Dadventures in Beantown

EPCOT's Retro Tomorrow; Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, FL

2011-02-23T19:36:00.000-05:00

EPCOT
1510 North Avenue of the Stars
Lake Buena Vista, FL

'83 was a good year. Despite the fact that I was wearing shorts that were too short and I was like 6'4" and not yet in middle school, I thought I looked pretty hip in front of Spaceship Earth the year this futuristic mothership opened. It's been twenty-eight years and I am not sure how we have both aged. I think I am little bigger around the middle, and so too is my friend EPCOT.

The foundation of a good day at EPCOT can be divided into food and robots. Future World is chock full of animatronic, well-dressed characters that blast you to the past and the future. We started our day with them in the Spaceship Earth Attraction and ended it with some crazy disappearing dragon called Figment (yes, of your imagination) at the Journey into Imagination. We also stopped in on our buddy Nemo at The Seas.

But it was the food that took the day. We went 'round the world in less than 80 days, yet managed to eat and drink from at least four continents. We grabbed our passports in Canada and made our way to a surprisingly delicious lunch in Morocco (even though we missed the belly dancers). We stopped for a fife and drum parade in the States and made our way over to Germany. Now, I don't usually think good food when I think of Deutschland, but the beer was solid and the caramel covered pretzels even better. We finished off our global tour with a ride on a Viking ship in Norway and terracotta warriors in China where we picked up our last passport stamps. We skipped the second DadBreak of a margarita in Mexico. It was a whirlwind tour, but it must be time to head home.

Disneyrific; Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom; Lake Buena Vista, FL

2011-02-22T23:01:00.001-05:00

Walt Disney World; Magic Kingdom
4600 North World Drive
Lake Buena Vista, FL

There are the haves and the have nots, the half-fulls and the half-empties, and then there are the Disney and the non-Disney. Tonight, I saw the light, and I think her name was Tink (check it out on YouTube as she soars from the top of the Cinderella Castle to the roof of a Tomorrowland building). My wife has always been hardcore Disney, much the way she is hardcore Grrrl punk. I am not sure how the two mix, but it works for her. Tonight, I watched Sydney's face light up as he yelled "woaaah" alongside me three hundred times and I left the Dark Side for her sunny side of the street.

After a brief ride over on the ferry we got the party started with what else? a party! Mickey sure can shake it on Main street. We hit Tony's (aka Tramp's mack daddy, from Lady and the Tramp - our fav Disney flick of the moment) for lunch. Yeah, I made Kami slurp up a spaghetti noodle with me 'til we kissed. We then hit the Magic Carpets, grabbed a FastPass for Big Thunder Mountain for 4:30PM and headed for Fantasyland. Between a nap for Liji, we still managed four turns on Prince Charming's Carousel, It's a Small World (check out how it's changed on this YouTube clip), Dumbo , the Mad Tea Party and hooked the boys up with embroidered Mickey ears. The highlight of the afternoon was Sydney and I taking off for our FastPass date at Thunder Mountain (my fav ride from when I was a kid). That kid loves a mean roller coaster!

You would think by 5:30PM we would be toast. That's when auntie Dee pulled out the big guns. Dinner with Winnie and co. at the Crystal Palace. Perhaps it was the surprisingly decent buffet, but I swear Kam has never hugged me as hard as she squeezed that giant Eyore. The highlight of the whole day though was the Main Street Electric Parade. Lij sat speechless for 30 minutes as every character we introduced him to in the last six months passed by in flashing neon. He didn't make it for the final act, but Sydney loved his first fireworks at the Wishes Nighttime Spectacular. That my friend, was not false advertising.

A Seaworthy Break from the Cold; Sea World, Orlando, FL

2011-02-21T17:23:00.001-05:00

Sea World

7007 SeaWorld Drive

Orlando, Florida

It's been the winter we measured snowfall in Shaq's and you could tell by the sea of Sox caps as we deplaned in Orlando onto the runway; (where else can you still walk on the tarmac AND stay at a hotel IN the airport?) Like every other law abiding Sox fan that couldn't afford spring training, we shacked up with the family for a week in sunny Orlando. While we love us some good Disney, we warmed up at our family fav; Sea World.

Sydney and I hit the Journey to Atlantis flume with cuz Mikella early and paid dearly in drenched clothes. Then the whole family, (I mean my uncle, in-laws, Kam's aunt, uncle and their two kids along with ours) headed for the show circuit. We missed out on Pets Ahoy (no real loss here) and made it on time for Blue Horizons. The music, the costumes, the trapeze artists, the dive bombing parrots and oh yeah, the dolphins. It was like Cirque de Soleil on ice, except they forgot to freeze the pool. Did I mention there were dolphins?

Last time we were here was pre-Shamu disaster. Let's just say the show is a little different these days, and nobody is riding on top of a killer whale. It was a little bit of a let down, 'cause watching trainers do flips off the nose of a humongous whale was pretty cool. So we got our kicks on the rides at Shamu's Happy Harbor instead. Plus, we never miss a chance at a good carousel and this one featured fish of the deep. While we didn't hang with too many mammals this time (we missed the manatees, sea otters and seals) and the beer garden has gone the way of Anheuser Busch ownership, we still had a blast!

A Venture on the Farm, Great Brook Ski Touring, Carlisle, MA

2011-01-30T13:46:00.000-05:00

Great Brook Ski Touring

1018 Lowell Street

Carlisle, MA

If ever there was a "scene" in the cross-country world, this is the place. From the outfits to the Subaru wagons in the filled, endless parking lot, who knew outdoorsy types got it on like this. We met our Aunt Kathi and her boys Ari and Nate for a little morning stroll around the loop. Our boys are in love with their middle school cousins, so as soon as we hit the snow, Sydney was off in a mad dash with Ari. They had been out of pulk sleds since they opened early at 8:30AM, so today was the day for Liji's first xcountry ski adventure.

Liji is a talker. Last night as his brother slept next to him, he spent the entire late night ride from Westwood, recapping the movie Ponyo we had just seen with our other cousins Skylar, Lexi, Roni and Jadon. Today, was no exception. He was so excited to get his skis on, but even more excited to provide a running dialogue on the form of every person that passed us by. Ten feet of skiing, ten minutes of pause and he bested Howard Cossell and the Battle of the Network Stars (featuring Wonderwoman).

Sydney had a great round with his cuz, but did crash and burn with a nasty blister at the end. We were saved by Ferns' Country Store. There is nothing a little ham and cheese with a side of bandaids that we cant fix.

Snow Day! Sledding at Walnut Hill, Natick, MA

2011-01-27T12:48:00.000-05:00

Walnut Hill

corner of Bacon Street and Belvedere Street

Natick, MA

For those of you following from afar, it has been a winter wonderland here in Greater Boston. This is our third snow day this season and the banks are so high, we can barely see our neighbor's house. The NY Times says it is sunny and warm in northern Canada, so thanks for the Arctic winds Canucks! We've gone Xcountry in Weston , downhill at Smuggs and sledding at Elm Bank. We decided last snow day to try a new spot.

The Walnut Hill School brings kids from all over the world to study performing arts. They must have been indoors today. Usually Kam hangs out across the street at the Loker Street playground. But, the other day as we were heading with our new sled (it has since been buried in the front yard somewhere, yes, trust me we looked through the snow for twenty minutes) to Elm Bank again, we remembered just how windy it can be. I had an image in my head of Walnut Hill and kids sledding their past winters. It was in great shape and mobbed.

This morning the snow had stopped by seven and the sun was out, so we headed back to Walnut Hill. We made the tracks. A foot of fresh snow and we carried Liji up the hill. We made our own toboggan run (see Kam on You Tube with our new Old Timey movie 8 mm app.) Ten runs later we hit our old haunt Mel's for burgers and fries and are ready for naps. Oh how I love a good snow day.

Smugg's Ski Dating, Nordic Style; The Nordic Center at Smuggler's Notch Resort, Jeffersonville, VT

2011-01-16T20:30:00.001-05:00

The Nordic Center at Smuggler's Notch Resort

Vermont Route 108 South

Jeffersonville, VT

You have read about my DadBreaks from Naggs Head boogie boarding to a little beach volleyball at Kimballs' Farm in Westwood. But I think it is fair to say we have turned a corner Houston. First, she ASKS ME to run the Charles River 5K with her and now we are going out on dates that involve X country skiing. AND SHE LIKED IT!

My girl is from Miami. In my late twenties I broke it off with this hottie 'cause she couldn't imagine skiing with me. I was fresh off the west coast, what did I know people? I turned in my skis for the Met, lunch at Bouley Bakery and a lot of long walks through lower Manhattan and fell in love with her anyway. But secretly I knew that with a little patience I could bring her over to the dark side.

Ten years later she smiled a little a mile into a ski at Weston. I blamed it on the sun. I thought it might have reminded her of the beach. But today it was cloudy, snowy and ten degrees and she was STILL smiling. Maybe it was the spectacular views, the stunning snow conditions? It certainly wasn't teaching her to duck walk up steep green trails. Well check her out heading downhill here on YouTube. A natural skier. What snowy icing on the proverbial wedding cake.

