Chef and kids at Fairmont Chateau Laurier in Ottawa, Canada

By Eileen Ogintz
Tribune Media Services

Some worker bees really have it made.

At the iconic Fairmont San Francisco, located atop Nob Hill, they live in one of San Francisco’s poshest neighborhoods amid fragrant lavender, kumquats and edible flowers. They literally buzz upstairs to the penthouse for a drink.

We’re talking real bees here; bees that refresh themselves at the outdoor penthouse fountain high above the fray. If you’re staying with your kids at the Fairmont — and when I was there recently the hotel was packed with families — show them the beehives in the hotel’s 1,000-square-foot culinary garden, installed by Executive Chef JW Foster to help support the bee population, which has dropped 90 percent since the 1980s. The kids can peer through the glass to see the bees flying around the lavender. (Learn more with the “Chef’s Apprentice” package,)

The honey in their muffins or cookies comes straight from the hives in this urban garden, Chef Foster says, and veggies are grown by local farms. Foster has made a great effort since he arrived at the Fairmont two years ago to improve and upgrade both the kids’ and adults menus with fresher, local ingredients — a Fairmont-wide initiative — that is especially notable at this historic hotel, Fairmont’s first, which was originally set to open on April 18, 1906 — the day of the Great Earthquake. (It opened a year later, heralding the city’s recovery and has been a prominent San Francisco fixture ever since,)

At the Fairmont’s Laurel Court restaurant (kids will love the domed ceilings and murals), the kids’ menu now includes “organic weeds,” (translated: baby greens with balsamic vinegar), gluten-free sesame rice noodle salad and Vegan Butternut squash bisque, along with mini burgers (made with local organic beef) and mac and cheese (with local cheese).

Finally, it appears, the hotel industry is paying attention to what traveling families have long been saying: Make kids’ menus healthier; give kids more choices! Early this summer, Hyatt, too, is set to unveil new children’s menus, according to Susan Terry, vice president of Culinary Operations for Hyatt’s North American Hotels. Hyatt’s initiative will be monitored by the Partnership for a Healthier America, which works with the private sector and honorary chairwoman First Lady Michelle Obama to solve the nation’s childhood obesity crisis. This is all part of Hyatt’s new Food Thoughtfully Sourced, Carefully Served global initiative that stresses local ingredients and healthier cooking.

Hyatt will offer fruits or vegetables as sides for children’s meals and free refills for nonfat or low-fat milk. Kids can also order half portions from the adult menu for half the price, as they can at Fairmont hotels.

At the same time Destination Hotels and Resorts, a collection of hotels from Austin to Aspen to Palm Springs to Maui, has not only created a new healthy Kids Cafe menu, but also launched a contest for kids’ healthy recipes. Their just-announced winner (judged by kids) — Hidden Veggie Pepperoni Mac and Cheese — will be part of the hotels’ menus for the next year. Runners up included grilled Chicken with Mint Ginger Citrus Orzo.

“Kids should have the opportunity to explore local cuisine, just like their parents,” says Mariano Stellner, Fairmont’s corporate director of Food and Beverage, who launched the revamp of the children’s menus this past spring as the latest component in the hotel group’s Lifestyle Cuisine Plus Initiative, which offers healthier, low-fat foods.

“A lot of children are Food Network junkies,” adds Hyatt’s Terry. “They are much more sophisticated eaters than their parents were … they want interesting food.” Parents are telling hoteliers, “They don’t want to fill their kids up day after day with junk!”

First Lady Michelle Obama certainly would applaud these changes. She is at the forefront of a national effort to combat childhood obesity with her Lets Move campaign that encourages healthy eating and physical fitness.

“The whole (healthier foods) program has been very successful,” said Stellner. “Why not include children?” Why not offer baked chicken fingers rather than fried, veggie sticks instead of French fries or a half portion instead of a full order? Why not encourage kids to try local cuisine in Mexico or British Columbia?

Even the kids’ selections in the Fairmont San Francisco’s Tonga Room — popular since 1945 and recently restored (love the big canoe in the middle!) — have been updated to include spring rolls , chicken satay, little chowchow (wok flashed vegetables and noodles) and grilled teriyaki chicken.

Just don’t mention the word healthy. And parents should never assume what kids will or will not eat, says Susan Terry.

Still, every parent of a fussy eater knows it can be very difficult to get kids to embrace new foods. Jan Dane, a Rhode Island mother of three, acknowledges it is sometimes easier to take the path of least resistance and serve them chicken fingers, especially when you are traveling. It’s up to parents, she says, to give kids the nudge they need to try something new.

Dane’s job is to do just that. She’s the resident forager for the Ocean House Hotel in Watch Hill, RI. She teaches culinary classes to kids and adults at the small, upscale beachfront hotel and works closely with local farms. (Read what I wrote about a morning with Dane.) “I loved seeing a little boy eat his first oyster,” she said.

In France recently with her own children, Dane realized that most restaurants didn’t offer children’s menus, just smaller portions for smaller prices. “That makes so much sense,” she said.

