Tag Archives: Maryland

Free Italian Ice on the 1st Day of Spring

IceCollageOn Friday, March 20, noon-9pm, all Rita’s Italian Ice locations will give each customer a FREE regular size Italian Ice. What a sweet way to start the season!

What is Italian Ice?
From the Rita’s website:
“Rita’s signature product is our Italian Ice, which is much smoother than a snow cone and combines ice with real fresh fruit; made fresh daily at each location and served within 36-hours of mixing. Trans-Fat Free and made fresh daily in dozens of deliciously refreshing flavors.”

There are Rita’s locations in Silver Spring, College Park, Bowie, Crofton, Annapolis & more. Check here on their website to find the nearest one for you.

**Contest** – The first au pair in our cluster to send Christine or Lisa a message (email or Facebook) telling us their favorite flavor of Italian Ice will win a gift card for a sweet treat.


Local Fairs & MD Renaissance Festival

What is a Fair?

According to Wikipedia:
A fair (sometimes fayre) is a gathering of people to display or trade produce or other goods, to parade or display animals and often to enjoy associated carnival or funfair entertainment. Activities at fairs vary widely.

Fairs are also known by many different names around the world, such as agricultural show, carnival, fete or fête, county fair, exhibition or state fair, festival, market and show. Flea markets and auto shows are sometimes incorporated into a fair.

MD fairMaryland State Fair
August 22-September 1, 2014. Maryland State Fairgrounds, 2200 York Road Timonium, Maryland. (410)252-0200. The Maryland State Fair was named one of the top 50 fairs in North America. This year’s 11-day festival will feature swifty swine racing pigs, live thoroughbred horse racing, bull riding and barrell racing, concerts, agricultural fair tours, games, rides and more.

Prince George’s County Fair
September 4 – 7, 2014. Prince George’s County Equestrian Center and the Showplace Arena, Water St., Upper Marlboro, Maryland. (301) 442-7393. Carnival rides, live animals displays, family circus, fireworks, live entertainment, food.

Anne Arundel County Fair
September 10 – 14, 2014. Anne Arundel County Fairgrounds, Generals Highway, Crownsville, Maryland. (410) 923-3400. Monster truck rides, carnival rides and games, farm animals and exhibits, pig races, antique saw mill, pie eating contest, talent show and much more.

Renn FestMaryland Renaissance Festival
August 23-October 19, 2014. 1821 Crownsville Rd, Annapolis, MD 21401. Set in a fictional 16th-century English village named Revel Grove, the festival is spread over 25 acres (100,000 m2). The second largest renaissance fair in the United States. Features costumed staff,  food, performances, glass-blowing demonstrations, jousting, crafts and much more.

Maryland Crab Feast Cluster Meeting

photo2We had a crab feast/pool party cluster meeting at Whitehall Pool in Bowie on August 10.  This was Lisa Maxwell’s first official cluster meeting as community counselor. We had au pairs in attendance from nine different countries: Germany, Bolivia, Brazil, South Africa, France, Thailand, Mexico, Panama & Costa Rica.  It was the first time any of these au pairs had ever tried eating crabs.

We also played a game called “Do you know Maryland?” I tried to stump them with questions about all things Maryland including: Annapolis, the Orioles, the Ravens, Edgar Allen Poe, the Chesapeake Bay and that Baltimore term of endearment, “‘hon.”

Their reviews on the crabs were mixed.  A few enjoyed them, but several were completely grossed out. We had a lot of fun!

Free & $1 Summer Movies

When the kids are out of school for the summer, one place to cool off is at the movie theater. Below are three theaters in different parts of our cluster area that are offering $1 or free kid’s movies each week of the summer.

Tips to maximize your free movie enjoyment:

  • Movie admission is $1, but bring additional money for popcorn and/or drinks, if desired.
  • I suggest you arrive at least 15 minutes early to get a good place to sit.  Some of the movies can be very popular and fill up.
  • Have all the kids make a bathroom stop before going into the movie.
  • Do your homework and google the movie that’s playing in advance to make sure it will be a good one for your child/ren.
  • As with any outing, ask your host parents before taking the child/ren to the movies.
  • If you take the kids to the movie in Silver Spring, check out the fountain in Silver Plaza afterwards. Bring a towel and a dry change of clothes for the kids.  It’s hard to resist splashing in the fountain.

After the movie, do activities related to the movie:

  • Ask the children what were their favorite parts of the movie.
  • Find crafts related to the movie to complete with them.
  • Let the children act out parts of the movies.  Use household items as props and dress up in costumes to make it more fun.

BOWIE STADIUM 14

15200 Major Lansdale Blvd, Bowie, MD, 301-262-9133

Doors open at 9:30 am, Movie starts at 10 am

6/10-6/11   Hotel Transylvania (PG), The Smurfs 2 (PG)

6/17-6/18   Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 (PG), The Pirates: Band of Misfits (PG)

6/24-6/25   Arthur Christmas (PG), Despicable Me 2 (PG)

7/1-7/2       Lego Movie (PG), Free Birds (PG)

7/8-7/9       Adventures of Tin Tin (PG), Rise of the Guardians (PG)

7/15-7/16   Kung Fu Panda 2 (PG), Madagascar 3 (PG)

7/22-7/23   The Croods (PG), Epic (PG)

7/29-7/30   Turbo (PG), Walking with Dinosaurs (PG)

8/5-8/6       Mr. Peabody & Sherman (PG), Rio 2 (PG)


MAJESTIC STADIUM 20 & IMAX

900 Ellsworth Drive, Silver Spring MD, 301-565-8884

Doors open at 9:30 am, Movie starts at 10 am

6/17-6/18   Hotel Transylvania (PG), The Smurfs 2 (PG)

