mins to get there (from La Flotte) so it’s an easy last minute decision. Although be warned – crossing the bridge back to Ile de Re will cost around €16.

EAT in ILE DE RE

Our favorite restaurant with the family and children is Les Pieds dans L’eau. The produce is so fresh and the crèpes are the favourite dish for the children.

La Baleine Bleue in Saint Martin. Lovely food and great view of the port. Just a little expensive. Great for a romantique dinner.

For ice cream: La Martinière in La Flotte and Saint Martin de Ré. The choice for flavours is immense (20 different kind of sorbets and 33 different flavours for ice cream!). They also do delicious gauffres et crèpes (In Saint Martin). I also love the packaging and the design of their shop. A real pleasure for the eyes and the mouth!

SLEEP in ILE de RE

La Maison Douce in Saint Martin. Beautiful French chic interior filled with vintage finds.

Our friends stayed with their 2 young children in the Hotel Sénéchal in Ars en Ré. They really enjoyed their stay as it is very relaxed, right in the centre of Ars and they also have a swimming pool.

For a budget stay with the family, I would recommend L’Hippocampe in La Flotte.

As I mentioned above, if you are going to spend a week on the island I really advice you rent a villa with a pool as it’s the best way to relax with your family and friends. There are a wide range of houses to rent on the island. Just book in advance.

The island is at its best during April until November. I would avoid going during the Summer months as it gets really busy over July and August (it’s a favourite with Parisians!).

SHOP in ILE de RE

There is not a lot of shopping to be done on the island, although there are a few nice boutique shops in both St Martin and Ars en Re. Funny as it sounds, the best thing that you can buy on the island is salt! L’ile de Re is famous for its salt flats (another great thing to go and see) and the rock salt (Fleur de Sel) is absolutely amazing. A great reminder of your trip every time you sit down to eat.

SMART TIPS

- Choose a gite/villa/apartment over a hotel rental.

- Hire bikes. It’s the perfect way to get around.

- Try the fresh produce in the markets

- Have an ice cream a day. It’s soooo good.

The best place to find Famille Summerbelle online is at their e-store www.famillesummerbelle.com. Or there are stockists in most major cities around the world. Send them an email so they can direct you to your nearest boutique.

Category: Away from it all, Europe, Family reunion, Fresh air, Sea Sand Sun, Travel interviews

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February 6th, 2012 | 6:49pm by BozAround

Featuring Zoro Goes East on Luang Prabang, Laos

24 Jan
2012

Tara is the voice behind the inspiring blog Zoro Goes East (gotta love the name), and the mother to 3 beautiful children. Together, they take advantage of their new work life in Singapore to explore the East…that’s the right expat way to go! Singapore, although not terribly inspiring (here’s BozAround 24hours in Singapore last year), is indeed a perfect base as many exotic destinations lie within a couple hours away. Their trips have included Penang, Bali, Siem Reap, Langkawi, Chiang Mai, Beijing, Hong Kong. I’ve never been to Laos and we were really hoping to squeeze it in last year in our South East Asia leg…but logistically we couldn’t. This time of the year til about April is the peak season and the best time weather-wise. If you only have time for one place in Laos, go to Luang Prabang…Some ideas for a family easter adventure…?!

Meet Tara & Her Zoros

Hi. My name is Tara. I am Swiss/Canadian and along with my French/Swiss husband JD and our three children/my Zoros: Zoé (10), Rose (8) & Oscar (5) we moved to Singapore a year ago from Geneva, Switzerland. This is our first family expat experience and we are trying to make the most of our time here. Back home in Geneva, I was a fashion buyer and for now I’m an Expat Mom & Wife who blogs about our Singaporean adventures.

Inspiration

I started my blog Zoro Goes East shortly after arriving in Singapore. I realized that I was too lazy to write 20 similar emails describing our new life here. The blog is an easy way for me to keep in touch with family and friends.

Destination: Luang Prabang, Laos

Definitely, one of the highlights of living in Singapore is traveling around Asia. In October, we took a 4 day trip to Luang Prabang, Laos, the ancient royal capital and now an UNESCO World Heritage site. There are no direct flights from Singapore to LP, so we transited via Chiang Mai and spent a night there on the way to Laos. We chose only to stay in LP because access within Laos, I was told, is complicated, lengthy and can be scary. LP is a small city, with basically four main roads, flanked by 2 rivers one of them being the Mekong. Four days gave us ample time to explore Luang Prabang and to chill. LP has a very relaxed and authentic vibe: a mix of Buddhist temples, wats, monasteries and French colonial architecture. I traveled to LP 12 years ago, worried that it had changed, but really not much has changed, except for the number of hotels.

PLAY in Luang Prabang

My kids loved exploring LP by bicycle, visiting temples, markets and the ancient royal palace. In Singapore, we drive everywhere, so the kids really enjoyed cycling around and site seeing at their own rhythm. We would cycle in the morning, before it was too hot, and in the afternoon take boat rides along the Mekong river and watch the sun set over the surrounding moutains. Don’t miss out on the Pak Ou caves with their 1000 buddhas, about a 90min boat ride trip. To refresh ourselves, we also took a morning trip to the Kuang Si Falls and swam in freezing cold water. At night, the kids loved taking tuk tuk rides around the city.

EAT in Luang Prabang

Our favorite family restaurant was le Café Ban Vat Sene on LP’s main road. Highlight, delicious bread, undoubtedly remnants of LP’s French colonial past. Menu includes a mix of western and Asian food. Delicious fresh baked deserts too. We also ate at L’Elephant and tried Mekong seaweed, not the kids favorite! However, the restaurant is really charming and serves delicious French and Laotian cuisine.

