i thought this would be a wonderful way to explore the city together with your children. i had heard of geocaching before but letterboxing appears to be an older form of this kind of "treasure hunting." however, unlike geocaching, you don't take and leave a trinket once you find the location. instead, you stamp your letterboxing notebook with a personal stamp.
there are websites that list clues to find letterboxes in your area. i think this is the quaint part of letterboxing; geocachers use a gps and geographic coordinates to find their treasures, but letterboxing relies on clues written by the person who hid the letterbox. some people go all out and write their clues in cute poem form.
you can read more and find clues at letterboxing north america and atlas quest. this is also a unique way to explore other cities you may be visiting. the nice thing is that there are letterboxes all over the world.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
kids off the couch
i read about this website in the la times a couple weeks back. two moms started kids off the couch to get their kids out of the house. what better way to introduce them to cultural attractions and life lessons than through movies? each week they introduce a movie and a related outing. some of the movies (like this week's paper moon) are not appropriate for younger children but in their archives they introduce a wide variety of movies and outings that would be appropriate for children of many age groups. one warning: most kids wouldn't be able to handle both the movie and the outing on the same day; plan for a weekend viewing and excursion.
they currently offer outings in the los angeles area, but they're expanding to nyc and the rest of the us soon. once it's up and running this would be a great resource if you're planning a vacation to other us cities.
they currently offer outings in the los angeles area, but they're expanding to nyc and the rest of the us soon. once it's up and running this would be a great resource if you're planning a vacation to other us cities.
Friday, August 25, 2006
the essential chocolate collection, babies at the bakery
friday, august 25 around 1:00pm
the babies at the bakery event is every friday from 1pm to 4:30pm.
review by yucaree.
1. Are aisles wide enough for strollers?
no, it's best to park your stroller outside near the small tables. you can keep an eye on it through the large windows.
2. Highchairs available?
not that i know of ... there's really no place to eat inside. the store is split up into two rooms, the actual storefront and the playroom. there are chairs set up along the wall in the playroom where you can eat, but there's no seating (with tables) except for the cafe tables set up outside.
3. General ambient noise
on fridays when they have the "babies at the bakery" events the playroom can get pretty crowded and loud. no surprise since there are lots of babies under the age of 2.
4. Outdoor seating
a few cafe tables
5. Spacing between tables
it's the sidewalk so there's some extra space.
6. General service/attitude from staff
they are very friendly and accommodating, probably because they're used to having so many moms and babies visit on fridays.
7. Tolerance/attitude of other diners
i've never been there on a regular day (i.e., non-babies at the bakery day) so i don't know how the other customers feel, but since it's not a sit-down sort of place i can't imagine the staff or other customers being rude.
8. Separate rooms available
n/a
9. Changing table in the restroom
don't know
10. Parking/transit availability
there's metered street parking out front on washington boulevard. the number 1 line of the culver city bus runs along washington.
11. Breastfeeding?
breastfeed away. no one seems to mind at all.
12. Other
the great thing about the babies at the bakery event is that they have a nanny there to watch your child. this was especially helpful today when the moms were getting their massages. the $1.50/minute massage fee includes babysitting with the nanny.
THE ESSENTIAL CHOCOLATE COLLECTION
10868 Washington Boulevard
Culver City, CA 90232
(310) 287-0699
the babies at the bakery event is every friday from 1pm to 4:30pm.
review by yucaree.
1. Are aisles wide enough for strollers?
no, it's best to park your stroller outside near the small tables. you can keep an eye on it through the large windows.
2. Highchairs available?
not that i know of ... there's really no place to eat inside. the store is split up into two rooms, the actual storefront and the playroom. there are chairs set up along the wall in the playroom where you can eat, but there's no seating (with tables) except for the cafe tables set up outside.
3. General ambient noise
on fridays when they have the "babies at the bakery" events the playroom can get pretty crowded and loud. no surprise since there are lots of babies under the age of 2.