6/24-6/25   Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 (PG), The Pirates: Band of Misfits (PG)

7/1-7/2       Arthur Christmas (PG), Despicable Me 2 (PG)

7/8-7/9       Lego Movie (PG), Free Birds (PG)

7/15-7/16   Adventures of Tin Tin (PG), Rise of the Guardians (PG)

7/22-7/23   Kung Fu Panda 2 (PG), Madagascar 3 (PG)

7/29-7/30   The Croods (PG), Epic (PG)

8/5-8/6       Turbo (PG), Walking with Dinosaurs (PG)

8/12-8/13   Mr. Peabody & Sherman (PG), Rio 2 (PG)


Annapolis Harbour 9 (FREE)

2474 Solomons Island Rd, Annapolis, MD, 410-224-1145

Doors open at 9 am, Movie starts at 10 am

6/24-6/25   The Croods (PG)

7/1-7/2       Epic (PG)

7/8-7/9       Walking with Dinosaurs (PG)

7/15-7/16   Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (PG)

7/22-7/23   Ice Age 4: Continental Drift (PG)

7/29-7/30 Alvin & the Chipmucks: The Squeakquel (PG)

8/5-8/6       Alvin & the Chipmucks: Chip Wrecked (PG)

8/12-8/13   Mr. Peabody & Sherman (PG)

8/18-8/20   Rio 2 (PG)

Drive-In Movies

Have you ever been to a drive-in movie? Drive-in movies are outdoor theaters where the movie is projected on a large screen and you watch from your car. There were once over 4,000 drive-in theaters in the U.S., now only a few hundred remain.

One of those still operating is right here in Maryland, in the Baltimore area.  Bengies Drive-In has been in business since 1956.  It is about an hour drive from most parts of our cluster, but since they are the only one left in the entire state of Maryland, that doesn’t sound so far.

Bengies

Click here to visit the website

I have been taking my kids to drive-in movies at Bengie’s for the past few years and we love it.

The drive-in is only open Spring-Fall.

Drive-In Movie Tips for First Timers:

  1. You pay one price whether you stay for 1, 2 or all 3 movies. *Cash only for admission*
  2. You may stay in your car or bring chairs to sit in in front of your parking space.
  3. If you go in the summer and plan to sit outside, bring insect repellent spray or bug bracelets.
  4. If you go in the fall when the weather is cool, bring blankets.
  5. You cannot bring in outside food or drinks, unless you purchase an outside food permit. I recommend you buy your snacks there. They have some interesting options that you don’t see at a regular movie concession stand and that’s part of the full experience.
  6. Before you go, read the information on their website about headlights. You need to know how to disable your headlights when you are inside the movie.
  7. You also need to figure out how to turn your vehicle to the “accessory setting” with your key. This will allow you to listen to the movie without draining your battery. VERY IMPORTANT
  8. There is a note on their website about how to enter their address with GPS.  There address is listed as “Middle River”not Baltimore on GPS.

If you give it a try, let me know how you like it!

2014 Au Pair in America DC Regional Cultural Fair

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Au Pair in America is hosting a DC Regional Cultural Fair

Au pairs representing over 35 different countries will provide: children’s activities, performances, visual displays, face painting and a cultural parade. This event is open to the public. Anyone interested in learning about other cultures and the Au Pair in America program are invited.

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Saturday, April 5, 2014
1:00-3:00 PM
Spanish Ballroom
Glen Echo Park
7300 MacArthur Boulevard
Glen Echo, Maryland 20812


For more information, please contact Christine Connally at cconnallyaupair @ gmail.com or 301-860-1314.

Au Pairs Working as Santa's Helpers

Rockledge Elementary had their Annual Holiday Shop on Friday, 12/6. Au Pair in America sponsored the arts & crafts activities: providing the craft supplies as well as some volunteers to assist the children. Four au pairs volunteered: Joanne from Colombia, Pamela from Brazil Ana from Costa Rica and Yuli from Mexico. In addition to being an au pair, Yuli is a professional photographer and she volunteered to take the pictures of the children with Santa.
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Stopping for School Buses

With some schools back in session and many new au pairs who have recently arrived, I wanted to remind everyone about what to do in different situations with school buses. If you have questions, please ask myself or your host parents.

school-bus-stop

The rules regarding stopping for school buses are:

  • It is against the law to pass a stopped school bus while its lights are flashing and its’ stop arm is extended.
  • On undivided roadways, with no physical barrier or median, vehicles must stop on both sides of the roadway.
  • Yellow flashing lights indicate that the bus is preparing to load or unload children. Motorists should slow down and prepare to stop their vehicles.
  • Red flashing lights and extended stop arms indicate that the bus has stopped, and children are getting on or off. Motorists approaching from either direction must wait until the red lights stop flashing before proceeding.

Police, who observe a motorist failing to stop and remained stopped for a school bus, can issue the violator a citation which carries a $570.00 fine and 3 points. Drivers failing to stop for pedestrians in a crosswalk can be issued a citation for $80.00, and drivers failing to exercise due caution when encountering children can be issued a citation for $70.00.

June is Zoo & Aquarium Month

Visit your local zoo or aquarium or set up a pretend zoo with play animals and blocks. Invite the host parents to visit your pretend zoo. Read One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish or If I Ran the Zoo, both by Dr. Seuss. Encourage the children to make up their own animals and draw them. Think of all the animal sounds you can and play a game guessing what animal you are. You may find that the same animal says one thing in America and something quite different in your own country!

5318026398_f0232e1347Here are links to our local zoo & aquariums.

National Zoo – Washington, DC

National Aquarium – Washington, DC

Maryland Zoo – Baltimore, Maryland

Baltimore Aquarium – Maryland

Photo: Joseph Bylund