The kids did me the favor of sleeping in a little bit this morning, but of course E (my toddler) decided he had to have milk as soon as he woke up. Knowing that there was a coffeeshop in the lobby, I told him that we were going to have a funny adventure & go down to the lobby in Pajamas (don’t worry, I put on sweats). He thought that was hilarious, and “suitcase” in tow we headed downstairs. As soon as he saw where we were, he had to get outside to check out Portland. We did a quick walk around the block and then back upstairs to shower and change.
How do is shower in a hotel room with a toddler & and infant?!
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I rolled the hotel’s pack & play over by the tub & put the baby in it with some toys
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I gave the toddler a brand new toy to play with right next to the tub
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I showered quick!
Off to the Children’s museum! Portland has an excellent light rail system & as any parent of a toddler knows, public transit is an adventure in and of itself. We walked a few blocks to the light rail, bought tickets & were dropped off directly opposite the Portland Zoo. A quick trek across the parking lot took us to the children’s museum (there was also a cool looking Forest Discovery Center that we’ll check out on another trip). Both kids had a blast in the smallish museum where there was water play, climbing areas a theatre and more.
Next up… lunch! Nordstrom café is central, fast, relatively inexpensive, has some reasonable choices for kids & lots of high-chairs. My son, of course, had strawberries dipped in ketchup!
After a rough night getting the kids to sleep in the hotel room, it seemed best to get them both to sleep on the move (my daughter in the sling & my son in his stroller) & then I was off to check out Powell’s bookstore.
Once the kids woke up, it was time to run them around at a playground (there’s one right next to Powell’s technical books) and then off to dinner. We chose Oba, a Latino restaurant with excellent food. This restaurant has outdoor dining in summer (one of my favorite ways to dine out with kids… I’m less worried about the mess & they are occupied watching the pedestrians and cars pass by) and accommodates kids well. My son ordered an excellent child dish of jasmine rice with coconut & red beans.
Oba Restaurant
555 NW 12th Ave
Portland, OR
http://www.obarestaurant.com/new/dinner.html
Finally, we had a soothing walk along the river and returned to the hotel for bedtime.
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Posted on June 21, 2007 |
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Portland is about 2 ½ hours from where we live, or 3 ½ hours by train. We thought we’d take the train from Seattle to Portland, but in the end, after factoring in the door to door time with the bus & train as well as the risk of having to walk part way in the rain, I chickened out and decided to drive.
I gave my toddler E a “suitcase” full of his clothes and pjs, let him add a few books and toys & we put it in the cabin of the car with him. We use these Eagle Creek Pack-It Cubes for the kids’ stuff. It keeps their clothing separate from everything else without adding a lot of bulk in the suitcase. I use different colors to make it easy to grab the right person’s clothing. Now that my son is old enough to understand what a suitcase is, having his own makes him feel very grown up. It also helps set the stage & lets him know that we’re headed out of town. I tell him that we’re going on a “big adventure” & clearly explain who will be going and how we will get there. From that point forward, anything unusual that we have to do is described as “a silly part of our big adventure” which helps us get through what might otherwise be tough moments (for example changing into PJ’s in a restaurant bathroom)
We timed the drive such that both kids would nap at least part of the way & stopped midway in a small town where we got gas, lunch, and let the kids stretch their legs in the local library. Overall the drive went well. My little one slept and my big guy is easy to keep entertained with music & talking about the scenery.
We’re staying at the Portland ACE hotel… one of the new class of cool designed budget hotels. The location is perfect, in between downtown & the Pearl district & only two blocks away from Powells and a few more blocks from Whole Foods. There is an excellent coffee shop (serving Portland’s excellent Stumptown coffee) in the lobby.
I was concerned whether the room (furnished with military surplus) would be child safe & of course no room is ever perfect, but it was great. My toddler loved the big, industrial sliding doors & the huge couch & couldn’t wait to head up to the room to play. The crib was a pack and play… too small for a toddler… but we made a makeshift bed out of the extra-large & firm sofa cushions & a hotel sheet. My son couldn’t have been more delighted.
