Anything Silly
Comics for the Pre-Verbal: Reviewing the New Toon Books
November 19, 2008
Like every kid, my 2-year old Fern has been trained to identify images that are meant for kids. She can easily delimit the tiny toy shelf at the drug store and on the bookshelf, she can find a kids' book easily by nothing the garish colors and cartoonish faces. But in our society of adult children, there are many bright and shiny images that are not meant for children, especially in the vast Read more...
Channeling Your Toddler's Inner Preteen: A Visit to the Pika Pika Sticker Shop
October 22, 2008
As if we needed any more proof that the only useful thing to come out of Hollywood in the last 20 years was the "green screen," my wife, daughter and I just discovered PIKA PIKA at Japantown. We love heading to J-Town in any event for the accessible food, unphotographable crepes, and bizarre stationery, but this photo-booth storefront (which we just noticed) is going to prove an even Read more...
Summer Escapes for Parents on the cheap
August 11, 2008
Summer is almost over, which means, for those with children in preschool, salvation is just around the corner. But if you're looking to kill some quality time without the kids during the summer months, Yahoo's Shine has a great article on doing so cheaply. From taking advantage of Ikea babysitters to grandma, the article looks at some genius ways to get away from the kids for a few hours, all Read more...
What's that bug? A garden reference tool
August 08, 2008
Yesterday's post about the San Francisco botanical garden got me thinking of all the time we spend in our backyard garden and just how little I know about all the bugs we find. Emmeline likes to turn over rocks and pick up even the nastiest looking creatures I will turn up my nose at -- but she seems to love it all. Well, I found an interesting web site that I'm passing along to give parents a Read more...
Savvy cartoon break: Mio Mao
August 06, 2008
Now that Emmeline is 2 and officially approved for television ... I have taken to occasionally killing time by setting her on my lap while scrolling through YouTube videos. She's a fan of Jem. But not so much of the Care Bears. Just like her father. Now, she's a fan of Italian stop-action claymation artist Francesco Messeri, thanks to the great little videos posted the other day by Greg over at Read more...
Savvy music: Breakfast with Enzo
August 01, 2008
I haven't yet been to what promises to be the best musical show in the city for kids, but all my friends with kids swear by Breakfast with Enzo -- a musical sing-along for everyone. Well, today is the day. Enzo Garcia hosts shows every Friday through August at Fort Mason (and also every Saturday in Bernal Heights). More information can be found here . And a really good video of what you'll find Read more...
Great kids clothes sale in Noe Valley
July 31, 2008
I can't say enough about Mubuhay ("ma boo hi") -- a new children's clothes and toy shop in Noe Valley. Located on Church Street at 24th Street (right across from the J train stop), the little pocket of a store has the most beautiful boys and girls clothes in the city. And some of them are now on sale. But even without a sale, it's still worth a look. I forgot their names because I have the Read more...
Great spot to share a cuppa Joe and play
July 30, 2008
I'm sitting in the Last Laugh Coffee House on Dolores Street in Upper Noe Valley, watching as two preschoolers tear into a blue bin of toys and spread them on the floor, while their mothers settle comfortably into a couch and relax with cups of coffee. I am so bringing my daughter back here. It doesn't look altogether educational but the kids sure look happy as clams, and the moms look awful Read more...
Noe Valley Library's guest sing-alongs
July 28, 2008
We attended a movie screening for the book Knuffle Bunny at the Noe Valle branch library last week, and it was a ton of fun to see the favorite book come to life in an animated short. Emmeline loved it, and it seemed like every other kid there did, too. We also found out that this week -- tomorrow, in fact -- the Noe Valley branch will be hosting guest musician Bonnie Lockhart for a half hour of Read more...
Friday Free Concert at Yerba Buena Gardens
July 25, 2008
A perfect day for us involves hanging out at a playground downtown for a few hours before meeting Dana for lunch, and, hopefully, finding a nice place to picnic or catch one of those free city concerts that seem to spring up from nowhere from time to time. Emmeline loves to dance. So today is our kind of day. Chelle & Friends are scheduled to perform today from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at the Read more...
$1 Cone Day at Maggie Mudd's
July 22, 2008
I've been meaning to let everyone know about a great place to share a delicious -- and cheap! -- ice cream cone with the kids, but the thought slipped my mind until I saw San Francisco's very own Maggie Mudd featured on a food show about making ice cream filled cupcakes. What a delicious head jog. So here it is, the good news: Every Wednesday, Maggie Mudd in Bernal Heights offers $1 cones all Read more...
Portable easter egg hunt!
July 17, 2008
I'm blatantly stealing this from my Savvy cohorts to the east, Heather and Whitney , because it is such a great idea for killing time in a pinch -- or as they call it, a "sanity saver." I'm always jealous of their great ideas, and you should keep tabs on what they're finding for East Bay activities . Always good stuff. But back to the sanity saver. They recommend keeping plastic animals or Read more...
Kids music made awesome: Barenaked Ladies style
July 15, 2008
Because this is apparently shaping up to be "buy stuff week" here at the Savvy, I thought I'd share what has to be the best news coming out of the children's music scene since Peter Yarrow and Leonard Lipton came up with a little dragon named Puff. Seriously, it's that good. The Barenaked Ladies have a children's music album now -- Snacktime. Strike that. It's a record "children will enjoy" -- Read more...
