Adventure, baby!

Asia

Entering the Forbidden City, Beijing

The Forbidden City via christineknight.me

During my 2007 trip to Beijing, we were taken to see the Forbidden City – one of China’s biggest tourist attractions, with around 7 million visitors a year (up to 80,000 a day!).

This spectacular palace was home to 24 imperial Chinese emperors from the Ming dynasty in 1420 to the end of the Qing dynasty in 1912. The Forbidden City is located right in the center of Beijing (near Tiananmen Square) and is now home to the Palace Museum.

The Forbidden City via christineknight.me

For 500 years the palace was off limits to the public, hence the name “Forbidden City”. Nowadays you can enter what is the largest palace complex in the world for around $10AUD. The palace is also China’s best-preserved and largest group of ancient buildings, making it an amazing trip back in time when you visit.

The Forbidden City via christineknight.me

We had a tour guide for our group, who was full of interesting info that wasn’t on the audio tour – such as during our visit renovations were obviously in progress on the roofs. Our guide noted that the palace was so large that by the time they had finished re-painting all the roofs they would need to start re-painting the first ones they began with all over again.

The Forbidden City via christineknight.me

It was at the Forbidden City that I had my first introduction to a dirty “hole-in-the-ground” Chinese toilet. Unless things have improved since our visit, I highly suggest you hold it rather than also experience this traditional gem.

The Forbidden City via christineknight.me

Set aside most of a day to really explore the entire palace. Comfortable shoes are advisable.

The Forbidden City via christineknight.me The Forbidden City via christineknight.me The Forbidden City via christineknight.me The Forbidden City via christineknight.me The Forbidden City via christineknight.me The Forbidden City via christineknight.me The Forbidden City via christineknight.me The Forbidden City via christineknight.me The Forbidden City via christineknight.me The Forbidden City via christineknight.me The Forbidden City via christineknight.me The Forbidden City via christineknight.me The Forbidden City via christineknight.me The Forbidden City via christineknight.me The Forbidden City via christineknight.me The Forbidden City via christineknight.me The Forbidden City via christineknight.me The Forbidden City via christineknight.me The Forbidden City via christineknight.me The Forbidden City via christineknight.me The Forbidden City via christineknight.me The Forbidden City via christineknight.me The Forbidden City via christineknight.me The Forbidden City via christineknight.me The Forbidden City via christineknight.me The Forbidden City via christineknight.me The Forbidden City via christineknight.me The Forbidden City via christineknight.me The Forbidden City via christineknight.me The Forbidden City via christineknight.me The Forbidden City via christineknight.me The Forbidden City via christineknight.me The Forbidden City via christineknight.me

The Forbidden City
Opening hours:
April-Oct 8:30-17:00 (60CNY)
November-March 8:30-16:30 (40CNY)

Climbing the Great Wall of China

Great Wall of China via christineknight.me

I had a mild panic attack recently when I realised that I’ve travelled far and wide but very few of my journeys have actually been blogged. What kind of travel blogger am I?! Since I don’t get to travel as much these days with my preschooler in tow, I decided to go back through my travels and add them in so all of my adventures are chronicled in the one place. Starting with the Great Wall of China.

I visited Beijing in 2007 on a work trip and was so excited when I found out that one of our organised activities was the climb the Great Wall of China.

The Great Wall of China is a series of fortifications built along an east-west line across the northern borders of China from the 3rd century BC to the 17th century AD. The wall was built to protect the Chinese empires against invaders, with a total length of more than 20,000 km. While some sections of the wall have crumbled away, some still exist to an extent that they can be climbed, as the wall has been rebuilt, maintained and renovated constantly.

We climbed the Badaling section of the wall. It’s the most famous section, the most complete, convenient and accessible, and is also the closest to Beijing (70 km). As a result, however, this section of the wall is always teaming with tourists (like us!). I didn’t find it overwhelmingly busy when we visited, however, so I wouldn’t be put off by this. The Badaling section has had the most renovation and is well maintained, making it the safest section to walk of the wall, too.

Most parts of the Badaling Great Wall were built during the Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644 AD) to defend Beijing against raids from northern Mongolians.

The Badaling section of the wall is 12 kilometers with 43 watchtowers, but only 3.74 km and 19 watchtowers have been restored and are opened to visitors. While that sounds like a short stroll, it’s an exhausting walk up hill, and your calves will remind you of it for days to come. Take plenty of water and wear very comfy shoes.

