Zurich Airport Playroom and Nursery...Wow!

On a recent trip to Spain, we had a quick layover in Zurich.   I know the Swiss are known to be clean and neat, but it seems that they also know how to accommodate the little ones.   At the airport there are two playrooms that are amazing.  If every airport could offer something similar, I think families with small children would fly more often.  This playroom provided a much needed break after a eleven hour plane ride.  It's also super clean and staffed by friendly ladies who will remind you to catch your flight. #travelwithkids #zurichairport

there are multiple rooms to relax in

foosball for the grown ups

multiple diaper changing stations...spotless

food station

nap room

Travel with a Toddler: SF to Viet Nam

Some people think that I'm brave and a little crazy to take Kai abroad.

It’s not cheap and some the of lessons learned are hard. Last month we spent 12 days in Hoi An, Viet Nam. A small town in the central part of Viet Nam that is extremely hot and humid. In this developing town, air conditioning can only be found in hotel rooms and open space for kids is hard to find.

 I took Kai to Viet Nam to meet his great grandfather before he passes on to his next life. On the day that we arrived to Hoi An after 20+ hours of travel, Kai started to bawl and repeated “I want to go home”. For a two year old, he was expressing some serious homesickness. Two days after our arrival, Kai developed bronchitis. I was dizzy with guilt and worry while my son was struggling to breathe. Was I crazy to take my young son to a developing nation? J reminded me that Kai is resilient and that no one can prepare for such things. He was right and Kai improved his health enough to enjoy bike and boat rides along the river.

It turned out Kai was scared of my grandfather’s white hair and wrinkled skin. Kai covered his eyes during the first visit and repeated “scary, scary”. My grandfather laughed and played along. He peeked at Kai from afar and enjoyed watching Kai feed the goldfish.

Some people say there’s no point in traveling far with a young child because they don’t remember anything. I say that children live in the moment and create memories for those around them during trips abroad. In this case, some of the moments were hard for Kai but these same moments were the happiest for his great grandfather.

Kai took the photo of his great grandfather

I'm away and loving it

Okay who says a mother of a young child can't go away for seven days? I'm on day 3 of my writing retreat and loving it. Good news is that baby and hubby are doing well too. This is my third time out of CA and away from my son. The first time was a 24 hour trip to Vancouver for a friend's wedding. Kai was 2 months old then. Second time was four days in New York. Kai was 16 months. This time he is 22 months and more bonded with daddy, no meltdowns yet.


Do I feel guilty? No. Why should I? Mothers should never feel guilty for wanting to rejuvenate themselves and spend time alone. If I'm to balance work, motherhood, and marriage....then time away is a necessity to sustain all this.

If you're a mother of a young child and have not gone away for at least a night on your own, allow yourself this gift. You will enjoy the silence and revisiting your old self. It's okay.

Slow and Sunny Petaluma: Recommended trip with the Baby

For Bay Area folks looking for a quick getaway, this might be the spot. We were pleasantly surprised by this little town known for its egg and butter parade. There are beautiful parks, plenty of farms, and good food to keep the kiddies happy and entertained. You’ll also be inspired to start your own garden.

Recommended itinerary:

Shollenberger Wetlands is a stunning expanse of wildlife and view of the rolling hills.




For those interested in history, the Adobe State Park is worth visiting.

Eat fish tacos at Café Zazzle. We took our food to go and had a picnic lunch.

Eat dinner at Namaste Kitchen, they were super nice to Kai.

Visit the chicken coup at Green String Farms and buy fresh produce and seasonal jams.



For those urban farmers, there is a seed bank in the downtown area that was opened up by the Baker Seed Company. Literally it's in an old bank and houses thousands of seeds. Heirloom everything.

I can’t forget the freshest and cheapest French cheese around direct from the Marin Cheese Factory.

Stay overnight at the fun Metro Hotel. Located on the main drag and just two blocks from a playground. The rooms are set in an old mansion and are Parisian themed. Complete with hardwood floors and clawfoot tubs.

You could do Petaluma in a day but there’s so much to see. Overall a fantastic and educational place to take your toddler. Everyone is really nice too.

Thumbs up!

Southwest Airlines…Off My List for Now

As the big travel season is nearing us, you may want to consider other airlines.

I used to fly Southwest a lot. I appreciated the cheap tickets, the in- flight magazine, and efficient service. However, I’m starting to think that maybe Southwest would rather fill their planes with childless passengers.

I was surprised that SW no longer does pre-boarding for families. When I asked a SW clerk, she said they stopped doing pre-boarding due to complaints from folks flying without kids.

