Christine Knight, Author at Adventure, baby!

Christine Knight

Christine is the editor of Adventure, Baby!

A Perfect Day In Prospect Park, Brooklyn

August 25, 2014 / Brooklyn Bites, New York, New York Food, Prospect Heights / 0 comment

Prospect Park is an oasis of lush greenery for Brooklyn families. The park opened in 1866, and is 585-acres in size, containing Brooklyn’s only lake, a zoo (Prospect Park Zoo) and a carousel. Prospect Park makes for a great center piece to a fun family day out, and we’re here to give you the perfect itinerary.

Breakfast: Bergen Bagels
This tiny bagel shop makes fantastic bagels, fresh with a thick layer of cream cheese. Grab one to go as you’re walking up Flatbush towards the park.
Bergen Bagels: 473 Bergen St, Brooklyn

Morning Activity: Prospect Park Zoo
The Prospect Park Zoo opens at 10am. Hit up the sea lions first (daily feedings at 11:30am, 2pm and 4pm), then the barnyard animals to feed some goats and sheep, and check out if there are any new baby animals. Save the nature trail for the very end to wear everyone out before lunch.
Prospect Park Zoo: 450 Flatbush Ave, New York

Quick Pre-Lunch Activity: Prospect Park Carousel
As you’re exiting the zoo, take a spin on the carousel, newly re-opened for the season. The carousel was carved in 1912, and is one of only 12 remaining carousels created by master carousel creator Charles Carmel.
Prospect Park Carousel: Willink Entrance, Prospect Park

Franny's: kid-friendly restaurants, Prospect Heights, New York, via brunchwithmybaby.com — Tomato, Basil and Buffalo Mozzarella, $16

Lunch: Franny’s
Exit the park and take a two-block walk down Flatbush to Franny’s, a pizza restaurant committed to sustainable agriculture. All of the vegetables, fruits, eggs, dairy, and fish are largely sourced from local and/or organic producers, while all the meats at franny’s are from sustainable sources, containing no hormones or antibiotics. The pizzas are absolutely delicious. Order a no-frills Tomato, Basil and Buffalo Mozzarella and either eat in, or walk back to the park and enjoy your pie while sitting in the sun.
Franny’s: 348 Flatbush Ave, New York

Afternoon Activity: Play In Prospect Park
Right inside the entrance to the park is a huge field, where on any given day you’ll find families playing ball sports and chasing small toddlers. Bring a ball to kick around or stroll around the path to enjoy the natural beauty of the park.

Afternoon Treat: Ample Hills Creamery
A trip to Prospect Park isn’t complete without ice cream, and it doesn’t get any better than a cone of salted caramel or sweet cream and cookies from Ample Hills. The ice cream is made in small batches, using fresh, local, all-natural milk, cream and eggs from local farms. The portions are generous and reasonably priced (kids $2.75, single $4.36). Order a single cone and choose two flavors.
Ample Hills Creamery: 623 Vanderbilt Ave, Brooklyn

This article was first published on mommynearest.com.

Pancakes & Waffles: Bay Vista Dessert Bar, Brighton-Le-Sand

August 25, 2014 / Brighton-Le-Sands, Southern Sydney, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

When meeting friends who lived in opposite corners of Sydney, the most central place to meet with our three children was Brighton-Le-Sands. Bay Vista was chosen for our venue due to the delectable menu — desserts galore. We met for breakfast on one glorious winter’s day, on a quiet Tuesday morning.

Bay Vista opened in Brighton-Le-Sands in 1991 by Bill Mougios, a restauranteur who dreamed of creating a restaurant where young and old could enjoy simple treats in a casual environment. The cafe is now famous for their dessert menu, featuring ice cream, pancakes, sweet crêpes, waffles and a huge selection of cakes.

On our visit, we ordered the Strawbana Pancakes (two buttermilk pancakes with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, strawberries, banana and your choice of sauce – I chose butterscotch), Strawberry Waffles, and the Traditional Cinnamon Scroll with Canadian maple syrup. The pancakes were light and fluffy, with a huge amount of fruit. The kids shared our dishes, plus a Kids Strawberry Milkshake and Babyccino. The milkshake was a great size for kids, serves with a large straw for easier drinking. The babyccino came with two (!) marshmallow and looked like a perfect tiny coffee. Cute!

After breakfast, we took the kids right across the road to the beach. Miss E happily played in the sand for about an hour and a half with no other toy than a few sea shells and a stick. A successful outing for us all!

