Cats of Greece!

We were lucky to visit Rhodes, Greece as our Fall getaway trip. We have visited a couple of times before but it was our first trip to Greece with BOTH the kids and grandparents! 

The kids loved the sunshine, activities, food and of course, the cats!

Wherever we walked, there were little cats saying hello! 👋 

It was a nice learning experience for the kids. We don't have any pets yet, so they get  excited seeing cats in the neighborhood. The kids understood that they needed to wash hands after touching a cat. They also learned that if the cat didn't want to be petted, they would run away and that was absolutely ok. No need to chase them.

We even encountered a few kittens. Their mom was nearby so when they meowed the mom cat would come closer and we would leave the cat alone.

What a fantastic trip to Greece that was. We were lucky that everything went smoothly. Seeing such sweet cats on our visit was an added bonus.

Don't forget your snacks!

Monster Chicken Stockholm

 

Opened in August 2022, this Korean Fried chicken and Soju bar is located on Södermalm in Stockholm, Sweden. 

You choose the type of chicken, the sauce (can ask for sauce on the side) and a side (like monchi fries or tater tops).

Kids loved the "Oso" Fried Chicken and tater tots, so this is a great option for takeaway!

The restaurant itself is small and can get crowded. It's not stroller friendly but strollers can be parked outside.

Monster Chicken is usually open around 3pm so it's unfortunately not a lunch place but it's a nice option for dinner! 

If you're a fan of soju and/or Korean Fried Chicken, check out Monster Chicken! Great to support local businesses as well!

Monster Chicken 

Ringvägen 106, 116 61 Stockholm

Check out their Instagram for more info and their menu!

Vivels Cafe Stockholm

It's nice to have a more than one cafe option in the neighborhood for coffee, pastries and cakes!

Vivels cafe has a few locations around Stockholm, Sweden and this Vivels cafe is conveniently located near the tram stop.

There is seating upstairs in the cafe so if the main floor is busy, try upstairs :)

 

So many pastry options including Swedish Cinnamon buns, "kanelbullar".

We have enjoyed the toasted sandwiches and the Pepparkakor that are available during the Christmas season!

We've also tried one of the many bread loaves and it was delicious. The prices are pretty good as well. 

The Cafe staff were very friendly and explained what kinds of bread they had available that day and whether or not it was sweet (grandparent avoids sweet bread).

Pink semlor in support of 

Breast Cancer Awareness month in October

We haven't tried to order cake from Vivels yet, but it's on our list now that we know there are a variety of cakes available to order!

There are more than a few different cakes at Vivels - can't buy happiness but you can buy some cake!

If you're looking for a cozy cafe to grab some coffee while you wait for the tram or a place to sit for a moment after running errands, why not check out Vivels cafe! There are plenty of good snacks to choose from. It's always great to support local businesses.

Don't forget your snacks!

Vivels Cafe och Bröd

Lugnets Allé 38, 120 66 Stockholm, Sweden

Check out their website for Vivels locations around the city. 

Skyview Stockholm Sweden

**As of Jan 2024, Skyview is closed. No update of when this tourist attraction will reopen**

You're always more motivated to explore and discover your city when visitors are in town.

We recently visited the Skyview Gondola in Stockholm, Sweden. There are 2 gondolas which run on the surface of the Globen Arena, now known as the Avicii Arena. 

The Gondola ticket for adults was 170kr. For seniors and kids (5+) it is 130kr.

There is a limit of 12 people in one gondola, so when you buy a ticket, they tell you what time your ride is.

You start the experience with a short information session on the Arena and the area before the actual gondola ride. 

Then everyone boards the Gondola and it slowly heads up to the top!!

The views of the city were amazing and we were lucky with the weather that day. Blue skies!

The whole ride itself is around 20 minutes and it's pretty cool to see the other gondola going up as you are going down and vice versa.

There is a little shop next to the ticket area where you board the gondola. There, you can browse while waiting for your turn. One can find different Swedish souvenirs, from T-shirts to Magnets, and even wooden cutting boards.

This is a great tourist activity for visitors to the city! It's even a nice activity if you live in Stockholm :) 

If you're worried whether your child would be OK going up to see the views, I think it's up to the individual child. All kids are different. There were a few kids who didn't want to do it because of the heights.

Don't forget your snacks!

