The best family days out in London and beyond rated by kids and teens
Published: 23rd February 2022
Zeena Moola @zeena_moolla_author is a well-known journalist and author who has written for major publications such as The Telegraph, Marie Claire and Good Housekeeping, typically exploring the subject of motherhood and parenting.
The wonderful author Zeena Moolla
Her popular and witty blog ‘word to the mothers’ was turned into a TV series for Made Television (now Local TV) back in 2016, in which Zeena hosted a parent-specific chat show. When we asked Zeena to comment on the philosophy behind her blog for #KidRatedMeets, she explained “[f]or me, becoming a mum blogger wasn’t just a need to be a bit plain speaking and sweary about parenting. I’ve always liked a dark sense of humour and if anything, becoming a mum made me a bit more twisted – so I wanted my blog to reflect that. I absolutely love being a mother, but that doesn’t mean we all have to be hammy about it.” Quite Right!
Zeena currently resides in Bristol with her two kids and husband Pete. Always writing and ALWAYS busy, the super mum has two publications due to reach bookstores in 2022. Stay tuned!
Zeena & her kids, Yasmin and Zain
Available at Waterstones, Amazon and other major retailers
My debut book, Everything I’ve Learned About Motherhood, was published by Thread Books in February last year. It’s a humorous parenting nonfiction about my experiences of early motherhood against a backdrop of my own upbringing with my single-parent dad. Poet and author Laura Dockrill described it as “refreshing, laugh-out-loud real talk” and also, “a lifeline”. My dad said it was “alright”.
Zeena and her single-parent father, Hameed
I have a second nonfiction due out in May this year called How to Build Your Mental Strength and a third book, Self-Care for Busy Mums, released in July (both are published by Summersdale). My dad is slightly more effusive about these forthcoming titles as they don’t have any swearing in.
Foyles, Charing Cross
I could lose hours in food places like the De Beauvoir Deli (N1) or Lina Stores in Brewer Street (W1F). When I was living in London, Foyles on Charing Cross Road was a great place to spend unhurried quiet time on a lunch hour. I’m not sure how Covid has impacted it these days, but back then it was massive with five floors and a café. I love an indie bookstore obviously, but as a lonely journalist freelancing for a mag where I didn’t know anyone, Foyles offered me some refuge and will forever have a piece of my heart.
Photograph courtesy of The Cutlery Chronicles
The Gower. We’ve been many times, over the pandemic particularly, and we never tire of how stunning it is. All the beaches along the Gower Peninsula are beautiful and most are family friendly. We go mainly to both Port Eynon and Rhossili for picnicking, playing, paddling etc, and also Mumbles for shopping and eating. Albeit the Mumbles beach is better for dog walkers, there are some lovely restaurants and cafes along the seafront. I’d recommend booking if you want to have lunch or dinner though, as everywhere seems to book up quickly no matter the season.
As we’re Bristol-based and both my kids are animal lovers, it’d probably entail a trip to somewhere like Wild Place Project or Slimbridge Wetland Centre. We’d then have a local lunch in the city centre – either The Watershed’s upstairs café for beaking at the harbourside, or for more of a foodie experience, we’d head to Wapping Wharf, the newish food hub of Bristol where the restaurants are independent and housed in converted shipping containers.
Lunch would be walked off around Ashton Court or Leigh Woods and we’d then finish with either handmade pizza at The Old Library (a fab place in our village) or homemade curry at my dad’s. With the kids in bed, my evening would entail sole possession of the remote control and a glass of really nice red wine (wine tastes better without a side of child in my opinion).
Two iconic red buses on Westminster Bridge
Bus or walk. We cycle badly in our family. We’re not the sort of wholesome family who bike gaily to marvel at meadows and Mother Earth. We’re more the type of family who zig-zag tetchily down the road into each other, visibly resenting the aforementioned.
Wherever there is escalator, stand on the right! Londoners are famed for a lack of courtesy, but I think this is very well-mannered. It’s shows thought for a stranger’s commute. If you want to make a visit to London pleasant, for all concerned, always stand on the right!
