East Bay

Warm enough for you there in the East and South Bay? Sure would be nice to go to the movies. What’s on? Let’s see here. WALL-E? Seen it. Iron Man? Sure, if you want to raise a sociopathic arms dealer. Journey to the Center of the Earth? I didn’t get a lobotomy to go with the C-section, so no.

Sample the popcorn-fare instead at AMC’s Summer Movie Club, weekly $1 movies each Wednesday until August 6. No San Fran theater is offering the program, but theaters in Emeryville, Saratoga, and San Jose are. This week’s feature in Emeryville is the fun Shrek the Third. Go princess squad!

When: Wed., 7/16, 10am; All ages; $1.

Where: AMC Bay Street 16, 5614 Shellmound Street Ste. 220 (at Christie Avenue), Emeryville, 510-457-4AMC, amctheatres.com.

The cheap/cute Liz Lange Target line aside, maternity wear is expensive if you want anything at all stylish. It’s a little nervewracking to splash out and pay $200 for a skirt that you’ll drop like a hot rock after your nine months are over.

Your alternatives: the scanty selection of flowered tents at consignment and thrift stores, cheap schmattes from Ross, empire waist tops from the mommy shops. Or the discounted designer clothing available at Maternity Xchange.

Each month, the San Francisco Maternity Xchange is held in the Sports Basement store in the Presidio (by Crissy Field). Shoppers can buy quality used clothing from better labels (”Gap and up,” says the Xchange website); moms get to drop off their used maternity clothing and receive 40-50% of the selling price.

It’s a win-win for everyone. Stylish pieces are priced in the deeply discounted $30-$80 range, meaning that those who consign their clothing get a nice bit of cash when they’re sold. This is where you should look for that nice pair of black pants that’ll stand you in good stead until you deliver. Just don’t be depressed if you’re still in them three months after your kid is born.

The next Maternity Xchange sale is at the East Bay Baby Fair, 7/12, 11am-3pm, at the Veterans Memorial Building, 1345 Portland Avenue (at Ramona Avenue), Albany. The next San Francisco sale is Sat. & Sun, 7/19-20, 11am-4pm in the Presidio Sports Basement, 610 Mason Street (at Sutter Street), San Francisco. Call 510-814-1848 or visit maternityxchange.com.

If you haven’t yet dragged your monkey(s) to the kitschy, vintage delight that is Oakland’s Children’s Fairyland, have I got a reason for you: The park’s popular Summer Sleepovers haven’t yet sold out.

For $40 per adult and $20 per kid, you can linger in Fairyland after its official closing time, pitch a tent in the park’s verdant meadow and sleep overnight with a fantastic view of Lake Merritt and the Oakland skyline. You are fed dinner, and the creaky kiddie rides are open until 9pm. Kids in pajamas careen around the park, eating french fries, hiding in the Alice in Wonderland maze, dementedly jamming their Magic Keys into the storytelling boxes. There’s a special nighttime puppet show too.

The downsides: You are awakened at 6:30am (check-out is at 8:30), and the Lake Merritt area is fairly city-gritty. Fairyland employs strolling all-night security, so rest easy. And at least they’ll give you breakfast (bagels, coffee, hot chocolate, juice) before they boot you.

The July 12 sleepover date is already sold out, but July 26, August 9 and August 23 are still available. Call 510-452-2259, or visit fairyland.org.

Sleep once under a redwood tree and you won’t soon forget it. Underneath the canopy all is silent and still, and you’ll wake up to the sound of water condensing on the redwood needles and dripping onto your tent.

Grab an unusual chance to camp under some extremely local redwoods at The Great American Backyard Campout, a national celebration of camping with a local overnight party at Joaquin Miller Park in Oakland. Usually closed to campers, the 500-acre park is home to the world’s only urban second-growth redwoods, startling panoramic Bay views, rushing waterways and verdant, steep trails. Besides, how often can you camp 20 minutes away from your house? You need a pizza or a diaper, you can make a quick run back over the bridge.

The $8 per person fee includes dinner, snacks, and breakfast, a nature talk, a campfire party, and a star-viewing session. You’ll bring your own camping equipment and set it up, but you have to admit that this is pretty cushy camping.

When: Sat., 6/28 (event continues through Sun. 6/29), 3pm-10am; All ages; $8.

Where: Joaquin Miller Park Large Meadow, 3300 Sanborn Drive (at Joaquin Miller Road), Oakland, 510-238-7275; oaklandnet.com/parks.

Puppet shows, county fairs, star shows and a chance to let trained professionals wiggle and strap your car seat into submission.
Zanzibar Puppets present Cinderella

Extraordinary puppets, a classic story, and a swanky venue. Drag out the velvet dresses for this one.

When: Sat., 6/21, 11am, 1pm, and 3pm; Ages 3+; $15-25.

Where: Harry Denton’s Starlight Room in the Sir Francis Drake Hotel, 450 Powell St. (at Sutter St.), San Francisco, 415-391-8619, zanzibarpuppets.com.

