
Justin is a London based dad of three. As well as being a content creator, he's also interested in all things tech, law, software engineering, and photography related, and likes to cycle in his free time.

Through his content, Justin aims to show the true reality of personal parenting alongside fun activity recommendations to do as a family. He focuses a lot on sustainability as his family tries to live in an environmentally conscious way.

Follow him [on Instagram](https://instagram.com/alldadstalk).


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Dad, blogger, lawyer

Justin


As a dad of three, I think often of the little ones’ safety and security, including when we’re in our home. As a techie, I’m always tinkering with innovative products and today is all about the <a href="https://www.fireangel.co.uk/pro-connected/" target="_blank">FireAngel Pro Connected</a> smart alarm system\* 🙌🏻.

![Fireangel Photo 01](/images/blog/fireangel-pro/Fireangel01.webp)

Our home came prefitted with a couple of mains powered smoke alarm in the living room and landing together with an additional mains powered CO alarm in the kitchen. However, it all felt a bit like the 90s.

![Fireangel Photo 08](/images/blog/fireangel-pro/Fireangel08.webp)
![Fireangel Photo 05](/images/blog/fireangel-pro/Fireangel05.webp)

It took me just a couple of weeks since moving in to swap all the lights in the house with a smart light system, one so intuitive that even my kids know how to control it, remotely, from my phone. And by the same token, it was now the time ⏰ for the alarms to get a **safety** upgrade.

![Fireangel Photo 09](/images/blog/fireangel-pro/Fireangel09.webp)
![Fireangel Photo 15](/images/blog/fireangel-pro/Fireangel15.webp)

FireAngel took the initiative to interlink their smart alarms (#fire, #CO, #heat) so when one alarm sounds, they all sound 💪. And I was thrilled to install the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CkL7vaIqU8t" target="_blank">FireAngel Pro Connected</a> smart alarm system in our home and test it.

![Fireangel Photo 02](/images/blog/fireangel-pro/Fireangel02.webp)
![Fireangel Photo 03](/images/blog/fireangel-pro/Fireangel03.webp)

Installation was a breeze and with everything setup and manageable at the touch of a button, I know I can now sleep better 😴 💤

![Fireangel Photo 10](/images/blog/fireangel-pro/Fireangel10.webp)

Further, using wireless tech, a smart app which I have installed straight away from the App Store and their Smart Gateway, I can now control the alarms with my phone, wherever I am.

![Fireangel Photo 11](/images/blog/fireangel-pro/Fireangel11.webp)

I can test all my alarms, get notified about any errors or faults and have complete piece of mind when at home or on our family trips - all through the convenience of the Fire Angel app.

![Fireangel Photo 12](/images/blog/fireangel-pro/Fireangel12.webp)

Did I mention that **silent** (yes, that's a feature) testing can be run at the touch of a button with only the app? How cool is that 🙌.

![Fireangel Photo 14](/images/blog/fireangel-pro/Fireangel14.webp)

To find out more about why my family and I loved the FireAngel Pro Connected system check out my <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CkL7vaIqU8t" target="_blank">Instagram</a>.

\*PR product


As a dad of three, I think often of the safety and security of the little ones, including when...

FireAngel – protect what is important


I hear “smart” so very often, especially in the context of technology so when I saw it being brought up in the context of baby care I must admit I was a little bit intrigued.

My other half and I have been in the market for a baby monitor since our little one joined us on the journey. We have recently moved into our new home, a green, sustainable take on the concept of modern living with a few smart features, especially in respect of air ventilation and heating. And when one lives in a house which is “aware” of its environment, it makes sense to make smarter choices in relation to everything else 🙂

---

## SEARCHING FOR A SMART BABY MONITOR

Higher up in the list of features I wanted in a baby monitor were:

-   iPhone app so that we can use our phones as monitoring screens, and
-   A high resolution camera to give us high-def imagery of the kid / cot area.

We found the Cubo Ai Plus. Some say it’s the World’s Smartest Baby Monitor and, I must admit, they were right! We were truly captivated by the story behind how Cubo Ai came into being. Joanna (co-founder) had met her first baby after 6 IVF attempts. One day she found his face accidentally covered. What ensued was a loss of sleep which carried on for months, with her waking up constantly in the middle of the night, worried about missing the moment when her baby needed her the most.

