Sydney

Toilet Training Battles With The Oricom Intelligent Potty (& GIVEAWAY!)

December 15, 2014 / Family, Kids, Product Reviews, Sydney Life / 16 Comments

Potty training in our house has been a battlefield. In the one corner, a very stubborn toddler. In the other, two very weary parents who are tired of cleaning poop up off the floor.

After six long months of trying various methods to toilet train Cheese, I met the Oricom folks at a blogging event, where, after hearing our toileting woes, I was offered one of their Oricom Intelligent Potties to try.

Honest moment: I previously thought all those fancy potties with all the bells and whistles were a waste of money. I just couldn’t see how sounds and lights and princesses were needed to get a child to do their business on a toilet. I was at breaking point though and willing to try absolutely anything to help us win the potty training war.

And here’s the moment where I eat my words as my toddler falls for the fancy Intelligent Potty by Oricom. She calls it her “magic potty” and for the first time since we started this toilet training debacle, she is actually keen to use a potty.

Now, you may ask, what about this potty is so “magical” (or “intelligent”)? Basically, the Intelligent Potty is designed to keep toddlers stimulated, interested and curious. It has an ergonomic design that is comfortable for toddlers to sit on (the arm rests are great), and also for parents to clean up afterwards (everyone wins!).

The potty also has a pre-recordable sound module where you press he record button and record your personalised message (maximum 6 seconds). You can change the recording as many times as you like. My message went something like this: “Yay! Good girl, you went to the toilet!”.

When your kid sits on the potty and starts to go, they hear hear the sound of running water after 2 seconds, which encourages them to keep on going. When they’re finished and stands up, they will then hear your personalised message, followed by a child’s classic tune (10 different songs to choose from, like Twinkle Twinkle Little Star).

So yes, fancy and MAGICAL. And it’s WORKING.

Product details:

Available in Menthol (IP100MT) and Stone (IP100ST) colours.

High back support encourages correct posture and sitting position

Side support prevents slippage

Rounded edges to eliminate pinching

$ 89.95 RRP

GIVEAWAY

The kind people at Oricom are offering Adventure, Baby! readers the chance to win their very own Oricom Intelligent Potty valued at $89.95.

Entry is open to Australian mailing addresses only. Enter view the Rafflecopter widget below. The winning entry will be chosen based on the creativity of the blog comment.

The competition opens 12:01am Thursday December 17, to 11:59pm Wednesday December 24, 2014.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fashion High Tea at Sheraton On The Park: Sydney’s Best High Teas

December 15, 2014 / CBD, Sydney, Sydney Food / 2 Comments

I have an obsession with high tea. The combination of a fluffy scone, the perfect egg sandwich and tiny cakes and chocolates makes me go weak at the knees. I am forever in search for the best high teas no matter which city I’m living in.

I had a bit of a high tea hiatus for a while when Cheese was very small, but now I’m able to take a bit of time for myself here and here, I’m back on the high tea trail. Given how little time I get to spend pampering myself these days, taking the time for a leisurely high tea is now an extra special occasion.

After taking Cheese solo for a week and a half while Alec was on a work trip, I was desperate for a relaxing day with an equally exhausted friend. With our husbands watching the kids, we slipped into the elegant Sheraton On The Park and indulged ourselves for a few hours with the Sheraton’s famous Fashion High Tea.

The Sheraton holds its high teas in The Gallery Tea Lounge – an elegant, quiet space overlooking the park. You can choose from the Fashion High Tea or the high tea buffet – both are an equally good choice. On this occasion we had the Fashion High Tea because I’m a sucker for the gorgeous fashion-themed desserts that are served exclusively as part of this high tea.

An important part of the high tea experience is exceptional service, and this is where the Sheraton shines. My dear friend and I sank our weary limbs into the plush arm chairs and were waited on by the efficient and friendly staff.

After our glasses of sparkling wine landed in our hands, the three-tiered masterpiece quickly arrived next: top tier desserts, middle tier sandwiches and wraps, and bottom tier scones. Note: I’m vegetarian, so the sandwiches were altered for my servings.

I always start with sandwiches when attacking a high tea. Mine were egg mayonaise and cress on white bread, pumpkin, goat cheese and sun dried tomato wrap and a vegetable wrap. The non-vegetarian options were smoked salmon, cucumber and cream cheese on rye bread, chicken sweetcorn and dijon mustard on multigrain bread, and smoked ham, swiss cheese, grain mustard and alfalfa sprouts on a mini croissants.

