Adventure in Adventure City

Feeling guilty that we haven't rushed to take the kids to Disneyland (does this mean that they are deprived of an important childhood experience?), I decided to take them to Adventure City, which is down the street from Knotts Berry Farm. Adventure City is a small amusement park geared toward younger kids that was recommended by another mom in Laura's camp. We had an awesome time. Admission for all 4 of us was under $50 (used a coupon in OC Family Magazine), we parked right near the entrance gate and we only needed a moment or two to walk between rides. The lines for the rides were almost nonexistant (though we did have to wait a bit for the Treetop Racers Rollercoaster Ride because we got on line behind a large group).

The park has about 10 rides, and in about 4 hours the kids went on every ride at least once, if not 2 or 4 times, and saw a magic show that the kids loved. Joshua's favorite was the Treetop Racers Roller Coaster and the kid powered train. Benjamin loved the Barnstormer Planes and the Rescue 911 ride in which the kids got to sit in emergency vehicles while the moved around on a track. The vehicles had stearing wheels and buttons to make the siren go on. Laura couldn't get enough of the ferris wheel and the free-fall type ride, called Drop Zone. She had a fit that she was too short to go on the Treetop Racers ride with Joshua and Benjamin. Joshua went on a second time, but Benjamin refused. He keeps telling Daddy to go on it, but he doesn't want to try it again himself. I was happy that I didn't have to go on many of the rides with the kids, though I was required to go on a few of the rides with Laura. I didn't particularly like the Balloon Racers, especially after I rode on it while facing the "direction to experience the joy of maximum dizziness", according to the sign. In the future I should pay more attention to such signs. After that experience, I had no desire to go on any more rides. The kids also enjoyed the petting zoo, which had goats, sheep, chickens, a pig and a turtle. I don't know if we would have had more fun in Disneyland, but Adventure City is cheaper and much less crowded and stressful. I am sure that we got to go on many more rides and I was easily able to take the kids myself. After running around in the heat of the summer, the kids love cooling off in the rain tent, an attraction which is not mentioned in their brochure.

Sharks in Redondo Beach

Thursday we met up with Nancy and Eric (7 months) at Redondo Beach to see the SeaLife Laboratory and play on the beach. After getting past downtown traffic (one reason I would prefer to living in Binghamton, NY than Los Angeles), driving the rest of the way was a breeze, especially in the carpool lanes on the 110 and 105.

The meters nearby the aquarium were empty the whole day so parking was not a problem, at least on a weekday. The aquarium itself was awesome! The kids loved the shark tank outside, but there were also a few inside tanks--the eels were pretty cool. The highlight of the visit were the outside tanks that require a formal tour, but formal tours were only given in the afternoon once an hour (at least on weekdays). We decided to spend some time on the beach, and the kids and I would try the tour afterwards. Beach access was a little tricky, but we made it and the kids had an awesome time running away from the waves. Lunch was less successful because they couldn't keep their hands sand-free long enough to eat very much. This was Eric's first trip to the beach, so I will have to get his review later.

Just before 1, we headed back to the car, dumped the beach stuff in the trunk and rushed to the aquarium, a few minutes late to the 1pm. We were disappointed when they told us that the tour had reached capacity and we couldn't join them (but we should line up for the tour 15 minutes early). The kids weren't so excited to wait around for an hour, but they loved watching the sharks in the tank outside the tour area. While I was deciding what to do, a tour guide was reluctantly starting a tour for another family, and I managed to beg our way onto that tour. The tour guide was awesome, extremely knowledgeable about the fish and very good with kids. The kids loved looking into the tanks of lobsters, sea stars, skates and halibut among other animals. The halibut were cool because they started off lying on the bottom, then with a puff of sand, they would be rapidly swimming around the tank. The kids were excited to be able to touch some animals, including one tank with sharks. Windows in the sides of some of the tanks made the tour friendly for even the very little ones (like Laura).

By the time we left the aquarium, got gas and drove back to Eagle Rock, the library summer program culmination party was about to begin, so we went directly to the library. First we experienced an African storyteller tell us why the sky is so far away. Then the librarian had a drawing for a bunch of pirate prizes and free books for the kids. Joshua won a small stuffed bear dressed as a pirate and picked Captain Underpants Extra Crunchy Book O' Fun, and Laura won a toucan pinata almost as big as she is and picked a bug dictionary book. Benjamin, feeling left out since he didn't win anything in the drawing, ended up with a flashlight from the reading prize treasure box and a dinosaur book. I was thrilled that the 4 ft long stuffed lions had already been claimed by the time Joshua and Laura's names were picked in the raffle. Then they made treasure boxes (glued small pieces of paper onto a pastic container) and ate plenty of cookies.

The car is always a good place to have fun conversations with the kids. Today's topic was who is Daddy's mother and father and why Daddy's mother is not married ("Because she is not rich", according to Benjamin).

