Step into a wonder-filled world

(Photo courtesy of Facebook)

As a big supporter of all things local, and well-crafted I always keep my eye out for products that not only match these requirements but catch my eye and interest as well.  While at the Preschool of the Arts last week, I noticed that they supported a few local, small businesses, one of which creates wooden toys.  These toys weren't just your average "blocks" or stackable toys, however.  They were colourful and very whimsical in nature. Having a son who LOVES puzzles and blocks, I had to find out more about this product. 

Turns out these wooden toys are made by a small company called "Family Tree Woodworking" and this particular line of toys is under their "Twigs" branch (see what I did there?!).  The company specializes in all things wood.  You can find them on Facebook and see the many products that they have to offer.  From cutting boards, to custom name puzzles, to centrepieces, this little woodworking shop makes everything from locally sourced wood, and the attention to detail makes every single product unique.  I was lucky enough to pick up two of their stackable, inlaid puzzles and had a chance to really take a look at the quality and craftsmanship up close.  

(Photo by Locally Urban Mom)

The first thing that caught my eye was the packaging.  A small detail, but so crucial to making the whole product all that more lovely for the buyer.  The toys come in individual boxes that are tied with jute, and evoke an old-world, whimsical feel.  The particular puzzles that I got were a rainbow and a polar bear in an aurora borealis background.  Upon opening the box, the fresh scent of cedar filled the room and the colours of the toys just popped.  I was immediately drawn to the organic shapes. Hand-carved and sanded, the curves of each piece are soft and child-friendly (no sharp edges).  They are surprisingly light and just scream "play with me." The adult in me, however, wants to display these on a shelf, they are so pretty to look at.  Each puzzle piece is unique, and can either be stacked back into their original shapes or used for other creations. 

(Photo by Locally Urban Mom)

I gave the polar bear puzzle to my son (who is almost three) to see what he would do with it, and he played "cave" with the bear, created new outlines with the pieces, and even chewed on one.  I wasn't worried since the toys are made with natural, non-toxic paints and wax finishes.  I found that the puzzles encouraged my son to use his imagination - although each puzzle is a specific type (rainbow, polar bear), the individual pieces allowed for him to create other things and even add to his toy collection (he used one of the pieces as a bridge for his train set).

Overall, I was impressed with this product.  I have been looking for unique gifts to buy for the little ones in my life and this is definitely going on my list.  Locally sourced, locally made and a quality product.  You can't beat that.  Their products can be found at the Been Garden, as well as a few other local shops, or you can contact Family Tree Woodworking directly via Facebook.  I highly recommend you put them on your things-to-buy-for-Christmas list this year.  You won't regret it and the lucky recipient of such craftsmanship will appreciate the lovely, local gesture. 

Have a great day, London. 

Feature Friday: Preschool of the Arts

(Copyright: Locally Urban Mom)

If you head to Wortley Village in London, Ontario, you'll find yourself in a quaint little part of the city with local shops, small bistro-style restaurants, and lovely little small businesses like the one I am featuring today.  Located on the corner of  Byron Ave and Wortley Road, The Preschool of the Arts can be found in an old church that has been beautifully restored.  It is a preschool and junior kindergarten dedicated to exposing children to music and art, as well as offering parent and tot music classes, through their Family Tree Program. 

(Copyright: Locally Urban Mom)

My initial feeling walking into this building was one of comfort, and peace.  Sounds kind of bizarre when you think that this is a preschool filled with busy little ones, but there was something about the atmosphere that made me feel this way. To give you a better sense of this peaceful feeling, let me describe the center. The main door leads to a small vestibule, that allows you to go up to the preschool area, or down to the music room and another preschool room.  Upon going up, you enter into a general cloakroom where tiny hooks and cubbies are waiting for coats and boots.  You proceed down a short hallway that opens into a lovely, airy main room. This was once the main area of the church, so your eye is immediately drawn to the vaulted ceiling, loft area and gorgeous wooden details. Not to mention the huge windows and french doors leading out into their backyard.  The whole space is fresh, inviting and just waiting to be played in.  The preschool is divided into various areas (toy stations, art centers, make-believe station, craft centers, reading carpet and a reception area for administration) and there is a main stage at one end of the room where performances as well as plays can happen.  If you head downstairs, there is a full-functioning kitchen, large room for more centers and play, and another room for the music lessons that parents and their little ones can attend.  The whole space invokes a sense of care and well-being for the children that attend this school. 

