A Modern Mother

A glimpse into the future

2013-05-12T06:44:02+01:00

It's quiet this morning. None of the usual arguing over shoes and hair bands. No asking for pancakes. No un-flushed toilets. Just silence, sweetened occasionally by late spring chirps. A clock ticking, car whirring, tummy rumbling.

Waiting.

The girls were all away this weekend. The youngest two at Brownie camp (oh the tears, that's a whole other story) and the eldest at a sleepover.

I wonder. Have I somehow opened a door to my future? I've never really thought about what life will be like, when they leave. I lie. Of course I've thought about it. They are only young once you know! But I've never properly thought about it.

Have you?

Maybe I'm not quite ready to go there. Surely I've got 10 years of shoe arguments in store? I'm guessing boyfriend ones too.

Finally a text comes: We had great fun today BMXing and abseiling off a tall tower this afternoon. Just had tea and off to a campfire. The girls are really enjoying their first Brownie adventure.

BMXing? Abseiling?

Still, I wonder. Is this a glimpse into what's to come?

PS - after briefly wallowing in sorrow, hubby and I took the opportunity take a walk in nearby Bluebell woods (see pic) and stop by a pub!

Making memories at the West Bay Club, Isle of Wight

2013-05-09T10:58:45+01:00

The Modern Family was kindly invited to check out the West Bay Club luxury self catering accommodation on the Isle of Wight. Not having been to the IOW in a few years, we were curious what kind of memories an active family with a 8, 9 and 11-year-old could create!

It's always a bit stressful packing up a car with three kids. Did we have snacks? (we were leaving right after school, and the girls would be starving). Did we pack everything? I put my sun glasses in my bag, just in case. We decided no screens, even for the car journey. This was met with a moan.

There wasn't much to see until we got to the New Forest, where we spotted loads of cute ponies on the side of the road. This started quite a conversation: What are baby ponies called? What's a mare? And what is the difference between and colt and a foal?

The holiday really started on the ferry. We arrived at Lymington an hour early and were whisked on the next boat. We found comfortable, sunny seats next to a floor to ceiling window. As we left shore, we watched the bobbing harbour boats get smaller and smaller and we slowly shed mainland stress and got into proper holiday mode.

The West Bay Club is just a few minutes drive from the ferry landing in Yarmouth. They are second home ‘New England’ style cottages set in 29 acres of landscaped grounds. There's a Country Club complete
with Spa, tennis, squash and badminton courts, a gorgeous heated indoor O-zone (low chlorine) swimming pool, and every type of fitness class you could ever want to take (think Zumba, Junior Tae Kwon Do, Water Polo, Racquetball and wet n' wild in the pool with inflatables.)

We stayed in a 3-bedroom Whitfield cottage, which has two large double rooms and third with a single bed. The cottage is compact, but beautifully decorated with a fully equipped kitchen (and wifi!). Vehicles are limited to the car park, and there are wide open lawns
with winding paths. This allowed us to give the girls a tremendous amount of independence in a safe, controlled environment.

As we unpacked I opened the fridge to find a pre-ordered home cooked cottage pie waiting to be popped into the oven and some essentials like IOW milk and butter and fresh local bread, jam and tea. We opened the sliding glass door on to the deck overlooking the green and the girls scootered around the grounds and kicked a football while dinner cooked. Meanwhile hubby and I enjoyed a glass of wine. What a nice start to the weekend!

The West Bay Club is a great place to stay and enjoy all the outdoor activities the Isle of Wight famously has to offer. On site you can take advantage of the leisure facilities and classes or a range of activities such as tennis lessons with a Pro, guided cycling or walking tours or just relax in the Country Club (there are nice loungers by the pool).

The staff are very friendly and full of local knowledge. Our most memorable activities of the weekend were suggestions from staff. Hayley shared her favourite crabbing spot. Louise gave us tips for the best place for a fresh crab dinner. And Stan showed us his secret spot for rock pooling. Locals always know best and this really made our trip special.

Highlights Include:

1. Drive down Military Road to Steephill Cove. We took the picturesque coastal Military Road (A3055) from Freshwater to Ventnor, parked in the Botanic Garden car park and walked down to Steephill Cove. What a find! The Telegraph called it the Island's timeless hideaway. The cove oozes character; there were stripy beach chairs for hire, a crab shack where you can eat shellfish caught that day by the fisherman who lives in the Cove, and a coffee shop and cafe. Hubby and I had a coffee and carrot cake while the girls explored in the rock pools.

