It's Time for Valborg!

From a Valborg bonfire in 

Stockholm, Sweden.

What's the deal with Valborg?

Taking place at the end of April (April 30), Valborg is Walpurgis in English. It's celebrated in Europe and Scandinavia. It's the night, that Swedes dance around huge bonfires. In Gothenburg, Sweden, there is usually is a huge bonfire that takes place at the city park, Slottsskogen. In Stockholm, there are many different bonfires around the city, including one at Skansen.

Pre-pandemic, this also coincided with a parade through the city streets by the students at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg. The parade consists of 50 truck carriages, and around 1000 students. Each carriage depicting, in a satirical and comical way, a significant event that has taken place since the previous parade (News events, local events, world events etc). The parade was started in 1912, but was cancelled a few times, including last year in 2020 due to the Pandemic. This year there will be an exhibit called the Minicortège, people can see. 

We have so many fond memories of watching the Cortège parade and seeing all the amazing Student built and designed Parade Floats and vehicles!

The Walpurgis holiday originally came from celebrating "Saint Walpurga". It became a way to celebrate the end of Winter and a welcome to the warmer, Summer weather!

The next day is May 1st and is known by many different names, International Workers' Day, May Day or just Labour Day in Europe, which is a Public holiday. It occurs every year and is a day to celebrate workers and the working class.

Check out Göteborg.com to see what's going on in Gothenburg for Valborg. It might just be a day to have picnics/BBQs evening.

Glad Valborg, don't forget your snacks!

Uniqlo's Newest Swedish Location: Uniqlo Gothenburg!

We really like Uniqlo, especially their cool, stylish Graphic T-shirt designs. After kids, I started to try the Uniqlo kids clothes too. I was impressed with the quality of the pajamas and bodies we got for the toddlers soft cotton with cute patterns and often there's something on sale! We have always visited Uniqlo in other cities when we are on vacation but our first visit was in Tokyo, Japan years ago (before they expanded outside Japan).

Long queue outside the store as they are limiting the number of customers at a time. Looks like the employees all use masks? This is not standard for all shops around Gothenburg unfortunately.

We are excited that Uniqlo opened a location in Gothenburg, Sweden (The opening day was April 23rd, 2021)! This isn't the first Swedish location, however, there is one in Sweden's captial Stockholm. 

Studio In is one of the local Ambassadors for the store and they did our Interior design to prepare the sale of our Apartment a couple years ago! Check out my blog about Studio In!

All the shops in this area can have line-ups outside the store so it's pretty crowded just to walk through. Hardly a mask in sight.. That's why we've been doing our majority of shopping online and avoiding going in-person during the Pandemic.

Opening weekend was too busy to check out the newest Swedish location but I did get a chance to shop in-store last weekend! 

Had no idea Uniqlo started making Pillow cases and bed sheets now.

Swedish gear to prepare for cheering for the country at the upcoming Tokyo Olympics!

If you download the Uniqlo app and scan your Member ID at check-out, you will receive a free package of 3 AIRism Cloth Face Masks! Note: Uniqlo website says these can be washed up to a maximum of 20 times.

Stay safe and remember, don't forget your snacks! 

Uniqlo Gothenburg

Uniqlo website

Fredsgatan 12, Gothenburg, Sweden

Bugaboo Wheeled Board was worth it!

 

We recently upgraded our Bugaboo Stroller with a Bugaboo Comfort Wheeled Board.

Previously,we used another 'Universal' wheelboard that worked with our Bugaboo stroller. We borrowed this from a friend before the baby needed the stroller and it became really useful for a while.

Unfortunately, it didn't have a seat and the Toddler often got tired of standing. It was also a bit awkward to move up out of the way when it wasn't in use, since you needed a strap to hold it up. After a few months, we stopped using it and the older child got the stroller seat, while the little one was in the baby carrier.

This past Christmas (December 2020) there was a sale at Bugaboo, and we thought 1000 Swedish Krona for a Wheeled Board was a great price considering people were charging about the same for a Used one. 

