Adventure, baby!

Travel

Date Night in Sydney

On our recent trip back home to Sydney (another post on that coming later) Alec and I had a special night – our first away from E. Not Alec’s first time away overnight, but definitely my first, and our first together. Monumental! And all thanks to my wonderful parents who volunteered to baby sit their granddaughter even though she had a fever that required them getting up through the night and then my mum sleeping with her the rest of the night. Bless you Mum and Dad, you’re the best!

It was so wonderful to have some time with Alec to reset our relationship and to spend a bit of time enjoying Sydney again together. I found a great deal on a hotel we stayed at for my 30th birthday in The Rocks – the Langham (it used to be called The Observatory Hotel). The hotel is a beautiful old-school place, really luxurious and comfortable at the same time.

We kicked our night off walking around The Rocks, picking up treats for later at the Guylian Chocolate Cafe, and then with dinner at Pony, a restaurant that wasn’t there last time  we were in town, and was absolutely amazing. Really delicious food (my ricotta pasta was perfect), kick-ass cocktails, and a fantastic vibe that was upscale trendy without being too try-hard.

Something that really struck me on this trip back is how much the food culture in Sydney has changed. There are lots of really hip new cafes and restaurants around town now – and all throughout the suburbs – which made for some culinary adventures that reminded me of how amazing Australia’s produce is.

After our delicious dinner and potent cocktails, we head back for an early night and rented a movie (we never get to watch movies anymore!).

The following morning, after breakfast at the hotel restaurant, we dropped by La Renaissance Cafe (the place to go for French pastries) to pick up treats for my parents, then head back on home.

One thing to be said for being back home, it’s great to have some more than willing babysitters!

GIVEAWAY: One Personal Training session (worth $125) + one Fit Mummy Workout class (worth $55) with Mums In Sync

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I don’t want to be a frumpy mummy anymore but yet I don’t want to work out in a boring gym. So I decided to end my 3-year exercise hiatus and go check out a super lovely gym in a Sentosa resort! That way, I can exercise and be in gorgeous surroundings (with a killer view) – WIN WIN 😀

Aileron Wellness is located within Amara Resort in Sentosa, and specialises in highly-customized personal training.

For mums, however, Mums In Sync are there to cater for your needs. Kareen, the owner and personal trainer, is a mum (of twins!) herself. She knows all about weak stomach muscles, and mummy concerns like flabby stomach (urk), flabby arms (cannot wave at people without setting off a seismic wave), flabby thighs (where did the gap go??), flabby everything, really!

You can read about my experience with Mums In Sync right here.

What I LOVE about Mums In Sync is that it’s not daunting, embarrassing, nor weird at all. Kareen is easy to chat with, and it’s just so much easier working with someone that’s a mum herself (her twins are 3 yrs old). The gym is also full of young male guy trainers if, you know, you feel like some eye candy as you’re working out………………….

But here’s what we have for you this week – not one but TWO ways to win!

Mums In Sync are giving away one 60mins customised
Personal Training session (worth $125)

a Brunch With My Baby giveaway
     

 

Mums In Sync are giving away one 90mins 
Fit Mummy Workout class (worth $55)

  a Brunch With My Baby giveaway

You can submit some of the entries more than once a day, so come back tomorrow to get more entries in the draw.

Giveaways will run from 7 – 13  Mar 2014 inclusive.
Winner’s entry(s) will be verified according to the entry criteria(s).
Winner of Personal Training session may call to arrange their appointment.

Winner of Fit Mummy Workout class may select one of these two sessions: 25 March 10AM, 29 March 3PM

 

So here I am, going nuts at their machine/game that you have to smack as each of the lights light up. By “going nuts”, I mean moving as slow as a sloth – the game is actually super hard!!!!

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This is Kareen, dead lifting 1,000KG. Give or take.

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With Kareen from Mums In Sync, and Keith the owner of Aileron Wellness gym!

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Saving the best part for the last…… FREE FOOD!!!!!

