New thread for all Chinese mothers

[wyls]

I think this might work?!

bLOSSOM - how is it all going? My dd2 slept through the night last night, fingers crossed this is a sign of things to come as at the weekend I had probably two of the worst nights ever! However saying that I am enjoying it more this time round as I know this cute little bundle will grow into an independent toddler who won't want to be kissed and cuddled all the time!!

How is everyone else? Are you guys going to any of the new year celeb/activities around london? We are probably not going to china town as it is a bit too busy for me.

We were invited to a big gathering at the Phoenix Restaurant at Baker St (v nice) but have opted out as DS can't sit yet and we don't relish the thought of having him on our laps for the entire meal ... All we have is a Maclarens stroller (no whistles and bells such as clip out carry cot or car seat etc) so not a lot of options. Plus don't think he would enjoy the lion dance - too LOUD!

Blossom2 - if the yum cha thing is an open get together then I might be free on the 18th? ....

Blossom - I am free that weekend for yum cha meet up. Sundays are ok if we meet early. Think most restaurants open at 11:30am. Its gonna be a challenge to find a place to take a bunch of mums and their babes!

Pam - this might be useful for planning stuff with the little ones? www.kidslovelondon.com

hi everyone ... sorry i think i mistyped in my post. Unfortunately I cant do weekend of the 18th as friends are coming to visit. But i'm free on other weekends and fridays.

what is everyone else plans for weekends in February??

sorry for the confusion ..

Thanks so much for all the information about London.

The Science Museum website looks great!

hey, how do you get to oriental city? can u get there by tube?

hi yingers, you can get there by tube but you will then need to get on the bus to get to oriental city as it's quite a walk. It's a lot easier to drive, the car park is free and lots of spaces.
I went there last week and i was very disappointed to find out that they have closed down the sushi restaurant/take away. :-(

the address btw is 399 edgware road, london nw9 0jj

The Vietnamese place at Oriental City is nice and the chicken rice is good from the place on the corner which sells ice kachang etc just down from the Vietnamese stall. LOVE the food court at Oriental City!!!!1

oooooh what sort of chicken rice is it? the white (boiled) one or the roast (brown) one? Pity it's not close to a tube or I'd drag DH and kids over for some grub while we're in London.

Speaking of which, any recommendations for restaurants / places to eat with kids in central London - we'd appreciate a really good Chinese too as the ones in Belfast are pretty awful!

Thanks!

My favourite restaurant for dim sum has got to be Hakkasan or Yauatcha. (both owned by the same bloke) Yauatcha is definitely child friendly but not sure about Hakkasan. You can check out the restaurant at this url - www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/london/display.php?Rest_ID=82949 I know it's not cheap but it's truely an amazing experience. If you want somewhere in china town then I like Golden Dragon or Jade Garden. Where are you staying cos there is also a good one in bayswater.

heybaby, I love that Vietnamese place!!! I also love chicken rice, the one with the spring onions and ginger sauce. I can eat that every day!!!
Do you go to the oriental city a lot? We took some friends there last weekend and we are meeting some friends there again in a couple of weeks.

wyls - we are close to High Street Kensington I think so Bayswater might be ok too as IIRC, it's across Hyde Park?

Will check out that website, have read reviews of Hakkasan.

In that case, there are a few around that area. Mandarin Kitchen or Royal China Queensway. Both on Queensway.

Rojak - it is the white (boiled) chicken rice but the brown one might be available - have never bothered to look or ask TBH!

WYLS - We have lived in NW London for 5 years now and only last year finally made it to Oriental City and cannot believe that we had never been before!!! We had heard about it ages ago but just never thought to go there even though we had a car etc. Now we keep saying "wish we knew about this place sooner!" Some of my friends seem to go there every weekend!!! I really must branch out though as everytime I go now I have the spicy noodles (number 85!) from the Vietnamese place .... Only problem with Oriental City is that I totally gorge myself as there as so many things on offer ... Not great for shedding those pregnancy pounds

Can I just have a quick rant to you guys whilst I am on here? The nursery which I put DS' name down for (handed in my form last July (05) for a place this June (06)) rang me this afternoon to let me know that they only have a position for him starting from August 06!!!! ARGH!!!!!!!

