Made for Madison: travel

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Thursday, 10 October 2019

Family getaway at Nesuto Leura Gardens apartments- Blue Mountains

travel October 10, 2019

Here we are again, another school holidays! After a shocking one last term with both girls sick, I was so happy to go on a mini getaway with my family.
We headed to beautiful Blue Mountains, which brought back so many memories of going as a kid. It was strangely both nostalgic and transformative to now be there with my own little fambam.
It’s a short drive from SYDNEY only 1.5 hours so didn’t need much entertainment for the girls. After our drive to Queensland last year this was a walk in the park!

Accommodation

We stayed at Nesuto Leura Gardens apartments. It was located in the heart of Leura and opposite the Leura Gardens, which was perfect for our little retreat.
Nesuto Leura Gardens Hotel is only minutes from Leura Village, known as the “Garden Village” because of its lovely gardens. You’ll also find boutique shopping, galleries, cafes and delicatessens, as well as being close to all the major attractions of the Blue Mountains. We had easy access to Everglades house and gardens, the majestic Leura Cascades, the picturesque Echo Point lookout and the famous Three Sisters overlooking the Jamison Valley and Scenic World, home of the steepest passenger railway in the world.

The rooms

We stayed in a family suite which suited us perfectly. There was a family bedroom, bathroom with bath and shower, kitchenette with a mini fridge, kettle and tea and coffee making facilities. Thank goodness – this mumma needs her coffee when holidaying with the kids!
The main room had two single beds and lots of space, which is exactly what a family needs! If you’ve got kids, you’ll know how much stuff you end up taking on trips. Small rooms are a big no no for us. It was incredibly clean and well designed, and had two TVs which hubby was impressed with. Doesn’t take much to please men, does it!

Apartment facilities

● Two restaurants
● Garden
● Main desk
● Car park
● Guest lounge
● Outdoor chess
● Little cubby house for the kids
● Beautifully landscaped heritage gardens
● Onsite Restaurant & Bar and Breakfast Room
● Garden Wedding facilities up to 120 guests
● Wi-Fi internet service
● DVD library
● Complimentary self-car parking
● Guest self-service laundry
● Tour desk facilities
● Outdoor swimming
● Games rooms with pool table and table tennis table
● BBQ area

I was very impressed with the amount of facilities this apartment had access to. With kids it’s very hard to constantly keep them entertained but I didn’t have to worry here. We loved having the convenience of an apartment but all the facilities and service of a hotel. Often apartment-style accommodation leaves you fending for yourself a lot, but we had absolutely everything we needed just moments away. We used the pool, the guest lounge and had many games of Jenga (which Daddy may have got a little to competitive over!). The garden was gorgeous for a morning walk, too.

Food

We had breakfast at the Olive Garden restaurant and it was lovely. They served hot and cold breakfast and let’s just say even my fussy eaters found some yummy options – a big deal breaker for hotels for families! Having a hotel provide everything at the restaurant makes the holiday much more relaxing for parents, too. Not having to worry about cleaning up first thing in the morning was a dream.

Staff AND service

Ok guys, for me customer service is very important. I work with customers, and I’m always making sure I treat my customers the way I would want to be treated. I guess this makes me very aware of when a staff member just doesn’t care. But oh boy the service was absolutely amazing! The staff answered every single question we had and went above and beyond. They were so friendly to the girls and we didn’t feel like a burden at all – sometimes as a young family you do, in restaurants and cafés. We felt truly welcome and that just made our stay so much easier.

Activities for the whole family in the Blue Mountains

Hands down our favourite was Scenic World! The views were incredible and it was really perfect for the kids and adults.
They also had school holiday activities which made our lives so much easier. The girls were easily entertained and didn’t stop all day long – which means two tired girls and an easy night for Mum and Dad to relax!

