Downtown Alameda - Park Street

For Kay's great report card, participation in the Geography Bee, and getting student of the month for December & January, we surprised her with a trip to her favorite toy store, Toy Safari in Alameda.

It wasn't until we crossed the bridge into Alameda that she figured it out and she said "are we going to that toy store?" I didn't acknowledge her and said we were just having lunch and then headed into town to get something.

Tomatina Italian Restaurant  

1338 Park St, Alameda · (510) 521-1000
http://tomatina.com/ 

We had a late lunch first at Tomatina, which is just down the street from the Toy Safari. Lunch was great. We'll definitely go back or even head out the other location in Walnut Creek.

   

Still unsure we were actually going to the toy store, Kay asked us to just go peak in the toy store, since it was just down the street. As we were walking, I told her the reason we were in Alameda was to take her to the toy store. I told her she could chose a Lego for all her great achievements at school. She was so happy ... but, truthfully, I think she knew all along.

Toy Safari  

1410 Park St, Alameda · (510) 522-1723
http://toysafaritoys.com/wordpress/
 

                  

 

 

                                  

Tucker's Ice Cream Shop

1349 Park Street, Alameda, (510) 522-4960

http://tuckersicecream.com/

Afterwards, we wandered the rest of Park Street and got ice cream at Tucker's Ice Cream Shop (even though it started to get cold). It's one of those "must do when on Park Street" things. 

http://www.shopparkstreet.com/
http://tomatina.com/
http://toysafaritoys.com/wordpress/
http://tuckersicecream.com/

... a little known fact that I did not know until now -- that Alameda is an island. I guess I should have figured this out the number of times we've been there, since we cross different bridges depending on which way we come into town

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alameda_%28island%29

RECIPES - Won Tons -- teaching Kay to make my verison of Korean won tons

Tonight, I wanted to show Kay how to make my won tons. I went over all the ingredients necessary and she helped me with the mixture. After letting it marinade for a couple hours, Kay rolled each won ton -- a task that she's done many times.

RECIPE: WON TONS - my Korean way that I've been making for years

Ingredients:

• 1 lb of lean ground beef
• 1/2 finely chopped onion
• 3 green onions - finely chopped
• 1 tsp sugar
• 3 tsp gluten free soy sauce (or regular soy sauce) -- I prefer Kikoman
• 2 cloves of garlic - freshly pressed 
• dash of salt  
• and a package of won ton skins 

 

Mix all ingredients. Put into a ziploc bag and marinade in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Prepare area to roll won tons and get a dish of water to seal won tons. Scoop half a teaspoon of ground beef mixture into the middle and fold across (like a triangle). Repeat.

Deep fry until golden brown.

I serve my won tons with a Guamanian finedene (recipe below). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finadene

RECIPE: SAUCE: Guamanian Finadene (my version)

• 3/4 cup Gluten free soy sauce - I use Kikoman's
• chopped onions - about 1/4 of an onion
• lemon - 1 freshly squeezed 
• 1 diced, roasted and chopped -- jalapeno, habanero or serrano peppers - whatever you have on hand -- I prefer habanero (use caution when chopping -- use gloves if needed)
• red chili flakes - a couple dashes

Mix all ingredients together. Adjust to your taste or hotness. 

Note: this is not a gluten free food

Gluten Free - Kay's Review

Snyder's Gluten Free Mini Pretzels

Kay has been asking about pretzels lately and I was glad to see this new product in the grocery store. Normally, I try to conceal the fact that they are gluten free before giving them to her. This way, she doesn't automatically say "yuck". This time I just handed her the bag and she said "oh, gluten free... they are going to taste like cardboard." She was pleasantly surprised how good they tasted. She said they did not taste like cardboard and were crispy and good.

I also tasted them and they were very crispy and not too salty. The texture was almost cracker like. I loved them and would definitely buy them again.

REVIEW: KAY APPROVED

http://snydersofhanover.com/products/gluten-free-pretzels/gluten-free-mini-pretzels.html

Kay is newly diagnosed with a moderate gluten and wheat allergies. I have started to collect various recipes on Pinterest. If interested, go to my Pinterest == http://www.pinterest.com/mdelk65/gluten-free-recipes/

Christmas Tree Time at Silveyville Tree Farms in Dixon

Silveyville Pumpkin & Christmas Tree Farm

6208 Silveyville Rd, Dixon · (707) 678-1823

http://silveyvilletreefarm.com/

Kay grabbed her Santa hat and we were off to go find our Christmas tree. This year we decided to go back to Silveyville Christmas Tree Farm, which we've been to many times. Kay's in charge of picking the tree and helping Jonathan carry it to the car.

Kay knows the drill when we arrive at Silveyville -- take a picture at the giant measure thing, grab some free popcorn and cider, smile with Santa, pick a tree, and carry the tree.

Silveyville Tree Farm is located in the small town of Dixon, CA, which is 30 minute drive for us. It's a family friendly farm that offers fresh trees that you either cut down or select a precut one. They have Santa sleigh ride or ATV ride around the farm -- a must do at least once. They have free popcorn and coffee (or cider for the kids). All the prices are reasonable.

     

 

  

Salito's Crab House & Prime Rib Restaurant

Salito's Crab House and Prime Rib Restaurant

1200 Bridgeway, Sausalito, CA 94965 - (415) 331-3226

http://salitoscrabhouse.com/reservations.htm 

For Kay's birthday dinner, she wanted to go anywhere that had crab. We chose Salito's Crab House & Prime Rib in Sausalito. We've never been to Salito's before, but we've been to their sister restaurant, The Dead Fish, in Crockett.

We headed over to Sausalito right after our day at Boo at the Oakland Zoo. We had to cross both the new Bay Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge on our drive to Sausalito. I love bridges.

For dinner Kay ordered a whole crab, which is steamed in a garlic sauce. It comes with no sides. I ordered the prime rib and crab dinner and that came with potalitos and creamed spinach. I've never heard of potalitos before. They are roasted and smashed potatoes. We ordered a couple salads to share.

 

   

For dessert, we had an order of their homemade beignets. They were served warm, dusted with powdered sugar.

We'd definitely go back.

Boo at the Oakland Zoo

Oakland Zoo

 9777 Golf Links Road, Oakland, CA 94605  (510) 632-9525
http://www.oaklandzoo.org/
 
Today, we took Kay to the Boo at the Oakland Zoo ... just as we've done the last few years. This is the one event that I look forward to every year. I think this will be her last year though. Alas ... she's growing up.

This year Kay dressed up as a gothic vampire princess. A joint picked costume -- Kay wanted something not so "girlie" and this was a compromise. Kay actually liked the dress.

http://www.costumesupercenter.com/girls+costumes-vampires/IC7002-elite-gothic-vampira-child-costume.html

This event is held every year on the weekend before Halloween. The kids get a scavenger hunt list at the entrance and they have to identify animals with a riddle. The kids then take their list to the appropriate animal area and get their lists stamped and get a treat.

We have a membership with the Oakland Zoo and there is no additional cost for this event. I snagged this family membership through a special offer through the zoo for past members ($55.00 -- it included a parking pass and 1/one time use family pass to give to a friend).

 

      

  

       

  http://www.oaklandzoo.org/