I just posted my first official post on a site called KidzVuz.  If you don’t know about it yet, you should.  It’s a completely safe, carefully monitored online destination for tweens to have their say and share their views.  Tweens leave, watch, and comment on video reviews of the books, tech, movies, toys, celebs and tv shows they love.  It’s a place for tweens to have their say  (including my son, Max, who will debut on the site this Sunday when he reviews a fabulous new book he’s reading) and a place I want my kids to spend time at.

Anyway, I rarely discuss my kids on the blog you’re reading, although it does happen, so when the site’s founders contacted me to become a regular contributor to their new parenting blog, I didn’t hesitate for a moment.  I’m slowly navigating the waters of having a tween and it’s cathartic to blog about it. For my first post, I wrote about “How Selena Gomez Revived My Daughter’s Wanderlust“.  It’s the true story of the golden halo effect the famous singer had on my daughter after meeting her in person last year and how she transformed my daughter’s interest in our upcoming trip to Paris.  Here’s a snippet:

So, last summer, we were planning a trip to France to visit friends in Avignon and spend a few days in Paris. My daughter didn’t want to go, she had no interest. The trip was to take place before our nephew’s Bar Mitzvah in England and we were catching a speed train from Paris to London. We were going to visit her friend from home who had moved back to France. Still, she did not want to go and her moans about being forced to leave home echoed in my heart.  But along came Selena Gomez and changed everything. 

Please check it out, comment and stay tuned for more tween talk over on KidzVuz.

Tucked away in the beautiful Notting Hill section of London lies a jewel of a hotel, and what you might find a surprisingly child-friendly place to stay. The Hempel is a breath of fresh air for any family wanting a bit of an escape from the excitement and business of London.  Instead of staying in a typical London hotel and getting very little space for your money, The Hempel offers full-size apartments with plenty of space for everyone to spread out and relax after exploring the city.  Best of all, it’s located right next to Hyde Park and Notting Hill and is a hop, skip and jump from some of the best spots for families in London.

Source: The-hempel.co.uk/hotel-gallery

When we arrived at The Hempel, it was late at night, but as we drove into the quaint neighborhood, we were all instantly enraptured.  Facing a beautiful English garden or the “Zen Garden” (that was actually featured in one of my favorite movies “Notting Hill” with Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant), the hotel has a lobby is likely to put you in a zen state as soon as you walk in.  It was made with the most neutral colors and an eye for relaxation.  It’s got minimalist decor and a glowing fireplace that invited my daughter as soon as she walked in.  The staff offered us welcome tea or coffee and graciously helped us to our room, which was surprisingly across the street, with beautiful views of the park in a white Georgian building.

The Hempel comprises fifty individually designed guest rooms, suites and apartments each in its own minimalist style.  We stayed in one of their apartments.  It may be old outside but the inside is completely new and modern. Inspired by the essence of modern and ancient travel, the unique atmosphere of The Hempel achieves balance and harmony through the use of warm lighting and natural materials, associated with the traditional Zen philosophy of Earth, Wood, Metal, Fire and Water.  It’s not cluttered and has a warm palette.

The effect is one of tranquility, even for my kids.  Their beds were positioned by enormous windows with views of the park in the main sitting room, which also has a big sofa and coffee table. They were really comfortable and made full use of the flat screen TV in the main space, watching “Cupcake Wars” on the Food Network, their latest addiction since we’ve been on holiday.   The free Wifi was definitely a perk, after being charged 6 pounds an hour at another boutique hotel on this trip.

The bathroom and cupboards are hidden behind the carefully painted walls.  The kitchen is compact but contains all the amenities you need to feed a family, including a full-size refrigerator.  I love the decor, as a matter of fact, I’d like to decorate my house the same way.

In the morning, we headed to No. 35 Restaurant, headed up by Head Chef, Michael Carter, who works with a seasonal menu offering the best of British and European ingredients – all borne from handpicked, independent suppliers. I had kipper, whilst the kids had cereal, eggs, toast, hot chocolate and juice.  My shameful picky eaters could have had such choice from the English delicacies being offered.