2. Cycling from West Bay Club to Yarmouth to Freshwater Bay. To sight see and get some exercise, we went on a three-hour (!) guided bike tour through Yarmouth and the estuaries to Freshwater Bay. The ride was gorgeous, giving us up close views of water and bird life and we really felt like we explored some of the Island's backwaters. Hats off to tri-Athlete Stan, whose job was to guide our family of varying cycling abilities. He encouraged our 8-year-old to make it through to the end. That's Stan with our youngest doing a "Victory" pose! Six miles is a long way for little legs.

3. Crabbing at Newton Saltmarsh. We picked up a few crabbing kits from the West Bay Shop and headed over to the bridge at Newton Saltmarsh. We had no idea what we were doing, but a few local kayakers pointed us in the right direction and showed us how to use the kits (though, they informed us, you really only need a long string, bacon, a weight and net). After baiting up, we perched on the bridge and threw in our lines and quickly had four crabs (!) After watching them swim around in our bucket of seawater, we let them race down the slipway. What fun!

4. Picnic at Freshwater Bay. The West Bay Club Coffee House made us fresh sandwiches and we set out our picnic blanket on the rocks at Freshwater Bay. The fog was just starting to lift and we were the only ones on the beach. After lunch the girls took their pocket money to the shop and bought Isle of Wight rock and friendship bracelets for their friends.

5. Dinner at the New Inn in Shafleet. Think oldly worldly pub with fresh local crab, lobster and New Zealand Chardonnay. Awarded IOW Dining pub of the year 2012. I ordered the seafood platter, with 1/2 lobster, 1/2 crab, prawns, smoked salmon, salad and crusty bread from a local bakery. Hubby had a cracked crab salad and the girls ordered from the children's menu which included gnocchi, sausage and chips and ham and fried egg (local of course). Did I mention the New Zealand Chardonnay?

6. A treatment at the West Bay Spa. One of the best spas on the island, The West Bay Spa is open to anyone who wants to relax! I had a Holistic Back, Face and Scalp Treatment while the girls each had mini pedicures. First we tested essential oils to make sure I had a positive emotional reaction. I picked the energising blend of rosemary, eucalyptus and peppermint. My treatment included a back exfoliation, lots of warms towels, back massage and ended with a watercress scalp massage. The girls popped in to show me their toes - blue, glittery gold and lipstick pink. Hubby
picked them up and took them to the shop, and I stayed and enjoyed the sauna, steam and relaxation rooms.

Good holidays make great memories and this IOW trip is right up at the top of our list. Before the end of the holiday, my youngest declared she wanted to live at the West Bay Club. "Right here, in this house mummy!"

If you go:

The West Bay Club Halletts Shute, Yarmouth, Isle of Wight PO41 0RJ 01983 760355 www.westbayclub.co.uk A three-night break starts from £261, based on a one bedroom cottage. Includes ferry crossing.

The West Bay Club Spa Halletts Shute, Yarmouth, Isle of Wight PO41 0RJ 01983 760355 Full service Spa with sauna, steam and relaxation rooms. Aromatherapy massages are very reasonably priced: 55 minutes for £48 and 25 minutes for £32. Sure beats London prices.

The West Bay Coffee House Halletts Shute, Yarmouth, Isle of Wight PO41 0RJ 01983 760355 Drinks and light snacks 8.30 - 10 pm. Relaxing sitting area with comfortable sofas that look onto the pool. We were there every evening after dinner - the girls swam and we had a glass of wine and caught up with the papers.

The West Bay Deli/Shop Halletts Shute, Yarmouth, Isle of Wight PO41 0RJ 01983 760355 It's open limited hours, but what a find! Free range eggs from a local farm, £1.40, Freshly baked bread from bakery, £1.70, Rock pooling Net, £1.50. Frisbee, 90p. Sparkly bracelet, 40p. I bought breakfast essentials and the girls had a blast perusing the trinkets and spending their pocket money.

Ventnor Botanic Garden Undercliff Dr Ventnor PO38 1UL 01983 855397 www.botanic.co.uk Nice gift shop and tea rooms. Plus 21 acres of gardens.

