What's Happening

There are some amazing things to start to do this weekend, depending on what you are looking for!

The Seattle International Film Festival is officially kicking off, and it's one of the largest and best organized film festivals in North America. If you want to see a move in your native language, you will probably find more than one. In addition, there are many other film festivals going on that occur during the SIFF. Be sure to check out their website for the best of new films from all over the world, as well as some great oldies.

Speaking of great oldies, this weekend you can catch a classic. At the Egyptian Theatre on Capitol Hill you can catch "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure" at midnight tonight. It's located at 805 E. Pine, and their number is 206-781-5755. If you haven't seen the movie, it's well worth your time (and lack of sleep) to go...

The Crest is another Seattle theatre to keep in mind. Admission is only $3 for any movie, so it's worth the drive. The Admiral in West Seattle sports $5 movies as well. More on cheap movies later!

Today is also the Eastside Arts Education Fair, at Crossroads Mall from 11a - 4p. There is going to be information, workshops and performances by lot sof music, dance, visual arts, cultural groups and more. FYI - it's free, which is great.

What's Happening

There are lots of great things going on this weekend! Check some of these ideas out!

There are dozens upon dozens of Easter Egg hunts this weekend, and even if you don't celebrate easter it can be fun sugar fest for the kids...

• Redmond has a traditional egg hunt at 10a, at the Redmond Senior Center. More info at www.redmond.gov/recreationarts/eggstravaganza/ . Saturday.
• Sammamish hunt includes the egg hunt, bounce house, mini gold and more. At the Sammamish Family YMCA in Issaquah from 10a until 1p. Saturday.
• Gilman Village in Issaquah is hosting a "not just for kids" hunt from 10a until noon on Saturday.
• Check the Seattle Times for more details and lots more egg hunts!

Also coming up to do:

• Saturday, cats who are rescused and rehabilitated by the Seattle Animal Control foster families are ready for adoption. 12p - 3p at the Rainier Community Center.
• Go bowling at Tech City Bowl in Kirkland on Saturday, and not only have a grea ttime - but you can raise money for NW foster kids!
• Saturday and Sunday is WHIRLIGIG - an annual festival at the Seattle Center filled with bounce-house toys and play things for kids 12 and younger. Admission is free, but the rides cost... This is a TON of fun to do with your host family!
• Seattle Cherry Blossom Festival, April 17-19, at Seattle Center

What to plan for coming up:

• Walking with Dinosaurs, at Key Arena April 29 - May 3rd. This is pretty amazing. Tickets can be purchase at Key Arena. Imagine seeing life-sized dinosaurs walking around the Key Arena at Seattle Center... pretty cool!

Have a great weekend, and I'll see you next week for the Tulip Festival!

What's Happening?

I've had a lot of requests for things to do around here... so my goal (note: goal) is that each week I'll let you know what stuff is going on in the area that you can do! So here we go:

• GPS Adventures, at the Pacific Science Center - totally hands-on exhibit on using your GPS and doing cool stuff like geo-caching
• Monsters vs. Aliens (the movie)... seriously, any animated movie about both monsters and aliens cannot be all that bad...
• Britney Spears (who thunk... guess she has bills to pay too) - will be at the Tacoma Dome on Thursday night next week with the Pussycat Dolls. Get your tickets through Ticketmaster
• Comedy Underground. I know many of you used to go (you know, before you found other places to go) - but they miss you!
• Big Bad Voodoo Daddy - one of my favorite bands will be playing Saturday night at the Kirkland Performance Center. Two shows (2p and 8p) and you can order online or by phone at 425-893-9900.

Last is my choice for your "long-range" planning: Mark Morris Dance Group will be at the paramount Theatre May 1-3rd. Purchase tickets through the groups website and save money on Ticketmaster...

That Baby DVD

Wanted to share this great video/CD with everyone! This is a favorite at our house, and if you watch the DVD closely, you will see a cameo by three of my favorite girls! You can learn more by visiting their website as well...

A vote that everyone gets to participate in!

So - a friend of mine (Mark) has been nominated by a local TV show, the King 5 Evening Magazine as ‘best Western Washington Wedding DJ company’. They are having voting on this now... I'd love it if everyone would go to the link (below) and vote for Mark (Seattle Parties)! Thanks!

Link: http://best.king5.com/contests/best-of-western-washington/2336/weddings/dj (vote for ‘Seattle Parties’ ;-) >> takes only a minute! <<

Working out on the Eastside...

There are some great places to join for clubs around here if you want to work out. I haven't been paid any promotional fee's, although it's not a bad idea... :-)

They have differing costs, and will have membership fee's at some places, and definately monthly fees at others. Don't sign anything with a required term (like - you must join for a year).


