Archive for Kids
It’s Raining… It’s Pouring… and my kids are driving me crazy.
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D Sharon Pruitt, photographer
My kids aren’t actually driving me crazy (they’re big) but it’s raining A LOT and I’m guessing other people’s kids might be driving them crazy. It’s really, really raining (for California standards). When the weather is like this I just want to stay home and enjoy my fireplace. I don’t like driving in the rain.
However, if you are a Marin Mommy or Daddy stuck at home with little ones during this storm you may be going a little stir crazy. I remember back in the day when I was a preschool teacher in the early 90s… there was one winter when it rained for about 40 days straight. Let’s just say that was a VERY long winter.
If you are feeling the itch to get out with your little ones check out the wonderful list of weekend family events happening in Marin over at the Marin Mommies blog. She has some great suggestions for fun activities with kids.
I just have to share something really cool I saw the other day. I wish I would have been able to take a picture. I was driving north on Highway 101 in Marin and the sun was out but the freeway was very wet. As the cars ahead of me were driving water was spraying up from their back tires creating a look of rainbows shooting out from beneath each car. It was a very cool site to see. I kind of felt like I was living in a psychedelic 70s cartoon.
photo via Flickr user Pink Sherbert Photography
Globetrotters and Twitter
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We took the kids to see the Harlem Globetrotters this weekend. It was fun. Although, I have to admit I think the target audience is more for 10 years old and under. LOL
Our teenagers (17 and 19) were troopers and enjoyed the evening. At one point, I looked around and realized just about every family in the audience had children under the age of 10. But we all decided to embrace our inner children and have fun even if we were a little bit older than everyone else in the stadium.
I love the music and the spirit of the Globetrotters. It’s all about having fun, which is my mission for 2010. The tricks they do are absolutely amazing. They make basketball look so easy.
If the Harlem Globetrotter’s pass through your neighborhood I highly recommend embracing your inner child and going out and having some fun!
My Twitter friend @PoButler was also in the audience with her kids, we tweeted and found each other. She was sitting about as far away from me as she possibly could but we still saw each other and waved. My kids thought I was a bit strange for getting all excited and waving across the stadium to my Twitter friend. Even the Globetrotters are on Twitter.
The Harlem Globetrotters
Posted by: | CommentsI have officially gone nowhere this week. I hunkered down and have been seriously focusing on my business and being very productive. The only time I have left my home/office is to walk to the trails to go hiking with my dog. Thank goodness for my dog demanding his walks or I might not have gotten out at all.
My goal for 2010 is to have more fun! (Inspired by @Fun_Master) So… tonight I’m very excited to be going to see the Harlem Globetrotters at the Oracle Arena in Oakland! The last time I saw the Globetrotters I was very young, maybe 8 years old but I do remember really enjoying the show.
Have you ever seen the Harlem Globetrotters?
I like what one of the Globetrotters in this video said about spreading joy: “You can spread joy for at least 2 hours for someone each day no matter where you are in the world.”
Rainy Day Fun Around The Bay
Posted by: | CommentsIt’s another rainy day in the bay. You could do the usual tourist stuff (if you have a good raincoat, umbrella, rain boots and you don’t mind getting cold and wet) or you could find something fun to do inside. The Yerba Buena Gardens has lots of fun indoor activities such as: ice skating, bowling, restaurants, Zeum (San Francisco’s children’s museum – with lots of hands on art & technology experiences),the historic carousal (built in 1904), the Metreon (entertainment center) including an IMAX theater and much more.
Fourth Street in Berkeley
Posted by: | CommentsToday I went to Berkeley with Twitter friend @PoButler to meet with Analisa from the Corte Madera Town Center who we met at the Pacific Catch TweetUp. We met to talk social networking (my favorite thing to talk about). It was fun! Thanks to Peggy and Analisa I have now discovered Fourth Street in Berkeley. It’s a charming little street full of shops, cafés, book stores, a toy store and even a Chocolatier. Now, I’m wishing I would have remembered to take pictures at Chocolatier Blue, they had the most amazing organic, colorful, sparkly chocolates. Take a look here.
