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Zoolapalooza Review

July 13, 2015 by Mama Carmody 22 Comments

Zoolapalooza Review

Zoolapalooza is a concert series at the Indianapolis Zoo. It takes place on four consecutive Fridays. On these evenings the zoo stays open a little later.

Last Friday night we decided to take our daughter and grandson and check it out. The concerts are free with admission and since we have a zoo pass, we didn’t have to pay a thing to get in. The concerts take place under a big tent so they happen rain or shine. Which was a good thing on this night because it looked like the sky would open and dump on us at any time. It never did but we were safe it it had.

We arrived early enough to check out a couple of the animals before we headed to the concert. We always have to stop and say hi to the seals. They were barking their greetings this particular evening.

We also stopped by to see the orangutans. Several of them were awake and moving around. One in particular seems to be smitten with my husband. It makes eyes at him every time we go….must be a female.

Enjoying the orangutans and Zoolapalooza.

The animals get to stay up a little later during Zoolapalooza. They don’t have to go to bed until 7:00. The rides also stay open until 7:00. As an extra bonus, members receive free access to a different ride each night. The night we were there the free ride was the carousel, which made me very happy. That’s my favorite ride. Someone else is beginning to enjoy the carousel as well.

We decided to enjoy dinner while we listened to the music. They offer a different specialty menu during each concert, as well as the regular zoo options. This night the theme was Americana. There was a full salad bar as well as Zoo-liders. My husband asked what Zoo-liders were. I told him they were sliders made from zebra…don’t panic! I made that up just to tease him. They were sliders but they were made of chicken, beef or BBQ pulled pork. You could choose two Zoo-liders. You also received freshly made potato chips and either potato salad and coleslaw for $8.99. You could include a soft drink for $9.99.

My husband and I chose the Zoo-liders and my daughter chose the pizza, which is one of the regular food options at the zoo. My grandson chose to eat one of my Zoo-liders and some of his mom’s pizza. He really enjoyed dinner accompanied by music as you can see here:

Music was provided by Jayne Bond and the Pink Martinis. We had a lot of fun. There was quite a bit of dancing as well as singing along with the band. Besides the music, there were a couple of stations set up to help entertain the little ones. I was VERY thankful for that because my almost 2 year old grandson was constantly on the move. The two stations helped keep him in the vicinity of the music.

One of the stations was sponsored by Indiana Credit Union. They had a basket full of dress-up clothes. There were items suitable for boys and girls. There were some great props like guitars and microphones too, as well as a backdrop where you could take your own pictures.

The other station was sponsored by the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. I loved their sign.

My grandson really enjoyed “petting” the instruments.

I was very thankful for the two stations because my grandson kept me running between the stations, the dance floor and the table we were at. We really enjoyed our evening and will definitely be returning.

I’m sorry to say that the Zoolapalooza concerts have concluded for this year but do not fret, more musical fun awaits. The Animals and All That Jazz concerts have started. They happen on Thursday evenings through August 6th. They run on the same concept as the Zoolapalooza concerts. There will be a different group performing each Thursday night, with specialty food offerings and a free ride for members.

Just like the Zoolapalooza concerts, Animals and All That Jazz concerts are free to Zoo members and included with regular admission. Visitors can save $2 at the gate by bringing an empty Dean’s milk carton to the Zoo to be recycled. Advance tickets are also available at IndianapolisZoo.com or concert goers can find a coupon on the Zoo’s Facebook page that’s good for $4 off admission at the gate after 4pm on the night of the event.

Here is a list of the remaining concerts for this year. Pick a date (or two), pack up the family and plan for an evening of fun, food and music. I just might see you there.

July 16: West Central Quartet

From classic to contemporary, this high-energy foursome showcases an eclectic mix of music that reaches across multiple jazz genres. Their unique approach to entertaining is sure to get crowds up on their feet.
• Menu: “Taste of Summer” with beer can chicken, salad bar and apple dumpling a la mode.
• Featured ride: Carousel

July 23: Mina and the Wondrous Flying Machine

Featuring an adventurous mélange of styles, this group offers a fresh approach to jazz music. A multi-talented singer-songwriter leads their piano-driven sound, which is highlighted on their new album — with the Zoo-appropriate name — Tigers.
• Menu: “Pan Asian” with pan fried noodle bar, salad bar and root beer float.
• Free member ride: Kōmbo Roller Coaster presented by Outback Steakhouse

