Crabtree Valley Mall

What it is: With the weather taking a turn for the colder and wetter in recent days, we were again looking for a new indoor place to explore.  We always have so much fun when we head to our nearest mall Southpoint and our other nearby malls University Mall and Northgate Mall, so we thought we'd head a little further afield to check out Crabtree Valley Mall.  While it is a bit farther away than some of our usual haunts, the drive was only about half an hour, and I wouldn't hesitate to head back for another fun-filled morning or afternoon.

We started off searching for this mall's play area and we we re not disappointed.  Outside Sears we found an area similar to Southpoint's play area, but much smaller.  They had benches surrounding a couple of small play structures and slides.  This area was paired with some vehicles that kids could pay a little change to ride in.  My little one enjoyed crawling around the small play area while my older one loved catching a ride on Thomas.

After the play area we continued our tour.  Next, we discovered a special exhibit of a prehistoric Megalodon Shark Jaw.  It was taller than my husband and I, and my sons enjoyed staring at it in awe for several minutes.  In the same courtyard as the jaw was one of several elevators in the mall.  These were quite entertaining on their own because their windows were glass so we could view the mall as we hitched a ride up and downstairs.

We continued to walk around the mall and found the Disney Store and Build-A-Bear right next to each other.  While we didn't do much shopping in either store, my son was entertained just by looking in their windows.  The mall was actually closed when we arrived, but I am a big advocate of taking toddlers to malls when the stores are closed.  Toddlers aren't really that great at shopping, but they are great at peering in windows and running down long empty hallways, so an empty mall is a GREAT choice.  However, if you choose to head into one of those two stores, I'm sure any child would have a great time looking around.

As the mall was opening, it was just about lunch time (We were there on a Sunday.), so we headed up to the food court.  I was very impressed, it was huge!  They had all of our kid-friendly favorites including Chick-Fil-A and McDonalds as well as healthier options such as Subway.  They also had more of the ride-on vehicles located in the food court, but we didn't visit them this time.

After our lunch, we headed over to a candy shop that we had noticed on the way in.  This was the perfect way to finish off our meal.  My sons loved looking at all the different kinds of candies, and we could scoop out a little bag of our favorites for not a lot of money.  In addition, they had some of the largest gummy worms and bears that we had ever seen including some they claim are the world's largest gummy bears.

On our way out, we had to make one more stop on the recommendation of someone we had met in the play area, and when we arrived, we wished we had more time to stay and play.  The last place we headed to was the Lego store.  That's right, a whole store devoted to Legos.  There were displays lining the walls along with countless Lego kits.  They also had different stations set up where kids of different ages and abilities could try their hand at some Lego construction.  Behind the registers were bins of different colored Legos that kids could scoop out and purchase, just like the candy store.  The pieces were a bit small for us right now, but my husband was absolutely drooling about all of the possibilities for Lego fun that him and the boys could have when they get older.  I can safely say that we will be back to this store many times!

By this point, our boys were falling asleep and it was definitely nap time.  Was there any great kid finds at Crabtree Valley that we missed this time?  If so that's great, please let us know, it gives us a great excuse to head back for another visit!

What we liked: Malls are great for toddlers.  There's so much to do, so you don't have to spend too much time in any one area.  In addition, there's plenty of space for toddlers to stretch their legs regardless of the weather.  They can be completely free entertainment, or you can add on to your fun for as much as you want to spend. 

What we would change: The only drawback of this mall for us was the distance from Durham.  While I'm sure we would go more often if it was in Durham, a half an hour was not too bad of a distance for a fun diversion.

Website and other important information: 

Website: http://www.crabtree-valley-mall.com/

Address: 4325 Glenwood Ave, Raleigh, NC 27612

Phone Number:  919-787-8993

Hours: Monday-Saturday 10am-9pm, Sunday Noon-7pm

Photos: 

1. The glass elevators

2. The megalodon jaw

 3. The Disney Store window

4. The blocks in the play area

5. A view of the whole play area

5. The candy store

6. Wall of Legos in the store

7. Walls of Legos

American Tobacco Campus

So, as we were writing our entry on Phantasmagoria last week, we realized that we had written about all of the various establishments at the American Tobacco Campus including Tyler's, Cuban Revolution, and Mellow Mushroom.  Then we realized that we had written about many of the special events at the ATC including Music on the Lawn and the Holiday season.  We figured it was time that we actually included an entry on the actual American Tobacco Campus.