We had breakfast at Bette’s Diner which is like a blast from the past 50′s style diner. I had already eaten so I got a Chai Tea. The tea was really good. Peggy ordered a Buckwheat Waffle, it looked good and she said it was tasty. Analisa had a big bowl of Oatmeal with raisins. I was kind of wishing I hadn’t already eaten.
After breakfast, Peggy and I decided to check out the Fourth Street scene. Peggy had to do some Christmas shopping for her little ones. She took me to a really cool locally owned toy store called The Ark that specializes in “classic, imported, Waldorf-inspired, wooden and just all-around fun toys.” Doesn’t this toy store just look fun?!
After the toy store I spotted the Chocolatier so we headed over there and had a Dark Chocolate Tart thing. Whatever it was, it was delicious!
One last stop was the Crate & Barrell Outlet store. I have been saying for months years that I need new glasses. I do not have one full set of any glasses anymore. Hardwood floor + glass + me = a lot of broken glasses. I found the cutest glasses ever and they were on sale so I bought 8. I now have 8 matching drinking glasses, imagine that! Dinner party time!
Visit www.fourthstreetshop.com for more information about this area in Berkeley.
Ice Skating in the Embarcadero
Posted by: | CommentsOne of my favorite things to do in the Bay Area over the Holidays is to go Ice Skating in the Embarcadero in San Francisco.
Photo by Flickr User: thisiskylies
Last year we took the ferry from Larkspur to San Francisco, which drops us off right by the outdoor Ice Skating rink.
This is a fun event for all ages. Even the teenagers enjoyed it.
After Ice Skating, we walked across the way to the Hyatt Regency to check out the amazing holiday display we had heard about. It was amazing! Lights every where, a little miniature town, a huge Christmas tree and very cool elevators you can take up and down to see the whole view. My photos do not do it justice. This is something you need to see in person.
PS. I just learned today (thanks to @PoButler who mentioned it on Twitter) that there is another Holiday Ice Rink in San Francisco in Union Square.
Family Fun on Halloween
Posted by: | CommentsHalloween family fun in the Bay Area.
Looking for something fun and original to do for Halloween?
Tara Firma Farms is hosting a super fun and original Halloween Extravaganza!
Stickers Stickers Stickers!
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Did you know you can visit a sticker factory in the Bay Area? I was delighted to discover Mrs. Grossman‘s on Twitter the other day. Seeing her name sent me spiraling down memory lane.
Those of us that were children in the 70s and 80s were of the generation when stickers become the craze! Did you have a sticker collection? Was the collection in an album? I did! My favorite stickers were Mrs. Grossman’s because hers were the best quality and there were so many choices. I remember saving up my money, going to the mall with my friend and buying the stickers one at a time off the roll, they were .5 – .10 cents each. Then my friend and I would go home add them to our sticker albums and be armed and ready to go to school to show off our new treasures and to do some serious trading.
Since I no longer own my sticker album 
I did a Google search and found this blog about stickers. This woman was a serious sticker collector!
After discovering Mrs. Grossman’s on Twitter I followed her and found out you can visit their factory for a tour and discovered the factory is right here in the Bay Area! Mrs. Grossman lives right here and her stickers are made here in the Bay Area! How cool is that?! I immediately arranged for a tour.
Andrea Grossman started her home-based design business in 1979 from her dining room table in Woodacre, CA. Today Mrs. Grossman’s is housed in an 110,000 square ft. corporate headquarters with it’s own printing plant. The company has designed more than 2,200 different stickers and sells their products throughout the United States, Canada and Japan. -www.mrsgrossmans.com
When I arrived for the tour I was greeted by a friendly woman who gave me some stickers and walked me in to the room with the rest of the tour (I was a few minutes late). I joined the group and sat and watched a video about the history of Mrs. Grossman’s. I learned Mrs. Grossman has a dog named Angus who is the customer service representative of Mrs. Grossman’s. The first sticker ever made for individual sale was the big red heart. Mrs. Grossman’s favorite words are “I love my job” and everyone that worked there seemed to really love their job.
