Editor

Christine Knight

Christine is the editor of Adventure, Baby! She loves cake, her tolerant husband and her busy preschooler.

Up Close With Aussie Icons At Featherdale Wildlife Park

October 7, 2014 / Outdoor Play, Sydney Food, Sydney Life / 0 comment

Featherdale Wildlife Park has long been the place to take kids and tourists for an up close experience with Australian animals. Established on 7 acres of land 1953, Featherdale has evolved from a poultry farm into one of the best privately own wildlife parks in Australia. In 1972, Featherdale opened to the public as a wildlife park.

Only three years later, the park was under threat by plans to use the property for a housing commission development. The then Premier, Sir Robert Askin was presented with thousands of signed petitions stressing “the importance of Featherdale Wildlife Park” to district school children. The government saw reason and Featherdale was saved.

In the following years, Featherdale has established a successful Wildlife Education Program. If you visit during the week it’s almost impossible not to trip over groups of school kids on an educational excursion.

As well as school kids, you’ll find plenty of tourists at Featherdale for a very good reason – it’s one of the few parks where you can get up close to koalas for free. In fact, there are plenty of free roaming areas for the animals where visitors can interact with them, but where the animals can still retreat to safe areas if they’ve had enough.

Featherdale has a large collection of Australian animals in particular, such as wallabies, kangaroos, wombats, Tasmanian devils, bilbies, echidnas, cassowaries and koalas. They also have an extensive bird collection. I did feel sorry for the birds, as I do for all caged birds, but I tried to give the park the benefit of the doubt that perhaps they were hand-raised rescues and not able to be returned to the wild.

Featherdale is a great place to visit in any season. Lots of trees give plenty for shade for hot summer days. There are several areas with benches to eat a packed or bought lunch. If you plan to buy lunch, there is a kiosk with basic food and snacks, with a large undercover eating area next to it.

Miss E’s favourite parts of the park were the free roaming wallabies and the barnyard animals. She took a particular liking to a white goat and followed him around, only agreeing to leave the barnyard when the goat knocked her over with his little horns not once, but twice. The girl certainly is persistent.

If you arrive in the morning or stay for the afternoon you can watch some of the animal feedings and talks (check out the schedule in advance).

While the Featherdale trip was a special outing for Missy E, I also found myself enjoying it more than I had expected I would. The animals were all very healthy looking, with clean enclosures and plenty of food, water and shelter. There were plenty of staff caring for the animals, constantly feeding and checking on them. While of course a life in the wild is preferable for native animals, if an animal isn’t able to live in the wild and needs to live out its life in captivity, Featherdale is a pretty nice place to be!

Featherdale is a bit pricey, but we got a good deal by using an Entertainment Book voucher to get two-for-one entry. I’d definitely suggest trying to find a discount voucher to save on costs.

Featherdale Wildlife Park
217-229 Kildare Road,
Doonside, Sydney NSW 2767
(near Blacktown) Australia
Phone: 02 9622 1644
Hours: Daily 9am-5pm
Prices: Adults $29, child (3-15) $16, Student $22.50, Senior $20, Family (2 adults/2 children) $82
Get Directions

Gunners’ Barracks: Sydney’s Best Afternoon Tea Spots

October 7, 2014 / Cheese, Mosman, North Shore, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

The Gunners’ Barracks has been one of my favourite afternoon tea venues for a long time. Alec and I were even married there almost five years ago because we just loved it so much. I’ve been to many, many tea venues over the years and I can’t think of any that can match Gunners’ for their delicious food, efficient staff and stunning location.

Our return was to celebrate my parents’ 40th wedding anniversary. Gunners’ is really the kind of venue that is perfect for special occasion like this. The staff really go out of the way to elevate a simple afternoon tea into an unforgettable event.

First: tea selection. I chose a white tea on this occasion. The tea pot gives around two full cups of tea, and the obliging staff stop by later to refill your pot if you’re low on water. How gorgeous are the real silver pots, by the way?