From the hotel, we walked directly to Hyde Park to Princess Diana’s Memorial Playground and then to Kensington Palace.  Straight across the park is the Science Museum, the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Natural History Museum, shopping in Notting Hill, Harrods in Knightsbridge, just to name a few places nearby. After a day of being out and about, we ventured back for snacks and drinks at the bar, where we got lovely tapas and were able to relax.  The hotel really has a zen feeling that stays with you during your stay.

If you’re heading to London anytime soon, check out The Hempel’s web site for the best rates at www.the-hempel.co.uk. The hotel is located at 31-35 Craven Hill Gardens, Bayswater, London, W2 3EA.

But still, the Jewish life in Britain is very unique for me.  First of all, my Jewish UK experience starts as soon as I board the plane tomorrow night.  There will be a lot of black hats and Yiddish speakers, many of whom “daven” or pray on the plane.  When we arrive in Manchester, we will head to parts of town where our family and friends live that are predominantly Jewish.  Then we head to London, to Edgeware, Finchley, Highgate and Golder’s Green, very Jewish areas where we will drive by very religious people walking the streets, Kosher restaurants and shuls one right after the other.  One would be lead to believe from my experience that everyone in England was Jewish!  But of course, that is not the case.  There are 300K Jews in the whole of England, and it is an extremely tight community.  When I lived in London at age 23, I certainly did not experience the Jewish side of London and I personally remember a very difficult search for matzo (where I live in NY, the Passover aisle in my local grocery is a mile long).  In London, Kosher food for Passover was impossible to find.

I’m going to launch in a quick over-view of the Jewish population in Manchester and London.

My husband grew up in a close-knit Jewish community in Manchester. Last year, on our annual visit, I took the kids to the city’s Jewish Museum and we learned  that the Jewish community of Manchester dates from roughly 1780, but by 1865 there were less than 5,000 Jews in Manchester.  The population increased as a consequence of of the intensified persecution of Jews in Eastern Europe, and the Jews who came over took great care to maintain their traditions and rituals.  The synagogues are mainly Orthodox, and there are many Kosher butchers and bakeries to cater to families who keep Kosher.  My husband grew up with a very positive view of religion and of the State of Israel.  Many of his friends moved to Israel as young adults and all of the ones who stayed in Manchester have solid connections to Judaism.  The Orthodox movement does have a stronghold in the synagogues, but they do have a few “liberal” or reform shuls, which are slightly more religious than the ones in the U.S. but not as strict.  They have a number of Jewish State schools that kids attend, where they get a 50/50 Jewish/English education which instills a deeper sense of who they are, living as a minority.

Over in London, which represents 2/3 of the total UK Jewish population, Jews are segregated into certain neighborhoods, just as other religions and ethnicities are.  Most of my husband’s friends moved to London after University, and they are extremely educated and are thriving in this metropolis.  They have remained close to each other and seem to look out for one another.  Most of the synagogues are Orthodox, with men and women separated on two sides of the shul, but I am sure there are more options for non-religious folks like us.

Let’s leave the British Jewry discussion for now.

Anyway, we’ll be in London at my sister-in-law’s house for Seder and she’s very strict.  She is serious about when we start the seder, when we finish, the food will be strictly Kosher and the entire Hagaddah will be read.  The Seder will be beautiful and it will be wonderful for all of us to be with family.  It will be long, and I’m not sure how we will deal with my young children and their even younger children, but we we’ll manage.

But even more than that, I’m wondering how I’ll be able to keep Passover while staying in a hotel part of that week. It’s not an ideal situation when you’re trying to teach your kids that by a certain age, it’s time for the whole family to keep the holiday.  I have always caved in on the 2nd or 3rd day when I realize that their eating pickings are slim, particularly my son who is on the thin side.  However, I think it’s time for them to participate in all the customs that we, ourselves, partake in.  They go to Sunday School; they’re learning about their heritage and history.  It’s time to turn them into Passover keepers!

