Rocker 'n Roll

Anyone who knows me, knows that I'm a sucker for a good deal and I hate paying full price for anything. This is a bit of a problem for me because, of course, I always want good design, things that look good... no compromises.

I take my bargain hunting as a challenge which I think you've probably figured out in my postings about fashion. And for the most part on the fashion side of things, we're in good shape, Downtown Mama. No, we may not necessarily be getting the same quality stuff as their designer counterpart but really, who needs quality for things like boyfriend jeans, boyfriend shirts or any other boyfriend-type clothing item that will no doubt be on a "don't" list next season?

So I found it super frustrating when I tried to apply this shopping philosophy to home design and in particular for the all important nursing chair.

Really? Is a nursing chair important to have? Well, my recent trip to visit family in Winnipeg sans nursing chair (it didn't *quite fit into to my carry on), revealed to me that it was probably the single most important purchase I made in preparations for Archer's arrival.

When you're pregnant you have lots of aches and pains but in my estimation, it doesn't come anywhere close to the aches and pains you have once your little one arrives. All the bending over, picking up and playing on the floor with your little guy, leaves you with back, shoulder, even wrist pains you've never experienced before in your life. It doesn't help that we're all slightly older and more rickety (if that's a word) than mamas of past generations.

And nursing, without a good nursing chair, can be the biggest source of pain of all. You probably get a sense of this if you try nursing in the middle of the night in bed... you are slumped over, leaning into your baby, usually with no support for your thighs - doing all the things that they tell you not to do when you're learning how to nurse. And you wonder why you wake up sometimes hardly able to walk or why women give up on nursing earlier than they necessarily wanted to.

So why, considering all of this, can you not find a good looking nursing chair that doesn't cost a mint?

If you've looked at nursing chairs, you realize that not only are they not good looking (over-use of a double negative there... sorry), but it seems that manufacturers have gone out of their way to actually make them look as ugly as possible as is evidenced in the picture above. What the heck?

And not only are they ugly but they're not cheap - chairs like that pictured at the top go for close to $500-$700 once you add in the ottoman which I think is needed if you don't have a nursing stool. If you are stuck with no other options for a nursing chair, then either please spring for one off Craiglist (no one's keeping these chairs after they're done with them so there are lots of options) or spend the extra $100-$200 and order a Monte Luca Glider which is the most comfortable and in this DM's estimation, nicest looking nursing chair out there and which is the chair that I, at the end of the day, bought new (after looking for months and months online for a used version - *no one is giving these away when they're done).

But are these your only options? Further research reveals that there are some good alternatives out there... try this Ikea Lillberg chair for only $159. I doubted its comfort factor but a search online garners this chair many positive reviews from those who have it - apparently the pillows move a little too much but this can be solved by simply adding some velcro to the backs of the pillow and chair.

The Karbon chair from EQ3 is a little more at $549 but has many of the positive attributes of the Monte chair - a high back (for when you can't quite keep your head up in the middle of the night) and a narrow, shallow seat which I find really important for good posture. The chair has lots of options in terms of fabrics like all EQ3 furniture and has a swivel option which is great.

If you've seen other good nursing chair options out there, please let us all know. In the meantime, happy nursing!

A Nobel Peach Pie for Archer's 3rd (month) Birthday

Happy Birthday Buddy! Must have been quite the party...

Just for you (even though technically you can't eat it so really it's just for me and dad), we will make my mom's simplified peach pie which we have called the Nobel Peach Pie:

Use 1 pie shell- fill with 3-4 c peaches or a peach/nectarine mix: 3/4 c splenda/, 2 T flour, 1 T butter, 1 T lemon juice, ¼ tsp salt ¼ tsp almond or vanilla flavouring, top with ready made pie crust or a topping similar to what you would use for a fruit betty eg butter br sugar fiber one cereal processed, oats, etc Bake 400 for 40 min Throw some raspberries or blueberries in for a fun mix.

Food for week of August 31

How depressing. The end of August. On the bright side, we didn't have much of a summer anyway so it doesn't really matter, right? Sigh... that's the best I could come up with.

While I try and think of more positive things about September, enjoy your food for this week!

Monday -  Vegetarian spaghetti & Salad - St. Ives ground round mixed with your own tomato sauce or a bottle of Prego, whole wheat spaghetti noodles

Tuesday -  Chicken with hot peanut sauce Brown rice - 2 T. sherry & cornstarch, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, Boneless skinless chicken breast cut into cubes, 4 T canola oil, Red pepper flakes ( opt), ½ c. peanuts, 1 tsp each minced garlic  & grated fresh ginger, 2 green onion cut into slanted pieces; Cooking sauce: 3 T soy sauce, 2 T rice vinegar, 2 T sherry, 4 T chicken broth or h2o, 3 T each spenda & cornstarch; Combine sherry & cornstarch in bowl-add chicken & marinate 15 min; Prepare cooking sauce; Saute garlic & ginger in oil-add chicken then add nuts, seasonings & onions

When chicken is opaque, add cooking sauce- here I like to add a veggie- froz peas & carrots, broccoli etc.  Serve when thickened.

