Archive for July, 2008

Overnight Eclipse Sleepover

No, you won’t be able to view the total solar eclipse in our half of the hemisphere. But if you bring PJs and a sleeping bag to this overnight party, you can view a live simulcast, meet astronomers, learn about the solar system, and sleep with other star fans.

When: Thu., 7/31, 9pm-6am; Ages 4+; $11-16.

Where: Exploratorium at the Palace of Fine Arts, 3601 Lyon St., 415-563-7337, www.exploratorium.edu.

Friends of the San Francisco Library $1 Book Sale

Pick up the chaff of the SF Library when this bargain book sale takes place on the steps of the Civic Center Main Library. Books for adults, kids, teens — don’t miss your chance to own a book with a dust jacket!

When: Fri., 8/1, 11am-2pm; All ages; Free.

Where: Main Library, 100 Larkin Street (at Grove Street), San Francisco, friendsandfoundation.org.

Summer Garden Fair

Take a stroll through the gardens with gardening experts, who’ll give onlookers a tour of a thriving bee colony and other natural wonders. Representatives from local gardening societies will be recruiting, and plants and gardening accessories will be on sale. And it’s just a nice place to walk around, in any weather.

When: Sat., 8/2, 10am-3pm; All ages; Free.

Where: Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum, 9th Avenue (at Lincoln Way) in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, 415-661-1316, sfbotanicalgarden.org.

UrumaDelvi Animation Festival

Bring your anime fans to Zeum, where the famed husband-and-wife animation team UrumaDelvi have an installation of their anime cells and some of their more than 400 anime shorts. While you’re at Zeum, don’t forget to make your own claymation and ride the historic carousel.

When: Ongoing daily Tue.-Sun. through 8/10; 11am-5pm; Age 7+; Free with admission (Free-$10).

Where: Zeum, 221 Fourth Street (at Howard Street), San Francisco, 415-820-3320, zeum.org.

It’s tiny, located in a gritty neighborhood, and offers only a few play structures and practically no shade. But the mini park at 24th Street and Bryant does have one great big fat upside: a giant mosaic statue of the Mesoamerican snake-god Quetzalcoatl with a walk-in fountain.

The park used to be a neighborhood eyesore, filled with lounging folks so scary that only the most desperate parents would enter. Thanks to a million-dollar 2006 beautification project, the 24th & York Street Mini Park was transformed into an urban oasis, and a neighborhood rallying spot for families. Kids climb merrily over the serpent to reach the buttons on the DIY fountain, which operates unpredictably: you may be standing nearby and suddenly get doused, or you can punch on the buttons for minutes on end to no avail. Nevertheless, with the hot, strong Mission sun beating down, you’ll probably welcome a little sprinkle, followed by a sit at one of the shaded tables at the back of the park, while your child runs around making friends on the bouncing motorcycles or on Quetzacoatl himself.

Bring spare clothes to change into if you plan to stay in the neighborhood for a meal; the vintage-cool St. Francis Soda Fountain across the street is a great place to get a sandwich and a $5 milkshake. Or bring a PBJ and buy a coconut popsicle from one of the strolling paleta sellers who’ll come by every 20 minutes or so on a hot day to tempt all the kids. If you get sticky from the popsicle you can wash off in the fountain and then sit on top of Quetzie’s head, thinking about all the suckers who are at work right now.

Oh sure, we all want the kids to be groovy and creative, preferably in a manner that does not leave the cracks of your hardwood floors permanently encrusted with glitter. But it can be frustrating to make a commitment to a regular series of classes, especially for the younger ones. Do you really want to drag your temperamental two-year-old to class every single week?

A better option may be the drop-in art classes for kids age 3-10 each Sunday in Sharon Art Studio in Golden Gate Park. For a mere $5, young artists can experiment with different materials — cloth, clay, paint — and techniques — print-making, kite construction, sculpture.

A wonderful thing about this class is that it doesn’t require pre-registration like most Rec. & Park classes, a pain-in-the-butt process in which you must submit proof of a child’s age (school records, a birth certificate) in person at specific park locations.