July 30: Appalatin

Bridging the music traditions of Latin and American folk, this band’s foot-stomping, hip-swinging sounds have been in the spotlight on festival stages around the Midwest.
• Menu: “Night of Havana” with Cubano sandwich, salad bar and build-your-own ice cream sundae.
• Free member ride: White River Junction Train

Aug. 6: Buselli-Wallarab Jazz Orchestra

What better way to close out the series than with a rare performance by this incredible 17-piece orchestra. This veteran ensemble bring decades of experience to the stage along with a song list of familiar tunes from many big-name jazz musicians.
• Menu: “Mediterranean Night” with kabobs, salad bar and ice cream sandwich.
• Free member ride: Carousel

Have you been to Zoolapalooza or Animals and All That Jazz? Please share your experience with us? If you haven’t been in the Indianapolis area for one of these events, do you have something like this where you live?

Watching orangutans climb during Zoolapalooza.

Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra’s Community Day
Fun with Music
Review: Rhythm Discovery Center
Bongo Boy Music School Review

PBS Kids in the Park Review, 2015

June 21, 2015 by Mama Carmody 15 Comments

PBS Kids in the Park Review, 2015

Saturday, June 13th was, once again, PBS Kids in the Park. The event was at Military Park in downtown Indianapolis. I had attended two years ago but this year was extra special. My grandson and daughter were able to attend with me.

Keagan won’t be two years old until the end of July so I wasn’t sure how much he would enjoy this. My daughter said that he watches most of the characters so we thought there would be some interest. I believe my daughter was more excited than anyone. Well, that is until the characters started to appear. Once he starting seeing the characters, this was the expression we received:

He can hardly contain his excitement once he sees the characters.

Needless to say, he was ecstatic. He must have yelled, “Super Why!” 50 times over the course of the day.

My favorite part of the day is the character parade. It is the first thing to kick off the event. My suggestion is to get there early and find a place to the left of the stage. (That is left as you are facing the stage.) This is the best advantage for the children to see the characters. The characters march up from the left side of the stage and across it, then down the other side. One of the reasons I like to get to the left of the stage rather than right in front of it is because the kids can stand or sit in their strollers and easily see the characters. We weren’t having to lift him up so he could see up on stage.

Here were some of the pictures of the parade. I believe I have the names of all the characters this time; thanks to my daughter and a couple of Facebook friends. Check out my post from two years ago: PBS Kids in the Park Review. It was pathetic. I only knew a couple of the characters and I didn’t get much help from anyone so they went nameless.

This is Daniel Tiger. His show is a spin-off of the Neighborhood of Make-Believe from Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood.

Starting at the front of the parade (the right side of the picture), that is Buddy from Dinosaur Train, next is Word Girl. Most of you are probably familiar with the next character, Curious George and the last character is Chirp, from Peep and the Big Wide World.

PBS Kids Day in the Park: Character Parade

Again, starting from the front of the parade (the right side of the picture), the first two are Migel and Mia. They are brother and sister. I’ve loved the next character since I was a little girl. That’s Clifford the Big Red Dog. He doesn’t seem to be quite as big as he was in the storybooks. Behind Clifford is Wonder Red.

PBS Kids in the Park: Sid the Science Kid

This is Sid the Science Kid. I’m not familiar with him but I loved science so maybe I should check him out.

PBS Kids in the Park: Super Why and Princess Pea

These two characters are on the same show. It’s one that my grandson simply loves. This is Super Why and Princess Pea. The dog in the picture below is Woofster. He is also from the same show.

This purple bird is Digit. He is one of the characters on Cyberchase. It is a fun children’s show that incorporates math in their adventures.

The above characters are Peg and Cat, which come from the show by the same name. Cat stopped to show us a few of his dance moves. He is definitely a groovin’ cat.

And last, but definitely not least, is Alpha Pig. He is also a character on Super Why!

Meeting the Characters

If you miss the parade you do have opportunities to meet the characters throughout the day. They each have their own tent and schedule. The only problem with this is that the wait can be very long. We were lucky enough to get in the beginning of the line for Super Why and only had a 20 minute wait. Daniel the Tiger was in the other half of the same tent but it was going to be an hour and a half wait from the time we finished with Super Why. We were going to come back and get in line later until we realized that people were already lining up. We made the decision to go ahead and get in line. My daughter and I took turns taking Keagan to enjoy other activities while one of us stayed in line. As I talked with other people I found out that most of them came with a strategy. One of the people I talked to had several adults in their group. They would split up and sit in the different lines while someone else shuffled the children from spot to spot. Since it was just my daughter and me, we only waited in the two lines. Here are the pictures of Keagan meeting Super Why and Daniel Tiger.

