Mini Review :: Tuck Shop Take Away

We heart a guest review, especially from the lovely Mel and her babes. This week they tried and tested out Tuck Shop Take Away for the Hey Bambini blog.

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Tuck Shop Take Away is a tiny little place on the corner of Hawthorn Road and Glen Eira Road. It only seats about 10 people, so you might get a seat if you’re lucky. Better to drop in on a nice day to get take away and go for a walk.

There are a few kid friendly touches, like a pile of toys by the door and a retro menu with kiddie sized milkshakes, burgers, chips and sweets. Think milko, redskin and nutella milkshakes in old school milk bottles and ‘school lunches’ served on a tray with burger, chips, drink and cake.
It’s all very cute and likely to become a hit with locals who are looking for something different in the café scene.

I dropped in with the kids just after 11am on a Thursday and we were lucky to grab a spot at the bar overlooking the kitchen. Little Miss and the Little Man were fascinated by the ladies making the burgers, which was great to keep them amused. We quickly ordered our milkshakes and coffee and a donut to share. Little Miss loved her milko flavoured milkshake and the Little Man couldn’t finish his peanut butter one fast enough! Thoughtfully, because we were sitting on the high stools, the staff put the milkshakes in takeaway cups, rather than glass milk bottles, so they didn’t accidentally get broken.

We didn’t do lunch this time, but when we’re next in the area, I can’t wait to try a burger or one of the jaffles. Creamed corn with caramelised onion or baked beans and cheese, anyone!
There is no toilet or high chairs available and with such a small space, it’s probably best to grab food and drink to go and head to the local park. Well worth a visit though, for some old-school nostalgia!

Who :: Tuck Shop Take Away
Where :: 273 Hawthorn Road Caulfield North 3161
Opening times :: Mon – Thurs 11am to 8pm, Fri/Sat 11am to 9pm, closed Sunday
Family Friendly Features :: Mini Milkshakes :: Toys :: Plastic Cups :: One High Chair

Road Test :: The Langham Little Mermaid Tiffin

Well folks here comes another round of school holidays, they always seem to creep up so quickly don’t they! I’m actually in disbelief that we will be going into term 4 in a few short weeks, which means that Christmas is just around the corner. Yikes!

But enough about how fast the year is flying by, let’s get talking about my latest mini adventure with Mr 4, which just happens to be to The Langham’s Little Mermaid Tiffin. Avid readers of my humble blog will know we love an adventure into the city. Jumping on busy trams, checking out crazy buskers and peeking into colourful shop windows are what makes an adventure to the city just that little bit more fun and exciting, especially for a 4 year old. We especially heart a cheeky visit to The Langham, what a glamorous place to spend an afternoon!

We were thrilled to be invited back to The Langham to enjoy a very special afternoon tea and as always The Langham put on a first class show. Service was with a smile and the staff were very attentive to Mr 4’s needs.

There is definitely no room for calorie counting when you a visit. The 3 tiered serving platters are brimming with decadent cakes, fluffy scones and mini sandwiches, which by the way were devoured within minutes by Mr 4.  From a little boy’s point of view he wasn’t at all bothered by the ‘mermaid’ theme, as there were plenty of ‘little boy’ options available for him to eat like King Triton Cupcakes, Flounder Honey Joys, Ocean Jelly Square, Sebastian Cakepop, Ursula Cookie, Star Fish Fairy Bread and Ham Sandwiches. Yep like l said they were all inhaled in record time!

For us it was a special school holiday treat before all the Christmas bills and craziness comes rolling along.

