Citizen Enfants’ talks to Liz MacCuish – businesswoman, mother of four and stepmum of one – about her favourite family holidays, work-life balance, the best way to travel with five kids, and how she really does it all.
Tell us a bit about yourself:
I’m a 47-year-old mum of four children and one stepson, and wife to the brilliant Al MacCuish. I have a 17-year-old called Bram, Gabe who is 13 (as is my stepson, Buddy) and 10-year-old twins Teddy and Wren, and we live in South East London. I co-founded @goodcultureinc which is an agency helping brands and talent show up more meaningfully in culture. We handle global comms and brand partnerships for some of the best brands around including SKIMS, Good American, Creed and Barbour, and we are behind cult collaborations such as Pat McGrath x Star Wars.
What’s the the best holiday you’ve taken with your children?
When you have a big family with kids of different ages and interests, it’s really hard to find one place to suit everyone. Almost impossible. The place we have discovered together, as a blended family, is the Isle of Wight. It’s a massively underrated part of the UK and feels like stepping back in time. The route there from London takes you via the New Forest, then we get the ferry from Lymington to Yarmouth which takes 30 mins or so, and it feels like you are going somewhere infinitely more exotic! We stay in our friend’s house which is right on the water and next to a forest. It’s a very outdoorsy place and is pretty much always sunny thanks to their microclimate, so we paddle board, swim in the Solent, make pizzas in the outdoor oven and enjoy the best sunsets every night. The kids are always amazed by ‘the size of the sky.’
Which hotels or destinations have you found are the best for travelling with kids?
The best for teens has to be New York: seeing the city through the eyes of a 13-year-old is a wonder in itself. We took Bram at this age, and then Gabe and Buddy last October during half term, which is the best time of year to go. It’s still warm enough to walk around everywhere (and in New York, the best way to explore is on foot). The townhouses are all Halloween’d up and you can take a boat trip to see Lady Liberty and walk over the Brooklyn Bridge. We loved staying at Arlo Nomad, where the boys had a bunk bed room with great skyscraper views. We’ll definitely be back in a few years with the twins.
The longest trip you have taken with your children is…
We’ve been LA a fair few times as we have a lot of pals (and work) there. It’s an 11-hour flight which is the longest I’d want to do, but this is where the iPad is your best friend. When it comes to long haul, there are no rules. The kids download enough entertainment before we take off and are loaded with all the snacks Pret has to offer. Hangry kids are not something any of us should have to deal with on a long-haul flight. Japan is on our list and that’s a 13 hr flight. But something tells me it would be worth it.
Travel essentials with kids?
Snacks and entertainment. You’d be surprised how many hours you can kill with a simple game of UNO or Bananagrams!
Three items that help you juggle everything.
My wonderful mum Linda, my amazing business partner Jordan, and regular Reformer Pilates classes at Frame.
How do you think travel benefits your children?
It broadens their horizons and allows them to experience different cultures. I think it also helps to break from the daily routine. We joke that even though we all live in the same house and are together most days, you sometimes have to go away to come together. We almost always stay in a house rather than a hotel when we travel together, and the simple act of sharing a meal is so lovely – it never happens at home! I’m a great believer in leaving devices in a drawer (they come out again on the journey home) and rediscovering a good board game. We’ve got really into Cluedo – it’s not just for Christmas!
Favourite holiday memories?
Last summer we had our honeymoon to the Bahamas and then went on to Italy, where we had a wedding and a 50th birthday to attend. It just felt like one big Summer of Love, I will never forget it. Also Bergerac with our best mates, which we have done three or four times now. We take pics of the kids lined up by the pool every year and then look back and see how much they have grown. The big ones obviously refuse to take part in this now.
Something for the weekend?
One of the greatest gifts you can give a busy parent is time. Al and I are always so busy – he is the founder and Chief Creative Officer at @sunshinecompany – so when my mum asked what we would like for Christmas, we said ‘time’. She gave us four days during ‘Twixmas’ and we went away to recharge the batteries. A few days in Dorset and Somerset was lovely, but next time we are keen to go somewhere sunny – a few places on our list are Lily of the Valley Hotel in St Tropez, Six Senses in Ibiza and Buchinger Wilhelmi on Lake Constance for the ultimate reset.
Top tips for London with kids?
Steer clear of the usual tourist traps in central London and come to the South East! Peckham Levels is ace – a former multi-storey car park now transformed into a cultural and creative hub housing artists and independent local businesses. It has the best street food around and a huge space for kids (and dogs) to run around and explore. It’s a grassroots project all about community, creativity and inspiration. We also have the best museum in London on our doorstep. The Horniman– set in 16 acres of beautiful gardens and with views across the whole of London – is a family museum which specialises in anthropology, natural history and musical instruments (and also has an aquarium and butterfly house). On a Saturday there is a street food market with the best burritos known to man.
How do you document your family’s travel memories?
I take tons of pictures, we all do. But rarely print them off. While there is so much of the world I want us to see and experience, there is something magical and comforting about going back to the same place again and again. We have this bond with the Isle of Wight and I treasure it. I love the idea that the kids, when they have their own families, will say ‘we always used to go to the Isle of Wight’ and share their best memories. They can have a kind of freedom there which is just not possible in London.
A day to yourself – what are you doing?
Imagine that! I’d get out of the city and be in nature. I’d do a hotpod yoga class, then go for a long walk in Dulwich Woods, maybe take my mum for lunch somewhere and then sneak off to the cinema on my own with a huge tub of popcorn.
Heading ‘out out’. Where is your favourite spot?
For me, a good night out is about the people, not the place. I much prefer a buzzy restaurant with good pals. I’d get the gang together at Llewellyns in Herne Hill – a hidden gem in the prettiest corner. It looks like a film set and the food and service are the best around.
The best advice you would give to other mothers?
Take care of yourself first. Keep your cup full, whatever that looks like for you. For me it’s regular Pilates to clear my mind and keep my body strong and resilient. We must take care of ourselves so we can be there for our families and friends. This tends to be a tough concept for most women. We’ve been programmed genetically and socially to be the caregivers, to put others first. We need a massive reframe and to really prioritise taking time out of every single day to find moments of joy and calm.
How do you do it?
Simple. I am lucky enough to have my mum on hand to help me with the kids. She moved to London when Gabe was born and took care of him, and then the twins when I went back to work. As a result, they have the closest relationship which is so precious. Nana Linda is the glue of our family.
What’s next for you?
Since pivoting from LMPR (which I founded and ran for 15 years or so) to setting up Good Culture almost two years ago, we have been thriving and have some incredibly exciting (and fulfilling) projects coming up in 2023 and beyond. We also have the second series of our podcast ‘Showing Up with Good Culture’ landing later this year. The first series is available to listen to now and we chat to Stacey Dooley, Rochelle Humes, Fearne Cotton, Clara Amfo, Laura Jackson, Amanda de Cadenet, Charli Howard and Katie Piper. We ask them how they are showing up for the people and things they care about the most, and how we, at home, can make more of a contribution to culture.
Any Questions or Tips to add?