Archive for the ‘Places to check out’ Category
Published by
Jana on
February 12, 2009
I know the groundhog predicted 6 more weeks of winter, but the last 6 days have been absolutely gorgeous. A most welcome break from the the freezing temps of the last few months. Even though I know the weather gods are going to plunge us back into a deep freeze, I’ve enjoyed every moment I possibly could of the warmth. Probably why I have a very long to do list of all the things I’ve neglected over the past week…
Yesterday, my friend, Kim, along with her two boys, showed us a gorgeous trail in 1,800 acre Wissahickon Valley Park called Forbidden Drive. We found plentiful street parking by taking a left off of Henry Avenue onto Monestary Drive and then making an immediate right. While this wasn’t a the trail head, it provided us a short walk under the Henry Avenue bridge onto the trail.
We had intended to have a decent hike along the stoller-friendly Forbidden Drive to an area with easy access to the river. But once the boys saw the river, there was no turning back.
We ended up climbing over the fence (yes, it was allowed) and straight down to the river where the boys could throw rocks into the water.
One thing Kim and I both agreed on was that when taking kids for a hike, the purpose has to be for them to enjoy nature and exploring, not for you to get in your exercise for the day.
Kim is also up for being part of the children and nature club that I want to start here in Philly - I’m thinking of calling it “PSX Philly” - any thoughts? I think Kai and Taz had a lot more fun having other kids to play and explore with.
After Kim’s eldest had stepped in the icy water a few too many times, she decided to head home for naptime. My boys and I decided to stay on as we were so enjoying being out. We sat together on a big rock for a while, just watching the leaves float down the river.
On our way back up the trail, Kai and I started looking for pods, acorns, pine cones and other items that had fallen out of the trees to use to make little nature people out of for an art project (inspired by the upcoming Kids Grow Expo - I’ll write about that in a future post). It was great to have a treasure hunt - it really added to Kai’s enthusiasm and, as a result, we ended hiking the yellow/green trail for another hour or so. While not stroller-friendly, I had forgotten mine anyway, so with Taz in the front-carrier we did just fine. It was bike and horse accessible - I would love to get day on the mountain bike without the kids this spring… Anyway, I was amazed at Kai’s endurance - all due to his having a purpose to his hike. I was actually the one who insisted on turning around once Taz got overly fussy. He fell asleep in my arms on the way back to the car - not the most comfortable way to walk, but we made it back to the car.
As I’ve looked over the Friends of the Wissahickon website, I am so excited about all there is to do in the park, which is part of the Fairmount Park system. There are numerous trails, as well as volunteer activities and organized hikes. There is even an environmental center which offers tot classes. While the schedule currently on their website is from last fall, I am hoping to visit there soon and find out about the updated options. The more I learn about Philly’s outdoor offerings, the more I am amazed by how nature friendly this big city is. And the more excited I am about discovering all we can!
Published by
Jana on
February 7, 2009
The day finally arrived that I have been waiting for since arriving in Philadelphia - the Green Woods Charter School open house. As the name suggests, this amazing school is located in the woods - 340 acres of woods to be exact - and is connected to the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education. This is the school that I so dream of Kai being able to attend next year. And so do hundreds of other parents apparently as the room was jam packed - all there for their one chance to receive an application packet to vie for the 13 kindergarten spots that will be open in the fall. Luckily, the spaces are chosen by lottery, so each of us has a good a chance as the other. The extensive application is due the end of February, the lottery is held in April and we should know our status by May - I am so hoping and praying that we’ll be accepted!
If there was ever a school in Philly that I would want my children to attend - or even want to teach at myself - this is it. Green Woods has an incredible, nature based curriculum. The mission of the school is to:
“provide children in grades K through 8 with the opportunity to be active, knowledgeable and conscientious young investigators by fostering a keen understanding of the interrelatedness and interdependence of our local and global existence.”
