Cuddles and Crumbs

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When we met Anna and Elsa…

Published by Abigail

Our flight to Los Angeles was the day LittleMiss turned 3 years old. We have not yet got a chance to celebrate her birthday the day she was born, it was either a few days before or after.

She was at the age where Disney Princess & Peppa Pig were her best friends, to meet them was her ultimate wish. As soon as our US visa got approved we made plans and the first on the list was a trip to Disneyland Anaheim. This is our 2nd Disneyland trip, we have been to HK but LittleMiss was still too young to appreciate then.

Month’s before our US vacation, we all watched and got to know the stories of all Disney Princesses and Fairies (I love Tinkerbell!). We of course have been hit by the Frozen Fever, the ultimate goal was to meet Ana, Elsa and Olaf. If we’ve done that our Disneyland trip is complete.

I have learned from Casey of DLR Prep School that to secure a meet and greet with the Frozen characters we have to secure a fastpass. Casey also sent us maps prior to our visit to plan our Disneyland route. If you are heading to Disneyland resort anytime, I highly recommend you visit her blog and get some tips for an extra fun trip.

We got hold of four fastpasses the first 20 minutes we were inside 🙂 all because of Casey’s tips.

Kuya V wore a GoPro from Ninang Athens to capture the moment – Anna and Elsa are the first Princesses we got to meet. LittleMiss had her authograph book and pen all ready.

The moment both kids saw them was just priceless, we all literally froze for a minute. LittleMiss who rehearsed how she would introduce herself to them was not able to speak.

Both Princess Anna & Queen Elsa made us all feel like we were really inside their castle, conversations between them were all about Arendelle, Olaf and the whole cast. It definitely set the right Disney mood.

Here’s the GoPro video which captured the time we Anna & Elsa

Kid’s Rule at Global Village

Published by Abigail

For the whole month of February, Dubai’s leading family attraction focus it’s attention to our children with the launch of Kids Fest, the festival’s main purpose is to provide fun and interactive entertainment.

All of the events are free of charge and included in the price admission. Shows include the famous acrobatic show ‘Circus Circus’, a photo op with the Smurfs and a chance to be part of a show choreographed by the Global Show Academy.

Unfortunately, we did not catch any of the shows instead we spent most of the time at Fantasy Island which features rides and games for the whole family.

This game was a memorable one since it was the first time LittleMiss played a game and won! She dragged that big white bear all over Global Village.

Kuya V once again challenged himself to face his fear and do the maze. He almost gave up, good thing the guide encouraged and showed him that it was safe and easy. We are so proud of him!

There was so many changes at Global Village and one notable thing is a clean toilet and a dedicated Mother’s Room for breastfeeding.

We did not leave without grabbing a snack of mini waffles and luqaimat.

Visit the Global Village website for more information.

A much needed help from DinnerTime

Published by Abigail

One of the most difficult task I have to do every week is menu planning specially when you have two picky eaters. The past week has been a challenging one – assisting kids with school work, keeping house in order, maintaining the blog and I’m not feeling well.

Daddy C offered that he just buy take-out on his way home from office or we could just dine at our nearby shawarma place for dinner. Take-out food for two straight days make us feel weird and bloated.

Tired.

Yes, I was just really tired.

I was browsing pinterest for new dishes we can try when I got an email from DinnerTime offering us to try their services. The universe heard my plea and sent them to rescue me.

Customers have four dinner menu to choose from – Standard, Vegetarian, Gluten-Free and Paleo box. I chose to try the standard box menu. Every week DinnerTime prepare a healthy balance menu which has been approved by their test panel for yumminess.

All ingredients needed for the week was delivered in our house at the exact time I requested (a surprise since on time delivery here is a taboo) Sunday morning. Our DinnerTime bag was filled with vegetables, meat, bread, pasta and the recipe book for the week. I reviewed each recipe to make sure I have the common staple ingredients like salt, pepper, oil and some herbs at home.

The kids were excited that week as well, my eldest exclaimed that now I can have rest in thinking what I need to prepare for dinner. I only ask them to give the new dishes we are having that week a try – they agreed.

Sunday – Korean Beef Bowl. The recipe calls for chili flakes so I had to prepare a separate bowl for the kids.

