baby wayne

After a number of visits to our local shopping centre - a small and tired affair called Northcote Plaza (or the Plaza for a more familiar feel) - Otis recently graduated to a grander scale of mall. A daytime shopping trip to Northland.

Northland was populated by groups of older people taking advantage of the relative warmth and shelter, at least one third of local school students and people with babies and prams. Fortunately, we managed to escape the clutches of a thousand shops that appear essentially the same with only a few new items for Otis' wardrobe. A wardrobe that expands to keep up with his expanding tummy.

One of the notable features of the mall experience is the eating. Whilst we had already discovered the joys of Michel's Patisserie when Otis was four days old and we ventured to the Plaza, it is fair to say that the increase in size of the centre only increases the range of bad choices. Eccentric millionaire and Chairman of the Gourment Academy, Takeshi Kaga, would not be inviting anyone from Northland to visit his Kitchen Stadium. And nor should he. The people's acclaim is not theirs.

We also visited a large toy store which was the scene of some mild entertainment as Otis waited patiently for mum and dad to try on silly wigs.

Of course, we were relieved to discover that the following item was for sale:

Unfortunately, it is a little too big for Otis at this stage but we can rest assured that in a couple of months he will be equipped and ready to quash any civil disturbance in the neighbourhood.