September 22nd, 2010 larry
What little girl (and her Mommy) doesn’t LOVE Pinkalicious? Let me tell you, in surveying my friends it seems pretty unanimous - Pinkalicious is near to their girls’ hearts. It was also clear by observing the giddy, pink audience at the opening of Emerald City Theatre’s musical version of Pinkalicious, that this show is going to be a hit as well. Pinkalicious is playing at the Apollo Theatre September 18 - December 31, 2010. The show runs exactly 1 hour and tickets cost $16 for adults and $13 for children.
As you would expect, the play follows the book very closely - the main difference being that the characters burst into song every few minutes. It adds even more whimsy to an already cute story. The lead actress gives a bouncy, plump interpretation to the shows namesake character. She’s very likable and funny. But it was the actor who plays Pink’s brother Peter who really stood out. His comic timing is fantastic and made that character almost more memorable then Pinkalicious herself. There are cute surprises throughout the show that brought great responses from the audience. I loved the use of puppetry in the Cup Cake Dreams and the hilarious backup singers in I Got The Pink Blues. Make sure to arrive at the theater a bit early, as Emerald City did a pre-show art project that the kids then use during the show. It was very fun.
In addition, Emerald City is offering Pinkalicious Cupcake Tea Parties. After seeing the play families are able to walk over to The Grand Central for a special party featuring games, pink crafts, a reading of the original story and treats. The party is from 2-3:30pm on Saturdays Sept. 25, Oct. 9 and 24 & Sundays October 3 and 17. The party costs $15 for adults and $25 for children (attending the play is not required).
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September 15th, 2010 larry
The Midnight Circus has been supporting local Chicago parks’ fund raising efforts for many years with their Circus in the Parks performances. Not only a great source of funding, but a great source of entertainment. It is Circus season again with the Midnight Circus coming to Welles Park this weekend, followed by Holstein Park Sept. 25 & 26, Portage Park Oct. 9 & 10, and Chase Park October 16 & 17. Performances are Saturdays at 2pm & 5pm and Sundays at 1pm & 4pm. Tickets cost $15. We caught up with Julie from the Midnight Circus to see what’s new with the show.
The good news is that our favorite acts will be returning and will be expanded. The contortionist is back, the juggler is returning this year with a partner, and the entire ensemble will start the show. Most importantly, “Last year was our dog, Junebug’s, first year performing. Now that she is older (7 more years for dogs), she has a whole act to herself.” Not to put dogs over children, Max the clown, now in kindergarten, and Regina the ballerina, now in second grade, will have greater participation in this year’s show.
Of course the old favorites will be fun but there will be new entertainers as well. We don’t want to ruin any surprises but there will be new and enhanced acts this year. Magic will play a bigger part in this year’s show and the Chicago Boys Acrobatic Club will return but do a joint act with the Midnight Circus Ensemble. Count on that being a wild act. Finally, founders Julie and Jeff are resurrecting the original Midnight Circus Act from 16 years ago.
And all of this entrainment goes to help renovate some of the aging neighborhood parks. Over $80,000 was raised for Chase and Welles Parks over the years and both have successfully completed their playground renovations. “We are seeing huge turnouts this year,” explained Julie, “We were just at Gompers Park and we had an incredible turnout of neighbors. It was a wonderful family event.” And the neighbors participate in the shows, “There was a guy last year at Chase Park who ate the dog biscuit during the clown act - he was the only guy that actually did that and it was hysterical. So we have expanded the audience participation, especially during the pre-show warm ups. ”
They’d like to let folks know that each park gives the show has a different feel. So even though the show is essentially the same, each park is a unique backdrop and each audience adds something new. So, if people enjoy the show one weekend it will always be a different experience to see it in a different setting. And from our experience, the Midnight Circus is a top notch show for kids, adults, and the neighborhood. You’ll kid will definitely want to join the circus after seeing these guys.
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Larry and Donna
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September 9th, 2010 larry
Our guest reviewer Allison saw Disney on Ice: Princess Classics on Wednesday. She and her daughter LOVED it. It is playing at the United Center through September 12th with performances at 7pm on Friday and 11:30am, 3:30pm, and 7pm Saturday and Sunday. Tickets cost $13-$70. Read her “5 Star” review:
I had the pleasure of seeing Princesses On Ice and as usual for me, Disney did not disappoint us!! The first half of the performance tells all the beloved Disney Princess stories, complete with beautiful costumes, fun special effects and all the favorite songs and mind you, this is all done while ice skating. The second half is only the story of Cinderella but ends with a great finale that brings back all the princesses to skate together.
