There is so much stuff for kids, so much, way too much.I confess that we own most everything…mostly sleep related stuff because my first child refused to sleep for like THREE YEARS!!but that’s a story for another day.Today we talk about this magical (I love that word) red chair.It doesn’t only come in red, that just happens to be the color that I own because I love red. This type of chair comes in many different brands, the one I own is the Inglesina Fast Table Chair, so I can only speak for that specific one, although I’m guessing they are all pretty similar.I got this chair as a hand me down from my SIL and thought it was cute but wasn't sure if I would actually use it.I mean, I own a high chair, why do I need another one that just hangs from a counter or table?Then I discovered ALL THE POSSIBILITIES.This chair travels everywhere.It can go to any restaurant and connect to any table.So all those places that don’t have high chairs available, or those fabulous outdoor spots that only have picnic tables or high tops…solution.But it gets better!Even if there are high chairs available they require a decent amount of space.This little buddy can hook onto a table right over a booth seat so you don’t need high chair space.It can also snuggle between two larger people in real chairs on a smaller table.But wait, THERE'S MORE! This chair sits higher than a traditional high chair.So for the littlest people, it holds them at an actual eating and/or interacting level at a table.If any of you have ever thrown a one year old in a traditional restaurant high chair, you have probably noticed that they can barely even reach the table.When our babies are super little, like 4 months little, we put them in this magic chair and just shove a jacket, snack bag, or whatever softish object is traveling in my diaper bag, behind the kid and it helps them sit up at the table like a big kid.
I seriously cannot sing this chair’s praises enough.I encourage every pregnant person to register for one and every new parent to run out and buy one.Without this chair our BeersWithKids travels would absolutely not be possible.
This blog is sponsored by…except I’m not sponsored.How about, this website made possible by, but not funded by, the fantastic Inglesina chair!!
Even though it is SUPPOSED to be Spring here in the South, it was a pathetic 55 degrees today…sad. So we decided to hit up one of our favorite regular kid friendly pizza joints, South Coast Pizza. (BTW, if y’all haven’t checked out South Knoxville, you’re really missing out.)
South Coast Pizza is in a pretty unassuming building, across from Alliance Brewing Company. Outside there are three picnic style tables for if the weather is nice enough, but we prefer this place when the weather requires indoor accommodations. Inside there are a ton more picnic tables, a couple pull up chairs and two high chairs…ONLY TWO. We always bring our chair that attaches to the actual table for the little one (for those of you who don’t know what this is, I may do an entire post about it because I love it SO MUCH.)
Little Red Chair
This place serves killer pizza and good enough salads and is always a kid food pleaser. As far as entertainment, I’m not sure that this restaurant is meant to be as kid friendly as they are, but they definitely are. There are several old school arcade style video games right by the front door. My 3 year old loves to sit in the car game and pretend he’s driving without it ever even turning on.
There is also a giant fish tank, for child staring and pointing purposes. But most importantly there are VIDEO GAMES!! I’m not talking fancy 3D, million button, mind corrupting systems, I mean old school Nintendo. So simple, so fantastic, so little kid doable.
Again, I feel that all these things may have been intended for adults to relive their childhood, but kids love it. They love it so much that on a random Tuesday night, before 6pm, there were at least 9 children under the age of 5 running around like crazy people while their parents all sat at tables and drank beer. Yes beer, good beer, lots of beer. South Coast offers about 8 draft taps as well as tons of canned craft beers.
Bonus...the people who work here are so sweet, they gave my son a stuffed fish they had on display just because he liked it.
This is totally a place where you can enjoy a good beer, good food, and your kids can be wild. Just keep it inside.
Although this post is very delayed, I have to talk about the place that inspired Beer with Kids, The Hunter-Gatherer Brewery Hangar.
