We recently took our children up to the part of Devon Ave. approximately between Talman Ave. and Western Ave. to let them experience some of the culture of India. Our plan was to find some delicious Indian food for dinner and then do a little window shopping in the area.
Our first stop was Hema's Kitchen, located at 2439 W. Devon. The menu at this restaurant is enormous (really good vegetable section) and took us quite awhile to sort through since we are not super familiar with Indian food. For the girls we ordered a fried chicken dish that most closely resembled chicken fingers for them. Yes, I know, very adventurous. However when it did come, the dish had a lot of spice and yet the girls still ate it. I was a bit amazed. The naan was a big hit amongst everyone. The dishes we ordered for the adults were quite good - spicy but not too spicy and very flavorful. The service, on the other hand, was not so good but I think it had more to do with our specific waitress than service in general at the restaurant. Hema's Kitchen is quite large. We went on a Saturday evening without a reservation (there were six of us plus a baby) and we were seated right away.
After dinner we decided to walk along Devon and check out the shops. My youngest daughter was totally blown away by the beautiful beaded Indian clothing and jewelry. Walking along Devon can be a challenge, however. It's always crowded and there is lots of traffic, which can make parking and crossing the street difficult. Pushing a stroller would be hard. There is metered parking all along Devon but we had to park three blocks away on a side street. At least it was free!
We went into one store near Hema's and the girls fell in love with some elaborately beaded kids bracelets that were on sale for 25 cents each. After going through all of them to make sure they had found exactly what they wanted, each girl selected two bracelets. The staff at the store was so patient and nice to the girls, helping them look through everything. In the end when my husband tried to pay for their selections we were told we could have them for free. For sure the highlight of the evening for the girls! We found the trip down Devon a bit loud and congested but it was definitely a great cultural experience.
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Waveland Bowl
When the weather gets super hot, a great indoor activity for the summer is bowling. I kind of thought my kids were too young to bowl but on a recent rainy day we ended up at Waveland Bowl and I was proved totally wrong. The bowling alley, located at 3700 N. Western, is quite big, with 40 lanes. However, when we were there on a Tuesday at 10 AM most of the lanes were full due to the large number of summer camps that were there. If you call ahead (773-472-5900) they will let you know how booked they are for the day.
There were plenty of the smallest size bowling balls (8 lbs) available, which is saying something since everyone there was a kid using that size ball. The kids on our lane had to share balls but it didn't really matter since only one kid can bowl at a time anyway. There were five kids bowling on our lane and it took us over an hour to play one game. The ball rolls very slowly when thrown down by a four year old. Very slowly. They didn't seem to care, though. The bumpers were up so we had very few turns without any pins knocked down, which ups the enjoyment factor. My daughters were each able to get a spare after the ball knocked against the bumpers a few times. Still counts in their minds. The girls really enjoyed themselves. I think they were surprised how much fun it was to go bowling.
The cost to bowl is $1 per person on weekday mornings and then the price increases for the afternoons, evenings, and weekends. The maximum price at peak times is $5 per person. The cost to rent shoes is $3.50 per person. See their website www.wavelandbowl.com for a breakdown of their prices and the hours they are open. There is a snack bar with the usual snack bar things like soda, popcorn, pizza, and burgers. You are not allowed to bring in outside food. Behind the bowling alley is a huge parking lot.
Waveland Bowl also participates in free kids bowling over the summer. If you go to www.kidsbowlfree.com you can sign up to receive coupons for free bowling for every week during the summer. You still have to pay for shoe rental but it can save you a little money.
There were plenty of the smallest size bowling balls (8 lbs) available, which is saying something since everyone there was a kid using that size ball. The kids on our lane had to share balls but it didn't really matter since only one kid can bowl at a time anyway. There were five kids bowling on our lane and it took us over an hour to play one game. The ball rolls very slowly when thrown down by a four year old. Very slowly. They didn't seem to care, though. The bumpers were up so we had very few turns without any pins knocked down, which ups the enjoyment factor. My daughters were each able to get a spare after the ball knocked against the bumpers a few times. Still counts in their minds. The girls really enjoyed themselves. I think they were surprised how much fun it was to go bowling.
The cost to bowl is $1 per person on weekday mornings and then the price increases for the afternoons, evenings, and weekends. The maximum price at peak times is $5 per person. The cost to rent shoes is $3.50 per person. See their website www.wavelandbowl.com for a breakdown of their prices and the hours they are open. There is a snack bar with the usual snack bar things like soda, popcorn, pizza, and burgers. You are not allowed to bring in outside food. Behind the bowling alley is a huge parking lot.
Waveland Bowl also participates in free kids bowling over the summer. If you go to www.kidsbowlfree.com you can sign up to receive coupons for free bowling for every week during the summer. You still have to pay for shoe rental but it can save you a little money.
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