Over the long holiday weekend we decided to try a new restaurant for breakfast, the meal where everyone is likely to be the most well behaved in our family. As I mentioned in the last post, the cover story of the last issue of Chicago magazine was about the best places to get breakfast. We decided to choose a restaurant from the list where we had never dined. We chose Cafe Selmarie in Lincoln Square (4729 N. Lincoln), which is a restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner as well as being a bakery with cakes, cookies, pies and breads available for purchase.
It was hard to get the girls past the awesome display of goodies in the bakery at the front, but somehow we managed to get back to the dining area. When we arrived, around 9:30, it was busy but there were some open tables. In the restaurant there were plenty of kids, it is Lincoln Square after all, so we definitely felt comfortable. On the menu, there is really just one option for children, the kid's breakfast, but we were perfectly happy with it because it is exactly what my daughter always wants: 1 scrambled egg, 1 pancake, and two sausage links (or bacon). If your kid has different preferences they also offer muffins, breakfast potatoes, croissants, English muffins, and other similar items as sides. We were able to order a single pancake for my other daughter, who proceeded to eat none of it. I had a croissant sandwich, that included scrambled eggs, bacon, and cheddar cheese and came with potatoes and mixed greens on the side. It was really good. My husband had the omelet special, which was prosciutto, asparagus, and asiago. He thought it was just OK. My older daughter devoured her kid's breakfast. I had a really delicious latte and my husband and daughter thoroughly enjoyed their whip cream topped hot chocolate.
Tuesday through Friday breakfast is served from 8 AM-11AM. Saturday brunch is served from 9 AM until 3:45 and Sunday brunch is from 9 AM until 3 PM. The menu is different during the week from the weekend and the menu is even different between Saturday and Sunday (kid's breakfast is the same every morning). The restaurant is located within easy walking distance of the Western Brown Line stop. There is a lot of parking available in the area but it can often be hard to find parking in Lincoln Square. There is not a ton room to bring in a stroller. You could probably leave it outside or maybe they have a place to store them, but it's not a huge restaurant.
On our way out we of course stopped at the front for some yummy baked goods. The girls went for turkey shaped sugar cookies with lots of glittery sprinkles on top. My husband and I had a hard time deciding what we wanted to try but ultimately decided on a slice of chocolate mousse cake that was very, very good. The cafe/bakery area is pretty small but there is a little room to sit and have some coffee and dessert (but probably not room for a whole family). The bakery also offers a holiday menu where you can order cakes and pies for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Prices are a little steep for us, though, so I guess everyone in our family will have to deal with my baking.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Chicago Public Libraries
We love the library. We've been to different branches throughout the city and some are better than others but they are all a great asset to their neighborhoods. A few years ago when I was home with a three year old and a baby we went to the library literally every week. Now we go every two or three weeks, which I think is more normal but we still get so much from our visits. My daughters love books and we own so many but after awhile they all get a little stale. The ability to check out 30 books at a time is so incredibly great. Rarely do we check out that many because they get a little heavy to carry home, but we usually get somewhere around 15 books per trip - and we always find something new. It is really crazy to me when I hear people with young children say they have never been to the library. Most neighborhoods have easy access to a library and it is really easy to get a library card. All you have to do is go to a library, fill out a really basic form, and show them your drivers license or two forms of identification. That's it - super easy. Even your kids can get their own library cards.
Recently Mayor Emanuel has proposed cutting library hours even further (hours were already shortened about a year ago) and reducing library staff City wide. I don't want this to be a political post because obviously to balance the City budget cuts will have to be made and I'm sure it is difficult to find a place to make cuts that don't upset someone. I just think when a situation like this arises it makes you appreciate something that perhaps is often taken for granted. I really just want to celebrate the great libraries we have and for this post to be a reminder of what a fabulous and free activity a trip to the library is.
Besides access to free books and DVDs, the libraries also have great childrens programs. Most libraries have story hour for toddlers and preschoolers. I've been to a lot of these story times and they are really great for introducing new books to kids and teaching young kids how to sit quietly, listen, and be respectful to the reader. Every year the libraries also provide a summer reading program. There is always a theme with lots of special activities to go along with it, the libraries get a bunch of new books related to the theme and if your child completes the reading program they get a free T-shirt. In addition at the library you can check out museum passes that will get you into most of the museums in the City for free. You can return your books to any library in the City regardless of where you checked them out and can request books from other libraries to be sent to your local library and held for you. If you haven't been to the library lately, or at all, it is worth checking out. The website www.chipublib.org provides information on hours and events at all of the branch libraries plus allows you to search for books.
