Japanese Tea Garden

One of the great things about her early childhood development class is that they have field trips. Last week, we got to go to the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park with her class. First we got to take our favorite bus ride, the 44 line, which takes you up past the beautiful Glen Canyon Park (surely a future NTTN post), and you get to hop off in front of the enormous new de Young looming over everything like a Mayan temple. Then you get to Zen out on the garden grounds, eventually having a nice pot of green tea and cookies (all for $3!) to finish the soothing trip. That it was free to get in and there were squealing toddlers all over the place made it that much better.

Sausalito Ferry

On the 2nd Anniversary of someone's arrival in the world, we decided that a day trip to Sausalito via the Golden Gate Ferry was the way to go. It provides big, cheap thrills with fantastic (and patriotic) views of the Jewel by the Bay. Once in the shoppers paradise-disguised as a small town, you can help yourself to a rich, delicious Lappert's Ice Cream (or two) or just stroll the tiny, shop-laden streets with a contented grin on your face.

INTRODUCING...

GEORGIA! After the bars closed on Friday night, and just as everyone was finishing up their super quesidilla suizas at El Farlito, Georgia arrived weighing in at 8lbs 2 oz, just as her father predicted. Ruth was in dreamland at the time, having no idea that her landed position of prestige as first born was just bumped up a notch by Georgia's position as recipient of all big-sister ire and love. Thank heavens for her grandmother and the ever present Mr. Myers, who made the family's transition seamless. Georgia makes a nice addition to the neighborhood.

SCHOOL DAZE

City College of San Francisco has an early childhood development program that includes hands-on, real life, no holds barred toddler immersion in the form of free "school" at the local rec centers around town. It is hard to find info online, but show up at the Mission Rec Center (21st and Treat) between 9 a.m. and noon on Wednesdays and Thursdays, go upstairs, and join the class. The activities change every 20 minutes or so and include letting loose rug rats in a room full of bouncy balls, snack time, story time, ring around the rosy time. Ruth loves it, and so do we.

Tao Cafe

We had been there before, and it was delicious, so when we were both too disinterested to cook and someone (read: FoR) had not fed someone (read: Ruth) a suitable snack, we moved on to the lovely local Tao Cafe. At the early hour (6:00) they were still empty and they were very accomodating for Ruth, as they had been in the past. She is seen here enjoying a spoonful of coconut ice cream (read: Auchiee, gud).

In other developments, MoR is ready to burst and we wait to tell the world of the new arrival (read: Georgia).

SONY METREON

Heading down to 4th and Mission the other day to see Ruth's first big-screen flick, Curious George, we first had to kill time in the lobby to avoid the 20 minutes of commercials they show these days. Ruth had an excellent time, gasping with surprise that George could move and all that. We were both disappointed the Man in the Yellow Hat talked so much, but George was great. The cookies helped.

Chow

Right by Market and Church, we find the delightful and delicious Chow, where the food is varied and (relatively) cheap, and (relatively) kid-friendly. Ruth is shown here furiously mixing her water with chopsticks. "Cookin'," as she is wont to do while given chopsticks.

This is also just down the way from Duboce Park, a long-time favorite and right next door from Aardvark Books, where the books are (relatively) inexpensive and the aisles are -- miracle of miracles -- big enough for a stroller. MoR also reports that they have a complete set of Andrew Lang's Fairy Tales for those looking to be transported to a dreamworld of magic.

PRECITA EYES

You may think 18 months is too young to paint a picture. We thought so too, and waited until the budding artist reached 23 months to take her first art class.
This usage of the word class may stretch the definition of instruction, but for $12 (yeah, kind of steep) your toddler can move from station to station creating masterpieces of extraordinary vision. (OK, so they go on the fridge for a month, vision is in the eye of the cranium.) Ruth painted and decorated two pirate hats, one valentine's heart, and several large works including the study in green, shown. She also smashed some clay. It was worth every penny, and she concentrated for a full 50 minutes before announcing, "all done."

GUNG HAY FAT CHOY!

It is a good time for everyone to take a moment and review their animal year horoscope, just to give yourself a fair chance to either ward off (or anticipate) upcoming surprises. Mother rooster has been prophesied a birth (that one was easy, unless she's been toting around a medicine ball) and the power to shape her destiny, despite being tied town to the diaper pail. Young monkey Ruth has been warned not to speculate, her technical expertise will come in handy. The much anticipated dog of the family has been foreseen to have a difficult year, with constant competition. Well, we could have told her as much. Her big sister is already talking to mythical beasts. "Dragons! Hello!"

