Summer In Scandinavia Part 5- Old Town, New Adventures

January 14, 2018February 15, 2018 / babyflyerblog

The trip so far:

Part 3- This is the Way We Board the Plane (Board the Plane)

Happy 2018! When last we ‘spoke’ about this trip, we were packing it up to leave Helsinki, and head to Tallinn. To do this, we hopped the number 9 tram down to the ferry terminal. It stops right where you need it to- across from the large and rather impressive ferry/cruise building. The terminal itself is even an attraction, with great views, as well as food and drink.

Go home, Helsinki, you’re backwards.

They tell you to get there a bit early, and they really do board and leave promptly, so it’s a good idea to give yourself some time so there’s no rush. Plus, it gives you a chance to take in the sea, and maybe a treat.

Bon Voyage!

The ferry is the best way to cross over to Estonia, and takes cars as well as passengers. We booked the Eckero Line with Direct Ferries, and it really is more of a small cruise ship than what we’d think of as a ‘ferry,’ complete with several bars, a cafeteria, concerts on board, and several decks of small private cabins. This is more than enough for the just over 2 hour crossing. There are several companies that make the crossing, so there’s some flexibility in the schedule.

All aboard!

We elected to get a 4 person cabin each way for just a bit more than the basic ticket (around $40), and with a baby it was totally worth it. The space was too small to really be comfortable for all the adults to be in at once, but Baby Flyer napped both ways and we took turns hanging out with her and relaxing with a snack and a ‘Long Drink‘ up on deck.

Sleeping away the crossing.

On arrival in Tallinn, we checked into our next Airbnb, which was a 2 bedroom flat inside of the ‘Old Town.’ Old town, once the partially-walled medieval city, is now the hub of tourist activity and also of restaurants, shopping, and nightlife. Our flat was on the edge of the Old Town, which was a good thing since this meant it was quiet at night.

Our Airbnb host even left a crib for us, even though we brought our own. If you travel with infants, be sure to see what baby/kid amenities are available if you decide to go with Airbnb/HomeAway/etc. properties.

Old Town is actually only a 15-20 minute walk from the ferry terminal. If the weather’s good, and you don’t have a ton of bags, it’s entirely reasonable not to try and get a cab for the short drive.

Estonia welcomes you!!

This part of Tallinn is all historic courtyards, narrow streets, and cobblestones. It’s buzzing with pedestrians taking in the architecture in the day, and people out enjoying the cheap(er) food and drinks until late at night. It’s common for the ferries to fill up with Finns on weekends headed out for some fun at a fraction of the prices of ‘true’ Scandinavia.

View of Old Town from our top floor Airbnb.

The old architecture has been beautifully preserved, yet the city is modern through and through. The Old Town is divided into ‘upper’ and ‘lower’ areas, upper once upon a time having been home to the fortified castle and grounds, and the lower the sprawling town connecting it to the port.

Heading up the hill from the lower part of town to the upper.

Though the streets are winding, it’s hard to get lost here for too long simply because it’s not a large area. Eventually, you come back to where you started.

Now….for the family travel review of this part of the trip- First off, cobblestones are not pleasant with just about any stroller, and definitely not the smaller-wheeled travel models, our Citi Mini Zip included. This was a place we were really wishing we’d brought her Ergo Baby carrier, especially because of the daytime crowds.

A walk through the Torniade Valjak park, just outside the walls.

Still, we had some nice exploring time, and there’s plenty of green space within and just outside of the Old Town to let kids run around and play.

One thing we will say though, this was our favorite city of the trip for food! It was easier to find and more relaxed than in Helsinki, and much much cheaper than in Copenhagen. The service was family friendly, and everyone could find something they wanted. Even picky Baby Flyer tried some new food and flavors.

Quinoa and goat cheese with beets. She hasn’t eaten this healthy before or since…

As simple as it is, I think some of our fondest memories of the city were of the restaurants close to our Airbnb that we stumbled upon by chance. The first, Must Puudel, was our choice for dinner (twice). It’s a fun (if a bit hipster) bar and restaurant tucked away off the beaten path, that included a hidden garden patio behind. The menu had fresh, innovative dishes and very reasonably priced drinks.

Yes, there are pea sprouts on everything. This will not be the last garnish we knowingly ate on this trip.

As well as the good vibe inside, the cobblestone street out front was quiet- the perfect setting to let a restless and newly walking Baby Flyer stretch her legs while the rest of the crew finished up eating. What’s better, it’s Estonia, and no one cares if you take your wine glass with you on baby duty.

Taking an after (during) dinner walk in her new ‘See Kai Run’ shoes.

As luck would have it, just around the corner, we found a little cafe called Kohvik August, that we fell in love with as well. They made great coffee and mate lattes, and had fun lunch specials, including the Estonian version of Aperol spritzers, just for a treat.

Happy vacation!

While Old Town is fun, it turns out there’s more to Tallinn than that. The next day we hopped the local transit to Kadriorg, an expansive park that includes both playgrounds and gardens, and the site of the historic palace grounds.

The palace and the gardens really are beautiful in the summer. The playground areas were decent, but not overwhelmingly modern or creative (just wait for the post on Copenhagen!!), and we’d had some rain in the morning so things were wet enough that Baby Flyer preferred to run around the other parts of the park instead.

Through the secret passage! Baby Flyer’s outfit by Ittikid

The park was our last attraction before gathering up our things again, and heading back to the boat. All in all, Tallinn was a pleasant surprise in many ways. I didn’t do too much research on it this time around, but it really wasn’t needed. You can easily hit the highlights of Old Town in 48 hours, enjoy some good food and drinks, and return to your Scandi holiday satisfied at the diversion.

~CET

Baby Flyer’s rating of Tallinn: Good times, much enjoyment. Would recommend – 10 out of 10!

Next up- “God Rejse og Velkommen,” or “Hygge With a Chance of Downpour.” (Denmark…the next stop is Denmark.)

