I was super excited when I heard that we have a new museum in town, especially one that is kid friendly. I think the museums we have in Chicago are amazing with really interesting and ever changing exhibits but it is always nice to see something new. The National Hellenic Museum in located in Greektown at 333 S. Halsted St. The museum building is a really cool, modern looking structure that completely differentiates it from the surrounding buildings.
The Museum is four stories high. The first floor is currently dedicated to a temporary exhibit called Gods, Myths, and Mortals, which is perfect for children even as young as mine. My daughters actually spent a lot of time going through the whole exhibit, which is very hands on. They were able to crawl through a Trojan horse, arm wrestle a Greek wrestler, put on dress up clothes, and, their very favorite, sing into a microphone karaoke style. Luckily, the museum was pretty much empty when we were there so they were able to sing their hearts out. I'm pretty sure at least one of them is destined for the stage. The girls had a really good time in this exhibit.
Unfortunately there is not much to the rest of the Museum, yet. The second floor is a preview to the permanent exhibit, In Search of Home. It is supposed to show the process of creating the permanent exhibit but mostly it looks like empty warehouse space with information on the walls giving some details of what will actually be there when the exhibit is finished. The third floor is the library, which I assume you would only use if you were doing research, and the fourth floor is a rooftop terrace. You can get a great view of downtown from the fourth floor and it would be a great location for a private party or event.
Admission into the museum is $10/adult and $7/child. I think this seems a little high given that the museum is only partially finished. I don't know if the price will go up when it is completed. I highly recommend the Gods, Myths, and Mortals exhibit but be prepared for that to be really the only thing that engages your child. Through the summer the museum will be offering a story hour on Saturday mornings and arts and crafts on Thursday mornings. The Museum is closed on Mondays. Metered street parking is available or there are several parking lots nearby that are relatively reasonable. The Museum is also located a block from the UIC-Halsted Blue Line stop. While you are there don't forget to sample some awesome Greek food in Greektown!
Monday, June 4, 2012
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Morton Arboretum
This past weekend, before the weather got really hot, we were able to go to the Morton Arboretum. It is located in Lisle, which is a bit of a drive for us so I was a little concerned that the Arboretum would be worth the trip, but it totally was. Now I wish it was closer so we could go more often! The bulk of the Arboretum is nature trails for hiking, jogging, or biking and would be awesome if you were without kids or had a small kid in a backpack or on the back of your bike, but if you are coming with your kids it's best to just do things close to the entrance.
When you first walk in there is a really cool maze with tall hedges that is fun to run through. Midway through the maze there is a lookout you can climb up to watch others fumbling through the maze or locate your run away kids. Seriously, though, if you have really small kids do not let them take off running through the maze without you or you may have a brief panic attack when you can't immediately locate them.
Once you are past the maze there is an amazing Children's Garden. It's huge, 4 acres huge, with so many fun and interesting things for kids to do. Each time my kids thought they had found the funnest thing in the garden they discovered something new and better. There are little houses, sculptures, and playgrounds for the kids to climb all over. Some of the girls favorites were Wonder Pond, where they could take off their shoes and walk along rocks in a pond full of tadpoles, the Grotto and Secret Stream, where they could also wade in the water, and a suspension bridge the went through a small wooded area. Also, tucked in the middle of the Garden was a little shaded workshop area with tables and benches. The activities set our included a collection of edible plants to see and smell, a Velcro activity that allowed the children to see what ingredients are combined to make things like pizza and salsa, and a little craft where the kids could make seed necklaces. A great way to take a break between adventures. We were at the Arboretum for about 2.5 hours and basically spent the whole time in the Children's Garden.
The admission cost is $12/adult, $9 for children, and kids 2 and under are free. The Arboretum is open every day, year round. The hours for the Children's Garden are 9:30 AM - 5 PM March through October and 9:30 AM - 4 PM the rest of the year. There is a restaurant located inside the Arboretum that serves breakfast and lunch options including sandwiches, salads, and kid stuff like chicken fingers and hot dogs. The menu is available on the Arboretum website (www.mortonarb.org). We did not eat in the restaurant so I can't comment on the quality of the food. There are also lots of good spots to set up a picnic, as well. You are allowed to bring in food and drinks. If you've got small ones, definitely bring a stroller or wagon.
