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The Anti-Pumpkin Patch Final Idea: Rockin’ Out in Costumes with The Jimmies

October 18, 2011

Something tells me I’m not the only one disenchanted with over-crowded pumpkin patches…so how about today’s totally fabulous anti-pumpkin patch idea, which includes another great give-away: Rock out – in costume – with popular kid-band, The Jimmies, at National Geographic on Saturday October 29! If you aren’t familiar with them, NYC-based The Jimmies are one of the most popular indie kid rock bands. They are a Parents Choice winner and named one of the top 20 Best Kids Albums of the Decade by AOL ParentDish.

So on Saturday Oct 29, wrestle your kids into their awesome Halloween costumes and head down to National Geographic to rock out with The Jimmies:

The Jimmies

HALLOWEEN FUN WITH THE JIMMIES
SATURDAY, OCT. 29
1 PM
TIX ADULTS: $16 / CHILDREN 12 & UNDER: $12
LIMITED-AVAILABILITY FAMILY 4-PACK: $40

Come dressed in your Halloween costume— maybe a lion, leopard, or tiger, to support NG’s BIG CATS INITIATIVE—and get ready to rock’n’roll.

Also really noteworthy, National Geographic is asking kids to “Cause an Uproar” this Halloween and join their fundraising efforts for Big Cats when they go trick-or-treating. So for any true animal lovers out there or kids with an early commitment to important issues, you can download the Trick or Treat info and encourage kids to ask for some spare change while they collect goodies on Halloween. I know I have one serious animal lover in my house who is bound to want to participate in this program.

Give-away Alert: National Geographic is offering a family 4-pack of tickets for this event! “Like” the Wired Momma Facebook page and send me an email at monica.sakala@gmail.com by Sunday October 23. I will announce the winner on Monday October 24!

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DC Events with Kids

Pumpkin Patch True Confessions

October 14, 2011

I’ve made a sport out of being the anti-patch gal this month but the truth is, even I know that fun can be found at pumpkin patches in our area. And in the spirit of true confessions, I have visited pumpkin patches this year and I’ve even enjoyed myself. But there are rules to pumpkin patch visits, just like Fight Club.

The first rule of Pumpkin Patch Fight Club – go early. This is particularly true if you, like moi, cannot stand crowded events and obnoxious parents who treat the event like a babysitter. My patience is running on empty these days so in order to avoid an inappropriate altercation that makes everyone uncomfortable (I particularly cannot stand the unattended MoonBounce at Butler’s Orchard and the parents who let their kids stay in the MoonBounce for an eternity while the line grows longer and longer of line-weary toddlers), I prefer to arrive at the patch precisely when they open and get out before noon, when the crowd really starts swelling. The ideal day for this outing is Sunday because so many people are at Church on Sunday morning, so I beat the crowds by going then.

The second rule of Pumpkin Patch Fight Club – pack your patience. If your kids are anything like mine, just because you have them dressed up in

They were sort of cooperating

Halloween themed outfits and can stage the perfect autumnal photo op for the holiday cards, photo albums or Grandparent gifts, doesn’t mean the kid cares about your efforts or will smile, let alone both look at the camera at the same time. Know this going into it and it makes it slightly more bearable. Or just give up and don’t even attempt it.

The third rule of Pumpkin Patch Fight club – snacks. By 9:45am on our pumpkin patch outing, after enduring countless queries for a snack, despite my lectures that if they’d just eat their breakfast, they wouldn’t be hungry for snack, my husband turns to me and says “Maybe next time we just take them to 7-11.” Amen brother. Maybe.

So what patches do I frequent?

This year we visited Larriland in Woodbine, MD for the first time and absolutely loved it. My husband said “I will not go to Butlers again but I will go to a place called Larriland.” And off we went. Just over the border into Howard County, and well worth the trek, Larriland offers a less commercialized and more authentic pumpkin patch experience than the larger (and more expensive) productions in our area like Butlers or Cox. The flip side is I would venture to guess Larriland is less appealing to older kids seeking more adventure and options. My girls loved the 20 minute hayride through the “Spooky Forest” complete with historical figures with pumpkin heads on the approach to the forest, and fictional characters ranging from the crew from Winnie the Pooh to Harry Potter to Shrek, throughout the forest. At 3.95 a person (be sure to purchase your hayride tickets in the red barn before heading down for the hayride), it was definitely worth the price. Also, unlike many other area patches, they continuously run the hayrides at Larriland so I never noticed the line swelling while we were there. The “Boo Barn” was also cute for the very little ones, albeit a short experience at $2 a ticket for the kids. The maze was a real highlight for us, my younger one loved chasing her older sister and it was a great workout for me trying to keep up with where they were turning. They also offer an array of fruits and vegetables to pick at Larriland through the summer and fall, so I will likely head up there next summer.