To help kids understand where their food comes from — and maybe try something different — she suggests taking them to visit a farm or a farmer’s market wherever you travel — the one at the Ferry Building in San Francisco is one of my favorites.  (Websites like www.farmfreshri.org in Rhode Island, www.localharvest.org and www.farmstayus.com can help.)

Wherever we’re taking kids this summer, let’s make food part of the adventure.

And let’s hope more hotels and restaurants help us.

© 2012 EILEEN OGINTZ, DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.

Where is the kale?

There’s plenty of spinach, arugula and lettuce but not the kale or the nasturtium the chef had wanted.

Jan Dane doesn’t miss a beat as she looks over the carrots and the radishes, talking to the farmers at the indoor Saturday farmer’s market in Stonington, CT, buying cheese from one, eggs and corn meal from another.

Dane, the mom of three, is a modern day Forager. That means it is her full time job to act as the liaison between local farmers and the chefs at the luxe 49-room Ocean House in Watch Hill, RI which is a designated Relais & Chateaux property with a focus on farm to table cuisine.

That’s why Dane also teaches classes at the hotel—whether how to shuck an oyster or introducing guests to local New England cheeses. “I loved it when a little boy tried his first oyster,” she said. She does classes on butter churning, ice cream making and grilling pizza too.

Of course it is healthier to eat fresh food. It is also important to support local farms and small business.  “Kids are very receptive,” to the message, she reports. Let’s hope the hotel gets more creative with its children’s menu!  

In summer, Dane says, she visits 5-7 farms a week—there are more than 700 food farms just in Rhode Island, she explains. She stops at large and small farmers markets too looking for what’s different (tiny radishes, a  cheese she hasn’t seen before from a local cheese maker…) “I have more than 49 farms on speed dial,” she says.

View of The Ocean House at Watch Hill RI from the beach

The chefs at Ocean House, she jokes, have “an Iron Chef mentality and are always up for a challenge.” And her finds may well end up on the menu. The evening we were there, we enjoyed a six course tasting menu (well-priced I thought at $85, with a wine pairing at $135). We had roasted beets with local Hannahbells cheese, delicious warm potato and leek soup , white Peking Duckling with kale (I guess the chef found it elsewhere)…and more. Throughout the year, there are special Farm + Vine and In the Kitchen dinners highlighting a particular cuisine.

On Sunday,  we enjoyed one of the best brunches I’ve ever had starting with oysters farmed down the road, an assortment of salads—Waldorf, cous cous, marinated artichokes, crepes(beef tenderloin or wild mushroom?) and then a yummy lobster hash sandwich amid other selections.  The atmosphere was lovely too-the dining room with its sweeping ocean views. No wonder so many people come here to celebrate a special occasion!  ($54, $25 for kids plus all the champagne you want.)

The original Ocean House, a grand yellow Victorian hotel overlooking a spectacular private beach with views of the Atlantic and Block Island, opened in 1868 and welcomed genteel guests who came for the entire summer for 135 years. The new structure was built in the footprint of the original and is just celebrating its second anniversary. I love the relaxed elegance, that there are artifacts from the original hotel throughout, the fanciful artwork and thoughtful touches (jars of goldfish and malted milk balls in our room and miniature scones to welcome us.)  There is even a children’s book by local author Ardith M Schneider about two mice, Mortimer and Max who watch the demolition of their old home in the old Ocean House and find a new home in the Watch Hill Chapel across the road. Mortimer Mouse and the New Ocean House.

Did I mention the fabulous OH! Spa with signature services inspired by the ocean and the harvest?  (Think locally harvested lavender, beach stone massage and a facial that uses peach butter and a buckwheat mask.) You won’t want to leave the relaxation room which overlooks the ocean.

The owners now are working to restore the Weekapaug Inn a few miles away that was originally built in 1899 in the community of Weekapaug, Rhode Island, with views of Quonochontaug Pond, and the Atlantic just beyond. 

This 27-room (and four two-bedroom suites) inn will that is expected to open in October with activities that will focus on the water (think sailing and kayaking), the outdoors (think bird watching with the resident naturalist) and bringing families together (think pizza made outside and curling up to read a story or play a game in the expansive public spaces.)

Dane agrees that with kids who are fussy eaters—including one of her own—it is easier to take the path of least resistance and serve them chicken fingers or burgers—the standard kids’ menu fare. Take them to visit a farmer’s market or a farm. (Websites like www.farmfreshri.org  in Rhode Island, www.localharvest.org  and www.farmstayus.com can help)

“You have to be positive about what you are eating and the kids will be responsive to that,” she suggests. Order menu items to share.

“When you are traveling,” Dane continued, “It seems like such an opportunity to get kids to try new foods….it is absolutely part of the adventure!”

In France recently with her children, even her picky eater tried sauces and quiche—a big step for a child who likes everything plain and white. Most restaurants in France didn’t offer children’s menus, Dane said–just smaller portions for smaller prices. “That makes so much sense,” she said.

Clearly.

Desserts at the Sunday brunch Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay

Sushi…dim sum…corn bisque, chilled mint pea soup… Peking Duck…roast beef, ham..Thai curry…freshly shucked oysters and shrimp

I don’t know where to start.

We are at the Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay’s Sunday Brunch that is so popular in the Bay area that people drive an hour or more to indulge.