So, the question is how will get my two fusspot kids to keep Passover this year, particularly when we’re in a London hotel?  My mother-in-law makes the yummiest matzo pizza in the world.  My kids love this recipe and it’s fun to make, and I’m sure that we’ll make it at my SIL’s house and bring some with us to the hotel.  And I’m posting it here:

Ingredients: 

MATZO: Thin, crisp matzo makes an idea layer in this pizza-lasagna mash up. It softens when baked but holds all the wonderful toppings together. There’s no dough to stretch or noodles to boil..it’s just two favorite meals combined to make one killer casserole.

1 medium onion chopped

4 oz. cheese

5 pieces of matzo

1/4 lb. mushrooms

sugar, salt, pepper, oil

2 eggs

jar or tomato sauce

lemon juice (optional)

How to make it:
-Soak matzo in cold water for a few seconds and drain in between paper towels.
-Fry onion until golden.
-Add chopped tomatoes, tomato sauce, lemon juice, seasoning and cook gently until mixture thick – take from heat and add 1/2 the grated cheese.
-Grease lasagna dish and put layer dampened matzo, cover with pizza sauce, then another layer matzo, then more sauce, mushrooms sprinkled on top and the rest of cheese.
-Pour over heater eggs and let it soak in.
-Cook at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

London’s Science Museum is no exception – it is indeed magnificent.It was founded in 1857 as part of the South Kensington Museum, and gained independence in 1909. Today the Science Museum is world renowned for its historic collections, awe-inspiring galleries and inspirational exhibitions.

My 6YO son was mesmerized by the section called “Exploring Space”.  He was absolutely enamored by the collection of  rockets, satellites, space probes and landers.  Check him out trying on a real astronaut’s gloves – he was in his element:

Some of the other galleries included:

Lunchpad – Launchpad is every kid’s dream.  It’s a hands on section where they can learn about everything from how light works to the noise and even physics.  It wants children to get inspired and ask questions about the way things work.  Launchpad is open to all, but is particularly aimed at 8- to 14-year-olds, plus their parents and teachers. Under-12s must be accompanied by an adult, and school groups need to pre-book their visit.

Source: http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk

I’m very interested in Jewish life around the world, so on our recent visit to London when my kids and had just a few hours to do some exploring, I led them to the city’s Jewish Museum called the London Museum of Jewish Life.  Located in one of my favorite London neighborhoods, Camden, it was rather easy for us to get to from our hotel in Belsize Park in an old Victorian building.

The museum was founded in 1983 as the Museum of the Jewish East End with the aim of rescuing and preserving the disappearing heritage of London’s East End – the heartland of Jewish settlement in Britain. While the East End has remained an important focus, the Museum expanded to reflect the diverse roots and social history of Jewish people across London, including the experiences of refugees from Nazism. It also developed an acclaimed programme of Holocaust and anti-racist education.

Given the fact that I’m from New York, where we have an amazing Jewish Museum, I can honestly say I was impressed with this museum.  It’s not cheap to get in – adults cost about 7 pounds, kids 3.5 pounds, but I found it really worth it.  We started on the top floor at an exhibit I was particularly interested in called “Entertaining the Nation”.  The exhibit tells the untold story of Jewish contribution to British entertainment from Victorian music hall to the stars of today…which is pretty massive and impressive.  Jewish entertainers have brightened our lives for decades – in music, stage and screen. We are all familiar with TV and movie stars such as Peter Sellers, Sid James or Simon Amstell, as well as famous directors and writers like Mike Leigh and Harold Pinter behind the scenes, and singers from Frankie Vaughan and Alma Cogan to Marc Bolan and Amy Winehouse. But did you know that The Beatles, Rolling Stonesand Sex Pistols all had Jewish managers? Or that the classic English Ealing comedies were created by Michael Balcon, the son of Jewish immigrants?  Who knew that Mike Leigh and Sacha Baron Cohen were members of Habonim?

This ground-breaking exhibition explores the stories behind these household names through a fascinating display of costumes, props, vintage photographs, posters and hands-on objects as well as archive footage and newly commissioned films, in our 1920s inspired cinema.