It doesn’t stop there. Two weeks ago, a co-worker of mine who I’ll call Rosie flew with her twin boys from Oakland to Los Angeles. The returning flight was unpleasant and a bit embarrassing. This was Rosie’s first time flying with her two boys.

Here are her words:

The boys are 20 months old and we traveled with my 14 year-old niece and Luis. I realized afterwards that the flight attendant did keep an eye on us right from the beginning -- as soon as we sat down, she hovered over the boys and me as I changed their diapers. She patiently waited in the seat behind us as the plane filled towards the end then presumed that I did not buy the boys a seat. She said, "since you did not pay for the seat, one child has to be held with the other adult in another aisle." I cooperated with the attendant as I shuffled Aaron, who resisted, to Luis on the next aisle. Aaron cried for about ten minutes before we took off then just before taking off, I got both the boys on my lap to calm them down. I was going to give Luis one boy right back as the attendant came and scolded us for having the two boys on my citing the FAA rules this and FAA rules that. Never did she want to help and comfort us. The surrounding passengers sympathized for us and showed their support with smiles and even offered their toys to comfort the boys. As we got off the plane, the flight attendant referred us to the security officer for yet another lecture on the rules. This time they accused us of switching babies during the landing and we confirmed that we did not, that we each held one boy as we landed. Luis was firm and reiterated that we know the rules and that they should not accuse us of such things unless they really saw us.


Ironically just a month ago, another mother was kicked off a SW plane for having a loud two year old. For Pete's sake, babies will cry and babies will fuss. But they're not a threat to anyone on the plane. Pass out headsets to folks who want to drown out the crying...offer support....do something other than making mothers feel bad for traveling with a child.

I’m officially writing SW off my list. SW can continue their policies, but parents will definitely look for friendly skies elsewhere.

Solo Trip Part 2--So far, so good

First off, apologies for anyone who has posted a comment and failed to see their comment visible. I'm working out tech issues. I'm bummed because those comments may be lost.

Good news is that my first night away from baby and hubby was so much fun. The night entailed filipino food at Krystal's and halal street food. Yum! A ton of walking through Jackson Heights and Flushing. My friend and I discovered a massive Indian market with a huge collection of incense. paratha, and basmiti rice.

Came back to munch on sweet pineapple and laughed over misspellings in a vietnamese recipe book. There was a recipe for Sweat and Sour Fish soup. You gotta love it.

Then we stayed up til 2am watching Notorious and she glamoured up my nails. For real, I'm talking jewels and silver stripes.

Of course I miss my babies. But it's nice to be here too. All my wise women friends were right, I would instantly enjoy being on my own again.

Thanks C and M for being cool hosts.

Solo Trip--Going Away without Baby

I’m going to New York for four days without my son or husband. It will be my first solo trip since Kai was born sixteen months ago. Honestly, I’m mostly excited but do feel a little bit of guilt and nervousness.

A few months ago, a co-worker shared with me that she never did anything for herself after her kids were born. For seventeen years, she didn’t go on any solo trips or jump at the invitations for girl’s night out.

I’ve always believed in having “me” time and nurturing myself. It's the key to our happiness. I need a reminder of what my life was like pre-marriage and baby. There was such a thing. On my trip, I look forward to reading a novel, sleeping in late, carrying only my stuff, and staying out all night. This trip will be a test and practice for me. In the spring, I’m off to a writer’s residency for seven days without them again.

If you have the urge to take a trip away from mom duties, go for it. I think it will make us better moms in the end.

Baby’s First International Trip

I’m back from Japan and still getting adjusted to the time. Looking back at our trip, here are some reasons why Japan is a smart first international trip for babies.

- Japan certainly favors cartoons and animated characters in advertising and other public canvases. Everything is so cute!




-Super clean family friendly bathrooms almost everywhere even in their subway stations. Not only can you appreciate the TOTO high tech toilets with warm seats and bidets, but most Japanese bathrooms are baby friendly. Many restrooms have a full-on hybrid adult/child bathroom with a big person’s toilet and mini toilet for the little ones. Plus the musical device that masks your "bathroom" sounds is an experience!



-Every restaurant immediately offers your baby a kid’s bowl and utensils. Good to share meals and also can be used as a distraction while you eat. Plus baby loves slurping up ramen, udon, and soba!



-Subway and buses have plenty of seats that are clearly designated for lap babies, pregnant women, and seniors. I never saw anyone who didn't fit those categories sit in those areas. Elevators are normally near those cars.