Luggage for the girls

You know my girls love their luggage! I swear packing is half of the fun of going on holidays for them. This time we took the Penny Scallan duffle bags, which had tons of pockets and were super lightweight. Made from 100% cotton canvas, they have a scratch-proof easy clean coating, sturdy carry handles, detachable straps and were fully BPA free.
As well as the duffle bag we couldn’t leave home without the Trunkie, of course. They have 18 litre capacity, lockable catches, and are super durable while having all the fun the kids love. The comfy saddle is perfect for resting tired legs, and the girls can steer themselves around with the horn grips. It’s basically a toy and a suitcase in one – travel genius! Oh, and the teddy bear seatbelts are mega important for the girls. We can’t leave until the whole crew are strapped in safely inside the Trunkie!

Overall experience

10/10 I highly recommend Nesuto apartments for your next visit to the Blue Mountains. You’ll be perfectly placed to explore everything the area has to offer, and just being at the hotel will be a holiday in itself. The on-site facilities and overall atmosphere amidst the fresh mountain air will revive and invigorate you back to life!

Nesuto Leura Gardens Apartments info HERE

Shop Penny Scallan bags HERE

Shop Trunki bags HERE

** This accommodation was hosted but all options are my own. Thanks for having us Nesuto

Our little trip to hunter valley

travel December 12, 2018

Christmas really is a magical time – it truly has to be my favourite holiday. That’s even more true now we have the girls. I’ve always loved Christmas, but the festive season as a mum of little ones is honestly like nothing else. The fun and secrecy of pretending Santa has delivered the gifts, leaving out a mince pie, losing sleep over excitement – it’s just so wonderful to watch the girls so happy.

In true Christmas-lover style, we headed down to the Hunter Valley to visit the Hunter Valley Gardens Christmas lights spectacular. Let me just say, it was fabulous! The girls got stuck right into the jumping castle, we hit the carousel as a family a few times then walked around the beautiful gardens looking at the spectacular. It felt like we were in our very own Christmas movie, it was fantastic. Australia doesn’t have quite the same level of festivities as the US, but escaping to the Hunter Valley meant the girls got to immerse themselves in a full festive wonderland. The look on their faces was totally priceless.

We were so tired afterwards – Christmas cheer is exhausting, Mums! I’m so happy we made the decision to stay the night at the Mercure Resort right near the gardens. The girls are at that age where they get over excited and then completely crash a few hours later – it’s so cute! So we headed back to the resort and spent the afternoon chilling out in the pool. It was a boiling hot day so it was so much better than a long car journey home!

We stayed in a family room which was very spacious with everything we need to make the night comfortable. Some family rooms aren’t quite big enough for a crazy four-piece family with two young girls like ours, but the Mercure was perfect. One of the best bits was the private parking space directly outside each room. That was officially the most ‘Mum’ thing I’ve ever said! But seriously, packing the car with all the bits and bobs you need to take when you’ve got kids is made so much easier when you can park right outside your room!

If you guys are looking for something special to do these school holidays I’d absolutely recommend the Hunter valley Christmas lights spectacular – and of course crashing out the Mercure Resort afterwards. For some festive cheer, you can currently get 50% off your tickets to the Spectacular when you stay with Mercure – everyone loves a little Christmas saving, right?!

Melbourne family roadtrip

travel October 18, 2018

Melbourne, what can I say?! I love Melbourne and it’s been a few years since I last went. Hubby and I are still on a high from surviving our road trip to Queensland with the girls, so by some miracle, we decided to book a 3 day trip and drive down to Melbourne. I know, we’re crazy. The girls have been dying to go to the LEGOLAND Discovery Centre, so we thought it would be a good opportunity to take them as I had some annual leave coming up.

We stayed at the NOVOTEL on Collins Street, right in the heart of Melbourne. Omg, what a hotel! It was so lovely, I could not fault the place. The central location was amazing, and the huge windows let in so much light, the girls were just gazing out at the city for ages.

The facilities were perfect for a tired family fresh out of the car after an 8 hour drive! Pool, gym, spa , and a family corner to keep the kids entertained while we were checking in and out. The attentive reception was available 24 hours for anything we needed, and the room service and in-house restaurant meant we never had to worry about planning our meals – we knew we could always grab something to fill our hungry explorer tummies right at the hotel.

