Dining with kids at the Elgin Street Diner

by Brie Once upon a time I was a food snob. I loved good food. I liked to eat in nice restaurants, you know, with tablecloths. I hated to pay for bad food. Then I had kids. Now I am a food snob of a different kind.

We don't go out often to eat with the kids. When we do, given the frantic nature of the meal, there are certain things that we look for in a restaurant. Luckily we can find everything we are looking for at the Elgin Street Dinner.

Here are my top 5 reasons that the Elgin Street Diner is a great restaurant for kids.

1. The food comes fast Diners are the perfect choice for kids because the food is fast to come out from the kitchen. In fact I sometimes feel like I am waiting longer for the food to cool enough for the kids to eat it then I am for it to be brought to the table.

2. Distractions are plentiful The crayons and place mats for colouring that are handed out to all the kids when they arrive help to pass the time while you wait for the food. We usually bring some books with us too. If neither of those interest your kids you can probably keep them entertained for awhile watching all the people coming and going. A diner is perfect for people watching.

3. The servers are used to kids I am always thankful that the servers are used to kids. They know to bring extra napkins. They understand when we ask for the bill half way through the meal. They don't even look surprised when a glass of milk gets spilled. I am pretty sure they have seen it all at the Elgin Street Diner and that dinner with my two kids isn't the worst of it.

4. There is something on the menu your kids will eat Elgin Street Diner has an extensive menu, and with all day breakfast you can't really go wrong, but our kids are always happy to order off the kids' menu. In fact they always order the same thing. My 4 year old daughter gets the grilled cheese sandwich and my 2 year old son gets the macaroni and cheese. Once they totally threw me for a loop by switching their orders. Thankfully once the dishes arrived they decided to switch again and the order of the universe was restored. Phew, they had me going for awhile there.

5. It's loud. My kids are loud. They aren't even trying to be, they just are. I really, really appreciate being able to take them to eat somewhere where the noises from the kitchen and other patrons are as loud as they are. It means that instead of spending the whole meal being the mom that says "shhh" I get to actually eat my food.

The Elgin Street Diner is definitely an Ottawa institution.If you haven't been there since a 4am trip for poutine after a late night at the bars, I think it is time you stopped by. With the kids.

Brie is the mom of a 4 year old daughter “the girl” and 2 old son “the boy”. You can read her blog at Capital Mom.

Monkey Rock: A family night of fun

by Lara

It's always a challenge to go out for dinner with a three year-old and an almost one year-old...but we may have stumbled on something spectacular!  Monkey Rock Music (MRM) plays the first Thursday of every month at Tucson's Restaurant in the South end of the city.  The premise is get there at 4:45, kids eat at 5, show starts at 5:30 and parents eat while the concert is underway. 

So we tried it.  Friends of ours have two school-age kids, we live at the opposite ends of the city and we really don't get to see each other very often.  It's also a challenge, our kids being so different in age, to find family friendly events and outings to appease and entertain everyone.  John does this successfully with MRM!  He even gets the parents involved, or at least singing at their tables. 

I have to say the night out went extremely well, we had a great time.  The older kids were excited they got to go to their first "rock concert", my kids were excited because they love MRM.  They truly were entertained the entire concert, they danced, sang and Stinky Monkey even got on stage to participate with the movements that matched the song!  I really wish I had brought my camera.

The adults had as much fun as the kids, we could watch the kids from our table, enjoy a tasty beverage (or two), listen to some great kids tunes and eat our meal (relatively in peace, Bella Bear shuffled between the four of us clapping). The food was good and there was plenty of choice for everyone, even on the kids table d'hote menu.  Tucson's was extremely well organized and service was quick and understanding of a restaurant full of kids.  We were entertained by the music but also were able to talk, catch-up and enjoy each other's company. 

All in all a very successful outing for us, one in which we may just become regulars!  Thanks MRM and Tucson's for making a great family friendly event!

Lara is mom to Stinky Monkey (3) and Bella Bear (1).  She enjoys making the best memories with her active cardiac preschooler and a healthy heart toddler.  Lara also works, volunteers, shops (way too much), and is new to blogging at www.parentingwithheart.blogspot.com

The Great Backyard Bird Count

by Josee This is for the Birds!

The Great Backyard Bird Count is on this weekend, from Friday February 18th to Monday February 21st. This activity has captured my imagination - I just love it when learning, frugal fun, and the great outdoors collide!

The purpose of the GBBC is to create a snapshot of where birds are located across the continent. Everyone is encouraged to participate, and the GBBC's wonderful website makes it easy for children to get involved.

Here's how it works:

• Pick your bird-watching spot. It can be your back yard, a park, a forest...anywhere you're likely to spot some birds.
• Spend at least 15 minutes keeping track of the largest number of birds you spot at one time. For example, if you see three Canada Geese together at 10:00 a.m., then spot six Canada Geese together a few minutes later, you will need to record the six Canada Geese for your tally. Don't add the three and six together, since you might end up counting the same bird twice. You can spend as long as you like at your location watching for birds.
• If you decide to participate on different days or in more than one location, keep a different tally sheet for each day and each location.
• Enter your results on the GBBC website.
• Watch the on-line maps develop as more and more people enter their results.

Don't know the first thing about birds? If you're like me, the only birds you can identify off-hand are Canada Geese, Blue Jays and pigeons! No worries - that's where the GBBC's amazing website comes in. Enter your location here, and a list of bird species native to your area will come up. You can then click on each type of bird to get information and photos. You can also search birds by name here. The GBBC's kids' page also has a link to an application that will teach you and your child different bird calls, as well as numerous other fun, interactive games, colouring pages, and puzzles.