4. Outdoor seating
a few cafe tables
5. Spacing between tables
it's the sidewalk so there's some extra space.
6. General service/attitude from staff
they are very friendly and accommodating, probably because they're used to having so many moms and babies visit on fridays.
7. Tolerance/attitude of other diners
i've never been there on a regular day (i.e., non-babies at the bakery day) so i don't know how the other customers feel, but since it's not a sit-down sort of place i can't imagine the staff or other customers being rude.
8. Separate rooms available
n/a
9. Changing table in the restroom
don't know
10. Parking/transit availability
there's metered street parking out front on washington boulevard. the number 1 line of the culver city bus runs along washington.
11. Breastfeeding?
breastfeed away. no one seems to mind at all.
12. Other
the great thing about the babies at the bakery event is that they have a nanny there to watch your child. this was especially helpful today when the moms were getting their massages. the $1.50/minute massage fee includes babysitting with the nanny.
THE ESSENTIAL CHOCOLATE COLLECTION
10868 Washington Boulevard
Culver City, CA 90232
(310) 287-0699
Friday, August 18, 2006
blue marlin
lunch on friday, august 18 around 11:30am
there were five of us (+ four babies) and two strollers.
review by yucaree.
1. Are aisles wide enough for strollers?
it's not a very large restaurant, but the main aisle down the center of the seating area is quite wide and there was not a problem pushing the strollers into the restaurant.
2. Highchairs available?
there were at least two
3. General ambient noise
not too bad. the restaurant wasn't completely full, but the converstaion level wasn't loud and didn't bother the babies. for the most part all five of us could hear each other.
4. Outdoor seating
there are a couple small tables outside between the parking lot and the walkway.
5. Spacing between tables
most of the tables are two seaters, so we easily pushed a few together to make a larger table, thereby creating enough room to park two strollers at either end. however, the two tables on either side of us were empty so we weren't particularly disturbing other diners with our stroller placements.
6. General service/attitude from staff
they were accomodating of the strollers and didn't mind moving tables for us. when maya dropped her container of gloppy baby food, the server quickly came to help me wipe it up and didn't seem to mind at all.
7. Tolerance/attitude of other diners
most of the other diners were young (mostly asian) college student types or office workers. we didn't get any negative vibes from them. i suspect because we didn't have anyone in our immediate vicinity and the wide aisle in the middle separated us from most of the other diners who were conversing.
8. Separate rooms available
no
9. Changing table in the restroom
didn't check, but i'd guess there was not a changing table.
10. Parking/transit availability
there is a parking lot for the entire strip mall, which fills up fast. when we got there at 11:30am there was still ample parking but when we left a little over an hour later it was totally full. by then, the valet parkers were there to move around the cars. i believe the valet parking is free (although you probably have to tip). there's street parking in the residential neighborhood on corinth (west of sawtelle) or metered parking on sawtelle. there are plenty of buses that run along sawtelle so i'm sure there is transit availability (especially since olympic is half a block to the south).
11. Breastfeeding?
no one in our group breastfed today, but i'm sure if you covered up it wouldn't be a problem. depends on your comfort level.
Misc: there are ceiling fans, which one of the babies was totally enthralled with. the walls are painted as if under the sea, so there's something for the babies to look at.
BLUE MARLIN
2121 Sawtelle Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 445-2522
there were five of us (+ four babies) and two strollers.
review by yucaree.
1. Are aisles wide enough for strollers?
it's not a very large restaurant, but the main aisle down the center of the seating area is quite wide and there was not a problem pushing the strollers into the restaurant.
2. Highchairs available?
there were at least two
3. General ambient noise
not too bad. the restaurant wasn't completely full, but the converstaion level wasn't loud and didn't bother the babies. for the most part all five of us could hear each other.
4. Outdoor seating
there are a couple small tables outside between the parking lot and the walkway.