Established in 1986, their philosophy is that "through experiences of movement, rhythm and song, the child acquires a deeper feeling for music and knowledge of musical terms." This school offers half day and full day programming. Preschool can be attended for a full week, or a few days of the week, depending on what is preferable for your child. You can choose to send your child to the preschool portion, or sign up for the music classes offered as six-week sessions.  The focus is on music and art, but as I was told by Heather Turnbull, the director of the school, "children are encouraged to explore what interests them, and we gear our teaching towards their curiosity." There is a schedule that is followed, but the general idea is for children to expand their knowledge through play, learning, and their own natural curiosity of the world around them. 

(Copyright: Locally Urban Mom)

Yet another reason why this school is a win for me is that they partner with various local businesses, such as Growing Chefs, and Family Tree Woodworking. to showcase local products and support our local economy.  Yes please to that! 

All in all, this little gem is a must-see for parents looking to put their child in an inclusive, warm and fun environment.  Check out the links throughout the blog to get more information on the Preschool of the Arts or find their contact information below.  

Have a great, musical day, London. 

Preschool of the Arts
111 Wortley Rd.
London Ontario N6C 3P2
Phone: (519) 657-3342
Email: info@preschoolofthearts.ca

Feature Friday: Forked River Brewing Co.

Our Feature Friday blog is back with a vengeance! I thought I would pick a place more for the moms and dads this time around, and feature a great business that takes craft beer to a local and unique level. Being somewhat of a beer connoisseur myself, I love exploring small-batch brews and preferably as local as possible. For me, Forked River Brewing Company was a winner, both in taste and
originality. Also for its home-grown London awesomeness. 

Over the past decade or so, there has been a rise in appreciation for craft beers. So, what exactly entails a "craft beer?" According to craftbeer.com, "a craft beer is difficult to define...and can be a very subjective and personal experience."  Honestly, to me a craft beer means a small-batch brewed beer, that is unique both in flavour and in name (I mean, with names like "Hans and Franz " (Oktoberfest awesomeness) and "Holy Hand Grenade" you can't just find these anywhere), and is featured during certain times of the year.  The key is the small batch.  You can't just go to the LCBO, Beer Store or select grocery stores and pick these beers up whenever you want. Yes, there are main stream lines that are brewed and offered year-round, but the key to the ultimate "craft beer" experience is to taste AND savour these special brews in all their small-batch glory. 

All that being said, I'd like to introduce to you Forked River.  Founded right here in London, this company was started by three guys who had an appreciation for craft beer, plenty of smarts and a passion for bringing their love of craft beer to the local masses. These three London dads (Dave Reed, Andrew Peters, and Steve Nazarian) started the ball rolling on this brewing business in 2012 and haven't looked back since.  Focusing on very local, and very Canadian taste - they have come up with some amazing brews. Since my blog requires that I have background knowledge on my featured businesses, I did my due diligence, and tried out a few of their beers (although I have to say, I've  been buying this brand for many years now). Here are some of my favourites:

Capital Blonde: Named after the fact that London was supposed to be the capital of Canada (way back in 1793) this beer is light, not too hoppy and lovely to drink with pretty much anything. It has a hint of citrus which makes it refreshing.  Highly recommend if you like a lighter, versatile beer. 

Photo Courtesy of Facebook

Flanders Red: Just the name alone made me want to buy this beer.  It's a limited edition beer brought out around Remembrance Day. It's a barrel aged Flemish red ale - hearty and perfect for this time of  year.  The beauty of the beer isn't just that it's really good, but proceeds from this beer also goes to a veteran's charity.  Be still my heart. I'm a HUGE advocate of Remembrance Day and honouring our lost soldiers and our war veterans made this a GIANT win for me. I think I only left like, two bottles at my local LCBO. Sorry, neighbours.  


Riptide: I can find this one pretty much all the time, which is a bonus for me, since it's become a go-to brew for me this fall. It's a stronger taste, with bold hoppy flavours.  I like it as my Friday beer. So you know what I'll be enjoying this evening. 

There are so many other great choices from this brewing company.  The one thing I recommend is going to visit them, and check out the brews for yourself. You can book a tour on Saturdays at 1pm, 3pm or 5pm. It's free, so bring a few of your friends (up to 10 people per tour).  I also encourage you to check out their website where they have a list of all their beers. Find it here.  They also have events posted throughout the year - like the Forked Fest they held this past summer, honouring their 4 year anniversary. You can keep up with their event listings on their website or Facebook page. 

I salute these three London dads, as well as their awesome staff for creating a truly Canadian, truly "London" craft beer experience.  Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go stock up so I can enjoy my evening with my Forked River beverage(s). 

