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Surfers Paradise Marriot Resort & Spa: Queensland’s Best Kid-Friendly Hotels

December 30, 2014 / Australia, Cheese, Queensland, Travel / 2 Comments

When you have a three year old, your holidays are a little different than they were pre-kid. My needs in accommodation, for instance, have changed significantly. What I now look for is a fantastic pool, close proximity to the beach if we’re on the coast, a suite of some kind so we can close the door to our sleeping child after we put her to bed and watch some TV together while we eat, breakfast included and friendly, considerate staff. The last one obviously is pure luck. The others, I discovered through extensive research, were all features of the Surfers Paradise Marriot Resort & Spa.

As members of the Entertainment Book, we were able to get a great deal on a 1-bedroom Executive Suite. It included a king sized bed (we asked for a rollaway bed for Cheese), 1.5 bathrooms, a corner ocean view, complimentary valet parking and access to the Elandra Retreat Club where we were treated to a complimentary continental breakfast every morning, and wine and hors d’oeuvres in the evenings.

First impressions of the Surfers Paradise Marriot – it’s a large hotel, only one or two blocks from the beach, but also right on a lagoon, so it’s basically surrounded by water on all sides. The pool is a huge drawcard for families, probably because they have not just one pool, but two. One is a saltwater pool that has live tropical fish in it and a waterfall feature. Guests can swim among the fish – BYO snorkel or buy one at the hotel. The salt water pool is fantastic because it had a large shallow area, perfect for little kids who can’t swim yet to be able to splash and play confidently in the water.

Every morning at 9:30am, guests can meet poolside to watch staff feed the tropical fish. Guests with snorkels can watch from the water as the fish gather in big clumps for their morning feed.

The second pool is chlorinated and runs in a long, winding shape. One end features a grotto with spa – you can enter it through another waterfall. This pool also has a current that sweeps swimmers in a loop – a lot of fun for kids in floatation devices to get swept around the pool with zero effort.

Older kids will enjoy the water slide feature, too.

Our room was fantastic. The view from the living room, bedroom and even bathroom was spectacular.

The bedroom and living areas were well furnished in an elegant, minimal fashion. The bathroom was spectacularly big and featured a massive spa bath with a killer view. The bed was comfortable, pillows a little on the soft side for us, and the only bad thing I can say about the facilities was that while most of the bathroom had been renovated, the shower was a bit old and could have done with a refurbish. The living room included a little kitchenette area which was great for preparing basic meals for Cheese. A little fridge, sink and tea/coffee-making facilities – no toaster though.

Since Cheese is an uber picky eater, most nights we would return to the hotel and make her a simple dinner like a sandwich and fruit, and then, after she was put to bed, either order room service or local takeaway. The hotel was great with providing us with extra plates and cutlery to make her meals each day.

The inclusion of the Elandra Retreat Club access turned out to be one of the best parts of our stay. A lot of the guests who also had access to the club also had kids, so each morning we would arrive at breakfast and Cheese would disappear to play with other children while we ate. The food was a simple buffet, all fresh, including breads and spreads, warm pastries, bagels, meats, yoghurt and fruit, plus hot dishes like eggs, tomatoes and hash browns. Two staff members were usually on duty each morning – usually the same two – and they were just the sweetest people we could have possibly hoped for. The staff were always so kind and considerate, and really enjoyed engaging with the kids. As a result, breakfast every day was a really fun experience.

In the evenings, from 5:30pm – 7:30pm, the Elandra Retreat Club held a kind of drinks hour, with complimentary wine and snacks. While I was concerned initially that this wouldn’t be the best idea to take a rambunctious 3-year-old to, it turned out that all the families came and had a drink while their kids downed the cheese, crackers and fruit each night. It was a pretty chilled out affair, and the club had a great layout that meant adults who wanted a bit more adult time rather than toddler time could sit far enough away that they could admire the view and enjoy a drink in peace.

During the day, when we weren’t swimming we headed on down to the main area in Surfers Paradise (a 10-15 minute walk) to grab lunch or took a trip to one of the nearby theme parks for a change of scene. The location was perfect for an extended stay on the Gold Coast.

To sum up, our stay at the Surfers Paradise Marriot Resort & Spa was just about perfect. We had such a wonderful, relaxing and fun time, and can’t wait to return for another Queensland stay.

