Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in silicon valley, CA

Kid-Friendly Coffee Shops

by bonggamom

March 03, 2009

One of the great joys in life is being able to sit at a cafe and linger over a great cup of coffee.  But what if you've got little ones in tow, with the kind of jitters that don't come from coffee?  Below are some great places where both parents and children can hang out:

1) Redwood City's Main Street Coffee roasts their own beans on site and cook up an awesome breakfast or brunch.  Their basket of toys will keep little ones busy indoors, but it's when the sun shines that their kid-friendly appeal skyrockets.  Their large outdoor patio has sun-shades, trees, and a children's area with toys galore.  Take note, they close at 2PM and all day Sunday.

2) Crepes Cafe in Menlo Park is tres chic for all ages; grownups love the espressos and lattes, the fondues and crepes, the whole European feel of it all.  Kids love the ice cream treats, the toy baskets to rummage through, and best of all -- the Caltrain that roars by the cafe every now and then. 

3) There's something at San Jose's Yagoz Fine Gelato and Coffee for everyone in the family.  Parents will like the coffee and espresso drinks, the low prices and free WiFi.  Older kids will enjoy the array of board games available for them to play with.  And younger kids -- no, actually everybody! -- will enjoy the yummy gelato.

4)  What makes San Jose's Caffe Trieste kid-friendly?  One word:  babyccinos.   Little ones get their own steamed and foamed milk with chocolate drizzled on top.  Just like mommy's and daddy's capuccino, but with no caffeine, and amazingly, no cost -- they're free!   They've got Nutella paninis, too, in case you want to stay for lunch.

5) How could I not include the ubiquitous Starbucks? There's nothing specifically kid-friendly about them, but every time you go into a Starbucks you're sure to find a parent and a child hanging out.  Whatever you think of the coffee, you can be certain that it will be hot, the service will be quick, and they will always have boxes of Horizon Organic Chocolate milk for the kids.

6) For the ultimate in kid-friendly coffee, head over to Caffino's Drive-Thru Espresso Bars (they've got locations throughout Silicon Valley, including Milipitas, Mountain View, RWD, Santa Clara) and get your java fix without leaving the driver's seat.  The notion of a drive-thru coffee bar might conjure up images of fast food joints and big yellow arches, but their coffee is roasted on site, and they now feature Organic, Fair Trade certified beans.  You don't even have to mess with the carseats and strollers!

Basic Boosts for Busy Parents (And a Giveaway!)

by bonggamom

March 02, 2009

 Want to try this drink for free?  Read on to find out how!

I know, I know, being a parent is tough.  We're so focused on taking care of our children that sometimes we forget to take care of ourselves.  Nutrition-wise, we often take the quick and easy way out -- a cookie here, a bag of chips there, a cup of coffee for breakfast, half of our children's mac-n-cheese at dinnertime .  I'm as guilty as anyone.  But what's a busy parent to do? Today's guest posters, Bonnie Johnson and Deanna Segrave-Daly, serve up five great ways parents can maintain a healthy lifestyle even in the midst of all the childhood chaos.  As registered dieticians, they know the ins and outs of good nutrition.  Even more important, they are moms who understand that our busy, crazy schedules means we need quick, manageable solutions -- and all the help we can get. 

Things that matter and things that don't

by Bonggamom

January 06, 2009

Today, Being Savvy editors around the country are looking at The Big Picture, counting down the Top 5 Things that Really Matter with preschoolers, and 5 Small Things that Really Donâ??t. Here's my list: Top 5 Things that Really Matter with Preschoolers 1) Making food fun All-out food fights are discouraged in our household, but my kids enjoy eating peas with one's fingers, fashioning  Read more...

Weekend Outlook: January 2nd-4th

by Shawn Burns

December 31, 2008

Happy New Year to All! 2009 is already shaping up to be a great year and it hasn't even started yet. "How can that be?" you ask. And I'm glad you asked, because it gives me a segue into the first Weekend Outlook of 2009 (or the last one of 2008, depending on your point of view). On Friday how about taking the under-3 tot to KidzArt for their "Squiggles to Grins" art class from 10am  Read more...

List Day: Consumable Gifts

by Shawn Burns

December 16, 2008

Today on Savvy Source we're talking about "consumable" gifts. Not "gifts you can eat" but gifts that you use up, like gift certificates and memberships. My favorite gifts as a kid were always bookstore gift certificates, and I think my post-Christmas Certificate-Shopping-Spree kept the local bookstores in business through March. But not everyone is like the nerdy kid I was (am?), so  Read more...