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

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

Jazz, Culture, Sunday Streets, and Yo Gabba Gabba

June 03, 2009

There’s plenty of things to do this weekend as Sunday Streets explores new territory, there’s a Jewish community festival in Yerba Buena Gardens, and Yo Gabba Gabba hits the Xbox 360. If you’re looking for something to do tomorrow, there’s jazz at Yerba Buena Gardens.

Yerba Buena Gardens
Mads Tolling Quartet
Thursday, June 4, 12:30–1:30pm
Mads Tolling, two-time Grammy Award-winning violinist with the Turtle Island Quartet and violinist with the acclaimed Stanley Clarke Band, leads his own ensemble in a performance of contemporary lyrical jazz with virtuosity and spontaneity. The Mads Tolling Quartet is Mads Tolling (violin), George Ban-Weiss (bass), Mike Abraham (guitar), Eric Garland (drums).

Israel in the Gardens Festival
Sunday, June 7, 11am–5pm
Celebrate the diversity of the Jewish community! The largest Jewish community family festival in the Bay Area includes a variety of activities for teens, young adults and families featuring the hottest new music, theater, a film festival, resource tables, and freshly prepared ethnic foods. Shop for everything from jewelry to handmade clothing from artisan craft booths!

Sunday Streets
Sunday Streets is taking it’s fun and games to the Mission. All activities take place between 10am and 2pm unless otherwise noted (check the web site). The event’s centerplace is at Garfield Square Park at 26th & Harrison Street. Per usual, there will be kid’s activities, cultural programming, roller skating, dancing, and biking.

Yo Gabba Gabba
Many of you know that I’m a proud owner of an Xbox 360, along with 30 million others. In addition to me, 20 million others also have an Xbox Live subscription, which provides access to TV shows, movies, and other content. Now available on the Xbox Live Video Marketplace are episodes of the popular Yo Gabba Gabba children’s show. If you haven’t seen this before, it comes highly recommended.

For those of you without an Xbox, the DVD’s for the first and second seasons are available on Netflix.
Read more...

Cha Cha Cha: Not Your Ordinary Kid-Friendly Restaurant

June 02, 2009

There are some restaurants you know are going to be kid-friendly just by walking into the joint. The hostess brings over paper and crayons and asks if the kids want milk. Then, there are the obviously not-so-kid-friendly restaurants where the hostess runs screaming when she sees the double stroller coming through the front door. And then there are the places that surprise you.

We took the kids over to the big, giant, and one of the best playgrounds in the city on Sunday in Golden Gate Park. The kids love the carousel, digging in the sand, having a snack in the play house, climbing the ladders on the jungle gym, and doing what two-year olds do best: running and playing.

It got to be lunch time, and since we had the stroller with us, we decided to walk over to Dad’s old stomping grounds: The Haight-Ashbury. When our toddlers were babies, we used to take them to Squat & Gobble all the time for breakfast. They would sit in their carriers and Mom and Dad would feast. If you hit the Haight before 9am, you basically have the neighborhood to yourself save for a few random, early-bird tourists. The Haight really doesn’t wake up until after 11am, so parking was never an issue.

We kind of stopped visiting the Haight after the kids got a little older and would start pointing at people and saying, “What doing?” That’s the kind of question you don’t want to answer about the disaffected youth who inhabit Haight Street. Still, the spirit and vitality of the Haight lingers in Dad’s blood, and every once in awhile we head over there. The district does have some pretty cool clothing stores and some are geared towards kids. That’s where we got Max’s Bruce Lee onesie, and of course, both kids got their first tie-dyes from the Haight.

So, like I was saying, it was lunch time and we were a five-minute walk from the Haight, so we headed over. As we were walking, I started thinking about Cha Cha Cha. They are probably best known for their party-like atmosphere, shoulder-to-shoulder bar scene, and pitchers of sangria. It doesn’t hurt that the food is consistently good. They are also well known for an hour-long wait for a table. I told my wife, let’s just check it out, if they are busy, we can get a burrito across the street.