5. Spacing between tables
most of the tables are two seaters, so we easily pushed a few together to make a larger table, thereby creating enough room to park two strollers at either end. however, the two tables on either side of us were empty so we weren't particularly disturbing other diners with our stroller placements.
6. General service/attitude from staff
they were accomodating of the strollers and didn't mind moving tables for us. when maya dropped her container of gloppy baby food, the server quickly came to help me wipe it up and didn't seem to mind at all.
7. Tolerance/attitude of other diners
most of the other diners were young (mostly asian) college student types or office workers. we didn't get any negative vibes from them. i suspect because we didn't have anyone in our immediate vicinity and the wide aisle in the middle separated us from most of the other diners who were conversing.
8. Separate rooms available
no
9. Changing table in the restroom
didn't check, but i'd guess there was not a changing table.
10. Parking/transit availability
there is a parking lot for the entire strip mall, which fills up fast. when we got there at 11:30am there was still ample parking but when we left a little over an hour later it was totally full. by then, the valet parkers were there to move around the cars. i believe the valet parking is free (although you probably have to tip). there's street parking in the residential neighborhood on corinth (west of sawtelle) or metered parking on sawtelle. there are plenty of buses that run along sawtelle so i'm sure there is transit availability (especially since olympic is half a block to the south).
11. Breastfeeding?
no one in our group breastfed today, but i'm sure if you covered up it wouldn't be a problem. depends on your comfort level.
Misc: there are ceiling fans, which one of the babies was totally enthralled with. the walls are painted as if under the sea, so there's something for the babies to look at.
BLUE MARLIN
2121 Sawtelle Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 445-2522
Saturday, July 01, 2006
california breastfeeding law
almostDr.J sent me an email today about a nationwide nurse-in at victoria's secret, protesting their treatment of breastfeeding mothers (http://abcnews.go.com/US/Health/story?id=1378087). unfortunately, i didn't make it because it was earlier today. but i hope the turn-out was good.
i generally breastfeed anywhere i need to, but i try to be as discreet as possible because i know - crazy as it is - some people don't think nursing in public is appropriate or they're really uncomfortable with the idea. but just so you know, in california, breastfeeding mothers are protected:
i generally breastfeed anywhere i need to, but i try to be as discreet as possible because i know - crazy as it is - some people don't think nursing in public is appropriate or they're really uncomfortable with the idea. but just so you know, in california, breastfeeding mothers are protected:
Cal. Civ. Code §43.31997 Cal ALS 59; 1997 Cal AB 157; Stats 1997 ch 59 Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a mother may breastfeed her child in any location, public or private, except the private home or residence of another, where the mother and child are authorized to be present.
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
support a good cause
www.maketheconnection.org
order a free (not even shipping and handling!) bracelet kit to support cervical cancer awareness. for each kit that is ordered, merck pharmaceuticals will donate $1 towards awareness, outreach and screening for medically underserved women.
[jan. 17, 2007 update: i signed up to receive a kit over six months ago and i still haven't received anything ... i don't want to post this as a flaky campaign, so if you received yours please leave a comment saying so. thank you.]
[april 17, 2007 update :: i finally received my bracelet! so, it took 10 months instead of 6~8 weeks. oh well. i actually like the bracelet with just the make the connection charm on it; i'm saving the beads for another project.]
order a free (not even shipping and handling!) bracelet kit to support cervical cancer awareness. for each kit that is ordered, merck pharmaceuticals will donate $1 towards awareness, outreach and screening for medically underserved women.
[jan. 17, 2007 update: i signed up to receive a kit over six months ago and i still haven't received anything ... i don't want to post this as a flaky campaign, so if you received yours please leave a comment saying so. thank you.]
[april 17, 2007 update :: i finally received my bracelet! so, it took 10 months instead of 6~8 weeks. oh well. i actually like the bracelet with just the make the connection charm on it; i'm saving the beads for another project.]
