Modern Mama is mom-focused events involving fashion, lifestyle and parenting – all with baby in tow. Nannies will be on hand to assist Mom during the event. Enjoy the best of Vancouver Westside and surrounding areas with your baby! All events are small, private and led by an expert, since 2008.
connie [at] modernmama.ca or angie [at] modernmama.ca
604.725.5740
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Photo Credit: Isabel Buesa via Compfight
When you have a baby or toddler, where to go for coffee with a friend requires a little more thinking than heading to the nearest cafe.
For me, in a perfect world, the location:
- Has toys or a play area for kids
- Has high-chairs available
- Is kid-friendly
- Has good coffee and food (let’s not sacrifice TOO much ladies!)
Here are a few places I know of, but the list is short! Would love your suggestions and knowledge on great cafes you can pass an hour at without stressing about your baby disturbing people or your toddler getting bored.
Little Nest (Charles St & Commercial Drive) – Not on the West Side, but Little Nest is sometimes worth the drive to its Commercial Drive neighbourhood. Designed for parents and kids, it includes a kids menu, great play area, vintage high chairs, and a huge wall of resources for parents. Food and coffee here is fresh, made to order, and delicious. I first learned about the place before I had kids from a very hip single male. He goes for the scrambled eggs, which are quite divine. And, kitty corner to Little Nest is an awesome playground, plus Dilly Dally, Dandelion Kids, and Room for 2 are all a quick walk away.
Kokopelli (4593 Dunbar, near 30th Ave)- This Dunbar cafe has a big play area for kids while offering freshly baked muffins, homemade granola, and their yummy mac and cheese. Connie (the owner of Modern Mama) and I often meet here to strategize while the kids play.
Plaisir Sucré (2668 Arbutus St, near 13th ave) – This Kitsilano cafe is a 5-minute drive from my house and I had NO idea it offered a small play area for kids. My friend Michelle told me about this week and we met there for a catch-up session before going to the first week of our Social Tots program. Strong coffee, freshly baked croissants and French pastries – I’ll be back soon.
Uprising Breads Kitsilano (3066 W. Broadway, near Balaclava)- While this cafe has no play area, it’s quite large, and the staff seems to love kids as they are always great with my toddler. We came here every week in the winter after Tommy’s gymnastics class. Tommy had his morning snack while I sipped on a cup of coffee and took a break. There are high chairs available and fresh sandwiches, soups, scones, and muffins.
Whole Foods Cambie – A great thing about Whole Foods is their Kids Club – you can swing by their Customer Service desk while shopping and pick up a free snack for your child to eat- typically an apple, orange, banana, box of raisins, or apple sauce. A great service as my son is all about eating while I shop. The Cambie Whole Foods also has a small play area and lots of high chairs. My only problem with Whole Foods for a coffee date is that they are quite busy, and with such fast turnover, keeping the tables and play area clean is a challenge, so it’s a less comfortable setting.
And that’s all I got! Where do you go for a baby/child friendly coffee date in Vancouver? Would love to hear more ideas.
- Can I afford to go back to work part-time, or be a stay at home mom for an extra year?
- How do I budget for maternity leave?
- If something happens to me, who will take care of my children?
- If something happens to me, will my spouse have the power to take care of our affairs?
Answering these questions is not my idea of fun, but it’s important and necessary for my peace of mind. And that’s what next Friday’s Essentials Series is about -giving you all the information available to comfortably take action on these important but challenging issues.
Things I didn’t know before I got my affairs in order (based on my very basic understanding of things):
- My husband and I have almost everything in joint accounts. But if something happened to one of use and we didn’t have Power of Attorney for each other, we’d run into challenges
- If you don’t have a will outlining your choice for guardian of your child if something happens to you, the law is not necessarily going to give guardianship to the people you think they should.
We have two amazing speakers for this Essential Series. First, we’ll hear from Money Coach Melanie Buffel, who will do an introductory talk on money management for new moms. Topics may include what to think about when opening an RESP, budget ideas while on mat leave, and how to know if you can take extra time off to raise your little one.