![cubo-ai-001.jpg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611353516/A21_F96_E4_A276_4_ADB_863_D_9_C58981911_B5_scaled_81530870d6_6759ea85ae.jpg)

Joanna decided to do something about it. So she recruited a paediatrician, A.I. experts and a few parents in tech and sought to create the first baby monitor ever to apply A.I. to baby care. Cubo Ai launched in July 2019 on Indiegogo, the place where early adopters and innovation seekers find lively, imaginative tech before it hits the mainstream. It raised more than 1,000% of their funding goal from almost 3,000 backers. They have since won several industry and marketplace recognition awards like CES Innovation Award 2020, JPMA’s Best in Safety 2020, Mom’s Choice Awards 2020, and NAPPA Awards 2020.

We were sold. I mean the timing was great as we were looking to get a baby monitor and found so much more than that: a smart device which can send you real-time notifications on your device when something seems off (baby has his / her face covered, baby turned on his / her belly, baby is missing from crib), a two-way baby monitor which allows you to play a lullaby remotely, an Ai powered baby monitor that analyses sleep patterns and captures precious moments (like that first time he / she stands up). All in one.

![cubo-ai-002.jpg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611353455/FFB_67075_75_CA_46_B6_A8_EC_5_CF_5_D6_DF_1_F2_D_scaled_fd06e68b0f_8655ba4aa8.jpg)

---

## MY CUBO AI PLUS REVIEW

We opted for Cubo Ai Plus because it comes packed with everything you need out of the box. We unboxed and installed it the same day and spent a good few hours getting used to all of the wonderful features it brings.

Features we love the most:

-   Full HD 1080p quality imagery with a wide-angle lens giving you an enhanced perspective of the area you’re monitoring. To top it off, you also get amazing infrared light for night vision and a moving, rotatable lens. Plus, you get Temperature and Humidity information on your device too.
-   Microphone is very sensitive so you can hear any noise coming from the area you’re watching, including alerts when the baby cries. There’s also a speaker for those moments when the little one needs to hear your voice for comfort. Say goodbye to uni-directional feed.
-   Internet connectivity and cloud. You can access the feed from any device anywhere you are. I’m so happy being able to interact with my little one whilst at work or travelling.
-   Versatile support system – amazing stand so you can move it freely from place to place and room to room, ability to mount it onto the crib itself and including a mobile stand.
-   Ability to designate a certain ‘Danger Zone” in the room (for example, the kitchen) and Cubo Ai will alert you when the kid enters that Area 51 🙂 – this is handy with our 3 year-old now and will be awesome once the little one begins crawling.

![cubo-ai-008.jpg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611353460/17_EC_54_AF_4261_4767_A508_F1_FDC_0639_BCA_scaled_438eee3bf8_e191fd79ee.jpg)

---

## CUBO AI APP

I can also say our sleep coach was very happy as it is so much easier to relay information to her – the Cubo Ai Sleep Analytics provides a 1-day comprehensive sleep report every morning that can help understand the baby’s sleep patterns and habits from the night before. A Cubo Ai Premium subscription is also available for free with every purchase of Cubo Ai Plus if you’d like to see thirty days of sleep patterns instead of just one.

![cubo-ai-003.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611353455/IMG_7277_72c53611c7_d39ad8e1ac.png)

My favourite feature is the Automatic Photo Capture & Moments Wall. I know I will never miss a FIRST moment when it occurs, wherever I am. Cubo Ai can detect if the baby is smiling, crying or making “big moves” and snaps a photo to immortalise the moment. It then adds it to a scrapbook on the Cubo Ai app, organised neatly by date. You can add the entire family to the album so they can enjoy every moment with you.

![cubo-ai-004.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611353457/F41_AE_46_C_FF_81_4193_AC_7_C_AA_2_B0_CDD_375_E_8667cd3454_0e9eefd68c.png)

![cubo-ai-005.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611353457/2_C49493_C_F8_D0_4_CDF_A075_F9_EAE_53973_AE_5590b1e58d_834289a301.png)

We have been using Cubo Ai for over a month now and can say it is a smart investment into our peace of mind. We also sleep much better than we used to knowing there’s a trustworthy tiny owl guardian watching over the crib when we’re not in the room. It fits well and unobtrusively in the scenery like it belongs there.