We had two sets of grandparents in town this weekend for my daughter's birthday and it is always difficult to find an activity that 6 very different adults and two small kids will all enjoy. The Morton Arboretum was perfect. The girls were able to run around and the Children's Garden was interesting enough to hold the aduts' interest too. The Arboretum has lots of children's programming so definitely check the website to see what kind of cool activities are coming up. There is also a new exhibit called Treehouse Tales that opens June 15th and will include six treehouse structures. If it is anything like what is already at the Arboretum, I'm sure it will be very fun.
When you first walk in there is a really cool maze with tall hedges that is fun to run through. Midway through the maze there is a lookout you can climb up to watch others fumbling through the maze or locate your run away kids. Seriously, though, if you have really small kids do not let them take off running through the maze without you or you may have a brief panic attack when you can't immediately locate them.
Once you are past the maze there is an amazing Children's Garden. It's huge, 4 acres huge, with so many fun and interesting things for kids to do. Each time my kids thought they had found the funnest thing in the garden they discovered something new and better. There are little houses, sculptures, and playgrounds for the kids to climb all over. Some of the girls favorites were Wonder Pond, where they could take off their shoes and walk along rocks in a pond full of tadpoles, the Grotto and Secret Stream, where they could also wade in the water, and a suspension bridge the went through a small wooded area. Also, tucked in the middle of the Garden was a little shaded workshop area with tables and benches. The activities set our included a collection of edible plants to see and smell, a Velcro activity that allowed the children to see what ingredients are combined to make things like pizza and salsa, and a little craft where the kids could make seed necklaces. A great way to take a break between adventures. We were at the Arboretum for about 2.5 hours and basically spent the whole time in the Children's Garden.
The admission cost is $12/adult, $9 for children, and kids 2 and under are free. The Arboretum is open every day, year round. The hours for the Children's Garden are 9:30 AM - 5 PM March through October and 9:30 AM - 4 PM the rest of the year. There is a restaurant located inside the Arboretum that serves breakfast and lunch options including sandwiches, salads, and kid stuff like chicken fingers and hot dogs. The menu is available on the Arboretum website (www.mortonarb.org). We did not eat in the restaurant so I can't comment on the quality of the food. There are also lots of good spots to set up a picnic, as well. You are allowed to bring in food and drinks. If you've got small ones, definitely bring a stroller or wagon.
We had two sets of grandparents in town this weekend for my daughter's birthday and it is always difficult to find an activity that 6 very different adults and two small kids will all enjoy. The Morton Arboretum was perfect. The girls were able to run around and the Children's Garden was interesting enough to hold the aduts' interest too. The Arboretum has lots of children's programming so definitely check the website to see what kind of cool activities are coming up. There is also a new exhibit called Treehouse Tales that opens June 15th and will include six treehouse structures. If it is anything like what is already at the Arboretum, I'm sure it will be very fun.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Brookfield Zoo
We've been to the Brookfield Zoo on a few occasions and visited again this past weekend for Mother's Day. It was a really nice day and very busy but you don't generally feel like you are tripping over people at the zoo because it is so spacious. We all really enjoyed seeing the kangaroos, hippos, zebras, and giraffes in their nice spacious homes. It seems like whenever we go to the zoo the animals are always just laying about but this time they were very active, which was fun to see. It has been a few years since we last have been to the Brookfield Zoo and in that time a new bear exhibit has opened. As part of the Great Bear Wilderness area there are buffalo, eagles, and different types of bears. It is a very nicely organized area and I would recommend checking it out while you are there.
We did not eat at the zoo during this visit mainly because we had such a bad experience last time. The food was not good and not cheap. It seems as though a few more dining options may have opened up since we were there last time but I would still recommend a picnic or eating before or after your visit. You are allowed to bring in food and there are several large areas throughout the zoo with picnic tables where you can dine. There are two large, nice playgrounds located at opposite ends of the zoo with picnic tables next to them that make a really nice place for lunch.