While Gunners’ do have a Children’s Traditional Afternoon Tea on the menu, it’s really for older kids. At $18pp, it’s too pricey for a toddler who will only pick at one of two things (it includes petit pastries, finger sandwiches, scone, jam and cream and a choice of hot chocolate, soft drink or juice). Instead, we ordered Miss E a chocolate milkshake ($7) and let her try a bit of anything from our platters that struck her fancy. During the week there is a more varied menu for children that has a more reasonable afternoon tea option.

I want to note here that I was a little concerned that Gunners’ was not the most appropriate venue to take a very active 3-year-old, but I was so pleasantly surprised with how charming the staff were to my child. When we entered the dining area on the balcony, Miss E was greeted personally by a member of the wait staff, who inquired before we had even sat down if he could get something for her. Outstanding service.

My family all ordered the Traditional Afternoon Tea ($45pp). It included three finger sandwiches per person (my vegetarian ones were salad, egg salad and mozzarella, tomato and basil). The sandwiches were perfect. Light, fresh, no crusts, and absolutely more-ish fillings.

The savoury platter included one large scone, a chickpea samosa and mushroom tart per person. I gave my mushroom tart to Alec as I’m not a mushroom fan, but I really loved the tiny samosa and fluffy scone. The scones were served with thick fresh cream and tart raspberry jam.

Ahhh on to desserts. They were: panacotta with raspberry, vanilla macarons, lemon cheesecake, orange and almond cake and a chocolate coconut slice with raspberry. While every dessert was delectable, my favourite was the cheesecake. It was so tangy and light, with a crunchy perfect base.

The Gunners’ is right next to the Georges Head lookout, perfect for taking kids before or afterwards to run off any steam (or sugar!).

Last bite: The perfect afternoon tea venue. The Gunners’ Barracks is very popular, so book a few weeks in advance.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: Yes.

Gunners Barracks
End of Suakin Drive,
Mosman NSW 2088
Phone: (02) 8962 5900
Prices: $$$
Hours: Mon-Fri 10am-5pm Sat-Sun 10am-3pm
Online
Get Directions

Afternoon Tea By The Sea: House Eatery By George

October 6, 2014 / CBD, Cheese, Circular Quay, Sydney, Sydney Food / 2 Comments

After seeing the show Fluff at the Sydney Opera House recently, we stopped at the new House Eatery By George to try their afternoon tea. With a killer view and perfect location for shows at the House, it’s the perfect place for a nice lunch if you want to make it a special day out.

I’m a sucker for afternoon teas, and and on a mission to try every tea spot in every city I visit. Big goal. The House Eater Afternoon Tea consisted of three tiers, with a tray of 6 soft little finger sandwiches, two giant scones with butter and jam (no cream!), and a selection of sweets on top (two macarons, two slices of what I think was coffee opera cake and two lemon coconut cakes. The afternoon tea also included a choice of coffee or T2 tea. At $33 per person, it’s a reasonable price for an afternoon tea in Sydney, particularly taking into account the spectacular location.

I requested vegetarian sandwiches for myself and Missy E, and was told by the waitstaff that she would request it with the chef. I was not entirely sure what this meant, and if I would be served meat or not, and it looked like, when the tray came out, that I was basically lucky that some of the sandwiches were vegetarian by happy coincidence. Note to diners with special dietary needs: this is not the afternoon tea for you!

While the service was a little … spotty (for example, we had to flag down another staff member to ask for water to be brought to the table), the food was really delicious. The egg salad and cucumber sandwiches were fresh and light. The huge scones were fluffy and tasty. I would have liked cream instead of butter, but they were still great the way they were served.

I managed to get through my coconut-lemon cake (fresh and light) but that was it – I was too full for the rest. The wait staff obligingly boxed up the rest of the desserts we couldn’t finish for us to take home.

For Missy E, we ordered the Kids Afternoon Tea, which consisted of two finger sandwiches (egg and ham and cheese), a scone, mini biscuit and babycino for $7. I thought it was great value and would have suited me for tea for one. It was way too much food for Miss E to eat, but she did enjoy picking at most of it to give it a try.

After lunch, take little ones to the Royal Botanic Gardens next door to run off their energy. It’s one of my favourite spots to take Miss E because it’s one of the few places to take kids to play that makes everyone happy. Plenty for kids to do, and plenty for adults to enjoy as well.

Highchairs: Unsure.
Stroller storage: Yes – outdoors, there it plenty of room for strollers.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: Yes.