Steephill Cove www.steephillcove-isleofwight.co.uk One of the most secluded and picturesque coastal areas of the Isle of Wight. Park at the Ventnor Botanic Garden Car Park in Ventnor. Follow the path which runs past Ventnor Cricket Academy and take the steps down into the cove. Try lobster/crab fresh off the boat at The Crab Shed or have a coffee or light lunch at The Beach Shack.

Newton National Nature Reserve. The only National Trust nature reserve on the island. Go crabbing on the bridge at the saltmarsh, no one is there except kayakers and crabs. How to get there.

Colwell Bay. Good for crabbing and rocking pooling. Watch the tide schedule and go when it's out. Bring a net and wear trainers!

Freshwater Bay. www.freshwater.shalfleet.net Small cove on the west of the Island which is overlooked by steep chalk cliffs. There's a small gift shop, car park and toilets.

The New Inn Mill Rd Newport, Shalfleet, Newport, Isle of Wight PO30 4NS 01983 531314 thenew-inn.co.uk FANTASTIC food. It's a pub, with loads of fresh fish, crab and lobster. Perfect with a glass of chardonnay.

Salty's Restuarant and Bar. Quay Street, Yarmouth PO41 0PB, Isle of Wight England 01983-761550. saltysrestaurant.co.uk What could beat lobster and chips?

The Garlic Farm Mersley Ln Sandown, Isle of Wight PO36 0NR 01983 865378 www.thegarlicfarm.co.uk Everything garlic. I didn't go, but my colleague Jen raves about this place.

Notes: Our accommodation and some activity costs were provided by West Bay Club for the purposes of this review. All opinions are mine and my families'.

Expat conversations at Tesco's Fresh & Easy

2013-04-06T18:02:04+01:00

Tesco's Fresh & Easy has been in the news lately, having failed to capture the US market. Some say the Tesco formula just didn't translate. I found myself there recently, in search of mint sauce.

After passing through the produce section, and stocking up on Peeps from the Easter display, I finally found the British food aisle. Taking up a mere 6' by 5' section of shelving, it contained an all star list of British packaged foods. I immediately started checking out what they had, mentally comparing prices. Marmite was $5.49 (a bit much), Colmans mustard was $2.99 (not bad), Heinz Beans were $1.49 (an absolute bargain).

"I wish they had more," the blonde tan woman standing next to me offered. At first I couldn't make out her accent, then she spoke again. "The Oxo is really expensive, you can get that in England for much less." Ah, I thought, she's Northern.

I eyed the Oxo, with exchange rates the price looked pretty reasonable. I wondered how long this woman had lived in the US. "I came to get some mint sauce," I responded, "we're having roast lamb for Easter".

"I love roast lamb, but no one likes it here", she said wistfully, reaching to the left, magically producing a jar of mint sauce for me. It was a brand I didn't recognise, but hey, it was real mint sauce. Not the lurid green mint jelly I had to serve last Easter.

My new expat friend gazed longingly at the small aisle. "I like lemon curd, but sometimes I make my own. Do you like lemon curd?" She didn't look at me as she spoke, instead locking eyes with at the foods of her past. I found myself doing the same thing. We must have been a sight. Two women staring blankly at Paxo Stuffing, lost in thought, connected by an imported food aisle.

Are you from here or there, she asked. She must have had the same trouble working out my accent. After two decades in the UK, I have a hard time understanding myself! "I was born in the US, but have lived in the UK for nearly 20 years".

"I've been here 40! I smiled back at her, noticing a few line near her eyes, surrendering to her expat seniority. "Do you have kids", she asked. "I wish I had taken my kids back when they were young. They're grown now. I wish they had British accents."

Another tan woman stopped at the aisle (everyone's tan here). She grabbed some Branston Pickle ($3.99) and left. I have no idea if she was American or British. Maybe she was Australian.

It's record cold there, I reminded my expat friend.

"I wouldn't know how to dress for the cold weather!" She was wearing pink running shorts and a tank top.

I mentioned that Fresh & Easy might be closing, but she either didn't hear me, or chose not to respond.

"What they need here is some Birds custard."