Saturday, June 24, 2006
star eco station
review by yucaree
if you're looking to see some wild animals locally (in a safe environment), the eco station may be a fun excursion for your little one. hidden in a warehouse-y building on jefferson boulevard, the eco station takes care of rescued wild animals and strives to educate children and parents on the proper way to treat animals and the environment, and the improrieties of keeping wild animals as pets and the dangers posed by humans on endangered animals.
the animals are only viewable by guided tour, which leaves the lobby every half hour. the tour lasts about an hour to an hour and a half. the guide will take you around to see the fish, wild cats, reptiles and birds, and the kids are allowed to touch some of the reptiles while being supervised by the guide.
Cost: $7 adult, $5 children, infants in strollers free
Strollers: there is ample room to manuever your stroller through the facility. you may also consider taking your baby in a carrier so he/she can see the animals.
Diaper changing: to be honest i didn't check the bathrooms to see if there was a changing table. i'm sure if you call they can tell you. there are conference/party rooms throughout the tour that you could stop to change your baby's diaper either on the floor or in their stroller.
Breastfeeding: because it's a tour there's really no place to stop and breastfeed. the lobby is tiny and has no adult-size chairs where you can breastfeed inconspicuously.
Parking: the lot behind the building has very limited parking. many of the spots are for nearby businesses and they specifically say not to park there if you're visiting the eco station. there are two metered spots on jefferson in front of the building (the entrance to the building is in the back). we parked two blocks away at culver city park for free.
some things i noticed: it's quite warm inside the building (i don't know if it's for the animals but it seems there is no a/c) so you may want to dress down your children. also, the last room is the bird room and it is loud! the birds' squawking is extremely loud, especially if more than one bird is "talking." please cover your baby's ears. my personal opinion is that, although interesting, this may be the kind of place that you visit once or twice. unlike a zoo, where you can watch the animals at your own pace, the guided tour (which, at times, can feel like being lectured at, to be honest) would be repetitive and restrictive if you visited often.
lastly, if you're interested in getting a turtle, they adopt out red-eared slider turtles that have been left at the eco station. (and here's something i learned: it's illegal to get a red-eared slider turtle that's less than four inches long.)
STAR ECO STATION
10101 Jefferson Boulevard
Culver City, CA 90232
310-842-8060
if you're looking to see some wild animals locally (in a safe environment), the eco station may be a fun excursion for your little one. hidden in a warehouse-y building on jefferson boulevard, the eco station takes care of rescued wild animals and strives to educate children and parents on the proper way to treat animals and the environment, and the improrieties of keeping wild animals as pets and the dangers posed by humans on endangered animals.
the animals are only viewable by guided tour, which leaves the lobby every half hour. the tour lasts about an hour to an hour and a half. the guide will take you around to see the fish, wild cats, reptiles and birds, and the kids are allowed to touch some of the reptiles while being supervised by the guide.
Cost: $7 adult, $5 children, infants in strollers free
Strollers: there is ample room to manuever your stroller through the facility. you may also consider taking your baby in a carrier so he/she can see the animals.
Diaper changing: to be honest i didn't check the bathrooms to see if there was a changing table. i'm sure if you call they can tell you. there are conference/party rooms throughout the tour that you could stop to change your baby's diaper either on the floor or in their stroller.
Breastfeeding: because it's a tour there's really no place to stop and breastfeed. the lobby is tiny and has no adult-size chairs where you can breastfeed inconspicuously.