My one complaint with the zoo is price. First you have to pay $10 for parking. Then general admission is $15 per adult and 10.50 per child 3 and up. That's just to see some of the exhibits. In order to see the Dolphin Show, Stingray Bay, Children's Zoo, Family Play Zoo, Butterflies and to ride the carousel you have to pay extra for each. The total price can really add up. When we went, we did not pay for any of the extras except for a couple of carousel rides ($2.50 per kid) and we were able to see plenty of interesting stuff. I'm sure the attractions that you pay extra for are really good, however it becomes really expensive for a family to visit the zoo when these costs are added on to admission and parking. As with all of these type of places, the zoo offers a yearly membership that could be a more economical option for your family if you go multiple times throughout the year.
Overall, we had a really great time at the zoo last weekend. The girls really enjoyed seeing the animals and riding on the carousel. We were there for a couple of hours and didn't come close to seeing everything so you definitely don't need to pay for the special exhibits to have a full day at the zoo. It ended up being a great way to spend the day.
We did not eat at the zoo during this visit mainly because we had such a bad experience last time. The food was not good and not cheap. It seems as though a few more dining options may have opened up since we were there last time but I would still recommend a picnic or eating before or after your visit. You are allowed to bring in food and there are several large areas throughout the zoo with picnic tables where you can dine. There are two large, nice playgrounds located at opposite ends of the zoo with picnic tables next to them that make a really nice place for lunch.
My one complaint with the zoo is price. First you have to pay $10 for parking. Then general admission is $15 per adult and 10.50 per child 3 and up. That's just to see some of the exhibits. In order to see the Dolphin Show, Stingray Bay, Children's Zoo, Family Play Zoo, Butterflies and to ride the carousel you have to pay extra for each. The total price can really add up. When we went, we did not pay for any of the extras except for a couple of carousel rides ($2.50 per kid) and we were able to see plenty of interesting stuff. I'm sure the attractions that you pay extra for are really good, however it becomes really expensive for a family to visit the zoo when these costs are added on to admission and parking. As with all of these type of places, the zoo offers a yearly membership that could be a more economical option for your family if you go multiple times throughout the year.
Overall, we had a really great time at the zoo last weekend. The girls really enjoyed seeing the animals and riding on the carousel. We were there for a couple of hours and didn't come close to seeing everything so you definitely don't need to pay for the special exhibits to have a full day at the zoo. It ended up being a great way to spend the day.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Smoque
If you like barbecue and you haven't been to Smoque, you should get up from your computer and go there now. The food is that good here. There have been a lot of barbecue places opening up in the City over the last couple of years but this restaurant was around long before it became trendy. Smoque is located in Old Irving at 3800 N. Pulaski.
As I mentioned, the food is really great and there are a lot of choices. The menu is printed on a big chalkboard that you can see when you walk in and usually the line is long enough to make your decision before its time to order. You are given a number after you order that is called when your food is ready. You then go up to the counter to pick it up. The ribs are awesome, the fries are great. There is a childrens' menu with three items on it: a mini pulled pork sandwich, a mini brisket sandwich, and mac and cheese. My finicky daughters don't like the mac and cheese there and I guess pulled pork and brisket is a little too far out of their comfort zone so last time we ordered the half chicken for them to share off of the regular menu. They loved it. They also go crazy for the corn bread and the french fries.
Inside there are a bunch of tightly packed tables where everyone sits communal style. Don't pick out a seat before you order. Someone who works there will find out how many people are in your party and find a place for you to sit while you order and wait for your food. I've been there when there has been a line out the door and also when there has been no line at all. Somehow they always seem to be able to seat everyone. The last time we were there I noticed that they have added outdoor seating as well. The restaurant also does a lot of take out.
The restaurant is really casual. It is always really noisy with lots of kids there. High chairs and booster seats are available if you need them. Smoque is located just a couple of blocks from the Irving Park Brown Line stop. Finding free parking on Pulaski usually isn't too difficult.
As I mentioned, the food is really great and there are a lot of choices. The menu is printed on a big chalkboard that you can see when you walk in and usually the line is long enough to make your decision before its time to order. You are given a number after you order that is called when your food is ready. You then go up to the counter to pick it up. The ribs are awesome, the fries are great. There is a childrens' menu with three items on it: a mini pulled pork sandwich, a mini brisket sandwich, and mac and cheese. My finicky daughters don't like the mac and cheese there and I guess pulled pork and brisket is a little too far out of their comfort zone so last time we ordered the half chicken for them to share off of the regular menu. They loved it. They also go crazy for the corn bread and the french fries.