Wednesday -   BBQ pork chops , baked potato & spinach

Thursday - Eat-out/order in

Friday -   Shepherd’s pie-  ground beef or St Ives ground round- toppings- mashed potatoes, cheese, parsley, green onions, mashed sweet potatoes, mashed celeriac mashed parsnips  & greens

Saturday -   Tomato & crisp bacon broiled with cheese slices garlic powder salt pepper on bread & edamame

Sunday -  Pineapple chicken: 1 chicken cut up, 1 c. pineapple chunks, 2 T cornstarch, ¾ c splenda, ½ c soy sauce, ¼ c vinegar, 1 clove garlic, smashed, ½ tsp ginger, ¼ tsp pepper

Combine cornstarch,pineapple juice, splenda, s sauce vinegar garlic, ginger & pepper in pan. Cook til thick. Pour over chicken skin down & bake @ 350 30 min.  Turn. Spoon pineapple over.  Bake 30 min more  Serve with brown fried rice.

Groceries:

Bs chicken breast

Pork chops

Gr beef &/or St Ives ground round

Turkey bacon

1 cut up chicken

 1 c pineapple chunks

Soy sauce

Garlic

Ginger

Ch broth

Pasta sauce

Tom paste

 Red or green pepper

Onion

Green onion

Broccoli or sim

Mushroom

Edamame

 Br rice

Spinach

Potato

Greens

Cheese slices

bread

The late summer, early fall, reason to head to the mall (like you needed one), DM look...

The weather in Toronto has been, in a word, weird. One day, Archer and I are dying from the heat, the next day, we're contemplating taking out our fall sweaters (yes, Archer already has fall sweaters, whatever) and cuddling by the fire...

One thing I do know is that it's time that we reconsider what we're wearing. This is partly, of course, due to the fact that I'm starting to lust over all of the early fall clothes that are hitting the stores. It's also Joe Fresh's fault. Their commercials are playing a million times during the day - highlighting some great pieces for the fall - all at a fraction of their designer counterparts.

Whatever the reason, it's time to mix it up a little.

Transitional season dressing is all about keeping a little of what you had from the summer and introducing a new piece here and there to account for the changing weather. For the DM, it also always means making sure the outfit is nursing friendly, comfortable, flattering to her post-baby bod and of course, fabulous (that goes without saying, no?).

And so, where am I looking to for my inspiration? None other than Mary-Kate Olsen.

Yes, you read that right. MK Olsen.

So, you're right, she's not a mama, she shouldn't probably be a mama anytime soon, but there's no denying that although she sometimes looks a little silly, we can all take a cue from our pint sized Full House fashionista.

In particular, for this time of year, trade-in your sundress for an oversized plaid shirt, an MK signature look. You can pair said shirt with skinny jeans, longer baggy jean shorts or my preference, the standby black leggings. I'm keeping my gladiator sandals on and my favourite accessories.

There are a lot of great deals on the oversized plaid shirt right now - if you have money to burn, and are a sucker, heck, check out MK's own line, Elizabeth & James. For $300 you too can look like a sexy lumberjack. Who doesn't wasn't look like that?

I'm kidding. I promise you won't look like a lumberjack (not that there's anything wrong with that). But don't spend $300, downtown mamas. You know this look will be a little short-lived and there are some great lower-priced options out there. Take a look at this great plaid shirt at Joe Fresh for a mere $24. I don't really like how they've styled it here but I've seen (ermm, bought) the shirt and I can attest to its perfection.

I also really like this Old Navy one which is a little more feminine which I think is important to keep in pulling off this look when you're a little older (not that any of us are...). This one is $26.50 and comes in a few colours although I like the blue best.

More fall fashion tips soon!

Blogs you should know about...

In addition to spending some time every day writing on this blog, I also spend time looking at other blogs... my absolute favourite time waster which I now pass on to you is Ohdeedoh at www.ohdeedoh.com.

Brought to you by the folks who do the great Apartment Therapy site, Ohdeedoh is a constant source of design and other inspiration for this downtown mama. I know it will be for you too.

In particular check out the kids rooms tours. Love.

Enjoy!

The Importance of Careful Planning

Remember how yesterday I talked about the importance of planning your day? And I mentioned today Archer and I were getting passport photos taken?

Well, physician heal thyself. Maybe I should have thought about what we... and more specifically, Archer were wearing for said passport photos.

Sorry buddy.

On the upside the border officials will be too busy looking at your adorable face to notice, I'm sure.

I'll tell you why you don't like Mondays...

My dog walker got stuck in our elevator on Friday afternoon. You think this would be enough of an emergency to warrant our elevator repair guys to fix the problem post-haste - but nooo.... here I am Monday morning still waiting for them to show up. And it's *really annoying me because although I may be able to walk down 5 flights of stairs with Archer (very very carefully of course) there's no bloody way I'll be able to walk back up. Call me a wimp but Archer + the car seat are like a million pounds. I'm hardly even exaggerating. Well, maybe a little bit...

But the bigger problem is, the elevator guy is throwing off my weekly plan... and that's really super annoying to me.