We walked in and were immediately sat at a large, oversized booth. A few other tables were filled, but it was pretty quiet. I was a little hesitant as to how the staff was going to treat us. My hesitancy was quickly dismissed as we were greeted with large smiles, a waiter immediately took our double stroller and stashed it out of the way, and the hostess sat us with warm greetings. Max wanted to see what was going on in the open kitchen. As I held him up so he could see, I felt like we were in the way a little bit, but if it bothered the staff, they certainly didn’t show it. They were happy to show how they prepared the meals. Of course, Julia also wanted a turn to see what was going on, so I held her up for awhile.

We ordered a chicken quesadilla, which was served as shredded chicken instead of chunks of chicken breast. I think that was a new item on the menu, and I was very pleased with it. We also ordered some Cha Cha Cha standards like the potatoes and the fried plantains. Unfortunately, the big hit at the table for Max and Julia was the ice in the water glasses, but they did eat a few bites of potato, chicken, and bread. We really thought they would dig the fried plantains. I remember that as a sweet, dessert-type dish, but it wasn’t as sweet as memory served. Julia wouldn’t look at it let alone try it and Max spit his out after making some faces I’ve never seen before (frankly, I didn’t know he was capable of making such faces…).

Per Cha Cha Cha norm, the music was bumping and Jimmy Cliff was pouring through the speakers. Both kids stood up and grooved on down. It was a regular party and good times were had by all. By the time we left, closer to 1pm, the place started to fill up; so we figured we made good timing. Our lunch bill was only $25, which we figured was pretty good for the four of us. I’d recommend it as a kid-friendly restaurant for early weekend lunches. It’s a gem.

Life is Good

May 13, 2009

This Saturday there are first-time festivals at Golden Gate Park, sing alongs, street festivals, and carnivals. On Sunday, you can rest (speaking as the Dad of two-year old twins, comments like that are meant as sarcasm…there's no such thing as "resting" when you have two-year olds...).

Life is Good Festival
The first Life is Good festival is a free, family-friendly day in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park at Speedway Meadow on May 16, 2009 from 11am to 5 pm. The outdoor bash features great live music from ALO, Martin Sexton, and The Sippy Cups, classic backyard food, and a colorful mix of good-time games and activities for all ages. From seed spitting and badminton to soccer kicks, tug-o'-wars and football flings, they promise a day of big smiles and healthy play.

Dream Circle Spring Sing (Bay Area Discovery Museum)
Saturday, May 16, performances at 11am & 12:30 pm
Members $8; General $10
Tim Cain, Cindy Cohen, Miss Kitty and Cristopher Smith – all under one roof! Join BADM for a delightful sing-along concert with Marin’s best loved children’s entertainers. Kids of all ages will be delighted to raise their voices and sing some favorite songs with this incredibly talented foursome. Ballerinas will have a chance to pirouette and doggies will be called upon to hop up and down. There will be lots of dancing, clapping and tapping fun.

Asian Heritage Street Celebration
Saturday, May 16, 2009 from 11am to 6pm. Two stages of music, arts and crafts, food, prizes, karaoke, traditional and pop culture J cars, Thai kickboxing, carnival rides and games. Free admission.

Splish Splash Peabody Bash
Time to celebrate the arrival of Spring! Please join the Peabody school for a whale of a good time at their Carnival this Saturday from 11am to 3pm. They will have carnival games for children of all ages, a silent auction, a jumpy house, a rock climbing wall and a raffle for the adults with food and fun for all! The carnival takes place on the school yard at 250 7th Avenue, between California and Clement Streets. Don't want to mess with parking? No worries, take the 2 Clement, 1 California, 44 O'Shaugnessy or the 38 Geary bus lines.

If you missed it yesterday, there's still time to enter the contest to win tickets to see Sesame Street Live in June at the Oakland ORACLE Arena (details).

Mother's Day 2009

May 06, 2009

I have to give Sunday Streets continual props. The first one of the year was a blast. We went down to AT&T Park, ran the bases, played ball in the Fan Lot, and then walked over to the playground and a grassy field, which is about a block away. Sponsors had hula hoops and catch-and-throw toys spread out. It was hilarious to see my little two-year old trying to hula. She had no trouble getting inside the hoop and picking it up, but it was far too big for her to start swinging her hips. Gotta hand it to her for trying though!

