Maybe you've visited Uwajimaya. Or you might have seen a lion dance. But to find the real treasures of the International District, follow a Chinese mom. I've spent the past decade eating my way through the ID, half of that with a babe in tow. Let's chat about fun play areas for kids, free parking spots, the cleanest public bathrooms and of course, the best cheap eats. First, let's eat Jade Garden is the Holy Grail of Seattle dim sum, but I can't, ahem, stomach the crowd with hungry children. Duk Li was our favorite secret hole-in-the-wall. Word trickled out, business boomed and the dim sum restaurant expanded seven years ago into the space next door. Same brusque service, same 70 cent steamed BBQ pork buns. On our last visit, we sat next to a big group of students who happily complained about how stuffed they were. When it came time to split the bill, one of the girls whipped out her phone and divided the total: $5.30 apiece. You don't have to speak a word of Vietnamese to order at Seattle Deli – it's easy because everything's wrapped up and laying on the counter. All you have to do is point, and you can never go wrong because everything there is delicious. Here are some of my favorites: banh mi cha (sandwich with cold cuts, $3), bot chien (omelette with rice flour cakes, $3), fresh spring rolls ($2.75), banh bo (colorful rice sponge cakes, $2), banh cuon (wide noodles, $3) and flan ($1.75). Duk Li and Seattle Deli are good grab-and-go places. If you have the stamina for a more leisurely meal, try Maneki for Japanese, Green Leaf for Vietnamese and Henry's Taiwan for, well, Taiwanese. The rule of thumb if you are looking for a new lunch spot is to peek in at a mealtime. Is the restaurant full? Is it full of older, Asian women? That's how you know the food is very good and very cheap. Just for kids The Donnie Chin International Children's Park is a gem of a playground. Renovated in 2012, it includes a bronze dragon and other sculptures kids can climb, and a big play structure too. The trees at that park bloom in February, well before any other tree in town, so it's a nice place to visit when you are eager for spring. Just around the corner is the International District branch of the Seattle Public Library. We love its welcoming children's area, roomy and clean bathrooms and the fantastic Mandarin story time on Saturday afternoons. Visit on the third Saturday of the month, and pair story time with free admission and a family activity at the Wing Luke Museum. Shopping and parking All the Seattle guides direct you to Uwajimaya, but Uwajimaya is the Whole Foods of Asian grocery stores. Real Asian people shop there only when they don't have time to drive out to the 'burbs. But Uwajiaya is handy for the decent restrooms in its food court, and for validating two hours of parking with a $15 purchase. Pssst, there are also free 1- and 2-hour spots on South Lane Street next to the playground, and on 8th Avenue South outside the library. Directly across the street from Uwajimaya is Daiso, a Japanese chain where almost everything is $1.50. It won't set you back too much to let your kids pick out a tchotchke or two. Think stationery supplies, little ceramic bowls, household items decorated with funny faces to make life that much cuter. I like to buy kitchen sponges at Daiso, of all things, because they come in a 10-pack for $1.50. The ID isn't just the place you go for Lunar New Year. It's where you go any time you don't feel like cooking. Kids are expected and welcome everywhere, and prices are family budget-friendly. A note about safety: I only go during the day, and I avoid walking near King Street Station or under I-5. But really, use your common sense. Most places, you will only encounter grandparents and kids and plenty of culture condensed within a few city blocks. This last photo is from Chris! * This post ran on ParentMap here.

When my oldest was born, we lived in a condo overlooking Highway 99. The worse the gridlock, the better for examining all the cars outside our window. It's no wonder my son has loved cars since birth. We discovered America's Car Museum in Tacoma last fall, and have been regulars ever since. The museum has more than 300 vehicles on display, from classics to sport cars to just plain unusual (like the Flintmobile from the 1994 "Flintstones" movie). The collection is the legacy of Tacoma’s Harold LeMay, who made his money in the trash removal business and whose passion was for cars. The museum is intuitively laid out: gentle ramps wind down the four levels of exhibits. We fit right in with the crowd, which included a lot of older guys and little boys (I have at least one of each). Time your visit for the third Saturday of the month, when the museum puts on a family STEM day. The dedicated kids zone on the first floor has lots of activities even tots can play with. My boys love the pinewood derby car ramp, and the antique car they can climb in and pretend to drive. You can try the huge slot car race track ($3), and or for bigger kids, the racing simulator ($8). Don't miss the photo station, where you can hop into a 1923 Buick Touring car and get a free print to take home. We've collected a stack of these photos now, one for every visit, and my son's obsession with cars is still going strong. If you go: Admission is $18 for adults, children under six are free. Discounts for AAA, State Farm and Hagerty policy holders. Driving tip: Tacoma traffic and terrible signage makes Seattle look like a dream. Getting out of Tacoma, take 509, which runs parallel to I-5, until you get to Fife, to avoid the worst of it.

