Coffee & Books & Wine, Oh My!

Great things are happening in Downtown Augusta, y’all!  I just wanted to write a quick post about a fun little outing I had with the boys on Broad Street yesterday, and report on some exciting things I learned that will be coming to The Book Tavern.

LUNCH:  NEW MOON CAFE:  After a morning meeting on Broad Street, the kids and I were hungry, so we decided to meet my husband, who works off of Broad, and grab some lunch at New Moon Cafe.  The cafe has been in its new digs in the recently renovated JB Whites Building for awhile now, and they have settled in nicely.  The new space is open and airy, with crazy high ceilings and lots of original features.  I had never been there with the kids, so I was happy to see that they do offer a kids menu in addition to their more sophisticated awesome lunch creations (I had the muffaletta, my husband had the turkey bonzai special, which involved Asian apple slaw and sounded crazy but tasted great).  Now that they have plenty of space to spread out in their new building, they’ve added a great little kids table that has a chalkboard surface and is supplied with coloring books and crayons– great for keeping the little ones busy while we waited for our food.  All in all, this cafe surprised me by its improved kid-friendliness.  (FYI: there isn’t a changing table in the restroom, but there is a bench that you could use in a pinch if you have a changing pad with you.)

SHOPPING: THE BOOK TAVERN:  As a thrifty bibliophile, I’ve always loved used bookstores.  My one issue with downtown’s Book Tavern, though, was that I never found their cramped, “blah” space very inviting.  Oh, how things have changed!  A month ago, the Book Tavern moved into the JB Whites Building directly opposite New Moon Cafe.  What a match made in heaven!  There is nothing better than a yummy lunch followed by some book browsing.  The Tavern now enjoys a modern, light-filled, high-ceilinged space boasting two floors.  Kids books are on the first floor in a nook under the staircase.  It is always a nice treat when my boys can pick a book out to take home for just a couple of bucks.  I was excited to see that the upstairs features a great lounge area.

AND JUST FOR THE PARENTS…: Even more exciting that all this?  The Book Tavern’s owner is currently waiting on his liquor license to be approved, at which point he plans to set up a small bar offering French press coffee and tea, as well as wine and beer in the evenings.  I am SO excited about this development, as one thing I’ve wished for in Augusta is a quiet, cozy place to curl up with a book and glass of wine, away from the typical “bar scene”.  Sounds like a great way to unwind kids-free at the end of a hectic day!

** And an extra note to coffee lovers… While we’re on the subject of Broad Street, when it comes to a delicious cappuccino served in a welcoming and relaxing setting, “Sit a Spell Coffee Shop” always gets my vote.  For one thing, the owner loves to make people feel right at home and befriends everyone who walks in; for another, she makes great coffee drinks; lastly, her drinks and food are served in real mugs and plates (drinking coffee from a cardboard cup is one of my pet peeves, so I don’t take this last bit lightly!).  Kids are welcome there, but for me it is a great place to either relax or get some work done without the little guys.

LOCATIONS AND LINKS:

New Moon Cafe and The Book Tavern: The JB Whites Building, 936 Broad Street in downtown Augusta

http://www.newmoondowntown.com/

http://www.booktavern.com/

http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/business/your-business/2011-11-27/book-tavern-owner-saw-void-used-books-market-augusta

 

Sit a Spell Coffee House: 903 Broad Street, downtown Augusta

http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/business/local-business/2011-04-11/owner-wants-guests-sit-spell-over-coffee

http://augustaschoice.com/blog/2012/04/02/sit-a-spell-coffee-house-is-awesome/

Augusta Museum of History

**Note: during the month of August, admission to the museum is just $1 (as always, kids under 6 are free)!!**

WHO:  The museum would probably be enjoyed the most by adults and kids preschool-age and up, though some toddlers might have fun checking things out, especially if they have older siblings to follow around!

WHAT:  The museum offers great exhibits on the history of Augusta, on topics ranging from transportation to James Brown (to name the two most enjoyed by my little ones).