Have a great weekend, London.

Cheers! 

Forked River Brewing Company Contact Info:

Website: 
http://www.forkedriverbrewing.com/

Address:
45 Pacific Court, Unit 4
London, ON N5V 3N4

Retail Store Phone No: 519-913-2337

Sick? Make this, quick!

Hey London,

Here we are in the beginning of April, and I swear, the flu and cold season is at IT'S PEAK right now.  The bugs have decided to become superbugs and everything is dragging on and on, including a terrible cough that my daughter has had for the past two weeks, which reached a final, awful climax yesterday.  Hence me not posting on facebook the Costco deals of the week.

Photo Courtesy of: Google

Coming from a pretty traditional family background, I find that when it comes to a cold, or just being sick in general, there is usually a barrage of  (ahem) "medicine" that is offered to you by your mother, grandmother, aunts, the old lady at church...you get the idea.  It doesn't involve Windex (if you've seen My Big Fat Greek Wedding, you'll know what I'm referring to.. if not then you NEED to go see this movie!) but it does involve a giant pot of good old fashioned chicken soup.  There are other traditional remedies that are suggested to alleviate colds and flus, (some involving honey and garlic - unless that is a chicken wing flavour, I'll stay away, thanks) but this tried and true chicken soup is my go-to and cure-all for when my family gets sick (alongside trusty Tylenol and Advil).  My husband came down with a pretty nasty flu a few months back, and this helped keep him hydrated, helped him sleep and (according to him) helped him get back on his feet faster.  My son drinks this soup as a meal - he thinks it's amazing (he's 2, so clearly a gourmand at this age).  My daughter, however, doesn't particularly like it.  So I literally give it to her as medicine.  This seems to work.  Yesterday she was coughing up a storm, she drank her chicken soup "medicine" three times and BAM, we are back at school today, people. 

Knowing all of this, I highly suggest you take an hour (not even) and make this soup.  Make a giant batch and freeze it in smaller, one-portion packages to defrost when needed.  This saves me, since I don't necessarily feel like standing over a stovetop every time my kiddos get sick.  And it also makes a great base for other soups, since it is basically chicken broth.  I also add noodles to it and serve it as a meal on cold, winter nights. Use the chicken for sandwiches or salad.. there are endless possibilities with this soup! So go ahead, grab the ingredients next time you're at the grocery store, whip this up and enjoy some traditional, hearty and feel-good "medicine." Even if you're not sick.

Have a great (and healthy) day, London

Easy Peasy Chicken Bouillon

One whole fresh chicken (Substitutes: Whole frozen chicken, chicken breast (bone-in), or chicken thighs/legs (bone - in)

Carrots (two or three) chopped into large pieces (if organic, don't even bother peeling)

One whole onion, quartered

Two celery ribs chopped into large pieces

Salt

Water

To a large stockpot, add your fresh or frozen whole chicken (take out any inner parts, if there are, and cut the string off), or add your chicken pieces (minimum two pieces, maximum 4).  Add all the vegetables. Add enough water to cover the chicken (if your stockpot is too small, make sure your chicken is atleast 90% covered).  Add about a teaspoon of salt (really to taste). Turn the stovetop onto high heat, and let the water start to simmer.  Skim any froth (impurities) from the soup.  Do this until the soup is at a boil.  Once you have skimmed all the impurities, cover the stockpot with a lid and turn it down to low.  Let simmer for an hour or even two.  IF your chicken was frozen, be sure to simmer for two hours minimum.  Turn off the heat and let sit for 1/2 hour or so.  Take out the chicken, being careful not to let any broth spill out, and remove the meat from the bones.  Discard bones/carcass.  Chop up the meat, and either add it back to the soup or keep in a separate container (this also freezes well).  Chop up the vegetables and either add back to the soup or you can discard the vegetables. 
To serve: Best to serve hot, with some chicken.  Add noodles of your choice (pre-boiled in a separate pot).  Also, add greens (parsley, dill, kale, spinach), or add some more veg (broccoli, cauliflower). This soup is SO versatile - anything your family loves can pretty much go in this soup.
Freeze the liquid broth for later use. 

Feature Friday: The business of London

Technically, this Feature Friday isn't actually featuring a business at all, but I figured why not feature the place where all these lovely businesses stem from (for the most part). Good old London. 
Ah, London.  You are a city unlike any other.  Some people may say you're not really a "tourist destination" while others will scoff at the fact that you have a "party" atmosphere due to your college and university (ahem) reputations.  But if you are a true Londoner (third generation right here!) and have been born and raised here, or moved here and adopted this city as your own, then you understand that this city is so much more than "the other London" or "the city between Windsor and Toronto."

