Bubble London
January 30th, 2012 by tomonoAll Cocoro Baby Kimonos are made in the UK by a family run firm which has been in operation for 3 generations. They have always specialised in making baby clothes and are dedicated to the small details, as if they were making them for their own children.
They were exhibiting at Bubble London, so I paid a visit to see them and also got some inspiration for my ‘Summer Collection’ from some other children clothing brands.
There were more than a hundred lovely shops for baby clothes and accessories.
It took place at the Business Design Centre in the heart of fashionable Islington. Needless to say, I was thrilled to have a peek at the Spring/Summer Collections of some leading brands for babies and children.
I will post some blogs about the brand I really loved at the show starting from next week - till then have a lovely week!
Tomono x
Obento Lunch Box
January 15th, 2012 by lewisWhat do you pack for your little one’s lunch box? We call it ‘Obento’ in Japanese.
When Oscar was at Japanese kindergarten, he was provided with a hot lunch twice a week, bread and milk once a week then had to bring his own Obento lunch box twice a week. Because Oscar loves taking his Obento lunch box, but he can not do that at English nursery, I decided to ask at the Japanese Kindergarten (also know as ‘Yochien’) if Oscar can take Obento everyday. It was OK, but I never knew what kind of pressure I was putting myself under at that time.
Oscar was just happy to open Obento box and no matter what he finds in it, he ate it up everyday! He normally had left overs from the previous night’s dinner also maybe with some fresh fruit. The other kids, on the other hand, had amazing themed Obentos - some had Pokemon or Mickey mouse shape rice balls!
I felt pressure, but I just didn’t have the energy to make such an effort! I’m not an artist…. but I really look up to other mums who made this effort though. I really loved the Harrison Ford Obento shown in this BBC video - it is a masterpiece!
Check it out: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16069217
Tomono x
Disaster drill training
January 5th, 2012 by lewisOn the last day of Oscar’s Japanese Kindergarten, there was Hinankunren(disaster drill) especially for earthquakes. This exercise simulates the circumstances of a disaster so that they have an opportunity to practise their responses.
This is a normal training in Japan and we are always taught not to evacuate straight away, but to hide under chairs. Then we have to listen very carefully to the person in charge of your room.
Oscar was taught a very easy way to remember what to do - “O HA SHI” which means “Osanai* no pushing, HAshiranai* no running, SHIyaberanai*no talking”.
They were so good and once they finished the simulation training, they were allowed to have a little fun on the fire engine.
Hide under your chair!
Don't inhale the smoke!
Fun with the fire engine
Tomono x
Shichigosan
December 5th, 2011 by lewisShichigosan is the day we celebrate for 3 and 5 years old boys and 3 and 7 years old girls. So I took my 3 year old son Oscar to the local Shrine in his fabulous Hakama. He could barley walk in his Zori shoes so I took them off and put his normal shoes on…. Shichigosan day is on 15th November but I choose the nearest Sunday so that my parents also could join us.
According to Wikipedia, Shichi-Go-San is said to have originated in the Heian Period amongst court nobles who would celebrate the passage of their children into middle childhood. The ages three, five and seven are consistent with East Asian numerology, which claims that odd numbers are lucky. The practice was set to the fifteenth of the month during the Kamakura Period
Over time, this tradition passed to the samurai class who added a number of rituals. Children—who up until the age of three were required by custom to have shaven heads—were allowed to grow out their hair. Boys of age five could wear hakama for the first time, while girls of age seven replaced the simple cords they used to tie their kimono with the traditional obi.
By the Meiji Period, the practice was adopted amongst commoners as well, and included the modern ritual of visiting a shrine to drive out evil spirits and wish for a long healthy life.
Do you have such tradition in your country?
Oscar dressing in his Hakama
Oscar and I at the shrine
Making a wish
T x
The true origin of food
November 27th, 2011 by lewisIt makes sense that we check the packaging of food to find out who made the food and where it is from. But how do we know where the food is really from? There was a story in Japan a few years ago about a famous variety of eel from one of the southern islands. It turned out that the eels were actually Taiwanese and that they were brought into Japan for a very short period so that they could then be re-packaged as originating from that area - and not from Taiwan.
This kind of thing can make you feel that big companies are not completely honest with consumers about the true origin of the food they sell to us. My mother loves shopping at the supermarket, but she still prefers market places. This is because the market stall holders in Japan can tell you exactly where the food was from. In many cases in Japan they produced the food themselves on small lots hear their home.
It really is a huge responsibility to correctly inform people where food is from and how it was made.
