I’ll let you in on a little secret: Occasionally when I visit a museum with my children I sneak away while they are otherwise occupied (and Daddy is supervising) to check out something of interest only to me; something that I don’t necessarily feel like working to make kid-friendly or even really explaining in any detail. So in the spring of 2011 when we visited the National Museum of American History in Washington, DC, while we all spent lots of time learning about voyages of discovery and presidential politics and antique toys, I also made sure to get some alone time with this room:

I don’t talk about it here much, but I absolutely love to cook, and of course I love all things French. So Julia Child is something of a hero of mine what with her love affair with cuisine à la française (sparked by a simple meal of sole meuniére in Rouen – you see? You never know where travel will lead you) and her wit and her single-minded pursuit of culinary excellence and her desire to share that excellence with all those people who had the misfortune to never see Paris for themselves. To see her kitchen, which is both completely ordinary and also of course totally special, designed lovingly by her husband Paul to fit her height and and personal tastes, well, let’s just say I wanted to stand and drink it all in without having to help the boys understand why this was supposed to be interesting.

And frankly, how could I have explained why my eyes welled up when I saw her Cordon Bleu diplôme, an achievement about which Julia herself was ambivalent? I’m not even sure why they did myself.

But the thing I loved seeing the most was the peg board that Paul famously created for her, where I know each copper pan was carefully outlined so it could always be put back where it belonged, the marks as enduring as any love letter. We should all have someone to look after us like that.

I offer this as a slightly unorthodox contribution to Wanderfood Wednesday. And if you’ve never read My Life in France, a posthumous memoir published by Child’s nephew after she died in 2004, I recommend it highly.

Ristorante Piccolo is an old-school Italian restaurant with waiters in black pants and white shirts, plenty of Chianti on the wine list, and anise mints in a dish by the hostess station. Matt and I ate there previously on a cold January evening. I was pregnant with Teddy and we were spending a few days away while family watched toddler Tommy. There was only one of other table of customers and I remember how cozy the dining room felt and how ready to dive into a huge bowl of pasta I was. It was dim and romantic and certainly not the kind of place I’d think of bringing children to.

But when the four of us climbed out of the cab, wandered around the corner from M Street onto 31st, and saw the charming façade, something just seemed right. Before we knew it, we were tucked in an upstairs corner by the window, menus in hand.

Teddy can be tricky to feed in an Italian restaurant, since he’s not a huge fan of pasta. But when I saw the gnocchi tossed with pesto tomato sauce and parmesan cheese, I guessed we had a winner (we ordered a small portion, just to be on the safe side). Teddy was dubious when it arrived…

…but soon decided (correctly) that it was completely delicious.

Tommy had no such hesitation and demolished a heaping bowl of Pasta alla Picollo.

I had a special of breaded veal topped with tomato sauce and served with potatoes and the most perfectly wilted and salted spinach I think I’ve ever had.

The food was delicious, but it wasn’t the best part of the evening. That came as we were finishing up, with the arrival of our own personal musician (well, I suppose he was there to play for other people too, but he spent a long time at our table taking requests from the boys).

The concert included everything from “You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away” to “Turkey in the Straw” to “As Time Goes By” which he played for me and Matt and the notes of which floated down the stairs after us as we made our happy way out the door and back to the Omni Shoreham. Who new that an evening without reservations or much of a plan could turn out so magical?

Looking for more delicious posts? Check out Wanderfood Wednesday at Wanderlust and Lipstick.

I like this breezy neighborhood joint, a mix of all things that is right in urban casual dining these days. The diner part is covered by a menu of traditional favorites, all with a twist (brioche French toast; hot dog with chili lime tartar sauce; halloumi grilled cheese) and stuff you wouldn’t find at a typical diner like mussels and handmade pizza. The coffee is impeccable and the beer and wine lists carefully culled. It’s got some boulangerie mixed in too, with wonderful pastries that are made on the premises.