Summer In Scandinavia Part 4: Hello, Helsinki

December 14, 2017February 14, 2018 / babyflyerblog

Tervetuola!

The adventure so far:

Preview

Part 1- Gear up and Go!

Part 2- Well Connected

Part 3- This Is How We Board the Plane (Board the Plane)

We arrived in Helsinki on time and intact, though a little tired. Thankfully, Helsinki is a strikingly welcoming place to get around as a family. From the comfortable changing stations in all the restrooms, to the free ‘strollers’ to use in the airport, it really shows that they value accessibility for parents. On top of this, even though it’s the largest airport in the country, the Helsinki-Vantaa airport felt largely empty. There were no crowds, no big lines at customs. We were through and waiting for baggage in a matter of minutes.

Finnair checked our stroller through to baggage, but the airport had free kiddie carts.

From there, we followed the signs to the train to the city. Helsinki has a new-ish direct high speed train that takes you downtown in about 25 minutes. It too was clean, accessible, and quiet. We enjoyed the trip through so many green fields and trees! So nice after leaving from Los Angeles in the summer.

Once we got to the central station, we got on the local train out to the neighborhood where our Airbnb was. Again, easy and clean. We’d looked up the stations and trains before going (you can never be too prepared) so we made it with minimal confusion. I use this system across the world. Though in northern Europe, you can just about count on signage in English, or locals who can answer your questions, it’s good to have an idea of what stops, what direction, and if applicable what color line you’re looking for. This kind of down to the details research has saved me, especially in places like Shanghai or Tokyo, where the language barrier is worse.

The enclosed porch of our flat. The perfect place to relax between sightseeing.

Our condo was in Ruoholahti, which isn’t quite the center of town, but also isn’t far. Helsinki isn’t a big place in general, so between walking, biking, and the easy on/off trams around the city, we felt plenty in the middle of it all. We rented a three bedroom flat that was spacious and homey. Our hosts were very nice and accommodating. By American standards European Airbnbs are usually a mix as they tend to go heavy on the location, and light on a few amenities most of us are used to. Dishwashers are rare in the smaller units, as are clothes dryers. However, it was a MUCH better deal for us than a hotel. Hotels are expensive, lack the ability to do your own cooking, and don’t have separate rooms to put the baby to bed in. For stays longer than a night or two, it’s a great option.

We settled in and took a much needed nap, and then headed out to explore the city for a bit. It was high summer, some of the nicest weather they’d had yet in the season, and still the city was very easy to get around and lacked big crowds at the major attractions. So, so nice when you’re bringing the baby around. At times we could even let her walk down the sidewalks next to us without worrying she would run into anyone.

She LOVED it, and even got used to how to get to the train station, and what train to get on. This kid was made for this town!

We got dinner at- you guessed it- Vapiano our first night. Why break with tradition. As advertised, it was good quality and affordable. I will say we actually had a harder time than expected finding restaurants in this city. Between their limited hours, and menus it was hard to agree on, we did a bit of wandering around. If we go back, that’s one thing I would research more.

The next day, more rested, we set out to enjoy the nature in and around Helsinki of which there’s plenty. We headed up the shore from our flat to check out the open air museum, which is an island park that has quite a number of traditional buildings on display amidst the forest. Again, it was very quiet and no crowds.

The ‘museum’ was free to wander around. Tickets were only required for guided tours and events. The island also has a bathhouse, as well as several beach areas. We took a loop trail through, but we had more things to do in the day, so we didn’t spend hours.

This walk also takes you past one of the most advertised (as much as anything is in Helsinki) attractions. The Sebelius Monument is one of the iconic sights in the city. You can walk around and through it, which makes for some fun pictures.

Before going, we’d looked up what to do as a family in Helsinki, and came across a fun and unique museum called the “Childrens’ Town.” It’s indoors, in the city center, and best of all- Free! We made a point to check it out, and it was a hit! It consists of two floors of the building and has a bunch of different exhibits, all of which are play-with-able. There’s a farmyard, a boat, a puppet show, a store, a classroom, and more.

The exhibits highlight Finnish society and history, in a playful kid-friendly way. The upper floors of the City Museum have adult exhibits that we also had a walk though. What was particularly striking about taking Baby Flyer here was how clean and safe it was. This was due to the design, but also simply to how conscientious and respectful the other patrons were. Parents were attentive, and were meticulous in tidying up after their kids were done playing. The museum didn’t need a big staff, and was therefore able to be free, likely in part due to this. It was so refreshing!

I’ll also take the time to say that while the city didn’t have all that many people in it (which isn’t just our perception, the entire country has only about 5 million people-less than the population of LA County alone) there were plenty of other babies and kids around. There were a fair share of strollers on the sidewalks, and yes, both here and especially in Copenhagen we did see some babies napping in their strollers outside shops and restaurants while their parents were inside.

This would seem unbelievable in America, and has in fact, gotten some expats in trouble with CPS unwittingly. However, these cities are very safe, and kidnapping is almost unheard of. It’s estimated there have been about 3 reported kidnappings in Copenhagen in the last 30 years or so, and if the story is true, some of those were mistaken acts by thieves just trying to take property without realizing they’d managed to take a snoozing baby as well.

Comfy enough in her Mini Zip, but she wasn’t about to let us leave her in it to go off and have a coffee.

We weren’t quite that brave, and Baby Flyer wasn’t feeling the stroller napping too often on this trip anyway. She much preferred to be out of the stroller and exploring on her own two feet.

We visited two more of the main attractions on our visit- the Fortress at Suomenlinna, and the Helsinki Zoo. The former we’d looked up before going, and had put on the list, while the latter seemed to be the place every local we managed to get to actually talk to us (the Finns are notorious for being a bit shy and reserved, a trait that Baby Flyer spent the entire four days trying to cure them of through forced games of peek-a-boo and other antics, at times much to their discomfort) suggested we go. This was true from the first locals we met on the flight over, to our hosts, to waitstaff.