Inside there are a bunch of tightly packed tables where everyone sits communal style. Don't pick out a seat before you order. Someone who works there will find out how many people are in your party and find a place for you to sit while you order and wait for your food. I've been there when there has been a line out the door and also when there has been no line at all. Somehow they always seem to be able to seat everyone. The last time we were there I noticed that they have added outdoor seating as well. The restaurant also does a lot of take out.
The restaurant is really casual. It is always really noisy with lots of kids there. High chairs and booster seats are available if you need them. Smoque is located just a couple of blocks from the Irving Park Brown Line stop. Finding free parking on Pulaski usually isn't too difficult.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Revolution Brewing / The Whistler
We had an awesome dinner at Revolution Brewing this past weekend and while our dinner was adults only, there were a decent number of children dining here and I would take my kids if it was a little more convenient for us. The restaurant, a brewpub located in Logan Square at 2323 N. Milwaukee, definitely has an adult atmosphere but it is so big and loud I don't think most other diners really notice the kids.
The food is so good at Revolution Brewing. The restaurant, obviously highlights beer from their brewery located at 3340 N. Kedzie (soon to be open for tours) but the food is definitely not an afterthought here. To start, we had soft pretzels with cheese and mustard for dipping and bacon fat popcorn. Both were really enjoyable as we caught up with old friends and enjoyed our beers. Our waitress didn't rush us at all even though the restaurant was pretty busy. For dinner, I had the farm burger with beets, arugula, horseradish cream sauce, and a fried egg on top. It was hard to eat because it was so big and messy but so good. Others at our table had burgers and pizza - everything was great. I am not a beer expert by any means but the house beer on tap (there were about 10 beers on tap) was really good.
The restaurant is two stories high (with a bar on each level). When we first arrived (Saturday night around 7) we were told there would be a 25 minute wait. We ended up waiting only about 5 minutes, which was a wonderful surprise. It is a big restaurant and if you do end up having to wait there is a decent amount of room by the bar. I have heard that it can get really crowded there.
Revolution Brewing obviously has a beer focus and is loud and crowded but it is definitely a place you can bring your kids if those things don't bother you. We saw several families dining there. The restaurant does offer a kids menu. I am not sure what exactly is on it since we weren't with kids but I saw some kids getting mini burgers and fries that looked really good. My guess is that they have a few standard kid items.
Service was pretty good. Our waitress was nice and while she didn't know the answers to a couple of our questions about drinks she asked the bartender and we received plenty of information and good recommendations. Revolution Brewing is located just a couple minute walk from the California Blue Line stop. I highly recommend it for a fun night out with friends.
After dinner we went to the Whistler for some drinks located at 2421 N. Milwaukee just a block or two away. On a side tangent, Logan Square is not my favorite neighborhood. I know it is really cool and they have a lot of great restaurants but I'm just not hipster enough to blend in. And I don't generally find the hipster attitude of being too cool for everything very appealing. In addition, the last couple of times we've been in the neighborhood it's been impossible to get into the restaurants we wanted to go to (Longman and Eagle and Kuma's just to name a couple). Two hour waits are ridiculous and we just don't have the time or patience any more. In other words, I am getting old. But enough ranting about Logan Square and how uncool I've become (I can blame the kids, right?). My point is that this bar is very representative of this neighborhood and a lot of the Logan Square pretentiousness is present here. Given that, however, the drinks are really good. The Whistler was listed as one of the 100 best bars in Chicago magazine in 2010 and the description of it is pretty accurate - Violet Hour type drinks at Logan Square prices. The cocktails range in price from about $8-$12. I had their punch of the week and it was very good, came in a cute tiki glass with a paper umbrella I could take home to my daughters. If you are with a group of people who don't like cocktails or are not adventurous at all (like some of the people in our group who just could not believe that the Whistler did not have Bacardi) it may not be the best choice. The bar is definitely on the small side. There is only a handful of tables plus seats around the bar. On the night we were there, a DJ was just getting started when we were leaving at around 9 PM. At that time it wasn't crowded at all and we were able to find a table. We had to order our drinks at the bar. There was a waiter type person wandering around but he did not seem interested in speaking to us. In summary, the drinks were really good and the atmosphere was a little mixed.
