excursions

Seeing the dead in a scientific light!

shellakers — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 13:11:13 -0800

Recently, we took my mom to see the amazing Body World display at the St. Louis Science Center. I'm not sure if anyone is familiar with this or not so I'll try to briefly explain. Body World is a traveling display of dead people who have (while living lol) agreed to be plastinized. Plastination is a process where a team of doctors inject the body with plastics in order to preserve in a scientific way. I'll have to admit, I was TOTALLY creeped out at the thought of seeing this. Once I was inside though, I became fascinated and awed! This is TOTALLY worth the money if it travels to your state. There is such a long line of people to get in to see this. I recommend making reservations at least a day in advance. After seeing the amazing display "Body Worlds" , the family was hungry so we went to eat on "The Hill" - The historic Italian settled district of St. Louis. We chose Mama Campisi's for some DELICIOUS Italian food. I orderd the tortelini which was filled with proschuto and cheese with a cream sauce. MOUTH WATERING! My 9 year old ordered her own pizza (and you can never go wrong with Mama's pizza), my 23 year old ordered chicken parmesan (again - delicious) and Mom got the chicken and broccoli pasta. The Ceaser's Salads are served with real anchovi's so if you're not into that, you might want to avoid the Ceaser's. The house salad is delicious though.

Great Time Exploring LA's Little Tokyo

anastasia — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 23:58:34 -0800

We live a stone's throw from LA -- just an hour or so north -- and yet we very rarely make it down there to play. However, not too long ago, we got a wild hair going and decided to have a family trip down to Little Tokyo. Turned out to be a fabulous idea. Once a huge, thriving community supporting over 30,000 Japanese American residents, "J-town" now only has about a 1,000 elderly folks actually living in its boundaries of approx. four city blocks. You can find a brief history here on Wikipedia before you visit, if you want an interesting peek at the area's background. It's a great way to spend a half day wandering around, both the Little Tokyo Mall that is the center of the district, or the outlying areas. We began at the mall, in search of food, and some kitchy stores to meander through. We weren't disappointed. One of my fave stores was the Hikosen Cara Appleseed store -- lots of great clothes for kids (and some for adults) with a quirky, Hello Kitty feel to them. They also had Hello Kitty character items, if you were needing some. We had an excellent meal at Sushi Teri -- splitting a huge noodle bowl and a lunchbox of fish/rice/salad/sushi etc. They quickly served us and attended to our little one's needs, even though they were busy. The high chair was functional (so many places the seatbelt is broken) and well-used. The sushi chefs were very friendly and kept playing peek-a-boo with our little girl. Our waitress was also very kind and helpful. We didn't get one, because we were too full, however, there was a Bubble Tea shop in the shopping area where you could pick up one of those fabulously sweet drinks with the big tapioca pearls in the bottom. Perfect kid fodder, if you're willing to deal with the sugar high. :) We did enjoy shopping at the Nijiya Market, and found some fabulous, unusual candies (man, it was one of those days) and a great deal on organic brown rice. Definitely worth a stop if you enjoy cooking/eating Japanese food, or are looking for something out of the ordinary to try. Once you wander outside of the mall, you can access high-end shopping at places like Coach, or stuff to please your teens at American Apparel. There are several shops that cater to pre-teen and teen tastes -- video and book stores that serve up anime and manga in large quantities, and a skate-shop that would soothe any skateboarder's soul. If you're going for a bit of cultural exposure and education for your kids, be sure to stop at the Japanese American National Museum and the "Go for Broke" Monument which memorializes the Japanese Americans who served in WWII (all while their families were being rounded up and forced into interment camps back home in the U.S.). Really good to share with kids of an age who can understand -- was a very profound visit for both of us to experience. Another activity you might enjoy with older children is the Geffen Contemporary museum. We didn't get a chance to give it a whirl, definitely on our "next time" list. Little Tokyo is well worth your time.