What it is: The American Tobacco Campus is a gathering space located in downtown Durham next to the Durham Bulls Athletic Park and down the street from DPAC created from renovated tobacco warehouses.  It houses several office buildings as well as several restaurants and hosts musical and other events throughout the year.

What we like: The American Tobacco Campus has architecture and landscaping that just entrances toddlers.  There are large grassy areas, streams, stairs, a water tower, and waterfalls.  Every corner has something new for young kids to explore.  It makes waiting for restaurants or listening to music in the summer that much more enjoyable for the whole family. 

What we would change: While there are several good restaurants and exhibits in the American Tobacco Campus, there are no retail shops.  In addition, if you head down there on a weekday, it's really pretty empty except for people that work there.  I wish there was more there to enjoy, but what is there is great to explore.

Website and other important information: 

Website: http://www.americantobaccohistoricdistrict.com/

Address: 318 Blackwell Street, Suite 150, Durham, North Carolina, 27701-3600  

Photos:

Views of the campus...

1. The train and waterfalls

2. Grass for running

3. Under the water tower

3. Umbrellas for eating outside

4. A bridge over the water

Five Below

What it is: This was a recommendation from a member of Durham Mothers Club.  She said that it was perfect for stocking stuffers.  When we were finally able to check it out we realized that she was definitely right.  Five Below is a store that opened fairly recently in the New Hope Commons shopping center off of 15-501.  Everything in the store is under $5.  They sell all manner of items, like seasonal decorations and candy, clothing, games, movies, sports equipment, etc.  It was just a great place to look around to see what they have.

What we liked: I loved how many fun kids items there were here.  I bought a couple of items for my son's summer birthday when I was there last week, and I will probably come back when closer to the actual day.  It is also a great place to fill Easter baskets, stockings, etc.  I can also see this being fun for a kid to come and pick out a treat themselves or for teachers to come and pick out some student gifts.

What we would change: There are so many different kind of things that you can always find several more things to spend money on as you're making your way to the register. 


Website and other important information: 

Website:  http://www.fivebelow.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=storeLocation.stateListing&state=NC

Address: New Hope Commons, 5432 New Hope Commons Drive, Durham, NC 27707

Phone Number: 919-403-3160

Hours: Mon-Sat 10am-9pm, Sun 11am-6pm

Photos:

1. A close up of the game section

2. A view of the whole store

Bull City Craft

Yay! Another opening in Durham, and another great recommendation from several or our readers and one of our own Stir Crazy Moms.  We're really excited about this one!

What it is: Bull City Craft just opened on Saturday right next door to Local Yogurt in that fabulous section of Durham near the intersection of 15-501 and University. It's a craft store selling all manner of craft supplies.  In addition, it has activities for kids!  You can stop by anytime and, for a fee, do a craft.  These "drop-in crafts" include birdhouses, boxes, Easter baskets, necklaces and bracelets, cards, shadow boxes, and more.  In addition, they have preschool craft times when, for an even smaller fee, preschoolers can come in and complete an age-appropriate craft!  They also can do thematic birthday parties with goody bags and cupcakes from Durham's DaisyCakes.


What we liked: I love when my kids have the opportunity to make something and express their creativity.  What makes this even better is that all of the materials are supplied and you don't have to clean up after yourself like you would at home!  (I especially liked this part when my son got out the glitter!) It's also in a great location to combine with some of our other favorite activities including Q-Shack, Local Yogurt, Rockwood Park, Forest Hills Park, Foster's Market, Guglhupf, etc.

What we would change: The drop-in crafts are a bit pricey, but at this time of year, I think they would make perfect Mother's Day, Father's Day, or Easter presents.  So, it's a perfect excuse to stop by.  Plus, the cost pays for materials that you would have to buy for yourself otherwise.