Giants Fan Lot Open All Year
July 09, 2008
I'm a huge fan of baseball and rather militant anti-TV parent, but I do make an exception every now and then. But usually only when it comes to baseball. If the Giants are playing an afternoon game, I'll haul my daughter on the couch and try to teach her the finer points of the game. Which is to say, we both usually get a nice sun-warmed afternoon nap. Most of the Giants games are played right Read more...
Little Broadway: "Hairspray" choreography
July 07, 2008
My 2-year-old is still a little young for this, I think, because even the simplest moves seem to trip her up, but older kids will surely be able to master most of these moves -- but no matter how it goes, this may be the most exciting 5 minutes you'll have all day. I tried to find a good video from the movie but unfortunately only came up with this: a YouTube clip of the closing song, "You can't Read more...
Savvy cakes: Virgin Megastore
July 03, 2008
We've already covered the best place to share an ice cream cone , and also the best places to buy birthday cupcakes , but now it's time to combine them all: the best place to share a cupcake with the kids. I just love going up to the 3rd floor of the Virgin record store downtown -- corner of Market and Stockton and right across the street from one of the BART exits. They sell Citizen Cake Read more...
Surviving Muni: Thank God for Pirate's Booty
July 01, 2008
I wear a bracelet that my mother-in-law purchased from indians in a remote outpost of Panama, and every now and then my daughter will demand to take a turn with it. Unfortunately, it's tied on and can't be removed without breaking it. Thankfully, I found a great substitute that is A. pretty (relatively), B. healthy, and C. a great life-saver on long MUNI trips. If you've ever strung popcorn on a Read more...
Savvy Birthday Parties: My Gym
June 23, 2008
We went to a 2-year-old's birthday party yesterday and it was so fun I just had to share the location as a great venue for summertime parties or birthday fun. My Gym in the Dogpatch (Minnesota and 22nd) offers a vast, clean space for dozens of sugar-high, cake-coated jungle gym jockeys. There were trampolines, zip lines, climbing ladders, slides, circle times with songs and puppets. I had always Read more...
Top 5 Extra-Preschool Activities
June 17, 2008
If you've got a little explorer on your hands who loves all the classes and activities found in preschool -- and really, who doesn't? -- these classes may be perfect if you're looking for a little extra enrichment ... or maybe just a little break for yourself. At the Yoga Loft on Divis, on the third Tuesday of every month, babies get a chance to take their parents dancing! At least that's the Read more...
Little Thrifty: Community Thrift Store
June 16, 2008
Some days after we get bored to death at the playground (how is that even possible? It's a play ground!) Emmeline and I will venture down Valencia Street toward what she calls a toy store, although it's really the Community Thrift Store , one of the best grab bags of cheap toys, cheap clothes and vintage garments for yourself. The kid can spend an hour digging through the bins of children's Read more...
5 Fathers Day Hot Spots for Everyone
June 11, 2008
If you wake up from a bad dream this week and suddenly realize, "Oh no! Sunday is Fathers Day!" And you've got nothing planned, we here at the Source have something special for you: Five great hot spots to take the dad in your life that will be fun for everyone. 1. Picnic at the Palace of Fine Arts. If the weather's nice and you're in the mood for a grassy picnic, pack his favorite things and Read more...
Planes, Trains and Sitting Quietly on MUNI
June 06, 2008
We take the bus and trains quite a bit, whether we're on our way to playgroup or downtown to meet Emmeline' s mom for lunch. And while most of the time the kid is more polite and accommodating than your average MUNI rider, there are times she acts, well, like a 2-year-old. Easy snacks. Illicit sips of milk. Books. These things help to an extent on our "off days," but nothing seems as sure fire Read more...
99 Things to Do Before Kindergarten
May 29, 2008
OK, I'm a cheater. Sue me.
This was supposed to be a post about the "99 things you must do with your child in San Francisco before they grow up," but holy sweet Aunt Edna, people, my kid would be off to college before I got done writing that let alone doing that. Yours might well be done with post-graduate work, married and working on child No. 2.
So we're breaking this bad boy up and taking a little more time to explore this wonderful city. More entries to come from time to time, so please leave your favorites in the comments and I'll be sure to get to them next time. To start, however, here are a few things my daughter has developed an unnatural affection for.
Read more...
Favorite Place to Share a Cone
May 13, 2008
We're one of those horribly crunchy families who check every food label and look down our noses at anything with corn syrup in it, which is odd considering I was practically raised on Karos and Mrs. Butterworth, but there it is. We are yuppies. Our poor child has only had a handful of cookies and no M & Ms to speak of. (Although I'm sure my mom has probably sneaked them in while Read more...
More of Our Favorite Activities and Things to Do in san francisco
Creatures & Critters:
Our Urban Jungle
Do, Re, Mi! Places to Hear, Sing & Play a Tune
Artistic Endeavors:
Our Favorite Art Venues
Room to Run:
Run, Jump & Wiggle Outdoors
Rainy & Quiet Days:
Cozy & Crazy Indoor Fun
A Sense of History:
Our City's Stories
Tot's Science Fair:
Science & Nature Sites
Splash, Spray, Play! Local Spots to Get Wet
The Best of... Our Top Can't-Live-Without Spots
The Voice of Being Savvy san francisco:
Crystal RitchieMichael Rohde, Mike Adamick, Graham Charles
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