Smugg's Ski Break? Bouncy House? The Fun Zone; Smuggler's Notch Resort, Jeffersonville, VT

2011-01-16T20:06:00.000-05:00

The Fun Zone Family Entertainment Center

Vermont Route 108 South

Jeffersonville, VT

When the weather outside is frightful and we've already played in the snow, our family loves a good indoor play space. The boys adore them so much, they are having a joint birthday at Playtown Express, the mother of all indoor spaces. With a great mountain, ski school and pool what else could you possibly want here at Smuggler's? How 'bout a space to rival the best of them.

This place was stocked. It had your standard super inflated slide and bouncy houses of every shape and size. There were two, yeah two, kinds of mini-golf. I had never even seen billiards mini-golf. Don't ask me to explain it. We skipped the arcade, and still spent two hours Apres Ski running like madmen with not a mention of the crazy pool complex from the day before. Hey Smugg's, you're just rubbin' it in the face of the competition.

Smugg's U; Snow Sport University, Smuggler's Notch; Jeffersonville, VT

2011-01-16T19:43:00.002-05:00

Snow Sport University

Smuggler's Notch Resort

Vermont Route 108 South

Jeffersonville, VT

I've spent almost thirty years in schools as a student, teacher and now principal. But the best school I ever attended was ski school. On my week-long forays to Colorado with my dad, I got mornings with kids my age learning the mountain and moves, and afternoons with dad showing off. I loved Steamboat's Ski School. One year, my instructor (who was on telemark skis) broke a binding. Did he blink? No. He hit the moguls with one tele ski all the way down. I still aspire to his greatness.

It was hard to give up time with the boys and send them to ski school. I can teach them a lot of things, but I remembered how fun ski school was, so we gave it a shot. Smugg's Snow Sport University is serious business. We dropped Lij at Treasures for their Little Rascals program. The wonderful staff there let him play hard inside and hit the slopes hard on the outside. He ran in there without so much as a "goodbye" on day two. He came back today jabbering about pizza slices and french fries, and he wasn't talkin' lunch. Not bad for still two.

Sydney spent the day at their Discovery Dynamos and I couldn't get him out of there. I thought I'd check-in at lunch and see if he wanted to ski with his old man for a bit. "I'm going back out dad!" he swatted in passing as I sat and waited for him like the goofy kid on prom night. His teacher kindly referred to him as "my assistant instructor." Four times up the lift, and not a frown in sight. I don't know what magic pudding they feed 'em at lunch here at Smugg's, but it sure does work.

Smugg's Downhill; Smuggler's Notch Resort, Jeffersonville, VT

2011-01-15T19:58:00.001-05:00

Smuggler's Notch the Mountain

Vermont Route 108

South Jeffersonville, VT

I am a ski snob. There, I admit it. Every winter my dad "dragged" me out to Colorado for the Winter Conference on Brain Research (check them out those nueroscientists singing on YouTube, really!) This may not sound sexy to you, but for me it was a week off school every year at Aspen, Vail, Keystone and my all time fav Steamboat Springs. I was so inspired by the runs, the hot tubs and (as I got older in the 80's), those hot pink ski pants that I vowed never to ski east again, and moved out there the minute I graduated college.

Given the impact that fuel costs have on flights from Beantown to the Rockies, we decided to go local this weekend. I had never been to the Northern Kingdom of Vermont, and Foodie Mommy rec'd Smugg's from a summer post. Sydney and I started our day at Sir Henry's Learning and Fun Park when the magic carpet opened. We took our chances on Mogul Mouse's Magic Lift and followed under it on Magic Learning Trail which was a perfect last run for him to get him ready for his first big day of ski school tomorrow. Lij hit the magic carpet a few times too, wheeeing all the way home.

But it was my afternoon DadBreak (thanks babe for getting this blog weekend comped and then letting me ski, you rock!), that lead me to Madonna. I found her on my sweet, new Smugg's App for my iphone. This lovely lady of a lift gave me access to some of the best double blacks in the east. The pitch was perfect, the bumps in great shape and there was actually snow covering most of them (sorry Killington, but your sheer ice excuse for moguls almost killed me in college). Four tough runs later and we hit the hot tub at our majestic two bedroom condo suite. How suite it is, this MLK weekend!

Berenstain Bears Bare All; Leventhal-Sidman Jewish Community Center, Newton, MA

2011-01-09T19:15:00.025-05:00

Guest Blogger: Kami Lewis Levin

Leventhal-Sidman Jewish Community Center
333 Nahanton Street
Newton, MA

I grew up in performing arts magnet schools. I danced, my brother sang and played guiter, and my sister was in the theatre. (Go on. Say with an obnoxious British accent.) Performing is in my blood. And so, I want to raise my children to love artistic endeavors. So far, so good. Sydney, Liji and Seth have formed a Sunday morning rock band that plays the likes of Frere Jacques in their particular punk style. And, we have an awesome art table that the kids sit at and draw on for hours. But we haven't done much in the way of theater-going, so when Seth noticed that the Berenstain Bears were performing at the Newton J.C.C., we were all over it.

It turns out, the J.C.C. actually has children's theater performances quite regularly through their Magic Ark Performance Series. Who knew? (Probably you, but not me...) For us, the Berenstain Bears was a perfect match because of late, Sydney has been quite obsessed with that beary crew.

And, I'd like to think he was pretty psyched for some alone time with me.

The show was sold out, as most J.C.C. shows are, so Seth was brilliant to purchase our tickets online in advance.

There were mats set up in the "orchestra" section so kids could sit nice and close. Risers with chairs filled up the house and this house was packed to the gills with laughing, bear-loving folk between the ages of 2 and 82. The set, costumes, singing and dancing combined to produce high-quality children's theater. The plot was a mish-mash of three different Berenstain Bears stories, two of which Sydney and I practically knew by heart. The hour long production was a perfect outing for a cold, gray, winter's day.

Skatastic! The Loring Rink, Framingham, MA

2011-01-08T16:49:00.000-05:00

Loring Rink

165 Fountain Street

Framingham, MA

The height of sixth grade cool growing up was chasing girls on skates at the old MDC rink on Soldiers Field Road. Why not get my boys ready early? I mean, how embarrassing would it be if one of them was skating backwards and fell on his butt in front of the cutest girl in the class (ok, maybe I did that).

Sydney got out on skates early. He was still two (by three weeks people), when we put blades of steel on his feet and hobbled around the rink. Last winter we got out on our back nine, Lake Cochituate, when our cool neighbor plowed a rink off our dock. We even discovered the coolest old man walker for mini-skaters I've ever seen at Floyd Hall rink in Jersey. By the end of that session he was out on his own.

Today, with his new skates on Sydney let me drag him around for about thirty seconds. Then he decided to head out on his own. Sure, all those hard core Jr. Flyer kids were flying by him with pads and helmets, but I didn't say I want him on the hockey team people! (Although our 9th grade babysitter on the Natick Comets Girls' team is pretty cool) A few minutes later we hit the snack bar for cocoa and a pretzel. One more hard fall and we were out of there. It won't be the last knock on the head, that's for sure.

Zooooom into Boston's Past; The Larz Anderson Auto Museum, Brookline, MA

2011-01-02T14:24:00.000-05:00

Larz Anderson Auto Museum

15 Newton Street

Brookline, MA

We have celebrated New Year's since 2001 every year but one with one of my good friends from Brookline. We faced off as volleyball rivals while he was at Brookline High (they always killed Newton North, so maybe rivals is a bit of an overstatement.) We then co-captained the team in college and met up again in grad school and it has been twenty years now. I was always a little jealous of those Brookline kids; the hair, the clothes, that urban swagger. We even looked to move there first on our return from NYC. That was before I even knew about Larz Anderson.

They had brought their boy Luca to the outdoor ice rink this week on a recent homecoming (which I am now dieing to bring Sydney to). What I didn't realize was that this expansive estate includes acres of rolling hills, gardens, bbq spots and of course it's own museum. Anderson's wife, Isabel Weld Perkins (as in Bill Weld, her grandpappy who left her $17 million, and our former Gov's namesake) clearly bankrolled this chateau-inspired land-grab. They were one of the first families at the turn of last century to collect new cars like we collect matchboxes in my house.

Kami and I appreciated the beautifully designed carriage house, which holds the oldest collection of cars in the country. Sydney and Elijah were in love with the chance to play with giant racecars in the kids' room. The restoration garage was pretty cool too. But we clearly missed the high season; "we host Lawn Events almost every Saturday and Sunday throughout the spring, summer, and fall!" Evidently, the high hippy turn-out for Volkswagon day is not to be missed.

Blizzard 2010; Weston Ski Track, Weston, MA

2010-12-31T15:00:00.000-05:00

Weston Ski Track

200 Park Road

Weston, MA

My wife is from Miami. Yes, this is a picture of my wife and I in snow pants. It was a long ten years from our first x-country ski trip till now. Last time she was trying to convince me that you can take the girl out of Miami so I would marry her. This time she credits the snow pants. I credit the 45 degree temps and crystal clear blue skies. Sydney was just happy to have somebody else to fall with.