Monday – Summertime Fusilli. A pasta dish with Salmon as main protein. Kuya V surprisingly enjoyed this dish and asked that I pack some of the leftovers for his lunch the next day. LittleMiss only ate salmon meat.

Tuesday – Creamy Broccoli Potato Soup. Just soup for dinner is something that’s new for us so I baked some chicken along with the soup. Both kids enjoyed dipping the baguette in the soup and was surprised that it consists of broccoli. Cream was made from cashew nuts.

Wednesday – White Bean Chicken Chili with Pumpkin This is our favorite! Even Kuya V declared this a favorite despite being spicy. I made a non-spicy batch for LittleMiss, when she saw that it was served with chips, it was already a winner.

Overall, we enjoyed each meal prepared that week.

Will I consider getting their services? Yes, because…

It took off the stress of thinking what to prepare for dinner. Ingredients was delivered sunday morning along with the menu. Yes, I still need to chop and cook but I did not have to stress what dish to prepare that night.
The menu offered a variety of dishes that incorporates meat and vegetables. I really feel that DinnerTime group really took the time to make sure that each dish is healthy and delicious.
Less food waste – the box sent to us was meant for four people. We did have some left overs but the ingredients used to make the dish was just the right amount. The only leftover ingredient I had was olives.
Every dish was done at exactly 30 minutes! Yes exactly 30 minutes because the kids and I timed our dinner preparation. We are crazy bunch.
DinnerTime got me excited to prepare dinner at the time where I really feel tired. Why? because all that I needed was already right in front of me.

Thank you DinnerTime for sending us help the week I needed it the most.

Visit DinnerTime.Me to view next week’s menu.

Disclaimer: DinnerTime.Me offered us a standard box to try and review. All views and opinions are my own.

A simple Valentine’s Day Bento Lunch Box

Published by Abigail

This is LittleMiss’s first Valentines Day where she is aware that it is a special day to express your love. Last week, Kuya V handed me a Valentines card and this made LittleMiss sad that it prompted her to ask (while crying) “How about me, Kuya?” We lied and said that it was for her too. This made her happy.

“I love you, Kuya! Happy Valentines Day.”

Later that night she asked me to help her tell Daddy about Valentines day. We showed Daddy the card Kuya V made for us.

“Daddy, you will give me flowers and chocolate hearts on Valentines.”

She woke up with a red rose and kiss from Daddy. Before he left though, she reminded her to buy chocolate hearts.

Here’s a simple bento to celebrate Valentines Day!

Kuya Vierte: Pepperoni pizza hearts, sweet corn, LOVE apple and cereal bar.

LittleMiss C: LOVE apple, sweet corn and pepperoni pizza

Bento tools: knife to cut pizza and fondant letter cutters for LOVE apple.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Tag us on any of your bento lunchbox creations and use #UAEMakesBento and #WhatToEatMom on instagram. We are @cuddlesncrumbs on all social media platform.

BiCE Ristorante Friday Brunch, Hilton JBR

Published by Abigail

A table brunch concept was something new to our family. Choose a dish you fancy from the menu which consists of 14 dishes – starters, pasta, mains and desserts. Marco Gigli, BiCE restaurant manager and Sudeera our server for the day suggested that we try everything from the menu. So we did.

Tricolore salad with endives and palm hearts

Burratina with cherry tomato and pesto sauce

BiCE Fresh Baked Bread

Octopus Carpaccio with lemon oil and crispy vegetables

Prosciutto Cherry Mozzarella, Artichoke and Rocket Salad

Among the starters our favorite was definitely the Burrata with Cherry Tomato and Pesto Sauce – all the elements worked really well and probably the best burrata we’ve ever had, both Prosciutto with cherry mozzarella, artichokes with rocket salad and Octopus carpaccio with lemon oil and crispy vegetable come in second place. All of the vegetables had that lovely fresh crunch and the sauce used for the salads which made use of different kinds of olive oils was delicious.

When Sudeera noticed that we were almost done with our starters, he asked if we would like second helpings of starters and that he will notify the kitchen to prepare our pasta dishes. We were informed that it will take 15 minutes for the pasta dishes to arrive. A pause we needed for the next round of dishes to come.

Unlike other brunches we have been too this one did not have any activities for the kids but this did not bother them. They enjoyed the pool view and LittleMiss danced to music provided by the live piano player.