*The Little Mermaid Tiffin is running these school holidays in conjunction with the DVD & Blu-Ray release of the timeless Disney classic with is available from September 11, 2013*

Cost
$30 Per Child an extra $15 if you would like the Little Mermaid Book & 3D Model Set
$49 per adult
*Child Rate up to 12 years of age and must be accompanied by a paying adult

Times and Dates
Weekdays from Monday – Friday 23rd September – 11th October
10am-11.30am OR 12 noon – 1.30pm
More Information click HERE

Bang for your Buck – What Do You Get!
Superior High Tea Service in a Child Friendly Atmosphere
Theme Matched Colouring Sheets – this visit we had Ariel and King Triton.
Themed Children’s Picture Book to Take Home (Optional)
High Chairs on Site
Change Table

Bambini Tips
Close to the NGV - South Bank - Transport available are Trams and Trains
Ideal for out of towner’s looking for the ultimate Melbourne foodie experience
Ideal birthday treat for your little man or little miss

Road Test :: Tasti D Lite

The Bambini babes and l went on another eating out adventure this week. There’s no mistaking it, we heart to get out and about and l never need to convince the kids to try somewhere new, especially if there is a frozen treat or two involved. This week we found ourselves in the shiny new Fresh Food Precinct at Highpoint Shopping Centre. I have a soft spot for Highpoint, well our family fondly calls her “Knifepoint” and many school holidays were spent down in the cinema complex with my dear old dad. We’d often drive down from the country to take in a Hollywood blockbuster while filling our faces with lollies and popcorn. She’s come a long way in the last 20 years or so and with her recent facelift little miss Highpoint is all grown up and now boasts a very modern and polished food precinct which includes many stylish food venues such as Tasti D-Lite.

I’ve never indulged my sweet tooth at Tasti D Lite before so l was keen to investigate. It seems to me that frozen treats are now becoming quite the trend with a variety of self-serve stores and stands popping up everywhere like mushrooms. It’s a ‘win win’ in my book – the more the merrier! I know the kids love soft serve anything, whether it be yogurt or ice-cream, so l knew they’d be impressed instantly at Tasti D Lite.

We met Patrick who is the manager down at Highpoint and he was very enthusiastic to share with us what Tasti D-Lite has to offer. So what is Tasti D Lite? Basically it’s a light dairy based soft serve treat. It’s not ice-cream and it’s not yogurt. It’s in-between! It’s lower in calories, sugar and fat. And guess what? It comes in over 100 flavours! Yep 100. I get quite overwhelmed when there’s too much choice on offer so l asked Patrick to recommend a flavour for me. The kids had no trouble choosing – ‘bubble gum with sprinkles please’ chimed Mr 4. Once you’ve chosen your flavour from the many on offer then you can dress it up with a variety of toppings from chocolaty treats and mixed lollies to healthy stuff like fruit and nuts.

The kids loved it, their frozen goodness was served in a small cup which was easy for them to hold and to eat. I had the coconut flavour which was recommended by Patrick, and this was lovely. My only complaint was l wished l had more of it! The kids swooped in rather quickly and inhaled most of my serving, so beware it’s tasty and delish. I wouldn’t hesitate to return, there was a wide variety of flavours for us to choose from which all included the calorie intake of each serve for those watching their weight, which l thought was a good tool for mums wanting to treat themselves to a healthy, yet indulgent treat.

The other winning feature that l loved was the service. We heart customer service and the staff at Tasti D Lite can create a custom dessert master piece, so there’s no fiddling with bulky soft serve machines for busy parents.  The hardest decision you’ll have to make is choosing a flavour!


Fast Facts

Over 80 Gluten Free Flavours
More than 100 Flavours to delight you!
Lower in calories and sugar compared to ice cream
Tasti D-Lite offer a variety of serving sizes in cups and cones
Range also includes Shakes, Fresh Fruit Smoothies, Dairy Free Fruit Crushers, Ice Coffee & Sundaes
Kids Birthday Cakes Available

Where To Find

Highpoint Shopping Centre
L2 Shop 2706
120-200 Rosamond Rd
Maribrynong

Chapel St Melbourne
Shop 5 / 450 Chapel Street
South Yarra


*Sponsored Post :: We were invited by Tasti D Lite to sample some of their sweet treats and eats. All our opinions are our very own, to have and to hold!*

Mini Master Class :: Kids Pizza

A few weeks back l was invited by the Keep Left group to a Pizza Master Class. It was a night filled with pizza making tips from some local chefs, foodie ideas from Woolworths and of course a few glasses of wine courtesy of Dan Murphy. 

