Polly Woodside Pirate Day

What do you do in Melbourne on a 39 degree day? Well you throw caution to the wind and decide to take a tram down to South Wharf, check out the Polly Woodside and have a few cheeky ales on the side. Madness l know! Hey it may not be everyone’s cup of tea to get out and about on a hot day but we like to make the most of our weekends.

We’d generously been given a family pass to the Polly Woodside courtesy of the National Trust of Victoria in conjunction with their 100 days of summer campaign.

Now a tiny confession, l have not been to the Polly Woodside for over 30 years and based on my last experience as a child l wasn’t expecting too much. I thought we’d be in and out in about 30 minutes. Oh how wrong l was!

So unbeknown to me, the first Sunday of every month is pirate day for the kids at the PW. Kids can dress up in the spirit of the theme and join in on the various activities like pirate themed face-painting, pirate crafting, swinging from the sails, scrubbing decks, pirate tattoos and of course a cheeky walk off the plank.

The kids were totally captivated with the wonderful PW pirate crew and the activities. The staff are a real credit to the Polly Woodside – all were extremely helpful and the kids found their pirate antics rather amusing. They especially loved scrubbing the decks under the shower of water from up above, and as it was such a hot day it was the prefect activity for them. Although be careful with those broom sticks, Mr 3 nearly lost an eye thanks to Mr 5.  How ironic would it have been if we had to invest in a real eye patch after our outing!

I was pleasantly surprised by the whole experience and the kids have been raving about the captain and his crew for days, they even went to bed with their pirate swords which were purchased from the PW souvenir store.

In fact the boys loved it so much we went twice in one day. Yep the kids wanted to go back after lunch. Lucky enough our lunch venue happened to be right next door at The Boatbuilders Yard, you can find all the details on this great place HERE. They have a sandpit and totem tennis to keep the kids amused and of course kids eats and cold beer (for us – not the kids!). Need l say more! It’s a fabulous spot to visit with kids.

So after lunch was inhaled and a few pots had been ingested we rolled on back for more pirate antics in the afternoon.

All in all it was such a great family day out for us, the kids had an amazing time and Mr Bambini and l got to sample some tasty eats and some cold brews. I know l say it a lot – but l HIGHLY recommend a visit to the Polly Woodside with the family. I love it when you don’t have any expectations on how a day will pan out when venturing out with the kids, especially when it was so hot, but the whole family thoroughly enjoyed our outing.

Want some quick info about this adventure?

What :: Polly Woodside Pirate Sundays
When :: 1st Sunday of every month from 10am - 4pm
Where :: South Wharf on the Yarra River
Cost :: Adult - $16.00  - Concession - $13.00  - Child - $9.50 - Family - $43.00 ( 2 Adults and 2 Children)  - Single Family - $32.00 (1 Adult and 2 Children)  - Additional Children $5.00 per child.

Interview :: Virginia From Charlie and Rosie

The very creative Virginia from Charlie and Rosie has given us a little insight about her cafe adventures with one busy little boy and one sweet pintsized girl in tow. Virginia is founder and creator of Charlie and Rosie and in between caring for two young bubs Virginia makes cushions for little people using designs that are unique, fun and a little bit arty.

Day Job/Occupation :: Founder of Charlie and Rosie and creator of cushions for kids.

How many kidlet's do you have? :: Charlie 2 years and Grace 6 months

Tea or coffee? :: Both (and at any given opportunity) but if you ask me early in the morning after a night of caring for little people then Skinny Latte with one and three quarters is the preferred choice.

Sweet or Savoury for breakfast? :: Savoury without question. Eggs Benedict with hollandaise on the side PLUS bacon, avocado and a hash brown (spinach if I’m feeling healthy).

How often do you dine out with your little people?:: We are only just coming up for air after the birth of Grace so dining out is more of a distant memory. However under more normal circumstances we like to dine out at least once each week. Whether that be breakfast somewhere at a child friendly cafe or dinner at 5.30pm (!) in an empty restaurant.

Keeping it local. Where does your family hangout the most? :: Jellybread Café in West Footscray. Other than Charlie getting into a scrap with some older boys in the caravan, the backyard is a great area to let toddlers roam free safely.

Miss Marmalade in Brunswick is another favourite. We love the back room which is dedicated to mums and kids, it can get a little cabin feverish at times but it's nice to know that kids are welcome all the same. (P.S Bambini readers we have donated some beautiful cushions to Miss Marmalade and they are using them in the backroom for the little people to cuddle and love.)

