Zeno's Bar & Grill

Pull up a chair and pop open a Pacifico. It's time for Thirsty Thursday. Join us if you want, invite a friend, and/or come back next week when we'll have a new Special. This week’s theme: Preparing for Spring Break Vacations.

What was your favorite family trip?

Kelly: That is a hard one. This last trip to Palm Springs was great and so was our trip to San Francisco last year. I guess it is really any trip that doesn’t involve an overpaid mouse!

Melanie: We love going to Portland, and have done it many times. Even though my parents are moving, I expect we’ll do it a few more times. I love it up there. This year we have some more ambitious journeys planned, however. One is a train trip including the whole sleeping car experience. The other is a trip to…Italy. That one scares me a little, because of the long plane ride.

What’s your favorite way to pass the time in a plane, train, or automobile?

Kelly: It used to be nursing. I put off weaning several times because of an upcoming plane trip that I didn’t want to do without that little trick up my sleeve (er shirt). Now, it is Band-Aids. I get the fun kind with Spiderman or Hello Kitty and let the kids go town. By the time we get to our destination they look like they’ve been involved in some horrible accident, but the peace it creates is worth the looks.

Melanie: Stickers are definitely excellent. I always buy the mini Dover books that cost, like, a buck fifty. Each one has a themed set of stickers, mazes, “magic pencil” drawings, paper dolls etc. It takes one book per kid per hour to keep things under control. Plus, I have a mini DVD player that pretty much trumps everything when the situation starts to explode.


Tips for making a stay in a crowded hotel room tolerable?

Kelly: Well, if you don’t want to spend five hours in an emergency room and be scarred for life to get upgraded to a suite, then I would recommend finding a condo you can rent. Last year when we went to San Francisco, we rented a two bedroom flat with a full kitchen and great little deck. It was fantastic and the same price as a hotel!

Melanie: Let the kids build forts. We always give the closet (and sometimes more of the room) over to this activity. It makes it a little hard to find a place for our stuff, but the kids feel like they have their own space.