Hartley's Crocodile Park

Crocodiles of all shapes and sizes were lurking in the water between the reeds and hiding in shadows as we ate a delicious lunch of fresh seafood and 'dinosaur' burgers which in actual fact were crocodile burgers...

Where were we you ask? Hartley's Crocodile Adventures in Stunning Port Douglas in Top North Queensland. In the last few days of our most recent trip to Queensland we took Amelie to experience crocodiles, snakes and other less dangerous Australian wildlife. I must say she was fearless. Running to be the first of the line to pet the giant snakes and spending almost an hour with the baby crocodiles.

She referred to the kangaroos as her friends and insisted on returning to them. I feel so blessed that I was lucky enough to be taken there on an adventure with my parents. She was really able to get up close and personal with the animals. She could see what they felt like, how they reacted to her and how they live in their natural environments. It is so much more of a learning experience than going to the zoo. Getting to see the crocodiles leap out of the water, nestling her head in to the soft fur of a kangaroo, running her hands over the scaly slithery skin of a giant snake all the while listening to the calls of native Australian birds and breathing in the fresh smell of Eucalyptus from the Gum trees in the surrounding rainforest. What a way to stimulate the senses and get in touch with nature.

I honestly give this place a 10 out of 10. (This has never happend before on this blog!)

The food in Lillies restaurant on site was excellent. There were ample highchairs for the little ones. We were able to hire a good quality stroller for the day for only €5 which could be picked up and dropped of at the entrance and exit so was no hassle whatsoever.  The changing facilities were also immaculate. The staff really made the day.

We love the commitment Hartley's have to the environment, they are a conservation park who are committed to conserving crocodile populations in Australia, they re-vegetate and work in harmony with the World Heritage forest that borders the park. They provide a natural sanctuary for many of Australia's rarer flora and fauna species. Hartleys are accredited for providing Eco Tourism and we just love that!

From the second we arrived and purchased our tickets we felt so welcome. We were greeted by smiling staff and that is all we saw all day. The people that work here obviously love their jobs. In particular we loved Wade the park ranger who was working on our boat tour. He had kids himself and was really having the craic with the small children on our tour. This is really a great action packed day for the whole family but also set in such a relaxing and stunning part of Australia that it is easy to find time to relax in between all of the animal encounters.

Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures is located just off the Captain Cook Highway at Wangetti. You can enjoy a spectacular scenic drive between Cairns and Port Douglas, 40 minutes north of Cairns and 20 minutes south of Port Douglas. If you are visiting Top North Queensland this place is a must!

Love the Yummy Mummies and the Jetsetting Babies

xxx

Welcome back Oliveto

Have you poked your head in the doors of The Kingston Hotel lately? What a surprise. Oliveto is back, they have been serving up exquisite authentic Italian cuisine since before Christmas. We can finally get the famous wood over pizzas again too. The Tagliarie Board is great for sharing and a good opportunity for the kids to try some different foods. I love the new Frito Misto and my personal favourites are the Risi e Bisi or the Ossobuco for mains. There are children's options on the menu too if they are not that adventurous. The most difficult thing is to decide what to have for dessert they are all stunning.



Oliveto is filled with families over the weekend days, they just can’t keep them out it is spacious and welcoming. Oliveto is not only 'family friendly' but it is 'parent friendly' too. If you fancy a little quiet time on the rare occasions you can leave your little ones, pop over to their Library Bar. This ‘adult space’ provides a quiet, fresh space with an open fire and again that breath taking view. The staff serve up lovely coffee or you could try one of the cocktails from their newly launched Martini’s list. Whatever you order it is the place to go in Dun Laoghaire to have a chat with the girls or read a book without being interrupted by your own (or anyone else’s screaming children) it really is pure genius.

What a location. It is the only place in Dun Laoghaire that you can sit, eat, drink and take in the breath-taking views that are Dublin Bay. The renovations continue however the restaurant is looking amazing and the food and ambiance will keep you coming back time and time again.

