Fun times with Blue Man Group, Disney on Ice for February Break

This February break, we had the opportunity to check out Blue Man Group at the Charles Playhouse and Disney on Ice at the TD Garden. 

BLUE MAN GROUP

We were excited to see Blue Man Group come back to performing since the start of the pandemic.

The check-in process at the Charles Playhouse was seamless and we were comforted knowing that they were still checking vaccination records as well as requiring that people wore masks during the performance. There was a great area by the bathrooms where kids could play with the same pipes that the Blue Men were making music with.

While the Blue Men were celebrating 25 years in Boston, the last time I went to a show was easily 20 years ago. It was just how I remembered - a lot of fun beats and music along with zany antics and the best part? The Blue Men are able to communicate without saying a word! It is so great! They also had some fun videos that would be shown where you could see the crazy stuff that goes on inside your brain (the hellawack shiznit) and they also showed if one of the blue men swallowed a camera. 

One of the most amazing parts was when one of the Blue Men caught marshmallows in his mouth - we counted and out of the 31 marshmallows thrown, he ate all of them and kept them all in his mouth, except for TWO, which he then carefully spit out of his mouth in a mountain of marshmallow which he then put a $5,000 price tag on it as a piece of art. Ha!

The kids absolutely loved it and my little guy was laughing most of the time from the silly actions and the fun music. We didn't take any pictures inside the show because they had asked us not to, but we did take pictures before and after. I felt bad for the cleaning crew since there was a lot of paper to clean up but then again, I realize this is a really clear explanation of why you pay facility fees for these types of shows!

DISNEY ON ICE

We had the opportunity to see Disney on Ice at the TD Garden in Boston. There were a lot more people there than I had expected but the show was equally as good as the one during the holiday break, with different characters and a different story line.

It had a bunch of songs from classics as well as some of the newer shows and we enjoyed them all! It was neat to see the great costumes as well as the special effects for some of the numbers.

We thoroughly enjoyed our time and strongly recommend it for a fun thing to do during break!

NOTE: We were provided with complimentary tickets to attend these shows. All opinions are our own.

More fun shows coming in February! Monster Jam, Blue Man Group and the New England Boat Show! #partner

Image provided by Blue Man Group

We're in the middle of winter sports, homework and activities amidst all of these unknowns with the status of things during this pandemic. Before we know it February vacation will be here and there are more fun shows that are continuing to be scheduled:

• Monster Jam is coming on February 4th to the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence, 
• Blue Man Group will have shows during February break
• The New England Boat Show is back in Boston at the Convention Center from February 16-20.

BLUE MAN GROUP BOSTON IS BACK FOR FEBRUARY SCHOOL VACATION WEEK

Week includes added matinees & creative adjustments to the interactive moments

BOSTON-   Blue Man Group Boston will be back just in time for February School Vacation Week with their unique brand of zany creativity.

The show will officially kick off on Thursday, Feb. 10 with a 7:30 pm show and from Feb. 18-27 during School Vacation Week, Blue Man Group at the Charles Playhouse will have an expanded show schedule including added weekday matinees at 1:30 pm.

Blue Man Group will also be making creative adjustments to the interactive moments to provide everyone a safe and entertaining theatre experience.

“We are excited to get back to performing for our fans and showcasing our fun mix of art, music, comedy and collective discovery that people love,” said Jonathan Screnci, Company Manager, Blue Man Group Boston.

For tickets and more information about Blue Man Group Boston, check out www.blueman.com. Doors open one hour before each performance. Children under the age of 5 are not permitted in the theatre.

Health and Safety

The Charles Playhouse has upgraded air filtration, enhanced cleaning procedures, additional hand sanitization stations and contactless entry and payment options. For more details check out https://boston.broadway.com/covid-19/

Mask Requirements:

All guests must wear a face mask when inside the venue, single-use disposable masks and cloth masks with at least two layers of tightly woven breathable fabric are acceptable. Gaiters, scarves, and bandanas are not acceptable face coverings.