I bring Sunday Streets up because on May 10 they will be back at it again along the Waterfront route in the Southeast Sector of the city. The route highlights the San Francisco Bay Trail, which is celebrating its 20th Anniversary. The route starts at AT&T Park, stretches to the Bayview Opera House, and then finishes at India Basin (details).

If you’re still looking for something to do today, don’t forget that the Bay Area Discovery Museum offers free admission on the first Wednesday of every month (yep, that’s today).

Koret Museum Days
BADM is participating in Koret Museum Days, which means on Sunday May 10, admission is free of charge. Seventeen other museums and varied locations are participating, including the Exploratorium, the SF Museum of Modern Art, and the SF Zoo (full list of locations).

That’s all good for Mom Day, but what about Saturday? Don't worry, there’s stuff to do then as well:

Richmond District Family Fun Days
The Richmond Village Beacon is presenting a carnival event with resource booths, food, and games for every member of the family! This event is free and open to the public (details).

Baby Loves Disco (in my wife's words, "geez, this is expensive!")
If your baby/toddler/kid loves to dance the afternoon away, and you don't mind dropping $18/per person at the door (that's $72 for a family of four), then Baby Loves Disco is where you need to be heading on Saturday.

Hawaii, Mexico, Japan, and More all in SF

April 29, 2009

There’s no shortage of things to do this weekend. Events range from the Bay Area Discovery Museum's fundraiser to a Hawaiian dance program at Yerba Buena Gardens and much, much more.

Yerba Buena Gardens Festival
On Saturday from 1PM to 2:30PM, Nā Lei Hulu I Ka Wēkiu, Patrick Makuakane's dynamic Hawaiian dance company, presents a program of visually captivating hula. In its only full-length San Francisco performance this year, the company will feature a rich blend of traditional and contemporary forms of hula, showcasing a delightful combination of signature pieces and audience favorites in the hula kahiko, hula 'auana, and hula mua styles. Performances are given in a "talk-story" format, incorporating narration and dance to provide a rich cultural context.

San Francisco Cinco De Mayo Festival
Visit Mission Dolores Park on Saturday from 10AM to 6PM. This is a free, kid-friendly, and alcohol-free event. Bring your picnic blanket and enjoy all-day music, kid's activities, entertainment, food, arts and crafts and more.

Kristi Yamaguchi's Children's Day Festival in Japantown
From 11AM to 4PM on Saturday, visit the Japantown Peace Plaza (Post and Buchanan Street). In recognition of Japan's National holiday to celebrate children, the Japanese Cultural Community Center of Northern California invites you to bring your family and enjoy the fun. This free event will have plenty of kids craft booths, entertainment and great food.

Bay Area Discovery Museum's Fundraiser
BADM encourages you to join them on Saturday at 6PM for Playdate—an evening of grown-up play at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge to benefit the museum. The evening begins with wine tasting and cocktails while you enjoy the beautiful view of San Francisco. Browse and bid on Silent Auction packages, then sit down to a fabulous dinner and a Live Auction—all at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge!

Asian Art Museum
The Asian Art Museum is located at 200 Larkin Street and offers free admission on the first Sunday of every month, which does include family programs. Free admission to "Target First Free Sundays" is granted on a first-come, first-served basis. Due to capacity restrictions, admission is not guaranteed.

San Francisco Birth and Baby Fair
If you're new to parenting or expecting a baby, Maternity Xchange, sponsored by Natural Resources, brings together representatives from pregnancy, birth, parenting and baby related resources for a day of information, education and shopping. Baby experts—from midwives and educators to baby photographers—will be on hand to address your questions and interests. The Birth and Baby Fair also offers free workshops, refreshments, and goody bags. Check out baby and maternity clothing, including items from local designers, most discounted from regular retail price. The event takes place at Fort Mason on Sunday from 10AM to 3PM. Tickets are $5 but you can find free and discounted passes at Natural Resources locations and AAA.

March for Babies and Sunday Streets

April 22, 2009

Hope you have good walking shoes because this weekend is for getting out and about. Saturday is the March for Babies, if you've been reading this blog lately you might be getting tired of reading about it, but I promise this is the last mention (until next year).