When we arrived we had a quick dip in the pool to refresh, and the girls had a relax in the spa – bubble time is always exciting. The rooms were so comfortable too. We slept so well after that long drive, so I was very thankful for a comfortable family room.

First on our list was the Melbourne Star I was so worried I’d let the girls down and not be able to do it because, fun fact about me: I’m terrified of heights. But luckily I made it! The Star goes round one loop in 30 minutes, so you get to take in all the scenery as you go. There is an overhead cabin that guides you where to look, so we got the most out of our 30 minute ride. The girls loved it, of course. They have so little fear at that age! It was a really special thing to do with my family, and while you’re in your capsule you really get to connect with one another without any distractions.

Being foodies, we of course got stuck right into Melbourne’s cuisine – and the coffee, obviously. A stand out meal for us was 400 Gradi at Crown. The pizzas are AMAZING there. They’ve actually won awards for being the best margherita outside of Italy! We had the gnocchi as well, and the girls loved getting slurpy with their spaghetti meals. The interiors were beautiful and it was the perfect mix of smart and casual.

Now, the all-important LEGOLANDvisit. We had to wait until the last day to take them, so obviously they were hanging out for it the whole time, but they had such a ball there. We watched NinjaGo in 4D, did a Lego workshop and made our own Halloween-themed witches, and enjoyed an extra special Lego lunchbox pack when hunger struck.

Hubby and I even got excited about the Kingdom Quest Ride. You sit in your own little carriage and have to go around zapping the baddies with a laser to save the captured princess. It was super fun – I think the grown ups enjoyed it almost as much as the kids!

We also got to explore the Underwater Lego Quest, where we discovered mysterious sea creatures on the interactive table. There were tasks to complete and photo opportunities throughout the quest. The girls were transfixed!

Once we rolled back to the hotel after LEGOLAND we were more than ready to collapse into bed ahead of our long drive home tomorrow. A tiring yet amazing trip to Melbourne for the girls, and we didn’t have to worry about airports, security, or delays – that’s the major upside to road tripping!

Have you road tripped with kids or been to the LEGOLAND Discovery Centre?! It’s totally worth a visit!

** Thank you to all these amazing places and hotel

Roadtrip Sydney to Queensland family holiday

travel October 15, 2018

Are we there yet?! We recently made the brave decision to take our first ever 10 hour drive from Sydney to the Gold Coast for our family holiday. We decided to leave at 3am to make some ground while the girls slept – secret Mum hack there if you’re ever doing a long drive with kids! I made sure I packed lots of entertainment for them for when they woke up, as I knew they’d be a bit, disorientated. Luckily the excitement of holiday seemed to keep them going most of the way.

Snacks

What’s a road trip without snacks? Hell – that’s what! I was sure to pack their fave easy-to-eat snacks for when hunger struck, and it saved us loads of money too as we didn’t need to buy expensive food and drink from roadside servos. Full little tummies make an easier ride for everyone.

Pyjamas

We popped the girls in the car in their Ergo Pouch PJs during car trip – much easier than waking them to get dressed haha Mum hack number 2! It’s a 1.0 TOG sleep suit bag, perfect for mild or warm weather. it converts from sleeping suit bag to a suit with legs (so cute!) so it was great to transition from car to servo and back! Made from 100% organic cotton, you can grab yours here for $74.95 (RRP).

Tablet

Both girls brought their tablets and we loaded heaps of their favourite movies and YouTube videos – such a great idea for long car journeys. I do usually try to limit the girls’ screen time but at times like that it’s really a case of making it easier for everyone. We don’t do long journeys often, so once in a while I let them loose. It kept them happy and calm in the back and allowed me and hubby to focus on the driving.

Earphones

Boy were these lifesavers!? We used Laser Laser Bluetooth Headphones (RRP $29.95 available from BIG W). These were great for streaming music or watching movies in the car, which meant we didn’t drive ourselves insane listening to the same kids tunes on repeat! The foam ear cups can deliver comfortable listening for up to 12 hours with one charge, and built-in Bluetooth 2.1 delivers stereo sound, and they’re rechargeable via micro USB.

