Christine Knight, Author at Adventure, baby!

Christine Knight

Christine is the editor of Adventure, Baby!

Egyptian Mummies: Exploring Ancient Lives at the MAAS

March 7, 2017 / Indoor Play, Museums, Sydney, Sydney Life, Uncategorized / 0 comment

One of the most defining moments of my childhood was a trip we took when I was nine to Egypt. It was amazing. I will never forget seeing the pyramids and sphinx in Giza, and learning about their ancient world became an obsession I’ve never managed to shake.

I was thrilled to see the Powerhouse Museum’s new exhibition for autumn is Egyptian Mummies: Exploring Ancient Lives because, let’s be honest, it’s not so easy to pop over to Egypt to teach your kids about these kinds of things.

The exhibition is really best for kids aged 7+ but I would also say it depends on the kid. We saw children with their families of all ages enjoying it, so I would advise making a judgement call on your own circumstances.

Egyptian Mummies: Exploring Ancient Lives is on display until 30 April 2017, making it a perfect outing in the upcoming school holidays. The exhibition gives visitors the chance to meet six ancient Egyptian mummies and see how the latest technology has enabled us to go beyond the wrappings and discover the lives and customs of these people from the past.

The six mummies were selected from the British Museum collection. They lived and died in Egypt between 1800 and 3000 years ago – the information gathered on their lives is on display alongside their 3D CT scan visualisations allowing visitors to not just view for themselves the amazing end result of mummification, but also see what lies underneath – and fully appreciate the whole mummification process.

Through the exhibition visitors will learn about the lives of regular people in ancient Egypt. What is the mummification process? What were their beliefs? What do the symbols in their artworks and on their coffins mean? Quite simply, it’s all fascinating.

I would suggest visiting the exhibition with kids on a Sunday for the museum’s Egyptian Mummies: Family Sundays.

Each Sunday in March, from 10am–4pm, kids can enjoy ancient Egypt through a fantastic kids play area complete with a dig zone, building area, oasis for reaching and craft area. During the school holidays the dig zone will be open every day.

On an upper level you’ll find Senet, what is possibly the world’s first board game, recreated for you to have a go. It looks kind of like chess, ancient Egyptian-style.

You might even come across a mummy or pharaoh wandering around the museum.

More information about the Egyptian Mummies exhibition:

The presentation of this exhibition is a collaboration between the British Museum and the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences.

Visitors are advised that this exhibition contains human remains and CT scan images of mummified human remains.

Strollers must be parked at the cloaking desk on level 3 of the Museum prior to entering the exhibition.

Prices: Adult $27, Concession $25, Child (4–16) $16, Family (2 adults and 2 children or 1 adult and 3 children) $65.

Pre-book online now and save.

Tickets include general admission to Powerhouse Museum.

Powerhouse Museum
The Egyptian Mummies family activities are free with museum admission.
500 Harris St, Ultimo NSW 2007

Thank you to the Powerhouse Museum for our entry tickets. All opinions are our own.

The Wiggles Exhibition at the Powerhouse Museum: An Update

March 6, 2017 / Indoor Play, Museums, Sydney, Sydney Life / 0 comment

We had an incredibly fun day at the Powerhouse Museum checking out the changes to our favourite Wiggles Exhibition.

The exhibition has been closed for a while while it was being “updated”, and was reopened over the weekend to the public.

You can read my original post on the Wiggles Exhibition here. Basically the update was a much-needed renovation that focuses the exhibit on the current Wiggles rather than the previous ones. The exhibition now focuses on the four current Wiggles, Anthony, Simon, Lachy and Emma in the front section, with mentions of the original Wiggles through out the museum.

The popular interactive features of the exhibit have all remained, with the screening section expanded to look like a stage for all the little Wiggles fan to dance.

A few other items have been moved around to create more space in various areas, but otherwise remain as they were before.

The update is fantastic for kids who are growing up with the Wiggles right now, while still containing plenty of information on their origins and achievements.

Powerhouse Museum
500 Harris St, Ultimo
Hours: Daily, 10am-5pm
Prices: Adults $15, children 16 and under free.
Online

Thank you to the Powerhouse Museum for entry tickets. We love the museum and all opinions are our own.

Kings Park & Botanic Garden: The Best of Perth, Western Australia

March 3, 2017 / Australia, Perth, Travel, Western Australia / 1 Comment

Let your wild thing roam free at Kings Park, a 4.06-square-kilometre park on the western edge of Perth’s CBD.