Great Wall of China via christineknight.me Great Wall of China via christineknight.me Great Wall of China via christineknight.me Great Wall of China via christineknight.me Great Wall of China via christineknight.me Great Wall of China via christineknight.me Great Wall of China via christineknight.me Great Wall of China via christineknight.me Great Wall of China via christineknight.me Great Wall of China via christineknight.me Great Wall of China via christineknight.me Great Wall of China via christineknight.me Great Wall of China via christineknight.me Great Wall of China via christineknight.me Great Wall of China via christineknight.me Great Wall of China via christineknight.me Great Wall of China via christineknight.me Great Wall of China via christineknight.me Great Wall of China via christineknight.me Great Wall of China via christineknight.me Great Wall of China via christineknight.me Great Wall of China via christineknight.me Great Wall of China via christineknight.me Great Wall of China via christineknight.me Great Wall of China via christineknight.me Great Wall of China via christineknight.me Great Wall of China via christineknight.me Great Wall of China via christineknight.me Great Wall of China via christineknight.me Great Wall of China via christineknight.me Great Wall of China via christineknight.me Great Wall of China via christineknight.me Great Wall of China via christineknight.me Great Wall of China via christineknight.me Great Wall of China via christineknight.me Great Wall of China via christineknight.me Great Wall of China via christineknight.me Great Wall of China via christineknight.me Great Wall of China via christineknight.me Great Wall of China via christineknight.me

Heading to China? Get ideas on a two-week itinerary here.

Climbing the great wall isn’t enough? What about CAMPING on the Great Wall of China?

Looking for more things to do in China? Head to Guangzhou with your kids.

Keep your information safe when travelling by using a VPN.

Gardens by the Bay, Singapore

Gardens by the Bay, Singapore via christineknight.me

You’ll need to devote an entire day to see all that Gardens by the Bay has to offer. This popular attraction consists of three large garden areas, the main, and most popular, being Bay South garden, which houses the Flower Dome, Cloud Forest, Supertrees Grove and Children’s Garden.

Gardens by the Bay, Singapore via christineknight.me

The Flower Dome is an indoor hothouse bursting with manicured gardens right out of a storybook. The dome features flowering plants from around the world – there’s even an Australian section with bottle brush and other native plants. Most popular are the statues within the garden beds. From elephants, mythical dragons and giant bees to children’s picture book characters, the flower dome tells stories beyond pretty blooms.

Gardens by the Bay, Singapore via christineknight.me Gardens by the Bay, Singapore via christineknight.me Gardens by the Bay, Singapore via christineknight.me Gardens by the Bay, Singapore via christineknight.me Gardens by the Bay, Singapore via christineknight.me Gardens by the Bay, Singapore via christineknight.me Gardens by the Bay, Singapore via christineknight.me Gardens by the Bay, Singapore via christineknight.me Gardens by the Bay, Singapore via christineknight.me Gardens by the Bay, Singapore via christineknight.me Gardens by the Bay, Singapore via christineknight.me gardens-by-the-bay-19 Gardens by the Bay, Singapore via christineknight.me

The next dome is called “Cloud Forest”. It takes visitors up an indoor mountain through a circular path, behind a waterfall.

Gardens by the Bay, Singapore via christineknight.me

The “mountain” is clad in beautiful epiphytes such as orchids, ferns and peacock ferns.

Gardens by the Bay, Singapore via christineknight.me Gardens by the Bay, Singapore via christineknight.me Gardens by the Bay, Singapore via christineknight.me Gardens by the Bay, Singapore via christineknight.me Gardens by the Bay, Singapore via christineknight.me Gardens by the Bay, Singapore via christineknight.me Gardens by the Bay, Singapore via christineknight.me

Both the domes are extremely accessible for wheelchairs and strollers – there are elevators to all areas of the gardens.

Gardens by the Bay, Singapore via christineknight.me

The Supertrees Grove is filled with tree-like structures with heights that range between 25 metres (82 ft) and 50 metres (160 ft). They are vertical gardens at the top of which is an elevated walkway, the OCBC Skyway, between two of the larger Supertrees, giving a panoramic aerial view of the Gardens. The Skyway closes in inclement weather, which is unfortunately what happened on our visit.

Gardens by the Bay, Singapore via christineknight.me Gardens by the Bay, Singapore via christineknight.me

While kids will enjoy all of the features of Gardens by the Bay, a trip to the Children’s Garden will be a highlight of your trip. Perfect for kids aged one and up, the children’s garden is renowned for its fabulous water play area.

gardens-by-the-bay-38

There is a toddler zone for kids under 5, and a larger area for children 6 and over. With clean bathroom facilities and a shaded amphitheater, it’s obvious why this is a hot spot for families. Kids aged 6 -12 will also enjoy the Rainforest Tree Houses and the Adventure Trail nearby. You can visit this area for free, which is an added bonus in very pricey Singapore.