Children's Garden at Huntington Library

Today we checked out the Huntington Library (actually the gardens more so than the library). I definitely prefer art museum that have interesting gardens--it is relaxing to break up the quiet, somber atmosphere of the museum with airy, cheerful gardens. Visiting the Huntington was great, especially with Nitin who gave us an awesome tour. We took a quick look in the museum at the Blue Boy painting, and the docent standing in the gallery gave the kids an awesome mini-lesson about the painting. I also enjoyed seeing the inside of the building and the beautiful antique furniture on exhibit.

By this time Joshua was complaining that I hadn't yet produced the fun that I promised, so our next stop was the conservatory which had lots of hands on activities. The kids favorite activity was looking through the microscopes to see different kinds of leaves close-up (see photo). Then we continued on to the children's garden which had plenty of water play areas, plant tunnels to run through and water spraying areas. Joshua loved playing with the magnetic sand (see photo) and the musical instrument which kids can drop rocks through to make music. Laura and Benjamin loved splashing in the tables filled with water and the small rock-filled stream. If I were to go back again, I would definitely have my kids wear water shoes--I suspect that kids are not allowed to go barefoot.

Of course as soon as they stopped playing, they realized that they were hungry and we rushed home for lunch. By this time, Laura was in first place for the dirtiest kid award (see photo)! As we walked back through the conservatory, the kids were enticed first by the bug-eating plant exhibit which had microscopes for up close views and movies of the plants in action. Joshua started searching around for bugs to feed the plants. I liked the exhibit with the dead pitcher plant that identified the bugs it ate from the undigested remains. We also discovered the fish tank in the rainforest and the underwater camera which has a control to move it around. When we were finally ready to leave, the walk to the entrance gate and then to the car seemed three times as long as going (perhaps because the kids were now tired and walking really slowly).

On the topic of fun conversations with the kids, Joshua started off explaining reasons why we probably don't have a car without a top: 1. Because most of them only seat two people and 2. Because people who don't wear a seatbelt might go flying out. Benjamin then explained that only the states on the edges have beaches (so California and New Jersey have beaches, but Pennsylvania and Ohio do not; New York does, but not near us).

Benjamin: I liked the magnet thing. Yes, yes, yes (he enjoyed playing in the water).

Birthday Party BBQ

Dave enjoys using the nice BBQ on the patio, so we invited some people over for dinner. I wanted to invite Nancy, Blake and Eric over for dinner, because Nancy and Blake made us an awesome dinner when we were here 5 years ago. Then at the last minute Dave decided to include some people from Emcore (who didn't come) and some former graduate students from University of Cincinnati (who did come). Much of the day was spent shopping, cleaning and preparing for the BBQ. In the morning we attempted visit #2 to the Audubon Center at Debs Park, but we found out that it is closed on Sundays.

Since we've been staying in the neighborhood of Eagle Rock, I thought it would be neat to visit the actual Eagle Rock. We went north on Figueroa under the 134, and then drove around looking for a sign for the park. As we were about to give up, I noticed the big towering rock just off the highway with some picnic tables in front of it. The road widened slightly by the picnic tables, and two other cars were parked there. So we parked and got out to admire the huge rock and imagine that we could see an eagle in it. I've heard that the view from this park is spectacular, but, we found out, not from the picnic table area. We then started up the narrow path, but as the steep drop off one side of the trail seemed dangerous with the kids (especially with a 3 year old who likes to do her own thing), we gave up on the hike after a few minutes.

The party in the evening was fun. Dave enjoyed making dinner on the barbecue, and we admired Eric's newly acquired crawling skills. Laura kept calling it a birthday party.

Monday morning I took the kids to the Shane's Inspiration playground in Griffith Park. It has a small tricycle area in which the kids enjoyed riding their bikes and scooter. Laura kept stopping at the gas station and the general store. The kids also enjoyed the playground and the huge sandbox. After trying out a metal slide, Laura explained to me that some slides get hot and some don't. Eventually the kids were ready for lunch and we managed to leave.

In the afternoon we went to a LACMA-sponsored workshop at the Arroyo-Seco Branch library in which the kids used pencil and pastels to draw a neighborhood. Benjamin drew an airplane over LA with buildings and people hiking on a green hill (Griffith Park). Joshua drew a general landscape that might be seen from the plane complete with the plane's shadow on the ground.

Tuesday morning, Joshua woke up and said that he wanted to go to the "3rd science museum that we went to", by which he meant the La Habra Children's Museum. So, we went back there where the kids spent much of the time playing in the theater. Afterwards, we swung through Alhambra to pick up Daddy and see a Swazzle puppet show (Joshua's request) at the Arroyo Seco Branch library.

Sea Anenome and Hermit Crabs

Today we went to the tide pools at White Point in San Pedro (for info, see http://www.greatoutdoors.com/published/explore-white-point-tidepools). Even though we got there just past high tide, we were still able to find lots of wildlife among the rocky tidepools, which was crowded with other wildlife seekers wading through the water. We managed to reach a large, relatively flat rock outcropping about 50 feet from shore. At least one route there was shallow enough for all the kids to walk there. By searching the crevices in the rocks, we were able to find large and colorful sea anemone and crabs. We saw lots of snail shells, most of which were inhabited by hermit crabs, but a few of which actually had snails in them. We enjoyed watching the hermit crabs scrambling around. We saw quite a few tiny fish, but we even caught glimpses of some bigger fish hiding among the rocks. Unfortunately, the lifeguard said that we wouldn't see sea stars because people take them.

