Daily Adventures July 2-7, 2012

I am probably opening myself up to ridicule here, but I had to laugh at something I said to my father-in-law last week.

We went to their house for dinner and he commented that I was unshaven.  Now, this is not an uncommon state for me in the summer, but my beard was getting pretty long and I had actually planned on shaving that day.

So I responded with, "Yeah, I was gonna shave this morning, but I ran out of time."  The funny part of this sentence is that I ran out of time because I needed to get one of my sons to a doctor's appointment.  At 10 am.

A challenge to complete basic hygiene by 10 am?  It must be summertime.

Similar to a wine pairing provided on the menu of fine dining establishments, this week's adventures all come with a suggested hat pairing.  Enjoy!  

Monday, July 2 - Safari Hat
It might help if you read the next few sentences in Grampa Simpson's (or some other grandpa's) voice.  "I remember when I was a kid.  My toys didn't blink or beep.  I was happy if I had a STICK to play with."  Now this is not totally true.  I had a ColecoVision video game system that blinked and beeped.  But it's also true that I used to wander around the stream by my house and poke sticks in the mud.  For hours.  The Tamarack Nature Center in White Bear Township hopes this type of play makes a comeback.  To this end, they have opened the "Nature Play Area and Discovery Garden."  You won't find typical play structures here.  What you will find is a stream in which kids can float sticks, build dams, and dip their toes to cool off.  There are also kid-friendly climbing cliffs and five miles of trails open for hiking.  It's free in 2012 so bring your lunch and some dry clothes and show your kids that, unlike the State Fair, an Xbox ain't got nothin' on a stick.

Tuesday, July 3 - Kentucky Derby Hat
I'm not much of a gambler so I never really thought too much about going to Canterbury Park, but today is a special day at the races.  For starters, the gates pop at 4 rather than 7 pm.  Then, on the back stretch, live music is provided by Brat Pack Radio (they've got to be kid friendly with a name like that, right?). For the home stretch there will be fireworks when the sun goes down.  Your family will cheer as you cross the finish line and head home.  I tried to use my extensive knowledge of race terms in some metaphors.  Did it work?  Admission to anyone under 18 is free.  The rest of us get in for $5 each so as long as you don't bet the farm on a can't-miss, it could be a pretty cheap date.

Wednesday, July 4 - Uncle Sam Hat
John Adams, speaking on the independence of America, proclaimed that "it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival.  . . .  solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more."  He was right.  Sort of.  Mr. Adams thought we'd shoot bottle rockets at each other on July 2nd, when the motion to separate from England passed in congress.  But, as you know, we celebrate on the 4th when the Declaration of Independence was approved by Congress.  Apparently John Hancock didn't put his, uh, signature on it until August 2.  Anyway, Minneapolis hosts the Red, White and Boom Festival yesterday and today if you'd like to venture downtown.  For those who would rather stay closer to home you can search for fireworks with this firework finder.

Thursday, July 5 - Polo Helmet
I don't know about you, but the only Polo I've ever seen is on the rack at Marshall's.  But that's about to change!  The Twin Cities have a polo club called, of course, the Twin City Polo Club.  It's in Maple Plain, well outside of the 694/494 loop, but your only expense will be gas.  Before you go, brush up on your polo vocabulary.  Then grab a lawn chair, some lemonade, and an air horn (horses love these!) and hit the road.  Practices are held Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6 pm, and there are games Friday through Sunday - all free to attend.  Check their Facebook page for schedule updates or call the hotline at 763-392-5373 to make sure it's game-on.