Mr’s Grossman is celebrating her 30th anniversary in the sticker business this year. The first sticker was made in 1979 and sold in a little store in Sausalito (right here in Marin County) called Pine Street Papery. I just checked and they are still selling Mrs. Grossman’s stickers! Their Website says they carry every single Mrs. Grossman’s sticker made. I think I might be stopping by there for a future blog post.
Mrs. Grossman’s recycles their waste paper and were certified green in 2009. She has also donated millions of stickers to childrens hospitals throughout the years. She allows employees to bring their dogs to work. The factory is located on a beautiful piece of land overlooking the water and hills. I almost asked for a job while I was there. 
Mrs. Grossman’s son Jason who is now the president of Mrs. Grossman’s. He launched Pargaon Labels (a division of Mrs. Grossman’s) in 1988, it is one of the most successful wine and food label printing businesses in the County. It was also Jason who began the tour idea. The sticker factory tour attracts more than 30,000 visitors a year. If you live in the Bay Area or are visiting and have small children this is a super fun thing to do. Actually, you don’t even have to have small children, if you are a kid at heart or just want a walk down memory lane I highly recommend going for a sticker factory tour at Mrs. Grossman’s.
On Friday Nov 6 Mrs. Grossman’s heart stickers will star in “How It’s Made” on the Science Channel!
After the tour I met with Barbara Morino, the PR gal at Mrs. Grossman’s. She was delightful and shared many storiesabout Mrs. Grossman’s stickers saying, “Mrs. Grossman’s is like the Tiffany’s of the sticker”. I even found out that Princess Diana bought stickers for William in the 80s. Even the Gosselin kids love Mrs. Grossman’s stickers (you know Jon and Kate’s kids).
As you can see, I’m very excited about my visit to the sticker factory. I could go on and on about how fabulous my experience is but this is something I think you should try for yourself. The tour is free, your kids (and you) will come home with some cool stickers, you will get to see all sorts of neat machines that do amazing things and you will meet lots of happy people who love their job.
I’m off to go play with my new stickers.
I learned that stickers aren’t just for kids and are not just for collection. You can make some very sophisticated things with stickers (cards, gift bags, etc). You can decorate office supplies, drinking glasses and so much more.
I took so many pictures I uploaded them to Flickr so you can see all of them. Mrs. Grossman’s has a wall of fame showing all the stickers ever made from 1979 until now. You can see photos of the wall of fame here.
Mrs. Grossman’s is located in Petaluma. Check their Website for tour dates and times.
You can also follow Mrs. Grossman’s on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.
I’d love to hear about your memories of stickers. I’ve noticed that almost everyone woman I told about my visit to the sticker factory got nostalgic and shared some great stories with me. Do you want some Mrs. Grossman’s stickers? Post a comment below about a memory you have about stickers and I will send you some Mrs. Grossman’s stickers. To get the stickers you must post the comment before 10/31/09 and email me your mailing address (please write stickers in the subject). Be sure to tweet about your sticker comment too!
Random Fun Things To Do This Weekend
Posted by: | CommentsCool things to do around the Bay Area this weekend.
Music & Dance
I just discovered the San Francisco LovEvolution which is happening this Saturday, October 3rd, 2009
“America’s biggest dance movement event” www.sflovevolution.org
To find live music in Marin and all around the Bay Area check out www.marinlocalmusic.com
Happy Hour
Cafe Flore in San Francisco (near the Castro) is my favorite place for Happy Hour! I was there last Saturday night and had the 2 for $5 Cosmo special! www.cafeflore.com Molly makes awesome Cosmos! They have different special every night.