Surfers Paradise Marriot Resort & Spa
158 Ferny Avenue
Surfers Paradise QLD
Phone: (07) 5592 9800
Get Directions

Family Travel Essentials: Making Travel With Kids Easier

December 23, 2014 / Travel / 0 comment

I was asked recently when we started travelling with Cheese. I didn’t think we’d travelled much with her, since she was such a tough baby and crazy active toddler, but when I added up the trips we’d done, it turns out our little lady is a pretty experienced world traveller already. In her three short years she’s flown from Sydney to New York three times, and has also been on trips to Hawaii, San Francisco, Canada and Mexico. Huh. Guess we travel more than I’d thought.

We’ve been on so many big long flights now that I feel like I’ve got travel with a little one down to a fine art – as much as that’s possible. While there will always be times when they won’t nap on the plane, or they’re bored and have a meltdown (and don’t get me started on the jetlag), travel with a little kid has gotten less stressful with the right tools. I’m sharing them below in case you’d like to try them too.

Kids’ Suitcase
We acquired an insanely cute Sunny Trunki kids’ suitcase for Cheese before our recent Queensland trip. The Trunki is a hand-luggage sized ride-on suitcase that is the perfect size to pack with everything you might need to entertain a kid on a flight.

Made from lightweight, durable plastic, the Trunki has a removable shoulder strap and can be used in three ways: The kid pulls it along themselves, then when said kid gets tired they can ride on it while you pull them along, and, finally, when it’s time to board the plane, the shoulder strap clips onto both sides so it can be thrown over your shoulder. While Trunkis are easy to find in the US, in Australia, you can get them from David Jones. Seriously, this ride-on suitcase made our last trip so much easier.

Carry-on luggage
I take a backpack that does double duty as a day bag when we’re out and about on our trips. I’m currently using a really cute backpack from Smiggle that has a laptop sleeve in the back, two pouches on either side for mine and Cheese’s water bottles and a front pocket where I shove anything needed urgently, like nappies, wipes, change mat.

Umbrella stroller
We still take the stroller with us as we walk a lot and if we don’t take it, someone always ends up carrying the Cheese. We love our stroller, the UppaBaby G-Luxe. We bought it in the US, but they’re also available in Australia. The G-Luxe is the lightest reclining stroller in its class (Cheese will still occasionally nap in it!). It’s so light that I can easily collapse it and carry it over one shoulder when I’m navigating public transport and chasing Cheese at the same time. I always check the stroller at check-in, and try to get one of the big plastic protectors for it from the flight desk so it doesn’t come out the other end totally destroyed.

Baby carrier
I can still carry Cheese on my back in the Ergo (avail in the US and Australia), so I throw it in if we’re traveling somewhere that’s going to involve a lot of walking and isn’t stroller friendly.

Flight necessities
For long flights in particular, several changes of clothing (something about flying makes babies especially poop A LOT), and as many nappies as you can squeeze in if you’re child still needs them. I used to pack lots of fruit pouches and I still pack lots of snacks and a sandwich. Staff on the flight will give you plenty more snacks and also refill milk bottles as requested. I always take one of Cheese’s old muslin swaddles (it still doubles as a shade from the sun and a light blanket) and her favourite blanket and lovie that she still sleeps with to help her nap on planes. The blanket Cheese is attached to is an old aden + anais Dream Blanket (available in the US and Australia) that is made from the same breathable muslin as their swaddles – it washes up really well and adds just the right level of warmth needed.

To amuse the kid
I always bring the iPad stocked with new games, movies and TV episodes and kids’ headphones (if we forget them, we use Alec’s wireless headphones in a pinch). I also throw in a few new toys like stickers, a magnetic travel kit, small colouring book, crayons, and figurines (Cheese’s favourites). I whip out anything new in moments of meltdowns. Her absolute favourite toy right now is her set of princess magic clips. They occupy her for literally an hour at a time, so we always bring them on flights and to cafes too.

What do you find makes travel with kids easier?

Where To Eat And Play In Brisbane With Kids

September 14, 2014 / Australia, New York Food, Queensland, Singapore, Sydney Food, Travel / 6 Comments

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: 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.

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

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

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).

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

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.

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

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.

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.