The food is so good at Revolution Brewing. The restaurant, obviously highlights beer from their brewery located at 3340 N. Kedzie (soon to be open for tours) but the food is definitely not an afterthought here. To start, we had soft pretzels with cheese and mustard for dipping and bacon fat popcorn. Both were really enjoyable as we caught up with old friends and enjoyed our beers. Our waitress didn't rush us at all even though the restaurant was pretty busy. For dinner, I had the farm burger with beets, arugula, horseradish cream sauce, and a fried egg on top. It was hard to eat because it was so big and messy but so good. Others at our table had burgers and pizza - everything was great. I am not a beer expert by any means but the house beer on tap (there were about 10 beers on tap) was really good.
The restaurant is two stories high (with a bar on each level). When we first arrived (Saturday night around 7) we were told there would be a 25 minute wait. We ended up waiting only about 5 minutes, which was a wonderful surprise. It is a big restaurant and if you do end up having to wait there is a decent amount of room by the bar. I have heard that it can get really crowded there.
Revolution Brewing obviously has a beer focus and is loud and crowded but it is definitely a place you can bring your kids if those things don't bother you. We saw several families dining there. The restaurant does offer a kids menu. I am not sure what exactly is on it since we weren't with kids but I saw some kids getting mini burgers and fries that looked really good. My guess is that they have a few standard kid items.
Service was pretty good. Our waitress was nice and while she didn't know the answers to a couple of our questions about drinks she asked the bartender and we received plenty of information and good recommendations. Revolution Brewing is located just a couple minute walk from the California Blue Line stop. I highly recommend it for a fun night out with friends.
After dinner we went to the Whistler for some drinks located at 2421 N. Milwaukee just a block or two away. On a side tangent, Logan Square is not my favorite neighborhood. I know it is really cool and they have a lot of great restaurants but I'm just not hipster enough to blend in. And I don't generally find the hipster attitude of being too cool for everything very appealing. In addition, the last couple of times we've been in the neighborhood it's been impossible to get into the restaurants we wanted to go to (Longman and Eagle and Kuma's just to name a couple). Two hour waits are ridiculous and we just don't have the time or patience any more. In other words, I am getting old. But enough ranting about Logan Square and how uncool I've become (I can blame the kids, right?). My point is that this bar is very representative of this neighborhood and a lot of the Logan Square pretentiousness is present here. Given that, however, the drinks are really good. The Whistler was listed as one of the 100 best bars in Chicago magazine in 2010 and the description of it is pretty accurate - Violet Hour type drinks at Logan Square prices. The cocktails range in price from about $8-$12. I had their punch of the week and it was very good, came in a cute tiki glass with a paper umbrella I could take home to my daughters. If you are with a group of people who don't like cocktails or are not adventurous at all (like some of the people in our group who just could not believe that the Whistler did not have Bacardi) it may not be the best choice. The bar is definitely on the small side. There is only a handful of tables plus seats around the bar. On the night we were there, a DJ was just getting started when we were leaving at around 9 PM. At that time it wasn't crowded at all and we were able to find a table. We had to order our drinks at the bar. There was a waiter type person wandering around but he did not seem interested in speaking to us. In summary, the drinks were really good and the atmosphere was a little mixed.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Make a Messterpiece
My almost 3 year old daughter loves to paint. She wants to paint every day. I feel like I am pretty indulgent usually allowing her to paint whenever she want to, however sometimes I get tired of the mess and the clean up. I have been meaning to take her to Make a Messterpiece to indulge her artistic interests and we finally made it there last week. Make a Messterpiece is located at 2050 Tower Drive in Glenview (right by the Kohl Children's Museum) and is a large art space where kids can do a variety of creative activities.
The facility is made up of several different areas or stations where the kids do specific projects. I think the specific activity at each station changes frequently. The areas include the Creative Kitchen, Experimentation Station, Lil Sprouts, Drum Roll, Bubbleology, and the Spat-tacular tables, plus there are two little play areas in the back, one with a slide and blocks and the other with baby toys. All of the stations involve a mini lesson or learning component and a short activity. In the Creative Kitchen kids participate in an edible activity. When we went recently, the activity leader discussed where worms lived and what they ate and then the kids made a "worm" snack that involved sprinkling hot chocolate mix over popcorn to create dirt and then adding a gummy worm. Maybe not as interesting for an older kid but my daughter enjoyed it - well she enjoyed eating the gummy worm anyway. There is a little cafe area in the back where the kids can eat their snack.