Specifically, a free kaching putih stand in the hotel’s lobby.

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And a tip: bring your swimmers. Heck, bring your kids too if you have someone to keep an eye on them. Because they can swim in the THREE pools at the resort! And you can too, after your workout. It makes for a great family activity and you can poke around Sentosa afterwards to chill out 🙂

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Thanks Aileron Wellness and Mums In Sync!

 

BAKER & COOK: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Bukit Timah, Singapore

baker & cook

 

Tucked away in a residential area, baker & cook lies among a row of restaurants and shophouses and is always crowded in the mornings. The smell of freshly-baked breads and pastries is gorgeous! They pride themselves as an artisan bakery & foodstore, offering simple but delightful food for brunch.

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My Egg mayonnaise, avocado spread and cress tartine ($13) was good. SO. GOOD. It’s a completely simple concept (which I later re-created at home), but executed so perfectly. Their egg mayonnaise was the perfect combination of chilled boiled egg and mayo, and it went so well with the thin slice of sourdough toast. The avocado spread, however, was pretty pathetic – just a tiny smear of avocado that did nothing to the dish. I would have been much more impressed with slices of avocado.

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My girl friend opted for the Tuna mayonnaise, parmesan, chopped boiled egg and chives ($13), which was very similar to mine, just with tuna instead.

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I forgot to steal some of my other girl friend’s Spanish Omelette (chorizo sausage, red & green capsicum, onion, cheese) ($16), darn! 😉 But the omelette looked plump and juicy. The toast, studded with nuts and seeds, looked thin and crispy, but I don’t think it came with butter to spread on.

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An excellent Large latte ($5), with one of the most adorable foam art I have been served. Very well priced for a solid cup of coffee, so absolutely no complaints.

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Their counter, laden with beautiful pastries and breads, is a real treat for the eyes (and nose!). I left with a couple of takeaway items to enjoy later 🙂

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Last Bite: baker & cook offer a simple but delicious brunch, and brew a lovely cup of coffee. Don’t forget to take home some breads and pastries before you leave!
 
Highchairs: Yes
Easy access: Yes
Change tables: No
Kids’ menu: No

baker & cook
77 Hillcrest Rd
Singapore 288951
Phone: 6469 8834
Prices: $$
Hours: Sunday to Thursday – 7am to 8pm , Friday to Saturday – 7am to 10pm
 
 

TRATTORIA NONNA LINA: Kid-Friendly Restaurants, Tanjong Pagar, Singapore

Nonna Lina - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

I’m cheating a little here… I’m doing a shout-out about Trattoria Nonna Lina as a kid-friendly place to go to, but I actually went there without kids! So full disclosure here: I was actually there on a dinner date, but was charmed by the homeliness of the restaurant and warm ambiance that I felt it would be totally somewhere I would bring the kids to. Not to mention how excellent their food is.. I know my kids would go nuts over their pasta!

Nonna Lina is a small and cozy restaurant tucked away in the Tanjong Pagar area. The Italian owner was outside and we felt like we’d stepped into an Italian family’s home when we entered.

Nonna Lina - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

We were served some complimentary bruschetta, which was a very lovely touch. The tomatoes were fresh and creamy, and it was a nice little filler whilst we waited for our dishes to arrive.

Nonna Lina - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

I adored the Homemade pappardelle with Italian sausages in creamy gorgonzola sauce ($27). Admittedly, it was a total artery-clogging dish, but it was so well executed! The thick pappardelle was cooked al dente and doused in the most gorgeous and luscious gorgonzola… oh how I love smelly cheese. The sausage (which was actually sausage meat) was tasty and chunky. I’d expected the dish to be a lot bigger, considering the price, but in retrospect it’s probably best it wasn’t since it was so rich.

Nonna Lina - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

Their version of Finely sliced veal with truffle essence and porcini mushrooms, served with homemade potato mash ($31) surprised us because we thought they’d given us the wrong dish when it arrived. I’d expected the veal to be thin slices, escalope style. Instead, it was more like little thin slivers of veal – not that it was a negative thing, but we just didn’t expect it.