Friday, July 6 - Sailor's Hat
Minneapolis is home to a National Scenic Byway System called Grand Rounds, composed of seven districts offering different flavors of Minnesota's largest city.  Thirteen miles of this 50-mile system meander through the Chain of Lakes in south Minneapolis.  This postcard-ready area can be explored for free on foot, bicycles, or Rollerblades.  Today, however, five passengers are setting sail from an urban port aboard some tiny ships.  OK, the tiny ships are canoes that we're renting for $17 from Wheel Fun Rentals at Lake Calhoun, and the college buddies with whom we're going will total more than five, but you catch my drift.  Pun intended.  Sorry.  I'm not yet sure if $17 buys us a three-hour tour, but I hope to get stranded on the deserted isles for which Lake of the Isles is named.  OK, I'll stop with the Gilligan's Island references now.

Saturday, July 7 - Thinking Cap
Take advantage of the free admission and family activities the Walker Art Museum during their Free First Saturdays program.  This month the theme is Kids' Democracy.  You can tackle a literal maze of red tape at capitol HILL on your way to the Department of Mustachery, or dance to some Bomba - the traditional folk music of Puerto Rico.  While you're there, check out their newest exhibition, "This Will Have Been Art: Art, Love and Politics in the 1980's."  Maybe it will inspire you to roll your pant legs and tease your bangs again.  Maybe not. 

See you next week!

Daily Adventures June 25-30, 2012

Monday, June 25
It's Monday, so let's Do Something.  Use the Action Finder on this website to peruse volunteer opportunities in and outside of your community.  You can search by the cause you'd like to help out (animals, troops, etc.), whether you'd like to volunteer with a group or by yourselves, if you'd like to serve in your community or online, and you can even choose your time commitment, ranging from one minute to one year.  This is a great opportunity to have a conversation with your kids about philanthropy that will undoubtedly digress into stories from your Phi Kappa Lambda days.  If you slip up and talk about "shots," maybe they'll think you used to be a Clone Trooper.

Tuesday, June 26
I mentioned last week that there's treasure to be found on our county library site, Kid Links.  We will be attending one of the "Art Out of the Box" sessions found there this afternoon.  The description says that kids will "investigate form and fiction found in sculpture from the Minneapolis Institute of Arts."  I get the form part, but I'm a little foggier on the fiction.  Anyway, then they get to "sculpt characters to tell their own stories," so we'll be well on our way to making our own "Wallace and Gromit" movie.

Wednesday, June 27
Speaking of your days at Phi Kappa Lambda, here's your chance to head down to the University of Minnesota.  Alison Scott will be performing for free as part of the Summer Music Festival on Northrop Plaza from noon to 1 pm today.  Find a bike route to get there at Ride the City MSP.  Alison is described as having an organic, soulful sound and has opened for the likes of Bon Jovi and Marc Cohn.  And, if that isn't enough reason for you to go, maybe the free Vitamin Water will change your mind.  Yeah, I thought so.

Thursday, June 28
The Twin Cities River Rats put on the best water skiing show I've ever seen, and they do it for free every Thursday at 7 pm.  Bring a lawn chair or blanket and prepare to be entertained.  These folks can ski on two skis, one ski, bare feet, other peoples bare feet (?), on their backs, on shoulders and off jumps.  I bet if you gave them a couple of ipads, they could ski on those, too.  The applications for ipads just never end, do they?

Friday, June 29
We have decided to implement the Share, Save, Spend, or Three Jars, program with our kids.  Using this philosophy, kids put a percentage of their allowance towards savings and charitable causes while the rest is available to spend as they choose.  This eliminates much of the frustration that bubbles up, for all involved parties, when the adults make all the purchasing decisions.  Instead, children learn to manage their own money.  While they will make spending decisions we don't always approve of, they're still saving money and putting some to good use for others.  So today, we're going to the bank to set up savings accounts for our boys, complete with electronic transfers from our bank account.  Now, if you find a program that helps adults put money into their savings accounts, let me know.  Please.

Saturday, June 30 
We are going to get a Museum Adventure Pass for a train ride from Osceola to Dresser, WI run by the Minnesota Transportation Museum.  There are three departure times available, but we're opting for the 1:15 pm train because it's a 50 minute round trip.  You can also travel from Osceola to St. Croix Falls, but that takes 90 minutes and I'm afraid the charm might wear off.  For me.  Osceola is a nice little town founded in 1844, so save some time to stroll around after your trip.  I think we'll wear our cowboy hats and pretend we're pioneers.

