November 2013 - Page 2 of 4 - Adventure, baby!

Month: November 2013

GIVEAWAY: Spring Maternity pillow, bolster and fitted sheet set, in your choice of fabric! (worth $59.90)

November 22, 2013 / Giveaways, Singapore / 28 Comments

Spring Maternity needs no introduction. With 5 boutiques and an online store, they stock a variety of baby/kid goods and accessories and are a household name here in Singapore.

Personally? I still shop there. For myself. Despite being neither pregnant, nor nursing. Ahem…

I still buy my clothes there, because I just find their clothes so utterly comfortable! Almost everything is ultra soft, made from bamboo, or ultra soft cotton, or silky and cool on the skin. If you’ve popped into one of their stores and touched their maternity/nursing wear, you’ll know exactly what I mean. Plus, the designs are gorgeous! They don’t look matronly or auntie-ish at all.

But I digress.

They have a self-designed line called Baby by Spring – covering baby clothing and bedding. Everything is 70% bamboo and 30% cotton, and you know what that translates into? Fabulously soft material against baby’s delicate skin.

I’ve been using a range of their stuff for almost 2 years now, so obviously I’m a fan. I really like how bamboo is not just silky soft, but also eco-friendly, anti-bacterial and hypo-allergenic.

Of the bedding range, I’ve been using the Cot Sheet for almost 2 years. It is way way waaaayyy softer than regular cotton sheets, and it wears well (I usually wash it first thing in the morning, and pop it back on at night when it’s dry) after extended use.

They also have a ridiculously cute Baby pillow with case that is more of a cuddle pillow, and a Baby bolster with case that is so. freaking. cute. Check them out:

Here’s the fun bit……. for the first time ever, Spring Maternity is doing an online giveaway! And it’s right here on Brunch With My Baby! It’s not one, not two, but THREE products that they have for us today.

Spring Maternity are giving away a pillow, bolster and fitted sheet set, in your choice of fabric! (worth $59.90)

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 22 Nov to 28 Nov 2013 inclusive.
All entries will be verified according to the entry criteria(s) before the winner is notified.
Winner may collect their prize at any Spring Maternity boutique, and may select any print from the available stock.

Thanks Spring Maternity!

Baked Patisserie: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Kirrawee, Sutherland Shire, NSW

November 21, 2013 / Kirrawee, Sutherland, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

There was an ulterior motive when we decided to visit Baked Patisserie for morning tea and it centred on the rumours of magnificent cronuts and macarons to rival the king of macaron – Adriano Zumbo! As a plus, this tucked-away patisserie appeals to kids with a range of sweet delights from an evolving menu.

Being in the industrial side of Kirrawee, Baked Patisserie doesn’t really fit with its surroundings. However they are building up quite a cult following and why wouldn’t they with mouth-watering treats, such as the Raspberry & Vanilla Cronut ($5), Macarons ($2.50) and a reasonable $4.00 for a large coffee.

Jenson didn’t care about which flavour macaron he wanted, he went for the brightest possible colour (green) – which I believe was Pistachio and was devoured with a nod of approval. I savoured my cronut without thinking that J would soon turn his eyes to the remaining half on my plate, and in his usual negotiating style asked that we share the rest as sharing is a nice thing to do. I can’t fault his approach!

Baked Patisserie certainly caters for the little people with a small train set set up alongside one wall to play with, a high chair for the littler ones, which is a good thing, as you want to savour the quality coffee on offer. These little additions, along with the friendly service, make this cafe very kid-friendly.

For the less sweet-tooth inclined, there are gourmet rolls ($7) and a pie warmer for more substantial offerings. (The Moroccan Pie stood out for me which sounded delicious). Another time perhaps!

Last Bite: Baked Patisserie is a place you are going to be adding to your regular café repertoire especially when your sweet tooth is calling and the kids are needing distraction. The constantly evolving menu also means there will be something new each time you visit.