Hope to see you there,

Love the Yummy Mummies and the Jetsetting Babies

Childrens Menu - Y
Baby Changing - Y
High Chairs - Y
Childrens Activities - Y (Colouring)

Slurp it... new review for the Giddy Goose

The Giddy Goose Cafe was the first review we ever posted back in January '11, having recently read the review I have realised as our blog is not the only thing to have grown. The Giddy Goose was relatively new itself back then and it really seems to have completely found its feet this last few months. So here is a new review, a little more up to date and fitting to the Giddy Goose today...

This week the Giddy Goose is participating in Soup for Life - National Soup Week.

Soup for Life is a fun and positive campaign which urges everyone to sip some soup!
For every bowl of soup sold in the Giddy Goose this week, a donation of €1 will be made to Gorta

Donations will help the poorest families in Uganda secure a better future. The money raised will provide seeds, tools, livestock and training on nutrition and food security.

Good on ya Giddy Goose and I urge everyone to get down and support this campaign. Now for our review...


THE GIDDY GOOSE CAFÉ

A :     138-139 Lower Georges Street
          Dun Laoghaire

T :    (01) 2148634

The Giddy Goose... we go back to again and again, baby friendly you ask? Well Yes! How friendly you ask, well honestly you can't get much better. The staff are brilliant and the service is really fresh and friendly, there is always a helping hand with your buggie or baby. The coffee is consistently good (it is what has always kept me returning to the GG.) There are a couple of high chairs for the littlest ones and for slightly older kids with better dexterity and larger appetites the Giddy Goose has all sorts of treats from colouring pencils and toys for entertainment to delicious kids options on the menu. They even sell babychinos to complete the cafe experience for the youngsters. Ame loves the ginger bread men, pretty much for the tiny chocolate buttons. Beware it can get super busy on the weekends so it makes a little squishy for too many buggies! I can't say much about the food as I always order the same thing, very tasty eggs Florentine with a side of sauteed mushrooms and a sausage to share with Ame. The pastries are fresh daily and there are always very tasty homemade cakes in the counter. Overall we go back again and again because it is a lovely little place with a lot of character and a nice buzz to it for Yummy Mummy and Jetsetting Baby alike.

High chairs Y – 2

Baby Changing Y

Children’s Menu Y

Children’s Activities Y

Colouring, Puzzles, Blocks

Love Angi x

Review # 19 - Acapulco Mexican Restaurant

Review # 19 – Acapulco Restaurant

A: 7 South Georges Street, Dublin 2

W: http://www.acapulco.ie/

T: 01 677 1085

A little exhausted from the Dublina exhibition in Christchurch and geared up for an afternoon full of sightseeing in Dublin’s City Centre we decided a healthy lunch was in order. We popped over to Georges street in Dublin and had a look, we had hoped to try Sheebeen Chic but it did not appear to be open so we ventured a few doors down to Acapulco Mexican restaurant.

The waitresses looked slightly distressed as we trooped in with the buggies but offered a friendly smile and showed us a nice hidey spot at the back of the restaurant where they could be parked safely. We were seated and offered the one high char available, (The sack and seat would have come in handy if only I had remembered to pack it) and Amelie quite pleased with herself sat on the booth couch between Amanda and I. The brightly lit and brightly coloured restaurant was reminiscent of Rosa Negra in Barcelona and quickly captured the attention of the babies. I loved the lanterns and funky woven chairs the décor definitely set the mood.

We all ordered Nachos and the babies were brought out a serve of warm tortilla and guacamole which they really enjoyed The Nachos were an excellent serving and very tasty. The girls had the chili beef and I tried the chicken, certainly no complaints here they really were fantastic. The babies proceeded to make considerable mess, a glass of water flying here, glops of guacamole there but it was no problems the staff brought over a stack of cloth napkins and we were sorted. 

We ordered a deep fried ice-cream with butterscotch sauce to share between the three of us, and the babies were thrilled when a tiny serve of ice cream was brought out just for them! When the time came to leave and also to change a wet nappy we discovered that there were no changing facilities, the waitress looked mortified when I asked if I could lay Amelie’s portable changing mat down on one of the couches but took a deep breath and smiled and pointed to an area hidden from view of the public.