Best places to view San Francisco's Bay Lights sculpture

2013-04-06T17:57:00+01:00

Each time we visit my parents in California we make a point to go into nearby San Francisco, and this year I wanted to make sure we saw the new Bay Lights Sculpture.

Designed by New York artist Leo Villareal, the Bay Lights Sculpture is a public art display of 25,000 LED lights on the western span of the San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge.

The show commences at dusk and the lights dance, pulse and glitter till 2 am. The computer-generated display shows non-repeating patterns of fish, clouds, fog, waves, cars and trucks, and it's spectacular!

The art installation cost $8 million and was created by The Bay Lights. Its isfunded by private donations - they are looking for funding to keep it going until 2015.

Scottish hubby wanted to just drive along the Embarcadero to watch the light show, but I thought it would be nice to view while having dinner. We settled on Sinbads Pier II, which is just about the closet dining you can get without being on a boat. The restaurant is tired, expensive, and serves mediocre food, but you can't beat the bay bridge view from nearly every table. PLUS, they have valet parking ($5). You could always skip dinner and just have a Mai Tai at the bar.

There are other restaurants on the Embarcadero, including the Waterbar and EPIC Roasthouse, which look like they would have good views too.

Of course, you can always bundle up and walk along the Embarcadeo Promenade or hangout out on Pier 7.

Go behind the scenes of the Bay Lights project and find out more.

IF YOU GO:

Sinbads Pier II Restaurant. 141 The Embarcadero San Francisco, CA 94111 (415) 781-2555 The restaurant is tired and the food is pricey and won't win any Michelin stars, but they offer great views from nearly every table.

EPIC Roasthouse. 369 The Embarcadero San Francisco, CA 94105 (415) 369-995 www.epicroasthouse.com

Waterbar. 399 The Embarcadero San Francisco, CA 94105 (415) 284-9922 www.waterbarsf.com

Pier 7. The Embarcadero San Francisco, CA 94199 Yelp reviews. Dress warmly!

Embarcadero Promenade Public Walkway from the Bay Bridge to the San Francisco Ferry Building
San Francisco, CA

The Modern Family visits the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco

2013-04-06T17:53:23+01:00

The California Academy of Sciences is a must see if you are visiting San Francisco. It combines a natural history museum, planetarium, aquarium, research and education programmes all under one (living) roof. The purpose is to engage all ages and backgrounds on two of the most important topics of our time: life and its sustainability.

The exhibit changes frequently, and each time we visit we see something new. We were invited to visit as guests of the CAS on this trip and the girls came back revved up about science. They also have become Earthquake experts!

Top tips:

Read the map before you go and plan your day. We wanted to see Earthquake, the Planetarium, the butterflies in the Rainforest and the Living Roof;
Parking can be tricky, arrive near opening if you'd like to use one of the car parks, otherwise be prepared to walk!
If plan to visit the Planetarium, head over there as soon as you arrive and get your ticket for your preferred show time, they can run out;
School breaks and weekends are the busiest - visit mid-week if you can;
Avoid the free Wednesdays - it's a zoo!

Our favourite exhibits:

Earthquake

After learning about the science behind earthquakes including plate tectonics, you can watch a short video about how earth land masses have evolved, and then experience the 1906 and 1989 earthquakes for yourself!

Here we are "being moved" by an earthquake simulation. The exhibit sparked all sorts of questions fro the girls: Was I was in California for the 1989 earthquake? (yes) Did I feel it? (yes) What did I do? (stood under doorway)

Rainforests of the World

A living four-story rainforest set in a 90-foot diameter glass dome. You can follow a circular path up through the exhibit and experience what it's like be in a real rainforest in Borneo, Madagascar, Costa Rica and the Amazon. Temperatures are maintained at 82-85 degrees Fahrenheit, and humidity is maintained at 75% via a misting system.

This is a must just to see the butterflies, but this exhibit especially resonated with my oldest, who is writing a school report on Orangutans from Borneo. She learned all about deforestation and how it can lead to extinction.

Steinhart Aquarium

The Steinhart Aquarium has 38,000 live animals from around the world, representing more than 900 separate species. You can see African penguins, sharks and stingrays, and even a set of teeth on a piranha.

The Rainforest exit lets you off right in the middle of the Aquarium, and we spent some time in the Northern California Coast Gallery exhibits, and then stopped in the Discovery Tidepool so the girls could touch a starfish!

