Great Wallingford Wurst Festival

The days are getting shorter and a little chillier here in Seattle, but the outdoor festivals are still going on. Before we hole up in our homes avoiding the rain, we try to wrest every second of warm, sunny daylight out of the calendar. There's a big school fundraiser in my neighborhood that happens every fall, The Great Wallingford Wurst Festival. This benefit for St. Benedict Catholic School has been held annually for the past 30 years, and according to the school website, it attracts 10,000 visitors.

There's a lot more than wurst there, but that's what Chris and Oscar started their fair experience eating, while I opted for a grilled salmon sandwich. There are also burgers, hot dogs, ceasar salad, corn on the cob, pasta, Filipino food and a seriously giant bake sale that even includes soft serve ice cream.

It was so hard to choose what to get at the bake sale, but this cookie's packaging won me over. It tasted as good as it looks!

There are lots of jumpy-house type things and games for the kiddies, which sadly, Oscar's now too old for.

There were many, many crafts for sale. I love these dragons!

The Uncle Stinky's booth was mobbed!

Merchandise like this is obviously irresistible!

We spent a lot of money at the book sales. You can find terrific bargains in the used book room (there was a hardcover set of Collier's Children's Classics for $15), while new Scholastic books are sold in another room.

We arrived as Green Floyd, a Pink Floyd tribute band made up of the school's faculty and staff, including a priest, played selections from Dark Side of the Moon. I remember all the words to everything! I'm also a fan of the Portage Bay Big Band. There were 16 bands on the schedule for Friday and Saturday (Dudley Manlove Quartet played inside at the biergarten from 9 to midnight both nights).

This event is pretty much the best school fundraiser ever. See you next year, Wurst Festival!

Outdoor concerts--Trombone Shorty

Last year I went to a couple of outdoor music festivals in my neighborhood, where I saw some local bands I never heard of. This year I went to a better-publicized ZooTunes concert: Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue. It was sold out, and the lawn at the Woodland Park Zoo was packed with picnic blankets and folding chairs. You can bring a kid, free, with each paid ticket, and it's an early show (doors open at 5; concert starts at 6), so it's very family-friendly, if not job-friendly.

I love the sound of horns, so I was excited to listen to Trombone Shorty. Since they're from New Orleans, I was expecting more of a New Orleans jazz sound, but they had a much more modern vibe; there was even a Nirvana song in their set (in honor of Seattle, maybe?). Since I was sitting in the back with friends and kids, it was much more like being at a picnic than at a concert, but it was fun nonetheless! We brought food, but there are also concessions, and the carousel is running to entertain the kiddies. Parking is an issue, though, so be forewarned. We had a three-block walk back to the car, which might be an issue if you're carrying a toddler, chair, and picnic basket.

ZooTunes has some great concerts--I would have loved to have seen Pink Martini, which played two shows earlier this summer. But there's still one show left this season: Rosanne Cash on August 29. As of today, there are still tickets!

Cinderella at Snoqualmie Falls Forest Theater

It's almost shocking to me--SHOCKING!--that Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella is so little known. I saw the 1965 movie starring Lesley Ann Warren and ultra-handsome Stuart Damon on TV when I was a kid and loved it. I think I only got to see it once or twice, but one of those times I tape-recorded it (yes, on cassette tape) so I got to listen to the music repeatedly. Why this movie wasn't in more frequent rotation is a mystery to me, because it's got great music and lyrics and wonderful comedic twists to make it more entertaining than sappy. Just check out this clip of the stepsisters on YouTube! (This movie was remade with Whitney Houston and Brandy in 1997, but I never saw that one.)

I got to relive this childhood memory yesterday with my nearly 4-year-old friend and princess-lover Isla yesterday (and her mom!) at Snoqualmie Falls Forest Theater. Like the Kitsap Forest Theater, it's a tiny outdoor amphitheater--which stayed a perfectly comfortable temperature on a sweltering day yesterday. It has a nice intimate feel, and holds only about 275 people. This is great for kids since it's not as overwhelming as a large theater can be, and the actors can interact with the audience. When the prince and his pages were looking for the owner of the glass slipper, they tried it on some audience members before they found Cinderella's home!