You could easily spend a whole day or even more in the park, there’s so much to see and do.

Fraser Avenue Precinct Venues
Enter the park via Fraser Avenue and pull over at the car park near the entrance to enjoy a short walk that takes visitors to the State War Memorial and Western Australian Botanic Garden entrance. You’ll also get stunning views of the Swan and Canning Rivers, the city skyline and the Darling Ranges.

Western Australian Botanic Garden
The place to explore more than 3,000 species of native flora, most of which are found nowhere else on the planet.

Rio Tinto Naturescape Kings Park
A place for children to connect with nature and to learn to appreciate the unique Western Australian environment.

Synergy Parkland
Our favourite part of the park, Synergy Parkland is a recreation area for the entire family. The area features expansive lawns for picnics, dinosaur-era themed play equipment and the Zamia Cafe. We also saw plenty of ducks on the pond (including babies!). With public bathroom facilities and plenty of shade, this is a popular park for families to enjoy.

More info on Kings Park.

Get Directions

Capturing Holiday Memories with Blurb Photo Books

February 22, 2017 / Photography / 3 Comments

If you’re anything like me you take fifty billion photos when you’re on holidays, and then find yourself sorting through them later, somewhat regretting your happy snappy fingers, and never getting around to actually printing anything.

While I’m guilty of never enlarging any of the images to put on our walls or even the fridge, I absolutely always make photo books. I’ve been using several companies over the years, including Momento, Albumworks and Blurb. I used Momento for my wedding album and Albumworks for a few year books to give them a test drive, and, while I found these two to be extremely high quality (the best quality really), they are both also pretty expensive and also don’t have as easy customisation as Blurb does.

As a result I’ve been using Blurb the most lately to make my photo books, even though the quality is *quite* as good, it’s still really high and I’ve been happy with the results. They’re a fantastic company to easily make custom photo books either quickly online through their basic tool, or through the downloadable Bookwright software that I use, which gives me incredible control over the books from the layouts to adding text.

Blurb often has amazing sales too, so I usually will create a book and let it sit on my hard drive until I see a great sale, then upload it and print the book at the sale price.

Due to storage issues, once you upload a book to Blurb you have to print it within 15 days or the book is deleted. Once you buy a book, however, it remains in your account so if you damage or lose one (which I have done many a time) you can easily re-order one.

I make several photo books a year, including a year book that includes all of our miscellaneous photos of events and random candids, plus designated trip books, plus a birthday book for Cheese.

Using the Bookwright software I choose the type and style of book that I want, import photos from my hard drive and drag and drop the images into the templates. It’s that easy.

Once I’ve finished the book it’s uploaded to the Blurb server and I complete my order online. I add in my preferences and info to the check out and thats it, the book is on its way.

I get really excited when the books arrive in the mail. We love looking over them together, particularly the little one as well as my parents. It’s a great way for us to connect talking about our trip and to jog our daughter’s memory to help her tell her grandparents what we’ve been up to. I also love looking back on the books through the years and find this a lot easier way to view the important memories rather than sifting through files on a computer.

If you want to try making your own Blurb photo book you can use my link to get you started.

Please note that I am a Blurb affiliate, which means if you make a book through them I will receive a small commission as a referral fee. I am recommending Blurb because I have been using them for years and really enjoy the process and product. Thanks so much for supporting me and my blog!

Fremantle: The Best of Perth, Western Australia

February 20, 2017 / Australia, Perth, Travel, Western Australia / 5 Comments

A port city that’s traditionally known for its maritime history, gorgeous Victorian architecture and remnants of the past, “Freo” is also the arts hub of Perth.

While Fremantle is our top choice of where to stay when visiting Perth, if you only have a day or two free to visit the area, you absolutely must make time to see these top four spots.

Fremantle Prison
WA’s only UNESCO world heritage-listed building has to be top of the list. Spend a few hours reliving the past on a tour: choose between “Doing Time”, “Great Escapes”, “Tunnels Tour”. “Torchlight Tour” and the “Arts Tour”. Make sure to drop by the Visitors Centre for an up close look at what life in the prison was like – on display are artefacts of punishment and reform, actual footage of prison life and informational panels depicting the prison’s history, riots, punishment and reform programs. Have you ever wondered if you have a convict in your family tree? Now’s the chance to find out: search for your convict ancestors on the convict database.