There are some 300 items to choose from and not a chicken finger in sight, says Executive Chef  Xavier Salomon. Chef Salomon  says at the brunch  he doesn’t do “kids food”  and parents rarely ask for it—not when kids can eat delectable dim sum, mashed potatoes, roast beef, veggies in season, mini quiches.. “And of course they go crazy for the deserts,” he says with a smile—nutella crepes,  apple, blackberry and peach marshmallows, chocolate mousse, flan, tiny tarts , fresh berries and cream, miniature cakes too pretty to eat (chocolate raspberry dome anyone?)

Perhaps what makes this brunch different than those at most hotels is that much of the food is locally sourced—all the fruits, vegetables, the chicken, the beef, the ham, the lamb.  Chef Salomon says he’s most proud that the food at the brunch is so fresh coming from a dozen local farms and purveyors with 11 chefs cooking, slicing and serving  as we eat—shucking oysters, carving beef, cutting chicken—so that nothing sits in chafing dishes.

The day we visited was  Easter Sunday with  little girls kids dressed in   brightly colored dresses, boys in dress shirts and grownups sporting pink and purple bunny ears. There was an Easter Egg hunt going on outside and a visiting petting zoo with baby goats, chicks and bunnies. To whet our appetite for the brunch, we took a long walk along the Coastal Trail that is popular with dog owners and visitors with high cliffs, crashing surf, sea birds…

This is one of the best brunches I’ve ever experienced and I’ve seen a lot of them—likely because of the freshness of everything that is served. This is an area after also known for its farms and the variety of what is served from the Thai chicken curry to the  seared miniature lamb chops  and lavender honey glazed ham to Dungeness crab and baby carrots.

You’ve got to come hungry and plan to stay awhile which we do, taking in the spectacular  Pacific Ocean views just outside.

That goes for kids too. “Parents want the kids to experience  different foods,” the chef says.   Out of maybe 1000 covers on a Sunday, he says, he might have only two requests for chicken fingers or fries which he will of course bring. That’s not the same for room service, he adds, when kids’ items are far better sellers than the petite filet or broiled chicken breast that is on the kids’ menu.

“I grew up in France,” the Chef says.”We never ate all of this fried food like they do here!”  And with food like this, there’s no need to. Pass the sushi.

Reggie examines a bananna slug in Redwood grove

The Giant Redwoods, soaring hundreds of feet in the air, were amazing. But what was even better was the conversations with my daughter Reggie as we hiked through Butano State Park in the Santa Cruz Mountains. This is her turf—she works near here at Vida Verde, a nonprofit organization that provides environmental programs for inner city kids–and she knows the area well. But we don’t get to see her often and I’m glad for the opportunity to catch up. That we’re in such a beautiful spot is a bonus.

We were midway between Santa Cruz and Half Moon Bay,  where we are staying at the Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay  and only a little more than an hour from San Francisco .

Besides the giant redwoods, Butano is known for its bio-diversity (Butano is thought to be named after a drinking cup from a bull horn).  We walk past groves of Redwood “families” some with their innards carved out as the result of forest fires. We learn that Redwoods get about 30 per cent of their moisture from fog but as the climate warms, less fog threatens their survival. Butano State Park—one of the least known of the California parks—is home to a Redwood/Douglas Fir Forest.

We see plump yellow banana slugs, blooming Trillium a member of the lily family, and the tiny Calypso orchid during our five-mile hike.

We stop for a snack—courtesy of the Ritz which offers Club level guests the chance to pack “box lunches” from the bountiful breakfast offerings. (There are always cookies and penny candies too—perfect to take along on a hike)   

I’d forgotten how much good conversation happens as you hike along without any distractions (no cell service here)!   

There are the chances for all kinds of hikes here including the long Coastal walks (as I look out my hotel window, I see the crashing Pacific Ocean) we take the following morning.  

There is camping at Butano State Park but I’m glad we can repair to the Ritz. After a shower, we head up to the Club Lounge for snacks and drinks. It is crowded with families—kids watching the wedding taking place in the courtyard below.

The Pastorinos live nearby but checked in over night with their two kids ages 11 and 16 for a special treat. “It is so easy,” said Dana Pastorino. “We don’t even have to go to a restaurant…We have something to eat, come back in a few hours for something else…and then desert… it is a huge treat!

“It’s really convenient and the food is really good,” agreed 16-year-old Paige Pastorino.

“I can get what I want and I don’t have to wait,” added her 11-year-old brotherPeyton.  The best part, the two alleged, was no nagging from their parents to finish a restaurant meal. “And you don’t have to ask anyone for anything…you just go up and get it,” said Peyton.

We left the other families making dinner out of the bountiful offerings —everything from cheeses and crackers to seared scallops, salami, and more….to head to one of the area’s most popular restaurants Pasta Moon in Half Moon Bay, celebrating its 25^th anniversary and known for its farm-to-table philosophy. The restaurant has made it a priority from the beginning to seek and serve what’s in season from local farmers and has been at the forefront of the farm-to-table movement.

We love the ambiance –the brightly painted walls, the guitarist is playing in the lounge.