WHEN:  The museum is open to visitors Thurs.-Sat., 10am-5pm and Sun., 1-5pm.

WHERE:  At the intersection of Reynolds St. and 6th St. in downtown Augusta.

WHY WE LIKE IT:  This is a great space for the kids to explore, especially on a hot or rainy day when you’re looking for an indoor activity and are bored with your “usual” hangouts.  My four-year-old’s favorite, without question, is the transportation room.  This large hall houses a real train engine and cars, which you can actually board!  My son is happy as can be just looking at the train, boarding it, and playing “conductor”.  The hall the train is in is made to look like a street, complete with a “worker” fixing some power lines, which my son also found fascinating.  Other big winners for my kids in the transportation exhibit are an old steam fire engine and Model T car “gassing up”, and an old trolley that you can also board.  My boys also liked the new, expanded James Brown exhibit where you can watch videos of Brown’s various dance moves (it’s hilarious to watch a preschooler try to re-enact them) and push buttons to hear audio clips of his songs.  They also liked the golf exhibit, and the four-year-old is anxious to see the baseball exhibit when it re-opens after renovations.  There are also exhibits on colonial life and the military, among others.  All in all, this museum makes for a great outing and kept my little ones entertained for about an hour… well worth the super low admission price, which is usually $4/adult, $2/kids 6-12, and free for under 6, but during the month of August, admission for adults is only $1!!

HOW: Further information on the museum can be found on their website: http://www.augustamuseum.org/index.php.

ALSO… The Augusta Visitors Center is located in the museum gift shop and is open Mon.-Sat. 10am-5pm and Sun. 1-5pm.  This is a great resource for brochures and information on all the places to see and events in Augusta!

Transportation Exhibit, train and workman

Transportation Exhibit, Fire Steam Engine

James Brown Exhibit (the blur is a dancing preschooler!)

Sunday Sketch at the Morris Museum of Art

WHO:  Best for adults and children around 9 and up.

WHAT:  A FREE afternoon of sketching in the art galleries.  The Morris provides drawing supplies that are free to use (just return them when you leave):  large and small drawing boards, sketch pads/paper, pencils and erasers, and portable stools to carry into the gallery if you want to sketch a painting that doesn’t have a bench in front of it.

WHEN:  Typically one Sunday a month, from 2pm until 3:30pm (although when I went I was there until almost 4pm and the supplies were still available).

WHERE:  The Morris Museum of Art, at 10th Street and Reynolds.  Supplies are available in the activity room at the top of the stairs before you get to the lobby.

WHY WE LIKE IT:  Did I mention that it’s FREE?!   I personally find this to be a great time to unwind on my own after a hectic week with little ones!  Some parents with older children make it a family event, which I look forward to doing one day as well.  A great way to nourish your creative, artsy side, whether you think you have one or not ;).  I hadn’t sketched since I was a kid taking art classes myself, so I didn’t know what to expect– but I really loved the experience and definitely plan to go often.  Also, the day I went, there was also a string quartet giving a (free, again!) concert in the downstairs auditorium, so it made a very nice afternoon to be able to enjoy the music and then the art.

HOW:  Couldn’t be easier–  just check the Morris’s calendar of events to find out when they are having a Sunday sketch, and go!  There is a sign-in sheet when you get there, but you don’t need to call or reserve in advance at all.  Here is the website where you can find their calendars:

http://themorris.org/

Riverwalk Park

WHO:  Best for children ages 1-12.

WHAT:  A playground, picnic area, and marina complex located on Augusta’s downtown Riverwalk.

WHEN:  Open dawn to dusk.

WHERE:  Located at the 6th Street entrance to Riverwalk.

