Looking for a darling location for your daughter’s birthday party, or just a delightful, free (and warm!) way to spend the day? Then head to the
Cutie Patootie Birthdays & Such Open House this Friday and Saturday, January 14 & 15!
Located right up on Georgia Avenue in Olney at the world’s most adorable shabby-chic cottage, the Cutie Patootie Open House will be girly fun for both adults and children. Come in, check out the enchanting space and the decorated party theme tables (Marie Antoinette “Let them eat cake” and dashing DIVA tables).
Many of the vendors that help the parties happen will also be on hand – Cutie Patootie’s exclusive baker and caterer will provide the yummies, and there will be a cotton candy machine and balloons for the little ones.
Reservations are already being taken for their patented princessy parties – even before their official opening this week, they already have loads of reservations! They also welcome reservations for “mommy & me” events.
A Parent in Silver Spring will also keep you posted on their upcoming children’s entertainment shows – Pam the Kindersinger, Uncle Pete, and the Great Zucchini are on the roster to perform for parents and kids in the next few weeks.
Cutie Patootie Birthdays & Such is the brainchild of Marisol Vasquez and Karen Brotherton-Julien, two mothers of girly-girls who have a gift for party-planning full of creativity, frills and diva-tastic fun in their personal and professional lives. After searching the area for innovative locations to satisfy their daughters’ party cravings, these mama-preneurs decided to start their dream business themselves.
Open House times on Friday and Saturday:
10 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Location:
Contacts:
Marisol Vasquez – 301 674-2643
Karen Brotherton-Julien – 301 440-0597
Take your kiddos to the Kennedy Center…for free!…and introduce them to what has to be the best family-friendly musical hybrid: kid-centric-Celtic-ROCK.
Scythian, maybe the best Celtic rock band EVER and definitely the best playing the DC-PA-NYC circuit, has released the children’s album “Cake for Dinner.” And they’re bringing their family show to the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage this Sunday January 9th at 6pm for a Target Family Night free show.
The four young and crazy musicians, including Fedoryka brothers Alexander and Danylo, as well as Josef Crosby and Mike Ounallah, are all classically trained mus
icians. They all sing and play a wide rang of Celtic and traditional instruments. Veteran uncles of oodles of nieces and nephews, they are kings of connecting with a crowd of children and their parents (parents that just might have rocked out to their shows at Fado and other District pubs and venues back in the day).
Listen to sample tracks of Cake for Dinner here.
Buy the album (with a free poster of a charming bunny) here.
As my gift to you, I have three CDs for rocking families – one to give to a lucky commenter on this post, and two to give to energetic families that get out of the house on Sunday and head to the show. The first two A Parent in Silver Spring readers who find me at the Millennium Stage on Sunday and say “Hi!” get a free copy of Cake for Dinner!
So leave a comment and get thee to the show. See you there!
I received zero compensation for this post and the CDs are on me, courtesy my belief in quality kids’ music.
Thien-Kim Lam is one of my all-time favorite bloggers and IRL pals. She blogs about parenting her multicultural kids at I’m Not the Nanny, and chronicles her adventures cooking and crafting with her kids over at My Cup of Creativi-Tea. Thien-Kim is also a parent in Silver Spring, so maybe lots of you DC and MoCo-area peeps know her too. Last night she rang in the New Year on her couch with her handsome husband and a bottle of bubbly, but they can usually be found out and about with their fabulous four-year-old daughter and one-year-old son.
Thien-Kim was wonderful to share her picks for celebrating 2011 this weekend with kids. (I just returned from a wild week visiting family all over Texas and am SO SORRY that the blog has been dark while you all have had your kids home during school vacations. Thien-Kim to the rescue!)
Just because you’re a parent now doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate New Year’s (or maybe you got a sitter and partied like it’s 2011, you rock star parent, you). Here are some great family-friendly ways to ring in the New Year with your kids this weekend.
- Winter Lights in Gaithersburg features more than 380 illuminated vignettes and 65 animated displays in a 3.5 mile drive through beautiful Seneca Creek State Park. Theme areas include Winter Woods, Teddy Bear Land, Victorian Village, North Pole, Toyland and Penguin Cove. Don’t forget to pack some snacks for the kids. Hurry because the last day to see the lights is tonight January 1, 2011. Hours are Sun. to Thurs. 6 – 9 p.m. and Fri. & Sat. 6 – 10 p.m.
- Zoolights this year it’s FREE! (Parking however is $8 for FONZ members, $15 for non-members, but you can take Metro.) And again, the last night to see it is tonight. There’s a special train ride for children, special keeper talks, zoo-themed model trains and dozens of animal light displays, including a new display featuring Andean bears.
