Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in san francisco, CA

Car Snacking

by Michael Rohde

June 22, 2009

While it’s true that today’s SavvySource topic is, “On a Budget: Car-Camping with Little Ones,” it’s also true that we’ve never gone car-camping with our twins. However, we have gone car-snacking with our kids, to the delight of many a passer-by. Do I need to explain? Good, then I have a blog post in the making…

Like most parents of multiples, we don’t own a Nissan Z, although that was my car of choice before I learned my wife was pregnant. Instead, we have a four-door Accord and a Honda CRV. We almost went with the Odyssey or the Sienna, but we’ve witnessed far too many parents trying to park those big monsters in the city, and so we decided to go with something smaller. Hence, the CRV.  

When the kids were smaller, and they fit in Bumbo seats, we would take the Bumbo seats with us when we went out to eat. They fit easily in a booth and we didn’t have to deal with a restaurant’s dirty high chairs or their booster seats. Hence, our Bumbo seats were in the back of the CRV on many an occasion (we never took them back out of the car after we ate).

Now that you know we own a CRV, and we used to drive around with Bumbo seats in the back, what came next was almost natural. There were several times when we were out and about running errands for extended periods and either snack time or lunch time would creep up on us. So, what would we do? That’s right, we popped open the CRV’s hatch, and set up the Bumbo seats. Apparently, for those walking through the parking lot, it was kind of an unusual site to see Max and Julia sitting in the back of the CRV (as happy as could be) enjoying a snack and taking in some people watching. It was kind of a no-muss, no-fuss situation. We had everything we needed right there in the car: bibs, food, sippy cups, wipes, etc. We didn’t have to wait in line for a table, we didn’t have to chase the kids around a busy restaurant, and best of all, we didn’t pay $2 for a small kid’s milk. Nope, we car-snacked it. The kids loved it. Mom and Dad didn’t mind it. And we got lots of, “Oh, look, how cute!” types of comments.

We even did very quick diaper changes after the snack for the drive back. That way, they were ready for their naps as soon as we got home. Clean up was pretty much a snap as we gathered everything up, found the trash can near the outside of whatever store we were at, and we didn’t have to over tip the waiter as a means to apologize for all the crushed crackers and spilled milk. It was really a win-win situation.

Now that they are older, and we no longer use the Bumbo seats, car-snacking has become a distant and faded memory. But there is still the rare occasion in which we pop open the back of the car and chow down on a cereal bar. It’s kind of like al fresco dining, but no, not really.  Read more...

Our First Bus Ride, a Mexican Bakery, and Casa Sanchez

by Michael Rohde

June 08, 2009

I’m of the mindset that I do what I say and I say what I do. With that in mind, I take seriously the weekend recommendations that I post every Wednesday (not everything that comes across my laptop is published). Last Wednesday, I wrote about Sunday Streets heading to the Mission. When I heard about this, the first thing I thought was, food: delicious, authentic, home-made Mexican food. How could you possibly go wrong? I’ll tell you this, we didn’t go wrong, and we were well rewarded for visiting the Mission.

We decided to take the bus for our excursion. We never took the kids on the bus before, and let me tell you, that was an experience in itself. Max and Julia (age 2.5 years, yes, they are twins) couldn’t have been more excited about finally getting on board the bus; the big, giant, loud, noisy bus they see rumbling down the street all the time. They finally got a chance to ride one. And ride it they did. The bus ride took about 45 minutes to go from Laurel Village to 24th and York. The kids loved every jolt, jostle, lurch, and screech. They waved goodbye as other passengers disembarked and a lucky few were blown kisses. At each bus stop, they would look at us and say, “More, more?!?” And yes, they got more and more, as like I said, it took close to an hour to get there. It was well worth it to take the bus, as driving defeats the purpose of Sunday Streets, and it was doubtful we’d find parking.

We reached our destination and headed straight for Panaderia La Mexicana (a bakery). My wife is a huge fan of pan dulce, so she got one of those and we got a couple of sweet muffins for the kids. The muffins didn’t last two minutes and I barely got a nibble to sample the sweet, soft, melt-in-your-mouth sensation. It’s a crime to simply call these muffins as there should be a whole other word to describe how good they were. The pan dulce was of the same caliber. I’ve had pan dulce before, and I always thought of it as a dry, crumbly sweet bread; kind of like biscotti or a scone. This pan dulce at Panaderia redefined what pan dulce means to me. This, like the muffins, was soft, super fresh, and was like a moist cake with a crumbly cinnamon top. Can you tell I liked it?

After the treats, we played in Garfield park, exercised with the YMCA-sponsored hula hoops, threw around a few basketballs, and walked the streets of the Mission. Yep, good times indeed and we worked up an appetite. We headed over to Casa Sanchez for lunch. If you’re thinking you’ve heard of Casa Sanchez, but you’re not quite sure where from, you need look no further than the grocery store. Casa Sanchez sells their chips and salsa to local grocery stores, yep, it’s that good.