There are few parts of the show that have the evil villains in them that may scare the younger crowd or timid children, so keep that in mind. Also the show truly is “princesses on ice” and may not be a favorite for the young males in the household.
Remember that the venue is in an ice rink, so by the second half it got a little chilly, especially with the weather changing outside now, so bring a jacket for yourself and little ones.
All in all, the show was wonderful! If you are looking for something fun and special to do with the little ladies in your life, this is perfect.
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August 18th, 2010 larry
If the summer has gotten away from you and you never made it to that island vacation, maybe you can live vicariously through Vacation Isle Beach Party. We recently got sent this game for the Wii and I would not say that it successfully replaces a vacation, but it definitely got me thinking about one.
Vacation Isle can be played with your standard Wii remote and nunchuk or you can get the Wii balance board and surf the way the pros do it. Vacation isle comes with 8 different games with adjustable difficulty settings. So your kids can play as well as teenagers and adults. Games include:
* Salom Skiing where you water ski back and forth between pilons, jumps, and other obstacles.
* Wake boarding where you show off you balance.
* Surfing where you try to catch the best waves and don’t get dragged underwater.
* Stand Up Paddling where you try to steer your boat through the obstacles.
* Ski Jump where you take your water ski’s over platforms and jumps for distance.
* Stunt Park where you get to try your freestyle moves.
* Hula and Fire dancing which I never really did try.
My five year old and me spent our time in the slalom racing and ski jumping. Each time we hit a jump we screamed until we landed to see how far we went. The slalom really helps you remember how hard water skiing is but at least you don’t have to start from a sitting position in the water. Vacation Isle is a little monotonous as it doesn’t very that much except for the difficult so it hasn’t hit the major rotation. However, when it slides into the Wii we do get some solid entertainment out of it.
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Larry
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August 4th, 2010 larry
So you’ve got yourself some Lollapalooza tickets? Or maybe you’re still debating whether to brave the elements, crowd, and noise. Sunscreen up, grab your 2 water bottles, pocket some earplugs, and go. And yes, take your kid(s). Kidzapalooza is much more than a stage with entertaining musical performances geared towards kids. Think hip hop workshops, art projects, improv shows … all happening under a beautiful plot of shady trees. With a bit of planning and the right mindset, Lollapalooza with kids in tow is really not as daunting as it may seem. Here are 10 Tips and Reminders for making the most out of your Kidzapalooza experience. What would you add?
- Your kids (plural!) get in free. Lolla’s generous ticket policy states there is no limit on the number of kids per (ticket holding) adult. How old must the young ones be? Lolla says “10 and under” but I’ve heard the policy is quite liberal … no facial hair = IN!
- Err on the side of a stroller. Bringing little ones? 4 Words: Grant Park is huge. Simply making your way from the front gate to the Kidzapalooza area is a trek. Poor little legs tire quickly. Push past the hipsters - they won’t mind.
- Check the Schedule early. Kidzapalooza has a ton of activities that are on going and scheduled. Some of the kids bands are hysterical and the activities can be a ton of fun (arts and crafts, Rap recordings, etc.)
- Watch our for the big bands. Every now and then Kidzapalooza scores a big name artist like Jeff Tweedy and Wilco. These can get really crowded in the small space of Kidzapalooza. Remember that kids and their parents get to sit in the front row so bully your way to the front because there is a VIP section waiting for you.
- Hydrate. Another given. Take advantage of the 2 factory sealed bottles you are allowed in. Or you can bring your own empty refillable containers. (I happen to find the water station lines too long and sometimes out of the way for my impatient crowd.) Bottled water also sells for $2.
- Take a few snacks. Chow Town, Lolla’s upscale food court, is poised to serve delicious inexpensive grub at both the South and North ends of the park. Graham Elliot, Big Star, Kuma’s Corner, and Sundas are just a few restaurants primed to feed us. However, your personal stash of granola bars, animal crackers, and veggie booty will go a long way.
- Bring your camera. Between the tattooz, mohawk hairstyling, karaoke, and break dancing workshops, your kid(s) will participate in some cool activities. Capture it. These shots make awesome holiday cards.