SLEEP in Luang Prabang

We stayed at the Satri House, the former residence of Prince Souphanouvong, located in the heart of LP. Beautiful, spacious colonial style rooms. 2 nice size pools and an enormous pond where the kids had fun feeding the fish. Super friendly and helpful staff. French manager who looks out for you and makes sure you make the most of your stay. Only drawback if traveling with young children, no connecting bedrooms.

SHOP in Luang Prabang

Our favorite shopping destination was without doubt the Night Market. Every night, around 5pm, the sellers set up their wares. Girls loved buying embroidered pouches, bags and pillows. Every night of our stay in LP the girls and I found some excuse to go back to the night market.

Tips from the road

I keep on reading that LP will open more access routes and therefore make it easier for mass tourism, so my advice is go as soon as possible before the charm of LP is lost. Also, before going definitely check out the dates for the monsoon season – would be a shame if you could not cycle around.

With the long Chinese New Year break this week, I can’t wait to discover where Tara and her Zoros have been this time…to be continued on Zoro Goes East.

Category: Asia, City & Culture, Travel interviews

Tagged: Laos, Luang Prabang

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January 24th, 2012 | 10:00am by BozAround

Featuring Babyccino on Amsterdam

2 Dec
2011

You’ve heard me rave before about Babyccino, a blog (and now also a shop of shops) dedicated to family lifestyle. Behind the name, there are 3 mothers located in 3 different cities. Great concept! Courtney based in London was featured last year about her family sabbatical in Australia (read it here). Today, it’s Esther from Amsterdam who shares the best of her hometown. Amsterdam is the perfect week end escape (especially if you live in Europe), with so much more to offer than just a week end actually. I was amazed how family-friendly and also family-size this city is… we were there earlier this fall and I got to try many of Esther’s wonderful addresses. Thank you Esther…and Enjoy Everyone!

Meet the Van de Paal family

We are a Dutch family currently living in the south of Amsterdam. We have three children — Sara (6) and Pim (4) and Ava, who is just 1 year old. We’ve lived in New York, Brussels and London before moving back to the Netherlands 7 years (and two kids) later.

Daily inspiration

Babyccino Kids is an international lifestyle and parenting blog, hoping to inspire fellows mums (and dads!) with recipes, crafts, product reviews, and general parenting . We also recently started a shopping portal where we represent some lovely children boutiques. I love blogging because it means I can spend time with my kids and call it work!

Sweet Home Amsterdam

If you’re in Amsterdam with a family you should have a boat tour in the canals one day: such a great way to see the city without ending up with overly tired children! Also, I would recommend to rent a bakfiets for a day and just cycle around the city (see the family portrait above!) – it’s the best way to sightsee and the kids really love it.

Your favorite spots

The Vondelpark is a nice park in the city centre with plenty of playgounds (just cycle around with the bakfiets and you’ll get to them). In case of rain there’s the Kinderkookcafé (located in the Vondelpark) where kids can bake their own cookies or pizzas.

The Botanical Gardens (Hortus Botanicus) are usually very quiet (especially on weekdays) and a nice place for a stroll and lunch.

Artis is the name of the Amsterdam Zoo and it’s a beautiful park, where you can get really close to the animals. There’s plenty to see indoor in case of rain. There are also some really good playgrounds.

The Tropenmuseum is our favourite. It has so much to offer to both young and old, we’re never bored when we go! The restaurant offers international dishes AND poffertjes (mini pancakes that children love).

Hungry?

Our favourite restaurant is Restaurant As, which is around the corner from us — both with as without children, in fact! Our favourite pizza place is Fuoco Vivo (makes my mouth water just thinking of it!). At Burgermeester they serve astronomical burgers, and they come in mini sizes too.

Tired?

I haven’t stayed there myself, but I’ve heard that Hotel Vondel is nice to stay with families, very close to the city centre but in a fairly quiet street. It’s also very close to Vondelpark.

Where did you get this?

Bring back some Dutch cheese (cumin cheese is worth a try)! Sterrenmix tea is a lovely herbal blend that I’ve only found in the Netherlands. Also don’t forget to visit HEMA — the famous Dutch store with wonderful, colourful, simple and modern designs for about everything one needs in life (for VERY reasonable prices). Check out the baby department, the little gifts, the stationary, cards, wrapping paper, etc.

And then there are the flower bulbs, of course!

There are plenty of wonderful shops in Amsterdam, but here are some streets that I particularly like:

UTRECHTSESTRAAT

This whole street is filled with great shops. Here are some of my tips:

- For the best coffee go to de koffiesalon

- Jan (on number 74) is my FAVOURITE gift shop in Amsterdam.

- Marqt is lovely for organic groceries (and such a cool store)

- There’s also a really good chocolate shop (Van Soest)

- Studio Bazaar (kitchenware)

The NINE STREETS in the JORDAAN are crowded with lovely boutiques.

- I love Mendo for the art books, Skins for cosmetics, Buffet van Odette is nice for lunch and close to the 9 street, Scheldestraat (for kids). Here you will find the Miffy shop (Nijntje in Dutch). Great Italian coffee and take-away food at Feduzzi. Clothing and shoes at Koter & Co and Meys & Co. For lunch try @7 with a little play corner in the back (and the cutest toy shop ever next door), And Pisa around the corner for the best icecream. And stop by Haarlemmerstraat too

Also, &Klevering is one my other favourite gift shop in Amsterdam. They have multiple locations.

And these are some really worthy places to visit too:

KNSM island

Keet in Huis: a great children lifestyle shop

Sissy Boy Homeland: for clothes and interiors, with a nice café

Pol’s Potten: for interior & deco

Special tips?