That mission was apparent through every aspect of the school that we were exposed to - from the two hours the kids spend hiking each week to the worm farm in the kindergarten room. As the website states:
“Each and every day, Green Woods’ teaching team provides students with dynamic learning experiences that focus on the relationship between humans and the natural world. Our ponds, streams, forests, and fields act as the ideal “learning laboratory”; for exploration and discovery, while our partnership with the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education enhances the award-winning curriculum created and delivered by our passionate staff. Share the Green Woods experience through the eyes of our special kids.”
So, we’ll see what happens…
Earlier in the day, I took the boys to the Schuylkill (a word I still avoid attempting to say out loud) Center so I would know exactly where we were headed to that night. While the discovery center was filled with enticing, informative displays. While we were there, the current kindergarten class even came in for a lesson - I was thrilled to see that the center plays such a role in the daily curriculum of the students. Still, not wanting to get in the way of the class, it was a prime time to take off on a hike.
We hiked along portions of the grey fox loop, widener and woodcock trails and sat for a while in the Founder’s Grove for a picnic. They were out of trail maps in the center, so it wasn’t until looking at the website that I realized we weren’t actually supposed to eat on the trails - oops - but at least we did out best to ensure we didn’t leave any crumbs behind. There was still snow on the ground, so the walk was quite muddy and Kai had a great time crunching in the icy puddles. I was happy that he was entertained and created his own games to play as we walked along. We found a bird blind and I tried to encourage the boys to look quietly through the holes to watch the birds feed. Kai is getting used to an inside voice, but he just doesn’t get the need to be quiet outside - we’re working on it…
It made me think though about a story I had heard the week before at a women’s conference. Keala Sikahema, wife of Vai Sikahema, shared about a time when her husband was trying to teach their sons to use the riding lawn mower to make their lawn look as nice as their neighbhor’s perfectly manicured lawn. During a visit of Keala’s father, the boys were receiving one of the frequent lectures. Her father told Vai to “remember you are raising boys and growing men”. After that, Vai gave up on the lectures and soon the boys, as they continued to practice, did a fine job of mowing the lawn. I have been reminded of that story as I hiked with my boys, as well as we put away toys this week and flipped pancakes together. There is no need for perfection, we are just teaching our sons one step at a time. I can’t expect my boys to be expert hikers or have an innate respect for the birds, but I can share my love for nature with them during our leisurely nature walks - knowing that they will grow up to be men who have an appreciation - and, I hope, a passion - for the world around them.
Published by
Jana on
February 1, 2009
The boys and I finally made our first solo expedition out of Philly. While It should have been a straight shot down route 1 to Media, PA, I’ve found that google maps and Philadelphia streets don’t seem to get along, so it took quite a bit longer as it sent us down Girard Avenue through a few neighborhoods that I would rather not get lost in… But we got there.
Our destination was the Tyler Arboretum - a fantastic nature center just about 1/2 hour (or an hour if you have my directional skills) south of the city. My friend, Kay, saw an ad for a kids nature class in a local parenting newspaper and thought we might be interested - I’m glad Kay knows me so well already. So, off we went…
The class we attended was geared specifically to 4-5 year olds, referred to as tiny trackers. Classes for older kids are called junior naturalists and for younger, teeny tiny trackers. For just $8 ($6 if you’re a member of the arboretum), Kai had an hour and a half class on the wonders of winter including a story, an explorative walk and a craft project. Each month, they have different classes for each age group.
While I had been looking forward to seeing what the class was all about, when the teacher said that parents could leave, I grabbed Taz and got out of there before she could change her mind. Because, with 20 miles of hiking trails, I was hyped to have a chance to get a good hike in - with just a sleeping bundle in the front carrier and some time on my own to reflect. It was a chilly day, but I made sure Taz was rugged up and I quickly warmed up while walking. I took the yellow trail - it was just under two miles so allowed me enough time in the woods without making late to pick up Kai after class.
In addition to the hiking trails, there was a pond, gardens and even a reproduction of Thoreau’s cabin that I sat in for a while just staring out at the pond.