The House Eatery By George
Colonnade on the Western Broadwalk
Sydney Opera House
Prices: $$$
Hours: Open 7 days a week from 11am till late Monday – Sunday.

You Know You’re A Brooklyn Baby When …

August 23, 2013 / Kids, New York Life / 0 comment

Your Saltwater sandals match your mama’s.

The neighbourhood playground equipment teaches how to hail a cab.

You wear a swimsuit and take sand toys to the sprinklers instead of the beach.

The first piano you played was weighted down with cement blocks, and situated under a stone archway.

You end playdates with a slice of wood-fired pizza.

Your stroller is an SUV (hello Bugaboo and Uppababy!).

Your playground has Manhattan as a backdrop.

Your summer treat is ice cream – made with milk and eggs from local cows and chickens, churned the previous day.

You think horses live on a carousel.

All your friends live within walking distance.

You have a jaunty hat collection.

Your first milkshake was at Brooklyn Farmacy (right after a Jitterbugs show).

You’ve been riding the subway like pro since you were four weeks old. (Choo choo!!)

Everything you own is in miniature to fit in a small Brooklyn apartment (like your kitchen and piano).

Your first dance class was at the Mark Morris Dance Center where you mingled with off-duty company members.

Your stuffed toys are handmade by local artists.

You have an item in your wardrobe identifying you as, indeed, a Brooklyn baby.

In Which The Very Tricksy Cheese Turns 2

August 22, 2013 / Cheese, Family / 2 Comments

Today was Missy Eloise’s second birthday. We started the day reminiscing about the day she was born – what we were doing that morning, how labour had started the night before. It then dawned on me that I’ve completely forgotten the majority of that day. I have highlights that burst into my brain when I think back (not appropriate for this blog post however), but when I think back on the day really hard, I can’t remember much about the c-section, after the operation, and the following 5 days when I was in hospital. In my head, it seems like it was only a day. Where did those memories go? Is it PTSD?

Me: “Alec, I only remember that I vomited on the anaesthetist during the cesarean.”

Alec: “It’s probably good that you don’t remember the arc of blood that spurted over the screen and hit you in the face.”

!!!!!!!

I digress.

Alec and I often joke that Eloise knows it’s a special day and does her best to … I wouldn’t say ruin it, but she certainly doesn’t make it easy to relax and celebrate anything. For her own birthday, she didn’t nap. Instead she stood in her crib shrieking like a banshee for about two hours. While I was desperately trying to prepare for her party that afternoon, Alec took her out in the stroller to try for a stroller nap. After half an hour of wailing, he was blessed with a half hour nap. Not exactly a win.

So with a pretty manic and irritable toddler, we kicked off the party celebrations with Eloise’s dearest little friends. Her buddies, thankfully, were all in fabulous moods. It was such a blessing to be surrounded by our loving friends – both big and small. Eloise’s mood was turned around by all her little friends too – she definitely enjoyed her party and playing with her friends. I loved watching her agilely climb play equipment and throw herself down slides, and then splash in the sprinklers with all her buddies. The sweetest moment was seeing most of the kids all jumping in the puddles together, dancing and running and laughing. Pure toddler bliss. Beautiful.

Age age two, Eloise is showing a lot of signs of the person she is growing into. Physically she is so fast and agile, it’s astounding. Considering her gene pool of sprinters and sportsmen, it’s not very surprising. We will be putting her in some sporting environments over winter, like soccer, to see if she enjoys it.

She’s also really smart. Her problem solving skills have suddenly exploded. She can count items up to four, sings songs (she loves “Wheels on the Bus” and “1,2,3,4”), loves puzzles and books.

Verbally, Eloise is pretty entertaining. While her vocabulary is huge (I’d say she knows over a hundred words, minimum), she only says the first syllable of most words. Sometimes we need a translator. She can name a huge amount of objects and animals, including the sound they make. She really enjoys doing things like standing inside the fridge doors and naming everything in the fridge, pointing to the things she doesn’t know the name of. She often asks what something is, or where someone or something is.