Website and other important information: 

Website: http://bullcitycraft.com/

Address: 2501 University Dr, Durham, NC

Phone Number:  (919) 419-0800

Hours: 11am-6pm Tuesday-Friday, 11pm-8pm Saturday

Preschool Playcraft time: 11am Tuesday, Thursday, and the first Saturday of the month

Grand Opening Celebration-April 9th!

Photos:  

1. A view of the drop-in crafts

2. The store

NYC Phantasmagoria-Legos at the American Tobacco Campus

We received an e-mail about this little exhibit at the American Tobacco Campus.  So, we headed up to check it out.  Combined with a little playing in the grass, watching waterfalls, and wandering at the American Tobacco Campus and a little sweet treat from Cuban Revolution, it made for a wonderful afternoon!

What it is: NYC Phantasmagoria is a Lego exhibit created by artist Janet Henry currently located in the Strickland Lobby near Cuban Revolution.  The artist has used Legos to create a representation of New York City.  You can look at Central Park and countless skyscrapers made out of tiny blocks.  It's quite a site!

What we liked: We loved what a fantastic creation that the artist was able to make.  I also loved the creativity that it inspired in my own toddler.  When we got home, we immediately went to our blocks and started making our own big city out of our slightly bigger Legos.  In addition, while the exhibit was small and did not take long to see, when combined with several other parts of the American Tobacco Campus it made for a great afternoon for a toddler and baby with short attention spans.

What we would change: It is a small exhibit, just one beautifully crafted table.  We wish there was more for the kids to see, but understand how much went into this small space.  In addition, I felt that a stroller really helped me with my two kids.  I would not have felt comfortable with my toddler simply roaming around that table.  The stroller helped keep the kids contained and I could take them out of the stroller and hold them so that they could get a better look at the cityscape without worrying that they would knock it over!


Important information: This exhibit is located in the lobby of the Strickland Building at the American Tobacco Campus.

Dates: March 18-April 29

Hours: 9am-6pm Monday-Sunday

Press Release that I was sent:
 

NEW EXHIBIT SHOWCASES THE BIG APPLE BRICK BY LEGO BRICK

 

American Tobacco, Destination for Culture and Business, Salutes A Kindred Spirit, New York City

 

Exhibit Challenges Visitors to Boost Durham’s Renaissance with “Big Ideas Inspired by the Big Apple”

(DURHAM) -- For artist Janet Henry, giving her regards to Broadway means recreating the iconic street, along with the rest of the isle of Manhattan, with thousands of Legos. The result is NYC Phantasmagoria, a 13 feet long rendering that highlights the city’s attractions and renowned architecture and will be on display in American Tobacco’s Strickland Lobby from March 18 through April 29. Visitors will also have a chance to comment on how downtown Durham can emulate the world’s most famous downtown.  

Henry began her epic, detailed and creative interpretation in the early 90’s and laid her final Lego brick last year.

 

“For millions of people around the world, even the vista of New York City is an inspiration,” says Henry. “I combined that inspiration with my fascination of the potential to create something unique and beautiful from something as simple as a child’s toy.”

NYC Phantasmagoria also makes reference to famed artists like David Hammons, Louise Nevelson and the city’s cultural organizations and institutions of higher learning. It also examines contemporary architecture, development and municipal projects.

“Around the world, New York City is a beacon for innovators and culture seekers.  It’s an inspiration for what we’re becoming at American Tobacco, and it’s a privilege to have that spirit represented here in Legos,” says Michael Goodmon, vice president of real estate for Capitol Broadcasting Company.

“American Tobacco’s creative edge is on display everyday from McKinney’s latest national ad campaign to Burt’s Bees newest sustainable product to HTC’s innovations in mobile technology.  We celebrate those in our community who think differently, create something new and strive to present the everyday in a new way.”

Visitors to NYC Phantasmagoria will have the opportunity to offer their own suggestions of ways downtown Durham can take on some New York City sized innovations and projects. Comments, drawings, songs or any other creative input can be left in a box adjacent to the exhibit marked "Big Ideas Inspired by the Big Apple.”  Some of the suggestions will make it to American Tobacco’s Facebook page. 

