November 2013 - Adventure, baby!

Month: November 2013

Giving Thanks: Thanksgiving 2013

November 30, 2013 / Cheese, New York Life, USA / 0 comment

A very happy Thanksgiving this year, surrounded by loved ones and friends, old and new. Thanks to our friends Dan and Sue for hosting and inviting us to their amazing expat Thanksgiving feast.

This year I am very thankful to our community of friends, for my family, and for how lucky I really am. I like to whine and complain a lot about things that aren’t perfect, but the reality is I’m so lucky. A supportive, loving husband, a healthy, beautiful little girl, living in New York City, and really enjoying an amazing life. So many blessings, so very thankful.

#Thanksgiving 2013

#Thanksgiving

After lunch was some dancing. Cheese really loves dancing lately and was loving it.

What’s Thanksgiving without pie?!

#Thanksgiving

Three Williams: Kid-Friendly cafes, Redfern, Sydney

November 30, 2013 / Inner South East, Redfern, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

To borrow a phrase from our Kiwi neighbours, the Three Williams café in Redfern is sweet as. Why you, ask? Well, for starters, anyone who gets excited by good grub will appreciate the good quality offerings on serve and the cool, exposed-brick venue. And anyone with kids will appreciate the large interior and dedicated kids’ area. That combination, my friends, is why Three Williams is sweet as. On its second weekend in existence, we decided to try it out for breakfast.

The first thing we noticed was how large Three Williams is: even parents with prams the size of small homes will be able to find an out-of-the-way place to park the mothership. Another luxury not commonly found in Eastern Suburb dining establishments is that the tables are spaced out so that you don’t feel like you’re sitting in the person’s lap at the next table.

Next we noticed Willy’s corner, a large, on-the-wall chalkboard that just beckons kids to it. It took Baby Lukas all of two seconds to gravitate towards it and paint a few artistic strokes. It took him just a few more to start eating the chalk (sorry, Three Williams).

Willy's corner for kids. Photo by Emily Staresina. — Willy’s (pristine) corner for kids. It didn’t last that way for long! Photo by Emily Staresina.

So impressed were we with the kid-friendly fit-out, that by the time our food came around we felt like that was icing on the cake. I had the Scrambled Eggs on Toast ($10) with Avocado ($3) and a cheeky side of bacon ($4). Lorin ordered the Crunchy Brioche French Toast with Roasted Pecans and Maple ($14), which would please even the most discerning French-toastie. Surprisingly crunchy and sweet, it was a total hit with everyone, including Baby Lukas.

Crunchy brioche French toast ($14). Photo by Emily Staresina.

Yummy eggs on toast ($10) with avocado ($3) and bacon ($4). Photo by Emily Staresina

Last bite: If you’re looking for a kid-friendly place with great food, look no further than Three Williams. It may be a new establishment, but it’s one to add to the rotation. And do it quickly – it won’t be long before there’s a line for this place!

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Heaps.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: Yes.
Kids’ menu: Yes. Ask for it, it’s lots of fun!

Three Williams
613a Elizabeth Street, Redfern, 2016
Phone: (02) 9698 1111
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon-Sun 7am-3pm
Get Directions

GIVEAWAY: Holsters ‘getaway’ flats in your choice of colour! (worth $69.90)

November 29, 2013 / Giveaways, Singapore / 101 Comments

Holsters were launched on our fair shores earlier this year and, boy, have they taken Singapore by storm!

With their signature look so identifiable, I’ve spotted them on so many women (and their daughters) everywhere – be it in the mall, or outdoors in the parks.

Nobody I know owns just one pair. I guess it’s hard to stop! Almost all my girl friends own Holsters, and all of them own multiple pairs.

Why?

