Hey there, summer weather fans. If you’re not at the pool, you need to get there.

As Glenview residents, we make our way to Flick Park whenever we can, and finally broke even on our pool pass investment last week, after about three weeks of mild temps. This week has been a particularly good week to go, given the string of 90+ degree days. And regular readers of my blog know how much I love people watching - it’s been pretty good! Some day I’m going to grow a pair and get the nerve to ask a few of these women some questions, like, “What in the name of everything holy made you think you could pull off that two piece? Yikes!”

Snark aside, it’s an insta-playdate for my kids most of the time. There’s almost always a friend for each there. Even their friends who are enrolled in camps are at the pool from time to time. (Want to avoid the camp crowds? Head over after 2ish.) As my youngest gets older, the supervision gets a little easier - although now I actually have to pay more attention to my older ones to make sure they are acting like asshats and threatening a pox upon us in the form of a family ban:)

The prices at the concession stand have remained blessedly stable, given the fact prices on everything seem to be skyrocketing. The pools have remained doody-free so far, and the parks grounds look great. (I wish I could say the same for the bathrooms, but to be fair, wet toilet paper on floors just skeeves me out. The floors could quite possibly be clean enough to eat off of, but germaphobe that I am, that’s never going to happen!)

If you’re looking for an easy, breezy afternoon or evening, check out your local pool - or come support ours! We’ll be more than happy to take your $10!

Technorati Tags: North Shore Chicago pools, Glenview pools, Flick Park, Glenview Park District

It finally happened – a summer Saturday where we didn’t have anything already on the schedule. It was a gorgeous day, after a shaky start, so we knew we wanted to do something outdoors, but what? I couldn’t talk my husband into a North Shore tour of sidewalk sales, and then I remembered…
The Bristol Renaissance Faire.
OK, here’s where this blog gets sticky. I want to tell everyone it was a fantastic time - I even have pictures to prove it. But…well, let’s start with the good. Yeah, let’s do that. I’m usually a glass-is-half-full person, so I’m going to look for the positives.

The Faire is in an absolutely lovely setting set off from I-94 in Kenosha. It was really easy to get to, and the entertainment was pretty darn good. If you’re into people watching, this is a must-see event. People from all walks of life gather to dress up in their medieval finery. I got people watching bonus points this weekend for spotting a tranny wench. Yeah, it’s that awesome. In fact, had it just been the husband and me, I would have been pleased as peaches to just sit back and take in the crowds all day long.

The kids got to actively participate in the Royal Joust (Insider Tip: Arrive to scheduled performances ahead of time for a chance to get picked to be a part of the show.) Little ones who thrill at the notion of being an evil minion or knighted by the Queen can do so in the Kids’ Kingdom:

If you want to rent costumes and really play along, you can. If a Halloween costume is in the future, there’s some great, but not cheap, options here. And there’s a bevy of food to choose from, from the traditional turkey legs to pizza and chicken strips for the less adventurous. (Another Insider Tip: Don’t do the Italian Beef. Really. Don’t.)
OK, now for the snarky commentary: First, we had to pay $3 for “preferred parking” - which was pretty much indistinguishable from “non-preferred.” Then, we had to argue with the ticket person about using a BOGO coupon printed off a web site. It costs $20 for adults, and about $10 for kids. Who wouldn’t want to save $20? And trust me, you’re going to need it - After we ran that gauntlet, we were met inside with a number of way cool fun activities for kids of all ages – but nearly EVERYTHING costs extra. Essentially, your $20 gets you in the gate and the theatrical entertainment. If you want to ride a faux jousting pony? That’ll be $3. Want to really joust? That’ll be $10. Jacob’s Ladder? $2. Dungeon tour? $2. Rock-climbing the faux castle wall? $7. Poorly made “jewel-encrusted” wooden swords (Think a $3 trip to Michael’s)? $18. Pony rides? $$$. Petting zoo? $$$$. And on and on. Maybe this would be OK if it were like a carnival and there’s some reward attached - a stuffed dragon, perhaps. But, no. So we essentially spent the day telling our kids “No.” - and that’s no fun at all.

Also? If I wanted to shop, I would have rather hit up the sidewalk sales. Here, I paid $20 for the privilege of essentially walking an outdoor mall, complete with a Middle Ages lotion salesman who wanted me to stop at his cart for a free demo. The hell? I saw some very pretty glass goblets, but at a $105 a piece, I don’t think so! To state it as plainly as possible, the Faire is WAY overpriced and will suck your wallet dry. You’ve been warned!

Technorati Tags: Bristol Renaissance Faire, Kenosha area fairs, North Shore Chicago fairs, Kenosha, renaissance fairs, North Shore Chicago entertainment

Looking for a place to get away on less than half-a-tank of gas? We took the kid up North last weekend to Milwaukee for a couple of nights. A former resident as a teen, I was anxious to get them to the lakefront for Summerfest. (I prefer it to the Taste, always will, and nothing will ever change my mind.) Here’s what I can tell you:

The Milwaukee Hilton is conveniently located just off the highway in the downtown district, within walking distance of the Summerfest grounds (there are additional festivals all summer long), the Riverwalk and the Third Ward. A bonus for the kids was the hotel pool, which is really a small-scale water park. As part of our two-night stay, the kids got wristbands and were able to go nuts. (Warning - the rope/lilypad crossing? Ripped my kids hands open. And the lifeguarding is sporadic. My youngest was whizzing down the slides for more than an hour when they switched up, and the next set of guards told her she was too little and had to take the swim test. Wha?)

The Safe-House is a really fun restaurant/bar that’s family-friendly, provided you’re not there at 11 p.m. for the bar scene. You have to find it first (Psst…it’s on Front St. between Wells and Wisconsin, behind the International Exports, LTD. door), then get by the guard, who’ll ask you for the password. If you don’t know it, you’ll have to perform an embarrassing task to get inside, all of which is captured on closed-circuit TV for everyone to laugh at. The kids had a blast checking out all the spy memorabilia inside, and the food wasn’t half-bad.

Summerfest is always a blast, and very kid-friendly from about 12 p.m., when the gates open, until about 8 p.m., when the crowd becomes decidedly more adult. And that’s OK, because by then, you’ve had your fill of all things fried and brewed, and the kids are beat. Upcoming events worth checking out? The State Fair is in early August, on the west side of town, and is excellent. Get the cream puff. Seriously.

Miller Park was our last stop for the weekend tour, to watch the Brewers take on Pittsburgh. I feel as I can still be a fan of both the Brewers and the Cubs, as when I lived there, the Brewers were still in the AL. It’s a beautiful stadium, and the crowd outside before the game is a colorful one, to say the least. My kids witnessed about three different drinking games before we got inside to our seats - tailgating is serious business in Milwaukee.

All in all, a fun weekend not-so-far-away from home, and fairly inexpensive. If you’re looking for a night away, it’s worth considering.

Technorati Tags: Milwaukee with kids, Summerfest, Wisconsin State Fair, Milwaukee Brewers, Miller Park, Milwaukee Hilton