How about in your country, do you have any of these concerns?
Japanese Food With Label
Tomono x
Happy clothes make a happy baby!
November 9th, 2011 by lewisOne of Cocoro’s USP is to provide babies with ‘happy’ comfortable clothes. That is why all the Cocoro tags are in an indirect position - not against baby’s skin.
Recently I’ve found this marvellous Uniqlo baby romper.
It’s in an obvious position, and even looks like it is inside out. I personally love this idea, but what do you think?
Yuna in Uniqlo
Unique positioning of tag on the romper
Tomono x
Cocoro’s news from Japan
November 7th, 2011 by lewisI’m so sorry for not updating my blog for this long. How have you been?
Have you already started your Xmas shopping? I have asked my hubby to get some Xmas card and my mother-in-law has already baked her gorgeous Xmas cake. I’m still in Kochi, the warm part of Japan, so it’s weird talking about Xmas but it’s already less than 2months away!
My daughter became 6months a few weeks ago, so she has started weaning. She loved baby rice and mashed potatoes, carrots and some apple juice! She tried to hold her spoon and didn’t want to let me feed her, so she gets so messy every time! She’s definitely my girl!
My 3years old son Oscar somehow gets upset if Yuna is messy, and the other day I caught him cleaning her nose. I’m not sure if Yuna liked it….. I’m sure I would have been freaking out if I had seen that sight when I only had Oscar, but now I understand why second children are tougher!
If you are a mother/father of more than one child, I would like to know your tips about entertaining two kids at the same time!
I’m struggling!
Oscar cleans Yuna's nose
Yuna is now 6 months old
Tomono x
Cococo strolls through London
September 9th, 2011 by lewisMy lovely cousin came over to see us last week. It was her first time in the UK. Luckily the moody English weather behaved very well while she was here. We had lots of picnics and went on many walks which she really enjoyed.
On Saturday we went on a day trip to London to see some sights together.
We drove into Acton, parked and then got the tube to Green Park. After that we strolled along the Mall towards parliament square. It’s funny, I’ve lived in the UK for 8 years in total, but I had never paid a visit to St James’s Park. I guess Green Park is more obvious for non-Londoners?
I personally prefer St James’ Park to Green Park. My 3 year old boy was fascinated by different kinds of birds. Did you know there is a cute little cottage which was used exclusively for bird keepers?
We kept walking towards Big Ben. Hundreds of tourist were wow-ing the huge clock structure Big Ben, on the other hand my son was very impressed by all diggers and cement mixers that were working in the road, he did not care about the World Heritage site. Bless him.
We tried to go on a London Duck Tour but it was fully-booked! Ouch, I should have reserved in advance… so we kept walking to Tate Modern and had a little cultural time before walking over the Millennium Bridge back to St Paul’s Tube Station.
On the way back home, the Sun was going down, the sky was beautiful pink just like sleeping kids’ cheek and my hubby’s sun-burnt forehead!
Pretty St James' Park
Oscar fascinated by the ducks
The bird master's house
Big Ben
Tomono x
I am sorry…
August 12th, 2011 by tomonoI am terribly sorry that our stock is so limited at the moment. This is due to my sales forecast was not accurate and my maternity leave till January but I’m getting a big inspiration by raising a baby again.
I hope you can still find something you fall in love with for your loved one.
Please leave the comment what you would like to buy from Cocoro in the future!
I hope I can introduce you to more super cute new kimonos very very soon!
Arigatou gozaimasu.
Thank you for your patience
Weddings and Bridesmaids
July 13th, 2011 by tomonoI just got back from girl’s film night. My friend Lee and I went to see Bridesmaids which was absolutely wonderful! We laughed so much and I would say it was like girls version of the Hangover?!
The Wedding in Japan and Western countries is so different. We have no Bridesmaids or Hen-do party culture. The groom-to-be usually goes to choose wedding dress with bride-to-be, so there is no surprise on the big day. The guest comes with money to congratulate the couple in stead of wedding gift. The money you enclose in the special envelop must not be creased to show sincerity and the number of notes should not be an even number (which can be divided - get it?).
Guest receives a present from newly-wedded couple with a box of sweets in return, too.
This lovely couple is getting married in 10days in Shetland and created this lovely wedding gift list and guess what?! They listed our Kimonos!
http://reganandrachel.gettingmarried.co.uk/Gift_List.htm
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How do you celebrate Wedding in your country?
Tx
"We have absolutely fallen in love with your super cute baby kimonos"
Tina, London
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