We're always on the look out for a restaurant that has really good food, is a little bit upscale, and is totally kid friendly since we often have grandparents or childless friends in town and we want to go somewhere nice with them while not having to get a babysitter. We went to The Portage (3938 N. Central) this weekend when we had some guests in town and we had a really great meal.
When we first walked in, and during the entire meal, everyone was super nice to us. It is a really small restaurant so I would recommend a reservation if you are coming with a group. We had a reservation for six so they sat us in the backroom, which they call the library. This room is separate from the rest of the dining room and gets in name from a couple of shelves full of books on one wall. We were told they have a give a book, take a book policy. It was like having our own private dining room, which was great.
When we sat down we were given a kids' menu and offered a booster seat - two good signs that kids are OK here. The kids' menu included basic kids fare like mac & cheese, a hamburger, and chicken fingers, which, of course, is what my kids ordered. The kids' meals come with a drink, choice of vegetable or french fries, and ice cream. The vegetable that night was brussel sprouts so the girls went with french fries. The meal that they got was definitely better than your average kids chicken fingers and the french fries were really good. The ice cream choices were raspberry, chocolate, chocolate chip cookie dough, and buttered popcorn. I tried to convince one of them to get the buttered popcorn but was unsuccessful. They went with chocolate and chocolate chip cookie dough and were very happy.
The food off of the regular menu was super good, too. We started with a gnocchi appetizer with a delicious mustard sauce. I had the Kobe meatloaf with mashed potatoes and carrots that I really enjoyed and my husband had the burger and he said it was great. The drink menu is pretty extensive with specialty cocktails and a decent selection of beer and wine. Overall we had a really delicious meal and felt totally comfortable with our kids there.
The restaurant is closed on Mondays and opens at 5:00 PM Tues. through Sun. Parking is available on the street.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Amy's Candy Bar
We decided to stop by this little candy shop in search of some fancy lollipops for Valentine's Day. The store is located in Ravenswood at 4704 N. Damen and is just the cutest thing. It is very small on the inside but the shelves are packed with the yummiest looking candy all displayed in glass containers that make the candy look beautiful. Immediately upon entering we were greeted in a very friendly way and were offered samples. Then we were left alone, which is nice in such a small store because being followed around can make you feel uncomfortable. I could immediately see that the store did not have exactly what I was looking for, however since we were in a candy store there was no way we were leaving empty handed. My daughter picked out some heart shaped Valentine's candy that she gobbled right up. I had a hard time deciding between all of the gummy flavors and shapes, taffy, and chocolate covered stuff. I finally settled on brightly colored, candy coated pretzel balls. They were so pretty in the plastic bag they come in and tasty as well. A little on the pricey side, though. I think all of the candy is priced around $2.25 per 1/4 pound and, at least in this house, a 1/4 pound doesn't go very far. Amy's is also known for its caramels, which we didn't have the opportunity to try.
The store is open seven days a week from 11 AM until 8 PM. It is located right off of the Damen Brown Line stop and there is metered parking out front. This candy shop would be a really awesome place to shop for birthday party favors or a baby shower (so many cute pastel colored candies) if you have the right budget, which, sadly, I never have.
The store is open seven days a week from 11 AM until 8 PM. It is located right off of the Damen Brown Line stop and there is metered parking out front. This candy shop would be a really awesome place to shop for birthday party favors or a baby shower (so many cute pastel colored candies) if you have the right budget, which, sadly, I never have.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Explore and Much More
Explore and Much More is located at 3827 N. Southport. My older daughter loves this play place and is always begging to go back. I think it is a great place to play for kids between ages 2 and about 6. When you first walk in the door there is an area to take off coats and shoes (socks only past the entrance) and the desk where you pay. There is a little area for strollers but if they run out of room they have another area where they store strollers. The play space has two levels. The first level has two climbing/sliding structures - one for toddlers and one for older kids. It's nice because you can watch two or more kids of different ages at the same time. Underneath the larger play structure there is a little play kitchen and also a reading nook. Along the wall is one of my daughters' favorite things, a series of tubes with air blowing through them. When you put a ball or scarf in the contraption they fly through and shoot out one end. You see these a lot at museums but not at play places very often. Downstairs is a bit more spacious for kids to run around. There is a bounce house, a toddler play area, a place to throw balls, and a couple of things for kids to climb on. Downstairs is also where the art room is located. There are drop in art classes on Thursdays at 10:00 AM. The art class (more like just a project for the kids to do than a class) is included with admission. They also offer a Creative Movement Class on Wednesdays at 10:30 that is also included with admission.
