CityMama™

Traveling With Kids: Making Long Flights More Bearable

Now that we've been back from our Roman holiday for almost a week (it's seems like yesterday and also forever ago that we were there), I thought I'd share some tips about what made flying more enjoyable for  Bunny and Wallie, who are 7.5-years-old and 5.5-years-old, respectively.

The first best thing we did was to book a flight that left in the afternoon from San Francisco.  This meant that once on the plane, the girls did some activities, ate dinner, brushed their teeth, then settled in to sleep for the night. I do need to add one GINORMOUS caveat in that we flew business class (thanks to Tata), and so the girls were sleeping on beds, but bear with me. The timing of long flights is super-important. We've done plenty of 5-7 hour flights in coach that we timed with nap or bedtime to make sleeping (for the girls, anyway) easier.

Be sure to dress them in comfortable clothes (like sweatsuits or leggings and cotton dresses for girls) and bring along anything (yes, blankies and stuffed animals) that will help them sleep better.

THE BEST SUITCASE FOR KIDS

Another thing that my mom did was get the girls real, adult-sized (but small) carry-on suitcases, the kind with the four independently-turning wheels (aka "spinners") that you can push along with just a finger. Rather than having to lug heavy backpacks full of coloring books and snacks that you end up having to carry anyway, the girls (mostly) happily wheeled their suitcases along. Another bonus, they were easy to get open to find whatever it was they needed, and they were roomy enough to shove jackets (and any Duty-Free items you happen to buy!) into.

FUN KID ACTIVITIES FOR AIRPLANES

The fact that the suitcases were rolling meant that we load them up with plenty to do. Into each suitcase went:

• new coloring books
• grade-level activity books
• homework (for Bunny)
• a book of sticker "paper dolls"
• one of those giant sticker activity books
• blank journals (one for each)
• a "learn how to draw" book
• two chapter books for Bunny (could have brought more, she finished one on the plane and one within two days of landing)
• 3 "I Can Read" books for Wallie—Miss "I Can Read It All By Myself" is all about the Level 2 books, and thank god they are skinny, plentiful, and cheap.
• a box of crayons
• a pack of markers

I also packed:

• An Italian word book for kids
• Changes of clothes for both girls
• Snacks (kids often get hungry at times when there is no meal service)
• A hairbrush
• Extra hair ties
• A toiletry kit which includes soap and lotion (I brought this one from Noodle & Boo, which was sent to me for review and it was fabulous. Perfect for my kids' sensitive skin.)
• Toothbrushes (which we didnt need thank to the Club World "tuck kits"
• An empty spray bottle (to fill on the plane and hydrate--the air is so very dry)

Postcard from Rome No. 5

The dinner table at my aunt's house. Words cannot describe.

Postcard From Rome No. 4

We're not quite stuck in Rome yet due to the volcanic ASScloud.  Our return flight is supposed to be on Friday but instead of being confirmed, we are wait-listed since that flight connects through Heathrow (The Western world's worst airport for making connections, asscloud or no. Seriously, hate.). We have confirmed flights that route through Washington DC for three days later so we'll see what happens as the end of the week draws near.

In the mean time, there are worse place to be stuck. Or to run out of clothes and shoes. Speaking of clothes and shoes, if Italian store windows are any indication, paper bag-waisted pants will be making a huge comeback this summer. Unfortunately, they are everywhere. Also everywhere? Cute ankle socks (especially lace and fishnet) with strappy sandals, a look I (a funky Italian grandmother at heart) can totally get behind and have--my suitcase is loaded with patterned, cut-out socks.

Rome is beautiful in the spring. We've been having a delightful time. Look, I'll show you.

Cobblestones with a little green peaking through. This is what I've been running on. My knees say, "Ow."

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You cannot beat the colosseum for capturing a kid's imagination. If you get there right when it opens, you pretty much have the whole place to yourself. It's the best site to see in all of Rome for kids (it's relatively small and there's a great bookstore), but be prepared to talk about gladiators and lions for the next 574 hours.

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Bunny now has the same bad ass custom turf shoes as all the pro soccer players, pro soccer players like AS Roma's Francesco Totti. I got them personalized at the Nike Roma store. She'll be the fastest kid at summer soccer camp!

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Have to throw in some pictures of the pizza. People always ask me why I don't like pizza. It's not that I don't like pizza, I don't like American pizza.

Dear America, If your pizza looked like this, I would eat it. It doesn't, so I don't. :

In other news, my diet has been shot to hell.

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In Via Margutta, near the Piazza di Spagna, the cutest street in all of Rome.

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The girls' favorite fountain. We pass it every day, and every day they stop for a drink.

