I've seen plenty of people out using these new Wee Ride bike seats.
The front positioning (rather than riding 'behind') is said to be more stable, and more safe for both Mum and tot.
I know riding with Bub on the back takes a bit of getting used to, particularly as you need to rebalance the bike if they are moving/leaning/waving at puppies as you go.
Has anyone used both types of seats? If so, which do you prefer?
Hutch Bistro (previously known as Bacchus) - 2/ 75 Welsby Street New Farm, Brisbane, 4005
Phone (07) 3254 4522 Open Tues - Sun, Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner.
We've lived in New Farm for five years and never ventured down to the place now known as Hutch, until we heard they had a kids play area.....
Situated on a prominent corner 'on the way' to the Powerhouse and New Farm Park, Hutch always seems abuzz with people enjoying a cool beverage indoors, or recharging with a coffee in the sunshine.
We visited on a Sunday lunchtime, and finding the kids play area too hot, settled on a table outside (a weak trickle of air-con coming through the one vent, plus windows which don't open don't make for a good combo on a steamy Brisbane day). The kids play area was little more than a playpen containing books and a few toys, but being a new addition, at least all the equipment was in great condition and everything that required batteries was working well! The staff we happy enough for us to bring some books out to our table as well, which meant we could at least all sit together for moments, before the tot would get bored and demand a new book!
The food was great. (The Chef used to work at Harveys, another fine New Farm establishment, so what would we expect?!) There were 6 of us, and being family we all chose the same things....either salmon and snapper fish cakes or coconut chicken salad. Both meals were perfect with a glass of white and though not too large, were just the right size for lunch. Coffees followed and were well made, though I didn't catch the name of the blend. Sunday's feature live music, which during our visit, was a guitar/vocals duo who played Jazz/down-tempo tunes for about an hour, at just the right volume.
I've heard they now have a kids menu, which I must go back and try. When we visited, the kid was happy enough with a bowl of chips and a milkshake (which the staff made especially for her as it wasn't on the menu). I think a kids play area requires a kids menu so it is good to hear this has now been incorporated.
Overall, Hutch was a safe bet for a good family lunch, when little kids are involved. It's possibly going to be even better in winter, when the heat is not a problem. Older kids (4+) probably won't enjoy the play area as much, but I have also heard there is a Plasma and plenty of DVDs to keep them entertained.
Food: 9/10 Ambience: 7/10 (on a hot day!) Service: 9/10 Value: 8/10
Restaurant reviews coming soon to MyJnr.
Send me your favourite 'family friendly' dining ideas and experiences, and let me test them out for you!
First review to follow shortly.
...this industrial-looking contraption is used for?
Skiing?
The Beach?
You'll be suprised. Find out more here.
Time waits for no one.
2009 has begun with a flurry! Hope your NY was a good one.
This year is all about simplifying for me. Less stuff and less mess. More time with the kid, doing fun toddler-things.
Less fuss. More time.
What's your priority for 2009?
I hope your Christmas is filled with fun and laughter and lots of sane family time.
I will be thinking of all the little children who receive donated gifts this Christmas, and of all the charity workers who will have helped make someone else's Christmas sparkle.
Talk to you in 09.
Baby Centre released the list of Top 100 names for 2008..
Emma and Aiden have taken #1 spot. This is list American, so there are some uniquities....however, the most of the names are popular here too. Read on for the list......
Girls Top Ten:
Emma
Sophia
Madison
Isabella
Olivia
Ava
Madeline
Addison
Hailey
Lily
Boys Top Ten:
Aiden
Jayden
Ethan
Jacob
Caden
Jackson
Noah
Jack
Logan
Matthew
See the whole list at BabyCentre.
I just stumbled across this post about a brand-new Hello Kitty Maternity Ward in a Taiwan Hospital.
Everything is pink and 'Hello Kitty'-themed. The staff wear pink Hello Kitty uniforms and the sheets, curtains, wraps, towels are all graced with the cute puss. Perhaps a bit too far for some, but perhaps perfect for others.....
Noticed on yokiddo and original post by Dear Dr Moz. This post is going down as one of my favourites!
(Image does not demonstrate correct use of bath, but it was the only one I had!)
Living in a one bedroom, one bathroom unit has been a challenge at times. Luckily we both hate clutter and love multi-functional pieces!
This Sassy Inflatable Bath has become the easiest and cleanest way to transform our shower to a baby-friendly bathing environment. We use it every day and simply pack it away in the laundry when we’ve finished.
Aesthetics:
The bath is bright and cheerful while still maintaining some simplicity and style.
Sizing:
The bath is deep enough to allow our toddler to bathe effectively in a sitting position, with her legs stretched out! Many other baths we’ve looked at are either too shallow, or would require her to bed her legs up to fit them in.
Portability:
As I said before, once we are done, the bath is put away. We don’t bother deflating it in between uses, but if you were really short on space, this would be an option.
Cleaning:
The bath has a drainage hole/plug at the bottom allow it to be emptied effectively after each usage. So long as it dries out in between baths, no other cleaning is required. It is after all, a bath!
Price:
The bath retails for around $20 and we found it at Target.
An update to our previous post – after 12 months of use, I can confirm that this highchair was a good investment!
Let me list some of the features that work for us:
Aesthetics:
The highchair is only available in black. It clips nicely onto our black granite bench top and doesn’t get in the way. My idea of a perfect chair really! No frame to trip over, no bold colours or vinyl and no trays to accidentally pinch bub’s chubby thighs.
Sizing:
You can realistically only use this once bub is sitting up unaided. The harness is effective but I found the back of the chair quite hard and used to slip a cushion in to protect bub’s back before she grew big enough to fill the chair out.
Portability:
We’ve taken this chair to restaurants, Grandma’s house, dinner parties etc and we’ve never had a problem with it. Admittedly, you need to clip it onto a sturdy table, which some little coffee shops don’t have, but usually high chairs are available at those places.
Cleaning:
About once a month, I unclip the chair and give it a good soaking in hot water and detergent, followed by a thorough scrub. This works really well, so I only need to wipe it over after every meal to keep it looking decent.
Price:
The chair retails for less than $70 making it one of the most affordable high chairs on the market!
I hope to incorporate more reviews in this blog, so please let me know what you think!
It's great weather for ducks in Brisbane this week. Its wet both in the pool and out.
We started swimming today with Rackley's Swim School at Spring Hill Baths Such an awesome location. I love the colourful change rooms and much to my surprise, the water wasn't too cold.
However, due to a photo shoot involving Stephanie Rice, our lesson was cancelled at the last minute! Oops. We were still allowed to use a section of the pool though and had a great time splashing round and watching the shoot take place.
I didn't really mind the cancellation. It's not every day you see a champion swimmer in person. (Well actually in Brisbane, it sort of is......)
There are plenty of sales on in the lead up to Christmas!
One I am keen to check out is minifashionista - 20% off storewide till this Friday!
We live in a humid environment and I think I have finally found a solution to our moisture problems that is kid-friendly. I always worry about Holly eating some of the other granular-type moisture solutions.
The Dreambaby Dry Egg is a re-usable mositure-absorbing egg that draws the moisture out of the air, changing the colour indicator to pink. Once the egg is 'full' it can simply be put in the microwave to 'dry out' and slides back into the stand to fight mildew for another day!
The Dreambaby site has lots of info, and lists their online stockists.
My name is Katie Mackenzie. I have a gorgeous baby girl, and a husband who shares my appreciation for design. We hope to bring Holly up in a place that is full of fun, style and function. We have no room for clutter. And we are limited to products that are available to Australians. This blog summarises our efforts.
