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

Fresh Idea: Community Supported Agriculture

by bonggamom

August 04, 2009

We've been singing the praises of local farmers' markets as a great source of fresh, locally-grown, typically organic produce for your family.  All this is true, but I just couldn't let our farmers' market series pass by without mentioning another great (and convenient!) source for delicious, healthy food:  Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA, food subscriptions.  

As the name implies, a community of individuals pledge support to a farm operation; they pay a monthly, semiannual or some periodic fee in exchange for a weekly amount of seasonal produce from the farm.  The produce (typically fruits and vegetables, but some CSA's also include dairy or meat products) is delivered to the members' doorsteps or can be picked up at a convenient neighborhood location.  The amount of produce delivered varies as local growing seasons and conditions vary, so growers and consumers truly share in the risks and benefits of food production.  Everything is usually organic, locally grown, and as fresh as you can get.  And since the produce delivered varies with the season, it's a great way to try new varieties of produce.   What a great way to start the week -- with a box of fresh veggies delivered straight to your door! Here are some local CSA's to get you started:

Full Belly Farm - organic fruits and vegetables.

Hidden Villa CSA - organic vegetables.

Farm Fresh To You - organic fruits and vegetables

Frog Hollow Farm - organic fruit, with granola, dried fruit and olive oil during the winter months.

Live Earth Farm - organic fruits and vegetables, with options for extra fruit, free-range eggs and artisan bread.

Eating with the Seasons - organic fruits and vegetables, with separate subscriptions for organic walnuts, organic eggs and organic tea.

Blue House Farm - organic fruits and vegetables, with separate subscriptions for organically grown flowers and organic, free-range eggs

Mariquita Farms - organic fruits and vegetables

Full Circle Farm - organic fruits and vegetables.

Terra Bella Family Farm - organic fruits, vegetables and eggs.


All these farms deliver (or have a pickup site) in the Silicon Valley area. 

When you decide on a supplier, make sure you sit your child on your lap when you visit their website.  If the farm has visiting hours, consider taking a day trip with your child to visit the farm and get to know who grows your vegetables.  Your little one might be more likely to try the vegetables if he knows they're from "his" farm! 

Frozen Yogurt in Silicon Valley

by bonggamom

June 30, 2009

Exactly one year ago, on June 30th, 2008, my co-editor Shaun ran a post on the coolest places to cool down on the Peninsula, featuring tried-and-true hangouts like Baskin Robbins and Cold Stone Creamery amidst up-and-comers like Red Mango and Fraiche.    Well, those two up-and-comers are now the tried-and-true staples of the frozen yogurt craze that's sweeping Silicon Valley.  This isn't your everyday frozen yogurt from Costco or IKEA, oh no;  the yogurt at these places is organic, probiotic, fat-free and all-natural.  And with all the fruit toppings available, you might just be able to justify this cold treat as something that's good for you.  I think.  For those who like it tart, creamy and oh-so-cold, here's a list of frozen yogurt stores around Silicon Valley:

1)  The ever-popular and ever-hip Red Mango has four locations (Palo Alto, San Carlos, Cupertino and San Jose) and four flavors (plain, green tea, pomegranate and tangomonium).

2)  Fraiche has stuck to a simple decor and simple list of yogurt flavors (plain, chocolate, and the new pomegranate) and toppings.  But with their in-house, made-from-scratch yogurt and quality ingredients like valrhona chocolate, it's no wonder that Fraiche is downtown Palo Alto's froyo hangout.

3)  Pinkberry has stores all over Southern Cali; with only one location (Santana Row) to serve all of Northern California, it's no wonder the wait in line can exceed 20 minutes.  But with their fresh fruit toppings, not frozen, people say it's worth the wait.  

4) Tartini in Cupertino has large selection of flavors, tart and sweet.  Taro, lychee, mango.... mmmm, I feel like I'm in the tropics already.

5)  Green Cup in San Jose is more than just a self-serve yogurt bar.  They  pride themselves on their eco-friendly culture-- and I don't mean the yogurt.  They use biodegradable cups, spoons, napkins and packaging. 

6)  Even if being green is a big priority, you don't have to drive all the way down south (and use up all that gas) to get your froyo fix.  Culture Yogurt, on Palo Alto's California Avenue, uses eco friendly paper products, lighting and decor.  You can even buy reusable yogurt cups and bring them with you the next time.  And trust me, there will be a next time.

7)  And the winner goes to....... Yogurtland, in Cupertino and San Jose.  Their self-serve topping bar is every child's dream.  Pull a lever and get sprinkles on your yogurt; what more can you ask for?  They've got a vast selection of flavors and toppings, including taro and mochi.  And they have a self-serve topping bar.   They're cheaper than a good many of the froyo places. And did I mention the self-serve toppings bar?  


Do you know of any other frozen yogurt places in Silicon Valley?   Leave a comment here to share your favorites -- I for one would love to discover new froyo places (this is one kind of research I really enjoy)!

 Read more...

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!

Eating Globally with Kids: Ethnic Restaurants

by bonggamom

February 19, 2009

Back in January (how long ago that seems!), I made a New Year's resolution to help my children cultivate a global outlook, and one of the ways my family has decided to do this is to spend the year trying out foods from different countries.  But many of Alfie's and my favorite international restaurants -- Cascal in Mountain View or Evvia in Palo Alto, for example -- don't exactly cater to the kiddie set.  So I enlisted the help of popular local parenting and foodie blogger, the wise, witty, and always delicious CityMama.  Here are her suggestions for kid-friendly international eateries around Silicon Valley:

1) Vietnamese -- I love Pho Vi Hoa on the corner of El Camino Real and San Antonio Road. Great pho (noodle soup) and delicious clay pot fried rice and green papaya salad. And the egg rolls are heavenly.