Speaking of picking fruit, I do love apple picking. And every fall we take the girls to Homestead Farms in Poolesville, MD to pick 30lbs of apples that we really don’t need. A few years ago, on our first trip to Homestead, we naively showed up late morning and had to mill about the parking lot, stalking families emptying their wheelbarrows, in order to score a wheelbarrow for our own picking. It was that experience that profoundly altered my entire approach to “fall fun” in Washington DC. Somehow having to loiter in a parking lot for a wheelbarrow felt so contrarian to the images of farms and orchard picking I’d conjured up in my head before arriving.

Since then, I only head to Homestead right when it opens. My girls especially love apple picking because the trees are so low and it’s easy even for an 18 month old to grab apples off a tree. Of course you can also go on a hayride at Homestead and pick a pumpkin in the patch, or just scoop one up in the shop when you’re paying for your freshly picked apples. Although Homestead has many more farm animals than Larriland, they don’t have the themed events like the maze or haunted barn.

Final Pumpkin Patch Fight Club Rule - Never leave home without your manny

And all of this brings me to the final rule of fight club, try to avoid heading to the patch without your manny, especially when heading to one of these patches with a group of friends. If you’d like time to chat, be sure to bring them, and if your manny is out of town for the weekend, well then you can just rely on the other friend’s manny. It’s possible I was quite busy running my mouth with the sister wives on this particular apple picking adventure.

Happy pumpkin patch going, friends. Don’t forget the rules of fight club. Would love to hear your fav pumpkin patch spots in the area!

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DC Events with Kids

The Anti-Pumpkin Patch Idea Guide & Fabulous Give-Away!

October 10, 2011

Sometimes I wonder if it seems to others like my children are being raised by wolves. Why do I wonder this, you ask? Well, it’s hard not too when the subject of the etiquette teas with the famous Mrs. B come up randomly in conversations with other mothers, without prompting them, and with a variety of women. The truth is, however, that I’ve always heard such great things about Mrs. B’s teas that I’ve been meaning to try one out, regardless of my kids’ need for cotillion prep, or not. So imagine my surprise and delight when I heard from the elegant Grille at Morrison House in Alexandria that they are continuting their monthly Saturday children’s teas and the next three are fall/winter themes featuring Mrs B.

Enjoying Tea with Mrs. B. Photo Credit: Beth Blinstrub Photography

How does this fit into the Anti-Pumpkin Patch Idea Guide, you wonder, and where’s the give-away, you greedily ask? The first tea, this Saturday October 15, is Halloween themed and you’ll have to read all the way to the end to learn about the fabulous give-away chance. Here are the details about the teas, which I haven’t yet had a chance to try, but between the yummy food, fabulous chance for kids to dress up in theme (I am a sucker for a good theme) and the creative activities and story-time, I will definitely make the rare beltway trek from Silver Spring to Alexandria to enjoy this with my girls!

What: The Grille at Morrison House’s popular Story Time Tea program will continue this fall with a new and exciting addition, Rebecca Czarniecki, better known as Mrs. B. Mrs. B has taught and offered guidance to children in everyday etiquette and manners since 2006, incorporating these lessons into fun activities and tea time celebrations. Mrs. B has planned the next three months of Story Time Tea to feature educational themes composed of activities, dress-up, and books along with underlying etiquette lessons. While Story Time Tea with Mrs. B takes place once a month, The Grille also offers Royal Tea ($44), Traditional Tea ($38), and Children’s Tea ($28) each Saturday from 2 p.m. – 5 p.m. See below for further details on upcoming Story Time Teas, which are tied to seasonal themes throughout the fall:

October 15: “Spooky” Tea (WM Sidebar: anti-pumpkin patch idea here)
o Dress-up: Black and orange, spider webs or come in your own costume
o Reading: “On a Windy Night” by Nancy Raines Day

November 19: “Giving Thanks” Tea (WM sidebar: chance to brush up on your kids’ etiquette before the family meal-event of the year)
o Dress-up: Antique aprons
o Reading: “Thanks for Thanksgiving” by Julie Marks

December 17: “A Very Merry Christmas Tea” (WM sidebar: we will be sick of visiting with Santa by this date)
o   Dress-up: Furs and shawls
o   Reading: “A Very Marley Christmas” by John Grogan

Kids are invited to dress-up in the suggested attire and Mrs. B will provide additional props and all activity materials (WM sidebar: they had me at dress-up mixed with food).