I ordered the carne asada, my wife got chicken tacos, and the kids ate our beans and rice. Max would have eaten the entire dish of guacamole if I didn’t sneak some while he was distracted… All in all, everything was delicious, we sat in the outdoor patio in the back and enjoyed the weather, and everyone had a great time.

If you’re looking for an excuse to visit the Mission, or you just want to try something new (or revisit a forgotten goodie), I can highly recommend Panaderia La Mexicana and Casa Sanchez. Both are located on 24th near York.

Panaderia La Mexicana
2804 24th St
(between Bryant St & York St)
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 648-2633

Casa Sanchez
2778 24th Street
(between Hampshire St & York St)
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 282-2400

 Read more...

The Joy of Crockpot

by Michael Rohde

April 06, 2009

My kids have reached the age in which they aren't quite ready to help cook dinner, but they are more than curious to see what Dad is doing in the kitchen. Cooking is time consuming enough, but with four little hands tugging on your pants and incessantly saying, "Uppee" and "See," cooking time suddenly doubles. Plus, there is the peril of opening and closing a hot oven door while two nosy-bees are hovering near by. And I'm sure you know it's no joy to stir a pot, or do any kind of sautéing or pan frying, while holding a toddler who insists on "seeing."

That's why I've come to learn the joy that comes from a crockpot. You simply toss everything into the pot, put it on low, and seven to nine hours later you have a delicious meal. There's still prep work involved, but if you do that the night before, then the morning work is a piece of pie (or more like a whole chicken, or rack of ribs, or three pounds of pork butt).

Side note: Here's a good reason to love Trader Joe's. Even though they don't sell three pounds of pork butt (they only have the tenderloin or the chops), the employees still get a slight smile at the mention of "pork butt" when you ask them if they carry it…

Most of you probably already know about the joys of crockpot cooking, so here are a couple of modern-day tips to help with new recipes and grocery shopping. These tips help if you have an iPhone or a similar PDA.

• Download the free AllRecipes application from the App store. This handy-dandy application has a DinnerSpinner, which provides helpful suggestions if you're all out of ideas. You can choose from meal type, ingredients, and cooking times. AllRecipies not only includes the recipes, but it also has helpful comments from other users and nutrition information. You really couldn't ask for more. In the last two weeks, I made the Fragrant Lemon Chicken and the Honey Garlic Chicken. I'm planning on making the BBQ Pork Sandwiches just as soon as I get my hands on three pounds of pork butt (sorry, couldn’t resist mentioning "pork butt" one last time). The only downside to this application is that you need to be in range of either a wireless network or have a 3G connection, otherwise, the recipe might not download. And if the recipe does not download while you're at the grocery store, then you're out of luck as to what ingredients to purchase, which leads me to the second tip.
• You can make a grocery list a couple of different ways using your iPhone. You can use the Notes app, which comes with your phone, or you can download a To Do List app. I use DoBot ToDos as my To Do List application. It was free and it works pretty well. Both apps work without need of a clear signal, so you're good to go no matter where you are.

There you have it: crockpot + AllRecipies + To Do List = easier cooking.  Read more...

Train Whistles and BBQ

by Michael Rohde

March 31, 2009

Now that March is all but over, and I don't think kids eat free at Asqew anymore, what's another great kid-friendly BBQ joint? We have several defining criteria as to what makes a great kid-friendly restaurant. First, the staff has to like kids. There are some restaurants we walk into and I swear the hostess takes one look at us and our double-stroller and the smile instantly melts away. It's either that, or the servers who were milling around the hostess stand get a look of fear and loathing in their faces. We don't go to those places anymore… We like a wait staff who is willing to fill our sippy cups in the kitchen so that the kids never see a glass of milk. If our kids see a glass of milk it's all over, they refuse to drink out of the sippy cups, and next thing you know we have two milk-soaked kids (we are still learning how to drink from a glass). And yes, we have met many waitresses who are more than happy to accommodate us. My guess is that they have kids themselves.

The second defining criterion is that the restaurant should serve one of the following: grilled cheese, chicken nuggets, and slices of fruits and vegetables. Aww, who am I kidding? If the restaurant has French fries and ketchup we're happy. It's guaranteed the kids will snarf down French fries and there is nothing more fun than eating plain ketchup; either off the fingers or licking it off the French fry. Our kids don't have an ounce of fat on them, so we're not too worried about the French fry consumption, besides we only take them out to eat every couple of weeks anyway.

The third item is the other patrons in the restaurant. There is nothing worse than having several neighboring diners stare you down while you're wrestling with your kid to stay in their seat, or to stop fighting with their sibling, or stop pouring salt and pepper all over the table, or to stop crawling under the table, or to stop…well…to just stop being two-years old for an hour while we attempt a meal. Like I said, we don't go out too often…

The fourth and final defining criterion that makes for a great kid-friendly restaurant is a place that has something to entertain the kids while we wait for the food. Yes, crayons and placemats are standard fare, but when there's a train whistle that you can blow, well, that's just the best!