As a blogger who strictly blogs about local London awesomeness, I have to say I am a bit biased.  But being born here, raised here, educated here, and working here as well as choosing to raise my family here, has made me realize that this is home for me.  And I love every inch of it. Of course it's nice to get away (absence does make the heart grow fonder), and even move away for a while. I moved away from the city when I first got married and actually ended up back here by pure accident.  My husband and I were SURE we were going to live elsewhere and providence led us right back to my hometown. He is originally a Montrealer, so for my husband it was a little bit hard to get used to the very Southwestern Ontario mid-city feel but he eventually came around and now knows even more about this city than I do in some cases. 

This blog post isn't necessarily about all the great stuff that London has to offer.  My entire blog is all about that! It's more

about highlighting the fact that London is a great, livable, family-oriented place.  Western University and Fanshawe College are two wonderful educational institutions (despite said rumours).  Our plethora of neighbourhoods, little villages within the city, are unique all in their own right.  Our parks are teeming with nature, fun and lots of activity.  Our local London businesses are proud, strong and supported by an amazing local population that believes in our homemade, homegrown ideal. 

On the flip side, there are of course, always things this city could improve  on.  Traffic is, well, sub-par here.  Walking score is usually poor to sucky unless you live right in the heart of downtown or in the centre of your neighbourhood village.  Public transportation needs a serious overhaul for London to become less car-dependent. Hopefully something good and efficient will come out of London's Rapid Transit idea.  London could also use some fine-tuning when it comes to preservation and restoration.  Beautiful areas around London have been levelled or replaced whereas some compassion and respect for history could be shown to preserve what London used to be, rather than just wiping out areas and building anew.   Speaking of building anew - that's another thing London needs to work on: inviting more people HERE.  New businesses could thrive in this city; there are so many opportunities for people here!

All in all, London is my main city squeeze.  Being born here (anyone else born at St. Joes? Cool fact: my mom, myself AND my first born were all born there), being educated here (Westdale and Riverside PS, STA and Western shoutout!) working here and raising a family here has made me all that much more aware of how much I appreciate this city.  And also how much more I want to be involved with this city.  Hence, my blog.

OH, and I need to give a shout out to Tourism London, which is doing a fabulous job of promoting our city.  I get a lot of info from their website and they have a great Facebook page as well that promotes tons of awesome neighbourhood fun. Check them out here! So I guess you could say, the Feature Friday is about these guys too, because they truly epitomize what London is and showcase what London has to offer. Kind of like myself, in my own teeny-tiny London Mom way ;)  Great job, guys.

Have a great day, London

Homemade Curry in a Hurry

So, it was late last week, maybe Thursday, when I stared into my fridge and thought "here we go... what's for dinner?" And not in a good way. I wasn't excited at the prospect of rummaging around my fridge and pantry to whip up a delicious and nutritious dinner for my family.  I wish I was one of those moms that plans all meals ahead of time for the week, and preps all veg and fruit so it's ready to use when needed, but I'm not. I am that mom that THINKS about doing all these things and gets excited at the prospect of being organized, but never actually gets around to the physical act of organizing my kitchen life.  My dad used to call me the "Princess of the Land of Later" and for good reason.  I still hold that title today. 

Anyway, all this to tell you that, like any other good mom, I sat down and decided to open and peruse Pinterest for ideas of what to make for dinner. Any of you that are on Pinterest know the evil lures of this app.  It makes one feel extremely inadequate, but the beauty of "pinning" said "pins" is that you are then made to feel like you are halfway to the "adequate" mark - I mean, I pinned an idea.  It's good as done in my head now.  I went through my lovely Pinterest board of "Recipes to Try." Once again, this board is meant for good intentional purposes only. It's pretty to look at and mouth watering to read.  That's about the extent of my board usage. But last Thursday I was determined to USE one of those recipes! And... I found one! One that had pretty much all the ingredients that were sitting aimlessly in my pantry and I gave it a go. And it was glorious.  This fancy food thing isn't so hard after all.  I can't take any credit for this recipe, but will post my  add-ins or substitutes that I used instead of what was suggested. 