Firstly, they are COMFORTABLE. As someone that is on her feet for almost the entire day – either walking or chasing after kids – I can wear my Holsters from morning to evening, and I get zero blisters, chafing, sore feet, etc. A lot of jelly flats bite at my feet, and if you walk outdoors (helloooooo sweatsville), it gets all mushy and nasty in there. Not Holsters. They wick sweat away easily, and are as comfortable for me indoors as they are outdoors. Even when I’m literally running around.

Secondly, they actually LOOK GOOD. Most flats (the SAHM choice of footwear) are just….. meh. They look too casual, and you run the risk of looking like you’ve just grabbed the nearest pair of shoes without a care for fashion. OK fine, that may be the truth, but I don’t want people to know that!! Holsters come in an array of gumdrop-happy colours, as well as love muted classics like black/white/champagne/silver. They come decorated with sparkling crystals (so pretty) or studs (so badass).

Thirdly, they are WASHABLE and DURABLE. This is so important if you find yourself traipsing around in the park, or your kid does the dreaded drop-drippy-food-on-your-feet act. You’ll be thanking your lucky stars if you’re wearing your Holsters – simply whack them under water and they are as good as new.

The multi-label kids boutique nottoobig are giving away one Holsters ‘getaway’ flats in your choice of colour! (worth $69.90)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can submit some of the entries more than once a day, so come back tomorrow to get more entries in the draw.

Giveaway will run from 29 Nov to 5 Dec 2013 inclusive.
Winner’s entry(s) will be verified according to the entry criteria(s).
Colour choices available in Singapore are: White, Solid Black, or Capri turquoise.
Winner may collect their prize at the nottoobig boutique, and may select any size/colour from the available stock.

These particular Getaway Jelly Flats (below)are my perfect pick-me-up. Look how cheery they look in the Capri colour! It really gives me a pop of colour when I head out, and they are so comfy. I’ve worn these day-in day-out with no issues whatsoever.

I particularly like wearing them to the pool. They just scream “summer’! Plus, they’re fine to get wet, and wash clean easily.

Some Mothercare stores stock Holsters, but the largest selection is at the nottoobig boutique at Forum The Shopping Mall. A huge variety of designs (flats, low heels, pumps…you name it), and in an explosion of colours. It’s hard not too miss them when you walk past.

Psssstttt! The nottoobig boutique also stocks the ‘getaway’ flats for little girls! They come in White or Coral and are priced at $49.90

Thanks nottoobig!

Your Latest Squeeze: aden + anais musy mate Giveaway

November 27, 2013 / Giveaways, New York Food, Product Reviews / 28 Comments

It was a spin out moment when I realised that most of my friends are having second babies this year! Really? Already? I feel like I just emerged from the trenches. Or on second thought, I’m still in them.

I recently visited this five-week-old snuggly boy, who has a new best friend to help him cope with the tough life of a newborn — an aden + anais jungle jam musy mate lovey.

The musy mate collection from aden + anais features lovies made from cotton muslin, just like the swaddles I used two years ago, and LOVED when Cheese was a tiny baby. I wish they’d been around then! I would have felt much more comfortable with her snuggling up to one of these than with the other lovies we considered, and eventually passed on. Other lovies on the market tend to be made out of non-breathable materials. But since these are made with breathable muslin, you can rest a little easier when placing them beside your newborn, or when buying them as a baby shower gift.

Since there are no sewn-on eyes on musy mates, they are fine to be left with a little one while they’re awake. However, aden + anais recommend removing all stuffed animals/loose blankets from the crib before your baby falls asleep.

Musy mates are not only super soft and cuddly, they’re also machine washable just like the swaddle blankets (yay!), so no need to worry about getting spit up all over them.

GIVEAWAY
aden + anais is giving Brunch With My Baby readers the chance to win their own musy mate to cuddle or to gift, valued at $24.95. (Adorable baby not included.)

Giveaway is open Wed November 27 to 11:59pm Tues Dec 10 2013 EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Entry open to US mailing addresses only.

Brunch With My Baby was given a product sample for reviewing purposes. All opinions are our own.