Gardens by the Bay, Singapore via christineknight.me Gardens by the Bay, Singapore via christineknight.me Gardens by the Bay, Singapore via christineknight.me Gardens by the Bay, Singapore via christineknight.me

Gardens by the Bay
18 Marina Gardens Dr, Singapore 018953
Standard Rate for two domes: Adult: $28, Senior Citizen (>60 years old): $28, Child (3-12 years old): $15

Find the best things to do in Singapore with kids.

Get more ideas of things to do in Singapore here.

If you’re heading to Singapore then you have to set aside some time for all the amazing things to do at Changi Airport with kids.

Travel Guide: Singapore With Kids

Travel Guide: Singapore With Kids via christineknight.me

We had a brief three days in Singapore on our world trip. While we barely scratched the surface of what there is to see and do in the city, we do have some tips on things to do in Singapore with kids.

Things to do in Singapore with kids

If you have an extra day to spend in Singapore, this is a handy four-day itinerary

Getting around
The best way to navigate Singapore is by taxi. They are very cheap and fast – but do not have children’s car seats. We took a Boostapak travel booster seat with us (it doubled as a backpack) to use in taxis. While it’s not as safe as a booster seats with a back or a five-point harness, it’s better than the alternative of nothing. Or, if you’re staying close to public transport, try that instead.

Climate
Singapore is hot and sticky all the time. Pack light clothes and a hat and sunscreen. The locals spend a lot of their leisure time in pools for a reason.

Where to eat
Singapore is extremely kid-friendly, including a lot of the restaurants. For ideas on where to eat out with kids, check out local Beverly Burgess’ blog. She eats out with her two young children extensively.

Where to stay
This post has an excellent selection of places to stay as well as ideas on things to do with kids in Singapore.

What to do

Travel Guide: Singapore With Kids via christineknight.me
Sentosa

Sentosa Island is where Singaporeans go to play. The resort island is visited by around 20 million people each year, with attractions like beaches, golf courses, Universal Studios Singapore, Adventure Cove Water Park, Marine Life Park, the Merlion, hotels and restaurants.

Travel Guide: Singapore With Kids via christineknight.me

Sentosa can be reached by monorail or cable car from Mount Faber – the most scenic option. You could probably spend a good five days just on Sentosa with kids.

Travel Guide: Singapore With Kids via christineknight.me

On our outing, we took the kids on the Sentosa Skyline Luge, which was a big hit. The luge ride goes downhill, then, after the ride, a chairlift brings riders, luge carts, and the helmets back to the starting point.

Travel Guide: Singapore With Kids via christineknight.me

We ate at Slappy Cakes at Resort World Sentosa, where pancake mixture arrives in squeezy bottles so kids can make their own creative pancakes.

Travel Guide: Singapore With Kids via christineknight.me

A brief stop at Candylicious sent the kids into a sugar frenzy. They pushed mini carts around the store and picked a few small items each to take home.

Travel Guide: Singapore With Kids via christineknight.me

Cool down at Palawan Beach – the most kid-friendly beach on Sentosa. it can get very busy on weekends, but it’s a great spot regardless. Clean bathroom facilities, shallow, calm water, play equipment, and a Playmobil area with toys the kids could play with.

Travel Guide: Singapore With Kids via christineknight.me
Chinatown
A walk through Chinatown is a colourful experience. Market stalls assault the senses and kids can choose cheap trinket souvenirs. You might have a monk-sighting like we did (check out his giant phone!), and try some local food.

Travel Guide: Singapore With Kids via christineknight.me
We stopped by the Noodle Man, renowned for his authentic, hand cut noodles.

Travel Guide: Singapore With Kids via christineknight.me
Kids can watch him make their noodles from scratch. They taste so good you’ll order a second bowl.

Travel Guide: Singapore With Kids via christineknight.me
Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum

A Tang Dynesty-styled Chinese Buddhist temple in Chinatown that gets its name from the Sacred Buddha Tooth Relic it houses. The temple overwhelms the senses with colour, incense and the chanting of buddhist monks.

Travel Guide: Singapore With Kids via christineknight.me

Gardens by the Bay
This attraction requires a full day to see everything. Consisting of three large garden areas, the main, and most popular, being Bay South garden, which houses the Flower Dome, Cloud Forest, Supertrees Grove and Children’s Garden.

