For a limited time only (unspecified) click HERE to get a coupon for $3 off Huggies – my preferred brand of diapers… Overnight, and regular!
Recently I was contacted by Tres Belles Spa (105 Bond Street, Boerum Hill) and asked to write a review of their services as well as help them reach out to other moms. I went in for a facial, to check out the location, and to talk to Allison Tray, the owner. It was a tough job, but someone had to do it!
Petite, but perfect for moms in need of TLC!
Allison opened Tres Belle Petite Medi-Spa spa 6 years ago, although they just moved to their current location in December 09. When she moved in, she totally renovated the space – and though it is quite small, it manages to be serene, and certainly has enough room to do the job! I treated myself to a basic facial. It was very gentle and relaxing; I left feeling refreshed, and my skin was looking great. I’ve had a lot of facials where afterwords I look like I’ve been attacked by the esthetician, but this was not the case. She managed to do my extractions and leave my skin toned, polished, and glowing – but not red. To me, this is a big deal! I noticed when I was there that the owner and staff seem to know everyone who walks in the door. I am sure that this closeness with the clientele would lead to increasingly better service – after all, the better someone knows your skin, the better they can help take care of it. So, I am sure the more times I go back, the better the facials will be for me, and the more tailored they would be to my specific skin issues.
Get your facial + relaxation here - you know you deserve it!
I talked with Alison a little to find out more about her business and the services they offer. It turns out that Tres Belle is a family business, run by Alison and her Dad (aww!) She says, “My family had always had family businesses so it was a natural progression that my Dad and I ended up working together. We have always been close and my Dad has a really great sense for business and I love helping people feel confident.”
I asked her why she was reaching out to moms specifically, and she smartly answered, “Moms often forget that it’s important to take a break even if it’s once a month. Many clients and friends are Moms and when they come to Tres Belle it’s like they can have a bit of their sense of self back. Moms give on a constant basis and it feels great to be able to provide them with much needed attention, not to mention adult conversation!” So true – and that is one of the main reasons I wanted to write about this on Mommy FTW – I know I don’t give myself enough time to relax, and do things just for me. So I hope that I can encourage some of you to spend some time on yourselves! If I have to bribe you with discounts, then so be it!
Tres Belle is apparently well known for its laser hair removal – something I’ve always been curious about, but admittedly know nothing of. “We were honored to have been voted Best Laser Hair Removal in NYC on Citysearch for 2009 [ we also won in 2006, 2007, and 2008]!” Allison bragged – and rightly so. That is quite an honor! “Our most popular package is definitely our Bikini Package. Moms never know when a day at the beach or pool is going to sneak up on them. With all the things you need to do to just get out the door, your bikini area should be a non-issue. Most clients require 10 visits to get to a permanent reduction of up to 85-90% but see results and skin improvement with just a few sessions.” Personally, I think I might be sold on this one. I am not a fan of the bikini wax, and not having to plan ahead for time at the pool would be fantastic.
So, for those moms who need to be pampered a little (which I am assuming is ALL of you!!) I encourage you to check out Tres Belles Petite Medi-Spa – it’s just on the other side of Flatbush pretty close to the Dekalb Ave train station. FYI – if you are looking for some more opinions before you book, then check out their reviews on City Search – they are positively glowing!
Allison has kindly offered Mommy FTW readers some discounts : $25 off any facial plus every facial will include a free add-on of hand massage, and 10% off all laser packages. Just mention “Cameron” when you book your service. Pampering at a discount? Who can resist that!? Give them a call and book yourself an appointment – You deserve it, and you won’t be disappointed!
Tres Belle Petite Medi-Spa
105 Bond Street
Brooklyn, NY 11217
Phone: (718) 797-0033
Online at tresbellespa.com
Become a Fan of Tres Belle on Facebook
We just got back from a trip to Washington DC to visit Cameron’s grandparents. We of course went back to the fabulous Wilson Aquatic Center for some swimming. There were so many families there with young kids and babies which was so nice to see. Anyways, while there, I got Cameron some stacking cups, since he has been really into the ones he has at home. I got him these cute Fisher Price ones that come in rainbow colors.
Fisher Price Stack & Roll Cups
They are cups that are easy to stack, but also can be turned into balls when the two sides are put together. There is also a ball that jingles (which seems suspiciously like cat toy to me!) Cameron really enjoyed the set, both in the bath, and out. I like them much more than the set of stacking cups we have at home in Brooklyn (Click here if you want to check those out as well).
Cameron enjoys toast – peanut butter toast, french toast – but sometimes you need a change. So when I was at Trader Joe’s recently I picked up some of their whole wheat “British muffins” (English muffins) and some tasty toppings.
I’ve been toasting them lightly and putting hummus on (per my pediatrician’s recommendation), or some peanut butter and honey. I was even thinking of Apple or Pumpkin butter (though I haven’t gotten to those yet). Another mom also told me that her toddler loves the cinnamon raisin British muffins. Next time, I’ll give those a try!
I’ve never really felt like I “needed” a dust buster until Cameron started throwing anything and everything (mostly food items) on the floor. I can’t tell you how many Cheerios I’ve stepped on in the past week – creating that oh-so-hard-to-clean-up Cheerio dust. I knew now was the time to get myself a dust buster! I went to Amazon.com to see what the options were. I am a sucker for well reviewed item, so in the end I went for one that had 155 reviews with an average of 4.5 stars – it had to be good, right?! And, indeed it is!
