Posts Tagged ‘Treats for teenies’

3 for 2 at Maggie & Rose

Monday, May 20th, 2013

AWESOME! May half-term holiday workshops at Kensington and Chiswick include ‘Bang Crash Baking’, ‘Super Street Dance’, ‘The Big Maggie & Rose Pie Off’ and ‘Inspired by Lichtenstein’ Maggie & Rose is the place to be this half term.

angels & urchins readers can get members rates on big kids workshops (4yrs+), plus a 3 for 2 offer on the half-term classes.

Know anywhere decent to spend half term?

Simply call either club (Kensington: 020 7371 2200) and (Chiswick: 020 8994 7211) to book, quoting angels & urchins.
And you can visit the Maggie & Rose website for more information.

A free glimpse of Gatsby glamour

Thursday, May 16th, 2013

Oxford Street goes Gatsby

 

Half term is looming, and it reminded me how fab London is, come rain or shine. There’s so much to do for free, and so much excitement to be found in even the most everyday places.

Take the Gatsby makeover of Oxford Circus tube station. Almost enough to make a commuter break out into a spontaneous Charleston, and definitely child-friendly (especially with goddaughters in tow on the way to TopShop).

As to more free stuff, here’s a blog post on Top 10 FREE outings for Kids in London

We’ll be back to the National Gallery this half term, and have also budgeted to splash out (no pun intended) on a trip to the fabulous Wetland Centre in Barnes.

 

 

A right royal baby souvenir

Sunday, May 12th, 2013

Milly Green's Fine Bone China Tableware Set, £39.99

Every baby shower I’ve been invited to has been cancelled because the mother has gone into labour a week or so early. So I’m a bit reluctant to commit to presents pre-birth, just in case (and there are tragedies too, not that I want to introduce a sad note on this fine sunny morning). However I’m going to find it difficult not to treat the children (ok, myself) to Milly Green’s Royal Baby range. It’s adorable.

Milly Green Fine Bone China Mugs, £7.99

World Bread Awards

Monday, May 6th, 2013

Rather like bacon for vegetarians, a slice of freshly baked bread slathered with butter tends to be the final temptation for Atkins addicts. As a huge (in every sense…!) bread fan I’m all over Tiptree’s new awards (open until 31 August 2013) celebrating the art of bread making.

More of a machine maker than a purist, my entry might well not be accepted, but watch this space. I’ve also got my eye on the Young Baker Grainchain.com categories (Under 12 and 12-17) because my boys are often keen to get kneading. They love the excitement of watching the dough rise, and often experiment with additions. Sunflower seeds and a spoonful of local honey tasted great, though I wasn’t convinced by their Nutella moment. 

To enter the Young Baker categories is free, and to enter the Home Baker award costs £5. Register online, then take your bread in person or have it delivered to the Worshipful Company of Bakers, 9 Harp Lane, London EC3R 6DP.

The Boy who Bakes: Edd Kimber will help judge the World Bread Awards

Judges include Phil Vickery and Edd Kimber, winner of the Great British Bake Off.

Good luck!

Free Great British Chefs app

Wednesday, May 1st, 2013

A future Great British Chef in training!

A new, free app from Great British Chefs is delicious and timely. Research from the School Food Trust reveals that children who can cook have both a greater understanding of healthier food, and the desire to eat it.

Great British Chefs (GBC) is an award-winning recipe site run in association with Tesco Realfood. Their new “Cooking with Kids Programme” features exclusive recipes, cookery guidelines, virtual masterclasses, chefs Q&A’s, instructional videos, and an app.

Over 100 new recipes from over 20 of Britain’s greatest chefs, including Marcus Wareing and Nathan Outlaw, will encourage children to make delicious food from scratch with their parents.  The recipes are now available at www.greatbritishchefs.com and www.realfood.tesco.com. 

A free iPhone/iPad app (“Kids Recipes”), building on the three previous award-winning apps from Great British Chefs will include additional exclusive content.

-  Each recipe can be viewed through a recipe image gallery

-  Each recipe is linked through to an aggregated shopping basket, enabling users to purchase all the related ingredients in a single click from Tesco.com

-  Intuitive navigation and search facility

-  Integrated social media functionality allowing users to share the recipes, images and shopping list across the popular social network platforms and email

-  Voice control allows people to cook without touching their iPad or iPhone

-  Comprehensive information about the chefs, their restaurants and cookbooks

-  A series of 25  “How to” films http://www.greatbritishchefs.com/how-to/kids

Aimed at children aged 5 to 12 the recipes are a take on old favourites or provide little twists that inspire.  Recipes include Rice Krispie Fish Fingers with tangy mayo, Spaghetti and meatballs with mini garlic bites, Rarebit Soldiers and one of my favourites, Andy Waters Fishy Pie.