What is the ultimate family friendly feature you love in a kid friendly café? Separate areas for children to play (safely). Preferably sound proof and with barricades. Just kidding! Barricades would be ridiculous!

What do your kids love to eat when they go out? :: Charlie: cupcakes, scrambled eggs, babycinos, bread soldiers, porridge with fruit, toasted sandwiches, dirt. Grace: boob



The Charlie & Rosie cushion's in action at a kid friendly café

Best thing about eating out with kids :: My husband and I believe what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I definitely think eating out with children has improved our fitness (running to catch Charlie before he makes it into the kitchen).  It is also a joy to share a meal as a family, to laugh, enjoy each others company and make memories together.

Worst thing about eating out with kids :: The cost of bribing a toddler  "I’ll get you a cookie if you hop off that table top"

Describe Eating out with Kids in Three words :: Stop. Ouch. Sorry !

Thanks so much for your time Virginia, we know how busy you must be! Also we are super excited that you’ve kindly donated some cushions to various kid friendly cafes around Melbourne, we’ll have to keep a look out when we’re out and about next.

To get your hands on some of Virginia's gorgeous creations head on over to Charlie and Rosie. You can also find them on Facebook - Pinterest and Instagram.

MELT :: Chocolate Festival :: Melbourne

Hands up who loves chocolate? Hands up whose kids love chocolate?

If the answer is ‘yes’ then I may have just the thing to brighten a cold Melbourne Sunday.

The Immigration Museum is holding a chocolate festival on Sunday May 26 from 11am to 4pm, called Melt.

This festival is part of the ongoing ‘Sweets’ exhibition, exploring the role of sweets in different cultures.

I was lucky enough to be invited to the preview last night and taste some of the amazing chocolates that will be on offer at the festival. 

We got to try some beautiful Belgian truffles, made by the very talented Stefaan Van Numen; Brazilian Brigadieros, truffles made with white, milk or dark chocolate and condensed milk; Mexican Champurrado or hot chocolate, spiced with vanilla, cinnamon and orange blossom, with conchas for dipping. I was in heaven!

We even got to decorate a Mexican Day of the Dead chocolate skull with lollies and icing. So much fun!

The festival will have food stalls, workshops, music, entertainment and lots of activities for the kids. Check out the Immigration Museum website for more details.

See you there for some chocolately fun!

Where: Immigration Museum, 400 Flinders Street Melbourne
When:  Sunday May 26, 11am to 4pm
Cost:  $10 adults, concession and children FREE


**Huge thanks to Mel for attending this event on behalf of Hey Bambini, also another "shout-out" thanks to the Immigration Museum for having us! xx**

City Eats for Little Peeps

You know the CBD isn’t just for men in slick suits and geeky students. For us a trip into the city means another fast paced adventure for Mr 4 and Mr 2. Sky scrapers, musical busker’s, street sweepers, graffiti art work, the dirty Yarra River, unusual looking folk and colourful window displays is just a snap shot of what the boys and l get to experience. For us it also means seeking out toilets and kid friendly eats, which is another whole challenge in itself.

So without further ado here is a list of cafes and restaurants we’ve researched, tested and tried that cater for families and kids. From the CBD to South Bank and South Wharf we’ve uncovered some cool hip spots that are sure to please you and your tiny diners.




 
Little Miss Fancy Pants :: Fancy Eats for Little Peeps

Akachochin – South Wharf

Change Table – High Chair – Some Room for Prams - Booking Requirements  
Fancy Japanese by the water. Best save this spot for when your baby is in arms.

Café Vue Cafe – Collins St
Kids Menu Only
Fancy eats for fancy peeps. Enjoy a slice of the Vue de Monde action without the price tag. This casual café serves up fancy chicken sausage rolls, egg soldiers, nutella with crepes and decadent cakes for the most discerning mini foodie.

The Langham – South Bank
A La Carte Eats for Kid – High Chairs – Change Table – Special Home-Made Baby Puree to order.
The Langham also do Special Themed afternoon tea events for kids, from Peter Pan to Barbie and Disney Princess's on show this spot is a MUST for your little foodie. See HERE for more info.

 

 

Casual Café Style Dining

Café Baci – South Bank
Kids Menu – High Chair – Change Table
No fuss family eats for breakfast, lunch and dinner - they even have kids milkshakes!

Trunk Diner - CBD
High Chairs – Crayons and Paper – Room for Pram - Bookings Essential for Main Restaurant
This upbeat dining venue is tip top for a casual lunch or dinner with the wee ones, all you have to do is come down and grab a table.

