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Kiddie Koncierge: January Update
What is Kiddie Koncierge?
Kiddie Koncierge is the SF Bay
Area's premier resource for fun,
interesting, unique, and
creative kids activities.
We provide recommendations,
reviews, and resources on all
sorts of fun things to do in San
Francisco, Berkeley/Oakland,
San Jose, Marin, and beyond!
Kiddie Koncierge is the SF Bay
Area's premier resource for fun,
interesting, unique, and
creative kids activities.
We provide recommendations,
reviews, and resources on all
sorts of fun things to do in San
Francisco, Berkeley/Oakland,
San Jose, Marin, and beyond!
Welcome to Another Kiddie
Koncierge January Update!
Happy New Year! The kids are back to school and the New Year is
off to a big start.
During the Break, we took the kids to the slopes to take advantage
of the great snow and weather. One place we found that was worth
a visit was Donner Ski Ranch . Lift tickets were inexpensive, it is
an easy day trip from the Bay Area, and it is not that crowded.
Check out our full review on our Snow Play Page.
Don't forget, our Resources Pages have a ton of great ideas on
things to do if your child is already bored with their presents. Here
are some highlights:
Snow Play
With all the snow that we have been getting there is a lot of fresh
and man-made snow. The resorts and snow parks are open! Just
a thought – if you are teaching kids, you do not necessarily need a
lift ticket if you do not mind walking up the hill. Check out the Snow
Play Guide for more details
Make sure to check out our Facebook page. If you like us, be our
fan! Share us! Pass us around!
SPECIAL OFFER!
Make sure to check out the Resources Pages. Here are some
highlights:
Activities at a Glance
Year Round
On-Going (Fridays)
Through February
Through February 15th EXTENDED!
Thursday, November 19th - April 18th
Free 3rd Wednesday, January 20th
Saturdays, January 9th - February 13th
Saturdays January 17-February 7th
Saturday, January 23rd
Saturday and Sunday, January 23rd and 24th
Saturdays and Sundays January 23rd - February 14th
Saturday and Sunday, January 30th and 31st
Sunday, January 31st
Saturday and Sunday, February 6th and 7th
Saturday, February 6th
Saturday, February 27th
Through March
Sunday, April 4th
The Detes
Year-Round
9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (specific farms have different
hours) Pick-Your Own Produce, Brentwood, FREE
(picking is free, but you have to pay for the fruit)
Brentwood has a wonderful activity for the entire family. You grab a
basket and head out into the orchards to pick the freshest fruit
available. Once you have picked your fill, get it weighed and pay
the best price you'll find anywhere for the freshest fruit. Make sure
to check the list of growers for what they offer and make sure that
they have U-Pick available.
Canciamilla Ranch on 401 Eureka Ave (925) 634-5123
These guys offer terrific peaches, nectarines, and plums in a
number of different varieties. This ranch has been featured on the
news as a great place to go.
Visit http://harvest4you.com/ for a list of farms by type of produce,
a map of the area, and a farm locater. Of course, you should
probably check to make sure that the fruit is at its peak before you
head out.
Seasonal
January – March, Ano Nuevo State Reserve Annual
Elephant Seal Mating and Birthing, $5 per vehicle,
Guided Tour Tickets are $7 per person reservations
recommended
Ano Nuevo is a special place. It is a hike both literally and
figuratively since it is tucked away on the coast between Half Moon
Bay and Santa Cruz. That being said, it is worth the drive. From
the moment you arrive, you can hear the barking of the seals in the
sea breeze. A quick hike later (you can do a self-guided hike for
free between April and November. You must be accompanied by a
guide during breeding season), you are a set of bluffs overlooking
a beach filled with barking and belching life. The adults are gone
by March leaving weaned pups who hang on the beach through
April. Information on visiting the preserve can be found at http:
//parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=523 with a link on the page to
online reservations (which are a must). It is recommended that
you read this http://parks.ca.gov/pages/523/files/ano%20nuevo%
20press%20release--2010sw.pdfbefore calling the reservation
line at (800) 444-4445.
Through February
Monarch Butterfly Migration, Various Locations
These delicate creatures know how to live their short lives: They
winter in Mexico with stops in Northern California and a few other
choice spots on their way home. Here are a few local spots worth
checking out between October and February. A lot of places are
home to rest stops for the Monarchs, but only a few have significant
concentrations of butterflies. With this chilly weather, you are likely
to see these little orange and black guys huddled together for
warmth. Not sure how that works given that they are cold blooded,
but I digress. For a good guide on butterflies, their life cycle, and
migratory habits, download this 12 page document: http://www.
monarchwatch.org/download/pdf/where.pdf
From Now until December 1st
East Bay Regional Parks Trails Challenge
This one kinda defies classification, but it is a great family activity.
Thousands of people have participated in the Regional Parks
Trails Challenge over the past 15 years--over 6,000 last year alone!
Hike five of the 20 trails listed in the booklet by Dec. 1 and receive a
commemorative pin with the Trails Challenge logo (pins will be
mailed in the fall) plus pick up a free organic cotton T-shirt at a
Regional Parks visitor center. T-shirts will be available for pick up
in April and May only, one per person, two per household while
supplies last. If you can't pick up your shirt, pay mailing costs and
we’ll mail it to you.
The East Bay Regional Parks are encouraging participants to "go
green" this year by downloading the Trails Challenge guidebook
and printing only what you need (booklets are available; costs will
be charged to the participant). Upon registration, participants will
receive instructions on how to download the guidebook and how to
get your free organic cotton T-shirts.