This baby has some serious power!
This little number from Black and Decker isn’t going to be winning any beauty pageants any time soon, but it sure does the job! So far, I haven’t met a chunk of who-knows-what it can’t handle (although I am sure Cameron will do his best). The only thing I wish is that it was also a wet-dry-vac. But I don’t think any cordless hand held is going to do that for you. At a price of just under $55 – I am sold on this one. Cameron even claps when I get it out! Give it a try if your little one loves to leave treats underfoot.
Another mom was telling me about her daughter’s love of Trader Joe’s Freeze Dried Mangoes, so I went and picked some up a few weeks ago. I was pleased to see that there were no other ingredients besides “mangoes” in this treat! They have the consistency of Astronaut Ice Cream (if that means anything to you guys?!) Anyways last Friday I was at Trader Joe’s again and I noticed this time they had a lot more freeze dried fruit options – I picked up some blueberries, bananas, and strawberries in edition to the mangoes. Healthy treats with a long shelf life – not too shabby!
Yum Yum, Gimmie Some!
What are your favorite toddler and baby snacks from Trader Joe’s? Leave a comment and share with us!
The iPhone App Peekaboo Barn was first recommended to me by a mom friend. It took me awhile to get around to downloading it, mostly because I usually go for Free iPhone apps, and this one costs $.99 Well, when I was on the train ride home coming from DC with Cameron I downloaded it in desperation – and it saved me! And it has continued to entertain Cameron through many sticky and boring situations. Let me tell you, the $.99 price tag is well worth it.
The app is fairly simple: A barn appears and shakes, enticing the child to tap it. Once tapped, the barn doors open an an animal appears. Tap again a child says the name of the animal (in Spanish, if you like!). Another tap closes the doors and the game starts over with a new animal. The one main failure for me with this App (and every App) is that Cameron eventually just presses the button on the phone, exiting himself out of the game. Hopefully he will soon realizes that brings the fun to an end!
Peekaboo Barn - Hours of Baby Fun
What is your little one’s favorite app? Leave a comment and share with everyone! Just click “Write Comment” at the top of the post.
Cameron is really interested trucks, cars, fire engines, and that sort of thing – but I know a lot of baby friends his age are into pretend kitchens. I’ve seen at a few mom’s houses the IKEA kitchen (DUKTIG series) – it’s nicely made, really cute, and very affordable!
So Cute - And the price is so right!
The bottom part (stove, cabinets, and sink) is only $99 and the top attachment (microwave) is $39. Now, the only problem is finding a place in your apartment for it!
I’m the kind of person who orders everything off the internet – from my groceries, to my diapers, and everything in between. When it came time to get Cameron his first set of “big boy shoes” (hard soled shoes for walking) I had my doubts about ordering online. After all, fit is really important, and I didn’t want to slow Cameron down with the wrong shoes. When I was in DC this past week visiting my parents with Cameron my mom suggested we check out Ramer’s Shoes (3810 N. Hampton St NW DC). They are a Stride Rite retailer. She told me that she used to take me to Ramer’s Shoes when I was little… and once we got over there, I definitely remembered it. Dear readers, I am 31 – so that should tell you this place has been around for awhile!
When we arrived we walked in on another mom who was also there getting her babies first walking shoes. The mom and baby both seemed very happy with their recent purchase, and I was feeling confident that the saleswoman would take good care of Cameron. Indeed she did!
Cameron gets measured
She expertly measured his feet – informing me that one was half a size smaller than the other, and that his feet were unusually narrow (like my husband’s feet). She told me that shoes with laces were better for early walkers, because they offer more support (I had asked for velcro, but she told me this was a no-no). We tried on a few pairs of shoes and found the right one.
And we try on the first pair of shoes....
They even have a little piano that is perfect for having babies stand at so you can see how the shoe fits when the baby is putting pressure on the foot. They also keep a chart on your child of their shoe size, and send you reminders when it’s time to get a new pair. Overall, the service was outstanding, and I am so glad we went there for Cameron’s first shoes.
Putting them to the test
I am all about buying things online, but I think in this case, going to a real shoe store with someone who knows what they are doing was the right thing to do. So moms in the Washington DC area, check out Ramer’s Shoes!
Back in November when Cameron was just turning a year old we went out to Chicago to visit my husband’s family, and I was NOT going to pack a bath seat for the trip. So, we started getting Cameron used to taking a bath in the tub without his Dream Baby Bath Seat. At first, someone sat in the tub with him, and then after a few days he was sitting alone in the tub. He seemed a little insecure at the beginning, but now he loves being in the tub by himself.
Cameron playin' in the tub! (Also pictured - Bath Letters)
I still use his infant bath seat in the beginning of bath time because it makes it easier for me to wash him, but when we move to play time, I release him into the tub. We have a rule, which another mom suggested to me, that once he stands up, bath time is over. He quickly learned that this is how he should signal that he is ready for bed.
I’m aware having a baby in the bath tub isn’t revolutionary, but I know a lot of moms who are nervous about taking their little ones out of their seats and letting them be in the tub without bumpers or restraints. So, I wanted to write this little post to give you the confidence to try it out! Your baby just might love it.