Curves - women only

Bellevue, WA - Kelsey Creek 15015 Main St., Ste. 105 Bellevue, WA 98007 (425) 644-1042
Mercer Island, WA 8435 SE 68th Street, Ste. 100 Mercer Island, WA 98040 (206) 275-2223
Redmond, WA 8052 - 161st Ave. NE Redmond, WA 98052 (425) 556-1364
Kirkland, WA 10633 NE 68th St. Kirkland, WA 98033 (425) 739-0303

24 Hour Fitness

Bellevue 1505 140th Avenue Ne Bellevue, WA 98005 Phone: (425) 641-1111
Kirkland 529 Parkplace Center Kirkland, WA 98033 Phone: (425) 889-2582

Gold's Gym

Kirkland 11133 120th Ave. NE 425-827-0777
Issaquah 1025 NW Gilman Blvd Suite E-8 425-369-8585

YMCA

Bellevue 14230 Bel-Red Road 425-746-9900

The Cadillac's of Clubs:
ProClub
Bellevue Club

SeaFair 2008

Go back and check out the posting on SeaFair from May - there are tons of activities going on right now that are just fantastic! Here are some of the highlights:

July 12-13: Mercer Island Summer Celebration!12th - at Luther Burbank Park on Mercer Island from 10a - 7p, with fireworks at dark
12th - Parade, Downtown Mercer Island at 10a
13th - downtown Mercer Island from 10a - 5p
July 12: Redmond Derby Days, Redmond City Hall, 10a - 10p
July 12-13: Seattle's Chinatown-International District Festival 2008, Hing Hay Park, 10a - 6p
July 12: Wallingford Seafair Kiddie Parade & Street Fair, Wallingford Avenue between 43rd and 45th, from 10a - 6p, Parade at 11a
July 17-20: Kla Ha Ya Days, Downtown Snohomish; Parade on the 19th at 11a
July 18-20: 23rd Annual Seafair Indian Days Pow Wow, Daybreak Indian Culture Center at Discovery Park
July 18-20: Kirkland Uncorked, Marina Park in Kirkland
July 20: Chinatown Seafair Parade, International District in Seattle, 7p (come and cheer on the families with children from China!!)
July 23: Greenwood Seafair Parade, Parade at 6p
July 23, 25-27: IKEA Renton River Days, Liberty Park in Renton
July 25-27: Covington Days Festival, Covington Multicare Clinic
July 26, 2008: Southwest Airlines Torchlight Parade at Seafair, Downtown on 4th Avenue, 7:30p
July 26-27: Ballard SeafoodFest, eat your way to happiness in downtown Ballard
July 30 - August 3 - Fleet Arrival and Tours, Pier 90
August 1-3, 2008: Chevrolet Cup at Seafair, South Lake Washington (see website for times)August 1-3, 2008: KeyBank Air Show at Seafair presented by Boeing, South Lake Washington (see website for times)

Bite of Seattle

Next weekend, July 18-20th, is the Bite of Seattle. Held at the Seattle Center, this is YOUR opportunity to spend the day trying out food from all the Seattle area restaurants that you haven't gone out to yet.

If you think you saw a lot of food at Folklife, this is nothing - this is all food, everywhere. Of course, there will be some entertainment and music, but the main attraction is fantastic food. Prepare to pace yourselves, and eat yourselves silly. (Look for more information on the late summer festival, Bumbershoot, if you are interested in great music from the whole world..)

Admission is FREE, and the food is usually $3-6 per sample.

King County Libary System

We are lucky to have such a great library system here in King County. One of the first things I tell my AP's to do is to get themselves a Libary Card.



The library is a great activity for older kids - they can play on the computers, check out books that the school doesn't have, join the summer reading programs and just hang out. For younger kids, they offer great story times and other programs.


So - how to get started? Go to the King County Libary website and you can apply online for a libary card, or go to any library and apply. You must have some way to show your proof of address - either your drivers license, checks or something else with your address.


Once you have that, you can reserve books, movies, CD's, books on CD or tape - whatever you want. Why pay for Netflix when the library has hundreds of movies for you?

What else can you do at the library?

• Enroll your HF kids in the Summer Reading Program
• Computer time
• Classes (ESL, etc)
• Meet the authors of favorite books
• Story time
• Writing classes
• Get research help for college papers (or high school) from the librarian

River Rafting Rocks!

I've heard from a few of you, but will everyone please let me know a yes or no as to whether you will be attending? Host families are welcome to join in this fun day, and children over the age of 12 are welcome as well!

We will be on June 21, 2008. You may have heard what a great meeting this is. Many say it's the best meeting of the year - but I need to hear from you NOW if you want to attend! Checks will be due to me on May 15th.

Here are the details:The meeting is open to au pairs and any member of their host families. Children 12 and over are allowed to attend. We will need several drivers/cars to get everyone over to Leavenworth, so if you are a host parent and would like to go, please let me know.

This meeting includes the Eastside and all Seattle groups.

Schedule:
9:45a Meet at the Bothell Park and ride
10:00a We will leave promptly at 10a for Leavenworth
1:00p - 5:30p Lunch and river rafting
6:00p - 8:00p Dinner in Leavenworth
10:00p Return (to the Bothell Park and Ride)

Cost is $60.00 per person (includes the cost of life jacket, wetsuit, booties, etc.) In addition, everyone not driving will be asked to give $8.00 towards gas to the driver of their car to offset gas prices.

The website can be found at: http://www.riverrider.com/ - check it out and let me know if you would like to attend!