We were there for breakfast and I’m still trying to recover from the fact that I did not order the Red Velvet Waffle (I know – I’m deeply disappointed in myself too). Instead I went for the buttermilk cornmeal pancakes with warm blueberry compote. They were delicious, but it is the bacon that stands out in my mind – smoky, thick (but not too thick), chewy (but not too chewy) – it had a rich flavor that stood up to everything around it and yet was also a perfect complement. I’m sure other people I was with ordered other things and ate them, but the bacon and I were too intent on each other to notice.

I’ve sampled a few other things here on other visits and can report that the carrot cake and palmiers stand up to the bacon as well, but none truly has the superlative quality that it does. Let me put it you this way: If I were single, I’d marry that bacon in a heartbeat. We’d have a beautiful future together.

If you are staying at the Omni Shoreham, Open City is right across the street and would make a perfect place for an early dinner with kids after a day of sightseeing, no less because you can order a fab artisanal draft beer to accompany your food. If you’re visiting the National Zoo, Open City is an easy walk from the zoo entrance; it’s also just feet from the Woodley Park Metro stop, so you could hit it easily on the way to or from if you are arriving via public transportation. Since it is pretty much open all the time for every meal, you don’t really have to have a plan, which is another beautiful thing. It does always seem to be packed and its one flaw is service that’s on the slow side but my recommendation is just to deal with it.

Remember – they serve that bacon all day.

I share this as part of Wanderfood Wednesday at Wanderlust and Lipstick which always includes lots of yummy posts.

And have you entered to win a Shutterfly photo book yet? Well what are you waiting for?

Often when we travel I find restaurants that are great to visit with kids but that I probably wouldn’t go back to if Matt and I were to return for a more grownup trip. So I’m always delighted by that rare place that really fills both my need to eat out with the kids and to enjoy a meal that I’d happily sit down to anyway. Firefly in Washington, DC may do this better than any restaurant I’ve ever visited.

I took it as an excellent sign when we entered only to be greeted warmly by the chic hostess and shown to a table that was surrounded by families with children even younger than ours. Everyone was smiling. There were also groups of grownups and a nice looking crowd of young people at the bar. And a tree in the middle of it all.

Yes, that’s right, I said a tree. It’s not a real tree (we checked). But it sure looks like one and along with some actual birch trunks that line the wall, it reinforces the fun, casual vibe and the idea that this is a suitable site for an urban picnic – and a great place to come with kids.

There is of course a kids menu that was accompanied by crayons. But this menu steps outside of the chicken nuggets box. Choices for the under-five set are The Giving Tree and The Very Lonely Firefly and include options like apple wedges, buttered noodles and parmesan, and baby shrimp. For older kids there are some obvious choices (PB & J, mac and cheese) but also items like chicken matzoh ball soup and a BLT with avocado.

Teddy loved it that the cheeseburger on the kids menu is described as “bigger than your head” and dutifully ordered it as such. Tommy was not swayed by this description and went for the burger on the regular menu, which comes served with applewood bacon, carmelized onions, honey mustard, and truffle fries (which Matt and I may or may not have sneaked continuously off his plate).

Immediately after we submitted our order, the waiter appeared with two cookie dough men and a saucer of decorations for each child. This may be the most brilliant and child-friendly thing (heck, I’ll come right out and say it – it’s the most parent-friendly thing) I’ve ever seen a restaurant do. While Matt and I sipped our drinks, the boys set busily to work.

When they were finished, the cookies were whisked away to bake while we ate our meal.

So we’ve established that the food and atmosphere are great for kids. But what about the grownups? That’s what makes this place such a great option. First of all, I love any restaurant that takes its cocktails seriously, and Firefly definitely does. I started my evening with a Peppered Pear – pear-infused gin, pear brandy, black pepper syrup, sage, and grapefruit. (Hmm. No picture. I must have been too busy guzzling.)

Matt and I wanted to try as many things as possible, so we chose a number of small plates and sides and weren’t disappointed at all. Matt ordered artichokes drenched in aioli, grits with bacon and parmesan, and chicken fried oysters.

