Fun To Go

Girl Scouts are cool. A few weeks ago I received a calendar listing for the “Cookie Creations” benefit event at Boston’s  Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel on January 28  for the Girl Scouts of Eastern  Massachusetts. Seven Boston-area celebrity chefs were competing in a cook-off using Girl Scout cookies as an ingredient to make original dishes. The crowd samples each of the creations and chooses their favorite. Celebrity judges Kennedy from Mix 104 and Jenny Johnson from NECN’s  TV Diner and Dream Home were hosting. The  money raised by the benefit supports the Girl Scouts and kicks-off the local Girl Scout cookie selling season.

My 13-year-old daughter is a Girl Scout- and  has been since kindergarten. Over the years there have been sleepovers at the Museum of Science, International Dinners, Encampments at Girl Scout headquarters in Waltham, and seemingly endless winter weeks of cookie selling. But she is at the age  now where some of her peers scoff at Girl Scouts.

Rare that my life as a writer meshes with my life as a Mom. With approval of our troop leader, I sent out an email for a  ”Mom and Girl’s Night Out For Troop 3450.” It was a school night, but  it turned out that six of us could attend.  In  the lobby of the Copley Plaza Hotel, the girls met the very famous “Catie Copley” , the hotel’s resident  black Labrador and the subject of two children’s story books.  Moms and girls nibbled on crudite and cheese as a prelude to the very serious businessss of tasting each of the seven very  fancy desserts created for judging.  There was a peanut butter cheesecake with butterscotch sauce from Tremont 647, Caramel Delite Cupcakes from Sommerville’s Kick *ss Cupcakes (my personal favorite!)  a layered Lemonade Pushpop  from Aura at the Seaport Hotel, and more.  We hob-nobbed with the famous. I met Chef Rachel Klein, “Are you the Rachel Klein” I asked as I shook her hand.”I just wrote about your Fine Dining , Family Style event for Parents and Kids.” My daughter met Jenny Johnson, who was super-friendly, asking her about school and Girl Scouts.  The event was very well-attended; and many in the crowd were young, professional girls- just the sort of person you want your teenage girl to emulate.

The girls had a blast  at “Cookie Creations”, it was all the talk at the next troop meeting. For the adults, the evening was about as much fun as a Mom could have on a Thursday night. Seems like Troop 3450 will be back next year!

Wouldn’t it be great to dine on  a  sophisticated (and organic!) meal while your kids eat from a  children’s  menu that not only caters  to their tastes, but is healthy as well?  Aura Restaurant at the Seaport Hotel (200 Seaport Blvd. Boston, 617-385-4300) in Boston’s Seaport District is again  hosting  its popular family dinner series,  ”Fine Dining, Family Style” on select Friday evenings from 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m. Aura’s  next scheduled family dinner will be on January  29th from 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m. The dinner will be preceded by a kid’s yoga class led by the hotel’s yoga instructor. Afterwards,kids can join their parents in the dining room . Parents can choose from either the a la carte menu or the  $30 three course prix fixe menu (love prix fixe!) which includes either a salad or soup for a first course, a choice among entrees, and a choice of dessert. Kids can sup on homemade chicken tenders amped up in flavor with orange juice and a brown sugar crust,  grilled cheese with sweet potato fries, and more. Chef Rachel Klein even offers a seasonal selection of purees just for baby!  ”Fine Dining, Family Style” may be a bit pricey, but it is a fun night out for that special occasion when you want to celebrate “en famille”.