Recently Mayor Emanuel has proposed cutting library hours even further (hours were already shortened about a year ago) and reducing library staff City wide. I don't want this to be a political post because obviously to balance the City budget cuts will have to be made and I'm sure it is difficult to find a place to make cuts that don't upset someone. I just think when a situation like this arises it makes you appreciate something that perhaps is often taken for granted. I really just want to celebrate the great libraries we have and for this post to be a reminder of what a fabulous and free activity a trip to the library is.
Besides access to free books and DVDs, the libraries also have great childrens programs. Most libraries have story hour for toddlers and preschoolers. I've been to a lot of these story times and they are really great for introducing new books to kids and teaching young kids how to sit quietly, listen, and be respectful to the reader. Every year the libraries also provide a summer reading program. There is always a theme with lots of special activities to go along with it, the libraries get a bunch of new books related to the theme and if your child completes the reading program they get a free T-shirt. In addition at the library you can check out museum passes that will get you into most of the museums in the City for free. You can return your books to any library in the City regardless of where you checked them out and can request books from other libraries to be sent to your local library and held for you. If you haven't been to the library lately, or at all, it is worth checking out. The website www.chipublib.org provides information on hours and events at all of the branch libraries plus allows you to search for books.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Wishbone
The cover story of the November issue of Chicago magazine is Best Breakfasts so I wanted to write about one of my family's favorite breakfast places. It is mentioned in the magazine article but the couple of lines written about it just don't do it justice. Everyone in our family loves to have breakfast at Wishbone (3300 N. Lincoln). The restaurant is quite large and always loud, which is perfect for toddlers. On Saturday and Sunday mornings probably 70% of the tables have kids at them so we always feel totally comfortable bringing in our crazy girls. Wishbone provides coloring pages, high chairs, and kids drinks with lids and straws like any restaurant that caters to kids. Plus the brightly decorated restaurant always distracts our girls while we wait for our food. Servers are generally great with the kids, too.
Wishbone specializes in Southern cooking and is open 7 days a week for breakfast. The kids breakfast menu is pretty basic and consists of eggs, a pancake (shaped like Mickey Mouse), granola, and french toast. My kids like a basic American breakfast of eggs and pancakes so this menu is perfect for them. The regular breakfast menu has quite a few more options that are really tasty. The omelets are really good and come with delicious home fries. My husband thinks they have some the best bacon. As I mentioned, Wishbone specializes in Southern cuisine and their breakfast menu includes shrimp and grits, crab cakes, red beans and rice, and blackened catfish. I really don't think you can order wrong. I also love the lattes and fresh squeezed juice. Lunch and dinner is also served here. On Tuesdays kids eat free for dinner.
Wishbone opens at 8 AM on Saturdays and Sundays. It is generally not that hard to get a table if you get to the restaurant on the early side. However, if you get there after 10 it can be really busy and you may have to wait awhile. There is a small waiting area inside the restaurant and a little room for strollers but not a lot. Parking is available at meters on Lincoln or if you can get lucky and find parking on a side street for free. The Paulina stop on the Brown Line is only a few block walk away.
Wishbone is definitely one of our favorite places to have breakfast and judging by the crowds it draws on the weekends it is a favorite of many families.
Wishbone specializes in Southern cooking and is open 7 days a week for breakfast. The kids breakfast menu is pretty basic and consists of eggs, a pancake (shaped like Mickey Mouse), granola, and french toast. My kids like a basic American breakfast of eggs and pancakes so this menu is perfect for them. The regular breakfast menu has quite a few more options that are really tasty. The omelets are really good and come with delicious home fries. My husband thinks they have some the best bacon. As I mentioned, Wishbone specializes in Southern cuisine and their breakfast menu includes shrimp and grits, crab cakes, red beans and rice, and blackened catfish. I really don't think you can order wrong. I also love the lattes and fresh squeezed juice. Lunch and dinner is also served here. On Tuesdays kids eat free for dinner.
