Beyoncé in Stockholm Mom's Night Out

Opening to a packed arena full of fans from Sweden and around the world, Beyoncé kicked off her Renaissance Tour in Stockholm, Sweden!!

Stunning visuals, talented dancers, and glittery outfits, Queen Bey put on quite a show at Friends Arena in Solna, Sweden.

The show started with some old tracks  before performing tracks from her new Renaissance album!

I was so lucky to attend her first solo concert in years. Beyoncé herself said it was 4 years in the making!

My co-pilot put the kids to bed while I actually had a night off! Early Mother's Day gift for me.

Here are some photos from Beyoncé's amazing show!

Futuristic Bee Suit 🐝 

Queen Bey takes flight to finish the show with "Summer Renaissance"!

It was a very late night on a "School Night" but it was incredible!

I was so thirsty at the end of the night. There were food trucks in the floor area but lines were too long! Even just leaving the arena took about 30min as everyone filed out taking their final photos of the arena and ice horse ;)

What a concert! What will you do on your next night off? Whatever it is... enjoy!!

Don't forget your snacks! 

Waxholms Hotell Stockholm Archipelago

 

When you feel like a getaway but don't want to venture too far... why not consider a stay on the Stockholm Archipelago.

We stayed at Waxholms Hotell, conveniently located right by the ferry stop, Vaxholm Hotellkajen.

To get to to the hotel, you go by ferry (an hour ferry ride to the island) or it's 30min drive from Stockholm.

The hotel stay includes a delicious breakfast buffet and offers several packages when you book a room. We opted for the "Archipelago Package" which included a delicious 3-course dinner for the adults.

For the little ones, there is a Kids dinner menu with a few choices for an additional cost. The kids can choose from Pancakes, Steak and Fries or Swedish Meatballs. 

The food, including the kids meals, were delicious! The service at the restaurant was excellent as well. The server was very helpful, attentive and patient.

For the first course I chose the shrimp röra (like a seafood spread). It was delicious! 

Second course was steak! 

Dessert course! It was a delicious chocolate cake.

Side note: It was an interesting experience dining in a fancy restaurant with the little ones. We barely got to sit down all together though, as each kid needed to be taken out of the restaurant a couple of times... but that's what's it like with kids! Parenthood!

Another nice thing about our visit was the use of the Sauna free of charge! This must be booked ahead of time and each booking is for 1 hour. This is a private booking. It was a perfect way to end the evening! 

The sauna time was something we looked forward to and really enjoyed!

We had a great view from our room on the 3rd floor. There is an elevator if needed, but we got our workout on the stairs (and even carried the kids a couple of times).

Our room was perfect for a family stay with the sofa-bed and main bed! 

Regarding checkout, if you're like us and often slow moving in the morning, don't worry, although check out is 11:00am, you can ask for a later checkout to avoid the stress.

The views of the Archipelago were beautiful  and we really enjoyed our little getaway. The hotel staff were friendly and helpful. They replied quickly to my questions before our stay. And of course, the restaurant staff were amazing!

Delicious breakfast buffet served in the restaurant and fantastic views! 

We would definitely recommend a stay at Waxholms Hotel on your visit to Waxholm!

Don't forget your snacks!

Waxholms Hotel

Hamngatan 2, 185 32 Vaxholm

Check out their website for more info. 

There's a great little Gelato place right next to the hotel as well! Perfect to grab some ice cream and sit and watch the boats come in!

Glass på Hornet

Hamngatan 2, 185 32 Vaxholm

They post some updates on their Facebook page.

Cherry blossoms in Stockholm!

Signs of Spring...flowers, sunshine, the bears waking up at outdoor museum Skansen, and definitely the cherry blossoms!

It has been a long winter, we have been waiting for Spring! Happy that it has finally arrived in Stockholm!

 

Enjoy the spring weather and the blossoms in your neighborhood too!

Don't forget your snacks! 

Sturebadet Marina Tower Stockholm Sweden

Everyone needs a break every once in awhile, especially us parents! Why not a break for some spa time, at a place like Sturebadet Marina Tower!

Located by Saltsjöqvarnskaj at Elite Hotel,  Sturebadet Marina Tower is even accessible by ferry from Stockholm city.

Check in at reception, then head to the locker room to get ready for the spa. Shampoo, body wash and conditioner are all available for you to use. A Hair dryer is available for those who need one too.

While you wait for your treatment, you can sit and enjoy some complimentary nuts, dried fruit and tea in the waiting area. Note: Treatments like a massage include 3 hours of spa time. 