I had to have the shrimp and grits (yes, we ate two orders of grits for dinner and no, we weren’t sorry) and the asparagus salad topped with prosciutto.

You see that oval breaded thing? That my friends is a deep-fried soft-boiled egg. When I cut into it, a perfectly runny yolk ran all over everything. If that doesn’t make your mouth water than I’m afraid I can’t help you.

What else would I want to try on this menu? Well let’s see. I’d definitely like to try the house-made charcuterie. And collard beans with Italian sausage. And let’s not forget the ricotta gnocchi! And I didn’t even look at the dessert menu and only now have I discovered that it contains a chocolate terrine served with bananas foster sauce. My only consolation is that the menu is seasonal and changes often so it’s possible that wasn’t even on the list two weeks ago.

At the end of it all, this is how our check arrived:

It was accompanied by the boys’ freshly baked cookies.

I know that’s a lot of cuteness, but when it’s backed up with fantastic food and booze, I’m hooked. Whether you are going to DC with or without the kids, I say, get thee to Firefly, which is near Dupont Circle on New Hampshire Avenue. Oh – and they serve breakfast on weekdays and brunch on the weekend, so if your child just doesn’t do well in the evening, you can check it out in the morning.

(Word to the wise – this is a popular place; you’ll want a reservation.)

Want to read about some more fabulous food? Check out Wanderfood Wednesday at Wanderlust and Lipstick.

The zoo opens at 10 and we were there soon after, starting our visit on the Asia Trail, right near the main entrance. It probably took us close to an hour to see everything here. There may be only a few species of animals, but they are all compelling and the layout makes it easy to really see them. I’m sure many visitors focus on the fact that this is where the giant pandas live, but we really enjoyed the other animals and got some great looks at sloth bears, the Asian small-clawed otters (so cute!), the fishing cat, and the red panda, who walked practically right up to the edge of his enclosure.

There are lots of interactive educational materials to see along the trail, which is especially great since the animals aren’t necessarily familiar.

The zoo has two giant pandas in its exhibit, a male and a female, who live there as part of an agreement with China to encourage breeding. Tian Tian, the male giant panda, put on a really spectacular show, eating a stalk of bamboo, rolling around on the ground, scratching his back on a rock, pooping in the general direction of his audience (much to the boys’ horror and delight), and then settling in for a nap.

The pandas’ habitat is set up so that visitors can view them from multiple levels and we got tons of great views. At the end there’s an educational area with lots of information. Tommy especially enjoyed the interactive game that explained how scientists meet the requirements for panda breeding – did you know that breeding pandas shouldn’t share the same parents or grandparents? (You can play that game online here.)

The one disappointment of the day was the primate area; I’m not sure what the apes were up to, but we didn’t see too much (although we did get a glimpse of a baby gorilla). When we tried to visit the Think Tank where visitors can interact closely with orangutans, it was temporarily closed. I’d like to return to see the orangutans using the overhead O line to travel between the Ape House and the Think Tank.

What was missing in the monkeys was more than made up for in the Reptile Discovery Center where we got a great look at all kinds of lizards, snakes, and. At Teddy’s insistence, we also made sure to visit the komodo dragon (I couldn’t get a good picture of him to save my life, but he was impressive) and the invertebrates to see the jellyfish, octopus, spiders, and spiny lobsters.

After a stop at the Mane Grill for lunch, we checked out the Great Cat area joining the crowds to see the tigers and then watch seven lion cubs (about eight months old), all carefully watched by their mothers while dad snoozed nearby. The boys also loved the Compare Yourself to a Tiger trail – whose tongue do you think is bigger?

At that point it started to rain and legs were tired, so we left, making a quick stop to see the zebras on our way out.

What’s really amazing to me about this wonderful zoo is that like all other museums in the Smithsonian it is completely free. This is especially impressive when you consider that they entertain nearly two million visitors a year. I’m so glad that I was finally one of them.

