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Showing posts with label ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT. Show all posts


 Want to spend some time with your family this Friday night? Can’t find family-friendly movies everyone will enjoy? You want to choose the best must-see movies. But you need something age-appropriate for the whole family.

Movies seem to have more sex, violence, and profanity than ever. Family-friendly movies are going the way of the black rhino. Here are some tips to help you pick the best must-watch movies without giving up your values.

Start with the MPAA Film Rating System

MPAA ratings can help you pick family-friendly movies. Sometimes they’re dead on. Sometimes they’re not. Especially with old movies vs. new movies. But it’s a start.

G – General Audiences. G-rated films are usually appropriate for anyone. Most parents would be okay with all the content.

PG – Parental Guidance Suggested. PG movies run the gamut. This rating category can be as gentle as G, plus foul language. Or it can be as perverted as PG-13, subtract the sex. Think Beetlejuice vs. The Incredibles.

PG-13 – Parents Strongly Cautioned. These movies are for teenagers and older. There will likely be some strong language or sexual situations.

R – Restricted. R-rated movies are for adults. The movie will have adult themes: violence, sex, profanity. All your kids had better be adults.

NC-17 – Adults Only. This used to be the X rating. Even if everyone’s an adult, you won’t want to watch this one with the kids. And they won’t want to watch it with you either.

Look Beyond the Ratings

Even with the rating system, it can still be hard to choose. And the ratings aren’t always as consistent as expected. A PG-13-rated movie may be much like an R-rated movie.

Every family has its own values. Where does your family draw the line when it comes to language, sex, and violence? Sometimes the rest of the world’s standards are different than your own.

Do Your Own Research

Family-friendly, must-see movies are hard to find. But you can do it. You just have to do a little work. Like a scientist trying to find those black rhinos, you need to do your research.

Trailers. Watch the trailer. Find trailers on YouTube, IMDb, or movies.com. Watching the trailer only takes a few minutes and gives you a good idea of what to expect.

The trailer will usually tease with scenes that are sensual, violent, or suspenseful. Studios make trailers for a wide audience. Expect even edgier scenes in the movie.

Reviews. You’ll want to find reviews that go beyond star-ratings and the simple, “Awesome movie!” IMDb, Fandango, and Rotten Tomatoes are three popular movie review sites.

IMDb makes locating mature content easy. In the “Motion Picture Rating,” section, you’ll find a “Parents Guide.” This page details any objectionable content. Be aware that you’ll likely encounter some spoilers. 

Websites. The Dove Foundation offers quick access to family-friendly movie reviews. The rating system has a faith-based theme geared toward Christians. If you like Bible-based films, check out these Christian movies.

Each movie receives a simple “Dove Approved” or “Not Dove Approved” stamp. Dove.org also provides a review of the movie aside from the parental information. See if the movie’s even worth watching.

Ask Your Friends

Still not sure about a movie? There’s a good chance at least one of your friends or family members has seen it. You can likely trust them more than anyone on the internet. Get some great details. Ask questions that apply to your family.

Choose Your Next Family Friendly Movie

Family-friendly, must-see movies have become rare. But if you prepare, you can find them. Review the ratings. Set your standards. Research the reviews. Get out in the wild, and find that black rhino!

ArticleCity.com isn’t only about choosing family-friendly movies. Learn about topics like content strategy, digital marketing, and writing tips. Find out how Article City can help you scale your content campaigns.



By Dale Harris

According to recent statistics, the average kid’s birthday party costs about $400. This is a huge number, obviously, putting a huge financial strain on the parents — and causing planning to be really stressful.

If you’re a parent whose head is reeling after seeing that number, you’re probably wondering how to keep your child’s birthday on the cheaper side of things. Fortunately, there are ways you can reduce the price, starting as early as creating party invitations.

Read on for some DIY birthday invitation ideas that will get the ball rolling but the cash remaining firmly in your wallet.

