August 26th, 2009 larry
It’s hard to find fun things to do during these last days of summer break. At this point we’ve done it all - twice. So what’s a parent who’s done everything do to entertain the kids. Dig deeper. Look farther. Drive south. All the way down to Crestwood to explore the family fun-land that’s been a favorite of the area for 20 years - Hollywood Park. Year round you can use the arcade, bumper cars, and climbing structure. During the warmer months add go-karts, rock climbing and mini-golf to the list. Hollywood Park is open every day of the year except Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Located in a gray stretch of parking lot between a Target and an out-of-business Menards, Hollywood Park is a cheerful surprise. You enter over a bridge flanked by the two mini-golf courses. The courses are filled with fresh flowers and waterfalls, exceeding my expectations. We played a round of golf and the kids had a great time. It was reasonably priced at $4 for children 4 and under, $5 ages 5-10, and $6 for adults. Around back are the Go-Kart track, climbing wall and picnic area. The Go-Kart track is small, but twisty, fun and well maintained. Children must be a minimum of 10 years old and 54″ tall to drive the kart. Children taller then 40″ can ride with adults. The cost for go-karts is $5 per driver, $2 additional for a passenger. The climbing wall is pretty imposing at 27′ tall and will set you back $3 per climb.
Inside the main building you will find a huge arcade filled with all the games you want. I was happy to see a few new racing games that were a ton of fun, one with motorcycles, the other with speedboats - most of our tokens went to these. The games with mature content are upstairs and my little ones were not even aware there was anything up there. The best deal is 100 tokens for $20, but you can get 40/$10, 20/$5, 4/$1. I liked that the games for the little kids were only one token a piece. This included the little toddler rides: a fun helicopter, ice cream truck and airplane.
The bumper cars are the single-rider inner tube style cars. Children must be 40″ tall to ride. This costs $3 per ride. You can also spring for a $12 wristband and your kids can ride the bumper cars, play in the climbing maze and attack the climbing wall all-day-long. The climbing area is for children 54″ and under. It is small but will entertain younger kids for a while. It is next to the bumper cars so your big kids can ride the cars while the little ones run around. The toddler rides are in the same area as well.
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Mom Says: Overall I really enjoyed Hollywood Park. It is clean, cheerful, and staffed with a really pleasant group of young employees. Sometimes these places can be super annoying to parents, but that is not the case here. Definitely go when the outdoor activities are open, they really add to the experience. Not sure it’s worth a special trip to Crestwood, but if you’re in the area definitely add this to your to-do list
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August 19th, 2009 larry
So sad. As most of you know, after 81 years of joy Kiddieland is permanently closing it’s doors at the end of this season. Chicago is losing an institution, as well as one of it’s BEST summer attractions for kids and parents. I, for one, have great memories of Kiddieland as a child, and even better memories of Kiddieland as a parent. If you would like to visit one more time before it’s gone, here’s some important information:
Open 11am-9pm: August 22, 23, 29, 30, September 5, 6, 7
Open 5pm-9pm: August 28, September 4
Open Noon-8pm: September 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27
Tickets. Tickets can be purchased online. I highly recommend using this method as you will avoid standing in line at the ticket booth. There is a major problem with this system though. If you are bringing a child aged 3 and under you cannot purchase their “no charge” ticket online. You must go to the ticket booth to obtain the “no charge” ticket - crazy. Also, you cannot use coupons online. The line at the ticket booth is longest when the park opens. Arrive 15-20 minutes early to get a decent space in line - - just a few minutes can make a big difference. The lines are much shorter as the day goes on, but the parking becomes a problem (see Parking below).
Coupons. The $3 off coupons available at Jewel are only good through Labor Day weekend. If you want to use this discount, get moving.
Parking . If you arrive when Kiddieland opens you will be able to get a spot in the main lot. If you arrive even an hour later you may be in the back lot. A few hours past opening you could be sent to an outlying parking lot.
Once inside the park there are longer then normal waits rides. The rides for little kids were not that bad. Lines for the roller coaster, log ride, bumper cars, etc. were pretty long - bring your patience.