Four Thanksgiving Treats That Aren't Pie

November 25, 2013 / Manhattan Munchies, New York Food / 0 comment

Stand out at your Thanksgiving gathering (and fight off the hordes of hungry masses) by bringing a dessert that’s not a pie. You might want to buy extra — these Thanksgiving treats are so delicious they may not make it all the way to your party.

Georgetown cupcakes
The cupcake masters always have something special for the holidays. Order these babies online or stroll in and grab one for an afternoon (or morning!) snack. The Thanksgiving dozen includes three Pumpkin Spice cupcakes, three Caramel Apple cupcakes, three Chocolate Hazelnut cupcakes, and and Maple cupcakes. $29 a dozen or $2.75 each.
Georgetown Cupcakes: 111 Mercer Street (between Spring and Prince) New York

Jacques Torres
It’s always the right time of year for chocolate! Move over, Easter Bunny, because you can now get a chocolate Thanksgiving turkey from Jacques Torres, in various sizes from the Giant Turkey (a five pound beast made from dark or milk chocolate and hand decorated with feather accents,$98), to the Small Turkey (molded in milk or dark chocolate, $4 each). Searching for an even more unique gift for your host? Try the Turkey Puzzle, made from milk and dark chocolate ($8.50).
Jacques Torres: various locations

Betty Bakery
Drop by this Brooklyn bakery to pick up hand iced and decorated cookies in the shape of turkeys, owls and pumpkins ($5.25 each). They also have Thanksgiving-themed cupcakes decorated with autumn leaf sprinkles ($2.95 each), and assorted small cookies in flavors and shapes like chocolate-almond leaves ($21/pound).
Betty Bakery: 448 Atlantic Ave (between Bond St and Nevins St), Boerum Hill

Treat House
Inspired by a charitable school bake sale, Treat House is a gourmet rice crispie emporium. Their Thanksgiving flavors are Pumpkin Spice, Maple Pecan, Caramel Sea Salt and Cranberry Orange ($2.25 per treat; $24 for 12 pack). And you can feel good about yourself while you’re chomping down on your treat: ten cents of every treat purchased is donated to the Food Bank for New York City.
Treat House: 452 Amsterdam Ave, New York

Happy Thanksgiving. Gobble gobble (all that chocolate)!!!

SINPOPO BRAND: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Joo Chiat, Singapore

November 25, 2013 / Food Reviews, Joo Chiat, Singapore / 0 comment

I made the epic journey from one side of the country to the other…. to check out the Ni-Night End of Year Clearance Sale earlier this week. It was a multi-brand market with loads of bargains, so my girl friends and I snapped up quite a few pieces.

Since we were in the area, we decided to pop by Sinpopo Brand, which was a 10 minute walk away, down Joo Chiat Road which incidentally is such a fun road to poke around in!

Decked out like an old-school eatery, it’s kitchy but super cute. Everything is vintage inspired – from the cutlery and mugs, to the decor from Singapore’s yesteryear. We had a bit of fun having a look around! They even had vintage posters of….. ‘hot guys’? Famous celebrities from decades ago?

The staff there, especially our guy waiter, were SUPER friendly and helpful. We couldn’t understand half the menu!!! I consider myself pretty savvy with local Singaporean food.. but I couldn’t decipher a whole bunch of items there. So either I’m not as “down with it” as I thought, or they’ve cryptically named their dishes..

At least there’s photos of some of their more popular items, which is a huge help!

My unpronounceable Sng muay pop ($3.90) was explained to be “lime juice with sour plum in it”. It initially turned me off as the thought of sour plum in there didn’t sound appetizing. But I was pleasantly surprised – it was a very refreshing drink, like a sprite + lime concoction. I could barely taste the sour plum in it (though there were pieces lurking in the drink), so I was happy.

