Dumpling Market & African Cultural Festival

A few weekends ago we decided to head into the city to check out some of the free festivals happening over the weekend. My parents have been visiting us since mid-October, and we really hadn't done much exploring in the city since they'd arrived.

That Saturday morning started as it usually does: with Ella's netball match. My mom and Andy took her to that, while my dad and I stayed home with Ollie. Ollie isn't keen on going to her matches, so if we don't have to drag him along it's easier for everyone involved. He doesn't yet do his own team sports, which he believes is "totally" unfair. (Ollie has just learned the word totally and uses it all the time -  "I'm totally not tired", "that is totally unfair" etc.) 

Another quirk of Ollie's is that he is often reluctant to leave the house. Regardless of our plans, he just wants to stay home. Perhaps he's averse to change in general, or maybe it's a result of being a Covid toddler, but it's always a challenge to get him ready to go out. Getting dressed, brushing teeth, putting on shoes... each step is a hurdle! Of course, more often than not once we are out and about Ollie will declare "this is the best day of my life!" This Saturday was no exception, and it was nice for my dad and I to be able to leave with Ollie in his own time, rather than trying to rush him out the door for netball.

The three of us caught the tram into the city, strolling around a kilometer from the tram stop to reach the Dumpling Market at Birrarung Marr along the Yarra River. The weather was beautiful, and arriving just after the market opened meant it wasn't too crowded. We checked out a few food trucks before I got some pierogis for Ollie, while my dad opted for some spicier chili dumplings. Ella, Andy and my mom joined us not long after and we all took turns sampling various dumpling like foods while watching some cultural performances.

Soon after, Andy received a text inviting him to play padel tennis that afternoon, an offer he eagerly accepted. Padel, a blend of tennis and squash, has become Andy's newfound passion. He's played it during our trips to Spain, where it's more popular. Now, it's gaining traction in Australia, and Andy plays it weekly (or more, given the chance). He even prefers padel over golf! 

The rest of us continued exploring the city, venturing into another section of the Dumpling market to explore further offerings. We had some ice creams and dessert, I splurged on this fancy cat made of mousse and ice cream which was delicious. The kids had a blast playing on the grass while my mom, dad, and I relaxed with a civilized afternoon drink.

The kids loved this "chef" who came around and was juggling his giant utensils with them.

After our dumpling adventure, we headed to nearby Fed Square, where an African Cultural Festival was in full swing. This festival showcased yummy food stalls, musical and dance performances, and market stalls featuring art and fashion. On our way, my mom and I paused to watch a school rowing team Regatta on the river while the kids enjoyed the park behind Fed Square.

After coaxing the kids away from the park, we participated in an energetic African Drumming workshop, which turned out to be incredibly fun.

After that we sampled some food from an African BBQ stall, and it was delicious! It was a tough call deciding which we enjoyed more, the dumplings or the BBQ. We were certainly spoiled for choice between the two festivals!

We attempted to watch a musical performance later, but nearing 5 pm, the kids were getting cranky and tired. I tried to drag them in an exhibition at the Ian Potter Gallery nearby, but that didn't go well, except for a room with floor-to-ceiling projections and comfortable cushions for viewing the art.

Luckily Andy was finished his Padel game and not too far away from us, so we decided to meet him where we'd normally catch the tram so he could drive some of us home - I don't know if the kids would have lasted on the tram!

With our 5-seater car filled, my mom and I opted for the tram ride home together. We decided to walk part of the way and stumbled upon a few bars and restaurants. We stopped at a charming looking wine bar, and when we went in we were pleased to discover that there was also a rooftop bar. Taking advantage of the warm evening, we headed upstairs and had a chat with the barman about a few of the wines. On warm days I'm not forever in search of places that serve chilled reds... I've found a few good ones that are really smooth and feel completely different to drinking a white or a rose. Unfortunately this was not one of those places, HOWEVER we discovered that they had $8 gin and tonics on tap! What a steal! Even better... the barman told us they were on the house! What a win! So mom and I topped off our lovely day of festivals in the city with free drinks on a sunny rooftop bar, before heading home to the chaos of putting the kids to bed. What a lovely day we had!