SCORE!

So whilst Lily was pretending she was a future football star...

(sorry couldn't resist posting that photo)

...MrL was busy cleaning up our old MacBook. Our plan since replacing that laptop with our current one, was to give the old one to Monet to use.  She's been nagging us since about December asking "is my computer ready yet?"  Whilst I'm not too computer savvy so I wasn't going to be cleaning up that computer and MrL seems like he is always working so it has only been this week (*ahem*, about 6 months later) that he has found time to clean it up (transferring old pics, deleting iTunes and the like).  The grand take over happened on Monday arvo.  It's been hard to wipe the smile off Monet's face since....

We set up an email account for her, so she was emailing both MrL and I and we were emailing her back etc.,  Surprisingly, she is a pretty good emailer.  As her Grandma has recently been introduced, not only to emailing, but also to a MacBook, I think Monet might have found herself a daily emailing pal....

June 29, 1996

2 people.
12 house moves.
1 interstate move.
1 international move.
15 car changes (approximately).
4 London trips.
1 apartment purchase.
(Too many to count), joyous moments.
2 beautiful daughters.
15 years together, today, June 29, 2011.

Happy 15th year together Lyndon.

xx

The Banana Bread Baker

I promised Monet something a couple of weeks ago.  I'm not sure if it makes me stoopid or trying to earn a Mother of the Year nomination. I have promised her that, over the course of the summer holidays, I will teach her to cook. Well, guess what? Summer holidays are here. So now I have to put what I said into action. She used to always 'help' me bake, back in our Cairns days but since then, nah, not so much.

Official day one of the holidays I got Monet to make some Banana Bread, with my guidance.  (We used this recipe.)  She helped me measure out the ingredients, sifted the flours, did the old egg-cracking, mashed the bananas, mixed everything together, helped pour it into the tin....

The result was yummy!  It was especially delicious fresh out of the oven and smothered in butter.

Tonight, Little Miss Monet will be cooking our evening meal for the family.  We have collected all the ingredients for a basic Vegetable Lasagna (her request), from a recipe we found in a Women's Weekly Kid's cookbook.  That'll be interesting, considering her father isn't a big lasagna fan.  I hope he grins and bares it....

Get an 'Eiffel' of these Skirts....

I was a bit busy last week to do a lot of sewing but I did manage to make two. *phew* hey?

The first one I made was with fabric from my local IKEA (of course) and I was quite happy with the outcome.  I'm going to make a couple of skirts in this fabric in a couple of different sizes.  Nice too for me to be wearing a different coloured tshirt rather than black (it's grey).  I hope too, that you like my baby model whilst I took a photo of my bee hind. ;P

During the week I had an idea of jazzing up plain skirts, after me trying with this skirt last week.  I got my hands on some different black fabric from a little seller in Abu Dhabi, the same guy I purchase my zips from.  It's a heavier but comfortable black fabric, though I had to buy the stuff by the yard (soooo old school).

Back at home I made a quick template of the Eiffel Tower, copying a photo I had taken of the tower back in 2000.  I dug out some red fabric and cut out, then sewed on the 'tower' via a small zig-zag stitch onto the black skirt....

I have more ideas flowing around in my brain in regards to cutting out shapes, adding stuff etc., so I hope that they turn out as well as I imagine in my head.  Lol.  Today I wore this skirt with a white with thin black horizontal striped t.  I felt very 'french'.  Ooo la la. 


Stay tuned for more, but only of course if they're successful outcomes.

De-Construct, Abu Dhabi style

After MrL taking Monet to the Doctor's on Saturday morning (bloody ear infections - I tell you, they'll be the death of me!), the four of us drove into Abu Dhabi city to purchase a couple of things and to go out for lunch.

I thought I would share with you a couple of observations.  As you know, I am married to someone who works in construction, so our eyes are always peeled for new buildings, infrastructures etc., but only here in the UAE have we ever seen building being torn down via this method;

We always gasp when we spy this type of action happening.  It is so dangerous and when the buildings are 'deconstructed' this way, it really means they could actually collapse at any moment (though I doubt they do).  This building above, would've probably looked like the building below, a couple of weeks ago.

All boarded up and ready to be torn down to make way for a brand spanking new building.  I'm not sure what happens to all the people who once called all those apartments home.  There are some real shocker buildings here in Abu Dhabi and in a way, I am glad they're pulling down the eye-sores!