Suomenlinna is a world heritage site situated on an island near the city center, and ferries run all day and are reasonably priced. You can get a simple round trip, or an island hopper ticket that lets you stop at a few more of the smaller islands in the harbor to explore. Suomenlinna itself is a large site with both relics of the old fortifications, and more modern buildings and restaurants and cafes. There’s plenty of nature, and a playground that Baby Flyer thoroughly enjoyed. Even better, just getting there on the boat was a cause for absolute joy.

We spent a few hours walking around and taking in the sights. As always is the case when traveling with toddlers, sometimes the best parts are impromptu. In this case, Baby Flyer’s favorite part was the flocks of wild geese wandering around that were quite tame, yet not aggressive. We had to console her for quite awhile when it was time to say bye bye to the birds to head back to the mainland. Luckily for her, these were far from the last birds she’d get to commune with on our trip.

Posing with ‘her friends.’

The next day we did a little shopping and sightseeing, and then caught yet another boat- yes, in Helsinki, everything is boats- to the Zoo. Now, I think that you can learn a lot about the entire Finnish culture just from a quick walk through the Helsinki Zoo. I mean this in a good way, hear me out.

This is the middle of the Zoo. Yes, really.

The culture, to an outsider, in many ways revolves around respect. Respect for other people’s interests and boundaries, and respect for the world and nature. You see this everywhere- people are reserved, almost unnervingly so to the common American, but they’re not pushy, they don’t assume, and public spaces are clean and safe. Likewise, their parks dominate the city, and tend toward the more natural, less manicured.

Baby Flyer takes control of the situation, and the map. Radish dress by Ittikid, baby Keen sandals.

So now the Zoo. It likewise was beautiful and unlike any Zoo I’ve been to. There was as much open, non-cage and enclosure space as there was areas where the animals were kept. What’s more, the animals in most cases had so much space that they weren’t visible to us much at all. It was a statement that the wants of the animals were as important as our desire to see them. It’s not to say we didn’t see some, but more often than not….we just had to take their word for it that there was something in the enclosure.

This is a sculpture of an animal. Good enough.

None of this bothered Baby Flyer in the least, though we adults did get a pretty good laugh out of it. Since the Zoo takes up a small island of its own, there’s also beautiful views to be had as you wander around. Even more importantly, there were…. more birds for Baby Flyer.

LET ME LOVE YOU!!

So yes, there were some animals after all. Przewalski’s Horses- some of the only surviving truly ‘wild’ breeds of horse. Or as Baby Flyer calls them – “A Neeee!”

After walking around most all of the major exhibits, and stopping for some ice cream, we headed back to the ferry to the City. We got dinner on one of the main shopping streets on the way back, and enjoyed some of the truly amazingly high quality street performers that seemed iconic of the city. A far cry from the ‘guy with a keyboard’ or ‘bucket drummer duo’ we used to happen upon in the Boston subway now and then.

I’ll have you know that you haven’t lived until you’ve seen that sax player drop and do 20 push-ups in the street as the tuba performs a truly amazing ‘Eye of the Tiger’ solo. These guys alone are worth the trip. Click here for a short clip of them playing.

Summer in Helsinki means mild temps, and long evenings as the light doesn’t really fade out until close to 11pm. It’s a perfect time to go and enjoy this modern-yet-historic city. This year Finland celebrated 100 years of independence, which in comparison to its neighbors isn’t much at all. Over the land’s history there has been plenty of influence in from cultures far older, and the country’s largest city reflects this- Swedish and Danish design elements, wide soviet-style street plans and squares, all with native Soumi sensibility. They’re low on cars, big on education, lake houses and saunas, and everything is nature.

I think we all agreed we were glad we’d been able to make the trip, and wouldn’t mind coming back. As a parting thought, we also got a new appreciation for a good gin & tonic! Having a cocktail with lunch (and or dinner) on vacation is a fun treat, and the one of choice featured local Napue gin, and cranberries for color. It was so good, we grabbed a bottle to take home from duty free on our return flight!

Last day in the city.

After our 4 days, it was sadly time to move on to our next port of call- literally- We had a boat to catch!

Nakemiin, Helsinki…. off to Tallinn, Estonia!

~CET, CAR & Baby Flyer

Baby Flyer Blog’s 2017 Gift Guide

December 11, 2017January 13, 2018 / babyflyerblog

Is it really that time of year again….really?? Spoiler alert- yes it really is.

The holidays are just about cleared for takeoff, so as we put together our lists, we thought we’d share a few of our favorite things currently, and from the past year. This time around, we’re combining ideas for any Baby Flyers in your life, both at home and on the go.

If you’re looking for ideas for baby’s first year, or your frequent flyers, check out last year’s gift guides:

2016 Gift Guide For The Baby Flyer

2016 Frequent Flyer Gift Guide

Sites and Services

As well as getting the baby, flyer, or friend in your life ‘things,’ sometimes it’s fun to think out of the box and get them (or yourself) services or memberships that they’ll appreciate.

Expert Flyer

Expert Flyer is a subscription site that allows you to crack open the airlines’ booking and award systems, and use them to your advantage. It allows you to find real time flight and seat availability, compare flights and schedules, and make informed choices about your flights. In addition, it allows you to quickly search many of the world’s major airlines for award and upgrade availability. You can specify dates, and types of awards. Also includes a fun feature that sends you automatic alerts when the flight or space you’re searching for becomes available, or when your upgrade clears! The best feeling is to get a text saying your seat back in coach has just gone vacant….meaning your new one is now up front!

Since it’s a detailed program that uses the airlines’ own codes, some learning is required to get the full benefits of a membership, but it’s time well spent. We’ll be doing a tutorial series on Cruising Altitude in the new year.