This dish looked terrible (definitely not photo-worthy!) but it was a gorgeous dish – the veal was unbelievably tender, and the mushrooms plump and juicy. It was paired very well with the extra-creamy mashed potatoes.

Nonna Lina - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

The STAR dish of the night was the dessert, Traditional homemade Italian chocolate and rum pudding with homemade caramel sauce ($16).

WOW.

I don’t think I’ve tasted a better chocolate pudding.

The chocolate and rum pudding was dense yet not overpowering, silky smooth and slightly chilled. The flavour of the rum really came through, and lended a lovely potent kick to the dessert. The caramel sauce cut through the rum and the mix of the flavours was just top notch.

This was brilliant and one of the best desserts I’ve had. An absolute must order!!!

Nonna Lina - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 
Last Bite: Trattoria Nonna Lina is the place to go for some homestyle Italian cooking. Their dishes are rich and flavourful, but it was their homemade Italian chocolate and rum pudding with homemade caramel sauce that really knocked our socks off!
 
Highchairs: Yes
Easy access: Yes
Change tables: No
Kids’ menu: No

Trattoria Nonna Lina
4 Craig Road
Singapore 089664
Phone: 6222 0930
Prices: $$$
Hours: Mon – Sun: 12:00 pm – 2:30 pm, 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
 
 

NINE THIRTY BY AWFULLY CHOCOLATE: Kid-Friendly Restaurants, City Hall, Singapore

 

Nine Thirty Awfully Chocolate - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

I’ve been to Nine Thirty three times now.

The first time was with a gf, and I had both kids in tow. It was my UNlucky day and both were creating a ruckus, so zero photos were taken, thanks to them. The second and third times were a lot more chill (read: well behaved), so I can finally write a review!

Opened by Awfully Chocolate, what I particularly like about Nine Thirty is the fact that this lovely restaurant is sunlit and spacious. It’s also mostly empty (it’s in the Esplanade Mall, so not many walk-ins, I’d imagine), which is simply brilliant if you have a kid that’s napping in the stroller, or if your kid wants to wander around a bit.

 

Nine Thirty Awfully Chocolate - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

What had me so delighted (and salivating) was their pictorial menu! They obviously had an AMAZING food photographer do it, because everything looks enticing. It actually makes the process of deciding what to order reaaalllyyyyy difficult.

 

Nine Thirty Awfully Chocolate - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

The Iced Latte ($8) was well-made and was not as watery as many iced lattes out there. That said, it’s pretty steep for $8 (plus gst, plus service charge) so I’m not sure I’d order it again.

Nine Thirty Awfully Chocolate - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

We were delighted with the Corned Beef Benedict with caramelised onions, poached egg and hollandaise sauce ($18). It was brilliant!! The corned beef lended a saltiness to the dish that wasn’t overpowering, and it was beautifully matched with the soft and mild flavour of the egg. Oddly, despite having two slices of bread, only one poached egg is plopped on top. It would have been much better with two eggs.

Note: apologies for the really strange photos below. My camera flicked onto some setting and I didn’t realise it til much later!

Nine Thirty Awfully Chocolate - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

Isn’t the Croque Madame ($15) a beauty? Served in a skillet, this dish was BIG and well worth the money. It had just the right amount of silky sauce to make the bread soft and moist, but not too much so that you really felt the calories. The crispy fried egg was delicious!

Impressively, they didn’t use ‘standard’ shaved ham, but rather FAT slices of ham-off-the-bone. It was fantastic.

Interestingly, the dish was paired with a small pot of sauerkraut and another of olives. They both complemented the dish well. We particularly liked the sweet potato crisps – they were so thin and crispy!

Nine Thirty Awfully Chocolate - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

These dishes below are featured on the Lunch menu.