Unfortunately though, while trying to take off my gloves to check the trail map, my camera fell to the ground and I thought it was broken. Turned out it wasn’t, thus the one photo of the front of the arboretum that I took while trying one last time to fix the camera before we left - obviously, success.
Anyway, I’m hoping our next trip down to the arboretum will be for the pancake breakfast & maple sugaring celebration - time in nature to make me happy, all you can eat pancakes to make my boys happy - I’d say it’s a win, win situation.
Published by
Jana on
September 7, 2008
So, now that I’m up in Maryland full-time, I can focus on exploring one place - or at least one state and a district. It never ceases to amaze me how much there is to do in the area. One of my favorite finds of the summer has been the Rockville Town Center, which we stumbled upon one day while looking for a library. I guess it’s similar to the way a town square would have been back in the day - an open area surrounded by shops, restaurants, apartments. And of course the square is the best part - a splash fountain,
an arts center, evening summer concerts,
outdoor movies, mommy and kid days, etc. They do turn the fountain off for the concerts, but the lights turn all sorts of colors that the kids dance on while the music is playing (and it comes on again after the concert - Kai had a heyday in his underwear splashing in the fountain one Thursday night - he tried to talk me into letting him go without undies, but I had to draw the line somewhere).
Maybe it’s just because it’s the first summer, but they also have lots of promotions and special events on like kids eat free on Tuesday and a jazz festival. Of course, it helps that parking is plentiful and cheap ($1/hour - and free after 7 pm and on weekends) - so it makes it very accessible by car (and metro). As it’s not far from us and a place we can get a lot done at once (like the library, a play in the fountain, errands) we’ve taken total advantage of it since we found it. It’s just lovely being out on summer evenings with your neighbors. It’s how I imagine neighborhoods used to be.
Published by
Jana on
August 10, 2008
Bring! Bring! (Actually imagine the loud rock music that is my cell phone ring)
Hello.
Hi Mommy.
Hi Buddy.
Will you bring me a surprise from work today?
If I brought you a surprise every day, it wouldn’t be a surprise.
Well, one day you can bring me a toy surprise, the next day you can bring me a food surprise.
I don’t work near a toy store.
Just drive to one after work.
But I’d rather come home and be with you.
If you don’t bring me a surprise, I’ll feel left out.
How about a donut?
One with sprinkles this time.
Okay buddy, I love you.
Love you too, Mommy.
Oh the guilt of being a working mom. I’ve worked 9 whole days… how did I do this full-time just 11 weeks after Kai was born - thankfully he doesn’t remember that or he’d have been working his guilt trip magic for years now.
So, to spend some quality time with my kids on a day off last week, I decided it was time for an adventure. I was thinking more along the lines of exploring the Bethesda Trolley Trail right outside out front door, but Kai waned to check out the Rockville Civic Center Park which he’d seen me looking at on line - mainly, the climbing wall - though, never having been there, we didn’t know if it was a kid-friendly wall or not. So, packed up, made it to the car and then… sat in traffic… for ages. Finally got passed by an ambulance and decided to call it quits. Luckily, we were right near Trader Joe’s and, cliche or not, I love Trader Joe’s - it’s one of the few things that I’m happy to have back in my US life since leaving Australia. So, it wasn’t a total bust - for me at least - but I had a disappointed 4-year-old.
Not all exploring expiditions pan out.
Published by
Jana on
August 6, 2008
Over the weekend, Kaleo, good guy that he is, busied himself working on some bedroom furniture - not anything custom - just helping out the in-laws (his, not mine). So, under the guise of getting the kids (and mother-in-law) out of the way, I had the excuse to head out on a bit of an adventure. I’ve been wanting to check out the Discovery Creek Children’s Museum at Glen Echo Park for a while, but as they’re only open on the weekend (weekdays are dedicated to special programs, summer camps, etc.) and we’re usually in Virginia, I haven’t had the chance. So, I was glad to finally be able to - and was thrilled to find it was only about 10 minutes from the Maryland condo - and about 5 minutes off the beltway on the Maryland side of the American Legion Bridge along the Clara Barton Parkway - very accessible!