![cubo-ai-006.jpg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611353455/BC_7_A2_C5_A_8390_457_F_A24_E_BE_271555_CCF_2_scaled_658e4ef59a_e13c1f3e55.jpg)

---

## CUBO AI BABY MONITOR SECURITY

Speaking of trust, the data is processed through the cloud to allow us to receive alerts and notifications via the mobile app. There is also a 2-Factor Authentication available to secure your account. And because Cubo Ai is all about baby safety, they’re using enterprise-level security to encrypt all Cubo videos/photos which are stored in the Cloud with unique AES-256 bit symmetric key encryption that is only accessible via your authenticated device. Cubo always pushes the encrypted video stream directly to your authenticated device. I can rest assured that only our family can watch our little ones growing up.

> You can get yours today on the Cubo Ai [website](https://www.getcubo.com) – use code **CUBOTALK** for an extra added discount on top of their sales price!\*

\*Code only redeemable on the **<https://www.getcubo.com>** website. Cubo Ai Plus is also available on Amazon UK.

![cubo-ai-007.jpg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611353455/EDA_089_D2_F087_4_A40_A609_BCB_6_D5_B4_EE_27_scaled_bd4c0ab300_a548a25a47.jpg)


I hear “smart” so very often, especially in the context of technology...

Cubo Ai Plus smart baby monitor - protect them at every step


> Towbar bike rack dream right here!

![thule-bike-rack-005.jpg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611949416/thule_bike_rack_cover_9572156d95.jpg)

If you follow me on Instagram, you know what a huge fan of anything Thule I am. Last year I have been kindly given a [Thule EasyFold XT 3](https://www.thule.com/en-gb/bike-rack/towbar-bike-racks/thule-easyfold-xt-3-_-934300) for a review and I’ve been using it ever since. I had an old bike rack on my previous car which can only be described in two words: not Thule!

![thule-bike-rack](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944772/B8_B847_D2_71_A8_49_DD_9458_11_DDA_654_ABA_1_1825273b71.jpg)

![thule-bike-rack](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944778/BD_3969_DE_E3_AF_4802_810_F_8_F9728764_C13_6f6a9450be.jpg)

This fully foldable, compact, and easy-to-use [towbar-mounted bike rack](https://www.thule.com/en-gb/bike-rack) for all types of bikes is absolutely brilliant! When I say all types of bikes, I really mean it! Check the photos below, find the 50 year old chopper and you’d know that’s mine 🙂 Bulky, heavy and a bit rusty (shhh) but it fits like a dream in the bike rack. So does Aly’s gigantic bike which comes with a huge basket – apparently her ‘I can’t live without’ insta prop!

![thule-bike-rack-010.jpeg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944550/18_DD_199_C_A172_4638_B54_A_AFC_345773317_5bdd61ae7d.jpg)

Here are some of my features of the Thule bike rack:

-   Fully foldable for convenient mounting, handling and storage – the way in which it folds is a big plus for when it’s off the car and into STORAGE!

![thule-bike-rack](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944935/E844_E80_B_00_D4_4_EBB_B28_B_DA_418_B71_BB_4_D_16db290e55.jpg)

-   High load capacity enabling transport of e-bikes and heavy mountain bikes – Yes!!! Just check our bikes 😀

![thule-bike-rack](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944791/D9_FED_79_A_C565_45_A9_B5_DB_8_ACD_61_B0_E11_E_edf07b1c77.jpg)

-   Easy mounting of bikes through detachable bike arms with lockable Thule AcuTight torque limiter knobs that click when optimal torque is reached – another feature which I love!!

![thule-bike-rack](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944646/57_FDF_1_F6_F8_E7_42_FE_872_C_9_E9023_AE_11_EC_a267efff62.jpg)

-   Smooth mounting and adjustment of the bike rack before closing the tightening handle, thanks to the towbar coupling’s initial stability

![thule-bike-rack](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944530/6_C59_FC_88_4646_417_D_85_BA_7_D884_ECDA_79_D_6de234fb93.jpg)

-   Ergonomic transport of the bike rack thanks to the integrated transport wheels and carrying handle – Aly can carry it by herself with absolutely no problem!