MrL made his purchases on needed items and then we headed to our favourite restaurant at the Beach Rotana Hotel located next door to Abu Dhabi Mall, (see location at the end of post), Prego's.  It's Italian and we've rarely been disappointed when we've eaten there.

I cannot go past my favourite dish on the menu (it seems I now order it every. time.)  A spinach and ricotta ravioli with a butter, basil and hazelnut sauce.

Monet cannot go past her favourite pizza.  (It is a rare restaurant here that has pork items on it's menu and even rarer to find a proper pizza with out the pork substitute of beef or turkey ham!)

After our filling lunch, we browsed Abu Dhabi Mall (we both noted that it really has improved over the past couple of years) and finally made our way home by late afternoon.

Over

I cannot believe how quickly the school year has gone.  Today is the last day of Monet being a 'First Grader'.  ALREADY!  Oh my.  And what a terrific year she has had.  We're awfully proud of her, she's coming along in leaps and bounds and I'm sure she'll have no problem being a big Grade Two girl come September.

Though with celebration comes a little sadness.  Monet will miss her teacher Ms Donna, but I won't miss Monet's impersonation of her.  Monet has her accent down pat.  And some of her mannerisms too.  We have a couple of families, of whom we are good 'mum-buddies' with, who are leaving the country.  One family is heading off to Canada for greener (sic) pastures and the other is heading back home to Australia.  Another Australian family too left last week, (hi Jenny!) for new adventures.  I am going to miss my morning and afternoon chinwags with people who understand totally where you're coming from.  But this is what happens in this country - people/families come and go.

So Monet, well done my beautiful girl - you've done us all proud.  Keep up the good work in Grade Two. *mwah* =)

Beige

Beige is the colour of the sky constantly when it is humid here in Abu Dhabi.

We have days of endless beige.  It seems that the days of constant blue skies have disappeared....for a coating of beige.  That's how you can notice that it is humid.  We had 89% humidity here today.  Not exactly pleasant, not exactly comfortable, but I am used to it.  You except it when you're faced with it every day.

In Cairns, where it is also very humid during the summer/dry months, you don't have days of beige, you have days of greys.  I remember those grey skies well.  They do get depressing after a while, but then Mother Nature would surprise you with a beautiful blue day, even though it might still be humid.

Just an observation.

C. A. T.

I don't know how and I don't know why, but it seems as if Miss Lily has a great attraction to (of all animals!), cats. Now, we are not cat people, never have been and probably never will. (Sorry Lily). I guess 'cat' was one of the first words she learnt after Mum-ma and Dad-da and it doesn't help that our (rather lovely) next door neighbour owns four of the bloody creatures!

We've always got a cat crawling along our back wall which excites the little one.  There is usually one lazing about in the earlier hours of the day at the front of our villa, but they usually scatter away when they spy a curious little girl getting out the car.  Not this morning though.  Given half the chance, I am pretty sure Lily would've stood there all. day.

I'm pretty sure the cat got sick of us looking at it and disappeared underneath my neighbour's car after I snapped some pics with my phone.  Lily was being so cute waving and saying 'Bye Bye Cat' before it went.  *too cute*

One of her favourite toys is a cheetah which her Auntie Kim bought her on her recent visit when we visited the Al Ain Zoo.  Lily simply calls the cheetah 'Cat'.  Sometimes she refuses to let it leave her side.

Pic taken in early May

In other news, today is my Mother-In-Law's birthday.  Happy Birthday Nanna Marianne.  Hope you enjoy your day!

Same-Same But Different

I sewed a simple black skirt last week and when I wore I felt like I should be going to work at Myers.  It felt kinda wrong.

So *ding ding* went something in my brain...  I dug out some material I had previously used to make a skirt, cut out a couple little birdies, set my sewing machine to tight zig-zag and off I went.

Not sure if I pulled it off or not but I have to say, I will feel a lot more comfortable wearing the same skirt with the birds on it than them not being on it.  The only thing about sewing something on a plain skirt is that it limits the tops you can wear.  Sure you can wear a plain coloured top but definitely not something patterned.  In my opinion anyway.

I have now made myself a pattern (*about time*), cut out of calico.  As I have made a few skirts for a couple of other women now and both women are of similar sizing, so I have made a pattern in the size of my friends.  I'm pretty sure I can cut out a size in between the two I have now so I can get my little skirt business organised a little better.  I have a few ideas in my head that will pan out in the next couple of months with a bit of luck.