The walk takes place at the Great Meadow at Fort Mason and is 6.25 miles long. Registration begins at 8AM and the walk starts at 9AM. If you need more information, please call 415.788.2202.

If 6.25 miles isn't enough walking for you, then head over to the Embarcadero and AT&T Park areas for Sunday Streets. If my feet aren't too blistered up, I'm sure my family will be back at the ballpark. Last year was tons of fun and we'd love to have a repeat performance. The waterfront route runs along the Embarcadero from AT&T Park to Aquatic Park. Activities begin at 9AM. The Fisherman's Wharf Community Benefit District's Fitness, Health and Safety Fair is at Aquatic Park from 10AM to 4PM. Pier 39 will have live music from 1PM to 3PM at the main entrance.

If you do happen to miss the first Sunday Streets of 2009, there will be additional dates throughout the summer.

Cherry Blossoms, Easter Egg Hunts, and the Union Street Spring Celebration

April 08, 2009

The San Francisco weather has turned wet again, but the forecast calls for somewhat sunny skies this weekend, so go ahead and make some outdoor plans!

Over in Japantown, the 2009 Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival is taking place near Post and Buchanan. On the weekends of April 11 and April 18 the festival will celebrate Japanese Americans with music, dance, martial arts, tea ceremonies, flower arrangements, and (of course) food!

If your little one is anything like my daughter, who wore her Hello Kitty rain boots and jacket today, I'm sure they will go nuts-o for the Hello Kitty Land at the Children's Village on April 11 and 12. The next weekend, Hello Kitty and her entourage will perform live at the Sundance Kabuki Cinemas from 11AM to 1PM.

Over in India Basin, friends and neighbors are holding their 9th Annual Spring Egg Hunt. Families are encouraged to gather around 10AM on Saturday and the hunt starts at 11AM. The event includes prizes and (of course) food and takes place at Hunters Point Boulevard between Evans and Innes.

Last, but not least, the 18th Annual Union Street Spring Celebration and Easter Parade takes place on Sunday from 10AM to 5PM on Union Street from Gough to Fillmore. The event features Union Street's best restaurants dishing it up in an outdoor bistro setting (what's a San Francisco event without food?).

Activities include large inflatable bounces, kids' rides and games, a climbing wall, a hands-on children's activities area, costumed characters, a petting zoo, a pony ride and music.

So there are three events that sound pretty fun. My best bets would be the Hello Kitty party on Saturday and the Union Street festival on Sunday.

AT&T Park and the Return of Sunday Streets

April 07, 2009

SF Giants Play Ball! The San Francisco Giants opened their season today by defeating the Milwaukee Brewers at AT&T Park. The day began with wet weather and it was starting to look hit-and-miss if the game was going to take place at all. Luckily, the rain lifted and the tarp was removed from the field about an hour before the first pitch was thrown. It's always fun to attend a baseball game, but there's something magical about attending opening day.

AT&T Park is an excellent place to take your little ones. Not only is the allure of baseball present, but there's the Coca-Cola Fan Lot and Lou Seal is always good for a sighting. The Fan Lot consists of a huge slide and an area where the kids can hit balls and run the bases. It's always jam-packed in there, so it's best to arrive early when things are still quiet.

In related news, Sunday Streets returns to San Francisco on April 26 (one day after the March for Babies walk). Sunday Streets made its SF debut last year and we happily participated in the activities. If you're not sure what Sunday Streets is, here's a bit of info taken from their email announcement, "Over ten thousand people turned out on each of two Sundays [last year] to enjoy the car free open space. We walked, skated, danced, biked and hula hooped along the 4.5 mile waterfront route with friends and neighbors, supporting local businesses along the way. We heard from many people who loved it and want to see it continue."

This year, Sunday Streets has dates scheduled throughout the summer. Their web site is still lacking any details on the activities, but if they open up the ballpark again and allow us to run the bases, then we are definitely there! We did that last year and it was one of the most surreal experiences being on the field, running the bases, and looking up into the stands. It's something that you simply cannot miss. Plus, they had the Fan Lot open, and because we got there early we practically had the place to ourselves, which was another surreal experience.

