Tag Archives: The Power of Chocolate

The Weekend Round-Up: February 11-12

Watching the chocolate making process at last year's "Power of Chocolate" festival

 

This post is going to serve a dual purpose.  Along with my regular list of weekend happenings, I want to make some blog roll shout-outs.  It’s been too long since I’ve done so, plus I’ve got good reason for making special mentions of other local bloggers: I had the lucky pleasure of meeting some of them last night.

I was invited to join a few ladies who pen some of the blogs I follow for dinner and wine (have to note the wine, as the invitation was very specific about drinking wine, which was a good sign), and talk about kids, life, and whatever else the conversation might evolve into after a couple of glasses. Long story short, it was pretty awesome meeting the people behind the blog posts, and it confirmed that my online reading is coming from good places. So, Darcy from No Monsters in My Bed, Shannon from But I Do Have a Law Degree, Rebecca from Not-So-SAHM, and Cath from Constance Reader, thanks for a fabulous night out!

Aaaand… here’s where fun of the family-friendly variety can be found around town over the next few days. Happy Weekend!

Mmm…ChocolateJust in time for the holiday that goes hand-in-hand with the gift of chocolate, the National Museum of the American Indian is hosting their annual “Power of Chocolate” festival. We attended last year and found it to be a treat for everyone, and it sounds like many of the festivities will be repeated: Live food demos, hands-on activities, dances performances, and artisans showcasing their work.  Especially for kids are opportunities to create paper molas, grind cocoa beans to make their own hot chocolate, and sample the tasty treat (while they last).  Some activities require free tickets for timed entry. For specifics, you can download the festival brochure here. This free event is happening on Saturday and Sunday 10am – 4:30pm both days.

Butterfly Birthday BashCelebrate the fourth anniversary of the Butterflies + Plants: Partners in Evolution exhibit at the National Museum of Natural History on Saturday from 1-3pm. There will be special arts and crafts activities for children of all ages, and museum educators will be on hand to talk about about metamorphosis and native butterfly species of our region. This is part of the Second Saturday Arts & Science series, the museum’s monthly program for families. Admission is free.

Super Science SaturdayThe second Saturday of each month is also calendar-marker at the Dulles arm of the Air & Space Museum. Guests are immersed in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics topics related to aviation and space exploration. This month’s theme is Scientists & Inventors.  Admission is free, but parking at the museum is $15.

African American Pioneers in AviationThe Air & Space on the National Mall is hosting it’s own program for guests of all ages on Saturday in honor of Black History Month. The museum’s annual African American Pioneers Day focuses on the accomplishments of the Tuskegee Airmen. Visitors can listen to Tuskegee Airmen and their descendents talk about the challenges and triumphs as members of the groundbreaking African American World War II fighter group.  In addition, the Black Gents of Hollywood will be presenting excerpts of Layon Gray’s off-Broadway play, Black Angels over Tuskegee.  The event also includes hands-on activities, story times, and book signings. The event is from 10am – 3pm, admission is free.

Happy Birthday, Abe! – Ford’s Theatre Society is celebrating Abraham Lincoln’s birthday on Saturday with a free open house featuring a variety of programming and activities. Visitors can attend author discussions, ranger talks and one-act play performances exploring Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War. They can also view the exhibits at the new Center for Education and Leadership, participate in workshops with the Education Department, and enjoy scavenger hunts and prize drawings. The Ford’s Theatre Museum will be open for visits on the hour beginning at 9am. Tickets to the event are free and will be available at the box office beginning at 8:30am that day.

Show Time The theatre is a good place to spend a cold day, and there are several options for live entertainment this weekend.  I highly recommend Peter and the Wolf at The Puppet Co. – read my review of it here. Last I checked there were still tickets available for the 7pm performance of The Snowy Day at Adventure Theatre (though all others are sold out). P. Nokio will be on the Imagination Stage many times throughout the weekend. This week’s Saturday Morning at the National is Theatre IV’s performance of Jack and the Beanstalk. The Wings of Ikarus is still running at The Kennedy Center. And 1st Stage Theatre’s a capella version of Three Bears just opened.  You can find more details and ticket info for all of these productions in this post about winter entertainment.

Stories in ArtThe National Gallery of Art’s drop-in program for kids is back on Sunday, and this time exploring the work of artist Georgia O’Keefe. Encouraging them to see the natural world as the artist did, guests will hear a reading of the book Through Georgia’s Eyes then create watercolor drawings inspired by plants. Sessions are at 11:30am, 12:30pm, 1:30pm, and 2:30pm. Sign-in takes place in the East Building Atrium, beginning at 11am, and continues until all spaces are filled. Admission is free. Read a KFDC review of the Stories in Art program here.

Tommy’s Traveling Book ClubIn celebration of the 50th anniversary of the children’s book The Snowy Day, DC Councilmember Tommy Wells is leading a special storytime this weekend. Enjoy the free reading of the Ezra Keats classic at Deanwood Libray (1350 49th. Street NE) on Saturday at 10am.  All ages are welcome.