Goodie Bags

As a little roadtrip treat, I got them both a personalised library type bag with zipper from a little Insta page I found called @while.they.napped. This mumma is has 5 kids, works and does her little side business while her kids sleep – hence the name. Check out her Facebook page for all her personalised goodies.

In the girls’ bags I packed:

● Colouring books

● Pencils

● Little plush toy

● Stickers

● Plain white paper

● Pen

Oh my gosh – they loved it! I hid them in their packing cases before we left, and they were so excited when they discovered their little surprise. They’re getting to that age where they just want to be super independent, so I got them their own wheelie luggage bags from Penny Scallan Design to let them have their own little moment of grown up-hood. They’re just $69 and were able to fit all their clothes for the full week, plus the goodie bags and a small toy. Their water-resistant coating was easy to wipe clean, too.

Bluetooth Speaker from Laser

A great little speaker for the kids, the Ultra-Portable LED Bluetooth Speaker from Laser was super handy for our trip. At just $10 from Big W, I’m so glad I picked this up. It was great at the beach when we wanted to relax and they were full of beans! A few tunes from the speaker and they were dancing around in the sand having the best time!

Sun shade

We don’t usually have a sun shade as we don’t drive too far, but we got the Dreambaby EXTRA WIDE CAR WINDOW SHADE 2-PACK for $24.95 and oh my gosh it was really handy to have. They unroll to an adjustable 50cm and easily attach to the windows. It was so handy to be able to stop the car getting too hot. The kids always whine when it’s too stuffy so that definitely saved us a few tantrums! To protect the girls from the sun outside of the car I got them both a bucket hat from an Insta page I found called Bedhead Hats They’re UPF 50+ and have so many cute designs – shop the range Being sun safe was super important as the weather on the Goldie was getting pretty hot.

After many stops to stretch our legs and empty little bladders, we finally arrived on the Gold Coast. Phew! It was tiring and definitely a challenge but overall it was a nice family experience. The kids loved it, actually.

Once we’d arrived, it was straight into the activities!

Theme Parks

What’s a trip to the Gold Coast without theme parks!? We went to Movie World, Sea World and Dreamworld and the girls just loved it – and Mum and Dad didn’t mind it either haha.

Movie World

We love Wonder Woman, so it was so fun seeing her in the Street Parade. We got a Bugs Bunny trophy as a souvenir, had the yummiest buffet lunch, and the girls got to drive a mini race car, so it was a good day for everyone.

SeaWorld

Somehow we got Madison on her first ever roller coaster! She was nervous but mostly so excited, bless her. We saw the dolphins which the girls just loved, and the gorgeous illuminated sea jellies were our highlight. We got to see loads of animals that the girls had never seen before, too, so being able to watch them see new things was so special. Polar bears and sharks were definitely highlights. Scary highlights, but fun all the same!

Dreamworld

The girls are big Trolls fans, so we were pretty excited to show them the Trolls Village! They were able to get ‘Trolled up’ in the little salon, and have a full Troll makeover. First, you get a lucky bracelet, then you get a Poppy hug time watch, followed by Poppy makeup and finally the Poppy hair! Once you see yourself all ‘Trolled up’ you can take a picture with the characters – wow the girls just loved it! Trolls aside, the girls got to explore the Lego store, spot tigers and go on some family friendly rides.

So that’s it guys! Our first family holiday to the Gold Coast – by car! We had a great time, lots of pool days, the nicest food, and this Mumma didn’t have to cook or clean or 7 days – ultimate bonus.

Have you road-tripped or holidayed with kids?! Share your tips with me!

** Special thanks to the theme parks and to these amazing brands for all these wonderful products to help make this trip even more amazing

Storksak travel bag review

travel July 30, 2018

If you read my last review on my Storksak Nappy Bag, you would know how obsessed I am with this brand! Much to my delight, they’ve expanded into even more than just nappy bags! Think travel bags, duffle bags, backpacks… the lot.

