Femmes Funk

This post is a bit late but things have been a little busy. Well, no more so than usual but somehow sitting at the computer and blogging seems to come at the bottom of the list - which even here in paradise consists of running kids around, cleaning up after them, trying to devise dinners that don't end up mushed into the floor, the chair and the walls, and all the other wonderful things a mum has to do.

So - a few weeks ago was Femmes Funk. It's a very funky little festival. This year one of the headline act was Ladi6. We were excited about going to see bit of good kiwi hip hop (well - I was anyway).

The festival used to be at the Tjibaou Centre which worked really well. Now it's at the Centre Culturel du Mont Dore. It's nice but I reckon the Tjibaou was better. A little village is set up so you can boogie your way from zone to zone and taste some tasty treats too. We loved the kids zone which had lots of painting options and good playdough, complete with garlic crushers to make spaghetti squiggles. Max will never look at our garlic crusher the same again.

Despite a massive rainstorm on Sunday we had a lovely time and really made the most of our weekend pass. The boys loved it! Check out their dance moves.

Halloween!

Last year we were driven slightly nuts by trick or treaters. We were completely unprepared for the onslaught of beautifully dressed up, albeit slightly pushy kids. I had bought a small bag of lollies just in case but by the fifth group our supplies were finished - by group 55 we were going crazy!

This year we knew what to expect. After a bit of humming and haaing we had a few friends for dinner and let the kids distribute our large stash of treats to the local kids. They loved it! They also got to hear ghost stories in the garden in the glow of our beautifully carved Jack-o-lantern - thanks to Charlie - and run around like crazy things. All in all, a fantastic way to spend a busy evening.

And a word of advice to anyone moving to Tuband - prepare for Halloween. Your doorbell is likely to ring deep into the evening.

And you might even hear some creepy laughter....

Stand Up Paddling

I have been enviously watching people, on gorgeously still evenings as the sun goes down, doing a bit of stand up paddle at Anse Vata beach. It looks so calm. Gliding over the water, chilling out. With the two kids in tow it's often difficult to find the time to get out and try new things though.

So this weekend our afternoon sleep was cut short. We'd been invited by some friends to come down and try it out with them Just the kick start we need. Eh Hop - off we went.

It was so much fun! Charlie went first and showed off his surfing prowess. I followed and after paddling around and getting used to how it feels, I managed to stand up and even steer (a bit, sometimes into some unsuspecting swimmers...).
We'll be doing more of this fun sport.

Here's a pic of Charles having just got in the water with a lovely lady showing him how it's done.

La noumeene

Sunday morning was hot and still. I'd had a reasonably big night out on Saturday and was feeling the effects of my very strong Maitai followed by a few glasses of vino. BUT - it was the big day. The fun run. Pink T-shirts on - it was time to run 'The Noumeene'.

It's just a little run - 4kms but made challenging by the fact that it always seems to happen on a gorgeous day. By Sunday's 8.30am start it was already creeping from mid to late 20s. Arrgghhhh!

In fact - it was fun. It's a buzz to run with lots of people and the Noueeme is run to raise awareness about breast cancer, so it's women only. A great excuse to leave the kids with the hubbies. I started out with two girlfriends and ended with another friend. Lovely to have someone to push you into a little race at the end!

Eating out with littlies

Last night we ate out. We seem to eat out reasonably frequently here. Max is a superstar in restaurants (good behaviour in exchange for hot chips) and it's generally really fun taking them out. The trickiest thing is finding restaurants that open early enough for our kids, who are usually in bed at around 7pm. Most places don't open until 7pm and often the service is pretty slow meaning we're not out of the restaurant until 8.30pm - which spell disaster for the kids.

So here's a list of the places we've found so far that open early and don't get all snippy when you walk in with a three year old and a baby in a mountain buggy!

La Case - Baie d'Orphelinat (ph 28 24 24)
This place starts serving food at 6pm. They just have a basic menu that early but it includes pizzas that have a yummy thin base and good salads. It's generally pretty quiet then and I love sitting outside with a great view over the Bay.

Fun Beach - Anse Vata beach (ph 26 31 32)
Open from 6.30pm. We ate here last night and were really impressed by the service which is often less than friendly in Noumea. They even carried the buggy down the stairs and into a prime spot overlooking the water. The food came out quickly and was yummy - not super-flash but very tasty and we had a great family meal.