What I’ve enjoyed the most during this past year is the development of Eloise’s personality. She’s fun and funny, and just enjoys life so much. She loves exploring everything in her world, from pebbles to flowers and the rain. She gives us spontaneous hugs and kisses when she’s happy, and oh, don’t we know it, when she’s not (NO SHOOESSSSSS!)! She loves “cooking” in her kitchen (“chop chop!), “pat pat”-ing dogs (and naming their body parts – watch out for the eyes!), and kicking a soccer ball. She adores her friends, even if she doesn’t quite understand how to play with them yet, and she’s showing empathy – wanting to know why someone is “sad” (read: baby crying hysterically).

Our little lady is a non-stop ball of energy. Go, go, go from she wakes till she crashes asleep. So many things to explore and learn about. So many dogs to pat, pictures to draw, ladders to climb. Her enthusiasm is amazing (and exhausting to follow!).

Happy second birthday to our darling girl. We love you, we love you, we love you, you crazy, impossible, adorable kid.

Fete Paradiso, Governor’s Island

August 16, 2013 / New York Life / 0 comment

A beautiful afternoon trip to Governor’s Island to check out the Fete Paradiso and their vintage 1930s carnival rides. The rides were mostly for older kids or adults – the only ones toddlers fit on were not exactly the safest. The rides were beautifully restored, and a real treat to see and experience.

NYC Tourists

August 16, 2013 / Family, New York Life, Travel / 0 comment

I typically avoid photographing anything touristy, but we walked home over the Brooklyn Bridge and I couldn’t resist this shot.

My 34th Birthday in NYC

August 11, 2013 / Family, New York Life / 0 comment

For this year’s birthday, Alec planned an extravaganza of events, spanning three days. Good call, as Eloise had the worst night sleep the night before my actual birthday, leaving Alec a zombie and Eloise cranky all day.

On my actual birthday all we could handle was a casual lunch at Keste Pizza in the West Village, followed by gelato at PopBar.

Outside PopBar, Eloise was desperate to eat my gelato. See my beautiful Tiffany blue bracelet from Alec?

Since there was nothing else to be done, we then took Eloise to run around in a playground.

Saturday night Alec treated me to a delicious dinner at Boloud Sud. The food was exquisite, the service friendly, and they served me a birthday dessert. Yay! It was wonderful for Alec and I to have some time together, just the two of us.

Afterwards, we walked through Central Park.

Sunday was lunch with close friends Dan and Sue. We had a casual lunch at my fave local comfort food-provider, Bark Hot Dogs …

… followed by my favourite ice cream at Ample Hills Creamery. Notice how all the celebrating is about FOOD?

Thank you Alec for so thoughtfully planning a wonderful birthday for me. xoxox

Who Are We?: An Animal Guessing Game

August 8, 2013 / Kids, New York Life / 0 comment

We love books in our house. Both my husband and I have enjoyed reading since we were super small, so we read with Eloise as much as we can.

One of her current favourite books is Who Are We?: An Animal Guessing Game?, written by Alexis Barad-Cutler, a local Brooklyn mum to a toddler almost the same age as missy Eloise – so she really knows her market well.

Who Are We?: An Animal Guessing Game is a board book with flaps that lift to reveal the animals that have been mentioned in rhyme on the previous page. The animals featured in the book range from cute penguins to snakes and the arctic wolf. Each spread features a riddle to help guess the animal, and then a detail about them under the flap that you might not know. (Leopards take their prey into trees to eat. Who knew?)

Eloise’s favourite animal in the book is the snake (Ssssssssss!). She loves lifting the flaps and revealing the animals underneath. At almost two, she’s too young to understand the riddle and answer concept, so it’s a great book for her to grow into and find something to enjoy at different stages of her development.

Who Are We?: An Animal Guessing Game is available from Amazon.

First Comes Love – a film review

July 26, 2013 / New York Life / 0 comment

Documentary film maker, Nina Davenport, found herself 41 and single, and desperate for a baby of her own. This film is the story of her unconventional journey to parenthood. The deep, biological longing for a child that Davenport feels is something that will resonate with women all over the world who, for reasons they can’t articulate, desperately want a baby. It’s through this emotional connection to her audience that Davenport is able to take viewers on a journey that’s equal parts funny, sad and all-together touching. I can’t recommend this movie enough. See it, see it, see it.