The recipe I decided to tackle was a Coconut Lentil Curry Soup dish.  Not something my family usually goes for.  We aren't exotic eaters.  The extent of my exotic eating reaches out to my

traditional family background food of "borscht and cabbage rolls." So this was a new world to me.  Luckily, I had the lentils (half a bag leftover from not-sure-when.  There was a month left to go on the expiry...score), a can of coconut milk was forlornly waiting to be used in something OTHER than my famous chocolate cake (I'll post this recipe another time), curry powder: check, garlic and oil: check, Fresh ginger: check (although dry is just as good),  tomato paste: nope.. "sub with ketchup" it says: CHECK! Veggie broth: I had run out of the veg broth AND cubes I usually use, so I decided to just use water.  A can of diced tomatoes. Shoot. Didn't have that. But I DID have some chunky spaghetti sauce, so I figured this was the next best thing. The recipe DID say to garnish with cilantro and add greens at the end. I was going to add some frozen spinach I thought I had in my freezer, but there wasn't any when I checked.  I had green onions so I went with those instead. And I went for it. 

I pretty much followed the recipe as to how to put it all together.  When it came to substituting, I added about a 1/2 jar of tomato sauce instead of the diced tomatoes.  And can I just say, it turned out AMAZING! The prep took me maybe 10 minutes.  And then I let my stockpot do the rest.  It took about 30 minutes to simmer and then I just left it on the stove until dinner.

Here's the thing. This curry soup isn't exactly "soupy." It turned out more like a stew, and I was happy with that.  If you want it more soupy, once you are ready to eat add a bit more broth or water to the dish to thin it out.  Or even coconut milk.  I ladled the curry onto a bed of rice and we topped it with the chopped green onions and a bit of chopped avocado.  YUM! The texture was meaty, and the dish left us all full and content for the rest of the evening. I wholeheartedly recommend this recipe.  10 minutes to make and completely worth the effort. And there are tons of leftovers for a next day lunch. 

Give it a try. If you like curry, you won't regret this dish at all! Check out the link to this recipe below.  Add or take away things to your liking and go for it! If you do try this, comment below with your opinion on the dish.

Have a great day, London!

Vegan Curry Lentil Soup (Courtesy of Vegangela.com)

Feature Friday: Little Beaver Restaurant

This Friday, I've decided to feature a restaurant that I've mentioned in my previous blog posts.  This little restaurant needed to have a blog post all on its own for many reasons.  The main one being that it's a local place, owned and operated by lovely, local people. 

If you live in and around the Komoka area (situated just past Byron, outside of London, which is why I'm counting this as local), you will know about this place.  Little Beaver Restaurant has been around since 1976, and there's good reason why it's still open and thriving.  When you are craving good, down-home, family-style cooking this is the place to go.  The Little Beaver has the diner classics like fish and chips (highly recommend, as it's my personal fave), and cabbage rolls.  They have the famous Beaver burger, which is a juicy beef burger (two homemade patties!) topped with all the good stuff that should be on a burger. Don't even get me started on their desserts. Homemade and soooo fresh and delicious.  The pies alone make my mouth water. They also serve up a mean breakfast, and are famous for their Sunday buffet.  I'm not kidding you, every time we go there is a lineup.  Don't let that scare you off though, because you get in relatively quickly, and there's lots of room inside. 

Speaking of inside, the Little Beaver has been situated on the same corner of Glendon Drive and Komoka Road forever.  They are relocating just across the street in the near future, so expect the same great service and food, just in a new space.   They've also created a great website, where you can check out their full menu, and even order online for pickup! If you are a frequent flyer here, join the VIP club for great discounts and a free dessert on your birthday.  Heck, join even if you are a first time customer at the Little Beaver.  Be sure to like their Facebook page too, for updates and specials. 

I can't say enough good things about this place.  The staff is always friendly,  the people are always smiling, and the food is always comforting.  Come here over the weekend and try it out if you haven't already done so.  If you've been here, you would have been nodding in agreement to everything I have written down.  Great place. Great business owners.  Great food. 'Nuff said.  This Locally Urban Mama is coming over for dinner!  See you there!

Photo Courtesy of Facbook

Have a great day, London.

http://www.littlebeaverrestaurant.com/

The opinions expressed in this blog post are solely those of Locally Urban Mom and she won't stop urging you to go to this restaurant.

Bath bliss

Recently, I was given the opportunity to test out some products of a new, up and coming local business.  When I test any product, I

Photo courtesy of Facebook

always try to be open-minded and objective. Well, I have to say, this time around I had a hard time.  The products were so yummy, and made my skin feel so amazing, that this will be a pretty biased blog post. 