I grew up loving Weston Ski Track. It was a ten minute car ride and always had snow. I started out on x-country at the same age Sydney did, somewhere around 2-3. Liji would not be lured into such madness, but he sure loved the pulk . He fell asleep somewhere around minute ten. Weston makes snow, which keeps them in business from December 15th till March 15th, a pretty good deal for those golfers at Leo J. Martin (it doubles as a course in the off-season... you notice I say "doubles" 'cause which is the real sport here?).

By the third hill, both mommy and Sydney alike stayed upright the entire ride down. Mommy doing her best imitation of Liji's potty-training, grinning from ear to ear. Sydney, serious in his tuck down the hill. We are off to Smuggler's Notch (this is a shameless plug as they may comp us a third night if we post about them) in a few weeks for my Hanukah present. Dare I dream that I've taken the Miami right out of that girl once and for all?

A Transcendental Christmas; Concord Museum, Concord, MA

2010-12-24T14:35:00.000-05:00

Concord Museum

200 Lexington Road

Concord, MA

Ok, so we don't celebrate Christmas. But I always was a sucker for those trees. What better way to spend the holidays than the Concord Museum's 15th Annual "Family Trees; a Celebration of Children's Literature." (Open December 3rd to January 2nd). Now, this is a top-notch local museum to begin with. There is a great collection of Americana from this center of the Revolution, even if it isn't as fancy as the new MFA wing. Of course they celebrate neighbor Ralph Waldo Emerson (who resided across the street) and that little battle that happened just down the road.

But, on the day before Christmas, you come for the trees. There were majestic pines filled with hand-stiched animals from one of our fav authors Clare Beaton's, "One Moose, Twenty Mice." There were even pails hung from the outdoor tree of the fabulous "Ox Cart Man" by Donald Hall. We got to make our own wish for the tree for "Wish: Wishing Traditions around the World," by Roseanne Thong, illustrated by Elisa Kleven. But mainly we read on the comfy couches, soaking in such new wonders as "Kermit the Hermit," by Bill Peet.

According to the museum, "each tree serves as a canvas for the artistic creations of a dedicated team of volunteer decorators. Inspired by the storyline, the illustrations, the characters or setting of a particular book." So while many of you are out there jostling your way through Toys R Us or fighting for that last ham at Whole Foods, you might want to take a minute and enjoy the simple glow of the holidays in the quaintest little town on earth.

All Star and All-American; The American Wing at the MFA, Boston, MA

2010-12-12T14:44:00.000-05:00

Museum of Fine Arts

(the new American Wing)

465 Huntington Avenue

Boston, MA

We are museum snobs. There, I've said it. I think we deserve it though. After years educating kids at the NYC Museum School and plenty more traveling the globe I think I get an opinion or two. I grew up on the MFA. It set the bar for my own art education as a kid. You may find it hard to believe that I followed the opening of this wing in the Globe more closely that the recent trades for Gonzalez and Crawford to the Sox lineup.

The MFA was already a world-class institution, if not a bit stuffy. This Art of the Americas wing upgrade was like scoring Crawford, Gonzalez, Jeter and Rivera. We camped out in the colonies for half our visit. Sydney was so enamored with the artist demonstration on colonial chair making, I thought we may never get him out of there. Liji was busy comparing Copley portraits with mommy. Sydney and I were smitten with GW crossing the Delaware.

Alright, so maybe mommy and I are not much for 19th century America. But what a lovely surprise to be greeted with TWO Calders on floor three, our fav. The tech wasn't too bad either; both boys loved restyling some famous works on the touch table computers. But the real thrill was the views through the three story walls of glass. Sydney just hung out looking over the diners and the junction of the old and new. A treat for almost everyone of the senses.

A Shark's Tale: Fishin on Biscayne Bay; Miami, FL

2010-11-27T14:28:00.000-05:00

Biscayne Bay

Miami, FL

As a kid, I spent every other Thanksgiving with my pops his parents in Miami. Grandpa had a 27-foot Vega that we would take out into Biscayne Bay and if the wind was good we would hit Stiltsville by lunch and turn back for dinner. Every once and a while I would get a chance to jump over, cool off in the waves and grab the tiller for the ride back.

These days the boat is sold, Grandpa isn’t getting out on the Bay with Shake-a-Leg as much as he used to, but we’ve gotten Uncle David to get the ole fishing boat out of mothballs. Sydney caught the fishing bug this summer in Tolland, but the ocean is a whole ‘nother deal. He and David cast in and two minutes later pulled in a twelve inch black grouper (small by their standards, not Sydney’s). I pulled up a ten inch porgy, so David filleted it and threw it on his heavy tess line. Five minutes later that rod bent in half and David shouted “reel her in Sydney.”

Now David is 6’3”, 250 in his skinny jeans and he was straining. That’s when we noticed the yellow tipped fins off the shoals. He handed me the rod and that baby started running. Barracuda? Scuba diver? The bottom? One flip later and David knew we had a lemon shark and it wasn’t gonna be small. Thirty minutes of reelin’ while Sydney shuffled off to the far end of the boat to watch and David (and my new brother-in-law) spelling me and we had that six foot, sharp-teethed, beautiful creature parallel to the boat. We snapped a few shots, David cut the line and within minutes we saw another fin two hundred yards off twice as tall as our new found friend. Thank goodness I hadn’t brought Sydney’s swimsuit.

The Wonders of Nature @ The Harvard Museum of Natural History, Cambridge, MA

2010-11-21T13:03:00.000-05:00

The Harvard Museum of Natural History and the Peabody Museum

26 Oxford Street

Cambridge, MA

I worked at camps almost every summer of my young adult life. One summer though, I decided I should get a REAL job that would build my resume. I fell into an unpaid internship at Cultural Survival, an amazing non-profit loosely linked to the Harvard Anthropology Department that works to protect indigenous cultures around the globe. Sometimes at lunch I would wander into the old Peabody museum and the glass flowers collection. I am sure this somehow led me to my first job in teaching at the Museum School in New York, somehow...

As amazing as the collection was in 1992, it has since been totally renovated into a state-of-the-art, world class exhibit space. We have gotten lost a few times with the boys in the endless Hall of Mammals. And while many of the specimens are starting to crack a bit, it is no less impressive to look up at a whale skeleton here than it is to peer upon the blue whale at our fav the American Museum of Natural History in NYC.

After a quick swing through the glass flowers and Minerals, Gems and Meteorites I rediscovered my roots. There in the back corner was a hallway connector to the Peabody. Three floors of amazing ethnographic discoveries just waiting for kids. I couldn't recall back 18 years to whether those twenty foot murals from ancient Central America in Encounters with the Americas had stolen the show. And as a big fan of Mexican culture, we were engrossed in the Dia de los Muertos exhibit (it didn't hurt that Halloween and hence Dia had just passed.) Yet, we barely skimmed the surface and we will need another return trip. I thought I was running out of Beantown Dadventures, it looks like I can book one at least.

Horticultural Paradise; Garden in the Woods, Framingham, MA

2010-09-26T12:23:00.007-04:00

Garden in the Woods

180 Hemenway Road

Framingham, MA

We spent a lot of time in the garden this summer. We started with the season buying plants at Russell's and ended it when the tomatoes ran out at Verrils'. But sometime we just need some inspiration for our green thumbs. The diversity and density of species at Garden in the Woods just blows away rivals like the Mass. Horticultural Society's Elm Bank.

The New England Wildflower Society has really put together an amazing display, from the lily pond to the Western woods. You can catch a glimpse of turtles on floating islands full of flowers and run through the meadows with wildflowers taller than the kids. The Invasive Plant Jail is one of my favorites because it inspires me every spring to rip out all those annoying berry bushes that take over my side yard.

But the most amazing highlight of a visit is the art. We walked through a beautiful twig house, and followed the wooden mazes through the trees. But our highlight to date has to have been the Insects installation a couple of years ago featuring artist David Rogers. His installation of giant spiders, ants, butterflies and more was spectacular. You can still catch a giant walking stick (pun intended I think, 'cause it is made from sticks) off amongst the trees. So enjoy the flowers, take the kids on a scavenger hunt and end your day at Sichuan Gourmet, our fav "real" Chinese in Metrowest and make it a day in Framingham.

Tonkarrific! Touch a Truck; Wayland, MA

2010-09-26T12:02:00.000-04:00

Touch a Truck

Wayland Middle School

201 Main Street

Wayland, MA

Recently our best friend FoodieMommy left Natick and crossed north into Wayland. It is a brave new world up there, even though it is just one block away. Everything is just fancier in Wayland, from the little pristine ponds to the cute little fire houses. Even our favorite "wooden playground" is more than Natick can offer on our limited property taxes. Thankfully, the 5th Annual "Touch a Truck" event let's Wayland keep it real.

Lij reads about trucks, drives around toy trucks and talks endlessly about front-loaders, fire engines and bull dozers like an afficianado. Yet, even Sydney was impressed with the line up at this event. In addition to the standard fair offered at Natick Days; fire trucks, ambulances and cop cars, this show had giant lawn mowers, snow plows and some wierd electronic van (a local sponsor? there were plenty).

But this was more than a truck event. There were inflatable slides, bouncy houses and standard fair fare from Nathalie's pizza to some decent hotdogs. While it didn't rival our local fall event with booths, games and more, it wasn't a bad way to spend a beautiful fall morning.