I loved the updated stepsister banter and the perfectly lovely Cinderella, played by Justine Stillwell. The fairy godmother is played by Buddy Todd in drag, who I also loved, but at least one little girl found it confusing. She yelled, "That's a clown!" during his performance--and I could certainly see her point. This godmother had overly rouged cheeks, pink hair, and spoke like a Jewish grandmother. I'm not sure if it's part of the original script, but this godmother encourages Cinderella to make "impossible" things happen for herself. It's a small way to update the girl-needing-rescuing theme, but I like it.

All in all, I think this an ideal production to bring very young children to, even though it's a long time for them to sit still. Cinderella and the prince came out after the performance so you could get your picture with them, and there's a play structure conveniently located at the top of the path to the theater, so kids can burn off pent-up energy. Cushions and bug spray are available for patrons, but if you have a high-quality stadium cushion of your own, I recommend bringing it. Isla found the bathrooms kind of scary: The stalls have curtains rather than doors, but there are flush toilets and real sinks.

This little theater is quite similar to the Kitsap Forest Theater, but it's much more convenient to Seattle. The path to the theater through the woods is much shorter, the hike to the waterfall view is a tiny 100 yards as opposed to the strenuous hike to the giant tree in Kitsap. Overall, it feels much more cozy. There's a covered area with large picnic tables where dinner is served by reservation only: salmon, steak, chicken, vegetarian lasagna, hot dogs, salad bar, etc. We didn't eat there, but it smelled great.

Anyway, Cinderella's playing through August 26, Saturdays at 2 and 7 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are $18 for adults, $16 for students and seniors. Kids under 5 are free! Don't miss the fleeting season for outdoor theater!

Rock Band Camp

Oscar spent much of his spring break brushing up on guitar at Rock Band Camp. He's been taking piano lessons at Off the Wall School of Music since last fall, but his guitar has been sadly neglected in Seattle -- until now!

At camp, the kids were able to try new instruments and play together as a group, which Oscar's never done before in a rock setting, though he's played in orchestral bands at school. Oscar's band named themselves "The Mustache Brigade," and wore adhesive mustaches from nearby Archie McPhee. They also made a music video with crazy props, which I'm dying to see (if I get a link, I'll post an update!). On the last day of camp the kids gave a performance to show off the songs they'd learned. Check it out (and apologies for the crazy iPhone camerawork)!

All Along the Watchtower
Sunshine of My Life
Seven Nation Army

Off the Wall is holding more Rock Band Camps this summer, so hopefully Oscar will get more experience as a rock god. I highly recommend Off the Wall's staff: They're playful and fun, extremely patient, and of course all talented musicians!

Teacher love at Kidd Valley

It's hard to be a non-meat-eater in a meat-loving family, so I'm always looking for options that we'll all like. Since I also try not to eat fried foods (i.e., the fish sandwich is usually not a good option for me), it can be difficult in an on-the-run situation to find anything that I want to eat. My favorite fast-food place in Wallingford is Kidd Valley for one reason: It serves genuine, original-style Garden Burger-brand garden burgers, which I find infinitely superior to the dreaded Boca burgers, and most other veggie or black bean burgers. Kidd Valley's hamburgers, fries, and onion rings are also Oscar- and Chris-approved, and their shakes -- hand-mixed with seasonal fruit, chocolate, or vanilla -- are reknowned.

Since it's spring break week here in Seattle, it's an excellent time to visit Kidd Valley with the kids, and while you're there, make sure you have them nominate their favorite Washington teacher for Kidd Valley Teacher of the Year. (Entries must be received by May 20, and you can also enter online, mail them in, or submit them at any Kidd Valley restaurant.) The winning teacher will get a $500 gift card for school supplies, and the student who nominated him or her will get a Kidd Valley Burger Party. My kid hates to write, and especially hates essays, but evidently he really loves his Japanese teacher because he immediately took an entry form -- unprompted -- and filled it out, including specific examples of why his teacher is the best. Good luck, Ms. McDonald!