It’s a really good exhibit and I loved some of the quotes on the walls like this one:

“I wasn’t baptized.  I wasn’t Bar Mitzvah’ed.  I suppose my basic religion is doing un to others as they would do to me.” – Peter Sellers

The film about British Jewish Cinema is also excellent.  Called “Playing Jewish,” it talks about how the portrayal of Jews has evolved over time, and the stereotypes that are pushed over and over again.

Then we went to to explore the other floors.  We studies the history of British Jewry on one floor.  Highlights include an evocation of a Jewish East End street, bringing to life the sights and sounds of this immigrant quarter of London; an interactive map exploring the history of Jewish settlement around the UK; and poignant displays relating to refugees from Nazism, including the 10,000 unaccompanied children who came to Britain on the Kindertransport.  There are fun and engaging activities for visitors of all ages, and my kids were no exception, include a great migration board game, Yiddish theatre karaoke and an interactive discovery table in the Living Community display.

The Judaism: A Living Faith is a small, lovely gallery that showcases the Museum’s outstanding collection of Jewish ceremonial art and explores Judaism as a living religious tradition.  With an interactive Torah display at its centre, the gallery explores Jewish religious practice and traditions in the home and synagogue, using multimedia and hands-on displays to engage visitors of all ages. Highlights include a 17th-century Venetian synagogue Ark, magnificent Torah decorations, silver Hanukah lamps and Passover plates.  While much smaller than the Jewish Museum’s Judaica collection, it was perfect for my short-attention span kids and they really enjoyed the collection, particularly the set Shabbat table.

We stepped into the Holocaust Gallery but I didn’t explain it to my children and only stayed for a short time.  I am not ready to delve into that subject, although when we were in the Jewish part of Paris, I did allude to the period.  But my kids, ages 6 and 8, are nowhere near ready for that kind of knowledge.

All in all, it was a very successful morning.  We then headed to the electric Camden market for a stroll.  And then when we went to Manchester a few days later, I insisted on going to the Manchester Jewish Museum.  But that will be info for a future post.

The museum is located at Jewish Museum Raymond Burton House, 129-131 Albert Street, Camden Town, London NW1 7NB.

Disclosure: I was not given any tickets for this museum.  All expenses were out of pocket and all opinions expressed above are my own.

Anyway, traveling always makes me think about my life.  It opens my eyes to new experiences: visual, emotional and culinary at the same time.  During our time in London, I couldn’t help but reflect back on the time I spent there as a recent college graduate many years ago.  Memories of night after night seeing the finest theatre in the West End, drinking in pubs with friends, spending afternoons watching tennis at Wimbledon and going to the most amazing music festivals came to mind.

But traveling solo and traveling with kids are two very different things, but I’d venture to say that they are equally rewarding.  I’ll never forget taking my daughter to Italy when she was just 1-1/2.  I was pregnant with my second child at the time.  The people in Italy called her “Bambino” and she gleefully ate her way around the country with us. We had a few mishaps – like when we left her only pair of shoes on top of the car and drove off with them, blowing into the air.  We left a friend’s DVD player (our savior at the time on long plane rides) on the plane on the way home and had to buy them a new one (fortunately, we took our Travelex travel insurance).

Traveling with kids definitely brings problems, but you get through them.  A few years after our trip to Italy, we took the kids to Prague and Berlin at ages 1 and 2.  I remember long evenings in the hotsel room with crying babies who were having trouble adjusting to the new culture, as well as behaving on the train rides in between countries.  But the next day while touring around some of the world’s must beautiful cities, we were reminded of exactly why we were there:  To expose both them and us to new cultures and places.  If they were going to cry or be wingy, why not be wingy with us on the road?  Otherwise, we’d never go anywhere.

