January 2015 - Page 2 of 2 - Adventure, baby!

Month: January 2015

Good Night, Sleep Tight: Oricom Night Light

January 7, 2015 / Family, Kids, Product Reviews / 0 comment

At around 2-and-a-half, Cheese developed a fear of the dark. Ever since, I’ve been looking for the perfect night light for her bedroom. One that isn’t plugged attached to the wall so Cheese can carry it around or take it to bed, something that is easy to operate,and that doesn’t go through hundreds of batteries a year. We’ve been through a lot of night lights in the past year.

Enter the Oricom animal night light collection. This new multi-colour night light collection comes in four animal designs – a cat, dog, monkey or pig (Cheese has the dog).

The night lights are safe for little hands, and are durable, so you don’t need to worry about them getting broken by the little hands playing with them. The night light’s casing is soft and BPA-free, making it gentle bed companion if that’s what your child needs.

Each night light comes with a base that plugs into the wall. The night light character sits on top of the base to charge via the wireless charging system – no clipping or buttons, it literally just perches on top, making it easy for kids to remove and replace during the night. The night light can be taken into bed, or used as a torch if your child wakes during the night needing you, or the bathroom. A 10-hour battery life, means it can stay on all night long if your child needs it to, and a timer control helps to save energy.

To turn the nightlight on, simply press down the head. Keep pressing the head to change the night light into a rainbow of colours – red, blue and green.

The Oricom animal night light collection” target=”_blank”>Oricom animal night light collection retails for $49.95 each.

Thanks to Oricom for providing me with a night light sample for reviewing purposes. All opinions expressed are my own.

Travel Guide: The Gold Coast With Kids

January 6, 2015 / Australia, Cheese, Queensland, Travel / 6 Comments

As a child, most summers my family made a trek to Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast for our annual holiday. I have great memories of wandering up and down the boardwalk, playing in the sand and going to the theme parks. Surfers Paradise and the Gold Coast in general are still great destinations for families wanting an easy beachy holiday, as we discovered when we visited for some fun in the sun.

Getting there
We booked a cheap flight online (try Webjet or Zuji) and had a very easy, fast trip. Pros: it’s fast. Cons: if your hotel isn’t walking distance from everything you want to see, you’ll need to shell out a lot of money in expensive shuttle buses or take public transport. You can also do the traditional driving route. Pros: you have a car at your disposal when you get there. Cons: you might have to pay for parking at your hotel, and the drive up is loooooooong.

What to do on the Gold Coast with kids:

Beach
The number one attraction in Surfers, and it’s FREE! Take a sun shelter, sand toys and plenty of sun screen.

Sea World
Out of all the theme parks, this was the best for little kids. Lots of animals exhibits and shows like the seals pictured above, a few rides such as the carousel and the Viking Revenge Flume, and great character shows and meet and greets with Dora The Explorer and Spongebob Square Pants.

Warner Bros Movie World
Movie World has a great section for younger kids with smaller rides and a splash area for hot days. Several of the rides require kids to be over 100cm still, so for kids age 3 and under the ride choices are limited. The character shows and parade however are a lot of fun for littles, and run all day long.

Aquaduck
For a short outing (it goes for an hour, departing from the middle of Surfers Paradise), the Aquaduck is great for for kids. The duck takes a drive along side the beach, and then takes to the water to give a tour of the glam houses on the lagoons. The best part for Cheese was getting to drive the boat.

Other attractions:
Currimbin Wildlife Sanctuary
Wet ‘n’ Wild
Dreamworld

10 Questions To Ring In The New Year

January 5, 2015 / Cheese, Family / 6 Comments

I saw this great post over on Maxabella’s blog on 10 questions rather than resolutions for the new year, so I thought I would similar do the questions for my new year’s post. I’m rubbish at resolutions anyway.

1. What word do you think best summed up 2014?
Change. The whole year was a chaotic mess really, with a family health emergency bringing us back to Australia at the end of January and prompting our move back in June. We basically spent the entire year deciding to move, preparing to move, moving and then settling into Sydney again. Epic and not fun.

2. What did you do for the first time this year?
I had a blog post go viral, and several pieces published in the Huffington Post. I also tried new kinds of exercise, like antigravity yoga and booty barre, and bought my first bike!