Fremantle Prison, 1 The Terrace, Fremantle,
9am – 5pm, 7 days a week (Closed Good Friday & Xmas day)

Cappuccino Strip
The place to see and be seen in Perth, the strip (also called “South Terrace” if you’re looking for it on your car navigator) is home to many cafes, restaurants and pubs, famous for it’s Italian origins and the state’s best coffee. Shop the locally made designer clothing stores, pick up a gift and browse books in this atmospheric part of town.

If you have a little one who believes in magic, be sure to visit The Picked Fairy shop. We loved it so much we went back twice!

Get Directions

Fremantle Markets
This busy indoor market dates back to 1897. It’s completely free to enter the markets to wander through the with stalls selling food, local produce, clothes and handicrafts. You’ll find a variety of food and good produced by locals – we found beautiful photography and artworks, fresh ripe fruit and delicious popcorn and chocolate. The atmosphere is lively thanks to the live music often playing inside.

Fremantle Markets, South Terrace & Henderson St, Fremantle
Hours: The Yard Friday 8am-8pm, Saturday, Sunday and Monday public holidays 8am-6pm. The Hall Friday 9am-8pm, Saturday, Sunday and Monday public holidays 9am-6pm.

WA Shipwrecks Museum
Inside a restored 1850s-era commissariat building lives the foremost maritime archaeology museum in the southern hemisphere. The galleries contain hundreds of relics from ships wrecked along WA’s treacherous coastline, including the original timbers from the Batavia (wrecked in 1629) and countless artefacts from the Dutch shipwrecks Zuytdorp, Zeewijk and Vergulde Draeck.

WA Shipwrecks Museum, 45 Cliff St, Fremantle
Hours: Open daily, 9:30am-5pm (except certain public holidays)

More info on Fremantle.

Elizabeth Quay: The Best of Perth, Western Australia

February 20, 2017 / Australia, Perth, Travel, Western Australia / 1 Comment

A brand new area on Perth’s waterfront, Elizabeth Quay is in the process of becoming a vibrant destination for tourists with activities for people of all ages. Take a ride on the gorgeous traditional, handcrafted Venetian carousel, walk across the Elizabeth Quay bridge to the new maritime inspired playground Island Playground, or cool down with a run through the BHP Billiton Water Park.

Before heading home, grab lunch at a nearby restaurant, try a delicious scoop of Gusto Gelato and pose beneath the 8-story-high “Spanda” sculpture.

More info on Elizabeth Quay.

Get Directions

Cottesloe Beach, Perth, Western Australia

February 20, 2017 / Australia, Perth, Travel, Western Australia / 3 Comments

The most iconic of Perth’s city beaches, Cottesloe is also one of it’s most popular. Located midway between the Perth central business district and the port of Fremantle in Perth’s western suburbs, it’s only a 15 minute drive from the city centre. Located directly on a train line and equiped with bathrooms, cafes and plenty of shady trees, Cottesloe is the perfect beach to while away the day on.

We loved the beach’s clean white sand and beautiful clear turquoise water, and particularly the grassed areas behind the beach with plenty of tall pine trees for shade. A short walk around the rock line gives a fantastic view of the striking art-deco Indiana Teahouse building that is a Cottesloe landmark featured on many post cards and tourist brochures.

More info on Cottesloe Beach.

Get Directions

The Picnic, Burwood: Kid-Friendly Restaurants, Sydney

February 19, 2017 / Burwood, Inner West, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

The Picnic at Burwood is a whimsical elevation of the humble outdoor dining experience. The outdoor cafe is located inside a pavilion in a park in Burwood, a few metres from a large, fenced in playground. The location is a big part of the appeal for families and has lead to its popularity among with parents who like great food, but who have small kids who like to swing on things.

Another drawcard is picnic-inspired design, with a white and yellow colour scheme and plenty of greenery through out the gazebo. It feels like al fresco dining in Europe, yet is a stones through from a huge Westfields, in the middle of suburban Sydney.

The Picnic doesn’t take bookings on weekends, so expect to wait around 30 minutes in peak times. Arrive early for a shorter wait time. We turned up at 10am, were told there would be a 15 minutes wait for our party of 3, but our table was ready five minutes later. Don’t be turned off by given a lengthy wait time – you’ll be put on their waitlist and send an SMS when your table is ready, meaning you can head up to the playground and let your kids run their steam off before their meal, which is a win in my book.