We weren’t very impressed with the Chicken Noodle Soup ($11). We’d expected it to be enough for a small eater or for a kid’s meal, but it was so tiny it can’t even be considered a dish. There was ONE noodle in there. It was a thick one, but still, it was one noodle. The shredded chicken in there seemed suspiciously cooked earlier via the boiling-to-death method, and was tough, chewy, dry and tasteless. The broth was nice, but nothing spectacular.

Nine Thirty Awfully Chocolate - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

The lunch menu was waved by the Beef Bourguignon with mash ($23). It was pretty pricey, but at least it was lovely. The beef was fork-tender, all plump and moist. The carrots could have been cooked a little longer (they were a bit hard) and there could have been double the amount of potato mash, but overall, the beef was an absolute winner and both kids lapped it right up!

Nine Thirty Awfully Chocolate - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

The Spaghetti Marinara ($18) came out looking very basic and home-cooked. Looks aside, however, it was cooked very well. The sauce was not too sour, and the seafood tasted fresh. It was a very small portion, so avoid this if you’re a big eater.

Nine Thirty Awfully Chocolate - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

Ahhhhhh, their winner, the Salted Butterscotch Brownie from Awfully Chocolate! The brownie was so moist it was more like a fudge cake – just the way I like it. The salted butterscotch was sweet but gave a different flavour to the plain chocolate brownie. My kids ADORED this. And so did I 🙂

Nine Thirty Awfully Chocolate - Brunch With My Baby SingaporeNine Thirty Awfully Chocolate - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

Last Bite: Nine Thirty has a stellar weekend brunch menu, and a pretty decent lunch menu too. Laid back and spacious, it’s a great place to have a relaxed family brunch.

 

Highchairs: Yes
Easy access: Yes
Change tables: Yes (in the mall)
Kids’ menu: No

Nine Thirty by Awfully Chocolate
Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay
8 Raffles Avenue #02-14
Singapore 039802
Phone: 6336 9563
Prices: $$$
Hours: Sun to Thu: 12:00 – 22:00, Fri – Sat: 12:00 – 00:00

GIVEAWAY: One pair of Pediped FLEX shoes (worth $90-99)!

Pediped FLEX - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

PEDIPED is one of the most famous, popular, and stylish shoe brands in Singapore. But I guess you already know that, since you’re a parent!

As of THIS WEEK, pediped are giving up to 50% off newly added sales items including styles from the latest Fall/Winter 2013 collection!

You can shop directly at their site here:

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But, here’s what we have for you:

pediped are giving away one pair of FLEX shoes
 (worth $90-99) of your choice!

a Brunch With My Baby giveaway


You can submit some of the entries more than once a day, so come back tomorrow to get more entries in the draw.

Giveaway will run from 28 Feb – 6 Mar 2014 inclusive.
Winner’s entry(s) will be verified according to the entry criteria(s).
Pediped will ship the winner’s choice of FLEX shoe (subject to availability) to any Singapore address.

 

On top of that:

pediped are offering an EXCLUSIVE 10% STOREWIDE DISCOUNT, in addition to any existing discounts already online!
Use code: BWMBPEDIPED

 

Storewide discount is eligible until 6 March 2014 inclusive.

 

Targeted to children aged 1-8 years old, the pediped FLEX range  offers damn cute designs with comfort to boot. What I personally like about the shoes are:

  1. Excellent cushioning at the heel
  2. Cushioned arch support
  3. Flexible soles

 

My kids have a few pairs of pediped shoes, but I like these ones (below) in particular because they’re kind of match-match!

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Thanks pediped!

SMOKE SHACK: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Telok Ayer, Singapore

Smoke Shack - Brunch With My Baby Sngapore

 

So after my Bodytec workout, I was looking for calories to put back in. Hey, a good workout deserves some kinda reward, right??

I was poking around the area and, wahey! Stumbled upon Far East Square. Within the ground floor alley (I love how it’s made to look like vintage shophouses), there were lots of little eateries and Smoke Shack, a sandwich shop, caught my eye.

