Tag Archives: What’s Open and Closed in DC

January 5, 2021 · 7:51 am

Five Things for Today: January 5, 2021

Little Princess Sasha feeding the chickens at Old Maryland Farm

1. If you’ve been reading KFDC for awhile, then you probably know Watkins Regional Park was one of our very early discoveries for outings with little ones. (Actually, we started bringing Owen there before the blog even existed.) I haven’t recommended it in a long time, because some of its major, awesome features — Old Maryland Farm, the antique carousel and miniature train, and the Nature Center — have been closed due to covid. The cute Wizard of Oz-themed playground has been open and accessible, but since it’s a bit of a drive to Upper Marlboro, MD, where Watkins is located, it seemed better to save the trip for when the public could access and enjoy more of what makes the park special. Well, that time has come! While you still can’t visit it all, Old Maryland Farm, where you can see farm animals and other agricultural exhibits, has reopened. Hours are Tuesday – Sunday 11am – 4pm, and admission is free. Read more about it and all that Watkins offers — and bookmark the post because even more will be available again (hopefully) soon!

2. While the historic Noyes Library for Young Children in Kensington, MD, remains closed due to the pandemic, families can catch live Weekly Virtual Storytimes with DC stage actor and Kensington mom Karen Vincent. With a different theme each week, Vincent connects with children with an engaging reading and enthusiastic comments. The books selected appeal to kids of all ages, and have included Frog and Toad All Year by Arnold Lobel, The Magic Hat by Tricia Tusa, and How Rocket Learned to Read by Tad Hills. Join the free virtual sessions on Facebook Live every Tuesday at 11am. They last around 30 minutes, and videos of them are posted after the event.

3. There’s another MAGA protest of election results taking place tomorrow, January 6, so Mayor Bowser is warning DC residents to stay away from the downtown area. Washingtonian also has five good reasons to avoid it.

4. How to build a better (virtual) school year in 2021.

5. Darcy’s first list of 2021, 10 Happy Things for January, is SO good!

Five Things for Today: January 4, 2020

Walking over the wetlands at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens

1. Many people know Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens best for the water lilies and lotus flowers that bloom in the summer, but the natural oasis in northeast DC is a great place to visit year-round. The wild wetlands are scenic and peaceful, and even the dried up aquatic plants that fill the many ponds in winter possess their own kind of beauty. You can take it all in as you walk the paths around them and along the boardwalk over the marsh areas. Look out for small fish, turtles, great blue herons, and other wildlife, too. See more about it here and here. The park is open 8am – 4pm daily, and admission is free. And view scenes from our visit this past weekend on IG.

2. Around these parts, summer camp planning always starts early in the year, and there is a new one to check out that lots of kids are sure to love. Camp Half-Blood is opening a location in Rock Creek Park this summer. Based on Rick Riordan’s book series, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, it combines Greek mythology, story telling, imaginative play, and the outdoors to create the kind of summer days children love. As they say, if you want to encourage reading and boost related skills, this is perfect because the campers don’t even realize the mission is all about learning and literacy. For more information, visit Camp Half-Blood’s website.

3. One of the best things we did in 2020 (after getting a puppy, of course) was buy a Peloton. For obvious reasons, Covid made the gym not the best option for fitness, so we’d been trying to get outdoors for exercise and doing online workouts. But I missed spin classes, both Levi and I love riding, winter would be coming, and everyone we knew who had a Peloton raved about it. So, we decided to give it a spin. We ordered the bike in late August, it arrived December 1 (after one delivery delay), and I’ve ridden it every day since. Yes, it is that awesome and addicting! Not only do you get the bike and cycling programs, there are all kinds of other classes available — strength training, HIIT workouts, yoga, pilates, running, and more. The instructors are so engaging and motivating, and something about the whole experience makes you (me, anyway) look forward to the next class and not mind working out at home. And while it seemed like a pricey purchase to us at first, when we figured what we paid for gym memberships, that our whole family can (and does) use it, and that it’s an investment in our health and fitness, the cost wasn’t so bad, after all. If you’ve been considering getting a Peloton, I say go for it! And if you do, you can use my referral code R3AJJM to receive $100 to use towards accessories at purchase. (Disclosure: I get rewarded, too, but that is not why I’m recommending… I just really love it!)

4. So many delicious sounding recipes for 2021, plenty of them perfect for cozy winter meals.

5. Now, this is doing the robot dance.

Great blue heron sighting at Kenilworth

Five Things for the Last Day of 2020

The newest member of the KFDC fam! Can’t think of a cuter way to get ready for the new year 😊

1. First thing: THANK YOU for sticking with KFDC through this weird and challenging year. Given my blog is all about activities to do and places to go, things got a bit tricky back in March when Covid-19 shut down all of the activities to do and places to go. But as I said then, I still wanted to inform and inspire and help us all navigate this new, bizarre socially distanced world. Thus, the Five Things for Today began. It’s been so nice to see it get a good response and to know it’s been helpful for readers, whether by sharing useful info or just providing a chuckle. It has helped me, too. Having this daily purpose and researching, reading, and relaying all of the random things gives my spirits a much needed boost. Anyway, it’s been an odd journey, and I appreciate that so many of you stayed — or joined — for the ride. ❤️

2. Plan for New Year’s Day brunch! Washingtonian has a round-up of 12 DC area restaurants with takeout, delivery, and/or outdoor dining options to kick off 2021.

3. New Year’s traditions from across the globe — while we can’t travel to international destinations right now, bring the world home to you. Also, NYE countdown specials.

4. Take a news quiz to see how well you know 2020.

5. Time’s Top 100 Photos of 2020.

Bonus: Something fun and silly to wrap up the shitty year.

Happy New Year!