It was the perfect time to get one since the bigger one started sitting in the bottom storage part of the stroller Haha...

Unfortunately, the board delivery was delayed and was only sent out after my co-pilot called Bugaboo to ask about our order (a mistake on their end).

Easily move it up and out of the way 

when not in use.

The Bugaboo Wheeled Board is the Perfect accessory when you have a toddler who still needs to sit once in awhile.

I was a little worried about how smooth it would drive, going up and down the curbs and on all of the cobblestoned streets here in Gothenburg, Sweden. But it has been pretty smooth. As you go up the curb, sometimes the wheel is turned so it can't roll up, but you can always back up to adjust the wheel and try again.

I also really appreciate that we have a cup holder! Perfect for a hot drink while you're out!

Since the wheeled board arrived, we have been using that standing/sitting board for many adventures around our town. Overall, it was a great purchase! We see these a lot all over town and now we understand why they are so popular. I like how smooth it is to drive and how easy it is to move up out of the way. And this definitely helps take two kiddos around without having to carry either one.

Happy Monday, enjoy your adventures and remember, don't forget your snacks!

Style your home with Studio In!

We sold our first apartment in Sweden a few years ago now. Our realtor, Reveny, recommended that we get our apartment "styled" before the open house. They referred us to the Interior design company Studio In. Having our one bedroom apartment "styled" definitely helped sell our place and we were really happy with the job Studio In. 

We met the creative interior design and stylist duo Atta Ring and Maja Furenberg Ring, who together make up Studio In. They gave us an initial consultation and suggested a few things that we could do ourselves to spruce up the place (like putting up curtains, updating the floor and painting the bathroom tiles). They also told us which furniture to move temporarily to our storage area. Once they were done with our place they made it look so amazing that we didn't recognize it at all! The eventual buyers really liked the styling and actually asked if they could purchase some of their pieces.

The doorway area was completely transformed.

Studio In was easy to work with, and we did our best with the toddler to not disturb any of the decor or borrowed furniture (we actually went on a trip during the intial styling and the apartment viewings. We returned with a couple of days left with the apartment styled.

The styled bedroom of our one-bedroom apartment.

I would definitely recommend Studio In, if you're looking to sell your place or even if you just need some interior styling/staging help to upgrade the style in your apartment.

Something cool I saw this week...

Uniqlo will be opening its first location in Gothenburg on Apr 23rd and Studio In will be a part of the opening!!

Screenshot from the ad I saw about Uniqlo!

Thanks for reading and remember, don't forget your snacks!

Follow Studio In on their Instagram or check out their website !

Uniqlo
Uniqlo's website
Fredsgatan 12, Gothenburg, Sweden

Reveny
The realtor we used to sell our apartment!
Check out their website

Give Yourself a Break and Order Food Delivery

I remember getting Pizza delivery back in the day. When we moved to Sweden, it didn't seem like it existed here. Then "Online Pizza" bikes started appearing... which became Foodora. And now there pizza places available on all the Food delivery apps. You can even get Domino's pizza delivery on bikes!

We do a lot of cooking at home but on days when I can't think of what to make or just don't have the energy, a take away meal or food delivery is a HUGE help. It's also perfect if I can't leave the house because both kids don't want to go or I want something that's a bit far to get to. I'm grateful to have the option of Food Delivery, right to my door, contact-less.  

I don't see anything wrong with giving myself a break from worrying about what's for dinner, once in awhile, especially during this Pandemic. 

There are a number of different Burger places to choose from. Here we got a Lettuce wrap, sweet potato and regular potato fries and a Jalapeno burger from a place called TUGG Burgers Göteborg!

There are a number of different food delivery options in Gothenburg, Sweden. The two we have used are Uber Eats and Foodora. 

I'll actually never forget our first food delivery order. It was the day I got home from the hospital with the new baby. We ordered from an Indian place recommended by another friend. It was amazing to have the food appear right at our door. Now I understood why people used Food Delivery!