Basic features are available for free, but the real useful tools come with a premium subscription, which is billed annually or monthly. I don’t book flights without checking with Expert Flyer, and use it almost daily.

CLEAR

CLEAR lines are popping up in airports around the country, including LAX, SEA, DFW, and many more that we frequent. This service is a re-vamp of an earlier venture from several years ago. CLEAR members fill out an application, and then do a quick bio-metric data session (fingerprints and iris scans) at an enrollment center, located at their local airport. After that you not only are done pulling out your ID to go through TSA, but you will be escorted to the front of either the PreCheck or regular priority line, depending on what’s printed on your ticket, by a friendly CLEAR employee. This can save LOTS of time and hassle. We’ve given the program a detailed review HERE on Cruising Altitude. To get a discount, sign up with a Delta frequent flyer number (make one if you don’t have one, you don’t have to actually be flying Delta), and if you want to add family it’s only $50, and all minors traveling with you are always included free!

For the Baby Flyer on the go:

Kids’ Headphones

Kid Headphones

If you’re going to be traveling enough, getting a pair of these can make long haul flights and drives much quieter. They’re sized for little ears, and decibel-limited, so they stay in the safe range.

Color Wonder Pad and Pens

Color Wonder

This is a great product for keeping little ones occupied without the mess. The pens only color on the special paper, but the colors are bright and do the trick.

Pura Kiki Kids’ Water Bottle

Pura

Baby Flyer loves this cup. It comes with both the sippy cup top, and a straw. She’s never really liked most sippy cups or bottles, so the straw is perfect. It keeps water cold for a long time, and minimizes spills. Pro tip- take it on to the plane empty, and fill it from a regular water bottle, or ask the flight attendant to fill it once you’re at cruise. The spill-proof top seals well enough that the pressurization affects it.

Reusable Snack Bags

Snack Bags

The less plastic in the trash, the better! These bags are simple and useful, and can go in the dishwasher when needed. Great for travel, or just packing something for lunch.

EZPZ Travel Placemat

ezpz

We have both the regular and travel size of this place mat, and it’s a great idea. It sticks to most table surfaces, and keeps food (as much as possible) where it’s supposed to be. Easily goes in the dishwasher, or wipes down. The travel size comes with a carry bag.

Phil & Teds Travel Bed

We’ve recommended this product as part of other posts before, but in going over the items that we couldn’t travel without, this travel bed comes up every time. It’s light and easy, and extremely pack-able. We’ve taken it on quite a few trips, and it’s survived well being checked with our luggage in it’s included carry bag.

Cosco Senecra Car Seat

cosco-car-seat

Once again, this is an item we’ve mentioned before, but it remains one of our most used favorites. We’ve even started using it at home when we need to quickly take the baby in the ‘other car’ or in an Uber. It’s light, installs easily, and meets all safety standards for planes and regular installation. Plus, it’s extremely reasonable in price, so it makes it affordable to have a dedicated travel car seat.

Baby Flyer’s Other Favorites:

Learning Tower

This was our answer to the 5pm cranky toddler. The learning tower lets the little ones get up to counter height to hang out and “help” around the house. Baby Flyer loves it, and has mastered washing her hands….and making a pretty darn good kale salad.

Native Shoes

Ready to fly! Hanging in the Admrial’s Club.

Baby Flyer LOVES shoes, or as she says- ‘Shuuus!!’ She loves hers, ours, everyone’s. She can walk in heels as well as we can, even if it’s just shuffling around the house. These shoes, though, really are a favorite. They’re a good rubber material that is easy on/easy off, but stays secure. Even better, you can just rinse them off in the sink if they get dirty, and have been holding up well. She was so tickled with them when we got them, she refused to wear her old shoes anymore, and wore these out of the store even though they were a size too big.

Baby RayBans

On park patrol….

Okay, yes, we’ll be the first to admit this was a bit of an impulse purchase. However, these sunglasses are up to the same UV protection as adult sunglasses, which is good to have in LA. Plus, they’re completely adorable, and Baby Flyer seems to understand. Even though these are probably on the big side for her now, she’ll grow into them.

From all of us, we wish you a very happy holiday season, and an adventurous new year!

MPicLeaves

~CET, CAR, and Baby Flyer

Weekend Trip to Whidbey- Day 1

December 7, 2017 / babyflyerblog

Since the holidays are just around the corner, and we’re planning our yearly trip up to Whidbey Island to visit family, it seemed like a good time to finish up this trip report from earlier in the year. We always enjoy going up north, and American’s new non-stop flights have made it even easier for us lately. Thanks for reading!

Last weekend we took a last minute trip to Whidbey Island to visit family. Whidbey is a beautiful and mostly quiet island north of Seattle. We try to go a few times a year to visit, CET’s Mom, and Madeline’s 96 year old Great Grandmother.

It took us longer than we expected to get to LAX, so we ended up taking the bus to the satellite terminal where our flight was leaving out of and going to the smaller Admirals Club instead of going to the main club in Terminal 4. The satellite club is small but has the same food offerings as the main club. A variety of trail mixes, cheese and crackers, hummus, fresh vegetables, olives, angel hair pasta with capers and tomatoes, and mini brownies and a couple kinds of cookies. It gave Baby Flyer a place to push around her Trunki before our flight.

Baby Flyer’s outfit by TEA (click for 25% discount), baby moccasins by FRESHLY PICKED

We were on a regional jet to Seattle. Before boarding we found out we were upgraded thanks to CET’s Executive Platinum status. Using Expert Flyer, we knew it looked good for both of us to get moved up, so we linked our tickets so our upgrade was based on her status and I used two of her 500-mile upgrade vouchers (about a $60 value if you don’t have enough available). We opted to sit together in the bulkhead and were pleasantly surprised with how much leg room there was. It felt quite spacious. Baby Flyer stood and welcomed our fellow passengers onto the plane. She loved it!

