Kid & Coe-the only way to travel with kids

Escape to Tuscany & stay in this  14th Century palazzo from Kid & Coe

With winters chill still lingering in the air & traces of snow still on the ground in Brooklyn, many of us are craving an escape from reality to warmer temperatures.  Que Kid & Coe, the answer for discovering amazing vacation rentals tailored to showcase breathtaking family friendly homes from  around the globe.  Kid & Coe was created by Zoie Kingsbery Coe out of necessity.  "We were on tour in Sydney as a family (side note: she managed her husbands music career) and were lucky enough to be checking into the Four Seasons, planning to stay there for a few weeks.  Within two days we realized it wasn't going to work for us as a family.  Once Luca was asleep at night we were tiptoeing around him in the dark, whispering so we wouldn't wake him.  I think all parents who have stayed in hotels with their kids know this scenario.  We also realized we wouldn't be cooking any healthy home cooked meals and we just needed more space to enjoy our family time together."

So began Kid & Coe a beautifully curated site that includes an inside scoop on each residence such as-a "What We Love" section & a "Things to Know" section that make discovering your next getaway painless & easy.

We had the opportunity to interview Zoie Kingsbery Coe & get the skinny on the coolest family travel site out there as well as travel tips for our bebe birds.:

Kingsbery Coe with her Family

Bebe Birds (BB):  Hi Zoie!  Can you tell us what was your inspiration was when creating Kid & Coe?

Zoie Kingsbery Coe (ZKC): While in Sydney and staying at the Four Seasons we realized it wasn't going to work for us as a family.  I then I started the process of looking for an apartment to rent, it took days.  Most were unsuitable for young children. I had to go personally and check them all out.  When we found something that did work I then had to source a baby equipment rental firm to kit us out with high chairs, stair gates & the rest. It took a whole week out of our trip to get to that point.

But then everything opened up.  As soon as we were situated, it felt like all of Sydney was our Sydney. We had a base to find local fresh grocers, nearby playgrounds, farmers markets & cafes.

That's how it started. From that I realized that staying in a house as a family was the way to go.  Spending too much time going through uninspiring websites and looking at uninspiring houses that claimed they were family-friendly made me realize there was a real lack in the market for people who need the space of a home the most.  And Kid & Coe is an elegant solution for traveling families

BB:  What can those traveling with children expect when booking their lodging through Kid & Coe? 

ZK: Each of our properties are varied & suited for different age ranges of children.  What's family friendly to a family with a two year old might not be appropriate for a family with teenagers-family friendly is an imprecise description, really.  We hope to serve both.  We present our information clearly so families can find what's right for them-for a family with younger children, they might want a property with a pool gate; for those with teenagers, space & privacy may be higher on their list of wants.

A beautiful family friendly residence in Amsterdam-The Verheijstraat Residence from Kid & Coe

BB:  What are some of the criteria required to be featured on Kid & Coe? 

ZKC:  We're keen to take applications from homes around the world and are constantly adding new properties.  We consider a variety of factors: how large they are, whether they have kid-friendly appeal, location, as well as what they look like.  They don't have to look like the pages of an interiors magazine, necessarily, but they do have to look comfortable.  The main criteria is thaat our team would want to stay there themselves.

BB:  The images showcasing each individual home on Kid & Coe are so beautifully done. Once a home is selected by Kid & Coe what is the process used to capture the beauty, comfort & kid-friendly appeal of the home? 

ZKC:  We use professional photographers to present great images of our homes.  We feel that it's keeping consistent with our desire to clearly present homes- some other websites don't have large enough photos, they are grainy and dark and don't represent the properties as well as they could.

BB:  What are some of the most memorable homes you have curated & featured on Kid & Coe? 

ZKC:  We have a Galapagos Safari for families on the site & a Patagonian ranch-not normally places that would jump out at you as a place to explore with kids!  We hope to help families think outside of the box when traveling with kids.  We also have a property in Cape Cod in an old windmill that is fabulous.

Galapagos Safari in Santa Crux, Galapagos from Kid & Coe

The Windmill Residence in Cape Cod from Kid & Coe

BB:  Many of those who work at Kid & Coe have traveled the world with their children.  Can you share some of the most kid friendly cities you have visited? 

ZKC: I think Sydney is the most kid-friendly city I've visited-there's such a wealth of things to do-beaches, aquariums, zoos, Chinatown.  It's the perfect collision of nature & the city.  My family is also huge fans of Ibiza.  Lo, our creative director & co-founder really loves Tel Aviv; Nicole, our communities manager, is a fan of Puerto Rico, David, our Customer Service Directors, loves Greece; And Laura, our communications manager, loves Iceland. We've got travel experience all over the planet.