The thing is, Archer and I plan out our week meticulously. I found out very early on in my new life that boredom is the enemy of the new mom. Add exhaustion into the mix and you realize that you're in no position to be making decisions on what to do early in the morning for the day's activities. So you end up staying home, cleaning things you've already cleaned, watching reruns of bad daytime television, and ermmm...writing blogs.

So this leads me to Downtown Mama Rule #5: Always have a plan for what you are doing every day of the week at least the week before.

To give you an example of what my week plan looks like, here it is:

Monday - Grocery shopping in the morning, coffee with mom's group in the afternoon
Tuesday - Passport pictures for mom and Archer in the morning, gym in the afternoon
Wednesday - Movie with M & W in the afternoon
Thursday - Walk with Pudge and Archer in the morning, coffee
Friday - Playdate with T & E

There are some things in my schedule that are fairly rigid. Like Mondays, I always go grocery shopping, Wednesday, I almost always go to a movie. Pudge needs a walk on Thursday because we cut back on dog walking on that day. The rest of the week, I'm flexible - I save the days for playdates, major chores, etc. And lest this all seem too structured, if anyone has a better offer for something to do on any day of the week (impromptu lunch date, hip hop dance classes, that sort of thing...), then I'll push off my previously scheduled activity to another day.

If you're not sure what to do even now, roughly follow my schedule above until you find your own groove- 1 day for groceries, 1 day for a movie, 1 day for a walk in the neighborhood or a mall, 1 day for working out, 1 day to meet with a friend or play group (check out www.meetup.com for a group in your area).

Another suggestion? For days when the rain gets in the way, when you are just too zonked because your little dude was up all night, or something like that, have a stay-at-home activity ready to go - usually mine involves some sort of television. Don't judge. I'm slowly going through Season 1 of The Wire (which is amazing, btw) and I have Breaking Bad ready to do. For you, maybe its time to work on something more productive like thank you cards, or your baby book... just have something.

Finally, write all of this down. I've temporarily traded in my blackberry for a day book... I write everything down... my to dos for the week, my schedule, activities to do at home... I find that this helps a lot when I'm tired and just can't think of what's on the schedule (and to my current employer (major telecommunications company), I *promise to try all of this on my blackberry soon - live the brand, live the brand. I promise!)

As for now, I hear that the elevator guy has now come and gone which coincidentally also lines up with the end of my PVR-ed "So You Think You Can Dance Canada" from last night, so Archer and I are ready to start our day!

Have a good one yourself!

Food for Week of August 24

My mom wanted me to pass on a couple great and easy recipes this week from a cookbook called "Hungry Girl" by Lisa Lillien - get the whole book on sale here at Amazon http://www.amazon.ca/Hungry-Girl-Survival-Strategies-Guilt-Free/dp/0312377428/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1251071932&sr=8-2. I haven't tried any of them but they look good, healthy and have cute names to boot.

I also promised my mom that I'd pass on a simple recipe for Peach Pie which we are going to call the Nobel Peach Prize after my messed-up posting last week. Watch for that in a couple days in time for dinner this weekend!

Monday- Fiber-ific Fried Chicken Strips Boneless skinless chicken cut into strips ¾ c. FiberOne bran cereal (processed until you have fine crumbs) ¾ c. fat free liquid egg substitute ¼ tsp seasoning salt or garlic salt & pepper Dip chicken into egg mix & then crumbs. Place on non stick pan sprayed with oil. Add spray on top of strips. Bake @ 375 10 min, turn over & bake another 10 min. Eat with sw potato fries & corn /cob. Calories for chicken-277 ( 8 strips) Fat-3 g.

Tuesday - Kicken chicken pot pie
Skinless boneless chicken breast , cut into bite-sized pieces 2 c. frozen mixed veggies 1 can low fat cream of celery soup 3 servings Pillsbury Reduced Fat Crescent Rolls refrigerated dough Oven-350Cook chicken several min. using non-stick spray. Set aside. Heat veggies in microwave. Mix chicken, veggies & soup& place in a 9 inch round baking dish sprayed with nfs.Bake 30 min, stirring halfway through.Unroll 3 rolls. Combine to make one large piece of dough. Add dough to top of pan & cook for another 15-20 until top is brown. Cal- 235 (1/4 pan) Fat-6 g. Eat with greens & seasonal fruit/balsamic vinegar/oil

Wednesday - Ate layer dip 2 c. shredded iceberg lettuce1 ½ c. butternut squash, microwaved with 2 T h20 6 min then mashed1 c. cherry tomatoes, chopped½ c. diced onions½ c. black beansSt. Ives ‘ground round’½ c. roasted red peppers ( in a jar) chopped¼ c. fat free sour cream2 tsp taco seasoning mix , dryOpt—salt pepper lime juice Combine ½ of the tomatoes & onions. Set aside. Mix ½ of the taco mix with the squash. Set aside.Mix remaining tomatoes & ground round & rest of the taco mix.Layer---in a sprayed casserole dish- lettuce, squash,tomato/onion mix/s.cream,black beans,’meat’ mix ¼ c. shredded lf cheese, & peppers. Microwave til hot.Cal—105 ( 1 c.) Fat—0.5 g.