Highchairs: Yes
Stroller Storage: Yes
Easy Access: Yes, one step inside
Change Tables: No
Kids Menu: Cakes and treats for all ages!

Baked Patisserie
1/10 Marshall Road,
Kirrawee, NSW, 2232
Phone: 0415 232 557
Prices: $
Hours: Mon–Fri 6am-3pm, Sat 6am-1pm
Get Directions

MORGANFIELD’S: Kid-Friendly Restaurants, Buona Vista, Singapore

November 20, 2013 / Buona Vista, Food Reviews, Singapore / 0 comment

Just a quick little Hump Day post… hope your week is going well so far!

My girl friend and I (with kids in tow) popped into Morganfield’s at Star Vista last week. I’m just gonna say here, straight up, that Morganfield’s do one of THE BEST RIBS in Singapore. And they’re consistently good – I’ve visited this joint maybe 4 or 5 times, and it never fails to delight me.

I like the large glass-paneled windows, which allows natural light to stream into the restaurant. It gets busy just after noon (office lunchtime crowd, I presume), but I always go early so I have no issues.

Their ribs, called Sticky Bones, are the star dish, and IMHO the only dish that you should order. Why bother with other dishes, when this one is perfect?

$26.90 (the lunch set) gets you half-slab of pork ribs, a soup/appetizer of the day, and a bottomless glass of soda or iced tea. Its’ good value, because it will fill you right up!! I was initially scared off at the “half slab” description… it sounded more like “you’ll go hungry” to me. But the ribs are pretty gigantic and very meaty, plus they give you a tumble of fries and a pot of coleslaw just to make sure you’re sufficiently fed.

The ribs? Blimmin’ SUPERB. We didn’t bother using a knife – it wasn’t necessary. We just used a fork and poked away at the meat, which fell easily off the bones. It is oh-so-tender, and the sauce is not overpowering. Talk about a meat eater’s dream meal!!

To give you an idea as to how delicious and tender the pork is – Carter (currently 15 months and with only 3 barely-there jutting out teeth), can easily chomp and chew his way through a rib or two.

Drop in if you’re a meat lover. I reckon you won’t be disappointed.

Last Bite: Morganfield’s is a meat lover’s delight, with their outstanding baby back ribs (dubbed Sticky Bones). Think ultra-tender, tasty pork ribs… perfect downed with an iced lemon tea or cold beer!

Highchairs: Yes
Easy access: Yes
Change tables: Yes (in the mall)
Kids’ menu: Yes

Morganfield’s
The Star Vista, #02-23
1 Vista Exchange Green
Singapore 138617
Phone: 6694 3635
Prices: $$$
Hours: 11am – 11pm (Sun – Thu, PH) / 11am – 12am (Fri, Sat, PH Eve)

These Boots Are Made For Running: The High Line With Stride Rite + Giveaway

November 20, 2013 / Cheese, Chelsea, Giveaways, New York Food, Product Reviews / 28 Comments

Cheese is one active kid. She loves to run, jump and climb, and her favourite thing in the world is a playground. Because she’s so active, I’m really picky when it comes to choosing her shoes. I tend to go for practical first, and then style, because I want quality shoes that will fit her feet properly as they’re growing, and support her little feet in their athletic endeavours. Because of this, Stride Rite remains one of my top brands when buying shoes. They’re designed with the utmost care to fit tiny feet properly. They’re durable, made from top materials, and rigorously tested to ensure a high quality shoe.

This winter, I wanted a good pair of boots for Cheese, that would keep her feet warm and enable her to keep playing and running outside without hinderance. The Stride Rite Medallion Collection Roslin is the perfect boot for my busy little Cheese.

We took Cheese and her new boots for a spin on the High Line. The boots are great for an active toddler. Padded for comfort, strong but comfortable leather for long-term wear, and easy to get on and off. These boots are made for running, not walking! They get the Cheese’s tick of approval (ie she didn’t whine and yell “off, off!!”).