Kaiser Permanente is a major sponsor of this program, enabling
EBRPD to offer materials for free to all Alameda and Contra Costa
county residents and Kaiser employees. Registration is required at
www.ebparks.org. No phone registrations. Registration begins
January 13, 2010
7-6Saturdays, November 7th through March 6th
11:00 a.m. SaturYAY! Series at the Amador Theater,
Amador Valley High School, Pleasanton, Adults $10-18
most shows and Children $6-14
The Amador Theater in Pleasanton has this terrific Saturday
matinee series with wonderful family-friendly entertainment. This
week, it is the Gizmo Guys, a highly entertaining pair of jugglers
whose humor and skills enrapture audiences all over. Going
forward, here is the run-down:
15Through February 15th
EXTENDED! Through 15 February 2010, Downtown
Walnut Creek on Ice, 1365 Civic Drive in Civic Park
(at Broadway and Civic – slightly different location),
Walnut Creek, Mon – Thu 3:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., Fri 3:
00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m., Sat 11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m., Sun
11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. $11 - $15 including skate rental
Walnut Creek’s outdoor skating rink is truly lovely. Nestled amidst
the trees (but somehow sunny when the weather calls for it), and
steps from a great playground and the downtown shopping area (if
you can handle the crowds), it is one of the nicer ones. With the
lights in the trees, it will be especially pretty at night. Nothing but
pluses here: parking in Walnut Creek is pretty easy, lessons are
available, and a shuttle serves BART. For details visit http://www.
iceskatewalnutcreek.com/
19-18Thursday, Nov 19th - April 18th
Golden Gate Express Garden Railway, Conservatory
of Flowers, 100 John F. Kennedy Drive, Golden Gate
Park, San Francisco, Adults $5-$7, Kids 12-17, $3.00 -
$5.00, Kids 5-11 $1.50-$2.00, Kids 4 and under FREE
Can’t argue too much with the price. If you are in the area after a
visit to the California Academy of Sciences or the Koret Playground,
the Golden Gate Park's Conservatory of Flowers has a cool display
that celebrates the City of San Francisco through an impressive
layout of G-gauge model trains winding their way through a lush
landscape of dwarf plants and steam past several replicas of
some of San Francisco's most famous places including the
Conservatory of Flowers itself, the Japanese Tea Garden, the
Golden Gate Bridge, Mission Dolores, Chinatown's dragon gate,
the Transamerica Pyramid building, the Ferry Building, Coit Tower,
Ghirardelli Square and the Bently Reserve (formerly the Federal
Reserve Building). Surrounding these landmarks is a magical
landscape of miniature gardens and parks created with living
plants including dwarf conifers, tiny orchids and more. Visitors will
also enjoy appearances by costumed volunteer conductors. Fog
even rolls in twice a day and a sound track adds to the ambiance.
This year some of the landmarks will be made from recycled
activities. There will be a children's interactive train set that kids
can operate, a San Francisco history treasure hunt and much more.
For more details, visit www.conservatoryofflowers.org
9-13Saturdays Jan 9th - Feb 13th
Saturdays, 10:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., Children's
Theatre Association of San Francisco Presents The
Tale of the Beauty and the Beast, The Florence Gould
Theater at the Legion of Honor in Lincoln Park, 34th
Avenue and Clement Street, San Francisco, $12
The Children's Theatre Association puts on great plays at the
Legion of Honor. This year's show is a musical based on the
classic tale of the arrogant Prince who is turned into a terrible
Beast by an old woman to whom he denies shelter. A poor lost
widow plucks a forbidden rose from the cursed Beast’s castle
grounds, is caught red-handed and sentenced to death!
Meet the widow’s two distasteful daughters and greedy sons-in-
law who ignore their mother's story about meeting the Beast and
being sentenced to death declaring her insane instead! But her
third daughter, Beauty offers to go to the castle and live with the
Beast if her mother is allowed to go free. You're sure to be moved
by the Beast’s eventual transformation and return to the handsome
and loving prince he once was before the nasty spell was cast.
Experience thrills and laughs when the sons-in-law sneak into the
eerie castle and encounter all sorts of weird goings-on, including a
battle with some very strange, enchanted furniture. Spend an hour
with us and you too will be enchanted--by the wonderful words and
music of the incomparable writer, Vera Morris and
composer/lyricist Bill Francoeur.. The CTASF is very family
friendly: kids on lap are free, Fine Arts members (and you know
who you are) get a $2 discount. The show is about an hour so,
while the material is geared to the elementary school child, you
should use your judgement as to whether your child is capable of
sitting quietly for that long. For details including tickets and
directions, visit their website at http://www.ctasf.org
15Friday, January 15th
5:00 p.m. - 8:45 p.m., Cultural Encounters: Friday
Nights at the de Young $10 adults, $6 kids 13-17,
FREE for kids 12 and under
Friday nights, the museum is open late and the de Young folks
spice things up with music, film, dance, and special events. You
can get dinner and cocktails at the cafe to make an evening of it.
To make this a family event, there are hands-on art making
activities for kids and adults. For details, visit the Friday Nights
Web Page
Don't forget the Saturdays at the de Young program which
combines docent tours with artist-supervised art projects on
Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. A
schedule of programs can be found at http://www.famsf.
org/deyoung/calendar/day.asp?categoryid=30 For a reward, you
can march the little artists across JFK Drive to the Koret
Playground to get some ya-yas out.
23Saturday, January 23rd
10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. East Bay Moms Preschool and
Childhood Resource Fair Scottish Rite Center, 1547
Lakeside Drive, Oakland, $3 members, $6 non
members
For those of you who are new to this or for those of you who want to
revisit the subject, this is a good opportunity to meet with
representatives from the schools, child care programs, etc.
Details can be found at the www.eastbaymoms.com website. A
list of participating organizations can be found at http://www.
eastbaymoms.com/preschoolfair.htm
23-24Sat, Jan 23rd- Sun, Jan 24th
Cal Performances Presents the Peking Acrobats,
Zellerbach Hall, University of California Berkeley
Campus, Berkeley, $24-46 (children 16 and under 50%
off for all performances!)
