It's a really good idea to bring meal ingredients that are flexible.
For example, on our recent trip the weather forecast changed while we were out to include 50+ MPH wind gusts and blowing dust for 2 days. Not fun outdoor cooking weather. Happily, I was prepared. I had grilled a bunch of chicken at home before we left and packed it in the cooler. One night we stayed in the van and ate sliced cold grilled chicken with hummus and avocado in pita for dinner. Banana bread and fruit went alongside. The other night we had 'appetizers for dinner' - always a fave - and had guacamole (formerly frozen package) and artichoke jalapeno dip (Costco) on crackers, chips, and pita. Everyone was full, and we minimized the consumption of dust.
What else did I use the grilled chicken for, you ask? Pad thai. One our favorite camping meals. It's easy if you are willing to use a pre-made sauce, and I am. (We historically used the Thai Kitchen brand, but I'm in the market for a new one because I noted that the most recent package reported that it was made in China. Nothing against the Chinese people, but the food safety record isn't great, and I would prefer even my processed foods to have fewer frequent flyer miles than I do.) The rice noodles mostly just soak for a while, then get tossed with a couple of quickly-scrambled eggs, sliced chicken (or other protein), and the sauce. Really impress them by having some slices of lime, ground peanuts, cilantro, and hot sauce on the side. All are easily prepped at home or brought in the cooler.
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Monday, June 4, 2012
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Returning from a Weekend Away. What to Eat?
I'll admit it. Last weekend after we got home from the desert we ate frozen pizza (bought on special with a coupon!) and relatively limp salad greens after washing the dust from our bodies.
It strikes me that I should be able to do better. The meals away are planned, after all, why not one more that can even have the luxury of waiting for us in a fridge?
This weekend I will try an experiment. I will make up a batch of Sullivan Street Pizza Dough on Friday morning and let it ferment in the fridge for the weekend to be baked on Sunday evening. It will actually be tougher than if we were away since we will be home and giving up that much fridge space.
Adding to my 'to do' list is to come up with some reasonable make ahead or practically no-prep dinners for the re-integration phase of weekend travel.
It starts here:
1) Rico's frozen tamales + guacamole
2) Grilled cheese and soup (although we often have quesadillas on the road)
3) Sullivan Street Pizza
4) Frozen ravioli - either boiled or prepared as ravioli lasagna
5) Tuna salad + crackers (I'm ok with hard boiled eggs resting in the fridge for a few days)
and continues in the comment box!
It strikes me that I should be able to do better. The meals away are planned, after all, why not one more that can even have the luxury of waiting for us in a fridge?
This weekend I will try an experiment. I will make up a batch of Sullivan Street Pizza Dough on Friday morning and let it ferment in the fridge for the weekend to be baked on Sunday evening. It will actually be tougher than if we were away since we will be home and giving up that much fridge space.
Adding to my 'to do' list is to come up with some reasonable make ahead or practically no-prep dinners for the re-integration phase of weekend travel.
It starts here:
1) Rico's frozen tamales + guacamole
2) Grilled cheese and soup (although we often have quesadillas on the road)
3) Sullivan Street Pizza
4) Frozen ravioli - either boiled or prepared as ravioli lasagna
5) Tuna salad + crackers (I'm ok with hard boiled eggs resting in the fridge for a few days)
and continues in the comment box!
Monday, May 9, 2011
The 1000th time camping -- new lessons learned
You may or may not know that J and I have a lot of camping experience. A lot. Between grad school and moving to SLC we took a long road trip. It began at about MLK Day and ended at Memorial Day, and we lived in a modified Astrovan for the duration. Before that he had stints as a wilderness ranger with routine 10-day backpack tours. In high school and grad school I participated in Kettering Summer Field Studies and was for some years in charge of the kitchen for 30-45 people (mostly teens) on 30-40 day camping trips.
That said, we didn't have tons of experience camping with little people, and we have learned a few things to share.
To set the stage - we do have a 1986 VW Vanagon in which we can sleep (but not cook), so I don't mention anything about tents. We don't tend to camp in campgrounds, preferring disperse camping on public lands (which means usually no toilets, and no picnic tables). We don't have campfires.
Suggestions not in order of importance.
1) Expected overnight lows above 35F are really preferable.
2) Feet jammies are a good idea.
3) If kids like to take their clothes off in cold weather, put the coat on backwards and/or confine them in a sling.
4) Especially if you are only going for a weekend or long weekend, do as much of the kitchen prep at home as you can. I mean, chop the veggies and grate the cheese before you leave home and then pack them in vessels which will not allow cooler water to seep in. I have even been known to pre-cook chicken at home.
