FroZENYo with a babe

Yes, it's a fad and I am totally into it. I liked frozen yogurt before the topping-madness pay-by-weight places erupted, but now I love it. Because you see, it's really for me about a ratio of berries : yogurt 1:1, and these places let me do it. I feel like I am doing something really bad getting $4.50 worth of juicy, fresh, raspberries on my little pile of yogurt for $3.75. But not so bad I won't continue to do it. I must admit, however, that FroZENyo on 9th street threw me off a bit with their fantastic 98% fat free peanut butter yogurt. As a nursing mom I am more into the 102% triple cream yogurt, but this was damn tasty.

Good for kids? Um...yes, if you keep their little paws off of the yogurt machines or you are going to owe them $22 for a couple of giant creations no one will eat. Alexander is still to little for all of this and was contented with the plastic spoon.

Oyamel with the babe

Here's Nana with the babe while mom stuffs her face with flambeed cheese.

Geez...ever since Michelle Obama became infatuated with this place it's been impossible to get a table at Oyamel. Even at lunch on a Tuesday. I said some whiny thing about this and they smiled and found us a table. Basically so I could get my tequila flambeed Chihuahua cheese fix. They seem to like babies here, and the food is fantastic, fun, and exactly what you want it to be because of the small plates concept. Besides the cheesy-goodness we enjoyed the gazpacho salad of fruits, radishes and queso fresco which was nicely balanced with tart orange juice as a dressing, and my father enjoyed the grasshopper taco. Perhaps just to say he had eaten it, or perhaps it was actually good. We'll never really know.

Good for baby? Sure, it's a happening place, small plates, fun things to look at. Not a romper room, but nothing so austere they wouldn't want children around. I'm sure we will be back many times as it is one of our regular pit stops.

Ray's Hell Burger with a baby but without a burger....

So I don't eat mammals. It's a whole discussion for another day, but in bringing the copious family I have in town to Ray's Hell Burgers I got something delicious anyways. That picture is a burgerless burger, a brioche bun with Irish cave-aged cheddar cheese, pickles, tomato, lettuce, sauteed mushrooms, roasted garlic, charred jalapenos, roasted onions, and a bunch of Ray's Heck sauce. Damn it was good.

Kid friendly? Well, it's crazy in there for sure, but there are no changing rooms, no room for a stroller, and this is a meal you must eat with two hands. But it's probably worth the hassle!

Farm to Table in Gettysburg

It wasn't DC, but it was a lot of fun. As part of the Gettysburg Festival last weekend we went to the Blues, Brews, and Barbecue event. Outdoors at the restored train station, it was a steamy night, but the endless cold microbrews, the 'cue, and the music made for a great night. I was expecting some sort of aluminum trays full of meats and stuff, but it was a thoroughly lovely affair complete with a baby who ended up on the table after we had all stuffed ourselves and the music played on....

The restored train station:



One of my plates of food (hey, I'm eating for two):



Piglet was almost for dinner when he ended up on the table to enjoy the music:

Teaism is tasty but lifeless at dinner

After trying to get a table at Central, Oyamel, Rasika, and Nando's we ended up eating at Teaism. I like Teaism-- they serve tasty, fresh food on nice plates and for a good price. I like it a lot for lunch. I like it a lot less for dinner. For some reason this isn't a popular place for dinner. Is it the basement location?

It was quiet when we went there, and therefore a bit suspicious in the kid's eyes. The chicken curry was delish although indefinable as to it's origin, but I thought the seitan stir fry covered with handfuls of macadamia nuts was even better. The thing is, it's all pretty passable and for sure a place where you will get a seat. But just don't expect it to be too much fun.

Good for baby? Yes and no. He would have preferred something with more of a buzz, but there is a fish pond. At lunch it's more of a business crowd. There are clean bathrooms and plenty of good food options for kids and adults alike, and it certainly isn't fancy. If you have a stroller the upstairs seating is very limited and there isn't an elevator for the main dining room.

Eventide: Lucious for Mommy and Baby

Brunch is the magical meal for baby and parents. It's a nice meal, different and more special than brunch, more leisurely, but it's also a time when baby is happier and no one is bothered by them being there. Not that anyone ever would at Eventide, where they even have a separate baby changing room from the bathroom. But did I mention the food?

We took my in-laws, visiting from Ireland, there on Sunday for father's day brunch. It's such an elegant place, the towering ceilings and exposed brick, long drapes, crystal chandeliers and the plush booths with "car doors". If the kid was older than 10 weeks he would have loved the booths!

My chicken and biscuit with maple sage gravy was notable, hot fresh, rich and a nice balance of sweet and salty. The chicken was perfectly cooked but at times over breaded. The whole plate was huge and I had lunch today. Others enjoyed their pork belly hash and eggs and the roast beef sandwich and fries, knowing that the quality of the meat was good and local. The fries are perfectly cooked with herbs and sea salt and make me hungry right now!

Baby-friendly? Yes, and openly so, with a baby care room, cup covers and a patient staff. They even have a kids menu plan on the evenings with healthy options.

Surfside is made for families

Hectic and delicious, Surfside on a Saturday night has the buzz of a good bar with the atmosphere appropriate for children, and food to please anyone. I think about the shrimp tacos, plump and served with pineapple salsa, fresh avocado and yellow coconut rice at times and wish it was closer to us. It's a delicious combination and a memorable one. I would wager to say that it is some of the best shrimp in the area, and for only $10 it's a true steal. All of the food I have had is fresh and high quality-- it's Mexican-ish without the soupy cheese and grease, it's really quite a healthful meal.

It was so loud in there we couldn't speak to each other, but the piglet found it highly amusing and the adults were happy to munch away. The wait for a table and people hovering around, coupled with the noise, means that we will come back again on a weekday when it is much quieter.

Baby friendly? Absolutely, and it's adult friendly, with a great bar and fantastic food, plus foos most children would love. Oh, and they have parking!