Blue C Sushi

Blue C Sushi is the McDonald's of sushi. Just like a McDonald's hamburger satisfies a different craving than a handmade burger grilled on a barbecue does, Blue C Sushi fulfills a different niche than a fine sushi house. Like McDonald's, it is a 5-star destination for children, young and old. They have some crazy sushi, such as the St. Patrick's Day rolls on green pedestals that are currently offered. Besides a daily happy hour, happy hour goes from 4 to close on Thursdays and Sundays, at least at the two locations I've been to in U-Village and Fremont (there are six restaurants in the Seattle area).

The big appeal at Blue C is the conveyor belt, snaking around the entire restaurant, by booths and counter seats, covered in America's version of sushi. It's truly mesmerizing and irresistible, even to me. If you do need a server, say to order mochi or drinks, you just push a button that lights up.

After dragging Oscar shoe shopping this weekend, he was in such a foul mood he was barely speaking to me. But Blue C Sushi instantly dissolved his disagreeableness. He loved surveying his options, and selecting the colorful plates of his favorite dishes: shrimp nigiri, kappa maki, pork gyoza, sesame noodles, spring rolls... It was such fun that we selected a lot more plates than I intended. This brings me to how Blue C is not like McDonald's at all. Each color plate has a different price point; the green are $1.50, yellow are $2.75, all the way up to purple, which are $5.50. It all sounds so cheap, but they quickly add up. Sushi is definitely not inexpensive, especially when you're eating with Oscar. But turning your kid's frown upside down is priceless, right?

The Sneakery

Chris and Oscar were positively gleeful in The Sneakery, an emporium carrying casual footwear -- but more importantly the most awesome array of socks I've ever seen. Besides his standard Converse low-tops, Chris ended up buying three pairs of socks. Can you guess which ones? So many cute socks in one place -- and lots of kids' shoes and socks as well!

Book I love: Haiku Baby

When Oscar was a baby, he had dozens of all types of board books -- classics by Dr. Seuss, Sandra Boynton, Eric Carle, Byron Barton, Margaret Wise Brown, DK Touch and Feel, and of course many I had never heard of but bought just because they were so beautiful. Oscar learned his first shape words (triangle! square! arch!) from a set of board books that were so tiny he could manipulate them himself. I remember all those books like old friends. I loved reading to Oscar, and he loved being read to.

Anyway, I found a wonderful board book yesterday that he would have loved: Haiku Baby by Betsy Snyder. I was attracted to it because of the wonderful illustrations, but the whole thing is lovely. The haiku form (three unrhymed verses of five syllables, seven syllables, five syllables) is just the sort of soothing, rhythmic pace that babies enjoy; the 17 syllables paint word images illustrating nature elements such as snow, rain, leaf, and moon. Tabs on the side make it easy to get to each haiku. I'm sorry that this book was created too late for Oscar's babyhood, but if you have a baby in your life, it's not too late for you!

Middle School Science Night

While Seattle schools aren't immune from dwindling school budgets and overcrowded classrooms, there are some reassuring high points. Last night's Science Night at Oscar's middle school was a huge event, with exhibitors on three floors, many swarmed by both kids and parents. Not to be confused with a science fair of student-produced projects, this event featured exhibitors from the community, ranging from a local chiropractor to the Seattle Police Department Forensic Unit to the North Seattle Lapidary & Mineral Club to Kenworth Trucks. The Pacific Northwest Herpetological Society brought many live snakes; I talked to one man who was breeding snakes to have new, recessive patterns not found in nature. The Seward Park Audubon Center brought taxidermy waterfowl plus a bat skeleton and had a "duck-duck-goose" quiz game with prizes. I learned about nuclear reactors, and got to see firsthand what a colorblind world actually looks like.