To see more photos of our visit, check out The Mother of All Trips Facebook page – and while you’re there, why not “like” the site?

Strolling up the dusty National Mall I despair of finding a comfortable spot to sit down until we discover a path flanked by a silver tree. Looking ahead I see chairs, tables, wine bottles. Is that an Art Deco Metro sign? Are we in Paris? Is this path magic? No, it’s just the entrance to the National Gallery’s sculpture garden. And look – here’s a table just waiting for us outside the café, a table where we can watch the tableau vivant of a springtime outdoor living room in the middle of the city, our Capitol city.

We snack. The boys tumble like puppies. Then I make them recreate a photographic moment from three years ago (which they do with reluctance). Refreshed, we relinquish our precious table, although I could easily order a bottle of champagne and sit here all afternoon. But we have glimpsed water through the trees that flank the path and must explore.

The fountain in front of the National Archives plays tricks. The water ascends – how high will it go? Then the jets disappear to a mere trickle. For tired exhausted children, this is mesmerizing. I snap photos, hoping that they don’t actually fall asleep when suddenly I hear swing music. I follow it around the curve of water to find a group of dancers – a flash mob? – twirling in the bright air. They finish just as the jets reach their apex. Was this planned exclusively for my pleasure?

There are many other things still to see this afternoon and we will move on. But this is the half hour I will dream of once we’re home.

Seeing the pandas at the National Zoo was one of the highlights of our recent trip to Washington, D.C. This fellow in particular put on quite a show. It’s hard to tell, but in this picture he is actually scratching his generous backside on a rock. That’s more appealing than what he did next, which was to turn around and poop in the general direction of his audience.

Did you know that panda poop looks like large green lemons? It also doesn’t smell since it’s primarily made up of chewed up bamboo.

Well, you can thank me for the educational moment. If your kids are like mine, they would be simultaneously delighted and disgusted to see this nature fact in action.

Much more about our visit to the zoo next week. And there’s more too! I’m going to spend the weekend working on a photo book of our 2010 England trip at Shutterfly and will share the results on Monday. Come back to read about it and get a chance to win one yourself.

Also: A few friendly reminders. Today is the last day to participate in the pre-launch Go Select pass sale at Smart Destinations. You can get discounts on attractions in five different cities.

And there’s till time to enter to win a credit toward a fabulous trip for two with Austin-Lehman adventures.

OK, that’s enough homework for a Friday. If you’d rather just get a jump start on your weekend by looking at some pictures, why not stop over at Delicious Baby for Photo Friday?

But then I heard from some blogger friends that the Omni chain offers some special things aimed at making families feel welcome and I decided that a stay was in order. And I’m glad that I did.

For starters, I like the Omni Shoreham’s location in the northwest corner of the city near the funky Adams Morgan neighborhood. If you’re arriving by car it’s an easy drive from the Beltway (and the valet parking is reasonable for the city at about $25 a day). From the hotel, it’s a ten-minute walk to the National Zoo and a quick metro ride to downtown (the metro stop is right across the street). It’s also an easy cab ride to Georgetown. Although we didn’t get the chance to explore the Dupont Circle area on this trip, Matt and I have walked down there from the hotel on other visits and it’s easy to get to The Phillips Collection, a wonderful small art museum that would be great to explore with kids. It’s also right next to Rock Creek Park, which has lots of hiking and biking trails (you can actually rent bikes at the hotel if you want). There are plenty of restaurants either an easy walk or a quick cab ride away. I’ll be writing about some of them in future posts, but in particular I recommend Open City right across the street and Firefly, just off Dupont Circle.

Other things we liked about the Omni Shoreham:

Our room. We stayed in a Classic Suite, one step up from the hotel’s Deluxe rooms. Although the beds shared the same space, the wall in between them and the sofa was a nice touch. After days of walking around Washington’s museums the boys easily fell asleep while Matt and I sat and read. There was an empty refrigerator (I like it when hotels don’t stock the fridge so you feel afraid of opening it because you might accidentally drink a $10 soda), a large closet with two bathrobes, and a bathroom that was tucked into a corner offering a bit more space and privacy. I was given a special deal, but rates for Classic Suites usually run between $199 to $299 a night.