2) Korean -- I like Secret Garden in Santa Clara on El Camino just south of Lawrence Expwy. Or Tofu House is great for tofu soup and tofu pancakes but their menu is more limited than in a standard restaurant. The girls usually order tofu soup (without spices, because it can be HOT) and a bowl of rice then eat all the yummy side dishes.

3) Afghani--Kabul in Belmont is topnotch, but Cafe Sophia in midtown palo alto is casual and delicious and they are very kid friendly (they have toys).

4) Thai --we usually go to Krung Siam on University ave because they serve sticky rice in cute little baskets.

Not quite ready to venture into table service territory?  Take the family to an international cooking class instead.  Start safe with Italian Family Cooking classes at Kids Culinary Adventures on Feb. 27, or the Young Chefs Academy on Feb. 28.

My mouth is watering already.  Stay tuned throughout the year as my family and I try out Citymama's favorites, and find some of our own!

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...

Weekend Outlook: December 12th-14th

by Shawn Burns

December 10, 2008

Food and immigrant traditions and storytime are all rolled into one at the San Mateo County History Museum . At 11am and 2pm on Friday your pre-schooler can listen to "Too Many Tamales" read aloud and then learn about holiday food items from around the world and make their own clay tamales. The senior residents at Lytton Gardens are holding their Festival of Trees on Saturday from  Read more...

Weekend Outlook: November 7th-9th

by Shawn Burns

November 05, 2008

This Election Week Weekend Outlook is brought to you by ME. You know. As usual. What is there to do with your little one this first weekend in November, the month winter begins to close its frosty grip? This Friday Hidden Villa begins its " Preschoolers on the Farm " series of "working the farm" afternoons. The workshop runs from 3-4pm, and is continued on November 14th and November 21st.  Read more...

Apple Picking at Gizdich Ranch: Introducing Ana Picazo

by Shawn Burns

October 02, 2008

Being Savvy Silicon Valley is very, very proud to introduce Ana Picazo, a writer, blogger, and mom from the Silicon Valley who will be teaming up with me to form the new Being Savvy Silicon Valley Super Squad . In the next few weeks Anna will begin posting regularly in this space, offering up her Savvy knowledge of the Silicon Valley to you, the loyal Being Savvy Silicon Valley readers. Her  Read more...

Cosmopolitan Luncheon

by Shawn Burns

September 18, 2008

Silicon Valley kids are children of the world. With a major seaport just to the north and the tech industry drawing people from all over the planet, our valley is a great place to raise cosmopolitan kiddies. That is never more evident than in what a typical lunch-time at a playdate or pre-school looks like: cuisines from around the globe nourish children who live around the corner from each  Read more...

Weekend Outlook: September 19th-21st

by Shawn Burns

September 16, 2008

Another week, another weekend. This weekend I'm sticking close to the Peninsula, looking into a museum, a festival, and a storytime. Friday: From 11am to 4pm the Museum of American History in Palo Alto will be featuring their Music to One's Ears exhibit, a showcase of instruments in orchestras and in the home throughout musical history. I'm a pretty musical guy, and I hope my daughter  Read more...

List Day: First Day of Pre-school

by Shawn Burns

September 02, 2008

Happy Day-after-Labor-Day! In my ancient homeland (Canada) this day is the national go-back-to-school day for everyone. So I always get a little autumnally excited when this day rolls around: I smell pencil shavings and plastic binders, my clothes always feel as though they still have tags on them, my shoes squeak like new, and I can feel the weight of a full, new pad of paper in my hand.  Read more...

Dining Out--A Vacation from Dishes

by Shawn Burns

July 22, 2008

We have always been a dining-out kind of family. But we usually aren't lazy about it; my wife always says that life is too short to eat bad food, so we vote with our pocketbooks a lot. We tend to stay away from fast-food, and that aversion has only increased since Erin was born. (I give in on occasion, because chicken nuggets are easy to toss into the back seat while I'm driving, and it really  Read more...

Mixing it up a little

by Shawn Burns

July 16, 2008

Our national editors here at Savvy source have been giving some thought to bringing that "I'm taking a break from the routine" feeling home from vacation. Because it's the summer it is fairly easy to find things to do locally that break the school-year routine. Redwood City is once again showing movies in the square . The projects films onto a huge inflatable screen for everyone to watch, right  Read more...

Bastille Day: Soup's On

by Shawn Burns

July 14, 2008

Today is Bastille Day, the holiday the French celebrate in honor of their own Revolution. Our National Editors are taking you on a trip to Paris today, but we'll stay a bit closer to home. How do you celebrate Bastille Day in the Silicon Valley? You could enjoy a swanky dinner at The Left Bank . Not really kid-friendly, but also not kid un friendly. But really, all I want to eat on Bastille Day  Read more...

A book for a little cook

by Shawn Burns

July 11, 2008

Would you eat them in the dark? In the park? Up a tree? Yeah. Yeah I would. Because I love me some Dr. Seuss eggs. And my wife has always wondered "Is the ham green?" From the pictures it would appear so. But how would you go about turning a ham green in such a way that it would still be edible? What about the eggs? Georgeanne Brennan has the answers. She is the author of The Green Eggs and Ham  Read more...

Ice Cream on the Peninsula

by Shawn Burns

June 30, 2008

Happy Canada Day, my ex-pat Canadian friends. Mentally, tomorrow is the official first day of summer for me. And with summer comes ice cream, so how appropriate that on this last day of June, just in time for summer I give you look at Peninsula ice cream destinations. But instead of just presenting a straightforward list, I'm going to present them a little competitively. Frozen Yogurt Face Off  Read more...