Feeling peckish? Harvey’s Bar and Bistro is a great breakfast and lunch choice with or without kids.

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.

Play time: South Bank Parklands
As well as being the cultural centre of Brisbane, the South Bank is filled with family-focussed entertainment.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

LIKE Beverly’s Net on Facebook!

July 30, 2014 / Articles, Singapore / 0 comment

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)]

Brunch & Play at Cafe 2773; Glenbrook, Blue Mountains

July 17, 2014 / Blue Mountains, Glenbrook / 0 comment

A drive to the Blue Mountains makes a great city escape. On our most recent expedition, a friend recommended we break our journey this time at one of her favourite finds, Cafe 2773 in Glenbrook. The cafe is almost exactly halfway from where we were starting our journey in Sydney’s south-west, and our final destination (Katoomba), so it seemed like a good idea to try it.

2773 was everything I’d been promised. The cafe seemed like the type of place I would frequent in the Inner West, which was somewhat surprising to find in a tiny little town on the outskirts of the mountains. Despite it being an absolutely freezing day, the cafe was packed. Diners braved the outdoor tables, prevented from getting frost bite by a few heat lamps. We requested an indoor table because it was frigidly cold, and only had to wait about 15 or 20 minutes for one to finish up and be cleared. If the weather had been finer, the perfect place to dine with children is actually outside, at a table overlooking the playground area.

While we were waiting, E kept warm by running around the little play area like a maniac. A few steps past the play area lay some pens with piglets and chickens — another great entertainment device not unlike the famous Grounds in Alexandria.

The menu at 2773 focuses on use of local organic produce, with an extensive selection of local beer and wine. And, as a plus for parents like us who love great food, 2773 pride themselves on being a family-friendly venue for the local community to enjoy.

We ordered E the kids’ Egg On Toast (usually comes with bacon and sausage, $10), and a Babyccino, $1.60. After we ordered her food we realised we hadn’t even asked how it would be cooked, so asked our server when she came back for our orders. After we were informed it was usually fried and asking if she could have it scrambled instead, it was no problem to have our order changed, despite it being pretty much done.

E’s babyccino came with sprinkles and a freckle chocolate on the site. She was so delighted. Chocolate for breakfast!

Alec and I ordered Green Tea (China Jasmine) $4.00 and a Latte $3.90, and the same meal: the design your own breakfast option. Our choices were: Toast (sourdough 2 slices, $4), 2 Eggs (poached, fried or scrambled, $7), Spinach ($3), Roast Tomato ($3), Avocado ($3), Haloumi ($3).

Our food was absolutely delicious. Perfectly poached eggs, soft sourdough with crispy edges, a giant hunk of haloumi cheese. What really topped of our already fantastic experience was the staff. Our server came over multiple times just to check on how E was doing and to make sure she couldn’t bring us anything else to make our dining experience even better.

A truly wonderful breakfast, and we will make it our regular stop when driving to the mountains from now on.

Last Bite: Great food in an environment where kids can run free.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No but there is a low shelf/table in the ladies that could be used in a pinch.
Kids’ menu: Yes.

Cafe 2773
19 Ross Street,
Glenbrook, NSW
Phone: 02 4739 5908
Hours: Mon-Wed 7.30am-4.30pm, Thu, Fri & Sat-7.30am till late, Sun 7.30am-5pm

The Gingerbread House; Kid-Friendly Cafes, Katoomba, Blue Mountains

July 14, 2014 / Blue Mountains, Katoomba / 0 comment

On our first family trip to the Blue Mountains we were looking forward to stopping in at The Gingerbread House which has gained notoriety for its whimsical fairytale setting and its attention to detail in being child-friendly. We chose the Winter Solstice to mark our journey as Katoomba is filled to the brim with people celebrating from all walks of life, a parade down the centre of town and its overall festival vibe.

All I can say is that we are lucky we chose to arrive early at The Gingerbread House because no sooner had we claimed our table in the sunny outdoor courtyard did all other vacant tables evaporate and space was a premium. Jenson and Isla had fun exploring the generous outdoor playground which was exceptionally maintained with a large cubby house and play equipment whilst we waiting for our morning tea.