WHY WE LIKE IT:  The biggest reason we love the park is because it is right on the river, and has amazing views.  Something about watching the boats go by as the kids play makes me feel like I’m on a mini-vacation somewhere.  The play equipment is in good shape, and varied: multiple slides, a “ship” with a navigating wheel and climbable “stern”, monkey bars and other climbing structures.  It is a smaller playground, with just one large structure, which makes it easy to keep up with the kids.  To one side of the park is a picnic area with several tables, again with a view of the river, and just past the picnic area is a small marina.  Once the kids finish playing at the park, we often walk over to see the boats at the marina.  There is also a small gift store there that also carries snacks and ice cream, and the restrooms are in the same building.  One more bonus: there is a train trestle that crosses the river right over the marina– my four-year-old gets super-excited every time a train passes over us because you can really get an up-close view of it.  The only drawback to this park is that it could be better maintained and cleaned, especially the bathrooms.

HOW: There is free parking right on 6th Street by the entrance to the park, so it is super easy to get there and… PLAY!

Playground Area

 

Picnic Area

View of the train trestle

Marina

Saturday Market on the River

WHO:  Everyone!!

WHAT:  A large outdoor market with tons of vendors from the area.  The market area, which is closed to traffic and easy to stroll, is full of great stuff: fresh fruits, vegetables, milk and other offerings from local farms; plants and flowers; breads and other baked items (even funnel cake… yum!); handcrafted jewelry, pottery, and woodwork by local artisans; handmade children’s clothing and accessories; and more!

WHEN:  Saturdays through the end of October, 8am-2pm.

WHERE:  Downtown Augusta, on 8th St. at Riverwalk.

WHY WE LIKE IT:  So many reasons!  Aside from all the goodies for sale, there are balloons and balloon animals for the kids, as well as the 8th St. public splash fountain (featured in this blog’s banner, actually).  The last couple of times we have been to the market, there was a hula-hoop vendor and lots of people were demo-ing and trying the hoops, which my boys found entertaining.  And of course another big draw… it is a quick stroll down Riverwalk to reach the playground and marina at Riverwalk Park (see next post).  Between strolling the market and hitting the playground, our Saturday mornings are full!

HOW:  For more information on finding and exploring the Market, as well as how to become a sponsor or vendor, check out this website: http://www.myaugustadowntown.com/saturday_market.shtml

“Artrageous” Sundays at the Morris Museum of Art

WHO:  This event is for the entire family to enjoy!  Events and activities vary month-to-month, but most seem to appeal to a large age-range of kids, from toddlerhood on up.

WHAT:  A FREE afternoon of creative fun at the Morris Museum of Art.

WHEN:  Once a month at 2pm on Sundays.  The next one is this Sunday, July 10th!

WHERE:  The Morris Museum of Art is on the corner of 10th St. and Reynolds St. on the riverfront downtown.

WHY WE LIKE IT:  First of all, it’s FREE, even for non-members!  Also, the museum does a great job pairing an entertaining program with a related art craft to be completed by the children either outside or in their activity room immediately following the main program.  We attended the June Artrageous Sunday and a great time was had by all, little ones and adults alike.  The program was led by “Okefenokee Joe”, a wildlife enthusiast, herpetologist, and musician.  For over a half-hour, Joe entertained the kids with stories and original songs about the wildlife he has encountered and engaged with during his many years working at the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in the swampland of southern Georgia.  Following the storytelling and music, the kids all got to see various live snakes– venomous and non– indigenous to Georgia.  There was one moment of particular excitement, for kids and adults alike, when an antsy copperhead attempted to make his escape… fortunately, Okefenokee Joe is a seasoned and expert snake handler and quickly put the wayward snake back in his place.  The kids then got to complete two crafts– one in which they used molding “art noodles” to create sculptures of snakes and other swamp animals, and another in which they created a torn paper landscape.  Both crafts were ably led by enthusiastic and engaging museum staff.  All in all, we had a fantastic time and are looking forward to this Sunday’s event: a puppet show by the company “Planet Earth,Inc.” and a chance to decorate a flowerpot that comes complete with a live baby plant to take home.

HOW:  For more information on how to get there and their normal business hours and pricing, visit the Morris Museum of Art website: http://www.themorris.org/index.shtml.

BONUS… The Morris also has a great monthly program called “Toddler Time”… stay tuned for an upcoming post!

Okefenokee Joe

Craft: Torn paper landscape