Watch this space.

Chilli Chicken and Bacon Salad

This was really tasty, and no wonder!  Chicken, sweet chilli sauce, oven chips, bacon, avocado!  *nom nom*  Very easy, very tasty, will definitely be making again.  The recipe called for specific items like watercress and chicory which I just substituted with a bag of Italian lettuce.  I laid off the lime juice too - I usually do, so I used about half of the required amount.

Taken from GoodFood Magazine's '101 Seasonal Salads', pg 116, published 2005

Ingredients
2 boneless skinless chicken breast fillets
2 1/2 tbs sweet chilli dipping sauce
2 tbs lime juice
175g oven chips
5 rashes streaky bacon
1/2 x 75g bag watercress
2 heads chicory, thickly sliced
4 spring onions, trimmed and sliced at an angle
2 small avocados, peeled, stoned and cut into wedges.

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 220C.  Brush both sides of the chicken with 1/2 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce, season well and put on a large baking tray.  Mix 2 tablespoon chilli sauce with the lime juice and 1 tablespoon water to make a dressing.

2.  Dice the oven chips and scatter around the chicken on the baking tray, then add the bacon rashes.  Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until the potatoes and bacon are crispy and the chicken is cooked, but still nice and juicy.

3.  Toss the watercress, chicory, spring onions and avocados in half the dressing and pile on to a platter.  Slice the chicken and scatter on top of the salad with the bacon and potato.  Spoon over the remaining dressing and eat while it's still warm.

Serves 2

The Little One Has New Shoes...

...and I desperately want some for my own feet, though I doubt I'll ever find them in a European Size 41.

Not the greatest photo...

Miss Lily loves them so much that she insisted on wearing them practically straight as we walked out the shop (thanks Mothercare) and got in the car.  Back at home it was nap time and she had a good two hour sleep with her little red shoes sprinkled with white flowers on.  No way did she want them off her feet.  And no wonder, they are lovely and grippy on the soles and are soft and comfortable (looking) on the inside.

Cute eh?

A Day Out

Up bright and early this morning, the four of us got in the car and headed up the road to Dubai Mall.

Up the 'Fashion Car park' we drove....  It is impossible NOT to feel carsick as you drive up the eight levels to the start of the car park...

Where we usually park, you end up quite near the biggest bookshop in the country (but it does feel like the biggest in the world), 'Book World'.  I snuck a piccie, you're not meant to take photographs in there.  I bought a couple of guide books, all ready for our holiday!

Outside the bookshop, we peered down to see other families playing on the lighted floor, three levels down.   It was hard to get Lily to move from that spot.  She loved the lights.

I quite like getting to Dubai Mall early, if anything to beat the crowds, like we did today.  This photo was taken at around 10:30am.  If it was a few hours later, the place would be pumping, and I'm not really one for crowds.  Especially in shopping malls.

And of course,  no visit to this particular mall is complete without seeing the Aquarium.  Our girls love it.

Monet thinks a visit to this mall, actually any Dubai mall, is not complete without going to choose her own bag of sweets.  *Argh*  MrL and I usually take turns to help Monet pick out her sweets, today it wasn't mine.  ;P

And speaking of sweets, when Lily starts to get restless in the pram/stroller, it only takes a little playing with her big sister for her to forget her worries of being strapped in.

Today we picked up some bargains - though I didn't spy anything I liked (think I'm getting fussy) in the clothing department, Monet scored a couple of real bargain pieces from Pumpkin Patch, as it is Summer Sale Time here in the UAE.  Funky dude.

That was our day out.  What did you get up to on the first day of your weekend?

Sing

There are serious moments when, as a parent, my heart sings.  Those of you who have children (and maybe some of you who are not parents) hopefully can identify with me saying this.  It sings when I see either of my girls do something - nothing in particular, just something.

Take the other day, for example.

I got a phone call from the School Nurse saying that Monet was not well so I immediately dropped everything, scooped up Lily and drove to get her.

Back home, Monet showered, put her pyjamas on and went to bed for some well needed rest.  Upon waking and declaring she was feeling a little brighter, Lily and I joined her in her bedroom.

Then I witnessed this.