Va Bene - Docklands
Kids Menu - High Chairs
This riverside location is top notch for views,  Italian style eats and service.
 

 

The Good Old Family Favourites

 

La Porchetta - North Melbourne

High Chairs – Kids Pizza and Pasta - Next to the Queen Victoria Market
Relaxed atmosphere with tradition Italian eats, which is well priced and boasts a family vibe.

Pancake Parlour - Bourke St and Melbourne Central

Children’s Tea Party Menu – Kids Menu – High Chairs

This fun, loud, familiar family favourite has a well known reputation and serves breakfast, lunch or dinner. Yep we love a good old fashioned pancake with a twist.
 

 

 

Pub Style Dining

The Boatbuilders Yard – South Wharf

High Chairs – Kids Menu – Change Table – Sandpit with Spades – Room for Prams

Gasolina – South Wharf

High Chairs – Kids Menu on request kids pizza and pasta – Colouring In Placemat

P.S If Dad loves Motorbikes then THIS is the place to take him!

Melbourne Public – South Wharf
High Chairs – Room for the Prams – Bookings recommended for large group.
Great spot for people watching and to grab some bar style snacks with the wee ones. Our kids were free to move around and play outside while we had a cheeky beer on the footpath style seating.
 

 

Asian Style Eats

Bang Pop – South Wharf

High Chairs – Change Table – Room for Prams

Casual Asian eats complete with a bar made from Lego, which is just for looking unfortunately. Mr 4 not happy

 

Wagamama - South Gate - CDB
High Chairs - Kids Eat FREE - Find our detailed Review HERE
Cheap Asian eats are my favourite! Grab some spring rolls, dim sum, a bowl of noodles or a stir-fry. There are LOADS of fun family friendly dishes to eat, and hey the kids eat FREE - need l say more!

Find More Family Friendly Yum Cha Hot Spots in China Town and the CBD ::  HERE

 

 

Hello My Mexican Friend

Guzman Y Gomez

High Chairs – Kids Menu – Fooz Ball Table – Room for Prams

Grab some quick and tasty traditional eats at this casual Mexican eatery. The special kids menu will fill little tummies with dishes like The Little Guy Burrito, Chedder Cheese Quesadillas and tasty Kids Nachos. This place rocks, it's the ultimate spot with a very casual vibe for families.

 Mr Sweet Treat

 

We recently named the TOP spots in Melbourne to get a fluffy cupcakes. Find the CITY locations :: HERE
 

Kids and sweet shops go hand in hand. Find the BEST Kid Friendly Confectionery Shops in the city :: HERE

 

 

Has YOUR favourite city dining spot missed the list? Then you best let us know! Leave your suggestions in the comments and we’ll add them to our cracking list. xx

Spotted!! - More CBD family friendly dining suggestions Via the good folk over at Little Melbourne

 

 

 

 

The Farm Cafe Re-Opens

Good things come to those who wait and the wait is finally over for the regular visitors of The Farm Café.

They threw open their doors this week to present a fully renovated brand-spanking new café. They are now rocking out full table service and a fab new menu which is loaded with fresh seasonal dishes. We popped in for milkshakes this morning and it had an amazing vibe going on, with loads of kids around along with smiling happy parents.

It might just have to become a weekly regular on our list. Oh and the kids loved a cheeky stroll around the Collingwood Children’s Farm afterwards. A must to re-visit for old and new parents alike.


WHERE ::18 St Heliers St Abbotsford
FEATURES :: Kids Food Menu :: Kids Beverage Menu :: High Chairs :: Change Table
OUR REVIEW :: See HERE
MORE PICTURES PLEASE! ::  Click HERE

 

 

{Spotted!} Kids Pocket Notebook

We are loving these cute pocket note books by the folk over at Noodoll. 

They would be the perfect addition to any bubbas café hoping bag....

 – just add crayons and imagination.

Spotted! Uber Cool Highchair

This Highchair looks pretty slick to me.

 

Just add baby + soggy weetbix = fun mess for mum!

 

 

Get all the COOL deets HERE

Spotted & Hearted :: Landscape Dinner Set

We are loving this Landscape Dinner Set by Doiy Design.

Check them over HERE.

Dining out with Kids :: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

The Good :: Vinh Vinh on Victoria St :: Richmond

Everyone has their dining up’s and downs, and lately we’ve been getting the best of both worlds.  Yay for us! When the kids are good, oh my they are sooo good and when they are bad, it’s bad!

Let’s step back a few Friday’s nights ago….