I have already discussed with employer my return to work in June 06 but am now faced with the dilemma of either not returning until August (which is NOT great financially) or else trying to find another option (nursery or childminder - if there are any available!) then settling DS in there for two months and then moving him again. The reason why we registered so early with the "preferred" nursery is that it is the only one that is conveniently located to us any other nursery is going to mean complete mad panic rush and probably not making it to work on time etc. Call me Chinese and paranoid but I am a bit hesitant to use a childminder or nanny (even on a temporary basis) because I want the security of knowing that there are different qualified staff, standardised infrastructure and a reputation to lose rather than just one person who could really be doing anything with your kid whilst you are out - know what I mean?

I feel completely thrown. I mean I didn't pay a deposit or anything because the nursery said they would write to me a couple of months before DS was due to start to sort out the deposit etc. I might sound naive but I am just so SO SO frustrated that this has happened!!!!!!

Any words of wisdom, comfort or advice from anyone?

Just a thought really, is it possible to put your ds into another nursery for just 2 months and then start on the one that you preferred in Aug?

It is a difficult situation, i feel for you.

Thats terrible heybaby - i hope you gave then hell. i would be livid.

On a different subject, did anyone watch the 'Chinatown' programme on BBC 2 this evening?? i found it interesting and didnt realise what was happening to those shops in chinatown . not sure about the views of the woman with tigers but admire her determination. it was good that the programme showed all walks of life rather than the rich & famous. it was funny watching that group of old men discussing their daughters marrying westerns - that scene could have come out of my family discussions ....

heybaby - i initially started with DD1 at childminders because i was waiting for a place at a nursery and found that she was happier at the childminders so didnt bother with the nursery.

my advice would be to start researching alternative nurseries and enrol DD. you never know how they will be and if they are happy you dont need to move them, if they are not happy you know there is a back up. children are very adaptable.

oops sorry, i meant yr ds.

Heybaby - did the nursery confirm with you at any point that there would be a place available for your DS in July 06 - if they did, I'd go down and kcik up a big fuss and if they're part of a larger chain, take the complain further up the chain.

The only other alternative for those few months that I can think of would be:

1. temporary nanny (expensive but would be done in your home and less settling in time for your DS)
2. do you have mum or MIL who lives close by who could take over for the month? I am importing my mother from Malaysia for the summer for when DS is off school - that's 2 whole months!!!!

The more I hear about this Oriental City place, the more I think I need to head out there - what's the closest tube and would it be fairly easy to get a taxi?

TBH the nursery never "guaranteed" a place for my DS but they didn't go out of their way to say that it was a possibility that they wouldn't be able to take him at the requested time. They acted like the process of them contacting me 2 months prior to his expected commencement date (June 06) was just a formality ie said that they would send a letter out closer to the time to get the registration deposit etc.

I get the feeling that they just do this so that the nursery is always overbooked rather than underbooked IYSWIM. When they rang they said that I wasn't the only one in this position and that lots of people are on the waiting list but then they couldn't even tell me how far down the waiting list I was! Cannot believe it esp as I "booked" him into the nursery last July!!!! Sad thing is that this is the most convenient nursery so although they have stuffed me around it is still our preferred choice. Serious shortage of decent nurseries in this area ...

Rojak, looking at the map, the closest tube station is colindale, which is on the northern line. It doesnt take that long on the tube from euston, i have done it a few times. I think you should go cos it's a day out really.

Here is the link with more info on the place - london.openguides.org/index.cgi?Oriental_City_NW9

It's just a great place and the kids will love it.