Kid friendly ratings, critiques, and praises.
November 10, 2011
I have always thought of myself as a city girl. New Orleans, Anchorage, New York City and Washington, DC rank at the top of my all-time favorites list. Yet when Dad and I headed to the American Southwest this summer, I discovered a new passion for wide-open spaces and tiny rural communities. Still, when we ...
November 7, 2011
“It looks like a rainbow that froze.” That was my daughter’s take on the Gateway Arch, otherwise known as the Gateway to the West, which stands as the centerpiece of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in St. Louis, Missouri. The Saint Louis Arch The arch is undoubtedly impressive, and its graceful form is the symbol ...
November 2, 2011
Little kids love Halloween…so what about Día de los Muertos, a family holiday in Mexico but not so much in the States. Conventionally, this celebration honoring the deceased happens in conjunction to All Saints’ Day on November first. This ancient holiday memorializes friends and family who’ve passed away through the use of colorful art, altars, ...
October 30, 2011
I love flowers. I can’t grow them myself – my thumb is more brown than green – and I can’t keep bouquets in the house or my cat will consume them. But I love to tour gardens, whether it’s the enclosed National Botanical Garden near the Nation’s Capitol or a tropical paradise on Maui. I’d ...
October 29, 2011
In 1974 farmers in China unearthed a stunning necropolis built for Qin Shihuangdi, China’s first emperor after its unification dating back to the early 200s BC. This mausoleum was guarded by an army of life-size warriors meant to defend the emperor in the afterlife. Thousands of terracotta figures of various ranks were found, ...
October 22, 2011
Okay, technically we’re talking about the Philadelphia Museum of Art, but my kids wanted to see this world class art institute initially because of its prominence in Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky movies. Yes, this is where Rocky jogged up those long, long steps and looked triumphantly out over the city. It’s also where a bronze statue ...
October 20, 2011
Just in time for Halloween, spinning webs that must be seen, they gather there just like a coven, knitting silk intricately woven… The splendid spooky spiders are back at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County! For a limited time (now through November 6), this special exhibit features a walk-through pavilion where spiders spin ...
October 18, 2011
Usually I come to you with tales of the great times we’ve had, or the cities and events I can recommend as a scenic stop or vacation destination families will enjoy. Sure, occasionally I unleash a diatribe against discount airlines, or a less than pristine hotel. But this is the first time in this arena ...
October 17, 2011
Golden Gate Park on a beautiful October day. Six stages. Alt-country, folk, rock, bluegrass, just plain eclectic music. Food stands with everything from pizza to raw vegan fare. Senior citizens in tie dye shirts. College students by the score. And lots and lots of – families. Families with small children, big children, babies, too. Yes, ...
October 15, 2011
Whether you’re visiting Los Angeles or a long time Southern California resident, your children will love experiencing some of the finest music in the world at the Hollywood Bowl. This outdoor concert venue is one of the best known attractions in greater Los Angeles, and it’s perfect for kids of all ages, and has a ...