I also took my blogging in a different direction. My previous focus, Brunch With My Baby, ended, and all the writers went their separate ways. I merged my old content from BWMB with my old personal blog, A Kiss Goodnight, and created this new site, Adventure, Baby!, to be home to all of my travel, parenting and food blog posts from now on.

3. What is one thing that happened that will have lasting consequences?
Making the decision to move back to Australia, for sure. I was nowhere near ready to leave New York (and I still miss it like mad!), but it was the right decision for our family at this time of our lives. The decision effected not just Alec and myself, but Cheese, too. She’s changed from growing up as a little New Yorker to life as an Aussie kid. It’s been a really positive change for Cheese in particular. Her relationship with my parents has blossomed, whereas previously she didn’t know them very well, and she’s super attached to them now as a result. She is also loving the beach, learning to swim and wants to ride her scooter everywhere. Thanks to the Australian climate, she can play outside every day, too. No hibernation for six months of the year!

4. Was there anything you wish you’d done differently? Why? How?
I let a situation get out of control that I wish I hadn’t. I took the path of least resistance thinking it would all turn out ok, and in the end, it was an absolute disaster. In future, I’ll have difficult conversations when they need to when a problem is still small, instead of hoping for the best and letting issues escalate to the point of no return.

5. Do you have a favourite moment from the year? What made it special?
Christmas day with my family. After being away for a few years I really missed spending Christmas with my parents in their home. I also didn’t think I would get the chance to spend a Christmas with my dad again after his health issues, so it was special in a lot of ways. Cheese was old enough to take over a few family traditions, too, like decorating my mum’s Christmas cake and the gingerbread house.

6. What lessons has 2014 taught you about yourself? About others?
I generally am the kind of person who hates upsetting others, and will go along with what people I care about want if it doesn’t effect me much to do so. I tend to put the needs of others before myself. This year I learned the hard way that this is not the path to my own happiness, and that I really need to speak up more for myself and what is important to me.

I also learned that you can’t change people’s minds, either. No matter now rational or logical I might think what I’m saying is, if the person I’m speaking to has a differing opinion, I’m better to state my feelings and then let it go. Differing opinions are ok – they don’t make my thoughts wrong, or the other person’s right or wrong, they just are what they are.

7. How will the lessons from this past year change the way you approach the new year?
Being upfront and honest about my feelings, even if it’s hard. Making better, smarter decisions.

8. What do you most want to do in 2015?
I want to regain a sense of purpose for myself. I’ve focused a lot on Cheese’s needs in the past 3.5 years, and now it’s time to balance her needs with my own. I hope to start a small business, grow my blog and continue freelancing.

I also want to travel again for pleasure. We have a big trip including Europe planned for mid year that I hope will come about.

9. What do you most want to change about yourself? The world?
I want to yell less. I’m quick to anger and snap easily, particularly at Alec and Cheese. I’m really working on this trait this year, hoping to improve it.

I would love to effect people on a bigger scale – and I hope that I can do this through my blogging and freelance writing. As an introvert, I find it hard to be 100% open and honest and leave myself vulnerable in my writing, but this is how I reach the most people and help them feel like someone else is going through the same thing. So being braver and putting myself out there in a more honest and open way is another goal.

10. What one word do you hope will sum up what you hope to achieve in 2015?
Peace. Mostly I’m aiming for inner peace. To change what I personally can, to do the best I can, and then to try and be at peace with the outcome. Letting go of the past, coming to terms with things that have made me sad but that I can’t do anything about, and moving towards a happy future.

What are your goals for 2015?

Coco Chocolate High Tea: Sydney’s Best High Teas

January 5, 2015 / Mosman, Sydney, Sydney Food / 8 Comments

Chocolate high tea! These magical words popped up in my Instagram feed one day and I was sold. Coco Chocolate, on Sydney’s Middle Head, produces handmade, high quality organic chocolate. Basically they sell “real chocolate”, so the good stuff with high cacao content and all of the all of the expensive & delicious cacao butter and real vanilla. Coco Chocolate is gluten free and all dark chocolate is vegan, so they basically cater for all dietary requirements too.

While you can shop at Coco Chocolate’s Kirribili store, their Middle Head location is where the chocolate magic happens. All of the chocolate is made here, and if you’d like to try your hand at making chocolate yourself, you can take a class here at The Sydney Chocolate School. If eating chocolate is more your thing, then book yourself in to the Middle Head location for a decadent chocolate high tea.