Alameda County Fair

Watch the pig races, join the pie-eating contest, and take a chance on the whirling rides — will your kid throw up cotton candy and corn dogs? It’s all part of the fun at this old fashioned fair. Admission is free for kids under 12 on Fridays and always free for kids under 6.

When: Fri. 6/20 to Sun. 7/6, 11am-10pm Mon.-Thu., 10am-10pm Fri.-Sun.; All ages; Free-$10.

Where: Alameda County Fairgrounds, 4501 Pleasanton Avenue, Pleasanton, 925-426- 7600, alamedacountyfair.com.

Lake Chabot’s 125th Anniversary Free Family Fun Day

The venerable planetarium/science center throws itself an anniversary party with admission, movies, free planetarium shows, and special space games, all free. Design a rocket, play space bingo, and kibbiz with Bill Nye the Science Guy.

When: Sat., 6/21, 10am-6pm; All ages; Free.

Where: Lake Chabot Space & Science Center, 10000 Skyline Blvd. (at Redwood Road), Oakland; 510-336-7300, chabotspace.org.

CPMC BabySteps Kick-Off Event

Oh, you got the carseat in your car — but is it in properly? Professionals give it a check at this launch party for a new California Pacific Medical Center parenting networking site. You can also get toys tested for toxic lead levels, eat a free healthy lunch, and enjoy a storytime and face painting for the kiddies.

When: Sun., 6/22, 12pm-2pm; All ages; Free.

Where: Fisher Family Hall in the Jewish Community Center, 3200 California St. (at Presidio St.), San Francisco, cpmcbabysteps.org.

Cinemark’s Summer Movie Clubhouse, ten weeks of bargain-basement-cheap film showings for kids, is probably an easier sell in cities where it’s actually hot in the summer. No one weathering a San Fran summer is dying to spend a couple of hours in an air-conditioned theater…although at least it’ll keep you off those windy playgrounds.

The weekly special engagements are $1 a throw or $5 for a card good for all showings, and take place at several Bay Area theaters, including San Francisco’s CineArts @ Empire in the West Portal. All of the screenings are revivals, a treat in a summer when the new kids’ movies all look like crap. The first movie is Annie. Just try to leave without getting It’s The Hard-Knock Life stuck in your head.

When: Tue., 6/17, 10am; All Ages; Free.

Where: CineArts @ Empire, 85 West Portal Ave. (at Vincente), San Francisco, 1-800-FANDANG, theater number 963, cinemark.com.

Must be a busy time at the Oakland Unified School District–the word is that lots of Oakland parents aren’t sure what school their kids are assigned to for the fall, and that no one who answers the phones at the OUSD has a clue, either.

Put down the phone and try the brisk-and-accurate Oakland Unified School District’s School Finder tool, which allows you to type in an address and then click to find out what elementary, middle, and high school your area is pegged to. If you are within the boundaries for the school of your choice, you don’t have to go through the lottery system–unless the school is over-enrolled, which has been happening in some Oakland elementary schools.

Once you know what school your child is assigned to, calling the school directly to ask questions is generally much more efficient than bugging the overburdened OUSD. Getting in touch with the school’s parent association will net you even more good inside information.

Got other questions? The OUSD website isn’t bad. Visit webportal.ousd.k12.ca.us and click on the “Parents” tab to find out how to navigate the enrollment process. Most all the information is in PDF files (why do they do that?), but it’s still easier than calling. Trust me on that one.

We have festival fever, film in the park, and cannons set on “fire.”
San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival

A dizzying range of dance styles take a bow during this month-long fiesta. Korean shaman rituals? Mexican marimba? Indian Kathak dance? All here. Special family events occur each Friday afternoon in various venues in S.F. and Oakland, beginning this Friday with a demonstration of Shodiona, a Tajik “dance of happiness” at 3pm in the Children’s Center at the Main Library.

When: Beginning 6/7 and ongoing through 6/29, most performances are Sat. 2pm and 8pm and Sun. 2pm; All ages; Free-$44. Family events occur Fridays; see website for more information.

Where: Various venues in San Francisco and Oakland, but most performances take place at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre, 3301 Lyon St. (at Bay St.), San Francisco, 415-392-4400, worldartswest.org.

Yerba Buena Gardens Festival

The exhaustive five-month (May-October) arts party is already in swing, offering a huge variety of free music, theater, dance, educational and children’s programs. Of particular interest to parents in June: the Caterpillar Puppets this Friday 6/6 and Saturday 6/28 at 11am and 12:15pm; brilliant physical comedian/musician The Unique Derique Friday and Saturday, 6/13-14, 11am and 12:15pm; and the California Sing-Along, folksy songs about California’s history, on Friday 6/20.

When: Ongoing through 10/26; most performances occur Thu.-Sun.; Times vary; All ages; Free.

