The last time we were in Tokyo which was about three and a half years ago, it was really hard to find a breakfast place. Especially an all day breakfast place. So we opted for booking breakfasts at the hotel and all was great. This time we needed roomier places for the kids to play and run around in, especially since most of the day they would be in their strollers, our arms or walking. We booked an Air BnB twice on our two weeks and a bit trip. During those times we took our chance looking for breakfast places and to our surprise, a lot more options came up. Perhaps it was because we were staying in a different area from the last time. Which happen to be Ginza. Breakfast at Eggs n Things was a perfect option. Especially for kids.
For children, they had high chairs that fit perfectly close to the tables and they provided Hawaiin themed coloring paper and thick crayons. Not those cheap breakable ones.
Hawaiian Themed All Day Breakfast
Other breakfast places in Ginza we found and were considering to try were:
Mercer Brunch
Eggs n Things
Elle Cafe
The first day we went to eggs n things and loved it so much we went there twice! We were going to try Mercer Brunch the second day, especially because it’s right across from eggs n things. But at that time the line was longer and with two kids that could get complicated.
So here’s what we ordered at eggs n things:
French toast – It has a lot of vanilla in it. But tastes great! You can choose to get the original, where they put lots of whip cream and make it look pretty. Or opt out of whip cream altogether. Which is what we did.
Omelet – They have different ones. Veggie or meat. But in my opinion, don’t order this. It’s not the worse omelet we had on our trip but it’s not good. Watery and undercooked. But because this was the third time we found omelets not tasting good in Japan, I started to think maybe this is how they like their omelets. So pass on this one.
Pancakes – Lots of options and they’re perfect. We tried the chocolate chip pancakes and they really packed in the chocolate chips. So if you don’t want too much chocolate, let them know.
The banana pancakes are really good too. Our kids loved it! You have the option of having them baked inside or on top.
Breakfast in Tokyo
Eggs Benedict – The first day I had it with shrimp. Something different from my usual order of salmon. I was impressed. I got serious Hawaiian vibes from this dish. Very fresh and …excuse me while I wipe my drool. The second day I tried the salmon to see if it was better than the shrimp. Both were great, but if you go here once then try the shrimp Eggs Benedict.
The virgin blue/green drink I can’t remember what it was called, was $8 and not worth it. Watered down kool-aid. Instead get a tea, coffee or OJ.
When we go back to Tokyo, and if we’re staying in Ginza, I’d definitely eat here again!
As we get closer to the day we fly out for Japan, I can’t help but remember what the first was like! I’ll be sharing some posts of things we did on our last trip, that I’m pretty sure we won’t be doing this time with kids. So for an example, The Robot Restaurant in Tokyo is definitely not family friendly. But it’s A LOT of fun! So here’s what you need to know before you go to the “restaurant” and why it’s not family friendly. P.S I was 5 months pregnant. The Robot Restaurant is pregnant lady approved. No more than 5 months though because the seating is tight. Like the elementary school tables with the side table.
The above image is the waiting area (restaurant) before you enter the show. Let me start from the beginning. You buy your tickets downstairs, in a storefront that looks like a line up to an arcade or movie theatre. There are time slots that you need to check if are available. Once you have tickets. You wait in a second line to get into the restaurant waiting area. You get to order food but be warned, the food REALLY sucks. The coke is watered down and even the water tastes really weird. So please, don’t eat here. Eat ahead of time.
Oh and also, you have to buy something here. I’m not sure if it was because we bought tickets for FOOD and SHOW, maybe it was cheaper because they would think you’re getting food, or maybe that was the rule. Either way, all I know is we had no choice. So on the plus side, there was a super cool dinosaur robot on every table, as a centerpiece of entertainment.
While you wait for your order, there’s a band with a singer that entertains you with semi-decent songs. What was really cool, were their robocop costumes. So after this entertainment, you are to stand in another line to head over to the showroom. Where all the real action is! You won’t be allowed to bring your food to the next room, so make sure you finish that watered down coke.*Chug, chug, chug!*
Glow sticks to get us in the mood! They provide them.