This play space does not have a coffee shop, like so many of them do, but they do offer free coffee from 9:30-10:30 Monday through Friday. You can bring snacks for your kids but can only eat them in a designated room, not within the play area.
Admission is pricey at $12 for the first kid and $9 for siblings but adults are free, as are children under 1 year of age, and you can play for as long as you like. Parking can be a bit difficult. Every time we have gone, we've found free street parking a few blocks away after searching for a couple of minutes. You can also park at a meter on Southport. On weekends or days when there is no school you can park in the Blaine school parking lot for $5 but you have to pay inside the play place. Explore and Much More is open from 9-5 Monday through Friday. They are also open on weekends as long as they don't have a party scheduled. Check their website to see a calendar (www.exploreandmuchmore.com) which indicates what hours they are open over the weekend. Explore and Much More does get quite crowded so I would recommend going when it first opens or in the afternoon when a lot of the kids in the neighborhood are down for their naps. My girls always have a really good time here but we don't go as often as they may like because of the high admission price.
This play space does not have a coffee shop, like so many of them do, but they do offer free coffee from 9:30-10:30 Monday through Friday. You can bring snacks for your kids but can only eat them in a designated room, not within the play area.
Admission is pricey at $12 for the first kid and $9 for siblings but adults are free, as are children under 1 year of age, and you can play for as long as you like. Parking can be a bit difficult. Every time we have gone, we've found free street parking a few blocks away after searching for a couple of minutes. You can also park at a meter on Southport. On weekends or days when there is no school you can park in the Blaine school parking lot for $5 but you have to pay inside the play place. Explore and Much More is open from 9-5 Monday through Friday. They are also open on weekends as long as they don't have a party scheduled. Check their website to see a calendar (www.exploreandmuchmore.com) which indicates what hours they are open over the weekend. Explore and Much More does get quite crowded so I would recommend going when it first opens or in the afternoon when a lot of the kids in the neighborhood are down for their naps. My girls always have a really good time here but we don't go as often as they may like because of the high admission price.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Family Grounds Cafe
When this cafe, located at 3652 N. Lincoln, opened a few years ago, I had a three year old and a newborn baby and we went there all the time. For me, the Cafe was a really great place to relax with the baby and also a fun place for my preschooler to play. It's been awhile since we've been there, however, since my older daughter has pretty much outgrown the place in the last couple of years. Now that she's back in school, though, I decided to go back with my two year old this week because I think she is the perfect age, I wanted to see if we would enjoy it as much as we used to, and I needed a latte.
I really think Family Grounds Cafe is an enjoyable place to spend a morning or afternoon when you have young kids. I think probably under three is the most appropriate age. When we were there my 2.5 year old was pretty much the oldest kid there. It's a relatively small space with not a lot of room for older kids to run around and really no other kids their own age to interact with.
There is a decent size, free parking lot out front. As you walk in the door, to the right, is a large area for strollers and coats. Then you enter the first part of the cafe, which is separated by a door from the play area and is mainly for those without kids who want to enjoy a cup of coffee or for families to hang out while waiting for their turn to play if the cafe is really busy. It is also in this first room, at the counter, that you pay to play. Admission is $6 per person including adults but non-crawling babies are free. Charging adults is a pet peeve of mine but at least at this play room, at times, space can be an issue. Your admission price covers about 90 minutes of play. The time that you arrive is written on your child's name tag so they know when it's time for you to leave.