Welcome to our flight to Sea-Tac International Airport. Our flying time today will be approximately 2 hours, and 45 minutes. I’ll be your Baby Flyer ambassador for the day…

Much to our surprise, we were served a full meal. This regional jet didn’t have any way to heat entrees so we had the choice between a cobb chicken salad (with the chicken on the side, perfect for vegetarians!) or a curry chicken wrap. We were served a small slice of caramel cheesecake for dessert. Neither of us were expecting a meal, so we probably didn’t need to eat so much for lunch in the Admirals Club beforehand. Live and learn. Neither of us finished our entrees but we enjoyed a few bites. I’m a vegetarian and I had the salad and CET had the wrap.

Since Baby Flyer hadn’t napped yet, and she usually starts her nap between 12 and 12:45, she slept most of our flight up, which gave us time to kick back and relax ourselves.

We flew out of LAX around 2pm on Friday and flew back on the around 8pm on Monday. Leaving LAX at 2pm meant we arrived in Seattle in time for rush hour. Instead of sitting on the freeway in traffic, we opted to visit the Centurion Lounge in the Seattle airport and have some dinner before heading to the rental car center.

001

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the Centurion Lounges, they are an airport lounge provided by American Express for cardholders. The lounges offer regionally inspired food, drink, and comfortable seating. Some of the bigger clubs even offer spa services (15 minute massages, manicures, and facials) and have a kids’ play room. Currently, they are in Dallas (DFW), Houston (IAH), Las Vegas (LAS), New York (LGA), Miami (MIA), Seattle (SEA), and San Francisco(SFO). It seems like they are constantly working on expanding the network, and we’ve heard talk that in the near future there will be one in LAX. We have the American Express Platinum Card and try and take advantage of all of its benefits. At some point we will put together a post outlining the card’s benefits for any who’re curious.

The Centurion in Seattle just opened a new area with lots of additional tables and chairs as well as a full bar. Prior to this, they served beer and wine and it was served by the waitstaff. Baby Flyer appreciated the new expansion and spent time against, pushing her Trunki throughout the club. She made friends with all the waitstaff and loved the attention.

We left the club around 7 and headed to the rental car center. By the time we were on the road, traffic was still slow in some areas but was basically moving. We made the 8:30 ferry to Whidbey and soon after we were settling in for the day.

Up next- Some island time.

The End of an Era

November 27, 2017November 27, 2017 / babyflyerblog

Baby Flyer & her trusty bag of snacks hangs out on the ottoman of the Dreamliner’s business class. Baby Flyer’s outfit by Tea. (Click here for 25% off coupon)

We just got back from a family trip to Dallas, and we’re quickly realizing that we’re nearing the end of traveling with Baby Flyer as a lap infant. She’ll be two in January, and that’s both the cutoff by the airlines, and honestly, she’s just getting too big for it!

Baby Flyer puts on her bib & catches the game at the new Terminal 5 Admirals Club at LAX

So, it seems like a good time to look back and share the synopsis of our experience and give our two cents on what worked, and a few survival tips.

But first, a little about the weekend- We hadn’t had a family trip that we all went on in a little while and so we made good use of American’s earlier US fare sale, and scooped up a couple of $71 round trip tickets from LAX to DFW and back. We have family in Dallas, so it was a great excuse to go see them ‘just because.’ These kind of trips are even more special now that Baby Flyer is growing so fast, and really enjoys new and different experiences.

CAR & Baby Flyer checking out their 787 seat.

We flew together on the way out, and scored an upgrade a day ahead of the flight, so we were assigned seats together on American’s 787 Dreamliner.

The temporary AC at T-4

They’ve been having some issues with the catering service at LAX, so we didn’t know what to expect on board. Since it was a dinnertime flight, we stopped off at the makeshift Admiral’s Club in Terminal 4 that’s been opened while the regular space is under construction. It actually worked out well, because they offer full prepackaged grab’n’go meals, along with bottled beverages and snacks, so we stocked up in case.

The ‘dinner service’ out of LAX. Not up to the usual, but they did their best.

As it turned out, they did have some limited food on the flight, but it was similar to the options we brought on board. We both chose the salad option, which came with chips, and packaged cookies. Honestly, it wasn’t bad, and we arrived in Dallas well fed. Baby Flyer arrived well rested too, since she took a late nap through the first two hours of the flight.

We stayed with family in Dallas, and rented a car from National for the first couple days of it. We usually rent from National, since we can choose from the Executive Aisle. This time, the selection was underwhelming- mostly nondescript midsize sedans, a couple Hundai SUVs and some trucks (it’s TX). Yet, on a last pass through the row, we spotted a Volvo x60 hatchback… what?? Usually that make is saved for the up-sell area, but we took it and ran. It was a little more space than a sedan, and fun to drive.

The area of Dallas we stayed in has some fun family activities. We were walking distance to White Rock lake, which is a lake surrounded by parkland that incorporates plenty of running/biking paths, a playground, and most importantly, lots of ducks and other waterfoul. Baby Flyer still loves birds, so she really enjoyed a daily walk to feed them and watch them swim around.

CET had to leave to go back to work early on Monday morning, but CAR and Baby Flyer stayed a few more days. If you’re an AA flyer like us, you may want to go check out CET’s review of American’s 777-200 Premium Economy class on the return flight.

But back to business here. In our almost two years of flying with Baby Flyer, we’ve got some takeaways-

Seat Selection:

With the tiniest ones, before they’re moving and standing and walking, bulkhead rows aren’t necessary. What’s more important at this stage is easy access to your diaper bag and supplies, so having under seat storage is more important.

The Infant Block Trick- On most airlines’ booking software, when a lap infant is added to an adult ticket, the computer blocks a seat in the row, most consistently when two adults on the same reservation (one with the infant) are in the same row. We’ve had about 50% results with this getting us an empty seat in the middle. If you have an Expert Flyer membership, you can even see by the big ‘X’ through the seat when an infant block has been put in place by the airline.