Mr Bambini had a craving for Vietnamese food, so called me in the afternoon to prepare the troops. I’m now super organised when it comes to dining out with the kids. Our bag is packed with sippy cups, the kiddy chopsticks, extra wipes, a few toys and a fully charged Iphone filled with games. 

This particular Friday night the kids were angels. We all snacked on spring rolls with Vietnamese mint, sipped on our apple juice, munched out on prawn crackers, dunked home-made dim sims in soy sauce and demolished a whole plate of delicious Vietnamese coleslaw.

The kids sat still, ate everything on their plate, asked for permission to check out the fish tank and ate all of their ice-cream. Mr Bambini and l chatted about our day without a fuss and we were all out the door by 7pm. It was heaven!

The Bad and the Ugly! :: Matsumoto on Lygon St Brunswick East

The following week l think we got a bit cocky and decided we’d do another dinner. “The kids were so perfect last week let’s do it again” piped Mr Bambini. {Note :: We usually do breakfast and lunches here at Hey Bambini, dinner out needs to be a well prepared affair for us since our kids still have strict bed-time routines. Just saying.}

We LOVE our local Japanese restaurant and frequent it often with the kids.

The experience on this particular occasion was a complete dining disaster! As soon as we sat down Mr 2 didn’t want to sit in his booster seat. He didn’t want to sit on my lap. He wanted to run around the restaurant instead. Well not on my watch! Between restraining him and trying to eat my sushi Mr 2 had kicked over one chair which hit another diner’s table and also somehow managed to land his size two foot in our tempura prawns sending it flying across the table. Yummy! Not even the bribe of ice cream was going to settle him down. In fact he refused to eat. Yep my Two year old knocked back ice-cream. I guess now you can gauge what kind of “mood” we were dealing with. Mr 3 on the other hand was an angel. He ate, chatted with us and played with his cars. We ate and left in the all record time of about 40 minutes. Mr 2 went straight to bed and l went straight to a bottle of wine.

I guess what l’m trying to say even though our kids are exposed to eating out on a regular basis and while l can have all the right tools sometimes it’s doesn’t go in our favour. Who on earth can control the unpredictable mood of a toddler! But it all makes for a good belly laugh for me and Mr Bambini once we get home and pop them to bed. What else can you do really?! This week we’re going to be “dining in” at home me thinks.

Vinh Vinh :: High Chairs :: Booster Seats :: Small Ice Cream Serves and a fantastic colourful fish tank to keep wee ones amused

Matsumoto :: High Chairs :: Booster seats :: Some Toys & Books :: Children’s Chopsticks available for purchase :: Bookings MOST essential if you’re bringing the pram.

Five for Friday :: Five Cafes I Likes

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Happy Friday! Yes it's here and the weekend is only one sleep away.

What are you up to this weekend?

Here are Five for Friday - five cafes that l loved visiting and re-visiting!

I hope you LOVE them just as much as l do.

Whatever you do this weekend have fun, snuggle the ones you love and eat loads of cake.

Until next Friday.

Take Care. xx

The Corner Store

Kids Menu - High Chair - Great Food

Living Room
Kids Menu - High Chair - Change Table
Featured in the Age Good Food Guide

Chester White
iPads for Kids - Kids Menu - High Chair -Excellent Food

Ceres Cafe
Organic Food - Sandpit - High Chairs - Chooks

L'atelier de Monsieur Truffe
FAB Hot Chocolates - High Chairs - Change Table

5 Colourful Cafes for Friday

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Have a colourful Friday & enjoy the weekend.

Here are 5 cafes that splash a little colour about.


Brown Cow

High chairs - Crayons & Colouring Sheets - Kids Menu

Famous Blue Raincoat

High chairs - Toys - Kids Menu

Lemon Tree

High chairs - Crayons & Colouring Sheets - Mini Milkshakes

Pearl Oyster

High chairs - Toys - Kids Menu

Marmalade Cafe

High chairs - Toys - Kids Menu

Do you know your Cafe ABC's?

Last month l did a guest article for Alphabet Street Melbourne. Alphabet Street is an online destination for all things to do with kids and they list all the current child friendly activities happening in New Castle, Melbourne and Sydney. I was so chuffed with this article that l had written (nothing like a bit of self praise eh!) that l thought l just had to share it on my blog. You may or may not have seen it so here it is again for your reading pleasure....

Love to eat out? Love coffee? Love ANY meal you haven’t had to prepare yourself? (Of course you do – well derr!) Check out these cafes and restaurants for size. It’s Hey Bambini’s quick guide to Melbourne’s best and what better way to remember them by – it’s the Hey Bambini ABC guide to fabulous family dining.