After l left l thought to myself that my kids would have had a great time at the master class too.  With that thought in mind l decided to hold my own mini master class at home with the boys. I was going to use all the fabulous products we received on the night from the various brands who attended the evening and teach my boys about healthy eating and making food from scratch.

Little did l know after l had set up all the ingredients for the mini master class that the kids were already rather savvy when it comes to making pizza. I started to explain to Mr 4 about the various ingredients on the table and how to construct a pizza.

He calmly turned to me and said. “Mum l KNOW how to make pizza, Nonno and l make one every Tuesday when he looks after me!”

And with that Mr 4 then started to show ME how to make the perfect pizza.

I can’t believe it never twigged with me that he would’ve known this.  Well no need for that master class l thought!

“Mum the sauce goes on first then the cheese then the basil, like this”

Of course he knows – he’s half Italian after all, pizza making is in his blood!

We had a lot fun creating our own pizzas and because the kids were involved in the preparation it made it even more enjoyable for them to eat. I found that all the products we used were tasty, within our family food budget and easily sourced from my local supermarket.

If  your kids would like to have a mini pizza master class at home here’s what you’ll need.

Pizza Bases from Bakers Delight 
Leggos Di Pomodoro Tomato Sauce
Perfect Italiano ::  Pizza Plus Cheese and Ricotta
Fresh Basil from Woolworths
Bertocchi Spanish Serrano Ham

 

Our Ballarat Mini Break Adventure :: Day 3

This is our last post about our Ballarat Adventure. Over the last few weeks I've been sharing with you my recent trip to Ballarat with the Bambini family. We were invited by Ballarat Tourism to experience the region’s most popular attractions and to sample some of the locally produced food that Ballarat has to offer families.

It was raining cats and dogs on our last day in Ballarat. This city sure knows how to turn on the weather. “Rain, rain go away” Mr 4 sung all morning as we tucked into our breakfast. The only spot left to visit today was Kryal Castle. I was excited and a little unsure what our experience would be like. The last time l set foot into Kyral Castle was about 12 years ago. Unfortunately l wasn’t there on a medieval adventure, instead l was touching the lasers and having a grand time at a dance party! Back in those days Kryal was more known as a fabulous party venue, not as a “ye olde” theme park. Also the park had become quite run down and really wasn’t a tourist destination.

Having heard on the grape vine that Kryal had recently undergone a mini makeover l was excited to experience the park through new eyes. The kids were excited as we drove up the cobble stone driveway and looked in amazement, at the large castle, complete with mini bridge and moat. 

Throwing on all the wet weather gear we could possibly manage we entered the park. The kids had fun exploring the Dragon's Labyrinth, sitting at the Knights Round Table, spending pocket money at the Tooth Fairy Lolly Shop and checking out the Fairies and Goblins Wonderland.

It was just too wet to explore the Magical Maze and the Ancient Cemetery. We were also disappointed we couldn’t watch one of the daily medieval jousting shows. It was simply too wet.

Instead we had our face painted, snacked on lollies and briefly ran around the park dodging the heavy rain. On a sunny day l would image Kryal Castle to be a wonderful place to explore. They have an onsite playground for active kids and daily outdoor combat shows.

I was pleasantly surprised how much work had gone into the renovations and l’m sure they are only going to make more improvements as more people come through the doors. The park was clean, and the kids had a brief encounter of medieval life which has left them curious to experience more. I promised them we would return in the summer school holidays. Fingers crossed the rain will stay away!

**Kryal Castle has so much to offer families and l would highly recommend it as a day trip - pack a picnic for extra fun. We struck out with the weather on the day we visited so make sure you plan ahead as there is not much shelter when the weather turns. Check your local weather guide before planning your day! Have fun.**

Playtime Review :: Bounce Inc

If your kids are anything like mine, then sometimes you need a place for them to use up a bit of energy and have some fun. In winter when the park isn’t the greatest idea, indoor play centres can seem like the only option. But they’re not!

We recently stumbled across Bounce Inc in Glen Iris. This massive warehouse space is filled with trampolines and is a little jumper’s paradise.