Blastown! Funtown/Splashtown USA, Scarborough, ME

2010-08-30T16:36:00.000-04:00

Funtown/Splashtown USA

774 Portland Road

Saco, ME

To start off our Road Trip 2010 this summer we hit an ole standby (ok, we've been twice, but it's far!); Storyland. To end our Road Trip, we hit up their main competitors in the NE, and it was close. Storyland beats out both Funtown and York's Wild Kingdom for kid rides, and their super cool story themes. But like York, Funtown is a two-fer. You may get fuzzie-wuzzies at York, but you get crazy splashin' on the par of Water Country at Splashtown. But, each of these spots was a little easier to swallow at the admissions counter with our friend the Breathe New Hampshire Fun Pass. (Sydney got in free and it had already paid for itself our first trip to Storyland).

We got prepped by hitting our hotel pool at 7AM, then headed off to Foodie Mommy's rec for breakfast; The Standard Baking Company. That lady knows her prosciutto and cheese croissants. She also seems to know her sticky buns and pain au chocolat too. Anyway, I digress. It was clear Lij wasn't feeling great, but we had been talking this place up to Sydney for weeks. He and I hit the bumper cars and the Thunder Falls Log Flume. Things were heating up. We tried to get him on a couple of roller coasters, too short. So, he wants to go to Casino. Now, I'm not talking Foxwoods, this ride spins you up, down, around and then hits reverse. The last time I was on one of these was at Canobie Lake in middle school, let's just say that time I made it to the bathroom.

Lij and Kam joined us for some great kiddie rides, especially the swings. Then we hit Splashtown. I thought Sydney might be more ready for the Portland Pirates Paradise, but it was a bit too shocking. He opted for the tubes with mommy on Liquid Lightening. Lij and I hung in the Family Fun Lagoon, but he was fading fast. We grabbed a quick bite, got Sydney one more ride on Liquid and hit the road. Oh, we'll be back!

A Half Moon Memory; Crescent Beach State Park, Cape Elizabeth, ME

2010-08-29T19:56:00.012-04:00

Crescent Beach State Park

Bowery Beach Road

Cape Elizabeth, ME

It has been over fifteen years since I combed Crescent Beach; a year out of college and temporarily east for another summer in Maine before I moved back out west. Crescent is still one of my favs. While Portland has changed from a sleepy port town to a tourist mecca, Cape Elizabeth is still that tony suburb by the bay with miles of farms and prime oceanfront property. Crescent changes only with geological time. It is still a hop-skip and a jump from Two Lights, another fav state park amongst the many gems of our northern neighbors. It is still that perfect mix of sand and rock, refreshing tide and fresh water feeders. It is an explorers' dream.

We camped out right next to a feeder stream, winding down to the beach. After sailing down our boats and constructing a few dams, we headed off for a walk. Like many Maine beaches, Crescent is home to a stunning rocky outcrop, full of tide pools. We discovered an old lobster pot, and what looked like a vertebrae of some large sea creature. Sydney tossed old periwinkle shells off the rocks, followed by Lij.

We spent the better part of the afternoon building sandcastles and avoiding the creeping tide. Thankfully, after a day of sun and surf, Kettle Cove Creamery and Cafe was right on our way back to the pool at our hotel. We hit the Portland Lobster Company for dinner, which was more fun for good daddy/mommy drinks and views than it was for kids or serious lobster eaters. All and all, a beautiful day at the beach.

This is the End? Who Knew it was so Beachy; World's End, Hingham, MA

2010-08-17T21:13:00.001-04:00

World's End

142 Martins Lane

Hingham, MA

One of our first Dadventures in Beantown was long before there was a blog, back when Liji was just shaking off his first mommyventure. Stroller and all, we trudged up the hill with two year old Sydney and settled in on a beautiful view of Boston. Then the clouds rolled in and all I can remember is sprinting with a six month old, his stroller and someone carrying Sydney. Today, was not that day.

The Trustees for Reservations spots are so incredible, it is almost impossible to imagine that they were ever in private hands. Did the Cranes really have Crane Beach all to themselves? Did local businessman John Werner really own this enchanted hillside on the bay in Hingham for just the fam? Evidently Frederick Law Omstead of Central Park fame helped out a little on the design. We love the Trustee lands, we just keep coming back for more.

This was a fitting cap to a summer of dadventures with my closest pal Adam and his daughter. She led my boys down to the beach and spent an uninterrupted hour plus hunting hermit crabs with them while we caught up. Covered in muck and happy as clams to get out of the heat, we headed for the tony downtown. We hit up Yelp for a local find and ran across the Square Cafe. While our mud may not have suited the owner, the pasta sure suited us. Thanks Hingham for a lovely day on the shore that felt a far cry from the end of the world, or the last place on earth.

Can Ice Cream Really Trump a Million Adventures?: Kimball Farm, Westford, MA

2010-08-16T17:36:00.000-04:00

Kimball Farm

400 Littleton Road

Westford, MA

Yes, the ice cream at Kimball Farm is really worth the trip to Westford. If you already love this 'hood for Nashoba Valley, then you just decided to tie the knot. Mary Frawley aka "my work mom" who raised a couple of boys of her own is always a sure bet for recs. She has been pushin' Kimball for years and we finally made it out today with our own of towners. It was everything their exciting webpage promoted and more.

We started off with mini-golf. We're not talking any Play Bosquet stuff we hit with them in the Berkshires. We're talking hills, valleys, waterfalls and yes even two holes in a make-believe mine shaft. Then we caught some bumper boats before lunch. Sydney wasn't sure if he could handle it, but quickly decided afterward that flying solo was so the right choice.

Lunch was really no slouch either. We had the fried clams and shrimp plates. Perhaps no Woodmans of Ipswich rival, but it sure hit the spot after our "workout." That's when the real fireworks began. We hopped in the Animal Adventures tent and caught a kinkajou and petted a python. A quick beach volleyball Dadbreak and we were off to the cages. Even Kam got in the swing, taking a few cracks at slow pitch softballs for the first time in her life. She was aptly rewarded with the piece de resistance; the kiddie cup. Yeah, they're fooling you. This mound of sugary, creamy wonder is not fit for kiddies, but it sure capped a fantastic dadventure.

A Rainbow of Fun; The Loker Park Tot Lot, Natick, MA

2010-08-16T06:46:00.000-04:00

The Loker Park Tot Lot

aka the "Rainbow Playground"

Intersection of Walnut Street and Belvedere Streets

Natick, MA

This playground has traditionally been more of a momventure than a dadventure, but I happened to land their with mommy and the boys this weekend after a great trip to the Natick Farmer's Market on the Commons this weekend (which you can check out at my bud Foodie Mommie's wicked awesome blog. We were surprising her for dinner that night with some pork ribs from the Chestnut Farms CSA
stand, and as mommy often does on her way back from the Commons, she stopped for a quick hit on the "Rainbow playground."

There is plenty to conquer for both tots and preK's at this lovely spot across from the famous Walnut Hill Arts School. Perhaps that is why on this day, one of the heros from the 2008 Celtics Championship season showed up with his kids. Our very own Brian Scalabrine was making his way through this magical rainbow tunnel with his tots. As if having a 6'9" red-head on your playground wasn't a tip, wifey blew his cover with a "hey Brian, if you want to do __ we need to get going."

The bigger celebrity for Sydney was his classmate Catherine, who just happened to be there. After a romp on their awesome climbing walls, and a hard core game of rolling down the hills, we settled in for a few tire swing tangles. Check them out on YouTube as they work on perfecting their new jams "Mary had a little HORSE." Overall, a great stop from the Commons any day.

Peace and Quiet in the Wilds; Wildwood Community, Granville, MA

2010-08-15T13:04:00.005-04:00

The Wildwood Community

254 Beetle Road

Tolland, MA

Ahhh... the sweet sounds of birds chirping in the morning. Ok, maybe it was six AM, but that tells you just how quiet things are in the Wildwood planned vacation community. Originally intended to be the "Chamonix of the Berkshires," Wildwood is a lovely vacation spot for owners and renters built around spectacular Cranberry Pond, with no motor boats and only limited cellur service (detox for us Crackberry addicts). My dad picked it out for our summer vacation week as more peaceful alternative to the Cape.

We spent most of the week fishing, canoeing (although we couldnt bring our own canoe, dang Zebra mussle scare), and of course swimming. Sydney spent most of the week swimming to and from one of the four beaches to the perfectly carpeted floating docks. Until he realized there were fancy floating mats under the house. Then he really got crazy mixing noodles, surfing and diving. Daddy spent a lot of time going for long swims and built sand castles, mommy read all of Jane Austin's "Emma" and Elijah mastered the beach toys many purposes (check him out on YouTube).

After a long Road Trip south and Kami's recent trip to Manhattan to receive her Award at BlogHer, this was the perfect anecdote. We only left the house to go to Tanglewood and for a couple of hikes in Granville and Tolland State Forests despite all the wonderful nearby adventures in the Berkshires. So if you need to get away from it all, and you just want a couple hours in the car to do it, check out Wildwood.