The High Line is a favourite place of ours to let the Cheese run wild. It’s pretty contained and in a long, straight line, so we can let her loose without worrying about her running into traffic or hurting herself in general. It’s lined with plants as well, which change during the seasons and provide Cheese with amazing leaves and flowers to discover on her eye level, that she can actually touch (we’re looking at you here, Brooklyn Botanic Gardens …). She really enjoyed the different levels on the High Line, with ramps, steps and viewing platforms, and loves peeking over the edge at the buildings, people and fire trucks down below.

There are actually multiple sections to the High Line, but we generally just enter it randomly when we get the urge (“Hey, there’s the High Line, let’s go up!”), and exit when we realise we’re kinda hungry/cold/tired/cranky (this may or may not be the toddler). That’s the best thing about it — it’s like a get-on-get-off bus ride through Chelsea, perfect for entertaining a crazy active toddler as well as yourself.

GIVEAWAY!
The generous people at Stride Rite are offering one lucky Brunch With My Baby reader the chance to win their own pair of Stride Rite shoes of their choice.

Giveaway open from Nov 20th 2013 to 11:59pm EST Tues 26th, 2013.

Open to US mailing addresses only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

How do YOU use Brunch With My Baby?

November 19, 2013 / New York Food, News / 0 comment

Clark's Restaurant: Kid-Friendly Diners, Brooklyn Heights, NY

November 19, 2013 / Cheese, New York Food / 1 Comment

I know, I know, diners, right? Not exactly a foodie destination, but as any parent to a child under five knows, it is integral to survival. Ok, maybe I won’t go that far, but I can safely say that it is comforting to have a low-key neighborhood place to go with the kids when you need to get out of the house and you want a fail-safe restaurant solution.

We have a standing breakfast date at Clark’s Restaurant with our dear friends (pictured), now that the kids’ schedules are not compatible for afternoon play dates. Even though it’s called a “restaurant”, Clark’s is really a diner, and it’s a super popular destination in Brooklyn Heights for families to enjoy breakfast. When we arrive at 8:30am, it’s already busy with plenty of kids and tired-looking parents.

In the past we’ve ordered the kids their own food, but since they almost always take a tentative bite and then forgot about it, on this visit we decided they could eat off our plates instead. Good move, since that day, both of the kids were only interested in eating toast, after slathering it with butter and Smuckers Grape Jelly.

The high chairs are the clip-on kind plus the normal ones. I love the clip-ons in the booths since they really fence the kids in so they can’t wiggle out and escape. We both always bring umbrella strollers and don’t bother to fold them because there is room at the front of the restaurant to park them, or you can bring them to the table. (My friend often brings her pretty large Bugaboo and parks it at the end of the table and no one complains). The staff couldn’t be friendlier or more welcoming. Everything, including the strollers, which are absolutely in the way, is “no problem”.

We order eggs with bacon and cheese on an English muffin ($9.25) and the Greek Omelet (with feta and tomato, $9.25) with home fries. The staff always gives us shots of complimentary orange juice, which I think were meant for the kids, but since we don’t give the girls juice, we drank it ourselves. They also give us small plastic cups for the kids with water in it. Cheese dumped hers all over herself on this particular day, so I guess we’re going to have to work on this at home before attempting it in public again.

The service is a little chaotic if you need attention, which we often do with two squirmy toddlers. When we need things like extra cutlery or napkins, it’s much faster and easier to get up and grab it yourself instead of flagging down busy staff and then hoping they remember to bring it back.

When the kids were about a year old, we liked going to Clark’s because it was a great place to take kids when we wanted to eat out but when a fancier restaurant wouldn’t have been ideal. It’s a great place to take your (high-spirited?) child to breakfast or lunch because even if they’re being the crankiest crank, and it doesn’t matter, because at Clark’s, no one cares.

As always, as we strapped our kids into their respective strollers and tried to wipe off some remaining crumbs from their clothes, the staff bid us all a cheerful adieu and we were already looking forward to our next breakfast together at Clark’s.