Mellow Marin ***Update Feb 2012*** Teapod is no longer in business in San Anselmo but there is a cool new coffee shop in this same location.
If you are looking for a more mellow weekend. How about taking a stroll in San Anselmo and drinking some tea. I just discovered the Teapod this week and loved it! It’s an Organic Tea Bar. I had lunch there with my new friend Marilyn. The salad was delicious and the tea was really good! I had a green chai tea latte. The place is so relaxing. Doesn’t this picture just make you relax?
After you go to the Teapod make sure to stop by Gioia’s and say hi.
Petaluma
Looking for something new and original to do? How about visiting a farm! Tara Firma Farms is a cool place to visit!
Fun Things For Kids To Do Around The Bay Area
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Marilyn LoRusso, is the Owner and Funmaster of Kids Fun on the Go. I met Marilyn a few weeks ago at my local Toastmasters Group and was fascinated by what she does. I asked her if she’d be willing to do an interview. She agreed!
Marilyn please tell us a bit about what Kids Fun on the Go is.
Based here in Marin County I bring fun kids classes to homes in Marin, Sonoma and parts of San Francisco. A family provides the space (room in an apartment, house, office or any kid friendly space) and some of their friends. That’s when the FUN begins! There are even ways a host family can receive the entire class series for FREE!
I offer classes in Baby Sign Language, Art, Yoga, Baby & Me and Baby & Me Fitness for children 2 months to 9 years of age and are in sessions of 4-6 weeks. I am a Certified Independent Instructor with the original Baby Signs® Programs, a Certified children’s yoga instructor, an experienced arts and crafts teacher, infant play teacher and all around Funmaster! I have been a Speech and Language Pathologist, teacher and district manager at Gymboree Play and Music Centers, owned my own retail business at the Village at Corte Madera and have entertained thousands of children, as Princess Polka Dot, with magic, face painting, balloon art, songs, games and more!
So, bringing fun and joy to children and their families is my true passion!
I have created Kids Fun on the GO to answer the growing need for fun, safe, creative, interactive and affordable play options for parents and their little ones. And, to support that wonderful growing sense of community here in the Bay Area.
What do you love most about the Bay Area?
I am originally from the east coast and have been in the Bay Area for almost 30 years. This is HOME to me! I love the beauty, weather, diversity, people, wine country, openness to new ideas, quaint towns, mountains, beaches, redwoods, wildlife, abundance of activities and proximity to San Francisco and the coast. And, I met my husband Robert here in Marin County. We live amongst all the beauty in Novato with our amazing cat, Asia.
What is your favorite place to hike in the Bay Area?
I love to hike the Tennessee Valley path to the ocean. I love bringing unsuspecting out of towners on the path and keeping the ocean a surprise! It is so fun as we are winding down the path and all of a sudden a small sparkle of ocean appears on the horizon, then slowly becomes larger and larger. I never tire of that and love finding insets of rock wall to relax in with a picnic lunch or snack once at the beach. What a special place.
The Chimney Rock wildflower walk in Point Reyes during spring is sensational. It’s an easy 2 mile loop displaying amazing wildflower shows. One year I counted 27 different types of wildflowers! It ends overlooking the ocean high on a bluff. You can sometimes see whales, hawks and often see elephant seals down below sunning themselves on the small sandy beaches.
What is your favorite restaurant in the Bay Area?
I’m a big salad lover so I am always looking for tasty and fresh salads. I love the apple/fennel salad at Toast restaurant in Novato. It’s a fun, lively atmosphere and the salads are innovative and fresh. However, when I have to have my dose of Chicken Marsala, which I have tried all over Marin county, my favorite is La Toscana in San Rafael. It is not always on the menu, but you can ask the chef to make it and they are more than happy to.
What is your favorite place to get coffee?
