Gather, Play, Learn, TWIRL!

I"ve always loved coffee, after all I am a true blue Seattlite, but in the last year my love of coffee has reached a whole new level. Maybe it's the lack of sleep, maybe it's the fact that 10 am is the new happy hour (for me anyways), or maybe it's because going to a coffee shop means meeting/playing with good pals and a change of environment for both Jackson and I (which is SO important for both our sanity).

Of course any Starbucks will do but there are a handful of local coffee shops that have really nailed the mom+baby equation, some of my favorites being the Sip n' Ship in Ballard and Serendipity in Magnolia. But now there's a new kid on the block, Twirl Cafe, and luckily it's in one of my favorite neighborhoods, upper Queen Anne.

Leave it to a busy mom to come up with the perfect solution to a handful of questions: how can I work and be a stay-at-home mommy, how can I build my mommy/friend network, where can I go where both my child and I can learn, eat, and enjoy, and even how can I reduce my coffee & croissant budget? The solution??? Opening her own cafe which offers "a creative play space and cafe, offering a unique learning environment for little ones, fun activities and classes, a comfortable gathering space, and a delicious cafe menu".

Twirl Cafe, opening soon, is the brain child of Becky, mother of 18 month old, Laura. From the buzz about Twirl it's sure to be a stylish and yummy haven for mommy & kids alike. In addition to just being a great place to meet friends and hang out awhile, Twirl is also offering a number of parenting workshops, table top discussion groups, and a bevvy of resources for any mom who wants to stay in the know.

Kudos to you Becky, I applaud your entrepreneurial spirit, and can't wait for Twirl's grand opening! And while I can only imagine what delectable delights Becky has in store for Twirl's menu for some reason I can just see a selection of today's vintage modern treat of the moment, Whoopie Pies, sitting plump and delicious looking, in Twirl's bakery case.

Want to make your own Whoopie Pies? Believe me, you can do this, my foodie friend Marissa makes Whoopie Pies to die for and she swears they are super easy to make. Check out this recipe featured in this month's Seattle Child Magazine. . . . and maybe, just maybe, you'll see these bad boys at someones first birthday party :).

Graham Cracker Whoopies, one of the flavors that has the New York Times saying that Whoopie Pies might be the successor to the cupcake!