Summer Trip Part 3: Philadelphia

After our day in New York City (photos here), we rode a bus to Philadelphia to visit the Sweet Luka Mo family. I had gotten to know Einav, the woman behind Sweet Luka Mo, over the last year, after I won a photo contest she had run for her brand. We quickly became friends and when the opportunity presented itself to make a short visit, we made it happen. We spent three days together exploring Philadelphia’s beautiful parks and water spots, eating delicious vegan tacos and the best coconut ice cream ever (here). Late nights chatting after the children fell asleep, which led to some over-tired eyes (mine, see below) but some great memories. Thanks for the amazing hospitality Einav, Luka and Mike.

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…first morning, Sen and Luka were fast friends playing trains while parents sleep in. Thank you, boys!

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Entrance to the park, so far, we are loving Philadelphia!

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Making plans…they wouldn’t tell me about what.

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A charming old water fountain proved very entertaining for the boys.

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Freestyling with the water fountain.

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I loved how the park was designed for mixed use, including a play structure and community garden.

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Exhaustion after the park

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Evening walk to see some of Philadelphia’s amazing murals and mosaics. This one by Isaiah Zagar, made entirely from recycled materials. To say this artist is prolific would be an understatement. The neighbourhood we walked through was covered in his work. Amazing stuff.

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Excited for what our second day has in store for us.

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We visited the downtown area around the government buildings, Sen looks unimpressed because he wanted to go straight to the water area.

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Gorgeous little park with shade and water, rocks and coffee. Perfection.

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She laid there as long as I would let her, which was probably an hour.

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Sen always helping his sister relax.

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Hashtag sibling love! I’m telling you, they do this on their own. Please make it always be so.

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Day 3, our last day in Philadelphia, it was incredibly hot, so we hit the fountain for some fun.

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Me and the kids (I have to include photos of myself for the kids memories, even if I’m squinty-eyed)

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Having fun looking at American coins. “Treasure mama!”

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Waiting for lunch at Reading Market. It was such a fun place to walk around. A mix of vendors, farmers, bakers, florists.

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Terrible photo, but a great memory. Ro and Einav swinging Luka along the sidewalk, on our way to get ice cream.

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The kids almost had more fun looking for tiny animals in the garden outside the ice cream shop than they did eating their ice cream. Almost.

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A quick play at the park before bedtime. I had to get a photo of Sen in his made-in-Philadelphia  clothing – Sweet Luka Mo – while he was in Philadelphia. Luckily he cooperated.

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Friends forever.

Philadelphia, you were fun, can’t wait ’til we meet again. And now, back to New York City for a few days. Stay tuned for my next post.

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Clothing details: Ro’s floral swimsuit by Christina Rohde; Sen’s swim bottom and feather shirt by Gardner and the Gang; Sen’s black harem’s by Baby Beast; Ro’s clothing by Kids on the Moon; Sen’s striped romper by Nico Nico from Little Heirloom; Sen’s narwal tank and striped leggings by Sweet Luka Mo; Sen’s denim shorts by boy+girl; All sandals by Salt Water Sandals from Mini Mioche; My day bag from Nena & Co.

Magic Feathers

Last September Kristin, the owner and designer behind the kids organic clothing line, Gardner and the Gang, decided to hold a children’s art competition. Children were encouraged to submit drawings under the theme for her SS15 collection: Magic and Rock ‘n’ Roll. The winning drawing, chosen through open voting, would be incorporated into the SS15 collection.

I loved the spirit behind Kristin’s competition, encouraging children to draw and supporting young artists to pursue their passion. I talked to Ro about it and she decided to submit her Magic Feathers drawing that she had drawn as part of her daily drawing project. The drawing itself had been inspired by a photograph that Kirsten Rickert had shared on Instagram. Isn’t it lovely the way the Instagram community knits itself together, connecting people across vast distances in these beautiful ways?

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Initially, Kristin had planned on donating the profits of the shirt sales to support access for children to art lessons – a very worthy investment I would have to say. The value of art education should not be underestimated. When Ro wrote to Kristin about her inspiration for the drawing and her passion for protecting animals, Kristin decided to invest the money in another way: to protect endangered animals. This is what both Ro and I are most excited about, the shirts are symbolic of a greater cause and will hopefully inspire conversations between parents and children about animal protection.

This morning on the way to school I told Ro that her shirt design was for sale on the Gardner and the Gang website. She replied: “Mom, I’m just so happy that I drew that picture, because so many animals will be saved.” My heart is so proud.

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I have an inquiring mind and so I asked Kristin a few questions about herself, the competition and her clothing line. And, now, I can see why she was swayed by Ro’s love for all animals.

Why did you hold a children’s art competition?

I thought it was a nice idea to involve the people I design for and make it a fun happening.  If we can help encourage children to use their artistic talent then that is a good thing and such a good feeling too.

What is the plan for the money earned from sales of the Magic Feathers shirt?

We will donate all the revenue from the sales to a cause chosen by Ro. In this case we will adopt endangered animals through WWF (the World Wildlife Fund).

What is your background, where did you grow up, what did you study?

I am from Sweden, I grew up in the countryside close to animals and nature. I have studied media communication, visual communication, photography and graphic design. My degree is in Visual communication.

What did you want to be when you were a child?

I had all sorts of dreams, but the main one was to have a huge farm. However, I have always been terribly allergic to furry animals, so that is a bit of an obstacle, and the fact that even if I am a country girl at heart, I am also an adventurer and I love the pulse of a big city. I get totally mesmerised by New York City. Like seriously, goose bumps constantly whenever I visit. I will live there some day, at least for a little while.

How did you get started designing clothing?

It all started with me having my first baby girl, Ava. With a background in graphic design and a strong fashion interest, these are what made it all start to move forward.

How would you describe Gardner and the Gang clothing in 5 words?

Quirky, fashion, meaningful, fun, comfortable.

Why does Gardner and the Gang mean? What’s behind the name?

It is named after my daughter Ava, she is named after Ava Gardner. I loved her strong personality and her story . The gang is all the other kids that want in.

What are your sources of inspiration for the line?

I always get inspired in the most unexpected places. A thread through all my designs would be a wish to convey a message to all kids: Do not live with prejudice, open your mind to new cultures, you will learn something. Even if the message is not so obvious I always draw characters that are somewhat outsiders, strong personalities. The message is simple, be yourself: that is as cool as it gets!

What has made you the most proud of what you’re doing?

The fact that children really seem to like wearing my designs.

Your design aesthetic seems perfect for a fun youth line. Do you plan to expand the line?  

Yes, slowly but surely.

When you are all caught up on work, what do you love to do?

I love to do yoga, and to go running with some good tunes in my earphones. Clears my mind. These occasions are very rare though, haha, my life is mostly, kids, work, sleep…

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Thank you so much to Kristin for supporting young artists and the World Wildlife Fund.

If you are interested in buying a shirt visit Gardner and the Gang, the shirts are limited edition!

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