simple.green.organic.happy.

Category: Local (DE, PA, NJ, MD)

  • Sesame Place Spooktacular!

    Sesame Place Spooktacular!

     

    You’ve never seen a street like Sesame Street before. Everything happens here. You’re gonna love it!
    -Gordon

    You’ve never seen Sesame Street like this before.

    I got to hit Sesame Place for The Count’s Spooktacular… and it was freaking spectacular.

    Part of it is getting to be there with kids the right age. I went with my daughter Cassidy, and also with my niece Eva, who’s 2 and sooo into everything Sesame Street. She was beside herself just seeing the decorated water tower and the parking lot signs designated by character.

     

     

    I loved seeing her face riding the carousel the first time. This is what it’s all about, folks.

     

     

    The place was all spooked up… but not in any way scary. Just enough to get the kids all excited about Halloween.

     

     

     

    Kids were encouraged to come in costume for the fun of the thing, and also for the trick-or-treating stations strewn throughout the park. They gave out candy, but also toothbrushes, juice boxes and non-sugary snacks, which was nice.

     

     

    The water rides were closed— one day I’ll actually get to go on the water rides— but the other rides were open. I think they enjoyed the non-ride fun more, though: the push-carts, enormous rope wall thing (I have no idea what that is called) (UPDATE: it’s called Nets N Climbs), little playgrounds. No lines, for one thing.

    There was also Halloween-specific stuff going on; an Abby Cadabby hay maze, another maze through the Count’s Castle, pumpkin decorating. And face painting. Face painting isn’t Halloween-specific but this seemed a good place to mention it 🙂

    My favorite part was being ON Sesame Street itself. This is not new.

     

     

    And of course getting my picture taken with MY favorite character, BERT.

     

     

    DRESSED AS A PIGEON.

    We had cupcakes with all the other media people invited for the day. Eva yelled at me because I didn’t give her a fork. That girl has manners, y’all.

     

     

    And then we were lucky enough to have Big Bird, Abby Cadabby, Elmo, the Count, and Cookie Monster come hang out, dance a bit and pose for pictures.

     

     

    Then we walked the park a bit more for souvenirs and to get ready for the big parade. Photos opps abounded.

     

     

    FYI: go find a good place for the parade way earlier than you think you need to. We sat a little bit back, and Eva nodded off before it came. Which was a little bit disappointing for us adults, who were totally riding the high of being with a kid at Sesame Place, but OK. Baby girl had a full, happy day.

     

    That’s my baby brother Robbie (I know, blame my parents), and it was his first trip to Sesame Place, too.

     

    If you have the chance, you totally need to get yourself to Sesame Place for some Spooktacular fun! It’s $20 off when you buy your ticket online and totally worth the price of admission; if you’re on a budget I do highly suggest packing a lunch. You can be stamped leaving the park and then return.

    Also, good news for those with allergies: Sesame Place now boasts a new line of allergy-friendly dining initiatives, including personalized service and more menu options.

    2013 Season Passes to Sesame Place are on sale now!

    With a Season Pass you can enjoy unlimited admission in 2013, plus FREE unlimited admission during 2012 The Count’s Halloween Spooktacular.

    Season Pass Members enjoy the following benefits (some restrictions do apply):

    • 30% off in-park food and merchandise
    • Free parking
    • Discounts on admission for guests
    • Exclusive character Meet and Greets,
    • Exclusive Pass Member events
    • More!

     

    October 20th and 21st: Abby Cadabby’s Fairy Pumpkin Party

    Help everyone’s favorite Sesame Street friends celebrate Abby Cadabby’s birthday with her very own Fairy Birthday Party! This hour long party includes an all‐you‐care‐to eat dinner buffet, singing, and dancing with your Sesame Street friends. What birthday party would be complete without singing Happy Birthday to the Fairy‐in‐Training! Dinner is at 5:00pm and is by reservation only. Children under 2 are free.