Thursday - Order in or eat out

Friday - Hawaiian Pineapple Chicken Skewers ½ c. pineapple juice, Bs chicken breast cut into chunks4 mushrooms, ½ onion, cut into 8 pieces , ½ green pepper, cut into 4 slices, ½ red pepper, ½ c. pineapple-4 chunks, 1 T. teriyaki sauce Marinate chicken in p juice in fridge 30 minDrain chicken & arrange on skewers with veggies, grill 10-15 min turning ½ way. Drizzle with t sauce immediately before serving.Cal—178 cal ( 2 skewers) fat—1.5 g. Serve with brown rice

Saturday - ‘Meaty’Thin Crust Pizza Oven 375, 2 flour tortillas, St. Ives ground round, 2/3 c. lf shredded mozzarella cheese, 2/3 c. c. tomato sauce, 1 tsp parmesan cheese, ½ tsp garlic salt, Opt- pepper salt, red pepper flakes etc. Place tortillas side by side on baking sheet sprayed with nf spray & bake 5 min on each side. Spread tomato sauce with seasonings over tortillas. Sprinkle ‘meat’, cheeses over sauce. Return pizza to oven for about 5 min If desired add veggies like mushrooms, pepper, et.Cal—264 ( 1 pizza) Fat 4.5 g. Have with salad or throw rocket ( arugula) over finished pizza.

Sunday - Beef tenderloin - seasoned & sauteed in butter & oil 10 min on each side- Keep warm in oven Deglaze pan with wine & worchestershire s add a bit more butter- reduce ( boiling ) about 15 min. Serve with your choice of potatoes, sautéed mushrooms & spinach.

Grocery List:

Fiber One Bran Cereal
Fat free liquid egg substitute (ed note: I have no idea what this is but hope it will be obvious when I get to the store!)
2 packs Boneless skinless chicken breasts
Corn on the cob
Sweet Potato fries
Mixed Frozen veggies
Lf cream of celery soup
Pilsbury reduced fat crescent rolls
Mixed greens
Seasonal fruit
Iceberg lettuce
Cherry tomatoes
Butternut Squash
2 packs St. Ives Original veggie ground round
Onions
Can of black beans
Roasted red pepper
Fat free sour cream
Pack of taco seasoning
Lime
Can of pineapple juice
4 mushrooms
Green pepper
Red Pepper
Pineapple (chunks if easier)
Terriaki Sauce
Tortillas (you should have some from last week still)
1 can tomato sauce
Mozza cheese
Parmesan
Beef tenderloin
Potatoes
Spinach

Yogalates on Demand

I'm not sure I'm picking this as a blog topic because I'm really interested in this or if I just want to say the word "Yogalates" again and again. It's a fun word. Say it. Yogalates (and for those who aren't familiar with this word - think yoga, think pilates and then put them together. Yogalates).

Anyway, I had every intention on going to the gym this afternoon but between the heat, the fact that our elevator is on the fritz and the fact that it is Fashion Friday on Cityline, I couldn't quite get out.

But then that "I'm not exercising, when I said I would"-guilt started setting in. What to do?

I used to have some exercise videos way back in the day. Over the years we had Jane Fonda, Kathy Kaeler, Billy Blanks... we had it all. We maybe used the tapes once or twice, but that's not the point.

And at some point... probably around the time we realized we were the *only ones who was still hanging on to our betamax (it was better than the VHS, really!).... we stopped getting the exercise tapes.

So, lo and behold when today I flipped mindlessly to our VOD channel and discovered that there is a whole plethora of exercise programming on demand. Even my good buddy Billy Blanks and his Tai Bo ways is there! And better yet, some of it is free. A great option for the DM who can't afford or get to the gym.

Of course, in case you haven't figured out, there is, indeed, Yogalates programming on demand.

Yogalates.

I started said Yogalates programming with Archer watching both me and the programming with a look of wonderment. I said I "started" the programming. Said programming came quickly to a halt when I realized me and my 12 weeks post-C Section body are no where near ready for Yogalates. I'm pretty sure you need to have some semblance of stomach muscles to do anything "lates"-related. Since I do not, I stopped the programming, got myself a fudgsicle and Archer and I are waiting for Fashion Friday to start.

But I know said programming is there for a future date and thought I would pass it on to you in case you are ready...

Oh btw, got an email today from Old Navy saying that there is a $3 t-shirt sale this weekend. Check it out if you need.

The Chair Stands Alone

A few years ago I bought a Terence Conran home design book in which he very much advocated that children needed to find a healthy respect for parents' living space. That kids were smarter than we gave them credit for and that they would understand that not every room in the house would be turned into a jungle gym.

I don't disagree with Mr. Conran's statement - and maybe that makes me incredibly naive but I think this is something kids can learn and really, it explains the phenomenon of the "living room" vs "family room" right? I never got that until I had Archer.

But then I also thought of a friend who I'll just call Mary. Mary has literally *the coolest house ever. It was recognized in magazines and with awards for being a true statement in modern architecture. And I remember how Mary used to often entertain in that house - to the envy of all who went to her parties. We were all so jealous of Mary. She looked like she had the perfect life, in the perfect house.

And then Mary had kids and we never saw the inside of her house again.

Mary since explained to me that they no longer entertained because the house now looks nothing like its former self and that the kids and all of their stuff have taken over.

