Happy anniversary to me! A year ago this month I put up my first post on this site. After thinking about it, noodling the idea over with parents, friends and family, I hired a designer, bought the domain, and got to work. I had no idea where I'd end up even a month, let alone a year later, and here we are!
What an amazing year its been. I've had some incredible experiences thanks to Mama's Guide. One of the most memorable was walking into a restaurant I already loved and encountering the manager—he'd read my reviews and got legitimately excited that I was there to review his restaurant!
With my co-pilot and our precious cargo heading to Alcatraz!
To those folks who think San Francisco isn't for kids, or that believe children shouldn't dine out (or should stick to chain restaurants), I hope this space gives you an alternative look at what life with children is all about if you haven't experienced it for yourself. Cities that are safe and comfortable for children tend to be that way for everyone, and if you say you don't want to hear crying babies (which, trust me, no one does), I'll raise you a public cell phone conversation or drunken chatter as equally annoying.
Most of all, I've loved spending the last year exploring San Francisco with Mia, who has grown into my favorite dining companion. To all the waitresses and waiters who've played with her, bussers who practiced high fives with her greasy baby hands, and chefs who've come out of the kitchen and talked to us about your kids or sent out something special for us to eat, I thank you. You've made us a truly happy mama and baby!
There are several things you may notice about this site. For one, I don't post negative reviews. Why? Because my goal is to find and highlight places families should visit, or products and services that I actually love and use. There is more than enough negativity on the net, especially where reviews are concerned. I also don't get upset about restaurants that don't welcome children. I agree wholeheartedly that there are plenty of places where kids should not be, for a variety of reasons, and luckily there are plenty of places where they are welcomed with open arms. That's my focus.
And then just in time for my first anniversary, the awesome new parent's social network Parenthoods (created by two mamas in SF) honored me with a feature on their blog. If you're raising kids in the city and not using Parenthoods, come join in the fun! Go download it and then come back and finish reading.
Where do I go from here? Keep reviewing and growing! I'm always on the hunt for new places to visit around San Francisco, and later this year we're taking Mama's Guide on the road, reviewing the best in stroller friendly restaurants in a city year you. If you have ideas/suggestions/recommendations, please give me a shout here or on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. We use them all :)
To all the parents (and family and friends) who've joined our adventures for the past year, thank you, thank you, thank you, for reading and sharing, and most of all for taking your kids out in San Francisco or wherever you live!