It's a nice touch to provide some snacks for spa customers!

You can also order other snacks and coffee but if you'd like lunch, you need to go to the Elite hotel restaurant. 

The spa area includes a pool, jacuzzi, Swedish sauna and Haman (Turkish style sauna).

On a weekday afternoon, it is less busy but note that prices depend on time and day of the week with Friday and the weekends costing a bit more.

There is a lot of space in both sauna areas so they can accommodate a number of people. 

It was our first experience at the Hamam sauna and the steam was intense! It really cleared the sinuses!

Hamam Turkish-style sauna at Sturebadet Marina Tower.

We had a really relaxing time at the spa not just for our tired muscles but also a great mental break. It was perfect to go when it wasn't crowded so we didn't need to wait long for the jacuzzi or be in a crowded pool. 

If you're looking for a quiet place to relax and re-energize, checkout the Sturebadet at Marina Tower. Everyone deserves some down time! We will definitely be back!

Don't forget your snacks! 

Sturebadet Marina Tower

Saltsjöqvarns kaj 25, 131 71 Nacka

Check out their website for treatments and opening hours.

Kafe Rang Stockholm Sweden

It's always great to have so many nicecafes in the city and neighborhood and Kafe Rang is definitely one of our favorites.

Located in the neighborhood of Hammarby Sjöstad,  the cafe offers delicious fika, breakfast and lunch options.

"Avocado and egg" breakfast sandwich

Located right by Luma park, it's a great place to grab a hot drink to-gp, or relax and sit at the cafe (outdoor seating is available during the spring and summer).

Fish truck at Luma Square, a perfect spot to see the cherry blossoms!

We have stopped in to pickup some coffee and snacks for the kids and it is definitely family-friendly. However, it can get pretty busy on the weekends as it's popular for breakfast/brunch. With bigger groups it's nice that they have some booth tables in the cafe too. 

If you are out at Luma Park or walking in the neighborhood of Sjöstan, grab a snack or warm up with a hot drink at Kafe Rang! You'll find friendly staff, and a lovely, bright open seating area. Kafe Rang has multiple locations around Stockholm, perfect for Swedish Fika.

Don't forget your snacks!

KAFE RANG

Hammarby allé 62A, 120 61 Stockholm

Check out their website for more info and locations around the city.

Kids and Allergies

 ....surprise, they're allergic... Kids and allergies can be scary especially when it's something you didn't know they were allergic to.

My little ones, unfortunately, both have allergies. 

My daughter who outgrew her egg allergy at 2.5 years old has a mild nut allergy to peanuts and cashews (pistachios too since they're related). We've known about her nut allergy since she was a toddler so we have avoided those nuts since. We found out about her cashew allergy from eating pesto! Apparently the "cheaper" pestos use cashews!

Recently, when we were out eating with friends at a cafe, my daughter tried a spinach pie. She's had spinach pie before and has had no reaction, however this pie had some sunflower and pumpkin seeds on it. After eating a few bites she started complaining her throat was bothering her, she couldn't swallow and tongue was itchy.

I didn't have any anti-histamines with me but we went down the block to buy some from the pharmacy. Thankfully, there was one just down the street. After she had it with water she was feeling better. (The pharmacy staff were also very helpful!)

Later that night, she threw up everything she had eaten. It was a delayed reaction :(

I asked for her to be tested for seed allergies and we found out she is allergic to pumpkin seeds. Now that we know, we can avoid this and inform her school as well. 

I'll definitely remember to bring some anti-histamines for emergencies on our future outings.

It's nice to have a Vegan Grocery store and cafe in the city to find some allergy friendly snacks and treats! Check out my past blog on the Goodstore.

Don't forget your snacks! (Allergy friendly for kids who have allergies!)

Volca Cafe

Hantverkargatan 8, 112 21 Stockholm

Thank you to Volca Cafe who sent me the ingredients of the Spinach pie right after I contacted them. They even said to let them know if there's anything else they can help with!

Their coffee and snacks are amazing! So check them out if you're in Stockholm :) 

Goodstore

Åsögatan 116, 116 24 Stockholm

6 Best Fika places in Stockholm

When in Sweden, don't forget to enjoy a fika or a coffee and something sweet! It's a Swedish tradition, whether at work, with friends or relaxing on your own! 

Check out the Best Fika places in Stockholm! A video collab with Gutom.ca! 

Have you tried any of these Swedish cafes? 

Don't forget your snacks!