Living Roof

This is one of my favourite places to visit. It's always nice to escape the buzz of the indoor exhibits and go outside into the bright sunshine, and it's amazing to discover the museum roof is a 2.5 acre expanse of native California plants and a habitat for bees, birds, butterflies and other wildlife.

Foucault Pendulum

Need proof that the earth spins? The Foucault Pendulum is a giant swinging sphere, where the force of gravity keeps the ball swinging back and forth while the planet spins. The pendulum paths moves ever so slightly with each rotation and knocks down pins. It's fascinating.

My girls can spend hours (OK, minutes) gazing at this from all aspects waiting for the pins to be knocked down.

Morrison Planetarium

The world's largest all digital planetarium, which includes commentary from very knowledgeable presenters. Shows recommended from age 7, you need a show pass (available on a first come, first served basis) make sure you pick it up early.

We saw "EARTHQUAKE: EVIDENCE OF A RESTLESS PLANET" which was fabulous and a nice complement to the Earthquake exhibit. Here's a little preview.

Dining

Academy Café offers a multicultural menu designed to appeal to appetites of all ages. Signature highlights include spring rolls, paninis, tacos and fresh pastries.

We picked one station: Noodles! We had BBQ pork vermieclli, pasta wth ham and cheese, and a hot dog. the girls picked fresh lemonade and it was homemade and thirst quenching. We've eaten here a few times. The food is consistenly very good, though the lines can be long, slightly confusing and there's a need for more seating.

There's also a fine dining option, The Moss Room, which looks fabulous.

Coming soon:

In the excitement leading up to the Americas Cup races, visit Built for Speed, a new exhibit opening on May 10 which explores sailfish, squid and other swift ocean animals.

They also have a cool sleepover programme: Penguins and Pajamas (Why count sheep when you could count geckos, butterflies, sharks, and penguins?)

If you go:

California Academy of Sciences, www.calacademy.org 55 Music Concourse Dr San Francisco, CA 94118 (415) 379-8000 Twitter @calacademy. Admission to the Academy is: $29.95 for adults; $24.95 for youth ages 12 to 17, Seniors ages 65+, and students with valid ID; $19.95 for children ages 4 to 11; and free for children ages 3 and younger. Admission fees include all exhibits and shows. Hours are 9:30 am - 5:00 pm Monday - Saturday, and 11:00 am - 5:00 pm on Sunday.

If you have time:

Also visit nearby Twin Peaks, two hills in the center of the city where you can catch FABULOUS panoramic views of San Francisco. It's a bit windy to get there, but well worth the drive. Don't bother visiting if it is foogy, you won't see anything! 501 Twin Peaks Blvd (between Burnett Ave & Christmas Tree Point Rd) San Francisco, CA 94114 FREE. Read the Trip Advisor reviews.

A Modern Mother goes spring skiing at Dodge Ridge!

2013-03-31T14:59:22+01:00

The Modern Family snuck in some California Spring skiing this Easter break at Dodge Ridge, a cosy family resort tucked in the Sierra's between Tahoe and Yosemite.

Dodge Ridge is where I learned to ski in the 70s. It's the closest snow to where I grew up in the Bay Area, and if a recent storm had dumped snow at the resort (it's the lowest elevation of the Sierra resorts, opening later in the season and closing first) my father would take us skiing! He'd bundle us all into our mustard yellow station wagon at 6 in the morning and drive three hours to get there in time for the 9 am opening. We'd ski all day, and then head home when the resort closed in the afternoon, stopping at McDonalds for dinner and falling asleep in rush hour traffic.

Such fun memories! I remember my dad lining us up in the parking lot and lacing up (yes, it was that long ago) my boots, AND my four siblings.

We'd bring bologna and peanut/jelly sandwiches, chips and sodas and have a picnic in the car park.

I got to be quite good at skiing, and loved whooshing around to the resort, which offers a really good variety of trials from beginner to double black diamonds. Even waiting in the lift queues was quite cool - listening to Stairway to Heaven and AC/DC blasting in the background. Oh how I wished we lived locally so we could do this every day after school!

My girls are now 8, 9 and 10, and we hadn't been skiing for a few years so we were keen to get them on skis (apparently skiing is making a comeback).