Not only is the quality of their bags superb, they’re super spacious – and parents can never have enough space, trust me. The products now also come in a great range of colours, and I always receive tons of compliments when I’m using them! I’m always excited about practical products that look great, too.

Storksak was created in 2003 by Melanie Marshall and Suzi Bergman, with the view to create a line of luxury baby changing bags which didn’t compromise style for function. They sure achieved that! Then, in 2006 Babymel London was established, aiming to offer parents thoughtfully designed, fashionable changing bags at an accessible price point. Nine years on, Babymel is sold in more than 20 countries worldwide, bringing the brand incredible international recognition.

When I asked the girls to help me out with trialling these bags, they were more than excited. Such little fashionistas – not to mention blog assistants in the making! We recently took the Storksak Duffle Travel Bag and the Babymel Backpacks on a trip to Canberra to put them to the ultimate test. An overnight trip AND a flight with kids – if the bags do well on this trip, they can handle anything.

Storksak DUFFLE Bag $259.99

Hubby and I used the Duffle Bag for our luggage on the Canberra trip, as it’s a super lightweight bag that has a removable shoulder strap – ideal for budget airlines! Inside we discovered the hanging organiser that’s hidden within the bag. This was super convenient for us as we can pack, hang up, and use without unpacking. I love traveling but I hate the instant mess that comes with living out of a stuffed suitcase in hotel rooms!

If you’re a frequent flier, this bag would work wonders, as it fits neatly in the overhead compartment of most planes. No need to check in your baggage.

The grab handle was great for getting it in and out of the car, and the expandable zipper means there’s a little extra space hiding for when you need it. The bag is water resistant, too, which is really handy with my two little spillers running around! It’s also great to know it won’t be ruined if you’re stuck in bad weather or anything – there’s nothing worse than getting caught in the rain with new arm candy.

Babymel Backpacks $34.99

The girls took their new Babymel Zip and Zoe Backpacks on the trip, and they absolutely loved having their own luggage in their chosen designs. They felt like proper grown ups on a girly holiday, bless them.

They both mentioned how comfortable the bags were, as they come with padded shoulder straps and a grab handle at the top. The best bit for me as a Mum was how easy the bags are to clean. You can pop the bags in the machine on a cold wash and get rid of those lunch spills and pen marks in an instant. I’ll definitely be using these for school, holidays, sleepovers, and days out in the future! If they love carrying their own bags, it’s one less thing for Mum and Dad to worry about.

WIth all the talk of parabens and the dangers of plastics these days, I was so pleased to find out that the bags are Phthalate free. That means the nasties that are often added to plastic products to make them more flexible won’t be found in the Babymel backpacks – phew. I’m taking small steps to reduce the amount of harmful plastic in our lives, so products like this are fantastic.

The girls just love them, and they’re obsessed with packing up into it before we go out. In Canberra, they managed to fit all their clothes and a couple of toys in, too, so space is certainly not an issue anymore. From a Mum’s perspective, the easy cleaning is an absolute winner for me.

Check out Storksak HERE

Check out Babymel HERE

Interview with Shane- Afternoons with Albert

travel December 21, 2017

Today we interview Shane, creator of Afternoons with Albert. If you or your family are traveling any time soon we have a fabulous travel accessory to share. Read our interview for more on this amazing new travel must have.

What inspired you to creating Afternoons with Albert?

As a child I spent Sunday afternoons with my grandfather (Albert) in his shed. He was an avid carpenter and tinkerer. I would pass him tools and do the small jobs, eventually graduating to making stuff of my own, with his guidance, for the family home. After the work was done we would retire to the garden and eat cake and drink tea, lovingly prepared by Nanna. This memory forms the basis for the name of the label.

After he passed, I was given all his tools, and set them up in a shed of my own. It was a place where I would go to get lost in ‘making’. I would dream up designs, then go create them. Seeing them come to life was amazing, and as a kid very liberating.