It can rain a lot in Amsterdam so come prepared! Public transport is well organized and affordable so don’t be afraid to use it. And language wise: you will find that everybody in Amsterdam speaks English, which will make your stay so much easier (imagine having to speak Dutch)!

Pim in the Hortus Botanicus

Babyccino now represents a wonderful collection of children boutiques, which you can find at babyccinokids.com!

Category: City & Culture, Europe, Inspiration, Just the 2 of us, Some shopping too, Travel interviews

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December 2nd, 2011 | 4:11pm by BozAround

Featuring DailyCandy Kids Editor on Chicago

10 Nov
2011

If you don’t know DailyCandy yet, stop reading and click here. I’ve been getting their daily fixes ever since my New York fashionista years (back in the days) and I’m still hooked…Ok, I’m more interested in the latest baby bottle than the coolest cocktail hotspot these last few years, but I am grateful that DailyCandy keeps me in the loop all over. So it’s with great excitement that BozAround is featuring Lindsey Gladstone on her beloved hometown, Chicago. Lindsey is the editor behind all of the DailyCandy’s Kids, from NYC to Los Angeles and Everywhere in between. She lives in Chicago with her husband Ben and their two daughters. Here’s Lindsey’s Best of Daily Family Life in Chicago..

Sweet Home Chicago

Welcome to my hometown. I’ve tried to leave (twice) and I can’t quit her. Despite the long, cold winters – and when I say long, I mean we sometimes skip spring altogether, a factor to consider when planning a visit – Chicago is one of the warmest places I know. It’s got big city sophistication with a Midwestern smile. Oh, and come hungry.

Before We Start
Chicago is a city of neighborhoods. If you stay close to your hotel on Michigan Avenue (where most lodging options are located) you will miss out. Wicker Park, Pilsen, Bucktown, Lincoln Park, Lincoln Square, Hyde Park, Old Town, Lakeview: These are the neighborhoods Chicagoans call home – dive in – we love visitors and kids. Full disclosure: many of the restaurants and shops I’ve picked are in Wicker Park walking distance from my home.

Our Favorite Spots

A beautiful oasis right in the middle of Lincoln Park, The Lincoln Park Zoo is a true gem. We spend most of our time visiting the monkeys, waiting in line for the carousel, and debating the color of the flamingos (are they pink or orange?), but there is much more to see. You could easily spend an entire morning strolling around the grounds and the recently renovated ecofriendly nature boardwalk. There are plenty of dining options on-site; however, our favorite thing to do is pack a picnic and eat in the gardens at the Lincoln Park Conservatory out front. Just across Fullerton Parkway is the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, where a 2,700-square-foot butterfly haven beckons littles with 75 species flitting about on any given day.

Whenever we need a taste of Florida (usually midwinter), we spend the morning at the Garfield Park Conservatory. The humidity levels are just so, that even in January it feels (and looks) like June inside. The conservatory was damaged in a storm this past year, and they are raising funds to repair it.

If you can avoid the rest of the tourist trap that is Navy Pier (good luck with that) The Chicago Children’s Museum is a world-class children’s museum that’s worth a visit. If you don’t want to fight about whether they can go on the Ferris wheel, opt for the Museum of Science and Industry. It’s been a favorite of mine since I was a little girl, and it continues to delight with classic exhibits like Colleen Moore’s miniature fairy castle, an old-fashioned Main Street, and a massive model railroad.

Still Listening?
Chicago is a great music town, but if you’re traveling with kids, odds are the shows you’ll want to see will run a little late. Two kid-friendly options are The Old Town School of Folk Music, it has great weekend programming around the city, and the Beat Kitchen’s Concerts for Kids, where the doors for kids shows open at noon.

the girls, at Millenium Park

Get Me Out of Here
By the time summer rolls around, we cannot wait to get outside. Some of our favorite spots include the outdoor Green City Market on Wednesday and Saturday mornings (adjacent to the Lincoln Park Zoo); Millenium Park, an architecturally stunning outdoor space with a sculpture-cum-water feature that kids love to frolic in; Oz Park, a kid-friendly play lot with wood climbing structures and sculptures of Dorothy, Tin Man, Scarecrow, and Lion; and Welles Park, for swimming and a free summer concert series.

Where Did I Get This? Chicago
Dose Market, founded by a foursome of Chicago’s most in-the-know editors, is a welcome addition to the shopping scene. Every month, they choose one Sunday to bring together the best of the Midwest in food, fashion, art, and home. Artisanal eats alongside beautiful necklaces on the other side of handcrafted speakers made from suitcases. I have yet to leave a Dose without something new to try, taste, or wear. Kids are welcome. Ice cream and other treats should keep them occupied while you shop. Some other favorite stores around town: Rudy’s Roundup, a modern day general store; P45, one of the first independent women’s boutiques still packed with great finds; The T-shirt Deli, custom tees that come packaged like a corned beef sandwich; Roslyn, a well-edited collection of up-and-coming designers with a dash of vintage; Ikram, a high-end speciality store whose new space also has a cafe (think ladies lunch, not kids in tow); LMNOP, a fanastic kids store that always feel fresh; Building Blocks, an intimate toy store where the shelves are stocked to the ceiling (literally) with playthings for kids.

At Oz Park

I’m Hungry. You?
Big Star is one of our favorite places to grab lunch with the girls. Be forewarned, this is not a kiddie restaurant, and hipsters may gawk at you and your littles. But the hipsters will get over themselves – eventually. Even a 2-year-old can appreciate the best guacamole in the city and a chip dipped in queso fundido. For pizza with the family in tow, try Piece. Yes, it’s a New Haven-style thin crust joint in a deep dish town, but worth every crisp bite. Sweet tooth? Don’t miss Margie’s Candies, an old-school candy store and ice cream shop that’s been around since the ’20s,Sweet Mandy B’s, the best butter cream-frosted cupcakes within city limits, and Floriole, an artisanal bakery a few doors down from Sweet Mandy B’s that strikes a balance between savory and sweet.