Skyview Gondola 

Avicii Arena, Globentorget 2, 121 77 Johanneshov

Stockholm, Sweden

Check out their website for opening hours

Dairy and Egg Free First Foods for Baby

We found out that my little one had allergies at around 3 months old. They started getting red cheeks that got itchy and raw after the baby scratched it. We put little socks on their hands because their nails grew so fast and that way I didn't have to cut/file their nails daily.

When they started eating solid foods at around 6 mths, we had to make sure it was safe. Having an older child as well, often means we have two versions of the same meal. 

When baby turned toddler they were curious and tasted their siblings food a few times. So it's helpful to have them sit in different places not next to each other.

Here are some first food ideas for baby:

Porridge - Enago Dairy-free porridge is one brand we tried. There are others available as well and you can just add water, non-dairy milk or breastmilk.

We cooked it, then used a blender to blend food before letting baby try it. As they got older and more teeth came out, we made it chunkier. 

-Broccoli 

-Banana

-Chicken and rice

-Potatoes and Sweet Potato

-Carrot 

-Fish

Foods we tried only a couple of times:

Apple - steamed and mashed but it was too harsh on baby's tummy.

Salmon - we gave salmon until we noticed he was getting red hives and got him tested for fish. (Unfortunately, he was found to be allergic to fish)

For snacks

-Vegan banana bread or muffins - can make them yourself with a few ingredients.

-Cucumbers

-Blueberries 

-Snack Seaweed

-Dried mango (our toddler liked sucking on this and it helped on the flight, landing and takeoff with their ears)

-To-go Smoothie pouches - dairy free

-Vegan cheese puffs 

-Corn puffs

As a parent, you learn to pickup on the signs of how often your kids need snacks - hangry behavior, or crying.

It's also recommended to give the same snack for a week and see if you notice any negative reaction. In the case, you suspect allergies, mention this at your baby's next checkup. They can give you a referral to have your child tested for common allergies like egg and milk.

Skin prick test done that re-tested for various existing food allergies.

Good luck and enjoy the food adventures! They're curious and interested in trying everything at this age so go ahead and add flavoring to the meals if you like. Later on they may get more picky!

Don't forget your snacks!

Eatnam Vietnamese Restaurant Stockholm

 

Recommended by a Vietnamese friend, Eatnam, is a Vietnamese restaurant with several locations in Stockholm, Sweden.

We visited the location in Södermalm and it's very accessible with a ramp leading down to the cashier and tables. Great for families and seniors. It's also fine to park strollers outside.

We tried some of our favorite Vietnamese dishes like the Pho Bo (beef), lemongrass pork and egg rolls.

The pork was flavorful and tender. Really good!

The portions were surprisingly larger than we expected and the flavors were delicious!  The orders arrived pretty quickly so if you're hungry, you don't have to wait long for lunch. 

Vietnamese noodle soup or Pho Bo is always a hit with the kids. Make sure you specify NO CHILI and put veggies on the side, if you have picky eaters. You can ask for an extra bowl of plain soup broth if you need. Noodle soup is a great choice to warm you up after being outdoors in the chilly weather. 

The Fried egg rolls order includes 3 egg rolls and lettuce. They were a different style and smaller than expected but also tasty. 

The Vietnamese ice coffee didn't include the coffee filter, so that was a bit disappointing. 

Eatnam also offers Vietnamese sandwiches (Bahn Mi) and other rice noodle dishes on their menu -  more to try for next time!

Delicious Vietnamese food with quick, friendly service, overall, we really enjoyed our dining experience at Eatnam! 

If you're looking for some delish Vietnamese food, and a family-friendly restaurant in Stockholm, definitely checkout an Eatnam location!

Don't forget your snacks!

Eatnam

Sankt Paulsgatan 2, 118 46 Stockholm
Check out their website for locations and hours.

Bröd and Salt Stockholm

With locations around Stockholm, Sweden, Bröd & Salt is a great place for a coffee and snacks.

Along with traditional Swedish pastries, the cafe also offers breakfast items like egg sandwiches and American-style pancakes.

Pizza and weigh-it-yourself salad are some of the items on the lunch menu (Vegetarian pizza was available).

Kids and Grandparents have thankfully enjoyed the breakfast and lunch options! We have stopped at Bröd and Salt after outdoor play to warm up in the winter and sit outdoors in the Spring/Summer!

Of course, the drink menu includes drip coffee, lattes and cappuccinos but also some flavored drinks like the Pistachio Latte and Vanilla latte. Note: Flavors vary depending on the season.

The Bröd & Salt locations we have visited have been pretty spacious with space for strollers or big windows so you can park the stroller outside while you grab your coffee and snack.