The sandwiches were perfect. Fluffy bread, light and fresh fillings. Yum.

Next, scones. This high tea includes one plain and one raisin scone per person, served with strawberry jam and pure double cream. Also on this platter is warm asparagus and onion quiches.

The scones are freshly baked, and the jam a sweet punch of flavour. The mini quiche is a great mouthful of savoury pastry that makes a great break between the scones and dessert platter.

Last stop: Desserts. This plate includes lemon rind cheese cupcakes, truffle chocolate heels, strawberry cream purse and bonnet berry cake.

Also included is a choice of La Maison Du The French handcrafted tea, penelope sach organic herbal tea, vittoria espresso coffee or hot chocolate made with Lindt chocolate.

We chose from the penelope sach herbal tea range: berry for me (a rich warm and invigorating red wine tea minus the alcohol, scented with hawthorn berry, elder berry & juniper berry) and triple e for my friend (a sweet, tangy liquorice energy booster, scented with liquorice root, peppermint and fennel).

The tea pots were a generous size, giving us over three cups of tea each. Extremely delicious teas, that smelled divine and tasted just as good as their description. The teas were served with delicious butter cookies – a lovely touch.

I had a wonderful high tea at the Sheraton. It was everything this mum needed for a relaxing afternoon with a friend. A quiet space, friendly service, absolutely delicious food, not to mention great company to share it with. A highly recommended high tea for a special occasion, or just because you need a bit of RNR.

The Fashion High Tea Stand
Includes one coffee or tea per person.
$89 for two
Sparkling Tea Stand
Includes two glasses of Domain Chandon Brut.
$109 for two

The Fashion High Tea is served daily 11:30am.

Sheraton On The Park Fashion High Tea
161 Elizabeth Street,
Sydney NSW 2000
Phone: (02) 9286 6000
Prices: $$$
Get Directions

Thank you to Sheraton On The Park for hosting us.

Belrose Hotel Revamp: Kid-Friendly Pubs, Sydney

December 9, 2014 / Belrose, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

The Belrose Hotel in Sydney’s Northern Suburbs is famous for being a great, kid-friendly place to eat. The restaurant has just had a massive renovation, and we were invited to check out the new and improved Belrose Hotel at their media launch.

If you’ve already dined at the Belrose, you’ll already know about the fantastic (contained) play areas for kids – the largest indoor ‘soft-play’ playground of any of hotel in Australia, with separate infant/toddler and kids’ play areas. Parents can dine right next to the play areas and watch what their kids are getting up to through the clear walls while they eat in relative peace.

What has changed is the dining space, getting a nice face lift to lighten and brighten it up, as well as an overhaul to the menu. The food focus is now on healthier options, with dishes made from fresh, quality produce.

The Belrose also now offers full table service and the option to book your table in advance.

We sampled several dishes when we dined at the Belrose – and, for the first time in possible ever, Cheese had a menu that I also wanted to order food off. The kids’ “Little Foodies” menu has lots of delicious and nutritious options so the whole family can eat well.

Our dining choices were: the Vegetarian Gnocchi ($17 home-made corn, pea and kumara gnocchi served with a creamy mushroom and roast red pepper sauce, topped with a mini herb salad and basil oil), Chunky Chips ($6 with sea salt) Manuka Honey Infused Roast Pumpkin Salad ($15 with roast beetroot, chickpea, snow peas, pepitas, pine nuts, almonds with a cashew yoghurt) Kingfish Fillet ($28, brushed with citrus, parsley, sea salt and olive oil ), and Cheese’s dish, the Sweet Potato, Corn and Pea Gnocchi ($10, tossed in a creamy tomato sauce).

The dishes were all generously portioned, and arrived hot and freshly cooked. Cheese’s pasta dish arrived first, and then ours a bit later. The gnocchi dishes were absolutely delicious, and the picky Cheese even ate a fair amount of the gnocchi. The salad was massive and packed with good, fresh ingredients. The mains took a little while longer that I would have liked to arrive – hopefully just a teething problem, as the food was really delicious and we will absolutely be back to dine at the Belrose again.

One more family-friendly feature to mention is the baby change room and family room, so breastfeeding mums who want some privacy can duck in and relax in a comfy chair while nursing their babies. Super considerate.