It made my heart sing.  I don't know why, it just did.  Little acts of kindness from big sister to little sister, little sister acting very funny, big sister enjoying little sister and vice-versa.  Nothing out of the ordinary, just something that made my heart sing.

Sometimes things like that happen few and far between, but then sometimes I witness little singing moments every day.

Beef Skewers with Asian Salad

So, the recipe called for rump steak, and my closest and local supermarket was out at the time, so I used chicken breast fillets instead.  I imagine the result was very similar - it was a delicious meal!  Easy, very tasty and quite authentic.  I do plan on making it with the specified Rump steak one day....

I like to marinate my flavours, especially chicken over here in the UAE.  Sometimes the chicken here is hit and miss in terms of 'tough-ness' so marinating always helps tenderise the meat here.  I marinated the chicken strips for about 3 hours.

Taken from Olive Magazine's '101 Quick Fix Dishes', page 88, published 2007

Ingredients
Chinese five-spice powder, 1 teaspoon
vegetable oil
sweet chilli sauce
rump steak, 250g, cut into strips
clear honey, 1 teaspoon
White wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon
Thai Fish Sauce
garlic, 1 clove, crushed
salad leaves, small bag
cucumber, 1/2 halved, seeds scooped out out and sliced
spring onions, 3, finely sliced
dry roasted peanuts 50g, chopped
mint leaves, a handful

Method
Heat a ridged griddle pan or grill to very hot.  Mix the five-spice, 1 tbs vegetable oil and a few drops of the chilli sauce in a bowl.  Add the meat and stir until coated.  Thread the strips on to metal or bamboo skewers (soak bamboo skewers in cold water for 20 minutes first) and griddle or grill for 2-3 minutes on each side until cooked through.
Meanwhile, mix the honey, vinegar, 1 1/4 tbs fish sauce, garlic, a few drops of chilli sauce and 2 tbs oil in a small bowl.  Mix the salad leaves, cucumber, spring onions and peanuts and toss with the dressing.  Rip the mint leaves and add to the salad.  Divide the skewers between two plates and serve with the salad and a little bowl of fish sauce mixed with chilli sauce for dipping.


Serves 2.

Oh My Gourd

So I found that without the Internet last week I found that I *ahem* had a lot of free time after cleaning/tidying/sprucing the house. I sewed, what seemed like, a mountain of skirts. Not quite Mount Everest, more like ummm...a small hill.

I had an order from a friend for two skirts and I have a few other orders slowly coming in.  I'm way pleased.

Anyway, here is a sample of a few skirts I made for myself last week.

The first I quite like, though I do have to run it in a touch as it is a bit too roomy on my waist.  But this skirt was the first one where I have incorporated a side hand pocket, sewn on the inside.  It was much easier than I first imagined, as I do remember sewing pockets into shorts way back in high school when I was learning to sew.

Left, front ; Right, back

I'm still not too sure about the blue skirt below- a touch bright perhaps.  Still, it only cost me 10 dirham to make, so I not complain.  I do love my 'Oh My Gourd' skirt though, on the right.  Well, I think they're gourds - the jury is still out on that.  I'm sure my mum will like that one.

I also sewed myself a simple black skirt too.  I am beginning to not have them as flair-y as the the first one I made.  They're dead simple to make now and my sewing is getting neater and the zips are easy to put in.

With 11 weeks of school holidays on my doorstep at the end of next week, my plan is to start making them in allocated sizes. (Though actually finding what correct sizes are, are seriously anyones guess.  And guessing I will be! Lol.)

Fun, fun.

Wonderful Reader

Monet got an award from her class teacher the other day...

Truth be told, all her class mates got the same award, but all kids are on different levels.  Monet has ended Grade One with a reading level of 38, pretty much equivalent to where she needs to be at the end of Grade 3.  !!  We just have to work on her comprehension of what she's reading (she's a bit like me when I read - in one ear and out the other - reasons why I've always been crap at writing book reviews and have never joined a book discussion club).

Can't believe Grade One finishes next week.  Where has that school year gone?  Monet's had a pretty good year and she's exceeding our expectations of her, bar the fact she gets awfully grumpy when she has to do homework and thinks she can't do it.  Children, huh, I tell you!

Watch out Grade Two, Monet's on her way come September 6.

Balsamic Lamb Chops with Pea Puree

(Not the best photos to do the meal justice!)