Our very first Food delivery was Indian food from a place called Dawaat!

Now to the question of which Food delivery company we prefer best.

We have a few Go-To restaurants and Go-To orders. Some restaurants are only available on one of the food delivery apps. So depending on the restaurant, I choose which app to use that day. Also, if there are any special discounts, I might order from that app. For example, recently, I had a 70kr discount from Foodora.

I personally prefer and use Uber Eats more often because restaurants that are further away are available on the app (I guess they use motorbikes over bicycles). There is also an Option to add a Tip. I've always wondered if anyone tips in cash or not. A friend said, if the weather isn't very nice, she would tip. 

**I tried it once recently during a rainy day and the delivery person was so surprised but gladly accepted it!

Thai food is so popular in Sweden! And it's actually quite tasty. We like the curries, noodles, (Pad see ew - Wide noodles above) and Chicken fried rice. So tasty!

I have had one not so nice experience with Uber Eats unfortunately...
We had previously ordered from this restaurant whenever we craved Lebanese food. The delivery person arrived and left a bag but when we opened the door, he stood 2m away and apologized. He said the food had spilled in his bag, so there wasn't anything but the salad and fries from our order that could be salvaged :(

I reordered my food on the app.. but nothing was arriving. Then I got a message from the Uber Eats person who was picking up my food saying the restaurant thinks it sent my order already. I called the restaurant and explained about my order.  Then they realized it was a new order and finally prepared it. That confusion, however, meant I had to wait a couple of hours to get the meal. I haven't ordered from that restaurant since then for fear of a repeat incident. 

Despite that experience, I still use Uber Eats the most. If I get some discounts on Foodora or there's a restaurant only available through them, I'll use Foodora. The delivery people are often on bikes so it can be slower. Foodora also offers a buy from a store option for delivery, called "Foodora Market". We have tried that option a few times if we need some grocery items for dinner and it's quick and convenient!

Sometimes I crave the Vegan Apple Pie! And the nearest Mcdonald's is about a 20-25min walk away.

We are pretty lucky to have these options for Food delivery and I appreciate it very much. Like I said above, it's nice to have this option when I'm too busy, or tired to prepare something at home. The service is quick and has even beat me home a couple of times (when I ordered and we were out at the park with kids)!

Thanks for reading and remember, don't forget your snacks! 

A Vegan Dinner Roll, the Perfect Comfort Food!

One of my favorite comfort foods is a Warm Dinner roll. Cut the bun in half and spread some butter and jam and it is so delish. Since I went Dairy and Egg free, my co-pilot found a recipe that makes some delicious and soft Vegan dinner rolls! They are perfect for the little ones as well and they love to eat them either plain or with butter.

During the Pandemic, like many others, we started baking dinner rolls (and baking in general) more often. We sometimes freeze the dough to easily pop them in the oven when we want some fresh bread.

The Bun marked with a 'V' above for Vegan.

The first time we made these buns was for a friend's Thanksgiving dinner a couple of years ago now. We were asked to bring Dinner rolls for the Turkey dinner, but there was just nothing like it at the Swedish Grocery stores or bakeries. Like all things we can't find and miss, we decided to try to bake our own!

                                                

My daughter loves to help bake. Her favorite part (aside from eating it) is to help with the dough and she rolls it and plays with it just like play-doh ;) She does a pretty good job kneading the dough and can focus on that for awhile on her own.

Baking with kids can be a great activity if you give them something clear and simple to help with.

The Vegan version of the buns are made with Flora milk free butter and oat milk. They are the perfect size, soft and delicious. They make great snacks too!

What's your comfort food? Is it something, you can buy or have you tried to make it yourself?

Thanks for reading and remember, don't forget your snacks.

Car Ride Tips With Little Ones!