We arrived late in the day, walked around town a little and had dinner at a conveyor belt sushi restaurant. It wasn’t the best Sushi I’ve ever eaten, but it was super-fast & easy and my fussy toddler loves being able to choose his own dishes off of the conveyor belt. Sushi Land has the added bonus of also being relatively inexpensive.
Next it was off for a brief run in the children’s department of Powells (can’t wait to get back and check out all the cool used books) and then off to bed. The baby was delighted to sleep with me & contrary to my worst expectations the two of them did not wake eachother up at night! Getting them off to sleep was a different story. It was pretty difficult to get them both down at night & we ended up with a ticklefest one night at 10pm to get their last rambunctious energy out. If I had another night to try it, I would probably get them both to sleep on a long walk and then transfer them into bed back at the hotel.
Related Links
Portland With Kids
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Posted on June 20, 2007 |
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It’s time to get out of our element
and check out Portland for a few days
First step is to get packed and prep the kids (ages 8mo & 2 yrs) for the trip. Lugging too much stuff is the most tiring part of any trip for me, so I try to bring a minimum of things with me when I travel & make do or buy what I need as I go. For this three day jaunt, I fit everything into one carryon bag plus a small grocery bag for snacks and food on the way (plus my regular diaper bag)
LINK TO PACKING TIPS HERE
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Posted on June 19, 2007 |
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Almost three months after my horrific flight experience, I have finally received a response from BA. It's not exactly a heartfelt apology:
I will pass on your comments regarding our Paris staff to the appropriate department. I will say that during the time that you traveled the regulations were changing which what seemed like every moment in reference to restrictions.
The lesson learned for me is that there is very little, if any accountability for individual employees of the airlines. Once I realized that I was going to run into difficulties, I probably should have asked to work with another agent.
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Posted on November 8, 2006 |
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We are just back from a short jaunt to London and Paris... my last travel before Baby 2 arrives! The trip was fantastic, but the fight back was made way more difficult than necessary by a few heartless British Airlines Employees. Here's a copy of my letter to the company describing the experience. A bit long, but there was just so much insane behavior to describe...
I am writing to share my shocking and disheartening experience on a recent flight from Paris to Seattle through Heathrow airport. My trip was on August 17, on flights BA 309 and BA 49.
I traveled alone, 8 months pregnant, with a 16 month old toddler. With the terror alert and security changes, I knew that it would be a long, potentially difficult flight. I am used to long flights with my son, having taken three round-trip international trips on BA alone within the last year, and did everything I could in advance to make my trip easier.
Before the flight, I carefully reviewed the security regulations posted on both the British Airways website and the BAA website. I used easy to inspect carry-on bags that were smaller than the size restrictions allowed. I had two bags, as allowed: one per traveler. I also carefully reviewed the guidelines regarding what could be carried on board. I did not anticipate that BA employees would use the changing security regulations plus their authority to take their frustrations out on passengers and avoid doing work that would normally be a part of their jobs.
My troubles began at the checkin desk in Paris. The BA agent required that I check my stroller through to Seattle “for security reasons.” I explained that “Pushchairs … are permitted but must be x-ray screened,” and asked her to review the regulations. She refused. I asked to see the written policy. She refused. I asked to speak to a supervisor. She refused, but disappeared for a long time said her supervisor had confirmed that the stroller must be checked to the US. I explained that I am not, at 8 months pregnant, capable of carrying my toddler through the long distances at Heathrow Airport and asked that special assistance be provided. She refused. Finally, I asked for her name and her supervisor’s name. She refused, but gave me the stroller back. Because she took the stroller from me early on, I had to juggle, entertain, and keep my toddler safe and at arm’s length during this 20+ minute checkin ordeal.