Direct from the People's Republic of China, the ever-popular
Peking Acrobats travel the world as diplomats of their spirited
culture, for half a century leaving audiences spellbound by the
graceful presentation of their ancient folk art. With the addition of
dazzling special effects and live musical accompaniment from an
exotic Chinese orchestra, these awe-inspiring tumblers, cyclists,
jugglers, and clowns transform 2,000-year-old athletic disciplines
into a kaleidoscope of entertainment and wonder. "Amazing!
Zounds! The vocabulary of exclamation seeks expression as the
medium of awed and surprised reaction to the wondrous feats of
the Peking Acrobats!" (The New York Times). A serious "Don't try
this at home" sort of event. If your kids are anything like me when I
was there age, they will be awestruck and inspired by their artistry
and skills.
For details on the performance, visit http://www.calperfs.berkeley.
edu/presents/season/2009/family_fare/pa.php
Parking can be challenging, so plan accordingly. Parking details
are available at http://www.calperfs.berkeley.
edu/presents/information_desk/parking.php#alerts
Note: Kiddie Koncierge Subscribers can enter for FREE tickets to
the Saturday, 2:00 p.m. performance! Subscribe Now!
23-14Sat. & Sun. Jan 23rd - Feb 14th
Saturdays at 1:00 p.m., Sundays at 1:00 p.m. and 3:30
p.m., Rumpelstiltskin, Young Performers Theater, Fort
Mason Center, Building C, San Francisco $10 adults,
$7 for children under 13
A father's boast that his daughter can spin straw into gold causes
a lot of difficulty. Of course the king of the land hears of the boast
and orders the father to bring the girl to his kingdom and prove the
statement. "What to do. What to do." the girl cries, begs and
suddenly one of fairy tales' favorite characters appears --
Rumpelstiltskin, who is only too glad to help out, but he demands
a heavy price. Not to worry, it all works out in the end, happily ever
after! A combined live actor and puppet show. This group does
very nice children's theater and is worth checking out. Tickets and
reservations at http://www.ypt.org/tickets.htm and directions can
be found at http://www.ypt.org/map.htm
30-31Sat & Sun, January 30th-31st
8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Golden Gate Kennel Club All-
Breed Dog Show, Cow Palace, South San Francisco,
Adults $12, children $7, Families (2 adults + 2 kids):
$30
Looking for a dog? Just like them? Want a pure-bred, AKC-
registered dog with champion lineage? This is your show. This is
*the* go-to show if you are researching breeds and wanting to
meet breeders. In between watching the judging (a la “Best in
Show”) and agility demonstrations, the dogs and their breeders
will be in the exhibition halls so that you can see the dogs and talk
to the experts about them. There are also oodles of vendor booths
with everything imaginable for your dog. For information and
tickets go to http://www.goldengatekc.com/.
31Sunday, January 31st
12:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m., Berkeley Ballet Boys Open
House, Berkeley Ballet Theater, Julia Morgan Center
for the Arts, 2640 College Ave., Berkeley, FREE
You'd be surprised who ends up being great dancers. Just ask
Herschel Walker and Lynn Swann to name a few. Then, who can
forget MJ? If your child has even the remotest interest in dance or
just has a great time breaking it down to tunes in your living room,
you should check this out. The Berkeley Ballet Theater is hosting
an afternoon of dance events featuring
participants through a little over 30 minute clinic in each of four
dance styles to give the guys a flavor for dance. The best part is it
is FREE and no reservations are necessary. We know the hip-hop
teacher and, if he is any indicator, the participants are in for a great
time. For more details, visit http://www.berkeleyballet.
org/pdfs/boys_open_house.pdf
6-7Sat-Sun, February 6-7th
Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Sunday 9:00 a.m. - 6:
00 p.m. Chinatown Flower Fair, Washington below
Grant Street, San Francisco, FREE
The Flower Fair is a great way to begin the Chinese New Year
Celebration. The Fair begins with a Mini Parade Preview on
Saturday, February 6th at 10:30 a.m., Chinatown, San Francisco
(from California and Grant to Jackson and Grant If crowds aren’t
your thing, and you still want to ring in the year of the Tiger, come
check out this smaller version of the Chinese New Year parade
that follows 3 weeks later. This one starts at California and Grant
and follows Grant to the stage at Jackson four blocks later. Once
you finish with the parade, you can visit the Flower Fair on Grant
from Broadway to Clay; Pacific Ave. from Stockton to Kearny, and
Jackson between Stockton and Kearny where you can buy flowers,
plants, fruits and candies and enjoy activities and entertainment
from 10:00 a.m. -9:00 p.m. and also on Sunday from 9:00 a.m. – 6:
00 p.m. (no parade on Sunday) Want to enjoy the Year of the Tiger
but don't want to deal with the crowds two weeks later when the
official parade takes over downtown San Francisco? Check out
this mini-parade with dragons and puppets and spend the rest of
the day enjoying the Chinatown Flower Fair . Besides flowers,
plants, fruit, and sweets, the Fair will feature demonstrations and
entertainment including dragon dances, martial arts
demonstrations and more. For details, visit http://www.
chineseparade.com/parade_events.asp?pEvent=flower_fair
6Saturdays, November 7th through March 6th
11:00 a.m. SaturYAY! Series at the Amador Theater,
Amador Valley High School, Pleasanton, Adults $10-18
most shows and Children $6-14
The Amador Theater in Pleasanton has this terrific Saturday
matinee series with wonderful family-friendly entertainment. This
week, it is the Gizmo Guys, a highly entertaining pair of jugglers
whose humor and skills enrapture audiences all over. Going
forward, here is the run-down:
7,21Sunday, February 7th and 21st
11:00 a.m. - 3:00 pm, SFMOMA Might as Well Jump,
Koret Visitor Education Center, SF MOMA, 151 Third
Street, San Francisco, FREE
Mod-erators lead participatory art projects and provide supplies
and support as you create your own works of art. Docents conduct
engaging, family-friendly gallery tours. Special activities include
book readings and movie screenings. Look. Think. Create. That's
Family Sunday.