Skiing's a sport that you either really love, or hate, and it's all based on your experience and memories.

We picked Dodge Ridge over Tahoe for a few reasons: it was the closest resort, it's smaller than Tahoe (and less expensive), and it caters well to families.

We arrived on a Tuesday at lunchtime in time for half day lessons for the girls. Midweek is a great time to go, there were just a handful of people there and we got a price break on lift tickets. We could ski up to the lifts and get right on.

The kids ski school option is very economical, you get rentals, lift ticket, instruction and snacks/lunch. We ended up taking this option over the three days. The girls fell in love with their instructors, who took them from level 1 beginners to level 4 mastering the mountain in just two and a half days!

After skiing, we headed to our accommodation, McCaffrey House Bed & Breakfast, which was about a 20 minute drive. Stephanie and Michael McCaffrey quit their Silicon Valley lifestyle nearly 18 years ago to move to the Sierras and open their B&B. The guest house is a great find, and my new favourite place to stay! Think staying at your grandparents house, including two kid-friendly pet dogs, Blue (pictured at right) and Finnigan. The five of us were in a family room that was partially separated by a wall, with a double bed on one side, and twins on the other. Stephanie brought in an air mattress to accommodate our third child. We settled in just in time to catch the 5 pm wine hour, where you can sip a glass of red or white, nibble on cheese and crackers, and chat with the owners.

Stephanie and Michael have menus from the local restaurants, and after a glass of wine, we settled on The Rock, a pub that served ribs, burgers, fish & chips. On Tuesdays they have an all you can eat rib special, unfortunately they ran out of ribs as we arrived, but not to fear, we opted for El Jardin, a Mexican restaurant that was just across the road.

On Wednesday we woke up to our "skiers breakfast" which the girls loved: Bread pudding, local sausages, and lots of fresh fruit including apples, bananas, strawberries and oranges. This set us up nicely for a full day of skiing, wine hour, and The Rock for ribs (they had plenty this time).

Hubby and I took Thursday off from skiing, but the girls were keen to be back in ski school and see if they could make it to level 4.

We dropped the them off at ski school, headed back down to check out of our accommodation, and then stopped at Alicia's Sugar Shack in Sugar Pine, to get a cappuccino and pastry. What a find! The place was packed with locals and Alicia explained how she made everything from scratch, including the lemon curd (don't miss the lemon sweet cheese, it's her favourite).

We headed back up to the resort and checked in on the girls and were thrilled to see our youngest going down Gentle Ben, a Blue run. We picked up lunch (I got a Chicken Burger and my husband got clam chowder, it was OK) and settled in the sun on the deck that overlooked the slopes. I smiled when I heard the 70s music blasting in the background. The resort has free wifi, and I called my parents via FaceTime, reversed the camera and gave them a tour of the resorted we visited as a family all those years ago.

What a trip! By the end of the three days, our girls moved from beginners to level 4 and were skiing the same blue/intermediate slopes as mum and dad!

We had varied weather, everything from sunshine, to rain, to sleet, snow and hail! Thankfully it was mainly sunshine.

Snow coverage was patchy in areas, but very ski-able and very fun.

The girls skied until the lifts closed, and were high on skiing when they greeted us.

Our youngest proclaimed skiing her favourite sport. The only problem is, she noted, is that you need snow to do it!

They quickly commited us to going again next year.

Here's a short video of me and hubby skiing:

IF YOU GO:

Dodge Ridge, 1 Dodge Ridge Rd Pinecrest, CA 95364 (209) 965-3474, www.dodgeridge.com Follow them on Twtter @DodgeRidge

McCaffrey House Bed & Breakfast, 23251 Hwy. 108, Twain Harte. (209) 586-0757 or (888) 586-0757; www.mccaffreyhouse.com. Bed and breakfast rooms start at $139, including a fabulous breakfast

The Sportsman Coffee Shop, 22978 Joaquin Gully Rd Twain Harte, CA 95383, (209) 586-5448 www.sportsmantwainharte.com Old fashioned diner with bacon, eggs and hot chocolate with whipped cream that will make kids eyes pop.

El Jardin, 2297 Joaquin Gully Rd,Twain Harte, CA 95383 (209) 586-1898 Menu Mexican food with daily specials, including fish tacos.