Several weeks ago, we trekked down to Columbia, South Carolina to get a puppy. Why exactly did I feel that having a 3 year old, a 1 year old and a 4 year old Pit Bull was not enough life chaos?? I HAVE NO IDEA. We’re nuts. Regardless, we all packed up and made the trip down for an overnight stay.
After hitting up the adorable children’s museum, we really wanted to go somewhere where we could all eat, the kids would be welcome and Mom and Dad could have a recovery drink. So, we started our usual method of searching through review sites to find places that could be good possibilities. This is always a long tedious process that often requires driving by several places until we find the right fit.
Seriously such a cute children's museum...click on photo for website
We found the HG Hangar and WOW. (Believe it or not, Yelp says this place is not kid friendly…I can’t figure that out.)
This Brewery is actually in a giant old refurbished airplane hangar. It seemed to me to be somewhat in the middle of nowhere, but I am not from the area so I could be totally wrong. We actually thought the GPS was taking us to the wrong place, then BAM, there it was.
The inside of the hangar is a giant, open brewery. There’s also a bar that serves beer and wine, and booth seating.
The day we were there the hangar doors were open and the wind was a little chilly, I would just recommend bringing a jacket. It seemed like the inside is probably closed off when the weather isn’t nice. It is seat yourself, we had no problem finding high chairs in the back. They only offer pizza, pretzels, salads and some limited apps for food, which you order and pickup from the bar. Let me tell you though, we got a couple different pizzas and the pretzels and they were fantastic! Our kids ate everything and so did we. After eating we decided to walk around outside to the back of the hangar, and that was where the real magic was.
There was a huge field and tons of kids playing soccer, hula hooping, and basically running around like lunatics. The whole area was mostly fenced, and the unfenced parts were super visible. The best part though, there were tons of PARENTS drinking beer, hanging out, and not having to micromanage their children. Kids having a blast, parents letting loose, perfect Beers With Kids experience!!
We left and decided that there needed to be a better way to find places like this, and BeersWithKids was born.
I have called many cities home in my years, but Knoxville is the only city that has homed my children (does that make sense?). What I'm trying to say is that both of my children, and one of my dog children, have only lived in this city! This GREAT city. It may be small but it is mighty! In all my homes and all my travels, I have never met a place quite as kid friendly as Knoxville, Tennessee...well maybe Greece but let's talk the US of A right now. So it only makes sense that I should start right here in the Scruffy City itself. Knoxville.
There are many, many locales that we flock to with the kids around here, but when the temperatures are just right (i.e. Spring and Fall) we love Central Filling Station. Like LOVE. We have actually been there 3 times this week alone.
No, it is not a gas station, it is actually a food truck park. Once upon a time, many years ago, possibly before I was alive, this was a gas station. Now it is family paradise. Mostly fenced in with two openings for the trucks to get in and out, this place is pretty safe. It helps that Knoxvillians have a tendency to look out for each others children if one runs for the road (I speak from experience).
It is equipped with a sandbox full of toys, a giant connect four game, that silly impossible ring and hook game, tons of sidewalk chalk and surfaces everywhere to be drawn on. Many kids also bring their scooters and cruise around in circles. There are picnic tables everywhere with metal dog leash hooks for those that bring their furrier children. The park rotates 4 food trucks every day, ranging in choices from burritos to hawaiian veggies and rice. You can pretty much find something for everybody, and if all else fails, you can always find the kid pleaser FRENCH FRIES.
Always present Little Red Chair
So this place entertains the children and feeds the children and it gets better....there is an old shipping container turned into friendly BAR. This place serves lots of rotating beer and cider selections all in the canned variety with a complimentary coozie to borrow. The only real downside here is the weather. There is a partial roof, but it doesn't cover the food trucks, the sandbox, or most of the kid space. When it is hot outside (and Knoxville can get HOT) this is not where you want to be. We have had days when our son has been near heat exhaustion due to his refusal to leave the unprotected sandbox.
All in all, this place provides a pretty perfect Beers with Kids day, as long as the weather cooperates.
