Dodging some rain drops, with a smile on her face and a duck in the stroller, Kristin Mon was able to spare some time to share her story. I bet you’re wondering why anyone out in the rain even has the slightest smile. Well after living in Foggy London for some time, I guess she’s just used to it!

This Spring Lake native lives on 11th and Bloomfield with her husband Dan, two adorable girls, and Harry, their dog. They moved here from London about two years ago, just after Madeline, the oldest, was born. This stay at home mom loves her life here in Hoboken. “It’s in between,” she said, in comparison to New York City just across the Hudson, and the surrounding suburbs. She continued “I like it because it’s urban, but not as intense as the city.” And I think quite a few of our readers can definitely agree upon that!

“After Madeline was born, it just kind of made sense,” she replied, when asked about her current homemaker profession. After moving to Hoboken, Kristin wanted the full-time commitment and responsibility of raising her daughter. “I wanted to be there, to be able to see the milestones,” Kristin said.
So typically, what time of the day Kristin does begin to admire and take in these milestones? “Usually (and hopefully) around 6:30AM,” she said. “That’s when Lilly has been waking up lately.” Next comes breakfast for Kristin and the two girls. Then it’s off to the closet to get Madeline dressed. “She’s always going to some sort of class,” commented Kristin. On Mondays and Wednesdays, Madeline gets dropped off at Kidville , “which we are just returning from” she laughed. Running around on the soccer field is on Tuesdays with the Super Soccer Stars . But Thursdays are all about music! Kristin takes Madeline to Music For Aardvarks. Depending on what time the classes end, and the weather, Kristin can be found chasing Madeline around the park, with Lilly in her arms. This is the key to getting kids to take an afternoon nap, tire them out! And when they return home, Madeline of course is exhausted.

While Madeline is napping upstairs, Kristin finally has “some down time.” She is able to relax, clean things up, and catch up on emails. But once Madeline wakes up, it begins again: playing, dinner, bath then bed; a routine I am sure most you moms are familiar with! “I love just spending the day with them,” said Kristin, referring to her daughters. “I like not to miss out on the little things.” So from this busy day, what does Kristin dislike about being home? “I miss the mental challenges of work,” Kristin replied.

So when Kristin isn’t running Madeline from one class to the next, where can she be found? “Walking around, and most likely in the parks,” said Kristin with a smile. Another of her favorite things to do is to walk in and out of the stores and restaurants. “I like that everything is in walking distance,” she said.
Kristin’s favorite place to grab a bit to eat… “Definitely the Elysian Café!" And what is it that draws her in? It’s quite a number of things. First and foremost, it’s the French fries. “Have you ever had them?” she asked. “They are some of the best!” They also have a great children’s menu. “Everything is included,” she said, “even dessert!” The overall atmosphere, look and character Kristin finds fantastic. “And they are stroller friendly, that’s important.” She also commented that the outdoor seating is one of her preferred spots. But I would assume not on a day like today! Kristin commented that “we’ve never had a bad meal.” Way to go Elysian!

The Clinton Social is another one of Kristin’s favorites. “They’ve got good food, good beer,” she said. And what more could you need? Toots and Tallie, on tenth and Washington is one of Kristin’s favorite places to shop. “They have really nice clothes,” she said. The best part about the store is that Kristin always finds little gifts for people, “like jewelry and scarfs.”

What does Kristin want to see more of in Hoboken? Yup, Kristin agrees with the rest of us, parking. Chain retail stores are something that Kristin thinks “would benefit in a place like Hoboken. “Like Gap, and Gap Kids.” And with all the young families, young professionals and college kids, I agree! But here was something I hadn’t heard before, “more cops walking around,” rather than cruising around in their cars. “I don’t think they ever get out of their cars uptown,” she said “And what happened to that dancer up on 14th street?” she asked? Oh, you mean this guy ?

Less in Hoboken? People double parking. “I don’t know why they consider that better than people parked illegally.” Maybe it’s because they don’t push strollers around regularly. “Sometimes it makes it really difficult to see when cars are double parked on angles near the corners,” she said, “and with a stroller.”
Kristin’s can be summed up in a few words: energetic, hardworking, and laidback. And when she’s not running around with the kids, Kristin is still running. “I take the same path every run,” she said. She heads down Hudson towards 14th, and the river, and follows the river and the piers. She goes around Pier A twice, “and then goes back the same way again,” she said with a smile.

So London, where does London fit into all of this? Kristin and Dan moved to London after living in New York City for five years. “Dan and I both had opportunites at work that allowed us to move and it was something we both wanted to do,” she said. They lived in London for about two years, in South Kensington. “We loved living in London,” she said. “We loved the pubs, the old architecture, how clean the city is, the people and culture, and traveling on weekends throughout Europe,” she said with a sparkle in her eye. Their daughter Madeline was born in London a year and a half after they had moved there. “It really was the only reason that we moved back,” she said. Being the first and only grandchild on both sides of the family, Kristin and Dan wanted her to have family and friends close by to help and watch her grow up. After moving back to NYC, Kristin and Dan didn’t love it as much as they had before; which is what landed them in Hoboken!

Wait, didn’t I mention a duck in the stroller? It’s Madeline’s Halloween costume! “I don’t know why, but she insisted upon it.” Kristin mentioned that Madeline dictated Halloween costumes for all of her relatives, Kristin being a football, and her husband being a clown. “My goal right now is to figure out a football costume, that Madeline approves.” Ideas anyone?

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