Wishbone opens at 8 AM on Saturdays and Sundays. It is generally not that hard to get a table if you get to the restaurant on the early side. However, if you get there after 10 it can be really busy and you may have to wait awhile. There is a small waiting area inside the restaurant and a little room for strollers but not a lot. Parking is available at meters on Lincoln or if you can get lucky and find parking on a side street for free. The Paulina stop on the Brown Line is only a few block walk away.
Wishbone is definitely one of our favorite places to have breakfast and judging by the crowds it draws on the weekends it is a favorite of many families.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
County Line Orchard
I love fall in Chicago. The weather is great and there are so many fun things to do with kids. For the last two years we have gone apple picking at County Line Orchard in Hobart, IN. The weekends can get really crazy there but there is lots of fun things to do for kids of all ages. The main attraction, of course is the apple orchard. Depending on when you go, different apples will be in season but they could include Cortland, Honeycrisp, Golden Delicious, Rome, Gala, and a bunch more - they grow over 20 different varieties. We picked a bunch of different kinds of apples and they have all been really good. It costs $1.75 per pound for the apples.
The cost of admission varies depending on what you plan to do while there. If the only thing you want to do is pick apples admission is $1. We did the Lil' Farmer Pass for $5/person that gives you access to the kid's farm in addition apple picking. For $7/person you get everything in the Lil' Farmer Pass plus you can do the corn maze. For $10/person, in addition to everything else, you get unlimited rides on the moo choo, which is a little kid train ride. We knew our group wouldn't have enough energy to do everything so we just stuck with apple picking and the kids farm. The ticket booths are located outside just beyond the big barn. There is a cute little map on their website (http://countylineorchard.com/orchard-map.asp) that shows the orchard layout.
A tractor pulled wagon provides rides out to the orchard. We always take the tractor out because the kids love the ride but if you want to avoid the line you can just as easily walk. We usually walk back (although a tractor will pick you up) after we've picked our apples because it is so close. Apple picking is just such a fun fall activity! Availability of apples, of course, varies from year to year but this year they had a very good selection available. It was super easy for the girls to find good apples to pick at their level. Last year we went at about the same time and there was very little to pick. There were some weather related problems that caused a bad apple crop all over the midwest but we still had a good time. The tractor will also take you out to the corn maze and pumkin patch, which are both a bit farther out but still walkable. A lot of people bring wagons to haul their pumpkins. The price for pumkings $0.30 per pound.
You can pay for your apples and pumpkins inside the big barn. In addition they sell a wide range of other products from squash and other vegetables to Christmas decorations. Our favorite are the donuts. They sell pumpkin and apple. Both are very, very good. While there we also had to pick up a gallon of apple cidar, which we also really enjoyed.
After paying for our apples and buying way too many other things, we headed out to the Kids Farm. The farm has goats, chickens and roosters, miniature ponies, pot belly pigs, and cows. There is also a maze made out of hay, which is a bit easier for little kids to manuever than the corn maze and tractors the kids can sit on. In addition, there is this robot dinosaur called Peter the Pumpkin Eater that puts on a show every hour. The highlight of the show is that he "eats" a pumpkin. It is the kind of show that kids really enjoy and but kind of annoys their parents. Of course my girls went crazy for it and are still talking about it a week later.
There are lots of food options besides donuts. You can bring your own food and eat at picnic tables provided. There is a grill that sells hot dogs, hamburgers, grilled cheese, and that kind of stuff. In addition, there is an indoor eating area that serves a different menu and includes items such as chicken fingers and mac and cheese. We haven't eaten at the orchard but the grilled stuff always smells really good. Live music is provided on an outdoor stage near the picnic tables.
There are bathrooms located in the main barn and then some portable bathrooms located through out the grounds. Whether you bring a stroller or not really depends on how much your kid will be riding in it. It can be a bit of a walk from the parking lot and from the orchard to the outdoor eating area and petting zoo so if you don't think your child can walk those distances or you would have to constantly be carrying your child if you didn't have a stroller, I would suggest bringing one. One the other hand, it can get really crowded inside the buildings, a lot of the ground is covered in wood chips, which is hard to push a stroller on, and you can't really take your stroller on the tractor ride out to the orchard/pumpkin patch. There is plenty of parking but you may need to walk a bit.
The orchard gets really, really busy on nice weekends so if you want to avoid large crowds you might want to try a weekday, if possible. The Orchard is open daily from 9 AM until 6PM. Despite the crowds we always have fun here because it feels like such a perfect fall activity.