If you don’t fancy waiting at all, you can borrow a picnic rug and order food from the kiosk.

The menu is broken up into Breakfast (until 12pm) and Lunch (from 12pm). We are in time for brekkie and order the Pavlova Hotcake ($18.50, soft pancake with house made coconut crumble, berries, meringue, lemon curd, passionfruit cream and mango sorbet), Super Breakfast Bowl ($21.50, dukkah poached egg with quinoa tabouli, kale, avocado, shredded carrot, cucumber, pickled cabbage, edamame beans and sweet potato, served with organic sprouted bread), from the kids’ breakfast menu The Bear ($7, bear-shaped toast with banana and blueberries and your choice of peanut butter, butter, Nutella or Vegemite), Kids’ Size Classic Shake ($5, choice of chocolate, vanilla, strawberry or banana).

The husband orders a coffee, which takes the longest because it’s an incredibly busy coffee day, apparently, our server apologises profusely. It’s no matter because our food arrives quickly and the coffee arrives as a dessert for hubby to happily sip as our daughter is entertained by colouring in.

This cafe is an Instagram dream with it’s beautifully presented dishes and bright natural light. Thankfully the meals are not just pretty – they’re delicious. The food vanishes and the plates are clean. It’s thoughtfully designed not just for a pretty photo but to satisfy their diners’ hunger, too.

The Picnic ticks every box for us, and is sure to become one of our favourite cafes in Sydney.

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

The Picnic Burwood
Burwood Rd & Park Ave,
Burwood NSW
Prices: $$
Hours: Tue-Sun 8am-4pm. Closed Mondays.
Get Directions

Burnt Orange, Mosman: Sydney’s Best High Teas

February 19, 2017 / Mosman, North Shore, Sydney, Sydney Food / 1 Comment

“Under certain circumstances there are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.” Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady, 1880.

The above inscription inside the menu at Burnt Orange could not describe our afternoon any more perfectly. High tea is one of my favourite guilty pleasures that I love to indulge in with friends and family to celebrate basically every occasion possible – in this case, it was a baby shower for a friend.

Burnt Orange is a cafe known for it’s delicious food and stunning views from the wraparound verandah. It’s a popular place for celebrating special occasions, and it’s common to see groups of hens or baby showers on the verandah taking in the view with a delectable high tea offering.

High tea is served from 3:30pm onwards. The cafe closes at 5:30pm on weekends, so the only time slot is actually 3:30-5:30.

Each member of the party was served their own large tea pot that gave around 3 full cups of tea. The tea menu was on the basic side compared to some high tea venues, but it still included all the popular favourites like English Breakfast and Earl Grey, as well as options such as Orange Pekoe (which we all chose), Organic Berry and Russian Caravan.

The food is the focus at Burnt Orange, and we found the high tea to be a perfect size for mid afternoon tea – a great mix of savoury and sweet without being cloyingly sugary.

Savoury
Pumpkin & goats cheese tart with carrot jam
smoked salmon on brioche with avruga caviar and herb ricotta
Poached chicken & tarragon on Avoca brown bread

Freshly baked scones with homemade jams and cream

Sweet
Salted caramel and chocolate tart
Moroccan orange & almond cake with sugared almonds
Classic lemon tart with blueberries & cream

As the token vegetarian I was served the same tea with a different sandwich option – a really delicious vegetable medley on its own plate.

The food was of the high quality one expects from a venue such as this. The sandwiches were fresh, the scone a good size and fluffy inside, a delicious jam and thick cream, plus the perfect amount of deserts with a variety of flavours. I really enjoyed how different each was – a tart lemon, a salted caramel combined with dark chocolate and an orange cake. The perfect flavour combination.

The tea is reasonably priced at $40 per person. An additional $10 for a glass of bubbly.

High tea is available by reservation only, and a deposit must be paid over the phone equal to 50% of the booking. Deposit is refundable for cancellations made up to 24 hours prior to scheduled booking.

A 10% surcharge applies on weekends and public holidays.

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

Burnt Orange
1109 Middle Head Rd,
Mosman NSW 2088
Phone: 02 9969 1020
Prices $$$
Hours: Daily 8:30am-5:30pm
Get Directions

The Best Things To Do In Perth With Kids

February 14, 2017 / Australia, Perth, Travel, Western Australia / 2 Comments

Perth, capital of Western Australia, is a laid back city with lots for the whole family to enjoy. From the gorgeous weather to the stunning beaches, natural beauty and cosmopolitan city centre, there are plenty of things to do in Perth with kids.