A Lovely Tromp Through the Woods: Tolland State Forest, Tolland, MA

2010-08-15T07:55:00.000-04:00

Tolland State Forest

Tolland, MA

Perhaps when you think of the Berkshires, you think of Tanglewood or Jacob's Pillow. But, just maybe you came with the kids to get away from it all. Just maybe, you wanted to be alone with the fam, not surrounded by thousands of artistic junkies. Then Tolland is the place for you.

While the motor boats on Otis Reservoir were a bit disconcerting while tromping in nature, this was a beautiful body of water. We opted for the "Healthy Heart" Gillmore Trail. Not simply because we just can't get enough of that wacky mother and daughter team. More, because I really was hoping that if we didn't go too far, Liji could make the entire trek on his own two feet (re: the end of the daddy backpack please!).

Well, we started to climb and ole Liji's legs gave out, but he opted for grandpa's shoulders (phew). Grandpa regaled us with that time that he and I summited like 70 peaks in three days, including Mt. Washington when I was just a few months older than Sydney is now. (It was like 20 below one night at Lake of the Clouds people, and the dog almost froze!) Ironically we had just been there, so I reminded Sydney what a crazy idea this was for a five year old. Anyway, we had a lovely tromp, caught up on some more salamanders, checked out the woodpecker holes and made it safely back in time for lunch. The perfect hike.

Salamanders Ho! Granville State Forest, Granville, MA

2010-08-14T06:15:00.000-04:00

Granville State Forest

Granville, MA

We are Department of Conservation and Resources (DCR) junkies. I hate to admit it, but they put together a good party. At our home base on Lake Cochituate they remove trees from your dock if a winter storm wanders by. They maintain pristine beaches and beautiful lakes with flair. They provide clear and accessible maps online and at each site. I have visited a lot of state parks in my day, and I must say DCR rocks!

We set-up camp in the Berkshires this summer in Granville with dad and his longtime companion Allison. This town is a small, former farming community near the Connecticut border, and our stay in Wildwood has been dreamy. Swimming all day, fishing early and often and paddling our hearts out. We went for a little change of pace this morning by starting with a hike, and the boys couldn’t have been more thrilled.

Every twist and turn of these well-maintained trails was littered with red spotted salamanders (they are both scientists, so we learned that this was like the tadpole stage of newts). Last night, we were lucky to skip another night in the tent because it was two inches deep in water when we awoke. But what a bonanza for the wildlife! These salamanders crossed us at every turn. Little peeper frogs hopped across the trail in droves. There were so many types of fungus, my dad (or Mr. Wizard as they used to call him) couldn’t even keep up with all of Sydney’s questions. So when you are done riding horses at Undermountain Farms, or splashing at Play Bosquet come on out to Granville for a taste of the wild.

All Tangled Up in Blue (Skies): Tanglewood, Tanglewood, MA

2010-08-13T20:10:00.000-04:00

Tanglewood

Tanglewood, MA

As a relative novice to the Berkshire scene, it appeared that no trip out here was complete without a trip to Tanglewood. On our first visit this summer, we had plans to see our Cousin Philip play there with his colleagues in the Emerson String Quartet, but alas work called us back to Boston. We had tried to get James Taylor/Carol King tickets, but please people, there was no way.

So this trip out we hit the nail on the head with an ole standby, the BSO. Tanglewood has been the summer residence of the Boston Symphony Orchestra since 1937, and it is clear why. This place is magical for adults and kids alike. My dad and his girlfriend set-up camp on the lawn ahead of schedule for us with the requisite blanket, rented chairs, wine glasses and crackers. Before the first tuning, the boys were full of snacks.

Sydney lasted through the entire performance of Beethoven's Violin Concerto in D which I fondly recalled from my long-night study sessions in college. He and I silently worked our way through Uno and Go Fish while he enjoyed the music. By intermission, we were ready to join Liji and Kam on the overlook at the Kid’s Corner. That’s right people, Tanglewood leaves open a huge space overlooking the lakes and mountains for kids to run, parents to listen and provides free snacks and arts and crafts. Did I mention the kids got in free? This was our first real outdoor concert with the boys, and we couldn’t have asked for better.

Into the Wilds of Natick; Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary, Natick, MA

2010-08-02T20:04:00.022-04:00

Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary

280 Elliot Street

Natick, MA

There are three Natick favs that separate us from your typical Beantown 'burbs; the Natick Community Organic Farm, Lake Cochituate and Broadmoor. These were the reasons we moved from Brooklyn to Natick. Less than twenty miles from Boston we have farm classes with cows and canoeing with Great Blue Herons. At Broadmoor, we even see the occaisional beaver working on his dam. Spring, winter, fall or summer, these bastions of rural New England living keep us sane and our kids grounded in ways that soccer practice just can't match.

We love Broadmoor every season because of its incredible diversity of flora and fauna. Like most other Audobon retreats, (our fav is Drumlin Farm) you can see it all with tons of info to spare for the kids. Like most Audubon spots too, birding is the big draw, and we have seen plenty. We are certainly no birders, but we have caught our fair share of a myriad kinds of hawks, warblers, orioles, sparrows, finches and woodpeckers. Enough to fill their page long list of suspects? No, but enough to get excited when we caught glimpse of Mr. Owl perched high above the tree tops.

The winter is virtual wonderland, with broad meadows and snow covered tree-lined trails for cross-country fun. Only ten minutes from Natick Commons, it feels more like northern Vermont than Wellesley when the winter winds arrive. Their amazing programs continue throughout the cold months as well. They feature a diverse series of speakers to just get you prepped for spring or for a trip around the world. The center is a model of green architecture; Sydney really loves the no flush compostable toilets; "why don't they smell?" They'll tell ya. So if you need a break from the city, head on down to Broadmoor. It sure beats four hours on 93N in Friday rush-hour just to say you hit the Green Mountains.

Tursitaventure #2; Spectacle Island, The Harbor Islands, Boston, MA

2010-08-01T10:03:00.001-04:00

Spectacle Island

Boston Harbor Cruises

The Harbor Islands

Boston, MA

Remember George Bush the First calling out Mike Dukakis on his environmental record because Boston Harbor was like one of the most polluted bodies of water in the country? Ok, you weren't an enviro dork in like middle school like me, but you know this water was nasty stuff in the 80's. Well now it is a National Park. Crazy, "keeping it for the kids" huh?

In fact, this Harbor is so popular now that we had missed the 1:30PM boat and had to take the 2:30PM. We had enjoyed a fantastic train ride (that's how we roll to the Aquarium and Chinatown only for some reason, uhh Fenway anyone?) and enjoyed a lovely stroll with our cuz Michaela down the new Rose Kennedy Parkway, which we hit back for another roll on the carousel (two-for this weekend).

After a late, but spectacular departure from Long Warf we jetted past Castle Island out into the Harbor. I am ashamed to admit that this was my first trip, and (hence my family's), into the Harbor. Despite Logan, the gas tanks and the shipping containers, the skyline surrounded by sails is splendid. We docked and were met with the sounds of the Save the Harbor, Save the Bay fundraising party. This group is a big part of why the harbor is so clean, so we were quite glad to bop our way out to the beach. We spent over an hour collecting spectacular sea glass, dreaming of all of the arts and crafts projects we would design (until we saw the sign asking us to "leave it for others to enjoy.") We then took a tour of the boundary trail, stopping to pick blackberries along the way. We were so excited that Jasper White had set-up a Summer Shack cart at the concession, only to discover that it's clambakes was for private parties. So we grabbed a few hot dogs and reserved a spot in Cambridge at the Shack for after bedtime (the kids could read How I Became a Pirate, by Melinda Long instead). We did get a few pirate party bags out of the deal anyway, even if those scoundrels had never used this beautiful island as their home base. The cuzzes don't need to know.

Turistaventure #1; Faneuil Hall, Boston, MA

2010-07-31T20:01:00.002-04:00

Faneuil Hall Marketplace

N. Market Street

Boston, MA

When the cuzzes are in town from Orlando, you gotta start off the weekend as touristy as it gets. Go Faneuil Hall. I mean, where can you get more square miles of "Boston" t-shirts anywhere else in Beantown? Where else can you hit fried dough and oysters in the same stretch of crazy market hallway?

We started off in style with a revisit to the Commons. Sydney reminded us of our last pleasant outing for the Walk for Hunger. So we hit the Swan Boats again, and made sure to catch the carousel. We breezed past the Frog Pond which looked like it was better suited to skating than swimming. Then we rocked the Freedom Trail for a few minutes down to the Hall, giving a shout out to the Sam Adam's grave and the Revolutionary reenactors sporting it as tour guides. Perhaps another day, in say ten years when they may care a bit more (see Williamsburg and Lexington).

Now before you enter the hall, it is important to plan a strategy. Don't by any means get stuck at the pizza Bagel stop with kids. They will think they want them (and they don't). Make a bee line for the tables in the court to hold down the fort. Then slowly plan out your attack. All we cared about was the Walrus and the Carpenter Oyster Bar, a fav standby. Most importantly though, we hit the shows. This time we watched Lucky Bob, Prop Comic Juggler. For a five spot in tips, out kids were amazed for over half an hour. Best of all, he called on Sydney out of dozens of other little ones. And my little man, he threw a perfect strike of a bowling pin to Bob while he balanced on a board. A perfect turista intro.