The Belrose Hotel is a fantastic venue for families wanting to dine at a restaurant that caters to every member of their group. Highly recommended, check it out!

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

Belrose Hotel
5 Hews Parade,
Belrose NSW 2085
Phone: (02) 9451 8585
Prices: $
Hours: Mon-Sat 9:30am-12am, Sun 9:30am-10pm
Get Directions

Beat The Heat With Dyson Cool

December 9, 2014 / Product Reviews, Sydney, Sydney Life / 0 comment

With November days reaching 40dC and summer off to a super warm start, there’s never been a better time to be test driving a new fan. The fab folks at Dyson have released a fan that is perfect for families, which is perfect as we badly needed a new (and safe!) fan for Cheese’s bedroom.

The problem with small children like mine is that they have a tendency to test all boundaries – especially those that might maim them, such as sticking their fingers into a moving fan. For this reason alone, I was thrilled for the opportunity to try a bladeless Dyson Cool fan.

The new Dyson Cool is not only safe for crazy kids like mine, it also has a lot of other benefits, such as:

It’s quiet
Up to 75% quieter than previous models.

It’s powerful:
You’ll feel a strong blast of cool air from several feet away.

It’s easy to use
It’s so easy that Cheese can operate it by herself already. Seriously.

It has a remote control
The Dyson Cool comes with a simple remote control that lets you select one of ten airflow settings, set the sleep timer (up to nine hours), and activate the oscillation, all without lifting your butt off the couch. The remote is also magnetized to store neatly on the machine.

It’s super light weight
I can pick it up with one hand and the child in the other if I need to move both to another room.

It’s safe
Like I said before. No blades, so no cut off fingers.

It’s easy to clean
Super simple, as there are no hard to reach bits like on traditional fans.

It tilts
A simple push at the base tilts the fan backwards or forwards to direct airflow where you need it.

It’s tough
It’s pretty much toddler-proof, thanks to the destructive and endurance tests carried out at the Dyson labs. Every component is subjected to hundreds of tests to find any faults or weakness.

Technical info you need to know:

The Dyson Cool uses Air Multiplier™ technology where air is drawn in by an energy-efficient, brushless motor. Airflow is then accelerated through an annular aperture, passing over an air foil-shaped ramp, which draws in and channels its direction. This creates and projects powerful, smooth, high velocity airflow.

Materials: Dyson Cool™ fans are made from Acrylontride butadiene styrene – ABS.

Weight: (approx.)

AM06: 3.3kg
AM07: 4.6kg
AM08: 6.8kg

Guarantee: Two year parts and labour guarantee.

RRP:

AM06 Desk Fan: $449
Comes in black/nickel, iron/blue & white/silver

AM07 Tower Fan: $649
Comes in white/silver & black/nickel

AM08 Pedestal Fan: $649
Comes in white/silver

Get more info at http://www.dyson.com.au/fans.

Dyson provided me with a sample for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.

Three Williams: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Redfern

November 28, 2014 / Redfern, Sydney, Sydney Food / 4 Comments

Around the food bloggers sphere, there have been rumblings for a while about the new Redfern favourite cafe, Three Williams. We biked over to give it a shot one day and, as we were dismounting and about to chain up our bikes, the hostess comes out and asks us if we’re planning to dine with them today. When we reply that yes, we are, she asks if we’d like to bring our bikes inside so we don’t have to bother with chaining them up. Ummm, yes, please?!

The same lovely hostess shows us to a table that is right by the giant chalkboard and carpeted area very thoughtfully created with parents and little kids in mind. With extremely friendly and helpful staff and plenty of room for strollers (plus a giant ramp to get them down into the dining area), it’s no surprise that this cafe is not just a favourite with foodies, it’s also a hit with local families.

Since leaving the US I’ve been desperate for a good iced tea. Hooray for Three Williams who served up a delicious black iced tea naturally infused with apply and orange ($5).

Our lunch orders came quickly: Eggs on Toast, $11, with smashed avocado, $4, feta, $3, and roast tomato, $3, Corn Fritters, $18, with a poached egg, $3, Chips, $7, Kids’ Apple Juice, $3.50.

I didn’t realise that the avocado would come with raw onion in it, and when I was removing it from my dish, our waitperson noticed, asked immediately if anything was wrong, and then offered to have a fresh one made for me. I declined since the amount of food I ordered was insane, and my husband wanted the avocado with onion, and instead was quickly brought fresh toast.