Enjoy your adventures!

Daily Adventures June 18-23, 2012

Hello, Regal Guardians!

I have to admit there are times when I can get cynical.  I trust at least some of you can commiserate?  Even so, I have to share this experience from my sons' baseball game last week.  As you can imagine, baseball for third-graders is filled with lots of strike-outs and dropped balls.  The nice part is that very few of the players seem to let it bother them.  The parents can be a different story.  We tend to feel every missed swing and overthrown ball quite sharply.

I think it was the bottom of the second inning when "The Catch" occurred.  Our team was in the field and several uneventful pitches had already been thrown.  The pitcher wound up and delivered another fastball to the plate.  This time the batter swung and the ball traveled in a high, smooth arc towards right field.  The crowd held its collective breath.

As soon as the ball left the bat our right fielder had his glove in the air.  He took a couple steps to the right, then left.  He backed up a little, I think he spun around, took one more step to his left, started to fall down and then . . . he caught it.

His dad was sitting in a lawn chair a short distance to my right.  He leaped to his feet with both hands clenched and thrust straight into the air.  I'm sure he was shouting but I couldn't hear him because every parent there was cheering like crazy, even those from the other team.  The smile on the boy's face lit up the field as he threw the ball back to the pitcher. 

I'm an elementary school teacher so I know tears when I see them.  I know I saw tears in his dad's eyes.  For a long while.  A scene like that makes it kinda hard to be cynical, at least for a few timeless moments.

        
Monday, June 18
When you're talking free family activities in the Twin Cities, it's had not to mention the Como Zoo in St. Paul.  But today is extra special.  Free on free, if you will.  Because while Como Zoo is always gratis, today you can get a complimentary ride on Cafesjian's Carousel and save yourself $1.50 per person!  For a family of four that's like . . . $5!  (School's out for summer, remember.)  The 98-year-old carousel was saved from auction in 1988, thanks largely to Gerard L. Cafesjian and his $600,000 donation.  Combine that with "a six-year-old's gift of a quarter, two dimes and a nickel to 'save my favorite horse,'" among others, and the result is a free pony ride for you.  Almost makes you want to donate yourself, doesn't it?

Tuesday, June 19
I have good news and bad news.  The good news is that libraries in the eight-county metro area offer free Museum Adventure Passes to 17 locations around town.  The bad news?  The program ends this year, so my goal is to visit all of the places I have missed over the past five years.  Today I think we'll start with the Landing in Shakopee.  This park recreates life along the Minnesota River Valley during the mid 1800's.  Since we're getting in for free (two of us anyway) I might spring for the guided tour.  If not, I'll just go around asking the "costumed interpreters" why they do everything the hard way.

Wednesday, June 20
Muller Family Theaters are offering free movies on Wednesdays at 10 am (July 4th excepted) through August 15.  This week you can see Mr. Popper's Penguins in Lakeville, Kung Fu Panda in Monticello, Aliens in the Attic in White Bear Township, or Night at the Museum 2 in Rogers.  The Waconia, Delano, East Bethel, and Willow Creek theaters haven't listed their option yet.  It's first come, first sit so you might want to go early.  Doors open at 9:30 am.  And bring a little pocket change because I'm sure the Dots aren't free.

Thursday, June 21
There seems to be a number of free bowling programs out there, but the option I chose is called "AMF Summer Unplugged" and it promises to be as huge as MTV's Unplugged!  OK, maybe not, but when we put the bumpers up on the alley, the sparks really start to fly!  When you register, your kids 15 and under get two free games of bowling every day until September 3.  For a one-time fee of $30, up to four adults can join in the fun.  You don't even need to have kids to get this deal!  But you will have to pay for shoes unless, like me, you own your own.  Yes, I own my own bowling shoes.