5) Always have at least one back up meal that can be eaten cold or requires no preparation. For example, hummus and pita bread with sliced cheese. Add some fruit - canned pineapple is a good choice - for balance if desired.
6) Appetizers are a great plan. We like to eat some dip and crackers in the time after hiking and before making dinner.
7) Even if they aren't usually part of your shopping list, single serve containers can be very helpful for quick roadside snacks. I'm talking about applesauce cups, yogurts, string cheese etc.
8) Pack a 'lunch kit' that is always accessible in the passenger compartment of your vehicle or in your cooler. This should contain: small cutting board, knife, napkins (bib), sippy cups, utensils for everyone, small plastic plates, salt and pepper.
9) Sippy cups are a good idea in the car. Even for children who have outgrown sippy cups.
10) M&M's are great hiking motivators, especially if they aren't a routine part of life. Juice boxes can be just the ticket to get some liquid and calories into a hot kid on a desert hike.
11) "Wagbags" or personal sanitation devices can be really helpful when on hikes with littler kids who may or may not have the best sense of when toilets are available. It is not always feasible to dig a hole, after all, and sometimes once the hole is created, the opportunity may be missed leaving a little one with a tummy ache.
12) My most recent a-ha moment relates to packing. I like to use these packing devices from Eagle Creek to organize stuff in my bag. My usual MO is to use one color bag for each person so that it is easier to find what I am looking for. BUT then I realized how inefficient it was to open three+ bags when I was gathering clothes in the morning. Next time I will pack by day rather than by person. Using this past weekend as an example, I knew that we were doing a hike on Saturday, and I packed hiking clothes for me and the kids. Next time I will put our hiking clothes in one bag for Saturday. For Sunday we had hiking clothes and 'ride home in the car clothes'. These sets will each go in separate bags so that I only have to grab one. This of course only works because the small people for whom I pack do not much care what clothes they wear, so I can pre-determine it at home!
Edited to add:
13) Hiking snacks should be packaged into plastic containers with lids that fit well. I like the screw top ones from Ziploc which also are reliable for keeping cooler water out of cold items. Zip top bags are not a good choice for snacks in the backpack because 1) they tear, 2) zippers fail, 3) small animals can smell your food and will eat right through your backpack to get at the bag (critically important if you are stashing your pack to bag a peak or climb a route).
14) I pack all jackets and outerwear in a single duffel bag along with soft baby carrying devices. Hats and mittens go in the outside zipper pocket of the outerwear bag so that they are always in the same place with easy access.
15) Take your headlamp hiking with you. Because you never know.
That said, we didn't have tons of experience camping with little people, and we have learned a few things to share.
To set the stage - we do have a 1986 VW Vanagon in which we can sleep (but not cook), so I don't mention anything about tents. We don't tend to camp in campgrounds, preferring disperse camping on public lands (which means usually no toilets, and no picnic tables). We don't have campfires.
Suggestions not in order of importance.
1) Expected overnight lows above 35F are really preferable.
2) Feet jammies are a good idea.
3) If kids like to take their clothes off in cold weather, put the coat on backwards and/or confine them in a sling.
4) Especially if you are only going for a weekend or long weekend, do as much of the kitchen prep at home as you can. I mean, chop the veggies and grate the cheese before you leave home and then pack them in vessels which will not allow cooler water to seep in. I have even been known to pre-cook chicken at home.
5) Always have at least one back up meal that can be eaten cold or requires no preparation. For example, hummus and pita bread with sliced cheese. Add some fruit - canned pineapple is a good choice - for balance if desired.
6) Appetizers are a great plan. We like to eat some dip and crackers in the time after hiking and before making dinner.
7) Even if they aren't usually part of your shopping list, single serve containers can be very helpful for quick roadside snacks. I'm talking about applesauce cups, yogurts, string cheese etc.
8) Pack a 'lunch kit' that is always accessible in the passenger compartment of your vehicle or in your cooler. This should contain: small cutting board, knife, napkins (bib), sippy cups, utensils for everyone, small plastic plates, salt and pepper.
9) Sippy cups are a good idea in the car. Even for children who have outgrown sippy cups.
10) M&M's are great hiking motivators, especially if they aren't a routine part of life. Juice boxes can be just the ticket to get some liquid and calories into a hot kid on a desert hike.
11) "Wagbags" or personal sanitation devices can be really helpful when on hikes with littler kids who may or may not have the best sense of when toilets are available. It is not always feasible to dig a hole, after all, and sometimes once the hole is created, the opportunity may be missed leaving a little one with a tummy ache.