 

Smoke Shack - Brunch With My Baby Sngapore

 

Their menu features 8 sandwiches, and that’s it. All seemed fairly similar to me, so it took me ages to decide!

Smoke Shack - Brunch With My Baby Sngapore

 

I always declare “I don’t like sandwiches”. But that’s because I rarely find sandwiches made well. Here’s what impresses me in a sandwich:

  1. It has to be warm. I just can’t stomach cold sandwiches (soooo boring!)
  2. The bun has to be fluffy and soft. Crusty hard rolls are a no-go for me. I don’t like gnawing away like a beaver does on wood.
  3. The insides have to be moist. A dry sandwich is a crime!
  4. The meat has to be absolutely tender. Nothing worse than taking a bite, and having ALL the meat drag out because it’s too tough for your teeth to cut through. Ugh!

So how does Smoke Shack’s Roast Beef ($11) stack up?

Smoke Shack - Brunch With My Baby Sngapore

 

This, my friends, is PERFECTION. I was really stunned that such a gorgeous sandwich existed. It looked good, and it tasted good. Oh my, it really really tasted good!!

The bun was so fluffy and fresh and soft and warm. That alone already made made me happy. I loved how the ingredients were all stacked in neatly, and cut with a super sharp knife. An un-sloppy looking sandwich always looks so pleasing.

But the star was the roast beef – whoooaaaaaa. It was so tender that the beef just bit straight through. You’ll see in the photo below my bite marks through it. No weird tendon bits, no chewy pieces that pulled out of the sandwich cos my teeth couldn’t cut through it.

Smoke Shack - Brunch With My Baby Sngapore

 

So is the place kid-friendly? It’s a bit like sitting in a (nice) food court, so it depends if your kids fare well in that sort of scene or not. However, the area there allows kids to wander up and down where they’ll be in plain sight. There are some water features nearby (also within viewing range) that they can check out.

If your kids are into burgers and sandwiches, Smoke Shack is a fantastic alternative to standard fast food joints.

Smoke Shack - Brunch With My Baby Sngapore

 

And just down the road is Tan Hock Seng Cake Shop (86 Telok Ayer St)! I stumbled upon it and learned that it is a 70 year old bakery, that is about as old school as it gets  – complete with their goodies stacked in cardboard boxes and a whole variety of edibles that I couldn’t identify. I settled on just three types, but am planning to go back and try more!

Smoke Shack - Brunch With My Baby Sngapore Smoke Shack - Brunch With My Baby Sngapore

 

 

 
Last Bite: Smoke Snack is tiny (in both cafe size and menu size), but serves up some incredible sandwiches. The Roast Beef sandwich was divine!
 
Highchairs: No
Easy access: Yes
Change tables: No
Kids’ menu: No

Smoke Shack
2 Amoy Street
#01-01 Far East Square
Singapore 049945
Phone: 6557 2214
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon – Fri: 7:30 am – 7:30 pm
 
 

ASSEMBLY COFFEE: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Bukit Timah, Singapore

 Assembly Coffee

Assembly Coffee has gotten coffee aficionados and cafe-hoppers into a bit of a tizzy. They are fairly new and doing the rounds on social media right now. I’m not surprised. They manage to pull off that lovely trifecta of ambience-catered-for-cafe-hoppers (or people that consider themselves coffee connoisseurs), very decent coffee and food, and also very decent prices.

The interior is pretty tiny, and gets surprisingly packed toward lunchtime on a weekday. I’d imagine there would be a queue on weekends. Because of its small and contained area, I actually thought it was fairly kid-friendly – they can’t really escape!

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Assembly Coffee brew up a robust and creamy coffee. I thoroughly enjoyed my Latte ($4.50), but lamented at how tiny it was.

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I was dubious about whether the Pulled Pork Sandwich ($14.90) would be good, as their kitchen was tiny. We were thrilled when we discovered the pulled pork to be moist and juicy and tender, with a robust BBQ flavour that wasn’t overpowering. The fresh green apple slices cut through the pork flavour very well and the sesame-encrusted bun was fluffy and soft. This was top notch.