Let Your Child Own It

Although you, of course, get the final say when it comes to the invitations, this is your child’s special day. Ask them what they ideally would like their invitations to look like. What color do they prefer? Do they want a certain character or logo on them?

Asking your kid what they want can’t hurt and it will make them feel that their opinion is valued. 

Use a Cool Template

While your child should get a say, there are limitless outrageous possibilities that kids come up with for … well, pretty much anything. To make like easier for yourself, it’s a good idea to have them choose from a specific selection of premade templates.

Adobe offers all sorts of templates for birthday invitations that you and your little one are sure to love. All you need to do is insert the information that you want to be presented to your guests. It’s that simple!

Stick With the Theme

It’s a universal truth that kids (and a lot of adults) are obsessed with themes. Whatever your kid wants the theme of their party to be- from Star Wars to snakes to fairy princesses — you can include clues to the theme on the invitations.

It’s really easy to do this with a template — all you need to do is insert clip art or a .jpeg file you downloaded online!

Snail Mail

If you’re feeling adventurous, you don’t need to send your invitations through e-mail. Remember the excitement you felt as a kid when your mom gave you an invitation from the mailbox? If you’re like most kids, you loved that feeling.

It’ll cost a few cents an envelope, but if you can swing it, this is a fun way to make all the kids on your child’s invite list feel special. If not, e-vites are cool, too, but this is just some food for thought!

Video Invites

If you want to go a different direction, video invites are a really cool alternative to a classic e-vite or snail mail invitation. You can record your child speaking or create birthday-themed infographics or moving clip art.

We’re not saying that it’s necessary, but if you have some extra time or just enjoy web design, you can even create animations online!

More Birthday Invitation Ideas

Having a birthday party for your kid is going to be a stressful experience no matter what, but you can take at least the financial strain off yourself. Just make a cool DIY invite to end out — it won’t cost you a cent!

Now that you have some great birthday invitation ideas for your child’s next birthday, check out the ‘all articles’ tab on our page! Here, you’ll get ideas about all kinds of topics that will let you save money and learn skills for everyday life.

Good luck, mom or dad!




 

By Dale Harris

Has the idea of sending your teen to summer camps for teenagers filled you with dread? Does the idea of them being too far away, left in the care of others make you worry? You don’t have to have experience with camps to find the best activities for teens.

Summer camp provides a perfect opportunity for teens to learn essential life skills, engage in meaningful activities, and make friendships. But with so many camping options out there, how do you choose the best? 

This article will tell you everything that you need to know. Read on!


Research Potential Camps and Summer Programs

You can choose a camp like swimming, canoeing, archery, and arts and crafts. You can also choose a specialty camp like gymnastics or wilderness skills. You can try a program on stop motion animation for children. It is where they get to learn new skills from expert animators hosting the program.

For teens seeking to expand their academic horizons, there are specialty camps that offer workshops and seminars. All of which help children be prepared for the following school years. 

Understand Your Teenager’s Interests

This will help to determine what type of camp would be the most suitable for them. Ask them what their interests are and what they would like to do at the camp. They may mention specific activities they’d like to be involved in or types of people they’d like to meet.

Once you have a better understanding of the camps available, discuss them with the teenager and get their opinion on each one. This will help to further narrow down the choices to select the one that best suits their needs.

Evaluate Safety and Supervision Measures

Research the camp’s safety record. Ask if they have parental notifications, policies regarding contact between children and other staff, and procedures related to discipline. Learn about staff and volunteer qualifications and their training methods to ensure safety.

Determine if the camp has certified lifeguards and, if applicable, know if they have coaches that are certified. Research the camp’s emergency policies and the number of counselors supervising the activities. Make sure the camp has a qualified healthcare provider available in case of an emergency.

Finally, ask for a list of references from previous campers, and contact them to ask about their experiences. 

Consider Costs and Financial Assistance Options

Consider the overall budget of the family, and research different camps to find the best price. Some camps may offer discounts for siblings, students, and/or military families. It is important to research the activities that each camp has to offer and what other expenses might be involved for things such as field trips, camp supplies, etc.