At the Experimentation Station, kids explore a science related topic. My daughter did not participate in this activity but, when we were there, it involved learning and experimenting with how frogs use their tongues to catch flies.
The intention of the Lil Sprouts station is to do activities that promote sustainability, recycling, environmental consciousness, that kind of thing. Based on the activities my girls did at that station the two times we've been there, I don't think that theme is strongly conveyed but the art projects are still pretty fun. When we went a year ago, my older daughter did a painting with a bean bag type thing. They dipped the bag in paint and then stood up and dropped it onto paper making a cute painting that sort of resembled flowers. When I went with my younger daughter this past week she made a spider web by rolling around black paint spots on a paper plate with a ball. Then she glued on a spider that she made from pom pom balls for the body and pipe cleaners for the legs. Both were cute projects.
Drum Roll is for a little bit older kids. It involves putting on a rain poncho and going into a room (by themselves) and pounding on paint filled drums. Neither of my girls have done this activity but it looks like it could be a lot of fun.
The Bubbleology station is included with the two preset admission packages (see below) and, I think, ended up being my younger daughter's favorite activity. If your child is participating in this activity, you are given a large piece of card stock at the admission desk. Your child places the paper under the bubble machines, pushes a button and colored bubbles come out, leaving cool patterns on the paper. When we went last year there were a bunch of stencils your child could choose from to make designs on your paper but this time we could only find a couple of stencils and no tape to hold them in place. Lots of fun for any kid who loves bubbles.
Finally, the Splat-tacular tables are a group of about three or four tables and some easels. The tables have a selection of art supplies, such as paint, stencils, glue, paper, and other items, for self directed creating. All activities at these tables are included with general admission. You can do as much art work in this area as you want but it's really nothing that you wouldn't be able to do at home. It's definitely a fun area for kids who like to create but I wouldn't bother to come just to do these tables - unless you live nearby and prefer not to have a mess at home. In other words, the best part of Make a Messterpiece are the other activities listed above, which unfortunately cost more. There is a table set up with a wide variety of wooden items, such as bird houses, flowers, and picture frames, that you can purchase and then your child can paint there.
Throughout the facility there are drying racks to store your child's creations while they dry and while your child works on other activities. Don't forget to take everything home!
There are a few different package options when you pay for admission. General admission, which is different prices depending on the age of your child, gives your kid access to the painting tables in the Splat-tacular area and both the baby and bigger kid play areas. The Messy Package for $15 allows your child to pick any two activities to do and the Messiest Package, for $22, includes 4 activities. Both packages include Bubbleology, Splat-tacular tables, and the play areas. You can also pay $5 per activity, in addition to the general admission, if the pre-set packages don't work for you or your children. I recommend paying only for general admission if you have a kid under 2, but kids older than that will probably be able to do the other activities and enjoy them. You can either choose what activities you want to do when you first come in and pay or they will let you walk around to see what the activity is at each station before you decide. Once you have decided, however, you should go back and sign up for everything you want to do because they assign you a time when you get to do each activity in order to control the number of children in any given session. If you get signed up right when you come there is usually very little wait time. When we went the first time I didn't quite understand the system so we did a bunch of painting, bubbles, playing on the slide, and my daughter's first activity before we signed up for the second one. We were going to go home after this last station and they told us the first time we could do the one she wanted to do (Experimentation Station) would be in an hour. We opted to sign her up for the Lil Sprouts activity, which only had a 20 minute wait, and she enjoyed it but it was a little disappointing not to be able to do what she wanted. Each activity is designed to last about 15 or 20 minutes and are scheduled every 20 minutes. Once you have paid, the staff will give you a large sticker with your child's name on it and a time for each of the activities that you have signed up for. At the appropriate time, you report to each station and the activity leader will check that activity off of your child's tag. Make sure you check the times right away. When we went last week we were signed up for an activity that started pretty much when we walked through the gate and I almost didn't notice.
