Julia Inserro's Blog, page 3

The Art House

I’m always on the search for new things to do with kids. I’ve been hearing about The Art House for years, but only recently checked it out. And I’m so glad I did!

It’s located in Muqsha, off of Janabiya Highway, behind Domino’s Pizza. (Note that Waze hasn’t quite figured it out, but Google Maps works well.) It’s in an adorable converted house that the owner, Ilsa, has made into an amazing space for creativity and artistic exploration. 

She has these fabulous pre-made patterns that kids can...

Salmabad Farmers' Market in Bahrain

There’s something about a farmers’ market. The smell of the earth, the friendly eager sellers, the colorful mounds of fresh fruit and veg, the sounds of inquiries and bartering. It’s like a sensory explosion.

On our little island of Bahrain, we now have three options for farmers’ markets. There’s the Manama Central Market downtown (which you can read about HERE). Starting in December, there’s the seasonal Bahraini Farmers’ Market in Budaiya (which you can read about HERE). And now, there’s a...

Raising the Angry Child

It wasn’t until I was well past my 30th birthday that I was confronted with the fact that I didn’t know how to be angry. Well, I certainly knew how to feel angry, but I didn’t know how to express it in a healthy way.

I remember when someone asked me if I ever got angry and I replied, “Of course I do.” And then she said, “How do you express it?” And the silence stretched on for far too long. I think I blinked a lot trying desperately to spin my brain into finding an answer. It wasn’t even tha...

Exploring The Avenues Mall Bahrain

The Avenues mall opened in October 2017 and we’ve been a handful of times. But, we’ve never fully explored it. So, this past weekend I took the kids and went and checked it all out. 

For those of you who have been to The Avenues mall in Kuwait, there are some similarities. It’s big and bright and airy with enormous interior fake palm trees. It has a wide cobblestone central boulevard perfect for ambling along (or getting your steps in on those sweltering summer days).

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Marassi Beach, Bahrain

One of the nicest, cleanest, most-pleasant beaches in Bahrain is Marassi Beach. It’s located in the north-eastern corner of Bahrain, in Diyar Al-Muharraq. Just follow the signs to Dragon City and Marassi.

It is a “private” beach, meaning there’s an entrance fee. However, considering how clean and tidy it was compared to other beaches here, I’m fine with paying.

It costs 2BD per adult, 1BD per child (not sure of the age-range defining a “child”), and nannies are free – so feel free to bring A...

Art Rotana for Kids (and Adults, too)

I’m always on the look-out for things-to-do with kiddos, especially in the summer months. For whatever reason, we’ve been in Bahrain for two years and had never checked out the Art Rotana - despite multiple rave reviews from friends.

Well, we finally did it and all the rave reviews were correct! It was fabulous and we all had far too much fun - meltdowns over the pink fork versus the blue fork were plentiful that night.

There are two ways you can enjoy the Art Rotana’s amenities; get a roo...

Manama Central Market

For those who missed the Bahrain Farmers Market (see previous post HERE) and feel they have to wait until next December for piles of fresh fruit and veg, look no further than the Manama Central Market.

It’s located behind the Marina Mall in downtown Manama in an unassuming warehouse-like building.

We headed out on an early Saturday morning. We parked at the Marina Mall (see a write up about its play area HERE) and were immediately spotted by the guys with carts. You’ll know them because, a) th...

5 Ways To Have “Helpful” Kids in the Kitchen

My kids love to help out in the kitchen. However, having a five-year-old and two three-year-olds, I often find that their idea of “help” and mine rarely converge. But I do like the idea of raising helpful kids and I know their willingness will dissipate over time. So, when I have the resolve, I’ll wander online to see what the latest tips and tricks are, or look for “kid-friendly” recipes they can help with. 

But I have to be honest, my kids are nothing like those Pinterest kids you see, chee...

The Steaming Turd

My husband and I took our three kids to the mall the other day. We needed to buy a birthday present for a friend, so we thought we’d have some lunch, buy the gift and grab some groceries. After lunch, my husband wanted to go ogle in the Nespresso shop, so I said I’d take the kids to go get the birthday present and we’d meet there.

Along the way, we passed a brand new enormous American Girl store. My kids, six, three and three, don’t know American Girl but they certainly can recognize a toy st...

Interview with YA Author, Jan Von Schleh

Finding new authors to love is exciting for avid readers. Jan Von Schleh’s debut novel will be released on June 12 and can easily become your next favorite. But Not Forever is a YA novel that includes time travel, strong characters, forbidden love, and friendships that literally stretch through time.

I got a chance to sit down with Jan to talk about how this book came to be, what her writing process was like, and whether we are going to get to see any more of these endearing characters.

Jan, t...