If you haven’t done one of these family studios, it is a great
program: admission is FREE for kids, the kids get a well-
designed and supervised activity that immerses them into the
collection, and, well, SF MOMA is a gem of a museum. The Koret
Center is on the 2nd floor. Even if there is no activity in session, it
is worth visiting with your kids. Please note: capacity is limited;
families will be served as space is available.
27Saturday, February 27th
5:15 p.m. Chinese New Year Parade, San Francisco
FREE
Gung Hee Fat Choy! Celebrate the Lunar Year 4708, the year of
the Tiger! This is the big parade. Come early and take public
transportation as the crowds can be fierce. The Route starts at
Market and snakes through Downtown ending up on Kearny
between Washington and Jackson. If the map below is not
supported by your email browser, click here http://www.
chineseparade.com/route.asp (you DO NOT need to install the
Adobe Flash Player to view the map)
For viewing, forget about Market Street, Geary Street or Union
Square, the crowds are crazy. Instead, Post Street tends to be a
little more civilized and you might even be able to pull up a curb for
a seat.
Parking is probably best at the Mission and Fifth garage as getting
to Ellis/O’Farrell, Union Square, Sutter Stockton or Portsmouth will
be all but impossible (let alone getting out).
Either before or after the parade, check out the Chinatown
Community Street Fair on Grant from Broadway to Clay on
February 27th (10:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.) and February 28th (9:00 a.
m. - 5:00 p.m.) - NO PARADE ON SUNDAY, the 28th; Pacific Ave.
from Stockton to Kearny, and Jackson between Stockton and
Kearny where you can experience Chinese cultural
demonstrations and performances including lion dancing, martial
arts, calligraphy, traditional dance, and puppet shows. There will
also be a children's area with a petting zoo and games.
12:00 noon - 3:00 p.m., E=girlpower2, Saturday
Science Workshop for Girls Grade 5-8, Chabot Space
and Science Center, Oakland, $20 per person, $15 for
members
This is a terrific program that inspires young girls (grade 5-8) to
develop skills and explore the wonders of science, technology,
engineering, and math. To register, call (510 336-7373
4Sunday, April 4th
1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., Berkeley Rep Sunday Sampler
Series, Berkeley Rep School of Theatre, the Berkeley
Rep School of Theater, Nevo Education Center, 2071
Addison Street, Berkeley, FREE
Bring your family, bring a friend or treat yourself to the wide variety
of programming offered at the Berkeley Rep School of Theatre,
including acting, improvisation, stage combat and clowning.
Taught by professional theatre artists, our classes offer people of
all ages and abilities an opportunity to explore the craft of theatre
and experience the joy of dynamic engagement with their own
creativity.
The Sunday Sampler is free and open to youth, teens, adults and
families.
Following a brief introduction at 1pm, participants may sample
three different classes from a menu of options at 1:20pm, 2:00pm
and 2:30pm.
The Sunday Sampler is held at the Berkeley Rep School of
Theatre, 2071 Addison Street, Berkeley, CA 94704.
For more information about the Sunday Sampler, please e-mail
school@berkeleyrep.org or call 510 647–2972.
That's it for now!
Koncierge January Update!
Happy New Year! The kids are back to school and the New Year is
off to a big start.
During the Break, we took the kids to the slopes to take advantage
of the great snow and weather. One place we found that was worth
a visit was Donner Ski Ranch . Lift tickets were inexpensive, it is
an easy day trip from the Bay Area, and it is not that crowded.
Check out our full review on our Snow Play Page.
Don't forget, our Resources Pages have a ton of great ideas on
things to do if your child is already bored with their presents. Here
are some highlights:
Snow Play
With all the snow that we have been getting there is a lot of fresh
and man-made snow. The resorts and snow parks are open! Just
a thought – if you are teaching kids, you do not necessarily need a
lift ticket if you do not mind walking up the hill. Check out the Snow
Play Guide for more details
Make sure to check out our Facebook page. If you like us, be our
fan! Share us! Pass us around!
SPECIAL OFFER!
- $30 off Wicked Tickets! Save some serious bucks on
tickets to this Tony Award-winning show for performances
in January. Visit http://www.ticketmaster.
com/promo/ilzyqt/?dma_id=382 and enter offer code
3GOOD
Make sure to check out the Resources Pages. Here are some
highlights:
- Performing Arts Schedule UPDATED Our favorite venues
have updated their 2009-2010 schedules. Make sure to
check out the shows coming up. As usual, stay tuned as
we will be offering free tickets again to our subscribers!
Don't miss out! - CAMPS! Not just for next summer, but for the winter breaks
as well! - Museums and Other Attractions The Bay Area is rich with
treasures and cool fun things to do! Our lists are broken
down by region! - Check out the NEW Travel Koncierge Travel Ideas page for
tips on how to better enjoy your vacations with your family! - We just added the Kiddie Koncierge Santa Barbara guide
for your vacation planning enjoyment! - We have also added a Family Hiking Page for ideas on
getting those young 'uns out in the fresh air.
Activities at a Glance
Year Round
- Pick Your Own Produce, Brentwood
On-Going (Fridays)
- 5:00 p.m., Cultural Encounters: Friday Nights at the de
Young, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
Through February
- Monarch Butterflies at Monarch Grove, Pacific Grove
Through February 15th EXTENDED!