I am a tea drinker and absolutely love Teapod Organic Tea Bar in San Anselmo. They are an innovative tea lounge serving fresh steeped teas and tea concoctions made from all organic loose teas and organic ingredients. They have amazing tea infusers which creates your drink in about a minute or you can choose to have a teapot. It is so comfortable to hang out there with friends or your laptop and hookup to their free wifi. They even have organic take away salads, drinks, desserts and often free live music events! The owners Jaimie and Chris are so warm and inviting. They have really created a modern and fun gathering place. And they just had a baby! You might see Maddox soon hanging out at the lounge greeting customers!
What is your favorite place to bike?
I hope you meant motorcycle! My husband Robert and I love to take our Stratoliner motorcycle for day trips all around the North Bay. Asia likes to stay home and sleep. We ride through Calistoga, wine country (Napa and Sonoma), Lake Sonoma, Healdsburg, Cloverdale, Ukiah, Clearlake, Blue Lakes and more. But our favorite ride is through the Russian River area – Sebastopol, Guerneville, Occidental, Monte Rio, Duncan Mills, down the coast, through Bodega Bay, Tomales and Point Reyes. We love stopping at all the quaint shops, beaches, coffee/tea shops, and parks (we take a lot of picnics!) The joy and freedom we feel is unexplainable! We truly experience the “staycation” 2-3 times a week!
Well, now you know more about me! Thank you Sally Around the Bay for including me in your fun and informative Blog!
Thanks Marilyn! Can you tell us a little bit more about the class you offer. I know with winter coming parents of young children are probably looking for some new and fun things to do with their kids. ~Sally
Of course! Have you ever wondered what babies are thinking?
The Sign, Say and Play classes (6 months – 2 years) teach babies to use simple, easy-to-do gestures for communicating with their parents and caregivers. The Baby Signs® Program helps children develop both language and cognitive skills. Studies show that babies who sign actually develop speech sooner and have larger vocabularies when they do start talking. It can also reduce tears, tantrums and frustration!
Beebo the signing bear appears. He is a 30” plush bear with sleeves I put my arms through to model the signs. The little ones love him! We sing songs, read books, have a parachute time with dancing and bubbles, have activities specialized to the theme signs of the day and more. There are 5-6 signs taught each class. Some of the class themes are mealtime, bedtime, bath time, getting dressed, pets and at the park.
In Baby & Me classes (2 – 7 months) parents and their little ones explore fun activities through sensory, auditory and visual stimulation. Parents sing songs to their infants and many new songs are introduced with accompanying tactile play. There is a tummy fun time which is often the favorite activity! There are musical games, tactile play, parent discussions and a lot of bonding activities. We even have a memorabilia/gift project at the end of each session. It’s fun to discover what all these little ones can teach us!
In Baby & Me Fitness classes (non-mobile babies) moms can relax and have fun with their friends and their newborns during this easy fitness class designed especially for new moms and their babies. We combine gentle core strengthening exercises, yoga and breathing techniques. This class incorporates the non mobile baby into easy and fun exercises.
In the Art classes (2-6 years) we help inspire children’s imaginations and self expression with fun art activities. Through painting, sculpture, drawing, collage and more, classes encourage confidence and support artistic potential. Themed art series include 2 take home projects per class, play dough fun, songs, movement activity and more!
Yoga classes (3-5 years) (5-8 years) are specifically developed and modified appropriately by level, and are taught using the method of the It’s Yoga Vinyasa System. This is a fun and dynamic system of practicing poses joined together by breath and flowing movement. All classes include warm-up, action/play, winding down and relaxation. Busy lifestyles are commonplace for today’s kids and yoga is a wonderful way to tone the body and relax the mind. Beyond the well-known benefits such as increasing strength, flexibility and concentration, yoga is non-competitive, stimulates the imagination and is fun!
Here is a fun video about what Baby Signs® is!
Become a fan of Kids Fun On The Go on Facebook.