Come by the Sharon Art Studio (directly next to Golden Gate Park’s children’s playground, MLK at Bowling Green Drive) at 10am or 11:30am each Sunday for the hour-long class. Call 415-753-7004 or visit sharonartstudio.org.

If you enjoy the drop-in thing, there are also regular drop-in arts classes for young children aged 18 months to 5 years at Precita Eyes (Mon.-Thu., 10:30-11:30am, precitaeyes.org), free all-ages family painting classes at the Red Poppy Art House (Saturdays, 1-4 pm, redpoppyarthouse.org), and family ceramics at the Randall Museum (Saturdays, 10:30am, randallmuseum.org) for parents and kids age 3 and up.

And hey, if you go to the Sharon Art Studio, don’t forget to ride the carousel!

A spate of grim injuries and deaths caused by children falling out of open windows has caused the U.S. Product and Safety Commission to issue a special warning to parents: If you have small kids, watch out for your windows.

A Contra Costa Times story about window safety spotlighted a recent (non-fatal) Bay Area accident:

Maybe the fascination of bright yellow flowers, swaying in the wind, drew the 2-year-old boy to the window, said acting Lt. Sandra Brown of the Palo Alto Police Department.

On June 5, Brown said a baby sitter placed the toddler on a kitchen counter, which Brown described as “flush” against the open window, with a flower box attached to it.

The sitter turned toward the stove at the Palo Alto town house, and seconds later looked back at the boy. By then, the child had disappeared and plunged more than 12 feet to the pavement below, Brown said.

“As quick as that,” Brown said.

Window incidents are particularly common here, where the moderate year-round weather encourages us to crank open our windows more often. Maybe you think you’re safe, because you’re on the first floor? No. Statistics show that 45 percent of falls from first- or second-story windows result in injuries classified as “serious,” including brain injuries, broken bones, and internal damage.

What about screens? If your windows are screened in, aren’t you safe? Again, no.

The San Mateo boy’s fall typified the usual scenario that turns the mundane act of opening a window to air out a room into a life-changing tragedy. He had climbed a table placed under a window, and leaned against the screen, which quickly gave way.

Screens are designed to keep out insects and debris, Dannenberg said, not to hold up weight. “They’re very rickety,” he said. “A child can lean on them and just fall out.”

Experts repeatedly warn against placing furniture under windows, such as chairs, tables and couches.

“If you have a couch next to a window and a toddler, you’re inviting trouble,” Dannenberg warned.

Above all, safety experts urge parents, caregivers and landlords to install window guards in homes with young children. The devices are screwed into window frames, and provide openings no larger than four inches. Firefighting officials, however, emphasize that they must open not only from the inside, but the outside, to enable firefighters or police to enter in the event of an emergency.

In New York City there are laws mandating landlords place window guards in apartment units where children age 10 and under live. In the Bay Area, you’re on your own, and guards cost about $35-$100 per window. Uninstalled. Oy.

The Bay Area’s wild blackberries are starting to ripen on the vines; as you fly by in a car or on foot you’ll see spots of blue-black amongst the dusty green leaves and thorns. Why would you pay upwards of $10 a pound for mediocre berries at the grocery store when our wild berries are so fabulously sweet?

Kids love to pick blackberries, and many of the best ones grow right at their eye level. Dress them in thick long-sleeved shirts, gloves, and long pants, hang a beach bucket or a plastic yogurt container around their necks with twine, and teach them how to reach around the thorns to pluck the blackest berries. Avoid the tight, hard newly ripe ones to focus on the berries most swollen with juice; these will be the sweetest. Some are so ripe they’ll explode right in your hand; lick the sun-warmed juice off your fingers and experience joy.

There are a million spots to pick: a friend’s back yard, various patches in Golden Gate Park and the Presidio, the hills of Marin and Oakland, around the oceanfront and lakes of San Francisco. Generally wherever you see water in the Bay Area, blackberry vines are nearby. You’ll see vines from your car, of course, but you’ll want to avoid those, steeped in auto exhaust as they are. However, the presence of these vines indicate others that can be found on secret, winding paths off the road. Turn off the car, grab your buckets, and set off on a hunt; kids will delight in being the first to find a juicy patch.