For those parents with school age kids, December break ended just last week- and already there is a long weekend looming!  This month’s P+K  feature,” 25 Places to Go and Things To Do  under $25″ has some great, inexpensive ideas for winter outings to consider for this weekend’s Martin Luther King Day on Monday, January 18th. Among my personal favorites is the  MLK Day Open House at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.  I’ve brought my kids to this event several times over the past few years and it really is a wonderful way to spend a winter afternoon as a family.  The  MFA’s MLK Day Open House features free admission for all, including free admission to the MFA’s kid-friendly current special exhibition, “Secrets of Tomb 10A”.  Kids love mummies- and the exhibit showcases treasures from an ancient Egyptian tomb from 2000 BC. The MFA’s Remis Auditorium  will have activities too,  including a gospel performance at 12:15 p.m. and a poetry slam event from 2:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m., featuring students from the Berklee School of Music. There will be art-making activities for kids throughout the galleries and free introductory tours of the MFA too. Since admission is free, consider treating the kids to a quick bite from the Courtyard Cafe. Finish your day with a spin through the MFA’s gift and book shop for a wonderful selection of educational children’s toys and books.

New Year’s Eve Day is predicted to be sunny and 30 degrees-perfect  weather for  First Night activities with the kids . Check out this month’s P+K for Five Family Friendly New Year’s  Celebrations. Boston’s First Night Celebration of course, is the granddaddy of all First Night celebrations. To really do First Night right, here are some tips.

1. Bundle up. Dress the kids (and yourself!) in layers. Don’t forget a hat and mittens and very good (and warm!) shoes or boots.
2. Take the T. First Night activities take place at more than 40 locations throughout the city, but since the Hynes Convention Center is the site of the FedEx Family Festival   (1 PM-5 PM )and is also the starting point of the Mardi-Gras parade  which starts at 5 PM-  try to arrive at Hynes or  Copley  on the Green line, or Back Bay on the Orange line.
3. Plan for an early dinner (or really late lunch) to avoid the crowds. A  3 PM dinner  is not too early to enjoy both the 5 PM parade and the  family fireworks on the Boston Common at 7PM.  There are lots of chain restaurant choices and a food court in the Prudential Center- but if you are looking for a little quiet, consider either  Caffe Jaffa across Boylston St. at 48 Gloucester St.  for family- friendly Middle East  or Asana in the Mandarin Oriental hotel (776 Boyslton St.) for Asian-inspired cuisine.

If you haven’t made plans yet for the December school vacation , don’t panic-yet.  This month’s P+K  feature ,“20 Places To Go And Things To Do To Make Special Holiday Memories” lists the best family fun activities that the area has to offer.

If you want to enjoy a holiday performance  with the kids, you may want to check out the  discounted tickets available at the Mayor’s Holiday Special where you can buy half-price advance tickets to some of the area’s family oriented seasonal performances including “A Christmas Carol” at the New Repertory Theater in Watertown, the musical “101 Dalmatians“ at the Wang Center and the Christmas Revels at the Sanders Theatre in Cambridge. Amid the craziness of the holidays, attending a  holiday performance can be a wonderful family tradition.

The Museum of Fine Arts Boston (465 Huntington Ave., Boston, 617-267-9300) always has programs that make art fun and accessible for kids. This week, from Wednesday December 2-Sunday, December 6, the Museum of Fine Arts Boston (465 Huntington Ave., Boston, 617-267-9300)will be hosting its MFA for the Holidays event  which offers tons of seasonal activities for families.

Check out the Gingerbread model of Copley Square- the original site of the MFA- at the Linde Family Wing on the first floor. Here, on Saturday, December 5 from 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m., there will be a family concert featuring the Amaryllis Chamber Ensemble, playing kid’s requests.

There will be children’s book signings and book give-aways on both Saturday and Sunday. Hundreds of books will be given away on a first -come, first served  basis. Saturday will feature “Finn Throws a Fit” read by author David Elliott. Author Emily Redmond will read her book, “Felicity Floo Visits the Zoo” and “Red Butterfly: How a Princess Smuggles the Secret Silk Out of China” will be read by author Debra Noyes. At noon on Sunday kids can hear the story of the “Gingerbread Pirates” will be read by author Matt Tavares. And finally, the very famous Catie Copley, the black lab that lives at the Fairmont Copley Plaza, will be present  at 2 p.m. when her book, “Catie Copley” is read by Suzanne Wenz.