Last Bite: A classic diner with a huge menu, plenty of basic breakfast items, and delightfully friendly staff makes this a staple morning hot spot for families in Brooklyn Heights.

Highchairs: No.
Stroller storage: No.
Easy access: No. There are a few steep steps to get in.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

Clark’s Restaurant
80 Clark St (between Henry St & Hicks St)
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone: (718) 855-5484
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon-Sat 7am-9pm, Sun 7am-3:30pm

HUBER’S BUTCHERY & BISTRO: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Dempsey Hill, Singapore

November 19, 2013 / Dempsey, Food Reviews, Singapore / 0 comment

Trying not to sound stingy here…. but almost all the eateries around Demsey Hill are pretty pricey. You can easily spend $50 per person on a simple brunch! We do like our nice dining brunches, but sometimes, all we want is something cheap and cheerful.

Huber’s Butchery and Bistro is, dare I say it THE best place for brunch at Dempsey Hill, if you want to spend less than $20 per person (for a meal + coffee).

The tables are all outside their butchery shop (which is huge, by the way), so come dressed appropriately. Eating outside is excellent when you have kids around – you’re not as frantic about mess or fuss. Which was perfect for us, because for this particular meal, Carter decided to be Hell Baby and fuss and cry……. the entire time. (we realised later it was because we completely FORGOT it was his nap time, and so just thought he was being annoying!! Oops.)

Anyway, we kicked off with an Iced coffee ($4.40). Actually, I wanted the Iced latte but must’ve said “iced coffee”, and it’s a different drink here. So we got a brewed coffee, with ice, and sugar syrup and a pot of milk to pour in. To be frank, considering their Iced coffee is a few dollars cheaper, it’s actually way better to order this!

One of my favourite foods is the simple sausage. I think it’s partly due to the fact that my parents are super against any sort of unhealthy/processed food, so sausages were completely off the table in our family until I was a full grown adult. Guess I’m making up for lost time, cos I LOVE it now! Huber’s offer 4 variations on their menu, and I selected the Pair of Nurnberger sausages with sauerkraut and sliced rye bread ($9.90).

The sausages were not too salty and tasted fresh and juicy. They were a hearty portion, and paired so well with the generous portion of sauerkraut. I’m normally not into rye bread, but the slices I had were soft and moist, a great accompaniment of plain taste to balance the rest of the dish.

It was a superb dish. I’m craving for it now!

I was impressed with the size of the Warm roast beef sandwich ($12.80). It’s enough to make a guy and/or big eater smile with pleasure 🙂 Normally, I’m suspicious of “roast beef” on the menu. It’s often really dry, tough, and like chewing a piece of leather. Euuurggghhh.

So I was pretty delighted to find that the copious slices of roast beef in this sandwich were beautifully tender, and was devoid of any marinade to mask that delightful, true beef taste. It was served atop fresh lettuce, and with slices of parmesan as well as a drizzle of sauce. The bun was soft and fluffy (think gourmet hotdog bun).

But…. the FRIES!!!! The shoe string fries were obviously cooked in fresh oil, and for the exact amount of time. They came out hot and fresh, and were addictive.

We were fortunate that, last weekend when we were there, the Artisan UpMarket Fair was being held at 22 Dempsey. We got to poke around, and I came away with a jar of Almond butter, and Cashew butter. Yum.

One of my favourite things to do on weekends is to check out fairs and markets around Singapore – preferably outdoors. The kids have fun whizzing around, and I love poking around the little crafts and interesting bits and bobs being sold. You get some really gorgeous finds here as well! A lot more fun than shopping in a mall..

Last Bite: Huber’s Butchery & Bistro is one of the best-value brunches you can find in the Dempsey area. The food is top notch, and seating is outdoors – great for families!