Making Dental Health FunIn celebration of National Children’s Dental Health Month, the National Children’s Museum wants to provide all of the information that children need to keep their teeth healthy and clean! Science experiments will demonstrate how toothpaste works and then attendees can learn how to make their own! Friends from Adventure Dental and Kids Smiles DC will present some fun interactive activities about dental health. And the Tooth Fairy will be making two very special guest appearances at 12:30pm and 2pm for “Tooth Fairy Storytime”! Drop in at the NCM’s Launch Zone for this free event on Saturday 11am – 4pm.

Design a DragonThis month’s Arts for Families program at the Textile Museum is inspired by their newest exhibition Dragons, Nagas and Creatures of the Deep. Guests are invited to make their own dragon paper mola.  Molas are the colorful appliqué panels made by the Kuna people of Panama and Coastal Columbia, two of which are on view in the exhibit. On Saturday from 2-4pm, kids can create a paper mola with scissors, glue, and their wildest imaginations. The free program is recommended for ages 5-12.  No reservations required.

And it looks like this post with even more ideas for indoor fun will prove useful this weekend as well:

Rainy Day Recreation (ie, Indoor Fun)

 

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Filed under All ages, Annual, Art, DC, Educational, Festival, Free, Live Entertainment, Maryland, Museums, Seasonal, Theatre, Virginia, Weekend, Winter

We Love Weekends

Who needs chocolate when you've got something this sweet?

You’d think with all I’ve posted about Valentine’s Day, I’d be a huge fan of cupid and his holiday.  Truth be told, I don’t actually celebrate it for myself (which is somewhat strange, since as mentioned before, my husband and I actually met on February 14).  However, I do celebrate it with the kids, as I love the tradition of passing out little Valentines to classmates, and when Owen brings home a handmade card from school that says “I Love Mommy” my heart just melts.

If you’re also a sucker for Valentine’s Day when it comes to the kids (or even yourself), there are tons of ways to get into the spirit this weekend.  And if you’re looking for some non-love-themed family pursuits, there are plenty of those to enjoy, too.  Happy Weekend!

The Power of ChocolateThe National American Indian Museum is hosting a two-day celebration of one of the world’s favorite flavors. Festivities will include performances by local dance troupes, demonstrations by Panamanian artisans, presentations by experts at MARS Chocolate North America, live food demos with the museum’s Mitsitam Cafe executive chef Richard Hetzler, and hands-on activities for families, including paper mola making.  For specifics, see the full schedule.  The free event is happening on Saturday and Sunday from 10am – 4:30pm.

All You Need is Love – Kids have their choice of Valentine’s Day workshops and events this weekend. From learning about the heart to creating Valentine hearts, there are plenty of ways to celebrate love. For details on all of them, see this post from a couple of weeks ago.

Central Asian FestivalThis month’s Arts for Families program at the Textile Museum welcomes guests to a festival featuring Central Asian music and food along with hands-on art and textile activities. Enjoy a fun exploration of Central Asian dance led by members of the Silk Road Dance Company. Take part in an energetic dance circle or test your ability to work with others by animating a huge dancing dragon inspired by Uzbek legends.  The free event runs from 12-4pm on Saturday.

Celebrate Black History MonthA Family Day at the Air & Space Museum, an exhibit at National Geographic, stamp collecting at the National Postal Museum, reading about Rosa Parks, and special tours at Mount Vernon are just a few ways kids can celebrate and observe Black History Month.  For details on all of them, see this post from last week.

Puppetry Festival – The McClean Community Center’s Alden Theatre is hosting a day dedicated to puppetry on Saturday.  Guests can enjoy two puppet shows starting at 1:30pm, then make their own puppets at puppet creation stations.  Admission is $12, $10/McLean district residents.  Purchase tickets through the Alden Theatre website.

Rockville Winter Festival – Celebrate the season at the Rockville Town Center with fun for the whole family.  Life-sized ice sculptures of kids’ favorite characters, live music, outdoor winter games, Disney on Ice ticket giveaways, and more.  Festivities are from 12 – 4pm.  The complete schedule of events is available on the website.

Tot Trails at Port Discovery – Celebrate the grand opening of the Baltimore children’s museum newest permanent exhibit.  Tot Trails was created with the littlest explorers – infants and toddlers — in mind. Both Saturday and Sunday will be full of programs and activities for families, from moon bouncing and Valentine-making to story time and clown performances. See this post from a few days ago for more details.

Theater Time – Several children’s stage productions are in local theaters, and tickets are still available for some of this weekend’s performances.  Check out this post to see what’s playing and how to reserve your seats.

Stories in Art – Pop Artist Jim Dine is the subject for this week’s children’s program at the National Gallery. The workshop will start with a reading of “The Tin Forest,” a story about an old man who followed his dreams, transforming a junkyard into a magical place. From there, the group will examine the unique materials used by Jim Dine then create their own imaginary forests.  Hour-long sessions begin at 11:30am, 12:30pm, 1:30pm, and 2:30pm. Sign-in will take place in the East Building Atrium, beginning at 11am that day and will continue until all spaces are filled.  No admission fee required.

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Filed under All ages, Art, DC, Festival, Free, Maryland, Museums, Ongoing, Play, Seasonal, Weekend, Winter