Look into what kind of scholarships or payment plans can be used to make it more affordable. Don’t forget to ask if you can request any discounts for any referrals or family connections. It is important to find the balance between cost and quality to ensure the best experience.

Complete Guide to Choosing The Best Summer Camps for Teenagers

Summer camps for teenagers provide great opportunities for learning, growth, and fun. So, it’s important to choose one that’s right for them. Be sure to do your research, consider your teen’s interests, and make sure the camp fits their needs.

With the right one, your teen could have the best summer of their life! So what are you waiting for? To find the perfect one today!

Did you find this helpful and want to read more great content? Visit our latest articles now!



California’s Great America: To Season Pass or Not?

What good is an amusement theme park if you don’t love it to come back again and again? Many parks offer season passes for multiple returns, yet, the prices can be unattractive. We have assessed our 2022 season theme park habits and came up with a recommendation.

We decided to buy one season pass to California’s Great America as an experiment. This experiment had a financial toll because it is not a cheap pass, nor is the admission cheap, but we weighed the value this park had to us, and if it was worth going to multiple times. The park is a 1-hour drive from us, so time and gas are also considered. 

We chose Great America for these reasons:
1) It is the closest theme park
2) No bridge tolls required us to access it
3) It is wholesome (deemed safe for our family)

We love that Great America’s theme is centered on pro-American values. When we found out that the park will close in a decade’s time, we considered how we wanted to support this place of entertainment and if it was worth taking our kids more than once in a season. Growing up in San Francisco, we as teenagers, had to be driven by our parents, our school or our friends’ parents to partake in Great America. So it’s not quite the easiest place to be accessing for kids.  

So here’s our take.

With our one season pass, we went 4 times throughout the year. The season pass has benefits such as unlimited visits for the season pass holder, parking, 10% discounts for food and merchandise, and bring-a-friend ticket prices. We compared the financials of having to go one time, or several times. This will determine if we want to do this again before the park closes.

Option 1:
Visit just one time in the year
Day pass: $60
Number of tickets: 4
Parking: $25
Total cost for one day: $265
Other costs: food and snacks ($150), merchandise ($50), arcades ($20)


Option 2:
Visit atleast twice, with one season pass and bring-a-friend tickets
Season pass: $99
Bring-A-Friend pass: $40
Number of tickets: 3
Parking: included
Total cost for first visit: $219 (includes 1 season pass holder and the 3 bring-a-friend tickets)
Cost for subsequent visits: $40x3 tickets each time = $120
Other costs: food and snacks ($150), merchandise ($50), arcades ($20). Food and merchandise are subject to 10% discount with the season pass.


Option 3:
Visit atleast twice, with multiple season passes
Season pass: $99
Number of tickets/passes: 4
Parking: included
Total cost for first visit: $406
Cost for subsequent visits: $0
Other costs: Other costs: food and snacks ($150), merchandise ($50), arcades ($20). Food and merchandise are subject to 10% discount with the season pass.


Depending on how often you do plan and commit to go, a season pass does hold value. We find that we would need to go atleast 4 times if we had 4 individual season passes. We did go 4 times, with just 1 season pass and paying the bring-a-friend price for everyone else’s tickets for each visit. The bring-a-friend price of $40 would have to be used 3 times or more to make a season pass worth buying. However, on visit #4, it felt stretched for us to keep coming back.  

Honestly, 4 times is a lot and we probably wouldn’t really be going this many times. We would stick to Option 2 because of our circumstance living one hour away. But if we did live closer, we would think Option 3 is worth it. 


TV Appreciation Post

With the rise of streaming services, many people are turning to TV antennas as a way to access free entertainment. 