Overall we had a great experience here, while there are no baby facilities or activities per-ce the staff did all they could to make us feel welcome and the babies were quite spoiled with goodies from the kitchen. I would recommend this as a great family restaurant for anyone with slightly older children. If you don’t mind a little hassle of a baby on the knee while you’re eating and no changing tables then it could be for you too.  The food is well worth it!

Highchairs - Y x 1

Baby changing - N

Children's Menu - N

Children's Activities - N

Love the Yummy Mummies and the Jetsetting Babies

xxx

Review # 18 The Leopardstown Inn

A: The Leopardstown Inn , Brewery Road, Stillorgan Co Dublin

T: 01 288 9189

E: info@leopardstowninn.ie

W: www.leopardstowninn.ie

The Leopardstown Inn is located on Brewery Road, Stillorgan and is a vibrant fun venue which incorporates a lounge bar where you can order from the great bar menu or tuck in to the delicious carvery and Greens Restaurant on the second floor serving a full al a carte menu, if you happen to leave the kids at home the revolving cocktail bar is definitely a must.

The carvery is great and it is impossible to leave hungry, I asked for a small serve and my plate was overflowing, I had Lasagna and He had the Roast Beef we both had a little of all the vegetables on offer and were very satisfied. Amelie wasn't with us on this occasion but we will be returning with her she would have loved sharing our carvery.

What really caught my eye was the children's menu, Sausages, Chicken, or Burgers 'n' Chips... served get this inside a toy car.. yes that is right an 'Auto Classic Cruiser'. I thought that it was a fun and unique way to serve up a children's meal and keep them interested while you are out and about for lunch or dinner. The decor is very kitsch, vibrant and fun I just know Amelie would have been wide eyed and highly impressed.

 There are clean and adequate changing rooms, plenty of room to park your buggies and very friendly and outgoing staff. This is a great place for a family lunch or dinner and would be ideal for large family functions and special occasions.

High chairs - Y

Baby Changing - Y

Children’s Menu - Y

Kids Activities - Y

Read other reviews by the Yummy Mummies and the Jetsetting babies by visiting our Review Page, or if you wish to contribute a review visit our Contribution Page for more information.

Have a lovely weekend

Love the Yummy Mummies and The Jetsetting Babies

xxx

Review #16 - Marryatville Hotel, Adeliade Australia

Hi Everyone, here is the review for this week. Our competition searching for your best travel tips is up and running. You could win a €150 prize for Studioworks Photography in Dalkey to capture some special relaxed family shots. For details on how to win read the blog 'Studioworks Photography Competition' and for more information on Studioworks Photography check out the blog 'Studioworks Photography.' Now, on to this weeks review...

This week I was inspired by our review contribution from Liz in Nashville, Tennessee and Tara’s reviews from her travels I wanted to bring you a review from somewhere a little more exciting too. I thought back to my trip to Australia and remembered a great place that I went with my family and a load of kids. As a special treat I have also done a write up on the Adelaide Zoo, it is a wonderful Zoo to visit with your children, not as packed with tourists as the bigger capital city Zoo's and just one of many reasons Adelaide should be on your list of places to visit on your Australian holiday....

The Marryatville Hotel

A: 239 Kensington Road, Kensington, South Australia

T: +61 8 8333 2242

E: enquiries@ marryatvillehotel.com.au

W: www.marryatvillehotel.com.au

The Marryativille Hotel screams family friendly and if you want to share a great meal with excellent pub food this is the place to go. It is located about 10 minutes out of the city and has a modern bistro bar and an undercover outdoor dining area which includes a huge children’s play area.

The menu is packed with all your typical Australian Pub grub; you will find great steaks, seafood and of course my favourite the unbeatable chicken parmy! With special plastic cups decorated with Australian native animals for the kids, an extensive kids menu and an ice cream bar your children will be in heaven. They will also be exhausted and ready for naps by the time you leave. The service is genuinely friendly. All the staff were very attentive and patient. We were a large group with loads of kids and it did not faze them one bit.