12) My most recent a-ha moment relates to packing. I like to use these packing devices from Eagle Creek to organize stuff in my bag. My usual MO is to use one color bag for each person so that it is easier to find what I am looking for. BUT then I realized how inefficient it was to open three+ bags when I was gathering clothes in the morning. Next time I will pack by day rather than by person. Using this past weekend as an example, I knew that we were doing a hike on Saturday, and I packed hiking clothes for me and the kids. Next time I will put our hiking clothes in one bag for Saturday. For Sunday we had hiking clothes and 'ride home in the car clothes'. These sets will each go in separate bags so that I only have to grab one. This of course only works because the small people for whom I pack do not much care what clothes they wear, so I can pre-determine it at home!
Edited to add:
13) Hiking snacks should be packaged into plastic containers with lids that fit well. I like the screw top ones from Ziploc which also are reliable for keeping cooler water out of cold items. Zip top bags are not a good choice for snacks in the backpack because 1) they tear, 2) zippers fail, 3) small animals can smell your food and will eat right through your backpack to get at the bag (critically important if you are stashing your pack to bag a peak or climb a route).
14) I pack all jackets and outerwear in a single duffel bag along with soft baby carrying devices. Hats and mittens go in the outside zipper pocket of the outerwear bag so that they are always in the same place with easy access.
15) Take your headlamp hiking with you. Because you never know.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Babywearing and traveling - update!
I have been a big proponent of babywearing as a way to make traveling easier. Recent changes in TSA policy have thrown a wrench in my travel style.
You can no longer wear a baby in a sling through security. Sigh. Here's the TSA fact sheet. And a quote (emphasis mine):
"All child-related equipment that will fit through the X-ray machine must go through the X-ray machine. Examples include: strollers, umbrella-strollers, baby carriers, car and booster seats, backpacks, and baby slings."
New routine
1. Show ID and boarding pass to TSA gatekeeper.
2. Approach screening area. Take a bin.
3. Remove laptop from carry on bag and place in bin. *Nothing can be placed atop the laptop in the bin. I can use only 1 bin because I carry a mini-laptop.
4. Remove clear 1 quart zip top bag from carry on bag and place in bin.
5. Remove (slip on) shoes and place in bin. *Baby shoes must also be removed!
6. Remove baby. If he can stand, stand him up between you and the belt. If not, you might want to have an extra bin handy to contain the baby - do not put the bin through the x ray!
7. Remove sling and put it in your carry on bag, in another bin, or on the belt - consideration is whether or not straps and buckles might become caught in the belt.
8. Walk through metal detector carrying baby - or have baby walk in front of you. I made Q walk on principle.
9. Wait for your stuff to pass through the x ray.
10. Return baby to a safe spot while you retrieve and don your sling.
11. Return baby to sling.
12. Replace your shoes.
13. Replace laptop and 1 quart zip top bag into your carry on bag.
14. Proceed with your day.
TSA website specifies that you may not ask TSA personnel to assist with your baby. In my experience, kind male officers offered to help which I politely declined.
Not making traveling easier for families.
In SLC the other day, I declined to remove Q and experienced the new enhanced pat-down search. If you are wondering how that was, let me tell you that following the pat-down I am fairly certain not to have breast cancer.
You can no longer wear a baby in a sling through security. Sigh. Here's the TSA fact sheet. And a quote (emphasis mine):
"All child-related equipment that will fit through the X-ray machine must go through the X-ray machine. Examples include: strollers, umbrella-strollers, baby carriers, car and booster seats, backpacks, and baby slings."
New routine
1. Show ID and boarding pass to TSA gatekeeper.
2. Approach screening area. Take a bin.
3. Remove laptop from carry on bag and place in bin. *Nothing can be placed atop the laptop in the bin. I can use only 1 bin because I carry a mini-laptop.
4. Remove clear 1 quart zip top bag from carry on bag and place in bin.
5. Remove (slip on) shoes and place in bin. *Baby shoes must also be removed!
6. Remove baby. If he can stand, stand him up between you and the belt. If not, you might want to have an extra bin handy to contain the baby - do not put the bin through the x ray!
7. Remove sling and put it in your carry on bag, in another bin, or on the belt - consideration is whether or not straps and buckles might become caught in the belt.
8. Walk through metal detector carrying baby - or have baby walk in front of you. I made Q walk on principle.
9. Wait for your stuff to pass through the x ray.
10. Return baby to a safe spot while you retrieve and don your sling.
11. Return baby to sling.
12. Replace your shoes.
13. Replace laptop and 1 quart zip top bag into your carry on bag.
14. Proceed with your day.
TSA website specifies that you may not ask TSA personnel to assist with your baby. In my experience, kind male officers offered to help which I politely declined.
Not making traveling easier for families.