Wild Horses, Great Biscuits; The Eastern Shore of Virginia, Chincoteague Island, VA

2010-07-28T19:30:00.000-04:00

Chincoteague and Assoteague Islands
Virginia’s Eastern Shore

I have almost been run over by a moose in the Tetons. I almost ran down a big brown bear in the Alaska's Chugach wilderness who thankfully took off. But, I put my family at risk from a giant wild mustang who simply wanted an apple slice from a Subway kiddie meal. You know those giant signs in Yellowstone that say “do not feed the wildlife!,” and “do not get out of your cars!” Why then, was my two year old out of the car with an apple slice in his hand within hoof kicking distance of his head? I have no excuse but to say, “ I F’d up!”

Virginia just keeps getting better and better. We did manage to join together in one of my Bucket List items; to walk amongst wild horses in the marshes of Chincoteague island. Do I get points for hoisting the boys through the marsh to join me even though we had to leave wifey behind? It was a mystical highlight of an eventful southern tour. The beach here wasn’t too shabby either.

As we head across the Mason-Dixon I was terrified that I wouldn’t check off any southern trip must: Bojangles Famous Chicken 'n Biscuits. Single-handidly the most terrible food for you and an almost near to G-D experience for the soul.

I dedicate this haiku to Grandma Flora (F for the Finn in Liji Finn), who filled her fridge with a bucket every trip to Miami:

Biscuit’s dreamy flakes

Crisp, fried, salty, tender thigh

Slurp sweat southern tea…

Cradle of Liberty, watch out!

Dare to Play Indi League Ball; Kill Devil Hills Daredevils, Kill Devil Hills, NC

2010-07-28T19:27:00.000-04:00

Kill Devil Hills Daredevils

113 East Sothel Street

The Outer Banks

Kill Devil Hills, NC

Every summer is an opportunity to build my knowledge of our nation’s (and my boys) favorite pastime. This summer I’m tackling the new biography of Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy by Jane Leavy. Sandy was a kid of immigrants, a sandlot player from Brooklyn who left Lafayette, my grandparents’ high school for the big show. As we sat on the bleachers at First Flight High to watch the Daredevils, you wondered whether these boys were headed their some day too.

Despite the DH, the perfect turf and Fox broadcasting, baseball hasn’t changed much in the last fifty years. Independent summer ball teams here, like their colleagues in the Cape Cod League still give these boys a chance to hit college and get ready for the bigs. It also gives my boys a chance to learn the fundamentals of walks, strike outs and the infield fly sitting behind home for free.

The Daredevils drew a pretty decent crowd for a small park. Perhaps it was their mascot, Homer the Wild Mustang, who was willing to offer up at least ten high-fives to Elijah. Maybe it was the icee mascot who offered Sydney a chance to win a free one between innings by rolling giant dice on the field. I am pretty confident though that it was the fine bbq pork sandwiches from Pigmans’ (second night in a row baby, what luck!) Either way it was a perfect end to a perfect week with our Carolinian friends.

The Waves are Alive with the Sounds of Dolphins; Outer Banks Cruises, Manteo, NC

2010-07-27T16:56:00.000-04:00

Outer Banks Cruises

1 Budleigh Street

Manteo, NC

My kids are the ones you see at the Aquarium debating the merits of echolocation with their cousins. Unlike their cousins, their mom isn’t the Curator of Marine Mammals. Their mom didn’t train dolphins for a living either. But like them, their mom loves her some animals. Sydney hit his first whale watch in utero up in Maine. Kam hit the boat’s bathroom, a lot. She would do anything for her kids to catch some whales. She made sure we got out last summer in P'Town. At this point whale watches and beach vacations are a family tradition.

The Outer Banks is notorious for their dolphins. Several mornings we woke up, only to discover pods migrating outside our living room window while picturesque pelicans floated overhead. We headed out to Manteo to get a closer look. The Outer Banks Dlphin Cruises has only been following them for sixteen years, but their family had been fishing off the OBX since the eighteenth century. It’s possible these dolphin and this family’s ancestors have been trolling these waters together ever since.

We seem to have a penchant for hitting homers on whale watches these days. We spent an hour sliding in and out of a pod of over thirty bottlenose. Little twenty-five pound babies crested over the backs of their mommies. Daddies showed off their flippers, smacking the waves. A few even jumped up and out of the water to show us their stuff. It was the best showing this family outfit had seen in weeks. Chalk one up to another successful cetacean outing and more fuel for the biologist in my boys.

The Other Cape; Cape Hatteras, The Outer Banks, NC

2010-07-26T22:26:00.000-04:00

The Hatteras Light and Pea Island

Cape Hatteras

The Outer Banks, NC

Turtles and light houses. Hmmmm…. The Outer Banks is a Cape-like juxtaposition of natural wonders and man-made fun. There are bumper boats and bogs. Kite stores and hundred-foot dunes. Nowhere is this more true than Cape Hatteras. Home to centuries of shipwrecks (including the infamous Blackbeard the pirate), this spit of sand should have featured in the Old Man and the Sea (atop the list of my Hemingway favs), because nowhere else has man versus nature played out more splendidly (not even on TV).

The Hatteras light; score one for the home team. Nature won this battle so triumphantly that man had to move his creation hundreds of feet inland away from the shifting tides. While this beacon saved thousands of lives, it is a wonder how many were lost in pursuit of glory. Sydney and I were joined our Carolinian friends Brian and Ainslee on the one hundred and twenty step ascent up to the top. Nature won again though and we were barred from the observation deck by the same winds that allowed the Wright Brothers to fly.

Score one for man at the conservation land at Pea Island. We poked through a marsh full of snowy egrets and humongous turtles only to discover a bulldozer and backhoe. Now my men love their trucks, but it was a little disconcerting to discover man’s machines in the middle of an otherwise pristine landscape. We dug a little harder and found retaining walls constructed by Carolinians to preserve such beautiful and wild places. Folks like Brian who directs the North Carolina Conservation Network are working hard to make sure that man works with nature to make this place a gem for generations to come.

The OBX Beach Experience; Nags Head Beach, Nags Head, OBX, NC

2010-07-26T22:24:00.000-04:00

Nags Head Beach

3335 South Virginia Dare Trail

The Outer Banks

Nags Head, NC

We are beach snobs. We devour beaches like we do zoos. We should be beach connoisseurs for the National Academy of Beach Assessors. We drove over fourteen hours to join our friends Brian and Kaci and their three kiddos Ainslee, Chase and Lyla down on the Outer Banks. And we studied this beach hard! Six straight days at any beach is a record for us. We didn’t even cheat on it with other more beautiful or rustic beaches like we usually do. We couldn’t resist, it was so pretty and fun.

Boarding. Our four-year old son learned how to boogie, wake and surf. Clearly he is more coordinated than either of his parents. Despite the jellyfish and beantown-like water temps this kid twisted and twirled, spun and dove through two and three foot waves for hours a day. He was fearless. Seven-year olds watched him in awe. Blame it on the perfect four-year older waves. Well, I noticed it didn’t help those other kids.

Elijah got into the wave act too. Our little daredevil rode his daddy like Seabiscuit through the surf. But his mojo was the sand. The gentle slope was home to a million shells and millions more ghost crabs darting in and out of their holes all morning and evening. Nags Head was that perfect balance of heat, sand and waves. Even for dads.

Taking Flight on the Outer Banks: The Wright Brothers National Memorial, Kill Devil Hills, NC

2010-07-24T20:05:00.004-04:00

Wright Brothers National Memorial

Wright Memorial

Kill Devil Hills, NC

It was just about Sydney’s age that I began the wonderful pilgrimage every month via good ole Eastern airlines from Hanover, NH to my dad’s new home in New Jersey. A four-year old flying solo? Terrifying you say? Oh no, it was the 70’s and I got first class treatment without the regs. Tours of the cockpit on every flight. Super, attentive flight attendants who who’d rarely met a kid of divorce. I fell in love with planes. I was determined to get my pilots license by fourteen.

The boys have flown a lot. Check out their recent jaunt to Rome or their semi-annual pilgrimages to Miami. I had hoped Sydney might catch the bug. What better place to go viral than Kitty Hawk. I tried with my poor physics skills (a D on my first test in high school = no more physics, ever, not MC squared) to explain how they created flight. The museum does a decent job, for rocket scientists. We spent a long time reenacting the first, second, third and fourth flights as he ran the distance between the markers.

The highlight of the day was by far the park ranger program. Every park we go to they get more and more kid-friendly these days. This one was kite flying, no joke! And voila, Sydney asked all the right questions about flight. Even Liji was able to figure out how to put a man on the moon that day. Perhaps my boys will fare better in physics than either I did or those crazy Wright Brothers.

History Alive; Colonial Williamsburg, Williamsburg, VA

2010-07-24T19:49:00.002-04:00

Colonial Williamsburg

427 Franklin Street

Williamsburg, VA

As a history teacher, I love reenactments. In fact, my friends and I got a grant one summer just to trail the civil war throughout the south. We didn't get in one reenactment! Perhaps it was my early experiences with Plimoth Plantation. Maybe it was 7th grade when we got to reenact the trial of the Boston Massacre. I got to be the lead bad guy, how cool. I think we may wait a little on that one for the boys though. In the meantime, we eased them in with Lexington and Concord this winter. We were ready for the show.