Last bite: A dessert heaven made for kids and adults alike. Take kids to the beach afterwards to run off their sugar-high.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: Yes.
Kids’ menu: Yes.

Bay Vista
83 The Grand Parade
Brighton-Le-Sands, NSW
Phone: (02) 9556 1727
Hours: Sun-Fri 10am-1am Sat 10am-3am

9 Baby “Lasts” I’ll Miss (And Also Celebrate)

August 24, 2014 / Family, Kids / 0 comment

So much of having a baby is about their firsts. First smile, first laugh, first crawl and first step. What we often forget is that with each “first” comes a “last.” The last time your baby will crawl, the last time they will sleep in their crib, the last time they breastfeed. These lasts are usually unexpected and often not even noticed until they’re long gone. Then, you might mourn these little moments that made your baby a baby. These are the lasts I’ll miss the most:

1. Last night in the crib

Just before age two, my kid catapulted herself out of her crib and sprained her wrist. I had been planning on keeping her in her crib until college (or at least three!) because I knew what would lie ahead—night after night of returning her to her bed and lying next to her until she fell asleep. Easy bedtime and quiet nights to ourselves were truly over.

2. Last time crawling

The turbo-charged crawler starts to pull themselves up, and suddenly you need to take childproofing to the next level in your house. The coffee table, shelves and drawers are all fair game. Soon, say goodbye to storing your breakables on table tops and bureaus, not to mention being able to cook on the stove top without worrying someone will be pulling at the pots and pans. There’s also something insanely cute about a crawling baby with their butt up in the air that I’ll miss seeing zoom around the floor.

3. Last time in the high chair

Our kid is truly done with the high chair—even if I’d prefer she wasn’t! It was so much easier having a kid contained with the tray around her to prevent a mess all over the house. Yes, it’s now easier in terms of seating at restaurants, but our house is a disaster of crumbs and fallen pieces of fruit, bread, cheese and unidentifiable half-masticated objects.

4. Last “mama”

Somehow over the past few weeks “mama” has turned into “mom,” often said like this: “Moooooooom” (and with rolled eyes). And she’s not quite three.

5. Last garbled words

She’s been calling strawberries “bubbies” for about a year, and we now call them the same name. Yesterday, she said “strawberry” for the first time and I almost cried. Does this mean I can’t call them “bubbies” anymore, too?

6. Last time changing a diaper

I won’t lie—I’ve been looking forward to this day for years! Not only is it great not to waste so much money every month on diapers, it’s also a big step for our little one in feeling like she’s finally a big girl.

7. Last time in onesies

Of all the baby outfits out there, onesies were my favorite. They go on and off super easy, have snaps to make diaper changes simple and cover the back to keep it warm, I was devastated when my girl outgrew them. Not only did I have to worry about finding bloomers for under her dresses and skirts (and keeping her back warm in cooler weather), but it was a big sign that my baby was no longer a baby.

8. Last mushing-up of food

There’s nothing fun about making multiple meals for every member in the house every day. Now that our kid eats basically the same food as us, it’s cut down my daily personal chef time by 50%. Hooray for a bit of time back!

9. Last nap

As she grew, my little one’s naps slowly dropped from all day, to three, to two and then one. And now…none. I miss naps like nothing else! Those precious quiet hours during the middle of the day have been replaced with entertaining a toddler who wants to keep on playing while you’d prefer to be eating lunch, watching Netflix or doing laundry.

This article first appeared on MommyNearest.com

The Best Pastries In Town; Adriano Zumbo Cafe, Rozelle, Sydney

August 20, 2014 / Inner West, Rozelle, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

If it’s possible you haven’t heard of Adriano Zumbo until now, you’ve been missing out on the best pastry chef in Sydney’s amazingly creative desserts and macarons that the rest of Sydney have been raving about (and lining up for!) for years.

Zumbo is a country boy from Coonamble. He opened his first shop in Balmain in 2007, where the sugared-up locals couldn’t get enough of his unique pastries.

My own love affair with Zumbo’s pastries began many many years ago, back when the Zumbo cafe was on Darling street. It was teeny tiny and filled with desserts beyond my imagination. I was such a fan that Alec hired the cafe for my 30th birthday and treated all of my friends to a decedent afternoon tea. Fastforward past the MasterChef croquembouche season that made Zumbo a household name, and now he’s is so well known that you’d be hard pressed to go to any of Zumbo’s cafes or bakeries and not have to queue for a tasty morsel.

