On Friday my sister’s family was in town, so we all went to “Giggles & Hugs,” a kid’s restaurant here in Los Angeles that is ALL about the little ones.
First, all of the food on the kid menu has vegetables “hidden” in them. The hamburger, for example, has chopped carrots in the pattie, and the macaroni and cheese has puried squash in the cheese sauce.
Second, the middle of the restaurant is one giant play area complete with a balloon artist, video games, toys, slides, etc. While Maddie was too young to really enjoy the place to the fullest, my nephews, Spencer, almost 4, and Danny, 18 months, had a great time and eating clandestine veggies to boot!
The funniest part, however, was that it was “disco night,” so shortly after we got there the lights went down, a disco ball dropped, and a DJ in a giant afro-wig and garish clothes started playing classics from the seventies like “YMCA” and “Dancing Queen.” It was hilarious to watch all the kids bopping around at their own disco party, although I must say watching their parents awkwardly dance was even funnier.
There were even two guys in “Elmo” and “Cookie Monster” suits who were busting a move among all of this madness. Honestly, if you told me this whole experience was something I imagined after seeing an Allman Brothers Band concert in an enclosed space I would not be surprised.
Also, can I add that at some points it seemed as if Elmo and the Cookie Monster liked each other a little TOO much?
After dinner we all came back to our place where Spencer suddenly was enamored with Maddie! My sister told me that on the drive down from San Francisco he kept asking “Are we going to see baby Madeline?”
Check out the cuteness:
It would have been TOTALLY adorable, and not adorable/slightly disconcerting, if at one point Spencer hadn’t turned his hand sideways and and run it across Maddie’s waist while yelling, “Look! I’m cutting her in half!”
Heather and I looked at each other as my sister laughed softly and said, “He’s just kidding.” I was like, “Really, sis? ‘Cause I thought he actually was cutting her in half.”
Anyway, we’ll chalk that one up to the “kids say the darndest things” category, and remember the two like this:
heather... says:
I wish I had gorgeous Portuguese skin like Spencer. Man. I’m jealous of my own nephew.
heather…s last blog post..Change of Season
Surfer Jay says:
Dude, that place looks cool. We are gonna have to go there when my boy is old enough to kick Elmo square in the nuts. And what a great idea to have a kids restaurant that offers good food like that.
Hey Mike, since you used to be an English teacher and live here in LA, you might be interested to know that Ray Bradbury is going to be at El Camino college tomorrow night, the 20th, at 3:00to5:00pm signing books. And he will also do a reading and signing at the Venice library on the 29th at 6:30. Can’t wait to get his autography again. And the dude is 88 so who knows how many days untill he bigths the dust. Could be last chance!
Surfer Jays last blog post..
Ms. Moon says:
One of the reasons the human species has survived is that kids love babies and babies LOVE kids. There’s something too precious about the way a baby’s face lights up when a child enters the room. That was a sweet post with great pictures.
Ms. Moons last blog post..Magic And Houses And Being Home
HeatherPride says:
Big cousins are the best. I say this because I am one.
Love the picture of Maddie looking at her big cousin!!
HeatherPrides last blog post..Photo Essay: Pumpkin Patch – All the Fun that Never Happened
Jamie says:
I totally want a cool place like that to take my girls. Not sure if Chicago has something like that.
I am sure Spencer was joking, right? My dad used to his hand to pretend he was cutting of my arm and I still have two arms, but did lose my leg in a myserious accident that I was too young to remember…..Curious, huh?
(I am kidding – I have all my pieces & parts)
Jamies last blog post..The Princess & the Piglet
Jim says:
Sneaky veggies huh? That’s a great idea. It sounds like extra time in the kitchen though, so I’ll stick with, “Eat those or no more TV.” At least Elmo and CM kept their hands above the waist.
Jims last blog post..Sunday Randomness
Kristin says:
WOW! What a cool place! I wish we had something like that around here! The love between the cousins is priceless!
Andrea's Sweet Life says:
They are too cute. He’s going to teach her all kinds of things whey they’re older!
Jodi says:
I imagine he was just trying to cut her in half so he could take some cousin home with him. It was love.
Jodis last blog post..NaNoWriMo
jenni says:
I’m dizzy just thinking about this restaurant.
jennis last blog post..Listless Mondays: Oh So Random
VegasDad says:
That looks like an awesome restaurant.
I love the fact that our son has a great relationship with his long distance cousins. They don’t see each other too often, but when they do it’s like they were never apart.
Mike says:
What a great idea for an eatery. Beats Chucky Cheese anytime…
Mikes last blog post..Revisiting the Past
Rachel says:
Elizabeth would absolutely love that place! I totally understand about Maddie and her cousin. Last time we got Elizabeth together with our friend’s four year old daughter, she thought it would be funny to put a clear plastic bag over my daughter’s head when I wasn’t paying attention. When I turned around, I was met with my daughter’s frightened face through the bag and I swear I almost had a heart attack. I had to keep reminding myself that she is only four years old and didn’t mean anything by it.
Rachels last blog post..Rachel Loses Her Cool
Zandor says:
Those pictures are cute. I really like the last one.
Zandors last blog post..Haunted Houses, Animals, And Target
Joe says:
That reminds me of a horrible incident back when I was 5 years old. We were all running around, playing Cops & Robbers. Well, my best friend in the whole world runs up to my dad and says “Pud ’em up. dis a stick up.”. He had his index finger and thumb in the gesture of an imaginary gun. My dad freaks out and puts the kid in a choke hold and calls the police.
He’s not my best friend in the whole world anymore. If only his mom were there to tell my dad that he was just kidding.
Joes last blog post..And the winner is…
Angela says:
Too Cute!! Wish we had a restaurant like that here.
Domestic Extraordinaire says:
What a cool restaurant. I also agree with you, Elmo and Cookie…a little too happy with each other.
maya says:
Elmo is quite the chubby chaser.
mayas last blog post..Never talk about Religion or Politics
Bonnie says:
Yeah, Elmo and Cookie are getting jiggy with it!
I want one of those restaurants in Austin.
Bonnies last blog post..What a deal!