Since making the decision to move back home to Canada {and Vancouver in particular}, Miss G has talked regularly about how exciting it will be to be able to visit the Vancouver Aquarium again. We were members before leaving for our second stint in Kuwait and visited regularly when she was wee, so it didn’t surprise me when she requested a trip to the aquarium in celebration of her fifth birthday.
Visiting the airport {just for fun} has been on my mental rainy day to do list since last spring… And yet, somehow we only just made it there today. It was well worth the wait though.
We took the Canada Line over for few reasons…. Firstly, because Miss G loves it and thinks getting to ride the train is something very special in itself. Secondly, because riding the train means you don’t have to worry about paying an arm and a leg for parking, and thirdly, because it’s ridiculously easy.
Upon arriving to the airport, we made our way down to the domestic departures area on the third floor. From there, we headed to the food court area, and headed up the elevator to the Public Observation Area. (Just something to note – though the Canada Line brings you in on the 4th floor, you can’t make your way across to the viewing area without first heading down a floor.)
The observation area has floor to ceiling west-facing windows which allow for an amazing view of the tarmac and the Straight of Georgia. It’s filled with tables and chairs for those wishing to eat while taking in the view, and also has window front benches, telescopes of varying heights, touch-screen video podiums, and an interactive model of Sea Island for those wanting to play and explore.
For Grae, it was all about the hustle and bustle on the tarmac. She loved watching the runway operations and the planes take off and land, and was constantly asking, “What’s dat guy doing, Mama?”
Without a doubt, the other highlight was the telescopes. Though she’s still much too short for many of them, I held her up for part of the time and later she figured out that she could reach well with a chair pulled up close. I’m not sure how much she could actually see through them, but the adjusting, swivelling, and putting her eye up to the lens parts was plenty fun for her.
We stayed for over two hours and Miss G would have happily stayed longer if I didn’t have to drag her away for nap time. Luckily, another Canada Line ride was in the cards for her upon departure, so the sell wasn’t as hard as it could have been. ☺
After a little Google research, i learned that MANY airports around North America {and the world} have observation areas or viewing lounges similar to ours, so if you’re not located in Vancouver, be sure to check out your local airport… Chances are it has one!
♥
If there’s one wish I have for Gracen (other than that she grows up to be a healthy, compassionate girl who finds true happiness and does something that she is deeply passionate about with her life), it’s that she always loves to read. We started reading to Grae the day she was born and it’s always been a favourite time for both of us… A time to unwind, relax, get lost in a story, and start great conversations. Words can’t explain how much it thrills me to find her, more often than not, emersed in a book (or pile of books) when the house has grown a little *too* quiet.
This is how I found Miss G this morning. I was getting ready for the day while she played independently when she came to me and asked for a bowl of o’s. I retrieved her one and went to deliver them to her room to find that she had laid out a blanket, circled it with books, and was needing the o’s in order to read her Cheerio book.
Needless to say, I’ve always got an eye out for ways to keep reading special and fun for our little lady. We borrow new library books once a week, we spend rainy days in the kids’ section of book stores, we visit our library’s story time regularly, we spend loads of time in Grae’s closet book nook, and can often be found snuggled up in my bed with a big stack of books. It’s something neither of us tires of.
Just recently, we found another way celebrate Grae’s love of reading. Through the Families Against Boredom Vancouver Facebook page, we learned about regular story times at Pottery Barn Kids and decided to give it a go. We first went around Halloween, and Gracen loved it so much that we’ve been back again since. It happens at the back of the store with itty bitty recliners and rockers all gathered around the storyteller’s large recliner.
At our location, the lady who runs story time (Erin) is absolutely amazing! She’s soft and gentle and makes a purpose to get to know each child and call them by name. She’s just one of those people who is meant to be around kids, you know? She’s got this way about her that makes you drawn to listen to her every word, and it totally works. Gracen enjoys each moment and then asks if we can go again the following week.
We normally arrive a little bit early so we can explore and take in the beauty that is PBK, and then we stay for a little bit afterwards so that Grae can play. We never feel like we’re overstaying our welcome – in fact, the staff members are very sweet and invite Gracen to play and explore for as long as she likes.
It’s so nice to have found another lovely indoor activity, and with the rainy winter upon us, I can see it becoming a weekly outing.
♥
The Vancouver location of Pottery Barn Kids is at 2835 Granville Street, between 12th and 13th. Story times happen Tuesday at 11 a.m. with special holiday story times happening on December 4th, 11th, and 18th. If you’re not in Vancouver, call your local store or click here to find out about story times and special events in your city. Even our PBK store in Kuwait had regular special events, so your store probably does too. ☺
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 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 served 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 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.