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

Huber’s Butchery & Bistro
18A Dempsey Road
Singapore 249677
Phone: 6737 1588
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon-Fri: 9.30am to 8pm, Sat, Sun & Public Holiday: 9.30am to 7pm

SYMMETRY: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Bugis, Singapore

November 18, 2013 / Bugis, Cheese, Food Reviews, Singapore / 0 comment

So here’s the funny thing: I actually never considered Symmetry to be “kid-friendly”. The cafe is extremely cramped, with chairs with skinny metal splayed-out legs, tables with sharp corners, little vintage ornaments perfectly at kid-grabbing distance, near impossible to get a stroller into (steps and not enough space)…. and the fact that there are always ZERO kids there. Except mine. And my friends.

Yet, despite that, I’ve been there perhaps 10 times in the past few months. Always dragging one or two kids in tow… and just praying that my kids will sit obediently and quietly in their high chairs whilst I have a leisurely lunch and lovely chat with my girl friend(s) for two hours.

Obviously THAT never happens.

I invariably end up dealing with one or both kids that end up getting bored, wanting to run around, bumping their heads on sharp corners, crying, YOU NAME IT!!!!

So….. why do my friends and I go, with kids in tow?

Because of THIS below. This is an Iced Peppermint Mocha. And Symmetry do a perfect rendition. Served in a thick-walled glass and with a metal straw (awesomeness!) jutting out, this concoction is like coffee on steroids. Yes, real coffee connoisseurs will sneer and say it’s not a “proper coffee” but it’s so fun to drink and delicious that I don’t care. This weighs in at a hefty $7.20 (!!!!!) for glass, but it’s my little treat because I do love it so.

Obviously, their food is also pretty good. We didn’t order any appetizers during this particular lunch, but normally we do. Every single appetizer is excellent.. from their bacon & cheese rissoles, to their fried mushrooms, to their crispy white bait, to their breaded prawns. Seriously, just order any appetizer from the menu and you won’t be disappointed. Just to point out, though, almost all the appetizers are deep fried.

This particular Smoked salmon croque monsieur was a bit of a giant! The bread was thick and fluffy, and a hit with my kids. It was drenched with sour cream and chives, and topped off with melted cheese. Served with chunky fries, this was a bit of a heart-attach dish 😉

I almost always order the Smoked salmon carbonara ($23) here (though I always get mine without the rocket leaves, as I can’t stand them). This time, however, we found the smoked salmon a bit too salty. I wish they would use fresh salmon instead, so we can order this dish for our kids.

I enjoyed my Pork collar croissant ($19), which came with a generous portion of tender pork and served in a fluffy croissant. I swapped my rocket leaves for some avocado and they obliged – so bonus points for that! My kids basically ate this whole dish by themselves. Not the fries though. Both scoffed at the fries and wouldn’t have any (what gives?!)

I thought their Waffles and ice cream ($14) was a winner. The waffles were buttery and fluffy, with a golden crisp edge. I don’t like fruit on my waffles, but the kids obviously did because they gobbled it all up. Just as well, because I got to gobble up the waffles and ice cream!!

Last Bite: Symmetry may not be the most kid-friendly place, but their killer Iced peppermint mocha makes up for it. Don’t miss their appetizers – any one of them!

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

Symmetry
9 Jalan Kubor
Singapore 199206
Phone: 9626 7911
Prices: $$
Hours:
Mon: 10:30 am – 9:00 pm, Tue – Thu: 10:30 am – 11:00 pm, Fri: 10:30 am – 12:00 am, Sat: 9:00 am – 12:00 am, Sun: 9:00 am – 9:00 pm

CRAFT BAKERY CAFE: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Holland Village, Singapore

November 17, 2013 / Food Reviews, Holland Village, Singapore / 0 comment

My girl friend and I did a quick pop into Craft Bakery Cafe one morning, as they are one of the (very few) cafes that are open on a Monday. What is it with so many cafes being closed on Mondays? Not good for us mummies who brunch…. grrrrr!

