DC Metro Mom

Our family has been visiting Medieval Times pretty regularly since 2006 when our oldest son developed an intense interest in all-things-knights.  And for a little boy who loves all-things-knights, there is no better place than a ringside seat at a Medieval Times banquet.  But it's an experience that grown-ups will enjoy too, with plenty of action, good food, fine displays of horsemanship, pageantry, and falconry.  The new show has returned to its roots, focusing more on the horsemanship and less on Hollywood lighting and smoke.  We also found it to be even more kid-friendly than previous shows, with a lighter story line that was more about the tournament between the knights than the punishment of a dark villan.  

Over the weekend our family had one of the best days ever (or "boss-est" day, as my son put it) at the spring season opening of The Adventure Park At Sandy Springs Friends School. Designed by Swiss alpine mountaineers, The Adventure Park stretches over 5 wooded acres of the 140 acre campus of the Sandy Spring Friends School and is the largest aerial forest park in North America.  What is an aerial forest park?  Think Ewok village crossed with a circus trapeze and you'll begin to get an idea of the fun in store high-up in the trees. Each course has zip-lines (usually at the end) but is comprised mostly of various configurations of cable, wood, and rope that form bridges, tight-ropes, and climbing challenges in between over 150 unique tree platforms.

We had the pleasure of taking our daughter to the Nutcracker ballet again this year, this time to the performance by the Moscow Ballet of the Great Russian Nutcracker.  Although its been a successful touring show for 19 years, this is the first time its appearing at George Mason's Performing Arts Center in Fairfax.  We were happy with this development because we had never seen the Moscow Ballet before and GMU is a convenient venue with plenty of easy parking (particularly important when its a cold night and the clock is ticking on your kindergartener's sleep cycle).  

We had the pleasure of taking our daughter to the Nutcracker ballet again this year, this time to the performance by the Moscow Ballet of the Great Russian Nutcracker.  Although its been a successful touring show for 19 years, this is the first time its appearing at George Mason's Performing Arts Center in Fairfax.  We were happy with this development because we had never seen the Moscow Ballet before and GMU is a convenient venue with plenty of easy parking (particularly important when its a cold night and the clock is ticking on your kindergartener's sleep cycle).  

When you think of Shakespeare, you probably don't think of sultry music or dirty dancing, but that's only if you haven't yet seen Shakespeare Theatre Company's version of "Much Ado About Nothing."  Set in a 1930s  Cuban hacienda, this classic comedy takes on a seductive new life with slinky costumes, a romantic lantern-lit courtyard, and the latin beats of the rumba and cha-cha-cha.  If you rarely get a date night, forget the movies and the popcorn and set the stage for a truly memorable evening by surprising your romantic partner with the flirty fun of this show.

Adventure Theatre's world premiere production of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas began with a distinguished gentleman (DC actor Gary Sloan) in a richly appointed parlor, reciting from the classic poem by Clement Clarke Moore in a Shakespearian voice.  (Uh-oh...is this going to be a full reading?  Am I going to have to carry a fidgeting-wriggling child out to the lobby?) But WAIT!  The first line barely left his lips when a giant mouse in suspenders leapt out stirring some cookie batter.  My daughter's eyes widened...o.k. this is going to be good!  From there the mouse, Amos, and the gentleman argue about the poem, including misconstrued visions of "pigeons" dancing in their heads.  Emily, a little girl eagerly waiting for Santa joins the fracas, as well as some holiday visitors, and a hilarious rapping Jewish elf named Calliope.  And so the grand adventure begins!

After a hot summer, record-breaking earthquake, Hurricane Irene, and a week of flooding, this weekend it was my turn to escape from DC to what Presidents, Vanderbilts, Rockefellers, and royalty have all agreed is one of the finest resorts in the world. Since 1778, the well-to-do have been traveling to the Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia to experience the therapeutic effects of the natural sulphur springs and fresh mountain air. Although I consider myself more comfort-soled than well-heeled, the glamour of America's grand old resorts has always been a lure.  With the advantage of an indulgent husband and special rate from the Greenbrier, my hopes for a memorable anniversary weekend were realized.

Smucker's Stars On Ice 25^th Celebrates Its 25^th Anniversary in Washington