For some grown-ups-only fun, head to Avec. Three words of advice: bacon-wrapped dates. Don’t leave without ordering them. Avec doesn’t take reservations, so we like to go early, sit at the bar, and take our time, letting the server pair the plates with different wines. If you can steal away from the kids for only a cocktail, best to make it a really good one. The Violet Hour, a signless speakeasy in Wicker Park, is pure magic. A nondescript entryway gives way to velvet curtains, private tables, and drinks so delicious they’re dangerous (or so dangerous, they’re delicious). If you don’t mind a wait, try The Aviary, the latest from Grant Achatz, where chefs create drinks using at least 19 (!!!) kinds of ice. And by drinks, we mean science experiments meet cocktails.

Last Tips
If you’re flying into town and aren’t renting a car, Going Green Limousine is an incredibly kid-friendly car service with car seats and kids DVDs to keep tired travelers occupied on the last leg of their journey. And I just heard about a new sitter service, Sitter Studio, where all of the sitters are professional artists, so kiddos will be getting cultured while you get out and enjoy yourself.

Thank you Lindsey!

Category: City & Culture, Inspiration, North America, The experienced traveler, Travel interviews

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November 10th, 2011 | 1:40pm by BozAround

Featuring mom blogger Chantale P. on the All-American vacation: Virginia Beach, USA

24 Sep
2011

Summer is over. The days are getting shorter. It’s time to pull out those nice memories from time spent at the beach. After featuring designtripper on Maine (USA), here is the interview of a mom blogger, fan of the All-American summer vacation in Virginia Beach (USA). Meet Chantale P., mother of extra-cutie little Keira-Mae, the source of endless inspiration on her witty blog The Adventures of Skinny Mini Kiki. Their entire vacation is featured on 3 big posts on her blog. Here is a special excerpt for BozAround.

Meet the Skinny Mini Kiki family

My name is Chantale P. and I am a designer working at Orage ski-wear label, and a blogger on The Adventures of Skinny Mini Kiki. I live with my French Canadian husband Claude and our 6yo daughter Keira-Mae in a lovely suburb of Montreal, Canada. We are a mixed family and my daughter is of Korean, French and Irish heritage.

Share your last family summer vacation

As our daughter is still very much into princesses, pirates and the like, we try to head to places where there are at least 1 or 2 attractions for children and a beach to appease all of us. For the past 3 years, we have been on road trips to Virginia Beach, USA. It is roughly 14 hours by car (!!) from Montreal and we break it up in 2 days.

Although Virginia Beach has many trappings of a very touristy location, it’s a great place to take small children. The beaches are relatively clean and well kept and there are several attractions that even the adults will enjoy. If you manage to stay at a hotel on Atlantic Avenue (right beside the beach), then you will enjoy Beach Street USA where there is free music and entertainment every night during the summer months!

PLAY in VIRGINIA BEACH

Keira-Mae always looks forward to the theme-park Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, about an hour’s drive from Virginia Beach. I recommend you take the Discover Ticket which gives you access to both Busch Gardens and Water Country USA for 7 days.

Believe me, it gets incredibly hot over there and you will end up desperate to dive into any pool of water that you see! Water Country USA is about 1 or 2 exits after Busch Gardens. Keira-Mae loved this water themed park! From the man-made surfs at Surfer Bay to her absolute fave, the Hubba Hubba Highway which is a long winding river pool with a current that pushes and pulls you along..

Another attraction is the Aquarium & Marine Science Center. It’s not a big aquarium but it’s a good place to head out to when the weather turns rainy. There is even a boat excursion with several options from dolphin watching to cruising the saltwater marsh creek. There are several museums close by including the Chrysler Museum of art in Norfolk.

To be honest, what everyone loves to do is spend time at the beach. The water is warm and when the tide is low, it’s a safe place for the kids to play in the water. There are several bike rentals available for rides on the boardwalk. Eco tourism is big in Virginia Beach and you can kayak out on the ocean for dolphin watching etc. In fact, every morning we were there last year, I saw dolphins swimming close to the beach shore. There is also a big surf culture in Virginia Beach and there are several offers of surf camps and lessons available.

EAT in VIRGINIA BEACH

We like to eat at Boston Market rotisserie. It offers a healthier alternative to fast food joints. There is also PF Changs downtown. Oh I hear a lot of you groaning at this choice! But we don’t have this chain in Canada and I just like the way the waiter mixes up the tangy sauce in front of us when we sit down. I also think you can’t go wrong with noodles for the kids. This is a very popular hot spot though! Reserve in advance.

If you’re on Atlantic Avenue (Beach Street USA), there are several pizza joints to satisfy the kids. We were surprised by and loved Abbey Road Pub located at 25th and Pacific Avenue. The name and decor may seem cheesy but the burgers are really terrific!

For a great seafood dinner and if you’re lucky enough to get someone to look after the kids, head on over to Catch 31, located at the Hilton Hotel (between 33rd and 30th streets, on Atlantic Avenue). You can either sit comfortably inside or ask to be seated on their terrace facing the ocean.

SLEEP in VIRGINIA BEACH

The best is to rent a condo or home near the beach. There are also many hotel choices, some with a kitchenette which comes in very handy with the kids. Another plus of a hotel right by the beach? No need to bring a huge cooler to the beach! A small one with enough water to last for a few hours and snacks will do. Also, no need to try to find and rush to a public washroom with desperate kids needing to go! If you pick a spot right beside your hotel, you need only to head back to your room to use a clean washroom. Ah..