I absolutely love The Lab, the Zumbo cafe on Terry street in Rozelle. It has a bit of seating in the back thanks to some benches and stools, and sells lots savories like delectable quiches, pies, sausages rolls and sourdough loaves as well as the tarts, bar cakes, pastries and macarons that Zumbo is famous for. The cafe doesn’t have the full range of desserts (head to the Darling st Balmain bakery for that), but I prefer it so we can sit down, order a coffee and a babyccino, and eat the food the way Zumbo intended — which is very quickly after it was created.

There is in fact a sign in the cafe/bakery warning customers to eat their goodies pretty quickly. They don’t stand up to temperature changes and are very delicate, so it’s not uncommon to get your prized pastry home and open it to find it’s been smushed thanks to carless transportation.

While you’re lining up or sitting and eating, be sure to peer through the large viewing window and watch the chefs whip up the delicious creations which are then delivered to the Zumbo stores daily.

Finger bun is my favourite macaron (or “Zumbaron”!). It actually tastes like the best finger bun you’ve ever eaten.

Babyccino to go!

Last bite: Your best bet in Sydney for pastries. Wear loose pants and prepare to indulge.

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

Jacques Torres
114 Terry St,
Rozelle
Phone: (02) 9810 7318
Prices: $$$
Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-4pm Sat & Sun 8am-4pm
Get Directions

The Four Things You Need To Know About Newborns

August 20, 2014 / Kids / 0 comment

The Only Four Things You Need To Know About Newborns via akissgoodnight.co

I’ll never forget those first torturous months of parenthood. Second guessing every decision I made, Googling everything from “swaddle too tight?” to “dropped iphone on babys head”. My complete lack of confidence in my parenting ability made me seek advice from any source possible. I read every book from The Happiest Baby On The Block to The New Basics, and found so many opposing ideas on every part of baby’s life that I was left paralyzed with confusion as what to do with this new, screaming, red-faced creature.

Fast-forward to almost three years later. With a toddler who managed to survive despite my lack of parenting skills, I feel vastly more confident around babies. When friends who are about to have a new baby come to me with questions, my best advice comes down to these four, simple points:

1. You can’t spoil a baby

Does this sound familiar? “Don’t hold the baby all day or it will get used to it and won’t go to sleep by itself”, “Feed the baby every four hours from birth” (ignoring all the wailing in between). Great advice given to new parents by people who don’t have to live with their newborn baby. “You’re spoiling the baby!” My feeling is that life with a newborn is hard enough without trying to persuade him/her that it doesn’t want what it wants. The one thing that made life easier for me was realizing that this tiny new creature had NO IDEA where it was or what it was supposed to be doing in this brand new life. The baby was confused, scared and needed me. So that’s what I did – I gave the baby what it needed to make both our lives as easy and pleasant as possible. I held, fed, and slept on-demand for those first few months while baby was adjusting to life on the outside. There is plenty of time for feeding and sleep schedules in the coming months. How about we all just focus on getting through each day as best we can for those first, hard months?

2. Do what you need to do

Mothers have so much pressure put on them to do what’s right for the baby, even if this is completely opposed to what’s best for the mother. If we all remember that we’re all doing the best we can and stop judging each other, it’s much easier for moms to put their own health and wellbeing as a priority, and do whatever they need to do to survive. This might mean bottle or formula feeding. It might mean taking a break and getting a sitter, or even going somewhere overnight to just get a full nights sleep. Whatever you need to survive, that’s what’s best for your baby.

3. When you’re at breaking point, get help

Those moms who look like they’ve got it all together? Secret: they’re probably putting on a really good front. Being a first-time mom is so hard, even if some women make it look easy. If you’re struggling, miserable, lonely, depressed – get help. It does not mean you’re not a good mother if you need help – it actually makes you a smart mama. If you don’t have friends or family nearby to listen, lend a hand, take the baby, or take you out for wine when you need a break, then hire help if possible. Don’t struggle alone thinking it makes you a failure if you’re not coping. We’ve all been there and felt like we couldn’t make it another hour let alone another day.

4. Enjoy the good parts

I had such a difficult baby that I absolutely HATED it when people told me to “enjoy every moment”, particularly when most of her early moments were pure misery for me. I suggest enjoying the moments that are great, and trying to survive the rest. Do not feel guilty if you don’t enjoy every single moment. Yes your baby will grow super fast, and yes these moments are precious. They can also be super hard, particularly in the beginning, when every day seems to stretch into eternity. And you know, life in general isn’t amazing and enjoyable every second of every day – even for non-parents. So take the pressure off. If you can enjoy and cherish a part of each day, I’d say you’re doing pretty well.