Asparagus are in season and we are served them Misto — gently fried in a light batter. Yum!   The Bruschetta is made with local greens and sundried tomato pesto.  My husband has Ravioli Butternut Squash —all of pasta is house made— and my daughter Eggplant Parmesan with fresh mozzarella and basil.   I opt for the nightly pasta special with more local veggies.

We end with a house speciality butterscotch pudding.

Yum!  A terrific way to end a terrific day.

I love it when the conversation at dinner is as good as the food!

With the baby goats at Vida Verde

Wow!

We’re less than an hour south of San Francisco but a world away—dramatic crashing ocean waves on one side; farms on the other.

We walk a trail at Pescadero State Marsh, watching scores of baby Herons in the trees in a rookery and spy a turtle in water. We laugh at the harbor seals sunning on the rocks at Pescadero State Beach.  

We stop at Harley’s Farm and Goat Dairy in tiny Pescadero to sample goat cheese (do we want pistachio and apricot, sundried tomato, chive?)… the best goat cheese I’ve ever tasted….  for our picnic  overlooking crashing waves at Bean Hollow State Beach . Dessert? Creamy fudge made with goat milk. (Come starting in May on Saturdays and check out the Coastside Farmer’s Market.)

There are many farms and wineries to visit here, the chance to whale-watch, kayak, even stay in a light house (HI-Pigeon Point Lighthouse, one of the tallest and most photographed lighthouses in the country is now a hostel!) … and simply enjoy nature at its best

We walk along Pebble Beach with its distinctive small pebbles instead of sand. Kids are exploring the tide pools. An Anemone! A Sea Star!  It’s chilly and we’re glad for the sunshine. It’s a perfect spring day

One reason for our visit: The chance to see  Vida Verde where my daughter Reggie works—a nonprofit organization that provides overnight environmental educational programs for inner city kids.  We ogle the newborn baby goats. So cute!

Our final destination is the Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay that is one of the most spectacular hotel locations I’ve ever seen. The hotel is high on scenic bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean with two golf courses, tennis courts, walking trails to the beach and outdoor fire pits. (They leave us s’mores kits in our room.  Some rooms have their own private fire pits where guests can sit and take in the ocean views.)

I love being on the Club Level where we have access to the Club Lounge with complimentary breakfast, lunch, snacks, and, before dinner, delectable snacks (grilled artichokes? Shrimp? Cheeses?)

There are many families here who tell me the charge ($150 per room) is well worth it for the chance to relax while the kids grab something to eat without waiting in a restaurant. Kathleen and Don Tanaka are here with their two kids from Saratoga, CA for an overnight with friends and their kids. “We can relax and they have their own space,” she said, gesturing to her two kids peering out the window at the wedding taking place outside at the hotel.

“If you want anything it is always there,” said Makaela Tanaka, 12. The best part: The jars of penny candy that the kids can help themselves to “They pretty much have everything we want, especially the candy!”

“If you want something, you can just go get it,” added nine year old Mason Lafreniere, who is from Los Gatos, CA.

“We don’t have to worry about the kids here,” said Kathy Lafreniere. And on vacation, that counts for a lot

We learn this Coast with its hidden coves, thick fog and isolated canyons was ideal for rum runners from Canada and local moon shiners. Speakeasies were popular here then. Now there are farms that date back to the 1800s, miles of white beaches (here’s the place to horseback ride along the beach), Redwood forests and hiking an d biking trails along the bluffs and among the mountains.  There’s whale watching thru April, kayaking, fishing, even the chance to see how cheese is made.  And of course, the chance to sample plenty of farm-to-table good eats.

With four regions to explore – the North Coast, Half Moon Bay, the South Coast and the Redwood Region – we can’t fit it all in one weekend. We simply follow my daughter Reggie’s lead to some of her favorite places.

This area, we learn, is also home California’s first and only broad based ecotourism visitor program, through which more than 30 farmers, fisherman and business community members have come together to offer visitors hands-on activities and a chance to meet local residents.  To be included in the Ecotourism Map, all businesses had to agree to follow important environmental standards.

 We head to dinner at the popular Peruvian La Costanera, on a cliff overlooking the ocean that offers spectacular views as well as spectacular food (he restaurant is recommended in the Michelin Guide.) We feast on ceviche (there are over a dozen to choose from), empanadas (the best I’ve ever eaten), Causas (chilled whipped potatoes topped with mushrooms asparagus and avocado) and excellent seafood Paella.  Still, the managers tell me, the place welcomes many children and it is noisy enough that you don’t have to worry about disrupting anyone’s dinner.  

On to the Redwoods tomorrow! I’m glad we’ve got another sunny day.

Peace Pagoda in Japantown San Francisco

Everyone knows San Francisco’s bustling, busy Chinatown, the largest outside of Asia.

But Japantown?  “People just come here to eat,” says Dawn Shalhoup, who represents Japantown and took us on a walking tour. They don’t realize how much there is to do!”