- Garden of Lights at Brookside Gardens Experience the gardens at night with its lights, plus there will be music, crafts, and give-a-ways.. You can even arrive a little early and take a peek at the train exhibit in Conservatory. (Train exhibit is free from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) $25 per car or van. The Garden of Lights run from 5:30 to 10:00 p.m., with the last car admitted at 9:30 p.m. Don’t forget to bring your stroller so you won’t have to carry your little ones the entire time.
- Great Kids Village is open all weekend at both locations and on Sunday, January the Great Zucchini performs at 10:30-11:30am in Silver Spring. $8 per person per show in advance; $10 at the door. Everyone 2-100 years old needs a ticket. Purchase tickets here.
Have a fun and safe New Year’s weekend!?
Be sure to visit Thien-Kim Lam’s blogs about parenting her multicultural kids at I’m Not the Nanny, and her chronicles of her adventures cooking and crafting with kids over at My Cup of Creativi-Tea.
What are you doing this weekend? Like Friday night and especially Saturday November 14th from 9am-4pm?
Get your holiday season started with some FREE FAMILY FUN?
Head to the kid-tastic St. John the Evangelist Christmas Bazaar in Silver Spring!
Did I mention it’s totally free? And The Great Zucchini is performing a free show at 1pm? And Reptiles Alive will be there at 11am? And in between the two shows you and your kids can
- Shop for cool, artisan gifts featuring oodles of fabulous vendors
- Grab a yummy, reasonably-priced, kid-friendly lunch
- The kids can play games in the game room and make crafts
- Face painting!
- Play Bingo at 1:3opm
- Peruse the on-site antique shop, The Treasure Trove
- Shop for books at rock bottom prices in the Book Shop
The Bazaar also has an Adult’s Only Night on Friday night November 12 from 6pm-9pm. There they’ll have delicious Italian food from Vicino Restaurante Italiano in Silver Spring available at discounted prices for dinner purchase, wine and beer and kid-free shopping.
The St. John’s Christmas 
Bazaar is where I get tons of my holiday shopping done for beautiful gifts that don’t cost me a bundle. It’s frugal-finds heaven! There are loads of vendors selling handmade handbags, hair bows, kids’ gifts, jewelry, candles, infused olive oils, stitchery, creative Christmas decorations priced waaaaay less than Smith and Hawken, and more. Other favorite areas of the bazaar are the Treasure Trove – antiques goods for thrift store prices – and the used book sale is chock full of finds for your family library.
And I always come hungry both days, because there’s breakfast, lunch, drinks, baked goods and treats! Hope to see you there!
St. John’s Christmas Bazaar
Friday November 12 and Saturday November 13
Adult Night Friday 6-9pm
Family Fun on Saturday 9am-4pm
10201 Woodland Avenue (in the School Auditorium)
Located right behind St. John the Evangelist Church
at 10103 Georgia Avenue at the intersection of August Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20902 blocks from the Forest Glen Metro
Many many thanks to The Great Zucchini and Vicino Restaurante Italiano in Silver Spring
Photo Stacey Vaeth
Mirasa Designs is an online store of gorgeous handmade gifts for babies and children. Using the traditional Indian ari and kantha embroidery techniques and bright, happy colors, these are truly unique presents to bestow at the next baby shower or birthday. All of the stuffed animals, pillows and other products are fair trade, and with each purchase, a donation is made to Room to Read, a foundation dedicated to promoting education in developing countries.
EVENT & 10% OFF
Want to see these beautiful products in person and have a fun family playdate? Then mark your calendar for next Saturday’s event in Mount Pleasant! From 4-7pm on Saturday February 27 at the Past Tense Studio 3253 Mount Pleasant Street NW there will be juice for the kids, wine for parents and fun playtime and shopping. If you attend the event and leave a comment here, you’ll receive 10% off your purchase by bringing a printout of your comment on A Parent in Silver Spring. If you’re planning on attending, you can RSVP to Mirasa owner and artisan Aashumi Shah at aashumi@mirasadesign.com.
Photo Stacey Vaeth
GIVEAWAY & GIFT WITH PURCHASE
To celebrate the launch of her line and show the love to all you readers that live in the U.S., Mirasa Designs is giving away a lovely Lion Wristband (pictured at right) that babies, toddlers and little kids can all enjoy. One winner will be drawn from the comments on this post. Just go to Mirasa Designs and then comment here with the product you like best. The winner will be randomly drawn on Sunday February 28.
And get this, if you make a purchase at Mirasa, you’ll receive exclusive gifts with purchase: your purchase will arrive in a special 100% cotton handmade gift tote and accompanied by a set of four handmade notecards featuring the charming Mirasa animals – a rhino, hippo, monkey and giraffe. To receive these special gifts, all you have to do is type A Parent in Silver Spring in the comments section at checkout.
No compensation or free products were received for this review, it’s all for the love of the readers and the promotion of a local woman’s wonderful new busness and event!