Inside the play area it is socks only. A portion of the room has tables and chairs for parents to sit and have a coffee and for kids to have a snack. The rest is play space. The play area isn't huge but one of the best parts about the play area at Family Grounds is that they change the look frequently. Sometimes just subtly but it is enough to feel new to kids. There are two decent size playhouses that my daughter loved. One is always set up with a kitchen, dolls, and dress up clothes and the other one changes. We've been there when it was a play flower shop, farmer's market, and this week it was decorated like the jungle with a toy jeep to sit in and jungle animal themed toys. In addition there is a train table, balls to play with, books to read, and a little baby area for the youngest kids. Sometimes there is an art project for the kids to do, I think depending on the number and age of kids who are there. We've also been there when they've done face painting. On Saturdays they have live music. For the rest of January they are having pajama Mondays and on Thursday afternoons are offering free hot cocoa. The cafe offers just enough change, either through seasonal decorations or activities or with new toys or events, to stay fresh for families who go there frequently. We will definitely be back sometime soon.
No outside food is allowed. In the cafe you can get the usual types of drinks you would find at a coffee shop plus they have milk, juice boxes, and snacks for kids like Goldfish crackers. In addition, the cafe offers bagels, muffins, and a short menu of sandwiches and salads for lunch.
There are certain blocks of time during the week when Family Grounds takes reservations for play time through their website www.familygroundscafe.com. You don't have to make a reservation and you may not need one but it is an option. You never really know when it will be really crowded there and when it won't be. I've been there at times when the outer seating area was jammed with people waiting to get inside and other times, like this week, when there were only about 10 kids playing in the room for the morning session and only a few kids who came in later. In this situation, we were told that even though our time was up we were welcome to stay and play since they weren't busy. Just to be safe I would definitely make a reservation on a Saturday or if I was meeting a group of friends. There are other blocks of time during the day that are completely open play when you can't make a reservation.
In addition to having a parking lot and a large area to park strollers, the cafe is also located right off of the Addison Brown Line stop. The Cafe is open Monday through Friday from 8 AM until 6 PM and on Saturdays from 8 AM - 2PM.
I really think Family Grounds Cafe is an enjoyable place to spend a morning or afternoon when you have young kids. I think probably under three is the most appropriate age. When we were there my 2.5 year old was pretty much the oldest kid there. It's a relatively small space with not a lot of room for older kids to run around and really no other kids their own age to interact with.
There is a decent size, free parking lot out front. As you walk in the door, to the right, is a large area for strollers and coats. Then you enter the first part of the cafe, which is separated by a door from the play area and is mainly for those without kids who want to enjoy a cup of coffee or for families to hang out while waiting for their turn to play if the cafe is really busy. It is also in this first room, at the counter, that you pay to play. Admission is $6 per person including adults but non-crawling babies are free. Charging adults is a pet peeve of mine but at least at this play room, at times, space can be an issue. Your admission price covers about 90 minutes of play. The time that you arrive is written on your child's name tag so they know when it's time for you to leave.
Inside the play area it is socks only. A portion of the room has tables and chairs for parents to sit and have a coffee and for kids to have a snack. The rest is play space. The play area isn't huge but one of the best parts about the play area at Family Grounds is that they change the look frequently. Sometimes just subtly but it is enough to feel new to kids. There are two decent size playhouses that my daughter loved. One is always set up with a kitchen, dolls, and dress up clothes and the other one changes. We've been there when it was a play flower shop, farmer's market, and this week it was decorated like the jungle with a toy jeep to sit in and jungle animal themed toys. In addition there is a train table, balls to play with, books to read, and a little baby area for the youngest kids. Sometimes there is an art project for the kids to do, I think depending on the number and age of kids who are there. We've also been there when they've done face painting. On Saturdays they have live music. For the rest of January they are having pajama Mondays and on Thursday afternoons are offering free hot cocoa. The cafe offers just enough change, either through seasonal decorations or activities or with new toys or events, to stay fresh for families who go there frequently. We will definitely be back sometime soon.
No outside food is allowed. In the cafe you can get the usual types of drinks you would find at a coffee shop plus they have milk, juice boxes, and snacks for kids like Goldfish crackers. In addition, the cafe offers bagels, muffins, and a short menu of sandwiches and salads for lunch.