In SLC the other day, I declined to remove Q and experienced the new enhanced pat-down search. If you are wondering how that was, let me tell you that following the pat-down I am fairly certain not to have breast cancer.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
New (to me) back wrap
Q is getting heavy for one-shouldered carries, so I have been experimenting.
I learned from a youtube video!
Click here to view these pictures larger
I learned from a youtube video!
Friday, March 12, 2010
Baby transportation, continued
People ask me sometimes...
So why not use a car seat carrier or car seat that snaps into a stroller?
The answer is simple. I like to choose the path of minimal effort and cost.
With Z we didn't even have one of those infant car seats because we didn't want to pay for something that she might outgrow in a few months. Turned out that she was tiny and could have easily stayed in one for quite a long time, but we didn't mind. It was still one less thing to buy. Those carriers are heavy and awkward to tote around. We drive a small car, and I don't want to fill up the trunk space with a stroller. When we left the hospital with Z, the staff were fretty about our lack of a bucket. They insisted that we must bring the carrier into the hospital and buckle her into it to carry her out. Not possible, so one of the staff accompanied us to the car to witness Z being buckled into the seat.
Now, we have an infant car seat that we inherited from someone else, and it stays in the car.
Recently we traveled by air and planned to rent a car at our destination. That entailed bringing car seats for both kids along with our luggage. Important - car seats don't count against your luggage allowance. We did it without using a cart at the airport. Here's how - drive to the airport. Put Z in the front seat so that her car seat can be taken out and put into a bag (easier to carry and protects it a bit) while I am putting Q on my back in the Ergo. Then his seat goes into a bag. J carries Z's seat and one piece of luggage, a big duffel. I slide the handles of the bag with Q's seat over the handle of a rolling suitcase and roll them together. I hold Z's hand and have the diaper bag over my shoulder. We have never brought a stroller when traveling as a family - it would just be one more thing to carry.
You might be wondering, what carriers did you bring on your vacation? For this most recent trip, three: Maya Wrap ring sling, Maya Tie, and Ergo. Balance of comfort and utility.
See my earlier post about traveling with kids and the comments for more tips.
So why not use a car seat carrier or car seat that snaps into a stroller?
The answer is simple. I like to choose the path of minimal effort and cost.
With Z we didn't even have one of those infant car seats because we didn't want to pay for something that she might outgrow in a few months. Turned out that she was tiny and could have easily stayed in one for quite a long time, but we didn't mind. It was still one less thing to buy. Those carriers are heavy and awkward to tote around. We drive a small car, and I don't want to fill up the trunk space with a stroller. When we left the hospital with Z, the staff were fretty about our lack of a bucket. They insisted that we must bring the carrier into the hospital and buckle her into it to carry her out. Not possible, so one of the staff accompanied us to the car to witness Z being buckled into the seat.
Now, we have an infant car seat that we inherited from someone else, and it stays in the car.
Recently we traveled by air and planned to rent a car at our destination. That entailed bringing car seats for both kids along with our luggage. Important - car seats don't count against your luggage allowance. We did it without using a cart at the airport. Here's how - drive to the airport. Put Z in the front seat so that her car seat can be taken out and put into a bag (easier to carry and protects it a bit) while I am putting Q on my back in the Ergo. Then his seat goes into a bag. J carries Z's seat and one piece of luggage, a big duffel. I slide the handles of the bag with Q's seat over the handle of a rolling suitcase and roll them together. I hold Z's hand and have the diaper bag over my shoulder. We have never brought a stroller when traveling as a family - it would just be one more thing to carry.
You might be wondering, what carriers did you bring on your vacation? For this most recent trip, three: Maya Wrap ring sling, Maya Tie, and Ergo. Balance of comfort and utility.
See my earlier post about traveling with kids and the comments for more tips.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Babywearing -- everybody's doing it (?)
Another article from the NYT has overcome my inability to blog. This time, it's about babywearing. And in the Fashion section. Who knew?
Many people ask my about babywearing, and I have helped a lot of moms and a few dads learn to wear their babies. The most frequent question is "Which carrier should I get?" To which I must reply, "Different tools for different jobs, my friend. In our house we have several."
Which do I like and why, here goes:
1. A ring sling, such as a Maya Wrap (get the lightly padded, it is much better than the original), is really useful for: brand new babies in a vertical position against your chest, bigger babies in a sitting position, breastfeeding in the sling with or without using the tail as a cover,and strapping babies into shopping carts or restaurant high chairs with broken buckles (all of them). This is not an exhaustive list. J carried Z in a ring sling until she was well over 2. It's great for the up-down stage, doesn't take up a lot of space in a bag, and is a good value for the money. Not good for carrying baby through the airport because of the metal rings. You will have to take baby out to go through security. A ring sling will always be in my stable of carriers.
