Jeannine’s Lets Kids Eat Free in February

Jeannine’s Gourmet Food Hall invites kids to eat free with an adult during the whole month of February!

jeannine's signPhoto from Jeannine’s website

Since Jeannine’s opened in The Shoppes at Westlake last year, I’ve been there a handful of times – for coffee, lunch meetings, even cocktails with my girlfriends. But I must say I didn’t consider bringing my kids there because it seemed like kind of an upscale-casual place to me. The bright dining room with its translucent chairs, a bottle of wine on every table, and even the cozy booths, the joint feels fancy.

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But I’ve been doing my kids a disservice, then, because they too like the fancier things sometimes. And as we discovered, Jeannine’s isn’t too fancy for them, in fact, it’s just right.

During the month of February kids 12 and under eat free from the kids’ menu if they dine with an adult who pays for an entreé. The meals are only $6.50 each, but that savings can go towards the purchase of a tasty cocktail.

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The Black and Basil, basically a blackberry margarita. Delicious.

My children sampled a few items from the kids’ menu, and Mom and Dad had to taste everything, too! Consensus: the homemade chicken tenders are not to miss! They have a crispy homemade batter with tender juicy chicken inside. Served with ketchup and ranch, this normally comes with fries or fruit cup but we added mac & cheese because wherever we go we have to try the mac & cheese.

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Jeannine’s kids’ mac & cheese is a kid-friendly version of the dish for adults: a three-cheese sauce with delicious pasta, but without the breadcrumb topping or the bacon. My kids both loved it.

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As for the adult entreés, you really can’t go wrong here. Jeannine’s offers a daily updated menu and there’s something for everyone. On this evening we had the salmon and a tri-tip salad served with onion ring slivers in a tangy dressing. Both were delicious.

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But what about the fries? I knew you were going to ask that, so we did our duty as storytellers and shared an order of fresh made fries.

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Served piping hot in a bucket with plenty of salt, these definitely passed the “But are the fries good?” test. Jeannine’s also has  tasty sweet potato fries on the menu if you’re into that sort of thing (which I am).

If you haven’t been to Jeannine’s yet, this month is the time to go – kids eat free all month long, and this is good for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! Be sure to check out the lighted, animated fountain across the way after your meal. My kids enjoyed watching it and running around after dinner!

Jeannine’s Gourmet Food Hall
30770 Russell Ranch Rd.
Westlake Village, CA 91362

My family enjoyed a complimentary meal at Jeannine’s. All opinions are ours.

Celebrate the Rec Center’s One Year Anniversary January 22

This Friday, January 22, will mark one year since the opening of the new Agoura Hills Recreation Center up on the hill behind the library. All classes and programs have moved over to the new building. It has been a joy for our family going up there twice a week for most of the year to participate in programs and sports classes.

Look how beautiful.

agoura hills recreation center new locationPhoto courtesy of the city of Agoura Hills

The event space is large and looks out over the city. The reception area is spacious and well laid-out. And a new space that opened last year, The Garage, is reserved for teens and pre-teens and gives them a place to hang out after school and play games or just relax.

On Friday there will be a whole schedule of tours and events to celebrate this milestone, capped by a movie night in the event space – showing E.T. and featuring free popcorn and hot chocolate! If you haven’t been up there yet, now is the time to check it out!

one year agoura hills

Memorial Day Ceremony at Pierce Brothers Memorial Park Westlake Village

Remember what Memorial Day is for: remembering. We get a day off to honor the men and women lost in the line of duty to our country and freedom.

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Last year I brought my children to the Memorial Day Ceremony at Pierce Brothers Memorial Park in Westlake Village to expose them to the solemn reason behind this holiday. I can explain it to them, but I thought a ceremony of this magnitude would drive the point home a little bit better, since their lives are so removed from the sacrifice, danger, and violence of war.

IMG_2921the war memorial at Pierce Brothers Memorial Park in Westlake Village

This year will be the 25th annual Memorial Day Ceremony at the park on Lindero Canyon Road just north of the 101. Members from all branches of the military attend and are honored throughout, as soldiers and officers make speeches, sing tributes, and play music. Last year there was a flyover of military airplanes. Members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars accept donations and hand out poppies to passersby, reminders of the millions of people who have died in service.

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On the weekend of Memorial Day, children from Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts and other organizations place flags on the graves of passed soldiers to commemorate the occasion. By the time you arrive at Pierce, the red white and blue are fluttering everywhere.

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The ceremony starts tomorrow at 10:30 AM. Arrive early to get a parking spot – we got there about 30 minutes early last year and managed to get parking inside the park, but overflow parking was available at the shopping centers nearby. There was plenty of seating by the grandstand, but families also spread blankets to sit on in the grass.

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The music and solemnity moved me greatly. I could not hold back my tears, especially when the announcer listed each American war from our lifetime and invited living veterans to stand and be recognized. Each stood to emotional applause.

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It was a hot day, and I hadn’t brought snacks or water, so the children were restless although they asked a lot of questions about the wars and the different military services and I answered them if I could. On the way back to the car, my older son stopped to talk with the men handing out poppies. He told them how his Great Grampa, who died in 2012 at the age of 93, was a soldier in WWII. He put a dollar in the jar and proudly accepted a poppy to wear in remembrance.

great grampa soldierMy father’s father, WWII

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20131204110005_00003AMy other grandparents, who served in the Army and the Navy WAVES

The ceremony is free and incredibly moving.  Arrive early and bring snacks, water, and sunscreen. And tissues. It’s a sad occasion, but I recommend it for any family. By now there are very few of us who are not touched by war in some way.

Memorial Day Ceremony

Monday, May 25, 2015
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Pierce Brothers Memorial Park
5600 Lindero Canyon Rd
Westlake Village, CA 91362
(818) 889-0902