Odeon - Cardiff Bay

A couple of weeks ago I went to the Odeon in Cardiff Bay to try out the Newbies Parent & Baby screening.

I went to watch My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 - perfect for a couple of hours with a baby in tow - a rom com where it really didn't matter if you missed half an hour in the middle.

I enjoyed the experience overall, but it was far from faultless. To begin with, I couldn't for the life of me find the parent and child parking bays - does the Red Dragon have any? I just thought as it's a family friendly venue, that there'd be a few there.

Anyway, after finally finding a space and making my way in, the member of staff at the till couldn't work out which film I was there to see, and I also couldn't find the baby changing facilities - not a good start.

However, after parking the pram and choosing my seat, I sat down to a couple of relaxed hours. The Little One stared at the screen or slept - bliss!

The website mentions that the volume is lower and there are slightly brighter lights - all good, except for the fact that the lights reflect on the screen so you can't see the whole screen properly - slightly annoying to begin with, but I soon forgot about it to be honest.

A few plus points worth mentioning - the cup holders are a life saver for holding milk bottles, and avoids the hassle of rooting through the changing bag half way through the film. Also, the seats are very comfortable and don't flip up when you stand up, which means there's a lot of space to put the baby's stuff.

When I visited: 11am on a Friday. (Times can sometimes vary, so always check!)

What I had: Tickets are £6.

Access: A little difficult to find a space to park with enough room to get the Little One out. However, after entering the building, no issues whatsoever.

Nappy changing: Yes - after paying for your ticket, turn right towards Screens 7-12 and the nappy changing facility is in the disabled toilet right at the end of the hall on the left hand side...a little annoying when I went, as the film was being shown in Screen 6, quite a walk during a film. Also, the nappy bin was full to bursting - a little concerning as they only have one baby screening a week.

Breastfeeding: Dark enough so it's private, but just enough light so you can see what you're doing.

High chairs: No need, baby sits on your lap.

Pram parking: I parked the pram at the front, close to the screen, but it would've been nice to have someone at hand to let me know where I should put it.

Car parking: No parent and child parking bays...well, I couldn't find them anyway.



Odeon
Red Dragon Centre
Hemingway Road
Cardiff
CF10 4JY

http://www.odeon.co.uk/newbies/#showtimes-anchor

All photos are my own unless stated otherwise.

Evie's Cafe

Every Monday morning, the Little One and I go to Llanishen for her Tots Play session - an awesome combination of baby massage, yoga, sensory play and singing with the fabulous Kate - I highly recommend the sessions.

I also recommend going to Evie's Cafe close to the church where the sessions are held. I go almost every week with a few of the other mums, and I've never been disappointed.

They serve a great variety of sandwiches, baps and paninis, as well as jacket potatoes and breakfasts. And the best bit? It's very reasonably priced. My coronation sandwich (which normally comes with a large side salad, but not on the day I decide to take a photo!) is a Mummy-friendly £2.80.

The cafe is a little small, especially if you have a few prams, but we've always managed to fit in three prams if we go a little earlier than the usual lunch time. 

A great little cafe, with very delicious food at a reasonable price - highly recommended!

When I visited: Almost every week at around 11:30 on a Monday.

What I had: I always go for the coronation chicken sandwich - yum!

Access: It's a little small, but I've always managed to find room for a few prams and a few mummies. The staff are pretty good at letting you move a couple of chairs as well.

Nappy changing: I don't think so. They do have a toilet which you could use if need be, but it was out of order the last time I visited.

Breastfeeding: I can't see any issues with this.

High chairs: I didn't see any.

Pram parking: As mentioned, a little short on space, but doable if you move a couple of chair.s.

Car parking: St Isan Church is just behind the cafe, and they have a pretty large car park. The 28 bus also goes along Station Road where the cafe is located.


Evie's Cafe
11 Station Road
Llanishen
Cardiff
CF14 5LS

All photos are my own unless stated otherwise.

Tesco Cafe - Culverhouse Cross

So, a little different to my other posts - a supermarket cafe.

But let's face it, we can no longer just rock up at any old pub or restaurant for Sunday lunch, so this is a perfectly acceptable option with a baby in tow. And to be honest, I was pretty impressed.