There are certain blocks of time during the week when Family Grounds takes reservations for play time through their website www.familygroundscafe.com. You don't have to make a reservation and you may not need one but it is an option. You never really know when it will be really crowded there and when it won't be. I've been there at times when the outer seating area was jammed with people waiting to get inside and other times, like this week, when there were only about 10 kids playing in the room for the morning session and only a few kids who came in later. In this situation, we were told that even though our time was up we were welcome to stay and play since they weren't busy. Just to be safe I would definitely make a reservation on a Saturday or if I was meeting a group of friends. There are other blocks of time during the day that are completely open play when you can't make a reservation.
In addition to having a parking lot and a large area to park strollers, the cafe is also located right off of the Addison Brown Line stop. The Cafe is open Monday through Friday from 8 AM until 6 PM and on Saturdays from 8 AM - 2PM.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Ice Skating Fun
My daughters are still quite young and I'm really no Michelle Kwan myself, so, for us, what constitutes a great ice rink is the one that is not the coolest, most popular place in town. The ice rink in Millennium park looks so fun but we definitely need a few years practice before we'll be there and the rink at Wrigley just seems too crowded. We've found a couple ice rinks in the City that are less crowded or if they are crowded everyone else is a beginner too.
Midway Plaisance Park (1130 Midway Plaisance North)
Hours: Mon. - Fri. and Sun. 12-7, Sat. 1-9.
The skating rink is located on the University of Chicago's campus but open to the public. We've been here a couple times, once with the girls, and it has never been super crowded. Skating is free during the week but costs $5/person on the weekend. There is a little building where you can rent skates, purchase snacks (coffee, chips, soda, that kind of thing), and warm up a little bit. Skate rental is about $6. Parking is available on Midway Plaisance (going either direction) for free. On the weekends and afternoons it is usually decently easy to find parking - basically anytime you're not fighting with students for spots. Driving is your best bet, since taking public transportation to Hyde Park can be tricky. They also offer Skating lessons at the park on Saturdays and Sundays.
Warren Park (6601 N. Western)
Hours: Wed.-Sun. 12:30-2:30, 3-5, 5:30-7:30
At the opposite side of the City, Warren Park offers another good place to ice skate. When we went over Winter Break it was pretty crowded but the majority were families with kids who were just learning to skate. Skating is free here if you have your own skates and I believe skate rentals are around $6. This rink also had a little building to warm up in, however they do not sell snacks. The park has a large, free parking lot right by the ice rink. I believe the gaps in skating time is when the ice is cleared of skaters for the Zamboni machine.
American Heartland Ice Arena (7374 N. Lincoln, Lincolnwood)
This skating facility does not currently offer open skating to the public (public skating will resume in the summer) but they do offer plenty of skating lessons. The arena has two skating rinks. The larger, nicer rink is used for hockey leagues and the smaller rink is used for ice skating lessons. They offer a lot of different lesson options depending on skill level for kids starting at 3 years old. Their website provides details on all classes (www.heartlandicearena.com). The tot classes, which my daughter has taken, are 30 minutes long and then they allow the kids 15 minutes afterward for free skate, which you can join your kid for if you have skates. Skate rental for kids in classes is $2. You can watch your child through large windows in a heated room or out in the rink just off the ice (which is quite chilly). My daughter has really enjoyed her classes at this facility. The teachers are super nice and incredibly patient. There is probably about one teacher for every 4 kids for the very basic classes with a lower teacher/child ratio for more advanced classes. Your child doesn't need to have any skating ability to take the introductory class. There is a snack bar with drinks, candy, and other snacks, plenty of room to sit and wait for your child's class to finish, and a large parking lot adjacent to the rink.
Midway Plaisance Park (1130 Midway Plaisance North)
Hours: Mon. - Fri. and Sun. 12-7, Sat. 1-9.
The skating rink is located on the University of Chicago's campus but open to the public. We've been here a couple times, once with the girls, and it has never been super crowded. Skating is free during the week but costs $5/person on the weekend. There is a little building where you can rent skates, purchase snacks (coffee, chips, soda, that kind of thing), and warm up a little bit. Skate rental is about $6. Parking is available on Midway Plaisance (going either direction) for free. On the weekends and afternoons it is usually decently easy to find parking - basically anytime you're not fighting with students for spots. Driving is your best bet, since taking public transportation to Hyde Park can be tricky. They also offer Skating lessons at the park on Saturdays and Sundays.