![thule-bike-rack](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944662/808_AF_19_C_B011_4891_A91_A_82_BE_2_ED_5488_F_b1cb546269.jpg)

-   Pre-assembled, no tools required – the GENIUS part!!!

![thule-bike-rack-007.jpeg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944517/0_AA_71_EF_6_B9_F3_4726_A5_A6_8_AB_40_C8_CF_1_EC_06838feee4.jpg)

-   Lock your bikes to the bike rack and your bike rack to the towbar (locks included) – yes, they are included and it gives me more piece of mind.

![thule-bike-rack](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944662/808_AF_19_C_B011_4891_A91_A_82_BE_2_ED_5488_F_b1cb546269.jpg)

![thule-bike-rack-014.jpeg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944667/3737_D8_D9_AA_0_A_4367_AB_3_A_67442_D39_B512_98a3c815ba.jpg)

![thule-bike-rack-016.jpeg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944521/3_BF_5218_E_CFEE_4_B8_B_864_A_89694_E66_DF_0_D_31f6f62283.jpg)

You can find below a few photos from my first experience with the bike rack on our Tesla Model X.

You can find all tech behind the product on Thule website, but here are a few more details below that may interest you.


If you follow me on Instagram, you know what a huge fan of anything Thule I am...

Thule did it again - THE dream bike rack for families


> Every once in a while a revolutionary product comes along that changes everything. (Steve Jobs)

One such product was the iPhone. It put the “smart” back into SmartPhone and created an ecosystem which was undreamed-of at the time. And, it’s only been a little more than 10 years since.

I am lucky to ride such a revolutionary product to work – a [**Micro Merlin**](https://www.micro-scooters.co.uk/micro-merlin-adult-electric-scooter.html) adult electric scooter – and have been on electric scooters for over 4 years now. Like thousands of other dads, I work in the City. I’ve commuted using the tube or bus for years until I said to myself - insert Joey’s voice from the milk carton ad in Friends here 😀 - “there’s gotta be a better way”.

![Scooting into the future photo 001](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944538/8_A9_C2_DAF_E77_D_4143_9638_5870_C56_CAC_12_87db6ada01.jpg)

Riding a bike is and has always been an option and for good reasons thousands of Londoners are and have been doing it for years. However, getting sweaty into work or showering and changing clothing as I arrived (not an option in most of my jobs) put me off biking for my work commute. I do ride my bike(s) regularly outside of my work commute and I stand behind all efforts to make biking safer and more accessible to everyone within London and elsewhere.

![Scooting into the future photo 002](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944670/7315_DE_3_F_4_C15_414_F_865_D_7_AD_13917008_D_1acc450d59.jpg)

Driving springs to mind immediately. Cars have been around for 133 years so all generations since have been born into a culture constructed more or less around car transportation. Yet, cars get stuck in traffic and pollute our breathing air and have recently been into scandals for faking their emissions. I’ve read recently that a great deal of people in London are living with illegal air pollution – about 2 million – according to the most recent data. Posters all over my kid’s school are asking parents to step in and petition the Mayor to take action.

![Scooting into the future photo 003](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944640/39_A80_CB_9_4_A1_F_4423_B3_DB_9081_DC_40_A812_d50045e2a2.jpg)

We’ve seen ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone) @transportforlondon coming into play on 8 April and that’s slowly solving part of the problem. It seems that recorded nitrogen dioxide levels are falling and could reach legal levels within six years. That’s still 6 YEARS of our kids’ CHILDHOOD under pollution, never mind your daily commute to work, school runs or the occasional trip to the farmers’ market, it’s their little lungs we need to think more about and we can only do it if we collectively try and change our mind framework. It’s not only reducing plastic or saving water that should be high up on our agenda, but what we chose for our daily travel and including driving, too.

![Scooting into the future photo 004](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944930/DEC_6_F1_B8_A571_4058_B28_E_14_DE_168_A2071_0ad758e3f8.jpg)

So back to electric scooters then. I believe I was one of the first Londoners on an electric scooter which I imported from the US when I began using it for the daily commute (almost 5y ago) so my research is pretty solid when it comes to this path I’ve chosen. They used to be noisy, heavy and bulky, nothing like the slim, silent & light options we have today.