2. A soft structured carrier, such as the Ergo. I really like this for putting babies old enough to have head control on either the front or the back. It has a pocket that zips, and I find it pretty comfortable. Breastfeeding is possible (with baby in front), and this is how I managed to deal with Z's tendency to switch nurse, especially when shopping. This is currently my choice for hikes up to about 3 miles. Great for travel and you do not need to remove baby to pass through security at the airport. The downside? J hates it. "I know how a backpack should fit, and that feels terrible." I recently ordered a Beco which is a similar carrier with a higher back because Q has a tendency to try and arch his way out of the Ergo. Will update once I know how I feel about it.*updated April 2012 - loved, loved, loved the Beco for Q. J never liked it. Recently acquired a Boba brand soft structured carrier, and for the first time ever both J and I can agree on a carrier. SSC are still my go to devices for a nearly 3 year old*
3. One or more wraps. For newborns, stretchy wraps such as a Moby are great. Tie them on once and pop the baby in and out all day. Some people can successfully nurse in them (I never got the hang of it). Good value, and pretty easy to learn. For bigger babies, I like a woven wrap as well. We have tried several including Didymos (our first sling!), Ellaroo, Merry Carry (made by Bebina), and Gypsy Mama Bali Baby Breeze. Woven wraps have a little more of a learning curve, but they are very supportive and comfortable. We reach for the Ellaroo in the summer and the Didy in the winter. J never uses the Merry Carry because it is red.
4. We now have two mei-tais. One was made by my mom, and the other is commercial from the Maya Wrap people. It is called the Maya Tie. This category shares many nice features of the woven wraps and soft structured carriers. Wear on the front or the back, slightly easier to learn than a wrap, and less bulky to tote around. This is J's favorite for keeping Q calm during the day and the place where Q sleeps the most (on J's back).
5. I do have a pouch sling. It is a Lucky Baby brand, and it lives in the car as an emergency backup. Not comfortable enough for me to reach for it often, but doesn't take up much space, and I am glad to have the backup.
Do it yourself-ers can have many field days with baby carriers - some great patterns are available free from the amazing Jan at SleepingBaby.net.
Never pay full price!! There is an active used market for most baby carriers, and you can find them often on Ebay, Craigslist, and on the TheBabyWearer.com, a website dedicated to babywearing. Look in the Forums (you have to register), and for the For Sale or Trade (FSOT) thread.
Do we have a stroller? Yes. Does it see much use? No. Strollers have their place. I put Z in one once when I needed to try on pants. That's hard to do effectively when wearing a baby. Lots of other things are much easier though - grocery shopping, public transit, carrying bags through the airport, cooking dinner...you get the picture. J tends to put small kids in the stroller when they are sleeping and he needs to do yardwork, gardening, or work on the car. Be sure to park them in the shade!
Many people think that it is hard to learn to wear your baby, and it does take practice, but help is available from other parents, from websites like TheBabyWearer.com, and there are even lots of demo videos on YouTube. I just finally learned to wrap a baby on my back in my Didymos yesterday after watching a couple of YouTube videos!
You may notice that I didn't mention Bjorns...we do have one but don't use it. Not very comfortable, they are spendy, and you can't breastfeed in it. Fails my tests.
In summary, different strokes for different folks, and choose the right tool for the job.
Let the questions and comments begin.
Many people ask my about babywearing, and I have helped a lot of moms and a few dads learn to wear their babies. The most frequent question is "Which carrier should I get?" To which I must reply, "Different tools for different jobs, my friend. In our house we have several."
Which do I like and why, here goes:
1. A ring sling, such as a Maya Wrap (get the lightly padded, it is much better than the original), is really useful for: brand new babies in a vertical position against your chest, bigger babies in a sitting position, breastfeeding in the sling with or without using the tail as a cover,and strapping babies into shopping carts or restaurant high chairs with broken buckles (all of them). This is not an exhaustive list. J carried Z in a ring sling until she was well over 2. It's great for the up-down stage, doesn't take up a lot of space in a bag, and is a good value for the money. Not good for carrying baby through the airport because of the metal rings. You will have to take baby out to go through security. A ring sling will always be in my stable of carriers.