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We were equally impressed with the Salted Caramel Buttermilk Waffles ($11.50). These were AMAZING. The waffles were moist and fluffy, but with a crisp golden-brown exterior. The salted caramel drizzled on top took it to a whole new level, and the rich vanilla ice cream topped it all off perfectly. A must-order.

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Assembly11

Last Bite: Assembly Coffee boast a cozy ambiance, as well as terrific food and coffee at reasonable prices. Their Salted Caramel Waffles are a must!

Highchairs: Yes
Easy access: No (a few steps up to get in)
Change tables: No
Kids’ menu: No

Assembly Coffee
26 Evans Road
Singapore 259367
Phone: 6735 5647
Prices: $$
Hours: Tue – Thu: 10:00 am – 9:00 pm, Fri – Sun: 9:00 am – 10:00 am

PHO 99 Vietnamese Delights: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Tanjong Pagar, Singapore

Pho 99: Kid Friendly Cafes, Tanjong Pagar, Singapore

Let me apologise: PHO 99 Vietnamese Delights isn’t actually child friendly. It is cramped and crowded, has terrible parking in the area, and you’re expected to be in-and-out within minutes (because there are others waiting for your table). I didn’t even go there with kids!

So why am I writing about it?

Because at some point, you might be kid-free, right?? (I hope?)

In the off-chance that you are sans kids, get yourself down to PHO 99 Vietnamese Delights asap. I did, reveling in the tough-to-find parking situation on Amoy St, the small and narrow steps to walk into the cafe, the cramped atmosphere, the no-frills order/eat/leave ambiance, the tiny tables, and just the sheer NO KID-NESS of it all. Hey, this sort of stuff excites me nowadays – I felt like I was really walking on the WILD side!!

I arrived at 11:30 and it was virtually empty. By 12PM, it was packed to the rafters with office workers. The place is cramped, so go early.

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The menu is pretty basic. There are the usual rice paper rolls and spring rolls, and vermicelli or rice or pho for their main, etc.

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But I was there for their namesake, the Pho Tai ($11). It arrived quickly, a large steaming hot bowl of delicious goodness.

AND OH MY, IT WAS GOOOOOOD!!!!

The broth was light and not oily, with lots of slippery smooth rice noodles. There was a generous amount of thinly sliced (amazingly tender) beef, so much so that I didn’t ration them out properly and ended up with a pile of beef at the end, with not much noodles left to eat it with.

What impressed me was the dry chili (in a pot) that was on the table. I’m not even keen on chili, but I found that a dollop of the stuff on my sliced beef gave the dish a fantastic kick of flavour.

I actually reckon this place serves up the best Pho I’ve had in Singapore so far!

Pho99_03

 

And, psssttttt! Walk down the same road (Amoy St) to Matt’s The Chocolate Shop. It’s a pretty nondescript place that hides away a FANTASTIC chocolate cake – pretty much their only offering there. I got the individual serve for $4 and was very impressed with the light and airy cake, which wasn’t dense enough to be overpowering, yet retained a richness of the chocolate flavour. The fudge icing on top was a welcome wetness to the cake, and the combination was divine.

MattChocolate

 

Last Bite: PHO 99 is the place to go when you don’t have kids in tow. Their Pho Tai is one of the best we’ve had in Singapore! Go before noon to avoid the lunch crowd.

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

PHO 99 Vietnamese Delights
57 Amoy St
Singapore 069883
Phone: 9768 8735
Prices: $
Hours: Mon – Fri: 10:00 – 21:00, Sat – Sun: 10:00 – 20:00

TRAVEL GUIDE TO PERTH FOR FAMILIES

Travel guide to Perth for families

“Ermmm…. Perth?”, we asked dubiously, when my parents suggested we do a family trip there. “Isn’t that kind of…. BORING?”

And in a way, that’s true, IF you are young and single and looking for a pumping city to shop and party your holiday away.