I will do a disclaimer here that the food photos look horrible. I’m sorry. We sat waaay at the back in the corner, and I didn’t realise that they had horrid neon lighting that cast strange hues on the dishes and made it look.. awful. I should’ve sat near the front, where there was lots of natural light! Oh well.

So, yes, the Zi Pao Kai with bee hoon ($8.90) looks TERRIBLE in the photo below. It was tasty though, promise! The dish was described to me as “paper wrapped chicken, and true to their words, the chunks of boneless chicken meat came wrapped in parchment paper. The chicken was fragrant and went well with the plain bee hoon noodles, but there was copious amount of oil inside each little package, which I had to drain off.

I thought the Black carrot cake ($6.90) was pretty superb. A carboholic’s delight. The squares of… errrmmm.. what ARE those things?? Something like radish and something else. I guess almost like a rice cake in taste and texture. They are cooked beautifully – soft and slightly chewy. I love the topping – which included scrambled eggs and… something else. I apologise. I know I should be more informative in a food review and all, but I honestly have no idea what’s in this dish, apart from the fact that it tastes yummy.

This would be a re-order for me!

We weren’t impressed with the John eh roti ($6.90). Large slices of baguette fried, french-toast style, with a small scattering of onions and mince beef. It was basically like filling yourself up with heavy-feeling bread.. with minimal taste, apart from the lashings of chilli sauce on top. The dish was more-ish and left us disinterested after a few bites.

Big thumbs up, however for their Gula melaka soft jelly ($4.90). Silky smooth sweet jelly, with a rich caramel taste, smothered in coconut cream. This was light and a fun dessert to have. Hunter loved it!

The Ais bor ($3.90) is basically a hard ball of crushed ice, covered in coloured syrups and housing atap seeds, and bits and bobs inside (I couldn’t really identify them!). It’s an excellent dessert to have on a hot day. Open it up gently with your spoon – you don’t want to send the ice ball flying off to the next table!

I loved the Cendol ($3.90). Served in a bowl, the green jelly ‘worms’ and red beans are smothered with lashings of shaved ice, and drenched with syrup and coconut cream. It’s DELICIOUS. So refreshing and tasty, this was my favourite dessert. I’d definitely get this again!

Last Bite: Sinpopo Brand is all kitschy-cute retro in decor, serving up local Singaporean dishes. The main meals are decent though, but it was their desserts that were the most enticing.

Highchairs: Yes
Easy access: Yes
Change tables: No
Kids’ menu: No

Sinpopo Brand
458 Joo Chiat Road
Singapore 427671
Phone: 6345 5034
Prices: $$
Hours: Sun – Thu: 12:00 – 22:00, Fri – Sat: 12:00 – 00:00, Eve of PH: 12:00 – 00:00

Do I have a DreamTone? Let’s Find Out!

November 24, 2013 / Family / 0 comment

I’ve often thought about using anti-aging products but, with the steep prices and mixed reviews of the results, they’ve always been something that was on my “nice to have” rather than “must-have” list of beauty products to buy. So when Lancôme and SheSpeaks invited me to participate in a social media campaign that involved using their new innovative anti-aging skincare product, Lancôme DreamTone, I jumped at the opportunity for a test drive, even though it involved sharing a bare-faced selfie (uh-oh!). Oh yeah, and there’s even a hashtag for it: #bareselfie.

Lancôme DreamTone ($98) is an innovative new serum designed to correct dark spots, color imperfections and uneven skin tone. According to their research (global self-assessments of women of multiple ethnicities in an 8-week study), 74% of users saw glowing skin immediately after using the product, and 70% noticed a more even skin tone within seven days. After four weeks, 69% saw the appearance of dark spots reduced, with 78% seeing color imperfections reduced within eight weeks.

DreamTone comes in three shades (Fair, Medium and Dark). The results are supposedly more pronounced the longer you use it. I chose the Fair/Lightest shade of DreamTone and used it twice a day under my moisturizer for four weeks. Here’s a picture of my results (aka my #bareselfie).