However, this won’t work on full or oversold flights, as these blocked seats will be assigned at the last minute to unassigned or standby passengers.

Toys & More:

When Baby Flyer was younger we used to travel with two diaper bags, one mostly full of various extras and toys. Along the way we moved to just one, and now Baby Flyer has her own ‘travel bag,’ which is both handy and adorable.

She has a mini Fjallraven Kanken backpack. it’s just the right size to put her toys in, but doesn’t result in something too heavy to carry. We saw these EVERYWHERE this summer in Europe. She sometimes wants to wear it, but then quickly reconsiders, so we end up just tossing it over the handle of a rollaboard.

Backpack

She has a few standard items that she takes in her very own bag. We try for things that are interactive, but low on mess and noise. Some of the current favorites-

Magna Doodle Pro – Travel Edition

The magna doodle keeps her attention, and is mess free and packable.

Melissa & Doug Water WOW Coloring Book

These things are made for travel- Just uses water.

Wiki Sticks

Our local restaurant Saint & Second hands these out as kiddie activities to their youngest patrons. We ‘hide’ them and save them for the plane. They’re great to stick to the tray table in different forms & fold into shapes to be unwound.

Homemade Play Dough (click here for recipe– omit the spices if you’re not feeling the fall vibe).

This may seem counter-intuitive. It could be messy, could get dirty, etc, but hear us out. With supervision, some play dough can be a great option of last resort…like 10 mins before you’re set to give up and take your toddler to play in the sink in the airplane bathroom. We pull this out and make shapes and play games on the tray table. Using a little bit at a time does the trick, and can keep a kiddo happy for awhile, which is the entire point.

Thinking out of the box:

Sometimes you need to go that one step further to feel like you’re ready to fly with a baby, especially an older one. We’ve tried a few things…

First- New stuff. Anything new really. Head to the dollar store and buy some cheap new toys. Think one or more per hour of flight time.

Second- If your baby is still fascinated by unwrapping things, try taking the toys in your travel bag, and wrapping them in aluminum foil. Pull them out when baby gets bored, and let them peel off the foil to ‘discover’ the toy. Put all the wrapped toys in a gallon sized ziplock bag so you have somewhere to put the used foil in.

Third- All of the above. Pro tip- If you have an older toddler, we recommend throwing some new toys into the foil mix. The satisfaction of unwrapping combined with the new toy element may buy you even more peace & quiet.

All of these ideas also omit that either through the plane’s IFE screens, or ones you bring with you, if your kid has favorite shows or games, that’s always an option as well. Likely because we don’t really have her watch TV at home, Baby Flyer’s attention span for this kind of entertainment usually runs out after about 10 minutes or so, which leaves us needing to be prepared with other distractions.

As our time flying as a family of three in two seats comes to an end, we’re definitely sad. Not only because now we need to be more crafty about our flight planning, but also simply because Baby Flyer is getting older. She’s less a baby, and more a kid. It’s been an amazing journey to watch, and we can’t wait for the next chapter, but the backward glances into her early days always amaze and leave us plenty nostalgic.

Her first flight at 4 months. Was she really this tiny??

May your flights be smooth, and your babies be happy this holiday season,

~CET, CAR & Baby Flyer

Happy Thanksgiving!

November 23, 2017November 23, 2017 / babyflyerblog

We are going to be so devastated when she outgrows her Ergo Baby

We’re actually traveling this Thanksgiving weekend! In the past few years we’ve tried to stay put to avoid the crowds and high holiday prices, but this year things worked out and we’re taking to the skies to see family in Dallas.

We scored some decent tickets out of the Orange County airport, and back into LAX, which aside from being a nice change, means we’re missing the insanity at LAX! So far, the experience has been great- short lines, quiet terminal, and the cutest little Admiral’s Club with friendly staff.

Saying “hi” to the planes.

We just might have to head south more often!

Happy Thanksgiving to you all! As always, we’re thankful for each other, family, good health, and the wonderful adventures life continues to offer us!

Travel Well,

~CET, CAR & Baby Flyer

Summer in Scandinavia Part 3: This is the Way We Board The Plane…

November 17, 2017November 17, 2017 / babyflyerblog / 3 Comments

Here we go!

….Board the plane, board the plane.

The story so far:

Preview: Summer in Scandinavia

Part 1: Gear Up and Go!

Part 2: Well Connected

After our early morning and hop to Boston, it was nice to make it to our final stop before Europe. We don’t routinely find ourselves going through JFK, so spending a little time there was a nice change. Plus, we were traveling internationally and so CET’s American Executive Platinum status got us into the Flagship Lounge half of the Admiral’s Club.

Busy afternoon at the JFK Flagship Lounge

We had a couple hours before our flight, since it was an overnight (as most transatlantic flights tend to be) and so had time to have a meal at the buffet, and let Baby Flyer roam around.

This lounge has been recently re-done, and they did a good job. However, during peak times even this expanded space is full to capacity. We ended up grabbing a couple chairs along one of the walls, but almost every seat was taken.

Full buffett

The food consists of a full hot bar, as well as snacks and desserts. The drinks are self-serve, and included a wine/champagne bar, as well as a station with a refreshing ‘signature cocktail.’

Baby Flyer loves some lounge time, and especially enjoyed looking at the planes outside while walking along the wall of windows that makes up one side of the lounge.

At about 45 minutes out, we headed to our gate. They hadn’t started boarding yet, but it was good we were there on the early side as they needed to re-check our passports (standard procedure). Since we were in business class, we boarded early. Baby Flyer LOVED getting to walk down the jetbridge on her own two feet, and holding her own passport!

The plane was one of Finnair’s a330 workhorses. It has two classes- business and economy, and while the seats were lie-flat and functional, could use some updating. Finnair has been doing just that through their fleet, including newly purchased a350 long haul aircraft that look amazing inside.

