Family Fun Guide OK Café
1284 West Paces Ferry Rd. NW, Atlanta 404-233-2888; okcafe.com Sun. -Thurs., 7 a.m.-10 p.m.; Fri.-Sat. 7 a.m.-11 p.m. Money doesn’t grow on trees, but try telling that to kids after they visit the OK Café and sit under the “money tree” (a mammoth man-made tree decorated with fake money, planted in the middle of the main dining room.) The arty décor and big booths are attractions for young diners, and there are more than enough choices to make any picky eater happy at this casual restaurant institution. When we’re in the Buckhead area, this is my kids’ first choice for any meal of the day. n What’s on the menu: Breakfast can be ordered till 11 a.m. on weekdays and until 2 p.m. on weekends, and includes three-egg omelets ($8-$9), French toast, and griddle cake platters ($7-$9.) The lunch and dinner menus include Blue Plate specials like chicken pot pie (with a big OK stamped on the pastry crust!) and country fried steak come with a choice of two veggies and cornbread ($11.50-$16.) Sandwiches, burgers with tons of topping options, and salads range from $5-$13. Homemade dessert selections average $5 apiece.
EATING OUT
n Why parents like it: There are always families here, and the kids are welcomed warmly. A big electronic sign outside the front door shows how long you’ll wait if there’s a line to be seated – a huge plus for impatient diners! The menu is so expansive, you can cover everybody’s cravings in one spot. If the crew is too squirmy to sit, visit the takeaway side of the restaurant to get your food to go. For veggie lovers, this is one of best places to get a four-veggie plate ($10) with 18 choices of vegetables and starches ranging from black eyed peas to squash soufflé. A small selection of beer and wine is available. n Why kids like it: The diner-uniformed wait staff is ultra-friendly, and the check is dropped off with enough Tootsie Rolls for the table. While there isn’t a separate kids’ menu, triple cheese macaroni ($2.79, side dish size), PB&J ($4), and crispy chicken nuggets ($8) are top child-friendly choices. Thick and malted milkshake versions ($5.50-$6) are the real deal, served “and a half”,
Attention all campers and their parents!
Atlanta Parent Presents Camp Expo 2014
I
t’s never too early to get wheels in motion for summer camp because spaces can fill up quickly. Don’t miss three upcoming dates for Atlanta Parent’s Camp Expo 2014, where you can gather information about a wide variety of camps in order to start planning a great summer for your camper. Meet camp directors and former campers, watch camp videos and load up on brochures from programs suited for any interest. Let Atlanta Parent be your guide to a fun-filled summer. Grab the latest issue of our Big Book of Camps. Don’t miss our Atlanta Parent Overnight Camp issue (Feb.) and the Atlanta Parent Day Camp issue (April).
meaning the tall milkshake glass is accompanied by the rest of the shake in the stainless steel mixing cup. Other popular drinks with kids are real Cherry Cokes, fresh lemonade, Pink Ladies (lemonade plus Cherry syrup: a Southern-style Shirley Temple) and Coke or root beer floats. – Dalia Faupel
MARK YOUR CALENDAR The Circus Comes to Town! n Big Apple Circus. Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre. Feb. 1-17. 2200 Encore Pkwy., Alpharetta. 800-745-3000. $25-$80. n Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. The Arena at Gwinnett Center and Philips Arena. Feb. 9-15. 6400 Sugarloaf Pkwy., Duluth; Feb. 12-17. 1 Philips Dr., Atlanta. 800-745-3000. $14-$150. n Universoul Circus. Turner Field. Feb. 12-Mar. 2. 755 Hank Aaron Dr., Atlanta. 800-745-3000. $20-$35.
Dinosaur Train Live
Camp Expo Dates: n North Point Mall: Jan. 25, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. n Town Center Mall: Feb. 22, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. n Perimeter Mall: March 22, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
88 Atlanta Parent January 2014
Family Fun Guide
Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. Jim Henson’s Dinosaur Train Live! based on the PBS KIDS show comes to Atlanta next month. The interactive puppet show features music, costumed characters, multimedia backgrounds and a full-sized Dinosaur Train. The performance is 75 minutes with a brief intermission. Feb. 22. 1 and 4 p.m. 2800 Cobb Galleria Pkwy., Atlanta. 800-745-3000. $18-$28.
atlantaparent.com