For more information, photos or to request an interview with Janet Henry, please contact Greg Behr at 919.272.5621 or Billy Warden at 919.412.0630.

Photos:

 1. A view of the whole exhibit

2. A close-up of Central Park

Tutti Frutti

After all of the closings or relocations that have been happening recently around town, it's nice to finally be able to report an opening.  Again, we'd like to thank one of our readers for telling us about this great new spot...we love our readers!  Please keep the suggestions coming!

What it is: Several weeks ago, Tutti Frutti opened up in the Hope Valley Square shopping center that is also home to Onlyburger, the post office, Pops Backdoor South, and Rick's Diner.  It is a great place to stop by with the kids and get a frozen yogurt, so we headed on over there last week to check it out.  If you've ever been to Orange Leaf in Chapel Hill, it's a similar concept.  You pick your container, then fill it from one or several of the frozen yogurt flavors dispensed on the wall.  Then, you walk over to topping dispensers and select none, one, or as many as you would like to top off your treat.  Then, your creation is weighed, and you pay according to weight!  Brilliant, right?  My son tried chocolate with M&M's as usual while I samples the strawberry topped with kiwi, strawberries, and Captain Crunch cereal (really, it was delicious).

What we liked: We love the fact that you pay according to weight so you can have as many toppings and flavors mixed together as you want...you never know what your kid is going to want to try.  Plus, since you pay by weight, you can get as little as you like for your toddler that always eats two bites and then is "done".  In addition, our two portions only came out to $3.50 for a reasonable amount which I thought was a great price!  The yogurt and toppings are tasty, and they offer little cups for free samples if you ask.  One of the free sample was a perfect amount for my littlest to enjoy as his older brother had a bigger portion.  The decor and seating was also cool and funky and my toddler had a great time sitting in the chairs.  On a nice day there are also benches outside.


What we would change: The only drawback for us was that we couldn't figure out a great park that was nearby to stop at after our treat.  Does anyone know of one that we forgot about?  We ended up heading to Cook Rd. playground which wasn't too far.


Website and other important information: 

Website: http://tfyogurt.net/

Address: 3710 Shannon Rd, Ste 116, Durham, NC 27707

Hours: Mon-Thu, Sun 11am-9pm, Fri-Sat 11am-10pm

Photos: 

(The interior)

(topping dispensers)

(the frozen yogurt)

(my son's chocolate)

(my strawberry creation)

Durham Central Park

What it is: We were downtown today for the Marry Durham celebration, and as we were walking through Central Park, we realized, we had never specifically mentioned it on the blog.  Durham Central Park is a park and pavilion area in downtown area.  While already a great location, their website mentions that they are continuing to add on to the area to make it even better.  The park encompasses the pavilion of the Durham Farmers Market, a creek and bridge area with sculptures and benches, a grassy area, and a brand new skate park!


What we liked: While it is small and there's not a designated playground, there are quite a few areas to keep your child occupied as you head through downtown Durham.  You can easily combine a picnic in the park with a trip to the Durham Farmers Market or an outing to the Scrap Exchange, the downtown YMCA, or the Carolina Theater which are just down the street.  My son loves the bridge.  It's a great place to run across and lean over and watch the water below.  He also loves to climb on the benches and turtle and cardinal sculpture.  The newest fun attraction is the skate park.  When we passed this time it was full of skateboarders.  My son was in awe of all of their skill, and he had a great time watching for a few minutes.

What we would change: Since there is no playground, you can't spend as long as you might like there.  However, it's a great location that can be combined with another stop very nicely.

Website and other important information: There's street parking available, and you can also park in the garage at the corner of Morgan and Foster St. 

Website: http://www.durhamcentralpark.org/

Address: 534 Foster St., Durham, NC 27701



Photos: 

1. One of the benches that are great to climb on

2. The bridge

3. Another view of the park

4. The climbable turtle

5. More climbing fun with the cardinal

6. The skate park

Three-fer Thursday: Witherspoon Rose Culture + The Learning Express + Panera or Peony Asian Bistro (+ Home Depot)

I hope everyone's enjoying the amazing weather. It feels like SPRING--I guess it already is--and in honor of such a momentous occasion this week's Three-fer Thursday is devoted to one of my favorite Springtime activities.  Not cleaning, not starting a shiny-new exercise regiment, not even watching a new anime (although I am doing that).  No, I'm talking about SHOPPING.  That's right, ya'll.  Hide your wallets.