-Biking in places like Kyoto is pretty safe with babies. Bikers can ride on the sidewalks or scenic river pathways. We rented bikes with the Kyoto Cycling project. They have baby seats and helmets.



-Tokyo and Kyoto have an awesome international toy store and playland...
Bornelund which will keep your child entertained for a good few hours.

- In the city of Nara, deer roam freely in the temples and grass parks. They're very friendly and aren't scared of us. For rainy days, you can duck into a cool mom's group and activity center at the Nara train station on the second floor.




The only bad aspect is that smoking is still allowed in restaurants. We had to leave 2 restaurants because there were smokers near us. Other thing is that nursing isn’t normally done in public. I did it anyways but very discreetly.

Overall Japan is a super fun and safe place for your little one to explore a different culture. Happy travels!

Related Links: Flying International with Baby

More Japan Travel: Monkey, Monkey

A childhood friend recommended that we visit the Arashiyama/Sagano area. It's a beautiful town full of temples and bamboo groves. The highlight though was visiting Iwatayama Monkey Park. It was quite a trek heading up to where the macaque monkeys play. I'm talking about climbing at least 100 steep steps and walking a winding upward trail with a chubby baby. However it was well worth it to capture a baby monkey nursing:

Friendly Skies? Flying International with Baby

Well, I don't know how friendly the skies will be. In two weeks, we're headed to Osaka with Kai. I've been a bit nervous about flying with him. The flight on Asiana will be about 12 hours. Yikes! I've been getting advice on how to alleviate the pressure on his ears. Nurse him. Give him water. I've been hearing about having to change the baby in the tiny bathroom. To bring extra clothes for myself in case he gets airsick. Fun! I'm just praying that whoever we sit next to will be understanding. Anyone have advice? Maybe giving Kai the boob will solve all my worries.

It didn't help that I read this story last night in the New Yorker...the author didn't find it amusing to sit next to a small child on the plane :0

Find more tips on this baby travel blog.

This post by Jessica McFadden made me feel better.

In Honor of International Women’s Day

Recycle your Cosmos and Maxim magazines. Instead show the women in your life some real respect on March 8 and every day after that. If you have a chance, there are 5 places in the world that you must visit to understand the monumental contributions of women all over the world:

1)Hanoi Women’s Museum—Often overlooked on tours, but this four- story museum is a must-see. There are rare photos from the Viet Nam war of women who were messengers and guerrilla soldiers.

2)The Women’s Building in San Francisco’s Mission District—The MaestraPeace mural is breathtaking and worth visiting.


3)International Museum of Women, San Francisco


4)National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington D.C.

5)Your grandma’s house.
When you look into your grandma’s eyes, there is perseverance and strength. She has certainly contributed to your life in a big way. Even in their mid-70’s, both my grandmothers still have their wits. They’ve lived through a war, famine, and multiple childbirths!

What other women focused places are special to you?

Foodie Tour for the Whole Family: San Francisco

Here’s a foodie tour that’s both kid-friendly and wallet-friendly:

tea collection

It's not about me anymore

One of the most bittersweet things about being a new mother is letting go of yourself. Especially for those of us who enjoyed a life of extreme independence and freedom. As mind boggling and nerve wracking a baby can be, new mothers always find that moment of magic when you realize it's all worth it. My good friend Mari shared a breakthrough experience she had with her 16 month old son while visiting Panama:


On top of feeling tired from our long flight, being almost 6 months pregnant and dealing with humidity, Omar got a teething attack 15 minutes after we had put him to bed! I've never seen him get this bad as if going insane. He could barely open his eyes and his hand in mouth while slobbering all over. I was holding Omar so he wouldn't hurt himself as he was moving all crazy!

I rushed to my teething tablets and tylenol...thank God I brought them! Lesson #1 you can never be over prepared with a baby. It took awhile for the medicine to kick in because he kept crying not even wanting his bottle.

Long story short....after realizing he wasn't going to sleep I realized that he needed more than drugs. He needed the love of his mother. I picked him up and he held me so tight...his little arms around my neck. Tears just rolled down my cheek as I rocked him to sleep while listening to his cry getting softer and softer. At this time it didn't matter that I was tired with a back ache or missing the movie playing in the living room.

I realized no matter how I try to balance my life as a mother, wife, woman (who still likes to have fun) Omar comes first. Before I became a mother I was ready to check out the latest clubs, walk the streets, sleep in and party all night while travelling. As a mother I am more focused on Omar getting the most out of our trip. From there I can experience the same joy.


Gracias Mama por todo las noches que tu me arrullastes cuando yo no me sentia bien...te quiero mucho!!!