I had always planned a trip to Colonial Williamsburg, but just never hooked east from Richmond. On our trip south to North Carolina, the chance presented itself. Sure it was 95 and humid as all get out, but we were ready. We slid past the plantation (boy is slavery tough to explain) and started toward the shady gardens by the Governor's palace. The kids loved the run through the intricately carved bushes.

We were pouring sweat and desperate for lunch (daddy, lunch! Daddy, Lunch!) Our options were the Tavern and…. The Tavern, so we picked Chowning's. I wasn’t sure how we would introduce terms such as grog and wenches to our young kiddos. Thankfully besides the dress and the décor we were given the choice of modern conveniences such as turkey sandwich and bbq pork sandwich. But, the highlight of the trip was the reenactment. FINALLY! Sydney literally chased the pied pipers down the street as they paraded from the beautifully restored brick capitol building to the end of town. Hot, sticky and a bit over their heads? Perhaps. An educational destination for their teen years sandwiched betwixt a stop at Water Country and Busch Gardens down the road? For sure.

Wild Rides, Wild Beasts: York's Wild Kingdom, York, ME

2010-07-11T19:50:00.002-04:00

York's Wild Kingdom

Route 1

York, ME

Ahhh Maine in the summer. Picturesque rocky shore lines. Pristine mountain lakes feeding into Poland Springs. Beautiful white tigers. Tigers? Wait, you mean lobsters? Scallops? Puffins? No, lions, tigers, bears, ya know. York's Wild Kingdom was like a beer run across state lines. Not sure you actually went there to save the money, but it sure was fun to be in Maine.

We started off the day in the Wild Kingdom of Animals. Marlin Perkins would have been proud. There were cassowaries and sloths, lemurs and servals. While the pens were small, and the service a bit dated, there were plenty of wild friends to meet. We pet at least forty goats and a few deer. We hung out at the elephant show and actually got to feed her (she had just finished painting a landscape - animal cruelty no doubt!). Our pachyderm friend was almost as old as my parents.

After lunch we hit Wild Kingdom amusements. The rides were perfect. Sydney hit the giant slide a few times, while the young ones flew around on planes (with gunner positions, thank goodness). The highlight though was the bumper mobiles. Sydney loved the big kid bumper cars, driving for real for the first time in his life. Lij and cousin Sky hit the bumper boats (let's just say driving was less crucial here). After four and half hours we were so toasted that we skipped the clam shack on the way home. It never really felt like Maine, but it was sure worth the trip.

Small Ball at the Yard: Futures at Fenway, Fenway Park, Boston, MA

2010-07-10T19:57:00.002-04:00

Today was their big day. Last Tuesday was mine. Today they dipped a toe in the splendid grass that covers Fenway. Tuesday I took the mound at the Y. Minor league kids who dreamed of this day doned their Lowell Spinner caps and made adjustments. Up until Tuesday I had been dreading/dreaming of coaching T-ball for my son some day. Today it all came together.

Was the baseball good at Futures at Fenway? Was it good at the Y with 4 and 5 year olds taking the field? Do I really need to answer either of those questions? All I know is that Sydney could ask me today why the runner stole second and the Fenway Franks tasted perfect. When my buddy Leo and I debated why stealing home on a passed ball on the fourth ball was ok, I am fairly certain Sydney at least had an inkling of what we were talking about. Maybe the guys behind us who was staying for the second game of to watch the Salem affiliate could answer us.

Sydney was willing to sit through the rain out and "watch the tarp." He even decided to shoot down the ride to our car, parked over as always by the "cheap lot" at BU so that we got get drenched. We drove home shirtless through a monsoon with class IV rapids on Route 9. It sure beat driving home from Pawtucket. If today wasn't an adventure, well hell, what is?

Ummm People's Republic: The Taste of Cambridge, Cambridge, MA

2010-07-05T19:37:00.005-04:00

Taste of Cambridge

Charles Hotel

1 Bennet Street

Cambridge, MA

Alright. In case you haven't already guessed we both work in Cambridge. And while we love it with all of our hearts, the People's Republic just ain't NYC. Now that wasn't true when I was at NNHS and we hit the square every summer evening cruising like Coloradans revvin' their pickup engines down Main Street. For all intents and purposes, this event was the a late twenty-something version of the same thing, but this time it was for a gerat cause. CitySprouts. And we were ready to eat.

Now my best friend Foodie Mommy might argue that Cambridge got it going on in the culinary world, but you'll notice she sneaks off to the Apple every chance she gets. There was some good stuff here at the Taste, but it was point in case why being a Foodie in Beantown is tough. The boys? They didn't mind. They stuffed their faces. The girls? They didn't mind either, each ticket came with four glasses of beverage included.

For $50 (free for the kiddos) we got to surf Boston's finest. Lij particularly liked the fruit gazpacho. The higlight of the evening though was the message. The fine folks at City Sprouts have made an amazing garden with the staff, families and kids at my school. You should check them out. Even better throw them a few bucks (yeah, that cutie with the tomatoe is one of my boys). The evening reflected their excellent work all the way down to the compostable silverware. So if you are single and surfing and wanna help some kids get fresh veggies, check out the Taste of Cambridge and bring my boys for free.

Jersey in the Berkshires: Play Bousquet, Pittsfield, MA

2010-07-05T19:18:00.002-04:00

Play Bousquet

101 Dan Fox Drive

Pittsfield, MA

After a lifetime of staying out of the Berkshires, we are back for pass two of three in less than six months. Needless to say, last time was in a foot of snow and a day of crazy downhill at Butternut. This time it was 90 degrees and we needed to cool down after a morning of horseback at Undermountain Farm. Yesterday we hit the lake, today we had our sights on the water slides.

Bousquet is a local fav amongst the ski set. While Butternut was either too flat or steep, Bousquet seems to have made out better in the glacial age. This winter we will try out their 22 lovely trails. For now, we worked the mini-golf. Oddly enough, Sydney seems to like golf. Meemaw got him a set of "clubs" and he hacks away at home. After hacking away off the greens at Bousquet, we got bored at hole 15.

I can't believe he waited this long for the slides. The big kid/adult slides were tempting. I almost took a Dadbreak. Instead we watched in glee as Sydney shooshed down the kiddie slides. It brought me back to my summers in Jersey at Action Park or down on the coast at Wildwood (thankfully pre-"Situation", but still Jersey Shore baby). So I was delighted to see that the parking lot was full of Jersey plates. You can take the kids out of Jersey, but you can't take the Jersey out of your kids.

What Lovely Horsies: Undermountain Farm, Lenox, MA

2010-07-05T19:13:00.002-04:00

Undermountain Farm

400 Undermountain Farm Rd.

Lenox, MA

I like to think of myself as a bit of a risk taker. I pride myself on the fact that my boys are willing to try anything. I also love horses. Like with most large animals, some urge comes over me to scratch their ears, pat them, smile at them. But, my last real experience riding was not a good one. With little training I was at a cantor with a friend ahead of me who trained horses. We started to race up a hill at camp and my horse shot ahead of hers. As she tried to catch me to settle my horse, her ride threw her head first at a tree. An hour later an ambulance made it to the rural spot in Maine with her eyes closed and slow breathing. Thankfully a neck brace for her, but not a lot of riding for me after that.

So, the boys seem to share my love of large farm animals. We hit the pony rides at Belkin and Davis, but that was just a tease. Today, we met the coolest horse trainer I've ever seen. She managed our party of five and two others, while calming gearing up the horses, directing her staff and generally holding court with kids ages two to fifteen. "If he's over six months old and can sit up on his own, he can ride." So as our two closest girlfriends (or 3rd grade super heros as the boys like to see them) led the horses, the boys took the mounts. For thirty minutes they replayed every fantasy I had since watching Black Stallion in the seventies and reading the entire series (I know, I know, I was the only boy doing this, but at least the main character was a boy too).

This place is more than just rides though. It is set over Tanglewood admist the mountains and trees. It was a perfectly clear day with a bit of heat, and they were full up. Some kids were getting ready for jumps, others like ours were on their first real outing. They run everything from trail rides to day camps. They have it all. But in the end, the have one most important factor to my boys; a love of animals.

Beauty and the Beach; Wingaersheek Beach, Gloucester, MA

2010-06-28T14:16:00.001-04:00

Wingaersheek Beach

Atlantic Street

Gloucester, MA

Ok kids. The gloves are off. None of this early spring chilly beach stuff on Opening Day (why they even play proball in this weather is beyond me). Forget windy Memorial Days down on the Cape where we are forced to wear T-shirts! Get out the SPF 50, crank up the AC in the car 'cause it's 90 outside and head north young man. When Boston swelters, the north shore saves. A no water cools you quicker than Wingaersheek by the bay.

You can scroll through the Globe's beachfinder and find few other spots with such perfect waves (none for kiddos), rolling tides (maybe Eastham) or fun rocks to climb. Sure we fought some barnacles. Ok $20 seems steep, but Gloucester's schools are in trouble so think of it as an indirect contribution. Sure, their shoulders came back a little red. But who wouldn't tough it out in the name of pure summer fun?