Holiday Inn Express Le Claire Family Fun Package

Ninahasoul — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 11:46:32 -0800

My family and I recently stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in Le Claire, Iowa. We purchased the Family Fun Package and it was a really great value. We all enjoyed the hotel and the activities that came with the package gave us the opportunity to spend some real quality time together. We stayed in one of their River View Mini Suites (the hotel is located right on the banks of the Mississippi River), it was really nice and the kids and their dad really enjoyed sitting out on the walk out patio watching the birds and boats go by. They had a complimentary hot continental breakfast and a complimentary USA Today was also provided, it was nice to be able to read the paper during breakfast. The kids really liked the hot cinnamon rolls. My husband used the workout room in the morning, while the kids and I enjoyed the hotel's indoor pool and whirlpool. The package provided us with 4 tickets to the Children's Museum in Bettendorf. The children really enjoyed Amazing Acres, where they were able to touch a 10 foot tornado. Their other favorite part of the museum was Rhythm Alley with its dancing lights and pinball music machine. The kids really enjoyed themselves and they are already asking when they can go back again. The package also provided us with a Large Pizza from Happy Joe's and a 2 liter of Coke. When we checked into the hotel, the kids wanted to go swimming right away, so we let them swim until they were exhausted and then ordered our pizza and had it delivered to the room. It was a lot of fun and we really enjoyed ourselves. The hotel was beautiful and very clean. The staff was extremely friendly and helpful. I would definitely recommend this package to other people, it was definitely worth it, and we intend on going back there again in the very near future.

Family Fun at the Okoboji Winter Games

PrairieCottage — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 10:52:29 -0800

Now in its 28th year, the mythical University of Okoboji hosts Iowa’s premier winter sporting event: the Okoboji Winter Games! January 26 -28, 2008, the Okoboji Winter Games will bring together participants to compete in events like the snowmobile poker run, broomball and minature golf on ice. PRE-REGISTRATION FOR THE GAMES IS REQUIRED. For updated & further information on events and activities, contact the Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce at the Okoboji Spirit Center, 243 West Broadway, PO Box 9, Arnolds Park, IA 51331 Phone 800-839-9987 or locally 712-332-2107 For luxury romantic lodging, in heart of all Winter Games activity, contact the Okoboji Country Inn. You can view their available rooms online at www.okobojicountryinn.com. For family lodging, just 10 minutes from all the activity, contact The Prairie Cottage. You can view their photos and availability online at: www.theprairiecottage.com