Checking out Sunday Streets and AT&T Park are two San Francisco experiences that can't be beat.

Yerba Buena Gardens Supports the Tap Project and UNICEF

March 23, 2009

YBG Tap Project Sculpture If you missed it this weekend, or if you haven’t been to Yerba Buena Gardens (YBG) in awhile, there is still time today and tomorrow to check out some new sculptures. YBG is providing UNICEF (in relation to the Tap project) sculpture space, pro bono, to help support the need for clean water. The sculptures will be showcased around the fountains until March 24th. This is an excellent opportunity to re-visit a popular San Francisco location, or if you’re brand new to the city, this is a spot you need to check out.

Yerba Buena Gardens (the garage is located at 5th and Mission) is a great place to take the kids to let them run and play. Surrounded by the Metreon and the Moscone, YBG has something for everyone:

Zeum
Zeum is a community-based art and technology museum serving youth and families in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. With a mission to foster creativity in young people, Zeum provides high quality, interactive experiences using art, media and technology tools to ignite the imagination and inspire lifelong learning.
Yerba Buena Ice Skating Center
The skating center offers year-round ice skating seven days a week, which includes public sessions, a skating school, and youth/adult hockey. The Hockey/Skate retail store features a full service Pro Shop and authentic skatewear. You can also host your Birthday Parties and Corporate events there. The center has accommodations for groups between 10-500 people.
Yerba Buena Bowling Center
The bowling center has 12 lanes, which are open 7 days a week. You can host Birthday Parties and Corporate Events for 10-100 people here and Bowling Leagues are also available.
Historic Charles Looff Carousel
The beautifully hand-carved Charles Loof Carousel was built in 1906 and was formerly the Carousel from Playland-at-the-Beach where it ran from 1912 to 1972. In 1998, it was purchased by the City of San Francisco, fully restored and brought to Yerba Buena Gardens. The carousel is open Daily from 10am-6pm. Admission is $2 per ride and is located at the corner of 4th and Howard next to the Zeum.

Kids Eat Free

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...

Who's Out There? Using Everyblock.com

January 27, 2009

Back when we lived in the lower Haight, like it or not, there was a fair bit of crime about. Most was low-level and not of concern, but -- call me a paranoid parent -- we decided to avoid that one block where the drug dealers moved in for a while. Still, these hazards were pretty hard to uncover -- until now. Forgive the slight digression off-topic, but I happened upon a Web site that's of Read more...

Get Your Ox On! Or, Happy Lunar New Year

January 26, 2009

Although your kids will be taking high school astronomy before they can explain the timing of the Chinese lunisolar calendar to you, even preschoolers can get into the celebration. Apart from next weekend's parade -- which is not to be missed, and is even worth pushing bedtime by an hour or so -- there are Chinatown festivals and street fairs aplenty from today (the actual new year's day) for Read more...

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

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...

99 Things to Do In San Francisco Before Kindergarten, Part 10: Monthly Adventures

December 22, 2008

Finally we come to the bottom of our list of San Francisco treats -- those toddler hot spot and unmissable adventures that every local kid should experience before kindergarten. I've saved something a little different for the final installment: stuff we try to find time for every single month. To me, raising a child isn't about providing rare points of high excitement to punctuate an Read more...

Sit With Santa -- No Waiting!

December 17, 2008

I always feared the obligatory Santa Claus portrait -- not the actual sitting, but the waiting. Call me crazy, but the thought of waiting most of an hour in line to pay extortionist rates for posed and washed-out photos seemed less than savory. So when we went down to Macy's the other day, it was actually to see the cute (and adoptable!) puppies and kittens that the SPCA puts in Macy's Read more...

The Dance-Along Nutcracker

December 03, 2008

Classical ballet -- even accessible shows like The Nutcracker -- makes me a little edgy. Which is why we were so excited last year to discover the "Dance-Along Nutcracker" down at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. It's presented annually by the San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band; this year's show is next weekend, the 13th and 14th. The show is exactly what it's billed to be, a Read more...