Then, Jacqueline Flett, principal at Flett Law will give you all the basics on everything you need to set-up a proper estate plan. She’ll go over what’s in a basic will, plus the ins/outs of appointing a guardian for your children. Having a will & guardianship plan is so important for all parents – Jacqueline knows how to give you the details without all that confusing legal-ese.
All attendees to this Essential Series will receive a complimentary 30-minute consultation from Melanie Buffel, which involves a review of your current financial situation.
PLUS, Jacqueline Flett has generously offered up an amazing giveaway for this event – a complimentary estate planning package, which can include a will, power of attorney, and representation agreement. This package typically costs around $1000, so this is a truly generous door prize for you modern mamas!
I look forward to re-learning this information with you all. This is the kind of topic where I learn something new every time.
And to balance all this serious business, we’ll have a light breakfast, time to chat, and some free samples from Maple Organics.
Modern Mama Essential Series – Wills, Guardianship & Money Talks
Friday, May 25th, 10am-12pm
Cactus Club Restaurant, private room at the back
1530 W. Broadway (@ Granville)
$20 perks card members | $25 non-members | Childcare $10
Park underground at either Chapters or Vancouver School Board
Stroller entrance at backdoor/glass veranda
I was given a beautiful package of Maple Organics products to use a couple months ago and have been using them regularly. It’s now my total pleasure to tell you about them!
Maple Organics is a local company featuring the first Canadian USDA Organic Certified body and baby care products. The unique ingredient in Maple Organics is Indian Kokum Butter – nourishing, natural, and effective for a baby’s delicate skin. It can be used everyday with your baby, or also used for eczema. Owner Rosy Atwal is taking the tried & true traditions from her mother’s and grandmother’s teachings in India and bringing them to us in the form of beautiful products that are safe for baby.
Overall, I love this line and definitely see myself buying it again. It smells great, and the products are organic and all naturally-derived, something I’m very conscious about. I have cross-referenced them with my handy “to avoid” list from the book There’s Lead in Your Lipstick, and this product is fantastic and true to its promises.
Here are the products I reviewed:
Kokum Baby Wash – A light and effective baby wash. It is quite watery, but it lathers up well between your hands. I used this product to wash my baby’s body and hair, but the wash seemed to sting his eyes a bit, so I switched to a shampoo for his hair after a while.
Kokum Baby Lotion – A silky texture and light weight, I slather this over my little boy’s body 
after his bath to keep all the moisture in! I use it for my hands too as it absorbs very nicely.
Kokum Diaper Balm – Now this is THE ONE. My absolute favourite product of the group. An all natural, super effective diaper balm. My little guy developed some diaper rash soon after I started trialing these products and the diaper balm was a complete saviour. It’s the perfect consistency – thick but not too thick so it’s hard to apply. It’s so nourishing and was incredibly effective on my son’s diaper rash. I am almost out of our jar and will be buying another one without question. While I have not tried a lot of diaper balms, I really cannot imagine finding one better than this one. Modern Mama has been giving out samples of this incredible product and will continue to hand them out at future events!
I didn’t review this product, but I am intrigued by their Baby & Toddler Cold & Flu Therapy. It strikes me as a natural alternative to a vapo rub style product and I think it’ll come in handy when cold season strikes.
Maple Organics has a line for adults and babies. Buy Maple Organics on their website or at your local Choice’s Markets.
Want to learn more about the amazing classes we’re doing for Social Tots? All of these organizations have wonderful kids programs and have generously provided their time to us for a sample class to try things out. Let’s learn more about them.
BrightStars Performing Arts (West Side Social Tots Series)
I can’t wait for my son to try this class! The BrightStars Level I class covers dancing, singing, music theory and play acting. A good first class to introduce your child to the program, fun games, physical development and social interaction. Regular BrightStars classes are available in Kitsilano, Dunbar, and at the Roundhouse Community Centre.