The Robot Restaurant In Tokyo – What to be Prepared For [JAPAN]
The show is a bunch of short stories in one. A lot of random fights and hard to follow stories but it doesn’t matter because you’ll be so intrigued by the costumes, music, and lasers. The place is actually really small. I was surprised how they worked with such a small stage when the robots they had were so big! There was also two opportunities for an audience member to perform in the show. You enter a fighting ring and put on the biggest punching gloves you’ve ever seen and then you fight a costume wearing person. At the end of the show, you’re invited to the stage floor to take pictures with the robots.
I am loving all the beautiful renovations and new stores at Scarborough Town Centre. They have a new food court called the TASTE MRKT, with lots of great food choices, new stores like Lululemon, Zara, Bonlook and Le Dolci to name a few. Click here for the full list. But this month what I’m really excited about is the HOLIDAY MRKT.
That pineapple necklace though
HOLIDAY MRKT AT SCARBOROUGH TOWN CENTRE
The Holiday market is going on from Dec 1 – Dec 24th and is the perfect indoor festive place to find unique gifts for everyone! There’s a coat check + parcel check, amex gift wrapping station, lots of great vendors and a style angel who will guide you with your purchases at the mall.
There are 30+ local vendors: Blossom moments, Cherrypick, Chocollata, Bonnefetti, Flower Pie and Sonic Bloom are just some of the great vendors you’ll find here.
HOLIDAY MRKT: $500 GIFT CARD GIVEAWAY
While you’re at the mall why not take this opportunity for some photo opportunities. The lighting is especially great near the market. Take my word for it 😉
Win $500 in STC gift cards
Here’s how to enter:
1. Take a photo at the Holiday Market or Planet Santa
2. Post on (Instagram and Twitter) and follow @shopSTC
3. Caption with #MeetTheMagicSTC
Winners will be chosen on January 7th, 2018. Find full contest rules and regulations here.
Stay warm and check out the HOLIDAY MRKT at Scarborough Town Centre.
Here are some highlights of when I went to the media event at STC in the Holiday Market. We made flower crowns, had yummy desserts and got to check out all the cool vendors:
Halloween movies or shows are a must to watch in the days leading up to October 31st. The best way to set the mood for all the events to come. Halloween parties, going to Haunted Houses and of course trick or treating; to name a few. Last year we took our son trick or treating and the year before that and it was so much fun to see his reaction to different costumes. The first year he wasn’t scared of anything until he saw a woman dressed up as Winnie the Pooh! That was a big surprise. This year my husband and I are so excited to get back into watching Stranger Things. It’s back on Netflix on October 27th. Just in time for Halloween. Which leads me to the big question. Binge watch Stranger Things 2 or take the kids trick or treating?We’re going to do both!
Top 8 Halloween Movies/Shows to watch on Netflix
1. Stranger Things 2 (Show)
StrangerThings is like a time machine back to the 80’s. ‘When Joyce’s 12-year-old son, Will, goes missing, she launches a terrifying investigation into his disappearance with local authorities. As they search for answers, they unravel a series of extraordinary mysteries involving secret government experiments, unnerving supernatural forces, and a very unusual little girl.’ *P.S – Head over to my Instagram page for a Stranger Things Giveaway!
One of my all time favourite scary movies. ‘Young Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment) is haunted by a dark secret: he is visited by ghosts. Cole is frightened by visitations from those with unresolved problems who appear from the shadows. ‘
This is my first time purchasing a mattress that was delivered in a box and it was a great experience! Endy is #1 in its market for Canada. So I had high expectations already for this Endy mattress. We moved into our home over a year ago and have been slowly working on each room in the house with furniture and organization. It’s hard to manage having two children under two and being on maternity leave gives us a smaller budget to work with then usual.