If the weather is lovely as it mostly is in Adelaide sitting outside is definitely your best option. The undercover area also has heaters for when it gets a bit cool. As you sit and enjoy your meal you can watch your children dart around the huge playground, it will really tire them out. For older children there are some free video games too. I had a lovely day here with my family I hope that you do too.

High chairs - Y

Baby Changing - Y

Children’s Menu - Y

Kids Activities - Y

Read other reviews by the Yummy Mummies and the Jetsetting babies by visiting our Review Page, or if you wish to contribute a review visit our Contribution Page for more information.

Have a lovely weekend

Love the Yummy Mummies and The Jetsetting Babies

xxx

Review #14 - Suzy Wongs House of Yum, Nashville Tennessee

Well we are very excited to share with you this weeks review. The first one to be contributed to the Jetsetting Babies blog from one of our followers. We would like to say how we excited we are to bring you a review from Nashville Tennessee and remind all our readers if you would like to share one of your favourite places with us here at Jetsetting Babies we would love to hear from you, just pop on over to our Contribute Page and get all the information that you need. 

Suzy Wong's House of Yum

A: 1517A Church Street, Nashville, Tennessee, USA 37203

P: (615) 329-2913

W: http://www.suzywongsnashville.com/

E: info@suzywongsnashville.com

Opening Hours: Sun-Thurs 5pm - 11pm | Fri-Sat 5pm - 4am

Thankyou to our Yummy Mummy Liz and her Jetsetting Babies Emma and Lilly. Liz contributed the information for this weeks review all the way from Nashville Tennessee. Welcome to the Jetsetting Babies and we hope to hear more reviews from you.

Liz also has a blog why not pop over and check it out she has so many great recipes I can't wait to try some...

http://myfamilykitchen.wordpress.com/

Suzy Wongs House of Yum is located in the heart of the trendy alternative nightclub scene in Nashville Tennessee and is one of many chic and fashionable restaurants created and owned by chef and restaurateur Arnold Myint. The menu looks delish with a good variety of Suhsi, vegetarian and meat dishes some quite authentic others a little more western infused.

The food was rated at 7 out of 10 and Liz says "the food was above average... Lilly thoroughly enjoyed my tempura fried mushrooms and house salad." Service was rated a 6 out of 10 and it seems that while this is a fabulous restaurant with great food and is certainly a fashionable hang out spot it doesn't really cater for Mummies and their babies, here is was Liz had to say...

I managed to find the last parking space directly behind the building which is seated in a fairly industrial area of Nashville. Much to my chagrin, the back door was locked. So I trudged around the entire block to get the front of the building toting my one year old, 25lb child in my left arm, diaper bag, purse and two and a half year old’s hand in my right.  I managed to make it to the door without dropping anything, or anyone, and saw Jaime through the window. My first indication that this establishment was not particularly child friendly was when I noticed it was situated between two nightclubs. I was then told they did not have any kid’s cups or a kid’s menu and Emma was brought a sprite in a 7 inch tall glass with a straw.  I was a smart mom and brought along things for Emma to eat just in case. Lily, on the other hand, thoroughly enjoyed my tempera fried mushrooms and house salad. Not only were the bathroom facilities not kid or baby friendly, they were just plain guest unfriendly. One toilet for a place that is open until 4:00am? I don’t get it. The food was above average, the decor exuberant, the bar was enticing and I’m sure the patio was lovely. Unbelievably, there were a great deal of young parents with small children at the early hour. If Suzy Wong’s made an effort, it could capture a market to which they seem to peer down their 20-something year old noses.

Baby Changing - N

Highchairs - Y

Kids Menu - N

Children's Activities - N

(But Liz claims "a jar of apple sauce and four pairs of chopsticks cut in half can be wildly entertaining to a two year old.") Love it!!!

Love the Yummy Mummies and the Jetsetting Babies

xxx

Contribute Form

Every day spent with your children should be filled with happiness and excitement. We want to help! Whether you are staying close to home or venturing to the far and exotic corners of the world we want to help you know where you can eat, play and explore with children of all ages without having to worry where you will change your little one, whether you will have enough room to park your twin buggies or if there is going to be healthy nutritious food for you to feed you family.

