Chadds Ford – Just Get in the Car https://justgetinthecar.com Local finds and family adventures Thu, 13 Feb 2020 17:42:28 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://justgetinthecar.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Untitled-design-4-75x75.png Chadds Ford – Just Get in the Car https://justgetinthecar.com 32 32 Family Fun in the Brandywine: Valentine’s Weekend 2020 https://justgetinthecar.com/family-fun-in-the-brandywine-valentines-weekend-2020/ https://justgetinthecar.com/family-fun-in-the-brandywine-valentines-weekend-2020/#respond Thu, 13 Feb 2020 17:42:19 +0000 https://justgetinthecar.com/?p=1024

Ah I can still remember it, one of our most romantic Valentine’s Day dinners to date (no). Shawn and I were sitting at our dining room table in our first home. Our small child was in the bathroom that was about two feet from the table. I’m not going to go much further than that except to say the words “can you smell that” were definitely uttered. Good times. I think that is when we realized that ‘Valentine’s Day’ was for the young, unmarried, childless people. I mean we still acknowledge it, but we’ve moved on from making it all about us as a couple (though when we DO make that happen, it’s lovely, don’t get me wrong). We’ve just accepted our current reality for the next 10-15 years.

Anyway, I’m getting away from my point- which is that there is still fun to be had, even with kids in tow.

And I want to be clear that this is not a post about kid centered activities, but rather, things to do that everyone can tolerate, and some may enjoy, at varying degrees and at different points throughout the day.

Although we are ‘thisclose’ to the city of brotherly love, we usually tend to avoid the traffic, congestion, and parking costs of the city and head in another direction for our entertainment. Lately, we have really been appreciating the Brandywine Valley and surrounding area.

In an attempt to come up with our own plan, I decided to share some of the things I’m thinking about for our day out this weekend in the Brandywine Valley.

If I had my way this would be our day:

Chadds Café + Store for a yummy scone and coffee. If it is a sunny and mild day, the outdoor seating is very inviting and kid friendly. The patio is great even if the weather is not cooperating.

Longwood Gardens for a walk around the conservatory. The children’s garden inside of the conservatory has recently been refurbished and it looks beautiful. Our kids always have a great time in that space. If the weather is cooperative, the kids can run around outside, check out the tree houses, and blow off some steam. The food at Longwood is very good, though not cheap. So if you are on a budget, I’d fill up at Chadds Café first. (Food is always forefront on my mind, and I find regularly feeding the children keeps them more agreeable and manageable as well).

On the way home I’d hit Chadds Ford Winery. Again, this is NOT FOR THE CHILDREN. It is OK to plan things that are not centered on the children, though there is also a big lawn here for them to do some more running around. This weekend in particular there are special wine and chocolate pairings, or the regular wine tastings are also available.

After some time at the winery, I’d stop at Newlin Grist Mill. If you make it there between 10a and 3p this Saturday, February 15, 2020, you can watch a demonstration on beer brewing. There is a mill (though not operating at the moment in preparation for repairs), walking trails, historical homes, and a visitor center. Plenty for the kids to see and do.

Finally, we may consider taking the kiddos to see a movie. They have been asking to see Dolittle, and we may oblige. It’s Valentine’s weekend after all. Someone should get treated to a night out.

-Kristin

]]> https://justgetinthecar.com/family-fun-in-the-brandywine-valentines-weekend-2020/feed/ 0 Getting to know Bri Brant, Chadds Ford Aficionado https://justgetinthecar.com/getting-to-know-bri-brant-chadds-ford-aficionado/ https://justgetinthecar.com/getting-to-know-bri-brant-chadds-ford-aficionado/#respond Wed, 12 Feb 2020 17:47:32 +0000 https://justgetinthecar.com/?p=1013

We are trying something new here at Just Get in the Car. It’s been so great checking out new places and meeting new people, we thought we’d give our readers the chance to learn more about them! First up is Bri Brant – a dynamic business owner and community member from Chaddsford, PA.

Tell our readers a little bit about yourself and what you do.

My name is Bri Brant – I’m a handbag designer / maker [Check out Bri’s craftsmanship at Arden + James]. Just by coincidence, our family loves to create meaningful community spaces so we are the owners of the Chadds Ford Barn Shops and Chadds Cafe. All separate businesses that happen to work very well together. 

Arden and James
Bri's Handiwork
Outside Chadds Cafe

What is your favorite thing about Chaddsford, PA? 

Chaddsford is a magical place that has always been true to itself – it’s people, history, landscape, it’s artists, it’s quirkiness…we are never trying to be something else. 

How would you spend the perfect day in Chaddsford?  Is there a hidden gem you want our readers to know about?

The Brandywine River Museum and Brandywine Conservancy surround the Barn Shops area. If you haven’t been- it’s what Chadds Ford is all about! 

What is your favorite thing to grab at the Chadds Café + Store?

[A] Blueberry lemon scone and a vanilla latte.

Latte
lemon blueberry scone

From Kristin: The Blueberry lemon scone is to die for! You must try it, and all the yummy offerings at Chadds Café + Store as soon as you can! Afterward, head over to Longwood Gardens for a beautiful afternoon in nature.

Thank you to Bri Brant for humoring us with our questions. Don’t hesitate to plan your afternoon at the Chadds Ford Barn Shops, where you can check out all of the unique shops, particularly Arden + James.

-Kristin

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