2. A soft structured carrier, such as the Ergo. I really like this for putting babies old enough to have head control on either the front or the back. It has a pocket that zips, and I find it pretty comfortable. Breastfeeding is possible (with baby in front), and this is how I managed to deal with Z's tendency to switch nurse, especially when shopping. This is currently my choice for hikes up to about 3 miles. Great for travel and you do not need to remove baby to pass through security at the airport. The downside? J hates it. "I know how a backpack should fit, and that feels terrible." I recently ordered a Beco which is a similar carrier with a higher back because Q has a tendency to try and arch his way out of the Ergo. Will update once I know how I feel about it.*updated April 2012 - loved, loved, loved the Beco for Q. J never liked it. Recently acquired a Boba brand soft structured carrier, and for the first time ever both J and I can agree on a carrier. SSC are still my go to devices for a nearly 3 year old*
3. One or more wraps. For newborns, stretchy wraps such as a Moby are great. Tie them on once and pop the baby in and out all day. Some people can successfully nurse in them (I never got the hang of it). Good value, and pretty easy to learn. For bigger babies, I like a woven wrap as well. We have tried several including Didymos (our first sling!), Ellaroo, Merry Carry (made by Bebina), and Gypsy Mama Bali Baby Breeze. Woven wraps have a little more of a learning curve, but they are very supportive and comfortable. We reach for the Ellaroo in the summer and the Didy in the winter. J never uses the Merry Carry because it is red.
4. We now have two mei-tais. One was made by my mom, and the other is commercial from the Maya Wrap people. It is called the Maya Tie. This category shares many nice features of the woven wraps and soft structured carriers. Wear on the front or the back, slightly easier to learn than a wrap, and less bulky to tote around. This is J's favorite for keeping Q calm during the day and the place where Q sleeps the most (on J's back).
5. I do have a pouch sling. It is a Lucky Baby brand, and it lives in the car as an emergency backup. Not comfortable enough for me to reach for it often, but doesn't take up much space, and I am glad to have the backup.
Do it yourself-ers can have many field days with baby carriers - some great patterns are available free from the amazing Jan at SleepingBaby.net.
Never pay full price!! There is an active used market for most baby carriers, and you can find them often on Ebay, Craigslist, and on the TheBabyWearer.com, a website dedicated to babywearing. Look in the Forums (you have to register), and for the For Sale or Trade (FSOT) thread.
Do we have a stroller? Yes. Does it see much use? No. Strollers have their place. I put Z in one once when I needed to try on pants. That's hard to do effectively when wearing a baby. Lots of other things are much easier though - grocery shopping, public transit, carrying bags through the airport, cooking dinner...you get the picture. J tends to put small kids in the stroller when they are sleeping and he needs to do yardwork, gardening, or work on the car. Be sure to park them in the shade!
Many people think that it is hard to learn to wear your baby, and it does take practice, but help is available from other parents, from websites like TheBabyWearer.com, and there are even lots of demo videos on YouTube. I just finally learned to wrap a baby on my back in my Didymos yesterday after watching a couple of YouTube videos!
You may notice that I didn't mention Bjorns...we do have one but don't use it. Not very comfortable, they are spendy, and you can't breastfeed in it. Fails my tests.
In summary, different strokes for different folks, and choose the right tool for the job.
Let the questions and comments begin.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Eating Philadelphia Day By Day
Day 1: Arrival. From the taxi we saw a sign, “Down Home Diner Open Tonight” That looked perfect. It turned out to be even better than expected. The diner specializes in bacon. The owner smokes it himself, and it is cooked to crispy perfection. We lucked into ordering entrees that included bacon, but it was a tipoff that the server’s t-shirt said “I heart bacon”.
Day 2 (Saturday): First investigation of the Reading Terminal Market. Faithful readers may recall my descriptions of Westside Market in Cleveland. Reading Terminal Market is like that, but bigger. Lots of vendors of fresh food, cheese, meats, produce, and fish alongside stalls proffering food prepared from local sources. It was amazing. There is a large corner of Pennsylvania Dutch vendors selling crafts, baked goods, and everything that can be pickled. Nice!
The transition to Eastern time wasn’t kind, and it was mid-morning there before I made it over for breakfast. This is offered to help explain why I selected a Reuben sandwich from Herschel’s Eastside Deli for my brunch. The meat was sliced in front of me, approximately ¼ inch thick slices that were barely held together by remaining connective tissue. It glistened with gelatinous juice. I ordered it with everything which included Russian dressing. Usually I prefer my sandwiches without the dressing, but I wanted to experience this in its original form. My chosen rye bread (choice of pumpernickel or rye) was spread with the dressing and then layered with swiss cheese, the meat, and sauerkraut, and then put into a sandwich press griddle. The press didn’t flatten it out much, and it was hard to eat. It was the kind of sandwich that you can’t put down and then pick up again successfully. Best Reuben I have ever had. This may spoil me for other Reubens for a long time.
We also visited the Flying Monkey Bakery. They offered many varieties of brownies, too many choices in fact. But, luck was on my side. They offered a variety pack of brownie edge bites for $2. That’s a great value because I could taste several different brownies, and I really like edges. I didn’t actually eat any at that moment, but into the bag they went for later.