ENDY Mattress Review and Unboxing
Speaking of budget, the Endy mattress is super affordable, starting price at $675 CAD. They also offer a 6-month, interest-free financing, to make it easier than ever to afford an Endy. Essentially you just pay it off in 6 equal, monthly installments. The box and the mattress are not heavy at all. I took it from the door to the room and even lifted it a few times for fun! You can see that in my unboxing video below.
I love that the Endy mattress is 100% Canadian made/manufactured and they also have pillows! Here’s a few snippets of the Endy Pillow unboxing from my Instagram stories:
It has 3 layers of foam. The first layer is a gel infused layer that will keep you comfortable through all four Canadian seasons. Who would know this best than a Canadian company! The middle foam is a transition layer that allows for energy to spread out evenly to the mattress. The last foam layer is called the support layer. It supports your body.
So when I did the unboxing I literally did it without looking at any videos or references so I could get a true feel of everything. 100% honest reactions. I actually didn’t read first on the Endy website for easy opening to lay it flat and roll the mattress out. I just did. When I found the cutter I proceeded to using the cutter without really thinking how to use it. Disclaimer: I am terrible at opening packaging.
So I started just cutting through the plastic with no strategy and cut a bit of the mattress! My husband then told me to first press down and then pull up the cutter so its not pulling down and catching on to the mattress. That might be an obvious thing for most but I honestly didn’t think to do that. After I did it his way, it was smooth sailing from there. The mattress then just rolled out on its own. Super easy to unbox.
Final Thoughts..
I love how soft the mattress is and yes there’s a bit of a factory smell but it went away after a few hours. The next day, completely gone. The pillows are not too soft and not too hard. Just right! Starting to feel like I’m Goldilocks haha. The guest room is coming together so stay tuned for more details!
It’s October! I get it. Halloween hasn’t even gone by yet and here I am talking about “owning the holidays”. BUT… it’s never too early to start planning where you’re going to shop, what you’ll get and then you won’t have to be stuck the day before finding the lamest gift ever. I was invited to get a preview of what Shoppers Drug Mart will offer this holiday season at a beautifully holiday decorated home and I’m impressed with the line up! So here’s how you’ll own the holidays:
How To Own The Holidays with Shoppers Drug Mart
STEP 1
Make a list and check it twice. As I walked around the beautiful home at the event I could see that there was something for everyone. You don’t want to forget anyone so make a list and make sure you have everyone covered. The amount of stocking stuffer ideas is just insane! And I mean nice stocking stuffers. No cheese ball ideas. Miniature Benefit Cosmetics in gift sets that you can break up to use as stuffers, chocolates (the gourmet kind) and if you really want to get fancy you can even place them inside Christmas crackers.
STEP 2
Write down their interests. What they like, what they need etc. I find making short notes like that helps a lot to figure out whether they’ll like the gift you’ve picked out for them. Also, you won’t end up getting something they don’t like. Let’s just say it’s a good reminder. I usually use a few words to describe their favourites. So it looks something like this: Jenny – Chocolate and make-up – Shoppers Drug Mart What does the store have to do with being in the list? Brings me to the next step.
STEP 3
In your list, beside each person, put down where you’ll get their gift from. This ensures you get all the gifts you needed while you’re at the store. I always make this mistake when doing mass gift shopping and then I have to go back to the same store twice in one day.
What you can find at Shoppers Drug Mart for your holiday shopping needs:
BEAUTY
There are so many beauty brands to choose from at Shoppers Drug Mart and even more if you’re at a Shoppers that has a Beauty Boutique.