AY a330 Business Class

We sat in 1A and 1C, which was a window seat and aisle at the front of the cabin. The interior is laid out in a 1-2-2 or 1-2-1 layout, depending on the row. This gives good options to both individual travelers and couples. One thing the service lacked was any kind of mattress pad, which would have been a welcome addition since the seats were on the hard side for sleeping.

Baby Flyer shows us how to fasten our seatbelts

Finnair does its best to be quintessentially scandi with their decor, including brightly patterned marimekko pillows and blankets, as well as amenity kits. Their signature pre-departure drink was sparkling wine and blueberry juice, served in ice patterned glasses.

Inspecting the amenity kit

Signature drinks before takeoff

The IFE was solid, and included a lot of things you don’t find on AA or Qatar, or probably anything outside of Scandinavian TV, including plenty of nature specials and outdoor adventure documentaries. Ice. So very much walking around on ice.

Rocking out!

I always enjoy checking out new airlines. Even though Finnair isn’t a true luxury airline like Qatar or Cathay Pacific, it’s a solid choice with pleasant service and a good reputation. What’s even better about them is that they’re a way to get to Europe that can both avoid the huge award fees that British Airways and Iberia tack on, and can let you skip the chaos of connecting in Heathrow.

The key to award travel to Europe is to just get to Europe, pretty much anywhere in Europe, and then connect from there to where you actually want to go. Bonus if you actually want to go to the destination, like we did with Helsinki.

The flight itself was long, and not too long at once. It was an overnight but only 8 hours including taxi, take off, landing, and meal service. This is the downside of flying East Coast to Europe- even the longest flight only provides for about 4 hours sleep if you’re lucky. We took off and watched the sunset out of the windows before settling in.

We’d brought her plenty of pack-able toys, and she was entertained for a few minutes here and there by watching the IFE, or listening to the ‘Finnish Kids’ song station through our Bose. She also played at our feet for awhile, and set up a fort of sorts in the bulkhead. They handed out Moomins themed towel/blankets to the kids, and she enjoyed ‘going ny-ny’ on hers.

Everything is Moomins

Making a fort

Traveling with a lap infant, especially a lap toddler, is infinitely better the more space you have. She eventually fell asleep, first on CET (much to CAR’s delight), and then moved over after awhile. We didn’t sleep much at all, but she did, and woke up grinning and happy on final descent. We should all be so lucky.

Someone got to sleep at least

Overall, it was a comfortable way to get the three of us to Europe, especially since we could handle some lost sleep since we didn’t have immediate plans for the day once we got there.

Travel well,

~CET

Up Next- Helsinki!

Hyvää päivää!!

Summer in Scandinavia Part 2- Well Connected

September 8, 2017November 17, 2017 / babyflyerblog

Heading down the jetbridge, logbook in hand.

The story so far:

Summer in Scandinavia-Trip Preview

Summer in Scandinavia Part 1- Gear Up and Go

Note: The topic of this post is usually the kind of thing I would ramble on about over at Cruising Altitude, and help people with at Altitude Consulting, but since it’s pretty integral to how we ended up in Europe this summer, we’ll include it here too. Thanks for reading!

So, here’s the thing about award tickets- they can be hard to find, especially in first and business classes. Everyone agrees on this point. Another thing about them is that availability changes over time. Another another thing is that when you have elite status with your chosen airline, there’s a surprising amount of flexibility to shift things around up until the time you start your trip.

Let me put this in context….

When planning an international trip using miles and points, the hardest thing to do is to ‘cross the ocean’ – meaning the flight that takes you to whatever other continent you’re trying to go to. In our case, the general destination was ‘Europe.’ Since Finnair had availability, that ended up meaning Helsinki (which I was thrilled about, honestly).

All smiles at LAX

However, our home airport is LAX, and there wasn’t any real available routing that would get us from there to JFK where the Finnair flight would pick up, even though on one award you can fly up to 3 segments. I initially just booked the JFK-HEL and back, and then laid in wait to see what better I could do.

Eventually, I sussed out a couple of tickets I could add on from Chicago to Newark (admittedly not JFK, but close enough that American would consider it a ‘connection’) and added that on. LAX to Chicago happened to be much cheaper than LAX to JFK, easier to upgrade, and we didn’t mind the chance to kick off the trip in the Windy City anyway. I still wasn’t happy with the specter of the Newark to JFK hassle, but I let it be for awhile.

After a few months of periodically checking in to see if by any miracle two award seats in the right class got ‘released’ by American’s all mysterious and powerful revenue management program direct from Chicago to JFK (there was one flight that would work, so I wasn’t too hopeful) I finally saw the next best thing, which was a pair of seats going Chicago, to Boston, and then on into JFK. The first flight had two in First, and the second I’d have to downgrade myself to economy to let CAR and Baby Flyer take the one remaining premium seat.

Everything we took to the airport for 10 days in Europe….

So in short, our options were to trade the bus, train and bus, or expensive Uber for one more flight and a layover in Boston. It only took a few minutes of consideration before calling up to make the change. Two factors played heavily here- if we flew the two flights, we could check our bags all the way through to Helsinki since it was all one award, and it meant we could actually leave the car seat at home entirely. We didn’t really anticipate getting in any cars in Europe, and this across town taxi ride in NYC was the only time we were sure we’d need it.

A very helpful agent got our award switched over in just a few minutes- the flexibility and the service are great perks of keeping my Oneworld/American status. As an Executive Platinum, I could also stand by for the upgrade on that second flight in case a seat cleared up.

“Paying it forward- ‘hidden’ drink chit”

Our day started early out of ORD, but since it was the start of the adventure everyone was in a good mood. We got there in time for a few minutes and breakfast at the Admiral’s Club. Since we were flying internationally with Oneworld status, we got a couple free premium drink vouchers. These can be used for the full bar menu, or also the bottled juices and smoothies. We didn’t use them all, so we left one behind to ‘pay it forward’ to some other traveler later in the day.

