Seattle Gymnastics Academy at Salmon Bay and Cafe Besalu.

We have been to the SGA for open gym a few times on those rainy days, and the last visit, Z really got his groove there. swinging on the rings, jumping into the foam blocks, running on the bouncy air track. He had a blast. I really like the Shilshole location, it is not nearly as crowded, likely because of the 12 pm start time. The Lake City location is great too, starts at 11:30 and draws a few more folks. Luckily, for us, Z's naptime has been a little later these days, so the Shilshole location works out great. Kids bascically have free reign of all the gym equipment: trampolines, foam pit and rope swing, air track, rings etc etc..A great place to get the yaya's out.

Because of the later start time, I suggest you hit Cafe Besalu beforehand. I cant believe that I have yet to feature this place on the blog. It is one of my favorites. good coffee, excellent quiche, and the ginger biscuits are to die for. I have tried many times to recreate these, and have had some luck, but these still reign supreme in my book. (just note, they are closed Monday and Tuesday's!) The cafe is pretty small, so seating might be limited, but its a great place to hit!

Vivace Coffee, REI

Is it summer yet? Its mid May and it has been rainy. Seattle in Spring, I have to say, is my least favorite time of year. such a tease, the flowers bloom and the smell is in the air, and then it just rains. Sure, we have had some sunny days, and as I write, the sun is struggling to stay out as it begins to cloud over. I wont complain, as a sunny day is one that I will definitely take advantage of. But, as we head into Summer, and a time of year I hope to be more prolific on this blog, I have taken some moments to sit back and recall some of our rainy day activities this year.
It was actually last June, the worst June in the world as far as weather goes, and we were painting our house. The fumes were so bad, that we checked into a hotel downtown for a few days. The hotel was really close to REI, so one rainy rainy morning, I decided to take Z there and to hit Vivace on the way. My son loves things. not just toys either, but things you wouldn't classify as toys, in a kid sense anyway. So, going to REI was a little bit like going to dreamland for him. I literally just chased him around the store. bikes, filters, backpacks, helmets, skateboards, oh my! We hadn't even gotten to the play area yet...at the time, barely 2, he was a bit small for the climbing area, but he certainly enjoyed his smoothie at the World Wrapps in store. and, of course, we couldn't leave without a new helmet for him..

and, not meant to be a sidenote, Vivace makes some good coffee. while it was served up with a little attitude on the day that I brought my son, I have been back.

Jefferson Park and Toddler Gym, Delite Bakery

Yesterday was one of those April days where it was supposed to be sunny and it ended up raining. I am getting to the time of year where I just get fed up with it all and so yesterday, I said 'screw it,' we are going on an adventure anyway.
For me, the South end of Seattle is all sort of an exploration for me. I am not at all familiar with the areas, so I thought that it would be fun to explore a little. I had read good things about Jefferson Park and its face lift, so I decided to take the kiddos and check it out. Of course, by the time we got out of the house and pulled into the lot, it was pouring. Perfect, I thought. Why not check out the local bakery and gorge on donuts instead? then, we can revisit the park idea after? SO, we headed to Delite Bakery, just down the way. This place had some good write ups on Yelp, so I figured, what the heck? its a donut, right? We pulled into the unassuming parking lot and I have to say, I am so used to venturing into the gourmet croissant type bakeries with the fancy facades and outdoor seating, that I was a little hesistant about shleping the kids out of the car, through the rain, and inside. But, I am glad I did. They had many donuts, and donuts are good. and, these, were light and airy and delicious! the women running the place were quite friendly too, as we took over the place for a good 20 minutes while the rain came to a stop.
Then, we hit the playground. it is on top of a hill over looking the city with a vast open space and a nice playstructure of Kompani equipment. some, a little older than my son's abilities, but fun nonetheless. When the rain started up again, we headed indoors to the Jefferson Community Center, which is next door. perfect! it was a Thursday, therefore the center was open for toddler play in the gym. and, I now name this place the absolute best. it has 4 bouncy houses, so many toys, 2 of those car roller coaster things...tons of kids, but it seemed like there were enough toys to go around regardless. by far, the most cool toys of any Toddler Gym that I have been to so far...recommend! come sun, I will definitely be back at that park, too.

Commmunity Centers.

Oh, the winters of Seattle. I never really hit the Community Center circuit last winter, but this year, with a crazily energetic child, a newborn and rain, rain and rain, I have started making the circuit. funny, they are all pretty similar, but I have made it my goal to visit a different one each time we go, just to mix it up a bit. So far, here is what I have found.

Queen Anne: a good one, nearby to a plethora of coffee and pastry options. I think there was a bouncy house here, lots of balls and ride ons.

Ravenna: the best one, but also the most crowded. an air hockey table in the lobby was quite the draw for my son, who kept running out of the gym to watch the air hockey. jumpy house, cool roller coaster thing for the ride on toys. lots of balls and ride ons...and a drive through espresso nearby. Muddy Waters. (they only take cash on orders less than 10$)

Ballard: not bad, not too exciting either. the plus, not too crowded. I usually hit up Firehouse Coffee on the way.