Disclaimer: I am not a baby expert. Not by a long shot. This is just what worked for me. Good luck new mama, I’m rooting for you!

This article first appeared on Mommynearest.com

The Ways Having A Baby Has Changed My Marriage (For Better and Worse)

August 20, 2014 / Family, Kids / 0 comment

Ways My Marriage Changed Post-Baby via akissgoodnight.co

I naively thought that having a baby would be super romantic. That we would catch each other’s eyes over our blissfully sleeping baby’s head and smile lovingly at each other. I thought having a baby would bring my husband and I even closer together, but the reality is so much more complicated than I had imagined it would be. Having a baby certainly changed our marriage, in ways that are both good and bad.

1. We want to spend any free time alone

At the end of the day, pre-baby, I used to look forward to eating dinner together, snuggling on the couch, and curling up to watch a movie. After spending all day and often all night with our baby however, all each of us wants is time to ourselves. My husband loves playing computer games to shoot his stress out, and I love eating chocolate and watching The Bachelor (no judgement, please!).

2. Every parent for themselves

Especially in that first year with our difficult baby, my husband and I were both so exhausted and sleep deprived that we just didn’t care how the other person felt. We were doing everything we could individually to survive, often at the detriment of the other person. “Sure, you are tired, but hey, I’m MORE tired” is how we were feeling. It become a competition as to who was the most tired, the most frustrated, the most in need of a break. Thankfully as our child got older, we started to work together as a team.

3.Emotions are heightened

Pre-baby, it’s much easier to deal with annoyances from your partner. He doesn’t take the garbage out, not a big deal. Your tolerance level for things is generally a lot higher, so there’s less arguing and bickering. Take away your sleep and time to yourself, and suddenly the smallest, most inconsequential things can make you snap. Stupid things cause epic fights, like “you ate the last of the chocolate!”

Ways My Marriage Changed Post-Baby via akissgoodnight.co

4. Time together is scarce

I kind of figured that once Baby came along we would have less time together, but it just didn’t dawn on me until she actually arrived and we brought her home that we would never be able to go out alone again unless we planned in advance and organised it with babysitters. Good bye spontaneity, and also basically the end of dinners out alone. When factoring in the cost of a babysitter to a meal, it suddenly became so expensive to go out for dinner that we would only splurge for birthdays and anniversaries.

5. Your conversations change

Pre-baby, you might have discussed intellectual things like climate change and politics over dinner. Post baby, our conversations are all about poop. Even three years on, it’s still all about poop.

6. He looks at you in an entirely different way

After having a baby, you reach a new level of intimacy with your partner. They’ve seen things they might wish they hadn’t, but have also seen you exposed, vulnerable, and powerful as you give birth to their child. Your relationship can’t ever be the same again as they’ve witnessed your literal transformation into becoming a mother.

Ways My Marriage Changed Post-Baby via akissgoodnight.co

7. You’re tied together forever

Sure, beforehand you said vows to be together forever, but having a baby solidifies that you really will be in each others’ lives forever, no matter what. It’s an added incentive to make your marriage work, and an achievement you’ve accomplished together. Creating a person! The baptism of fire that is childbirth and then raising a child! With this new parenting gig, you really are in this together forever.

8. Priorities change

If I’m really honest, my priorities before baby came along were still pretty focussed on myself. My husband was my priority because being with him made me happy – meaning I was still my own main priority. Having a baby threw both of our priorities out the window. Our child is now our first priority – both of our first priority, which really strengthens our marriage and feeling of being a team.

9. The love you have for each other changes

We might not go out on dates much anymore, or do many “romantic” things (right now, my husband watching the child so I can go to a yoga class is so romantic), but our love for each other is actually stronger than ever before. It’s just different. That giddy feeling has been replaced by a deep respect. I look at my husband and I am blown away by what an amazing father he is. I’m in awe of the love he shows our daughter, the patience and kindness, even when she’s being incredibly difficult. I had no idea before we had a baby that I could love a man even more after seeing how he loved someone else.