PBS Kids Day: Meeting Super Why and Daniel Tiger

Please don’t misinterpret the pictures. Keagan was thrilled to meet the characters. He ran up to them, gave them high fives and hugs but he was NOT thrilled with us for making him turn around to get his picture taken.

Other Activities

There were several other activities besides meeting the characters. Keagan made a colorful butterfly and was able to climb and jump at the Gymboree tent.

He raced Hot Wheels and played in a sand table at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis tent.

Children's Museum Booth — Children’s Museum Booth

There were bubbles to blow at the Child Care Answers booth.

Blowing Bubbles at Child Care Answers Booth

We stopped by the main stage a couple of times to enjoy the shows that were taking place there. Keagan loves music so this was especially fun.

There was so much more to enjoy but it was getting really hot and Brittany and I were worn out. Some of the other activities we saw were a bounce house, a fire engine that the kids could go through and so much more.

My suggestions for a great day:

*** Get there early and station yourself to the left of the stage.
*** Take extra adults with you to hold places in the lines of the characters you really want to see.
*** Bring extra snacks and small toys to entertain your child if you do have to sit in a long line with them.
*** Most of all have a magically fun day.

PBS Kids in the Park Review, 2011

Indy Island Aquatic Center Review

November 20, 2014 by Mama Carmody 5 Comments

Indy Island Aquatic Center Review

November 1st, 2014, Indianapolis Indiana, we were heading to the Indy Island Aquatic Center at Raymond Park. The high this day was 43 degrees. That sounds like perfect weather to think about going swimming doesn’t it. And isn’t this the way you envision being dressed to head to the pool?

Indy Island Aquatic Center: Early November and we want to go swimming.

My secret is out. I love the water. I grew up in the water, my kids grew up in the water and now it’s time for the next generation. It has been many years since I was last at Indy Island. We used to take the kids there when they were young. A couple of them have winter birthdays and Indy Island was a nice alternative for a party place.

The indoor facility is open year round with heated pools. We thought the water and air temperature, in the facility, was a little cool, the day we visited, but it was tolerable.

The kid-sized pool goes from a zero entry level depth to 3 feet. There is a water playhouse with a slide and lots of water spraying in different directions. Jeremiah spent a lot of time in this area. I spent a lot of time at the foot of the slide watching him come down.

There is a large water slide for people at least 48” tall. There is a separate 3 lane lap pool that goes from 3 ½ feet to 6 feet. There is a spa for adults only and tons of deck chairs.

It’s not like one of those huge water parks with tons of attractions but considering the admission price, it’s an awesome deal.

The indoor pool is open Wednesday and Friday from 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.. Saturday and Sunday, it’s open from noon until 5:00 p.m.. The cost is extremely reasonable. For 3 to 17 years, it’s $4 during the week and $5 for weekends and holidays. Adults are $5 during the week and $6 for weekends and holidays. Senior Citizens (ages 55+) are the same as the youth. Children 2 and under are free.

Birthday Parties

If you are looking for a fun place for a birthday party, you should check out Indy Island. For $80, your child can celebrate their birthday with 7 of their friends. This price includes 2 adults. You will get the party room for 55 minutes. Indy Island will cover four tables with tablecloths and set 10 place settings for your party. You can bring your own decorations, if you want, but you won’t be allowed in the room early. This means you will be using part of your child’s party time to decorate. My suggestion would be to let Indy Island do their thing. If you really want to bring something, make it a few balloons and/or simple centerpieces you can quickly place on the tables that they have prepared. You can not bring outside food or drink, other than the cake and ice cream. They provide 2 pitchers of punch. After the party, head to the pool for some fun. The pool is included in the price. For $100, they will also serve hotdogs and chips. If you have more children or adults that you want to invite, additional children are $5.00 and adults are $6.00.

Whether you are looking for a way to beat the winter chill or an alternative site for a birthday party, be sure to check out the fun at Indy Island Aquatic Center at Raymond Park.
Located at:
8575 E Raymond Street
Indianapolis, IN 46239
Phone:(317)862-6876

*Disclaimer: I was not asked or compensated, in any way, to do this review. I chose to do it simply to help families find affordable fun activities to do together.

How to Train Your Dragon 2 – Review

June 13, 2014 by Mama Carmody 1 Comment

How to Train Your Dragon 2 – Review

Disclaimer: I was given 4 tickets to attend the screening of “How to Train Your Dragon 2”; however, I was not influenced by the promotional materials. All opinions and insights are my own.

