Tuesday, November 29, 2005

Randall Museum


While Ruth is still too young to enjoy most of what the Randall Museum has to offer, there was no lack of things for her to see and do. Downstairs houses an immaculate train set complete with mountains, trestle bridges, towns, gas stations and movie marquees. Upstairs there are birds, bees, a chicken with an afro, various frogs and turtles, and fantastic grounds with climb-able sculpture and incredible views. In between are shops for art, pottery and wood working. In the next few months they will be opening an area specific to toddlers, so this place will only get better.

We look forward to the years to come when Ruth desists from saying NO like she has some inane tick, and she can take play-with-clay class.

Tuesday, November 22, 2005

BAY AREA DISCOVERY MUSEUM

Located at the foot of the Golden Gate in old Fort Baker, the views alone are enough to get you to spend the afternoon here. Ruth conveniently took an early nap in the car which allowed us to park and gaze across the bay, surrounded by giant laurel and gum trees, and eat the pepperoni pizza we brought to picnic on. When she woke up, just as we finished our salads, the fun had just begin.

This is one of the premier kid spots in the entire bay area. Neither commercial nor crass, it has myriad of activities (including an entire tot-land where they can frolic in no less than four distinct play areas, one featuring the ever popular running water with plastic fish). Ruth didn't care about the views, but they are stunning. You must bring a picnic, the place is short on food although they do have a variety of snacks and a $7 grilled cheese. There are picnic benches provided. It is a little pricey if you bring the whole lot of you, $8.50 per adult and $7.50 for kids, but well worth it. We went on a "free" day, surprisingly not crowded given the beautiful weather. (heads up, free day is 1-5 p.m., so don't show up in the morning).

Wednesday, November 09, 2005

THE NEW DE YOUNG


If you are a city resident of more than five years, then you remember when the old de Young closed. It seemed like five years was far enough away that you may have even doubted that you would still live here, or that you would still be living here and not, by now, be rich. Well, here you are.

Whatever you think about the copper-clad tower and green roof, whether or not you think it looks like a cheap space barn or the perfect architectural representation of a 21st century American depository of treasures, you gotta go see it. Ruth particularly enjoyed the sculpture garden. First Tuesdays are free.

Monday, November 07, 2005

NOE VALLEY HALLOWEEN


This is our second Halloween with Ruth, her "first" that she participated in that she will not remember a shred of but one that her parents will chuckle over for the rest of their lives. The place to be, bar none, is the commercial district of Noe Valley, 24th street between Church and Castro. You can go all day, you can go all night. It is one long stretch of spazzed out toddlers and friendly merchants with buckets of endless candy. For the older kids, go down the hill to Fair Oaks, where they block off the entire street and hold one big party. Everybody decorates their house and haunts their garage. A little scary for those under 5, fantastic for everyone else (including adults, the party extends into the night with music and dancing).

Thursday, November 03, 2005

CHINATOWN

First, take a walk down Washington to Ross Alley and hang a right where you'll find the Fortune Cookie Factory. Look at the ladies folding the hot cookies around the fortunes, enjoy the samples, note the sign that requests .50 for photos and oblige with your pay phone money. After all, they just gave you free cookies. Chinatown is like another country, complete with complex labor laws and hidden sweat shops, buckets of chickens and frogs for sale and truly bizarre dried "food," not to mention fantastic shops full of the wonders of mass production. Proceed to Stockton and note the lunch specials, on our visit we saw frog legs featured with green veg for $4.95. Hang a left on Sacramento and plan to spend a good amount of time at the playground across the street from the Y, it is fantastic. Don't forget to go inside the rec center to check out the ping pong players (no smoking, chewing tobacco or spitting sunflower seeds).