Witherspoon Rose Culture +  The Learning Express + Panera or Peony Asian Bistro (+ Home Depot)

Start your morning off right by parking at the Panera Bread on Witherspoon Rd. (off of 15-501.  Then walk on over to Witherspoon Rose Culture (http://www.witherspoonrose.com/). This is an amazing place.  It's right in the middle of the Home Depot parking lot off of 15-501, but it's like a little pocket of rose-preserve-happiness.  They have their own pond, rows upon rows of decorative planted roses, roses to buy, green houses of roses to buy, gazebos, paths to run, etc.  Enjoy the sun and take some time to run around.  You may even want to grab a little rose bush to plant later on.

After you've gotten some good run time, cross the street again.  You can stop for a little playtime/shopping at The Learning Express.   They even have a nice little half-wall of cheap goodies, so you can usually get out of there with a special treat for your kiddo for a few bucks.  The staff is very friendly, too, so they don't mind if you browse.  There are lots of trains and play-kitchens to check out, after all.

By now you may be hungry.  If so, you have a number of options.  You can hit lunch at Panera, which if you've been reading Three-fer's, you already know that I have an irrational attachment to (what can I say?  They keep giving me free pastries with that card-dealie!).  You can get some Chinese at Peony Asian Bistro.  We haven't written them up before, but they are this Stir Crazy Mom's favorite Chinese in Durham.  They use no MSG or additives, have great mapodofu, amazing Mongolian Beef, and even sushi and Thai (although I haven't tried their sushi or Thai menus, so I can't speak for them).  If you haven't had good Chinese in a while, have some here.  Chinese food is amazingly pre-schooler friendly.  Everything's already in bite-size pieces and you'll never run out of rice.  And if you're in the mood for something else, there's a subway, a pizza place, and even a Cold-Stone Creamery.

(I'd go for Chinese, though.  And then maybe a coffee at Panera. :-))

At this point you can either go home or keep going.  If the weather's nice, keep going.  Walk all the way down to Home Depot.  On the way, you can stop by the pet store and look at fish.  Or hit Total Wine and buy yourself a bottle of Riesling for Mommy-time.  Or even look at shoes at DSW, longingly, and recall how there was a time in your life when you wore heels.  Either way, when you get to Home Depot you can check out the gardens and wander some more.  You may even want to pick up some strawberries for your kid to plant!  When they finally grow, you can eat them with your wine.  

Oh, and the best part of this Three-fer:  It extends home.  If you did buy plants, come back and plant them with your kids.  Playing in the dirt is an awesome way to spend a sunny afternoon.  And you may even get flowers out of it!

when to go:  head out around 9:30 am and expect to head back before 2:00 pm

 

what to bring:  all the usual pre-schooler supplies.  If you need a diaper change, make sure to do it at Panera or The Learning Express.

 

what it'll cost you:  Well, that depends.  Did you buy a $40 rose?  Did you invest in some new Thomas toys?  How about Total Wine?  Did you buy the good Mosel Valley Riesling, or the almost-as-good $10 bottle?  Were you broke before you even got to lunch?  Spending's up to you.  

 

advisories:  Witherspoon doesn't really hit full-bloom until early summer, so you may want to save your visit for a time when everything's blooming.  All of these spots have standard hours, but you should check them anyway. Oh, and if you grab mapodofu or pepper beef at Peony Asian Bistro: do not let your kid eat those dried red peppers.

Pomegranate Kitchen

We love our readers!  You support us, help us, and give us great suggestions about what to write on the blog.  One of our readers sent us this suggestion, so we had to check it out!  Thanks so much, and please keep the suggestions coming so that we can find all of the great kid-friendly places in Durham.