Photo Credit: Evan Bergstra
TOYS
Photo Credit: Evan Bergstra
TECH/GADGETS
Photo Credit: Evan Bergstra
AND SO MUCH MORE…
Photo Credit: Evan Bergstra
Photo Credit: Evan Bergstra
In case you missed my Instagram stories or tweets from this day, here are some of them:
I’m so excited to announce that I’ll be partnering up with Netflix and will be a part of their Stream Team. So you might be wondering what is the Stream Team exactly? It is a group of families who know a thing or two about great entertainment. Every month I’ll be sharing what my family has been watching on Netflix, tips and suggestions. I’m over the moon grateful for this opportunity, especially because it’s a brand I can genuinely relate too. When we first started watching Netflix in our household it was only for Baby D. The kids section has all of his favourite shows and some new ones that he started to love. And now we each have our own faves and movies that we watch as a family.
Nostalgia with Netflix
Story time: Back in elementary school I remember coming home for lunch and watching magic school bus. Or was it after school? It was so long ago I can’t remember, but what I do remember is how much I learnt from that show. It was like going to science class but so much more fun. Episodes where they take field trips into the digestive system, flying into space and so much more.
To this day I remember some of my favourite characters names; Ralphie, Phoebie, Arnold and of course Mrs. Frizzle. When they stopped making new episodes I was so sad. Seriously, I’ll never be too old for cartoons. So when I recently found out that Magic School Bus was coming back today, I was ecstatic! I can’t wait to watch it with baby D. He’s 2 and a half and obsessed with his school bus toy.
If you’ve never watched this show before and you love cartoons, grab some popcorn and get ready for some educational, fun episodes. Who knows, you might learn something you never knew! P.S There’s a Netflix Nuit Blanche exhibit called The Red Forest, downtown tomorrow. Check out my Instagram stories to see all of the fun! #NetflixRedForest
Note: The things to do and see in Egypt are not in order based on best to worse or vice versa. I went in order to what we did on our trip.
1. Sharm el Sheikh
If you go to Egypt then definitely book a flight to Sharm el-Sheikh. It’s on the coastal strip along the Red Sea, with warm water and has miles of beautiful beaches. This is a great relaxing break during your trip to Egypt. Some excellent places to hang out and eat in Sharm is the Little Buddha restaurant and the Camel Bar.
Little Buddha RestaurantLittle Buddha Restaurant
Little Buddha Restaurant
Little Buddha Restaurant
2 – ATV riding, Tea & a Bedouin dinner (Sharm el Sheikh)
Bedouin dinner performance in Sharm
3 – Shopping in Cairo
Check out the Festival City Mall and the InterContinental Citystars Mall. The Citystars Mall is full of a great mix of American, European and Egyptian stores. This mall has 7 floors, approx. 650 shops, a theatre, food courts (yes, more than one), restaurants/cafes and 3 hotels connected to it. The weekends are really busy, so if you still want to see the mall busy but not to a crazy extent then go on a Friday. We stayed at the InterContinental that is connected to Citystars, which made it really easy to go to the mall when ever we remembered something we wanted to buy. Also convenient to have it so close when you’ve had a long day touring Cairo and still want to feel like you’re outside getting the most of this beautiful country. If you haven’t chosen a hotel yet, I highly recommend this one.
Ice-cream inside Citystars Mall
Gaby’s Citystars Mall
4 – The Great Pyramids and Sphinx of Giza
The best way to see the Pyramids and Sphinx in Giza is by horseback riding to them. Having a guide is fun so they can teach you some history while you gaze at these wonders of the world. We went inside the great pyramid and it was definitely worth it! You may get hustled outside the Pyramids by children and men asking you to buy souvenirs. We just couldn’t resist and bought some.
Going down inside the Pyramid
At the bottom, a tomb.
5 – The Egyptian Museum
The museum is located by the famous Tahrir Square. Exhibits at the museum include a collection of King Tut’s items and an amazing display of the new kingdom royal mummies. There are no cameras allowed in the museum, so they confiscate cameras at the door and give you a ticket to get it back on your way out. If you try to take any pictures with your phone, be aware that they have some under cover workers there that look like regular people, that will catch you and ask you to delete the picture right away. Someone in our group tried taking pictures and that was the outcome.