Glen Echo Park itself was a huge surprise - I imagined a wilderness sort of park, but it was actually an art sort of park. As described on the website:
“GLEN ECHO PARK is a magical place situated on the Potomac palisades near Bethesda, Maryland. Originally a Chautauqua retreat, then an amusement park, this National Park is now host to a variety of arts, environmental and history programs.
Take a class in pottery, painting, photography, or glass art. Enjoy a puppet show or theater performance with your family and ride the carousel. Dance in our exquisite ballroom or refine your steps in one of our dance classes. Learn more about the environment while you play, or take a ranger-guided historic tour. It’s all here at the Park.”
So, with all that, there’s heaps to do - one of the best parts was feeling like we’d gone back in time. All of the buildings were in the art deco style and I felt like we were walking through the 1920s and 30s. We poked around and saw the old ballroom, bumper car pavillion and where the Tunnel of Love used to be. The carousel was circa 1921 and had an old player organ on the side. Taz was very curious about why we kept going around in circles, but Kai loved every minute. There’s a great playground there that Kai checked out, but the signboard and accompanying photo informed us that it used to be a public pool and beach back in the 30s. So much of it reminded me of the Cataract Gorge in Launceston, Tasmania - public pool, grassy field, cafes, art exhibits… of course nothing can compare to the Gorge, but it was nice to be reminded of it. Where the old amusement park stood, there are now permanent yurts that house pottery, calligraphy and glass studios - you can take classes or just browse the shops.
Beyond the carousel and playground, there’s plenty for kids to do - there’s the Adventure Theater, which is geared total towards kids, and a puppet company.
And, of course, the Discovery Creek Children’s Museum, which is in the whole reason we were there in the first place. The museum is found inside an overgrown garden (I did hear word that it used to be an awesome children’s garden, but due to funding issues, it’s gone a bit downhill). The museum has a $5 entry fee - babies are free, adults are not. While it’s small, there’s still lots to explore and everything is focused on nature. Kai and I crawled through the tunnels and even took Taz down the slide which winds through the inside of a (fake) tree.
We met the local box turtle…
(Kai wouldn’t touch it - but Taz couldn’t get enough - I’m sure he would have happily put it straight in his mouth) and checked out the hands-on science area.
We even went on a nature walk led by a museum staffer.
It was short, but interesting - pointing out poison ivy (leaves of three, let it be)…
and letting us hold a worm. The best part was climbing over the rocks and splashing in the creek (safe to play in, not to drink as we were informed).
I think Kai had the most fun on the climbing wall - while he’s still getting the hang of going up, he loves the coming down.
And Matt, the climbing guide, was more than patient with his numerous attempts.
From my perspective, the best part was meeting a couple of other like-minded parents. The aforementioned Matt, a parent as well as a climbing guide, runs an outdoor education program for kids in the D.C. area. His organization, Outdoors with Friends, takes kids around the local national parks to explore, learn about the ecosystem and rock climb, of course. He offers private and group programs at very reasonable rates - and even offers free classes periodically when he’s trying out new programs. So, I’m hoping to check a program or two out and will be sure to let you know how it goes.
The other like-minded parent, who was also at the climbing wall, was Molly Teas, who has a company which designs residential children’s gardens - what a cool idea. Her website isn’t up and running quite yet, but I’ve provided the link for when it is. She had a good tip about hiking with kids that I thought I’d pass on - all national parks are required by law to have handicapped accessible hiking trails - so for that age between fitting in a backpack and being able to hike a long way, stick to the flat trails where you can bring a stroller along for when your child gets worn out. Good advice - I’m sure Kai would appreciate a stroller to just kick back in when he’s all tuckered out… we’ll see if I’m ever that thoughtful…
Published by
Jana on
July 28, 2008
Okay, so now that I’m working a bit - even if it’s short-term and very flexible - I have to try a bit harder to make sure my kids are spending plenty of time in the outdoors. The pool definitely helps. But we can’t be there all day everyday. The hidden gems I’ve found in Maryland are the Nature Centers - I’ve checked out two of them so far - Brookside and Meadowside. Located close to the centers of town, they make it easy to just nip away for a few hours and get some nature time.