BB: What are some of your travel tips when traveling with the little ones? 

ZKC:  You can't underestimate the novelty of fun little presents on the airplane. I usually buy play dough (perfect airplane toy), little sticker books, stacking cups for a game of "hide the goldfish".  We wrap our  little gifts up to make the process really drawn out.  I'll be honest, I also let mine watch as much TV as they want on long airplane rides. The main thing for international travel is to acclimate to the local time as soon as possible and keep your kids in natural daylight as much as you can.    

BB:  What are the future plans with Kid & Coe?

ZKC:  We hope to continue to grow our property listings while being able to maintain the curated element.  We also hope to provide more content in terms of our City Scout guides and envision it being a community generated feature.  Who better to tell you what cafes and parks to discover in Amsterdam than a momma from Amsterdam!  We also hope to introduce our blog in the not too distant future and collaborate with inspiring & creative blogs like yours!

Family friendly villa in  Bahia Brazil from Kid & Coe

Thank you Zoie!  Bebe Birds loves what you're doing!  To learn more and plan your next family getaway visit Kid & Coe!  Safe travels!  

Take a Trip to Travel Town

Travel Town from Nicole Keating on Vimeo.

If you live in or are visiting the southern California area and currently parenting a train loving toddler, like myself,  there is no place you'd rather be than Travel Town.  The  Travel Town Museum, located in Los Angeles' Griffith Park, is decked with locomotives, diesel engines, freight cars and the like from years past.  The 9 acre park, founded in 1952, was created to "preserve and celebrate the railroad heritage of the western United States."   

Travel Town is free to the public and open 7 days a week. There is a picnic area located inside Travel Town where we enjoyed delicious tamales and Mexican sandwiches (compliments of our good friends Patrick & Melissa) and a miniature railroad offering train rides built along Travel Towns perimeter for $2.75 per person or $2.25 for groups 20 or more.  Visit Travel Town Museum for more information on visiting hours and special events.

We Travel In Packs

Bebe Bird & his side kick Z have been paling around Brooklyn ever since their fateful meeting at the peditricans office two and a half years ago.  Bebe Bird was only 12 days old.  Since then, Bebe Bird & Z see each other multiple times a week....or even a day depending on their mood and timing.  They celebrate birthdays, new years & school years together.  There is an ease and comfort in their interactions that others notice.  And, there is always laughter (along with teeny tifts) that fill the air & accompanies their play dates.  They are, in every sense, best friends.  To kick off the carefree days of summer Bebe Bird & Z (along with their parents-and a lil' sis) ventured forth to Saugaureties, NY, to crash for the weekend in a charming 1850's farmhouse.  We breathed the fresh air and soaked in some country living.  The children played in the open yard with rolling stream & swung on the tree swing.  There were cocktails, headaches, & snakes-oh my!  

So, once upon a time for 3 days, 2 families & 1 get away later we enjoyed...

large from Nicole Keating on Vimeo.
Music: Good Life by OneRepublic
Visit Home Away to make a reservation at the 1850's Farmhouse

From One Mama to Another-Meet Natalie

Natalie & her two daughters, Gisele & Charlotte

Meet Natalie Rooney, a mama, children's wear designer and former New Yorker now living in the South of France with her two daughters Gisele & Charlotte.  She's also the creator & designer behind the whimsical children's line Océane Manon, lounge wear for girls and babies with an old world charm.  

Océane Manon's cotton apron, $52 & cotton dress, $65, both at oceanemanon.com

Why we love her?

She inspires us!  She's a well traveled mama not afraid of taking chances.  About a year and a half ago she took a leap of faith moving her daughters 5 years and 10 years at the time from the Untied States to the South of France. "When it comes to dreams, I feel we must try to follow them in order to wake them into reality." 

Gisele's Time Out children's book, $25 at oceanemanon.com

On the Move: 

A long time believer that she would never leave Manhattan Natalie found inspiration after a trip to Florida and realized that " Living in Manhattan seemed to hold a lot of gravity and it felt like it was holding us within it's skyscrapers.  Once we moved out, living in the warm weather, near the beach, in a house rather than an apartment was a lot easier with a toddler.  We enjoyed breathing in the fresh air, noticing flowers, the stars at night, nature in general."

Then, a few years after the birth of her second daughter, Charlotte, Natalie decided to follow a life long dream to move to the south of France with her children while they were young enough to easily acquire a new language.  She goes on to explain, "Sometimes it feels like windows of opportunities come open, moments perhaps, and I worried we might let the chance go by and never do it.  So I made a push, I did lots of research for schools and different towns until I felt I found the right one, Uzès. I took a leap of faith and decided to try it for 3 months.  You see, 3 months was affordable enough without having to risk everything in case we didn't like it."  