Jenifer Walker, of the The Naked Pearl (love the name) is the talent behind a new line of bath and body products.  All natural, and all locally made, these products not only smell amazing but really work to hydrate your skin.  I was lucky enough to try out a few of her things which included: A lavender bath bomb, sugar scrub, coffee scrub, and a shea butter bath melt. 

Jenifer kindly dropped off this lovely package for me last weekend and I was able to indulge in a few moments of "me time." This literally NEVER happens.  I never have baths anymore. I'm pretty sure the last time I had an actual bath was before my first kiddo....6 years ago. This gave me the opportunity to actually relax and enjoy some quiet time all to myself.  It was intentional and I love that about bath products.  They force you to stop doing "life" for a minute, and smell the roses (or lavender, in this case).

I started with the lavender bath bomb.  When I drew the water, I dropped it in and immediately the smell of lavender filled my bathroom.  Not only that, but as the bomb fizzed away in the tub, little lavender flowers burst out and made my bath even more fragrant (and fun).  This bomb is definitely for lavender lovers.  The bathwater felt silky and conditioning, so I literally soaked in the tub and just enjoyed.  I even pulled out a book to read.  Once I had had enough (and my skin was beyond pruny), my skin was left with a subtle lavender fragrance and I felt calm and relaxed.  It was an awesome way to end my day and snuggle into bed. 

Photo Courtesy of Facebook

The next day, I figured I would give the sugar scrub a go.  It's quite liquidy, so I scooped it out by hand and attacked my dry, achy feet with it.  Amazing.  The scrub felt great - the granules of sugar and sea salt really worked wonders on my dry skin, and after I rinsed it off, my skin felt clean, "glowy," and very moisturized. No daily moisturizing needed with this scrub.  I also found that when I showered the next day after the scrub treatment, the oils were still moisturizing my legs and feet.  It was like I deep cleaned my skin and the moisturizer was soaked in.  A worthwhile product as far as I'm concerned. 

Photo Courtesy of Facebook

The bath melt was great as well.  I treated myself to another bath (a major perk to sampling Jenifer's products - two baths in one week!).  The bath melt literally melted into the water and left my skin feeling silky and smooth.  It was like the moisturizer was infused in the water, which in turn conditioned my skin.  This wasn't as "fun" as the bath bomb (fizzy water is always fun!) but gave me a more relaxed, conditioned feeling. 

Last, but not least, the coffee scrub.  This was similar to the sugar scrub in that the consistency was also liquidy and had the granules in it, but the smell...OH the smell!  If you are a coffee lover, you will adore this. It literally smells like that gourmet coffee place you walk into and get enveloped with "Columbian Organic Free Trade" coffee smell.   I decided to try this out during my morning shower routine.  I scooped some out onto my bath pouf and literally started to feel energized as I applied it to my skin.  My skin felt the same way as when I applied the sugar scrub: tingly, clean and super moisturized, but with the additional smell of coffee! When I dried off, my skin didn't smell overtly of COFFEE but was left with a pleasant, subtle fragrance.  I still cannot get over how smooth and moisturized my skin felt.  I highly recommend this scrub for mornings.  Made me feel like I could tackle the day. 

Overall, Jenifer's products are wonderful and knowing that they are handmade by a local gal, made me feel even better about using them.  There is a Facebook page for you to peruse and purchase her products as well as a Twitter account. Check her things out, support local and treat yourself to a heavenly array of moisturized goodness.

Have a great day, London

All opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of the Locally Urban Mom.

Feature Friday: SnowAngels London - Giving Back one Snow Shovel at a Time

Happy Friday, London! On this (yet again) snowy day, I decided to feature not a business, but a philanthropic organization that believes in giving back to our community.  If you've read my blog posts, or my Facebook page, you know that I am BIG on giving back.  This little organization has some really big ideas.  Their main idea is simple: Be kind to others by giving a bit of your time (and energy).

www.snowangelslondon.ca

The local organization I am talking about is SnowAngels London.  How I had never heard of them before is beyond me.  They started in 2015 with an idea that fellow Londoner, Lincoln McCardle, had.  There were lots of snow removal organizations out there but none that were completely reliant on community involvement. Many people in our city aren't able to either afford a service to clean their snow, or get outside and clean it themselves due to various restrictions or inabilities. It was time to step up and create SnowAngels.  When it snows, as it tends to do in our fair city, a Snow Angel can check out a map posted on the website and go shovel a driveway or two to help out those that aren't able to do it themselves and can't afford a service. 