What it is: Pomegranate Kitchen is a take-out and catering restaurant located near the intersection of 15-501  and I-40 in Durham.  Our reader that sent us the suggestion stops by frequently to pick up lunch or dinner for her family and is never disappointed.  So, we decided we couldn't pass it up.  We headed over today at lunch time.  The storefront is very plain.  They have a kitchen and a counter and some signs describing the menu for the day.  The food is healthy, fresh, food with an international flavor that tastes delicious.  We ordered two meals although one is plenty for two people.  The meal includes an entree, typically a soup or stew, rice, a piece of bread, and a piece of chocolate (Hershey's miniature).   I we tried a beet stew, a pomegranate stew, the basmati rice, and the jewel rice.  All of the food was good, but I absolutely LOVED the pomegranate stew.  It was delicious.

The two women who own Pomegranate kitchen were so welcoming and friendly.  They were cooking behind the counter as I entered.  Mally and Mitra told me about their food and offered me samples of anything I wanted.  When our reader stops by, they offer her son samples of anything he wanted.  You can stop by any time between 11:30 and 6:30 on Tuesday thru Saturday and pick up a meal for $11.95 a piece.  The meal can be selected from their daily options which consist of several entrees and several different types of rice.

What we liked: The food was delicious and fresh!  They had great vegetarian options.  Plus, one of the owners was also a nutritionist so you can also feel good about giving this food to your family.  It is a great option when you don't know what to do for dinner and need to find something healthy on short notice.

What we would change: The price seems a bit high for one meal, but it is much more reasonable when you consider that one meal can feed two people.  The location can also be a bit hard to figure out, but once you figure it out once, your fine.


Website and other important information:

Website: http://www.pomkitchen.com/

Address: 5504 Durham Chapel Hill Blvd., Suite 102, Durham, NC 27707 (It can be a bit tricky to find.  You need to turn into New Hope Commons Shopping Center and turn onto the 15-501 service rd. from there.)

Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 11:30am-6:30pm

Photos: 

The National Children's Study

We received this e-mail from the National Children's Study and thought we would share it with our readers.  Being a teacher married to a scientist, I am always a fan of research especially when it can help us learn about our children.  So, here's the information they sent us and how you can become involved.
What it is: The National Children’s Study is the largest study ever conducted in the U.S. on children’s health and environment. Out of 105 counties selected across the country, Durham County was selected as one of the counties eligible to participate in this important initiative! The Study is completely observational and will collect information from 100,000 children from before they are born until they reach the age of 21. The Study will look at how behaviors, environment, and biology contribute to our children’s health and development in hopes of gathering information that will be able to improve the health of future generations. Learn more at http://durham.nationalchildrensstudy.gov/ or by calling 919-544-3222.

Website and other important information: You can be involved in the study if you are pregnant and live in certain parts of Durham County.  If involved in the study you will answer questions in person or over the phone and have the researchers occasionally visit your home.  For your participation you will receive a small gift or monetary amount each time you meet with the researchers in-person.

Website: http://durham.nationalchildrensstudy.gov/

*The National Children's Study will also be at The Great Human Race in Durham on March 26 to raise awareness.  To find out more visit: http://www.thevolunteercenter.org/tp42/page.asp?ID=143674

One More Time...

Okay folks!  Here we go again!  I never thought it would be this hard to give something away!  We have announced two winners for our February giveaway, and haven't heard from either of them.  So, third time is a charm!  We are going to randomly pick a winner from the collection of entrants, again, and that winner will have a week to respond to us and send us an e-mail at: scmomsgroup@gmail.com

So, readers, let's see if we can find a winner...

Our new giveaway winner is: themcclellandfamily!!  They commented: "Duke Gardens, yes!  But I also think American Tobacco area.  Fun giveaway!"

We really hope to hear from you so we can give you the great gift certificate to Portrait Innovations. 

What do you think??  Will we hear from winner #3?

