family bike date

Somehow the summer got away from us. We spent loads of time together as a family but I just looked up and it is September 1.  School starts for four of us in a few days and life takes on a new rhythm, quicker, more frantic, just far busier.  While I so appreciate the idea of making time together just as a couple, P and I managed not to go out on a lone date, not once, this summer (not since this rockin' weekend anyway).  He's still my guy and we just marked 15 years of hanging together, but we didn't get our act together to find a summer babysitter nor make plans to sneak away, even for a few hours.  But, it was lots of good family time, spending loads of time outdoors, swimming into the evenings, visiting siblings and cousins and parents.

On Wednesday, though, the five of us went out on a great family date.  Two terrific local businesses-- The Devil's Gear and Kitchen Zinc-- teamed up together and we didn't want to miss the official launching of Kitchen Zinc's new bike racks.  Really, who can resist bikes and really good pizza coming together?  And we are talking really good pizza.  

We took out the bakfiets and Yuba and navigated the streets filled with new and just returning university students and head downtown. (Quick aside and public service announcement: Please avoid death by cellphone. Stop texting and look up while you are jaywalking across a busy street at rush hour.)

We popped through the alley with this and found this:

New bike racks right next to Kitchen Zinc's outdoor patio

We got a great table outside and the boys drank yummy fresh lemonade while P and I enjoyed beer and wine.  After ordering our pies, the boys ran around a bit outside of the patio, making friends and oogling an awfully cute small dog.  P and I realized what a rare thing this was as our boys are far from adventurous eaters and have particularly limited diets. Going out to real restaurants all together has not been something we've done much as it has tended to cause more stress and unhappiness than enjoyment and good memories.  However, we rocked it this night! Gotta give props to our server who was super kind to the fellas and didn't blink an eye when we requested the plainest pie possible despite all the wonderful, amazing choices.  And damn, the special pizza with peaches, carmelized onions, apple-smoked bacon, gorgonzola cheese, and a drizzle of honey that P and I wolfed down was truly incredible.

Other bonuses of the evening-- We ran into our neighbors. A and J (and their cute daughters!) who it turns out do the coolest graphics and marketing for Kitchen Zinc.  Thanks, A, for sharing these photos. And, of course, there was Matt from the Devil's Gear

who did the honors of christening the bike racks.

We then pedaled off to finish the evening at Ashley's Ice Cream with happy boys and high-fivin' parents, glad to live where we live.