Though we had a particularly dry summer / early fall, the rain has officially made its way to Vancouver and it looks like it’s here to stay. It’s the time of year when park visits, beach days, and walks around the neighbourhood beg to be broken up by time spent in the warm, cozy indoors, and preferably not always in your own home. With the amount of rain we get here on the coast, coming up with new, fun ways to spend your days with little ones isn’t always easy. And though we’ve found many favourite indoor spots around our big lovely city (the aquarium, Coquitlam’s Kinder Cafe, The Outpost Cafe, the many indoor pools, the airport’s public viewing area, play gyms, the Bloedel Conservatory, Science World, the local libraries and story times…) it’s always nice to add another spot to the rainy day list.
I originally learned about SweetSalt Baked Goods and Playscapes on yoyomama.ca and couldn’t have been more excited to visit. Authentic German baked goods {all made with local organic flour}, hot drinks, a play area for munchkins all in a stroller-friendly shop? Yes please. So this afternoon, with the rain doing what it does best, we made our way down Fraser Street to check it out.
Located on the corner of Fraser and 19th (not far from our other munckin-friendly cafe, The Outpost), SweetSalt is super bright and inviting, even on the gloomiest of days. We ordered some hot drinks, a couple of baked treats, and settled in.
The coffee was strong, the pretzels were exactly as they should be, and Brad’s hot chocolate was ridiculously large and serve in a beautiful bowl (we also ordered a cinnamon bun, but it disappeared so quickly that I didn’t manage to get a bite… I take it it was delicious).
The cafe, though beautifully decorated, maintains a very laid-back vibe, making parents visiting with children feel completely at ease. Gracen (along with two other little ones at the cafe at the time), played freely in the kids’ corner, made her way back to our table for a bite of pretzel now and then, and then back again for more fun and at no point did we feel like she was in the way or bothering other patrons. The play area was fully stocked with a mini kitchen, cooking tools, a chalkboard-topped table, colouring pages and crayons, wooden building blocks, nesting cups, and toy trucks, which was perfect for keeping our little lady happily busy for our entire visit. And though we didn’t bring ours in, there was plenty of aisle space for strollers, not to mention a big bathroom, complete with stroller space, a change table, a step stool for hand washing, and possibly the most adorable alphabet cards turned wall art I’ve ever seen.
On the way out, the super sweet owner, who is also a local mom, sent us on our way with a loaf of pumpkin seed bread and this adorable little dragon-shaped chocolate chip pastry (we visited just before closing on a Saturday) and both were absolutely delicious. So delicious, in fact, that we may have to make a weekly trip just for the bread alone.
♥
SweetSalt is located at 3497 Fraser Street and is open Tuesday to Saturday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Take a look at their amazing space & baked goods by joining them on Facebook here.
Though still early, our Halloween festivities began this afternoon when our little family of three headed down to the PNE Forum to take in 
We arrived to the Forum, selected aisle seats four rows from the front (score!), settled in, and waited for the show to begin. 
Despite the fact that the show is intended to be non-scary and suitable for children of all ages, I’d be fibbing if I said Grae wasn’t a little bit frightened by a few of the characters (mainly Wendela the witch, but also Cranium the Mad Scientist and Vinne the Vampire). It was enough for her to ask to go for an unneeded bathroom break, as well as for her to tell us that she was sleepy and wanted to go home, but then again this is our ultra-sensitive little girl we’re talking about… The one who has been known to burst into big alligator tears during ‘Five Little Ducks’ because she feels so sad for the mama duck who’s lost her ducklings.
Luckily the “scary” parts were broken up by fun, upbeat dances and didn’t last very long. Before we knew it, Priscilla the {very cheerful and not at all scary} Princess was on stage and Gracen was happy to continue watching the show while eating her dinner.
Of course, with the help of her friends, Wendella the Witch eventually discovers the true spirit of Halloween (because we attended the very last show of five, I don’t feel badly about sharing how it ended), and all is right in Boo Alley once again. The cast celebrates with a giant high-energy dance number and at the end, kids are invited to get up and dance alongside the characters.
The show was just over an hour long with a 15 minute intermission included, which was perfect for Gracen. Afterwards, children were invited to visit the cast of characters in a separate area of the arena to trick-or-treat. Grae happily collected a couple of little goodies and then we were on our way.
Overall, I’d highly recommend this show to those thinking about attending next year. The show length was perfect, the intermission was great for bathroom breaks, the aisles were nice and wide so kids could get up and move, and the show itself was fun and engaging.
Gracen really enjoyed the play areas. Besides loving the different types of swings (as she always does), she really liked the playgrounds too. Both were different than the ones we normally visit and had some great new tunnels and climbing structures for her to try out.
The wading pool was a hit also. Although it was COLD (like really cold), she was happy to alternate pool play periods with warm up breaks on our blanket in the sunshine. What I really liked was that I could easily go in wearing my skirt and because it was so shallow, I felt comfortable sitting along the edge while Miss G splashed her little heart out. 
In an effort to keep cool while enjoying the sunshine, we tried a new outdoor pool today… The outdoor pool at 
The best part is that the pool is surrounded by plenty of grassy space and tall trees, making space to play, picnic, and get out of the sun easy to find. 
After a snack in the sunshine and some time to dry off, we headed over to the park’s playground, which was a perfect way to end our afternoon.
Our first stop was the playground. Gracen was beyond excited to ride the tractor, play on the tire horses, and zoom down the slide. In fact, she was having such a blast that it was hard to pull her away in order to go and check out the rest of the orchard.
With the promise of seeing animals, our little animal lover followed us up the hill into the orchard. And she was very pleased she did. We saw rabbits, chickens, goats, sheep, and a donkey. Not only did she get to see the animals, but she also got to pet and feed some of them too. Her favourite part was retrieving the food from the dispenser, carefully placing it in the cup, and turning the wheel to send the treats up to the greedy goat waiting on the bridge above head. And although she was a little apprehensive, she even fed one of the goats by hand.
Next, we headed to the Kids Corral – a newer addition to the farm. It was awesome. Giant slides, a plasma car track, duck racing lanes, and a huge sandpit (complete with real tractors and an old truck) were just part of the fun. There was also a teepee to hide in, a corn maze to make your way through, a tree house perfect for enjoying the view, and a cow bell ringing station for those wanting to make some noise. The coolest part though? The biggest sensory bin I’ve ever seen (and you know I love me a good sensory bin). It was actually a shed filled with dried corn, shovels, and tractors… Amazing! 
The best part is that we’re hoping to do another visit next weekend when my brother, sister-in-law, and all of Miss G’s cousins arrive. Can’t wait. It’s sure to be quadruple the fun {and quadruple the craziness!}
♥
Gracen had an absolute blast and I had what was one of my most peaceful cups of coffee I’ve had since Gracen arrived in this world 21 months ago. Here’s to another rainy day escape being added to our repertoire.
Bradley and the bubbas in the ball pit.
Gracen was in ball HEAVEN!
Gracen playing with the alphabet blocks on the side of the wooden school bus.
Bus driver Kins and climber Grae.
Papa built Gracen a little hideout in the toddler play area.
She was more than willing to test it out.
Where’s Grae?
There she is!
Here come Papa and Grae down the giant slide!
Wheeee!