SHOP in VIRGINIA BEACH

What to bring home? Nothing but good memories & a relaxed spirit! If you go and have managed to avoid buying & bringing home all the tacky souvenirs, I salute.

May you always keep your beautiful smile on, Keira-Mae! Stay tuned for more adventures…

Category: North America, Sea Sand Sun, Travel interviews

Tagged: family travel, family vacation, interview

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September 24th, 2011 | 10:48am by BozAround

Featuring designtripper on a family vacation in Maine, USA

31 Aug
2011

The web is such a wonderful place to meet like-minded people. One search leading to another, I discovered the travel & design blog designtripper one day and immediately felt a connection with Meghan. It’s so inspirational, whether you plan on leaving your desk for a trip or not. A must Bookmark! Every summer, Meghan, her husband and 2 sons leave their hometown of Detroit for the great outdoors of Maine. The quintessential American vacation to me: lobster rolls, immense beaches and sky as big as the eternity. I discovered Maine in my early 20′s when I was studying in Boston and promised I’d be back one day with my (future) family. With all these wonderful tips from Meghan, it is time to pack and play in Maine. Thank you very much Meghan.

Meet the designtripper family:

I’m the only girl in a family of three boys—my husband, Ryan, and our two sons, Cass (5) and Ollie (2). We live in Detroit, one of the most inspiring and creative cities I know. My husband owns a small real estate development business, and when I’m not running around with my kids, I keep a blog, designtripper.com, and do a bit of freelance design and travel magazine writing on the side. We love to travel, and especially love road trips and any place that has skee ball.

LOVE in MAINE

The smell of the salt air. The rocky coast. The lack of chains and fierce independent spirit. Rustic, simple living and local everything, but it’s not a trend—Mainers have been living like this for ages and they’re gloriously set in their ways. Plus, the minute you’re outside one of the populated coastal towns, it’s all about nature.

At the place we stay in Popham Beach, the natural coast—without so much as a single lobster shack along the coastline for miles—the evergreen trees come right up to the long, sandy stretch of beach. The tidal pools are filled with all kinds of ocean life that my kids like to chase and collect in buckets, and the craggy rocks make for such great search-and-explore discovery missions. We’re also attracted to Maine because it’s not too hot, the local food is healthy and so fresh in the summer, and if we’re being honest, I don’t feel as nervous about sharks when I’m swimming in the cold ocean (whether that’s rational or not).

DO in MAINE

We definitely make a few choice excursions, but this trip is fundamentally about slowing down and enjoying our immediate and immensely beautiful surroundings. We go to the beach every morning to build sandcastles, jump in the waves, look for shells and explore the tidal pools.

Every afternoon, we take a long family nap. Early evenings, we’re either hanging out on a blanket while Ryan grills, taking a hike or exploring a nearby small town.

Because I cover travel so often for my job, this is one trip that we purposefully turn inward on. No internet connection, no guidebooks, no neurotic researching. We don’t even have cell phone reception from our house. That said, we have discovered at least a few compelling reasons to leave our peaceful little nature compound…

Whale Watching. My five-year-old is obsessed with whales and sharks (all animals really—land and sea), so the obligatory whale-watching tour is a must. You cannot imagine how excited he gets. We go to Boothbay Harbor to catch a boat – there are tons of different companies.

Fort Popham. One night after dinner, we head over to Fort Popham around dusk—an incomplete, crumbling fort with an absolutely perfect perch at the Kennebec River. With luck, we still have time to tour the fort before climbing the rocks and sitting on the pier to watch the lobster boats come in. It’s such a quiet, pretty place, and it strikes me as only slightly ridiculous that this is one of our big outings. Yes, that’s how exciting our Maine vacation is! And we like it that way.

Wiscasset. This is such a cute little town to walk around with a baby strapped to your back. I love wandering off the main commercial streets and fantasizing about living in one of the beautiful old homes.

Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor. We love to hike, and Acadia National Park is magic. It’s worth every minute of the three-hour drive from our farmhouse. The misty views of the ocean from the mountains, blueberry picking… it just doesn’t get any better. Even the simple, family-friendly trails are stunning.

EAT in MAINE

On the way to our house, we stop at a market in Portland, which is about an hour and 15 minutes south of our destination, and load up on some groceries to get us through the first few days. We use the grill in our house obsessively, grilling almost everything we eat: fish, shrimp, vegetables. We supplement with excursions into Bath to collect organic, locally grown fruit and vegetables from roadside stands, and make several obligatory restaurant visits every year:

Pizza at Cabin. It’s not that the pizza is out of this world (it’s slightly above average), it’s that this old-timer’s port-side pizza joint pulls off its nautical theme without a bit of irony or cliché. It’s exactly what you’d expect from a place that still reels in all the local sailors and shipbuilders. Our kids love it here.

Lobster at The Lobster House in Small Point. This is the place Cass cracked his first lobster tail. It will always be our family lobster joint of choice. The food is perfect—a small menu of all the Maine basics, and they don’t disappoint. And for toddlers who can’t sit still long enough for adults to get through a frosty mug of Allegash beer, there’s plenty of beautiful space outside to roam around and watch the small wooden fishing boats come in.

Lobster roll at Reds. We’re more of a lobster family than a lobster roll one. But if you can beat the line that queues up by 11:30 every single day, do not miss trying a stuffed roll at the legendary Reds in Wiscassat.

Brown’s Ice Cream, York. I spent every summer of my childhood vacationing in Maine, and the one place that’s just as amazing as I remember it: Brown’s Ice Cream, in the shadow of Nubble Light House. Grab cones and head over to the giant rocks to admire the great beauty.

Street & Company, Portland. A few years ago, Ryan and I had one of the best meals of our lives at Street & Co. We keep threatening to go back, but with two kiddos, it hasn’t happened yet.