It is legal to pick in Golden Gate Park and anywhere in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (Forts Miley and Mason, for instance, are loaded with berries), but berries are sometimes sprayed with pesticides in parkland. Look out for vines that look browned and withered; do not pick from these vines. That said, I’ve been eating wild blackberries for many years with no ill effects.

A jar of wild San Francisco jam or a blackberry pie makes a terrific hostess gift, if it ever gets that far. More likely you’ll squander what you picked in pancakes or an after-dinner blackberry cobbler. Riding home from a pick, the kids drowsing in the backseat, Tupperware filled with a bounty of berries, visions of pies to come filling your head: this is what happily family memories are made of.

It’s festival season again. See you at the tall ships.

Festival of Sail

An exceptional chance to view and tour 32 magnificent historic tall ships hailing from many ports of the world. When looking at the ships pales, cruise down the waterfront for live music, food, and maritime educational activities. Families can also reserve cruises around the bay on certain vessels.

When: Thu.-Sun., 7/27-30, events are at various times but waterfront activities run 11am-5pm Thu.-Sat. and 11am-2pm Sun; All ages; Free-$85 (touring ships is free).
Where: Events take place all over San Francisco’s northeast waterfront, Embarcadero (from Hyde to King Streets), San Francisco; 877-724-5577, festivalofsail.org.

Day Out with Thomas

A longish (about 1.5 hours) drive to the Santa Cruz Mountains is made worth it by the sight of several thousand preschoolers going into Beatlemania-style paroxysms of joy when they see their favorite friendly train pulling in. Take a ride through the trees with Thomas and participate in train-type activities.

When: July 25-27 and Aug 1-3, various times through the day, Age 2+; $18.
Where: Roaring Camp, Graham Hill Road (at Mt. Hermon Road), Felton, 1-866-468-3399 roaringcamprr.com.

The Breakfast Club in Dolores Park

Lie back on a blanket and show your kids what teenage angst was like back in the day as this classic ’80s film unspools for free. The film is mostly clean, but given the pot-smoking scene and some pretty frank talk about Ally Sheedy’s therapist “nailing” her and Judd Nelson’s dad abusing him, you may want to limit this activity to older teens.

When: Sat., 7/26, 8pm, Age 14+; Free.
Where: Dolores Park, 18th St. (at Dolores St.), San Francisco, 415.465.FILM, sfneighborhoodtheater.org.

Berkeley Kite Festival

It’s fun on a string with Japanese kite battles, Taiko drummers, kite ballet, and more high-flying fun. Fledgling flyers can take lessons and learn how to make their own kites.

When: Sat.-Sun., 7/26-27, 11am-5pm; All ages; Free (Parking $10).510.235.5483
Where: Cesar Chavez Park, 11 Spinnaker Way (at Virginia Street), Berkeley; 510-235-5483; highlinekites.com.

I’d love to teach my kid about nature, but our backyard is a concrete slab. And if you go on nature walks through Golden Gate Park, you’re as likely to find syringes and homeless people as flowers and pine cones. Get dirty safely at “Family Adventures,” a summertime series of classes for preschoolers at the Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum. Kids aged 3-5 meet up at 11, take a stroll through a section of the park, do a woodsy art project, sing a few songs, and end by 1pm.

This little-kids class is rare for the Botanical Garden. Most of their offerings are intended for school-age kids, who can, for example, volunteer to keep up the Botanical Garden’s produce-and-flower Children’s Garden during the school year. This class is a great chance to explore the under-appreciated Garden, laced with plots of unusual plants. Stick around after class to watch the ducks, run circles around the fountain, watch the hummingbirds in the camellia patch, and sniff your way through the fragrance garden.

Parents are encouraged to bring their kids a snack. “They get hungry on the walk,” says Gretchen, program coordinator. Maybe bring a picnic for after class as well? There’s a beautiful bee tree close to the fountain; park your blanket within eyesight and watch them buzzing industriously in and out, a living science lesson.