The food was all delicious. Perfect eggs, creamy feta, crispy chips. I could absolutely see why my Facebook page is full of people raving about their love of Three Williams.

What really made Three Williams stand out for me was the amazing service. I’ve rarely had such an above and beyond experience at a cafe, as well as feeling so welcome with my high energy toddler. I can’t recommend this cafe highly enough. We will be back regularly to our nee neighbourhood favourite.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: No.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: Not exactly, but a lot of the food is suitable for kids.

Three Williams
613a Elizabeth St,
Redfern NSW 2016
Ph: (02) 9698 1111
Prices: $$
Hours: Daily, 7am-4pm
Get Directions

Black Star Pastry, Kid-Friendly Cafes, Rosebery

November 25, 2014 / Roseberry, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

Just a quick post today about the new Black Star Pastry that’s opened up in Rosebery (you can read my longer review of Black Star Pastry in Newtown here). I absolutely love the Black Star pastries and cakes (in particular the amazing watermelon cake!), so this addition so the Black Stars in a ‘hood near me is extremely welcome.

I’ll be heading to this Black Star in the future, not just because it’s closer, but also because it has a large seating area (unlike the Newtown one which is tiny and has almost no seating) and also has some toys for kids to play with while their parents are swooning over their cakes and croissants.

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

Black Star Pastry
C1, 85-113 Dunning Avenue,
Rosebery NSW 2018
Prices: $
Phone: (02) 9700 7686
Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-3pm Sat & Sun 8am-4pm
Get Directions

Gelato Messina: In Search Of Sydney’s Best Gelato

November 25, 2014 / Bondi, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

While I was happily eating delicious ice cream in New York from Ample Hills, rumblings were reaching me across the globe of delicious gelato, so amazing that people were lining up down the street for is. The gelato is, of course, Gelato Messina, only the most delicious gelato I’ve every tasted, and my new obsession.

So what makes Messina so mind-blowingly good? Firstly, Messina use ingredients in their raw and most natural form and make everything from scratch. For example, they roast and grind their own pistachios, and bake their own apple pies and brownies in-house, before smashing them up in the gelato.

Secondly, Messina have a wild range of over 40 flavours at any one time. Regular flavours include the popular Salted Caramel and White Chocolate, Apple Pie, Tirasimu, Gianduia, Pannacotta with Fig Jam and Amaretti Biscuit and, my personal favourite, Chocolate Chip. Weekly specials are creative mashups like Have A Gay Old Time (swirls of caramel in milk gelato with bits of chocolate covered biscuit crumbs) and Nicpic (milk chocolate gelato with rice crisps, peanuts, wafers and caramel).

Price wise, Messina is reasonable too. A tiny scoop for kids costs $3, a single scoop $4 and a double is $6.

DARLINGHURST STORE
Shop 1/241 Victoria St,
Darlinghurst NSW 2010
Hours: Sun-Thur 12pm-11pm, Fri & Sat 12pm-11.30pm

MESSINA DESSERT BAR & CAKE SHOP
243 Victoria St,
Darlinghurst NSW 2010
Cake Shop hours: Mon-Thur 12pm-11pm, Fri 12pm-11.30pm, Sat 12pm-11.30pm, Sun 12pm-11pm
Dessert Bar hours: Mon-Thur 5pm-11pm, Fri 5pm-11.30pm, Sat 12pm-11.30pm, Sun 12pm-11pm

THE STAR STORE
Cafe Court, Level G,
80 Pyrmont Street,
Pyrmont NSW 2009
Hours: Mon-Thur 11am-11pm, Fri & Sat 11am-11.30pm, Sun 11am-11pm

SURRY HILLS STORE
389 Crown St,
Surry Hills NSW 2010
Hours: Sun-Thur 12pm-11pm, Fri & Sat 12pm-11.30pm

BONDI STORE
G6/61 Hall Street,
Bondi NSW 2026
Hours: Mon-Sat 12pm-11pm, Sun 12pm-10pm

PARRAMATTA STORE
283 Church Street,
Parramatta NSW 2150
Hours: Sun-Thur 12pm-11pm, Fri & Sat 12pm-11.30pm

Bills at Bondi: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Bondi, Sydney

November 20, 2014 / Bondi, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

When you want hotcakes, you go to Bills. With the newest Bills recently opening in Bondi, you can now get a top brunch before pigging out on your Gelato Messina which is next door.