SLEEP in MAINE

There are tons of old seaside hotels and quaint b&bs in Maine, but our preference is to rent a house for a week. That way, we can make our own food (and the food in Maine is so fresh and delicious!) and have plenty of room to spread out with kids. On The Water In Maine and Rentals Maine both offer lots of beautiful options along the coast and nearby islands. Or, if you prefer an in-town option, they don’t get much cuter than Wiscasset. Stay at the Marston House, which is situated in a carriage house just behind a fantastic antique shop of the same name.

SHOP in MAINE

We don’t do much shopping outside food markets, which admittedly, we get pretty excited about, and some antique shop trolling along Highway One between the Yorks and Kennebunk. This year, I’m hoping to make an afternoon trip to Portland to visit the Angela Adams store and studio, and I always hit the LL Bean outlet in Freeport. It’s a matter of principle, really.

Category: Fresh air, Inspiration, North America, Sea Sand Sun, Travel interviews

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August 31st, 2011 | 10:17am by BozAround

Featuring dents de loup on Pondicherry, South India

5 Aug
2011

To complete BozAround Indian family destination Serie, I’ve asked Pau from the super sweet Dents de Loup knitted toys label to share her Best Of Pondicherry. The city is on the East coast of Southern India, in the state of Tamil Nadu. To me, Pondicherry has always been one of those very evocative destination, as if by pronouncing its name, I am already travelling a bit (a few others on that list are Katmandu, Zanzibar, St Petersburg, Mombasa, Papeete and Tasmania!). I am grateful that Pau has taken the time to talk about Pondicherry as I liken it to Kerala, a destination not obviously easy with children, but actually so much fun and welcoming to the family. So, after Kerala, Rajasthan, Delhi and Goa with the children, here comes Pondicherry on BozAround. Follow Pau’s mutton masala…!

Meet the Dents de Loup family:

We are five: myself Pau aka Paula, the Argentinian mom moved to France 14 years ago where I met my French husband. Emile was born in Paris and is 8 years old now. In 2006, we moved to South America. And it is in Quito, Ecuador, that Gaspar (3 ½ years old) and Victoria (2 years old) were born. We are now in Pondicherry, South of India, where we have been living for almost 2 years.

The philosophy and inspiration behind Dents de Loup:

The first characters were ” commissioned ” by my son Emile who needed a friend for his teddy bear, and a snake to play the explorer in his fantasy jungle. Soon others followed as their friends and I got caught in the game. In Ecuador, I began a collection of 100% woollen sheep. I found it funny to knit sheep, it was like looping the loop – The sheep gave me the wool, to knit the sheep!

When I came to India, my sheep took after the local colours and turned into “mutton masala”. Red, green, turquoise, yellow, orange, purple…and the list goes on… Then I wanted to work with cotton thread and started a collection of characters with clothes, and I couldn’t stop since. My children’s games always give me new ideas – be it a tea party set, a giant doll to stroll and small soft toys that adapt to every adventure.

Inspiration for a family vacation in Pondicherry

Comfortably based in Pondicherry, it is possible to take small day trips in and around Pondicherry. For example, one can visit the Gingee Fort, or the 7th and 8th century temples carved into the rocks at Mahabalipuram which are both just a few hours by car from Pondicherry; a short drive into Auroville also makes for a pleasant day.

PLAY

My children love to visit the temple Sri Vinayagar Manakula, where the elephant Lakshmi receives and blesses everyone.

They also love their swimming-pool time! In the vicinity of Pondicherry there are many hotels with nice pools. Our latest discovery, “Le Pondy” has opened very recently.

EAT

For lunch or dinner with the kids, we choose places where children can play, in a big yard, for example. The restaurant La Caravelle, in the courtyard of the “Maison Rose” (8, Romain Rolland street) is very pleasant. There you can eat well under the shade of a mango tree, or in the evening have a quiet candle-lit dinner.

In Satsanga, children are welcome and play in the garden while waiting for their plate of French fries. We also like the colonial setting of the “Carte Blanche”, in the “Hôtel de l’Orient”.

The restaurant Gourmet, in the “Hôtel Dupleix” and The Maison Perumal’s restaurant make an excellent choice for a romantic dinner or for a small group of adults.

SLEEP

Children are welcome everywhere in India. But when you travel with them one often requires a bit more space, a big room, a swimming pool, or a big yard to play in. I think it is practical therefore to stay in Pondicherry, as these facilities are easily available here. The Atithi Hotel has rooftop pool offering a beautiful view. The Hotel Promenade also has a small pool and a very good restaurant.

SHOP

In The Maison Rose (8, Romain Rolland street): Domus, a boutique where you can find small furniture, lamps, decorative items and small antique toys. A treasure box.

Oh, Là, Là! a fine colorful clothes for kids and moms.
Living Art, an excellent address for home accessories.
Via Pondichery is a small shop full of pretty things (22, rue Romain Rolland);
Near Sri Manakula Vinayagar Temple you can find beautiful handmade paper, notebooks, paper lamps, frames, etc.
Fabindia for Indian cotton and silk tunics and outfits, and also for linen and home decoration (59 rue de Suffren).

A colorful mix of Indian and European styles in Nirvana boutique.

TIPS

October to February/ March is the best period to explore the city. Avoid May, June and July: It is extremely hot. I would advise to check the actupondy website for more detailed information and tips on Pondicherry.

The entire “dents de loup” line is exclusively hand made and as Pau does it alone and it takes time. You can check her work at www.dentsdeloup.com

For the moment the whole dents de loup collection” is online on Etsy. It is also part of the Babyccino Kids site toys selection.