Parking: the lot behind the building has very limited parking. many of the spots are for nearby businesses and they specifically say not to park there if you're visiting the eco station. there are two metered spots on jefferson in front of the building (the entrance to the building is in the back). we parked two blocks away at culver city park for free.
some things i noticed: it's quite warm inside the building (i don't know if it's for the animals but it seems there is no a/c) so you may want to dress down your children. also, the last room is the bird room and it is loud! the birds' squawking is extremely loud, especially if more than one bird is "talking." please cover your baby's ears. my personal opinion is that, although interesting, this may be the kind of place that you visit once or twice. unlike a zoo, where you can watch the animals at your own pace, the guided tour (which, at times, can feel like being lectured at, to be honest) would be repetitive and restrictive if you visited often.
lastly, if you're interested in getting a turtle, they adopt out red-eared slider turtles that have been left at the eco station. (and here's something i learned: it's illegal to get a red-eared slider turtle that's less than four inches long.)
STAR ECO STATION
10101 Jefferson Boulevard
Culver City, CA 90232
310-842-8060
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
the bridge: cinema de lux
review by yucaree
tuesday morning at 11am is baby pictures at the bridge: cinema de lux in culver city. they run recent releases for parents with babies and toddlers. of course, you can watch the movie without children, too. the movie changes weekly so check out the website to see what's playing.
Cost: $8.00 adult, $1.00 children 13 months~3 years, babies under 12 months free
Strollers: the website says that you are not allowed to bring strollers into the auditorium, but almost every parent we saw had a stroller in there (my friend and i brought in our carseats). there is plenty of space to park your stroller at the very front of the theater (right in front of the screen) or after the third row, which is a walkway across the theater. i believe this area is usually used for people in wheelchairs, so there is ample space to park your stroller in front of your seat, and in some cases, right next to your seat. again, i must emphasize that officially i don't think strollers are allowed.
Diaper changing: there is a diaper changing table right at the end of the ramp into the auditorium. i didn't use it, but it had a disposable liner and a garbage can. the website says to use the restrooms, which are equipped with changing tables, but at least in this auditorium (theater 15) there was a changing table right there so you could watch the movie while changing your baby.
Other amenities: the lights are dimmed but you can still see what's going on around you; the volume is lowered, which is great unless your baby is crying in your ear! the theater is accessible by elevator from the parking garage or by escalator.
Parking: there is a large parking structure, which costs $2 for four hours. the movie theater does not validate.
i enjoyed the experience of finally going to see a "grown-up" movie and not having to worry about getting a babysitter. i also didn't worry about maya crying because other babies fussed and cried, too. she was pretty good, surprisingly, but my friend had to walk her baby a little bit and no one cared that she was walking around. plus, the theater is not full so you can move around pretty freely or stand in the aisle if your baby likes to be rocked or walked. we also breastfed without any problems. i usually use a cape when i'm in public, but because we were in a dimly lit theater and because we were surrounded by other mothers i didn't bother using it. (just be aware that there are non-parents who are also watching the movie.) the seats are wide, spacious, and comfortable enough to hold your baby across your body while feeding, and they can also hold a carseat and/or diaper bag. there is plenty of leg room in front of you in the non-stroller parking rows to put your stuff (and the floor looked fairly clean, compared to other theaters).
THE BRIDGE: CINEMA DE LUX
6081 Center Drive
The Promenade at Howard Hughes Center
Los Angeles, CA 90045
24-Hour Phone 310-568-3375
tuesday morning at 11am is baby pictures at the bridge: cinema de lux in culver city. they run recent releases for parents with babies and toddlers. of course, you can watch the movie without children, too. the movie changes weekly so check out the website to see what's playing.
Cost: $8.00 adult, $1.00 children 13 months~3 years, babies under 12 months free
Strollers: the website says that you are not allowed to bring strollers into the auditorium, but almost every parent we saw had a stroller in there (my friend and i brought in our carseats). there is plenty of space to park your stroller at the very front of the theater (right in front of the screen) or after the third row, which is a walkway across the theater. i believe this area is usually used for people in wheelchairs, so there is ample space to park your stroller in front of your seat, and in some cases, right next to your seat. again, i must emphasize that officially i don't think strollers are allowed.