Kiddieland’s Closing Ceremony will be held on October 4, 2009 from noon-8pm. This is private event and will not be open to the public. However, there is a way for the rest of us to attend this event - bid on a “Last Ride.” At the Closing Ceremony they will close down each ride one by one. They are currently running an auction where you can bid to have a seat on the last ride of your favorite Kiddieland attraction. To participate in the auction, print out a bid sheet online and submit your offer. Bids for all rides start at $50 and will be accepted through September 13, 2009, 8pm.
To read our full and original review of Kiddieland click here.
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August 12th, 2009 larry
Does a city comprised of Bears, Bulls, White Sox and Cubs have a need for Cougars? You betcha. This past weekend we took our kids to a Kane County Cougars baseball game. They don’t just play baseball at the newly renovated Elfstrom stadium located in the western suburb of Geneva, they put on a family fun filled extravaganza. Don’t let usual sporting event and concession stand prices deter you from this. Tickets to a Kane County Cougars game range from $8-$14, concessions are reasonable and food options are expansive. Continue reading to see how the Cougars cram baseball, constant giveaways, dancing, jump-flatables, an adorable mascot, allowing kids to run the bases and a fireworks show into one evening.
Like all great sporting events, the evening starts with parking. General parking is free and there is a shuttle from any of the far parking lots. Unless you plan to get there real early, buy your tickets in advance and drop off one parent and the kids near the stadium. It’s just easy. They let you do drop offs and it will keep the kids sane. Parking and walking in the hot summer months is never a good way to start the night. Once in the stadium, you can let the fun begin. We’ve sat in the stadium seats and on the lawn. Either option works great. Ours kids are still little so we prefer the lawn. The kids can run around a lot and even play with other kids. Parts of the lawn seating are on a steep slope, so you will want to select your area accordingly.Do your kids get bored during a baseball game? So do ours. To keep the kids entertained there are a series of jump-flatables just beyond the outfield wall. This is incredible. While you do have to pay to jump and play in the jump-flatables, they are affordable, clean enough and a lot of fun. Another in-game entertainment option are the constant giveaways and dancing mascots. That’s right, the Cougars mascots run around in-between and after each inning and throw things into the audience. They giveaway mushy baseballs, t-shirts and more throughout the entire game. We’ve been to 4 games this year and snagged a freebie 3 of the 4 times.Not enough to convince you yet? Well, how about this….Immediately following most summer games the Cougars put on a full fledge fireworks show and you can even get your kid on the field to round the bases. The fireworks show is really first class. It’s not quite as good as a 4th of July bash, but it does last 20-30 minutes and there is more to it than just the grand finale. Our kids didn’t participate in the running of the bases, so we’d like to hear from other parents who have. It sounds like it’s easy to do – just go, wait your turn and run – and all the kids seem to be having a blast!Oh wait; I almost forgot. They played baseball that evening too. The game doesn’t feature any big names like Buehrle, Zambrano, Thome or Lee…but it is good competitive baseball. This is a great way to expose your kids and yourself to an evening of baseball and fun. We highly recommend you make the journey out to see a Kane County Cougars game sometime soon.
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August 5th, 2009 larry
I have made two weeks of baby food once before. It took me 14 days. So when I got a phone call offering me a session with a professional chef who comes into your home, cooks two weeks of food for your baby, cleans up, and leaves. I jumped at the opportunity.
Who would have ever thought of a business that comes into your home to teach you to make baby food, or just make it for you? Stacey from Itsy Bitsy Gourmet (itsybitsygourmet.com), that’s who. You might be familiar with her food since Stacey was the Executive Chef and owner of Tomboy Restaurant in Andersonville for 11 years. Now she takes her love of all things culinary and brings it right to your baby’s tummy.