'Semla season' at Bröd & Salt! The Swedish cream buns traditionally eaten during Fat Tuesday, are around from January until Easter. The regular Semla and Pistachio Semla are delicious but filling, so if you just want a taste, consider choosing the Mini-Semla.

Check out my past blog on Semla!

Saffransbullar or Saffron buns are available for winter and the Christmas season :)

Bröd & Salt cookie packages are nice to bring and share at Fika or Coffee break! They're even great to send to a friend ;) I have sent a few cookie packages and friends loved them! 😍 

Bröd & Salt offers a presentkort or gift card - a nice gift for anyone who needs a coffee break! A perfect appreciation gift for our hardworking Teachers too!

It's also interesting to mention that Bröd & Salt is a lactose-free bakery since 2011.

If you're in Stockholm, even just for a visit, why not stop in at a Bröd & Salt location for coffee and something sweet, either to sit in or take with you.

Don't forget your snacks!

Bröd & Salt

Hammarby allé 66a, 120 61 Stockholm, Sweden

Check out their website for more about the cafe and bakery.

Gamleby Swedish cabins and campground

We decided to do a short cabin stay as a "getaway" this past Summer in the Swedish town of Gamleby. We found Kustcamp Gamleby online. It wasn't on booking.com, instead you can book your stay directly on their website.

We booked 2 nights and decided if we liked it after checking in, we would extend our stay for 2 more nights.

After arriving, we checked in at the reception, which was the location of the store and restaurant as well. The campground is located next to the water and from reception you have a beautiful view of the beach.

After we got to our little cabin (standard size with 4 beds, 1 bedroom, private bathroom, kitchenette and living room area), we decided we liked the location and relaxing here for a few days would be just perfect.

It's always nice to stay in a place more than one night so you can unpack and settle in. Note: Go through cabin checklist to see if anything is missing before unpacking.

Our cabin was in a row of cabins and faced the RV parking. They blocked our view a bit so that, and having to be aware of when RVs or vehicles drove by because kids were out playing were the only downsides of our cabin location.

There was also a row of cabins next to another RV parking area down the hill. This area had it's own shared kitchen and another playground. The kids enjoyed the playarea and trampoline! 

The campground has a garbage/recycling station for your glass, paper and plastics. 

We stocked our fridge after a visit to the grocery store and meals were also available at the campground restaurant.  

It was great to be able to walk down to a beach as opposed to driving over there. This meant, it was pretty easy to take the kids (especially downhill) to the swimming spot and playground.

We really enjoyed our stay here!! It's also an hour from Astrid Lindgren's Värld, which we visited during our stay. Check out my previous blog post about Astrid Lingren's World. 

If you're looking for a nice family cabin getaway near a beach and near Astrid Lindgren's Värld, definitely consider Gamleby Campground and cabins! 

Don't forget your snacks! Especially for road trips and cabin stays!

Kustcamp Gamleby

Bookings can be made on their website

We called to confirm our booking and the staff were very helpful.

Astrid Lindgrens Värld

Past Blog post 

(Open from May to August)

Cafe Cloud Stockholm

Cafe Cloud is a nice waterfront cafe located in the Stockholm neighborhood of Hammarby Sjöstad.

With a kids menu and even kids toys, this cafe is a great option for fika or lunch with or without the kids.

Dogs are also welcome and they have "HundFika" or Dog treats and water available for them.

In the summer, there is plenty of outdoor seating but for winter, all of the seating is indoors. 

The cafe also provides some co-working spaces so depending on the day and time of the day, the restaurant can get busy. 

Beautiful waterfront views!

If there is space, strollers can be brought  indoors otherwise, they can be parked outside near the door.

Delicious cakes and treats!

Fika with Kids! 

We've visited the Cafe several times with kids and we have had good experiences each time. Fika or Coffee time with kids is possible at this Cafe! Cafe Cloud has previously had drawing paper and crayons and usually have a box of toys for the kids. 

Cafe Cloud also offers various kids menu options and pretty good portion sizes as well. However, the juice boxes are 25kr, so a bit more than other places.

It's a perfect cafe to sit out and enjoy the views with or without kids ;)

Overall, this is a really great place to stop in for a break after a nice walk or outdoor play!

It's always nice to support local businesses too! 

Takeaway is available as well! 

Don't forget your snacks!

Cafe Cloud

Babordsgatan 25

120 64 Stockholm, SWEDEN

Check out their website for hours

Delivery also available on Foodora