Jason's Deli

I used to head to this great lunch spot when I taught at a nearby school.  The food was delicious, there was a great selection, and would could eat there quickly enough to get back to school in time for our students to arrive.  They serve sandwiches, salads at their salad bar, baked potatoes, soup, and more.  However, when I went back after I had children, I discovered it was a great place to eat for other reasons.  I recently went back to eat with one of our readers (Thanks for a great lunch, Lindsay!), and I was reminded how great it is for kids, including little ones.
What we liked: This is a great place to go with your little ones that are too young for ordering a whole kids' meal but too big to just have a bottle.  You can order a salad bar split with a sandwich or soup (I like the tomato basil), then your little one can munch a variety of treats off of your plate.  Then, when your little one gets old enough to eat a meal for themselves, they've got you covered!  Their menu has an extensive kids' section.  They have sandwiches that come with a choice of organic apples, carrots, or fresh fruit in addition to apple juice or milk.  You can also get kids' menu items including pizza, pasta, salad bar, or baked potato.  Their menu also lists the nutiritional information on the kids' menu which is very helpful!  The best part is, your meal purchase comes with free soft serve ice cream for all ages!!!

What we would change:  There's not much we can complain about!

Website and other important information:

Website: http://www.jasonsdeli.com/

Address:  5408 New Hope Commons Dr. , #123A, Durham, NC 27707

Phone Number: 919-493-3350

Lowes Hardware (A Trip with a Toddler)

What it is: Lowes Hardware is one of the big box home improvement stores.  Aisles are filled with anything you could possibly need for your home or garden.  This is a little different entry because I don't think that Lowes is particularly kid friendly.  There are dangerous tools that can be grabbed everywhere!  Plus, if you are anything like my family it takes forever to find anything in the store.  By the time you've located the appropriate bolt or screw, the kids are screaming and trying to crawl out of the cart or grab something.  However, several trips ago we discovered a bit of a secret to happy shopping at Lowes, so we thought we'd share.

What we liked: First, we definitely get a cart, no matter how little we're trying to find.  It makes toddler transporting easier.  Then, another golden rule of errand running with toddlers, bring a snack they can munch on.  With those two parts of the trip in place, we can head into Lowes.  We've figured out that we can do any errand, and that our toddler has much more endurance for the trip when there is a promise of tractors at the end...that's right, tractors!  We promise my son that he can have some time to play on the riding lawnmowers on display near the entrance, right across from the lightbulbs if he can be a good boy while we shop.  It works like a charm.  Conversely, if there are two parents, we have also had one parent hang out with our son by the tractors while the other one does the shopping.  Since we've discovered this, our trips to the hardware store have been much more enjoyable!  Just wanted to share!


What we would change: As we said, the store as a whole is not particularly kid friendly, and kids have to be careful when looking at the "tractors" because they are items for purchase in the store.

Website and other important information:

Website: http://www.lowes.com/

Address: 4402 Fayetteville Road, Durham or 117 William Penn Plaza, Durham

Hours: M-Th 7 a.m. - 9 p.m., Fri-Sa 7 a.m. - 10 p.m., Su 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. (These are the specific hours of the Fayetteville Rd. location)

Photos:

Li Ming's Global Market

What it is: So, we lived in Seattle for a few years, and they had the most fabulous Asian food and markets.  Since we've been back, we've had trouble finding ingredients for some of our favorite dishes here in Durham.  So, we were thrilled when we heard about Li Ming's Global Market which opened up in the old Circuit City building off of 15-501.

Li Ming's is a grocery with all manner of Asian ingredients.  They had rows of all manner of Asian foods from rice to wontons to countless varieties of soy sauce.  These were combined with rows of our typical American grocery store fare.  The store also includes a fresh fish counter in the back complete with tanks, a bakery which is coming soon, fresh produce, and a restaurant where you can buy a hot meal and sit and enjoy it.

What we liked: We headed to Li Ming's with both of our young boys in tow.  We love when we have the opportunity to expose our kids to different types of food and different cultures.  This was a great opportunity to do so.  Our oldest son enjoyed passing through the aisles asking what various items were.  The best part for the kids were clearly the fish tanks in the back.  There were not too many of them, but they had a good time watching the fish and crab in the tanks swim around.  In addition, although we didn't sample it, it's great that they have a restaurant where you can get a bite to eat with your kids.  Another great part is that the prices are very reasonable as well!