Natalie's home in Uzès

Greatest joy since moving to France: 

"The biggest joy has by far has been hearing my kids speak French, not only with their friends shouting playfully during recess, but even little arguments between them in the back of the car! And being able to travel so easily.  We've already visited so many countries .

Gisele in Avignon

                                                           

Climbing ruins instead of monkey bars

Why we love Océane Manon? 

We simply love the sheer white cotton that make up many of Océane Manon's clothing.  We find it to be both dreamlike & charming. Each garment is hand stitched in India using techniques passed down from artisans who made clothing for the Rajas.  The fabric is called Khadi, and was made known to the world by Ghandi.  It is extremely light, but also strong.

Océane Manon's embroidered cotton lounge dress, $122, at oceanemanon.com 

Life in America vs. Life in France: 

• On Parenting: In France there is a strong sense of a united culture. It is a much older country and has a lot more history.  This creates a more unified culture with perhaps less differences than we are used to in the States.  France respects its traditions, the order of life, when to eat, how to eat, what to do in certain social situations, how to respond to common behaviors from children.  There is a lot less room for error within the framework - limits are already set.  A lot less guesswork.  You raise your kids not too differently from the way you were raised.  I find less imagination, less freedom, less open mindedness, less tolerance, fewer educational options, and a lot less thinking outside the box.  In America, particularly in New York, there are many varying ways to raise children.  We take it for granted that our neighbor has different rules about table manners or jumping on furniture, politeness, and so on.  I like the freedom to make my own rules as a parent, and to follow my maternal instinct.  All that being said, i do find French moms chic and sophisticated, and their children probably do have better manners than American kids.  And for sure the French kids outdo Americans in their wardrobe!
• On Food: The French have a lot of respect for food, there are certain ways and times to eat certain things. And no doubt about it, French kids eat all kinds of foods American kids would never even look at.  It seems to be adult food is given as early as possible.  Mixed up, with all the flavors, and certainly not with veggies on the side, separated from the pasta for example.  It would not surprise me to see a French 3 year old eating escargots.  I do have to admit I have seen New York kids eating sushi.  
• On Work:  "The town I'm in, Uzès is extremely creative.  The attitude towards work and money is much more casual than in New York.  That's actually an understatement.  They close down everything for 2 hours at lunch and are also less service or success oriented.  The customer is not always right here.  It is less motivating in terms of financial success, but helps to balance joie de vivre with work life."

Traveling with children: 

• Get a passport right away for everyone in the family and book a trip immediately.  One step at a time and you will eventually get to where you are going. 
•  Be more flexible with the baby's schedule and let them sleep on the go whenever they want.
•  Pack less clothing because traveling is not a fashion show. Plus, most places may have anything we might forget.
• Let the kids choose something fun to play with at the airport shop.
• Try to choose non-stop flights.
• Each kid gets her own carry-on and is responsible for pulling it around and not forgetting it somewhere.
•  Don't be afraid to let them sit on their own on the plane.  They are less needy and cranky seated next to strangers and do surprisingly well.
•  Let them eat junk food on the plane.  I used to pack fruit and carrots and stress about that.  When we travel I let them eat whatever they want till we arrive in the hotel.  The next day they know we have to eat salad, drink water, and clean up our insides a bit.  It is such a big relief to let go of anything I can when traveling.  
•  Skip activities with long lines.  Don't expect things to go smoothly or over schedule the day.  Sometimes a good activity is just getting a gelato in Italy and watching people go by while the kids chase pigeons.  They will remember that more than the museum visit.  You all probably will.

What's Next:
Our plans for the future are to move onwards and have a new european experience.  Starting in September, Océane Manon will be based out of England.  Nothing should change much regarding the business except for some adjustment in shipping.  You see, my two children are very different from one another, as with most siblings.  They will follow very diverging paths.  I've begun to question education so much that I wonder why certain information is chosen as the "right" information to teach kids, and why they each need to learn that same information.  I want to trust my childrens' interests and natural inclinations enough that it is reflected in what they learn, as well as how they learn it.  This nurturing of out of the box thinking is something I feel is not valued much in France, or at least is not something I found in any schools.  So, we are moving to a town in Devon, England.  It's also in the countryside, rural, but with progressive, forward thinking towns where we can find this kind of flexible education, organic markets, and open minds.  I'm looking forward to seeing the kids blossom when their schooling will allow for this kind of new growth.  It will also be fun to have a new adventure and meet new people.

Océane Manon's cotton jumper, $tk & Indian cotton towel, $53 at oceanemanon.com

Thank you Natalie!  Bebe Birds loves ya!  To get your little one these beautiful cotton pieces, perfect for summer visit Océane Manon.