The staff at Make a Messterpiece can be a little spotty. The activity leaders are generally really good at working with the kids and conveying the associated ideas. However the floaters, the helpers that are there to help in Bubbleology and the Splat-tacular tables, tend to be less helpful and often just missing. I feel like some of the things there are not completely intuitive and whether you are allowed to participate in certain activities. It would be nice to have more people there to provide guidance.
There is free covered parking behind the building. I have never had any trouble finding a close parking spot and there is a convenient entrance to Make a Messterpiece from the parking garage. Make sure your kids wear clothes that they can get paint on. There are full length smocks available for the kids to wear but somehow they always end up with paint on their clothes. Overall, Make a Messterpiece is a great place to go if you have a child, like my daughter, who likes to do art projects all day long.
The facility is made up of several different areas or stations where the kids do specific projects. I think the specific activity at each station changes frequently. The areas include the Creative Kitchen, Experimentation Station, Lil Sprouts, Drum Roll, Bubbleology, and the Spat-tacular tables, plus there are two little play areas in the back, one with a slide and blocks and the other with baby toys. All of the stations involve a mini lesson or learning component and a short activity. In the Creative Kitchen kids participate in an edible activity. When we went recently, the activity leader discussed where worms lived and what they ate and then the kids made a "worm" snack that involved sprinkling hot chocolate mix over popcorn to create dirt and then adding a gummy worm. Maybe not as interesting for an older kid but my daughter enjoyed it - well she enjoyed eating the gummy worm anyway. There is a little cafe area in the back where the kids can eat their snack.
At the Experimentation Station, kids explore a science related topic. My daughter did not participate in this activity but, when we were there, it involved learning and experimenting with how frogs use their tongues to catch flies.
The intention of the Lil Sprouts station is to do activities that promote sustainability, recycling, environmental consciousness, that kind of thing. Based on the activities my girls did at that station the two times we've been there, I don't think that theme is strongly conveyed but the art projects are still pretty fun. When we went a year ago, my older daughter did a painting with a bean bag type thing. They dipped the bag in paint and then stood up and dropped it onto paper making a cute painting that sort of resembled flowers. When I went with my younger daughter this past week she made a spider web by rolling around black paint spots on a paper plate with a ball. Then she glued on a spider that she made from pom pom balls for the body and pipe cleaners for the legs. Both were cute projects.
Drum Roll is for a little bit older kids. It involves putting on a rain poncho and going into a room (by themselves) and pounding on paint filled drums. Neither of my girls have done this activity but it looks like it could be a lot of fun.
The Bubbleology station is included with the two preset admission packages (see below) and, I think, ended up being my younger daughter's favorite activity. If your child is participating in this activity, you are given a large piece of card stock at the admission desk. Your child places the paper under the bubble machines, pushes a button and colored bubbles come out, leaving cool patterns on the paper. When we went last year there were a bunch of stencils your child could choose from to make designs on your paper but this time we could only find a couple of stencils and no tape to hold them in place. Lots of fun for any kid who loves bubbles.
Finally, the Splat-tacular tables are a group of about three or four tables and some easels. The tables have a selection of art supplies, such as paint, stencils, glue, paper, and other items, for self directed creating. All activities at these tables are included with general admission. You can do as much art work in this area as you want but it's really nothing that you wouldn't be able to do at home. It's definitely a fun area for kids who like to create but I wouldn't bother to come just to do these tables - unless you live nearby and prefer not to have a mess at home. In other words, the best part of Make a Messterpiece are the other activities listed above, which unfortunately cost more. There is a table set up with a wide variety of wooden items, such as bird houses, flowers, and picture frames, that you can purchase and then your child can paint there.
Throughout the facility there are drying racks to store your child's creations while they dry and while your child works on other activities. Don't forget to take everything home!