- Download the free app. The Lollapalooza iPhone app is fantastic. And the Android app was just released this week. You’ll find the full schedule, a map, Lolla Radio, and more.
- Leave on a high note. Big outdoor summer festivals are exhausting and can quickly turn from a woo-hoo good time to an ugly meltdown. (My 7 year old begged to stay longer last year, but I shipped him home after a few hours.) Hydrate, eat wisely, enjoy, and then get the hell out.
- Soak up the festival spirit. There’s a special Lolla vibe. A pleasantness. A wink and a nod. A “we’re all in this together” feeling. Some call it the Lolla Bubble. Dive into the bubble head first. You’re kid(s) will thank you for it one day.
Marta - Guest blogger, Mom, music lover, and organizational consultant
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July 28th, 2010 larry
My 5 year old is a bit of a dare devil and has been loving the rock climbing walls at Pump It Up and many of the street festivals this summer. I decided to step it up a notch and take him out to Vertical Endeavors in Warrenville (near Naperville). They are the largest indoor rock climbing facility in the state with 18,000 square feet of climbing surface, offering challenges for all levels of climbers. There is a $15 daily entry fee per climber and they have a rental package for $10 that includes climbing shoes, harness, belay tool and chalk bag. Vertical Endeavors is open Monday-Saturday 10am-10pm and Sunday 10am-6pm.
Vertical Endeavors is located inside a beautiful Life Time Fitness facility. When you arrive at the front desk just inform them that you are going to Vertical Endeavors. They will have you show photo ID and sign some waivers. You will then be escorted to the very impressive climbing area. Here you’ll meet the young and enthusiastic staff that will help you get started. Unless you have your own equipment, you’ll need to rent a harness ($4) and belay tools ($4). We spent $10 for the entire rental package, so in addition we got climbing shoes and a chalk bag (for keeping your hands dry). I have to say the shoes made getting your footing much easier then with bigger everyday gym shoes - well worth it. During orientation our guide explained that one half the climbing area is for experienced climbers. Those climbers need to know how to belay, which is holding the safety rope for your climbing partner, and be at least 14 years old. The other side of the climbing area is for climbers of all ages and experience levels. It uses an Auto-Belay system that does not require a climbing partner or much training. That’s where we spent our visit. The guide got us into our gear and gave us an orientation on how to use the Auto-Belay system. Then we were off!
Wow - I had never tried rock climbing before and it is harder then I expected. Even though you are strapped in and completely safe there is a part of you that still has to get used to the height and fear of falling off the wall. My son did not seem to have these fears so I had to suck it up and get climbing. There are all different levels to try. One wall is specifically for families and young climbers. It has big foot holds and many whimsical shapes of animals, letters, and bugs to grab onto. Then there are other areas that are numerically ranked in levels of difficulty. This was helpful as we were getting used to the climb. In all there are 21 auto-belays, so there are a lot of paths to choose from. By the end of our visit to Vertical Endeavors my son had found the climbing paths that had bells at the top. With determination he worked his way up the entire 30 foot wall and rang the bell with pride. It was worth the trip out to Warrenville and we will definitely be returning.
BTW - If you live in the area Vertical Endeavors offers climbing camps throughout the year. There are still spots available in August for children ages 6-16. The August camps are offered the first three weeks of the month and cost $180 per week.
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July 21st, 2010 larry
We loved this show! It’s a lot of fun for children preschool aged and older, especially if they are fans of the original Shrek movie. This Broadway musical is really worth the ticket price, with outstanding performances, costumes, singing and dancing. Shrek The Musical is playing at the Cadillac Palace Theatre now through September 5, 2010. Ticket prices range from $25 - $90.
Your family will be smiling a lot during this show. The costumes and staging bring the fairy tale of Shrek to the stage right before your eyes. The characters are a hoot. Of course you will love Shrek, but it is two others that really steal the show. Princess Fiona is more feisty, funny and touching then in the movie. We see how she grew up a lonely girl in an ivory tower. It creates a huge compassion for her. We see how she is longing to get out and see the world, even though she is so naive and inexperienced. I just loved her. The other great character is Lord Farquaad, the super-small evil nemesis of Shrek. You will crack up every time he is on stage. The way his costume works was a huge fascination to my son - it’s very cool.