The Fishy Pie isn’t something I’d be able to leave my children to concoct on their own – my oldest is 8 – but they’d all have a lot of fun making the fish shape, pressing a knife into the pastry to make the scales, and brushing the pastry with egg wash.

Great British Chefs' Andy Waters Fishy Pie

Marcus Wareing, one of the chefs involved, said “For me, cooking is one of the most important life skills, teaching provenance, nutrition, organisation, budgeting and timekeeping. Getting my children involved in the cooking process means they are so much more enthusiastic about trying new foods in the dishes they’ve created.   That’s why I’ve developed a selection of innovative recipes for children to cook that use different ingredients and varying technical skills for Great British Chefs. 

The Cooking with Kids initiative launches this Spring and the Great British Chefs Kids Recipes App is available for free for iPad and iPhone from today, 1 May http://www.greatbritishchefs.com/kids-recipes for more information.

 

DVF at GapKids. Can I be 9 again?

Thursday, April 25th, 2013

Have you seen the new DVF range at Gap?

Who’d want to romp around in anything less stylish this summer? The DVF Romper Suit at GapKids

Printed skinny jeans, iconic wrap dresses (you’ll have to order these in from the US) and adorable swimsuits. It’s all there, and it’s all gorgeous.

DVF printed skinny jeans, £27.95, as seen on an unbearably lucky child on a high street near you

We want it all. Now. Stamps foot, slams door, and remembers a childhood being forced into jumbo cord trousers and nylon blouses. Not fair!

Grab now before it sells out and you have to buy it for double the price on eBay.

Tweet family travel questions 11 April 1pm

Sunday, April 7th, 2013

We’ve been asked to join #LuxVox chat on Twitter.

The first #LuxVox chat talked about Women’s Wellness, with questions posed on Twitter to a panel of experts.

This time it’s the turn of Family Travel. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

@angelsurchins will be joining luxury travel experts @SmithHotels and their family friendly website Smith and Family @SmithandFamily, as well as leading luxury hotel brand@FourSeasons.

 The time? April 11 at 1pm GMT.
Where? TWITTER
Hash tag? #LuxVox

Travelling with a family can be stressful. What country should you go to? What age is appropriate to venture on a family adventure? Is it best to go self-catered or stay at a resort? All these questions can leave parents confused about where to stay to cater to all the family’s needs.

Your idea of holiday heaven? Kid's Club at Shanti Maurice, Mauritius

Smith and Family understand that family holidays should be an escape from the stresses of everyday life – which is only possible if you’re confident you can switch off and unwind. As parents themselves, they know that travelling with children can be an adventure (to put it mildly); Travelling and catering for the needs of babies, toddlers and teens are very different. Thankfully, their new site Smith & Family does all the hard work for you. Their collection is a handpicked assortment of the world’s very best child-friendly hotels and family stays, which are all anonymously reviewed by one of their selected and approved parents. You are in good hands with the team at Smith & Family, and can be rest assured that each property has been given the thumbs-up from their team of seasoned family experts.

Get your questions ready for a unique way to get some in-depth knowledge from a bunch of travel insiders. We’ll be joining @PRCoUk@SmithandFamily, @FourSeasons and other luxury family travel enthusiasts for the #LuxVox Twitter chat this April 11 at 1pm GMT.

 

 

 

 

Meet baby animals this Easter Sunday

Monday, March 25th, 2013

How adorable? Baby hedgehogs, and other completely cute creatures, will transform the Paradise this Easter Sunday

It’s a cool place, West London gastropub Paradise by way of Kensal Green. 

Its ‘What’s On‘ pages are usually grown-up only zones, listing live music jams and sessions by West London’s best DJs. All great, of course, but this Easter Sunday (31 March 2013) this favourite gastropub and party venue will be home to the cutest and fluffiest creatures (and we’re not talking a recent live performance by supermodel Suki Waterhouse). Come and meet some of Paradise’s new furry friends, enclosed safely on the building’s roof terrace. Guests of all ages will be able to get up close and cuddly with baby ducklings, just hatched chicks and of course, baby Easter bunnies.

While the roof terrace will be home to some small and fluffy friends and their junior admirers, hung-over hipsters and yummy mummies are invited to mix their very own Bloody Mary’s downstairs in the ground floor bar, just the way they like it. The perfect remedy needed to recover from the night before, through good food, drink and a touch of vinyl.

As one of West London’s most popular Sunday lunch venues, those who want to celebrate Easter in true style, won’t be disappointed by the legendary Paradise Sunday Roasts.  Kick off lunch with a glass of Champagne and ½ dozen organic Poole harbour oysters, before tucking into a signature Paradise Sunday Roast served with all the trimmings. Popular dishes include ‘Pugh’s suckling pig with Bramley apple sauce’, ‘Roast rump of heritage Lonk lamb’ or ‘Butternut squash, spinach, mushroom and goats curd wellington’.