![Scooting into the future photo 005](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944655/609_F63_D3_3_CCB_495_B_AB_28_5_B5_CED_27_AF_02_d7e7399359.jpg)

I am now riding a Merlin scooter awesomely put together by @microscooter_official – that’s their insta handle – they have an amazing team of dedicated people to make the world a better, greener place. They are makers of fine scooters for both the kids and us dads – you should watch Lucas in action. I’ve included below a few photos of Lucas who is now 5 and he has been on a scooter since before he turned 2. He is now rocking a [**Microscooter Maxi**](https://www.micro-scooters.co.uk/browse-maxi-micro-scooters?gclid=Cj0KCQjw0brtBRDOARIsANMDykaJ3QNyxc2d-O8jeIRKC_Bmjv111yKwXdcMJjArdqQy7Jcki_MbRyMaAvLbEALw_wcB).

![Scooting into the future photo 006](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944542/8_F671_CB_3_7_C96_4075_ABD_6_97_FA_8_FC_4_DA_97_538ee398ee.jpg)

We, as a family are trying to be more and more conscious about the choices we make and it all started before I chose to drive electric. It was at a time when research was revealing the utter dominance of the “single-occupant automobile” (Alan Pisarski) in our daily commuting. To you and me that’s “most of us drive alone in a 4/5/6/7/8 seater to work”. That’s not efficiently using resources and sad ☹️.

![Scooting into the future photo 007](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944783/C7_D2956_F_1643_450_F_BCA_7_2_F74652_E2_E58_e7ab719fce.jpg)

Long story short, even if you’re driving electric, parking is scarce and prohibitively expensive in the City – unless you happen to work in the Westminster City Council area – kudos to WCC for being so ahead of their time with their parking policy which encourages commuters to go electric (in case you didn’t know: you pay £0.81 per first 10 minutes and stay for the max duration of that bay). To compare, parking outside my office in Moorgate cost £4.80/hr and I have to move the car every 2 hours – that’s expensive even for high earners and affects my work productivity also.

![Scooting into the future photo 008](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944521/3_AC_00_DF_9_68_F6_483_D_9979_A98_E3_AAD_46_B3_e0ee7b27fd.jpg)

## In the pipeline

Last but never least, they are now working on a brilliant electric car and my other half is determined to get hers in 2020 when it arrives in London. It comes with a scooter 😉.

More about it [**here**](https://microlino-car.com/en/microlino).


Like thousands of other dads, I work in the City. I’ve commuted using the tube...

Scooting into the future - with the Micro Merlin


Almost every Sunday I’m taking my little ones to the farmers’ market. It’s not much for the fresh veggies, occasional live music or for hoping to run again into my celebrity neighbours (see you on Sunday, Thandie!;) but for best pizza served here in this tiny corner of London, made by two true Napolitano guys and their tiny fire oven on wheels.

![ooni-pro-pizza-oven-pic-oven-and-box](https://res.cloudinary.com/juicecultus/image/upload/v1602874240/6_E1_DFE_03_4_E36_4_C51_9535_437_D29_ADF_5_F9_7d8f09da8c.jpg)

![ooni-pro-pizza-oven-pic-protective-gloves](https://res.cloudinary.com/juicecultus/image/upload/v1602874097/1_C451_FC_4_803_A_4748_BF_3_B_59525_B1_DCC_4_A_40b0aa48bb.jpg)

Because I do love my pizza. Occasionally I enjoy making my own in the kitchen oven, but until now I didn’t realise playing with dough and fire can be easily achievable in my very own garden.

While it is determining all of us to spend more time in the outdoors and less on the sofa waiting for the alarm sound of the kitchen oven! I must add that my neighbours were a tad jealous in the beginning – but don’t worry, they have already tried my pizza and some of them are now making their own arrangements for getting their own pizza maker 😉

![ooni-pro-pizza-oven-pic-toddler-little-tikes-car](https://res.cloudinary.com/juicecultus/image/upload/v1602874239/0_ED_817_E7_DBF_2_4239_AC_54_81_C87_F75660_F_d52d5dd0ce.jpg)