So top marks to Craft Bakery Cafe for being open on a Monday! But the downside to dropping in early in the morning when there are very few diners around? A heavy shortage of staff. Or maybe their (one) chef in the kitchen is just incredibly, incredibly s-l-o-w. We waited 45 minutes (!!!!) for two sandwiches to be made, and the scrambled eggs I’d ordered for Carter also took 45 minutes, so he was a total nervous wreck by then from hunger and tiredness. Sigh.

You can choose between a medium or large beverage, so I went for the Large latte ($6.50) as I needed a pick-me-up at 9:30AM in the morning. It was a lovely brew and well made, but was completely stone-cold by the time my food arrived (I drink my coffee with or after my meal), so it didn’t taste as good.

Since the scrambled eggs (a side dish order) arrived 45 minutes after ordering, Carter was a bit of a mess by then. He was starving and polished the whole dish off by himself, in maybe 5 minutes flat.

I was very interested in the sandwich my girl friend ordered, dubbed The Craft ($11.50) – maple candied bacon and apple slaw on waffle grids. It sounded so interesting and is their signature sandwich, so I was eager to see it. It did look odd! But, my girl friend claimed the sweet-and-salty combination worked, and at least it’s unusual and not the same-old-same-old food every other cafe has.

The waffles are not fresh made-to-order though, which is a shame. This means they are slightly on the dry side, though the apple slaw sauce does help to make up for it.

I thoroughly enjoyed my Crispy prawns with herb mayo ($13.90). It is kind of like a po’boy. The bun was fluffy and large, studded with lots of superbly crisp prawns and fresh lettuce. It hit the spot and was sufficient to fill me up for brunch. I would have loved for this to be served with fries as well, though.

The glass display cabinet was looking a little bare, but I assume that’s because we were there early in the morning. Suspiciously, it had some cakes that had just a few slices remaining… which led me to wonder if they were leftovers from the day before (since we were there so early that morning). For that reason, I didn’t order any cakes for dessert, as I was worried the cakes would be dry from being stored overnight.

Last Bite: Craft Bakery Cafe is open on Mondays, which is a real plus. The Crispy prawns sandwich was a hit, and they serve a very decent cuppa. Just brace yourselves for a very long wait for your food if you’re there in the morning!

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

Craft Bakery Cafe
Holland Village
24A Lorong Mambong
Singapore 277183
Phone: 6467 7710
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon – Sun: 9:00 am – 11:00 pm

LE PETIT SOCIETY GIVEAWAY: Win one of two USD$50 gift vouchers!

November 15, 2013 / Giveaways, Product Reviews, Singapore / 30 Comments

Le Petit Society is a childrens fashion label based in Hong Kong (owned by Singaporeans living there), with super cool Asian street style clothing paired with European quality.

Only one year old, it’s quickly becoming a cult favourite in both Hong Kong and Singapore, thanks to their simple-but-cool designs. Personally? I like how it’s Asia owned, run, and made. There aren’t many local labels that offer interesting designs and good quality, so I fully support companies that do.

Le Petit Society stocks sizes from newborn to seven years old. And, some news hot off the press: they are opening a Singapore-based fulfilment centre next month (Dec) to get SG orders out even faster.

Here’s a little gift Le Petit Society would like to extend to you:

Use coupon code ‘BWMB’ to enjoy a 15% discount at Le Petit Society.

No minimum spend. Valid until 31 Dec 2013.

On top of that, we are very excited to announce:

Le Petit Society would like to giveaway two $50 gift vouchers to spend in their store!

a Brunch With My Baby 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 15 Nov to 21 Nov 2013 inclusive.
All entries will be verified according to the entry criteria(s) before the winner is notified.
The vouchers may be redeemed at Le Petit Society’s online store, or at their stall at Public Garden.

And, as if that’s not enough, they also have a promotion on right now: From now til 20 Dec 2013, enjoy FREE gift wrapping (their gift boxes are fully reusable) with every purchase as well as these special discounts below (in addition to FREE shipping across Asia with no minimum spend):