Friday, June 22
The Hennepin County Library has so many cool things going on this summer I'm a twitter.  No, not a tweeter, I gave that up.  At your local library you'll find book making programs called "Paint it Green," acting workshops ("Act Out!") with Guthrie teaching artists, magnet experiments with a Bakken Museum educator, sculpture making and storytelling in the "Art Out of the Box" series conducted by the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, and the Brodini Comedy and Magic Show with magician Graylyn Morris.  This is in addition to the Girls Read, Guys Read, Kids Read, and child-parent book clubs available.  Dates and times vary by location, and some activities require registration.  You'll have to dig a little at Kid Links to find the best options for you, but I'm confident you'll uncover some real treasure!

Saturday, June 23
This just in!  There is a Kidical Mass bike ride today from 9-11:30 am.  This ride is sponsored by Bike Walk Move Twin Cities.  Meet at Venture North Bike Walk Center located at 1830 Glenwood Ave. N. in Minneapolis.  From there you'll travel along Wirth and Bassett's Creek Parkways on your way to the Sculpture Garden at the Walker.  It's about a three-mile ride reaching speeds of up to 6 mph, so helmets are required.  Harley chaps, however, are not.  

Have a great week!

Daily Adventures June 14-17, 2012

Woohoo!  School's out for summer!  Life finally slows down for this teacher.  I won't have 29 students rolling into my classroom (sometimes literally) at 9:20 am anymore.  I only have to worry about my own kids for the next 10 weeks.

Ah, yes, nothing but time on our hands.  Endless hours of sunshine with no schedule.  Endless requests for something to eat.  Endless shouts of, "Dad! Look!" as they demonstrate, respectively, that water splashed on one's face does kinda look like sweat and that you can throw a ball in the air and almost catch it four out of five times!

I need something to do.  Now.  And so do you.

That's where "What Do I Do Now?" comes in.  The Twin Cities have a lot of free, or at least cheap, things to do on most days.  My mission is to find one "Adventure" for my family to tackle every weekday this summer.  I'll list them here on "What Do I Do Now?" so that you can tackle them too, when it works out.

And if you know of cool things that I miss, please share them in the comment section!

Alright, so What Do I Do Now?!

Thursday, June 14, 2012
The Landmark Center in downtown St. Paul is hosting a free dance instruction series on Thursdays this summer.  You can test your toes at eight different styles including Tango, Salsa, and Ballroom dancing, just to name a few.  Today the plaza will pulse with West African Dance while the New Primitives lay down the groove.  Food is available at 5:30 pm, instruction begins at 6, and music starts at 7:15.  Click here for the schedule, or call 651-292-3225 for the event hotline.  If you go to all the dates, you might be able to audition for So You Think You Can Dance!

Friday, June 15-17, 2012
The Stone Arch Bridge Festival runs Friday to Sunday.  This is kind of a big deal with over 200 artists, from Abbott to Zhang, displaying their stuff.  There's also over 50 bands playing on three stages.  I haven't heard of any of them, but I hadn't heard of CAKE the first time I wandered into the Cabooze to see them, and that turned out OK.  There's a kids activity area with a rock-climbing wall and Radio Disney jams.  Visit the Nice Ride booth under the Central Ave. Bridge, complete the scavenger hunt, and you will receive a free bike helmet!  You can also enter your car into a car show on Saturday or Sunday, if it's older than 1976.  Oh, yeah, you can eat there too.  I bet you could find something that's fried.

Enjoy your weekend!  See you next week!

Daily Adventures August 22 - 26

This is the end, my friends.  I go back to work on Monday and blogging just isn't in the cards anymore.  I hope you've found this useful, or at least enjoyable reading.

For the final blog I decided to revisit some of our top adventures of the summer.  These are high-quality destinations, so visit without reservation.  You won't need reservations, either.  