Come the weekends of April 14 and 21 for the 45^th annual Cherry Blossom Festival spotlighting traditional customs and culture that are part of the rich heritage of Japanese Americans. As part of the commemoration of the March 11th disaster in Japan, the San Francisco Japantown community and the Friends of the Urban Forest recently planted 16 new cherry trees with the idea that another 30 trees will be planted later this summer.  More than 50 cherry trees were planted just over a year ago.

The neighborhood that is now Japantown (Nihonmachi) is approximately one mile west of Union Square and is part of San Francisco’s Western Addition, a subdivision that came into being with the writing of the Van Ness Ordinance in 1855.  Take the self-guided  San Francisco Japantown History Walk along an approximately 10-block route through the heart of Japantown. Download the Map: Page 1 and Page 2

Sign on for a culinary tour with local Foodie Lisa Rogovin and her company, Edible Excursions along a flavorful path of seven stops including century-old, family-owned businesses, artisan shops and restaurants.

The main thoroughfare is Post Street, between Fillmore Street (to the west) and Laguna Street (to the east). The Japantown neighborhood is generally considered to be bordered on the north by Bush or Pine Street, and on the south by Geary Boulevard. Its focal point is the Japan Center (opened in 1968),^] the site of three Japanese-oriented shopping centers and the Peace Pagoda.

 The first Japanese arrived in San Francisco — or Soko as they called it — in the early 1860s. For the most part, they lived in Chinatown and in neighborhoods south of Market Street.  It was not until the devastating 1906 earthquake and fire drove many of them from their homes that they began moving to the Western Addition. As they settled here, they built churches and shrines and opened typically Japanese shops and restaurants. The neighborhood took on a very Japanese character and before long became a miniature Ginza known as Nihonmachi, or Japantown. It is here that the foundations of San Francisco’s Japanese American community took root.

During World War II, the Japanese Americans in San Francisco and in other West Coast communities were uprooted and interned in what was one of the great tragedies of the War — and a most regrettable episode in our country’s history. After the war, many Japanese American residents returned to the city. Today, nearly 12,000 Japanese Americans live in San Francisco and approximately 80,000 live in the greater Bay Area and this area has been refurbished, though stores restaurants and business remain in the hands of families who have been here for generations.

Another hidden gem is Hotel Tomo that is now run by the Joie de Vivre group and boasts colorful furniture, a wall-sized mural in every room and  even a Mecha suite with a six-foot LED screen outfitted with Xbox Play Station 3—ideal for a tween’s birthday party as was happening later the day we visited. Rooms start under $150

Certainly there’s plenty to eat—and the chance to try new foods. How about a sweet potato latte (surprisingly delicious) at yakinQ café  which is actually Korean where Red Bean shaved ice and pumpkin lattes  are also popular.

We ate Hijiki which is rice, eggplant or spicy shrimp or pickled plum wrapped in seaweed with rice at the New People building, where kids will also like the quirky offerings at the shop (maybe a dress for their kitty?)

We stop for Mochi—a pressed rice pastry with red bean paste that has a jello-like consistency at Benkyodo that has been here since 1906 and is one of the last Mochi manufacturers in the United States.   We snack on Okonomyaki—a kind of egg and beef pie (kids will love because the fish flakes they sprinkle on top seem to wave)—at Izumiya in Japan Center

Like Origami? Stop in at Paper Tree, a store that has been here more than 100 years where you can see all varieties of Origami—a sea horse, an orangutan, a cow—even the Golden Gate Bridge in the window.

Fairmont chef jW Foster on rooftop garden in San Francisco

DAY One — Honey anyone?

If you’re staying with your kids at the iconic Fairmont San Francisco atop Nob Hill  you can show them that the honey in their salad dressing or muffins or tea comes from the bees who live right here in beehives in the hotel’s culinary garden. (The kids can see them flying around the lavender through the glass.)

The Fairmont San Francisco’s Executive Chef  jW Foster installed the beehives in the hotel’s 1,000-square foot culinary garden to help support the bee population which has dropped 90 per cent since the 1980s.  (Learn more with the “Chef’s Apprentice” package)

The garden, right smack in the middle of some of San Francisco’s priciest real estate, boasts lemons, kumquats, edible flowers, all varieties of herbs.  It was one of the first in the city.

Chef Foster has made a great effort since he arrived two years ago to improve and upgrade kids’ menus as well as adults—a Fairmont-wide initiative but especially notable here at this historic hotel that was Fairmont’s first. (Fair was for James Graham Fair whose daughters inherited the property from their father and built the hotel and Mont because the hotel is at the top of the city’s famous Nob Hill.)

The Fairmont was set to open April 18, 1906—the day of the Great Earthquake. It survived but the interior was destroyed by the fires that ravaged the city afterward. The hotel opened exactly a year after the earthquake and has been a San Francisco icon ever since. (Tell your daughters: The interior was designed by a young woman, Julia Morgan, the first female graduate of Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris.)

There  is much history here—from the Cirque Room, the art deco lounge that was the first bar to open in San Francisco to celebrate the end of Prohibition, to the fact that the U.N Charter was drafted here.  Tony Bennett sang “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” for the first time here in December 1961.

Kids will love the huge ornate lobby and the recently uncovered domes in the Laurel Court lounge and restaurant. The morning we’re here, a half dozen are busy playing cards as their parents finish breakfast.