Meadowbrook: not bad, bouncy house, fewer ride ons and balls. not crowded at all, and the gym was FREEEEZING. for some reason, this place seemed a little more depressing to me than the others, not quite sure why though. food nearish by: Top Pot Donuts, Grateful Bread Cafe

Stay tuned, so long as the rain continues, we will be checking out a few more of these spots! A couple others that I have heard good things about are the Northgate and Magnussen Toddler Gym.

Arena Sports, Magnuson Park, 60th St Desserts.

Ok, so I am cheating a little bit on this post. I have been to Magnuson a number of times, but each time I try to go to the 60th Street Desserts, I pick a Monday. and, it is closed on Mondays. I noticed this place recently because it has a drive through and it is located right near the North entrance to the park, right near the playground, which I recently discovered, and also Arena Sports, which I have yet to discover but will soon on a rainy day in our near future. (phew, long sentence) But, I really enjoy this park. a nice big playground, a dog park, lots of green space and a beach on the waterfront of Lake Washington. This used to be my go to park during the summer before kids. I would scope out a piece of waterfront property and lay in the sun and read. It was always fairly easy to find a place without a ton of people around and to have a little solitude. Those days are behind me, but I can still go now, with my kiddos and enjoy the park in a different way. And, next time I go, I will check out the Arena Sports Fun Zone, which is supposed to have a great play area for kids and an open playtime daily.

**update: I have since visited the fun zone, and I have to be honest, I wasnt a huge fan. it was hard to see my son in many of the bounce houses/slides and I couldnt go in with him to help him if he needed it. and, the older kids were so rough, I felt so paranoid he was going to get smashed. it was just a little crazy for both of our tastes. not sure we will go back there, but Lil Kickers is also headquartered at the same location, if your little one likes soccer. And, 60th street desserts is worth checking out. going through the drive through was a bonus, but then, you cant see all the goodies, you have to rely more on their descriptions. I ended up with a pumpkin cookie that looked a little like a hockey puck. had I seen it in the case, I might have opted for the chocolate chip. not a bad latte though, and friendly service.

A place to sit. and ship. and sip. Sip and Ship.

I think that I need to devote a little time to those places where you can go and just have a coffee while the kiddos play. I know that I have mentioned a couple of these places in the past, but I dont want to forget about this place in Ballard and in Green wood. Sip and Ship. This place was perfect for today. I have been meaning to ship some holiday gifts to friends and a few holiday cards too. yes, holiday, as in Christmas. you heard me correctly. I am that overdue. Having a newborn is a good excuse right? And, so what better place than this to knock off an errand, have a treat and a latte AND visit with a dear friend while our kiddos play? I dont come here often, but I am always really impressed with the service when I do. They were extremely accomodating to me as I tried to mail my things, order a coffee, and chase my toddler around. I never used to be one to accept help, but these days its hard to juggle it all. I find that anything even as small as the barista bringing me my latte while I settled in with my stroller and its faulty front wheel, my behemoth diaper bag and my squirrelly toddler is worthy of a little praise. Did I mention that they have a little kids area? not big, but its separate, and it has a few toys. good enough for me! And, the coffee is good. and, come to think of it, so was that big fat scone.

And, she is back....Twirl Cafe, Le Reve Bakery.

My God, has it really been this long? Time flies when you are pregnant with a toddler and then all of a sudden you have two kiddos..
But, I miss the blogs, and now, I am out to find the great cafes/parks and places in which I can keep an eye on my toddler while tending to my newborn if the need be. this has proven to be a bit of a challenge for me. well, I admit, I have yet to really venture out without reinforcement, or for a lenghty outing solo with the 2 kids. Its all about timing and lately, granting most every wish of my toddler as he makes this transition to big brotherhood.

A place that I went while pregnant, but that I will venture back to with both kids is Twirl Cafe. And, since you are in the neighborhood, you must check out my fave new bakery, Le Reve. First, the bakery. This place actually brought tears to my eyes. I worked at a bakery on QA not too far from this place a while back and I have such fond memories of living on the hill and walking to work everyday, not to mention the comraderie among my co workers and the blast I had baking bread on a daily basis. When I walked into this bakery, just down the street from my old place of work, which is no longer, I felt it. I could tell the folks there were happy. it was cozy. the pastries looked wonderful and it smelled so good. it is perfect. a place I picture myself. and, the pastries were to die for. I recommend hitting up this place...not on Tuesdays though, as they are closed...and taking your treats to Twirl. Twirl has food, which I have yet to try, and I suppose a real luch is better for an amped up toddler than a sugary delight. but, you need to treat yourself too, right?

Twirl is a cute little spot. I have gone twice and the one time that I went right at opening, I was glad I did, because it gets crowded come 11. They have a cute play area, offer some classes for kids and adults alike and it has a nice new ambiance. Like I said, it does get crowded and sort of bottlenecked in the play area corridor, but it is worth a visit....