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Le petit Parker went to Le Valley..
In search of a pumpkin patch before the mid October crowds and yet another French dining experience this Fall with my Parkeet, my mother and I ventured to the Valley, little one in tow. I was pleasantly surprised that not many people had the same idea to come right on opening day to the pumpkin patch, eager to start the seasonal festivities. It was great to have most of the space to ourselves and first dibs of the patch. Parker had a great time running relatively free throughout the farm as a result and my mother and I’s anxiety about his newfound freedom tapered off bit by bit as carefully pointed to each and every pumpkin, expecting I annunciate pumpkin more fantastically each time.
The patch had lots to offer in addition to just pumpkins of all colors and sizes, a corn maze and an adorable little market with fresh produce and flowers. After Parker and I each took our pick of appropriately sized white pumpkins, we headed out for an early dinner nearby at an all time classic French restaurant in LA, Petit Trois, Le Valley, as they’ve rightfully titled it’s second outpost.
Of course I was happy to see this second location appear bigger and brighter than the original which is known for being a tiny corridor exclusively with bar seating and no reservations. We of course took the seats outside and farther away from others as we tend to do while dining with our petit Parkeet. Not many people want to sip and chat next to a 17 month old bébé and I understand that, so I do my best to set reasonable expectations when I bring him to restaurants as described below:
dining petit
the earlier, the better // around 5pm fits with his typical mealtime and tends to be less busy/more kid friendly at most restaurants
requesting the highchair ahead of time // I try to put in my dinner reservation note that we will need a highchair so they have time to ready one for us and seat us somewhere more practical for the highchair/stroller to fit and likely farther away from other diners for their sake and ours!
portioning out his meal // think appetizer (while mommy sips a cocktail), main course (served right before our food arrives) and dessert (his berry portion is his fave so I save it for when he’s about to melt down)
ordering things I can share with him // this kid loves food, especially my food! I want him to be a curious and adventurous eater, so I try to never say no when he wants some of mine even if it means ordering something extra.
allowing any engagement that’s safe // whether it’s letting him take a sip from a real water glass, play with a napkin, look at the menu, or even grab real silverware I try to indulge his curiosity when it’s safe to do so. We also try to position him with the best people watching view as he finds everyone else much more entertaining than his toys or a screen.
interacting with him // this sounds like a no brainer but I think a lot of us expect kids will just entertain themselves so the adults can talk but that’s not the case. I try to talk to him about what’s happening around him, what he’s eating and include him in our conversations so he understands that’s the fun part about eating out.
trying to be realistic with my expectations // this is still hard for me but I really try to recognize dining with Parker is different than dining with adults, he’s a toddler who’s out of his regular routine at home and therefore is more likely to struggle in this situation despite how many times he’s done it. But I want him to have these experiences even if it means my experience might suffer a bit. Especially as someone who loves documenting my time out, reducing my expectations around photos and where we can sit and the ease of dining is important so I don’t feel disappointed in the end. I’m lucky to bring my baby places and it makes baby free dining that much more of a treat when I get the chance now!
Despite several somewhat successful attempts on Parker’s behalf at stealing hot fries and dunking my big spoon into my big soup without my explicit permission, all went relatively well. Parker insisted on bringing his two little pumpkins along with him after concerns the valet might show interest in them, which made the vibe feel more fall despite the warmer temps in Sherman Oaks.
As did my modified espresso martini, made sans vodka, just espresso and liquor, the absolute best one I’ve found in the city with a mound of gruyere and perfectly crispy pommes frites to go with it!
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