The kids haven't really been on a long car ride since our trip to California at the beginning of the Pandemic in Feb 2020. However, recently, we have started renting a car to go for hikes at nearby areas like the lake, Delsjön. The car rides are usually max half an hour each time but depending on the kids' moods and how smooth the roads are, it can feel much longer. 

If you're like us and live in a smaller city, where you don't need to own a car to get around (transit/walking/cycling is enough) and have kids who aren't the best in a car, 

here are some tips to survive car rides with the little ones. 

General Car Ride Tips! (Stay tuned for another blog on tips for the plane ride! ) 

• If it's warm out and it's possible, open the window slightly so they can have some air (our daughter used to feel really nauseous in the car. She would always yell "My tummy! My tummy!" and cry. The fresh air helped a bit.
• Bring a blanket to hang on side of window to shield them from the sun.
• Have music prepared on the phone.
• Try to drive when it's naptime so they can fall asleep.
• If it's a long trip, take lots of breaks to strech and just explore!
• One parent sits at the back to start, and if they're asleep, move to the front again.
• If it's winter, leave off all the winter overalls. We usually put all the warm winter clothes - overalls, hats, gloves - in the trunk and put it on when we arrive at the destination.
• Try your best to be patient, kids will get used to it eventually!

Ideas For the Baby (6 months)

• Teething toy
• A toy to hang so they can practice grabbing
• A rattle or toy keyslightweight book (we pack a few small lightweight books)
• Hang a mirror so they can see you (for back-facing car seats)

Ideas For the Toddler

• Stickers, not flat stickers but thicker ones are easier to peel off (my daughter loved putting stickers all over the car seat, it really entertained her).
• Lightweight, small books
• A fan if they get too hot, it's nice to have cool air on them (this helped my daughter fall asleep when she was miserable in the car.)
• Plastic bag (in case of car sickness)
• Water bottle
• Lots of snacks! Some of our car ride snack favorites are Sun Chips (can't get them in Sweden so I miss these chips!!), Gummies and Snack seaweed. Check out my blog on kids snacks for more ideas!

Happy Monday, stay safe, and remember don't forget your snacks! 

Visit the Botanical Gardens in Göteborg, Sweden

One of our favorite places to walk in Gothenburg, is the Botanical Gardens (or "Botaniska" in Swedish) and the nature reserve, both are near the city park, Slottsskogen. There are a few ponds, and plenty to see, so it's a wonderful place to hike and explore. It's amazing how you can be in the city but walk 20min and get to the forest. The nature reserve, "Änggårdsbergen", is popular for moutain bikers as well. So when you are walking around make sure to watch for bikes. 

We actually got our Maternity photo shoot done at the Botanical Gardens and Nature reserve. We walked around and the photographer told us when she found a great spot! The photos were amazing! 

Thank you to Victoria for the beautiful shots while I was pregnant!

Botaniska is also a great place to sit at the cafe for an outdoor fika! There are high chairs available and kids and kids can go run around after sitting at the table eating their snacks. The outdoor area has a number of tables (they just upgraded the tables too!) and it's easy to space yourselves out from others. With Spring upon us, it's the perfect spot for some sunshine while you sip your hot beverage.

The cafe, Botaniska Paviljongen, always has some really delicious desserts. Actually recently, they introduced a Vegan Chocolate chip cookie. It is really soft and tasty, and doesn't taste Vegan at all.

Outdoor fika with kids!

The kids and I like to have a snack at the cafe before our adventures. My daughter loves the Carrot Cake and I usually pack one of the cookies to save for later! 

Now that spring has arrived,the flowers are starting to bloom. As of April 7th, 2021, there is currently some renovations going on in the Gardens. The entrance flowers and pond are being updated. So be sure to also watch out for the maintenance vehicles driving on the main path.

Definitely add Botaniska to your list if planning to visit Gothenburg (post-pandemic of course) or if you live in the city, come visit and stop to smell the flowers (but no picking flowers!). There's even some fish in the ponds! 

