How The West Has Won

It’s getting a little trickier and takes quite a bit more planning, but Millie and I still enjoy regular mum and daughter shopping trips.

Ok, I enjoy it and my money is almost always spent on the tiniest member of the house, but we have happily navigated our way around some of Melbourne’s best shopping precincts.

But a Monday tour through Highpoint Shopping Centre in Maribyrnong showed me there was lots to keep both Millie and I entertained as well as some shops where we could each find some treats to carry home.

The Colour Club is a free, fully supervised program that offers hands-on activities for children from 10am-1pm every Monday in the Fresh Food Mall on level 2. For mum and dad there’s special offers on produce. Win-win.

Working out the glue stick at Highpoint

The children’s workshops are free and bookings are not required. Millie could stretch her legs for a bit and it meant a lot less grizzles in the Bugaboo while I had my retail therapy. She was quite taken with the glue stick and once I showed her how it worked we made Dadda a Valentine’s card. Stickers, ribbon, crayons and textas made for a very content and busy group of kids.

A couple of years back the shopping centre finished its $300 million redevelopment. Mummas take note: the themed baby change rooms are clean, spacious and make feeding or changing bub while shopping a breeze.

An apple tree theme in the parents’ room on level 2 of Highpoint

There are now 100 additional shops and there are more than a few must-stops.

The beautifully whimsical Purebaby is always the first place I vist when buying for a newborn because it’s organic, beautifully designed and Australian owned.

The Lark Fairisle Dress from the Purebaby winter 2015 collection

I’ve stocked up for Millie for this winter but also bought some clothes from the essentials range for the premature arrival of a friend’s baby daughter (the store carries garments in a teeny-weeny seven zeros).

Across at Jeanswest – which was my go-to for the BEST skinny maternity jeans – there is now Jeanswest Jnr with affordable, quality and machine washable clothing for children 2 to 5.

The range for autumn includes clever layered jackets, cute trim details and mix-and-match pieces in complementary colours.

The Cove Zip Through Sweat is $39.99 from the Jeanswest Jnr kids range

I was then treated to a 60 second hand treatment at Crabtree & Evelyn. It’s been 18 months now where my hands have been in and out of water constantly and baby wipes have taken their toll on my dry fingertips. But they were, well, smooth as a baby’s bottom after a scrub and lashing of rosy hand therapy moisturiser. Mmmmm. I loved the silky feeling of this hand cream and will now try to look after my hands with regular scrubs and rubs.

Don’t go past a chat with the staff and some tasty homemade dolmades at Gourmet Deli House. The family-run business has dips, antipasto, cheese, pasta, meats, charcoal chickens and marinated seafood. It’s the perfect stop to help busy parents ensure the dinner prepared for the fam that evening is deeelish.

For more information go to highpoint.com.au or facebook.com/highpointshoppingcentre
Highpoint is at 200 Rosamond Rd, Maribyrnong.

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