Menu:
The culinary team at The Grille creates grown-up tea fare to include: House-Made Scones and Biscuits with Devonshire Cream and Jams, Cucumber and Tomato on Brioche with Chive Cream Cheese, Curried Chicken Salad on Wheat Bread, Smoked Salmon with Chive Créme Fraîche on Marble Rye, Crab Salad Profiteroles, Silver Tray Sweet Display, Mighty Leaf Organic and Herbal Teas.

The Children’s Tea includes a Pot of Hot Chocolate, Ham & Cheese, Peanut Butter & Jelly and Egg Salad Sandwiches, Scones and Biscuits with Jams, and a Sweets Plate.

For the weekly Saturday Tea, guests have the option of the Royal Tea ($44) which includes a Morrison House Champagne Cocktail, House-Made Scones and Biscuits with Devonshire Cream and Jams, Cucumber and Tomato on Brioche with Chive Cream Cheese, Curried Chicken Salad on Wheat Bread, Smoked Salmon with Chive Créme Fraîche on Marble Rye, Crab Salad Profiteroles, Silver Tray Sweet Display, Mighty Leaf Organic and Herbal Teas; Traditional Tea ($38) House Made Scones and Biscuits with Devonshire Cream and Jams
Cucumber and Tomato on Brioche with Chive Cream Cheese, Curried Chicken Salad on Wheat Bread, Smoked Salmon with Chive Créme Fraîche on Marble Rye, Silver Tray Sweet Display, Mighty Leaf Organic and Herbal Teas and the Children’s Tea, for which the menu is the same.

When: Story Time Tea typically takes place on the third Saturday of every month at 2:00 p.m.
The schedule for the tea is as follows:
·         2:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m.: Dress up/tea table craft
·         2:30 p.m.-2:40 p.m.: Book reading
·         2:40 p.m.-3:00 p.m.: Craft (20 minutes)
·         3:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.: Tea time

Reservation Details: Reservations are required. The cost for the tea is $38 for adults and $28 for children. To book, guests can call 703-838-8000 or email storytime@morrisonhouse.com.

Where: 116 S. Alfred Street, Alexandria, VA 22314. TEL: 703-838-8000 www.thegrillealexandria.com or www.facebook.com/TheGrilleRestaurant

Give-Away Alert: So about that give-away, all you greedy friends want to know….the Grille at Morrison House is generously offering free admission to one adult and one child to one of the upcoming 3 teas. They realize that we all have really busy schedules, especially this time of year, so the winner can pick which of the three dates works best for his/her schedule. In the event that someone wants to go to this Saturday’s Halloween themed tea (and I applaud you for avoiding pumpkin patches if you do), then you better hurry up and enroll in this give-away immediately because I will announce the winner on Wednesday Oct 12. How do you win? Just “Like” the ever-riveting and always-ground-breaking Wired Momma FB page or subscribe to my RSS feed and then send me an email at monica.sakala@gmail.com. And stay tuned on Wednesday for the announcement of the winner of the give-away.

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DC Events with Kids

The Anti Pumpkin Patch Idea Guide: A Tale of 2 Pirate Ships

October 3, 2011

As you know, I am dedicating this month to bringing you ideas that fit the theme of the fall harvest and Halloween but aren’t necessarily about Pumpkin Patches. I am flirting with becoming the Scrooge of the Pumpkin Patch. And I am okay with that. Today I bring you the Great Tale of 2 Pirate Ships of October 2011. A close friend made plans with me to take our kids on “the pirate ship” together. We started making these plans weeks ago. In fact, we were originally supposed to set sail a week ago Sunday but the weather seemed iffy so we both called “the pirate ship” and rescheduled our departure time to Sunday October 2 at 9:30am. We were psyched to experience “the pirate ship” together. So bright and early yesterday we bundled up the kids, sent each other a few witty emails and headed off to “the pirate ship.”

Me, husband and children arrived around 8:55am. The girls were given pirate tattoos, including one child who came away with a pink goatee. She made for a very ruthless looking pirate. My one agreeable child dressed up in the pirate clothes they offer the kids. My other less agreeable child refused all pirate wear but agreed to her designated pirate name and a mermaid tattoo. The clock kept ticking and I kept wondering what in the world was taking my friend so long to arrive. Frankly it was stressing me out.