    October 29th and 30th: The Count’s Halloween Party

    Take a break from all of your Halloween fun at The Count’s Halloween Spooktacular and enjoy the new dinner menu at Dine With Me! Celebrate Halloween with a terrific all‐you‐care‐to eat dinner buffet plus singing and dancing with all of your favorite Sesame Street friends at their very own Halloween Party! Dinner is at 5:00pm and is by reservation only. Children under 2 are free.

    October 30th: Halloween Costume Contest

    Come dressed in a Halloween costume to compete in the annual costume contest at Sesame Place! Registration will begin at 10 a.m. in front of Monster Rock Theater and there will be competitions for boys, girls, and families. All of the contests will take place at Monster Rock Theater and winners will be posted at the Welcome Center. All winners will be invited to be special guests in the Neighborhood Street Party Halloween parade.

    More details and ticket info at sesameplace.com.

    Disclosure: I received 4 Sesame Place passes free of charge as a representative of the media. All opinions are my own. Also, how adorable is my niece?

     

  • Edible and Organic Gardening and the 2012 Flower Show

    Edible and Organic Gardening and the 2012 Flower Show

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    Here in the greater Philadelphia region, we’ve got spring fever… and the only prescription is more Flower Show 🙂

    I’m particularly excited about the garden-to-table offerings this year, plus presentations by Organic Gardening magazine. Now. I have two media passes, which means I can go once with a friend and stick around pretty much all day, or I can go twice for about 3 hours each time (so the puppy doesn’t have to stay crated for too long). What do you think? Which events are “can’t miss?”

    Sunday, March 4th:
    11:00 AM Charlie Nardozzi, “Eat Your Lawn: How to Turn Your Yard into an Edible Landscape”
    11:00 AM Sally McCabe, “Building Raised Beds”
    1:00 PM Ari Miller, “Anatomy of a Green Roof: The Bus Shelter Green Roof Initiative”
    1:00 PM Charlie Nardozzi, “Eat Your Lawn: How to Turn Your Yard into an Edible Landscape”
    2:00 PM Doug Hall, “Kick Your Chemical Dependency: An 8-Step Program”
    3:00 PM Ryan Burrows & Michael Coraggio, “Living Walls: Taking Landscapes to New Heights”
    4:00 PM Don Shump, “High-rises and Honey Bees: An Introduction to Urban Beekeeping ”
    4:00 PM Ken Druse, “Natural Companions”
    7:00 PM Venelin Dimitrov, “Cover Crops – Rollin’ in Green Manure”

    Monday, March 5th:
    10:30 AM Amy Goldman, “Fruity Vegetables: Tomatoes, Pumpkins, and Melons for the Passionate Grower”
    11:00 AM Josh Morin, “Out On a Limb!! Pruning Your Trees and Shrubs the Right Way!”
    11:30 AM Niki Jabour, “The Year-Round Vegetable Gardener”
    12:00 PM Coach Mark Smallwood, “Straw Bale Gardening: No land, No soil, No problem!”
    12:30 PM Lorraine Kieffer, “Growing & Using Herbs Naturally”
    1:00 PM Kevin Staso, “The Renaissance of Native Plants”
    2:00 PM PHS Staff, “Vegetable Gardening & the Changing Climate”
    5:00 PM Paul Split, “Starting Seeds Organically”

    Tuesday, March 6th:
    11:30 AM Diane Ott Whealy, “How One Heirloom Flower Saved Thousands of Vegetables”
    12:00 PM Lorrie Baird, “Growing Up the Green Wall Way”
    12:30 PM Paul Split, “Organic Gardening in a Hanging Moss Basket”
    3:00 PM Jeff Jabco, “A Green Roof on Your Home? What do you need to know?!”
    5:00 PM David Siller, “Wild Food That’s Wildly Tasty!”