This year our travels took us to the UK and France.  Now my kids are ages 6 and 8.  Times have changed since they were younger.  I’ll not too soon forget the looks on their faces when they went to the top of the Eiffel Tower.  Nor will I soon forget walking around the D’Orsay Museum and hearing from my 8YO daughter her knowledge the life and history of several impressionist artists.  I loved tasting various crepes with them, of course nutella reigned as the all-time favorite for all of us.  I loved walking around my favorite part of Paris with my daughter, Le Marais, and telling her about the area’s history as she seriously hang on to every word.  I also enjoyed shopping with her, something I have never been able to do before.  As for my son, he has been to England so many times, but at age 6, he doesn’t remember much.  The joy my husband got taking him to the Manchester United Stadium will stand out in my memory.  During our visit to the Jewish Museum in London, they both asked all the right questions. Traveling with them just gets better and better. They’re even trying new foods and the act of keeping a travel journal is becoming more natural to them both.

But I do think that starting when our kids were young helped mold them into solid travelers today.  My husband and I never shied away from far away destinations because we have kids.  Their experiences will follow them for the rest of their lives and shape who they are.  They will be adventurous and open-minded forever more, remembering the time our family slept in a small apartment in the Bastille neighborhood in Paris with no working lamps and the time we got lost looking for our friends house near Avignon.  Both experiences worked out – we liked our little Parisian flat and we found our friend’s home.  In both places, we hang out with the natives and we have memories that will last a lifetime.

So, what’s stopping you from traveling with your kids?   If it’s money, you can get around that by traveling locally.  If it’s early wake-ups or difficulties sleeping or keeping you up, they’ll pass and life will continue, either on the trip or after.  Don’t be scared.  Embrace the challenges of traveling with your children and open up their eyes to what the world has to offer.

In addition to the article, I want to elaborate on where to eat and stay.  I spent a year living in London after college, and we go as a family every year, so I have traveled both on a budget and as a family in the grand city rather.  While I will admit that eating in London can be quite expensive, it doesn’t have to be.  First of all, if you like Indian food, you can get great Indian food all over the city, without breaking the bank.  There is a large concentration of Indian eateries in Brick Lane, which is in East London, where people flock to for great value.

Eating in Central London isn’t cheap, but there are chains like Pizza Express that’s all over the city that offers set meal prices (pizza, drink and dessert) and are extremely kid-friendly.  There’s also China Town, where you can grab a bowl of soup and egg rolls.  When I was a young girl living in London, my favorite restaurant was Stockpot, and it’s still around.  For 5 pounds or so, you get shepherd’s pie or chicken pot pie – proper home-cooked meals that are incredibly delicious and hearty.  And really generous portions.  God, I loved that place.  Walking around Leicester Square, there’s also pizza for a pound and the food gallery at Covent Garden where you can pick something up and watch the buskers.  Wagamama is the most excellent noodle restaurant where you eat at long tables.  There are 15 locations all over town.

On our recent visit to London, we were very happy to discover that most restaurants offer a children’s menu.  Not only that, but they offer a range of choices aimed toward children with healthy options.  Here are a few of the restaurants to keep in mind on your next family visit to London, as well as one hotel suggestion:

Gourmet Burger

Gourmet Burger is a chain located all over the London.  They offer a wide variety of types of hamburgers with sauces ranging from horseradish to Cajun.  They also serve chicken and lamb, as well as a variety of vegetarian options.  Their burgers are about £7-8 each and are quite large.  Their junior menu is £5.95 and offers hamburgers, lentil or chicken burgers or chicken nuggets with the choice of a drink.   The setting is very casual and perfect for kids.  The chain was founded by a couple of New Zealanders in 2001 and has a relaxed Kiwi kind of feeling.   My kids really liked the food and it was easy on the wallet.  We went to the Belsize Park location, but you can check the web site for other locations.

Sunny Hill Café

Sunny Hill Café is located in Sunny Hill Park in Hendon in the northern bit of the city.  It’s Israeli-owned and offers a variety of English and Israeli cuisine options.  They have tables inside and out facing the park’s open fields.  I love that you can order falafel, hummus, lentil soup and more.  It’s such an unusual menu for a cafe in a park.  Meanwhile, the kids can munch on the usual kid’s fare, as well as ice-cream, when they need a  break from playing in the park’s very fantastic playground.  On a Saturday, you will feel like you are in a bit of Israel given the ambience and clientele.

