Five for Friday :: Water Babies

Yippy it's Friday!

Here are FIVE lovelies for the weekend.

Not only are these places family friendly but they are also situated near the water.

With the weather looking sunny this weekend maybe a 'spring dip' is in order.

Have a splash, a coffee and some cake with your water babies.

Elwood Beach House
High Chairs - Kids Menu - Change Table - Beach

Watson Bay Tea Gardens
High Chairs - Kids Menu - Playground - Beach

Manly Wharf Hotel
High Chairs - Kids Menu - Good Pub Food - Beach

Cafe Moby
High Chairs - Kids Menu - Playground - Beach

Seahorse Inn : The Brasserie
High Chairs - Kids Menu - Change Table - Beach

Malaysian Adventure: Little Malaysia Restaurant: China Town

We had the opportunity to duck out and leave the kids at home last week so we decided to take the tram into China Town for a quick dinner. We met up with another couple and first stop was cocktails at Ginger Boy then off to dinner at Little Malaysia.

We sat down and with very prompt service, before we knew it we had wine, beer and entrée’s at the table. Seeing as there was four of us, we decided to order an entrée and a main each, and then put it all in the middle to share. I guess this is what l enjoy most about Asian food, you get to share and try a little bit of everything. We once went out with a couple who hated sharing and guarded each of their dishes like junk yard dogs, making sure no one took a mere morsel from their plate and using their chopsticks like small samurai swords. I just don’t understand why you wouldn’t want to share, maybe it’s just me but isn’t that what Asian food all about? Malaysian is a prefect cuisine to share.

We probably ordered too much in the end as we rolled out of the restaurant. We tried the Archar Salad, Saan Choi Bau, Satays and Tofu Goreng for entrée and for mains we ate from the Hawker Style menu which included Thai Mee Hoon, Roti, Beef Randang and Chilli Calamari.

To conclude the dinner we sipped on traditional Malaysian tea. I have fallen in love with Teh Tarik and would drink everyday if they sold it at my local café. It’s a mixture of black tea and condensed milk with a creamy sweet taste which is absolutely divine. A must to try next time you visit a Malaysian Restaurant.

Pop Little Malaysia restaurant on your list of “must try”. It’s not fancy and the wine list is a bit naff but the food was good and the service was quick and uncomplicated.

Shake Your Booty! :: Coloured Rice for Music Shakers

A few weeks back it was my turn to host the Playgroup Activity. Each week the mums in our group bring along something fun for the kids to make or to learn about. We’ve done music, craft, cooking and water play. I decided to do something crafty and we made Music Shakers out of old water bottles and dyed rice.

I dyed the rice beforehand at home and provide the empty bottles so when we got to Group all we had to do was fill empty bottles with the colourful rice and start ‘shaking!” So many mums asked me how l dyed the rice so I thought l’d share how l did it on the blog.

What you need
Rice
Food Dye
Baking Paper
Plastic Containers to Store

Tools

1. Get a cheap bag of rice
2. I used normal food dye from the supermarket.
I used some green, blue, red dye.
3. Set your oven to 180 C
4. Get one large tray & line it with baking paper
5. One large bowl & spoon for mixing

*Don’t use a wooden spoon if you want it to stay a
‘wooden colour’ I used a desert spoon from the cutlery draw.

How To
1. Line tray with baking paper
2. Pop a medium amount of rice in the mixing bowl
3. Pop in a few drops of food dye
4. Mix dye through the rice until all the rice is coated
5. Pour into baking tray & smooth out making sure all the rice is even
6. Put in the hot oven for about 10-15 minutes or until the rice is completely dry
7. Let cool rice cool in ceramic bowls them put into containers

When rice is completely cool you can then place the rice into different shaped clear bottles making a fun, cheap & colourful musical instrument.

Have fun shakin your booty! Shake, Shake, Shake!! Shake your booty!



**Additional Tools**
Clear small water or juice bottles in all shapes & sizes with the labels soaked off
Cheap funnels so the kids can easily pour the rice into the bottles
Colourful electrical tape to tape up the bottle tops of the shakers nice & tight

Five for Friday :: Kids in the Kitchen

Can you believe it's that time of the week again!

Here are FIVE child friendly cafes that have one
thing in common - it's all about the KITCHEN.

Have a grand weekend all

Our Kitchen Table
Highchairs :: Kids Menu :: Baked Goodies

Bean Counter
Play Area :: High chairs :: Change Table

Three Sugars
Playground :: Kids Menu ::Toys

Big Dish
Babycinos :: High Chair :: Toys

Flying Tea Pot
Change Table :: Toys :: LIVE music on the weekends

Children’s Training Chopsticks

Our little family has a bit soft spot for Asian food. I guess it would be safe to say that we eat Asian food at least once a week. Whether it’s a trip over to Victoria Street for some Vietnamese, a stroll up the road to our local Japanese restaurant to enjoy some fresh sushi or a weekend yum cha lunch in China Town or Box Hill.

Yep we eat it a lot but we are lucky too that Mr 2 loves it just as much as we do. He’s never afraid to try new things and just the other day when he and l ducked in for a quick sushi plate for lunch he had a try of raw fish and octopus. Although he wasn’t a huge fan of it, l was chuffed that he even at least gave it a try and didn’t turn his nose up straight away. He especially loves the steamed dumplings we have at Yum Cha and just recently we bought him some training chopsticks so he can feel like one of the adults.

We purchased them from a little shop in Richmond for a few dollars and now they come with us everywhere in the nappy bag, along with his café bag of toys and his Bubbaccino Cup. They are super cute and very easy for him to use. He just stabs a dumpling and snacks away. He did try in vain to use the ‘grown up ‘chopsticks but he is still too young to master these. (I also still struggle some days!) The training chopsticks are great because they are all one piece of cutlery, kind of like a giant pair of plastic tweezers. They have a cute little bear face and are easy to wipe clean with the nappy wipes. Maybe in a few years he will master the adult chop sticks but for now he is happy with his“baby chops chops”

We purchased our Training Chopsticks from Dasio in Richmond for $2.80. You can also buy them online HERE.

Cafe of the Week :: CAKE :: Ballarat

Nestled on Main Rd next to all the best vintage shops (my husband calls them ‘junk shops!’) is Cake Bake Shop. This sweet little café is the perfect destination for morning or afternoon tea. They have a few seating options including a large communal table in the middle of the room which would be perfect for mother’s groups. On the menu is a selection of homemade mini cupcakes, macaroons and of course warm drinks. They don’t do lunch, dinner or breakfast – just morning and afternoon tea.

Read the rest of this review HERE

Five Fluffy Fur Balls For Friday

Grab the kids and find a cute and cuddly cafe this weekend.

Kamel
High Chair :: Change Table :: Kids Menu

Mr Wolf
High Chairs :: Kids Mini Pizzas :: Activity Sheets

Flying Fox Cafe
Playground :: Kids Menu :: Change Table

Squirrel Cafe
High Chairs :: Books :: Kids Menu

Birdie Num Nums
Play Area :: Change Table :: Kids Menu