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The view of Rome from Villa Borghese. As they stop and look at these gorgeous vistas, I hope they are soaking in the "differentness" and the sheer beauty of this city. I don't say anything, though. I just let them look.

And look.

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Bun and Wallie on my cousin's scooter. They are real Roman girls now!

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Wallie with her tonarelli cacio e pepe, a real Roman pasta.

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Bunny steering our carriage to the Coliseum. The smile says it all. We're having an amazing time.

Ciao!!

Postcard from Rome No. 3

Dear Iceland,

We are having a great time in Rome, but would really like to be able to leave when we are finished. Our sweet little hotel has already received 14 cancellations this week and I didn't think there were even 14 rooms here. Without guests, who is going to eat all those cornetti every morning?

We have five days until we leave, and there isn't enough X@n@x in the world that will make me feel at ease enough to get on an ashcloud-bound plane, so can you please calm your volcano down so that people—people like us, for example— can get home to their loved ones?

You win at world domination, at least for the foreseeable future. Point taken.

Respectfully yours,

Stefania

P.S. Photos of delicious food and cute little girls standing in front of old stuff resume tomorrow.

photo from Huffington Post

Postcard from Rome No. 2

This one is mainly about the food. Like:

 

The grilled prawns and crayfish I had for lunch two days ago.

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Wallie's spinach- and ricotta-stuffed ravioli with tomato sauce. (I think she likes it!)

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The girls outside of one of my mom's favorite restaurants. I came here for the first time when I was about Bunny's age.

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Pasta alla carbonara at Antica Pesa. Extra carbonara sauce comes in the shell. Wallie got a huge kick out of that.

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Okay, we are seeing SOME sights. Like the incredible Pantheon, which blows me away every time I am here.

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But then, we stopped for lunch:

 

Antipasti di mare at Tre Scalini on Piazza Navona.

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Bunny and her tartufo. Basically, it's chocolate and whipped cream and more chocolate. Sugar overload, but when in Rome...parents have to deal with a sugar high and crash, just like at home.

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Drinking from a fountain like a real Roman.

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Antipasti at my aunt's house.  Our second dinner there.  She made the bread ring (and it's stuffed with pancetta). In the foreground is lardo, my mom's favorite which we ate with honey and pecorino cheese. In San Francisco you can get lardo in the Ferry Building at Boccalone, but no way, no how does it compare to what you can get in Italy which is smooth as silk and light as a cloud.

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My cousin Pierluigi filling cannoli with fresh ricotta. He brought the cannoli, ricotta, and candied orange peel from Sicily where his father is from and where he has a house.  It was amazing x 1000. He asked if he would see his picture on Facebook and said, "Si certo!" So, if you are reading this on Facebook, say hi to Pierluigi!

We're having a great time. More to come!

Postcard from Rome No. 1

When Bunny found out we were going to Rome, the first thing she said was, "I want to see the church with the drawings on the ceiling!" When Wallie found out we were going to Rome, the first thing she said was, "I'm going to eat 100 pieces of prosciutto!" (They really couldn't be more different, could they?)  And here she is, as we arrive at the salumeria, about to make a dent in that hundred:

We'll get to the Sistine Chapel, Bunny. Promise.

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The girls have been having a wonderful time. Rome—and places like the forum—inspires the imagination and they can't stop chattering about what ancient times must have been like.

Wallie loves taking pictures of everything. She focuses on the things that I miss, like the fact that the top of the thin structure behind her is covered with coins. Here she is showing Bunny her photos.

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Three days in, they are pretty annoyed with me for constantly taking pictures (Wallie's face in the photo below says it all), but I can't help it. Even if they don't remember everything about this trip, they will know they were there.

P.S. We threw quarters into the Fontana di Trevi—cheaper than Euro!

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The girls on a pretty Roman street.

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In any case, I know they will remember the delicious food:

Antipasti at my aunt's house (Bunny is named after her). We had mortadella, salami, and prosciutto, along with fresh favas and two kinds of pecorino. And icy cold prosecco, of course!

So many delicious things at an Italian deli! When I die, just put my ashes in a little container and set me on the shelf. That's my idea of heaven.

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Spaghetti with clams. Mmmmmmmmmmm! Buona!

Blogalicious '09: Wish I could just bottle up this feeling and take it with me everywhere

I've been busy for the past couple of weeks getting ready to attend the Blogalicious Conference in Atlanta. My company, Clever Girls Collective, was an official sponsor and hosted one of the parties which was such a blast! (More on that in another post!)

Swag bags in the Clever Girls Suite--We match the swank decor!