 

Help Tara, Angi and the Jetsetting Babies help mothers from all corners of the globe explore the world without worry. Do you have a great restaurant, café, playground or event you have shared with your families? Want to share your experiences with other Mums so they can have as much fun as you did? Fill in the details below and e-mail it back to us.


We will post a review on our blog with everything you send us. We will include a photo that you provide with your children and your name at the top of the blog to give you the recognition you deserve for providing us with the information. (If you wish to remain anonymous that is fine also). Copy the form below or drop us an e-mail at jetsettingbabies@gmail.com and we will send you a copy in word format. Try to fill in all the questions but if you don’t have all the answers no need to worry just leave it blank.

 

ABOUT YOU
Name:
Your Children’s Names and Ages
Blog/Website
E-Mail:

REVIEW INFORMATION
Venue/Event/Activity name:
Address:
Phone Number:
E-Mail:
Web-site:
Opening Hours:
Are there highchairs available? If yes how many?	Y	N
Are there changing facilities?	Y	N
Is there a children’s menu?	Y	N
Is there ample space to park prams/buggies/strollers?	Y	N
Rate the service out of 10 with 1 being poor and 10 being excellent	1      2      3      4      5      6      7      8      9      10
Rate the food out of 10 with 1 being poor and 10 being excellent	1      2      3      4      5      6      7      8      9      10

Tell us a little about your experience:

(Feel free to include anything you liked or disliked about any aspect of your experience?)

Please attach some photos for us to include in the blog (Optional) Please, don’t forget to attach a photo of yourself with your child/ren so we can give you the credit)

All information given above will be used in a blog at http://jetsettingbabies.blogspot.com if you do not wish this information to be published on this site do not fill in the field.

Want to see an example of how your contribution might look on our blog visit:

Review #14 - Suzy Wongs House of Yum, Nashville Tennessee

We can't wait to hear from you!

Love The Yummy Mummies & The Jetsetting Babies

xxx

Amelie's 1st Birthday Invitations - Getting crafty with Art and Hobby!

Hello all the Mummies out there, I hope you enjoyed our last review on Tonic in Blackrock. We will keep posting weekly reviews to help you discover all the baby and family friendly cafes and restaurants in Dublin South. If you have missed our reviews go back and read them so far we have posted reviews on:

- Giddy Goose Cafe, Dun Laoghaire

- Sea Green Tea Rooms and Emporium, Monkstown

- Muggs Cafe, Dalkey

- Tonic Restaurant, Blackrock

This a quick blog that might inspire you to do a little arts and craft. If your children are older why not get them involved too. I have fallen in love with the Art & Hobby stores that are in Dun Laoghaire and Blackrock. There is something special about hand made gifts, invitations and cards plus I love to get creative.

Arts & Hobby stores have:
- Excellent children's toys (brightly coloured wooden puzzles and fabric hand puppets are some of my favourite) 
- Endless art supplies for all my creative ideas (some of which I really should complete!)
- Exceptionally friendly staff who always give great advice and excellent service.

Art and Hobby - Blackrock

My latest little project was to make invitations for Amelie's first birthday. I really wanted to do something special for her birthday because she is so special herself.

Here are some photo's of what I did.

 Rubber stamps, blank cards & envelopes, an ink pad and some markers are all you need!

I stamp the cards lightly then go over the outline in a black marker for a better finish

I did the lettering myself but you could print it or stencil it

I put a photo of Amelie in every card and the details of the party.

One more stamp on the envelope and it's all done!

Check out the Art and Hobby stores in your area for some great ideas on how to get crafty. It is fun to have something to work on other than the house work and gets you away from the tv and computer for a few hours in the evening and gets the creative juices flowing. I forgot how much I loved creating things with my hands and I can't wait to get crafty with Amelie as she grows up.

To locate your nearest store why not log on to their website http://www.artnhobby.ie/