TV antennas provide access to a wide range of shows, movies, and sports for an inexpensive one-time fee. Whether you're looking for digital or analog signals, there is an antenna that can meet your needs. With the right antenna and setup, you can enjoy free entertainment without paying for expensive subscription services. A Mohu HDTV antenna can help you cut the cable bill and save over $2,000 every year! Discover how you can save big today! Mohu Antenna is one of the most popular brands out there when it comes to TV streaming antennas. They offer affordable options that will give you access to clear HDTV signals from local broadcasters. So if you're looking for a way to get free entertainment without breaking the bank, investing in a quality tv antenna may be your best bet!

Some of our favorite throwback shows are on MeTV: Full House, Saved by the Bell, Jetsons, Leave it to Beaver, Brady Bunch, Gilligans Island. 

And for something a little more present with the times, we do enjoy some Law and Order: SVU on ION.

Those are just some of the programs that can be watched for free. Check out the different antennae that Mohu has to offer. 

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How are kids puzzle games suitable for learning?

It's a well-known fact that playtime contributes to learning. Different toys influence your child's development in varied ways. Hence, it is essential to benefit from the various games. When you identify the key areas, picking suitable toys for kids becomes easy. This depends on your child's interest, growth stage, cognitive ability, etc. Besides this, you should also buy toys that develop essential life skills.

Puzzles make the perfect fit for this purpose. They are deceptively simple and a favourite among educators. The fundamental idea is arranging independent pieces to create a whole picture. This acts as excellent brain food for children whose imagination comes into play. They learn by using their creativity to solve the puzzle. Such brain exercising helps in understanding the essential aspects like:

Spatial awareness

Piecing a puzzle together involves paying attention to details. This includes understanding the relationship between different pictures and how they connect. As a result, spatial perception becomes an essential part of joining them. Children learn to identify which pieces fit together by recognising their shapes, colours, and relatability. Initially, they opt for the trial and error approach. But slowly, they do this in their heads by learning.

Problem-solving

The skill of identifying problems is essential in learning any activity. As kids look at the pieces and figures, they understand which ones fit together. This develops the crucial skill to recognise the problem areas and solve them accordingly. Then, there is no shortcut to solving puzzles for kids. The only way to complete them is by finding the right pieces. This makes kids think logically, which helps in learning complex concepts.

Memory

Depending on the size, puzzle games become complex. They require recalling the pieces to fix them in the right places. This is a constant activity until you finish them. Hence, memory has a huge role to play in solving them successfully. That does not mean you need a great memory, to begin with. The best thing about such games is they do not come with set goals. You learn as you go and develop skills.

Social skills

Another beneficial aspect of playing with interactive kids puzzle games is the fun group interaction. Kids play with their friends and try to figure out the solutions. It helps them communicate better and learn new phrases. They also become empathetic and social in the process. This happens naturally without any stimulator. They subconsciously use words they hear around and use them to communicate.

This is a valuable lesson that you cannot teach them with learning sessions. Socialising helps them interact better and create bonds with their friends.

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Development toy ideas for 5 to 8-year-old kids

Children play from the moment they are born. It is how they learn about new things. Every parent wants to utilise this in the best way. Kids around the age range of 5 to 8 are beginning to understand and grow. Getting them suitable toys is imperative to boost their physical and mental development.

Now, with the wide varieties, it can get confusing to choose toys for 5-year-olds. However, learning about their needs and activities helps. This is crucial to ensure they benefit from the games based on their growth stage.

Outdoor: Playing outside is the best way to boost physical growth. Children enjoy running around, crawling, playing catch, etc. You can give their unstructured play direction by introducing toys like a ball, play tents, jump rope, rollerblades, ping-pong, badminton, etc. These games induce exertion, which is required for physical development. Five and eight-year-olds are hyperactive who get to channelise their energy through such playthings.

Construction: Open-ended and constructive games help kids learn about patience, problem-solving, empathy and other skills. It is essential to include them in your child's play. Some examples are - building blocks, train set, roller coaster builder, puzzles, Lego bricks, etc. These toys are also helpful in developing motor skills and hand-eye coordination.