Category: Asia, City & Culture, Travel interviews

Tagged: accessories, artwork, blog, family travel, incredible india, inspiration

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August 5th, 2011 | 10:24am by BozAround

Featuring Nana Ki on Goa, India

8 Jul
2011

Who said India is not family friendly?! I wrote a lot about Kerala last year, a region in the South of India which I fell in love with. Thought it would be very easy to visit with children (unlike Rajasthan which is perhaps more for grown-ups). Today, Chloe Le Bonnois, the designer behind the children’s clothing brand Nana Ki shares her love of Goa where she regularly goes with her 2 little ones for some chilled beach time. Time to prepare for next (northern hemisphere’s) winter when Goa is at its best. With a lot of international flights arriving into Goa, and a very good choices of hotel infrastructures, Goa is finally getting its chic back in hippie-chic. Ps: for BozAround city guide on Delhi, click here.

The Nana Ki family – portrait

I am Chloe Le Bonnois, a French woman of 32 years old married to Alex Lieury, also French and 34 years old. We have been living in New Delhi for 7 years now, we settled here for my business originally, Nana Ki. We have 2 children, Lola 6 years old and Matteo who is 18 months. Both were born in New Delhi in India.

And about Nana Ki and your inspiration…

We created, with my mother Danielle, our brand Nana Ki in 1999 after travelling for 2 years in India to study traditional textile techniques and handicrafts. We fell in love with India and all the possibilities we had here to make our dream come true, to create a brand for women clothes and accessories, for baby-children clothes and also decoration. Our inspiration comes from India only, all over India, and we always use Indian traditional techniques of embroidery, weaving, printing in our collections while designing in a contemporary way for the Western market.

To be able to make what we really wanted to achieve and in the conditions of work we wanted, we opened our own workshop in Delhi with the help of an Indian collaborator, Ritu Jain. It is a small unit where we all work like a family. That way, we can control everything at each stage of the production. We also work with several organisations that care about preserving all the traditional hand techniques, one of the richness of the country which risk getting lost over time.

A family beach vacation in GOA

Goa is a wonderful place for family holidays. It is best known for beach parties but some parts of Goa are true family places as well, with a lot of children having a wonderful time. We are used to going to North Goa, at Morjim which is nice quiet place where we can enjoy beach, walks and delicious food.

You reach it by car from the international airport in Goa, where you’ll find lots of taxis. You can also use my very good private driver company – call the boss Yosheh on 09637881804 and he’ll arrange any sort of car for your family!

PLAY in GOA

We spend our days at the beach. Sometimes we go for a walk or a boat ride where we can see dolphins, this is one of my daughter’s favourite activity. The departure point is in front of Fort Aguada, there is no need to book in advance, they do the boat ride everyday. During the tourist season, there are some travelling circus or small shows of puppets or dance which are nice for the family.

EAT in GOA

Our favourite restaurant is La Plage in Morjim, Ashwem beach. It is the best restaurant in Goa, and even one of the best in India!!! It is run by 3 French men who opened it 10 years ago, in front of the beach. The food is simple and yet refined, they always use fresh produce from Goa. It is really a wonderful place and they will always welcome you with a big smile. Make sure to book ahead in peak season.

There is also The Cue, owned by a French lady; the food is very homemade. It’s tiny, with just few tables so booking is essential, it is always full. For lunch a lot of small beach shacks have delicious fish, prawns, calamari..They are very simple places but nice to make a stop for a fresh meal; always in front of the sea which is pleasant;

Le Poisson Rouge is the perfect place for a gourmet and romantic dinner without children.

SLEEP in GOA

Of course our favorite one is the boutique hotel of my husband, Amariya Shamiyana! There are 4 huge luxury tents just in front of the beach and next to the wonderful restaurant La Plage. It is a good mix of luxury with all the necessary comforts but right by the beach. And children love the idea of sleeping in a tent!it’s very relaxed.

We sometimes also stay at a nice little hotel called Sur La Mer, 5 minutes from ours and also very close to the beach. It’s just 12 bedrooms in a beautiful huge house. The owner runs the place himself, the atmosphere is very cozy and he looks after all his guest individually. The children love the big swimming pool.

SHOP in GOA

Goa is famous for its big night market. It is a place to visit and to shop, but it’s huge and you have anything and everything. So you really need to search for the small stands which will sell typical Indian things. You must also check out Nirvana, is great shop in Anjuna(its small and easy to find) that sells accessories such as pouches, toiletry bag, t-shirts with all sorts of Indian gods prints.

Of course I recommend my little shop inside a tent in the boutique hotel of my husband, The Shop by Nana Ki. Over there we sell one part of nana ki collection, mostly woman and children beach pieces like kurtas, djellabas, beach wear, pareos and night dresses. And also accessories like fancy bags, pouches….only items that you feel like buying right now to wear in Goa.

There is also a wonderful shop in Calangute from Indian designer Malini Ramani. She carries a selection for woman, with mix of Indian and European touch. In Goa, you mostly want to bring back some kurtas, some pareos and slippers…but beware that quality is not always top. So shop around…

TIPS in GOA

- Avoid going to Goa out of season, mostly when it is the mousson as the rain is just crazy! Best time of the year is from November until mid to end of March. After that, it really becomes unbearably hot and humid. In July and August, the mousson is at its strongest so it’s definitely a no-no.

- Check out the website What’s Up in Goa, for the latest news and events.

- As always in India, make sure you eat in fresh and clean places. And protect yourself with mosquitos repellent as dengue is present pretty much everywhere in India. Take care also at nights on some beaches, mostly the one where there are parties as some thieves are there waiting for tourist. Otherwise nothing special, it is quiet and people are really nice and relax.