After careful research and weighing up what was truly important for me (especially in terms of #sustainability), I decided to go for the [Ooni Pro Pizza Oven](https://ooni.com/) because it had most of those key features which ticked my boxes and keep me happy in the most cooking/baking circumstances:

-   HOT – this oven gets to the required temperature and is ready to cook in 20 minutes counting from lighting it up

![ooni-pro-pizza-oven-pic-get-those-matches-ready](https://res.cloudinary.com/juicecultus/image/upload/v1602874240/01_B8_B35_F_6514_440_E_80_F7_1389_DE_97_B822_125b38bfe1.jpg)

-   FLEXIBLE – I like choices and so I enjoy the flexibility of fuels I can use with it; this is a portable oven so no matter where I take it in our city escapes, I can fire it up with wood, charcoal, wood pellets or gas (2 extensions bought separately for gas or pellets). By default it comes ready for firing it up with wood/charcoal which is my usual choice of fuel anyways as it gives the pizza that special taste.

![ooni-pro-pizza-oven-pic-set-fire](https://res.cloudinary.com/juicecultus/image/upload/v1602874239/3_D6_ECA_29_3_C2_D_4457_86_CB_8_FCC_173_FA_41_C_a7930b608d.jpg)

-   VERSATILE – I can cook smaller or larger (up-to 16-inch) pizzas & a range of our family’s favourite dishes or bake bread – I’m a bread maker enthusiast 🙂

![ooni-pro-pizza-oven-pic-no-smoke-without-fire](https://res.cloudinary.com/juicecultus/image/upload/v1602874097/0_E10_C430_1_AAE_4_A78_9_B5_B_5_F464811_D892_96ecac9d7c.jpg)

In the box you’ll find the [Ooni Pro Pizza Oven](https://uk.ooni.com/) with Stone baking board (4 parts easy to assemble), an oven door with built-in thermometer (for when you’ve had enough of those delish pizzas and want to go for cooking other dishes – please ensure you’re using special cookware inside the oven – or bake bread), a pizza door with postbox-style entry (this is the one I recommend to use for pizzas), a wood & charcoal burner tray, Essentials Guide & Manual, Allen key and Ooni Pizza Oven Gloves.

I also got a Ooni 14 “ Classic Pizza Peel and a Ooni Infrared Thermometer which I would add to the essential pizza-enthusiast’s list of handy tools.

Dads are all about technical details though so here goes:

-   Dimensions: 29.13 x 19.29 x 31.1″ (740 x 490 x 790mm)

![ooni-pro-pizza-oven-pic-freshly-made-pizza-dough](https://res.cloudinary.com/juicecultus/image/upload/v1602874097/0_E6_CD_8_AE_5_BA_9_4_F17_AA_42_9_A34_B060738_C_b9d01469fa.jpg)

-   Unboxed weight: 48.5lbs (22kg)

![ooni-pro-pizza-oven-pic-smile-to-the-camera](https://res.cloudinary.com/juicecultus/image/upload/v1602874101/50_A1_FCBD_C922_4_E32_9_EF_5_EF_3_C10_BC_2105_a573ca5889.jpg)

-   Cooking surface: 17.7 x 17.7″ (450 x 450mm)

![ooni-pro-pizza-oven-pic-help-always-welcome](https://res.cloudinary.com/juicecultus/image/upload/v1602874101/B183_BDA_1_F435_4_C8_F_B2_C2_BF_47983_FCC_06_bbc8e410b9.jpg)

-   Brushed stainless steel with ceramic fibre insulation

![ooni-pro-pizza-oven-pic-adding-tomato-sauce-to-dough](https://res.cloudinary.com/juicecultus/image/upload/v1602874236/5119_A376_CA_74_4_BD_3_BEBF_455_F4_C237054_ba471e9ff0.jpg)

-   15mm cordierite stone baking board

![ooni-pro-pizza-oven-pic-make-sure-the-temperature-is-right](https://res.cloudinary.com/juicecultus/image/upload/v1602874236/1_DF_75_D94_E53_E_4915_858_F_4_B264373840_C_524b663478.jpg)

-   Ooni Pro Gas Burner - which is compatible with large propane tanks (normally used with barbecues), as well as 1-Lb propane tanks along with a suitable adaptor. Maximum power: 7kWh (20472 BTU)