Sydney is getting his swim on these days, and swim he did. From one rock to the next, he looked like a seal. Liji proudly perched on my shoulders, still to skinny to dive headfirst into northshore waters in the last days of June. But you just wait. They'll be doing flips off those rocks in a couple of years (as long as mommy is working and daddy is off like he was today). So throw the "Perfect Storm" in the beach bag for a little light Gloucester lit and get out there, enjoy the sun and surf and let the games begin! Happy summer 2010!

A Momventure: Couch to Charles River 5K with a little help from dad; Cambridge, MA

2010-06-27T20:15:00.003-04:00

Charles River 5k Run

5 Greenough Street

Cambridge, MA

And I raaaaan. I ran so far away... From age four on I was a runner. Some people are poets, others are comedians. Me, I've always just run. My wife? Not so much. Professional dancer? Sure. Amazing teacher? You betcha. Dedicated mommy? Check her out at The Fence. But if there is one thing she does NOT enjoy, it is the grinding wear on the ole knees from a good run around the block. That is why today was astonishing. Today, my dear wife pushed past her Couch to 5K limit of 25 minutes of uninterrupted running (i.e. no stops for the weary) and ran a full on 5k way before the program had told her to. AND FINISHED! Part of being a good dadventurer is putting aside your crazy competitive spirit, redefining husband over athlete to stop being a runner and become a good jogging partner for the day.

I have run my fair share of 5k's. I ran cross-country throughout my teen years for the Newton North Tigers and was dodging trees and roots in parks throughout Boston in under nineteen minutes. So how did I do it? How did I run alongside wifey in her quest to simply finish without stopping? It was easy, it is all about learning to be a dad. The same superpowers that allow many dads to avoid screaming "go get the damn ball" from the Y soccer sidelines came in handy this day.

Did we finish in the top 1000 entrants? Nooooo. (I followed my fair lady at 1004, ladies first ya know). Did it hurt me a little not to blaze past the three hundred pound man in front of me who was almost walking just to keep my manly dignity? Sure. Instead I made jokes, cheered her on, pushed her to keep going even when she swore like a sailor. It was a little like birthing Liji. I was seriously almost as proud a dad. Next time, we bring the kids.

America's Oldest Amusement; Mount Washington, Pinkham Notch, NH

2010-06-20T19:43:00.002-04:00

Mount Washington

Pinkham Notch, NH

I just hit the dadventure vortex today, on Father's Day of all days. Today, my own memories of my first dadventures have begun to overlap with Sydney's. When I was Sydney's age, my dad and I tackled the Whites. Yeah, he took a five year old through three days of alpine cabins, ending with a night on Mount Washington at Lake of the Clouds. The question is, do I enter the Matrix or do I begin to craft a map of dadventures of my own?

Like any good Choose Your Own Adventure book from the series (someone has got to bring back these rockin' texts) we did a little of both at every turn. We stayed at the Joe Dodge Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) cabin in Pinkham Notch, just like I did back in '77. We got in a short hike on the Old Jackson Road and then threw the orange shoebox into First gear up the Auto Road. After throwing on our "This Car Climbed Mount Washington" sticker, we ran around in 40 degree weather with our winter coats as a break from the summer heat below.

Where our paths divided was my next choice. I always got the impression that the hike up earned the cruise down as a kid. We opted for the gondola up Wildcat ski mountain. The views were spectacular, my kids were happy and my wife even smiled as we screamed up the slopes. The panoramic views of Tuckerman's Ravine made me dream for another day. But instead of feeling like a pansy for opting out with a two and four year old, I recommitted to tearing down that slope with them in another fifteen years on our teles. An inspiring Father's Day indeed.

Rocker by Night, Duck Tours by Day; Duck Tours, Boston, MA

2010-06-13T20:07:00.001-04:00

Duck Tours

Prudential Center

Boston, MA

Tad McKitterick is my sons' very own, personal, super hero. (Kami and I share in this adoration-society). Like any good superhero Tad rocks two important careers. By night he is the lead singer and keyboardist of one very fine Boston band: Sidewalk Driver. Kami and I got crazy last weekend and saw them kick it at Rosebud in Davis Square for their new album; "For All the Boys and Girls." After a day of dadventures with the boys, I was ready to pass out at 11PM when we arrived. They went on at midnight, sharp. They were so good we rocked out in our sleep, joined by many of Kami's other New World School of the Arts alums from her and Tad's days together at this fine Miami performing arts high school. When we were without kids, we rocked out with Sidewalk a lot in NYC when they opened for her brother Zach's band Disposable Thumbs. Tad sports some pretty serious outfits and theatrical stage presence. Sydney really wants to hit one of his shows.

But today was all about Tad's alter ego, Super Size the super hero. For many pleasant weather months of the year he drives a WWII era amphibious vehicle for Duck Tours. This wildly successful tourist extravaganza has spawned legions of copycats across the USA on one simple concept. A tour bus that turns into a tour boat. So we met Tad down at the Pru and hopped on board. We first revisited a bit of the Walk for Hunger route (Sydney of course pointed this out.) We passed the finery of the state house, draped in Celtic green for the Finals (Go C's). We took an odd turn past our fav haunt, the Museum of Science. Then we did something really wierd, we drove into the Charles. We were laughing so hard at Tad's jokes, we almost missed it.

A minute later we were cruising past the Museum toward the salt and pepper (Longfellow) bridge. Needless to say, we were going so slow Tad was able to take his "union five" while the boat steered itself and he ripped off a few more funnies. But the highlight was watching my visiting sister-in-law, her fiancee and then Sydney take the helm. Now, I grew up in Boston and even taught US History, but today I learned quite a bit about our fair city from our man Tad. The most interesting of which was the namesake of our duck boat, Molly Molasses. The Boston Molasses Disaster killed 21 as a thirty foot tidal wave of molasses broke out of a nearby north end factory. Who knew Tad? And who knew super heroes really do exist.

Sydney the Science Kid: The Science Discovery Museum, Acton MA

2010-06-06T21:11:00.001-04:00

Science Discovery Museum

177 Main Street

Acton, MA

Growing up, everybody loved science. Dad is a neuroscientist, mom a Children's Hospital administrator, even my step-mother had her PhD in biomed. Both grandpas have a post-grad degrees in the sciences. Dinner talk was of rat brains and fat cells. Until sophomore year in college, I was sure that I would be joining them (until I discovered organic chem). But science is still in the blood, and it sure trickled down to our boys (despite the Lewis/Krieger family Law genes).

We already loved the Discovery Children's Museum. But my father can sniff out a science museum from a hundred miles, and realized last winter that there was one next store. Today's trip featured Bessie the Dinosaur's birthday. She didn't look a day over twenty eight, but she sure had left a lot of eggs to find between the steam machine and the polarizing lenses. One of today's highlights though was the harmonographic table. This was the coolest giant spirograph we had ever seen, and we have the drawings to prove it.

Like its next door neighbor, the Science museum is a great place for parties for kids of all ages. They insist that this museum is geared toward the older set, but both Liji and his pal Noah who are two couldn't be pulled out of there. Even in the pouring rain we had to try out the satellite dishes where we could whisper secrets to Sydney 100 feet across the entranceway. So while Acton may not seem like the most convenient location, come for the day. Throw a PBS Sid the Science Kid in the car DVD, hit the Children's then the Science, and you can't go wrong.

Go Triple A with the PawSox: McCoy Ballpark, Pawtucket, RI

2010-05-30T22:02:00.004-04:00

McCoy Ballpark

1 Columbus Avenue

Pawtucket, RI

It is hard to review any park after Fenway (of course, I left that one up to author Chris Klein 'cause I knew he would do a way better job). That doesn't mean I won't try. I still hold on to that college dream of a summer coast to coast road trip, hitting as many majors as I can. Now that would be a dadventure boys. In the meantime, I'll settle on the minors. I love the park in Portland, you can't get enough of that SeaDog mascot (whatever that is) or that loud foghorn with every homer. The other Portland hosts a bizarre park and the last time I was there they were still a Rockies affiliate because there is so little pro ball in the west. The relatively new stadium in Newark is pretty nice, even though it marks another failed effort at gentrification in this once prosperous town. But, the best location of all is not the view of Manhattan atop the hill in Staten Island (plus their a Yankees affiliate). It's the Brooklyn Cyclones at Coney Island.

Now, if seeing a Sox affiliate is more important than the park or locale, Pawtucket is your place (Lowell, here we come!) We were greeted at the park by Paws the Polar Bear and his lady friend. Sydney was psyched and went back three times to grab a pic, a handshake, then an autograph on his Sox cap. Lij wouldn't come within ten feet. Seventeen bucks later on day of game and we were in for general admission seats. We chose the left field bern. I am not sure what a bern is at a ballpark, but it was a pretty sweet lawn view of the action. Paws' lady even made it out there to throw some souvenir balls.

Free parking, five dollar beers, a benjamin less than the gates at Fenway and yes, we even saw Clay throw a mean one last summer as he got his act back together. Who knows, you might be watching the future Youk, Dustin, or even Rocket Roger. Was it the best ball we've ever seen? No. Did the boys shake their booties every time the PA pumped out a player's theme-song? You betcha. So head down 128, stop by the Roger Williams Zoo, save a few and enjoy.