6 – National Military Museum
When you plan your day to go to the National Military Museum, add number 7 to your list because they’re close to each other. If you love learning about the history of a country then definitely go here. There’s a lot to learn and the exhibits are beautiful.
7 – Old Mosques
Right outside the Military museum you can walk to the Al-Nasir Muhammad Mosque. You will be in awe at the amazing architecture.
Make dinner plans at Abou Shakra restaurant for authentic Egyptian food. The best food we had in Egypt was at this restaurant.
9 – Khan el Kahlili Market
Spend an afternoon shopping inside the Khan El–Khalili bazaar, where you can easily get lost in the, what looks like hundreds of alley ways to different parts of the bazaar, dedicated to different items. A section for jewellery, scarves, fabrics, food, souvenirs, hookahs and more. Most importantly there is so much history within these streets. The Bab al-Ghuri gate (seen below) dates back to 1503-1505.
10 – Dinner by the Nile
While you’re by the Nile, if the weather is beautiful go for a 30-45 min cruise down the Nile. But first go for brunch at Left Bank in Zamalek, followed by dinner at Seqoia. I was in love with Seqoia’s ambiance and decor. Under a big white tent, splashes of pastel and the fresh smell of the Nile, it couldn’t be a more perfect spot for dinner. The service was spot on and the food was delicious.
I’ve been blogging for 3 years and my first social media platform (among the popular ones these days) was go figure, YouTube! The first video I ever uploaded was actually of my first kitten, falling off my desk. It was an accident and I happened to get it on camera. I want to also add that I was young and did not think she would fall off the table.
*no judge zone*
I started blogging a lot more regularly on my first maternity leave. Now that I’m on my second maternity leave, blogging has been what has kept me sane. Getting back into work mode, to come back out of it in less than 2 years can really do a toll on you. Especially mentally. So this time around I’ve been partnering, collaborating and really getting to know the business side of the blogging world. However, this doesn’t mean I say yes to everything that comes my way. There are have been many collaboration requests that I’ve turned down, due to them not matching my lifestyle, ethics or simply I can’t relate to the product or service and know for sure I would not like it. Also, if by chance I’m wrong with a collaboration and the product or service is not what I expected, I explain to the brand why and I don’t write about it. After all, not worth my time. But there was that time when I had that experience at a cafe where I wasn’t allowed to bring my stroller in and wrote about it. Hmm. So i guess it depends. It’s all in the writing. You choose whether you want to be civil and positive or get nasty. But remember, your writing, is your voice online.
Everyday I’m learning something new, meeting new people and of course doing the mom thing at the same time.
Wearing a Mockberg watch with a mesh band
It’s not as glamorous as it seems. It’s a lot of work. Blogging is more than a nice Instagram picture and a 200+
word blog post. You’ve gotta be passionate about what you do. Without passion, one day you’ll wake up and not want to do it anymore. I’ve seen many blogs just die off after a few years. I use to wonder, what happened? Why did you stop? But really, it could be anything. No more drive, never really loved writing or simply was in it for the money and realized that doesn’t just show up without putting in the work.
Think of it this way, when a book is written. How do you think the author starts? They brainstorm. They imagine the characters. A rough story line. They write their thoughts out. Then comes the first draft. Second, third and maybe fourth draft. Someone reads it. Critiques it. Spell check. A million more spell checks. A rough copy is printed. Do you want it to be an e-book, hard copy, soft copy etc. Okay, my point is… there is SO much work that goes into blogging before you can really feel like it’s “working”. The day I started not caring about that stuff and went back to why I really started blogging, it was all smooth sailing from there. Do it for the love of writing, helping people, teaching, photography and kick ass content creation. This is your project it. OWN IT.
So what does a day in maternity life and blogging look like?
Bloggers: Writers, Photographers and Ultimate Content Creators
6 – 7 AM : I’ve never in my life woken up so early until now. I guess two children will do that to you? I nurse my baby and most of the time she falls back asleep. I take some time to catch up to emails, message, social media and then wake up my toddler for breakfast.