The Rock, 23068 Fuller Rd Twain Harte, CA 95383 (209) 586-2080 www.rockoftwainharte.com Ribs, burgers, fish & chips and lots of beer.

Alicia's Sugar Shack, 24191 Hwy. 108, Sugar Pine, (209) 586-5400; www.aliciassugarshack.com. Coffe bistro style cappuccinos, homemade pastries and sandwiches.

On being bossy, pelvic floor and pampering

2013-03-31T14:48:57+01:00

The last few months have been a bit, erm, stressful. We launched a new BritMums site (why do projects you think are easy peasy get bigger and bigger?), one of my friends said I was BOSSY (??) and my pelvic floor keeps giving out on me (don't laugh).

But all changed when I opened my email and Nick offered me a complimentary PAMPER DAY from Experience Days. I nearly lost my pelvic floor. How did you know, Nick?

I quickly went to check out the web site. Experience Days offer all kinds of activities. Fancy a photo shoot? Driving a McLaren? Driving an Articulated Lory! Or how about some clay pigeon shooting, daaarling.

Being realistic, I checked what was near my home (you can search by region).The most appealing activites to me were Pamper Days and Gourmet (I was seriously tempted by cocktail making and baking and cake decorating).

What did I settle on? This Extravagent Spa Day: "Relax and unwind in an ultra contemporary and vibrant spa. Enjoy full use of the facilities as well as two treatments. Let your hair down and treat yourself (YES) or a loved one at one of Berkshire's most vibrant spas."

The gift card arrived and was nicely presented in a black folder, with more information about my treatment (and my name was spelt correctly!)

Finally my big day came. I headed over to the Espirit Fitness & Spa, at the local Holiday Inn. I have to admit at being pleasantly surprised by the quality of the Spa. It turns out the Holiday Inn Reading is a four star property catering to local IT businesses, and it was modern, clean and very posh.

The nice (and buff) Eastern European gentleman at the desk gave me a key to my locker, which had slippers, white terry cloth robe and towel.

The treatment room was modern. I had a Dermologica facial and full body massage. My therapist talked me through the whole treatment (I like to focus on back neck and shoulders as people usually hold a lot of stress there). Yes! How did she know?

After the treatment I tried the steam room (with a starry night ceiling!) and Finnish sauna, then collapsed in one of the cushioned lounges in the sun. I eyed the gorgeous 19 meter indoor swimming pool, but really, couldn't move out of the lounge chair.

The spa prices were very reasonable (the same as a local therapist I use at Physio) BUT you also get full use of the facilities, a big plus. I think I may go back next time I get stressed out.

As for Experience Days, I think I may use the service again too. It's a great gift, with lots of choice, and comes nicely packaged. We give away lots of competition prizes at BritMums, and you may just see one of these soon!

The one where Marco Pierre White came to my house

2013-03-02T08:33:10+00:00

Ever had a dream where everything is a bit surreal and out of context? Missing a train to a city you've never been to? Giving a speech naked to 500 pharmacists? Having tea in your home with a random celebrity?

Wednesday was a bit like that.

At BritMums, we've been working with the Lean on Turkey folks, including arranging a Google+ Hangout with Marco Pierre White! We wanted a kitchen environment, so I suggested we use my newly renovated kitchen (still planning to blog about that) as the setting. I didn't think they would agree!

The PR agency said to make sure I had fresh coffee, tea and cakes. That stressed me out a bit. Should I make something? Filter coffee? Cafetiere? I ended up going down to the local Mason Blanc and getting a plateful of pastries. I was paranoid about BT letting us down with the Internet and had all sorts of backup plans with neighbours. I also went around hiding all my Gordon Ramsey books!

So Wednesday morning up rolls Marco in his Range Rover, accompanied by his manager and driver.

He walked in, was very pleasant, then sat down AT MY KITCHEN TABLE and asked for a cup of tea.

We talked about pubs (he knows one in nearly every area), wine (he doesn't drink it! He loves British food and thinks that beer is the best accompaniment), and of course turkey (more flavourful than chicken). He seemed genuinely intrigued by Google+ Hangouts, and the BritMums on-line community.

The best bit? I was so stressed about how the house looked, I got hubby to finally hang our kitchen clock and finish the fiddly roller blind curtain (good thing he did, we ended up needing it for lighting).

