I went to register my daughter for kindergarten and while looking through the AUSD website I saw that the Albany Swim Center is finished, staffed, and ready for happy swimmers!  February 15th will be the swim center’s grand opening, with the Albany High Swim Team and Aquatic Center staff geared up for the first dip.  After that it will be open for the general public.

The new swim center includes an indoor and outdoor pool and will offer group and private swim lessons, open swim, lap swim, exercise classes.

Click here to scroll through the photo gallery from the Albany Patch: http://albany.patch.com/articles/photo-gallery-albany-pool-construction-updates#photo-8979463

Gong Hay Fat Choy!  The Fourth Street shopping district will be having a Chinese New Year celebration this Saturday, February 4th, from 12-4.  Participating merchants will be handing out candy for the kids, and there will be martial arts demonstrations and dances throughout the afternoon.  For a schedule of events click here: http://www.fourthstreet.com/loft26.html

In addition to experiencing art and culture there will be fun events for children and adults of all ages.  Tooling Metal Art?  YES!  Junk-A-Sketch?  Oh yah!  Click here for a schedule of the free, hands-on workshops that will be offered: http://www.el-cerrito.org/gov/artsdayworkshops.html

Meet and talk with painters, photographers, jewelry makers, film makers and musicians, plus artists that create origami, wooden African Art sculptures, Lego models and more. Some items on display will be available for purchase.

If you are an artist and would like to showcase your work, or for more information, click here: http://www.el-cerrito.org/gov/artsday.html

This event is being held in conjunction with California Arts Day.

Last year the carnival was a great success.  This year they have taken the successes and added in more bang.  In addition to the typical carnival games like milk bottle knock-down, cake walks, tic-tac-toe, and golf putt-putt, the Harding Dads Club filled in the blanks by adding elements to appease not only the kiddies, but parents, too.  Clearly they are trying to cater to the parental crowd because every postcard I saw had a sticker on the front that said “beer garden.”  So, without further ado, this year’s added attractions include a beer garden sponsored by the new El Cerrito brewery, Elevation 66, live music, and a pumpkin patch with pumpkins donated by Marvin Gardens Real Estate.

So come one, come all!  Tickets are $5 for guests ages 5 and up, and I think I saw somewhere that you get one ticket free if you bring a baked good.

If you are looking for a real Berkeley treat, go and check out Mr. Mopps, you will be glad you did.

Visit their facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/Mr.Mopps.

Mr. Mopps Children’s Books and Toys
1405 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Berkeley
510-525-9633

DooF-a-Palooza, the crazy, food-backwards, table-to-source, food educational experience for kids and adults of all ages took place at Jack London Square yesterday.  It included contests, games, entertainment and fun hands-on activities with growers, chefs, purveyors, businesses, and cookbook authors all filmed and streamed live online.

It was a truly unique event.

Kids got to make butter with Organic Valley, toss pizza dough into the air at the Lanesplitter booth, make pasta dough with Chef Gino, go bowling with coconuts, design and create a custom cereal box with Nature’s Path cereal products, and even make a smoothie by pedaling a bike on a bike blender.

Where else can my 4 year old do something like this?

Only in the Bay Area.

I remember when I first met Richard.  It was in 2000 and I had just received my MFA from the Academy of Art in San Francisco.  I saw an ad on Craiglist where this funny little amusement park-in-the-making-thing was looking for some muralists to volunteer their time.  So I went.   I showed up in my overalls (I was an artist after all) with my paintbrushes and said “where to?”  and I went to work.

There were lots of volunteers there, some from schools, and many from the community.  It seemed like everyone wanted to help out.  Richard offered free lunch and free use of his collection of pinball machines.  He played music, laughed, and told story after story about his collection of amusement park artifacts.  I was intrigued.

I haven’t gone back since.  But the experience was one-of-a-kind, and Richard’s generosity and friendliness was also one-of-a-kind.  Perhaps it is time to venture back.

Click here to read the original article from the Contra Costa Times.
http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_17836993?IADID=Search-www.contracostatimes.com-www.contracostatimes.com&nclick_check=1

Fruitvale BART
South Parking Lot
3401 East 12th St.
Oakland, CA

I have dear memories of going into Mr. Mopps.  The staff there was always so friendly.  I specifically remember this one time when I went in with a 2 year old little boy, looking for a lunchbox for school.  He had something very specific in mind, Thomas the Train.  They didn’t have a Thomas the Train lunchbox, and it really upset him.  The nice woman behind the sales counter came over and said “come back in two weeks, I will have one then.”  We did, and she did.  We picked up the lunchbox and this little 2 year old boy was as happy as could be.

I find it sad that the era of locally-owned and operated stores are evaporating.  The owners want to retire, but can’t seem to find a taker.  I am the first to admit that I do shop for some toys online, but there is also something so gratifying about walking into a local store and experiencing the smell and energy.  You just can’t get that online.    

Mr. Mopps is located in Berkeley on Martin Luther King @ Rose.  Please support them while you can.

EL CERRITO
El Cerrito hosts the 11th Annual WorldOne Festival featuring live reggae, dub and world music. On Saturday from 10am to 6pm there is a family festival with games for children, food, arts and crafts as well as live entertainment on two stages, Circus Imagination will amaze young children with an interactive animal-free circus show and Carnival Rides.  This is one of my FAVORITE festivals in town and I look forward to it each year.  Click here for the line up http://www.el-cerrito.org/recreation/july4lineup.html.

BERKELEY MARINA
It’s a day full of fun starting at noon on the 4th of July. The south shore of the Berkeley Marina at the bottom of University Ave. is filled with great stuff to do all day. Adventure Playground, always a favorite, is open 11am-8pm. Sign up for an old-fashioned sack race or get your face painted. Try the giant slide or splash in the water at the beach!  Plenty of fun stuff for adults, too! No need to cook – lots of international food booths. Live entertainment from noon until 9PM on the main stage. There’s art & craft booths, massages, free sailboat rides from 1-4pm, dragon boat rides from 2-6pm, and much more including the grand fireworks off the end of the Berkeley Pier at 9:30pm.  http://www.anotherbullwinkelshow.com

JACK LONDON SQUARE
4th of July 2009 Festival with music & fireworks @ Jack London Square (Oakland). Five hours of live music, plus kids entertainment and a 20 minute fireworks show at dusk Saturday, July 4, 2009 4:00 pm to 9:35 pm. The Port of Oakland and the City of Oakland will present a 20 minute fireworks show over the Oakland and Alameda estuary. Jack London Square provides a prime viewing area for watching this spectacular event. The fireworks will begin at 9:15 PM and end at 9:35 PM. Jack London Square will celebrate the holiday with live music beginning at 7:00 PM. Enjoy the big band sounds of the Ben Oni Orchestra and the Rhythm and Blues of the Blues Burners. Free bike valet will be available at 7:00 PM at Jack London Square’s newest shop, Bay Area Bikes. Jack London Square will operate during the day as usual, providing canoe and kayak rentals as well as bike rentals and retail shopping. Cost: FREE -  http://www.jacklondonsquare.com/newscenter/oakland-july-fireworks.html