A fabulous excuse to get out of the house, Blind Dog's (at 944 Florida Avenue, NW) multiple steps aren't that stroller-friendly. I recommend ordering inside and then camping out in the front or back patio instead of venturing through the coffee shop.
I spent many a fall day nursing outside under my nursing shawl while Mama devoured the beet, walnut and goat cheese salad or any of the frittatas. A maternity-leave-must-do, the quite corner location offered a place to put me to sleep in my stroller and soak up some sunshine while Mom read, caught up on emails or just stared into space testing if her short-term memory was still in tact.
Now that I'm older, Mom and Dad go for breakfast cappuccinos, scones and croissants. There is also the breakfast bargain which includes a breakfast sandwich and coffee for $6.50!
To keep me busy and entertained when I was starting solids, they would ask the barista to slice me off a piece of crusty bread ("traditional French baguette") to gnaw on. The bread is just the right size for my baby grip and teething gums, offering parents about 20 minutes to sip their espressos.
The couches and coffee table to the right of the cash register are a more ideal/child-proofed location (more so than the outdoor patios) now that I'm cruising and climbing - as I can't wander too far but I CAN bang on the glass windows behind the bench (another guaranteed 10 minutes of entertainment). By that point, Mom and Dad have had a chance to savor their coffee and talk about something other than me.
Just a friendly heads up - at Blind Dog Cafe, even though they ask you for a tip when you pay, they will never, and I mean never, bring your food to you - even when you are four weeks old, balancing in your mom's arms, and she's driving the stroller with her feet. Just trying to manage expectations.
Take one bite of their chocolate chip cookie, and you'll see why no one should complain too much about this place. Plus the people who work there are friendly, enough.
Key takeaway - as with every outing, strategize to minimize schlepping. Don't bring baby and all of his/her stuff in and out to save your seat, just wait for your food at the counter, gather your utensils, and then voyage to a table of choice. Venturing in and out over all the steps with stroller and baby is a challenge. When possible, we try to make as few trips down and up as possible. Unless of course it is to finish your meal with a chocolate chip cookie. Get up again for that.
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