wilmington children's museum 2/27/10

after brunch at the dixie we walked 3 blocks to the wilmington children's museum at 2nd and orange streets. we have been to children's museums in new york, atlanta, greensboro, raleigh and columbia, sc and sadly our own is my least favorite of all. it moved to an expanded space a few years back which was highly anticipated but also highly disappointing. though the newer space was architecturally interesting linking two historic buildings with a modern addition and outdoor space the play/learn areas are low tech and unimaginative. we haven't been here in awhile so i was surprised when lily asked if we could go. coincidentally i received a post on facebook  saying admission was free with a library card for a child and accompanying adult. not my favorite way to spend a saturday but at least it was free - or so i thought. when we arrived we were told that only the child's admission was free and adults had to pay $8. and that the museum wasn't responsible for advertising posted by third parties. the place seems to have fallen into disrepair since our last visit. it seemed dirty and neglected. once upon a time the museum had a great science educator dr. goo, now the place seems to be run entirely by volunteers. we had the best time in the art room. two projects were offered make a paper lantern and fabric collage. no art educator but clearly written instructions and lots of free supplies. we had fun but hardly worth the admission price of $8/per person even if we only had to pay for one. if you have little ones eat first or bring your own snacks. they sell popcorn and packaged snack foods but nothing healthy or substantial.

mom


i wanted to go to the children's museum because we haven't been there in a long time. my mom said we could get a free book there on that day but we didn't. actually my favorite part is  the grocery store because it has a conveyor belt that takes food upstairs to the restaurant. the scrambled eggs looked like vomit. the art room is fun. we cut fabric into pictures. my picture was of a girl. it was extremely fun.

lily

www.playwilmington.org

Brunch at the Dixie Grill, downtown Wilmington, NC 2/27/10 1pm

we had planned to have breakfast out but often have a slow start on weekend mornings and arrive saturday at 1pm still wanting pancakes. the dixie is a local institution famous for its breakfast which is served all day. there's a small crowd outside and we go in to find out how long we'll have to wait. 20-25 minutes but there are only two groups ahead of us so it shouldn't be that bad. as long as your kids aren't too antsy waiting can be fun here. there is a lot to look at including the other diners - a mixed group of downtown hipsters in cool glasses and skinny jeans, families with little kids and cozy older couples, funky colorful decor and original art on the walls. we wait our 20 minutes even though there seem to be 4 four tops available the entire time we wait (if anyone knows why they do this, let me know.) we pass the time people watching, picture taking and chit chatting with the friendly crowd, some we know others we don't. if you want to be seated quickly opt for the counter. once seated we look over the menu - lots of yummy choices for both breakfast and lunch (including vegetarian options, not much for vegans except veggie burgers and fries.) no kids menu was offered and no crayons or games at the table but there's a great big chalkboard in the back. our waitress is sweet and kid friendly (our old babysitter worked here before she left for college and that is the vibe of all the wait staff - hip, wholesome and nice.) we each ordered a short stack - lily- buttermilk pancakes, mom - mixed berry. both were delicious and filling. my one suggestion is that the dixie add veggie sausage to the menu. other than that, super yum, super fun place to eat for kids and adults alike.

mom

dixie grill had very extremely yummy food. the buttermilk pancakes were delicious. this was my first time eating bacon*. it was very greasy. i didn't like it and now i know i will never eat bacon again. i really wish they had veggie sausage. i liked the pictures everywhere. the picture of bacon, eggs and toast running for their life is funny. i like that we got to sit at a booth. the first one behind the counter had a hole in the floor and you might lose your crocs or flip flips but i had on uggs.

lily

*mom's note: lily has been vegetarian most of her life and even vegan for awhile. she is trying new foods but we still eat a mostly plant based diet at home.

let's get started.

one thing i have learned over the past nine years, every day with kids is an adventure. good or bad it's all in the way you look at it. here i aim to share our every day adventures, at home in our small town of wilmington, north carolina and on trips we take in order to help other parents and kids to have fun and make the most of their time together. so here we go.

adventures with lily is a blog in two parts - a mom and kid's point of view. we'll talk about our outings, places we go, restaurants we like, exhibits we take in, favorite books, current movies and dvds, and destinations to visit plus tips to make them more enjoyable for kids and the parents who love them.

i got the idea a couple of days ago when lily came home from school with the idea that she wanted to be a food critic when she grows up. of course i am always excited when she comes up with these ideas and think why didn't i think of these things when i was a kid. she never said i want to be a ballerina or a firefighter or a doctor but a movie director or a costume designer or a food critic. obviously these are things she knows about because these are part of her life and interests. i thought why wait until she grows up. this is something we can do now, together.

but why limit it to just food? why not include reviews of all the things we do? her teachers always comment on all the cultural excursions we take. truth be told, these are things i LOVE and have become things we love together. living in a small coastal community i feel it is important to expose her to as much art, music theatre as possible in addition to the natural beauty and outdoor activity our area provides. i am not a chuck e. cheese kind of mom so i seek out interesting kid stuff and take her along to museums, theatre and concerts that i want to see and is age appropriate even if we have to travel to do it. she gets to enjoy real art, plays and music and i get to play like a kid again. win, win situation.

hope you like our blog.