Travel Guide: Singapore With Kids via christineknight.me

The Flower Dome is an indoor hothouse bursting with manicured gardens right out of a storybook.

Travel Guide: Singapore With Kids via christineknight.me

The Cloud Forest takes visitors up an indoor mountain through a circular path, behind a waterfall.

Travel Guide: Singapore With Kids via christineknight.me
The “mountain” is clad in beautiful epiphytes such as orchids, ferns and peacock ferns.

Travel Guide: Singapore With Kids via christineknight.me
The Supertrees Grove is filled with tree-like structures with heights that range between 25 metres (82 ft) and 50 metres (160 ft). They are vertical gardens at the top of which is an elevated walkway, the OCBC Skyway, between two of the larger Supertrees, giving a panoramic aerial view of the Gardens. The Skyway closes in inclement weather, which is unfortunately what happened on our visit.

Travel Guide: Singapore With Kids via christineknight.me
While kids will enjoy all of the features of Gardens by the Bay, a trip to the Children’s Garden will be a highlight of your trip. Perfect for kids aged one and up, the children’s garden is renowned for its fabulous water play area.

Travel Guide: Singapore With Kids via christineknight.me
There is a toddler zone for kids under 5, and a larger area for children 6 and over. With clean bathroom facilities and a shaded amphitheater, it’s obvious why this is a hot spot for families. Kids aged 6 -12 will also enjoy the Rainforest Tree Houses and the Adventure Trail nearby. You can visit this area for free, which is an added bonus in very pricey Singapore. Read more about our experience here.

Want more ideas on what to do in Singapore with kids? Singapore Zoo is one excellent option, as is Universal Studios Singapore.

Find more cool things to do over here, or where the locals go to play and the best hotels to stay in here. Get an easy three-day itinerary here. Find more things to do in Singapore with kids here.

Parenting Around The World: Beverly Burgess In Singapore

The installment of parenting abroad is brought to you by Beverly Burgess, a blogger and marketer extraordinaire. Beverly lives in Singapore with her three boys: husband Chris, and sons Hunter (4) and Carter (almost 3). Beverly has also lived in Australia and China, which is where her first son was born.

Parenting Around The World: Singapore via christineknight.me

Giving birth in Shanghai

Both my husband’s and my companies moved us to Shanghai to look after regional operations, which was an unforgettable experience for us. We had a huge culture and language shock, but loved our time there.

My pregnancy was a bit of a surprise, and none of our friends were pregnant or had children, so I really stood out – we still went out clubbing when I was full term! I was out daily and out jogging three times a week until the day I went into labour, much to the shock of the locals – I was told it’s uncommon for local women to venture outside when they’re in their 3rd trimester.

I gave birth in an expat hospital and the care given was superior to any other country. It was absolute luxury, but did cost almost US$20k!

As I gave birth during winter, we had to deal with a newborn in sub-zero celsius weather. We were always bundled up and baby bath time was a real headache. Thankfully, we lived in the middle of the city so everything was within a few mins walk. I could easily pop outside to pick up a few groceries and get my hair washed and blow dried (which cost only about U$8).

Parenting Around The World: Singapore via christineknight.me

Moving from Shanghai to Singapore

My husband’s company transferred us to Singapore when our son Hunter was 4 months old, and I made the decision to quit my job to be a full-time mum. It was the right decision for us – Singapore’s air quality is much better, and we found everything simpler and cleaner.

Parenting Around The World: Singapore via christineknight.me

Pregnancy in Shanghai vs in Singapore

The stark contrast of being pregnant in Singapore was very evident to me when I was pregnant with our second child, Carter. Seeing a pregnant woman in Singapore is fairly common, so no one pays much notice. In China, being pregnant meant having a lot of people (especially the older folk) fawn over you – I felt like I was having a royal baby there!

Childbirth in a Singapore hospital meant having access to one of the world’s greatest health care, but also felt like a production line in comparison to the extremely personal service in Shanghai where there were only 2 to 3 women staying in the maternity ward, and 6 nurses on staff.

Parenting Around The World: Singapore via christineknight.me

Adjusting to life in Singapore

Singapore is easy living, it’s fun for singles and safe and accessible for families. Everyone speaks English and it boasts excellent restaurants, shops and kid-friendly activities. I haven’t heard any parent complain about making the move to Singapore! The expat population is huge and our area is also very multicultural, so our neighbours are Europeans, Australians, Americans, Japanese, etc.

