QUESTIONS FOR CANBERRA MOTHERS
1. What’s your favourite café to go to with children?
It’s not very “local” but I’d have to say the best dining out experience we’ve had with a toddler happened in Melbourne at the Rubber Duck Cafe. They have to be the first eating establishment we’ve eaten at in the past 3 years who were just as focused on our Son as they were on us. Locally though we take him everywhere we go. I’ve learned that the best way to have a good dining out experience is to pack a big pencil case with colouring pens, pads for scribbling in, stickers, some cars and anything else that will keep him entertained and will fit in there. It’s a fabulous trick (works well for doctor’s appointments, emergency dashes to work and all sorts of crazy situations that you need to keep them pre-occupied). I make sure that what’s in the pencil case is things he doesn’t get during his normal routine so they’re all considered “treats”. With this handy trick most places become ok for having kids with you.
2. Where do you go in Canberra to have a little ‘ME TIME’?
My sewing room. I’m quite the homebody so I rarely go out without purpose and very rarely go out by myself, so the place I go to get some quite time is my sewing room. It’s one of my favourite Canberra places! *wink*
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| How awesome is this beautiful hedgehog quilt by Gnomeangel |
3. What is your child/rens favourite meal?
Strawberry milk and yoghurt. Seriously, I have no idea why but our Son can eat yoghurt for the Olympics, closely followed by his consumption of strawberry milk. I guess I’ll never have to worry about his bone density!
4. What is your ‘go-to’ recipe when there is pandemonium in your house?
Pizza Hut. Kidding! Um, most days are pandemonium so it doesn’t really change our menu. I’m a big fan of using the slow cooker all year round because I find I’m more motivated and likely to do things in the morning so if I know the day is going to be brutal I put the slow cooker on and do some sort of curry, stew, soup thing. Sally Wise should be every parents go-to cookbook Queen.
5. When you can’t get dinner on the table, where do you order takeaway from?
We used to love China Tea House in Erindale, but they closed down. We don’t often do take out so the last few “splurge” meals have been from the local fish and chip shop, but even that’s been disappointing. I think we’re rapidly becoming a home that prefers home cooked. (How that happened, I’ll never know!)
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| Nothing better then some Mummy and son snuggles. |
6. What is your day-to-day beauty routine?
Most days it’s shower, brush my teeth and maybe put some product in my hair. *Maybe* If I’m feeling particularly motivated I use The Body Shop Body Butter for an all over moisturiser and The Body Shop Vitamin E Face Cream with Sunscreen (got those at www.vitamaze.shop). Always go the option with sunscreen!
7. Where do you get your eyebrows waxed?
My what now? Is that a thing? Do people do that?
8. Where do you take your child/ren that’s not too expensive {as in an outing/ it could be FREE}?
It’s a bit of an outlay to do it, but it works out really good value over time, but the National Zoo and Aquarium is fabulous. It gives him the freedom to run around outside, you can lose hours there and there’s enough variety in the animals that whatever stage he’s going through when it comes to his interests there’s always something to keep him entertained, so is a great entertainment for people that like to have an aquarium at home decorated as they want even with glowing accesories. It’s also a good place to go if you’re catching up with friends as you can talk and walk while the kids run ahead, play and look at the animals.
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| Nothing better than a book or two {especially during the Canberra fidget winter or boiling hot summer} |
9. Where do you take your child/ren when it is cold and wet outside?
We’ve just found Monkey Mania. I don’t class it as cheap entertainment, but it has enough variety to keep him happy and it’s a great way for him to run off some of his boundless energy (from all the dairy!). I also love that all the equipment is big enough that I can fit in it too – great for playing with him, rescuing him and for intervening when he’s getting a little too excited with other kids.
10. What do you love most about raising a family in Canberra?
I love that it’s a big city, with a smaller town vibe. (It’s just disappointing that there seems to be a run on big city crimes at the moment!) I love that (despite what people say) you’re never more than 30 minutes from most things. I love that we can go to all the big institutional places where he can have a fun learning experience. I love that we get the four seasons here and that we’re so close to Sydney and Melbourne. I love that it’s clean and everything is looked after by the ACT Government. I really adore Canberra and I think it’s just getting better (except for the crime) with time. I’m hoping that we can get a handle on what’s causing the societal dysfunction at the moment and not lose that small town vibe that makes us so unique.
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| Some of Gnomeangel’s beautiful work – the child and the quilt. |