As in many musicals, the second act is superior to the first. Children may be a tiny antsy at the end of the first act, but assure them the second half of the show is fantastic. All the best songs and action make it go by in a fun flash. The song, “I Think I’ve Got You Beat” highlights bodily functions to great effect. Of course the biggest laughs come from farting and burping - no matter how old you are farts and burps are funny. “Freak Flag” is the most well known song from the show and it is a show stopper. The entire cast gives high energy to that number.
Shrek The Musical is better then the movie. You will be impressed. It’s clever, funny and has a good message - be yourself and it’s ok to be different. What kid wouldn’t benefit from that advice?
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July 14th, 2010 larry
Great summer movies continue to roll on. On the heels of Toy Story 3 and Train Your Dragon, I went to the opening day of Despicable Me with my son. Despicable Me is an animated feature with voices from Steve Carrell as Gru, the evil villian main character, Russell Brand as the mad scientist Dr. Nefario, and Jason Segal as Vector, the new bad guy in town. The cartoon is rated PG because of some fart jokes and sly one liners, but nothing I couldn’t take my 5 year old to.
The general gist of the story is Gru, a master villian, is getting on in years and he may not be the top villian in the world anymore. When he hears that someone stole one of the pyramids (Vector) of Egypt he gets fired up and wants to pull the greatest caper in the world. That caper is his life long dream of stealing (or at least going to) the moon. To help him out is Dr. Nefario, the crazy mad scientist who is a little hard of hearing and his minions; both of whom live in his basement. The minions may be the best part of the story. They are little oval, weeble shaped creatures who have one eye, don’t speak English but just squeak at each other, and slap each other around when they do things wrong. Every scene with these sparks giggles.
Stealing the moon has its challenges though. First, its expensive. So you have to get a loan from the Evil Bank. The Evil Bank is really into Gru’s plan but integral to that plan is a shrink ray gun that will allow him to carry the moon like a bowling ball. The loan is his if he can produce the shrink ray gun. The heist for the shrink ray gun goes flawlessly until Vector comes in and steals the gun from him. No gun, no loan.
So Gru must steal the gun back, and of course, the best way to do that is to adopt three girls who will sell cookies to Vector which will allow his cookie robots to steal the gun back. This plan goes well and the shrink ray is his but the bank still refuses him the loan. Which is where the real story comes in. The girls donate their cookie money and the minions donate their salaries to build a rocket and finance the project.
The movie is really about how these girls soften Gru and confuse him on which is more important, the girls or being evil. There are great scenes where the girls ask for kisses goodnight (”No kisses for anyone”), want him to read them a book (”This book about kittens is horrible”), or tuck them in. No matter how nasty he is to them, they refuse to give up on him and keep being nice to him. He starts to enjoy cooking them breakfast, seeing them dance, and teaching them things. He is very disturbed when the heist for the moon is on the same day as their dance recital. When he tries to make the recital after the heist, he sees a note from Vector that they have been kidnapped.
Despicable Me is really a dark comedy for kids and they pull it off. The one liners are funny, Gru is shaped ridiculously (huge chest and head with tiny legs). They do some standard fart jokes, but there are a lot of slapstick with the minions, and the scenes with the girls keep getting funnier. The ending scene of Gru dancing to the Bee Gees is a perfect ending and he actually writes his own kids book so the kids can get used to real literature. Steve Carrel speaks in some sort of eastern European accent which caused the kids some difficulty at first, but it doesn’t last long. Escape the heat or at the first sign of rain, go see Despicable Me.
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Larry
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June 29th, 2010 larry
Since the opening of Brookfield Zoo in 1934, this zoo has had the reputation for taking a cutting edge role in animal care and conservation of the natural world. The creation of its new outdoor exhibit, Great Bear Wilderness, is definitely a commitment to these goals. The state-of-the-art, naturalistic Great Bear Wilderness is the largest exhibit ever
built at Brookfield Zoo.
This is the new home to North American animals, specifically polar bears, grizzly bears, wolves, bald eagles, and bison. The exhibit recreates the North American wilderness, featuring hilly terrain, prairie expanses, rockwork, pools, a waterfall, and fallen trees. The bison habitat includes a 1.5 acre grassy landscaped area. There is a huge underwater viewing area of the bears. The bald eagle and raven habitat has a perching tree and a nesting platform that is bounded by a virtually invisible mesh barrier. The Regenstein Wolf Woods is now a part of Great Bear Wilderness.