Oh yes, and it was a bit special have tea with Marco in my home.

You can watch the hangout below, it's short (18 minutes) and has all sorts of tips for cooking with turkey, and general cooking tips too.

Quiet: The power of introverts in a world that can't stop talking

2013-02-24T07:36:40+00:00

I've just finished Quiet - The power of introverts in a world that can't stop talking, by Susan Cain. It's a fabulous feel good book for introverts and I can't stop thinking about it.

The premise is that while introverts make up 1/3 to 1/2 of the population, society is biased towards extroversion. Introversion is not just about being shy (shyness is fear of social judgement). Extroverts crave lots of stimulation, while Introverts do better in quieter environments. This of course is not an absolute, but a truth in general.

The snag is of course is that our most important institutions - schools and workplaces - are designed for extroverts.

This description of Susan's book (from the TED website), really got me thinking: "In a culture where being social and outgoing are prized above all else, it can be difficult, even shameful, to be an introvert."

Notice I said thinking. I consider myself an introvert. One of my early memories is of being in Kindergarten in California (aged 6). To celebrate the end of the year, our teacher organised a disco. The idea was that she played loud music, and we all went to the center of the classroom and went crazy. I remember watching, as one by one my little friends got up, went to the dance floor, and waved their hands, giggled and gyrated wildly. I remember sitting in a chair on the sidelines, feeling very uncomfortable and wanting to go outside with my friend Dena to play jump rope.

Quiet has given me a new view of introversion. Backed up by loads of research, and very readable (some of these kinds of books are dry, dry, dry) Quiet is enlightening and a pleasure to read.

Watch Susan's TED talk (viewed by nearly 4 million):

I can't stop thinking about this book. I also can't stop taking about it! If you are an introvert, or you have a partner or child that is "quiet", you need to read it.

Take the quiz: Where do you fit on the introvert/extrovert scale?

My name is Susanna and I'm addicted to the Internet

2013-01-26T09:29:23+00:00

My name is Susanna and I'm addicted to the Internet.

Well, not really, at least that it what I would like to believe. How do I know? I took the Net Addiction Center's Internet Addiction Test (IAT), and it turns out that I'm an average online user. *Wipes brow* Though I may "surf the web a bit too long at times", I am "able to control my usage".

I've been researching Internet Addiction since last summer when my husband handed me this Sunday Times feature: The Digital Obsession that is Driving us iCrazy. He thought it would be a good topic to cover at the big blogger/social media conference we put on each year at BritMums (where I'm a co-founder). I tried not to take it too personally.

In researching the topic I have spoken to some very interesting people (and yes found the perfect speaker for BritMums Live).

I also found the Net Addiction Center in the US (yes a center really exists). They define Internet Addiction as "any online-related, compulsive behavior which interferes with normal living and causes severe stress on family, friends, loved ones, and one's work environment".

Hmmm, "causes stress". *Thinks back to snapping at hubby while trying to finish a work document online while kids are running in and out of my home "office".*

But then I read on: "By any name, it is a compulsive behavior that completely dominates the addict's life."

*Nope. Not me*

There's more: "Internet addicts make the Internet a priority more important than family, friends, and work. The Internet becomes the organizing principle of addicts' lives. They are willing to sacrifice what they cherish most in order to preserve and continue their unhealthy behavior."

*OK, I may snap sometime, but the Internet is not more important than family. At least in theory. :D*

But it is something I worry about. For heavens sake my job is based online. I can see how bloggers lean towards addiction. For one they spend an awful lot of time on the Internet (our research says 60 percent spend 2 - 5 hours daily). Why? Every email/tweet/facebook message could be a social or professional opportunity, offering a dose of dopamine as a reward. Dopamine can be hard to resist.

So what can you do about it? Like most addictions, treatment focuses on moderation and controlled use.

No wonder there is a rise of "unplug" movements in the US, including the National Day of Unplugging (unplug all devices from sunset to sunset on 1-2 March 2013.) There are also "Walden Zones", which are technology-free spaces in your home.

My conclusion? I spend a lot of time online. But no, I'm, not addicted to the Internet. At least not yet.

So go on, try it yourself and find out if you are addicted to the Internet!