A Parent in Silver Spring

Free Movie Tickets to See BANDSLAM & Honor Society Plays Acoustic Show After

jessica.mcfadden@gmail.com (JessicaAPISS) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 10:30:45 PDT

I have 30 Admit 2 passes for parents and kids to attend a free pre-screening of BANDSLAM, a PG teen-targeted film starring Disney Channel superstars Vanessa Anne Hudgens (High School Musical) and Alyson Michalka (pop duo Aly and AJ) and more actors your kid will recognize. Quickie synopsis: When gifted singer-songwriter Charlotte asks new kid in town Will to manage her fledgling rock band, she appears to have just one goal in mind: go head-to-head against her egotistical musician ex-boyfriend at the biggest event of the year, a battle of the bands.

These tickets are for the Monday July 13 advance screening at 2pm at Regal Gallery Place, located at 707 Seventh Street NW in Downtown DC - right off of the Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro.

After the movie, teen band Honor Society will play an acoustic set since they're in town opening for the Jonas Brothers.

Interested? Simply email me for tickets at jessica *dot* mcfadden *at* gmail *dot* com. I'll give you as many Admit 2 passes as you request (within reason, don't be greedy) until they're gone. When I'm out, I'll post it here.

APISS Arty Weekend Picks July 10 - 12

jessica.mcfadden@gmail.com (JessicaAPISS) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 09:08:19 PDT

Summer Fun: A walking canvas, Eve shows how it's done

Somehow I ended up advising parents on Mix 107.3 with Tommy McFly to go to daytime live music shows with their kids and make out, and also to take their very young children on the Sea Dog, a G-force-heavy boat ride that allows kids age three and up but is possibly terrifying for the preschool set.

I think I need a vacation.

Well, a fun DC-area weekend filled with art will have to do!

FRIDAY

Bethesda Art Walk Friday 6-9pm downtown Bethesda
The Bethesda Art Walk, held the second Friday of every month, is a free, self-guided gallery walk of 13 art galleries and studios featuring painting, sculpture, photography, pottery, jewelry and mixed media. Many galleries change exhibits monthly and hold receptions on Fridays showcasing their featured artists. Here's info on the tour route and all the participating galleries and studios. For more information, please call (301) 215-6660 or visit www.bethesda.org.

SATURDAY & SUNDAY

The Bea & The Bug Extravaganza - Kid Performance at the Capital Fringe Festival
The Mountain at Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church, 900 Massachusetts Ave., NW, The District. A seven-piece band accompanies this kid-friendly musical theater amidst the performance art and Goethe-reader-goes-to-Burning Man experience in our strait-laced capital. The Bea & The Bug is an imaginative and educational experience for families as the show time travels to meet Benjamin Banneker, Nellie Bly and Thomas Jefferson. Showtimes are: Saturday July 11 at 3 pm, Sunday July 12 at 4pm and July 15-25 showtimes are listed in the APISS calendar. Tickets here, group discounts here, adults age 13 and up will also need a $5 Fringe Festival button available here.

You can also search for more age-appropriate performances at the 2009 Fringe Festival site.

SATURDAY

Bethesda Artist Market, Saturday 10am-5pm, downtown Bethesda
Listen to live music, browse original fine art, and shop for crafts by 25 local and regional artists at the Bethesda Artist Market. There will be painting, jewelry, photography, fiber, turned wood, pottery, blown glass and more! Held at Bethesda Place Plaza, corner of Old Georgetown Road and Woodmont Avenue. Free parking is available in the Woodmont Avenue garage located across the street from the Bethesda Place Plaza. Music by Dave Cosby (jazz), Ellen Cherry ("spunky downer pop") and ilyAIMY (folk acoustic.)

SUNDAY

National Gallery of Art Kids Free Summer Program Begins - Stories in Art
West Building Main Floor, Rotunda, National Gallery of Art, on the National Mall between 3rd and 7th Streets at Constitution Avenue NW. The National Gallery is open on Sunday from 11am to 6pm. This program begins on Sunday, continues throughout the summer at the following times:
July 12 at 11:30am, 12:30pm, 1:30pm
July 13, 14 at 10:30am, 11:30am, 12:30pm
August 9 at 11:3am, 12:30pm, 1:30pm
August 10, 11 at 10:30am, 11:30am, 12:30pm

This series of programs introduces kids age 4-7 to works of classic art through storytelling. Led by museum educators, each program includes reading a children's book, looking at one work of art in the galleries, and completing a simple hands-on activity. Kids receive a passport to the summer story series and a stamp for each program attended - three or more stamps at the end of the summer earns each child a prize.