How SnowAngels works is you go to their website and click on if you NEED a SnowAngel to help you out with snow removal, or WANT to BECOME SnowAngel and remove snow for people in your neighbourhood.  You fill out a form to register and create a login name and password, and check out a map to see where the help is needed, or post on the map so you can get the help you need. If you older son or daughter is looking for those much-needed volunteer hours, they do count for those students attending high school in the TVDSB, but other school boards would have to be called to verify if SnowAngels would count for volunteer hours in their respective schools.  

Photo Courtesy of: www.libertyk12.org

All in all, this is a wonderful initiative that is simple, easy to follow and makes all of us feel good :) As the temperature gets warmer (especially this coming Family Day weekend), we probably won't need SnowAngel's services for much longer (thank heavens.. see what I did there?) but keep them in mind for next winter.  Guaranteed, it will snow. And guaranteed, someone would appreciate the help of a kind neighbour, especially if you are a "SnowAngel."


Have a great day, London - and don't forget to get out and enjoy the family day weekend!

Check out more info on SnowAngels here:

Website: http://snowangelslondon.ca/

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/SnowAngelsLondon/

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To Love Costco or to Hate Costco... that is the question

Hey London.  As promised on my Facebook page, I will be posting weekly deals on North London Costco products (as much as I can, anyway!).  This is mainly because sometimes the deals at my beloved store are way too good to keep to myself.  Although the deals do go fast, I must say.

That being said, I thought I would write a blog post to coincide with my weekly Costco deal ventures and rant and rave about my nemesis/my kryptonite: COSTCO.

Let's start with the things that I love about Costco.  SO. MANY. THINGS. But first, may I just comment on how nice and wide the parking spots are? This is a big deal for a mom of two that has a giant car.  There is enough space for me to open my door, get my littles out of the car seat, and close the door, all while not tapping any vehicle to my left or right. Bliss. 

(SAID NO ONE EVER)

Getting into Costco and grabbing the flyer only to see that diapers AND wipes are on sale AT THE SAME TIME.  Rarely does this happen, but when multiple things that I buy regularly go on sale, it's like someone fused with my brain and gave me a break on the already good deals for my regular buys. Why, yes, I think I WILL take three boxes of Huggies and three boxes of wipes today (that's a two-cart purchase for sure. So bring a sympathetic friend). And Costco is notorious for having great things go on sale. All. The. Time (my Costco warehouse has THE best chicken deals... on sale now so GO!).

Knowing you're saving $$$ when you buy the giant rolls of toilet paper and paper towels.  Let's face it, Costco has the best deals for these.  Yes, you can go on the "Flipp" app and get a good price, especially if you price match, but if you're like me and you're a one or two store shopper, this is by far a great deal.  And honestly, I find the Kirkland brand much better than the leading brands they sell there.  Plus the rolls are HUGE. And again, when they go on sale, I feel like I've hit the jackpot. 

That being said, my basic staple foods like milk, bread and eggs I buy here and find I get the best deal, and best quality.  I usually stick to basic brands, but if I'm feeling fancy, I'll reach for the filtered, pure milk (with blue bags people...fancy!) because it's only a few cents more than the regular milk I buy.  And they often have deals on chocolate milk there too.  This is definitely just a treat in my home, but when it's on sale, I tend to multi-buy these and bake with them as well (double chocolate cake goodness!). 

Can we just talk about their clothes and books for a sec? I've read on many sites already that Costco pj's for kids are hands-down the best price and quality. I tend to agree.  Sleepers are super cheap, and if you want to go organic, they have organic cotton pj's that come out every season.  Staples, like socks, I tend to get here too.  You get tons, and they last forever.  I buy my jeans here, I buy tops here, and if I wait long enough, they do get reduced.  And books? I always buy books here.  Especially curriculum-based ones for my kiddos.  We do summer curriculum stuff and this is the place to buy workbooks.  Can't beat the price or the quality of these. 

The check out:  Yes, there are always lines at Costco, but MAN are they ever efficient.  Especially if you get a cart helper.  Those people are great.  They unload and load your cart fast, entertain your kids while they're doing it and make life easy for you to get in and out. 

The hotdogs and fries.  Can't beat 'em.  If you've had them you know what I'm talking about.  Costco fast food is yummy, cheap, filling and the way to go if you're hungry after shopping for all those diapers and wipes.  Make sure to bring cash though, they don't accept anything but.  A mistake I've made too many times to count.

Now, instead of focusing on the hate part of my Costco relationship, I'll drop a few "tips and hints" here (in my polite Canadian way) of how to shop Costco so you don't end up ranting or seething at the end of your shopping excursion. 