Where: Yerba Buena Gardens, Mission St. (between 3rd and 4th Streets), San Francisco, 415-543-1718; ybgf.org.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon at Washington Square Park

Bring your martial-arts lovers to this free showing of Ang Lee’s groundbreaking fairytale. Spread a blanket (no chairs are allowed), bring a picnic, but leave the littlest ones at home: Commonsense Media recommends this film for kids aged 12 and up due to violence.

When: Sat., 6/7, 8pm; Age 12+; Free.

Where: Washington Square Park, Columbus St. (at Union St.), San Francisco, 415-465-FILM, sfneighborhoodtheater.org.

Civil War Days on Angel Island

Just the ferry ride over to Angel Island (and the view of San Francisco’s skyline!) will blow your mind. Then watch history come to life as Camp Reynolds, a former Civil War recruiting post for Union soldiers, plays host to musket drills, marches, and historians who will explain the details of making rope, signaling with flags, baking Civil War-style, and other wartime skills.

When: Sat., 6/7, 11am-3:30pm; Age 4+; Free (Optional tram ride to Camp Reynolds is $5).

Where: Camp Reynolds at Angel Island; accessible by the Tiburon, San Francisco, and Alameda/Oakland Ferries; see angelisland.org for transit information; 415-435-5390; angelisland.org.

San Franciscans with fond memories of Playland at the Beach (or who just get a thrill out of circusy old San Francisco) will no doubt want to make a trek to the brand-spanking-new museum, Playland-Not-at-the-Beach.

The El Cerrito museum pulls together artifacts from many private collections including that of proprietor Richard Tuck, who rescued many curios from the garages of original Playland neighbors. Highlights include fascinating historical photographs, exhibits spotlighting circus sideshow acts like the Fiji Mermaid, vintage movies of Playland and the Sutro baths, sculptures of Playland’s coasters, and other weird and wonderful stuff, like a miniature circus diorama that took 50 years to carve. Playland also has a room full of creaky old pinball/arcade machines, all free with the price of admission so you needn’t play quarter-dispensing machine for your children.

One more thing Playland-Not-at-the-Beach has — its very own Laughing Sal. But wait (you may be asking yourself, as I did)–isn’t Laughing Sal currently terrifying children at the Musee Mechanique? Ah, it turns out that Playland at the Beach’s Laughing Sal was only one of many. There’s another one at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Who cares about authenticity, anyway? Laughing Sal laughs and stares at you with her dead soulless eyes as your frightened children cling to you. What more could you want?

Like a preview? SFGate has a nice video of the place.

Playland-Not-at-the-Beach is located at 10979 San Pablo Avenue in El Cerrito, and is open by appointment only, Saturdays from 10am-5pm, and some Sundays. Admission is $5. To make a reservation for a visit, call 510- 232-4264 ext. #25 or visit playland-not-at-the-beach.org.

Get your art on with a culture-vulture weekend, or brave BART for a Berkeley fest.

Lines Ballet Family Day

In celebration of Long River High Sky, the dance collaboration between Lines Ballet and Chinese Shaolin Monks, this free outdoor festival plays host to ballet lessons, kung fu demos, and arts/crafts activities. Snacks and drinks are also provided free.

When: Sat., 5/31, 2pm (a matinee performance of the show follows at 3pm); Age 8+; Free (Ballet performance is $15-65).

Where: Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 701 Mission St. (at Fourth St.), San Francisco, 415-978-2787, linesballet.org.

Wild in the City

Nature isn’t just found in the wilderness–and this new Randall Museum exhibit explores the wild animals who make their homes right here in San Francisco. Kids will find out how to identify animal tracks, how animals hunt, and where to look for natural ecosystems.

When: Ongoing, opening Sat., 5/31 and continuing through 11/1; 10am-5pm; All ages; Free.

Where: Randall Museum, 199 Museum Way (at Roosevelt), San Francisco, 415-554-9600, randallmuseum.org.

Chocolate & Chalk Art Festival

Instill in your child the joy of (legally) defacing city surfaces with this powdery romp over the sidewalks of Berkeley. Participants are assigned a square of sidewalk; onlookers chow down on chocolate samples or check out the arts and crafts booths. The best drawing wins $250; runners-up get $50 gift certificates from the Elephant Pharmacy. Bring your own chalk or buy it at the festival.

When: Sat, 5/31, 10am-6pm; All ages; Free.

Where: Berkeley’s Gourmet Ghetto (North Shattuck Ave. around Rose St.), Berkeley, 510-548-5335, northshattuck.org.

Animal Extravaganza

The seriously knowledgeable (and approachably fun) naturalists of Tree Frog Treks haul out their reptile and amphibian friends for kids to marvel over and touch. Activities teach kids about biology and nature.

When: Fri., 5/30, 4pm; Age 5+; Free.

Where: Glen Park Branch Library, 2825 Diamond St. (at Bosworth St.), San Francisco, sfpl.org.