- By the way, you’ll find everything for young children in Goa, no need to overpack (except perhaps in low season, but then you would not want to travel there then!). From nappies to wipes, sun protection, mosquito protection etc..However, no ready-made baby food. In terms of doctors and medical help, you’ll also get it easily if needed, with good chemists all around.

Nana Ki is sold at Chloe’s shop Lola’s World in Delhi. If that’s not close enough for you (!), the brand has its own shop in Paris, in the heart of St Germain des Pres in Paris, on Place de l’Odeon but it’s only home decor pieces there. Or the collection is at the Bon Marche in Paris and here in the rest of the world. The collections are not online yet but apparently soon, stay tuned…

Category: Asia, Sea Sand Sun, Travel interviews

Tagged: family travel, incredible india, vacation

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July 8th, 2011 | 5:33pm by BozAround

Featuring CrewCuts on the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

4 Jun
2011

I was so excited when Laura Shippey, design director for girls at Crewcuts, suggested to report on her family getaway to the Yucatan for BozAround. Not only have I not covered this part of the world, but I am also a HUGE fan of Crewcuts, a brand you would only know if you have spent time in the USA. That’s about to change..yeahh! So in case you are not familiar with it: Crewcuts is the kids line of American superstar brand J.Crew, an excellent mix of quality, long-lasting styles with a good dose of hipness and great pricing. Something very rare for a large established brand. And they do it season after season, with many exciting brand collaborations too (remember this old post about mini Steve McQueen?).

Tell us about your family:

We are an English family living in Brooklyn, New York since 2007 when I scooped a job with J. Crew designing their Crewcuts line. My name is Laura, my husband, Simon is a musician and our son Noah is 8 and is a Lego enthusiast, bookworm and aspiring rock star! As for Crewcuts, it is probably best described as classics with a modern and playful twist. The focus is on quality and colour with a simple sophistication that aims to appeal to the kids as well as their parents!

What is special about The Yucatan Peninsula:

It holds an incredible mixture of both ecological and archeological richness. The Caribbean coast has pristine white sand beaches and a wonderfully laid back atmosphere. For us, it was the perfect combination of relaxation and a sense of discovery and adventure. It’s less than 2 hours south of Cancun, a not-so-exciting place but a large airport with many international connections.

Your suggested itinerary:

We spent 5 days at the beach area of Tulum, where the Caribbean sea is usually very calm and safe for kids to play in. We were all very happy just to chill on the beach, play in the sea and generally unwind for the first couple of days.

And at the end of a beach day…

From Tulum we took a day trip to the beautiful Sian Ka’an Biosphere, a nature reserve that covers over 1.3 million acres.

We arranged our tour with Mexico Kan Tours, and our guide Miguel was excellent; incredibly knowledgeable about the wildlife in the biosphere as well as the anthropological history. The trip included a wonderful float down a shallow, crystal clear channel through the grassy coastal wetlands on a life vest, so peaceful!

And on the 3^rd day we hired bikes and cycled to a small cenote along the Tulum road. Cenotes are naturally formed sinkholes in the pourous limestone shelf that makes up the Yucatan Peninsula. We splashed about and snorkled admiring the beautiful fish resting there.

From Tulum we hired a car and headed off to Merida, the largest city in the region with beautiful colonial architecture where the houses are painted fresh colours every 3 months. We stopped by the famous Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza on our way. While undoubtedly awe – inspiring, this site is slightly marred by the huge amount of day-trippers from Cancun, and the resulting fact that you can no longer climb any of the structures.

If you hanker after a more Indiana Jones type experience, then you would be advised to visit a lesser known site in the area, such as Coba, Muyil, or Ek Balam.

This is Muyil:

The following day we drove through many beautiful villages with fruit stalls selling fresh mangos, coconuts and papaya towards the gulf coast and town of Celestun in the hope of seeing Flamingos. After a morning splashing on the beach we took a fascinating boat trip through the mangroves and lagoons, seeing spectacular herons, king fishers and huge termite nests but sadly no flamingos!

On our final day we went to the most incredible Mayan ruins called Ek Balam near the town of Valladolid. These ruins are fairly recently discovered and amazingly well preserved. There are some incredible life size carvings of warriors with huge wings on their backs. Noah loved climbing the very steep steps to the top of the palace complex from which we got a fantastic view over the surrounding jungle.

EAT:

We had many wonderful meals in Tulum!

Tierras Del Sol is an Argentinian restaurant with no menu but 7 small appetizers brought one after the other and your choice of grilled meat for the main course. We went twice because we loved it so much, one evening choosing the fish and the other the steak. I will never forget the accompanying potatoes with caramelised garlic!

As featured on The Selby, Hartwood was set up recently by Brooklyn chefs Eric Verner and Mya Henry. The food is organic and comes from the farmers market in Valladolid. Noah particularly enjoyed the coconut cake. There’s a feast of photos on the Selby website.

For a more casual meal we ate often at Las Ranitas which is also a family friendly hotel.

For ice cream Posada Margherita further up the beach is pretty special.

SLEEP

We loved our cabana at La Via Latkea, which literally means the Milky Way in Spanish. It was at the quiet end of the beach, had comfortable beds and a clean bathroom with hammocks outside to read our books and take our siestas in!

SHOP

Merida is famed for its hats and hammocks and there are many shops selling all kinds of traditional artifacts. Noah was very happy to find a shark tooth necklace at the beach in Celestun.

A few words of advise:

My first recommendation is to take advantage of the incredibly knowledgable guides at both the nature reserves and the archeological sites. Their expertise makes the experience of exploring so much richer. Secondly don’t drink the water and avoid ice in your drinks.

Crewcuts is available online with shipping currently within the U.S, Canada and Japan and to the UK starting this Autumn. See the website for store locations across the U.S.