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Make-believe: Pretend play is an important aspect involved in growth years. It shapes up the mentality in kids. Kids do it by imitating others around them, re-enacting scenarios and playing in groups. Here, the 5-year-old games to give them are dolls, stuffed animals, puppets, etc. For slightly older kids with better understanding, magic kits, kitchen set, make-believe professional equipment, action figures, dollhouses, etc., are a good choice.

Learning: If your focus is on the educational aspect of toys, there are many options. You can choose between memory booster games, electronics, and interactive playthings. Word, spellings, and shape charts are great for young children. However, the 8-year-old toys are slightly advanced like puzzles, video games, human body model, science kits, etc. These encourage activity-based learning among kids, which is effective compared to reading books.

Arts and crafts: Developing creativity and imagination is important besides academics. It enables children to become intuitive thinkers. This helps them in their school years when they face complex challenges that need quick solutions. Some crafty toys for 8-year-olds include crayons, playdoh, model vehicles, musical instruments, colouring tools, papercut art kits, swing sets, etc. These games require you to guide and involve in child play.  

Listening: During the development stages, kids explore new things. They learn about language, words, phonic sounds, etc. You could boost their learning by giving them rhythmic toys, rhyming activities, dolls with tunes, etc. These toys are entertaining and teach kids about new sounds and musically appeal to them. Your kids are sure to get obsessed with them in no time. It may get noisy, but it is essential to make them aware of new sounds.



Things To Do With Dad

Father’s Day is a day that celebrates the father and their role in the family.

It is a day to show appreciation for all the sacrifices that they have made for their children. It is a perfect time to plan something special with dad. Planning an activity can be as simple as taking dad on a hike or bike ride or going out on a picnic together. If you are looking for more ideas, here are some of our recommendations in the Bay Area:

1. Hiller Aviation Museum

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Located behind the San Carlos Airport, Hiller Aviation Museum hosts a number of events and activities for families. Play with and learn from hands-on exhibits, fly a drone, land a plane (virtually). Members have admission most days (except for some special events) and access to a discount in the gift store. Free parking for visitors.

2. Biking

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Our favorite bike routes include the road to Twin Peaks, as well just about anywhere in Golden Gate Park!

3. Hiking/Nature Walk

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Favorite walk trails in San Francisco are Golden Gate Park, Lands End, Presidio, Fort Funston, and Bluff Trail in Half Moon Bay.

4. Tech Museum

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Tech Museum is located in downtown San Jose. Play with interactive tech, build robots, explore space and more. 

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5. Watching sunsets

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Whatever it is you do, ending the day with sunset watching will never be wrong. Lands End Lookout in San Francisco is where we love to end up when we do watch a sunset.

6. Academy of Science

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This museum is in Golden Gate Park. Check out the aquarium, rainforest, african penguins and so much more! Street parking in and outside of Golden Gate Park, and paid garage parking in the underground level.

7. Green Apple

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One of our favorite family spots is Green Apple. Looks like a small shop from the outside, but go inside and it’s deep with tall shelves full of books, toys and merchandise. There are two levels of retail space, which feels so much like an old San Francisco Victorian. Street parking only.

8. Arcades

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Taking Dad to the Musee Mecanique would be a special treat! The museum houses vintage machines and coin-op arcades for gaming and entertainment. Learn and have fun! Street parking and paid parking available.

9. Eat at Mel’s

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There are 4 Mel’s in San Francisco, and our most favorite is on Geary. We love eating here as a family, the place has great vibes and and feels cozy. Food is American diner.  Free parking for customers.

10. Picnics

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Anytime outdoors brings fresh air and sun (or clouds, fog in San Francisco). We absolutely adore picnicking! Our most favorite spot to lay a blanket, bring a grill, pop up the tent is Crissy Field. Be lucky and spot whales in the bay too! 




SIX FLAGS DISCOVERY KINGDOM

We couldn’t go on lavish vacations this summer, but we did what we could. Yosemite for a whole 2 days, and then a day trip to Six Flags on the last week day before school opened. 