Diaper changing: there is a diaper changing table right at the end of the ramp into the auditorium. i didn't use it, but it had a disposable liner and a garbage can. the website says to use the restrooms, which are equipped with changing tables, but at least in this auditorium (theater 15) there was a changing table right there so you could watch the movie while changing your baby.
Other amenities: the lights are dimmed but you can still see what's going on around you; the volume is lowered, which is great unless your baby is crying in your ear! the theater is accessible by elevator from the parking garage or by escalator.
Parking: there is a large parking structure, which costs $2 for four hours. the movie theater does not validate.
i enjoyed the experience of finally going to see a "grown-up" movie and not having to worry about getting a babysitter. i also didn't worry about maya crying because other babies fussed and cried, too. she was pretty good, surprisingly, but my friend had to walk her baby a little bit and no one cared that she was walking around. plus, the theater is not full so you can move around pretty freely or stand in the aisle if your baby likes to be rocked or walked. we also breastfed without any problems. i usually use a cape when i'm in public, but because we were in a dimly lit theater and because we were surrounded by other mothers i didn't bother using it. (just be aware that there are non-parents who are also watching the movie.) the seats are wide, spacious, and comfortable enough to hold your baby across your body while feeding, and they can also hold a carseat and/or diaper bag. there is plenty of leg room in front of you in the non-stroller parking rows to put your stuff (and the floor looked fairly clean, compared to other theaters).
THE BRIDGE: CINEMA DE LUX
6081 Center Drive
The Promenade at Howard Hughes Center
Los Angeles, CA 90045
24-Hour Phone 310-568-3375
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
amandine patissiere
lunch on thursday, may 18 around 11:30am until about 12:45pm. there were three of us (+ three babies, of course) and two strollers.
review by allison.
1. Are aisles wide enough for strollers?
Most main aisles (getting up to the counter, to the table areas, and in/out the door) are *just*wide enough for a stroller, though you've gotta take a few sharp turns in some areas. The area between the front door and the order counter can be cramped if there's a long line of people waiting to place orders or browsing along the glass display of cakes, tarts, pastries, breads,and (did I mention?) cakes.
2. Highchairs available?
two
3. General ambient noise:
Outdoors, the noise level can be whatever your kids want it to be. Indoors, the noise is mostly cafe- style chatting.
4. Outdoor seating:
Amandine has about four round tables in front on the sidewalk along Wilshire. There, you are about six feet from the street (curbside parking during off-peak hours, a bus lane during peak hours). There is also a patio in the back, right next to the parking lot (not a great view). A few tables are right up against a parking spot (so you're sitting out on the blacktop - watch those bumpers!), but there is a small section of about five or six tables that are separated from the blacktop by a few large potted plants. In that section, there's some room to get your strollers in and out of the patio between the plant beds, which is awesome for a small group of mamas who need access in and out between the tables/chairs.
5. Spacing between tables:
The back patio is probably the best bet for strollers, since there's a lot of foot traffic indoors. The outdoor seating out front would probably be the next best bet, though there is traffic on Wilshire. When I went with a couple of mamas in the past for lunch (arriving at 11:30 AM), we were able to get the entire patio section. We pulled some tables together and had room for two (maybe three) strollers next to us. And it still left room for other customers at the cafe as the lunch hour picked up.
6. General service/attitude from staff:
This is cafe-style service --you order up front, someone brings your food to you, but utensils/water/napkins, etc. are all self-serve. Generally, attitudes seemed welcoming.
7. Tolerance/attitude of other diners:
During lunch hour, the cafe attracts some business clientele from the Wilshire business offices nearby. Generally, people seemed okay (but I have to admit, I didn't really notice 'cause I had my hands full).
8. Separate rooms available:
There is a small indoor dining area in the front of the store that gets a lot of foot traffic (not good if your kids are easily distracted from their food), also a small indoor dining room in the back (with about four tables, but not much room for strollers). There's the back patio mentioned above.