Since no Easter is complete without chocolate, it would be rude not to complete the Sunday roast experience without a gourmet ‘Blood orange Jaffa Cake, served with rum sabayon & blood orange ice cream’.

WHERE: Paradise by way of Kensal Green, 19 Kilburn Lane, London W10 4AE
WHEN: Easter Sunday (31 March 2013), 12-3pm.
CONTACT: 020 8969 0098; www.theparadise.co.uk

An Original Sharky & George holiday

Monday, March 18th, 2013

When we heard that one of angels & urchins’ favourite party entertainers was working with multi award-winning travel company Original Travel, we started to pack our bags and dust off the beach balls.

Read on to discover how Departure Lounge Olympics and Airplane Bingo might just make parents feel as though a break with the children has actually been a holiday.

Original Travel has teamed up with Sharky & George, the much loved children’s party people, to inject some (much needed) creativity and fun into the family holiday process. The result? Wholesome and creative family holidays for every age from toddlers to grandparents.

Together with Sharky & George, Original Travel selected their favourite family holiday destinations, ranging from sun filled beach holidays and city breaks, to snow adventures and family safaris and injected some extra fun.

The first Sharky & George-ified Original Travel Holiday!

Tom Barber, father and Original Travel co-founder, test drove the new-style family holidays on a trip to Oman with his five-year-old twin girls.

From the airport terminal where the girls’ new stopwatches (courtesy of S&G, naturally) and the instructions for a round of Departure Lounge Olympics lead to much enjoyment of ‘fastest circuit of the departure lounge on one foot,’ and so on. On the plane it was time for a spot of Airplane Bingo, with the girls circling the various things on their (wipe clean, reusable) cards.

Once arrived in Oman and settled in to the Six Senses Zighy Bay hotel, the Sharky & George funpacks came in to their own. Arts and crafts through to beach activities, the make your own T-shirt kits and suggestions for a tennis ball for a sand rollercoaster, it all went down a storm.

Become ‘Trickographer’ of the year!

To celebrate the launch of the collaboration, a trickography competition is being run on the Original Travel with Sharky & George Facebook page. Upload your best trick photography to the Facebook page for the chance to win a long weekend away with your family.

RSPCA Story Competition Winners

Thursday, March 14th, 2013

Last October, we posted about the RSPCA’s wildlife-themed children’s short story competition.

The winners have been announced!

Stories about a fox cub chased by hounds and a baby red squirrel whose hazelnuts were stolen by a grey have won a wildlife-themed children’s short story competition launched by the RSPCA. The winners have also had their stories brought to life in original artwork created by three famous children’s book illustrators – David Roberts, Rebecca Cobb and Paul Howard.

The illustrators, along with Wildlife TV presenter Chris Packham and national journalists made up the independent panel of judges which chose the winners of the Wild About Britain competition.

They named ‘The Chase’ by Ayasha Kawakita, 14, from Hailsham in East Sussex as the winner of 12 to 16 category and ‘A New Neighbour’ by Charlotte Pearce, 11, from St Ives in Cambridgeshire as the winner of the 11 and under group. ‘Hare’s Birthday’ by Louis Baxter Wedderburn, 11, from Wolverhampton won the People’s Choice category, voted for online by the public.

As part of their prize, the winner of each category had their story transformed into a picture by one of three well-known children’s illustrators. The frightening, dreamlike mood of ‘The Chase’ was brought to life by the eerie sketch by David Roberts (illustrator of Frankie Stein’s Robot); Paul Howard’s (author and illustrator of the Bugville series) idyllic portrait of Rusty the red squirrel reflected the softer mood of ‘A New Neighbour’; and the chaotic celebration in ‘Hare’s Birthday’ was given comic flair by Rebecca Cobb (illustrator of Lunchtime).

Chris Packham, wildlife TV presenter and RSPCA vice president, said: “It was a pure pleasure to judge this competition – the children really let their imaginations go wild and connect with the hedgehogs, hares and other creatures they wrote about. I loved getting lost in their animal worlds which were by turns funny, quirky and at times rather moving. “The winning story in the older category was beautifully written and incredibly haunting. Ayasha really puts herself in Api’s shoes and imagines the frantic terror the little cub would have felt to be chased in a hunt. Whereas Charlotte showed a brilliant sense of comedy, dialogue and character while telling the tale of some cheeky squirrels who stole each others’ hazelnuts.”

The RSPCA launched the Wild About Britain short story contest on World Animal Day, inspired by classic bedtime tales such as Wind in the Willows, Peter Rabbit and Fantastic Mr Fox. Entries had to feature an animal or animals from British wildlife and be no longer than 500 words. To read the full stories along with information about the silver and bronze award winners in each category, visit www.wildaboutbritain.org.uk.