After that I didn’t need to eat again until dinner, and I wanted some vegetables, so I visited Nanee’s Kitchen. Nanee is from the Peshawar region of Pakistan and serves freshly-made Indian and Pakistani food. I tried the spinach paneer with nan and dal and felt like I had balanced out the meat-fest of brunch. The food was well-flavored, spiced but not hot, and the nan was fresh and crusty and chewy. I used to think that I didn’t like Indian food, but I am learning that I just needed more experience with good food and a greater variety.
Day 3: Back to the market, but it is Sunday morning, so not all of the vendors were open. We wound up back at the Down Home Diner with a lot of local Philadelphians. I had a breakfast burrito and shared a side of bacon. Good stuff, all. Very friendly server, Zach, provided local tips and color, but wasn’t really attentive about refilling coffee. That night we visited Delilah’s Southern Comfort. We had heard that the mac and cheese was something to talk about. I had a chicken platter – fried chicken, cornbread, and mac and cheese. I can report that it was good, but I can make it just as well. The cornbread, however, was exceptional. Slightly sweet and creamy, not dry at all.
Day 4 (Monday): With the giant APHA Conference across the street, breakfast was tough at the market. There were lots of people. I wound up getting an egg bagel from Spataro’s. It was fine, but nothing special. Coffee was from Old City Coffee, and I didn’t actually like it much. I had café au lait, and it was too hot to drink for about 20 minutes and the coffee itself was very bitter. I won’t go there again. Lunch a the market made breakfast look empty. My only chance to get food in a short time was to head back to Nanee’s Kitchen where I had a lamb kebab in nan. The meat was tender and well-cooked. There were two sauces, one was yogurt-based, and the other was a little sweet and garlicky. It was a good sandwich especially for $6. Monday evening we had our Utah social at McGillin’s Olde Ale House. It’s the oldest continuously operated tavern in Philadelphia. Our food was nothing too special, except for the meatballs in gravy (red sauce) were really good. The best thing that I tried was actually Original Sin Hard Cider. It was fruity and smooth, not sharp at all, but not cloyingly sweet either.
Day 5 (Tuesday): We slept in a bit and then went on a cheesesteak quest. This is a food item which engenders much passion in Philadelphia. Many outlets purport to be the home of ‘original’ or ‘best’ cheesesteaks, but it seems to come down to three contenders: Pat’s, Geno’s, and Jim’s. I’m proud to say that Scarlett and I stepped up to the plate and tried them all. It was a lot of walking but totally worth it. First stop was Jim’s Steaks in the 400 block of South Street (1.3 miles from our starting point). We split one that they helpfully cut in two for us and then set off to the south and Pat's King of Steaks. Pat's is famous, and supposedly the place where the sandwich was invented. There is a memorial of where part of Rocky was filmed. They were less polite, and not interested in helping the customer unless the order was properly given. Whatever. It wasn't all that. At Pat's we also enjoyed a birch beer which tastes like root beer, smells a bit of cream soda, and is more red than brown. For anyone counting, it is 0.8 miles from Jim's to Pat's. Geno's is literally across a weird intersection from Pat's. At Geno's we split our third cheesesteak of the day and then walked back to the convention center (1.6 miles -- fyi google maps estimates 36 minutes, and we did it in about that even with a diaper changing stop).
The verdict? We liked Jim's best - onions were in large, recognizable pieces, and the bread was chewy but not hard. Also, the politeness and indoor seating went a long way in our book. Oh, and we walked almost 4 miles.
No need for much dinner that night -- salad with felafel from a middle eastern vendor back at the market.
Day 6 (Wednesday): The Pennsylvania Dutch were back at the market, and I enjoyed an apple dumpling for breakfast (along with a bite of Scarlett's pickle and cinnamon roll, but not at the same time). Lunch was a tuna melt which was good with fries which were not at another Amish vendor. Quinn wasn't too impressed.
Day 2 (Saturday): First investigation of the Reading Terminal Market. Faithful readers may recall my descriptions of Westside Market in Cleveland. Reading Terminal Market is like that, but bigger. Lots of vendors of fresh food, cheese, meats, produce, and fish alongside stalls proffering food prepared from local sources. It was amazing. There is a large corner of Pennsylvania Dutch vendors selling crafts, baked goods, and everything that can be pickled. Nice!