While I’m not sure if my pigment markings have diminished, my skin definitely has a nice glow to it. I will continue to use the serum twice a day for another few months to get the full benefits. I really liked how the serum came in three tints, to suit all skin shades, and also how smoothly and evenly it went on. My skin felt super soft after after application, so I feel like the texture of my skin has definitely improved after using DreamTone.

DreamTone is quite pricey, so I would need to see more results before considering buying it in the future. I am hoping that as I continue to use the product, that I will see more results of the pigmentation reduction as I would love a more even skin tone.

Disclosure: SheSpeaks/Lancôme sent me a bottle of DreamTone to review for this campaign. All opinions are my own.

Thuy Huong: Kid-Friendly restaurants, Marrickville, Sydney

November 24, 2013 / Inner West, Marrickville, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

Sydney’s been dry and dusty for far too long, so we thought we’d take the first rainy day we got as an excuse to saunter over to Marrickville for some fabulous Pho. Marrickville is known for its Vietnamese food, so we knew we’d find something delicious – the trick was finding a kid-friendly restaurant, and walking by Thuy Huong sold us: it was full of kids!

Thuy Huong is a small place, especially when full, which it was on the rainy Sunday we were there. There’s no room for prams and space between tables is limited and I didn’t see a highchair. Baby Lukas was the youngest kid there, but there were at least a dozen children ranging from 2-8 years who were just so into their brightly coloured, steaming plates of food, so we knew this restaurant would be suitable for kids.

We ordered the standard Beef Pho ($8) with vegetarian rice paper rolls ($6) with peanut sauce. The food came quickly (a plus when you have a squirming almost- toddler) and smelled heavenly.

Delicious beef pho ($8). Photo by Emily Staresina.

vegetarian rice paper rolls with peanut sauce ($6). Photo by Emily Staresina

Though he was the youngest by a couple years, Baby Lukas also got into his food, slurping his vermicelli noodles and broth like a champion. We thought it was pretty good too. Lunch came with the standard tea you’d expect at most Vietnamese places.

Baby Lukas learning the fine art that is eating noodles off of chopsticks. Photo by Emily Staresina.

You can't get much more into your pho. Photo by Emily Staresina. — You can’t get much more into your pho. Photo by Emily Staresina.

Last bite: If you’re in the mood for Pho that the kids will also love, walk no further than Thuy Huong.

Highchairs: No.
Stroller storage: Limited. If you don’t need one, don’t bring one.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No, but kids won’t starve

Thuy Huong
304 Illawarra Rd, Marrickville
Phone: (02) 9558 4023
Hours: Mon-Sun 8am-10pm
Get Directions

BWMB RECOMMENDS: Gymnademics at the ARC!

November 23, 2013 / Articles, Singapore / 2 Comments

Hunter was with Gymnademics a few months ago, and did a term there. I specifically liked it because of the very different method of activity/enrichment Gymnademics offers, for children from 5 months to 5 years old.

(pssstttt: read on for a super Opening Special!!)

Gymnademics’ concept is simple, and really made sense to me.

Here’s me translating it into laymans terms: When a child is doing physical activity, blood volume increases and also rushes to the brain. An increase in blood flow/oxygen to the brain is known to enhance learning and memory. Gymademics builds on this to incorporate BOTH physical activity (ie. running around having fun) with academic learning (ie. looking at flash cards), to accelerate learning and provide your child with a super-fun environment. After all, NO KID likes to sit down and learn page-after-page or be drilled nonstop by a boring teacher.

Hunter attended the SAFRA Toh Payoh branch, which was an epic journey across the country for us in the morning. For that reason, I didn’t continue, despite the gym sessions being so good for him (he’s a very cautious kid, so I reckon he really benefits from this sort of fun and teaching).

But then………. Gymnademics opened a branch at ARC!!!!

The new location is right at Labrador Park MRT, with FREE PARKING (!) on weekends, and has two rainbow-coloured studios to play in.