This background, coupled with my inquisitive nature means that I always have to know how something works – I am forever interested in the design of functional, utalitarianthings.

When I became an international pilot for QANTAS at 25, I was suddenly exposed to an entire world of design (pun intended). Having the globe as inspiration, and a jet to access it all has only strengthened my interest and passion in the design space.

I have always loved music, and am often transported to another time and place when I hear a certain song. Entire periods of my life can be characterized by particular albums – my late 20’s were Hot Fuss by The Killers, and Sex on Fire by Kings Of Leon, for example.

One of my favorite things on earth is to get lost in a new city, listening to music … just walking around for hours, in and out of coffee shops, down lanes, talking to strangers.

But it struck me that I never remembered to take my charging cable – so my phone would always run flat before I was finished exploring. Even worse, stuffing my earphones into my pockets would always produce a horrible mess, and I found I was taking endless amounts of time untangling these things, when all I wanted to do was be in the moment and enjoy wherever I was.

So I guess I had a ‘there must be a better way’ moment, and begun experimenting. My creative process is incredibly authentic, in that it’s not forced – if I don’t like a design then I can’t workshop it. But when I do resonate with something, it becomes part of me, and I can’t stop thinking about it. I know I am ready to put the pen down and bring the tools out when I can see the design in my head in 3 dimensions, I can turn it around, up and down and inside out, and look at it from every angle – that’s when I know I’ve got something. The Cord Roll was born like this.

Tell us everything about the Cord roll, how does it work? How would this make life easier travelling?

The Cord Roll is a simple, intuitive way to keep earphones, charging cables and all of life’s necessities safe and organised in one easy to find spot.

When all your travel accessory gear is safe and organised in ONE spot, you always have what you need to keep your phone going, and you don’t have to spend double the price at the airport for the accessories you forgot.

The Cord Roll works by 4 simple steps:

1. Lift the loops

2. Insert Cords

3. Pull the strap

4. Roll

How much can we fit in the Cord roll?

I made it for the 3 cables you always need when travelling, plus all those other small things you need to keep safe – CAMERA MEMORY CARDS, USB DRIVES, AEROPLANE ADAPTERS (SO YOU CAN WATCH MOVIES), AND THAT LITTLE IPHONE KEY TO CHANGE THE SIM CARD (THAT NO ONE HAS A HOME FOR!)

We are thinking of taking our kids overseas, As a frequent flyer yourself, what tips and secrets can you share to help the little ones on the journey?

My single biggest tip for long haul travel, regardless of age, is ear-plugs. They take a bit to get used to, but they have a massive effect for something so small. I also swear by getting onto local time as soon as possible – and the best way to do this is to set your watch to local time as soon as you get on the plane – then get out in sun when you arrive after a nap –All the other usual advice like staying hydrated, wearing comfy, layered clothes and moving around is good as well. I also make sure I brush my teeth before I go to sleep! (That one’s for you Mum).

This undoubtedly will make a great Christmas gift! There are many families who will be travelling this festive season, the Cord Roll will be the perfect travel companion, Tell us how can we get our hands on one?

Visit the website! www.afternoonswithalbert.com

Whats coming up next for you?

Over the next 12 months I intend to expand the range of Cord Roll’s into different colors. I’ve had a lot of interest from the vegan market telling me to make a synthetic version, so I plan cater to that market as well.

I have 2 whole notebooks of other product designs that have been swimming around in my head for a few years so the next focus will be to choose a few of them to add to the product range. As to what they will be … AWA creates lifestyle-wares for people ahead of the curve … so they will be designs centered around making your journey better, whether that entails jumping on a bus everyday to get to work, backpacking through Vietnam, or flying to London for a meeting.

I am also super excited about doing a pop-up with complementary brands to create an encompassing experience. This will definitely involve coffee. It many also involve gin J

The single biggest buzz I get from being in this space is seeing people interact with my product(s) and talking to them about it. Design is a process that never ends – I am intensely keen to keep learning from the people that really matter – the end users.

The Cord roll RRP $75 check them out HERE

Made for Madison Christina