The chocolate high tea at Coco Chocolate is unlike any other high tea you will experience. Located on the balcony and grassed forecourt outside The Sydney Chocolate School, it’s an informal and also intimate affair. The harbour view is sensational, and the atmosphere relaxing (just watch out for hungry magpies!).

There are several types of high tea to choose from – we chose the Coco Classic High Tea ($40pp). It included: tea or coffee, shot of hot chocolate, chocolate pistachio shortbread, florentines, scones with jam & cream, melting moments, chocolate selection, flourless orange cakes, chocolate cakes with berry & cream.

You can upgrade to a Coco Classic Sparkling High Tea for an extra $10, which includes all the above, plus a class of bubbles, or the Coco Moet Chandon High Tea for an extra $20, which includes Moet Chandon Champagne by the glass, tea or coffee, shot of hot chocolate, cucumber sandwiches, salmon & dill sandwiches, scones with jam & cream, chocolate selection, flourless orange cakes, chocolate cakes with berry & cream, vanilla cake with fresh cream & seasonal berry, chocolate strawberries.

Kids are also welcome at this high tea venue, and can enjoy their own Coco Children’s High Tea ($28pp). It includes a mini chocolate milk shake or apple juice, handmade sausage roll, handmade large freckle, chocolate Alice in Wonderland cupcake, and a cookie.

If you’re after a high tea but aren’t the biggest chocolate fan (ummm, then we can’t be friends) you have the option of a Coco Cream Tea ($15pp), which includes scones with a selection of jams & freshly whipped cream & tea, coffee or hot chocolate.

For this high tea extravaganza, I enlisted my dear friend Violet Lily (no, not her real name). We had an extremely relaxing, pleasant high tea experience, sitting under our own umbrella watching the boats sail by. Our host was friendly and informative too – she happily answered all of our many chocolate questions.

The high tea was made to order, so the tea is by booking only – no walk ins. Everything was fresh and beautifully made. Our favourite part was the chocolate on top – no surprise considering we were at a chocolate shop. The chocolate selection included a variety of Coco Chocolate’s speciality choccies. It was wonderful to sample so many different chocolates from the Coco range, including one with coconut that was my favourite, and the ginger in dark chocolate that Violet Lily loved.

If you’re a chocoholic, then this is the high tea for you.

Highchairs: No.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: No – a few steps.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: Yes.

Coco Chocolate High Tea
Past Burnt Orange and HMAS Penguin
at Chowder Bay Rd turnoff
Building 21
1110 Middle Head Road
Mosman NSW 2088
Phone: (02) 9960 6540 or (02) 9960 5848 to book
Email info@cocochocolate.com.au
Prices: $$$
Hours: Open by appointment only
Get Directions

New Year’s Eve: Sydney 2014

January 1, 2015 / Cheese, Family / 9 Comments

This New Year’s Eve was a bit special for our little family. On every previous one, we’ve either stayed in and watched half a movie until we fell asleep (the one right after Cheese was born), or hired a babysitter so we could go out for a few hours.

This year, however, we were invited over a friend’s house to watch the 9pm fireworks, WITH THE CHEESE. Unprecedented. Also, until this year, I would have considered it a disastrous idea. The Cheese is a terrible sleeper, as I’ve been saying since she was born. We never let her stay up late as it results in an extremely tired and cranky child the next day – making it not worth the night out.

I desperately wanted to join the party we were invited to however, and we managed to make it work by getting Cheese to take a very late afternoon nap in the car – something I usually avoid at all costs since it means her bedtime gets pushed back a few hours.

She woke, refreshed and ready to party, at around 5pm. Perfect timing.

Our wonderful friends have an apartment that has a great view of Sydney Harbour, so fireworks at their house is a truly generous invitation.

We had a lovely time pre-fireworks eating, drinking and chatting, and then eating more and more, while the Cheese busied herself making friends with all of the adults at the party. By the end of the night, they were all her new best friend, and had seen her perform “Oh Mister Sun” about a hundred times, and enjoyed a ballet recital too.

When it came time for fireworks, Cheese was excited, and was amazed at what she was seeing in the night sky (something she rarely sees actually, since we’re always home before dark).

While we were home and in bed by 10pm, it was our first New Year’s Eve actually doing something as a family, making it a really wonderful and special night for us all.

I hope you had an equally memorable night with your loved ones. I’d love to know how you celebrated, too.

Happy New Year, let’s see what 2015 brings with it!