COVID-19 Guidelines:

As guidelines continue to change and be updated, please visit https://boston.broadway.com/vaccination-policy/ for full policy details and the most up to date information before visiting the theatre.

As of February 1, 2022, all guests who are ages 12 and older must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 with an FDA or WHO authorized or approved vaccine and must show proof of vaccination at their time of entry into the theater with their ticket.

All guests who are ages 5 through 11 must have received at least one dose against COVID-19 with an FDA or WHO authorized or approved vaccine and must show proof of vaccination at their time of entry into the theater with their ticket.

• Guests with accessibility questions, or who require additional assistance related to the venue’s COVID-19 policies may contact: PlayhouseInfo@BroadwayInBoston.com or 617-426-6912

NOTE: We are provided with opportunities to check out the shows in exchange for promoting them. No other compensation is provided and all opinions are our own.

Win Tickets to Imagine Van Gogh the Original Immersive Exhibition in Image Totale© at the SoWa Power Station #partner

Photo provided by Imagine Van Gogh Boston

Boston, MA / Wednesday, December 15, 2021—Boston has declared its love for Imagine Van Gogh the Original Immersive Exhibition in Image Totale©, and with demand soaring, organizers have extended the exhibit through to March 19, 2022 at the SoWa Power Station.

You can sign up to win tickets from Parental Ideas Blog here:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

The exhibit, created in France by Artistic Directors Annabelle Mauger and Julien Baron, has captivated audiences and received rave reviews from critics. This stunning immersion into 200 of Van Gogh’s paintings has travelled coast-to-coast and dazzled North American audiences. It will be making its U.S. Premiere in Boston on Tuesday, December 21, 2021 – and due to popular demand the exhibition has been extended.

 

Filling 24,000 square feet of the SoWa Power Station, Imagine Van Gogh the Original Immersive Exhibition in Image Totale©, allows the viewer to enter and roam the luminous dreamscapes conjured by Vincent Van Gogh, projected in infinitesimally fine detail and at the grandest scale, accompanied by the music of Prokofiev, Saint-Saëns, Schubert, Mozart, Satie, and more. Invented by Albert Plecy in 1977, Image Totale© has been adapted by Mauger and Baron to offer passage into the visionary works of a beloved genius, where we become engulfed by those famously tactile brushstrokes.

 

Annabelle Mauger is the original creator of the first immersive Van Gogh exhibition, presented in 2008 at Cathédrale d’Images in France and in 2011 at the ArtScience Museum in Singapore. Her creation inspired various digital Van Gogh exhibitions that toured around the world in the years since. In 2017, Mauger and Baron presented a new, elevated version of Imagine Van Gogh in Image Totale© at Halle de La Villette in Paris.

 

Imagine Van Gogh the Original Immersive Exhibition in Image Totale© is designed as a contactless experience and will have timed entries and will operate in full accordance with current safety guidelines established by the CDC and the Massachusetts government – all visitors are required to wear masks both inside and outside the SoWa Power Station regardless of vaccination status.

Tickets are on sale now at www.imagine-vangogh.com.

NOTE: We were provided with tickets to the Imagine Van Gogh exhibit in exchange for this post.

Wears Woody: A local brand with Bold, Coastal Style and a great mission of giving back to drive over diabetes

When I attended the New England Boat show earlier this year, I had the opportunity to meet Mike Norwood, the founder of Wears Woody, a local Boston area clothing company with an awesome product and even greater mission of giving back to “drive over” diabetes. He started the company selling shirts out of his Jeep Wagoneer, Woody, and driving around selling his stock and giving back.

Wears Woody donates 7% of each sale to back to non-profits to help cure the disease. Such an amazing concept! You can choose which organization to give to (JDRF, Riding on Insulin, College Diabetes Network and T1D Exchange), or have it split evenly right at checkout.