Photos by Vincent Lai, Saving Grace Photography, Bridget Eldridge Photography.
This article first appeared on Mommynearest.com

Artisanal Chocolate & Exquisite Tea: MarieBelle Cacao Bar and Tea Parlor in SoHo, New York

August 18, 2014 / Manhattan Munchies, New York Food, SoHo / 0 comment

What started as a small collection of rare and delicate chocolates and confectionary in 2000 is now a thriving high-end chocolate bar, tea parlor and retail store. MarieBelle‘s creator, Maribel, grew up around cocoa fields in Honduras, which inspired in her a passion for chocolate. Maribel is both a chef and designer — each skill on display in her beautiful tea parlor and store — from the exquisite chocolate pieces on display in the store, to the rich European-inspired styling of the salon. With glittering crystal lights, antique furnishings and deep brown and gold panelling in the parlor, a trip to MarieBelle is a delight to all the senses.

Entering from the street, we walked through the retail store to the cafe in the back for a sit-down tea service. Friendly staff greeted our party, which included one rowdy toddler (bull, meet china shop!). Our waitperson clearly liked children, and made us feel extremely welcome despite our pint-sized companion constantly wriggling in and out of her fancy chair. Luckily, we came for quick treats (rather than a tea service), and there are few things that keep my toddler sitting still like an iced chocolate drink. Chocolate is the speciality here, and when ordering a hot or ice chocolate, you can choose from various chocolate flavors.

Since I have a mild palate, I went with the classic Ice Chocolate (you can also choose flavors like Aztec or Spicy, as seen in the photo below). Alec ordered a simple tea, which arrived in a beautiful silver tea set, and we ordered a madeline for E (her favorite treat) and a caramel crème brulee to share. As you would expect from a speciality tea and chocolate cafe, everything was delicious. The ice chocolate was not too sweet, and the crème brulee was a twist on the traditional kind, with a caramel base and crème on top. Before leaving the cafe, be sure to wander through the retail store and take home a few chocolates for later. While some of the MarieBelle chocolates are sold in speciality stores elsewhere, some of the creations are only available from the store in SoHo.

Last Bite: Bring little chocolate-lovers for an especially sweet outing.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Minimal — bring an umbrella stroller or carrier.
Easy access: No. There are a few steep steps to get in.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

MarieBelle
484 Broome St.
New York, NY
Phone: (212) 925 6999
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon-Thur 11am-7pm, Fri-Sun 11am-8pm
Get Directions

Pasta and Gelato at Bar Italia; Kid-Friendly Cafes, Leichhardt, Sydney

August 18, 2014 / Inner West, Leichhardt, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

It’s impossible to lunch in Leichhardt and NOT sample some great Italian cuisine, right? That’s what I thought. Not being locals, we didn’t know where to dine — lucky for us, friends who had recently moved into the area introduced us to Bar Italia, a classic Italian diner-style restaurant. Bar Italia is famous for being serving home-style pasta and delicious gelato in a no-frills environment. Order at the counter, pay in cash only, and look out for the sign that boasts “no skim, no soy, no light, just milk”.

Bar Italia opened on Norton St in 1952, and is still the same old-fashion eatery that helped introduce conservative Australians to Italian food and coffee culture. The menu rarely changes, serving the same simple, traditional and tasty Italian fare and mouth-watering gelato in flavours like tiramisu and pistachio that made them a favourite among the local community.

Our group ordered a variety of dishes, like the Canneloni with spinach and ricotta ($15.50) and the Bacon and Eggs with mushrooms and fried tomatoes on toast ($8). Little E enjoyed her own babyccino and toast, plus sampling my canneloni.

Our meals arrived quickly. After lunch, we had to try the gelato. E requested mango, while I tried the toblerone. For $3 each, we received a huge cone of gelato. I did actually request two kid-sized cones, so I’d love to see how big the full-sized ones were.

The gelato was everything it was promised to be. The mango was tart, the toberlone creamy with specks of what I think might have been nougat. Whatever it was, the gelato was absolutely delicious.

After lunch, we walked a block north to Pioneer’s Memorial Park for E to run off the gelato. The playground is a good size with a variety of fun elements, like a large sand area, a water feature and basket swing. Hours of fun.

Last bite: Traditional Italian cuisine in a family-friendly environment.

Highchairs: No.
Stroller storage: Yes – room for strollers.
Easy access: No. Two steps.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

Bar Italia
171 Norton St,
Leichhardt
Phone: (02) 9560 9981
Prices: $$
Hours: Daily 9:30am-11pm
Get Directions

Buckle Up: Car Seat Safety For Kids

August 11, 2014 / News, Sydney, Sydney Life / 0 comment

When you’re out and about in Sydney, chances are you’re going to be doing it in a car. Even though we whine about the traffic, it’s still the favoured transportation method of most people (hey, like us!).

After you have kids, everything that seemed simple suddenly required a new learning curve to get right with your baby. Jumping in the car when you have a baby suddenly means installing a car seat.