DuPage Children's Museum -- Truly Fabulous

anastasia — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 19:14:07 -0800

On a recent visit to the in-laws in Elgin, IL, my sister-in-law suggested that for once we get out of the house and explore a bit. Since we both have active toddlers, she had the perfect place for us to go -- the DuPage Children's Museum in Naperville. My bro-in-law warned us that it was a bit pricey -- $7.50 for anyone ages 1-59 -- which made it a fair amount for 4 adults and two kids, age 13 and 18 months. However, the Museum allows you to take your entry fees for the day and put it toward a yearly pass on that day -- which is typically $88 for a family, so that makes it a fair deal. They have a fairly complicated membership program that you can find on their web site. Membership is also tax deductible. That said...what a museum! Oh my goodness, what I wouldn't do to have a place like this near us at home. The number of areas to choose from on the two levels we explored were astounding. The museum's emphasis is around learning through freeform, cooperative and creative exploration and they provide fodder for these experiences in spades. Whether learning about the arts (my little one LOVED the music room), science (there was a fabulous area with shadows and light, not to mention the wind and water areas) or math, every possible sensory experience could be had by the end of the day. One thing I especially appreciated was the "young explorers" rooms that catered toward the under-2 set. Made exploring safe for my 13-month-old without the larger kids running about her. The water area (complete with bubble pans to play with) was a huge hit, and I was glad for the large waterproof smocks provided, though they didn't stop my daughter from managing to soak herself through. The water was very cold, too, so good to keep in mind when letting your kidlet splash in it for extended periods. My sis-in-law warned me about the wet, so I brought a full change of clothing for my baby. I highly recommend this. Some observances about how the whole museum is set up -- downstairs is much more active and noisy, with TONS of things to run to and from. My mom-in-law (a long-time teacher) said, "This place is wonderful, but if you weren't ADD when you entered it, you might be when you leave!" What we found was upstairs was much more calming, with lots of things to sit and do, less running around. They also provide storytime, and art projects all throughout the day; good for bringing down the energy a bit. There is a nice resource room for parents, complete with a private nursing area for mom and baby. DuPage is very involved in community outreach and offers what looks to be excellent school and community programs. If you have kids with any shred of curiosity, this place will satisfy it. Building, moving, rolling, whooshing, splashing, reading, clanging, dancing, lighting, drawing, pulling, pushing, jumping -- the list can go on and on. Upon leaving, my husband and I decided that it was totally worth the ticket price. The other nice thing is that the museum is just five minutes from the charming downtown Naperville which sports a healthy number of places to eat and wander through. We chose to eat at Cosi (upon recommendation), which was the perfect treat after a busy morning. Known for their sandwiches served on flatbread, the menu had plenty of offerings beyond sandwiches (although I opted for the Tandoori chicken sandwich and YUM, oh YUM.). Salads, pizzas, soups and hearth-baked dinners were also part of the fare. Though our wee ones were too small to order meals for themselves, I drooled over some of the options on the kids' menu: roasted turkey tender sandwich, tuna sandwich, gooey grilled cheese (my bro-in-law loves this one!), pizzas and a variety of drinks (including a Shirley Temple). Though we didn't indulge in desserts, the options were amazing -- S'mores, S'mores with oreos, cinnamon apple pie, creme brulee cheesecake -- just to name a few. In the summer, there is another place to score great dessert, according to our kind guides -- Cookie Dough Creations. Apparently, they make ice cream/raw cookie dough (sans raw egg) extravaganzas that should not be missed. A look on their web site can fill you in on the decadence! If we weren't experiencing freezing weather, it would have been lovely to wander around the old-town Naperville. Perhaps on the next trip.

Castlewood State Park & a bite to eat later

shellakers — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 20:22:23 -0800

It was a clear, warm and colorful autumn day today so my husband and I decided to take our 16 year old for cycling. This ended up being our answer to exercise, fresh air, fun and nature! The trails are highly maintained by the state park system. Not being much of a cyclist, myself, I appreciated the fact that there are scenic "novice" trails. There are also expert trails for the expert cyclist. We enjoyed sitting and relaxing by the river after we finished our trail. This is a wonderful park for families to visit, whether you'll want to spend the day backpacking or cycling, playing frisbee or just chilling at one of the picnic sights. After leaving Castlewood State Park, we grabbed a quick bite to eat at the Sonic Drive In at Gravois Bluffs in Fenton. Fas, friendly service and good greasy food!

A Self Guided Waking Tour of Historic Philadelphia

Maynah — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 12:59:50 -0800

We took our two girls, 2 and 4, on The Constitutional, a walking tour of historic Philadelphia. We explained to them that during our vacation, we would be doing some things for Mommy and Daddy, and some things for them and therefore no whinning would be allowed. Surprisingly, they liked the tour! It took us all day to complete it and we were all tired afterward! Wear comfortable shoes, bring snacks and drinks, and definately the stroller for little ones. The tour starts at the National Constitution Center, but we went to the Independence Visitor Center first so that we could get our tickets. Afterwards, we just followed the map and visisted every site. Along the way, there were things and people to keep the kids entertained that I believe where provided by Once Upon a Nation. They had people dressed like Colonial men and women, games and toys that colonial kids played with, and many other demontrations that were hands-on. It was a great learning experience for the girls and believe it or not, a year later, they still remember what they had learned from the tour. During the tour we stopped to eat lunch at The City Tavern. It was pricey, but the food was good and the service was wonderful.

