Showing some Koco's Pub and neighborhood love

Last night Lester had to work late and it was gym night. So I knew coming in the door after work that it was all on me. Usually, that is just fine. Not even a second thought.

But yesterday, for some reason, the prospect of being home alone during the witching hour with three crazies, preparing leftovers, cleaning up the dining room, kitchen and (at least three times) the living room, pleading and cajoling to get them in their pajamas and in the bed etc. etc...well, let's just say it did not sound appealing to me.

So on a whim, I decided to throw the crazies into the car and go grab dinner, somewhere, anywhere. I thought of Chik-fil-a, and of Friendly's and decided they were too far. But I knew I wanted someplace that would be fast, cheap and family-friendly. So I ended up at a restaurant right around the corner (a block down from the Red Canoe) called Koco's.

I've been there several times before with Lester, or with friends and even once with members of the board of the Green School, for a board meeting. (Cocktails + crabcakes = best board meeting ever!) But I never thought to bring the kids.

I'm so glad I did and I know we'll do it again!

The place is so family-friendly, it even has a big area in a corner with trucks and toys and crayons and coloring books. There's a half freezer on the floor, stocked with Popsicles. And the wait staff is SO helpful and friendly and accomodating, it was just like being home with family. At one point, while reaching for a toy on a shelf, Dean slipped and fell into a milk crate on the floor (it was actually pretty funny how stuck he was in that crate). Before I could get over there, a server had rushed to his aid, picked him up, hugged, rocked and soothed him! It was amazing and so, so sweet.

No one cared when trucks were being rolled all over the floor; no one batted an eye when a play telephone came crashing to the floor. Our server (whose son is in the 4s class at the kids' school) brought us a ton of extra napkins without me asking and brought Clair a plastic cup full of lemon slices because she noticed they were keeping her occupied and quiet(ish).

While there, I ran into the owners of the Red Canoe, who have become friends of ours, and at least two sets of diners came over and chatted with me, or played with the boys and cooed over Clair.  I loved the laid-back, familiar feel of the whole night. It was such a low-stress evening, I left there feeling like I had made the best parenting decision of  recent weeks. (No dishes when we got home confirmed that feeling.)

When I think about us finally, finally being able to move to a new house someday, I literally cannot tell you how excited I get about leaving the City: for lower taxes and better schools, green grass and closet space, clean streets and corners unoccupied-by-teenagers in low-slung pants.

But then I think about things about our neighborhood that I really love -- the park, the Red Canoe, the cozy, family-feel of their school, the pizza place with the best po' boys on Earth, the growing stretch of retail and restaurants along Harford Road, etc. -- and I get a little sad.

I now totally add Koco's Pub to this list. I wish we could go there every night!