What I really enjoy about Bills is happy and easy-going vibe. Despite rocking up with a 3-year-old who insisted she did not want lunch at all, we were swiftly shown to a table and a friendly staff member quickly brought coloured pencils and paper for our lunch-hating child to enjoy. The colouring page they brought us was especially produced by Bills to entertain kids, with an intricate design that kept E busy for whole minutes (this is actually a good thing, believe it or not).

The very friendly staff remarked on several occasions how well behaved (!!) she was, and also how adorable (ok, I can see that), making us feel relaxed and welcome.

We ordered the Scrambled Eggs and Sourdough, $14.50, with additional sides of bacon, tomato and mushroom, a side of fries, and the famous Ricotta Hotcakes, $19. The scrambled eggs were really delicious. My husband’s only complaint was that the butter was delivered cold and hard, making it difficult to spread. My hotcakes were moist, light and fluffy, with huge pieces of banana hidden underneath. They were so delicious that even the child wanted some, and devoured a large portion all on her own.

Bills Bondi
79 Hall St,
Bondi Beach NSW 2026
Ph: (02) 8412 0700
Prices: $$$
Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-10pm, Sat & Sun 7:30am-10pm
Get Directions

Nan’s Place; Kid-Friendly Cafes, Zetland

November 18, 2014 / Eastern Suburbs, Sydney Food, Zetland / 0 comment

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I just moved into our new place in the inner Eastern Suburbs, and discovered the (also new to the ‘hood) Nan’s Place in Zetland. This cute little cafe is certain to be our new regular hangout. I really appreciated how sweet the staff were when I arrived one afternoon with a friend, her 3-month-old and my 3-year-old in tow.

We had a lovely window seat, which meant I could sit on the end and stop Miss E from escaping. E really enjoyed looking out the window behind us and waving to the people trying to eat their lunch.

The babyccino was a choice of a tiny takeaway cup or glass.

For our meals, I ordered myself the Nutella Filled French Toast ($7), and E the Vegemite and Two Cheese Toastie ($7.50). My dining companion ordered the Poached Organic Hens Eggs ($10) with Caramlised Fennel and Confit Garlic Hash and House Hot Sauce ($5).

Our food arrived quickly, and was all well-cooked. My French toast was decadently perfect, and E’s Vegemite toastie was absolutely delicious. Lucky for me she only ate half, so I was able to sample some of her meal too.

Nan’s Place has a new menu coming in the next few weeks, and will be opening up an outdoor garden eating area too. We will definitely be back to try the outdoor garden space.

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

Nan’s Place
2a Portman St,
Zetland, NSW
Phone: (02) 8084 0731
Hours: Tue-Fri 6:30am-3:30pm, Sat 8am-3pm, Sun 9am-2pm

Black Star Pastry and Cafe: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Newtown

November 11, 2014 / Inner West, Newtown, Sydney Food / 0 comment

When my Instagram feed became full of images of amazing looking cakes from Black Star Pastry, I put the cafe on my must-do-soon list. And voila, a week or so later, I had the opportunity to drop by the Newtown Black Star to try their famous food for myself.

A little back story: Black Star Pastry was opened in October 2008 by chef Christopher Thé. His focus on baking the perfect (edible) moment and giving people the ability to share it with others has given him a cult following among dessert lovers in Sydney.

The Newtown cafe is tiny and better suited to takeaway. If you visit during the week you are likely to score a cosy window seat. Weekends, however, the queue is out the door.

While the cafe sells a variety of pastries and cakes, the star dish is the Strawberry and Watermelon cake. You can buy it buy the slice for $7, or an entire slab of it to take to a party. The cake is light and fluffy, with a crunch of fresh sweetness given by the slice of watermelon in the middle of the cake.

We also ordered the croissants, which are giant and a bit on the pricey side, but are extremely delicious – light, fresh, flaky goodness.

If you’re visiting with kids, I’d advise dropping by for takeaway and then walking a block back down the street to the playground in the Camperdown Memorial Rest Park.

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

Black Star Pastry and Cafe
277 Australia St,
Newtown, NSW
Phone: (02) 9557 8656
Prices: $
Hours: Daily 7am-5pm
Get Directions