4Cats Art Studio (Westside & Downtown Social Tots Series). To borrow a phrase from 4Cats – it’s the best, most fun art studio ever! A safe and fun place for your tots to throw some paint around, make creations, and learn all about colour, texture, and art. The sample class for our Social Tots series will be a 45-min intro class, suitable for all ages.
Visit 4Cats Kitsilano and 4Cats Yaletown.
Phoenix Gymnastics (West Side Social Tots Series) and Jump! Gymnastics (Downtown Social Tots Series). Do your tots love to move around and jump? I think they’ll love gymnastics. Your tots get to roam around a fully padded place with things like foam pits, trampolines, and cushions!
Phoenix Gymnastics classes include free play, circle time, and a tot-friendly gymanastics routine.
I just visited the Jump! studio and loved it! A typical Jump! class includes unstructured play, guided exploration of the equipment, and circle time.
Music Together Class (West Side and Downtown Social Tots Series). I have been taking my son to Music Together since he was 6-months old and he just loves it. I truly believe it’s helped with his talking, dancing, and signing skills. The Centre Director of West Side Music Together, Katherine Deane will be giving a sample class to our social tots. Expect 45 minutes of pure fun!
Thank you to Cowboys & Angels and Coco Chiro Wellness for being our venues for these music classes!
Art Walk for Strollers with artist Catherine Pulkinghorn (West Side and Downtown Social Tots Series). Just one phone conversation with Catherine and I was totally inspired. She knows a LOT about the public art all around the city and started these Art Walks for Strollers because she was amazed at the number of strollers & moms she saw on the seawall. Not only will Catherine give you a fascinating tour of public art local to your neighbourhood, she’ll also give you suggestions on how your tots can interact with art.
An extra shout-out to our additional Social Tots partners:
Pottery Barn Kids – a store full of fun, cute, and practical things for kids. They offer a storytime every Tuesday morning and are organizing an extra one just for us Social Tots on the West Side!
Indigo Kids! – Chapters downtown is organizing a storytime and will pull out their top book recommendations for our Downtown Social Tots.
Saf & Benjamin in Yaletown- One of our favourite baby boutiques with some of the best service ever!
Hope you can join in on the fun!
I recently had the pleasure of working with Joanna Moss, photographer. -Connie
I have always loved photography, especially taking photos of my friends children and pets! I didn’t consider it as a business until 2005 when I lived in the Cayman Islands. Then when I returned to Vancouver in 2008 I decided to go for it and have loved every minute!
I love working with children, and capturing their expressions as they learn, play and explore. Their faces are priceless when they discover new things.
In the off season (October to April) you can book one to two weeks in advance for weekdays, and two to three weeks in advance for weekends. In the busy season (May to September) two to three weeks in advance for weekdays and at least four weeks in advance for weekends. Summer weekends get pretty busy! You can expect your online gallery to be ready within one week, and CD to be ready for pick up about two weeks after you select your images.
Yes! I offer three perks.
1. 10% off a Complete Portrait Session – and don’t pay the HST!
2. 15% off a My First Year Mini Sessions – and don’t pay the HST!
3. Book min. 2 hours for party photography and receive a Free photo book (value $75) – and don’t pay the HST!
Valid only for Modern Mama membership perks card-holders. Complete package details available at www.joannamoss.com.
Let’s play! Let’s get out! Let’s get on the go!
Looking to get out of the house? Wondering where to go and what to do? Want something different each week? Social Tots is a weekly “on the go” program for moms and their tots aged 0-4 years. Moms and tots meet each week in the mornings at various times and locations in and around local neighbourhood.
A fun and affordable way to check-out a wide variety of classes for your baby & toddler!