The Gingerbread House - #kid-friendly #cafes - #Katoomba, #Sydney via brunchwithmybaby.com — *Jenson playing in the cubby house, Photo by Katia Barker*

Our order of scones (choc chip with a hint of ginger with jam and fresh cream $7.50), fresh baked muffin (raspberry and white chocolate $4.50) and kid’s milkshake ($3) arrived quickly and was mouth-wateringly fresh. The food and drink were demolished quickly so Ross and Isla played outdoors whilst Jenson and I went about exploring the magical candy emporium.

Jenson was like, well, a kid in a candy shop, with eyes as big as saucers and was more than happy in helping select a treat for each of us. He proudly carried these off for take-away.

The Gingerbread House is perfectly situated for a long lazy cafe session with plenty of kid-friendly options from toast to sandwiches and those with a sweet tooth are well-catered for with cakes, muffins and ice-creams on offer. We barely took advantage of all the dining options, and skipped coffee this time as we already had our hit but will definitely be back again to sample the delights further.

Last Bite: The Gingerbread House ticks all the boxes for a kid-friendly cafe and should be on everyone’s must do list for a visit to the Blue Mountains.

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

The Gingerbread House
56 Lurline Street (Cnr Lurline & Waratah Streets),
Katoomba NSW
Phone: (02) 4784 2031
Prices: $-$$
Hours: Daily 9am-5pm
Get Directions

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

July 4, 2014 / Food Reviews, Orchard Road, Singapore / 1 Comment

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.

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!

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.

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!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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

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

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!

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:

How To Survive (And Enjoy) Disneyland USA With A Toddler

July 1, 2014 / Articles, Disney Travel, Disneyland, Singapore / 0 comment

Planning a trip to kiddy heaven, otherwise known as Disneyland?

Read all about one of our editor’s trip to Disneyland in California, with a 2.5 year old active toddler in tow! You’ll find helpful information, as well as useful tips and hints on how to escape with your sanity intact.

Have fun!

How To Survive (And Enjoy) Disneyland With A Toddler

June 30, 2014 / California, Disney Travel, Disneyland, Sydney Food, Theme Parks, Travel, USA / 16 Comments

We recently did the unthinkable — Disneyland with our 2.5 year old. And you know what? It was awesome. Hectic, crazy and overwhelming, but also totally magical. We had the benefit of the amazing Gina of In The Mouse House to book and organise the trip for us, and help us enjoy an easy and fun family vacation. We had so much fun that I wanted to share my top tips (a lot of these are thanks to Gina!) for getting the most out of Disneyland with a toddler.

1. Book a hotel near Disneyland. It does NOT have to be a Disney hotel. They are a lot pricier, and there are so many other budget but good quality hotels literally right across the road from the hotel entrance. We stayed at the Carousel Inn and Suites for a fraction of the cost and could not have been happier with our decision. Note: We did not use the pool, only because we didn’t have time in our schedule. If you’re traveling with older kids, choose a hotel like the Howard Johnson, which is a budget hotel with an amazing pirate ship playground in their pool.

2. Have a Disney vacation planner like Gina book the trip for you. Gina, as an authorised Disneyland travel agent, booked our hotel, park tickets, character dining (and could have booked more, like flights, if we’d needed it) at no cost to us. She also wrote us a day-by-day itinerary of how to best manage Disneyland with a toddler. For people who haven’t been before and have no knowledge of which rides are suitable and popular for different ages, this is an absolute must to take the stress out of each day.

3. Plan your time of year wisely. We went just before peak season, and every day the parks were absolutely jam packed with people by midday. Do not, unless you are totally insane, go during high season. Disneyland has a page on their site with details on the best times of year to go.

4. Plan each day. Our itinerary took the work out of it for me, and meant that we already knew which rides were suitable for our toddler, and in which order we should hit them up before the crows got too bad. E’s favorites were Cars Land in California Adventure Park (particularly the life-sized and moving Lightening McQueen and Mater) and Fantasyland in Disneyland. Her absolute favorite rides were the spinning tea cups and flying Dumbo. She wasn’t a fan of any ride that went through tunnels as she thought they were scary. High and fast spinning things, no problem.

5. Alternate lining up and riding with your partner. As the day went on and the crowds grew, there were huge lines for every ride. If your toddler is like mine, you’ll want to have one person lining up for the next ride while the other person is taking the child on the previous ride.