There are a few different package options when you pay for admission. General admission, which is different prices depending on the age of your child, gives your kid access to the painting tables in the Splat-tacular area and both the baby and bigger kid play areas. The Messy Package for $15 allows your child to pick any two activities to do and the Messiest Package, for $22, includes 4 activities. Both packages include Bubbleology, Splat-tacular tables, and the play areas. You can also pay $5 per activity, in addition to the general admission, if the pre-set packages don't work for you or your children. I recommend paying only for general admission if you have a kid under 2, but kids older than that will probably be able to do the other activities and enjoy them. You can either choose what activities you want to do when you first come in and pay or they will let you walk around to see what the activity is at each station before you decide. Once you have decided, however, you should go back and sign up for everything you want to do because they assign you a time when you get to do each activity in order to control the number of children in any given session. If you get signed up right when you come there is usually very little wait time. When we went the first time I didn't quite understand the system so we did a bunch of painting, bubbles, playing on the slide, and my daughter's first activity before we signed up for the second one. We were going to go home after this last station and they told us the first time we could do the one she wanted to do (Experimentation Station) would be in an hour. We opted to sign her up for the Lil Sprouts activity, which only had a 20 minute wait, and she enjoyed it but it was a little disappointing not to be able to do what she wanted. Each activity is designed to last about 15 or 20 minutes and are scheduled every 20 minutes. Once you have paid, the staff will give you a large sticker with your child's name on it and a time for each of the activities that you have signed up for. At the appropriate time, you report to each station and the activity leader will check that activity off of your child's tag. Make sure you check the times right away. When we went last week we were signed up for an activity that started pretty much when we walked through the gate and I almost didn't notice.
The staff at Make a Messterpiece can be a little spotty. The activity leaders are generally really good at working with the kids and conveying the associated ideas. However the floaters, the helpers that are there to help in Bubbleology and the Splat-tacular tables, tend to be less helpful and often just missing. I feel like some of the things there are not completely intuitive and whether you are allowed to participate in certain activities. It would be nice to have more people there to provide guidance.
There is free covered parking behind the building. I have never had any trouble finding a close parking spot and there is a convenient entrance to Make a Messterpiece from the parking garage. Make sure your kids wear clothes that they can get paint on. There are full length smocks available for the kids to wear but somehow they always end up with paint on their clothes. Overall, Make a Messterpiece is a great place to go if you have a child, like my daughter, who likes to do art projects all day long.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Angel Food Bakery
This cafe is just so cute! We recently stopped by Angel Food Bakery (1636 W. Montrose) for some dessert to go, but we've also eaten here for lunch a couple of times. The restaurant, which has about five or six tables and is decorated all in pastels with a collection of easy bake ovens, is completely family friendly. It is open for breakfast and lunch six days a week (closed on Mondays) plus has a bakery case full of delicious treats. The Bakery's hours are Tues. through Fri. 7 AM until 5 PM, Sat. 8 AM until 5 PM and Sunday 9 AM until 2 PM. Lunch includes a selection of sandwiches and salads. I had the BLT focaccia the last time I was there and it was really good. The girls have had peanut butter and jelly and mac and cheese on past visits. They definitely enjoyed the food but also really loved the paper umbrellas that came stuck in the sandwiches.
The real draw for the girls, of course, are the bakery items. Angel Food Bakery specializes in retro treats like homemade Twinkies and whoopie pies. They also have a large assortment of cupcakes. It is really difficult to decide what you want because everything looks so good. When we were there last week we got cupcakes ($3 each or $2.50 each if you get six or more) and they were OK. I remember them being better so maybe we just didn't get the best batch. In the past we have sampled cookies, a Boston Cream cupcake, and an igloo, which is chocolate cake with cream filling and a marshmallow topping. All have been delicious.
We've been there during the week and also on the weekend and have never had any trouble finding parking along Montrose (metered spots).
Angel Food Bakery is a really fun place to grab lunch or a special treat.
The real draw for the girls, of course, are the bakery items. Angel Food Bakery specializes in retro treats like homemade Twinkies and whoopie pies. They also have a large assortment of cupcakes. It is really difficult to decide what you want because everything looks so good. When we were there last week we got cupcakes ($3 each or $2.50 each if you get six or more) and they were OK. I remember them being better so maybe we just didn't get the best batch. In the past we have sampled cookies, a Boston Cream cupcake, and an igloo, which is chocolate cake with cream filling and a marshmallow topping. All have been delicious.
We've been there during the week and also on the weekend and have never had any trouble finding parking along Montrose (metered spots).
Angel Food Bakery is a really fun place to grab lunch or a special treat.
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