Hawn State Park: Hiking, Playing then dinner...

shellakers — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 11:51:43 -0800

There are so many things to do in our area that there's really no reason at all to hear "I'm bored!". Last weekend we decided to cash in on some free adventure, exploring and activity. We packed up Grandma, the 4 girls and our little beagle, Dixie for a hike up the mountains at Hawn State Park in Ste. Genevieve Missouri. The fall colors were spectacular and we had so much fun enjoying nature and climbing rocks. Pickle Creek was spectacular too! This is a park that we'd definitely want to come back to in the spring or summer in order to backpack and camp in the designated camping areas. I think the water would be more enjoyable in the summer, as well. We like to go fishing and I can see that the creek would probably get deep enough to fish in after the rainy season. After hiking for about 4 miles, we relaxed back at the playground and watched the girls and Grandma play on the swingsets and monkey bars. Grandma had baked some homemade M&M cookies so we munched on them as we all sat around in the cool, fall breeze talking. I need to add that these hiking trails are maintained and range from novice to experienced. We met several serious backpackers, with all their professional gear coming back from their overnight stay in the hills. After leaving the park, we decided to go into the historic French town of Ste. Genevieve and have a late lunch at The Old Brick House. They have an awesome lunch buffet that's very affordable for a hungry family and the atmosphere was nice.

Central Market

austinkaty — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 15:47:21 -0700

We go here frequently with our toddler. There's a nice play area and there's changing stations in both men and women's bathrooms. Plenty of high chairs and no wait for a table. The food from the cafe is good and it's quick and they frequently have live music. So you can eat on the patio, buy a bottle of wine from the grocery store, and listen to live music while your kids play. Cheap and fun. There's also a quarter mile walking trail behind the grocery store. It's hard to find a more convenient place for Sunday brunch.

Enjoy the Ferry Ride to Bainbridge Island, WA

anastasia — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 22:28:59 -0700

On a recent trip to Seattle, we decided to take a day and go over to Bainbridge Island and wander around. I mean, ferry rides! Gorgeous views! Aimless wandering! What's not to like? We have a 10-month-old, and we traveled with friends who have a 9- and 7-year-old. We just squeaked in at the scheduled time to shove off, but the ferry ran a bit late, which wasn't fun for regular commuters, but happy for us. We also did the walk-on (parking is expensive, but ferrying your car over full of people is even more so), which saved us time. The ferry was very clean -- which made me happy since I felt ok letting our toddler walk around (at least indoors). The older kids were thrilled to find candy machines at their bidding, and we adults were pleasantly surprised to find that the food service was back up and running (with good food and drink offered, also). Outside was...invigorating! We did enjoy walking around the ferry, taking in the views, people-watching and being battered by the stiff wind. Definitely in any weather, should you take the ferry, bring jackets for the kidlets. Also, I saw people letting little ones walk outside by themselves -- I wouldn't recommend it. Not. Safe. Once you hit Bainbridge, there are loads of little shops to peruse, food places to enjoy and parks to explore in downtown Winslow. Many of the shops are not especially geared toward young ones, so be prepared to hold your kidlets, hold hands, or avoid at all costs. :) We simply hoofed it up and around the neighborhoods, finding a fabulous fudge shop (thank GOODNESS they also had kid-oriented candy, too) and an awesome, awesome new play structure not too far from the Eagle Harbor. We dined al fresco at one of the many restaurants in Eagle Harbor and then went on to more wandering. (Used to tourists, most places here are pretty kid-friendly -- though our restaurant didn't have a place in the teeny restrooms to change our baby, they offered us a counter nearby and suggested we change her there. The area was an out-of use bus-station. :D ) You definitely can spend an entire day exploring, then eating and relaxing and exploring again, all on foot, or by bike. A great way to wear out the whole family! The ferry schedule, plus links to boatloads (hee!) of good information (wait times, parking info, food info)can be found here. Fares are relatively reasonable for a daylong outing, find a sample here.