To get highly delicious, homemade food for your smallest family members, contact itsybitsygourmet@gmail.com or visit her comprehensive website. Stacey will set up a consult with you and develop a menu. You can buy your own groceries, or you can request Stacey bring all the ingredients. When it’s time for cook day, get ready! Stacey warned me that it would take longer if I helped and she wasn’t kidding. In the time that it took me to peel and cut a handful of carrots, she had peeled, diced, minced, and otherwise prepared 5-6 fruits and vegetables for baking. My brother-in-law came to help for several hours. His training at a top culinary school made him more able to keep up, but I quickly found my roll to be official taste tester (YUM!), container filler, and comic relief. Twice I turned around from a phone call or other distraction only to see that Stacey had created another dish almost instantly.
Itsy Bitsy Gourmet filled my freezer with four fruit based meals; four vegetable and starch combinations; and four flavorful entrees. My favorites were the Apple/Mango/Avocado blend and the Hawaiian Ginger Pork. My 10-month old loves 3-Bean and Vegetable Stew and the 3-Berry Blend.
Stacey uses only BPA-free microwavable containers to store her baby food. She respects your desire to compost, recycle, or throw out refuse from cook day. Although I prefer organic and locally grown foods when appropriate, you can request Stacey make your food as organic or conventional as you choose.
Advantages:
-Custom menu. Stacey created one meal to order based on our dietary needs. She makes the food as smooth or as chunky as you want. Since my 10-month old is mashing and chewing, Stacey made the perfect blend of smooth and chunky foods using techniques that I wouldn’t have thought of.
-Ingredient information. You buy your own groceries. You know exactly where you get the food and you know exactly what the ingredients are in every dish (most dishes create fantastic flavors with 3-7 ingredients). Stacy will use either water or apple juice to thin foods based on your desires. You can even choose the oil used in cooking.
-Knowledge. I know there are many people making baby food these days. Gourmet cooking stores even sell baby food making machines. Stacey, however, brings important additional knowledge to this process. She discouraged me from making beets and carrots (both high in nitrates) in the same two-week meal rotation. She refused to use the green beans that my brother-in-law bought because they were the wrong type for babies to eat and might cause choking. She also taught me how to make berry dishes without causing a rash-like outbreak on delicate skin. (Curious to know the secrets? Sounds like you should schedule a cook day with Stacey soon).
-Food. The food is wonderful and really captivates a young palate. I was amazed at the vivid colors and aroma created every time I open a new container. Stacey’s food is fresh. It is delicious. It sure beats any mass produced jarred or frozen product I’ve tried.
-Ease. Stacey arrives on cook day with two giant duffle bags full of everything but the kitchen sink. She brings her own scales, bowls, pots, pans, and equipment. All of your equipment and pans stay in the cupboards. Everything is cleaned before and after use and your kitchen will possibly be cleaner when Stacey leaves than when she arrives (although she charges by the hour so a disastrous kitchen will cost you).
Disadvantages:
-Space. You need some serious storage space to store 50-60 6-oz jars of baby food. Our cook day would have filled most of our refrigerator’s freezer, so I used this as an excuse to buy the chest freezer that I have wanted for my garage. If you don’t have storage space, there are other options. For example, I recommend pairing with a neighbor or friend who has a baby of a similar age and splitting up the food. Stacey can do cook parties to accommodate several families. Just tell her all the information first.
-Price. I spent just under $100 for groceries for my day with Stacey (costs will vary based on menu). There is also an hourly chef rate, travel time, and 20 cent charge per 6-ounce plastic container. Altogether, 2-weeks of Itsy Bitsy Gourmet food came to about $4-$5 per container of food. However, the foods are packed full of nutrition, calories, and flavor. Furthermore, I am finding that each container of food is closer to 3 servings rather than 1 serving of traditional baby food packed full of fillers. So Stacey is a better bargain than I first thought.
Everyone seems to be making their own baby food now but my only attempt was a dismal failure that took an entire day to complete (and then I had to go out and buy baby food in jars anyway). Mass produced baby food is highly regulated, safe and nutritious. There is no failure in feeding your baby from a jar. However, if you decide to make your own baby food, you should have at least one or two sessions with Stacey. Her time management skills, flavor combinations, and safety information are imperative to being successful in the kitchen. If you have the funding and storage space, or if you absolutely must know the origin of your baby’s food, Stacey should be in your house every few weeks.
Jennifer
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