I'm not sure I totally believe Mary but I vowed then and there not to let this happen to us.

And so, when it came to buying Archer his first "bouncy chair" we bought the beautiful, modern Oeuf bouncer featured above which, btw, completely works in our main living space with our modern neutral tones and clean lines.

For a while, it seemed like Archer was pretty happy in his Oeuf chair. But perhaps he did not really know what happiness was.

A trip to Grandma's house sure changed that! Perhaps I'm reading too much into my little guy but I think I observed a true expression of disappointment - nay, even loss - when we came home from Winnipeg and he realized that his Fisher Price bouncy chair, which was decked out with a *lot of colours, plastic characters on a mobile that sung Ba Ba Black Sheep (or ABC, or Twinkle Twinkle - was I the only one, btw, who only recently realized that those are all the same song? I feel totally ripped off), a vibrating option - wasn't there. Only the Oeuf. The lowly, modern, beautifully designed Oeuf.

It was a wonder I even waited until today to go and get him the identical Fisher Price chair he had at Grandma's house. Some might say I even deprived the little one - but all was forgiven when he got to sit in his chair again and he was reunited with his good buddies "Mo" and "Schmo" (the names we gave to the mobile critters in Wpg - I have officially lost all credibility, haven't I?). You can see just how much he has bonded with them in the picture here - he literally studies their faces. It's incredible.

So does this mean we have to ignore Mr. Conran's advice and just give up on having an adult space that respects design? I don't think so - again, maybe I'm naive - but at least at this stage in Archer's life he doesn't have *that much by way of toys, etc... that will change but maybe even then we can continue to follow a few of these rules:

1. After your little guy/gal goes to sleep take 10 minutes and clear your room of all things baby. If you have another room that you can put it in, do that. Even if you just hide the stuff out of your sight line do that. This isn't being cold to your baby or denying that he's the most important part of your life - but part of making him happy, is making yourself and your spouse happy and you have to spend some adult time, in an adult space with your partner to do that.

2. Have a room that is almost entirely off-limits to baby stuff. The most obvious place for that is your bedroom. If I have to explain why this is important...

3. Continue to seek out baby items that combine good design and make your little guy happy. If Oeuf had simply added a mobile to their chair, I think Archer would have been pretty darned happy and the chair would still have fit in our room. There are companies out there that do this well. Dwell comes to mind with all of their fun linens, etc - I *wish we had the affordable line they make for Target here in Canada...http://www.target.com/DwellStudio%C2%99-Baby/b?ie=UTF8&node=393200011

The Nobel Peach Prize

Ermmm... I have no time to edit until Archer actually goes to sleep at night. I realized I mistakenly referred in the last post to something called a Nobel Peach Prize.

I am tired.

But when I think about it, maybe it's not such a bad idea. Mmmmm peaches.

Fall Tote or Diaper Bag? Only you will know...

I am mildly obsessed with Lucky Magazine. Apart from winning a Nobel Peace Prize, or a Pulitzer, I also aspire to one day be chosen the "Lucky Girl of the Month". The Lucky Girl is *the pinnacle of a style icon in my mind. It's silly and as I write this, I think I have probably shared a little too much about my weird inner-workings, but dear reader, I am prepared to humiliate myself for you.

In this month's Lucky Magazine, apart from some great affordable inspiration for fall fashion (not too early to start thinking about fall, sadly), there is an editorial layout devoted to the bag for fall - the fall tote aka, a really big bag. Not like Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen-big-bag, but big enough to be fantastically practical. How great is this? Because as it happens, the tote will, of course, make a great diaper bag.

I bought an actual diaper bag when I had Archer but I look at it now and wonder what the heck I was thinking. I must have been sleep deprived. It's super lime green and girly. Not me at all. And when I look at what is available diaper-bag-wise, none of them really appeal to me. Too many flowers, and paisleys and swirls and the like. And just because you get a change pad included in what is otherwise just a normal bag, you end up paying through the nose. It really makes no sense at all.

So for fall, out with the old and in with the new.

The Lucky article focuses on nylon totes. You can see their choices, which are almost all out of this downtown mama's budget, here http://www.luckymag.com/shopping/2009/09/nylon_totes. Some great inspiration.

I have already seen several great totes for fall in the mall. The one featured above is from The Gap (which has a wicked pre-fall collection, btw) and is listed at $45. My favourite though is a grey faux leather studded tote at Spring Shoes - which is weirdly one of the most fashion forward shoe stores out there I think - for $40. It has the added advantage of having the option of extra long straps and silver loops that I can use to clip on to my stroller. There are even compartments that can be used for diapers or a bottle.

They don't have a picture of it on their website yet and quite frankly, I didn't even want to show it because you will love it and I want it all for myself!

I will never get to be a Lucky Girl with this attitude. :)

Travellin' DM Style

So if you've been keeping up with this blog, you'll know that Archer and I just got back from our first ever trip. Just him and me, all the way to Winnipeg to visit family, airplane and all.