The transition to Eastern time wasn’t kind, and it was mid-morning there before I made it over for breakfast. This is offered to help explain why I selected a Reuben sandwich from Herschel’s Eastside Deli for my brunch. The meat was sliced in front of me, approximately ¼ inch thick slices that were barely held together by remaining connective tissue. It glistened with gelatinous juice. I ordered it with everything which included Russian dressing. Usually I prefer my sandwiches without the dressing, but I wanted to experience this in its original form. My chosen rye bread (choice of pumpernickel or rye) was spread with the dressing and then layered with swiss cheese, the meat, and sauerkraut, and then put into a sandwich press griddle. The press didn’t flatten it out much, and it was hard to eat. It was the kind of sandwich that you can’t put down and then pick up again successfully. Best Reuben I have ever had. This may spoil me for other Reubens for a long time.
We also visited the Flying Monkey Bakery. They offered many varieties of brownies, too many choices in fact. But, luck was on my side. They offered a variety pack of brownie edge bites for $2. That’s a great value because I could taste several different brownies, and I really like edges. I didn’t actually eat any at that moment, but into the bag they went for later.
After that I didn’t need to eat again until dinner, and I wanted some vegetables, so I visited Nanee’s Kitchen. Nanee is from the Peshawar region of Pakistan and serves freshly-made Indian and Pakistani food. I tried the spinach paneer with nan and dal and felt like I had balanced out the meat-fest of brunch. The food was well-flavored, spiced but not hot, and the nan was fresh and crusty and chewy. I used to think that I didn’t like Indian food, but I am learning that I just needed more experience with good food and a greater variety.
Day 3: Back to the market, but it is Sunday morning, so not all of the vendors were open. We wound up back at the Down Home Diner with a lot of local Philadelphians. I had a breakfast burrito and shared a side of bacon. Good stuff, all. Very friendly server, Zach, provided local tips and color, but wasn’t really attentive about refilling coffee. That night we visited Delilah’s Southern Comfort. We had heard that the mac and cheese was something to talk about. I had a chicken platter – fried chicken, cornbread, and mac and cheese. I can report that it was good, but I can make it just as well. The cornbread, however, was exceptional. Slightly sweet and creamy, not dry at all.
Day 4 (Monday): With the giant APHA Conference across the street, breakfast was tough at the market. There were lots of people. I wound up getting an egg bagel from Spataro’s. It was fine, but nothing special. Coffee was from Old City Coffee, and I didn’t actually like it much. I had café au lait, and it was too hot to drink for about 20 minutes and the coffee itself was very bitter. I won’t go there again. Lunch a the market made breakfast look empty. My only chance to get food in a short time was to head back to Nanee’s Kitchen where I had a lamb kebab in nan. The meat was tender and well-cooked. There were two sauces, one was yogurt-based, and the other was a little sweet and garlicky. It was a good sandwich especially for $6. Monday evening we had our Utah social at McGillin’s Olde Ale House. It’s the oldest continuously operated tavern in Philadelphia. Our food was nothing too special, except for the meatballs in gravy (red sauce) were really good. The best thing that I tried was actually Original Sin Hard Cider. It was fruity and smooth, not sharp at all, but not cloyingly sweet either.
Day 5 (Tuesday): We slept in a bit and then went on a cheesesteak quest. This is a food item which engenders much passion in Philadelphia. Many outlets purport to be the home of ‘original’ or ‘best’ cheesesteaks, but it seems to come down to three contenders: Pat’s, Geno’s, and Jim’s. I’m proud to say that Scarlett and I stepped up to the plate and tried them all. It was a lot of walking but totally worth it. First stop was Jim’s Steaks in the 400 block of South Street (1.3 miles from our starting point). We split one that they helpfully cut in two for us and then set off to the south and Pat's King of Steaks. Pat's is famous, and supposedly the place where the sandwich was invented. There is a memorial of where part of Rocky was filmed. They were less polite, and not interested in helping the customer unless the order was properly given. Whatever. It wasn't all that. At Pat's we also enjoyed a birch beer which tastes like root beer, smells a bit of cream soda, and is more red than brown. For anyone counting, it is 0.8 miles from Jim's to Pat's. Geno's is literally across a weird intersection from Pat's. At Geno's we split our third cheesesteak of the day and then walked back to the convention center (1.6 miles -- fyi google maps estimates 36 minutes, and we did it in about that even with a diaper changing stop).
The verdict? We liked Jim's best - onions were in large, recognizable pieces, and the bread was chewy but not hard. Also, the politeness and indoor seating went a long way in our book. Oh, and we walked almost 4 miles.
No need for much dinner that night -- salad with felafel from a middle eastern vendor back at the market.
Day 6 (Wednesday): The Pennsylvania Dutch were back at the market, and I enjoyed an apple dumpling for breakfast (along with a bite of Scarlett's pickle and cinnamon roll, but not at the same time). Lunch was a tuna melt which was good with fries which were not at another Amish vendor. Quinn wasn't too impressed.
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