Monday, August 22  Go to your local library and get a Museum Adventure Pass to use this week.  These passes offer two free admissions to a wide variety of museums around the Cities.  Destinations include the Foshay Tower Museum, the Minnesota Zoo, and my kids' favorite museum, The Bakken.

 Tuesday, August 23  Your little buddies (5 and up) can earn their Junior Refuge Manager Badge at the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge.  Meet at the Bloomington Visitor Center at 9:30 am for the two-hour program.  This is a first-rate facility that I didn't know existed until my friend, Janine, shared the secret this summer.  You won't be disappointed. 
My boys also highly recommend the family programming at 10 am at Caponi Art Park.

 Wednesday, August 24  The first time I tried this one Minnesota was closed for business, so let's try again!  There are 25 state parks in Minnesota that will loan you a GPS unit for free so that you can try geocaching!  The closest one is at Fort Snelling State Park.  Geocaching is a fun way to hike through state parks while using a GPS unit to find a cache of hidden treasures.  Bring a knick-knack with you to leave behind.

Thursday, August 25  If you saw the Yogi Bear movie this spring you might remember the water skiing exhibition that Yogi put on.  It was pretty good, but you ain't seen nothing 'til you've seen the Twin Cities River Rats do their stuff on the Mighty Mississippi.  It was 60 degrees and raining the last time this was on the schedule, so nobody went.  If you go this time, you'll see pyramids, barefooting, flips, jumps and, if you're lucky, some crazy boat acrobatics.  The show is at 7 pm and free.  Directions are here.

 Friday, August 26  You're probably familiar with "Spoonbridge and Cherry" at the Walker's Sculpture Garden.  But this ain't the same old cherry anymore.  You can now download an app called "SCVNGR" that will take you on a digital scavenger hunt through the garden.  On this adventure, you'll be directed to snap some photos and answer questions about what you're seeing.  You can earn rewards by completing these challenges.  What kind of rewards?  I still have no idea . . . I had to work the last time I scheduled this.  If, like me, your phone isn't smart, you can borrow one from the Walker.  They put the "art" in "smart" . . . That "joke" was so nice, I used it twice.

Saturday, August 27  Take the "Garden Highlights Nature Hike" from 11:00 to noon at the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary.  This is a free tour of the wildflowers led by a garden naturalist.  You'll need to register for this at www.minneapolisparks.org or call 612-370-4903.  Tours begin at the Martha Crone Visitor's Shelter. 

Daily Adventures August 15 - 19

Tuesday, August 16  Today we're headed to Wood Lake Nature Center.  It's tucked right into "downtown Richfield" but you'd never know it.  There are trail loops for every sized leg out there - from the 0.1 mile long Woodland Loop to the 1.8 mile Perimeter Trail.  My favorite is the 0.8 mile Boardwalk Trail which takes you across the Wood Lake marsh.  You'll also find a play area (everything is natural here) and an interpretive building with interactive displays.  If you like what you find, you can become a F.O.W.L. (Friend Of Wood Lake) and enjoy free cross-country ski rental and a New Year's Eve party, complete with trail luminaries, for the next year.

Wednesday, August 17  "Come and ride the train, c'mon and ride it, Woo-woo!"  Years ago the Twin Cities were criss-crossed with miles and miles of streetcar tracks.  It would have made Jesse "the Body" Ventura proud.  A little piece of those tracks remain in operation connecting Lakes Harriet and Calhoun.  On Wednesdays in the summer the Como-Harriet Streetcar Line runs from 1-4 pm.  You can also catch it in the evening and on weekends, if you'd rather.  For $2 per person, you can ride the trolley from Lake Harriet to Lake Calhoun and back again.  The ride is definitely spiced up if you wear a hoop skirt or engineer's hat, but it's kinda neat anyway.