The cost of admission varies depending on what you plan to do while there. If the only thing you want to do is pick apples admission is $1. We did the Lil' Farmer Pass for $5/person that gives you access to the kid's farm in addition apple picking. For $7/person you get everything in the Lil' Farmer Pass plus you can do the corn maze. For $10/person, in addition to everything else, you get unlimited rides on the moo choo, which is a little kid train ride. We knew our group wouldn't have enough energy to do everything so we just stuck with apple picking and the kids farm. The ticket booths are located outside just beyond the big barn. There is a cute little map on their website (http://countylineorchard.com/orchard-map.asp) that shows the orchard layout.
A tractor pulled wagon provides rides out to the orchard. We always take the tractor out because the kids love the ride but if you want to avoid the line you can just as easily walk. We usually walk back (although a tractor will pick you up) after we've picked our apples because it is so close. Apple picking is just such a fun fall activity! Availability of apples, of course, varies from year to year but this year they had a very good selection available. It was super easy for the girls to find good apples to pick at their level. Last year we went at about the same time and there was very little to pick. There were some weather related problems that caused a bad apple crop all over the midwest but we still had a good time. The tractor will also take you out to the corn maze and pumkin patch, which are both a bit farther out but still walkable. A lot of people bring wagons to haul their pumpkins. The price for pumkings $0.30 per pound.
You can pay for your apples and pumpkins inside the big barn. In addition they sell a wide range of other products from squash and other vegetables to Christmas decorations. Our favorite are the donuts. They sell pumpkin and apple. Both are very, very good. While there we also had to pick up a gallon of apple cidar, which we also really enjoyed.
After paying for our apples and buying way too many other things, we headed out to the Kids Farm. The farm has goats, chickens and roosters, miniature ponies, pot belly pigs, and cows. There is also a maze made out of hay, which is a bit easier for little kids to manuever than the corn maze and tractors the kids can sit on. In addition, there is this robot dinosaur called Peter the Pumpkin Eater that puts on a show every hour. The highlight of the show is that he "eats" a pumpkin. It is the kind of show that kids really enjoy and but kind of annoys their parents. Of course my girls went crazy for it and are still talking about it a week later.
There are lots of food options besides donuts. You can bring your own food and eat at picnic tables provided. There is a grill that sells hot dogs, hamburgers, grilled cheese, and that kind of stuff. In addition, there is an indoor eating area that serves a different menu and includes items such as chicken fingers and mac and cheese. We haven't eaten at the orchard but the grilled stuff always smells really good. Live music is provided on an outdoor stage near the picnic tables.
There are bathrooms located in the main barn and then some portable bathrooms located through out the grounds. Whether you bring a stroller or not really depends on how much your kid will be riding in it. It can be a bit of a walk from the parking lot and from the orchard to the outdoor eating area and petting zoo so if you don't think your child can walk those distances or you would have to constantly be carrying your child if you didn't have a stroller, I would suggest bringing one. One the other hand, it can get really crowded inside the buildings, a lot of the ground is covered in wood chips, which is hard to push a stroller on, and you can't really take your stroller on the tractor ride out to the orchard/pumpkin patch. There is plenty of parking but you may need to walk a bit.
The orchard gets really, really busy on nice weekends so if you want to avoid large crowds you might want to try a weekday, if possible. The Orchard is open daily from 9 AM until 6PM. Despite the crowds we always have fun here because it feels like such a perfect fall activity.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Dairy Star
Even though summer is over, we decided to try a new (for us) ice cream place. We went to Dairy Star located at 3472 W. Devon. The store is located on Devon where the south side of the street is Chicago and the north side is Lincolnwood so Dairy Star is officially located in Lincolnwood. They offer soft serve chocolate and vanilla ice cream, with a wide variety of ways to upgrade the standards. For example, Dairy Star offers 11 different dip flavors for your cone. My daughter had her vanilla cone dipped in cotton candy flavor and she really enjoyed it. They also offer vanilla cones with "flavor bursts" added to them. Flavor bursts are flavored gels that are swirled into the cone. About 8 different flavors are offered and you can combine up to three different flavors in one cone. Since I had never had a cone with a flavor burst before I decided to try the strawberry. It was actually pretty good and my daughter absolutely loved it. Because there is so much more ice cream than the gel that is added you get more of a subtle flavor, which I think is good. We all got smalls but it was A LOT of ice cream - way more than a two year could or should eat. Although my youngest daughter freaked out when I threw her chocolate cone out even though the cone had pretty much turned into a squishy mess. They also have other ice cream desserts like sundaes, floats, milkshakes, splits, and ice cream bars. I can't remember how much each cone cost but for the three of us to each get a small cone it was around seven dollars.