It is worth noting that though this is one of the most exclusive and historic hotels in San Francisco, nearly every table at the Laurel Court at breakfast had kids at the table. And wherever you go in San Francisco, there are opportunities to teach kids about food.  

Whether for breakfast or dinner, Chef Foster notes that today’s sophisticated traveling kids don’t want a steady diet of chicken fingers or mac and cheese, though that remains on the menu.  “They order pate and quinoa,“ he said.

He noted that the gluten-free items on the menu have become huge sellers for children as well as adults—everything from gluten-free pizza to gluten-free muffins. There are vegan options as well. As well as hearth healthy and low fat

“Kids palates are definitely changing,” he said, That is why the hotel will also allow parents to order smaller portions of regular menu items for kids as well

Meats and vegetables come from local purveyors; seafood is sustainably caught, according to directives from the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Even the offerings at Tonga Room—popular since 1945 and recently restored with a $1 million renovation—has had its kids menus updated with everything from a Keiki platter with BBQ pork ribs, spring rolls and chicken satay to Little chow chow (wok flashed vegetables and noodles and grilled teriyaki chicken0. Adult menus are lighter too, Chef Foster said, with simpler sauces and less sodium.

Upstairs at Laurel Court kids might have  whole wheat  pancakes (chocolate chips optional) and a fresh smoothie with house honey for breakfast, organic weeds (salad) and everything from local butternut squash and apple bisque to stir fried brown rice with pineapple tofu, sesame rice noodle salad, grilled chicken or salmon with brown rice—all gluten free as well as healthy. Food is as locally sourced as possible,  the chefs working directly with local farmers and ranchers to create a an authentically local taste of the region—from house-made pate to  duck breast  to San Francisco’s famous fish stew Cioppino.

We loved the famous wrap-around pastoral murals.

What a great spot for dinner!  We certainly thought so.  More Cioippino, please.

The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man attraction

By Eileen Ogintz
Tribune Media Services

Move over, Harry Potter. Spider-Man has arrived.

“I’m just not that into Harry Potter,” explains 16-year-old Jordan Madow who preferred the newly reanimated Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man with hundreds of new details all the more noticeable through the special 3-D glasses and incredibly high-definition resolution.

“Spider-Man is more fun, especially the drop!” declares Danielle Hardwick, 13, who was here from England with her family.

“Go to Spider-Man first and then Harry Potter,” suggests 12-year-old Alex Marquez, visiting from Denver.

Of course, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is still packed at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, as it has been since it opened nearly two years ago, and many visitors say it is the impetus for their entire trip here, a contributing reason, some say, why Orlando now welcomes some 53 million visitors a year, more than any other American city.

Come in May and June before it gets too hot and crowded but with new attractions debuting at all of the parks, including Universal Orlando. You may score a better hotel deal, too. Check out “Beyond Disney: The Unofficial Guide to Universal Orlando, SeaWorld and the Best of Central Florida” by Bob Sehlinger to help you navigate.

Just be prepared for crowds. “You need to have a lot of patience,” sighed Michelle Panney, here with her family from Newfoundland.

The morning I visited recently, there was a 45-minute wait to buy Butterbeer, which tastes like shortbread and butterscotch, and a 35-minute wait just to get into a shop — Ollivander’s Wand Shop where wands are sold, following a presentation in which one person is chosen to demonstrate just how the wand chooses the wizard. (Does the wand water the flowers when you point it? Move the ladder?)

“If you are chosen it’s worth it,” said Jack Burrill-Bown, who clutched his wand later in the day. He was picked, he thought, because it was his 13th birthday. “Otherwise it is a real downer.”

His family was on line to get in an hour before the park even opened; by mid-morning, the wait for the chance to join Harry Potter on his journey soaring over Hogwarts was 90 minutes.

But the wait for the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man was over an hour, too. It is, after all, a technological marvel of an attraction, which makes you feel you are right inside the movie — so close that you see the character’s muscles, flames coming out of pumpkins and rats scurrying through the streets. I like this attraction because those who are roller-coaster averse, like me, and young kids can enjoy the thrill.

“You need to have a lot of patience,” sighed Michelle Panney, here with her family from Newfoundland.

A tip: If you stay at one of the three Universal Orlando Loews Resorts, you can bypass the lines at all but three rides at the park, including Spider-Man. You can also gain entrance to Islands of Adventure an hour before opening to experience the Wizarding World of Harry Potter before the crowds arrive. “It’s definitely the way to go,” said Jordan’s mom, Kathy. “We went on the Forbidden Journey twice!” Some families opt to book just a night for that privilege.

(Come before June 7 and save up to 30 percent when you stay three nights or longer . Visit www.takingthekids.com by April 13 and see how you might win a stay at Universal Orlando. Look for other deals offsite nearby at Universal partner hotels too that offer some, but not all the perks,

If you are line averse and budget isn’t a concern, you can also bypass the lines with an Express Plus pass (prices start at $19.99 but go up based on season ) or by hiring a VIP guide ($2,500 per group for the two parks up to 12 people.) (More about VIP Orlando experiences in an upcoming column.)