Thursday, August 18  Back when those streetcars were still running, there were also gangsters running around St. Paul.  As long as they checked in with the police chief upon arrival, and put their "business" on hold while in the city, they were left alone.  They were even tipped off by the police if the FBI were on the way to their hideout.  One of the nightclubs at which the gangsters liked to hang out was called Castle Royal.  It was located in the Wabasha Street Caves and you can tour the caves today!  It'll cost $6 per person, cash only.  Tours start at 5 pm with tickets going on sale 10 minutes earlier.  Again, you can spice it up by wearing a pinstripe suit or flapper dress, but this is not required.

Friday, August 19  We're going on an urban hike in downtown Minneapolis.  Start at the Minneapolis Central Library and check out the children's section.  Cross Nicollet and head southwest to Gavidae Common.  Go up to the skyway level and check out the multi-floor fountain.  Continue in the skyway to the Crystal Court of the IDS building, the tallest building in Minnesota.  The fountain here drops from the ceiling.  Follow the skyway to the Young-Quinlan building and check out the displays about this buildings past.  Hit the street again and stop on the patio at the Local for a snack.  Then continue to Peavey Plaza, where you might catch some music around lunch time in the summer.  Cross Nicollet again and look for the Loring Greenway on the near side of the Hyatt Regency Hotel.  Follow the greenway to the final destination, Loring Park.

Next week will be my last post for the summer.  I'm planning on doing a top-5 recap.  If you visited any of these places over the summer and want to nominate one of them for top-5 consideration, leave a comment here.

Have a great week! 

Daily Adventures August 8 - 13

Monday, August 8  We could all use a little more Wild Rumpus in our lives, right?  Right.  This book store claims to "stop at nothing to grab children's attention" including animals with scales, fur, and feathers that roam freely throughout the premises.  On Mondays at 10:30 am the Rumpus, as I've cleverly and affectionately nicknamed it, hosts Tail Time.  This read-aloud is aimed at preschoolers, but that won't keep me or my kids away from free-range chicken.  While we're in the neighborhood, we'll stop by Clancey's Meats and Fish for one of the best deli sandwiches in the Twin Cities.  Nearby Linden Hills Park makes for a great dessert.

Tuesday, August 9  There are two kinds of people in this world: Those who like Neil Diamond, and those who don't.  If you're in the Neil Diamond camp, you can end your day at the Lake Harriet Bandshell taking in Karl Commers' "Neil Diamond Tribute" at 7:30 pm.  It's part of Minneapolis' Parks outdoor concert series.  Whet your appetite for "Sweet Caroline" by spending the afternoon at the Lyndale Park Gardens.  Here you'll find four distinct gardens, including the famous rose garden, and Roberts Bird Sanctuary.  It's a great place to while away a beautiful summer day.

Wednesday, August 10  You're probably familiar with "Spoonbridge and Cherry" at the Walker's Sculpture Garden.  But this ain't the same old cherry anymore.  You can now download an app called "SCVNGR" that will take you on a digital scavenger hunt through the garden.  On this adventure, you'll be directed to snap some photos and answer questions about what you're seeing.  You can earn rewards by completing these challenges.  What kind of rewards?  I have no idea . . . yet.  If, like me, your phone isn't smart, you can borrow one from the Walker.  They put the "art" in "smart" . . . Sorry about that one.

Thursday, August 11  "What creatures have a tough outer shell-like covering, three body parts, and six legs, and have been found on earth for 350 million years?"  If you're anything like me, you probably answered, "The one on the bottom of my shoe."  But I know my kids find insects fascinating.  Fortunately for us, the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Reserve is hosting a free Insect Investigation today from 10-11:30 am.  I just have to remember to not scream "Eeeew! A bug!" when we find one.

Friday, August 12  I mentioned before that the Three Rivers Park District is a jewel in our cities' crown.  Today we're going to check out another of their awesome facilities - French Regional Park.  French Park has webbed climbing structures that remind me of Mr. Savre and elementary Phy. Ed.  And if we get tired of that, there are GPS units to check out for some geocaching, and a swimming beach.  All of this activity would make Mr. Savre proud.