Pasta for Everyone menu consists of Seafood Pacchero , Calamarata with fresh ricotta, Creamy truffle Tortelli and Garganelli with Bolognese sauce.

Homemade ricotta & spinach Tortelli with creamy truffle sauce and black truffle

Garganelli with Bolognese sauce and mushroom

Calamarata with tomato sauce, fresh ricotta and eggplant

Pacchero with Fresh Seafood in AOP sauce

All pasta dishes arrived together that offered something for everyone to enjoy. The homemade ricotta & spinach Tortelli with creamy truffle sauce and black truffle oil stood out among the four pasta dishes. You have the option to have the pasta served in small portions if you find the servings too much for one. My husband and I were stuffed after trying all four pasta dish so I would suggest that you request for small portions.

For the mains you have a choice between a Mix grill platter (prawns, chicken, salmon, lamb chops and sea bream or a Spiced and herbed rock salt sea bass.

The kids were looking forward to the grilled selection of meat and vegetables. Mood changed however when they saw the sea bass covered with rock salt, they were so eager to try the fish which was filleted in front of us. We easily devoured the rock salt covered Sea Bass, it was fresh moist. I am planning to recreate it at home.

It was a 30 minutes wait before the mains arrived, so make sure you notify your server to prepare meat as the kitchen only cook them when you place the order.

Sweets and Coffee

Cannoli with ricotta chesse and chocolate chips

Fresh mix fruit platter

Italian Tiramisu

Desserts!

Yes, after all that food we still (had to) made room for sweets and coffee. Although one might think that the spread is not lavish, it was just enough to satisfy your dessert craving. Tiramisu was so good, I wanted to get another cup but was already too full.

Overall dining experience:

No complain with the food, everything was delicious. The serving size though can be overwhelming just for one, we suggest that you request small portions of salad and pasta per person so you can taste everything in the menu.

It’s a good brunch for family even though they do not have the usual entertainment for kids. Family simply get to enjoy everyone’s company sharing stories with good food. For once I did not have to worry if the kids get lost finding their way back to our table or if they would accidentally break something.

The sit down 4 course menu brunch made the experience relaxing and ideal for family/friends gathering.

BiCE Ristorante’s Friday Brunch| Every Friday from 12.30PM to 4PM

AED 395 (soft drinks & juices); AED 295 (soft drinks & juices)

End of First Term Party

Published by Abigail

Kuya V’s class spent the winter vacation preparing for their first term exams. The school has changed the examination format from 3 exams to just 2 major exams with assessments in between. Last year assessments and exams where scheduled before school break, this change is not something I (or my fellow parents) are happy about.

Believe me when you are a parent, school homework and tests is so stressful. I have never prepared and studied this much during my time. Let’s not talk about how I did in school, my Mom did see me go up the stage and receive my diploma.

The kids deserve (parents as well) a treat for the hard work and doing their best. We surprise them with an “End of First Term Exam Party” at Eataly. I joined the giveaway hosted by The Son and The Moon and won this party package.

The party was scheduled on the last day of their exam, we had 13 confirmed kids, a mix of Kuya V’s year 3 classmates and family friends. Excited 8 year old kids approached me asking what’s going to happen in the party, they all squealed with delight when they found out that they are going to make pizza.

It was the first time for most of the kids to make pizza with a chef!

All of them were asked to line up to get a their disposable aprons and wash hands inside Eataly’s working kitchen.

Chef Enzo working his magic on a pizza dough

Chef doing a demo

Pizza dough distribution

Working on the dough

Eataly team asked kids to smell and guess name of ingredients available in their table – they had flour, tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, basil leaves and fresh pizza dough.

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Chef Enzo announced that they will eat what they made, it got the kids seriously working on their pizza’s.

Chef Enzo transferring the kids pizza en route to the kitchen

They were done making pizza and was ushered to the table were a goodie bag was waiting for them.

All of the kids receive an Eataly Arabia apron

and a Pizza Workshop Certificate.

Pizza fresh from the oven

Pizza Party

Yummy!

Each of the kids pizza were assigned 1 unique ingredient like eggplant and sweet pepper for easy identification which pizza belongs to whom.

Just when the kids taught the party was over, a big cake was delivered in their table. A congratulations cake with candles. These made the kids really happy! We sang “Congratulations Year 3” to the tune of happy birthday.