Warren Park (6601 N. Western)
Hours: Wed.-Sun. 12:30-2:30, 3-5, 5:30-7:30
At the opposite side of the City, Warren Park offers another good place to ice skate. When we went over Winter Break it was pretty crowded but the majority were families with kids who were just learning to skate. Skating is free here if you have your own skates and I believe skate rentals are around $6. This rink also had a little building to warm up in, however they do not sell snacks. The park has a large, free parking lot right by the ice rink. I believe the gaps in skating time is when the ice is cleared of skaters for the Zamboni machine.
American Heartland Ice Arena (7374 N. Lincoln, Lincolnwood)
This skating facility does not currently offer open skating to the public (public skating will resume in the summer) but they do offer plenty of skating lessons. The arena has two skating rinks. The larger, nicer rink is used for hockey leagues and the smaller rink is used for ice skating lessons. They offer a lot of different lesson options depending on skill level for kids starting at 3 years old. Their website provides details on all classes (www.heartlandicearena.com). The tot classes, which my daughter has taken, are 30 minutes long and then they allow the kids 15 minutes afterward for free skate, which you can join your kid for if you have skates. Skate rental for kids in classes is $2. You can watch your child through large windows in a heated room or out in the rink just off the ice (which is quite chilly). My daughter has really enjoyed her classes at this facility. The teachers are super nice and incredibly patient. There is probably about one teacher for every 4 kids for the very basic classes with a lower teacher/child ratio for more advanced classes. Your child doesn't need to have any skating ability to take the introductory class. There is a snack bar with drinks, candy, and other snacks, plenty of room to sit and wait for your child's class to finish, and a large parking lot adjacent to the rink.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Chinatown
I've mentioned in the past that my daughters are very picky eaters and have very low attention spans, so I have to say I was quite surprised when they both greatly enjoyed a trip to Chinatown recently. Our first stop was Three Happiness (209 W. Cermak) for lunch. Everyone in the restaurant was eating dim sum. We lamely asked for menus assuming that our daughters wouldn't eat anything off the dim sum carts. To our surprise, as my older daughter saw what the options were, she decided to give it a try. The food was really good and while my daughter only really ate two things, noodles and shrimp egg rolls, we considered the dining experience a success since she tried some new things. We ended up ordering won ton soup off the regular menu for our other daughter and she went to town on it. There were lots of other kids in the restaurant and they have high chairs - our kids were definitely not out of place. Lunch was around $30 for the four of us.
After lunch we just walked around and looked in all the different shops along Wentworth. The girls loved all the little nick knacks and strange things hanging in some of the store windows. There are several spots to buy smoothies and when my daughter was so thirsty that she couldn't go on, we got a strawberry one. I was actually surprised by how good it was. We also purchased the ultimate tourist item - a big bag of fortune cookies.
It's super easy to get to Chinatown. The Red Line drops you off right there. We drove down and parked in a parking lot right by the Red Line stop. If you get your parking ticket validated at a store or restaurant, the price to park is $2 for three hours. Strollers can be difficult in this part of the City. The sidewalks are narrow and it is hard to navigate a stroller in the shops. It would be better to bring a carrier for getting around with a baby.
The weather was quite nice when we went and we ended up having a really nice afternoon just wandering around. There are some great parks in Chinatown, too, but January isn't really the time to explore them.
Claim token: SUW733XV2P4J
After lunch we just walked around and looked in all the different shops along Wentworth. The girls loved all the little nick knacks and strange things hanging in some of the store windows. There are several spots to buy smoothies and when my daughter was so thirsty that she couldn't go on, we got a strawberry one. I was actually surprised by how good it was. We also purchased the ultimate tourist item - a big bag of fortune cookies.
It's super easy to get to Chinatown. The Red Line drops you off right there. We drove down and parked in a parking lot right by the Red Line stop. If you get your parking ticket validated at a store or restaurant, the price to park is $2 for three hours. Strollers can be difficult in this part of the City. The sidewalks are narrow and it is hard to navigate a stroller in the shops. It would be better to bring a carrier for getting around with a baby.
The weather was quite nice when we went and we ended up having a really nice afternoon just wandering around. There are some great parks in Chinatown, too, but January isn't really the time to explore them.
