Baby in Bartell's

There are some days that you just can't take your baby to a bar.  Those are usually the days when you are most in need of a visit to a place that serves alcohol in copious amounts.  Do not fret.  You always have the option of consuming at home!  It's cheaper too.

Will and I had one of those days on Friday.  In a two birds, one stone scenario, we headed out on a walk to Bartell's.  The walk was to calm Will, the destination, which helpfully sells both wine and Pretzel M&Ms, was to help Mommy.

While shopping, Will woke up and decided he hated Bartell's, hated his Graco, and generally hated Friday.  Undeterred, I motored around the store, grabbing whatever alcohol and chocolate I happened to see first.  As we checked out, the following scene played out.

Cashier:  "Do you need a bag for your wine?"
Will:  Baby scream.
Me:  "No.  I'm going to drink it on the way home."
Cashier & Shoppers behind me:  Silent horrified stares.
Me:  Wild eyes, crazy smile.
Will:  Longer, louder baby scream.

And scene.

Sometimes we have to make our own fun.

Ain't No Thing

Wings are delicious.  Unfortunately, for 9 long months, I was forced to be wing-free.  Bean did not enjoy meat on the bone while in utero.  Fortunately for him me, we seem to be in the postnatal clear.  And so, last night we took our second trip to Wing Dome!

Wing Dome is an interesting beast.  A bar in the body of an old autoshop, and it looks totally divey.  But it's completely and totally kid-friendly.  We're not even being rebels by bringing our baby to this bar.  In fact, Tuesdsay nights are "Dad's Night To Cook":  with every adult, a kids eat for free.  Yeah, it was all Gymboree up in there last night. 

But no matter the day, Wing Dome is a great option for getting out, getting some beer (pitchers!), and getting some yummy food.  Besides wings, they have a full menu so if you too are not-so-keen on meat on the bone, you've got options.  And their wing sauce options besides the regular buffalo - thai chili, garlic, rasta, peanut - are fantastic.  And would it kill them to have tator tots?  No, it fact, it would not.  Yippee! 

No issues negotiating your way through the bar with the hummer, great waitresses who take no issues with kids breaking things and making messes, changing table thing-y in the bathroom.  Yeah, Wing Dome is practically a bar made for babies.   

Will can't wait to try his first 7 Alarm wing.  Probably 6 more weeks should do it.

Another POV

Seattle's Real Underage Problem?  Clearly, Hanna Olson would not enjoy this blog either. 

Okay, y'all, let me break it down for you. 

First, it's not illegal to have a baby in a bar that has a distinct and seperate bar area.  Obviously, Will isn't all up in his Graco sitting on the bar next to your tequila shots and packs of Camels.  If there isn't a "No Minors" sign on the front door, your baby is in.  Wouldn't it be nice if there was some "No Assholes" policy that had to be abided in the same manner?

Now, I understand that you're not enjoying your PBR if my kid is screaming his face off next to you.  I'M not enjoying my wine if my kid is screaming his face off next to me, trust.  We're going to hightail it out of that joint as soon as this happens.  Or, one of us (and by one of us, I mean Tim) will be heading outside to calm the kid.  Now if only you could do the same for your drunk-off-his-ass friend who won't stop screaming during his pool game or hitting on me when I go to the loo. 

And seriously, let ME worry about the decibel level and the appropriateness of my kid watching you make a fool out of yourself after your third car bomb.  He's seen worse.

Also, consider the state of the parents of this city.  If stopping into Naked City for a beer during our Saturday evening walk helps keep us normal, sane and not-constantly-baby-talking parents, isn't this actually doing Seattle a service?   If not Seattle, then at least the folks that interact with us on an every day basis. 

Finally, if my baby is at a table next to you, chillaxing quietly in his Manny's onesie, among the dull roar of voices, the punk jukebox, and the clink of pint glasses, think about this.  My kid at 6 weeks is already cooler than you'll ever be.  True story. 

Georgetown

You might not think that the Georgetown neighborhood would be a good place to take a baby for an afternoon out.  Well, unfortunately, you would be correct.  Most bars* in super-cool Georgetown will not only frown upon your baby's arrival, they will, in fact, remove your baby from the premises.  However, there is one very notable exception:  Stellar Pizza. 

Yep, this amazing pizza joint will welcome you and your baby with open arms.  In fact, you even have your own entrance, you're that extra special.  Well, actually, it's just that the main door opens up to the actual bar, and as the sign outside helpfully points out, yes, babies are minors too.  So use the door to the right of the main entrance so as not to be yelled at. 

The non-bar area is totally doable for you and your baby.  We had the hummer (AKA Graco Snugride Stroller 2000) with us, and we could navigate it around the joint.  Booths are big enough for the carseat to fit in next you so you can enjoy your beer and make sure your baby is still asleep at the same time.  Speaking of beer, there are lots of great options on tap here, including Elysian's pumpkin beer, hooray! 

Pizza is amazing - I totally recommend the Orcas, a white pizza with feta, artichokes, and garlic.  We also had a pepporoni which had amazing sauce but was way too greasy.  Note that Stellar offers half pizzas so you can try more than one type.  They are huge, so we had enough left over for another meal.  Great service too.  Friendly, not annoyed by the baby in a bar.  Note that pizzas take 25-30 minutes to bake so if your baby is edging toward crabby, you might want to try a sammie instead. 

Oh, and this place is totally cool for older kids as well.  I saw crayons and coloring options as well as kids who had just finished their soccer game.  Stellar is sort of a cool cross between being a divey bar and a local family pizza parlor.  Nice combo.  Don't try and change a diaper here though - definitely no room in the bathrooms. 

IMPORTANT:  Stellar does not open until 3pm on weekends. 

*Notable Georgetown establishments to try:  Jules Mae, 9lb Hammer, and Smarty Pants.  Alas, do not bring your baby.

Man About Town

I feel confident in saying that, in his 6 weeks of life in Seattle, Will has visited more bars and restaurants than many first year UW students.  True, this may be due to the fact that his mother had not had any wine in nine months and is now making up for lost time.  Ahem. 

No matter the reason, Will is a man (okay, newborn) about town, and I love this.  Bringing our baby to bars gives Tim and me a little bit of "normal" in our lives.  Will can now sleep anywhere, he loves people, and he's not freaked out by new experiences.  It's true:  having our baby in a bar actually makes us better parents.  And you can too!

Watch this blog* for reviews, photos, and info of various Seattle-area bars and restaurants without the dreaded No Minors sign posted on the front door.  This isn't about being kid-friendly.  This is about us.  (Or as much about us as anything can possibly be when we have a kid.)

*Thanks, Maura, for the inspiration!