I was excited for the opportunity to review How to Train Your Dragon 2 but I thought that I should probably see the first movie before I saw #2. There is a link to my review of the first movie at the bottom of this post.

When I was young I loved dinosaurs; and dragons are just fire-breathing, flying dinosaurs, aren’t they? So I was looking forward to this 2nd movie in the How to Train Your Dragon trilogy. I mentioned, in my review of the first movie, that I was concerned that young children might be scared by the fighting between the dragons and the Vikings, however, I didn’t have that concern with this movie. Yes, there is fighting and dragons but in my opinion it isn’t as scary because, at the beginning of this movie, the dragons and Vikings are friends.

The movie starts out with a humorous dragon race. There were lots of giggles from children and adults as Astrid, Fishlegs and the others compete in a pretty silly race that involves tossing sheep into baskets. The sheep didn’t look like they were having quite as much fun as everyone else.

This movie again takes place on the Island of Berk but the dragons and Vikings now live peacefully with each other. Hiccup is still the thinker and adventurer. He and Toothless are traveling near and far mapping out the new lands they find.

During their explorations they come across a band of marauders that catch and enslave dragons. The marauders try to capture Toothless but Hiccup and Toothless are able to break free. They are still faced with the problem of how to free the other dragons that have been enslaved. And what about the stories of a mysterious Dragon Rider that the marauders are worried about?

How to Train Your Dragon 2: The Dragon Rider

If you liked the first How to Train Your Dragon, then you will love How to Train Your Dragon 2.

I would again like to warn parents, if you have a sensitive child or one that worries about monsters, this movie might be a bit scary for them. There is a lot of fighting between people and dragons. There are also a couple of extra huge dragons in this movie. However, if your child isn’t bothered by this type of action then they will really enjoy How to Train Your Dragon 2.

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How to Train Your Dragon – Review

How To Train Your Dragon – Review

June 12, 2014 by Mama Carmody 1 Comment

How To Train Your Dragon

In anticipation of the release of How to Train Your Dragon 2, I thought maybe I should see the first How to Train Your Dragon. I headed to the Redbox website and reserved a copy to view. The movie was originally released in 2010 by DreamWorks Animation and can now be found on Blu-Ray and DVD.

The story is set in a Viking village called the Island of Berk. The island is regularly attacked by dragons, and all Vikings strive to be great dragon killers…well, all except one. Hiccup, who has more brain than brawn, is happiest using his mind and hands to invent contraptions to catch the dragons. He strives to be a great Viking like his father, the chief of the village.

During an attack, by the dragons, Hiccup uses one of his inventions and actually nets one. The dragon is an elusive and quite mysterious Night Fury. Once Hiccup tracks down the place where the dragon fell from the sky, he finally has his opportunity to kill a dragon and prove himself to his father and the village. But alas, once he looks into the eyes of the dragon he can’t bring himself to kill it so he releases it from the net.

How to Train Your Dragon - Review — How to Train Your Dragon – Review

Hiccup ends up building a trust and friendship with the Night Fury, which he calls Toothless. (By the way, Toothless is anything BUT toothless.) The more Hiccup interacts and observes Toothless the more he realizes that different dragons have different likes and dislikes, the same as humans. He learns that becoming friends with dragons is as easy as learning the things they enjoy. However, trying to convince the other Vikings that they could be friends with the dragons is a whole other challenge.

This story teaches the importance of taking the time to learn about others. They may
become your good friends if you just take the time to get to know them.

I would like to give a warning to parents. If you have a sensitive child or one that worries about monsters, I would wait until they get a little older to see this movie. I originally thought this movie would not be good for a child under 5 years old but I discussed it with a good friend and fellow blogger, Crystal Paschal, author of Mom for Less. She has two boys ages 5 and 3. She said that both her boys had seen it (although not in a theater) and didn’t have any issues. My concerns came from the beginning of the movie when the dragons were attacking the village and the Vikings are trying to kill the dragons. I thought that could be scary and cause nightmares to a young child. Crystal suggested that boys might be less frightened by all the action. Then I remembered that my youngest daughter was watching Jurassic Park (at home with the lights on) when she was 3 years old so maybe I was being overly cautious.

Have your children seen How to Train Your Dragon? How old were they and did it give them nightmares? I would love to hear about your family’s experience and I’m sure others would too.

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How to Train Your Dragon 2 – Review