Parenting Around The World: Singapore via christineknight.me

Play time

Water play is HUGE in Singapore, thanks to the constant heat and humidity year round. We swim 3-4 times a week, go to water playgrounds, and have lots of pool parties with friends. Singapore also has indoor playgrounds galore, which you can often find us at. And, of course, dining – take your pick of any cuisine you feel like eating, and there’ll be a restaurant serving it near by!

Parenting Around The World: Singapore via christineknight.me

Safe and accessible

Everything is easily accessible, malls and restaurants are almost all very family friendly, and the weather is always warm. It’s also an extremely safe country with low crime rates, something that we really appreciate now that we’re parents.

Parenting Around The World: Singapore via christineknight.me

The school system

The local school system is (in)famous for being notoriously cut throat. Grade One kids come home with homework (and wait til you see the level of knowledge they’re expected to have!), and primary school children are known for going straight from school, to enrichment classes or tuition, to going home to do homework. There is little time for simple things like going to the playground.. and they’re only seven years old!

Parenting Around The World: Singapore via christineknight.me

Raising multicultural eaters

Singapore is so multicultural that we eat the world’s cuisine, as I like to call it. We cook a lot of pastas, roasts, and also rice dishes.

Singapore is also renowned for their hawker centres, where you’ll find delicious food stalls at great prices. Some of the top choices for local food are Hainanese Chicken Rice, Laksa noodles, and Chicken Satay. They’re delicious!

Parenting Around The World: Singapore via christineknight.me

Holidays abroad

What’s surprising is that, despite being in Asia, a lot of Singaporeans go on holidays in Europe, America, and other countries on the other side of the world! Singaporeans love to travel.

But if we want to stay closer to home (and spare us all a painful long-haul flight), then popping over to places like Bali, Hong Kong or Japan is an excellent choice since there are often cheap deals on flights to these places.

Parenting Around The World: Singapore via christineknight.me

Making friends

It was very easy to make friends with our neighbours, who are almost all expats and eager to make new friendships. It’s unfortunately much harder to go beyond a casual acquaintance with a local, because many have deep set friendships with people they went to school with and have always hung out with all these years. It can be extremely cliquey and they generally will not invite an ‘outsider’ to hang out with their old school gang!

Parenting Around The World: Singapore via christineknight.me

Kids and discipline

Singaporean children do display better discipline, due to the intensity and expectations of being in a local school. In general, though, Singaporeans are quite a blessed bunch and almost every family has a domestic helper to do all the household chores and cooking, so the children are very fortunate that they are usually not expected to help out at home!

Parenting Around The World: Singapore via christineknight.me

Parenting and societal norms

It’s normal for both parents to work in Singapore, and to work long hours. Because of this, time with their children is precious, so parents are willing to splurge on amusement parks, childrens plays, and dining with their kids. I’ve never seen more families out shopping and eating with very young children (especially late at night) than I have in Singapore!

Because both parents often work, Singaporean kids usually have a late bed time. Toddlers can sleep at 10PM! My kids are actually an anomaly as they have a 7PM bedtime (my husband and I really value our adult-only peace and quiet!).

Parenting Around The World: Singapore via christineknight.meBeverly Burgess is a social media addict, having worked in the online space for 7 years at Microsoft and eBay. Having blogged for over two decades across Australia, China and now Singapore, Beverly entered an alternate universe at warp speed when she went from career-driven shopaholic and social butterfly … to juggling being a wife and a mother of two kids.

All within three years.

The career is now replaced with the privilege of being a full-time mum, but the urge to shop and socialize still remains (albeit with two obliging children in tow).

And, she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Beverly blogs at: http://beverlys.net
You can also find her on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BeverlysNet

Linking up with Bron and Karin.

Where To Eat And Play In Brisbane With Kids

Where To Eat & Play in #Brisbane with Kids via brunchwithmybaby.com While I spent a lot of my childhood summers on the Gold Coast, I’d never visited Brisbane. Absolutely no reason why, other than that the opportunity hadn’t presented itself until recently. After a blogging conference on the Gold Coast, I stopped through Brisbane on the way back to Sydney and spent two days exploring the best that Brisbane has to offer families. If you’re planning a trip to the Sunshine state, you could easily spend a couple of days enjoying Brisbane with the kids. Here are my tips on a fun family holiday in Brisbane: Where To Eat & Play in #Brisbane with Kids via brunchwithmybaby.com Eat and play at Gasworks Plaza
Book a table at Buzz for lunch right next to the gasring. You’ll enjoy the delicious food (the quinoa salad was divine) and gorgeous interiors by local designer Anna Spiro of Black & Spiro, and the kids can run off steam in the adjoining park. Where To Eat & Play in #Brisbane with Kids via brunchwithmybaby.com