We got there just in time. They close for the winter September 29th so go there soon if you want to visit before next year. During the summer they are open everyday at noon. Dairy Star is really just a walk up window with a bunch of picnic tables nearby where you can enjoy your ice cream. There is no inside seating. Unless you live nearby you'll have to drive but there is a fairly large free parking lot.
Overall we had a pretty good time when we went there and my older daughter enjoyed the ice cream so much that as we were leaving she asked if we could go back the next day.
We got there just in time. They close for the winter September 29th so go there soon if you want to visit before next year. During the summer they are open everyday at noon. Dairy Star is really just a walk up window with a bunch of picnic tables nearby where you can enjoy your ice cream. There is no inside seating. Unless you live nearby you'll have to drive but there is a fairly large free parking lot.
Overall we had a pretty good time when we went there and my older daughter enjoyed the ice cream so much that as we were leaving she asked if we could go back the next day.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Garfield Park Conservatory
I love the Garfield Park Conservatory at 300 N. Central Park. Admission is free, it is generally not very busy during the week, and there are lots of things for the girls to look at and do. My girls will generally spend more than the expected amount of time looking at the tropical plants, especially the cacti in the desert house. In the lobby you can pick up a scavenger hunt that encourages your kids to find specific plants within the Conservatory. Some of them are a bit hard to find but there are plenty of obvious ones that are fun for kids such as oranges and banana. One of the must see attractions for us on every visit is a large pond located kind of in the middle of the conservatory that contains a lot of large goldfish. There is a bench for sitting and watching the fish swim and that's what we do for as long as I am willing.
The highlight of the Conservatory for families, however, is the Elizabeth Morse Genius Children's Garden. My kids' favorite parts of the Children's Garden are the tall tube slide, the spray bottles that they get to use to water the plants, and the tubs of dirt that are put out for them to dig in with mini shovels and rakes.
We almost always go to the Conservatory on Mondays for the Morning Glories program. The target age for this program is 3-5 and involves a small project and a story that goes along with the theme. There is a suggested donation of $2 if you participate in the make and take activity but it truly is just suggested since they don't ask you for the money and instead there is box off to the side where you can put it. The activities generally have a nature theme to then, are generally relevant to what's growing inside the conservatory, and are somewhat seasonal. I think about once a month they do something edible (such as make herbal ice tea or ice cream). A schedule of upcoming activities is provided on the Conservatory website at http://www.garfieldconservatory.org/early_childhood.htm. They seem to have about 20 or 30 activities that they rotate. Even though we've been there a bunch of times we've never done the same activity twice. Some of the things we've done are planted a chocolate mint plant, decorated a twig with beads and ribbons to make a wish stick, made a butterfly and made bee goggles. My two favorite things we did were a scratch and sniff bracelets and an orange pomander. Both things smelled so good. The orange pomander was basically just inserting cloves all around the outside of the orange to make a Christmas ornament. The bracelets involved stringing small squares of sand paper that had shapes punched in them onto a bracelet. The kids then got to choose from items that smell really good like a cinnamon stick or nutmeg and rubbed then against the sandpaper. After the activity a staff member reads a story that is usually loosely related to the project. Most activities need a little parent help, depending on your child's age, but there is usually ample staff to help your child if you have more than one kid to keep your hands and eyes on. The format for the activities is a drop in program from 10 -12. Every 20 minutes or so they gather a group of kids to do the activity and story. If you arrive after one has already started you need to wait for the next one. It can get kind of busy on Monday mornings but we've never had a problem not getting into to the next available session after we get there. They usually try to make room for everyone who is there. As always, I suggest getting there early, however. A similar program is also available on Saturday and Sunday afternoons from 1-3.
Strollers can be kind of tricky in the Conservatory. It is not like you can't have one or even that it doesn't fit but pathways can be kind of narrow plus once you get to the Children's Garden there is not a lot a space to park it. I've gone both with and without the stroller and it really depends on whether you need it or not. I've gone with a sleeping baby in a stroller and it worked out pretty good (baby slept off to the side while we participated in the project) but now that I two kids who can walk it is just easier not to have the stroller.