Year 3 still has a long way to go before moving up the next level. We are so proud of you all for giving your best in your first term exams.

What we think about the party?

Venue: Restaurant area of Eataly, The Dubai Mall

It would be nice if they had a dedicated room for the party. Kids were happily chatting (and loud), playing and running around the restaurant, they were disturbing other diners.

Food: Pizza + Fruit Juice + Cake

It took between 5-10 minutes before the pizza’s were out of the oven and the kids were already hungry, some appetizers will keep them busy while waiting for their pizza. Unfortunately, I cannot find their party packages online. We won this party package from a blog giveaway.

Activity: Pizza making

Coloring books and additional games like recalling what ingredients were used will keep the kids occupied while waiting for their food. Bored children can mean chaos so it would be a good idea to prepare another activity to keep them busy. A complimentary pass to Kidzania or Sega Republic is another good option they can include in the package.

Overall, it was a great party, all 13 kids had fun and according to V they still talk about it in school. Chef Enzo and his team did a good job engaging each kids, they took time to check on the kids work and answer their questions. No matter how noisy and impatient the kids were, the team maintained their patience.

Children as young as 3 yrs old and those young at heart (adults) will enjoy the pizza workshop party.

Afternoon at the Park

Published by Abigail

For us desert dwellers, Dubai weather is freezing at 18c well not so much for my children who refuse to wear jackets when we go out.

An afternoon in the park with no gadgets for the kids just the good old running and getting themselves dirty. LittleMiss was happy playing mama to her baby alive doll Lucy.

That afternoon we stopped by Paul at Sahara Centre to get a complimentary picnic bag filled with delicious sandwiches, pastries, fresh juice and salads. Paul’s picnic concept is convenient for those spur of the moment picnic outdoors.

Disclaimer: We were given a complimentary picnic basket from Paul.

A family dream trip to Vienna, Austria

Published by Abigail

Growing up looking at photos of my Papa’s business trip and watching movies made me want to travel and see the world. I was able to recognize Europe on the world map when my Dad left for a month long training to France. The postcards, souvenirs and stories during his trip made me dream and want to explore Europe. My dream to be able to set foot at Europe came true when I was given a chance to volunteer for World Youth Day 2005.

The movie Sound of Music played a big part on why I want to visit Austria, but sadly I did not get a chance during my trip. It is still on my list of places to visit and hopefully this time with my own family. Travelling with the family needs a lot of planning since we need to be able to cater to everyone’s interest. One thing I know for sure is that we all agree that to fully explore and immerse oneself during trips is to explore the food scene.

Join me as we explore the food scene of Vienna, Austria in the comforts of our home (for now).

It’s always a good idea to start our day with a cup of coffee paired with Demel cake at one of Vienna’s must stop coffee shop, Demel.

Wien, Cafe Demel, Copyright www.peterrigaud.com

Wien, Cafe Demel, Copyright http://www.peterrigaud.com

Grab some more pastries on your way out, we might get hungry as we try to find our way to Burggarten. Living in the concrete jungle of Dubai make our eyes long for some greenery and the court garden is the best place to hang out and let the kids run.

Österreich, Wien, Hofburg Copyright WienTourismus

My kids are hungry after all that walk and running around the garden so it’s time to get lunch. This time let us explore the city riding a horse carriage or a Fiaker, the horse clickety clack steps will lull the kids to take a nap.

It’s time to wake them up as we approach St. Stephans Cathedral, we get off here and say our thanks for the blessing of visiting this beautiful place. A few steps away from the cathedral is Vienna’s oldest coffee shop, the Café Diglas. I heard from friends that this is the best place to be among the locals and not that crowded with tourists. We are craving for bratwurst and schnitzel for lunch. Make sure you leave some room for pastries.

Cafe Diglas
Copyright WienTourismus

I think it’s time to head back to the hotel and give the kids a proper rest and prepare for an evening stroll.

Thank you for joining me in this armchair journey to Vienna, Austria.

Have you been to Vienna? What are your top 5 must do in Vienna with kids?

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Latest Posts

When we met Anna and Elsa…

Kid’s Rule at Global Village

A much needed help from DinnerTime

A simple Valentine’s Day Bento Lunch Box

BiCE Ristorante Friday Brunch, Hilton JBR

End of First Term Party

Afternoon at the Park

A family dream trip to Vienna, Austria