Once I would have screwed up my nose at 'mushy peas', or 'puree peas' but after many trips to the UK and it now becoming very trendy in restaurants across the world,  I spotted this recipe and thought I'd give them a go myself.  Ooo they were yummy and will be making them again.

Taken from GoodFood's "101 Quick Fix Dishes", pg 96, published 2007

Ingredients

6 lamb chops
3 tbs balsamic vinegar
5 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
Mint leaves, small bunch, chopped
300g frozen peas
2 tbs Parmesan, grated

Method
Marinate the chops in 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons oil, half the mint and some seasoning. Meanwhile, cook the peas in boiling water for 2 minutes.  Drain, then tip into a food processor and puree with the remaining mint, vinegar, olive oil, Parmesan and some salt. Pour into a saucepan to reheat.  Grill the chops for 2-3 minutes (I used a griddle pan), each side, then rest for 5 minutes in foil.  Serve with the pea puree.

Serves 2.

Banana Smoothie for the Bab-be

If there is one word that Lily loves, it is the word "banana".  Add the word "smoothie" to the end and she's anyones!

A glass of full cream milk, a banana (one whose skin is quickly discolouring) a dash of honey or vanilla essence, a buzz with the bamix, pour into a handled cup, pop in a straw and we have one happy 21 month old.

She especially thinks she's pretty good drinking of that cup, let me tell you!

Braised Chicken with Olives and Tomatoes

Gotta say, I *love* a meal that is quick and easy to prepare and that the WHOLE family will eat (a rarity around here).

I followed the recipe, except the part about using the thighs or drums - being an old Deli girl from way back, I do know how to cut up a whole chicken correctly into eight pieces, so that's what I did instead.  I did brown off the pieces but I did have to cook the whole dish a lot longer than the specified total time of 35 minutes.  Mine took around an hour.  Don't let the timings put you off, it is worth cooking and was delicious! Nom nom.

Oh yeah, I too par boiled my potatoes (USA baby reds) to make sure they were cooked through, nice and fluffy!

Taken from Olive magazine's '101 Quick Fix Dishes', page 68, published 2007

Ingredients
rosemary, 1 sprig, chopped
onion, 1 large, sliced
garlic, 2 cloves, sliced
new potatoes, 500g small, quartered
olive oil
chicken pieces, 8-10 thighs and drumsticks, skin on
baby plum or cherry tomatoes, 500g
dry white wine, 300ml
chicken stock, 300ml
kalamata olives, 150g, drained
basil leaves, a small bunch

Method
Heat the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7.

Toss the first 4 ingredients in a roasting tray in 2 tbs oil and cook for 25 minutes.  Fry the chicken in 2 tbs oil until browned and almost cooked through.  Add to the tray for the last 10 minutes of cooking, along with the tomatoes, wine, stock and olives.  Scatter with basil and serve.

Serves 4

Rejuvenate

Many years ago, about 9 years ago to be precise, I bought a tee shirt I loved to death. Literally. I have posted about it before, which you can read about HERE. My Shem tee-shirt. A Melbourne designer, located in Chapel Street.  Anyway, after many years, wears and washes, she was looking a little...haggard I guess is the word.  But I couldn't part with that tee.  Nup.  It's the oldest single piece of clothing in my wardrobe.  Which never gets worn.  And sits there looking all sad with it's ripped and holey collar and not the colour it originally was.

Until now.

I had a sudden brain wave the other day, of a need to rejuvenate that tee.  I visited my local H&M store, tried on like a zillion white tee shirts of about a dozen different sizes (how can one store have such a difference in clothing sizes is beyond me!) but I finally found a comfortable, fitting, not see-through white tee.

Back at home I set about cutting out the figure on my old stained, holey tee....

And there she is, the Queen-like silhouette on my dining table.   And the back end of the original tee which reads 'Let God Save Her'....

I placed the silhouette on the new tee, ready to be sewed on.  I set my sewing machine on a 'tight' zig-zag and sewed around the outskirts of the face...

...to get to the final result.  One I am rapt with.

My rejuvenated favourite tee shirt, which I wore with pride today. =)

Bacon and Camembert Salad

I'm always looking to make side salads rather than the regular potato salad or coleslaw.  And since it is now summer here in the Middle East, our BBQ is beginning to get more of a work out than usual.  (Until the temp hits 50 degrees in the late afternoon anyway!)  This side salad was really tasty and very simple. I think it may come a regular menu item in our household.   I served this with lovely Rib Eye Steaks.