- Downtown Walnut Creek Ice Rink, 1365 Civic Drive at
Broadway, Walnut Creek
Thursday, November 19th - April 18th
- Golden Gate Express Garden Railway at the Conservatory
of Flowers, Conservatory of Flowers, 100 John F. Kennedy
Drive, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
Free 3rd Wednesday, January 20th
- California Academy of Sciences www.calacademy.org
Saturdays, January 9th - February 13th
- The Children's Theatre Association of San Francisco
Presents The Beauty and the Beast at the Legion of Honor
Saturdays January 17-February 7th
- e=girlpower2 Saturday Science Workshops for Girls,
Chabot Space and Science Center, Oakland
Saturday, January 23rd
- East Bay Mom's Preschool and Children's Resource Fair,
Scottish Rite Center, Oakland
Saturday and Sunday, January 23rd and 24th
- Cal Performances presents the Peking Acrobats at
Zellerbach Hall. Kids 16 and under are half price!
Saturdays and Sundays January 23rd - February 14th
- Rumpelstiltskin at the Young Performers Theater, Fort
Mason, San Francisco
Saturday and Sunday, January 30th and 31st
- Golden Gate Kennel Club All-Breed Show, Cow Palace,
San Francisco
Sunday, January 31st
- 12:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m., Berkeley Ballet Boys Open House,
Berkeley Ballet Theater, Julia Morgan Center for the Arts,
2640 College Ave., Berkeley, FREE
Saturday and Sunday, February 6th and 7th
- Chinatown Flower Fair and Mini Parade, San Francisco
Saturday, February 6th
- 11:00 a.m., Sippy Cups Perform at the Satur-Yay Series,
Amador Theatre, Plesanton
Saturday, February 27th
- Chinese New Year Parade, San Francisco
Through March
- Annual Elephant Seal Mating, Ano Nuevo State Preserve
Sunday, April 4th
- Berkeley Rep Sunday Sampler Series, Berkeley Rep
School of Theatre, 2071 Addison Street, Berkeley, FREE
The Detes
Year-Round
9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (specific farms have different
hours) Pick-Your Own Produce, Brentwood, FREE
(picking is free, but you have to pay for the fruit)
Brentwood has a wonderful activity for the entire family. You grab a
basket and head out into the orchards to pick the freshest fruit
available. Once you have picked your fill, get it weighed and pay
the best price you'll find anywhere for the freshest fruit. Make sure
to check the list of growers for what they offer and make sure that
they have U-Pick available.
Canciamilla Ranch on 401 Eureka Ave (925) 634-5123
These guys offer terrific peaches, nectarines, and plums in a
number of different varieties. This ranch has been featured on the
news as a great place to go.
Visit http://harvest4you.com/ for a list of farms by type of produce,
a map of the area, and a farm locater. Of course, you should
probably check to make sure that the fruit is at its peak before you
head out.
Seasonal
January – March, Ano Nuevo State Reserve Annual
Elephant Seal Mating and Birthing, $5 per vehicle,
Guided Tour Tickets are $7 per person reservations
recommended
Ano Nuevo is a special place. It is a hike both literally and
figuratively since it is tucked away on the coast between Half Moon
Bay and Santa Cruz. That being said, it is worth the drive. From
the moment you arrive, you can hear the barking of the seals in the
sea breeze. A quick hike later (you can do a self-guided hike for
free between April and November. You must be accompanied by a
guide during breeding season), you are a set of bluffs overlooking
a beach filled with barking and belching life. The adults are gone
by March leaving weaned pups who hang on the beach through
April. Information on visiting the preserve can be found at http:
//parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=523 with a link on the page to
online reservations (which are a must). It is recommended that
you read this http://parks.ca.gov/pages/523/files/ano%20nuevo%
20press%20release--2010sw.pdfbefore calling the reservation
line at (800) 444-4445.
Through February
Monarch Butterfly Migration, Various Locations
These delicate creatures know how to live their short lives: They
winter in Mexico with stops in Northern California and a few other
choice spots on their way home. Here are a few local spots worth
checking out between October and February. A lot of places are
home to rest stops for the Monarchs, but only a few have significant
concentrations of butterflies. With this chilly weather, you are likely
to see these little orange and black guys huddled together for
warmth. Not sure how that works given that they are cold blooded,
but I digress. For a good guide on butterflies, their life cycle, and
migratory habits, download this 12 page document: http://www.
monarchwatch.org/download/pdf/where.pdf
- Natural Bridges State Beach, Santa Cruz This is the only
State Monarch Preserve in California. There are all sorts of
displays at the visitors center with eggs, caterpillars, and
chrysalides. Make sure to check out the natural rock
bridges, tidal pools, and migrating whales. For more
information, visit http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=541 - Ardenwood, Fremont In addition to the historical farm,
there is a full-fledged Monarch rest stop. ebparks.
org/parks/ardenwood - Pacific Grove, Monterey Peninsula This is one of the
classic overwintering locations in the area. Visit http://www.
pgmuseum.org/ for more details (click on Monarchs) - Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, Carmel Visit http://pt-
lobos.parks.state.ca.us/Monarch.html for more details - San Leandro Golf Course, Alameda Call to find out when
you can see their eucalyptus trees draped in butterflies. For
directions, visit http://www.americangolf.com/ca/san-
leandro-monarch-bay-golf-club - Bolinas Terrace, Bolinas, Marin In the town of Bolinas, just
off of Park at the intersection of Terrace and Mann are a
good concentration of butterflies. Muir Beach also has a
smaller concentration of butterflies.
From Now until December 1st
East Bay Regional Parks Trails Challenge
This one kinda defies classification, but it is a great family activity.
Thousands of people have participated in the Regional Parks
Trails Challenge over the past 15 years--over 6,000 last year alone!
