New concept beauty salonin Tokyo, childcare and music lessons during treatment

I have to say, this is the best concept salon I have seen.

Mothers can come in, leave their children with a professional child-care specialist in a child-friendly classroom, while mothers go to the 2nd floor and partake in the wide variety of beauty services offered.

Nails, massage, IPL hair removal, threading, facials, waxing, professional hair and make-up for events, eyelash extensions, eyebrow dying...

It's like a dream!

Kids play on the 1st floor with a native English speaking caregiver, while mothers go to the 2nd floor for their treatment.

The prices are reasonable and the quality is very high. Staff have experience in 5 star salons, charging double (or more).

The interior is trendy. The owner is American (i.e. you get to read the latest gossip magazines from the States during your pedicure!----a small perk ;-)

So, if you want a place that is high quality, affordable, bilingual staff, plus childcare for those who need it, I recommend JoliNails in Shirokane.

3 minutes from Shirokane Takanawa. It is a small, botique salon. A gem.
www.joliarts-salon.com

Open everyday.

Also, a great place for a weekend date. Leave the baby in the child zone, while Mom and Dad get a couple's massage or food/hand care. There is a menu for dads too.

Mammoth expo in Ueno

I enjoyed this expo the same as the Dino expo last year because it's not crowded. Mammoths aren't the draw, compared to dinosaurs but if you or your kid is into mammoths and other prehistoric mammals, why not check it out?

Place: Ueno park

Expo: 7/12/2014-10/5/2014

Photos: below

Admission: adults 1600 yen, elementary aged kids and up 600 yen. Small kids free.

 

The first part is disappointing, as it is just fossils from mice and small mammals and such. See below:

My husband and I were not impressed with the tree bark and leaves impressions but the giant mammoth and other mammals made up for it. 

I suggest doing a bit of research as a family together before coming so you can appreciate what it has to offer.

Photos curtesy of my 6 year old. :-)

The photo booth was fun at the end! 500 yen.

Artistic aquarium expo at Roppongi Hills

We took our children today to an artistic aquari exposition at Roppongi Hills today.

It you go with the mindset that it is an art expo and not an aquarium, you can appreciate the fine art details by the designing team, which consists of Japanese Olympic athletes and also professional designers.

Location: Roppongi Hills Arena

Dates: July - August 20th, 10AM-8:30PM, everyday

Price: 800 yen adults 

500 yen elementary age children. Kids 3 and under free.

Superfood pancakes

Hooray! A recipe my picky (SUPER picky) toddler will eat.

I've been at my wit's end. My 22 month has not eaten but a bite of rice a day for 2 weeks. He has been nursing but that's it. He even has been refusing water.

Then, like magic, I made a batch of these pancakes, not expecting much. He gobbled it down like a champ.

Superfood pancake base:

1 cup whole wheat flour (I use organic)

1 cup white flour

4 T sugar (I use half organic brown sugar and half white sugar)

2 t baking powder

1 t salt (I use sea salt)

*2 T wheatgrass

*1 T maca powder--I don't use maca when making for toddler 

*1 T Spirilina powder--I don't use Spirilina when making it for toddler

*1 T chia seeds

1 1/2 C milk (may need 1/4 C more if thick)

2 eggs

1/3 C olive oil

Mix dry ingredients together 

Mix wet ingredients together

Combine 

That's it! You're ready to cook on stovetop. 

I heat coconut oil in a fry pan on medium low and then place batter on pan in spoonfuls, flipping  pancakes when they bubble.

These freeze well. I suggest doubling the batch and putting leftovers in the freezer.

Top with powdered sugar. Yum!

Batter looks green but doesn't cook up green:

I get all my ingredients off www.iherb.com

3-5 day shipping, from the US, only $4 shipping to Japan

Use Coupon code: YUQ399

For a discount. And I'll get a discount too on my next order so it's win-win :-)

Kid's haircut 1000 yen, homework tutoring, while Mom gets her nails done. SUPER FAB idea.

OK, so if you want a GREAT (I don't mean good, I mean OVER THE TOP AMAZING) manicure, you need to go to JoliNails.

If you have kids and need to relax, go to JoliNails.

You just drop your kiddo off on the 1st floor and go to the 2nd floor to relax and get your nails done. Now, the nail artists at JoliNails are seriously TOP class. They are featured in the top nail magazines in Japan, as well as recently in Nail Mag in the States. The design, nail care, everything is more than you will get anywhere.

And the biggest bonus is, it won't cost you an arm and a leg. Nails start at 3500 yen and for a very nice, designer gel nail, they have monthly specials for under 5000 yen.

And there is even HOMEWORK TUTORING in the childcare section. So, you bring your little one for some one-on-one tutoring, while you relax. Now, talk about a WIN-WIN. (childcare is 950 yen an hour, homework tutoring is 2000 yen). And as a special to salon customers only, your child can have a haircut for 1000 yen, by a very experienced hair dresser, who speaks English and worked in London (i.e. she did a fab job with my curly haired son).

There is also threading, eyelash perms and extensions, IPL hair removal. And you can book with 2 therapists at the SAME TIME to save you time. Have your lashes and nails done together.

The staff speak English. It's American owned. You gotta visit!

You can book online too, so it is easy to make an appointment while you are at work or on the go.

www.joliarts-salon.com

Many hospitals in Japan won't let you stay with your child at night: Red Cross, Hiro Hospital.

My 21 month son was hospitalized at Hiro Hospital for pneumonia this past week.  I was thankful that he was diagnosed properly, because he was told that it was just a cough at the local clinic.

napping together

He was admitted to Hiro Hospital, which I find has decent care. The only problem I had, was that they would not let me stay the night with him (Red Cross Hospital has the same policy). I tried EVERY ANGLE to get an exception. I said that I am still nursing and he will not take a bottle (which is actually true). I even tried the language barrier excuse, saying that he won't understand the Japanese being spoken to him. Nothing worked. So, I was gently kicked out every night for 4 nights of his hospital stay. The best I could do was nap with him during the day and put him to sleep before I had to leave. But, that didn't mean much, when he woke up without me there at night. :-(

salmon, soup, bean paste, kiwi, tea, rice

In the mornings, the nurses said that he was not doing well "mentally". Well. Let's step back and take a big guess to WHY? In a hospital. Sick. No milk. And, waking up to nurses in a strange metal crib.

Hiro Hospital Pediatric Ward

Other than that hiccup, the health care procedure itself was pristine. The nurses were efficient, like clock-work. And the food they provided was very nutritient rich (although my son refused to eat it).


But, to me, if you want a child to heal, you must nourish the emotional, as well as the physical. Not allowing a parent to stay the night with a scared and sick baby, does not make any sense to me.

Nail salon birthday party, in Tokyo, at JoliNails

I wanted to recommend JoliNails, for a nail salon birthday party.
http://www.joliarts-salon.com/#!birthday-party/cjmx


My daughter celebrated her 6th birthday party at JoliNails. They have a party room, which the kids played games and ate cake. The girls went to the nail salon area in pairs, with their mothers for pampering. It was a HIT.

The staff is bilingual and great with kids.

The party room is at JoliArts, www.joliarts.jp the 1st floor of JoliNails Salon, so the staff there are professional instructors and caregivers.


JoliNails

www.joliarts-salon.com
03-6721-9669
Monday closed.
Tuesday-Sunday open 10-8PM