Baby Flyer knows how to make the most of an early travel day.

The flight went quickly, and Baby Flyer dozed for most of it. Once in Boston, we headed again to the Admiral’s club (more drink coupons, more paying it forward), and then tried to go to the new British Airways lounge in the international terminal. I won’t go on here at length about the rules since I’ve already done so over at Cruising Altitude, but in short clear rules need to be set out for this place. When we were there, according to the website, it was open. When we got there it was indeed open, but apparently only for Japan Airlines customers. This however, wasn’t stated anywhere, and caused us to loose about 40 minutes our layover hiking over and back.

Cruising BOS airport in her new City Mini Zip. The adjustable footrest is a nice touch.

Putting that behind us, we ended up enjoying the rest of our Boston time at the Club taking turns showering, and watching Baby Flyer in the kids’ room. A good time was had by all, and soon it was time to head out to JFK!

Layover playtime (and keeping track of the time)

She doesn’t mind layovers…

When I’d switched to this flight, I’d then checked in on the tickets online and got a nice extra surprise- AA is currently running one of their 321-T planes on the short hop between Boston and JFK, and so we’d unsuspectingly landed great seats on American’s nicest domestic plane. Even my “economy” seat put me into what was actually business class, and so we both had lie flats with plenty of room. Baby Flyer in particular was impressed, and pretty pleased with herself and I’m pretty sure CAR wouldn’t have minded a longer flight to finish her movie in comfort.

AA’s 321-T Flagship 1st

Checking out the digs…

We touched down on time into JFK, and headed out once again to the Admiral’s Club. This time, however, we had access to the International Flagship Lounge for a few hours before our Helsinki flight, which we thoroughly enjoyed.

My ‘business class’ seat was no slouch either.

And that, will be a good start for the next chapter.

~CET

Up Next: Part 3- This is the way we board the plane, (board the plane)

Monday Moments-Island Sunsets

September 4, 2017September 4, 2017 / babyflyerblog

Summer on Whidbey Island- Late sunsets worth staying up for.

Happy Labor Day! We’ve had a relaxing & fun weekend at home, and also got our plans together to head back up to Whidbey Island in a few weeks for a family visit! Looking forward to quiet beaches, big trees, and beautiful sunsets!

Friday Favorites- Part 2

September 1, 2017September 1, 2017 / babyflyerblog

It’s Friiiiiiiday! Even better, it’s Friday of a long weekend. Believe it or not, we’re actually keeping it local this weekend, and are really truly looking forward to some downtime at home to get things done, and enjoy our local neighborhood for a change.

So, without further ado, some of our current favorites:

Phil and Ted’s Travel Crib

This crib we recently discussed in our Europe trip report (so far). It’s easily one of our favorite buys to make travel with our little one easier. We can’t overstate how much nicer it is to travel with than a full size pack n’ play, and Baby Flyer seems to sleep as well in it as she ever did the pack n’ play or hotel cribs. Honestly, some of the only (!!) times she really slept though the night this summer was in this crib. We woke up one morning on our Europe trip and had to check on her to make sure she was still okay since she hadn’t been up at her usual 3am that night!

It only weighs about 8-9 pounds, and disassembles into a bag you can easily put over your shoulder, or even zip into a car seat bag (along with the car seat). We hauled it though Europe to three cities, and it was no worse for wear, even being checked through on some of our flights. Plus, it’s smaller than the alternatives- such as the Baby Bjorn crib, and is priced competitively.

Bambo Nature Diapers

bambo

Okay, so when we first had Baby Flyer we were entirely sure that when she wasn’t wearing her washable and oh-so-trendy cloth diapers, she’d DEFINITELY be sporting these eco-friendly, bleach free ones. Spoiler- it didn’t entirely go that way for awhile. Honestly as brand new parents, some things just seem easier than others, and we’ve been through plenty of Huggies. For the tiny ones, the Bambo just didn’t seem as snug, and we chickened out. However, on our recent trip to Copenhagen, we needed to replenish our our supplies and they were one of the only options. What’s more, everything there was biodegradable, and green approved (the Danes are better people than us, let’s just face it).

As it turned out, they were great! They lasted a totally respectable amount of time between changes, and fit well. We had to buy a sizable pack, so we are still using them in our day to day, and yes, we do feel just a little less guilty on trash day.

Ittikid Scandinavian

Baby Flyer walking the streets of Helsinki in her “Raddish Dress”

Ittikid is a US online retailer of fun Scandinavian designed baby and kid clothes. Their catalog is full of bright patterns and soft fabrics. Baby Flyer has several outfits from their collection, and we love how she looks in them! They’re also pretty unique, and so we get some compliments on her ‘look,’ both at home, and on our travels.

Her Ittikid ‘house dress,’ leggings from Tea, and Keen baby sandals

Trying out the local transportation in Copenhagen. Stylin’ sweatshirt from Ittikid

Playing in Tallinn, Estonia – Romper from Ittikid

Chameleon Cold Brew Coffee

CARAMEL-copy We’ve been just a little obsessed with this stuff this summer….maybe. It’s a great treat when it’s hot out, and comes in a bunch of flavors. Our current favorite is the caramel. It’s concentrated, so it lasts awhile and mixes well with milk or water. We’ve recently been adding a splash of it into regular brewed iced coffee as a treat for a little flavor.

Bonus Favorite, Baby Flyer’s Pick: Douglas Toys ‘Sassy Sak’ Puppy

This toy is a little silly, but she loves it so, so much. She’s also currently learning to say dog (pronounced ‘Dogdo’), so that makes it just a bit extra cute. ‘Dogdo’ has been out on the town lately traveling well in it’s bag, usually along with Baby Flyer’s cell phone (a permanently dead iphone4), and any number of small trinkets. The perfect accessory for a Baby Flyer on the go….

Have a great weekend & let us know some of your current favorites!!

~CAR, CET & Baby Flyer