In my continuing series of Restaurants That Won't Kick Out My Children, I come to City Dock Cafe, located at 1296 Bay Dale Drive in Arnold. I love City Dock. I studied for the licensing exam there when I was pregnant with my oldest child, and I always run into people I know there. It's like Cheers, for people who have no time to socialize. (When you think about it, Cheers never would have been made today. Different culture. They would now be considered alcoholics. But I digress.)
Now that I have three kids, City Dock remains a stand by for breakfast and lunch, and I go often. The food is delicious, especially the quiche, both the spinach and the broccoli. There are no green salads available, and I'd like to see that on the lunch menu, but the chicken and tuna salads are delicious, particularly the ones made with Old Bay. And of course, my kids love the cookies, particularly the black and white cookie. These are as good as the ones in New York, and are the only black and white cookies I have found down here that I can say that about. There are different low fat and regular specialty muffins every day, and other baked goods as well. I also really like the red velvet biscotti. City Dock coffee is delicious, and I take coffee black, so it matters to me whether it's good or not. They do not have iced decaf though, so I get regular decaf over ice. Which is good too, but a suggestion is to make iced decaf available for all of us nursing mothers (there are a lot of us and we want a cold drink).
The ambience at City Dock is great. As I have said, I always see people I know there, and everyone is friendly, even when you're knocking into them with a jogging stroller. The baristas are always warm and helpful. There is a trivia question every day at the counter that I have yet to answer correctly, and they display artwork on the walls from local artists. So you will feel cool, like you're not in a strip mall in Arnold, but rather in a coffee shop (or shoppy cough, as my oldest used to say when she was 2) in a city. Thus: CITY dock. (Actually I think it's because the main location of City Dock is in Downtown Annapolis but go with me here.)
Enough praise, let's turn to practical tips. Here is how to use City Dock for behavioral modification in young children.
1- "If you're good, you can come with Mommy to City Dock and we can take a coloring book with us."
2- "Be quiet or you won't get this black and white cookie that I got you from City Dock."
3- "If you get dressed yourself, we can have a special morning where we get a bagel and cream cheese at City Dock and sit on the grass overlooking the Molly Maid cars."
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| We love special treats! |
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| I am crazy enough without caffeine |
The ambience at City Dock is great. As I have said, I always see people I know there, and everyone is friendly, even when you're knocking into them with a jogging stroller. The baristas are always warm and helpful. There is a trivia question every day at the counter that I have yet to answer correctly, and they display artwork on the walls from local artists. So you will feel cool, like you're not in a strip mall in Arnold, but rather in a coffee shop (or shoppy cough, as my oldest used to say when she was 2) in a city. Thus: CITY dock. (Actually I think it's because the main location of City Dock is in Downtown Annapolis but go with me here.)
Enough praise, let's turn to practical tips. Here is how to use City Dock for behavioral modification in young children.
1- "If you're good, you can come with Mommy to City Dock and we can take a coloring book with us."
2- "Be quiet or you won't get this black and white cookie that I got you from City Dock."
3- "If you get dressed yourself, we can have a special morning where we get a bagel and cream cheese at City Dock and sit on the grass overlooking the Molly Maid cars."
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| My daughter calls this "The Forest." I guess she needs more exposure to nature. |
So, grab your kids and take them somewhere where people will find them cute and you know they will eat the food (set to theme music for Cheers). Also, there is coffee for those of us who haven't slept straight through the night in 11 months (but who's counting!). And after the day you had with the kids, you know you deserve a black and white cookie.
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| Come here you dichotomous beauty 3.bp.blogspot.com |
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