Hike five of the 20 trails listed in the booklet by Dec. 1 and receive a
commemorative pin with the Trails Challenge logo (pins will be
mailed in the fall) plus pick up a free organic cotton T-shirt at a
Regional Parks visitor center. T-shirts will be available for pick up
in April and May only, one per person, two per household while
supplies last. If you can't pick up your shirt, pay mailing costs and
we’ll mail it to you.
The East Bay Regional Parks are encouraging participants to "go
green" this year by downloading the Trails Challenge guidebook
and printing only what you need (booklets are available; costs will
be charged to the participant). Upon registration, participants will
receive instructions on how to download the guidebook and how to
get your free organic cotton T-shirts.
Kaiser Permanente is a major sponsor of this program, enabling
EBRPD to offer materials for free to all Alameda and Contra Costa
county residents and Kaiser employees. Registration is required at
www.ebparks.org. No phone registrations. Registration begins
January 13, 2010
7-6Saturdays, November 7th through March 6th
11:00 a.m. SaturYAY! Series at the Amador Theater,
Amador Valley High School, Pleasanton, Adults $10-18
most shows and Children $6-14
The Amador Theater in Pleasanton has this terrific Saturday
matinee series with wonderful family-friendly entertainment. This
week, it is the Gizmo Guys, a highly entertaining pair of jugglers
whose humor and skills enrapture audiences all over. Going
forward, here is the run-down:
- January 9th, 2010 - the Jungle Book by the State Street
Ballet - February 6th, 2010 - the Sippy Cups
- March 6th, 2010 - Beethoven's Wig
15Through February 15th
EXTENDED! Through 15 February 2010, Downtown
Walnut Creek on Ice, 1365 Civic Drive in Civic Park
(at Broadway and Civic – slightly different location),
Walnut Creek, Mon – Thu 3:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., Fri 3:
00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m., Sat 11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m., Sun
11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. $11 - $15 including skate rental
Walnut Creek’s outdoor skating rink is truly lovely. Nestled amidst
the trees (but somehow sunny when the weather calls for it), and
steps from a great playground and the downtown shopping area (if
you can handle the crowds), it is one of the nicer ones. With the
lights in the trees, it will be especially pretty at night. Nothing but
pluses here: parking in Walnut Creek is pretty easy, lessons are
available, and a shuttle serves BART. For details visit http://www.
iceskatewalnutcreek.com/
19-18Thursday, Nov 19th - April 18th
Golden Gate Express Garden Railway, Conservatory
of Flowers, 100 John F. Kennedy Drive, Golden Gate
Park, San Francisco, Adults $5-$7, Kids 12-17, $3.00 -
$5.00, Kids 5-11 $1.50-$2.00, Kids 4 and under FREE
Can’t argue too much with the price. If you are in the area after a
visit to the California Academy of Sciences or the Koret Playground,
the Golden Gate Park's Conservatory of Flowers has a cool display
that celebrates the City of San Francisco through an impressive
layout of G-gauge model trains winding their way through a lush
landscape of dwarf plants and steam past several replicas of
some of San Francisco's most famous places including the
Conservatory of Flowers itself, the Japanese Tea Garden, the
Golden Gate Bridge, Mission Dolores, Chinatown's dragon gate,
the Transamerica Pyramid building, the Ferry Building, Coit Tower,
Ghirardelli Square and the Bently Reserve (formerly the Federal
Reserve Building). Surrounding these landmarks is a magical
landscape of miniature gardens and parks created with living
plants including dwarf conifers, tiny orchids and more. Visitors will
also enjoy appearances by costumed volunteer conductors. Fog
even rolls in twice a day and a sound track adds to the ambiance.
This year some of the landmarks will be made from recycled
activities. There will be a children's interactive train set that kids
can operate, a San Francisco history treasure hunt and much more.
For more details, visit www.conservatoryofflowers.org
9-13Saturdays Jan 9th - Feb 13th
Saturdays, 10:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., Children's
Theatre Association of San Francisco Presents The
Tale of the Beauty and the Beast, The Florence Gould
Theater at the Legion of Honor in Lincoln Park, 34th
Avenue and Clement Street, San Francisco, $12
The Children's Theatre Association puts on great plays at the
Legion of Honor. This year's show is a musical based on the
classic tale of the arrogant Prince who is turned into a terrible
Beast by an old woman to whom he denies shelter. A poor lost
widow plucks a forbidden rose from the cursed Beast’s castle
grounds, is caught red-handed and sentenced to death!
Meet the widow’s two distasteful daughters and greedy sons-in-
law who ignore their mother's story about meeting the Beast and
being sentenced to death declaring her insane instead! But her
third daughter, Beauty offers to go to the castle and live with the
Beast if her mother is allowed to go free. You're sure to be moved
by the Beast’s eventual transformation and return to the handsome
and loving prince he once was before the nasty spell was cast.
Experience thrills and laughs when the sons-in-law sneak into the
eerie castle and encounter all sorts of weird goings-on, including a
battle with some very strange, enchanted furniture. Spend an hour
with us and you too will be enchanted--by the wonderful words and
music of the incomparable writer, Vera Morris and
composer/lyricist Bill Francoeur.. The CTASF is very family
friendly: kids on lap are free, Fine Arts members (and you know
who you are) get a $2 discount. The show is about an hour so,
while the material is geared to the elementary school child, you
should use your judgement as to whether your child is capable of
sitting quietly for that long. For details including tickets and
directions, visit their website at http://www.ctasf.org
15Friday, January 15th
5:00 p.m. - 8:45 p.m., Cultural Encounters: Friday
Nights at the de Young $10 adults, $6 kids 13-17,
FREE for kids 12 and under
Friday nights, the museum is open late and the de Young folks
spice things up with music, film, dance, and special events. You
can get dinner and cocktails at the cafe to make an evening of it.