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Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (formerly, Marine World Africa USA to us Gen X kids of the bay) offers the independent fun that teens and pre-teens crave. Our kids each brought a friend, and now that they are taller than me, they were able to get on all the open rides. Our last time here, they were a whole two heads shorter than me and I am a very short mom. Off they went on their own, and we the parents, did our own rides. I have lost much interest in thrill rides but I did them, got dizzy, and cursed them out (”why did I even go on that?!”). The kids very much enjoyed all of them, especially Wonder Woman. I enjoyed the river rafting ride. We the parents got to sit with another family, and we the parents, got drenched the most on that tube. 

Tip: It is absolutely worth taking the day off to go on a Friday. There were hardly any lines, although, many attractions were closed such as the log ride and the Penguin. Maybe it is for health reasons, or they were deemed non-essential on a slow day. 

Season Pass vs. Membership vs. One-Day
We deeply considered season passes, but after careful analysis, decided to make it a one-day trip. There was a great deal for season passes, but I wanted to see how this day went first and if it would be worth returning another 2 or 3 times until the year’s end. Well, the season pass would have been good through 2022 as well, so I think that in itself was worth it. I ran several spreadsheets to look at different scenarios between who gets a day ticket, a membership or season pass. Dad is not really into theme parks, so he automatically qualifies for the day ticket. But mom will take the kids :) To give you an idea, here’s the summary for a family of 4 (mom, dad, 2 kids) for one calendar year:

Option 1
1 day ticket for dad = $34.99 
Membership for mom = $6.49/mo  (includes parking, valued at $25)
Season passes for 2 kids = $49.99/yr each
TOTAL = $247.84

Option 2
1 day tickets for dad, 2 kids = $104.97
Membership for mom = $6.49/mo (includes parking)
TOTAL = $182.85 

Option 3
1 day tickets for dad, mom, 2 kids = $139.96)
Parking = $25
TOTAL = $164.96 

Option 4
4 memberships for dad, mom, 2 kids = $311
TOTAL = $311 (go as many times as we want through 2022)

Option 5
4 season passes for dad, mom, 2 kids = $199.96
TOTAL = $199.96 (go as many times as we want through 2022)

Yes I have a spreadsheet to get these numbers.

The difference between a season pass and membership is that you can get food and merchandise discounts at the park with a membership, which you are basically paying in installments. A season pass is much cheaper if you just want to do rides, and pay full price for the food. 

This might help you to do your own calculations, but the above represents an approximate summary of how to decide on getting season passes or not. Whatever works for your family! 



Is your family streaming content? We cut cable in 2010, and haven't looked back. We have been enjoying Netflix for "free" with our T-mobile plan, and we also subscribe to Hulu and Prime. Happy with this lifestyle. Cable has too many channels we don't ever watch! Hulu has been fabulous with all its throwback shows! It absolutely has an audience in me. Wonder Years, Step By Step, Family Matters, Perfect Strangers, Full House, Hangin With Mr Cooper.... need I say more? Gen X TV, that's what I grew up on.

If you have T-mobile, make sure to ask them about Netflix! Another one of my favorite streaming channel is Peacock TV, NBC's streaming service. Many good shows are free, and some are premium. Love having choices to pay for what I want only when I want. Many times I don't want! So I'm not forced to pay.

By cutting the cord, our expenses in screen time are much more affordable:

Prime --- $12.99+tax per month
Hulu --- $5.99 per month
Netflix --- free with T-mobile subscription
Peacock TV --- free

We also watch free broadcast TV with our fabulous digital antenna. More on that in another post!

We are sharing here a 30-day trial with Amazon Family. As a member, benefits include:

  • Instantly watch thousands of movies and TV episodes
  • Save 20% on diaper subscriptions
  • Exclusive Coupons and Deals
  • Get unlimited FREE two-day shipping (no minimum order size)

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We were a bit happy to have a Dave and Buster’s open up nearby, after years and decades of San Francisco having and losing entertainment centers. The Daly City location opened in 2016 at Serramonte Mall, and we have since celebrated a couple of birthdays here. 

