Pre-Christmas Party (2010)!

We had our inaugural pre-Christmas party with Nicole!

Here she is with KL and his baby Kai En.

So here are our friends all ready to tuck in to a hearty Christmas meal... Yummm :))

Here is Annabelle and Woody posing with their baby Janelle.

Meanwhile, KL and Xiufen are busy picking a present from the gift exchange basket ...

Here is Nicole looking at her friend Janelle snoozing... while Ariel checks out her presents from Auntie Serene...

Our friends having a cosy moment chatting.

Finally a group photo of all of us after a great night.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Ahoy! Ship A-Sailing...

I saw a ship a-sailing,

A sailing on the sea.

And, oh! it was all laden

With pretty things for me.

There were comfits in the cabin,

And apples in the hold,

The sails were made of silk,

And the masts were made of gold.

Baby Nic Visits Great Grandma!

Here she is... Finally meeting Great Grandma!

Cousins Elliot and Shayna were thrilled to see lil' Nicole!

Baby Nic falls asleep instantly in Great Grandma's comfy arms...

Elliot and Shayna fussing over the little one.

Nicole having a chat with Great-Grandma.

We also visited our relatives who had twin babies, all born on the same day as Nicole!

Yayyy!!! More playmates for lil' Nicole!

Nicole's First Trip (Perth) - Part 3

Day 3 - More Eating and Shopping!

Here's Daddy and me along Haystreet, one of the major shopping belts in Perth. My parents put me in a carrier so that I can help them navigate the way. Hehe...

Christmas comes early in Perth!

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We had a lazy brunch at the praiseworthy 'The Boatshed', off Coode St Jetty, South Perth. Away from the crowd, it's hard not to feel relaxed. We had Traditional Breakfast, Eggs Benedict and sampled their Smoked Salmon with Scrambled eggs. Even more wonderful was the concluding coffee, which was incredibly fragrant and smooth.

Fantastic view of the Swan River.

Food was excellent and so was the coffee!

Leaving the restaurant, feeling totally gastronomically satisfied. :))

Checking out the jetty outside the restaurant.

Nicole, on seeing a pack of egrets, suddenly broke out in loud chuckles. We ran around, chasing after those egrets.

Today is an unusually sunny day - hot but not humid. We did apply some sunblock onto Nicole's face and body but the relentless rays proved to be a little too strong for her delicate skin to bear. Soon her face started to show some patches of red. We slapped oodles of the white stuff onto her skin to prevent any further sun damage. :P (Later in the evening, her skin on her face started to flake despite all our efforts.)

Some ice-cream to beat the heat?

We decided to stay out of the sun for now... so it's off to the malls to take a brief respite from the sweltering heat.

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We drove to Leederville for dinner. We had a simple but satisfying plate of fish and chips - the best fish and chips we've ever tasted! Even better than the ones in Freemantle.

After dinner, we went next door, Greens & Co., for desserts. The massive room is lighted up with various sizes of round paper lanterns. Looks like a whimsical fairyland at night with all the lanterns lighted up.

The place is also decked out in comfy couches and their walls are plastered with assortments of movie posters from yesteryear to recent ones.

Their cake selection is huge and all look delicious! We had a hard time deciding which cakes to order and after much contemplation, unanimously voted for the Lemon Meringue and Chocolate Mocha Fudge cake. Decadent! :)))

And of course, some Latte and Mocha coffee to go with it.

Checking out some really chic-looking boutiques in Leederville...

Nicole's First Trip (Perth) - Part 2

Day 2: A Day Trip to Margaret River

Before embarking on a 5hr road trip to Margaret River, we strolled into a 'happening-looking' cafe, Zekka, for breakfast. It's located along King Street and houses a small cafe and a boutique.

An alley leading towards the cafe is littered with installation art and its sidewalls are painted with whimsical-looking murals.

The place isn't very big - the concrete floors give it a bit of a warehouse feel but it's not at all cold or uninviting, more of a peaceful escape.

Verdict: Cool arty decor & off the beaten track. Seriously good coffee. Recommended.

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After what seemed like eternity, we finally reached one of the vineyards- Cullen. The whole journey took a little less than the estimated 5 hrs. Thank God Nicole slept through for most part of the journey... think it's the droning of the engines that made it conducive for her to sleep like a baby.

Feeding time!

Burping time


A well-fed Nicole

Daddy and Aunt Sally ventured towards the wine-tasting counter while Mummy and Nicole looked on.


After the two wine connoisseurs had selected their wines, we made our way outside for lunch, alfresco style. Great weather - sunny but not hot and humid.

At the veranda.

Having a field time at the vineyard!

Most of us ordered lamb - tender and succulent. All the delectable food and wine served here are organic, estate-grown. As the grown-ups indulged in their food and wine, lil' Nicole was sound asleep... probably from all the excitement earlier.

Joining us were Uncle Chester and Auntie Eve. After lunch, we proceeded on to the next 2 wineries.

Pierro Vineyard

Howard Park Winery

Soon, it's time to head back towards town - another 5 hrs of journey. We had thoroughly enjoyed ourselves during this road trip.... Great weather, great food, great wine and mostly, great company... What more can we ask for??!!! :)