If you can, avoid peak times AT ALL COST! Peak times are usually 10:30 am on any given weekday, any time after 3:30pm, Saturdays and Sundays.  Try to aim to get to Costco 10 minutes earlier than when they open.  You'll be guaranteed a good parking spot, and they usually do open early.  Late is great too.  If you can go a half hour or 45 mins before closing time, it's generally not too busy. 

Park anywhere - if you're ok with walking an extra 2 minutes, park anywhere, especially if you can get close to a shopping cart stall.  Don't bother to drive around and wait for the ideal spot (parking spot sharks.. you know who you are), especially during peak hours. If it's decent outside, trust me and park further away.  It makes for less stress, and avoids you getting yelled at by angry park sharks (I almost cried once, someone made me feel so bad about waiting for a spot!).

Have your card ready before you go in, and be courteous to the elderly.  We all know those people who are shuffling through their purses or wallets to find their Costco card to show to the greeter at the door - my advice is to just have the card ready to avoid those obvious sighs and grunts that are probably directed at that person.  Grab your card while you're still in your car, tuck it in your pocket for easy access.  Trust me. It'll save the sighs.  That being said, let's be patient with our elderly friends. Yes, they take more time to do things.  Yes, they hog aisles. Yes, they take forever to decide what cheese to buy.  But they also deserve the respect that any other human gets.  Many (not all, I realize...we have all encountered that one nasty older lady or gentleman) know they are slower, and feel stressed out by the looks and sighs they get.  If you're in that much of a rush, try another route (go to the back of the aisles along the sides, no one is ever there! Makes for a quick dash to the bread in the back).  

Speaking of aisles... what is up with the disaster that is known as the dairy cooler? Costco needs to rethink that situation.  It's hard to get two carts in there at the same time, let along EVERYONE.  My advice for this section is to start along the eggs on your right, and scoot around the perimeter to grab whatever it is you need.  Try not to leave your cart in the middle of the cooler - this helps no one. And milk bags do need to be checked for expiry, but for the sake of others, try not to rift through the whole milk cart. 

There are no "set" rules as to how to navigate Costco, but you can generally feel the flow of traffic, so try to go along with this flow.  Forgot something in an aisle that's two aisles up from where you are? Don't do a 180 and jam your cart against those behind you... swiftly move into the aisle closest to you and go up the outer sides (guys, seriously, they aren't that busy!) back to where you need to go.  Want to stop for a chicken dumpling sample? Don't leave your cart hanging in the middle of the aisle... tuck it to the side and go and grab that dumpling.  Oh, and maybe move aside for others once you've tried the sample - lots of people want to try a chicken dumpling. Especially around lunchtime.

When it comes down to paying for your purchases, most lines seem daunting so we all play the "pick the fastest line" game, but when it boils down to it, just pick a line that seems to even out the others.  They are all pretty fast.  Plus everyone wants to get out....as much as we love our customer service reps, we really just want to get home!

So next time you're at Costco, heed my likes and "tips" and make your experience all that more magical.   Got any more you'd like to share with me? Post on my Facebook page or comment below.

Have a great day, London

Family Day 2017

This year, Family Day falls on Monday, February 20 and it means a day off for most of us, as well as a chance to get together with other families, or venture off with your own family to do some fun things around the city. 

Usually I do some research and scrounge around the internet to see what's up in London for events, but I came upon a handy dandy website where many things going on in and around London are already listed for your viewing pleasure. Click on this Things to Do in Canada link to go to the webpage for all this great info.

Also, check out the London Tourism - Events site for some awesome Family Day fun - so many choices, so little time in one day.

Here are some more links to local fun events:

Circle R Ranch Family Day

Free Family Skate at Western Fair Sports Centre

Eldon House

West Park Church Family Day Fun

StoneyCreek YMCA Family Day Fun (facebook page)

Have you heard about Canada's amazing birthday present to us all? Since Canada is turning 150 this year, Parks Canada has gifted us a free access pass to all of its National Parks for the year (Jan 1 - Dec 31, 2017)! I realize that this isn't a "local" activity, but what a great opportunity for a fun road trip! All you have to do is go to their website here and order a pass (a pass is valid for one family in one car).  It will get delivered to your mailbox within a few days. Then go and enjoy one of our parks for the day for FREE! Click here for the link to the National Park locations in Ontario, as well as activities and fun things to do with the fam. You can also download a visitor guide that will give you even more information about what our national parks have to offer.  

What's Open:  Check this link here for what's open and what's closed this Family Day.

Photo courtesy of: www.tyrrellmuseum.com