As far as I know, the only bathrooms in the place are located just outside the entrance, near the gift shop, so have your kids go before you go in. In terms of food, it is OK to bring a lunch in and there are tables where you can eat. Also, I think you can buy sandwiches and snacks in the gift shop.
There is a free parking lot adjacent to the Conservatory. In addition, the Green Line drops you off right there. I have done both and they both work equally well. I'm not going to lie, the Conservatory is not located in the best neighborhood in the City but we've never had any problems there.
Every September the Conservatory hosts a County Fair and this year it will be held next weekend - September 17th from 11 -4. We've never actually made it to the County Fair but it sounds like so much fun. Admission is $5 and includes a petting zoo, garden display, bounce house, live music, farmer's market, and more kids activities.
The highlight of the Conservatory for families, however, is the Elizabeth Morse Genius Children's Garden. My kids' favorite parts of the Children's Garden are the tall tube slide, the spray bottles that they get to use to water the plants, and the tubs of dirt that are put out for them to dig in with mini shovels and rakes.
We almost always go to the Conservatory on Mondays for the Morning Glories program. The target age for this program is 3-5 and involves a small project and a story that goes along with the theme. There is a suggested donation of $2 if you participate in the make and take activity but it truly is just suggested since they don't ask you for the money and instead there is box off to the side where you can put it. The activities generally have a nature theme to then, are generally relevant to what's growing inside the conservatory, and are somewhat seasonal. I think about once a month they do something edible (such as make herbal ice tea or ice cream). A schedule of upcoming activities is provided on the Conservatory website at http://www.garfieldconservatory.org/early_childhood.htm. They seem to have about 20 or 30 activities that they rotate. Even though we've been there a bunch of times we've never done the same activity twice. Some of the things we've done are planted a chocolate mint plant, decorated a twig with beads and ribbons to make a wish stick, made a butterfly and made bee goggles. My two favorite things we did were a scratch and sniff bracelets and an orange pomander. Both things smelled so good. The orange pomander was basically just inserting cloves all around the outside of the orange to make a Christmas ornament. The bracelets involved stringing small squares of sand paper that had shapes punched in them onto a bracelet. The kids then got to choose from items that smell really good like a cinnamon stick or nutmeg and rubbed then against the sandpaper. After the activity a staff member reads a story that is usually loosely related to the project. Most activities need a little parent help, depending on your child's age, but there is usually ample staff to help your child if you have more than one kid to keep your hands and eyes on. The format for the activities is a drop in program from 10 -12. Every 20 minutes or so they gather a group of kids to do the activity and story. If you arrive after one has already started you need to wait for the next one. It can get kind of busy on Monday mornings but we've never had a problem not getting into to the next available session after we get there. They usually try to make room for everyone who is there. As always, I suggest getting there early, however. A similar program is also available on Saturday and Sunday afternoons from 1-3.
Strollers can be kind of tricky in the Conservatory. It is not like you can't have one or even that it doesn't fit but pathways can be kind of narrow plus once you get to the Children's Garden there is not a lot a space to park it. I've gone both with and without the stroller and it really depends on whether you need it or not. I've gone with a sleeping baby in a stroller and it worked out pretty good (baby slept off to the side while we participated in the project) but now that I two kids who can walk it is just easier not to have the stroller.
As far as I know, the only bathrooms in the place are located just outside the entrance, near the gift shop, so have your kids go before you go in. In terms of food, it is OK to bring a lunch in and there are tables where you can eat. Also, I think you can buy sandwiches and snacks in the gift shop.
There is a free parking lot adjacent to the Conservatory. In addition, the Green Line drops you off right there. I have done both and they both work equally well. I'm not going to lie, the Conservatory is not located in the best neighborhood in the City but we've never had any problems there.
Every September the Conservatory hosts a County Fair and this year it will be held next weekend - September 17th from 11 -4. We've never actually made it to the County Fair but it sounds like so much fun. Admission is $5 and includes a petting zoo, garden display, bounce house, live music, farmer's market, and more kids activities.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Bakin' & Eggs
We went out to breakfast this morning at Bakin' & Eggs at 3120 N. Lincoln in Lakeview. This is the second time we've dined there. The first time we went for brunch on Mother's Day and the place was slammed but this morning it was much quieter. We chose today because I wanted to go out for breakfast one last time before school starts and also because on Thursdays kids eat free. I was a little concerned that the place would be swarmed with parents and little kids but it really wasn't that busy at all. We got there at about 8:30 and we were easily seated. There were only a few other tables taken and they were all adults so I was automatically concerned that my kids were going to drive everyone nuts. Around the time we were getting ready to leave, 9:30-ish, the restaurant started to fill up with kids who were thankfully much louder than my kids. Bakin' & Eggs is open from 7 to 3, serves breakfast all day, and starts serving lunch at 11.