To make this a family event, there are hands-on art making
activities for kids and adults. For details, visit the Friday Nights
Web Page
Don't forget the Saturdays at the de Young program which
combines docent tours with artist-supervised art projects on
Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. A
schedule of programs can be found at http://www.famsf.
org/deyoung/calendar/day.asp?categoryid=30 For a reward, you
can march the little artists across JFK Drive to the Koret
Playground to get some ya-yas out.
23Saturday, January 23rd
10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. East Bay Moms Preschool and
Childhood Resource Fair Scottish Rite Center, 1547
Lakeside Drive, Oakland, $3 members, $6 non
members
For those of you who are new to this or for those of you who want to
revisit the subject, this is a good opportunity to meet with
representatives from the schools, child care programs, etc.
Details can be found at the www.eastbaymoms.com website. A
list of participating organizations can be found at http://www.
eastbaymoms.com/preschoolfair.htm
23-24Sat, Jan 23rd- Sun, Jan 24th
Cal Performances Presents the Peking Acrobats,
Zellerbach Hall, University of California Berkeley
Campus, Berkeley, $24-46 (children 16 and under 50%
off for all performances!)
Direct from the People's Republic of China, the ever-popular
Peking Acrobats travel the world as diplomats of their spirited
culture, for half a century leaving audiences spellbound by the
graceful presentation of their ancient folk art. With the addition of
dazzling special effects and live musical accompaniment from an
exotic Chinese orchestra, these awe-inspiring tumblers, cyclists,
jugglers, and clowns transform 2,000-year-old athletic disciplines
into a kaleidoscope of entertainment and wonder. "Amazing!
Zounds! The vocabulary of exclamation seeks expression as the
medium of awed and surprised reaction to the wondrous feats of
the Peking Acrobats!" (The New York Times). A serious "Don't try
this at home" sort of event. If your kids are anything like me when I
was there age, they will be awestruck and inspired by their artistry
and skills.
For details on the performance, visit http://www.calperfs.berkeley.
edu/presents/season/2009/family_fare/pa.php
Parking can be challenging, so plan accordingly. Parking details
are available at http://www.calperfs.berkeley.
edu/presents/information_desk/parking.php#alerts
Note: Kiddie Koncierge Subscribers can enter for FREE tickets to
the Saturday, 2:00 p.m. performance! Subscribe Now!
23-14Sat. & Sun. Jan 23rd - Feb 14th
Saturdays at 1:00 p.m., Sundays at 1:00 p.m. and 3:30
p.m., Rumpelstiltskin, Young Performers Theater, Fort
Mason Center, Building C, San Francisco $10 adults,
$7 for children under 13
A father's boast that his daughter can spin straw into gold causes
a lot of difficulty. Of course the king of the land hears of the boast
and orders the father to bring the girl to his kingdom and prove the
statement. "What to do. What to do." the girl cries, begs and
suddenly one of fairy tales' favorite characters appears --
Rumpelstiltskin, who is only too glad to help out, but he demands
a heavy price. Not to worry, it all works out in the end, happily ever
after! A combined live actor and puppet show. This group does
very nice children's theater and is worth checking out. Tickets and
reservations at http://www.ypt.org/tickets.htm and directions can
be found at http://www.ypt.org/map.htm
30-31Sat & Sun, January 30th-31st
8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Golden Gate Kennel Club All-
Breed Dog Show, Cow Palace, South San Francisco,
Adults $12, children $7, Families (2 adults + 2 kids):
$30
Looking for a dog? Just like them? Want a pure-bred, AKC-
registered dog with champion lineage? This is your show. This is
*the* go-to show if you are researching breeds and wanting to
meet breeders. In between watching the judging (a la “Best in
Show”) and agility demonstrations, the dogs and their breeders
will be in the exhibition halls so that you can see the dogs and talk
to the experts about them. There are also oodles of vendor booths
with everything imaginable for your dog. For information and
tickets go to http://www.goldengatekc.com/.
31Sunday, January 31st
12:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m., Berkeley Ballet Boys Open
House, Berkeley Ballet Theater, Julia Morgan Center
for the Arts, 2640 College Ave., Berkeley, FREE
You'd be surprised who ends up being great dancers. Just ask
Herschel Walker and Lynn Swann to name a few. Then, who can
forget MJ? If your child has even the remotest interest in dance or
just has a great time breaking it down to tunes in your living room,
you should check this out. The Berkeley Ballet Theater is hosting
an afternoon of dance events featuring
- Daddy and Me (12:30 - 1:00 p.m.) session at noon geared
to 3 and 4 year olds - Dance Fitness (1:00 - 1:30 p.m.) geared to 5 and 6 year
olds; and our favorite: - Dance Clinics in Capoiera, Ballet, Hip Hop and Dance
Fitness from 2:30 - 5:00 p.m.) for 7 to 18 year olds
participants through a little over 30 minute clinic in each of four
dance styles to give the guys a flavor for dance. The best part is it
is FREE and no reservations are necessary. We know the hip-hop
teacher and, if he is any indicator, the participants are in for a great
time. For more details, visit http://www.berkeleyballet.
org/pdfs/boys_open_house.pdf
6-7Sat-Sun, February 6-7th
Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Sunday 9:00 a.m. - 6:
00 p.m. Chinatown Flower Fair, Washington below
Grant Street, San Francisco, FREE
The Flower Fair is a great way to begin the Chinese New Year
Celebration. The Fair begins with a Mini Parade Preview on
Saturday, February 6th at 10:30 a.m., Chinatown, San Francisco
(from California and Grant to Jackson and Grant If crowds aren’t
your thing, and you still want to ring in the year of the Tiger, come
check out this smaller version of the Chinese New Year parade
that follows 3 weeks later. This one starts at California and Grant
and follows Grant to the stage at Jackson four blocks later. Once
you finish with the parade, you can visit the Flower Fair on Grant
from Broadway to Clay; Pacific Ave. from Stockton to Kearny, and
Jackson between Stockton and Kearny where you can buy flowers,
plants, fruits and candies and enjoy activities and entertainment
from 10:00 a.m. -9:00 p.m. and also on Sunday from 9:00 a.m. – 6:
00 p.m. (no parade on Sunday) Want to enjoy the Year of the Tiger
but don't want to deal with the crowds two weeks later when the
official parade takes over downtown San Francisco? Check out
this mini-parade with dragons and puppets and spend the rest of
the day enjoying the Chinatown Flower Fair . Besides flowers,
plants, fruit, and sweets, the Fair will feature demonstrations and
entertainment including dragon dances, martial arts
demonstrations and more. For details, visit http://www.