Mike was a great host and took the time to explain their mission, products and we had a chance to check some of the new items they now have available in their online store.

Each article of American-made clothing is made in a local mill in Everett, Massachusetts, which produces their line of clothing for the mobile surf chalet as well as retailers and resorts around the east and west coast. I remembered the mobile surf chalet from seeing it parked near Boston’s South Station in Dewey Square - it is so cool that they can literally “set up shop” and provide an inviting retail experience anywhere!

Wears Woody has a new UPF line which is here this summer and has three different weights of clothing. I had the chance to try a few of their shirts and ended up getting their Solar Stretch Half-Zip in navy and it is SO comfortable and has UPF 50 sun protection in the fabric. New this summer, this line of clothing with embedded UPF protection has three weights and is perfect for the cooler temps that the evenings can bring.

The Anorak is one of their best-sellers and is perfect for colder times as well as wet or rainy situations. It has a pocket for your cell phone, too! I tried their t-shirts and other shirts and they are so soft and comfortable. It is great getting clothing that you can feel good about giving back to the community with.

Here's their founder, Mike, talking about Wears Woody:

NOTE: I was provided with the solar stretch half-zip shirt to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided and all opinions, as always, are my own.

New England Boat Show has a boat for every price point. Visit in Boston through Feb 16

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to check out the Progressive Insurance New England Boat Show. It is the largest and best boat show in the area with over 700 of the latest boats for you to check out. Every year, over 50,000 people go to the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center to see the latest in boating and marine accessories.

Insider Tip: If you go, be sure to bring shoes that can be easily removed and wear socks, as most boat dealers will want you to remove your shoes before walking on the boat.

I enjoyed going on a few of the boats and found it quite interesting how they conserve space in each and every corner. When we toured the queen of the show, the Azimut 45, a glamorous yacht from exhibitor MarineMax, the bathroom combined the toilet with the shower area in a genius layout!

They have a bunch of family-friendly features include Salt, the inflatable humpback whale, kids paddle pool, and even an interactive casting tank. For boating enthusiasts of all ages, there are hundreds of seminars on topics and the latest tech and accessories from exhibitors like Goose Hummock.

They have many booths with vendors and you can get some great apparel, as well as accessories for your next boating adventure. We visited a few of them and recommend checking out Wears Woody for some really comfortable clothing, AirChair for a super relaxing chair that’s perfect for the deck, patio or even beach. Lastly there was a neat company called PaddleNorth who makes inflatable paddle boards and kayaks which are quite rugged and perfect for an adventure on the water!

The Progressive® Insurance New England Boat Show will feature a brand-new entertainment hub, the Discover Boating Experience (DBX). DBX offers guests a place to relax and have a drink while enjoying a variety of topics, seminars and inspirational stories from exhibitors and industry experts.

Boating truly offers something for every lifestyle and budget. Many boats can be financed for $200 or less a month. You can try the Sea-Doo or Yamaha’s new personal watercraft for under $99 a month if you finance, or an entry-level wake sport, fishing or pontoon boat.

I have a deal for my readers to get $5 off one ticket or $10 off two tickets using promo code BOATG03. Kids admitted free.

You can enter to win two tickets to the through Wednesday… enter now!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

NOTE: We were provided with an experience to check out the New England Boat Show in exchange for this review.

Blue Man Group Boston celebrates 25th anniversary during February School Vacation Week

Photo courtesy of Blue Man Group

Week includes FREE pre-show activities, added matinees & special restaurant offers

BOSTON-   Blue Man Group Boston will celebrate their 25^th anniversary in 2020 and to kick off the festivities, they’ll be bringing their brand of zany creativity to February School Vacation Week.

From Feb. 17-23, Blue Man Group at the Charles Playhouse will host 18 shows, including added weekday matinees at 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm. During each performance, guests will get in the anniversary spirit with commemorative 25^th anniversary temporary tattoos.