Where To Eat & Play in #Brisbane with Kids via brunchwithmybaby.com

Where To Eat & Play in #Brisbane with Kids via brunchwithmybaby.com

Where To Eat & Play in #Brisbane with Kids via brunchwithmybaby.com

After lunch, take a stroll down to the nearby riverbank. Kids can bike or scoot along the river, and will enjoy the street art and statue of Gloria the sheep, a tribute to the Teneriffe wool stores that lined the river in the early 1900s.
76 Skyring Terrace, Newstead

Where To Eat & Play in #Brisbane with Kids via brunchwithmybaby.com Shop at Growing World, Emporium
This gorgeous children’s store is filled with educational toys and books from all around the world.
1000 Ann St, Fortitude Valley

Where To Eat & Play in #Brisbane with Kids via brunchwithmybaby.com Rock out at the Brisbane Powerhouse
The redeveloped powerhouse is a centre for art and culture. Check out the (often free) events for families, or just drop by on a Sunday to experience live music and markets (the pop-up Suitcase Rummage markets are on once a month).

Where To Eat & Play in #Brisbane with Kids via brunchwithmybaby.com

Where To Eat & Play in #Brisbane with Kids via brunchwithmybaby.com

Kids can roam inside the powerhouse, spot some cool graffiti art and dance to indie-pop and rock bands. Make a day of it by enjoying an early dinner or glass of wine at Bar Alto. Grab a balcony table overlooking the river while babies are napping and older kids are playing with your iPhone or colouring in.
119 Lamington St, New Farm

Where To Eat & Play in #Brisbane with Kids via brunchwithmybaby.com

Run wild at New Farm Park
Set the kids free in 18 hectares of gardens and open green space. The attached New Farm Park playground is a local family favourite with fortress-like constructions winding through huge fig trees.

Where To Eat & Play in #Brisbane with Kids via brunchwithmybaby.com
No-fuss family dinner at Eat Street Markets
The perfect dinner option for families with no pressure for kids to sit down and behave. 60 industrial shipping containers have been converted into mini shops and restaurants. Choose your meal from local food vendors (Italian, Mexican, potato rings on sticks, sweet potatoes fries and much, much more is on offer) then camp out on astroturf covered giant blocks to enjoy live music while the sun goes down.
Macarthur Avenue, Hamilton

Where To Eat & Play in #Brisbane with Kids via brunchwithmybaby.com
Book a free city tour with Brisbane Greeters
Our tour guide, AnneMarie White, was a local expert who showed us the best places to eat and shop in the James Street district with and without kids. A remarkable woman with a background in broadcasting, it was a pleasure to learn about Brisbane through her own experiences.

Where To Eat & Play in #Brisbane with Kids via brunchwithmybaby.com
Chic shopping and dining at James St
Leave the kids with Dad for an hour or two while you check out local Australian designers and boutiques. Sass + Bide, Camilla, Zimmermann and more await your credit card.

Where To Eat & Play in #Brisbane with Kids via brunchwithmybaby.com
Feeling peckish? Harvey’s Bar and Bistro is a great breakfast and lunch choice with or without kids.

Where To Eat & Play in #Brisbane with Kids via brunchwithmybaby.com
If you’ve got a serious sweet tooth like I do, be sure to pick up a treat from the iconic Joceyln’s Provisions. While you’re deciding which delicious cake to order, poke your head inside their kitchen to see the pastry chefs hard at work.

Where To Eat & Play in #Brisbane with Kids via brunchwithmybaby.com
Play time: South Bank Parklands
As well as being the cultural centre of Brisbane, the South Bank is filled with family-focussed entertainment.

Where To Eat & Play in #Brisbane with Kids via brunchwithmybaby.com
Get arty at the QAGOMA
The Queensland Gallery of Modern Art is a top choice for adults and children. Most of the gallery is free entry, including the Children’s Art Centre. Their current major exhibition, “Harvest” (open till Sept 21) celebrates food in art and includes interactive features for older children, as well as kid-friendly art such as large sculptures and a Shangai supermarket installation.

