No Kids Allowed

 

Old Fisherman's Grotto is located on Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey

You can't miss it. The bright yellow paint, the black and white striped awning, and the ever-present call of the man hawking clam chowder. On a recent work trip to Monterey, my photographer Richard and I followed our stomachs and our noses to the Old Fisherman's Grotto. Once we arrived, he pointed out this sign, posted just under the menu, and since he knows I'm a mom, asked me if I was offended. I laughed, saying no, even though it seems a bit harsh, I absolutely agreed.


Families are crying foul over this sign, saying they're offended and upset

Easy for me to say, right? I wasn't with my kids. But that's the thing, when I'm not with them, I'd like to enjoy fine dining without having to tend to my kids or try to tune out others' little ones. Tantrums, fighting, food on the floor, if I wanted that, I would have had dinner at home! I figure, patrons shelling out big bucks and restaurant owners catering to those patrons have every right to have a kid-free zone. I remember when my hubby and I, desperate for a nice steak, ventured to Fleming's with our children in tow. My son, who was a toddler at the time, thought it was a fun game to throw his fork on the ground. The gracious staff was quick to pick it up and replace it with a clean one. They even brought out a tasty little plate with finger foods on it to distract him. But after the fifth or so fork on the ground, I was mortified and my hubby had to take him to the restroom for a stern talk and a time out. Never again! We vowed to hold off on fine dining until the kids were a little older and they could learn to behave themselves.

Back at the Old Fisherman's Grotto, Richard and I enjoyed a fantastic meal. The service was attentive and speedy, and the food was VERY good. And even though we didn't say much because we were stuffing our faces, the nice thing was, it was quiet and intimate enough to have a conversation. No crying babies or unruly children in sight. We joked about the sign again on the way out, how it must be working.

Little did we know the local media and some parenting blogs would pick up the story, after some families complained about the sign. Customer Niki Riviere says she was turned away from the restaurant because she couldn't get a high-chair for her 6-month-old child. She told a Salinas TV station: "I'm completely shocked because I never had that happen. Usually they cater, at least have a high chair for the child, but it seemed like they didn't want any child. They said the child can't make any noises so they turned us away." I actually have a problem with the part of Niki's statement where she says, "Usually they cater." It's the same sense of entitlement many of us have developed when we are visiting a business. Obviously customer service is key in making your patrons happy and get them to keep coming back. But guess what? Your needs and desires don't automatically supersede others'. So if the fact that you have little ones means you can't eat at this particular place for a few years, it's being courteous, it's not discrimination. And in the meantime, as your kids get older, make sure to teach them manners, like sitting still, eating with utensils, and using their inside voice, so that when you do take them out, they know how to behave.

Meantime, the owner, Chris Shake has been completely unapologetic, saying if customers don't like the rules, they can go somewhere else for dinner. Obviously Shake doesn't care too much about being polite. Some have suggested it's the sign's tone and wording that is more offensive than the actual adults-only policy. I wonder, if any families that get past the sign, have actually been asked to leave mid-meal because their kids weren't behaving? Shake could probably use a few lessons on how to deal with young families, since they are a huge demographic among the tourists in Monterey. But he says he doesn't need to, because business has been great despite his no kids policy. What do you think?

My Pantry Organization via The Dollar Tree

You know your pantry is in bad shape when it makes you ANGRY and IRRITATED every time you set foot in it. And when you shut the door anytime company comes over, because you're embarrassed anyone might see it.

            Behold, the "Before" (don't judge):


Everything was crammed in there. I couldn't stand the chaos.

As my readers know, I've been on an organizing kick, with my closet and my jewelry, and so my pantry was naturally the next project to tackle. Little did I know my good friend and colleague Margot Kim was attempting the same exact thing at her house. But this just goes to show great minds think alike. Today we compared pantry makeovers, like two dorks, oohing and aahing over the end results.

So I wanted to share how I went the Dollar Tree route. Who knew? The Dollar Tree carries these awesome plastic organizing bins, some that stack, some with handles, in all shapes and sizes. I went with red, since my Dollar Tree had the most options in this color, and I wanted everything color coordinated. But I saw blue, green, white/clear, even purple.

I wasn't sure exactly how many containers I would need. So this was my initial haul, about $20 worth. Obviously, when you see my "before" picture above, you can conclude that wasn't enough. So about halfway through my organization attempts, I went back to another Dollar Tree (since I had cleaned out the supply at the first one), and didn't find anything I needed. So 30 minutes later, I found myself at my third Dollar Tree of the day, where I bought another $25-$30 worth of red containers. So for about $50, I was set. Meantime, hubby is inviting me to RELAX on my Saturday and spend some time with the kids in the pool. Anyone knows, a woman in the middle of a project, is a woman on a mission that CANNOT be stopped!

As I sorted through the shelves of food, I couldn't believe the amount of expired goods that were sitting in there, hidden in corners, and under boxes. I found baby formula from 2007 (my kids are 5 and nearly 8 now), shave ice syrup from 2008, a gingerbread man from 2009, and Korean roasted seaweed from 2010. I discovered I had perfectly good barbecue sauce even though I had just bought some, and an entire Costco sized box of trail mix.



I especially love these stackable bins, which are perfect for canned foods and canned sodas.

These baskets have handles, which makes it really easy to access what's inside.
Everything is labeled so the kids can find snacks for themselves too!

The bigger baskets on the bottom hold things like chips and popcorn.

With every item in its proper place, I felt my stress melting away. Organization had become my therapy. The pantry, once the bane of my existence, had been transformed into my zen place. I had some girlfriends over the other day, and one of them literally went inside and shut the door so she could revel in it. She's now inspired to do her own makeover! Another laughed and said she really needs to this because she ended with 6 bottles of ketchup because she had no idea what she already had. Now, when I'm making the grocery list, I know exactly what we do and don't need. I honestly hope this cuts down on our family's food waste.
This morning, I was in a rush to get to my workout and instead of spending precious minutes searching for a power bar, I knew exactly where to go. I actually laughed out loud at the awesomeness of it. I know it sounds like no big deal, and a little OCD, but I think this could be a whole new organized way of life for us! Share your organization stories in the comments below!

 Behold, the "After":