Suddenly we were all boarding the boat, the boat was ready to leave and I’m scrambling to tell them that my friend and her children must be running late. They hold the boat for a few minutes. I send her some desperate emails. Boat departs. I am fretting over the high stakes drama she will be dealing with when her two kids realize they have missed “THE PIRATE BOAT.” The pirates on-board are riled up and excited to hunt for Treasure and find that scoundrel Pirate Pete who was lingering somewhere out in the Chesapeake Bay, circling Annapolis, when my phone rings.

“Is it possible we are on two different pirate boats?” asks the voice on the other end.

I look around. I see no other pirate boats. I ask her where she is.

“In Baltimore, at Urban Pirate,” she says.

“Ummm…..we are in Annapolis at Chesapeake Pirate.”

And so, when making plans with friends to take the kids to “the pirate boat,” remember that there are TWO options in our area and it’s best to specify where in Maryland you will be wreaking havoc on the waterways….

This hilarious mistake makes you, my dear reader, the winner because now you get not one but TWO pirate boat reviews. That gives you TWO chances to schedule an activity OTHER than suffering in an overcrowded pumpkin patch while still feeling like your children are getting a fabulous fall experience.

First up, Chesapeake Pirate in Annapolis, my pirate destination du jour. This was our second time taking the trip around the beautiful Bay with this group and we loved it just as much. Our youngest has a penchant for all things Pirate so it seemed obvious that the time was right to go again, and though the last time we went it was a warm sunny September day, we still loved it yesterday under the chilly gray skies.

The pirates found the treasure!

True, the views of the Bay Bridge weren’t as amazing as on a sunny day but sailing around the Chesapeake for an hour can never get old and is just good for the soul, in my opinion. Chesapeake Pirates employs a team of energetic, creative and silly actors to entertain the kids for the hour-long sail. Immediately upon arriving at their store, the kids are given their appointed pirate name, encouraged to put on a pirate vest, pick out a tatoo or face painting option and then are school in pirate-speak before boarding the ship.

Pirates preparing with vests and tattoos prior to departure

Once on board, they are taken through a variety of dramatic adventures, starting with the hunt for treasure and Pirate Pete and then impaling him with as much water as possible from the water cannons, all in the vein of locating the treasure. The kids are encouraged to move quickly around deck and the ages yesterday ranged from 2 through probably 10 or 11. The interactive element was definitely better suited for my oldest daughter because she could keep up with all the older kids and really interact with the actors. Our youngest, who will be 3 next month, had trouble moving as fast around the boat and seeing all the action – but it didn’t seem to bother her and we helped her. The final exercise involves pulling Grog from the bay and having a celebratory toast after all the kids take turns picking a hand-full of treasure from the chest they’ve robbed from Pirate Pete. Chesapeake Pirate runs six times a day, the first boat sails at 9:30am and the last boat departs at 5pm. Tickets are $19 for adults and $12 for children, kids under 3 are free. I also noticed that they have birthday party packages, which seems like a great idea for any young pirate lovers out there. The boat sails through the end of October and then will start up again in April.

Next up, Urban Pirate in Baltimore. I haven’t yet experienced this trip but definitely want to get there after hearing my friend’s report. The two trips do sound pretty similar. Here’s what she had to say: “The kids loved it – my daughter was VERY SERIOUS and had a SCOWL on her face as she shot her pirate water cannon at the oncoming pirate (Mad Dog Mike – he had treasure fever). We were at sea for an hour. Tattoos, attire, all the fixin’s (scars, mustaches) all applied before we left. Got to see aquarium and lots of other stuff from the water. The kids were involved – they had to do 4 things to become a pirate – dance, limbo, shoot the cannons, and one other thing – it was so fun. And they had a restroom with a place to change diapers. And it was clean. And I was grateful.”

Note – she has an 18 month old – so this is a critical point for anyone traveling to these boat trips with babies. Chesapeake Pirate also has a clean bathroom in their store but I did not notice a baby changing station. Tickets for Baltimore’s Urban Pirate are $20 for adults and kids and $10 for children under 3. Boats also depart 6 times a day, beginning at 9:30am and ending at 5:30pm. My friend thinks they also stop the boat tours at the end of October – I would just call to find out.

Bottom line: I think you can’t go wrong with either one….just make your reservations in advance, mateys. Oh, and specify WHICH pirate boat you are headed too before meeting your friends and their kids….#fail.

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