The Sensational Kids program. When we checked in the boys were delighted to receive goody bags shaped like backpacks and containing a small flashlight, Twizzlers, and a few toys. These were a welcome distraction and entertained the boys while Matt and I unpacked. Then, just as the boys’ energy was flagging after a day spent hoofing it around the Capitol and the National Museum of the American Indian there was a knock on the door and like magic milk and cookies appeared. Other features of the program include canteens that the children can fill at the hotel’s restaurants and a rolling suitcase full of playing cards and books on hand at the concierge’s desk.

The staff. Whether they were standing at the door, behind the front desk, or by the buffet table in the restaurant everyone was to a person, smiling, pleasant, polite, and helpful. When we had drinks in the Marquee Bar and Lounge, our friendly waitress helped Teddy to order a virgin strawberry daiquiri (which arrived topped with whipped cream) and then asked many sympathetic questions about Tommy’s arm.

The lobby and grounds. The Shoreham lobby has an old-school glamour that I like, with huge chandeliers and flower arrangements. And the grounds are lovely for a city hotel, with gardens, grass, and plenty of space for a romp, comfy hammocks, and even chess and backgammon tables. There’s also a heated outdoor pool for the warmer months.

Breakfast. There are lots of things to love about the breakfast buffet, which is served at Robert’s Restaurant at the back of the main lobby. The dining room is a grand, mirrored affair full of flowers and light. There is a breakfast menu, but I don’t know why you wouldn’t choose the buffet, which offers a made-to-order omelet bar, homemade granola, Belgian waffles, and copious amounts of fresh fruit. In fact, the boys were more excited about the chance to eat unlimited amounts of raspberries and blackberries than anything else! I love to see extravagant offerings that are also healthy. The buffet costs $20 per person for adults (kids cost $9) but given that none of us really needed lunch – Matt and I skipped it altogether and the boys each had a single slice of pizza – I think it counts as a bargain. Some of the hotel’s packages include complimentary tickets for the buffet; I’d say this adds significantly to their value given its size and quality.

The loyalty program. I am unabashed in my love for the Omni Select Guest program which is free to sign up for and which offers a number of truly nice and meaningful perks right off the bat. Number one on the list is free Wi-Fi but members also get a free beverage delivered to their room in the morning, a free newspaper, and complimentary shoe shines and clothes pressing. And it only takes ten nights to get a free room and to get bumped up to the next level which offers deals like late checkout and room upgrades.

I was lucky enough to enjoy a very low rate and a few special treats courtesy of the Omni, who knew that we were coming (a nicely chilled bottle of chardonnay on our first night was probably the most appreciated!) but given how well we were treated by the staff who didn’t know that I was a blogger, I’d say any family would feel right at home. To find special family packages and discounts, sign up for the loyalty program and check out the Omni website or their Facebook page.

Want to see some more pictures of our stay at the Omni? I’ve shared a gallery on the Mother of All Trips Facebook page. And while you’re there, why not “like” the page so that you never miss a post or special offer?

Yes, this is a cafeteria – you pick up a tray and walk around to select your food. But I’ve never seen options quite like this. The Mitsitam Café offers visitors to the museum a chance to try dishes that are indigenous to the Americas. The stations are broken up according to region, from the Northwest Coast down to South America. It is a little bewildering and part of the pleasure for me was watching the lunch crowd make their choices. Everyone, adult and child alike, wandered around peering at the food, trying to figure out what it was. Although names are posted, there aren’t descriptions included and frankly, you can’t always tell by looking. The entire enterprise can feel a bit like a mystery and the staff, clearly tired of perennial questions (and perhaps a bit smug in the fact that they know and we don’t?) is not necessarily forthcoming about what each item includes.