    Wednesday, March 7th:
    10:30 AM Napua Harbottle, “Learning from Our Ancestors/Hawaiian Medicine”
    11:00 AM Shannon Carmody, “Planning Your Garden for Seed Saving”
    12:30 PM Mike McGrath, “Growing Great-Tasting Tomatoes”
    1:00 PM Patrick Cullina, “Dynamic Urban Landscapes: Transforming Communities with Plants & Re-imagined Spaces”
    1:00 PM Ralph Rhoads, “Worm Composting”
    2:00 PM Kerry Mendez, “Easy Soil Tips for Bodacious Vegetable and Flower Gardens”
    2:00 PM Barbara Tollen, “Chickens in Your Backyard”
    3:00 PM Thomas M. Reber, “Sustainable Centerpieces”

    Thursday, March 8th:
    11:00 AM Melinda Zoehrer, “Bringing Butterflies Into Your Garden”
    2:00 PM Clarena Tolson, “Composting”
    2:00 PM Greg Paige, “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Integrated Pest Management for a Healthy Home Garden”
    4:00 PM Lelayna Klein, “Using Plants as Natural Dyes”
    6:00 PM Chuck Hinkle, “Lawn Alternatives – No Mo’ Mowing!”
    7:00 PM Mary Costello, “Container Gardening in Small City Spaces”

    Friday, March 9th:
    11:00 AM Greg Paige, “32 Flavors and THEN Some: Great Small Trees for the Garden”
    11:30 AM Ken Greene, Heirloom Everything: From Seed to Seed
    12:00 PM Ed MacFarland, “Herbs 101”
    1:00 PM Carrie Wiles, “Lawn Alternatives: Why Mow?”
    2:00 PM Christine Holt, “It’s Vegamental: Big Vegetables – Small Spaces”
    4:00 PM Cheryl Wilks, “Flower Power – Impact on Wellness”
    5:00 PM Chelsey Fields, “Edible Architecture – Outside the (Garden) Box Design Ideas for Vegetables”

    Saturday March 10th:
    9:00 AM Suzanne Wainwright, “The REAL beneficial insects in the garden (and it’s not who you think)”
    11:00 AM Chris Stock, “Sustainable Materials for Building Gardens”
    1:00 PM Evelyn Alemanni, “Planting Pride – Growing Great Communities”
    2:00 PM Barry Draycott, “Making Organic Lawn Care Work for You”
    2:00 PM Suzanne Wainwright, “Organic Insect Control”
    3:00 PM Sharat Somashekara, “Small Space Food Production”
    4:00 PM Pat Shanley, “Skyscrapers, Roses, & Sustainability”
    4:00 PM Lisa Mosca, “Tips for Successful Organic Gardening”

    Sunday March 11th:
    12:00 PM Jim Bobb, “The Amazing Honey Bee”
    12:00 PM Toni Ann Flanigan, “Planting a Forest in your Garden & Other Things that Shouldn’t Work But Do!”
    12:30 PM Paul Simon, “Family Gardening”
    1:00 PM and again at 2:00 PM Paul Tukey, The SafeLawns Foundation, and Victoria Rowell, NYT bestselling author and award-winning actress, “Lawn Games for Life: Get Off the Couch & Get Back Outside!”
    1:00 PM Jane Kirkland, “Take a Family Nature Walk”
    2:00 PM Nicole Juday, “Heirloom Plants for a Sustainable Garden”

    Mind, those are ONLY the presentations that pertain to edible, organic, heirloom and urban gardening. There are TONS of classes, events, cooking demos, and more going on this week at the Flower Show! I can’t help but feel super lucky that it happens in my own backyard (so to speak).

    So. Which ones look most interesting to you?

     

     

  • Indian Summer

    Indian Summer

    indian summer grasshopper

    A queer fellow and a jolly fellow is the grasshopper…

    Braver, heartier, keener, care-free enjoyment of life
    I have never seen or heard
    in any creature great or small.

    The life of this comic, the mountain’s merriest child,
    seems to be made up of pure, condensed gaiety…

    Nature in him seems to be snapping her fingers
    in the face of all earthly dejection and melancholy
    with a boyish hip-hip-hurrah.

    -John Muir

    Two-Striped Grasshopper, Melanoplus bivittatus. Big guy. Found in most of the US in meadowy locales.

    Easy-peasy grasshopper identification guide here.

    I’m spending as many moments as possible in the perfection going on outside.

    Actual posting will happen later: when tired, dirty, happy, the quickening darkness forces me back inside.

    Winter will be here before you know it…

    Get out and play today!

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