There is a box donate to the Botaniska at the entrance gate, if you are interested in supporting the beautiful gardens! Remember to keep your distance (Håll Avstånd) if visiting Botaniska, and don't forget your snacks! 

Botaniska Paviljongen
Gothenburg, Sweden 
Check out their menu on their website

Fotograf Rennerstahl
This was the Maternity photographer we used for the amazing photos! 
Photographer: Victoria Rennerstahl
Check out her website!

The Place to Get Your British Snacks: The British Shop!

When we first moved to Gothenburg, Sweden we heard about a shop where we could find British snacks, it was called "The English shop" and it was just off the popular street Linnegatan. Unfortunately, that shop closed and everyone was disappointed. 

Then in Nov 2019, The British Shop was opened by two friends (Paul & Rosie) who used to work at the English Shop!! 

The shop opened in a beautiful building, Antikhallarna, right in the centre of Gothenburg. The building is home to a few different shops and a even a cafe. There is indoor seating, but more importantly during the Pandemic, there is some outdoor seating as well. Such a perfect location and they have stocked so many delicious British snacks and some American items too. Great snack options when you're working from home or out for adventures with the kids!

During the Pandemic Christmas holidays, we picked up some pies and other treats for our celebration at home. They have also started online orders available for delivery (99kr) or pick up at the Gothenburg store. We actually recently ordered for pickup at the store for the Easter Holiday. Not long after I placed the order, did I receive an email saying my order was packed and ready for me whenever I had a chance to drop by. This saved me time from having to look around the store during the Pandemic. Everything was packed up in paper bags so it was easy to take it home. Note: I was told that they don't put all the stock on the website as they like to keep items available for customers at the store.

We love the Pukka Pies, Walkers chips and unique items like Peppa Pig gummies, PopTarts, Shreddies and bake your own scones. The list goes on! They also stock different Holiday items depending on what's coming up - for American/Canadian Thanksgiving or Christmas, for example, they have cans of pumpkin puree and cranberry sauce, perfect for Christmas or Thanksgiving turkey dinner. 

Scones and Clotted cream are also available at the shop along with pies, and sausages! 

There are plenty of British treats like mince pies and even Chocolate Advent Calendars for the Hokiday season. I remember getting a yummy Gingerbread in a Mug during the holidays. Delicious and it wasn't overly sweet. 

For Easter they had a wide assortment of Chocolate Easter eggs and Easter treats! They were so popular that most were sold out fast!

An excerpt from their website:
"The British Shop was founded in late 2019 by two friends that have lived in Sweden for many years; Paul from London and Rosie from Glasgow. After searching for a suitable location for a new British shop in Göteborg, they found a space in the beautiful Antikhallarna building in the centre of the city. Since opening, many Brits (and Swedes!) in the city have visited us and have been delighted with our selection of goodies which with time, we hope will grow. We aim to create a friendly, cosy environment where everyone is made to feel welcome, so come on in for a look around or even just a chat!"

The British Shop is located in the beautiful Antikhallarna.

If you live in Gothenburg, be sure to stop by the British shop for some tasty snacks! If you're planning a visit to Gothenburg, add a stop at the Antikhallarna. It's a great place for Fika (Coffee break) then checking out all the delicious treats the British shop has to offer. 

Don't forget your snacks!

The British Shop - Gothenburg
Antikhallarna, Västra Hamngatan 6, 411 17 Göteborg, Sweden
Check out their Facebook or Instagram
And on their website they take online orders either pickup at the Gothenburg shop or delivery for 99kr!

Awesome Easter treats by AweSum Cakes Bakery

I pre-ordered an Easter dessert box a few weeks ago from the Indie Bakery AweSum Cakes in Gothenburg, Sweden! We have had her cakes and cupcakes before (see my previous blog) so I had been really looking forward to rewarding myself to some treats on Easter weekend. AweSum Cakes did not disappoint with this beautiful Easter dessert box! Everything was delicious :)

What started as a hobby for cake designer and baker, Sumana, turned into her very own cake shop! She does her best to satisfy all of the customer's requests which I really appreciate. She is also careful with allergies and made sure to let me know which of the items were reduced sugar and what she couldn't make completely Vegan (just the white chocolate eggs, marshmallows - still Dairy and egg free but used gelatin - and the sweets on top of the chocolate cupcakes). 