I first checked out Brookside - it had a great, stroller-friendly path full of hands-on displays leading through the trees up to the nature center. There were benches to sit on to watch the wild birds who visited the feeding area. Once inside, there are numerous areas to check out from live amphibeans to a dress up area. But my favorite were the bees - they have a whole glass-enclosed beehive with a tunnel leading to the outside so you can see what those little guys are up to once they return from their galavanting. But the nature center is only the tip of the iceberg for Wheaton Regional Park, where the nature center is located - there’s Brookside botanical gardens (and you know how I love a good botanical garden) that has some fantastic kids programs that I want to check out. There are also hiking trails, a carousel, miniature train, horseback riding, ice skating and a playground or two thrown in for good measure. All this just about 15-20 minutes north of the beltway - there are just no excuses not to check out all the fun things to do! But it is a fairly big place, so I recommend starting with the map so you find just what you’re looking for.
And with that, I think I’ll save Meadowside for next time - now that I’m a working woman again, I actually have to keep decent hours…
Published by
Jana on
July 23, 2008
or at least business casual - as far as I’m concerned, the less nylons involved, the better… So, as I mentioned in my first dress up post, being able to stay under the radar is a thing of the past - out of the blue, I received an email from a two-job-ago boss asking if I was interested in part-time work. I loved the organization, I loved the boss - so, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to hear what they had to say. In order to be able to hear them, I left Kai with my mom and headed out on my own adventure into the city with Taz. Now, while my heart of hearts may be in the outdoors, I do get a thrill about being in the city and I loved walking by my old haunts in Dupont Circle - never done it with a stroller before (and of course the metro elevator was out and that’s an incredibly long escalator) but that just made it all the better as I introduced Taz to the neighborhood. Anyway, after meeting with Pact - to show off Taz and accept a short-term consultancy with my old division of HIV/AIDS grants management - I had to stop by the National Geographic Explorers Hall which is just a few short blocks away.
Just being in that building makes me want to go on an adventure - I have to admit I’ve always harbored a secret dream of working for National Geographic… It all started back in college when I was doing a field study in South Africa. I met a gorgeous photographer named Bruce van Rensburg who I imagined traveling the continent with - he would take photos while I would write accompanying articles… but, it wasn’t meant to be - the one day he was going to come out with me to the townships to take photos, it rained - grrr… Still, the old passion (for National Geographic, not for Bruce) comes alive while walking the halls of the museum… They had an amazing photographic exhibition on Chinese warrior monks (for a sneak preview, check, out the photographer’s website - absolutely fascinating - you can get lost in these photos), as well as a model display on the Chinese explorer, Zheng He. In addition to their photo exhibits, they have other free programs such as documentary previews on Tuesdays at noon and live music. And, just mark your calendars for the the Terra Cotta Warrior exhibition that is coming in November - I may never get to China, but it feels like China is coming to me this year. This exhibition is one of the few things at the museum that does require a purchased ticket, but hey, it’s cheaper than a trip to China. Not as much fun, but we won’t dwell on that.
And as I write, I am vowing that my consultancy pay will not be spent at the National Geographic store… They just have so many cool kids toys that encourage exploration. It’s all so tempting…
Published by
Jana on
July 14, 2008
I couldn’t wait to report on how great the Wolftrap Children’s Theatre in the Woods was - but I’ll have to save my judgment because my excitement has been replaced with bitterness… Having rushed the kids out of the house so I could race the hour’s drive to Annie’s house where we all jumped into a borrowed minivan (Annie and I have both vowed to never own a minivan, but we couldn’t deny that this thing was loaded), we drove another 45 minutes to Wolftrap for a children’s concert. We’d been looking forward to this for weeks and we had the boys hyped up for a fun adventure. Sure, we knew the sky looked a bit gray, but we were well prepared with blankets and rain boots. Well, I guess the powers that be at Wolftrap weren’t so gung ho about the whole theatre in the rain thing because as we pulled up, Ranger Chris (a park ranger, not the power ranger the boys asked if he was) told us it had been CANCELED due to potential bad weather. It wasn’t raining, drizzling, windy, nothing - but the potential was enough to ruin our fun…
However, we didn’t let that stop us and decided to explore the park as Wolftrap is a National Park and you know how I love those.