Tartine Bakery

When nearing the food mecca that is the 18th St. Corridor, we stopped in to the delicious Tartine and had some "tweets." Delicious.

In unrelated news: Ruth today was found touching her nose and when asked what she was doing she said, "My nose. I found it." And what is there to say to that?

Mitchell's Ice Cream

When heading down Guerrero with 40 minutes left on the City Car Share, where else is there to go but

Mitchell's?

Ice Cream. Or, as Ruth calls it "Auschiee."

Ain't it just?

The Carousel at Zeum

Leaping plastic horses can be alarming, as you can see. The Carousel at Zeum is an excellent cheap thrill ($2 a rider, but they usually only charge the one in the fuzzy pink jacket) for rainy or sunny days. The park across the quad at Yerba Buena Gardens is a blast as well. Ruth is trying to give her nap to the chagrin of her loved ones, but the battle rages on. Who shall prevail? We suspect the tiny pink thing soon to arrive.

Spokane-Based Party

Perhaps snow is the not most delicious thing made by nature; it might be the most compelling, however. Enormous fun was had by all in the great Western Washingtonian city of Spokane at the Birch/Wilson/de Thomas stop on the great Northwest Tour of '05-'06. Grandma and Grandpa Birch supplied the snow, thank you very much.

PDX Part Four

Continuing on with the visit to the great Northwest, We move back to the beginning of the trip, where a scant hour after stepping off of the plane, we found ourselves looking at Sea Lions (in awe, really) -- because we were in town a good 8 hours before check-in time. Who booked those tickets? Ooops.

Lunch at the delightful (weirdly 80's-flavored) Deco Heathman Hotel where we had one of the best breakfasts in the annals of breakfast, should there be annals for that sort of thing.

Ruth presently is awaiting the arrival of her miniature sibling, cutting more of them big toofs in the back. Drool aplenty. That, and the pink fuzzy jacket has happily (perhaps temporarily) supplanted the black trench seen below.

PDX Part Three

Though Portland was both lovely and inviting, one would be remiss not mentioning the rain. It did come down in many different types. Cats and dogs, misty morning sunshine and slow n' steady. No matter, fun was had by Ruth in the stunningly lush Forest Park, the largest inner-city park in the country. Even if it was coming down, Ruth was ready to rock the "eell-phann."

PDX Part Two

While whiling our time away in the City of Roses, NTTN was hosted by the newlywed Graybill familia at the impressively family-friendly McMenamins' St. John's Theater & Pub. Though sick of all the rain in our three holiday destinations - SF, Spokane and Portland - Ruth held up with aplomb. Ruth will be the next Stan Brackhage, maybe?

PDX part one

One last trip before Ruth needs to buy her own plane ticket and her mother pops like a balloon with her little sister found the family in Portland Oregon at the Jupiter Hotel, the funkiest spot in town to be seen in footsie jams.

More posts to come, but we wanted to alert the masses to this weekend's Family Appreciation Day. On Sunday, you can take the kids for free to museums shows and sights all over town. We will be there, thanks Gavin.

Xmas Shopping in the Rain

With the lovely weather we've been having here in the City by the Bay, it's been hard to keep up with the season at hand. That said, MoR, despite being 13,234 months pregnant, still manages to take Ruth to the Toddler Gym of the Gods in between thunder storms. Ruth, of course, is unpeturbed by mere raindrops. It's not like they're taking her new top. Happy Holidays from FoR and NTTN. We'll send greetings and things to do on the Idaho border before too long.

Clarion Alley

More Alleys with the Ruth to the Truth. This one is next to the beloved Community Thrift, where Ruth picks up much of her much-loved reading material -- Boyton books in particular for some reason get sold a lot, great literature though they are. Not all of the art is as Max-like as Balmy, but the colors and animals are worth the visit, we think.

BALMY ALLEY

There is an alley off of 24th street, south of folsom that fills Ruth with shrieks and giggles. It is, put simply, not just another Mission alley. As seen to my right, Ruth can log time with Max or other wild, storied critters. Overseen by the local, great Precita Eyes (the word eyes, which Ruth pronounces "eeyyeshh" and uses when there are lulls in the conversation is a favorite), purveyors of painting classes for toddlers and tours down the alley. We haven't partaken in the fingerpaint-soaked fun yet, but it is right on the horizon, surely.

In other news, Ruth is learning about Christmas slowly as she still thinks the hullabaloo is for Hallow'een, understandably. The candy was amazing. We will visit the tree downtown tonight, we think.