Recipe for disaster? Could have been but I made sure to talk to lots of moms before I left to get some good tips and then further refined them based on my experience ('cause you know I have *so much now that he's a whole 12 weeks old). Here are some of them:

1. If you're flying on the points you may have collected before-baby, I would *highly recommend - particularly if it's just you and your little dude - upgrading to Business Class for your first trip. On Air Canada it's usually just an extra 10k points and despite the fact that you may get some evil looks from businessmen (still sadly mostly men), it's *so much more comfortable than economy. I wouldn't pay for a Business Class ticket (does anyone pay for Business Class, btw?) but spend your points this way. You get to avoid line-ups at the ticketing counter, and if you fly super early like I did, there might be an extra seat for your travelling companion. Make sure you ask the desk about the extra seat when you get to the gate.

2. If you have this kind of stroller, bring your car seat and attach it to the stroller for the trip. That way if you get the extra seat, you'll actually get to use it. Airlines won't let you have it unless you have the car seat. Plus, you'll likely need it when you get off the plane.

3. Plan your packing well ahead of time and if this is a first time trip for you and baby and you are visiting family BRING AN EXTRA SUITCASE. Sorry to e-yell but this is big point. Even if family has already given you gifts, you're going to get more. Trust me. A lot more. I ended up buying a hockey bag in Winnipeg (hubby needed a new one anyway), stuffing all my stuff in that bag and keeping the other suitcase just for gifts. This wasn't glamorous at all. So plan better than I did and bring an extra suitcase - maybe 2.

4. Ask your family to stock up on basics for you. Of course, I didn't have to ask my mom. In perhaps a covert attempt to get all of us to move back to Winnipeg, she transformed her house into Casa de Archer. Not only did she get him the basics - diapers, wipes, diaper cream, nursing pillow - she bought a Pack n' Play, a playmat and a goofy but cute chair that does all sorts of things that Archer's minimalist chair (which nicely matches our furniture) does not and which I think explains why he now cries every time I put him in said minimalist chair. I will be putting said minimalist chair on Craigslist soon. Damn you Fischer Price and your fun colourful ways! Damn you! :)

5. Before you leave, set your downtown dad up with Skype. I bought a $34.99 webcam from Future Shop, downloaded Skype from http://www.skype.com/ and then did the same on the other side at my parents' house - which of course now comes in handy post-trip. We got to talk every day and he got to say all his gooey stuff to Archer so he didn't totally forget Dad. I'm not sure Archer understood what was going on like at all- but no matter. We felt better about the time away. Well, at least I did. I suspect Dad may have a different view on this.

6. Make sure you and your little dude fly in style. Apparently in the good ol' days at the beginning of airline travel, people really did it up to travel. Based on the pic above, flying used to be quite the event (there, I've now made the picture relevant despite the fact that it does not feature a baby). Even I remember as a kid it being a big deal to plan our "plane outfit". Not sure I totally understand this tradition but being a downtown mama, I really like it. Yes, you have to be comfortable but that doesn't mean you have to look like you just got out of bed - unless you are a baby - but even then, babies can look super stylish right? Archer wore Joe Fresh sleepers with planes on them that all the fly attendants just loved and couldn't have been cooler.

So, these are my thoughts on travelling. We had an amazing trip and are already planning the next one. If you need more info - like packing lists, airline rules for travelling with babies - check out the blog Have Baby Will Travel at http://www.havebabywilltravel.com/.

I'm back baby! Food for Week of August 17

Me and my travelin' man are back in the big smoke. I'll tell you more about our great trip this week but first thing's first.... It's Sunday so we need to plan out a menu for this week! I promised some new recipes so my mom and I got to work and here we go...

Monday - Steak and baked potatoes - Boneless rib steak seems to be on sale at a lot of places so get that and prepare with a package of onion soup mix, 1/4 cup water and cover with tinfoil for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Serve with spinach (or another fave green) and baked potatoes which can be prepared by poking holes with fork in potatoes and microwaving for 20 minutes.

Tuesday - Lemon chicken and honey carrots - marinate chicken legs (I saw some last week in Wpg at Superstore for $.99/lb) in juice of 2 lemons, 2 garlic cloves crushed and 1/4 cup evoo for an hour and then grill on bbq. Chop up carrots and boil in saucepan for about 10 minutes, drain. In skillet melt 3 tbls butter and add 2 tbls honey. Add sliced carrots and cook over low heat until carrots are glazed. Serve with whole wheat couscous as per instructions on box.

Wednesday - Vegetarian soba noodle stir fry and dumplings - prepare soba noodles as per package, stir fry with whatever vegetables you like (suggested: green onions, celery red pepper) with 1 tbls grated ginger, 1/4 low sodium soy sauce/tamari, 3 tbls rice wine vinegar, add firm tofu cubes chopped and stir until tofu and veggies are marinated. Serve with store-bought dumplings and prepare as per package.

Thursday - Order in/Eat Out

Friday - Flatbread Pizza and Salad - Layer fresh grated mozzarella cheese, with sliced tomatoes, fresh basil and dollops of Camembert or brie cheese between 2 tortillas, brush with evoo and grill or put in oven at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Serve with salad.