![ooni-pro-pizza-oven-pic-master-chef](https://res.cloudinary.com/juicecultus/image/upload/v1602874101/F6361_C8_B_BA_39_4469_AF_61_536_AD_288479_B_0412bd7105.jpg)

There is a fine Father’s Day giveaway on my [AllDadsTalk](https://www.instagram.com/alldadstalk/) insta grid, one lucky winner will win a Ooni Pro prize pack which includes the Ooni Pro, Ooni 14” Classic Pizza Peel, and Ooni Infrared Thermometer. Enter [here](https://www.instagram.com/p/ByR2yzlnduW/) or [here](https://www.instagram.com/p/ByQru2nlXvs/).

![ooni-pro-pizza-oven-pic-ingredients-ready](https://res.cloudinary.com/juicecultus/image/upload/v1602874097/76_AA_5_C94_36_FA_42_CF_91_C9_97_CAF_53563_B0_4d74124fb7.jpg)

Being able to prepare dishes I enjoy outside our kitchen is rather cool.

![ooni-pro-pizza-oven-pic-pizza-in-the-oven](https://res.cloudinary.com/juicecultus/image/upload/v1602874236/77_FD_2_B00_76_C0_4_EF_8_8474_5_DE_71_BAFE_4_F6_0d4b4c3176.jpg)

It encourages the kids to spend more time running around in the garden, help us prep fresh ingredients and eventually making the kind of great memories I want them to have when it comes to spending time with their dad.

![ooni-pro-pizza-oven-pic-presentation-pizza-on-peeler](https://res.cloudinary.com/juicecultus/image/upload/v1602874236/ED_303_D65_D6_A0_4296_9_ABA_B59461_CC_6_A9_C_b280c5dab7.jpg)

![ooni-pro-pizza-oven-pic-handle-peeler-with-care](https://res.cloudinary.com/juicecultus/image/upload/v1602874236/924_B2_C7_E_C29_A_4_EC_6_A139_75_EB_41_E8_B979_52c0b787be.jpg)

This article has been written in partnership with Ooni, the Ooni Pro has been gifted and all thoughts are mine. So is the pizza I just made 😉

![ooni-pro-pizza-oven-pic-pizza-ready-on-plate](https://res.cloudinary.com/juicecultus/image/upload/v1602874236/4693_AD_11_DBB_5_42_A6_95_EA_AB_7182_E777_D7_bc80557908.jpg)

![ooni-pro-pizza-oven-pic-peeler-ready-hot](https://res.cloudinary.com/juicecultus/image/upload/v1602874239/A397_C1_F5_2_F8_E_4915_B578_4710_F39_BACF_9_aaee7aae03.jpg)

Gotta leave you now, daddy's gotta chop some wood! Happy baking


Almost every Sunday I’m taking my little ones to the farmers’ market...

In crust we trust... And in the Ooni outdoor oven


I remember the first time someone asked me (casually) in a job interview: so ... what is your hobby? I answered quickly: I collect coins. The conversation that ensued is still pretty vivid in my head. I mean ... what were the odds (I was thinking at the time) that both the interviewer and I have the same hobby. It just happened that we got to spend the next 10 minutes discussing the topic. It quickly built a bridge in the most touching way I could think of. Two people from different cultures and unique backgrounds converging by means of a hobby. It had the desired effect: braking the ice of what is otherwise a very formal job interview and allowed us to discover more of what we are on the inside.

![change-checker-004.jpeg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944789/D4_A67406_A6_BD_49_F3_A9_A5_AE_4_C26_B879_C0_e91d711236.jpg)

Later on I learned that coin collection is a hobby embraced by tens or hundreds of thousands of people of all background, culture, sex, political orientation and so on al over the world.

![change-checker-014.jpeg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944530/6_C245_B69_1529_4179_B8_D8_AD_53150_D819_D_b4b29a1c7a.jpg)

I was 5 when my dad gave me a little wooden box with a few coins in it. He’d received it from someone in one of his daily visits to the church congregation (dad was a priest). That someone had a little boy my age named John and the coins in the box were duplicates. And so, I became friends with John and both of us hooked. We’d swap duplicates between us and soon enough dragged others into the hobby and spend our weekends, half terms and summer holiday mostly outdoors looking for coins to add to our collections.