A is for Afternoon Tea at APTE in Alphington

B is for BABYCINOS. Get your Babycino fix at Babycinos Garden Cafe

C is for Coffee Beans – Roasted on site ‘coffee heads’ can check out The Auction Rooms in North Melbourne

D is for is for Family DAY TRIP. From Ballarat to Sassafras we have 20 “Out Of Town” Cafes and Restaurants to choose from HERE.

E is for ETIQUETTE. Kid’s table manners start at home. Teach kids to chew with their mouths closed, use spoons and forks and push in their chairs after meals.

F is for Fairfield Boat House. Great family day out on the River

G is for GOOGLE maps, the best app going around guiding you on your way from cafe to cafe.

H is for HIGHCHAIR. Call ahead and book a highchair if you’re dining out at a busy time of the day or BYO Totseat

I is for ICE CREAM. If dining out at night time, order the children’s Ice Cream with your mains. Ice Cream is sure to keep active toddlers in their seats while Mum and Dad eat and enjoy their meals.

J is for Junior Republic Cafe & Boutique – shop – play – learn and eat

K is for KIDS MENUS. From fresh fruit salad with yogurt to nuggets and chips loads of cafes and restaurants cater for the kids if you know where to look.

L is for Leroy’s Cafe in Newport. It’s one of the BEST new kid friendly cafes in town.

M is for Miss Marmalade Cafe. They cater for kids and mother’s groups and serve delicious food.

N is for NAPPY. Jack and Daisy’s Cafe stock emergency supplies of Nappies for forgetful parents

O is for ORGANISED. Some cafes do have toys, books and games but always pack some extras yourself just in case.

P is for PATIENCE – bring it by the bucket load!

Q is for QUIET the time of the meal when children are happily eating. Silence really is golden.

R is for READING – Combine the love of books, coffee and cake, pop into Teatime and Tales in Carlton North for a tea party.

S is for SPACE – Let the kids roam the parklands in Bulleen then have a light lunch at the stylish Cafe Vue at the Heide Museum

T is for TOYS – find all the fun cafes in town HERE with the BEST toys

U is for UNDISCOVERED – jump in the car and drive to the other side of town.

V is for Verb Cafe in Flemington has Highchairs – Pencils - Books and Activities for the kids.

W is for Warren Glen Cafe – has Highchairs, kids menu, ducks and Thomas the Tank Engine.

X is for XYLOPHONE is case you didn’t know!

Y is for YUM CHA - dumplings, won tons, spring rolls – oh my!

Z is for Zzzzzz – the sound of sleeping in the car on the way home from a fun dining out adventure.

So now it’s time to bundle up the family and with a tiny bit of adventure and the Hey Bambini cafe knowledge you will have this weekend mapped out in no time with fun eating out experiences for the kids.

How well do you know your ABC’s?

High Chair Hygiene

There is nothing worse than going into a café or restaurant and plonking your little one into a dirty highchair. They say there are more bacteria growing on a highchair compared to your own toilet seat. Yeah – revolting right.

So let me pose the question to parents who use highchairs in cafes. Do you clean up after your little one has covered the highchair with the daily special? Are you the type of mum or dad that cleans up after them and leaves it nice and clean for the next tiny bottom. Or are you the type of parent who thinks, “l just paid good money for that meal and l believe the staff should clean up after us, we’re paying right”? Then there is also the unknown, do the staff even wipe down the highchairs well or do they just dust it off half-heartedly for the next customer?

Personally l’m a cleaner. I don’t wipe down before we place the bubba in the highchair – l’m not that germ mad but l do clean up afterwards, with a packet of wipes and some elbow grease. Only on one occasion l've totally freaked out about the “hygiene levels” and that was when a large cockroach emerged and crawled over my son’s tray and then disappeared. l did the freak-out-jump –up and down on the spot for 10 seconds following that episode. Cockroaches freak me out!

I understand the café staff are PAID to clean up after us but l just can’t bring myself to walk away from such a devastating mess of bread, fruit, yogurt and god knows what else has been mashed up in my young son’s mouth and then spat back all over the highchair and the floor. And even if the café staff do clean up after l have, at least l know it’s been given a good clean, twice, for the next little bottom.

My husband has been known to give me the ‘hurry up’ on several occasions because l’m down on all fours under the table frantically picking up tiny crumbs and crusts from the floor – slightly a bit obsessive l know but l like to leave things the way l found them. Clean. So next time when you are out and about have a think, are you a squeaky clean mamma or a messy mamma?