Giraffe

When you Google “family friendly restaurants in London,” Giraffe will be one of the first results to pop up.  We went to the location in Belsize Park near our hotel, but there are Giraffe restaurants all over London.   Kids can eat for £3.95 and have options like fish & chips with peas, meatballs & pasta, pizza, hamburger, chicken and lots of dessert and drinks options.  They give out crayons and an activity before the meal and have a lot of options for adults including salads, Mexican, burgers and more.  The only thing I advise not to order is the salad.  The UK doesn’t have their salad-making abilities just yet, they need some help on that front.

Hampstead Creperie

In the middle of Hampstead’s busy High Street is a crepe stand that has been in the same spot for years.  There’s always a line, anytime of day.  You can order sweet or savory crepes; of course my kids chose the chocolate ones.  They cost only a few pounds and melt in your mouth.  This was a place I have never forgotten and still holds true to its promise.  The chocolate ones are quite messy, so take wipes.  There is no seating, but there are wipes nearby to sit on while you carefully devour a crepe made in heaven.

Curry Manjil Restaurant

No visit to London is complete without having a full blown curry.  One of our kids loves Indian food; the other is not so sure.  But we absolutely adore it.  So, on our last night in town, we dragged them to a local Indian restaurant to get our annual dose at Curry Manjil.   It has good ambience and very solid food.   You can probably get spicier, cheaper food in Brick Lane or Bayswater, but if you’re in Northern London, this is a good choice.

Waterside Café at Warwick Crescent in Little Venice

Located in a floating boat, this was an unexpected treat and quite a find.  The menu offers English fare and has indoor and outdoor seating.    They serve breakfast and lunch or you can have sweets and tea.  The prices are really reasonable.  The kids ordered eggs on toast, and I had a salad with hummus and pita.  Afterwards, you can walk around the canals.

And now for some hotel advice:

Premiere Inn

We actually stayed in various Premiere Inns the entire time we were in London.  Breakfast is £7.50 per adults; kids are free.  It’s a full buffet, offering everything from hot to cold foods.  It’s a very good English breakfast.  If you are looking for a reasonable hotel stay in the city of London, the Premiere Inn is definitely checking out.  Hotel rooms are not cheap, and this will be one of your less expensive options.  For your information, we paid £50 pounds for a family room in Manchester, breakfast included; £129 pounds in Belsize Park, just outside the center of London, breakfast not included.  The London location was particularly good; it was a short walk to the tube that takes you right to the center of town, and also a short walk to the lovely Hampstead Heath.

London has so many culinary options and hotels; this is only a short list.  But if you have a trip planned and want to have some family-friendly options on hand, keep these in mind.

Some of my favorite neighborhoods to eat at in London are Chelsea (they have a terrific crepe restaurant called My Old Dutch), Camden (there are loads of options to consider while exploring the market’s stalls), Islington, Chalk Farm, Highgate and Belsize Park.  Pubs offer great chow (“pub grub”).  You usually order off the black board and have a seat, order some ale and relax.  In the suburbs, these are proper country pubs.  Many have soft play areas for kids.

One last mention about where to stay in London.  The more central you stay, the smaller your room, and the more expensive the room.  The further out you go, the more space you get (which is good for kids) and the less you’ll pay.  As long as you’re near a tube line, you’ll be in good shape.

We go to the UK every year to visit family and friends.  We rarely ever have time to do anything touristy, and I have often longed to venture into the West End or Chelsea to do some sight-seeing.  This time, instead of running around between family and friends, I opted for a few real days out in the city.  I decided that I wanted to share a city that I lived in as a young adult with my children.

I’ve written a few blogs about our visit over on TravelingMom.com.  Here are the links:


10 Ways to See London on the Cheap

London on a Budget with Kids

London’s Restaurants for Traveling Moms

This one is not about London, but much of it’s content derived from our recent trip there:

Don’t Get Ripped Off When Traveling Abroad

20 Tips for Traveling with Challenging Children

In the next few days, I’ll be blogging about our trip to Israel.  I can’t wait to share my experiences from our travels in one of the most beautiful, peaceful places in the world.