What we would change: Since it was new, there were several parts of the store that weren't quite up and running yet, like the bakery.  In addition, there were quite a few items that we couldn't identify when asked by our son, but part of the fun of going to a new store like this is discovering these new food and tastes!

Website and other important information:

Website: http://carpedurham.com/2011/02/23/la-mings-global-market/ (We could not find a store website, but here's a review from Carpe Durham.)

Address: 3400 Westgate Dr, Durham, NC 27707

Hours: Monday-Sunday 9am-9pm

Photos:

1. The produce department

2. The fish tanks

3. The storefront

Our New February Giveaway Winner is...

Erica Davis! Erica commented, "We LOVE Portriat inovations great photographers that work with the kids... Thanks for giving this away !!!

Our favorite place is duke gardens as well, we love the little pond there"

If this is you, you're the new winner for our February giveaway!  Please contact us at scmomsgroup@gmail.com to claim your prize and enjo

Food Truck Round-Up: Johnny's of Carrboro

What it is:  What's better than new and different delicious food?  How about delicious food that can travel to a different spot every meal?  That's the great thing about food trucks.  We love hearing about all of the different trucks in Durham and then heading out to try them.  The food truck round ups are one of the best ways to sample all of the food truck treats in one place.  These round ups aren't scheduled on a regular basis, but you can find out about them through various sources online such as twitter or facebook and websites such as carpedurham.com or bullcityrising.com.

Once you find out about one like the round up at Johnny's, you head out and expect to find some yummy treats.  You can head from truck to truck sampling what they have to offer from burgers and sliders and tacos and hot dogs to crepes.  Yum!  My son enjoyed a grilled cheese from Will and Pops while I had a hot dog from Joey D's, and my husband had some tacos from the taco truck.  We topped it all off with apple crumb cake from Local Cookie.  Everything was delicious.

What we liked: The food trucks serve delicious, creative food, and it makes for a fun eating environment for kids.  They have lots of different choices if there are several food trucks in one place.  In addition, my son loves the concept of a food truck.  Ever since we visited Blue Sky Dining for dinner he gets excited every time we talk about them.  He loves wandering around and looking at all the trucks.  To top it all off, when you eat at the food trucks, you're supporting local businesses.

What we would change: There are two choices when you're going to visit one of these food truck gatherings, go early or go late.  They each have their drawbacks.  If you go early, right when they start, there seem to be pretty significant lines at the trucks and little ones can get fidgety.  However, if you go late, at least if you went late to this most recent gathering at Johnny's, most of the trucks were sold out.  So, there wasn't nearly as much selection as there was at the beginning of the day.

Website of other important information: To find out information about the food truck gatherings, check out the sites listed above.  For information about current food truck locations,
check out: http://carpedurham.com/food-trucks/

Photos: 

 1. Will and Pops takes an order

2. Slippin' Sliders' big blue truck

Madness with Fire: Community Campfire Nights

 What it is: Once a month, the City of Durham Parks and Recreation Dept puts on a Community Campfire, on a Friday night, at a different city park each time. City Staff build the fire, and they provide a table with a water cooler, skewers, graham crackers, hershey bars and, you guessed it, marshmallows. The staff members teach kids about the fire, and about how to make s'mores. One staffer stands at the ready to make the s'mores for the kids.

What we liked: We'd never been to this park, and we didn't know anyone else who would be there, but we still had a good time. The fire, of course, is the first thing my girls gravitated toward, and then we tackled the task of making s'mores. But though both my girls love chocolate and sweets, they ate one and felt full. Then they ran around the big wide field with other kids. Then one staff member pulled out head-lamps, and the kids set about using them to play, walk into the trees, and look for kindling. It was a relaxing Friday night activity to wrap up the evening.

What could be better: To be honest, the two staff members who built the fire had a little trouble getting a good fire going. Other than having to wait a little to build your s'more at peak times, it was a nice break and all in good fun.

More info: Location changes monthly. Information can be found in the Play More! Parks and Rec newsletter which gets mailed to households, or at http://www.ci.durham.nc.us/departments/parks/adventure.cfm. It's free and you don't need to pre-register, just show up!