chineseparade.com/parade_events.asp?pEvent=flower_fair
6Saturdays, November 7th through March 6th
11:00 a.m. SaturYAY! Series at the Amador Theater,
Amador Valley High School, Pleasanton, Adults $10-18
most shows and Children $6-14
The Amador Theater in Pleasanton has this terrific Saturday
matinee series with wonderful family-friendly entertainment. This
week, it is the Gizmo Guys, a highly entertaining pair of jugglers
whose humor and skills enrapture audiences all over. Going
forward, here is the run-down:
- February 6th, 2010 - the Sippy Cups
- March 6th, 2010 - Beethoven's Wig
7,21Sunday, February 7th and 21st
11:00 a.m. - 3:00 pm, SFMOMA Might as Well Jump,
Koret Visitor Education Center, SF MOMA, 151 Third
Street, San Francisco, FREE
Mod-erators lead participatory art projects and provide supplies
and support as you create your own works of art. Docents conduct
engaging, family-friendly gallery tours. Special activities include
book readings and movie screenings. Look. Think. Create. That's
Family Sunday.
If you haven’t done one of these family studios, it is a great
program: admission is FREE for kids, the kids get a well-
designed and supervised activity that immerses them into the
collection, and, well, SF MOMA is a gem of a museum. The Koret
Center is on the 2nd floor. Even if there is no activity in session, it
is worth visiting with your kids. Please note: capacity is limited;
families will be served as space is available.
27Saturday, February 27th
5:15 p.m. Chinese New Year Parade, San Francisco
FREE
Gung Hee Fat Choy! Celebrate the Lunar Year 4708, the year of
the Tiger! This is the big parade. Come early and take public
transportation as the crowds can be fierce. The Route starts at
Market and snakes through Downtown ending up on Kearny
between Washington and Jackson. If the map below is not
supported by your email browser, click here http://www.
chineseparade.com/route.asp (you DO NOT need to install the
Adobe Flash Player to view the map)
For viewing, forget about Market Street, Geary Street or Union
Square, the crowds are crazy. Instead, Post Street tends to be a
little more civilized and you might even be able to pull up a curb for
a seat.
Parking is probably best at the Mission and Fifth garage as getting
to Ellis/O’Farrell, Union Square, Sutter Stockton or Portsmouth will
be all but impossible (let alone getting out).
Either before or after the parade, check out the Chinatown
Community Street Fair on Grant from Broadway to Clay on
February 27th (10:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.) and February 28th (9:00 a.
m. - 5:00 p.m.) - NO PARADE ON SUNDAY, the 28th; Pacific Ave.
from Stockton to Kearny, and Jackson between Stockton and
Kearny where you can experience Chinese cultural
demonstrations and performances including lion dancing, martial
arts, calligraphy, traditional dance, and puppet shows. There will
also be a children's area with a petting zoo and games.
12:00 noon - 3:00 p.m., E=girlpower2, Saturday
Science Workshop for Girls Grade 5-8, Chabot Space
and Science Center, Oakland, $20 per person, $15 for
members
This is a terrific program that inspires young girls (grade 5-8) to
develop skills and explore the wonders of science, technology,
engineering, and math. To register, call (510 336-7373
4Sunday, April 4th
1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., Berkeley Rep Sunday Sampler
Series, Berkeley Rep School of Theatre, the Berkeley
Rep School of Theater, Nevo Education Center, 2071
Addison Street, Berkeley, FREE
Bring your family, bring a friend or treat yourself to the wide variety
of programming offered at the Berkeley Rep School of Theatre,
including acting, improvisation, stage combat and clowning.
Taught by professional theatre artists, our classes offer people of
all ages and abilities an opportunity to explore the craft of theatre
and experience the joy of dynamic engagement with their own
creativity.
The Sunday Sampler is free and open to youth, teens, adults and
families.
Following a brief introduction at 1pm, participants may sample
three different classes from a menu of options at 1:20pm, 2:00pm
and 2:30pm.
The Sunday Sampler is held at the Berkeley Rep School of
Theatre, 2071 Addison Street, Berkeley, CA 94704.
For more information about the Sunday Sampler, please e-mail
school@berkeleyrep.org or call 510 647–2972.
That's it for now!
Kiddie Koncierge
A seedling of ImuaPartners, LLC
Copyright 2006-2010 Kiddie Koncierge™, all rights
reserved.
A seedling of ImuaPartners, LLC
Copyright 2006-2010 Kiddie Koncierge™, all rights
reserved.
| Other Events From Past Kiddie Koncierges Bank of America FREE Museum Weekend, FREE Admission to Museums for Bank of America Cardholders (ATM, Check, Credit Card) The first weekend of every month through early 2010 is FREE admission to selected Bay Area Museums for Bank of American card holders. Bay Area Museums include:
and FREE dates, visit http://promotions. bankofamerica.com/museums/ From Now until December 1st East Bay Regional Parks Trails Challenge (Click here for details) |
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| On Going It’s the weekend and your kids are climbing the walls. At a loss for something to do? The following are events that are happening every week. Visit our Weekend Page for full details. Saturdays
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