Claim token: SUW733XV2P4J
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Monkey Island
In the middle of winter, when the kids are starting to go crazy indoors and they need a place to run around, Monkey Island is a good option. This facility is really big and has quite a few different options for kids. The first room you see when you walk into the warehouse size building has 3 or 4 large bounce houses with slides, a decently sized toddler play area, and a large climbing gym with tube slides. Kids need to take there shoes off to play on any of the equipment. My daughters had a lot of fun bouncing and climbing in this first room. My two year old was a little young for the climbing gym. Sheer willpower got her up to the top so she could play with the big kids. Given that, I would suggest bringing kids three and older to Monkey Island. Especially since they have a policy (posted on big signs throughout the facility) that parents are not to go into the bounce houses with their children. My younger daughter climbed up to the top of one of them to go down the slide and just froze. I went up and got her - this was really the only option - and someone who worked there said it was no big deal to go in with little kids when it's not busy. Younger siblings could have a good time in the toddler area but this area is not fun enough for the admission price so I wouldn't come with only a toddler. There is a second huge room located in the back that has a couple more bounce houses, arcade type games, and a mini indoor soccer field.
In the first room you can buy food that includes pizza, nachos, hot dogs, juice boxes, and coffee. I'm just going to say we decided to eat somewhere else for lunch. The website refers to the "coffee lounge" where you can hang out while your kids play. This area is just a bunch of tables and folding chairs, not nearly as relaxing as a lot of the other smaller play place/cafes in the city. You are not supposed to bring in outside food and drinks.
Monkey Island is located at 2100 N. 15th Avenue in Melrose Park. You may feel like you are driving through a bunch of warehouses and you can't be in the right spot but you are. There is plenty of parking out front. Price is $8.40 per kid and $4.20 per adult. I hate when places like this charge for adults since they aren't doing anything but standing around and watching their kids. Anyway, be prepared and leave the extra adults at home.
My girls had a great time when they were here. It's a really great place to run around when it is too hot or too cold to go to the park.
In the first room you can buy food that includes pizza, nachos, hot dogs, juice boxes, and coffee. I'm just going to say we decided to eat somewhere else for lunch. The website refers to the "coffee lounge" where you can hang out while your kids play. This area is just a bunch of tables and folding chairs, not nearly as relaxing as a lot of the other smaller play place/cafes in the city. You are not supposed to bring in outside food and drinks.
Monkey Island is located at 2100 N. 15th Avenue in Melrose Park. You may feel like you are driving through a bunch of warehouses and you can't be in the right spot but you are. There is plenty of parking out front. Price is $8.40 per kid and $4.20 per adult. I hate when places like this charge for adults since they aren't doing anything but standing around and watching their kids. Anyway, be prepared and leave the extra adults at home.
My girls had a great time when they were here. It's a really great place to run around when it is too hot or too cold to go to the park.
Friday, January 6, 2012
Field Museum - Whale Exhibit
Over winter break we went to the Field Museum. In addition to all the wonderful things that are there to look at, we also went to the Whales Giants of the Deep exhibit, which is only there until January 16th. It was a hit with everyone in our family. There was a good balance between informative details for adults and hands on activities for kids. The exhibit included a really interesting display of the evolution of the whale, and interactive elements about the size of whales, how they communicate and how they find food. In addition, the exhibit went into a lot of detail about how whales get stranded on beaches and how they are rescued. My kids loved the giant whale heart model that you can climb into.
For adult admission, I believe you pay and extra $7 over the basic admission to see a special exhibit and it is an additional $5 for children. I think this exhibit is worth seeing but you have to go now because it closes January 16th. Just a note, you are not allowed to bring strollers into the exhibit. I would know since I got yelled at for trying to do it. They have a blocked off area where you can leave your stroller.
For adult admission, I believe you pay and extra $7 over the basic admission to see a special exhibit and it is an additional $5 for children. I think this exhibit is worth seeing but you have to go now because it closes January 16th. Just a note, you are not allowed to bring strollers into the exhibit. I would know since I got yelled at for trying to do it. They have a blocked off area where you can leave your stroller.
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