Certainly besides getting up close and personal with Spider-Man and Harry Potter, there’s plenty else to see and do at Universal Orlando this spring and summer whether you’ve got preschoolers or teens. New this spring at Universal Studios is the Superstar Parade where you can sing and dance along with characters like Nickelodeon’s Dora and Diego and SpongeBob Square Pants. A new nighttime show, complete with colored fountains and fireworks, will take you through 100 years of movie history and Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem, a 3-D adventure where you undergo “minion training,” is scheduled to open this summer.

There’s a newly-enhanced Blue Man Group Show on CityWalk. The audience loved the signature moments like paint drumming and roared as the Blue Men explored our obsession with technology, especially as they interacted with GiPads (gigantic iPads).

Universal CityWalk, with its shops, movie theaters and restaurants, sits between the Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida, making it possible to easily walk from one park to another. Now CityWalk boasts the new Hollywood Drive-in Golf, a 36-hole mini-golf course inspired by drive-in movies.

If you think your kids are too young for Universal Orlando, think again. Sure, the parks are known for their coasters. Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, for example, boasts the world’s largest non-inverted loop — it scared me just to look at it! The Incredible Hulk Coaster shoots you 40 mph in seconds followed by six rollovers. But there are family coasters too, including the Flight of the Hippogriff in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and standout areas like Seuss Landing where, among other things, you can eat Green Eggs and Ham and ride a couch through the pages of Dr Seuss’ ‘The Cat in the Hat.”

What I like best are the wonderful interactive play areas like Fievel’s Playland and Curious George goes to Town at Universal Studios. Kids love all the pipes and spray guns, as well as the foam ball playground. At Universal’s Islands of Adventure, Popeye’s ship, the Olive, is transformed into an interactive playground. Dino lovers can head to Camp Jurassic where they can explore lava pits, mines and caves and even step in dino footprints.

The day I was at Camp Jurassic, kids were laughing and running, as parents snapped photos and sat down for welcome respites.

The best part: No lines. No wonder everyone was smiling.

© 2012 EILEEN OGINTZ, DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.

At Wizarding World of Harry Potter by Eva Weinberg

By Eva Weinberg and Cam Shamsky

(Eileen’s 17-year-old travel companions at Universal Orlando last week)

We woke up early on Thursday morning to disembark the ship, from there we started the hour and a half long drive over to the Portofino resort on Universal’s property. We walked in not expecting anything out of the ordinary but walked into an Italian inspired hotel that fully embodied all that one would hope to feel on a trip to Italy.

After quickly dropping our bags at the convenient bag drop, we made our way to the water taxi. A harbor with boats, restaurants and stores completed the Italian feel outside. The water taxi was much easier to maneuver than the monorail at Disney, there was only one stop! The water taxis came every 10-15 minutes, and the lines were rarely long.

Once we arrived at Universal we met up with Matt, our amazing tour guide, who immediately brought us to our most anticipated attraction, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. We rushed to the most popular ride in Harry Potter World, The Forbidden Journey. Luckily we didn’t have to wait in line, but it definitely would have been worth the wait.

The crowds were overwhelming and made it difficult to move around, but it was everything we had hoped for and more. Luckily, staying on Universal’s property gives you the chance to skip lines using your room key, a definite bonus, you get the same perks as a fast pass without the price.

Next we went on both of the Racing Dragons, two completly different roller coasters that are “racing.” A ride that we would do again in second, but there was so much more to see.

Next, we got the coveted Butterbeer, more or less cream soda with caramel, we recommend going into the bar attached to 3 Broomsticks, the line is shorter for the same options. We both got the frozen, definently better, but warning Butterbeer is very sweet!

Another warning, Ollivanders is a show, and more aimed toward a younger viewer. We would not recommend waiting too long in the line, but the effects were impressive.

We walked out of Harry Potter World through Camp Jurassic, a lot of fun for a younger crowd. Being two seniors in high school where we had way to much fun stepping on the dinosaurs footprints, each making a different sound.

Finally we went to one of the rides we were all most excited about, Spiderman, recently redone showcase to the best 3-D technology available. But not before we made a quick stop in a villain themed photo booth to “capture the moment.” 

Back to Spiderman though, Diving, spinning and flipping feels so real all while riding on a flat track. The technology was so realistic you can see the hairs on the bad guys face and stitching in Spiderman’s suit, when Cam wasn’t wincing from how realistic the bad guys looked, we were screaming while taking on all the bad guys, including one who squirts water at you! We then made one last stop before lunch,

The Incredible Hulk Roller Coaster, one of our favorites. You start out at full speed and do not slow down at all throughout the ride, with flips and mist we were frozen the whole ride, the next day we even insisted on going back.

We had lunch at a restaurant named Mytho’s, winning best theme park restaurant for several years in a row. The food took a little bit longer than we had hoped, Cam got the fish tacos which were okay and Eva got the recommended pasta of the day which she enjoyed.

Later we went to The Blue Man Group, one of the best performances we’ve ever seen. The group knew how to keep the audience involved and were hysterical yet still showed their talent. After the show we went over to CityWalk before catching the water taxi  back. Citywalk had so many options for kids of all ages, shopping, restaurants and vendors made it so much fun to simply walk around.

