Tag Archives: Vancouver rainy day ideas

A Morning at Science World

I can’t even tell you how excited I was to win an annual family pass to Science World from Lisa at The Sprog and VanCity.  Knowing that we only have a few months left here in Vancouver, I am absolutely determined to make the most of the pass. (Rainy day? You know where we’ll be. ☺)   With our package arriving late yesterday afternoon, we headed off this morning for our first visit to Science World in a long time.  G had an absolute blast.

It was also a great spot for me to work on my new personal challenge… using my camera in manual mode only.  With Gracen excited as all get out, the first half of our stops being very dark, and the second half being very well lit,  there were more than enough challenges to try and work around.  Here are a few of my favourite shots…

IMG 9145IMG 9147IMG 9151IMG 9158IMG 9178IMG 9185IMG 9191

♥ 

For extra fun, like us on Facebook here and find us on Instagram here.

Rainy Day Fun: A Visit to YVR Airport

Rainy Day Fun An Airport Visit

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.

IMG 3075

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.

IMG 3056

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.)

IMG 3060

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.

IMG 3064

IMG 3066

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?”

IMG 3067

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.

IMG 3076

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!

♥

To keep up with all the Mama.Papa.Bubba. fun, like us on Facebook here and find us on Instagram here.

SweetSalt Baked Goods & Playscapes

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.

IMG 1096

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.  

IMG 1097IMG 1102The 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).

IMG 1101IMG 1110

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.

IMG 1114On 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.

 

SweetSalt Baked Goods & Playscapes

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.

IMG 1096Located 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.  

IMG 1098

IMG 1102The 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).

IMG 1101

IMG 1110The 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.

IMG 1114On 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.