Roadside BBQ, located on Geary Blvd and 2nd Avenue has it all. They have great food, including ribs and macaroni and cheese for the kids, and the corn bread is not to be missed. My particular favorite is the pulled-pork BBQ sandwich and my wife enjoys the beef-brisket sandwich. The staff is awesome, they have a train whistle that makes the kids smile every time they pull the handle, and for the most part, the other patrons seem to tolerate our rowdy family.

 Read more...

Kids Eat Free

by Michael Rohde

March 16, 2009

I stop and take notice when I see a sign that reads, kids eat free. Don't get me wrong. I'm not a cheapskate. I've enjoyed culinary experiences at Gary Danko. I fully recognize what Nancy Oaks is doing at Boulevard. I've lunched at the Salt House (and gained a better appreciation for salt). Most recently, I took my wife to Garibaldi's for Valentine's.

We were walking through Laurel Village when I saw those three little words that I value so highly. While passing by Asqew, I read the sidewalk chalkboard and there it was, "kids eat free." It was like reading poetry. I immediately thought to myself, Dad is eating ribs, soon, very soon.

A couple evenings later we found ourselves back at Asqew. We ordered grilled, breaded chicken nuggets for the girl and ribs for the boy. Mom got a tuna skewer salad and I got the half rack. It was good. It was real good. I forgot how well Asqew does ribs.

The promotion runs through March. You can get one free kids meal per each accompanying adult. Asqew has locations throughout the city, including Laurel Village, Haight Street, the Castro, downtown, and there's one next door to Barneys in the Marina.

Mmm, burgers, did I tell you about the time we saw Joan Rivers at Barneys? That story can wait for another post...

 Read more...

Chopsticks in my Day Bag

by Graham Charles

January 12, 2009

Among the less typical but nonetheless essential components of my diaper bag (it retains that name despite the absence of diapers) is this: training chopstick holders. Fern loves Asian food, and since we live in a town enriched mightily by cultures that arrived from the other side of the Pacific rim, we have no shortage of options. We drop by our favorite -- Xiao Loong on West Portal -- at  Read more...

99 Things to Do in San Francisco Before Kindergarten: The Full List

by Graham Charles

January 02, 2009

One of my great accomplishments last year was to finish this enormous list of things I think every San Francisco kid should do before the age of 6 or so. The range is vast and yet I'm sure I'm leaving quite a bit off, all the same. Since we originally posted in ten parts, I'm going to reprise the entire list here, complete with check boxes so you can keep track of your progress. (There's  Read more...

Winter Toy Reviews, part II

by Graham Charles

December 09, 2008

The Savvy Moms-in-Chief have asked us to take a look at some of our favorite toys over on the national site; here are my first five favorite toys and what I had to say about them. Want more? Click on the "Books, Toys, and More" link above. Fruit and Vegetable Play Set If you look at the Savvy Source "preschool essential toys" list you won't find "fake food" there, but you should.  Read more...

Happy Thanksgiving, Savvy Readers!

by Graham Charles

November 27, 2008

Thanksgiving is by far my favorite holiday of the year, and I can tell it's going to be a favorite for my daughter Fern, too. As she nears three, she's starting to clue in to many of the emotional chords that echo through this most giftless of holidays. First, of course, is gratitude. The other day, Fern was surprised after she thanked me for an animal cracker and I immediately handed over  Read more...

99 Things to Do In San Francisco Before Kindergarten, Part 7: How to Remember You're a Local

by Graham Charles

November 24, 2008

Sometimes having kids can make you forget what a truly unique place we live in, so for this week's installment I present ten things to do with your preschoolers and toddlers that make you feel authentically San Franciscan. 61. Visit Mission Dolores -- don't miss the cemetery -- and then head up Valencia for tapas. 62. Hike San Francisco's last wild stream - Islais Creek -- at Glen Canyon  Read more...

Nurturing the Little Cook with a Learning Tower

by Graham Charles

September 29, 2008

We love to cook with our 2-year old Fern, but it can be really tricky. Our first experiments were carried out on a tarp, with a then 18-month old mixing and kneading at our feet -- but we kept tripping over her. Then we tried shipping all the cooking out to the dining room where Fern could at least sit, but wound up mostly making a mess in hard-to-clean-up spots. Besides, she's like  Read more...

Kid-friendly gourmet dining: Pauline's Pizza

by Mike Adamick

July 11, 2008

I write a blog about my adventures around the city with my daughter, Emmeline, and hardly a day goes by that I don't get an email from someone about to visit San Francisco who wants to take the kids to a nice, family friendly restaurant that doesn't also feature anybody in animal costumes or free balloons on the way out. I always recommend Pauline's Pizza -- a white table cloth restaurant that  Read more...