When: Family Adventures takes place each Tuesday in July and August at 11am; Age 3-5; $5 per class. The series has already started but spaces are still available; call Gretchen to register.
Where: Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum, 9th Avenue (at Lincoln Way) in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, 415-661-1316, sfbotanicalgarden.org.

If you’ve done time at a Baby Boot Camp, trying to shed those postpartum pounds by running up hills and doing crunches, you have a Bay Area mom to thank for it.

When fitness instructor Kristen Horler got pregnant with her first child in 2001, she started looking around for postnatal classes, hoping to whip herself back into shape soon after birth. But all she could find were private trainers, or gyms that make you cough up a monthly membership and anywhere from $4 to $10 an hour for babysitting. Her Boot Camps, a macho combination of stroller-based running, calisthenics, and doing bare-knuckle pushups on broken glass (OK, maybe I made that last part up) in routines that incorporate babies, proved so popular in San Fran that she started licensing franchises in other cities. Now there are 120 mini-Baby Boot Camps and plans for many more.

Meanwhile, Ms. Horler and family decamped the Bay Area for Florida some time ago. What, you wanted to own a nice house or something?

Baby Boot Camps operate Monday-Friday each week in three locations in San Francisco (Crissy Field, Dolores Park, and South Beach Park), as well as many other Bay Area locations. Parents attend with children aged two and under strapped into a stroller. Attendees have the option of a 55- or a 75-minute class; classes cost around $15 but pricing depends on location and number of classes purchased. Call 888-990-BABY or visit babybootcamp.com for more information.

Score one for the home team — Alan Trounson, an IVF pioneer and director of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine in San Francisco, was quoted in a gee whiz article in Nature, expounding on the possibilities for tomorrow’s “designer babies.” The article is only available online to subscribers, but Trounson’s big quote is:

“If you remove all the expensive stuff and use low-cost drugs (such as clomiphene) and remove just one or two eggs, and only transfer one embryo, it can be done for less than US$100.”

IVF for less than it costs for a decent pair of shoes? Whoa.

Canadian news source The Star spells out a few other possibilities, such as lab-made sperm and egg cells developed from stem cells, handy for those too old or unhealthy to make their own baby building-blocks. One developmental biologist told Nature that both newborn babies and grandmas could have babies with this technology: “It could easily happen in the next 30 years.”

Also in the pike: genetic material that could be inserted into embryos to correct flaws or cure diseases, highly sophisticated screening tests for embryos, artificial wombs, and more. So those “gender selection” kits that have caused such controversy? That’s just the tip of the iceberg.

When you have a child with a summertime birthday and can’t do the “bringing snacks for the whole class” thing, a party needs a little extra flash to compensate — particularly since half the invitees will be on vacation no matter what weekend you choose.

Liven up the party table with a custom cake or cupcakes from the Bumblebee Bakeshop. Owned and operated by a local mom who dropped out of the corporate world to bake and be with her own kid more, Bumblebee is wise in the ways of children. Cake-maker Lisa will inquire after your child’s flavor preferences (chocolate buttercream or whipped-cream frosting?) and favorite colors (pink or green? or both?) if you choose one of the simpler frosted cakes. Or she’ll whip up a sweet 2D vision in frosting: maybe a train cake for your little engineer? Or a pink princess castle for the tiara-wearer in your family?

Bumblebee’s cakes are made with high-quality fresh ingredients. No Crisco goop here, no hard icing with a bitter aftertaste, just a potent butter-sugar hit that’ll thrill the grownups as much as the kids. And for $12 extra Bumblebee will deliver your cake anywhere in San Francisco. Now that makes me weak at the knees.

Bumblebee Bakeshop is located in the Cow Hollow/Marina district, but does not have a retail storefront. Call 415-205-2458 or visit bumblebeebakeshop.com to find out more or order a cake. Order a week or two ahead of time to be sure you’ll get your cake on time, but Lisa can occasionally accommodate last-minute requests.