We walked to the Children’s Theatre stage and had our own little performance - with no drops of rain… I couldn’t resist taking a little hike up the path behind the seating area - even as I’m currently reading the Twilight series and thoughts of vampires scurrying through the woods raged in my head - I just had to know where the path headed.
Turns out, right into a neighborhood - how great would that be to just walk out your door, picnic in hand, and head to a concert at Wolftrap.
After our play on stage, we did a bit of bushwalking and riverdancing - the boys pretended to be the trolls under a bridge and got water inside their rain boots, instead of having the rain boots protect them from the water. Annie and I are all for that and couldn’t resist getting in on it all.
We were lucky to catch a Junior Ranger day at the park (which didn’t get canceled even though it was drizzling by now - go figure).The boys each got a booklet and were able to go on a treasure hunt to search for landmarks with stamps to put in their booklets. There were also activities - such as music or wilderness training - at most of the landmarks. So, while Annie and I were disappointed, the boys had just as much fun with our spur of the moment activities. As my mom would have said, it was a serendipity day after all. And we definitely want to try out the Children’s Theatre in the future - great outdoor venue and only $5 a ticket with free parking - such a deal.
Published by
Jana on
July 7, 2008
on Capitol Hill. As some of you know, I worked in international affairs up until 48 hours before leaving Virginia on our way to Australia. Well, I’ve been trying to stay incognito since returning to the States, but those days are over. I admit though, I had a fabulous time accompanying my former boss to lunch in the House of Representatives Dining Room with the Ambassador of Malaysia. I have to say I definitely prefer my time with my kids, but it was an enjoyable diversion - even if I felt so out of practice as my days now consist of conversing with toddlers, not dignataries.
And it was a pleasure to walk the halls of the Capital again. There are so many things I love about D.C. and the Capitol is one of them - it is an amazingly ornate building with such a magical quality about it.
I did feel a bit like Cinderella through it all - except whereas Cinderella lost her shoe, I ditched my 3-inch heels as soon as I could following the lunch. I slipped into the Botanical Gardens, which are nestled just below the Capitol, to change into my trusty reefs. This was my first visit to the Gardens, so I was glad for the excuse - they were certainly lovely, a true urban oasis, but still - a city block of botanical beauty can be nothing compared to the gardens I have explored and loved in other parts of the world - Geneva, Cape Town, Singapore, Christchurch, Hobart… Not that I’m an expert, but, much to Kaleo’s chagrin, the Botanical Garden is usually the first place I want to check out when we visit a new place so I have explored my share. So, I have to say, ours are nice, but so planned - I like my gardens with a little more room to wander aimlessly.
Still, I was glad to see that they sponsor several family days that sound like they are worth checking out:
Anyway, I needed all the speed I could muster because while I wasn’t going to turn into a pumpkin, I was really pushing into the time Taz would be screaming for a feed. So, I rushed through the gardens and along the mall, trying to avoid the endless stream of summer tourists (one of the things I don’t like about D.C.) wearing “future president” and “FBI - Female Body Inspector” t-shirts… My Mom and Bill so kindly took the boys to the Smithsonian folklife festival, which had been rained out for a few hours, but I was able to meet up with them at a museum and enjoy the festival exhibits honoring Bhutan, once they resumed.
As always, it did not disappoint. Kai was in awe of the sword making exhibit and we met a lovely man who told Kai all about the ancient sword he owned and even let him try it on. So, a little nature, a little culture - all in all, my kind of day.