Afterwards, with a little luck,  your kids may let you check out the MFA’s excellent bookstore and gift shop and knock a few presents off your gift list!

MFA for the Holidays is free with general admission which is $20 for adults, and free for children ages 17 and under.

Addendum to my last post: So pleased to  read in the Boston Globe that Jordan’s Furniture convinced one of the Jordan Marsh bakers to come out of retirement to recreate those famous blueberry muffins to be available for purchase during the Enchanted Village run!

There is no shortage of family things to do  this month - and experienced parents know that December holiday fun really begins in November . If  you want to “pre-season” the season, check out the Enchanted Village which has returned to New England and is on display at Jordan’s Furniture ( 100 Stockwell Dr., Avon, 508-580-4900)now through New Year’s.

The Enchanted Village  was created for the Jordan Marsh department store in the 1950’s. A visit  to the Downtown Crossing Jordan Marsh flagship location to see the animated figures displayed in snowy Victorian Village settings  was a holiday tradition for those who grew up in New England during the 1960’s and 1970’s. The Enchanted Village was brought back in the 1990’s for a short time- displayed at Jordan Marsh, then in a heated tent at City Hall Plaza, and finally at the Hynes Convention Center, but has not been shown since 2006.

The Enchanted Village was bought at auction this summer by Jordan’s Furniture and has been restored to be enjoyed by a new generation of New England families.  And just as in the “old days”, admission to the Enchanted Village is free. Now, maybe Jordan’s Furniture can bring back those famous blueberry muffins from the downtown Jordan Marsh store too!

The Discovery Museums (177 Main St., Acton, 978-264-4200)is sponsoring a free SMART (Science-Math-Art) Gals family night on Friday, November 20th from 5:30 PM-8 PM . The event is part of the Discovery Museum’s on-going initiative to engage young girls in science.  There will be hands-on activities in both the Children’s Museum and the next door Science Museum.   There will also be a 6 PM and 7 PM performance  by an historic re-enactor of the life of  aviatrix heroine , Amelia Earhart.  ”Meet Amelia Earhart: First Lady of the Air”,   is appropriate for kids over age 8 and adults . And of course, you don’t have to be a girl or Mom to enjoy the fun-  Dad and brothers are welcome too!

Image Credit: Used with permission of the Discovery Museums

Halloween isn’t just tricks and treats. Here are three family friendly Halloween-ish events to check out this weekend  that have nothing to do with candy!

At the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston “The Secrets of Tomb 10A: Egypt 2000 BC”  features a severed mummified head, several coffins,  and objects relating to various rituals to help  the dead in the  ”after-life.” Very spooky stuff. The exhibit is on-going through  May 16, 2010.

Celebrate “Day of the Dead”at the Peabody Museum of Archeology (11 Divinity Ave.,Cambridge,  617-496-1027)on Sunday, November 1 from 1p.m.-4:30 p.m. with the music, dance and crafts of Mexico. Free with museum admission.

Finally, bring the kids to see the just-opened Harry Potter :The Exhibit at the Museum of Science (Science Park, Boston, 617-723-2500) .Fans can view  200 props and artifacts from the Harry Potter movies on display in  ”Hogwarts-like” sets- including Harry’s magic wand, bottles of potions, and costumes galore.On-going through February, 21 2010.

Image Credit: Used with permission of the Museum of Science, Boston

This weekend, visit the Franklin Park Zoo for their annual Zoo Howl. This is one of the zoo’s most popular events and takes place over two days, both Saturday and Sunday , October 24-October 25th from 11AM-3PM and the event is free with zoo admission.  For kids, watching the animals play  with (and then crush!)  their pumpkins or “enrichment toys”  is always a thrill.   Have the kids wear their costumes.  There will be games, face painting, a Haunted Maze, a howling contest, music from Radio Disney,  and a trick or treat trail too.  Because  kids can never get too much Halloween -or Halloween candy!