9. Changing table in the restroom:
Nope. But the restroom is just large enough to wheel your stroller in if you need to.
10. Parking/transit availability:
A small (free!) parking lot in the back with about 8-10 spaces, and transit along Wilshire (Blue Bus 2, Metro 20/720) and Bundy (Blue Bus 14).
11. Breastfeeding?
Can't speak to that, sorry, but my friend managed just fine.
AMANDINE PATISSIERE
12225 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90025-1105
310-979-3211
review by allison.
1. Are aisles wide enough for strollers?
Most main aisles (getting up to the counter, to the table areas, and in/out the door) are *just*wide enough for a stroller, though you've gotta take a few sharp turns in some areas. The area between the front door and the order counter can be cramped if there's a long line of people waiting to place orders or browsing along the glass display of cakes, tarts, pastries, breads,and (did I mention?) cakes.
2. Highchairs available?
two
3. General ambient noise:
Outdoors, the noise level can be whatever your kids want it to be. Indoors, the noise is mostly cafe- style chatting.
4. Outdoor seating:
Amandine has about four round tables in front on the sidewalk along Wilshire. There, you are about six feet from the street (curbside parking during off-peak hours, a bus lane during peak hours). There is also a patio in the back, right next to the parking lot (not a great view). A few tables are right up against a parking spot (so you're sitting out on the blacktop - watch those bumpers!), but there is a small section of about five or six tables that are separated from the blacktop by a few large potted plants. In that section, there's some room to get your strollers in and out of the patio between the plant beds, which is awesome for a small group of mamas who need access in and out between the tables/chairs.
5. Spacing between tables:
The back patio is probably the best bet for strollers, since there's a lot of foot traffic indoors. The outdoor seating out front would probably be the next best bet, though there is traffic on Wilshire. When I went with a couple of mamas in the past for lunch (arriving at 11:30 AM), we were able to get the entire patio section. We pulled some tables together and had room for two (maybe three) strollers next to us. And it still left room for other customers at the cafe as the lunch hour picked up.
6. General service/attitude from staff:
This is cafe-style service --you order up front, someone brings your food to you, but utensils/water/napkins, etc. are all self-serve. Generally, attitudes seemed welcoming.
7. Tolerance/attitude of other diners:
During lunch hour, the cafe attracts some business clientele from the Wilshire business offices nearby. Generally, people seemed okay (but I have to admit, I didn't really notice 'cause I had my hands full).
8. Separate rooms available:
There is a small indoor dining area in the front of the store that gets a lot of foot traffic (not good if your kids are easily distracted from their food), also a small indoor dining room in the back (with about four tables, but not much room for strollers). There's the back patio mentioned above.
9. Changing table in the restroom:
Nope. But the restroom is just large enough to wheel your stroller in if you need to.
10. Parking/transit availability:
A small (free!) parking lot in the back with about 8-10 spaces, and transit along Wilshire (Blue Bus 2, Metro 20/720) and Bundy (Blue Bus 14).
11. Breastfeeding?
Can't speak to that, sorry, but my friend managed just fine.
AMANDINE PATISSIERE
12225 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90025-1105
310-979-3211
Sunday, May 28, 2006
cafe dahab
friday, may 26 at cafe dahab in west los angeles. we were there from 11:30am until about 1:00pm.
review by yucaree.
1. Are aisles and walking areas wide enough for strollers?
sort of. just inside the front door are some small ottoman-like stools that you may run in to, but they are light enough to easily push out of the way. you can squeeze through the tables one stroller at a time and probably park one stroller near your table. there is a step leading down to the area that is open for dinner only. there is more room outside on the patios, although there is another step to access the south patio. we took up the north patio because we had six strollers. there's just enough space to park four or five strollers in this area as long as you don't block their kitchen door.
2. number of high chairs available: 1
3. general ambient noise level
couldn't tell because when we were there for lunch it was pretty empty. if you're out on the patio it faces sawtelle boulevard, which can get a little noisy because the intersection with santa monica boulevard is less than half a block away.