The other tidepool area in the southern area of Los Angeles is down the road in Abalone Cove, Palos Verdes. On our way home, we tried to stop and see the Point Fermin lighthouse, but the parking lot and Point Fermin Park, itself, were too crowded. We probably should have tried to walk to the lighthouse from the tidepools (though I don't know if the kids would make it there and back without complaining).

I planning a really fun last two weeks of our Los Angeles adventure, and I found some great attraction coupons in the OC Family magazine (Orange County Family), including buy one adult, get a child free for the Aquarium of the Pacific and SeaWorld. We will definitely take in a couple of major attractions that we haven't seen yet--perhaps Getty Museum, Bowers Kidseum, Aquarium of the Pacific, or Adventure City (a small amusement park for the younger kids) and revisit some favorites like the LA Zoo, Griffith Park, La Habra Children's Museum and the California Science Center.

Dinosaur Hall and Flying Machines

Every morning Laura checks with me to make sure she is going to camp. Wednesday was butterfly day. We made butterfly picture frame, butterfly wings and butterfly books, and we went to the butterfly pavillion. Benjamin came home with a pom-pom launcher and Joshua took pictures of the roller coaster they made during camp (see photo). In the afternoon, Benjamin also saw the butterflies. In the third photo, paleontologist Laura is putting together the dinosaur bones.

Thursday was snake day for Laura; she made snakes, painted a snake and saw a live snake. Joshua made a container to keep an egg from breaking when dropped from a height of 20 feet (see photo) and Benjamin brought home a balloon-powered boat. In the afternoon, Joshua made a bird whistle and nest and went looking for birds in the rose garden. Benjamin made another dinosaur diorama, this time about dinosaurs living in the water. After camp we stopped at the Eagle Rock library to try our hand at drawing pirate-themed cartoons with Dave Boatman the cartoonist. The kids had fun drawing but didn't pay all that much attention to the detailed instructions.

Friday was finally the last day of camp here in Los Angeles. Laura took her toilet-paper tube binoculars to look at the birds in the natural history museum (see photo), dissected an owl pellet and then had free time to make her own creation. Joshua used a laser pointer to observe sound waves and brought home his contraption so that we can try it together. Benjamin brought home some flying contraptions. In the afternoon, Joshua's program talked about human powered flight, and he brought home a collection of airplanes. Benjamin made his dinosaur hall and saw the tyrannosaurus rex dinosaur show. After camp we played in the museum again. They loved the TV studio area of the 3rd floor discovery room, and they insisted on playing in the shadow wall area in the Identity exhibit.

Laura starts camp

The kids were excited about the first day of a new week of camp in Exposition Park, especially Laura. Benjamin has Build It, Race It, Fly It camp and Joshua is doing Funtastic Physics camp. Joshua came home with a paper airplane and Benjamin with a paper whirlybird which he called a robocopter. In Laura's camp we talked about camouflage, and we went to look at camouflaged bugs in the discovery center.

After I picked up the boys, we ate lunch and then Benjamin wanted to show us around the Aerospace building in the Science Center. They especially enjoyed the Wright Plane simulator and the airplane launching area.

In the afternoon, Joshua had Feathered Friends camp and Benjamin Dino-Mite camp. Laura had to run errands with Mommy. Benjamin was excited that he dug up some bones and assembled a dinosaur. He also went behind the scenes in the Dino-Lab. Joshua was disappointed that he didn't get a snack during camp. After camp, we went to a weekly LACMA program at the Los Feliz library (paint is the topic of the month). The kids got to paint with dry tempura paint cakes (they looked like watercolors). Joshua painted a building, Benjamin painted a fire engine next to a burning building, and Laura just made a mess.

On Tuesday, Daddy decided to hang out with us at the museums instead of going to work. Laura's topic of the day in camp was tortoises. First we read about them, then we did some crafts, and finally we saw a real tortoise. Joshua compared the buoyancy of a clay boat with an aluminum boat and Benjamin made a rocketship. Then we all went to El Pollo Loco for lunch. In the afternoon, Benjamin made a dinosaur diarama, and Joshua dissected an owl pellet. Daddy and Laura spent a little time in the science museum. Finally, after camp was over we saw the Under the Sea 3D IMAX show with 3D glasses (see photo). The kids haven't seen a 3d movie like that yet, so they were awed! We really felt like we were in the water right there with the fish. Benjamin and Laura stood up and tried to touch the fish and coral reef, so we had to make sure they didn't trip over the seat in front of them.

On our way back to Eagle Rock we saw a fire in the hills just above our neighborhood. From the house, we could hear the helicopters flying overhead and dumping water on the fire. Fortunately by bedtime the fire was almost contained. For dinner, we went to Nitin's house where he served a few Indian dishes and pizza. The kids enjoyed watching It's a Bug's Life in his home theater while the adults ate and Nitin and Bruce showed off their elaborate house updates.