My favorite exhibitor was a woman from the University of Washington Oceanography department, who researches Antarctic ice -- specifically the slime produced by an organism that lives in the ice. She was so enthusiastic, it was infectious. She talked about all the details you might wonder about, including how you actually get to the research station. I'm sure she inspired at least some kids to become scientists. The two-hour event went by fast, and I didn't get to see everything I would have liked.

I definitely believe in the saying, "It takes a village to raise a child," and I'm impressed that there were so many people willing to prepare thoughtful, informative exhibits and activities and give up their evenings for so many middle-schoolers and their families. And local companies such as Dick's Drive-In, Starbucks, and Ivar's made donations, and scores of parents brought baked goods, beverages, and even Vietnamese sandwiches to sell to benefit the PTSA. Thank you, everyone! Science Night is awesome!

Middle school music

My amazement continues at the vast chasm between Oscar's scrappy little elementary school and the mega infrastructure of his middle school. Last night's winter concert drove the point home. The beginning band, cadet band, concert band, and the symphonic band all performed in the enormous auditorium of the high school next to the middle school, and I sat in a comfortable theater-style seat instead of a folding chair. The students have a strict dress code: I had to purchase Oscar a winged-collar tuxedo shirt, a black bow tie, black dress pants, black dress shoes, black dress socks, and a new belt.

In Oscar's beginning band alone, there are 42 students listed on the program, including six other clarinet players. The cadet band has 80 students; the concert band has 66 students, the symphonic band (an elite group that requires an audition) has 57. And the school also has an after-school jazz band program. According the notes on the concert program, more than 500 students at his school are involved in the choir, orchestra, band, and jazz ensembles.

The music program is so big it has its own PTA-type support system called FOMAHI (Friends of Music at Hamilton International). It does its own fundraising, has its own website, and is in fact its own nonprofit corporation! The group seems to be exceptionally well organized -- maybe better than the school itself.

We had some problems with Oscar's schedule at the beginning of the year, initially because he was assigned to Japanese, band, and P.E. -- but had no science class. It slowly dawned on me that science was probably actually required (it is!) and we had Oscar's schedule changed to swap P.E. for science. In the first few days of school, Oscar mentioned that the kids in his band class didn't even know what middle C was, so I wrote to his band teacher who said he'd test Oscar on trumpet to see if he should be in the cadet group instead of with the beginners. He passed, but Oscar would again have to change every one of his classes to get in -- which he absolutely did not want to do -- so in the end he changed from trumpet to clarinet to alleviate boredom. I'm not sure that was the best decision, especially after learning that he picked clarinet because it was easy to carry, but whatever.

Anyway, the concert was lovely, and the symphonic band was extremely impressive. The director of all these bands, Dan Rowe, told us parents at back-to-school night that he does not believe that talent has anything to do with success in band. "It's all about face time," he said. These kids must have been putting in a lot of face time. And they are so earnest in their playing -- I just love watching them. Their performance was every bit as enjoyable to me as going to the symphony.

B is for books

Never mind Seattle, I can't think of a bookstore I love more in the whole world than Alphabet Soup. This kids' bookstore in a tiny blue cottage on Wallingford's N 45th Street is bursting with charm -- and books. From board books to the thick Harry Potter tomes -- both new and gently used -- there's something for everyone, including an amazing, carefully curated selection of vintage. The displays are clearly created with love. A week or so ago there was a case of picture books front and center celebrating the city's first snow of the season. Books about transportation are corralled in a boat-shaped bookcase. On fine days, racks of picture books on the sidewalk encourage browsers. A tiny table and chairs invite toddlers to explore the picture books in the cozy back corner. If you don't have kids to shop for, there is a small selection of books for grown-ups, and a large selection of exquisite vintage-style greeting cards. Also: Free gift wrap! Every detail of this store is so appealing that I practically quiver with delight every time I go in.

I was happy to learn that Alphabet Soup just celebrated its seventh birthday and I hope it will have many more. One thing to note before you go: It's only open on Thursdays through Sundays. But if you like children's books as much as I do, Alphabet Soup is a shopping destination worth going out of your way for. I'm so lucky I live close by and can stop in often!