There were about 13 individual items in our Easter Dessert Box.

- The Chick cupcakes were mango frosting on a mango filled vanilla cupcake.

- The Round spheres are dark chocolate Hot Cocoa bombs! So rich and delicious.

- There were a few cake pops (on the popsicle sticks), one of our favorites.

- The flower frosting cupcakes were a mix of chocolate and vanilla. 

- Plus there were two chocolate cupcakes with easter eggs on top.

A really nice variety of treats and we are still enjoying them as we preferred not to finish them all in a weekend!

The box fit perfectly under the stroller for the walk home (and the cakes didn't bounce around too much thanks to the marshmellows and easter eggs).

The kids also really loved the cupcakes ;)

Thank you again AweSum Cakes for the time you took to design and create our box! It really helped brighten the Pandemic Easter holiday.

If you're in Gothenburg and have a cupcake craving, be sure to stop by. This local bakery is pretty popular now and gets busy, so order well in advance if you want a custom cake or cupcakes to celebrate a special occasion. Don't forget your snacks!

AweSum Cakes
Haga kyrkogata 22, 411 23 Göteborg, Sweden

Learn more about Sumana and her amazing bakery on the website and
Check out their Instagram or Facebook for more amazing Cupcakes and Cake Designs! Gluten free and Vegan options are available!

Easter Egg hunt, witches, treats and more!

Here in Sweden, we get a four day weekend for Easter! We've started the Easter tradition to have an Easter Egg hunt with the kids, just like I used to do as a kid. I hide both chocolate and painted eggs and maybe a rabbit or two and my daughter will search around with her basket (this year, she painted her rabbit basket). 

Quiet creative time for some Easter crafts.

Kids in Sweden also do an Easter egg hunt for Easter. Being a pandemic Easter again this year, we decided to stay close to home. Although, there were Easter egg hunts at different places around town, like the Tjolöholm Castle just outside the city.

Something a little different in Sweden is that kids dress up as witches and go door to door looking for treats (like on Halloween when kids Trick-or-treat!) These witches wear rags and old clothes with shawls on their heads and painted freckles and blush on their faces.

Photo credit from Time

This unique tradition is celebrated in Sweden and parts of Finland. It's origins are from an old belief that witches would fly to meet the Devil on the Thursday before Easter. Swedes light bonfires and set off fireworks to scare them away. We saw a few kids dressed up and my daughter said loudly, that she didn't want to dress up as a witch haha!

I made sure to stock up on some Easter crafts from Flying Tiger (it's Pandemic time and only a few are allowed in the store at a time).

There is always lots to choose from at Flying Tiger!

Can't forget the Traditional paper eggs!!

Kinder eggs are also fun to hide and play with afterwards!

Paper eggs are usually filled with candy but you can put whatever you want in them. Toddler loves to just open and close empty paper eggs ;)

In Sweden, it's also common to see an Easter tree, decorated with painted eggs, and feathers. 

A common Swedish Easter meal includes hard boiled eggs, pickled herring and Ham but we didn't actually have any of those this year. Although, it was just us for this Pandemic Easter, we still had a great one. For brunch, we made pancakes! One Vegan version and one Non-Vegan version. The kids and I did some baking and made a Vegan pumpkin pie and delish Turkey dinner! I also ordered an Easter dessert box from AweSum Cakes (see blog post) which we had for dessert! 

And I made sure to get a special Vegan chocolate treat for myself for the Egg hunt too! Instead of a chocolate bunny, it's a chocolate Hamster!

Happy Easter ("Glad Påsk" in Swedish) and remember, don't forget your snacks!