In addition, pre-show activities will let guests get creative with two options offered during the week. From Monday, Feb. 17-Wed. Feb. 19, audience members can join the Blue Man tribe by choosing or creating their own design with glow-in-the-dark face painting. From Thursday, Feb. 20- Sunday, Feb. 23, guests can use various materials like feathers, gems and paint to create their very own mask to wear during the show.

“As we enter our 25^th anniversary this year, engaging with the audience in creative ways is something we’ve always done in Boston and want to continue to do,” said Jonathan Screnci, Blue Man Group Boston Resident General Manager. “These added activities during school vacation week are definitely in that spirit and allows the audience to be a special part of our interactive show experience.”

After all performances, guests are invited to stay and meet the Blue Men and take the ultimate selfie to add to their collection. Doors open one hour before each performance, and, in addition to the special school vacation week activities, there is also a full bar and intactive music and light installation created by Blue Man Group called the “Lounge-U-Lum.” 

Blue Man Group Boston has also partnered with local Theater District restaurants to offer food specials and discounts during the week.

Fans can also save 25% off a family four pack of tickets for select shows Feb. 17-23.  More information about school vacation week activities, tickets and a list of special discounts offered by participating restaurants can be found at: https://www.blueman.com/boston/buy-tickets/school-vacation-week. All activities are free for ticketholders. 

For more information about Blue Man Group Boston and the show experience, check out www.blueman.com. Children under the age of 3 are not permitted in the theatre.

RENT the musical 20th anniversary tour is in Boston through 11/10

RENT, the musical's 20th anniversary tour is in Boston through 11/10 at the Shubert Theater. This weekend, I had the chance to check it out and it was quite moving! One thing I learned is that the first national tour of RENT began in the same spot - Boston's Shubert Theater - back in 1996. One thing to note, it was quite loud (measuring over 100 decibels at the beginning of the show), so if you're sensitive to loud noises, you may want to just be prepared!

In case you're unfamiliar with the show, here's the summary according to the press release:

In 1996, an original rock musical by a little-known composer opened on Broadway… and forever changed the landscape of American theatre. Two decades later, Jonathan Larson’s RENT continues to speak loudly and defiantly to audiences across generations and all over the world. And now, this Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award®-winning masterpiece returns to the stage in a vibrant 20th anniversary touring production. A re-imagining of Puccini’s La Bohème, RENT follows an unforgettable year in the lives of seven artists struggling to follow their dreams without selling out. With its inspiring message of joy and hope in the face of fear, this timeless celebration of friendship and creativity reminds us to measure our lives with the only thing that truly matters—love.

Here are some photos I took of the beautiful Shubert Theater, a restored 1500+ seat theatre; and considered Boston Theater District's "Little Princess".

NOTE: We were provided with tickets to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided and all opinions, as always, are our own!

Fun and playful Spongebob the Musical at the Boch Center Wang Theater

We had the opportunity to see Spongebob the Musical at the Boch Center Wang Theater in Boston. The kids enjoy watching the Spongebob show on Nickelodeon at home, so it was an easy task convincing them to go to a musical featuring one of their favorite characters.

I was impressed with how the TV show transferred to the theatrical stage somewhat easily. The costumes were vibrant and colorful and the songs were upbeat and lively. We enjoyed the original score and lyrics that were created for the musical by many popular bands and songwriters.

Some of the things that made us laugh were the rap with Sheldon and Spongebob, the line "As serious as a guacamole shortage at a taco party" and where Patrick gives advice to sardines that worshiped him that "life is weird" and he says "Finally someone understands the machinations of my mind are an enigma".

The costumes were as fun as the scenes on stage and it was nice to see technology infused on stage. I also had the chance to walk around during intermission and enjoyed seeing that the tech folks even got into the act by setting up some LED-neon lights around the light board.

Our two favorite songs were the bikini bottom song and the best friends forever song. If you're a fan of the show, we highly recommend that you make plans to see Spongebob the Musical while it's here in Boston through the end of the weekend!