Growing up in the city (both San Francisco and Daly City), I didn’t really have an easy access to hang out in such places. I had the normal kind of youth where I spent my afterschool doing sports and hanging out at the library, or going straight home to watch TV. Parents were working, so I had to be independent. On the weekends, we were taken to some attractions but there were a lot of church-related activities I was brought along to. 

These days, I don’t think that has changed much. Except for the church activities. Our family still goes sometimes, but we are not very active... perhaps that will change, as I do see the value of a strong church community. 

That’s just a brief look into my past as a kid growing up in the city. As a parent in the same city, I am parenting a bit differently because of my own experiences growing up. There were things I was aware of, but didn’t really get to do. I’m now able to do some of them, and I am open to sharing them with the kids. Such being the entertainment of Dave and Buster’s. 

As a young adult in San Francisco, I got to experience the Metreon (fun, and I miss that!) In having Dave & Busters, it’s nice to be able to plan to go, and it’s nearby. 

The gaming experience is very different, but only in technology. No need to be dragging tokens anymore. You can either get a game card, or download the app. I find it convenient, and I like it that way. Tickets are loaded to your card or app, and they are scanned when you redeem for prizes. No more dropping your tickets to another kid’s joy. The food is not bad, it’s priced “normal” in Bay Area terms. I love that there’s also a bar, for when I might just want to meet with grown up friends sometimes! 

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Is it safe to say that D&B is an acceptable replacement for the legendary Pizza and Pipes? I think, with all the circumstances, it is. Some things can’t be replaced, but new formations of those things come by and I am for it.

We are beyond excited to be in the top 30 of Feedspot’s Top 30 San Francisco Lifestyle Blogs and Websites of 2021. We want to show that our city is still great for families, and that there is so much to enjoy. Through this blog, we share our experience and pass along tips that allow our family to enjoy our life in San Francisco. Thank you, Feedspot, for including us in this list! 




Check out some original art! Our very own Miss A created this digital drawing of cute characters, and it can be purchased as a drawstring bag from The Elf Queen online store. This bag is made of 100% polyester, and is quite spacious at 14.5" by 18". Appreciate your support of independent and entrepreneurial artists! 

Order one today, and take 25% off with the code BIRTHDAYSALE

The Elf Queen is powered by Zazzle.

Is your family streaming content? We cut cable in 2010, and haven't looked back. We have been enjoying Netflix for "free" with our T-mobile plan, and we also subscribe to Hulu and Prime. Happy with this lifestyle. Cable has too many channels we don't ever watch! Hulu has been fabulous with all its throwback shows! It absolutely has an audience in me. Wonder Years, Step By Step, Family Matters, Perfect Strangers, Full House, Hangin With Mr Cooper.... need I say more? Gen X TV, that's what I grew up on. 

If you have T-mobile, make sure to ask them about Netflix! Another one of my favorite streaming channel is Peacock TV, NBC's streaming service. Many good shows are free, and some are premium. Love having choices to pay for what I want only when I want. Many times I don't want! So I'm not forced to pay. 

By cutting the cord, our expenses in screen time are much more affordable:

Prime --- $12.99+tax per month
Hulu --- $5.99 per month
Netflix --- free with T-mobile subscription
Peacock TV --- free

We also watch free broadcast TV with our fabulous digital antenna. More on that in another post!

We are sharing here a 30-day trial with Amazon Prime. As a member, benefits include:


  • Instantly watch thousands of movies and TV episodes
  • Borrow Kindle books
  • Get unlimited FREE two-day shipping (no minimum order size)



*This is an affiliate link. Your purchase is appreciated!

 














Save 50% on select product(s) with promo code 50CH3S9J on Amazon.com

This summer, get the kids off electronics and into crafting! Found this promo code good until June 30. 
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