If you’re anything like me, this is a foreign and daunting task. I have absolutely no idea how to put our car seat in and out of the car, and, to be honest, my husband’s not entirely sure either. We follow the instruction manuals and do our best, but we end up buckling it in and then wiggling it around, wondering if we’d put it in there correctly.

And we’re certainly not alone! It turns out that two in three car seats are not used properly, putting children at risk every time they’re taken for a drive in the car. Scary, isn’t it? Aren’t you just wondering if your child is in one of these two our of three car seats? I certainly am, which is why I have been checking out the new Transport for NSW’s website, childcarseats.com.au for expert advice.

The site gives info such as: car seats that have been scientifically tested for crash safety and ease of use, and gives star ratings so you can pick the best car seat for your child based on their height, age and weight.

You can also get tips on how to fit and use car seats correctly, and helps you locate your closet authorised fitting station, so you can get expert help if you need it.

Some tips that I found particularly helpful:

1. Parents should regularly check their seat is correct for their child’s age and size. It sounds obvious, but 50% of parents are not using the correct seat for their child (exactly — off I go to double check our seat!).
2. Check the straps aren’t twisted. (I’m guilty of this one.) The harness straps should be straight and in flat contact with the child.
3. Height is the most important factor when choosing a car seat. The new Child Car Seats site helps you choose the right seat, prioritising a child’s height over age and weight.

You can get more information on what type of car seat your child needs for their height, age and size and tips on installing and checking car seats at childcarseats.com.au

Happy Birthday To Me! A kid-free weekend in the Hunter Valley

August 11, 2014 / Australia, Family, Hunter Valley, Sydney Life, Travel / 2 Comments

This year, there was only one thing I wanted for my birthday – a break. Mum and Dad very kindly agreed to watch Cheese for the weekend so Alec and I could have a few nights to relax. Our first kid-free weekend in three years!

We drove up to the Hunter Valley for the getaway. I booked us a room at the Spicers Vineyard Estate – a beautiful little retreat in Pokolbin. Our room was large, with a fireplace and spa. Our package included two breakfasts and a dinner in their restaurant, Botanica, and complimentary minibar.

The property is set in 25 acres of vineyard and bush, and we took a leisurely stroll around the boundary each evening at dusk. Which, by the way, is the perfect time to see the wild kangaroo families as they come out.

During our stay in the Hunter we dropped by the Pokolbin Chocolate And Jam Company, the Smelly Cheese Shop, two of the Hunter Valley Chocolate Company locations and two wineries: Tempus Two and Audrey Wilkinson.

I adore moscato, and chose these wineries based on their production of the sweet wine of my choice. The Audrey Wilkinson cellar door is a bit off the main track, but worth the extra drive. St up high on a hill, the view out over the wine country is spectacular.

Hunter Valley Muse Restaurant via akissgoodnight.co — Muse Restaurant

Since we were child-free, we indulged in a LOT of food, including two dinners out: Muse Restaurant on my birthday, and Restaurant Botanica the following night. Muse was the perfect restaurant for a fancy, special night out. It was like a fine dining establishment in the city. Delicious creative dishes (I had a kale risotto with winter vegetables), with a friendly, relaxed vibe.

Restaurant Botanica was more relaxed, and perfect for a Sunday night dinner. The food was simpler and perfectly prepared. After the previous day of rich, complicated food, the elegant and slightly more traditional fare at Botanica was exactly what our stomaches craved. Dessert was donuts and cinnamon ice cream. Absolutely a treat.

The last mention on our food extravaganza is Sabor In The Hunter, a dessert bar that popped up while we were away. For lunch (!) one day, Alec and I indulged in the Medley Tasting Plate, which included Opera slice, Mini Lemon Curd meringue in a sweet pastry, Strawberry mousse & mixed berry compote topped with Strawberry, Mini Gianduja layers and a caramelised nut triangle tart. Indulgence complete.

The really great thing about the weekend was being able to spend time with Alec and just take a breath. We talked more than we’ve talked in years, and had energy to focus on each other for the first time in what felt like forever.

Spicers Hunter Valley via akissgoodnight.co — In-room breakfast at Spicers

The three days/two nights was the longest I’ve spent away from Cheese so far. We called in regularly and spoke with her and my mum – she was absolutely happy and chirpy the whole time, running my parents off their feet while charming them simultaneously. When we arrived back home I felt like I had more energy to spend on her than I usually would, the break away really refreshing me.

So it was pretty much a perfect birthday.