Where To Eat & Play in #Brisbane with Kids via brunchwithmybaby.com

Where To Eat & Play in #Brisbane with Kids via brunchwithmybaby.com

Where To Eat & Play in #Brisbane with Kids via brunchwithmybaby.com

Take littlies to the children’s exhibition, “Pattern Bandits” (open until Nov 2), where they can explore a world of colour, shape and pattern in a completely hands-on environment. The free exhibition features craft activities that can be taken home or left to be put on display. Kids will particularly love the kaleidoscope corridor where they can see their own faces turned into bright patterns.
Stanley Place, Cultural Precinct, South Bank

Where To Eat & Play in #Brisbane with Kids via brunchwithmybaby.com

Segway Tours with X-wing
Older kids will love seeing Brisbane’s South Bank on a mini-segway. Zoom along the river bank with a helpful guide to tell you all about Brisbane.

Where To Eat & Play in #Brisbane with Kids via brunchwithmybaby.com

Get a bird’s-eye view
Take a spin on the Wheel of Brisbane for a panoramic view of the city.

brisbane-318

Streets Beach
This man-made beach with white sand and lifesavers is a summer oasis on the Brisbane river shore. It’s perfect for families, with shallow lagoons, sprinklers and crystal clear water.

Where To Eat & Play in #Brisbane with Kids via brunchwithmybaby.com

Stop for a bite at South Bank Surf Club
After a swim at Streets Beach, stroll the the nearby Surf Club for a relaxed fish and chips.
30aa Stanley Street Plaza, South Bank

Where To Eat & Play in #Brisbane with Kids via brunchwithmybaby.com
Sweet Treats at Cowch Dessert Cocktail Bar
Brisbane’s first dessert and cocktail bar offers build your own fro-yo, ice cream and a range of other sugar-coma inducing desserts.
2/179 Grey Street, South Bank

LIKE Beverly’s Net on Facebook!

Facebook - Beverly's Net

So I’m ten thousand years late to the game (give or take…), but I’ve finally finally FINALLY gotten my personal site a page – Beverly’s Net on Facebook!

For years I’ve resisted, thinking it a little naff (and kinda embarassing!!) to have a page dedicated to… errrr…. yourself and your own blog on Facebook. But then everyone seems to be doing it and I’m a jump-on-the-bandwagon kinda person I guess, so here I am!

Appreciate your support and, well, niceness, if you decide to give me a LIKE over on Facebook. You’ll get blog updates, of course, as well as bits and bobs from my Instagram (normally private and only for friends) as well as cute little articles I find online.

Thanks! 🙂

[pssst! Facebook doesn’t always surface everything, only to a select number of Likers. To get all updates, you’ll need to checkmark “Get Notifications” (see photo above)]

 

PREGO @ FAIRMONT HOTEL: Kid-Friendly Restaurants, Orchard Road, Singapore

Untitled design

Prego at the Fairmont Hotel throws an all out fabulous Sunday brunch buffet, with a selection of food wide enough to knock your socks off, and with food quality that will keep you coming back for more.

Located in the ground floor of Fairmont Hotel, the Italian restaurant is spacious and sunlit, decked out in honeyed warm woods and red sofas. From the Italian proscuitto and sausages draped from the awnings, to the Parmesan wheels, the restaurant gives off a warm vibe, helped along by their ever-friendly and helpful staff.

Prego01 Prego02

The buffet spread itself is enough to fill you right up. There is a large selection of fresh seafood, Italian antipasti that looks like it all came straight from the farmers market, salads, Italian breads, pizza, cheeses, and a dizzying array of delicious desserts.

What’s pictured below is a small section of what’s available!

Prego04

Their fresh seafood is, well, fresh. SUPER fresh. If you’re into your raw foods, this is it. 

I ended up eating three plates (!) worth of the fresh seafood below, because it was just that good. The oysters were plump, fresh, and deliciously briny. The raw salmon sashimi was so good that Hunter was eating up slice after slice au naturale – no soy sauce needed because of the sweetness of the salmon came through.

Prego05Prego14

This is another plate of mine, which had an amazing beef carpaccio (on the left) and an equally stunning parma ham (on the right) and melon (bottom) combination. Wrap the parma ham around the melon and you have yourself an explosion of salty and sweet – PARTY IN MY MOUTH!

Prego06

And let’s not forget fresh mozarella (I think?) with basil and drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar… mmm… I went back for two more portions of this.

Prego07

Carter went to town on the Italian breads there. We also requested for some bread sticks, and our waiter kindly obliged. The kids were in seventh heaven!

Prego08Prego13

 

And then there are the mains. They are ordered off a one-sheet paper menu that boasts around 40 (!!!) items, and are cooked to order. We could pick as many as we wanted, and they all arrived swiftly.

The Linguini, crabmeat, baby spinach, seafood cream sauce actually leaned more on the tomato-based side than cream. Perhaps that’s a good thing, because it didn’t get too rich and heavy on the palate. The chunks of crab was studded through the dish and the sauce was a potent (and very tasty) bisque.