Overall Universal definitely had more to offer teens rather than Disney. 

Powder skiing at Deer Valley Utah

DAY 3 — Snowball fight anyone?

We are in the outdoor hot tub at the Montage Deer Valley while it dumps much needed snow on our heads and the mountains. Three little boys are having a snow ball fight on the other side of the hot tub.

For those who can afford luxe on the slopes, tt doesn’t get any better than the ski-in, ski-out Montage (with its own Compass Sports rental shop and ski valet where they buckle and unbuckle your boots) and Deer Valley, five minutes from Park City’s Main Street and just 40 minutes from Salt Lake City National Airport.

We’ve chosen Deer Valley, North America’s No. 1 ski resort (ranked by the readers of SKI Magazine 2008-2012) where the number of lift tickets are limited each day to prevent crowds and the Montage for a girls’ getaway that will combine some time on the slopes (though Deer Valley is known for its groomed terrain, with six peaks there is plenty of expert caches to discover) with some pampering (Montage has the largest spa in Utah) and good eats.

I’m glad for the opportunity to spend some just-us-girls– R&R with my daughter Reggie, who lives in San Francisco, and her college roommate Meghan McCloskey, just back from a two-year stint in the Peace Corps.   

I couldn’t have chosen better. The Montage has everything from great views (we watch kids playing in the snow outside our room window) to great places to cozy up by the fire (We loved the Vista Lounge with live music and the hotel’s own microbrew) and great eats (The farm-to-table Apex is awesome for breakfast –the coconut-crusted French toast was amazing as well as dinner where we indulged our inner foodies with Elk sausage, Utah Trout and Duck Breast as well as foraged mushrooms. (Truffle Mac and Cheese anyone?)

Downstairs, there’s Daley’s Pub & Rec a gourmet gastro-pub where you can bowl, play billiards, arcade games or watch basketball on TV while chowing down on your burger. There’s a sushi bar and a coffee bar named Buzz where you can taste the resort’s own honey. I’m sorry we didn’t have time for the resort’s sushi bar.  

The Paintbox offers organized kids’ activities should parents need a break—maybe at the gargantuan spa—as well as a lending library of books. No wonder this place is packed with families!  Everyone loves the big pooch who is the resort mascot.

I’m told the locale is just as wonderful in summer and fall when you can hike and mountain bike right outside the door—arranged by the concierges. I’m going to have to come back to see! Even better, prices are less than half in winter.

Just because a hotel is pricey doesn’t mean it will meet your needs but this one does—luxurious but casual, a staff that is service-oriented but welcoming rather than snooty. The girls love the gargantuan bathroom with its heated floors and the fireplace in our room and the oh-so-comfy beds. I love the little things—the loofah in the shower, the truffles left for us at bedtime, the free newspapers in the lobby, that kids , are invited to choose a special stuffed friend who is local to this area—a moose, raccoon or fox perhaps.  

Deer Valley has been known for its food and service since it opened in 1981 so it’s nice to feel pampered both inside the hotel and outside on the slopes. (You’ll get help with your gear as soon as you arrive). Sign on for a complimentary tour with a Mountain Host. My daughter Reggie joins an expert tour on a powder day and reports the guide took the group through glades and trees and areas she never would have found on her own. 

Nor do visitors realize how much history is right here under the slopes—literally—says Michael O’Malley, a local amateur historian and Deer Valley Mountain Host who imparts history at every opportunity on the ski slopes and special summer guided tours (check www.deervalley.com) did you know underneath Deer Valley and Park City Mountain Resort are some 1,000 miles of mining tunnels?)

Did I mention Deer Valley is one of just three ski resorts left in the country that doesn’t allow snowboarders? That seems to add to the ambiance. Every year, customers are polled and are asked whether they want snowboarding and the vast majority don’t.

There are plenty of options to stay at Deer Valley–a sumptuous condo, a one-bedroom suite complete with private hot tub at Stein Eriksen Lodge, with its newly renovated spa and emphasis on wellness (there are teen treatments if your getaway includes a teen). The St. Regis Deer Valley has great late season deals. It’s easy to see why Deer Valley is so popular with multi-generational families –the food, the service, the groomers and the kids’ programs, including infant daycare.

This season, Deer Valley even has a new children’s trail map complete with fun facts about local critters. Did you know a raccoon’s hands are so nimble they could unlace a shoe or that deer can move their ears in any direction without moving their heads?  There are fun games to do and some runs kids love like Bucky’s Humps or the Enchanted Forest.

I’ve long known that Deer Valley and Park City are great for families with its three mountains,  historic Main Street (don’t miss the newly renovated Park City Museum that tells the story of history here—from mining, to saloons to snow) and activities from the alpine coaster and zipline at Park City Mountain Resort to bowling at Jupiter Bowl.

I worried, though, that Deer Valley would prove too chi-chi for my wilderness-loving daughter. I shouldn’t have. The Montage proved the perfect respite where we could catch up (we live 3,000 miles apart!), relax and indulge ourselves a bit.

And there’s nothing wrong with that.

We wake up to more snow. The girls can’t wait to get out there.