Seeing my stroller returned, a couple of nearby passengers said congratulations. This was when things took a turn for the worse. The agent clearly felt that she had lost face, and immediately asked to inspect my carry on. She gave me a small plastic bag, barely big enough to hold a sandwich and soda, and told me that was the only carry-on I would be allowed. When I pointed out that my carry-ons were below the size limitations she said “it’s not about size, you must have things in there that are not essential, and they need to be removed.” She then proceeded to have me show her each item in my carry-ons; for each one, telling me whether it was “essential” to my journey.
Here is what she confiscated:
- Two packets of oral rehydration salts that my doctor told me to mix with water on the flight to prevent dehydration. Dehydration, especially when combined with stress or exhaustion can cause contractions and even early labor. Each packet was very small, roughly the size of a credit card.
- My carry on bags. This left everything that didn’t fit in her bag loose (I repacked them in plastic diaper disposal bags). The plastic bags were a continuing inconvenience. The bag your agent supplied ripped in Heathrow, scattering my travel documents, cash, credit cards, cell phone and other essentials across the airport floor. Each trip through security or any checkpoint was prolonged while I dug around for the item being requested. My items spilled into the overhead bin, so that retrieving diapers and other items during flight meant climbing up on another passenger’s seat and searching around in the bin.
- Baby food was allowed, if it was not sweet. She took a toddler’s fruit and oatmeal bar.
- Baby toys: two finger puppets and books were allowed, but not nesting boxes.
Here’s what she tried to remove, but gave up on after I again asked to speak to a supervisor:
- Diapers, baby food and baby milk beyond what would be used on the Paris to London flight. She commented that it was not her problem if I was unable to get more in Heathrow. Not having diapers from London to Seattle would have been disgusting, but not having enough food and milk was terrifying as I have never, on any BA flight (including this one) been able to get food for my son beyond what was on my meal tray. For example, on my outbound flight, I was limited to only ½ cup of milk, with the BA flight staff explaining that otherwise there might not be enough for coffee. What a horrible position for an agent to willfully put a mother in.
At one point, the agent produced a copy of the Aug 15 regulations for carry on baggage. When I pointed out that my items were allowed under the guidelines, she claimed that the regulations had changed that morning and that she did not yet have a printout of the new regulations. I have checked both the BA and BAA websites and there have been no updates (as of this writing) beyond the August 15th regulations. I have attached a printout of the August 15 regulations for your reference.
None of the removed items was disallowed according to regulations. None of them was bulky. It seems as if this agent used the new security regulations to make things uncomfortable for me after loosing face on the stroller issue. She not only inconvenienced and caused undue stress for me, but delayed the other passengers in line who she should have been checking in.
Worse than this, the aisle seats that I had booked and reconfirmed disappeared, and I had window seats for my entire journey. This made things exceptionally difficult. Pregnant women need to use the restroom frequently. It was difficult to keep my toddler in the small, confined space by the window. Once the baby cot was installed, it was impossible to get in and out of my seat without climbing on my aisle-mates seats (a real challenge while carrying a toddler). The flight crew was unsympathetic and I was unable to move.
I wish I could give you the name of the agent I spoke with in Paris. She wore no name badge and though I asked for her name or identification number at least four separate times she refused to give me any information. This was extremely unprofessional.
I wish this was an isolated incident. Unfortunately, another BA staff member used “security regulations” as an excuse to make his job easier (and my travel much more difficult). When I arrived at the jetway in Heathrow airport, my stroller was checked. A crew member explained “I’m sorry, security doesn’t let us bring strollers on board anymore, there are no exceptions.” I accepted that answer believing that it applied to everyone on the flight. You can only imagine my shock and dismay when, upon arrival in Seattle, I saw several strollers being unloaded. The steward I spoke with didn’t want to be bothered with my stroller, and didn’t care that taking it would leave me, 8 months pregnant and exhausted, carrying my baby through customs and baggage claim until the stroller arrived.
To add insult to injury, my stroller arrived damaged and the waterproof bag containing my former carry-on items arrived two days late with the contents soaking wet and beginning to mold.