But for a family? Perth is FABULOUS. And we are totally grateful for having that suggestion plonked upon us, because it was one of THE best holidays-with-kids we’ve been on!

I was woman-in-charge of planning our itinerary, and being clever sneaky, I asked my girl friend Karen Cheng (who lives in Perth with her three young kids) to help me out. And help she did. She planned the entire holiday for us!! And so I would like to share our itinerary, because:

  1. It was planned by a local, so we trusted that it would work.
  2. It focuses on kids as #1 priority. Which means if you’re planning to make Perth a family-friendly holiday, then this guide is for you.

I hope this gives you a few helpful tips when you pop into Perth with your family!

TRAVEL GUIDE TO PERTH FOR FAMILIES

For hanging out with animals:

  1. Landsdale Farm (80 Landsdale Rd, Darch WA 6065) – a small farm that knocks many other larger animal farms out of the ballpark. At only AU$6 per person, it’s an amazing deal. Check out all the farm animals roaming around freely, or their Sensory Garden for herbs and vegetables. They even have a large playground with a shaded dome over it, that’s contained so you can throw the kids in there without worrying about them running off. There is a cafe there with lots of high chairs, and full washing-up and changing facilities. (TIP: bring a blanket and have a picnic under the trees, whilst the kids run around on the grass)
  2. Caversham Wildlife Park (Lord St, Perth WA 6068) – this large park is privately owned and charges $25/adult and $11/kid. It’s a must if you want to check out Australia’s native animals – up close and personal. Hand-feed the kangarooms roaming around the park, and check out the amazing Meet The Wombat & Friends Show and Farm Show – both are a hit with kids! (TIP: the cafe there only stocks snacks and drinks, so bring along a packed lunch for the family)

 

For outdoor fun:

  1. Perth Cultural Centre (between Roe, Beaufort, Francis and William Streets) – there is a large beach installation there at the moment, which features loads of clean sand for the kids to roll around and play in. Nearby is a fantastic sensory playground based on nature and sound for young kids – with ‘musical instruments’ to play with. And it’s all free! (TIP: bring your scooter if you have one. There’s loads of open space here)
  2. Cottesloe Beach – Great outdoor playground and lots of grassy patches to play on. Lovely beach for kids, but go early in the morning to beat the sun. (TIP: eat at The Beach Club cafe for lunch. The food is top notch)
  3. South Beach – lovely beach for young children, thanks to the relatively shallow and calm waters. Great for an evening dip. (TIP: eat at the Pickled Fig, a gorgeous little cafe right on the beach)

 

For indoor fun:

  1. Scitech (Sutherland St, West Perth WA 6005)  – this non-profit organisation was so good the kids went there twice! It’s chock-full of young kid friendly activities, and features loads of hands-on exhibits. They have a sectioned-off area for young toddlers that my kids loved. (TIP: buy your tickets online at the Scitech website, to save time queuing)
  2. Fremantle Markets (Corner South Terrace & Henderson Street) – poke around all the little shops and stalls, and check out the produce section for excellent fruit and vegetables. You can wander outside to the Market Street area, which is full of cute little boutiques. (TIP:Walk to the Esplanade by the harbour and eat at Cicerellos, it has a huge fish tank snaking through the middle of the casual cafe!))
  3. Triassic Fun Park (410 Ranford Road, Canning Vale, WA 6155) – a winner if the weather is too hot/cold and you want to hide out indoors for 2 hours or so. Best for 3 yrs old and up, though there is a separate section for the toddlers. Dinosaur themed and excellent climbing fun for the kids! With blacklight mini golf, ride-on dinosars and motorised cars (all extra charges), this is an indoor playground on steroids.

 

The sun in Australia is a bit of a killer, so remember to SLIP, SLOP, SLAP! Make sure you pack your sunglasses, as well as sunscreen and wide-brim hats for the kids.

Lipbalm and moisturizer are great too, since Australia’s air is drier than Singapore’s.

Have a great trip!