When I first heard about Blogalicious, I knew I wanted to attend, but to be able to be there as a partner--to help to support the efforts of Justices Jones, Fergie and Ny--was a distinct honor. Their vision became a reality last weekend and every aspect of the conference, down to the very last detail, was a reflection of their grace, wisdom, community-building skills, and, most importantly, welcoming and generous spirit.

Panel session on social media basics

I made new friends that I can't wait to see again.

My soul was filled by seeing old friends and being able to just bask in their presence without feeling hurried or rushed or interrupted.

I saw incredible beauty. Everywhere.

I shared smiles that I will remember for a long, long time.

I had inspiring conversations with so many women that my brain hasn't stopped spinning long enough yet for me to process (and act upon) everything I heard.

I delivered opening remarks about where we've come since 2007 when a marketer famously told me regarding reaching out to women of color, "We just don't know what to do with you" to an audience empowered to foment change. (The take-away after this weekend: Look out, marketers.)

I witnessed the generosity and camaraderie that make small women's conferences so great and can't stop thinking that niche conferences are the way to go.

For a weekend, I was immersed in a world that felt right and real and like home and I can't wait for next year.

Weekend on Mackinac Island

Words cannot possibly do Mackinac Island, Michigan justice.  And neither do the pictures, quite frankly. It is far more spectacular in person.  You'll just have to go.

No, really.  Put this place on your bucket list.

We went on an 8 mile bike trip around the island today and after returning the bikes to the rental shop, I turned a corner and was greeted by this "Grand" lady. Hello, gorgeous.

Weekend in Southern Oregon: Antiques and Wineries

I went up to Southern Oregon with a couple of girlfriends—and no kids, woohoo!—this weekend.  Our goal was to check out the annual antiques fair in the hopes of scoring some excellent, tax-free finds.  My personal goal was to have a tamale at the Southern Oregon Grower's Market (mission deliciously accomplished), to relax after a couple of very busy weeks, and to spend time with my brother and his kids which is always a pleasure.

The antiques fair was well-worth it despite the searing heat.  We all found lots of treasures for not too much money.  My favorite find was a copy of Conran's The House Book published in 1974.  I was eyeing my parents' worn copy at my brother's house and even asked him if I could borrow it. Not necessary!  The next day, Alisyn found a copy (with cover!) on an antique store book shelf and after negotiating a 10% discount, it came home with me. 

My brother gifted us moms with belated Mother's Day gifts-- tickets to the Applegate Valley wineries' barrel tasting event so we spent Sunday afternoon at Wooldridge Creek, Troon, and Schmidt wineries tasting their selections.

On Monday we were back on the road heading down I-5 hoping to make it home before school got out, which we did. I came home to a nice, clean house (thanks, J!) and a two hour power nap. It was a great time.

Here are some of my favorite pics from the weekend:

Saturday night dinner: grilled veggies and grass-fed tri-tip from the farmer's market and wild, local salmon caught in the Rogue River by my sister. The yellow bowl holds grilled spring onions, garlic, and jalapeños.

At the Antiques Fair.

20% off Bauer bowls in my favorite colors...

Home

Our flight to San Francisco was as uneventful as the flight to Hawaii. Wallie, who was feeling a little warm to the touch and possibly slightly feverish, slept almost the whole way home. Bunny watched a couple of movies and I did a little work writing up our trip as a travel article.

When we landed, J. said, "Was the flight over this easy?"

"Yep," I responded.

"Well, shoot. We're flying everywhere now!"

Despite having two more bags than we started with, we packed everything, including ourselves into our teensy car and made it home just ahead of the pizza guy whom we called from the freeway.

When we pulled up to the house our driveway was covered with newspapers since I forgot to have the deliveries stopped while J. was gone. The hydrangea on the front porch was dead, a sure sign of a lifeless house, but still, no one robbed the place. Amazing.

What's that smell?  J. didn't change the bedding or clean out the coffee pot (including the coffee grounds in the filter), and left wet laundry in the washer for a week. But despite the house smelling like mold and stank, it was, at least, clean.

I went from room to room like a little kid looking at and touching everything. The girls' rooms were just as we left them—beds made, stuffed animals keeping watch—and Bunny immediately went to check on all her horses in their stable.

The girls were scrub-a-dubbed in the tub, then they had a slice of pizza and went to sleep in their own beds for the first time in a month. I can tell that they are happy to be home.

Just now I swept up a little sand that fell out of our suitcase and got a little wistful, but I can't wait to putter in the yard tomorrow and take a long walk through our neighborhood.

Peaceful, gecko-free house, o how I miseed you!