Saturday - Honey Mustard Pork Chops & Corn on the Cob - simmer 4 tsp honey over low heat and stir in 1/4 c Dijon mustard and 1 tsp of wine or wine vinegar. Cool to room temperature and then marinate pork chops with marinade in sealable plastic bag for at least 1 hour. Broil marinaded chops for 6-7mins/side. Serve with corn on the cob and brown rice.

Sunday - Cheese Manicotti & Light Ceasar Salad - combine 1 package of ricotta cheese, 1 cup shredded mozza, 1 cup of grated Parmesan with 1 egg white and package of defrosted frozen spinach. Stuff cheese mixture in oven ready manicotti noodles (trick to stuffing noodles - use handle side of spoon). For Caesar Salad dressing combine the following in a small bowl:
1/2 cup lf buttermilk
2 tbls lf sour cream
2 tbls grated parmesan
1 tbls anchovy paste
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/d tsp pepper

Pour dressing over romaine lettuce and cherry tomatoes.

Grocery list:
2 boneless rib steaks
Onion soup mix
2 baked potatoes
Fresh spinach
package of chicken legs
2 lemons
garlic
1 package of carrots
package of couscous
honey
1 package of soba noodles
firm tofu
green onions
celery
red pepper
frozen dumplings
ginger
tortillas
2 mozza balls
fresh basil (get on day of)
4 tomoatoes (vine ripened or roma)
Camembert/brie cheese
bag of salad
1 package of bone-in pork chops
corn on the cob
oven ready manicotti noodles
anchovy paste
small container of buttermilk
1 package lf ricotta cheese
parmesan cheese
1 package frozen spinach
eggs
Romaine lettuce
1 package of cherry tomatoes

Downtown Mama & Archer in the 'Peg

Ok, I swore I'd never call Winnipeg the 'Peg. People from Winnipeg actually never call it that. Only annoying Torontonians. But it made for a better title so there you go.

Anyway, just a heads up that we're going to be mostly offline while we visit the family but we'll still post our weekly menu on Sunday and when I'm back after the 15th, I'll have some stories/tips about travelling, skyping with Dad, our baby shower and great deals spotted while out and about.

I reserve the right to spontaneously post at any given moment so stay tuned!

100 Mile Beauty

Right now the concept of buying local food - the so-called 100 Mile Diet - is all the rage. Heck, on a recent day-trip to Creemore (the self-proclaimed "Tuscany of Canada), there was a whole store dedicated to 100-Mile food. It was actually pretty great - you should check it out.

But I digress.

For the downtown mama, I suggest we embrace a sort of 100 Mile Beauty diet. And when I say "100" Mile, I really mean like 1 mile, maybe 2 Mile Diet. In my pre-Archer days, I would literally go to the ends of the earth to find the right hairstylist, the right place to get a massage, or a fancy spa for a pedi-mani.

Boy was I dumb.

Since having Archer, in addition to not having the funds to support what some (read: husband) might call my self-indulgent beauty habits, I don't have the time or quite frankly the inclination to get Archer all packed up in the car to make a trip to a salon or spa that is relatively far away and never has free parking. In addition, it should come as no surprise that it is difficult to find any bargains at said salons or spas.

This is where embracing some more local options comes into play.

Have you ever noticed, Toronto folks, the number of hair salons along west Dundas? I bet you're actually quite oblivious to them - you sort of block them out as you go along in the street car or your own car. But next time you go, count the number of hair salons between Landsowne and Ossington. Although I haven't done the official count, there are well over 15. It's actually pretty crazy. Without stereo-typing (or maybe I am, I'm not sure), these salons tend to service the people in the neighborhood who lived there before all the gentrifying hipsters moved in. You rarely hear English being spoken at said salons.

So what's our problem downtown mamas? I recently tried one of these salons - Fila - which is at College and Dufferin for a wash and style and now they're pretty much my new best friends. For $30 I got a superb wash n' style (they have the best straightening iron I've ever met - and trust me, I've met them all) at a place that's easy to walk to, and is totally flexible in terms of appointment times - *essential for a new mom. Most of these places will allow walk-ins so you can go when it works for you. This, as you know, never happens at the salons we all frequented pre-baby. And everyone is so nice there! No attitude, whatsoever.

And can you beat the price of $30 for a wash n' style that lasts upwards of 5 days (or maybe 7 - don't judge)? Didn't think so.

The same goes for the beloved pedi-mani. Many downtown mamas have already discovered what New Yorkers always knew - you really shouldn't pay more than $40 (usually...ahem...cash) for a pedi-mani and you should *never need an appointment. These cheep and cheerful spots are popping up all over the city. I have found a $35 pedi-mani at a place on Roncesvalles (next to the Revue Cinema) and a friend recently told me about one on Bloor near Landsdown for $30 if you cut the coupon from her weekly community newspaper. No, you're not going to hear the spa sounds of rain or birds or smell the essential Aveda-esque oils, but you usually get a massaging chair for your pedi and television to watch (have you noticed the re-occurring theme of tv in my blogs? it's sad, I know) and these places are usually very clean and healthy. If you're unsure or in any way uncomfortable, you can always bring your own nail file.

And I like supporting the local neighbourhood businesses. It's not exactly equivalent to the benefits the earth gets from the 100-Mile Diet but it seems right to me.

