Brunch with Baby at Mildred's Temple Kitchen

A few years ago a good friend of mine introduced me to Mildred’s Temple Kitchen in Liberty Village and I fell in love with the place. I’ve taken everyone I know to Mildred’s for brunch and can’t speak highly enough about the overall experience. So when I decided it was time to take the plunge and bring our son out with us for brunch, this was the only place I could think of. 

Mildred’s brunch menu offers a variety of creative twists on classic dishes, making it a great choice for your foodie friend or your no nonsense grandma.  A few of my personal favourites include:

Huevos Monty: A delicious quesadilla-like egg dish that’s made with black beans, flour tortillas and topped with a few delightful dips (fresh salsa and avocado crème fraîche).

If you like savoury Mexican inspired dishes, this one's the perfect choice.

Mrs. Biederhof’s Legendary Light & Fluffy Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes: Sweet, creamy and a warm pillow-like pancake on a plate.

Prepare to enjoy a little taste of pancake heaven. The blueberries, cream and oh so fluffy cakes will fill your dreams for weeks. You will want them again … and again.

Luckily there is a side-order of pancakes for those of us who can’t decide between savoury or sweet and want a bit of everything.

Currant Scones: With just a touch of sweet, these scones pair perfectly with one of the signature teas. Simple perfection!

While I was pregnant I decided to scope out some of my favourite places in the city to see where we might be able to bring our new baby. I would look at things like the space (how much room there is for a stroller), the facilities (can I change a diaper while we are there?) and the overall atmosphere (sounds, lighting and a welcoming feel from the staff). Mildred’s became our brunch spot after many of my appointments while pregnant and I added this to our list of possible family date spots.

Soon after our son was born, we took him to brunch at Mildred’s for the first time and the overall experience was even better than I expected. The staff was incredibly accommodating, finding us the perfect spot to sit so that the stroller felt like it was part of our table. The white noise in the restaurant was perfect for keeping the baby happy and the bathroom had a great place to change diapers. Ben's only two months old and he's already a regular!

Mildred’s wide open seating area makes it easy for the staff to accommodate little ones, but be sure to plan ahead if you decide to head over there on a Sunday morning. While Mildred’s might seem like a hidden gem, this west-end brunch spot is very popular and you want to make sure you prepare for a bit of a wait. We always try to get our names on the list and do some shopping while we wait. 

With mother's day just around the corner, Mildred's is the perfect place to bring mom for brunch or a Sunday evening roast. A local hot-spot that combines culinary creativity, welcoming warmth and class!

I Discovered Overnight Oatmeal!

What could be better than a bowl full of rich, warm and delicious goodness in the morning?

Being a new mom, I’m always on the hunt for quick, healthy and, of course, delicious new recipes. So when a friend of mine recently posted a picture of her overnight oatmeal one morning, I had to find out more about this. After trying a few different versions of this new phenomenon, I started to get creative and make my own!

The fun thing about this recipe is that even if you’re not overly confident when it comes to playing with flavours and ingredients, it’s so simple to make your own. The basics stay the same and you can add whatever you like to change it up.

Here are a few versions that I’ve come up with, paired with some of my favourite morning beverages.

Overnight Oatmeal

Part 1: The Basics (this part of the recipe is almost always the same)

Ingredients

2/3 cup of quick oats

3/4 cup of milk (this can be any kind of milk – almond milk adds a delicious flavour)

1/8 of a teaspoon almond or vanilla extract

1 tablespoon of maple syrup (honey, brown/white sugar or sweetener can be substituted)

Preparation

Measure out oats, milk, vanilla extract and maple syrup; pour into a mason jar. Give the ingredients a quick stir, twist the lid on tightly and shake until everything is well blended. Place the mixture into the fridge overnight. In the morning, heat the oatmeal in the microwave for 1- 1.5 minutes.

Part 2: Flavourful Fun  (this is where you can get creative)

Add one of the following to your oatmeal after it’s been heated.

• Two squares of dark chocolate (I love to use Lindt Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt)

Who says you can’t enjoy a little chocolate for breakfast! This oatmeal pairs really well with a rich cup of Muskoka Maple Coffee.

• Fruit! (dried Cranberries or fresh blueberries)

Adding fruit makes this a light and healthy option, perfect for a crisp spring morning. I love to eat this version with a light cup of tea. Sloan’s Heavenly Cream or Peaches and Cream are my two favourites.

This simple recipe is perfect for a weekday morning rush, just pop it in your lunch bag or heat before you head out the door. It’s also a great way to start off a slow Sunday morning. Enjoy the variations I’ve suggested, or be creative with your own flavourful fun.

Josephine’s Creative Career Moms: Courtney Ryall & Loops for Days

Photography by Courtney Ryall 

After working with Parent Life Network on a piece about creative career moms, I’ve decided to do a series of features on this topic. The focus is on women, particularly mothers, who inspire us by pushing past physical, societal and psychological challenges in order to pursue their dreams.

This week I had the opportunity to speak with Courtney Ryall, owner of the colourful crochet company Loops for Days about her “nap-time hustle.” Courtney’s lovingly handmade flower crowns, cowls and beanies are absolutely adorable accessories inspired by and made with little ones in mind. Harlowe, Courtney’s daughter, was and still is the inspiration behind this budding new Canadian company.

First things first, can you tell me a bit about you and your company?