The summer's activities focus on the American landscape, urban and frontier art in the newly-reopened American galleries of the permanent collection. Each session is one hour in length and parental participation is required. Individual families only, no groups. Space is limited to 70 children per session. There is no advance registration; participation is on a first-come, first-served basis. Sign-in for all summer programs will take place in the West Building Rotunda. Sign-in begins at 10am on weekdays and Saturdays, and at 11:00am on Sundays, and will continue until all spaces are filled. For more information, call (202) 789-3030.

More of the Smithsonian and other local museums' - kids programs are listed in the APISS Calendar for your perusal.

I'll leave you with a little bizarre performance art from Charlie:

Strathmore Backyard Theater - Today & Every Thursday in July

jessica.mcfadden@gmail.com (JessicaAPISS) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 19:49:34 PDT

Today at Strathmore's Backyard Theater: Lesole Dance Project, A Traditional & Modern South African Dance Company

My kids dug last week's performance at Strathmore's Backyard Theater. Every lawn seat in "the house" is close to the stage. Last week there was an all-you-can-eat sno cone bar to help the kids cool off and the tent provided great shade. Moms were nursing, kids were dancing, napping, crying, clapping, snacking - the definition of kid-friendly.

Charlie and Eve found the musical performance interesting, paid attention and were non-fidgety for the entire show - no small feat. Strathmore seems to have found the sweet spot of acts that are educational and entertaining for kids and parents alike.

You guys can have a great time too! Today and all remaining Thursdays in July, catch the innovative family performances at both 9:30am and 11:30am on the lawn of the Mansion at Strathmore. Grab a seat under the tent, bring a blanket or low chairs and take in these special performances for kids for just $6 per adult or big kid (kids under 3 are free.)

Today's performance:

Lesole's Dance Project, a traditional and modern South African dance company. "Founded by South African dancer and teacher Lesole Maine, this dance and drum ensemble performs an Afro-Fusion repertoire including Gumboots, Indlamu and Panstula." Lesole's is based in Silver Spring...holla!

Future performances:

July 16 - Red Grammer, goofy singing dude with a guitar, featured on Disney Channel
July 23 - Charlotte Blake Alston, West African griot, a storyteller, musician and keeper of oral traditions
July 30 - Kim & Reggie Harris, Music and the Underground Railroad - songs, stories and audience participation.

Parking is free in the Mansion Lot on a space-available basis, enter at 10701 Rockville Pike in North Bethesda, Maryland.

Last week for the 11:30am show all parking was gone, so we parked at the Metro station. Probably would have been an even better call to take the Metro. Metro is Grosvenor-Strathmore.

To reserve and purchase tickets, visit www.strathmore.org. For more information call (301) 581-5100.

Other fun stuff at Strathmore:

Tonight and Friday night, The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra provides live music while Hitchcock's classic Psycho plays onscreen. Imagine those crazy strings playing and you'll never shower again. 8pm tonight/Thursday, 7:30pm Friday at the Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. Tickets here.

The Magical Music of Disney is next week's theme by the BSO at the Music Center at Strathmore. The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Mary Poppins, Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King soundtrack favorites will be played live by the symphony with accompanying film clips. 8pm Thursday July 16, 7:30pm Friday July 17 at the Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. Tickets here.

More Free Books and Recs on APISS Reviews

jessica.mcfadden@gmail.com (JessicaAPISS) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 08:27:00 PDT

For the second week, APISS Reviews is giving away a pack of 4 brand new children's books, handpicked for your kid's age and stage.

Don't thank me, thank the Scholastic Summer Challenge.

Enter here at APISS Reviews.

Washington Kastles: See Wimbledon Winners Right Here in DC

jessica.mcfadden@gmail.com (JessicaAPISS) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 21:07:21 PDT

AP Photo/Nick Wass

So you didn't make it to Wimbledon, don't fret. You can see 2009 and three-time Wimbledon Ladies' Singles winner Serena Williams and her Washington Kastles teammates all this month in the second season of Advanta World TeamTennis (WTT). You can also see sister Venus Williams, Anna Kournikova and John McEnroe when their own WTT teams are in town.

Check out the schedule and purchase your tickets here (they're going fast.) The matches take place in the intimate Kastles Stadium at CityCenterDC, located downtown in The District. All matches start at 7pm except for Sunday when they begin at 5pm.

Some fun facts:

All kids 16 & under receive an autograph from every home & visiting player after each match.
Discounts are available to groups of 10 or more. Get the whole gang together and call 202-483-6647 to reserve.
There are two goofy Kastles tennis ball mascots named Topspin and Slice that dance around at the matches.
Even though she's an eleven-time Grand Slam winner, Serena is throwing herself into community work while she's in town. Just today she hosted tennis clinics for tennis-playing kids in The District.

I'm definitely taking my high school senior brother Evan Slovak (an amazing writer, and fellow blogger, for SlowPlanet.com) to a match when he visits later this month. Sadly for him, he'll just miss Anna Kournikova. But maybe I'll take Charlie that night and snag her free autograph for Evan.

What else are sisters for?