4. Availability of outdoor seating (and proximity to traffic areas)
see above
5. How cramped are the tables next to each other?
the tables are pretty close together inside and outside. the tables and chairs outside are plastic so they can easily be moved.
6. General service/attitude of staff toward kids/families
our server was pretty accomodating and didn't seem to mind too much that we were taking up an entire part of the patio. he just told us that we had to leave a path from the kitchen door, but didn't say anything when we blocked it a bit. gratuity was tacked on to our bill; i don't know if this was because we were a party of six, or because he knew we made a mess. however, this was during a time when there were hardly any other customers.
7. General tolerance/attitudes of other diners
i noticed that the man sitting at the next patio over moved farther down. i have no idea if it was because we were too loud or because he was smoking a hookah and was nice enough to move. my vote goes for the prior guess.
8. Are there separate rooms or areas that can be blocked off for large groups/families?
if you can get it, the north patio seems good.
9. Are there changing tables in the bathroom?
no.
10. Is there parking? Or transit?
there is meter parking on the street and a public lot half a block away. i believe it was 50 cents an hour, max two hours. free street parking is only two blocks away toward the west. there may be a lot for the strip mall behind the building. i saw an driveway between the building and the used book store next door. plenty of transit acces off of santa monica boulevard.
11. Breastfeeding?
i breastfed no problem. of course, i don't care very much where i breastfeed so i didn't feel uncomfortable out on the patio.
CAFE DAHAB
1640 Sawtelle Blvdevard
Los Angeles, CA 90025
310-444-0969
review by yucaree.
1. Are aisles and walking areas wide enough for strollers?
sort of. just inside the front door are some small ottoman-like stools that you may run in to, but they are light enough to easily push out of the way. you can squeeze through the tables one stroller at a time and probably park one stroller near your table. there is a step leading down to the area that is open for dinner only. there is more room outside on the patios, although there is another step to access the south patio. we took up the north patio because we had six strollers. there's just enough space to park four or five strollers in this area as long as you don't block their kitchen door.
2. number of high chairs available: 1
3. general ambient noise level
couldn't tell because when we were there for lunch it was pretty empty. if you're out on the patio it faces sawtelle boulevard, which can get a little noisy because the intersection with santa monica boulevard is less than half a block away.
4. Availability of outdoor seating (and proximity to traffic areas)
see above
5. How cramped are the tables next to each other?
the tables are pretty close together inside and outside. the tables and chairs outside are plastic so they can easily be moved.
6. General service/attitude of staff toward kids/families
our server was pretty accomodating and didn't seem to mind too much that we were taking up an entire part of the patio. he just told us that we had to leave a path from the kitchen door, but didn't say anything when we blocked it a bit. gratuity was tacked on to our bill; i don't know if this was because we were a party of six, or because he knew we made a mess. however, this was during a time when there were hardly any other customers.
7. General tolerance/attitudes of other diners
i noticed that the man sitting at the next patio over moved farther down. i have no idea if it was because we were too loud or because he was smoking a hookah and was nice enough to move. my vote goes for the prior guess.
8. Are there separate rooms or areas that can be blocked off for large groups/families?
if you can get it, the north patio seems good.
9. Are there changing tables in the bathroom?
no.
10. Is there parking? Or transit?
there is meter parking on the street and a public lot half a block away. i believe it was 50 cents an hour, max two hours. free street parking is only two blocks away toward the west. there may be a lot for the strip mall behind the building. i saw an driveway between the building and the used book store next door. plenty of transit acces off of santa monica boulevard.
11. Breastfeeding?
i breastfed no problem. of course, i don't care very much where i breastfeed so i didn't feel uncomfortable out on the patio.
CAFE DAHAB
1640 Sawtelle Blvdevard
Los Angeles, CA 90025
310-444-0969
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