A San Francisco Holiday -- Kid-Style

December 02, 2008

San Francisco goes a little nutso around the holidays. Once those outlining lights appear on the Financial District's skyscrapers, holiday events start to crop up on every corner. If you're really intent on not missing a single one, you can check out the Visitors' Bureau's entire list of festivities , but to trim it down, here are some of my favorites: I love to ice skate, and there are once Read more...

November Recap

November 28, 2008

Thanks for a great month! We turned your preschooler into a foodie , had a bit of an alphabetical laugh , and baked a very messy loaf of bread . As the rain and fog closed in, we explored a passel of museums: the Sausalito Bay Model , the Conservatory of Flowers , Zeum , and the Bay Area Discovery Museum's new exhibit . I also tried to convince all and sundry that the Exploratorium is a great Read more...

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

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...

99 Things to Do In San Francisco Before Kindergarten, Part 5: Adventures

November 10, 2008

These not-to-be-missed activities could fit under one of the other categories, but even more, they all entail a sense of adventure, of your kids stretching a little farther than they think they can. Can a 5-year old really walk all the way across the Golden Gate Bridge and back? Possibly not, but then again -- possibly yes, and it's worth letting them try it. 41. Walk across the Golden Gate Read more...

Six San Francisco Locales for Inspiring Your Child's Imagination

October 14, 2008

The folks at Savvy headquarters have asked us this "List Tuesday" to describe some local spots that really inspire kids to creative, free-form imagination. We all love our museums and zoos, but sometimes kids need a little more undirected, unrestricted space. Here are some of my favorite "Imagination Zones": 1. The Beach. I know of few free-form, fully pliable environments that equal the Read more...

One Guaranteed Stock to Buy: Pumpkins

October 13, 2008

There's a large empty lot where Laguna Honda turns into 7th Avenue. Despite its barren, weedy expanse, every time we pass by on our way to Golden Gate Park my 2-and-a-half-year old daughter, Fern, points and shouts: "That's the pumpkin patch!" In my adult life, I can't remember going to much more trouble than a grocery store stop for my pumpkin needs: they're cheap and as plentiful as Read more...

Saturday is for Sou Boereg: The Armenian Festival is Here!

September 17, 2008

Last year, my wife, daughter, and I stumbled upon the 50th Anniversary of the Armenian Food Festival , held at St. Gregory's down on Brotherhood Way, and we plan to go for the next 50 years at least. The event had everything a cultural gathering should: an old guy wearing World War II ribbons expounding on how Armenia founded world culture, his wife pointing out the Armenian features of Read more...

Parents Entertaining Parents in San Francisco

September 16, 2008

The list handed down from Savvy headquarters today is "things to do with other grownups, with or without kids in tow." I found this a tricky one to compile for a bunch of reasons, not least that I don't really know much about being a grownup. Still, I am very social, so I threw together five of my favorite San Francisco adult-oriented destinations -- no, we'd better call them Read more...

Talking to Your Child About Differences

September 15, 2008

SavvySource national is talking about "Differences" today . Like most children, my 2-year old Fern is a freakishly sharp observer, so it was mortifying but not surprising last week when she shouted in the street: "Daddy, that man needs more hair!" My daughter only meant to call attention to a phenomenon unfamiliar to her: male pattern baldness. But the hair-challenged Read more...

Sweet Ways to Start the Preschool Year

September 02, 2008

Ah, your 3-year old is off to preschool for the first time! Or maybe your 5-year old has hit the kindergarten set, or your older kids have moved up a grade. The transition from summer freedom to a school regime can be sticky even for those kids who love school, so why not ease the shock with a sweet, ice-creamy celebration? Kids making it through their first days in a school setting 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...

$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...

Kid-friendly gourmet dining: Pauline's Pizza

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...

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...

Swim Classes: La Petite Baleen

July 08, 2008

Considering how much fun our daughter has in the bath tub every night, we decided to give swim classes another try. And with a new La Petite Baleen now open in the city's Presidio, we were not disappointed. With two gloriously warm pools (one for young kids and one for older kids) and enough toys and enthusiastic instructors to make that dude from Blue's Clues seem like a Debby Downer, La Petite Read more...