8 – 10 AM: I drop off the little guy to daycare and then from there is when our day really starts for me and baby z. Sometimes we go grocery shopping, downtown for blogging events or to see my mom, or straight back home to get started on house chores or writing up my next blog post.
12 PM: LUNCH – Usually homemade if I don’t have plans or haven’t been busy running errands. #momlife
1 – 5 PM: Between these hours is when I really get busy with blogging. Unless I’m nursing, at an event or seeing friends. I also get some exercise during these hours. If I miss the window to exercise then I wait till later in the evening. Either go for a family walk in the neighborhood or laps inside the house.
First steps in blogging:
Always start with notes for your blog post. Then a draft. Proof read as many times as you can. Take a day or two away from it and then look at it again. (Fact: This post was written in a totally different angle and was changed a few hours before being posted.) Then post! I find one of the biggest advantages to nursing my baby is sometimes I have a hand free to write my notes or first drafts.
I try to keep a schedule but because babies and life is so unpredictable, it doesn’t always turn out that way. Sometimes I’m writing like a maniac at 1 AM. I’ve always enjoyed writing and so there is never a good time or a bad time to write. I just do it. So for those who are just starting off, my advice to you is to just do it. That is if you enjoy writing. If you don’t that could be a whole other struggle and I’ll save those tips for another blog post.
For the bloggers: Next time you tell someone you’re a blogger, remember everything you do to be a kick ass blogger. Whether you organize photo shoots with photographers, take your own pictures, partnerships, collaborations, editing, writing… you’re the whole works!
For the readers: Blog posts take time and in our writing there is a story, a voice or a message. When you take the time to read my blog posts I am extremely grateful towards you. You took the time to read it, allow me to thank you and to recognize who you are. Leave me a comment on social media, on the blog or even a private message.
There’s not enough time in the day for me to do everything I want to do. However, for some reason when I have a check list, it can all get done. Ever since I was a teenager I had a habit of making lists in my planners. A list of goals, a list of daily things to do and a favourites list (music, books) to download and to borrow from the library.
Now those lists have evolved and the amount of lists I have to make is overwhelming. So overwhelming that I haven’t done it in almost a year. I actually think I was a lot more successful in getting things done because I had a daily planner or book to write everything down in. Now with my baby brain syndrome (it’s real), I forget everything! I’ve been looking for the right planner to get me organized again for a long time. And now finally I have the Bloom Daily Planner to help me get back into a more organized life.
The Bloom Daily Planners come in many forms. You can get it in hard cover or soft, monthly planning or daily, You can even get specific ones: Teacher planner, student planner and a wedding planner. They have a lot to choose from, check it out here.
When I saw these stickers it instantly reminded me of my old agenda from high school. I’d decorate every week with fun stickers and looking back at it now, it’s almost like looking into a diary/scrapbook. Looking at a list, or a page full of words of appointments, to do or birthdays is boring. So why not make it more fun by adding cute stickers. Especially for things you want to bring attention to when going through the pages.
The monthly plannerI have is a soft cover planner. When you open the soft cover, the inside of it has an area where you can slide your receipts or loose paper in.
For each day of the month I set goals. Mom goals, work goals, blogger goals, fitness goals or whatever. Set one for each day and whenever you accomplish that goal for that day, check it off. It may sound silly to you, but in hindsight when you go back to your planner in a week and see that you didn’t meet any of your goals, it might spark some new found motivation. For myself, I treat it like a challenge. Meeting my daily goals and checking it off at the end of the day is enough motivation for me. Looking back at a month of checks, is like a big “YES, girl! YES!’
While you wait for your order, there’s a band with a singer that entertains you with semi-decent songs. What was really cool, were their robocop costumes. So after this entertainment, you are to stand in another line to head over to the showroom. Where all the real action is! You won’t be allowed to bring your food to the next room, so make sure you finish that watered down coke.