We ventured out on Sunday afternoon to do the weekly shop, and feeling peckish we went upstairs to the cafe. Your bog standard supermarket cafe, but we had a pretty tasty lunch for £4.99 each - bargain!

I went for the ham, eggs and chips, while the Other Half chose lasagne, chips and garlic bread. I'm fully aware that the food will never come close to a Michelin star, but it was pretty darn good grub. The chips were well cooked and crispy, I had two big slices of ham and two perfectly cooked eggs, while the lasagne was flavoursome, with lots of layers. All in all, what more could you ask for?

Apologies - I ate most of mine before remembering to take a photo!


When I visited: Around 2pm on a Sunday.

What I had: Ham, eggs and chips for £4.99. I asked for tap water as the drinks were a bit expensive - £2 for Oasis and £1 for a small water - a bit of a rip off considering you could buy them much cheaper in the actual shop!

Access: It was pretty quiet when we were there, but I'd still feel happy going there when a little busier. I'm sure you'd be able to move chairs and tables to accommodate a pram. But the most important piece of advice - do not use the escalators! Tesco has the flat escalators that are suitable for trollies, but not prams - we almost didn't see the sign. There's a lift on the left, just before the escalators.

Nappy changing: Yes - a decent sized room with everything you need, as well as a big mirror to check for any spew on your leggings or baby rice in your hair.

Breastfeeding: The layout is a bit open, but I'm sure you'd feel comfortable if you chose the right seat.

High chairs: A couple in the corner.

Pram parking: As mentioned, enough room for a few prams around the tables. There's also an area to store trollies while you eat, which could be used.

Car parking: The parent parking bays are always full, but have a look - they're to the right of the main entrance.


Monday - 08:00 - 18:00
Tuesday - 08:00 - 18:00
Wednesday - 08:00 - 18:00
Thursday - 08:00 - 20:00
Friday - 08:00 - 20:00
Saturday - 08:00 - 18:00
Sunday - 08:00 - 16:00


Tesco
Culverhouse Cross
Cardiff
CF5 6XQ

http://www.tesco.com/store-locator/uk/

All photos are my own unless stated otherwise.

Brød – The Danish Bakery

Another new popular bakery in the west of Cardiff is Brød, a Danish bakery full of yummy pastries - what's not to love? 

I first visited on a Tuesday morning, and it was closed. So, top tip - always check the opening hours! According to their website, they're open 09:00 - 17:00 from Wednesday to Saturday and 09:30 - 15:30 on Sundays. 

So, I went again with a friend last week and it was a lovely couple of hours out of the house. I spent a good few minutes at the window trying to decide which one of the delicious pastries to go for - a very important decision. I finally opted for a custard Spandauer and some apple juice.

The pastry was lovely and crisp and obviously hadn't been sitting there for hours getting soggy. There was more than enough custard filling, and the icing on top gave it a lovely sweet touch. The apple juice was fine, and probably just your usual straight from a carton - but it came in a cute little milk bottle, which was a nice touch. I'm a sucker for these little details!

The coffee shop was pretty full for a Thursday lunchtime, with almost every table being used, and plenty of people popping in for takeaway coffee or pastries.The staff were very friendly and helpful, and more than happy to bring everything to the table if you're holding your baby. All in all, a very nice coffee shop with superb pastries. I've already popped back for some takeaway pastries for breakfast!

When I visited: Around 12pm on a Thursday.

What I had: A delicious custard Spandauer and apple juice = £4

Access: A little narrow if it's busy, but enough space around the tables for a couple of prams. The table by the window is good for people watching.

Nappy changing: A nice big changing area with everything you need at the back of the coffee shop.

Breastfeeding: My friend was breastfeeding, and didn't find any issues.

High chairs: I saw at least one, and I think they have more on the way.

Pram parking: As mentioned, a small place but I felt comfortable sitting by a table with mine and a friend's pram.

Car parking: Off street parking on various streets around the shop. The 61 bus passes right outside.

Wednesday - Saturday: 09:00 - 17:00
Sunday: 09:30 - 15:30 

Brød 
126 Wyndham Crecent
Cardiff
CF11 9EG

www.thedanishbakery.co.uk


All photos are my own unless stated otherwise.