In summary, I am very disappointed with the behavior, lack of professionalism and uncaring attitude of BA staff. Far from helping a lone pregnant traveler with a toddler, they purposefully made things unnecessarily difficult. I hope that BA will be able to track down and address this issue with the agent in Paris. Fair compensation for the unfair and uncaring treatment I received would be a flight voucher towards a future flight for myself and my son on British Airways.
Update: British Airlines Response to My Letter of Complaint
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Posted on August 20, 2006 |
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It's surprising how differently we view the world with E in tow. Little things for us, like reading him the same bedtime story he gets at home bring him endless delight, while big things for us, like a flight delay followed by a tight connection don't phase him at all. If anything, he loved our mad dash through the airport.
One thing we'd never fully appreciated before is how much music you hear in the streets here. In the first few days, E saw and heard a kid playing a violin, a man playing the sax, a tap dancer, an orchestra, and a guy playing African tunes on a guitar. Before E, we didn't take much notice. Now, as we walk by, E leans his whole body towards them, so we stop, hang out, and listen. E is mesmerized.
We're also realizing how much E loves all the new experiences here. For example, we had no idea that he'd be so crazy for ravioli, or that crawling around on a marble floor would be so entertaining, or that a big statue of a foot would be so funny, or that drinking fountains would be endlessly entertaining!
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Posted on May 9, 2006 |
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It's no secret that home cooking is different than restaurant cooking, especially in touristy places like Rome. As a tourist, there's often no opportunity to experience a traditional home-cooked meal unless you're lucky enough to know or befriend a local.
At the same time, Italians, always fearful of loosing their culinary heritage, are worried about losing home recipes. With more and more people buying convenience foods, fewer at-home wives, and restaurants catering to the international crowd, home recipes are being forgotten.
Enter The Home Food Association of Italy, which tries to give more people access to regional home-cooked food. Lucky for us, they just opened up membership to tourists. For a small membership fee (4 euros) and the cost of dinner (30-40 euros/person), we joined 6 other people for a home-cooked meal at the private home of a real Italian. ;-)
We weren't sure what to expect. The day before dinner, we received the address... a home on Via Condotti. D was excited because Via Condotti is one of the fanciest shopping streets in Rome, and probably some of the priciest and most difficult real estate in the world to obtain. We set off on foot an hour before dinner. D knows all the shopping streets by heart, so we didn't need a map. As we climbed the five flights of stairs to the home, we could hear the other guests ahead of us being greeted. We were in good company. Thanks to a recent blurb in Gourmet magazine (where we learned of this), the other guests were all either bilingual or English speaking. The other guests included a Brit working as a tour guide in Rome, a local writer for Gourmet, a couple from Arizona, and a member of the Homefood association.
We were greeted with a table packed with appetizers. Several of the dishes were outstanding. For dinner, there was broccoli soup, artichokes, lamb prepared 2 ways, fresh strawberries soaked in sweet wine, and chocolate cake.
The apartment itself was amazing. It had been in their family for three generations. The walls were covered with art. Can you imagine not moving a picture on the wall because it's been there since your mom was a child? There were framed christening gowns that were clearly antique. Every surface was covered with knickknacks and photos. Our hosts were both accomplished. She was a neo-natalogist and a professor at the University of Rome. He was a lawyer. And both were very much into food. They told us lots about different regional products, recipes, etc.
Thinking about it afterwards, we realized that while the meal was delicious, it was the experience of meeting a family, being in a typical home, and eating typical food that made it memorable.
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Posted on May 4, 2006 |
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On Friday, we explored Capitoline Hill, one of Rome's better known 7 hills. This is the one with the stairway and piazza designed by Michaelangelo. There are nice views of Rome from the top, especially of the Roman Forum.
After several visits here over the years, we finally made time to visit the Capitoline Museum. They've got a great collection of statues here. My favorite was in the courtyard... the colossal (though dismembered) statue of Constantine II. E loved the statues, and started pointing and laughing when he saw the giant foot!