When you step onto the winding path leading through Great Bear Wilderness, you begin a journey of discovery. As you continue to walk, you’ll not only view the many animals in their natural habitats, you will also learn about their past, their present status, and threats to their survival. There are viewing areas that allow you to go eye-to-eye with bison, grizzly bears, and polar bears. You can look up to a herd of bison from a tunnel underneath their prairie habitat, or you can peer through the glass in underwater viewing to watch the polar bears. You’ll experience multi-media encounters, including listening to an audio recording of a bison stampede and viewing footage of the animals’ natural habitats.
The day we went was a warm day so we didn’t see any grizzly bears roaming outside. However, the polar bears did seem to enjoy their underwater swim in the cool water. There was quite a large crowd at this expansive viewing area, and our grandson patiently waited until it was his turn to be at the window and to be up close and personal to these large bears. We did get a peek at the wolves as they quickly came out of their cave and quickly went back inside. When we ate lunch, our picnic table at the Bison Prairie Grill was next to the fence where the bison roam. As the bison grazed, he came up to the fence, and we were thrilled to see a bison that close to us.
We also had a great time discovering and laughing as we compared the wing span of an eagle to the arm span of our 5 year old grandson. We were also able to compare our grandson’s height to that of a bear cub and an adult bear. These interactive displays were very interesting, informative, and fun to do. We had a wonderful day at the zoo and particularly at Great Bear Wilderness. Although some areas of the zoo charge an additional entrance fee, this exhibit is free. The Motor Safari lets you off near the exhibit so a minimal of walking is needed to get there. Also you’ll find a picnic area right there. A playground is adjacent to the picnic tables for a nice change of pace for the children.
Go and enjoy a day outdoors with the animals!!
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June 23rd, 2010 larry
Over the last several years, debate has raged at our house if the best Toy Story was Number 1 or Number 2. Mom and Son consistently argue that Toy Story 2 is the best while I believe 1 was the most creative and interesting. Now that we have seen 3, the debate rages on as a family is split three ways. Of course, my son feels like Toy Story 3 is the best one but that could be just because it is shiny and new. However, no matter which one is your favorite, the consensus is definitely that Toy Story 3 is an excellent movie for the entire family. If you looked around the audience that we saw it with, there were families, people on dates, senior citizens, and teenagers. But if you have kids, Toy Story 3 is a must see.
The whole cast is back and this time the issue is that Andy is leaving for college. And like all of us had to do, Mom is demanding that he cleans out his room before he goes. That includes the toys. They need to go into the attic, donated to the pre-school, or off to college with him. Both Andy and the toys are anxious about the final decision.
After some typical comedic hijinks, the decision is that Woody will go to college but the rest of the toys accidently wind up being donated to the pre-school. The head toy of the pre-school is Lotso and paints a picture of Sunnyside Pre-School as the utopia for toys: they have a repair shop, extra batteries, and tons of kids want to play with you. But the best part is that kids keep coming to the school so you are never left alone without a kid to play with. For our heroes, this is music to their ears because Andy hasn’t played with them in years.
Woody won’t stand for it though, he is not going to leave Andy’s side and he heads back to Andy’s house. Of course, Sunnsyside isn’t all it seems. The toys are put in the toddler’s classroom who don’t play gentle, Lotso doesn’t allow them to roam around the rest of the classrooms, and all of the sudden Sunnyside is a prison and not a vacation spot. The movie centers around a fantastic escape by the toys, led by Woody who comes back from them. And it ends with Andy making hard decisions about his toys that left more than one person in the theatre in tears.
For me though, the charm and fun of these movies is how they creatively bring the toys to life. In the beginning, the green army men go AWOL as they don’t want to go the attic. They parachute out of the window like the green army men you get at Chuck E Cheese that have the wrapped up parachute. The portrayal of Ken (voiced by Michael Keaton) was absolutely fantastic. Whether it was the Ken dream house, his obsession with clothes (there is a scene where he just changes clothes from disco to kung fu, and another scene where he is tortured by Barbie ripping his clothes until he gives up some secrets), or the other toys ribbing him that he is a girls toy, Ken steals a lot of the show. They even throw in a love interest for Rex by way of another dinosaur.
Toy Story 3 was a long wait and worth the wait. My kid is already asking when he can have the DVD.
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Larry and Donna
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