With an entire floor and walls of trampolines, a foam pit to jump in to and dodge ball for the older kids, it’s fun for everyone.

Little Miss booked in for the Mini Bounce session, which is an hour-long skills session for 3-5 year olds. The instructor took them through safety instructions, stretches and then a whole lot of fun jumping activities. Bouncing like a kangaroo, a star, a motorbike and a rocket were met with squeals of delight!

Next, jumping along the trampoline into the foam pit and then free jumping and sliding on the walls. Little Miss had a ball!

For bigger kids, but still under 110cm, there is Junior Jumpers, which is really just free jumping in a separate area. Great, so that the big kids can’t scare the little ones.

While all the action is going on, Mums and Dads can sit upstairs and watch from the raised café area or stand around the edge of the trampolines on the ‘grass’ to take photos. The café fare is basic, but the coffee is decent and babycinos come with a marshmallow. Always a hit with Little Miss and the Little Man.

Bounce Inc also do kids parties, with different food and jumping options available.

A new Bounce Inc is due to be opened in Blackburn soon, so Eastern suburbs kids can join in the fun.

We’ve been twice now, and while it’s a little out of the way, it’s a fun way to spend a morning when you need something different to do.

Prices:
General admission - $16.50 per hour, $10 subsequent (including jumping socks)
Mini Bounce (3 to 5 years) - $16 per hour
Junior Jumpers (under 110cm) - $11.50 per hour (including socks)
Bookings to be made online or via phone

Times:
Mini Bounce – Mon to Fri 10am to 12pm
Junior Jumpers – Mon to Fri 10am to 4pm (school term), 10am to 12pm (school holidays)


Bounce Inc was reviewed by the lovely Mel, all thoughts and words are her own and she was not invited to visit by the folk from Bounce Inc. She just loved the experience and had to share!

Interview :: Suzy From JOCO Cups

Well it’s time again to spark up that interview light. This week we’re chuffed to have the talented Suzy from JOCO Reusable Cups. Not only does Suzy juggle a busy work load selling her reusable cups to trendy Melbourne cafes, she's also the proud mumma to 3 gorgeous kids who love to dine out in some of Torquay's finest cafes.

Day Job/Occupation :: I am Sales Manager for JOCO Glass Reusable Travel Cups, selling nationally and also around the globe.  I also wear a Real Estate agent hat selling luxury beach homes in and around Torquay.

Kids :: Otis 6, Sunni 3 and Frankie 9 months old

Tea or Coffee? :: Coffee – flat white, no sugar if it’s a good brew.  Also partial to a spicy Chai, with a dash of honey and soy.

Sweet or Savoury for Breakfast :: Breakfast – what’s that?! I usually have a berry smoothie on the run if I’m lucky!

How often do you dine out with your little people? ::  Every few weeks if we’re lucky.

Keeping it local! Where do your family hangout out the most when dining out? :: Café Moby – which is located in the heart of town across the road from the beach.  It was originally a weatherboard beach home, it's now been converted into a café which boasts a huge backyard complete with a fantastic fully enclosed playground. It's a mum’s heaven!

What is the ultimate family friendly feature you love in a kid friendly café? ::  An enclosed yard where I can sit back, read the paper, read emails and enjoy a hot coffee knowing the kids are safe.

What do your kids love to eat when they go out? ::  We’re lucky enough to have kids with a varied palette, depends on what’s on offer from but anything on the kids menu usually floats their boat.

Best thing about eating out with kids :: Having someone else do the cleaning up!

Worst thing about eating out with kids :: The emotional breakdown if they’re tired

Your BEST eating out tips for new parents  :: Always ask for kids drinks in a cup with a lid and a straw to avoid those embarrassing milkshake and babycino spills. A JOCO Reusable cup with lid is a perfect solution for this situation!

Describe eating out with kids in three words :: Fun  Messy  Bribery

Thanks for sharing a slice of family life Suzy, we’re most jealous your 'local' is opposite the beach! For more info on JOCO Cups and Stockist click HERE. x