In terms of camembert, choose a soft, ripe one and let it rest at room temperature before using.

Taken from GoodFood Magazine's '101 Simple Suppers', page 34, published 2003

Ingredients
8 rashes smoked streaky bacon
125g pack camembert
2 thick slices bread, crust removed
7 tbs olive oil
140g crisp green salad
2 tbs white wine vinegar
1 tbs wholegrain mustard
1 garlic clove, finely chopped

Method
1. Preheat the grill and cook the bacon for 5-8 minutes until crisp, turning halfway through.  Set aside to cool.  Cut the camembert into bite-sized wedges

2. Grate the bread into course crumbs.  Heat two tablespoons of the oil in a frying pan and cook the crumbs, stirring, until crisp and golden.  Season and set aside.

3.  Tip the salad into a bowl.  Break the bacon into bite-sized pieces and mix into the salad with the cheese.  Mix together the vinegar, mustard, garlic and remaining olive oil.  Pour over the salad and toss well.  Sprinkle with the crisp crumbs and serve.

Hello? Hello?

Mmmmm, who to call?

What's Dad-da's number, mum?

Okay, let me ring.

Hello, Dad-da....

Yeah, just been playing with my baby dolls.....I've been practicing saying biscuit really clear.....

 ...okay Dad-Da.  BYE....

Well, I imagine if Lily could actually ring and talk on the phone, that's probably spot on what she'd say to her dad.

Truth be told, she doesn't need a (unplugged) phone to ring, she'll happily speak to you on her fake phone or the television remote or a banana.  She's easy pleased.

There was an unexpected break in transmission here at biglittlesister, not my fault at all.  Something about a certain phone company getting their wires crossed (literally) and cutting off our phone/internet/tv for a week!  A week!  (Thank goodness we have two television providers, let me tell you!)

After much following up and complaining and running around by MrL we are now back online.

*phew*

Love Me A Bargain.

There's a little outlet shop in one of the malls in Abu Dhabi called 'Tchibo'.  It is a German store and I always try and 'pop in' whenever I am in that particular mall, as you never know what one will find.  It is jam packed full of home wares and travel wares, from bags and shoes, shirts to cups and the stock changes probably each week.

On a whim, I popped in last week.  And I walked out with a pair of travel pants (or Trekkinghose/Hiking Trousers as they've called them);

Now this store is always a buzz with shoppers.  And the reason why?  Because it is cheap.  Damn cheap.  Those pants cost me a whole...wait for it.....wait for it....30 dirhams.  At the time of typing, 30 dirham is roughly ummm....$7.60aud.  Can you believe that?  They're going to be the perfect pair of trousers for jumping on a plane with and in one of my favourite colours (that dark olive greeny colour I seem to wear a lot of!)

They have a few more stores in the UAE and I know they're dotted over in Europe too.

Oh yes, I do love me a bargain.

The Souq at Central Market

For quite some time, I have been wanting to have a look at The Souk, at the new Central Market in Abu Dhabi city.

That's Central Market, the highrises way in the background there....

The site has been one of construction for what seems like ages (since we've been living in the UAE anyway).  There used to actually be a Market, or Souq, there years ago until there was a fire which destroyed the whole thing.  So now they've been building three skyscrapers in it's place which are going to house a hotel, a 'High Street' shopping Mall, apartments, office space and a Souq.

The Souq is the only thing completed at the moment and inside it is rather beautiful.  The design is lovely, made from some type of wood, concrete, and gorgeous stained glass windows letting in loads of natural light but still quite cool on the inside.

It's kinda like a modern house you see in films, truth be told.

Not a lot of little shops open at the moment but I imagine in a couple of years time it really will be a hub of sorts.  But the ones that are open are selling an assortment of Arabic goods...

I particually liked the signs to the toilets, as I haven't seen ones like this before;

Worth a little visit if you're in the city, just for a sticky beak if anything else.  And plenty of car parks (always a plus) because it is paid parking and no one (it seems) likes paying for any type of parking in this part of the world.  (If they can park on the pavement or on a roundabout for free, they will!)  Just getting into the car park was a little tight with cars parked on the both sides of a one way lane, making it a little hairy getting to the actual Central Market car park (lucky MrL was driving!)