6. Arrive super early. You’ll enjoy the park the most even though it might be hard to fathom getting up that early for a theme park. How early? If you buy a three-day park pass, you get one “magic morning” included, where you get to enter the park an hour before the rest of the general public. The days we went, opening time was 8am, and magic hour was 7am. Before entering the park you need to go through security and line up in front of the turn styles, so arrive even earlier – at least 15 minutes if not half an hour earlier, especially for your magic morning hour. Seeing the park with almost no-one in it is eerie and peaceful at the same time. And yes, the only time in your parenting life you will refer to 7am as the “magical hour”.

7. Want to meet Anna and Elsa? They’re the current hot ticket, and we used our magic morning hour to arrive at the park at 6:30am and line up at the turn styles so that at 7am when the gates opened, were were able to walk (ok, run) to their “house” in Fantasyland and be first in line to meet them. Anna and Elsa were thankfully punctual and greeted guests from 7:05am, which meant that by 7:10am, we had met them and were on to the rides, while the queue behind us was already massive. Without a strategy like this, you will wait around two hours to meet Anna and Elsa.

8. Book character dining if your kid absolutely HAS to meet certain characters. We had dinner at Ariel’s Grotto and met all of the Disney princesses. We also breakfasted with Minnie and friends. It was such a wonderful experience for little E to meet her favourite characters in a setting like this — no lining up, just casual chatting and playing with the characters. It’s worth noting here that the character interactions were beyond my expectations. You expect the staff to be good with kids, but they were not just good, they were exceptional. E froze up each time she saw one of her favorites come to life, and every single character took the time to chat with her and draw her out of her shell by asking her cute questions about her outfit, or a toy she was holding. It was the best three days of her life thus far.

9. Eat early or late. The best times to eat at a Disney restaurant are before 11am or after 2pm. During the middle of the day they get quite busy. The food at all the restaurants is pretty average, so I would also suggest bringing your own food if possible.

10. Take a break during the day. After your early morning, get your hand stamped and leave for a break or nap during the middle of the day.

11. Make time for the parade. It’s magical for kids to see (Gina advised us that near the It’s A Small World ride was a great vantage point for the parade, and she was totally right!). Disney has just added a Frozen float to the parade, so if you didn’t get a chance to meet Anna and Elsa (or didn’t fancy the line/early morning) you can still see them in the parade.

12. Use the “ride swap” for any rides you want to do that your kid is too small for. This means getting a fast pass when you get to the park (which tells you what time to return so you don’t have to line up), then, after you return during your time slot, one of you collects a ride swap from the attendants at the front of the queue and has the ride, while the other watches the child (our favorite was the Indiana Jones ride). Afterwards, the person who rides gives the ride swap pass to the other adult, who can then jump the queue. Yippee! Note: We tried to do to do this for the Star Tours ride, but when Alec got to the front and asked for the pass, they’d run out, so this is not a fool-proof plan.

13. Plan to spend one day at California Adventure Park and at least one at Disneyland. We didn’t do the park hopper tickets as we thought E was too little (and we were right! One park was enough per day for her.), but we did allow for two days in Disneyland so we could watch all the shows, take breaks, meet the characters, and not feel rushed. This was a great plan as we felt like we were able to see everything without rushing around like crazy.

14. Watch the shows! The calibre of the Disney performers is so high. Even the short musical performances are performed by extremely talented staff. Our particular favorites were the Aladdin mini show and the new Mickey and the Magical map show which featured several of the Disney princesses.

14. Get a PhotoPass when you enter a park. There are photographers all over the park who will take your photo with characters or in front of scenic points like the castle. Each time you’re getting a photo taken by one of the Disney photographers, if you give them your pass, all of your photos will be collected in the one place to buy at the end of your trip. They’re expensive, but if you use them a lot it’s worth the money to get your whole family in every picture.

15. Bring or hire a stroller. There’s a lot of walking and having the stroller gives kids a resting place throughout the day. You can park strollers out the front of the rides so no need to worry about where to leave it.

16. Feel the magic. The only way to really enjoy Disneyland is to ditch your usual cynicism and enjoy the best showmanship on the planet. Disney puts on a performance like absolutely no other — something even non-Disney-lovers like my husband can appreciate if they want to.

PS: Want help planning your Disneyland or Disneyworld adventure? Contact Gina via her website.