THE BLOG
About Tasting with Tots
Hi! It's Elaine & Adam
Get out and explore local wineries, breweries, cideries, and tap houses - with the kids!
We're parents doing "parent things" in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with our troupe of children and bulldogs. Living here, we are surrounded by some of the world's best wineries, breweries, cideries, and tap houses (in our humble, yet professional opinions.) Before kids, we were avid visitors to these fine establishments. Not just because we enjoyed awesome wine, beer, and cider (trust us, we do), but because we lived for the ambiance, for the great people, for the scenery, for the quest of finding the best cheesy brewery pretzel, and for just getting out of the damn house.
Welp, first comes Love, then come Marriage...you know the rest.
Since having kids - can you guess what our lives look like now? CHAOS!!!! Just kidding. To be completely honest, with the exception of a few extra tiny humans roaming around, our lives look pretty identical to how they did in the pre-kid era. We still frequent our local hang-outs for adults beverages and make a point to visit new ones whenever possible, especially when travelling. And, we even bring the kids with us. Crazy, right?
Wait...YOU BRING YOUR KIDS TO WINERIES, ETC.?!
Does this make us bad parents? No...I mean, we won't win any trophies but who wants to dust those anyway? Does this "behavior" impact our kids negatively? Not in the slightest. We are, and have always been, firm believers that kids don't have to change your pre-kid lifestyle, but should rather be acclimated into your lifestyle and exposed to the big, wide world around them for the best chance of becoming contributing members of society. Just because we have kids doesn't mean that we now can't go out in public to grab a beer (or juice) and some tasty pub food as a family. Yeah, it's more complicated logistically and there can be more mess involved but we have learned to hone our skills of "Tastings with Tots" to make it an enjoyable experience for all involved - parents, kids, those sitting at the table next to us, staff, and business owners...and you can, too.
OH, I get it and I'm so in. But how? What's next?
If any of this piques your interest, then come along for the ride! We will give you the play-by-play of the best tot-friendly establishments around and some helpful tips to make your experience as stellar as possible.
Subscribe to the Tots Blog, follow us on Social, & let's get this train a-rollin'.
Meet the Tots Team
Adam
(Tots Dad)
Adam is the epitome of an Enneagram 7 (look it up.) He's the best #GirlDad around, loves a local Hazy IPA, and is a certified coach & owner of Toe-2-Toe boxing gym in Keizer, OR. His goal in life is to some day have a "beer fridge" as impressive as his father-in-law's (Tots Grandpa.)
Elaine
(Tots Mom)
Elaine can sense the presence of a bulldog located within a 2-mile radius. She is classically-trained in her beer sipping skills, having graduated with honors from the renowned "Beer School of Paul" (run by her dad/Tots Dad's idol.) Or put a glass of tempranillo in front of her, she'll be your bestie for life.
Anna
(Tot #1)
If there's a stage or an opportunity for an interpretive dance performance, this Tot is all in! Anna enjoys visiting places that have green space, play structures, or hills to roll down. She loves making new friends, macaroni & cheese, and playing with her little sister.
Ellis
(Tot #2)
Watch out for this one. Ellis "The Tornado" Navarro is a gal who knows what she likes and isn't afraid to tell you so. She loves "hot fries," juice, fruit snacks, olives, and eating ketchup by the spoonful. Her favorite places to visit are those with snack options and those with dogs or cats to pet.
Joplin
(Tot #3)
Our newest member is still a bit of a mystery. Her main hobbies (so far) seem to include eating, sleeping, and being held by her sisters. Most likely, she will enjoy visiting tot-friendly spots that have or allow food, have hammocks for babies, and that have tasting flights of milk.