We popped in there for a Free Play session (1 hr for $15, or a package of 4 hrs for $40)!

When Hunter first joined Gymnademics just when he turned 2, he was so cautious and worried about everything that he even had trouble going up/down these small cushioned things below. He got accustomed to it after a few classes and now is pretty brave!

Carter, however, was really happy to clamber alllllll over everything like a crazy little wombat.

In the regular classes, they do gym activities like “forward roll”, “wheelbarrow” etc. Here’s Hunter demonstrating to Carter how to do the “sausage roll” (self-named haha!) where they just lie on the floor and… errrr… roll around.

Their cousin Elliot (5 years old), and friend Caden (11 months old), joined in on the fun! It’s not just gym activity, as there are toys everywhere as well during Free Play.

From now until 30 Nov 2013 (only SIX MORE DAYS eeeeek!!) they have an Opening Special:

Opening Promotions:

Sign up for a class package and enjoy
o Registration fee waiver (usual price $68)
o One complimentary session (usual price $69.80)
o Lucky draw entitlement

Lucky Draw Contest (Draw Date: 30th November 2013 )
o 1st Prize: Ben & Bella Reading Set (worth $550)
o 2nd Prize: Doman Advantage Kit (worth $299)
o 3rd Prize: We Are Family! Photo Package (worth $250)

I’ll be frank – Gymnademics don’t often do specials (believe me, I waited and waited for one before I gave up and signed Hunter up at full price!!) so this is AWESOME. If you are keen on checking out Gymnademics, I’d hurry on down to their ARC branch to have a look around (ask for Joseph or Alison!) and decide. It honestly is a good deal that doesn’t come round often (or ever??)

Carter is signed up for their classes in the new year!!! Maybe we’ll see you there 🙂

Outlet Details
Address: Alexandra Retail Centre, 460 Alexandra Road #02-25, Singapore 119963
Telephone: +65 6271 7569
Email: arc@gymnademics.com
Opening Hours: Wednesday to Sunday, 9am to 5pm

SMILING IT FORWARD with TYLENOL®

November 22, 2013 / Kids / 0 comment

Full disclosure – I am NOT a particularly empathetic person. While I’m sure I have (hopefully) many other good qualities, empathy is just not one of them. There’s one perhaps unexpected exception to this character failing of mine: my child. When she came along, many things changed. Not just the obvious (sleep deprivation, lack of personal time and space, new wing-lady 24/7), but also the surprising. My little girl opened my heart up in way no one else had been able to before.

When she’s sick, I struggle through her every cough and whimper. Boo boos result in tears shed by both parties. I feel every pain she feels as if it were my own. This, I discovered, is what it really means to be a mother – to have your heart forever living outside your body.

And who knew little kids could get so sick, and so frequently? The first fever was the worst – frantically calling the pediatrician for advice, cooling her in a lukewarm bath, carefully measuring TYLENOL® to bring the fever down. The sinking sensation you feel as a mother when your child is sick has no match to any previous experience. A piece of you is sick – the best piece of you that you value the most, and you’d do anything to make it better.

The upside is when your child comes out the other side again, healthy and happy and slowly smiling again. That slow smile that lights up their eyes, and means they’re going to be ok, that you can relax for a few moments while everything is at ease again. It’s the feeling of peace, of relief, and joy that you and your little one have survived another challenge together. Motherhood: it sure ain’t for the feint of heart!

You can help spread those “feel better” smiles by sharing a photo that makes you smile at SmilingItForward.com. For every photo uploaded, TYLENOL® will make a $1 donation to Children’s Health Fund, up to $100,000, helping to ensure a doctor’s visit is always within reach for children in need.

I have received information and products from McNeil Consumer Healthcare Division of McNEIL-PPC, Inc., the makers of TYLENOL®. The opinions stated are my own. This is a sponsored post for SheSpeaks.