The best approach here (unless you have allergies or dietary restrictions) is simply to plunge in with abandon. There are kids meals available if your child simply must
have chicken nuggets, but we stayed away and let the boys pick what looked appealing. Teddy went for a fry bread grilled cheese and green apple soup from the Northern Woodlands menu. The soup was the only thumbs down among all our orders, but the fry bread was delicious.

Tommy was more intrigued by Mesoamerica and ordered corn tacos filled with a chicken, peanut, and red chili mole that was to die for.

Matt and I headed for South America. He ordered aji de cabro or pulled goat in a red wine and chili sauce from Chile with a side of papas ala arequipena or potatoes and cheese from Peru (but suitable for a Wisconsin boy, don’t you think?).

And me? I bellied up to the bar and tried to cajole the woman serving food to tell me what the names of the dishes meant to no avail. She was either coy or crabby so I ended up with a plate of pupusa de chicharrón that was served with a topping of a cabbage and carrot slaw and a side of heart of palm salad. I was perfectly happy not to really know what I was munching on.

It turns out that a pupusa is a traditional Salvadoran dish made of corn meal, cheese, and finely ground pork (not pork rinds as I first mistakenly assumed). It was divine.

Mitsitam means “let’s eat” in the language of the Delaware and Piscataway peoples and that’s what we did. It was lots of fun and completely different. One word of warning though: It’s not a cheap lunch. But since the museum is completely free, why not splurge a little? I can’t think of a more delicious way to learn about native cultures than this.

I share this yummy cultural exchange as part of Wanderfood Wednesday. Be sure to check out the equally delicious posts to be found there.

I’m not sure why I never thought of visiting it before; the building is certainly unique among those in the Smithsonian, constructed of a pale yellow Kasota stone in a sinuous shape that is meant to evoke what water does to rock over time.

One of our favorite spots in the museum was the Potomac Atrium, which is four stories high and celebrates a variety of native cultures in its shape, its openness, its natural light, and the prism in the top which creates rainbows on the walls and floor (much to Teddy’s excitement). The atrium currently houses an exhibit of four different canoes from various parts of the globe.

After our two-hour drive to Washington, D.C. in the morning and our tour of the Capitol, I knew that the boys wouldn’t last more than part of the afternoon, so we decided to head up to the fourth floor and work our way as far down as our interest level took us.

Our first stop was in the hallway overlooking the atrium where the Windows On exhibition showcases objects from the collection. On this floor the focus is on objects shaped like animals, and the boys loved looking up objects on the touch screen computers and then finding them in the case.

The main exhibit on this floor is called Our Universes and it looks at “indigenous cosmologies,” that is how different groups of native peoples view creation, the Earth, and all that is beyond us. Looking at eight different cultures stretching from Peru to Canada, the exhibit offers ceremonial objects, video interviews, and numerous written stories and examples; I probably spent close to an hour reading all the panels. While Matt and I explored the boys cuddled up on a bench in the main area of the exhibit and watched videos of creation myth stories told using vivid and beautifully drawn cartoons. Given how fascinating this exhibit was, I’d definitely like to return to see the parallel Our Peoples and Our Lives exhibits on the lower floors. A stop at either wasn’t in the cards on this particular afternoon, as the boys needed to get some fresh air.

But I like the fact that this is a museum you can dip in and out of and will plan to come back at a later date. I didn’t realize for instance that they have an exhibition about the native peoples of the Chesapeake region; since my children have studied the Nanticoke Indians in school, I know this would really interest them. The Lelawi Theatre has a multimedia presentation about contemporary native peoples around the world that sounds like it would be perfect for kids (it’s only 13 minutes long). And in September of 2011, there will be a hands-on activity area opening on the third floor where children can weave baskets, walk into a tipi, and listen to stories.

You’ll find the Museum of the American Indian on the south side of the National Mall at the intersection of Fourth Street and Independence Avenue. It’s an easy walk from the Smithsonian Metro stop or from L’Enfant Plaza or Federal Center. We strolled down there from the Capitol Building in about 15 minutes.