An Evening in Cannon Beach

TRAVELS WITH KID | CANNON BEACH, OREGON
For our Oregon Coast vacation, we stayed in Seaside and took a short jaunt [10 minutes] to Cannon Beach one day.

It was time for a little playground fun ...



There's also a nice big field behind it, as well as a skate park. We found it on Spruce Avenue across from Mike's Bikes Rental Shop and Once Upon a Breeze Kite Shop.

Then it was dinner time at The Wayfarer restaurant which has an amazing view and nice food, including a good value kids menu.



Here is the Haystack, as it it known. This is the restaurant's front yard essentially. Our evening ended strolling on this gorgeous beach, one of the highlights of the trip for me. Well, strolling AND hamming it up a bit.

Clams and Candy

TRAVELS WITH KID | EATS IN SEASIDE, OREGON
So it seems there are really 2 things you must try when you are in Seaside: razor clams and salt water taffy. And neither will be difficult to find but here are two spots that stood out for us.

BELL BUOY
1800 S Roosevelt Drive [on the way into town]

This establishment has two parts. The first is the fish market. But not just any fish market. It's a microcannery, they smoke their own salmon on the premises, and they make their own cocktail sauce. If you have rented a place with your own kitchen, this is the place to get your razor clams.









The second part of the Bell Buoy is the family style restaurant. It cooks up delicious clams, oysters, crab cakes or just simple fish and chips. The chowder is reported to be good too.


SEASIDE CANDYMAN
21 N Columbia Street [just off Broadway, the main strip]

The store boasts a variety of different confections but the most impressive is the 170 salt water taffy flavours.





Don't forget to stop by the wheel. Each member of your crew will get a spin which will at least get you a sample taffy.

Sleepy Seaside in October

TRAVELS WITH CHILD | ACTIVITIES IN SEASIDE, OREGON



Seaside is a pretty sleepy town in Mid-week October, when we happened to arrive. Not everything is even open. Until the weekend, that is, when the buzz arrives. Either way it still boasts a pretty substantial kitschy-tastic air about it. This is what we found fun for the wee ones in Seaside.

THE PROM AND THE BEACH
The Promenade aka the Prom, or the "Prawn" as my kid calls it, is 2 or 3 miles long, depending on who you ask, and it runs besides the glorious beach.



We played hockey on the hard packed sand near the surf one day and soccer the next.



And about 10 minutes north is Sunset Beach which you can actually drive on.



[I know, with the wind in his hair, it actually looks like he's riding on the roof of the car. But, let's be clear, the car IS parked. ; ) ]


THE CAROUSEL





The Carousel itself is in the centre of a mall off the main drag, Broadway. And there is a great little toy store in the mall too.


FUNLAND
This very large arcade facility includes a small but decent bumper car area.






PEDALING A SURREY ON THE MAIN DRAG
There are a few spots to rent a surrey. You can also rent pedal boats in the river.




MINIATURE RAILWAY
Four laps costs a couple of dollars




A LITTLE HISTORY LESSON
Lewis + Clark finish their journey in Seaside





In preparation, check out this National Geographic activity: Go West Across America with Lewis + Clark

Quick Stop in Seattle

TRAVELS WITH KID | FOODIE SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
On our trek down to the Oregon Coast we stopped for some sustenance along the way in Seattle. As recommended by a work buddy ["Hi Nicole"] we stopped at Serious Pie. And oh, is it seriously good!



For the wee ones with a simple palette, Buffalo Mozzarella and San Marzano Tomato is where it's at. The crust is thin and almost melts in your mouth.



Next time I'd like to also try their Cherry Bomb Peppers with Sweet Fennel Sausage. Whatever you get, it will be the finest quality and oh so delicious.

This was our view: the kitchen of the Dahlia Bakery which is around the corner and also run by Tom Douglas, maybe Seattle's most famous foodie.





And we found these gems ... Caramel Popcorn Cupcakes.

Photo Friday #18

TRAVELS WITH KID | CANNON BEACH, OREGON



Taking a little after dinner stroll towards the Haystack, the third largest "sea stack" in the world.

For other travel pics, check out my favourite family travel site Delicious Baby. Or go there to share your travel photos on Fridays too.

Mini Loaf and Chicken

I'm afraid I've lost my morning light for taking shots of Spud's lunches. And it shows in this one. Goodbye sun. See you in March.



· Chicken leg with tinfoil handle wrap
· Cuke hearts
· Baby carrot
· Sugar snap peas
· Mini loaf of bread we found at the bakery, with butter
· Cherry toms

"The Lost Thing"

LIBRARY FIND | BEAUTIFUL AND IMAGINATIVE



Unexpected. Creative. Whimsical. Beautiful to look at. A boy finds a lost creature, in the middle of the beach, which no one else seems to notice. His task: to find it a home. And he's on his own as everyone he encounters is indifferent to his quest.



Spud and I are also intrigued by his cool bottle cap collection.



I was SO very proud of my little Spud, bringing home this uber-cool book from his school library. Good taste, I'd say. We might actually have to own this one.



For more by Shaun Tan, check out his website.


[image source from shauntan.net]

Play Dough for Dessert?

CHOCOLATE, NO COOK, EDIBLE PLAY DOUGH



Knead the following ingredients until combined.



4 T. Cocoa powder
2 C. Powdered sugar
1/2 C. Flour
1/4 C. Honey
1/4 C. Butter
1/2 t. Vanilla

Snack + Lunch = Tiffin

There's something nice about having one receptacle for both snack AND lunch. So what if I wasted one whole layer on popcorn today. Um, there's plenty of time to make up for that ... nutritionally speaking ... right?

Bottom Lunch Layer
· Chicken wrap
· Sugar snap peas
· Grape tomatoes

Middle Snack Layer
· half a kiwi cut in fours
· mini bell cheese
· half hard boiled egg
· smattering of grapes
· plum wedges

Top Popcorn Layer
· I know, I know

Breakfast for Lunch

· Strawberry jam sandwich made with leftover pancakes
· Orange slices and skewered pineapple
· Heart-shaped hard boiled egg
· Sausages

Maple Leaf Cookie Cutter

· Grapes
· Crackers
· Maple leaf Mozza cheese
· Maple leaf zucchini

The shape of the maple leaf did not make him want to eat the zucchini. "I tried one of the leaves and I didn't like it", he said when we got home. OK. Fair enough. I tried.

Pigeon Follies #1

Spud's kindergarten doesn't have a class pet like a hamster or guinea pig. It has a pigeon.



Each day the assigned "Busy Bee" child [eg teacher helper] takes home the Pigeon Backpack. The pack includes Pigeon, of course, and 4 Pigeon books. [if you don't know these books ... you need to. They are great.] and a journal where each kid documents their time with the Pidge.

Spud was the Busy Bee on Friday so we are lucky enough to have it all weekend! Our first adventure with Pigeon follows:

1. Spud said yesterday that he wanted to go Venice. Off to the library to find some books about Venice.



2. Pigeon rides the rail down to the childrens' section.



3. Look Pigeon, they use boats instead of cars.



4. And look! There are pigeons in Venice too!



5. Off we go!



It's late now and Spud is off to sleep. Tomorrow we'll put this together in the journal along with his drawing of the two of them sleeping together and some words too. Can't wait.

Apples and Love

Yesterday morning's snack.



· Grandee's homemade apple sauce from the apple tree in her backyard and made with love
· Carrots
· Pretzels
· Sausage/Cucumber skewers