Even though Thursday seems to be dedicated to attracting kids and their parents, I don't think the wait staff were really "kid people". They do give kids a little chalkboard and chalk to color on while they wait for their meals, which my daughters loved. The food came pretty quickly on Thursday when there weren't that many people but took awhile when we were there on Mother's Day.
The menu is pretty good for adults. They have a a good selection of frittatas, breakfast sandwiches, and pancakes. They also offer five different kinds of bacon. I ordered a frittata and it was quite good. It came with potatoes that I really enjoyed, toast, and my choice of one of the kinds of bacon or sausage. I think the kids menu is kind of skimpy. Only two choices are offered for breakfast - a pancake or a breakfast burrito and only like three choices for lunch. Seems like they could have offered kids a couple more options. Kids breakfast meals come with teeny tiny cups of fruit. Somehow, even though the kids meals were free we still ended up spending over $20 for breakfast. FYI free breakfast for kids does not include their drinks or any add ons such as the scrambled eggs I got for my daughter.
One of the things I like most about this restaurant is how large it is. Most breakfast places are so tiny that you can barely get your kids inside let alone all their stuff. At Bakin' & Eggs there is plenty of room to park your stroller. When we were there when it was really busy, we had to wait awhile and we didn't feel crammed at all even though there were a lot of people waiting. Part of the reason there is extra room is that one side of the restaurant is dedicated to a bakery/coffee shop where you can get cupcakes, cookies, and other baked goods plus coffee and tea drinks to go. We haven't tried anything from this section yet but it all looks really good. If you can't walk, there is generally plenty of metered parking in front of the restaurants.
One other item I wanted to mentioned is that you pay your bill at the cash register in the coffee shop/bakery section. Our waiter was quite clear about where we were supposed to pay but I hate when you eat at a restaurant and you are not certain where you are supposed to pay. The only problem with this check out set up is that it forces you to go to the bakery section with your kids where they will inevitably beg for a cupcake.
Even though Thursday seems to be dedicated to attracting kids and their parents, I don't think the wait staff were really "kid people". They do give kids a little chalkboard and chalk to color on while they wait for their meals, which my daughters loved. The food came pretty quickly on Thursday when there weren't that many people but took awhile when we were there on Mother's Day.
The menu is pretty good for adults. They have a a good selection of frittatas, breakfast sandwiches, and pancakes. They also offer five different kinds of bacon. I ordered a frittata and it was quite good. It came with potatoes that I really enjoyed, toast, and my choice of one of the kinds of bacon or sausage. I think the kids menu is kind of skimpy. Only two choices are offered for breakfast - a pancake or a breakfast burrito and only like three choices for lunch. Seems like they could have offered kids a couple more options. Kids breakfast meals come with teeny tiny cups of fruit. Somehow, even though the kids meals were free we still ended up spending over $20 for breakfast. FYI free breakfast for kids does not include their drinks or any add ons such as the scrambled eggs I got for my daughter.
One of the things I like most about this restaurant is how large it is. Most breakfast places are so tiny that you can barely get your kids inside let alone all their stuff. At Bakin' & Eggs there is plenty of room to park your stroller. When we were there when it was really busy, we had to wait awhile and we didn't feel crammed at all even though there were a lot of people waiting. Part of the reason there is extra room is that one side of the restaurant is dedicated to a bakery/coffee shop where you can get cupcakes, cookies, and other baked goods plus coffee and tea drinks to go. We haven't tried anything from this section yet but it all looks really good. If you can't walk, there is generally plenty of metered parking in front of the restaurants.
One other item I wanted to mentioned is that you pay your bill at the cash register in the coffee shop/bakery section. Our waiter was quite clear about where we were supposed to pay but I hate when you eat at a restaurant and you are not certain where you are supposed to pay. The only problem with this check out set up is that it forces you to go to the bakery section with your kids where they will inevitably beg for a cupcake.
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