Little Creatures
Little Creatures has long been one of Bubba's favourite haunts, an opinion he shares with many other Perth hipsters. With its sandpit, frites, and ocean views, it would certainly be an inductee into his Freo Hall of Fame. Pedalling furiously past the Fishing Boat Harbour, the only thing that gave him pause was Greg James' 'Lifeguard' sculpture, which warranted a brief cackle both for being naked and looking like it was having a wee. (Undoubtedly true. My wife, in a somewhat jaded mood, commented that it wants only a doorway to aim at to be truly Freo.)
Bubba was most impressed that cyclists were catered for at Little Creatures, leaping off his bike and wheeling it into an allocated bay with the earnest concern of a Saint Bernard. The shiny, unscratched paint-job on his green machine is no accident.
We completed a tour of the premises in an effort to find a vacant table, Bubba riding on my shoulders issuing instructions and steering like a jockey. By way of a squeeze of his knees and a jab from a sharp little heel, he indicated that a table near the entrance was the most pleasing. Despite its success, Little Creatures never rests on its laurels and a contraption spraying a fine mist had been installed at the front section since his last visit - just the thing for a hot day.
We were soon enjoying the cooling mist whilst Bubba snacked on an amuse bouche selection of herbs from the nearby bed, followed by crunchy frites, margarita pizza, pumpkin and beetroot salad (not bad, although the beetroot was a bit too vinegary), and chili mussels.
Contrasting with the impression created by the Bathers Beach dustbowl, it is evident that hospitality is indeed a duty of those people running Little Creatures and it is a duty most conscientiously performed. As usual our visit didn't disappoint and we left a couple of kilos heavier. I know this because Bubba generously allowed me to convey him 'super-fast' on my shoulders to the bungee trampoline near the ferris wheel.
The Esplanade
Bubba had been eyeing the bungee trampoline ever since we had ridden the ferris wheel a couple of nights earlier. (We got a carriage all to ourselves and it was a hit.)
We arrived at the bungee trampoline in world record time (looking back, I'm glad that Bubba didn't have a whip on him that day). As per usual Bubba disembarked from my shoulders in a small swirling mass of arms and legs. I was in a slightly different state. Sucking in deep breaths, I had broken out into an ominous sweat and by the swishing going on in my belly, I thought I was going to be deliciously and flamboyantly sick. Lucky for me (and unlucky for Bubba, who I'm sure would have appreciated the show) my sickly feeling soon passed.
We spent a happy ten minutes watching Bubba in raptures jumping on the bungee trampoline. It cost $10, but was well worth it, and the person staffing it was very kind and coached Bubba in his first flip. This was followed by a sojourn on the playground equipment, which Bubba also gave positive reviews.
With the addition of the ferris wheel and the bungee trampoline, the Esplanade is well on its way to becoming a great place. Its close proximity to the Fishing Boat Harbour and the offer of a variety of things to do in the one spot meant we were able to move from one adventure to the next, all the while lingering longer in the area. When we eventually left the playground to head home, Bubba immediately began the negotiation process for a return visit - always a sign of a successful outing.
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