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Still can't get enough of cars? We've gone to a lot of car events over the years, and our favorite is the Greenwood car show, held every June. There are lots of classic cars to see up close, and the street vibe is very family-friendly. Balloons, fire helmets, public bathrooms – need I say more?

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If your house is like mine with Matchbox cars scattered everywhere, you will win Mom-of-the-Year with a visit to Pike Place Market's Minature Car Dealership. The tiny shop, located on the DownUnder Mezzanine, is packed floor to ceiling with metal die-cast vehicles. I asked Guillermo Huizar, who was running the store for his brother Jaime, how many cars are in the store's inventory. "No idea," he said. "One thousand? Two thousand? Three thousand? Kids' heaven." Some of the flashier cars are even featured on revolving displays, just like at fancy pants dealerships. It's hard to leave without an addition to your fleet at home.

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Here's one to skip: Touch-A-Truck. It looks so good on paper, but the event was a logistical nightmare. Shuttle buses from the packed parking lot, long lines in the hot sun, too many car lovers and too few cars. My husband and I looked at each other and agreed: No, thank you.

Family photo taken by my mom at our neighborhood park. The leaves are just starting to turn, and you can almost smell the freshly sharpened pencils in the air. That means it's time to take your annual holiday card family photo! No, I mean it. I'm guilty of planning our family picture months, if not seasons, in advance. I think of it as a bookmark in time. Someday, I'd like to look back and see my kids growing bigger every year while we parents (hopefully) remain unchanged. * This post ran on ParentMap here.

Portland is a 3-hour drive from Seattle, but with traffic it can easily be 5 or more. We'd talked and talked and talked about making the trip, and last weekend, we finally did it! It was Joseph's last weekend before kindergarten, so it was our last hurrah before buckling into the school schedule. Here's how we made it a frugal family getaway:

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The International Rose Test Garden is a perfect cheap date, or in our case, pit stop after a long drive. We arrived in Portland Friday afternoon, and Paul was starting to lose it in the car. We were all relieved to get out and stretch our legs. The garden is spectacularly beautiful and smells amazing. There are even nice public bathrooms and a children's playground. Cost: free

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The Pacific Science Center is convenient because it's just down the hill from our house, but it's got nothing on Portland's OMSI. That place was incredible. Joseph and Paul could have played in their kids' room all day. Paul was covered in glittery white sand when we pulled him out of there. Mom tip: the museum's "cafeteria" is actually an upscale dining room with yummy, affordable food. Cost: Free admission with a reciprocal Pacific Science Center membership. $25 for lunch for our family of four.

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Just outside OMSI, we caught a streetcar over Tilikum Crossing, a pedestrian/cyclist/transit vehicle-only bridge. It's just one stop across the Willamette River, and my kids loved the ride. Cost: $2 per adult for a 2.5 hour pass

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There's no gondola in Seattle, so I had to take our transportation-loving boys to try out Portland's Aerial Tram. What a view, what a city. Cost: $4.55 per adult

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One bite of Saburo's in my mouth and all my Portland dreams came true. Sushi that good means there's a long line but it's worth the wait. One friend generously stood in line for 45 minutes before the restaurant opened to snag a table for our party. Cost: I don't know! We were treated by friends. Saburo's sushi costs about the same as other sushi places, but their portions are twice as big. So either go in ordering less than you normally do, or stuff yourself silly and leave with a big take-out box.

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Other cost-savings:

• We crashed with friends, so our lodging was $0.
• I packed lots of fruit and snacks from our pantry, so our dining bill was minimal. Also, it's not like you're going to order fruit at a restaurant, and fruit is pretty much all my kids eat.

Clearly, the biggest savings is to be really nice to your Portland friends. Here's hoping we get invited back!