  

 

 

NOTE: We were provided with tickets to see the show in order to facilitate this review, and also provided with tickets for a giveaway that we hosted earlier. No other compensation was provided and all opinions (as always) are our own.

Baseballism is a great shop for fans near Fenway for fun gear! Enter to win a t-shirt now!

If you're reading this blog, then you can quickly tell things I'm interested in... Family, Sports, Tech, New England and Art (not in that particular order, of course!) and from time to time I find out about some really fun places to check out when you're in Boston. One of them is a great baseball store named Baseballism, right on Landsdowne Street in the shadow of the Green Monster! If you mention my blog, Parental Ideas, you'll get 10% off your entire order!

As a brand, Baseballism started in 2012 after a successful Kickstarter campaign to sell t-shirts based on a design that the founders created for a youth summer baseball camp they created back in 2006. They came together because they "had a passion to teach the game the right way." From the moment I stepped into the store it reminded me of coaching my daughter for softball and learning from my fellow coaches about how to teach the game. I'm on the board of our local youth Softball and Baseball association and immediately was drawn to everything I was seeing on each shirt.

The Baseballism Cap Giveaway
before every home game at Fenway!

As a softball coach, I felt right at home, and as a dad, I just fell in love with all of the fun puns!

They opened last summer, right during the historic 2018 season. I recently went in to pick up some gear, and had a hard time not buying everything in the store I just love all of fun designs they have. What's really nice is that the clothes are so comfortable. The staff lets you browse the store at your own pace and can help with any questions you may have.

If you are walking down Landsdowne Street roughly 25 minutes before the start of a home game, you may see Katy, the store manager, standing on top of the store speaking into a megaphone and tossing some limited-edition baseball caps that you can only get from the "cap toss" - the hats aren't available for purchase!

Here are some of my favorite t-shirt designs that you will most likely see me wearing. The folks at Baseballism are so great, they are offering a 10% discount if you mention my blog, Parental Ideas, when you're in the store and they also offered to have me host a giveaway and all you have to do is enter using the Rafflecopter here:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

With every purchase they give you
a great reusable drawstring bag!

NOTE: I was provided with some neat Baseballism swag to facilitate this review. Baseballism will also be providing the t-shirt to the winner of the giveaway. No other compensation was provided and all opinions are my own!

A day that was out of this world! Space Fest 2019 at the JFK Library and Museum celebrating #Apollo50th @jfklibrary #spacefest #JFKMoonshot

Earlier this month, we decided to beat the heat and I heard there was a Space Fest happening at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston. We went and had a blast (pun intended)! Ok ok... just fair warning, if there are any punny space jokes in this post, I'm apologizing now, I couldn't help myself.

In honor of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission and the moon landing, there were a bunch of talks on the subject, and we even met an astronaut, Daniel Burbank, who took the time to speak with kids interested in science, math and space. We also had the chance to see a real space suit up close. It was also neat that as we entered the museum they had taped footprints and the lunar module to scale so you could see how far everything was on the moon 50 years ago. The JFK Museum also offered a really neat Augmented Reality simulation on mobile devices through an app that you could use on your personal mobile device. I really enjoyed it.

We walked around and learned about all of the science and research that went into the Apollo 11 mission. There were some really fun activities for the kids, like building your own paper rocket and launching it using a compressed air pump (built and managed by students from MIT) to land on a planet (balloon) by popping it. Other activities included making your own space mission patch, space helmet and playing fun space jeopardy! We decided to play space jeopardy and even though our team didn't win, we got a chance to try some Astronaut Ice Cream - it was so cool (pun intended)! Just kidding, it was freeze dried. One thing I learned at an early age is to not eat that stuff too fast...

We walked around some more and enjoyed real ice cream sundaes with fun space-themed toppings, like pop rocks and moon shaped candy! We made moon landing parachute, fabric moonscapes and even origami landing vehicles. It was a fun time for sure with lots of great activities to inspire the next generation.