I think my four-year old daughter will love bird watching. I'm just trying to decide where we'll go to participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count. Come to think of it, we could even count the Rock Pigeons in our downtown neighbourhood - there are always plenty of those around!

Josée is mom to three-year old daughter B.G., and one-year old son Bonhomme.  She is always searching for fun and frugal Ottawa events and activities, and puts her research to good use at her website, www.frugalfunottawa.ca.

Family fun at Winterlude

by Laura This Friday marks the first day of Winterlude in Ottawa.  It is an excellent festival starring the largest outdoor skating rink (7.8 kms long!), the frozen Rideau Canal.  The Canal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Estimates of over 700,000 visitors come to Canada’s capital to celebrate winter and unique events and activities.

 If you have never been to Winterlude, this is the year to consider visiting. The conditions are perfect. It is freezing!  Therefore, the canal is nicely frozen and we have plenty of fluffy white snow to make the city a perfect winter wonderland.

Although skating is a wonderful attraction at Winterlude, there are many other activities to enjoy , often free of charge. Some examples include Aboriginal storytelling and dance performances.  Visitors can watch ice carvers from around the world create magnificent sculptures. There are learn to skate lessons or an opportunity to visit a real arctic ice camp and meet with experts in glaciology, climatology and seismology.  A local blog called OttawaStart has an excellent guide to Winterlude for a comprehensive list of events and activities.

My family loves to visit the Snowflake Kingdom at Jacques-Cartier Park.  There are giant ice slides, a snow labyrinth, furry mascots, ice sculptures and other fun.  

It would be a gastronomic crime to neglect mentioning Winterlude food.  Skating, sliding and enjoying the outdoors make for good appetites. Last year I wrote about my weakness for BeaverTails.  If you have not experienced this sweet pastry before, I highly recommend sampling one. For those with a real sweet tooth, maple taffy poured over snow is something different to try.  My husband is partial to his once a year steaming bowl of poutine.  Either way, Winterlude  is not the time to count calories.  Trust.

This season the Dows Lake gallery, an outdoor space presents an exciting exhibit of original art from young photographers.  The theme is the environment. This eco-art exhibit sponsered by the National Capital Commission (NCC) runs from January to February 2011.   I am looking forward to checking that out.

If you are looking for a fun weekend getaway this February, consider coming to Winterlude.  I suggest calling your Ottawan friends/family and tell them about your need to spend quality time together.  Earn extra points if you own an air mattress and offer to shovel some snow. (Sorry, we have visitors already booked!)

Some of my advice for Winterlude enjoyment.

• Don’t ask where Bonhomme is – wrong winter carnival.
• Put aside all vanity and wear long underwear, snow pants, real winter boots (no heels ladies!), hats, neckwarmers and waterproof mittens.  Dressing for the elements makes it waaay more enjoyable.
• Knapsacks are an easy way to cart around skates, a camera, drinks etc.
• If the selection of Beavertails has your head spinning, go for the Killaloe Sunrise.  It is delightful.
• Try to skate on the canal after sunset.  It is a very different experience…romantic actually.
• For up-to-date skating conditions, check out this webcam. 
• If you have an iphone you can even download a free app to help plan the perfect Winterlude outing.

 Hope to see you out on the canal.

Laura is a wife and Mother to beautiful 8 and 10 year old girls.  She describes herself as an eco-advocate and moderate neat freak with a recessive frugal gene.  Laura provides light-hearted commentary for every day, practical green living on her blog the Mindful Merchant.

Kids in the Capital is conducting a survey this week to learn more about our readers and better understand what kind of information you’d like to see here.  Please take 5 minutes to answer, and you’ll be entered into a draw for a free photo from Sara McConnell Photography at the Red, White and Love event on February 12. Click here to take survey

This Post Is For The Birds

by Sasha Many, many (many many many) years ago, I read an article in Owl magazine about a girl who had trained the chickadees in her backyard to eat from her hand. This took some patience and perseverence - going out every day with a handful of seed, working her way ever closer to the feeder, and finally taking the feeder away. I finally tried this a couple of years ago - and after a week or so I did manage to get a few brave little birds to land on my outstretched hand. It was pretty neat.

I now have a 2-year-old. "Patience" and "perseverence" aren't really in the lexicon yet. But 'bird' certainly is. And so, when I heard rumours of some really friendly chickadees at P11 in the greenbelt, I decided to check it out.

The plan was to take the girls out on Christmas Day, so just to avoid any disappointment, I swung by on Christmas Eve. And sure enough, those birds know where seed comes from. I had none with me, and yet all I had to do was step out of the parking lot and stand there, and within a minute or two the nearby bushes were a-twitter with chubby little birds, all eyeing me hopefully.

Christmas Day was a success. We went out with a big back of black sunflower seeds, which Miss Bea cheerfully scooped from the bag into piles on the ground. She liked the birds, and tried to hold some seed out for them, but then squealed and jumped away whenever one came near (and as a testament to how brave these birds are, that didn't stop them trying).  Before long they were actually tusselling for the seed on my hand (video).

If you would like to check it out, P11 is located off Hunt Club road between the 416 and Moodie. There are pathways & ski trails, but you can find the chickadees just by stepping out of the parking lot.  Note though, as we learned on a later visit, the chickadees have the sense to stay inside on the blustery days, leaving us wishing we did too.

Sasha is mom to 2-year-old Miss Bea, and 4 month old Baby Em.  Her ramblings can also be found on her blog, The Rambling Stroller.