Coral Castles and Strawberries Fields Forever, Redlands, FL

Coral Castle

28665 South Dixie Highway

Redlands, Fl.

Miami.  You're thinking blue waters, South Beach clubbin' it with Jay Z, long stretches of beach with infinity pools.  That is so last year people.  Come on, hit the Redlands with the locals.  Now I know rural Florida isn't what makes us Beantowners fly south for spring break, but it sure is fun for the kids.  Back in the 80's when everyone else was runnin' drugs (or runnin' from drugs) on the beach, I was heading down to farm country with my grandparents.  What no beach first thing in Miami?  Please people, first sign of sun and we hit our fav seaside kiddie spot at Matheson Hammock.  But when the beach gets hot, nothing hits the spot like a strawberry shake at Knaus Berry Farm.

The Dunkers, a sect of German Baptist who dress suspiciously like Amish run a great You Pick'em down here.  Why wait till July for Land's Sake Strawberry Festival in Weston when you can hit the season in Miami in April.  Plus, the cinnamon buns are out of this world.  We asked for a rec for lunch, they suggested our old haunt the Fruit and Spice Park's cafe.  This place is a trip unto itself, with 37 acres of fruit bearing trees, many of which you have never heard of.  We came for the shrimp tacos of all things, but the fruit sampler with mulberries was certainly the highlight.

A trip south of miami is certainly a waste though without a stop off at the Coral Castle.  This place is a roadtrip institution to the tune of the World's Largest Twine Ball in Darwin, Minnesota.  Latvian immigrant (alright, my people were Lithuanian, but close) Ed Leedskainin spent the Depression and beyond hauling hundreds of tons of coral around south Florida to make one of the creepiest palaces we've ever seen.  This guy even inspired Billy Idol to write the track "Sweet Sixteen" about his long lost love.  So, if the beach has you bored or burning, head south on Tourista Route One for a little tour of rural south Florida, the Redlands await!

Madagascar in the City: The Central Park Zoo, NY, NY

 

Central Park Zoo

5th Ave and 64th Street

New York, NY

Summers in the city in the 80's were always a little edgie. The squeedgee men greeted you from the bridge and tunnel the minute you slipped into town.  Nowhere was more indicative of the decline of the Apple than the zoo.  It was chock full of mangy animals, tiny cadges and rats seemed the least endangered of species.  Why would you ever leave Boston?

Guiliani likes to pretend that he brought back New York, we insiders credit Crime Fighter Bill Bratton, Police Commish extraordinaire.  His efforts allowed for spots like Central Park to become kid-friendly refuges from the urban jungle.  And now, the zoo is back!  In partnership with the Wildlife Conservation Society, the city has reclaimed its treasures in Brooklyn, the Bronx and here in Manhattan.  The Bronx zoo is one of our favorites in the world, but these same folks have done wonders with Central Park.  The carousel is no longer the only game in town.

The new snow leopard exhibit is just one example of how far the zoo has come.  Not to be confused with our recent dadventure to the Capron Park Zoo, this is a world-class event.  Just the fauna of the place is enough to whisk you away to the Himalayas.  The interactive activities for kids are just as amazing.  This exhibit is built on the back of some other fine treats.  Bears are living it large in Central Park, which seems oddly ironic since they used to roam these haunts before the Dutch ever showed up.  We also just discovered the Children's Zoo, where kids can get their pets in with llamas, goats and a cool little cow.  There is plenty to do at the zoo, and clearly New York has cleaned up its act if Dream Works is willing to stage one of our fav kiddie flicks, Madagascar, right in the belly of the beast.

The Big Apple Hits Beantown: Big Apple Circus, Boston, MA

Big Apple Circus

Government Center

Boston, MA

I was totally a Ringling Brothers kid.  I loved the lion tamers, the elephants, and everything in between.  So, I was shocked to find out one rainy Saturday in New York that there was more to the circus than just clowns and wild beasts.  This was my third outing to see the Big Apple (second for Sydney, first for Lij) and I think it was the best.  "Bello is Back!" and this time with a vengeance.  

The MC announced that Bello had returned this year, and I was delighted.  Evidently Time magazine agrees, naming him the best clown in town.  It wasn't simply this guy's three foot hair, or his long line of circus ancestors (200 years!).  Bello has it all.  The man can fly with the Aniskin trapeze troupe, run down the competition on the Wheel of Wonder, and makes Grandma the clown look like an amateur at Friday Night Standup. 

Sure, we bought the mandated hotdog, icee, waters, juice, blinking glasses and Big Apple Circus Truck.  Throw in another $10 for discounted parking and if mom hadn't paid we wouldn't have gotten out of there for less than a hundred spot.  But, as impressed as I was, Lij and Sydney were in heaven.   The horse trainers had my kids on the edge of their seats.  The dog trainers were simply adorable.  As if the performance wasn't enough, mom told us about their Clown Care at Children's Hospital, where she brings them around to make really sick kids laugh.  How can a circus get any better than this?

The generous folks have also offered a little discount for my readers, so check them out at:

To purchase your discounted tickets to the Big Apple Circus:

Online: http://bigapplecircus.org/bostonpop.aspx  and submit the code POP10 in the Promotional Codes box

By Phone: CALL 888-541-3750 and mention code POP10

In Person:  Big Top Box Office  10AM–6PM daily. No service fee. Bring a copy of this blog post

*Offer good on select seat locations and performances. Must present this blog post to receive discount at the box office. Performance schedule subject to change. Offer is subject to availability; not valid on prior purchases; cannot be combined with other discounts or promotions. This offer can be revoked at any time. Discount amount varies. Limit 8 tickets per order. No refunds or exchanges. Telephone and Internet orders are subject to standard service fees.