I am 28-year-old work from home mom. My first job is taking care of my 17-month-old daughter Harlowe. Loops for Days is my small handmade business where I crochet accessories for mostly babies and children, but also adults.

When did you start the company? Can you describe its beginnings for me?

I started Loops For Days in November 2014  by creating an Instagram and Facebook page, as well as and Etsy store.  At first I listed 3 items: 2 infinity scarves, the Lulu and the Stephanie, and the Gracie Headband (a warm headband with a large bow). In the beginning my customer base was almost all friends and family.  I spent the next few months growing through word of mouth and social media.

What made you decide to take the chance and start your own company?

People have often told me to start selling my crochet projects when I have given them as gifts or when they had seen the piece that my daughter was wearing. Crocheting is something that I do every night before bed while my husband and I unwind from the day.  It just seemed like a perfect way for me to continue creating while making a little bit of extra money on the side.

How would you describe a typical workday?

Everyday I do the "nap-time hustle". The only time that I have to work is when my daughter is sleeping! I try and get orders done during nap-time and early evening. Outside of the actual crocheting, I try to post on my various social media accounts daily.  This includes finding or creating content (I do mini photo shoots with my daughter in my various products 2-3 times a week). I also try and wedge out time for cross-promotion with other online shops that have a similar target audience. Before I go to bed, I will usually pack up finished orders so that they can be mailed the following day. Finally, I try and take time every week to create new items to add to my shop.  Even if it's a new take on an old piece, it helps me to keep the creative juices flowing. 

What is it like being a mom and an entrepreneur? What are some of the challenges? 

For me, it feels pretty normal now. I absolutely love that I get to include my daughter in what I do! The challenging part is that I only get so many hours in a day to complete actual orders.  My work takes time to create, so I can't realistically hold stock that is ready to ship.  Since everything is made to order, it is important to stay organized and keep within my promised turn around time. If Harlowe is teething, or refusing her naps, I am unable to work. This sometimes results in late nights if I need to get product out on time.

What inspires your work?

My daughter does! She is my total inspiration and without her I wouldn't have started Loops For Days. 

 Has crochet always been a part of your life? 

My grandmother has always crocheted. We always had her blankets (every child in the family gets at least one) and her house is filled with gorgeous intricate tables cloths. I started crocheting three years ago.

How did you learn to crochet and did you always consider it a business venture?  

I learned how to crochet using YouTube videos. I started super small, just learning the basic stitches.  Over time I taught myself to read simple patterns, followed by more complicated ones.  Eventually I was able to improvise on existing patterns and also create my own.

What are your hopes for the future of this company?

At the moment I am taking sewing lessons.  I am hoping to incorporate some sort of apparel to my shop.  I would like to combine crochet and sewing to offer something a little bit different.  I am also interested in expanding my photography knowledge.  I have so much fun with the creative side of the business; I would like to feel like I have a solid grasp of what my camera can do and create more elaborate photo shoots with my products. In addition to all of this I would love to develop a stand-alone website and blog. One thing at a time though!

Small Space Secrets

Adapting to change is part of the survival process as a new parent. Along with many things that happened after Benjamin was born, preparing our home was one of them. Some of this preparation took place before Benjamin came along, but the majority of it is happening right now as we learn what’s needed to survive baby-life in our ‘cozy’ home.

 Living in a small space demands creative thinking when it comes to storage and clutter control. Over the past few weeks we have made many changes to our living spaces to make room for a baby and all that comes along with this.

Before Benjamin came along, our tiny 1930’s bungalow seemed spacious, but we still used all of that space. For example Benjamin’s nursery was an office/ dressing room, a space where we stored our extra clothes and worked. Now we’ve had to move all of our stuff out of this space and find a new place for it. So I’ve come up with a few creative solutions to our storage problems.

           

     The IKEA ‘Hack’

While this isn’t really a ‘hack’ but adaptation of the products intended use, it still took some convincing to get my husband on board with this one. Eventually I convinced him that using a shoe cabinet for clothes was a perfect solution to our clothing storage problem.

The cabinet is narrower than a dresser and fits sweaters perfectly.

The additional top drawer is the perfect place to store odds and ends that we would normally leave out on top of dressers or nightstands. I’ve discovered that the key to dealing with small space clutter is finding a place to put things away so there isn’t as much on top of the furniture. Too many items on surfaces makes a room look smaller and of course messy, especially in a small space.

   Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

Mirrors are your best friends in a small space. They give the illusion that the room is bigger and brighten up a space if placed in a spot where they can reflect light from a window. This tall mirror helps to make our bedroom appear larger and by placing it on top of the cabinet it draws your eyes up, giving the appearance of a high ceilings.

 Multipurpose Pieces

The living room is where we spend a lot of our time and the big coffee table that we originally had in the middle of the space was not ideal. While it looked nice, the larger table took up too much space and did not have an alternate purpose, storage. This  upholstered ottoman from Kitchen Stuff Plus was the perfect solution. It’s long and narrow so it gives us a lot more space to move around. In addition to replacing the coffee table, it doubles as extra seating when guests are over and it’s soft edges will make it toddler-proof for the future.

This simple item truly is a multipurpose piece as it also offers ample storage space!

When choosing furniture for a small space I always look for style and functionality. These are just a few of the small space solutions we’ve come-up with recently to help make room for our growing family and all that comes along with it. Stay tuned for more!