We have two Social Tots series starting in May:
Vancouver Westside, 7-weeks, $60 members, $65 non-members, $12 drop-in
Classes are primarily in the Kitsilano Neighbourhood
The Westside program happens every Wednesday from May 16th – June 27th. Moms and tots in this session will participate in:
REGISTER FOR WESTSIDE/KITSILANO SERIES
Vancouver Downtown/Yaletown Series, 6-weeks, $50 members, $55 non-members, $12 drop-in
This program happens on a weekly basis from May 17th – June 21st. (Thursdays and 1 Tuesday) Moms and tots in this session will participate in:
REGISTER FOR DOWNTOWN/YALETOWN SERIES
All sessions are in the morning, and exact times & locations are emailed on request, or upon registration. Most classes start at 10am or 11am. Space is limited to 10 moms per session. Late registrations are welcome, space permitting, and price will be pro-rated after purchase. Missed classes can be made-up in our fall session.
Although the program is geared towards ages 1-3, ANYONE aged 0-4 is welcome! If your child is less than 1 year old, just be prepared to participate a little more 
This is going to be great fun! I organized these sessions because I wanted a fun & easy way to check out a bunch of classes without a full season commitment. My son looks forward to meeting his new friends!
This event was originally scheduled for April 26th, but has been rescheduled to June 15th.
I’m really looking forward to our shopping event on June 15th- it’s a great chance to learn more about some local stores, get some fashion tips, and meet some fellow moms. And, shopping really needs to be done with a girlfriend, so here’s a fabulous special for you: buy one ticket for our shopping event and bring a friend for free! Tickets are $10 for perks card members and $15 for non-members.
I sat down with the stylish Anna Cohen this week, our wonderful fashion guide for the morning and she gave me the scoop on why she chose these stores for our shopping trip. Let’s learn more about Anna and these great local shops!
About Anna
Formerly a Social Sciences High School teacher, Anna is now a Mom of two and events planner, personal stylist, writer, editor, and lover of shopping of course! Anna blogs about all her loves on SimplystylishMom, and has been featured on VancouverMom.ca, CircleofMoms, and SavvyMom.
Anna organized a maternity fashion show for Modern Mama last fall and she’s amazing to be around. She has an innate sense of style and makes clothing choices that are both practical and beautiful.
Anna’s favourite South Granville Stores:
Anna regularly frequents local boutiques on South Granville – she loves the diversity of stores on this stylish stretch and is excited to lead the tour between three of her favourite boutiques: Oliver and Lilly’s, Spank Clothing and Turnabout Consignment.
“Each of these store has a different atmosphere, voice and something to offer a Vancouver mom” says Anna.
“The open plan space of Oliver and Lilly’s exudes a Scandinavian feel, with unique pieces carefully handpicked. There are are high end designers like Heidi Merrick, Steven Alan and APC, incredible jewellery from Charlotte Hosten and a mom essential: James Jeans.” The store always keeps their sale rack well stocked and it features some incredible discounts for amazing items. “It is a local boutique that you can’t help but keep returning to.”
A
nna describes Spank Clothing as a “unique, funky clothing perfect for the west coast girl.” It features feminine, casual, flirty pieces and has a fantastic selection of shoes and accessories. Anna’s favourite at Spank is the in-house label Lost and Found as it is well suited to free-spirited and independent women. (Spank image source)
Finally, for the Moms who love a good steal, is the not-to-be-missed consignment store Turnabout. “This is where Shaughnessy women drop their never or hardly worn designer items and leave them for us to pick up at incredible reasonable prices,” share Anna, a consignment store hound. “There is nothing like the thrill of finding an iconic Diane Von Furstenberg wrap dress or vintage Chanel purse.” Turnabout has a huge selection in a variety of shapes and sizes and Anna believes it’s hard to leave this store empty handed.
Deals, deals, deals!
We know everyone like a good deal, and we’ve lined lots up for you Modern Mamas:
Nanny Care Fun
You are always welcome to bring your babe on the shopping trip via stroller/carrier, but we will also have childcare available with Modern Mama nannies. All the kids will have a special story time and activities at Pottery Barn Kids while we shop nearby.