Creperie Le Rocher - Behind the Surf Hotel at Anse Vata Beach (ph 25 3575)
I love sitting up here and looking down over the Baie des Citrons. I really think it has one of the nicest outlooks in Noumea. It's meant to be open all day from Tuesday - Sunday from midday to 10pm but ring and check. I've called and been told a few times that dinner doesn't start until 7pm. The crepes are delicious and it's so nice to wash everything down with a yummy glass of cider. There's space outside for the kids to run around too.

Le Bout du Monde - Baie de Moselle, near the Market (27 77 28)
Classic French-style Brasserie. The proper menu doesn't start until 7pm but they have a good all day snack menu that changes regularly but often has tartines, salads and you can usually order something simple for the kids. The highlight for Max is the boat on the grass in front of the Terrace. He can play on that for ages while we wait for food - which can take a while.

Along Beach - Vietnamese at Anse Vata (ph 28 28 84)
Delicious Vietnamese that's open from about 6pm. It's in the little shopping complex at the far end of the beach so kids can run around safely on the grass in front of the restaurant. It's always busy here, but you can always get takeaways and go and sit at a table on the beach if it's full.

Wow - that's quite a list! There are also some good Italian places and the burgers at Le Fare at Anse Vata beach are good value and substantial. Breakfast is good here too - ahhh breakfast! I think that will have to be covered in another blog!

Bon Appetit.

Campin' on Ilot Tenia

Last year we went to Ilot Tenia and I swore we'd be back. Sure enough, a year later we did go back and it was great.

With, not just one but now two, kids in tow we set off for two nights of delicious isolation on our deserted paradise. Camping on Tenia was carefully described to us as a 'real caledonian camping experience'. This means there are no shelters, no ready-made bbqs, no electricity and no toilets. It's you, the island and the mountain of stuff you take over on the boat with you!

This was our first camping trip with two kids and a new tent but we were looked after somewhat by our experienced happy camper friends who'd organised the trip. Three families with young kids was great as the kids did entertain each other (although Max needs to learn that playing does not involve destroying every sandcastle made) and had fun together.

We went over with Bout d'Brousse. The company had changed hands since last year but the guy who's bought it was a dude and they still have the fast yellow zodiacs. He was very friendly (and speaks good english) and didn't bat an eyelid at us bringing a 7 month old baby with us. She ate alot of sand. He dropped us off and checked we were good for water at the end of day one and - as expected - it was pretty exciting to be left on the island at the end of the day. Just us, some decent wine and a yummy dinner to cook.

We had a great time. Camping with two littlies is not at all relaxing, but the spectacular surroundings make it all worthwhile. It did make me laugh that this beautiful picture of Polly in pink was taken at 5am. She had been very successful at keeping everyone awake for a good part of the night...hmmmm.

If you ever camp on Tenia remember to bring a shovel and brush - within 10 minutes of the tent going up it was filled with sand. Funny for a little while but the joke starts to lose its sparkle when you're trying to sleep with sand up your bum, in your eyes, under your knees and in your hair!

Hotel Banu in La Foa

This place is just a gem - yummy food, eccentric owners and decoration that was started in the 60s and just added to since then.  The Hotel Banu has a funny mixture of bungalows and almost dorm-style accommodation and it even has a pool out the back.  What I like best about it, is that it's right on the main street and as soon as you walk in, you feel as if you are in the heart of La Foa.  The coppers come in for their lunch, the locals, the tourists - everyone.  

The front bar is covered in hats - we added a NZ Defence force one in to the mix. You could spend an hour in there checking out where all these hats have come from.  Walk through to the (airconditioned!) restaurant and you come into a mix of 60s/70s/80s kitch that is a little overwhelming and very entertaining.  Go out the back and there's a little garden (complete with garden gnomes) and a row of toilets that Max thought was hilarious...

As already mentioned - the food is delicious.  And you can stop by for a plate of hot chips for the kids or a delicious slow-cooked stew that will fill you up for the rest of the day.  We opted for a classic old roast chicken - copious and yummy.

I think you could go up to many of the people having their lunch in the Banu and have a fascinating chat about the history of New Caledonia, 'Les Evenements' during the 80s and all of the many things that have spiced up this place's history.  Everyone here greets you with a smile and I reckon that each wrinkle on their faces comes with a tale.  

If you're passing by La Foa, stop at the Banu - even if it's just for a coffee - it's totally worth it.