![change-checker-012.jpeg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944641/48_CCDA_82_A243_4808_A053_654724_B3_CAD_8_7a5981c2ee.jpg)

We grew up in an area where there had been much trade historically and the best parts to look for coins was after a rainy day and around the walls of an ancient Roman city which flourished more than 17 hundred years ago.

![change-checker-009.jpeg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944675/76436_C87_ACA_3_4_E33_9_CB_1_E43752325192_ba9f6b198d.jpg)

Of course, we never stopped bothering our often travelling relatives for foreign coins. And mom and dad and soon all my siblings were very soon instructed to enquire about coins wherever they went.

![change-checker-001.jpeg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944786/CB_130614_FF_66_4_C84_A36_A_898_A042_F0051_f40744ee15.jpg)

As time went by, the collection grew in size and always moved into a bigger and bigger wooden box. Our knowledge of history, coins and materials grew with it. Yet, identifying our coins was always a struggle, especially in a time without Google or access to specialised databases.

![change-checker-019.jpeg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944766/A2528_DF_5_C86_A_4_A5_A_B035_9_B01256_D45_F8_5f2d88409c.jpg)

A little while ago I came across [Change Checker](https://changechecker.org/). It offers a seamless way to find, identify, collect and even swap circulating coins. And, the best part, no more wooden little boxes. Change Checker provides a cool organiser instead. It’s a great to get kids like my 5-yo into coin collection.

![change-checker-013.jpeg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944546/9_A8081_B2_4549_4_FA_6_958_B_9_B9_E7_D269713_fb3b3f1290.jpg)

Like any working in the city dad, I put a great deal of value on the time I spend with my little ones. And, with Change Checker, coin collection becomes more than a hobby: it helps me creating quality time with my kids, fuels their curiosity and inclination for organisation and builds up their self esteem. I see Lucas being really proud while discussing his collection with everyone he meets and it brings back warm memories from my childhood.

![change-checker-005.jpeg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944771/B4_D36318_EA_86_439_D_998_F_BD_48804_B6_E45_1_486a273525.jpg)

Last week, we received the Sherlock Holmes 50p coin. He sat quietly listening to me reading him that the coin has been issued to celebrate the 160th anniversary of Conan Doyle’s birth (the writer of Sherlock Holmes). By the way, the Sherlock Holmes 50p coin will be available to purchase from Change Checker at £4.50 (+p&p) and can be bought as a special keepsake. There’s other coins (such as the Beatrix Potter 50ps) that can also be found within your change, so take a look!

![change-checker-015.jpeg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944533/6_DF_709_C3_11_C3_4357_8_BF_1_97_EF_6826_FAF_9_affcbe6475.jpg)

We’ve now become curious about other coins that might be lurking within our change after getting this coin. Lucas has a money bank (in the shape of an owl) and he’s filling it up throughout the week. And on a weekend usually, we’d sit down and empty it and go through all of the coins. We’d check them against the collectible ones in the Change Checker file. I cannot express enough the joy on his face and in his eyes when he finds one and puts it in the organiser.

I enjoy reading him a few lines about the history of each of the coins we find so we learn more and more each time.

![change-checker-016.jpeg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dpgowkqsr/image/upload/v1611944531/6_D5_F6598_A092_4_C98_9948_9769449078_BA_1_1cb3c18b11.jpg)

All in all, it’s been a really fun and interesting hobby for me and the kids to get involved with. More than that, those previous minutes or hours we spend engaged in it gives Aly a breather to catch up with her activities.

If you feel coin collection may well be a hobby for you and your little one(s) then go to the Change Checker [website](https://changechecker.org/) to get started. You may start with the purchase of your own [Sherlock Holmes 50p coin](https://www.westminstercollection.com/p-460V/2019-UK-Sherlock-Holmes-CERTIFIED-BU-50p.aspx?utm_source=chch%20blog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=first%20look%20new%20royal%20mint%20coin%20designs%20for%202019&sn=3&brand=changechecker#) and, while at that, try and find out more about the other unique 10p, 50p and £2s available! And - with a Sherlock’s voice - 😀 do give me a shout if you’ve got duplicates that you want to swap.


I remember the first time someone asked me (casually) in a job interview: so...

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