mom about town
Husband: Nicholas Children: Eleanor, 5; Caroline, 3; and Alexandra,1 Occupation: Owner and creator of Bubblegum Tree Playhouse and owner of Old Town Praline Hobbies: Fitness and family time M eet Natalie Brasset, a mom and small business owner who runs Bubblegum Tree Playhouse, where free play and meaningful NATALIE BRASSET BY MADELINE PISTORIUS connection go hand-and-hand. After experiencing firsthand how important community is in motherhood, she created a space where kids can just be kids and moms can feel supported and seen. She loves spending time with her family and truly cherishes every moment, embracing the joyful chaos and believing those everyday memories matter most. kept having children, and I had no time or headspace to actually put pen to paper. When I found the space on Metairie Road in Old Metairie, I knew it was the perfect place, location, and community. Five months later, we were ready to open. WHAT MAKES HAVING COMMUNITY IMPORTANT IN MOTHERHOOD? NATALIE: When I had my first daughter, Eleanor, I suffered from postpartum depression, and finding a community was hard. I didn’t know how to do that, and we
AS A MOM OF THREE AND A BUSINESS OWNER, WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY LOOK LIKE FOR YOU? NATALIE: I get the girls ready for school in the morning. Before they get up, I do the typical prep and pack lunches. My mornings then consist of the Bubble Gum Tree Playhouse where I teach music and movement class, answer emails, build collaboration with local businesses, clean, and do admin work. Then, I get my daughter around 1:30 [p.m.] from her mom’s day out program. The rest of the day, I find time to work out, then pick up the girls and we do a lot of family time. It’s a lot of just back and forth, picking kids up from school, dropping
them off at school, and then working late in the night as well to run both of the businesses. WHAT SPARKED THE IDEA FOR YOUR BUSINESS, BUBBLEGUM TREE PLAYHOUSE? NATALIE: After COVID, I noticed the community was lacking something where kids could just focus on play, where they can build their imagination and just enjoy themselves and thrive. Kids are built to play, and moms are built to build communities. I took a leap of faith, talked to my husband, and came up with the idea around 2022. But, I put it on the back burner because I
12 FEBRUARY 2026 | NOLAFAMILY.COM
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