If you ever go, don't miss the spectacular views from the museum's terrace, right next to the cafeteria.
We had a snack at the cafeteria and E had his first ever panini here -- tomato & mozzarella. He loved it. The fresh mozzarella here has been a hit all around. We're buying it by the bag in supermarkets, ordering it as a starter, and generally devouring it. E screeches in jealousy when we take a bite for ourselves.
In the late afternoon, we headed for a "hit of gelato" at Giolitto (our favorite gelateria). This was E's first taste of the stuff. Always the skeptic, he looked very suspicious as he rolled the cold substance around his mouth. With a grimace, he decided to ask for more. Shortly after that he decided that we weren't spooning it in fast enough. Wow! We've never seen him with a sugar high like that before.
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Posted on April 23, 2006 |
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Yesterday (Wednesday), we just walked around town with no destination in mind or a even guidebook.
It's interesting to see the cultural differences in the foods available for babies. In Paris, we were surprised to see baby jars of chocolate rice pudding. Parisians know good chocolate -- maybe that's their secret -- start early! We were shopping for baby food today, and we saw these flavors we don't see at home... prosciutto, rabbit, and trout. Hey, why not.
We had lunch at Okiba, which had the tagline "a mozzarella bar". It wasn't anything fancy, just some great salads, cheeses, and meats. Why can't we get a simple meal like this in the States?
In the same vein, Italy's "piazzas" -- the large public squares you often find in front of a church -- are wonderful public spaces. Why don't more countries have them? E loves having the space to run, and the free-flowing water spigots are endless fun. A piazza, an inflatable ball, and some water-proof shoes are all he needs for an adventure anywhere in the city!
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Posted on April 21, 2006 |
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It was tough not having cell phones in Paris. When E took a nap, D would sometimes go out for a walk, but there was no way to call her once he woke up. We just didn't think of taking our cell phones with us.
This time, we did our homework to learn what it would take to use our phones in Italy. We took both phones. This morning, it took all of 10 minutes and only 10 euros per phone to get local phone service. For 10 euros, you get a new SIM chip and 5 euros of credit towards calls. Plus, our Italian phone numbers make us feel a bit more Italian ;-). So does answering the phone with "pronto!"
It wasn't hard, but there are a couple things you have to do before you leave home.
Make sure you have a GSM phone (not CDMA). T-Mobile and Cingular (among others) use GSM. With Sprint, you have to rent a phone.
Make sure it's tri-band and supports 1800Mhz and, if you want the broadest coverage, the older 900Mhz as well.
Get your phone "unlocked". This lets you replace the SIM chip that came with your phone with that of another (foreign) provider. Most providers don't like you to do this, since they give away phones expecting you to sign up for their service. But there are plenty of places that will do it. A shop in Seattle wanted $80 to unlock D's treo.
Luckily, P's brother clued us into the fact that T-Mobile will unlock your phone for free if you ask. You just call customer care (611) and tell them that you want to unlock your phone for travel in Europe. They'll ask for your email address, the make & model of your phone, and then email you step-by-step instructions and the special unlock code the next day. You can do this only once every three months, so if you want to unlock multiple phones, plan ahead.
If you don't use T-Mobile, just do some googling. Uniquephones.com is legit and charges only $2.50. If you want to save a couple bucks (or you're just curious), you can download apps for free that'll compute the unlock code. If you go this route, I've heard some of these apps come with spyware, so run them in a virtual machine to avoid infection. If your phone needs a hardware device (most Motorola phones), they'll need physical access to your phone to unlock it.
Once you're in Italy, find a cell phone shop and tell them you want a SIM card. We went to a Vodaphone store. They'll need your Passport for security reasons (cell phones have been used as remote detonators). Pop in the new SIM card, punch in the included PIN number, and you're mobile! To add credit, pop into one of the many tobacci shops in Italy. Super convenient.
Related Links:
Making Your Cell Phone Work Internationally
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Posted on April 20, 2006 |
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