Spotted - Cutest Dress Ever for Friends of a DM

Would someone who does not have a newborn and lives in Toronto please go to Winners at Dufferin Mall immediately and buy this amazing Calvin Klein dress for $79.99? So perfect for fall. Not sure the picture does it justice but trust, it's perfect.

The Art of Window Shopping

I was never a huge fan of Yorkville. Since I moved to Toronto it never lived up to its hype. It has always been billed by Toronto as *the place to shop and the area to see and be seen. I mostly thought it was overpriced and overrated.

But with the arrival of Anthropologie - the big sister to Urban Outfitters - as well as the opening of the flagship store of designer fave, Teatro Verde, things are looking up for Yorkville.

Problem is, with only my precious E.I. cheque, I can really afford none of what Yorkville has to offer.

No matter though. That is where window shopping comes into play for the downtown mama.

But isn't window shopping kind of a tease? Maybe but it's time for a change of attitude and now I see window shopping as a challenge - can I be inspired by the tony offerings of Yorkville and then go find a realistic purchase at a more affordable price point?

And apart from that challenge window shopping is a great way to spend the day with Archer.

Yesterday Archer and I went to Yorkville and we had a blast (well, until we had to make a mad dash to our car in the face of yet another torrential downpour). Coffee in hand we walked up and down Yorkville Avenue (Cumberland is pretty unfriendly stroller-wise, fyi) and not only saw some great things for fall but we also practically became best friends with Dan and Dean Caten of uber design-house, D Squared.

Ok, so I totally exaggerate on that last point. We saw Dean and Dan sitting on the patio at One at Hazelton Hotel and I'm pretty sure they saw Archer and me and said to each other - "Wow, what great style they have - we should *totally be friends with them." That makes sense, right? I thought so.

Anthropologie did not disappoint. It is a store made for the downtown mama (or maybe the downtown mama with a sugar daddy). Great flowy modern dresses, lots of colour and beautiful accessories. I was inspired by this dress and am on a mission to find its less expensive counterpart. How nursing friendly would this be? And if I find this, I'm going to pull out my vintage boots that look like these riding boots from Anthropologie. I think this would be a look that our new best friends Dean and Dan would totally approve of.

So, a few tips for window shopping? If you are heading to an area like Yorkville, take transit. Parking is ridiculously expensive and you should be using this money toward the new outfit you may be inspired to by. Second, take some time out to people watch. Areas like Yorkville provide endless amusement. I'm looking forward in particular to going back to Yorkville during the Toronto Film Festival when things get even crazier and more fun. Finally, have some attitude when you go window shopping. Sometimes areas like Yorkville are intimidating but don't be! You have every right to be there as much as the next mama - even if she is more uptown than downtown.

Food for Week of August 3

Hope everyone had an awesome long weekend.

Some repeats again this week so look back for recipes. Check back next week when we'll have some new dishes for August!

In my flyer search this week, noticed some pretty good deals at Superstore - and you get the added advantage of checking out Joe Fresh while you're there! This week if you spend over $100 in groceries there is a coupon for free PC Baby Back Ribs, which I'll make our Sunday dinner this week. Download the coupon at www.superstore.ca/ontario/thisWeeksFlyer.aspx  (mamas outside of Ontario, check out your weekly Superstore flyer. This coupon should also work at Loblaws.

Monday - Veggie Sloppy Joes w/ edemame and salad

Tuesday - Marc Anglelo Chicken Skewers w/ Veggie Skewers (and I'm not advertising for Marc Angelo, they're just really handy and easy - noticed that Superstore also has a Marc Angelo pork tenderloin on special so you could replace the skewers for that)

Wednesday - Fettuccine A La Matriciana - cut up 6 slices of turkey bacon and 1 onion and brown w/1 tbls evoo, add 1 large can of diced tomatoes, 1 small can of tomato sauce, a pinch of red chili peppers and basil and oregano, simmer for 20 minutes and serve over whole wheat fettuccine

Thursday - order in/take out

Friday - BTC Sandwiches w/ sweet potato fries

Saturday - Shake n/ Bake Pork w/ Corn on Cob and Bean Salad

Sunday - PC Baby Back Ribs w/mashed potatoes and salad

Grocery List:

St. Ives Original Ground Round

Package of Frozen Edemame (get sea salt if you don't have)

Bag of Salad and other preferred salad fixings

Marc Angelo Chicken Skewers/Pork Tenderloin

Zucchini

Peppers

Red Onion

Whole Wheat Fettuccine

Large Can Diced Tomatoes

Small Can Tomato Sauce

Onion

Package of Turkey Bacon (use for breakfast too!)

Cheddar Cheese Slices

Multigrain Bread

Bag of frozen sweet potato fries

Shake n Bake Pork

Pork Chops

Corn on the Cob

Store bought bean salad

Potatoes

W is for "What the..."

Got Archer new alphabet flashcards this week and this came up for the letter "N".

Errmmmm....am I the only one (besides Archer and some others new to our planet) who didn't know what a Narwhal is?

For your information (and mine), this is a Narwhal http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narwhal.

Who knew.

Now I have to go and figure out how to pronounce Narwhal...

Archer and I have a lot of work to do!

Have a great long weekend y'all.