Now, all you need to do is grab a girlfriend and enjoy this lovely morning of shopping! Take advantage of our fabulous promotion – buy one ticket for our shopping event and bring a friend for free! Tickets are $10 for perks card members and $15 for non-members. Register.
We’ve just posted details for two more fabulous April events (and one more coming soon). I hope to see you out at an event soon!
Mama does Barre Class, April 11th, 6:50pm (class starts at 7pm), The Dailey Method (41st & Dunbar)
This is it ladies, the workout to get you lean, flexible, and strong. The Dailey Method is a barre class workout, but don’t let that fool you – it’s for all fitness levels and body types and an amazing full-body workout. We’re pleased give you an opportunity to try this class and see the benefits for yourself! Free for members, and $6 for non-members. Get all the details here.
Mama goes Shopping, April 26th, 10am-12pm, Pottery Barn Kids (14th & Granville)
Ever wanted a personal shopping experience? Here’s your chance for a mama-personalized shopping excursion with stylist Anna Cohen from Simply Stylish Mom. We’ll visit shops at three different price points and give lots of outfit inspiration for that easy, but pulled-together look. $15 for members, $20 for non-members. Get all the details here.
I just love visiting Sommer at her store, Saf & Benjamin Baby Boutique. She is so personable and service-first – some of the best service I’ve had at a baby store. Service is so important to me when shopping, so I really appreciate this about her and the culture of her store.
We’ve been planning some future Modern Mama events together lately, so I’ve had some time to get in some good chats. During a recent visit I asked Sommer about her top 5 picks from her store, and here they are !
3 Sprouts organizers
One of the store’s top sellers, these storage bins from 3 Sprouts are both adorable and functional. The bins are large enough to hold many toys, while the diaper caddies are a nice size to hold your essentials and carry room to room. They brighten up any nursery!
The Zoli Sippy Cup
The genuis behind the Zoli Sippy Cup is the weighted base for the silicone straw. It means no matter how the cup is being held, your child will sip it all up! My son uses these sippy cups and they’re great. During my last visit at the store I noticed some newly-arrived OXO feeding supplies and I hear Boon is coming soon.
The Belly Bandit and Mother Tucker
This is a top seller for moms looking to get their pre-pregnancy shape back. It’s a belly wrap that you wear under you clothes and helps tighten & shrink your tummy. I have never used one, but apparently customers keep coming back for them. The Mother Tucker is a compression tank with the same features as the belly bandit.
Cybex Carrier 2 Go
Sommer tells me this is THE baby carrier to get now, taking the best of the well known Baby Bjorn and Ergo carriers, and putting it all together in the Cybex Carrier 2 Go. Your baby is kept in an ergonomically safe position, and can face towards you and away from you. It’s hard to keep this one in stock so contact the store to get your name on the waiting list.
Big Fat Hen Sleepsack
I am loving these sleep sacks from Canadian company Big Fat Hen. 100% organic cotton, these are some of the most natural (and so adorable) sleepsacks on the market.
Do you have any brands and products you covet the most? Share your favourites in the comments!
Modern Mama is proud to be a sponsor for the always excellent Once Upon a Belly Show, happening April 28th at the Roundhouse Community Centre in Yaletown.
Event organizer Aman takes a lot of care when compiling the list of exhibitors for this show. She focuses on having great variety – not more than 1-2 of each type of business, so you have lots of different exhibitors to meet, not a bunch of the same type.
A few notable exhibitors:
Maxwell Designs – the most chic looking diaper bags
Simply Merino -my favourite pjs for my son, made of natural and high quality merino wool
Nestings Kids – a great baby & kids store in Kerrisdale village
Fit4Two – offering great pre and post natal fitness classes around Vancouver
Vancouver Mom – one of our favourite online magazines for all things mom!
We’re looking forward to meeting many of the other exhibitors also. And of course Connie and I will be at the show and hope to meet you too.
Admission is by donation, with proceeds going to Canuck Place.
Save this date in your calendar for a fun afternoon out. See you there!