Best Place to View Fireworks

July 04, 2008

We used to live in Russian Hill, where thousands of people converged on Independence Day to view the fireworks. Look one way and you can see the show from Fisherman's Wharf. Turn the other and you can see what's going on near the Embarcadero or even across the bay in Oakland and Berkeley. If you're willing to give up prime viewing real estate for a little more room to roam for the kids, I would 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...

Savvy Insider: Tykes on Bikes Parade Sunday!

June 25, 2008

If you're looking to join the Pride parade this weekend, the Bay Area Discovery Museum is hosting a Tykes on Bikes ride that is sure to be a perfect introduction to a great San Francisco event. Jennifer Caleshu, a spokeswoman for the museum, says kids and their parents will meet up by 10 a.m. on Spear Street between Mission and Howard and will be a part of the family friendly contingent that 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...

Bicycle Jones: Great Place for Wheeled Wonder

June 13, 2008

This is a simple activity -- almost too simple really -- but it comes with a big payoff if you happen to have a kid who loves bikes. My wife rides her bike to work almost every day, and so of course our daughter wants to ride her own big-girl bike, too. Unfortunately, she's not so smooth on two wheels. Thankfully the Western Addition library branch has an ultra-cool bicycle stand that, when Read more...

Littlest Moby: Street Percussion Opera

May 30, 2008

The highlight of this budding experiment I call parenthood was when Emmeline broke out with the chorus from "American Pie" during what was supposed to be a lively rendition of Itsy Bitsy Spider. Music appreciation is something we both enjoy, even if her tastes skew slightly more '80s punk than her friends. (Tiffany is punk, right?) Thankfully, there are bountiful options in this city for 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.
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Top 5 Rainy (or Foggy) Day Activities

May 27, 2008

1. Playgroup at Sherith Israel Temple -- The Temple has a non-denominational gym that is by far the biggest and cleanest play space in the city. It costs $10 for the session but it is well, well worth it. Plus once a month they bring in a child development specialist to answer any question under the sun. Also, they're very dad friendly, so that helps. 2. BART. You don't need a particular Read more...

Horses and Heads for Little Historians

May 26, 2008

This may be best for younger kids, who still get excited about seeing animals in unusual places. Older kids, however, might revel in the stories of bandits and beheadings. (If you even want to go there, of course. You might just want to stick with the bandits, depending on how much sleep you want to get that night.) But if you happen to be downtown, and have a few minutes to spare, check out Read more...

Lions, Tigers and Huge, Hungry Gorillas

May 23, 2008

Until I met a good friend , who used to be a naturalist, I always went to the zoo with one thing in mind: see it all. He showed me that it's much more fun to find one or two or three special spots and just hang out as long as the kids want. ( You try dragging them away from the meerkats and prairie dogs!) But now I go him one better. We like to arrive a few minutes before the 10 a.m. opening Read more...

Lions, Tigers and Beaux-Arts Reliefs

May 21, 2008

Emmeline and I try to head downtown at least once a week to meet my wife for lunch, and if we've got a little extra time on our hands, we play a little game called "urban zoo." It's like a starter course for urban architecture and trust me, you will not win this game no matter how hard you try. Your child will pick out even the smallest, tiniest detail a solid block before you -- and that's the Read more...

Fountain of Fun -- Yerba Buena Waterfalls

May 20, 2008

My daughter is obsessed with puddles -- jumping in them, creating them, bringing them home in buckets and naming them Roger. (Seriously, kid, what's your deal?) And don't even get her started on fountains. If we're in a hurry and I see one, I have to cross the street to avoid it, otherwise we'll be stuck for a solid half hour. If you've got a water-obsessed toddler (see yesterday's post ), the Read more...

Littlest Critic: Sidewalk Spiders

May 14, 2008

You know those movie scenes where some old biddy sees a mouse in a restaurant jumps up screaming onto a table, clutching a purse and shouting for help? Yeah, well, that's me whenever I see a spider. So it's a little odd to see my daughter fall in love with a giant arachnid, but that's exactly what happened. We were at the Ferry Building the other day and we strolled down the Embarcadero to one Read more...

Favorite Place to Share a Cone