The Best Things To Do In Perth With Kids

Cottesloe Beach

The most iconic of Perth’s city beaches, Cottesloe is also one of it’s most popular. Located midway between the Perth central business district and the port of Fremantle in Perth’s western suburbs, it’s only a 15 minute drive from the city centre. Located directly on a train line and equipped with bathrooms, cafes and plenty of shady trees, Cottesloe is the perfect beach to while away the day, and is a top pick for things to do in Perth with kids.

We loved the beach’s clean white sand and beautiful clear turquoise water, and particularly the grassed areas behind the beach with plenty of tall pine trees for shade. A short walk around the rock line gives a fantastic view of the striking art-deco Indiana Teahouse building that is a Cottesloe land mark featured on many post cards and tourist brochures.

More info on Cottesloe Beach.

Rottnest Island

An absolute must when visiting Perth, Rottnest is an island off the coast of Western Australia, located 18 kilometres west of Fremantle. Take a day trip to “Rotto”, where you’ll come face-to-face with the world’s happiest animal, the quokka, swim on some of the world’s most gorgeous beaches and even spot a New Zealand fur seal or two. One day at Rottnest is never enough! Rottnest Island is a bucket list type of destination, so absolutely must be on the list of things to do in Perth with kids.

More info on the perfect day at Rottnest Island.

Elizabeth Quay

Brand new area on Perth’s waterfront, Elizabeth Quay is in the process of becoming a vibrant destination for tourists with activities for people of all ages. Take a ride on the gorgeous traditional, handcrafted Venetian carousel, walk across the Elizabeth Quay bridge to the new maritime inspired playground Island Playground, or cool down with a run through the BHP Billiton Water Park. The whole Elizabeth Quay area is a particularly great place in Perth for kids.

Before heading home, try a delicious scoop of Gusto Gelato and pose beneath the 8-story-high “Spanda” sculpture.

More info on Elizabeth Quay.

Fremantle

A port city that’s traditionally known for its maritime history, gorgeous Victorian architecture and remnants of the past, “Freo” is also the arts hub of Perth.

Visit Fremantle Prison, WA’s only UNESCO world heritage-listed building, grab a coffee from one of the many cafes on the Cappuccino strip or take a stroll through Fremantle Markets for fresh produce, food to go and baked goods, local arts and crafts and live music.

If you have a little one who believes in magic, be sure to visit The Pickled Fairy shop.

More info on Fremantle.

Kings Park & Botanic Garden

Let your wild thing roam free at Kings Park, a 4.06-square-kilometre park on the western edge of Perth’s CBD. If you’re driving through the park, pull over at the car park near the entrance to enjoy stunning views of the Swan and Canning Rivers, the city skyline and the Darling Ranges. It’s easy to spend a full day in Kings Park enjoying bush walking, the Botanic Gardens and the many children’s discovery play areas.

The highlight of Kings Park for us was Synergy Parkland, a recreation area featuring dinosaur-era themed play equipment, water play, and multiple climbing structures. There is a cafe and bathroom facilities in the park plus plenty of shade. Synergy Playground is one of the best playgrounds we have encountered, and, as a result, it absolutely should be on your list of things to do in Perth with kids.

More info on Kings Park.

Scitech

A post shared by the team at Scitech (@scitechwa) on Feb 5, 2017 at 6:01pm PST

Take future engineers and scientists to visit Scitech, an interactive science museum located in West Perth. Scitech’s programs are aimed at kids aged up to 12, with a goal “To increase awareness, interest, capability and participation by all Western Australians in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.”

More info on Scitech.

Art Gallery of Western Australia

Part of the Perth Cultural Centre, the Art Gallery of Western Australia has been educating and engaging the public since opening in 1895. The gallery runs monthly kids programming as well as school holiday activities and has a permanent interactive drawing space for families.

More info on the Art Gallery of Western Australia

Getting around

We hired a car because Perth is quite spread out. You can catch the train to get around (more info here) and in Fremantle use the free CAT bus.

Where to stay

There are numerous options for accommodation in and around Perth. I would recommend staying in Fremantle as there is plenty to do and it’s very kid-friendly, but Perth CBD is also very central. Click here for hotel prices and availability.

Heading out after dark? We are early birds but if you’re after some night life, check out these tips.