OK...say the name three times fast. "The Jellybean Pie Cafe" "The Jellybean Pie Cafe" "The Jellybean Pie Cafe" Come on...do it! FASTER! Now, did you smile? Just like the name implies, this place is fun! Where else could you get pierogies with a side of belly button lint and an ice cream sundae served in a flower pot and a daisy sticking out of the middle!? Well, as the lime green walls and different colored light bulbs suck you in, the wall of candy will hold your attention!! Not to mention the glass cases full of sweets...OH! There is definitely something for the kid in everyone. (Frickles : Fried Pickles)
First off, you have to read the menu. Not just peruse it looking for dinner. Really read it. Someone has wit to spare! The Nacho Nachos (as in "Not Your Nachos...get it?!) had me snickering and the kids menu had me laughing out loud. Once we chose our appetizers and meals, we had a real chance to check out the atmosphere. This is a great place to take kids. It is fun and relaxed and they don't freak out if you spill...really. We all sat, as if glued to our seats, as Kora reached out and dumped a full glass of iced tea into her lap. No big deal...wipes to the rescue! (She does wear the nickname 'Destruct-O' quite well!)
The appetizers came out quick and were nice-sized. The wings were delish and the frickles (go ahead and say it three times fast, too! It's fun!!) were great! We chowed down and, just a few minutes later, our food arrived. Everything was great! The proprietor, Janet, came to our table a few times just to be sure we had everything we needed. She even hand-delivered ice cream push-ups for our pint-sized reviewers at the end of our meal. Ayden & Hunter gave the wall of candy two thumbs up and Kora raved about the french fries all the way home!
Kora is quite the french fry connoisseur!
So, our super shiny happy rating for the Jellybean Pie Cafe goes something like this:
• Waitstaff ~ 4 binkys - The place is small...only one staffer. Be patient and you'll be just fine!!
• Food ~ 4.5 binkys - The food was delicious & fun. Great portions; decent prices.
• Cleanliness ~ 4 binkys - The booster seat was clean. 'Nuff said.
• Kid-Friendliness ~ 5 binkys - This place was designed with kids in mind!
We had a great time at the Jellybean Pie Cafe!

Happy Eating!!

As far as Mexican food goes, El Toro is our favorite! Their food is totally authentic and the Mexican equivalent of walking into our Italian Great-Aunt Ange's house. You know three things: 1) you're sure to have fantastic food; 2) you're sure to have to unbutton your pants before you finish your plate; and 3) you're going to get your cheeks pinched!

El Toro leaves the pretenses at the door and delivers your experience short and delicious! Their modest little place that backs right up against the Zelie Airport. As we watched the planes take off and land we lingered over their yummy salsa and chips. We haven't found any better in the tri-county area! Our favorite dish there is the Pollo a la Crema. We've eaten other items, but we always go back to that. So, in our spicy rating system, El Toro scores the following:

• Waitstaff ~ 3 binkys (It's small and only 1-2 servers. Be patient, the food is totally worth it!
• Food ~ 4.5 binkys
• Cleanliness ~ 4 binkys (Again, it's like going to Grandma's house--if she was Mexican and a really, really good cook!)
• Kid-Friendliness ~ 3 binkys (It's small but they do try to accommodate the kids. If your kids are a little older, it would be perfect!)

No one really stands out as a funny or noteworthy customer. It is cool to mention the decor, though! They have the longest vine philodendron we've ever seen. Also, we love the hats on the walls and the beautiful Mexican art around the dining room. So, say hello to the houseplants and brush up on your Spanish for your trip to El Toro. No matter what, we recommend the trip!

Every year, Point State Park has lots of festivals, regattas, and great fun in the Pittsburgh area. Point State park is the exact spot that 3 rivers come together in the center of the city. There is a beautiful fountain, and is the absolute PERFECT spot to watch fireworks. The city is redoing a whole new area right along the water with bike paths, walking areas, all perfect to take a family. Nice wide open spaces for kids to play and burn off excess energy! A great stroller park and place to spend the afternoon.

My kids absolutely loved this train museum! It was so kid-friendly and the whole layout of the area was great. I was able to take strollers and my whole crew very easily. We had a wonderful lunch and they boys couldn't stop talking about the thousands of trains that they had seen. There are lots of places for great photo ops, too! We will definately go back to Strasburg, PA and visit a few of the other attractions!

My husband and I took our oldest son to one of the mansions in Newport for Halloween a few years ago. We paid a huge fee per person, and expected a lot for our money. The mansion was beautiful, but decorated very cheaply for the holiday. There were large rooms with a few cases of old torture weapons and a few tiny corridors to walk through. We kept waiting for something interesting to happen! My son was very disappointed as this was his forst "real" haunted house. The tours of the mansions like the Marble House in the daytime are very nice, however. Skip the money and the family when heading to the mansions.