Prego09

The Roast leg of lamb, white bean caponata came sliced, making it easy for those of you that don’t like bone in your meat. The lamb was tender and could be cut with a fork, and it was paired well with the reduction.

Prego10

The star dish of their mains, however, was the Oven roasted barramundi filet, cherry tomatoes, capers, black olives. This was…. SUBLIME. The fish was so perfectly cooked that it was fork-tender and meltingly soft. The sweetness of the fish really came through, and it was so moist and succulent. The kids adored this and polished off the whole dish.

Prego11

The Flambeed prawns, creamy garlic sauce (mostly eaten because I wasn’t quick enough to snap the photo) featured very fresh and springy prawns, which were drizzled with a tasty garlic sauce. However, sauce aside, the prawns themselves weren’t flambeed or charred enough, so they looked (and tasted) almost like boiled prawns. A shame, because just a little more flambee would have meant the prawns would have a lovely smoked flavour.

Prego12

The part that thrilled the kids most was a balloon man that came around making complimentary balloon animals for everyone! Hunter’s was a monkey in a tree, and Carter’s a giraffe.

We’ve never been to a restaurant that had a balloon artist on-house to entertain the kids, so this was a HUGE plus in our book!

Prego15 Prego16

This, below, is my dessert plate. I only picked out about half the selection on this plate. The variety was impressive! My favourite, by far, was the Torta Della Nonna, which is that large slice of chocolate cake on my plate. But, unlike a regular chocolate cake, this one was exceedingly moist and soft. It was dense, without being too ‘heavy’. And it was DELICIOUS.

Prego18

They also have these apple donuts rolled in cinnamon sugar. They were quite the hit!

Prego17

The buffet lunch comes with a cup of coffee. I had a cappuccino, which lacked oomph but it was passable.

Prego19

 

Their vanilla milkshake, on the other hand, was a stunner. Freshly whipped up, it was deliciously creamy and with lots of ice cream swirled in. A hit with adults and kids!

Prego20

Prego’s buffet lunch runs from 12:30 – 3:00PM every Sunday.
Price: S$68++ (Adult), S$34++ (Child)
S$78++ with a glass of wine from the wine trolley or free flow of non-alcoholic drinks
S$98++ with free flow of wine

Last Bite: Prego offers a buffet brunch that is well worth it, especially for big eaters. The balloon artist was a hit with the kids!

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

Prego
Level 1, Fairmont Singapore
80 Bras Basah Road
Singapore 189560
Phone: 6431 6156
Prices: $$$$
Hours:

BWMB RECOMMENDS: Jan & Elly pop-up

Untitled design (5) 

Here we are at Food For Thought at the Botanic Gardens…. all ready to rock ‘n’ roll for a pop up class with Jan & Elly English Langauge School!

My kids were waaaay below the age (and intelligence) limit to truly benefit and understand what was going on, so they spent a lot of the time wandering around like renegade machines. But, Hunter did cotton on to it near the end, so whew!

This particular session focused on Phonics, and the ‘lesson’ was run outdoors and with loads of fun and games, so all the kids there were so engaged!

JanElly02 JanElly03 JanElly04

 

There was a phonics game where the kids would hop to each box, and match the letters together to form short words. You can see here that the kids all obediently lined up… except mine….

JanElly05

 

Finally, it was playground time. Which was exactly what Hunter was dying for! But, it’s not free play. The kids went up one by one, and when they went down the slide, they had to grab a flash card and match it up.

And so here’s my little 3 year old, the youngest and smallest of the whole lot!

JanElly06

 

Being the youngest didn’t deter him, he GRABBED that flash card with gusto and RACED over to go match it!

JanElly07

 

I was pretty floored when he matched his up correctly. It wasn’t a fluke either, cos he went to check a few matches before picking the correct one.

I’ll be honest here though…. pretty sure he can’t actually read the actual word he had (“frog”). Just that he can visually match up the alphabets! A tricksie one, this is!

JanElly08

 

All done, he sat himself down in the line by himself, feeling all chuffed 😉

JanElly09

 

YAY FOR PHONICS!

JanElly10

 

It’s made me realise how quickly kids can learn when they’re having fun. I’d even wager they learn better (and enjoy it more) when they learn in a play-based environment versus a sterile one where they sit at a desk and study. I wish there were more of these play-based outdoor classes around!

The Jan & Elly school focuses on showing children that learning is lots of fun, with interactive games that involve lots of motion and engagement.