Take a walk on the wild side at the Detroit Zoo. Now IS the perfect time to go on a family field trip! Perfect for all ages- stroll the babies and let those toddlers toddle- there's plenty of room for them to explore. 

Filled with over 3,000+ animals- there's a chance for everyone to catch a glimpse of their favorite at the Detroit Zoo. Kids will love petting a "real" giraffe skin (it is real, but not actually on the giraffe) seeing the polar bears in their icy abode and watching the otters and their shenanigans. 

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The Greatest Show on Earth is tonight! The Perseids Meteor Shower is a spectacular cosmic event, which occurs yearly every August 12th. Starting at the age of 7, my dad would wake my sister & I up around 2 in the a.m. to watch the stars fall from the sky. One year, I saw 212 stars- that's a lot of wishes.

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So last year the kitty-kats and I were rolling through town. We came upon an apocalyptic scene in downtown Detroit- no jokes. Anyway- I shot some photos while the Chinatown scene was getting obliterated. 

Then we all participated in the Google launch of the Field Trip app. (yes- I took a true-blue leaving babyhood entering toddlership child + my other daughter  as my partners in crime to this event & we had an awesome time!)  It was a fun adventure in itself- a scavenger hunt, hosted by D:Hive + Google, and we came upon a different scene- the overturned bus. It was pretty cool. 

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On Thursday, June 19 I was honored to attend the exclusive media preview for the photography exhibition Detroit- Bruce Weber featured at the Detroit Institute of Arts. In attendance was the famed photographer himself, Bruce Weber. The event was presented by Conde Nast and Vogue. Other notable guests in attendance were the infamous Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of VOGUE magazine, Patti Smith, musician extraordinaire and Grace Coddington, the illustrious creative director of Vogue.

The exhibit features a collection of portraits shot by Weber on numerous visits to Detroit. The images, mostly shot in black and white depict the different faces that represent the city. 

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Right about now your home may slowly be turning into a zoo. So embrace it by charging an entrance fee, allowing visitors to see your little monkeys hanging from the curtain rods- or tame the wild beasts in your household by create your own menagerie. 

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Step onto the ferry in Brooklyn or Manhattan, it will transport you to a land filled with the enchanting sights and sounds of Fete Paradiso, an antique Parisian carnival that is stationed on New York's Governor's Island from mid-July until the end of September. The entire journey was like a dream, from beginning to end. 

This is the first time that the rides have left France, ever. The rides themselves were rescued from two private collections in France, then painstakingly restored by a family of artisans who specialize in meticulous workmanship. 

Fete Paradiso is an extravaganza of wonderment for children and adults. The twinkling melodies filled the air with a sound that instantly took the uber-modernized crowd back into another century, while the stunning display of rare amusement rides will have you thinking perhaps you really did take a step into a time machine and landed in another world. 

Experience the carnival like never before through the whirling of the Chaise Volante or while holding on for dear life as you enjoy the unique thrill of the Dragon Carousel as it propels forward, and then backyards, all the while daring you to not fly off. There are also the much more tame, but still awesome sailing ships, gliding to and fro in a flying journey through the sky. A toddler favorite, but older kids will want a chance to ride too.

Taking a spin on the speeding bicycle carousel is a must. There are only two of this type made in the entire world.This unique thrill ride was made in 1897 and is beyond amazing to see in action. A belt rolls the carousel into action while riders pedal furiously around and around. On this ride, everyone laughs. The suave attendant in the iconic black and white striped shirt joins in the fun, intermittently shouting commands in french and singing tunes into a bull horn to keep the peddlers riled up.

If the stunning display of vintage rides were not enough, there is a biergarten- fashioned from a bumper car pavilion from 1900, and food- crafted by Le Gamin, a French bistro in the city. The selections are fit for gourmands who will relish every bite of salad Niçoise or Croque Monsieur. Step right up and get a wand of flavored cotton candy- orange is the best, or taste one of the authentic crepes offered, then sit under the charming chandeliers and watch the rides spin and swirl as the carefree days of summer seem to pass by a little more slowly while on the island.

Games such as the Ball Guzzler will keep everyone entertained, as valiant attempts are made to land a ball into the mouths of celebs from the 1930s. This nostalgic game features likenesses of Josephine Baker, Charlie Chaplin and more iconic figures from that era. Get five balls in, and score a drink on the house- for real. 

A children's carousel from the 1930s was transformed into a concert hall, where musicians and performers will entertain and delight the listeners. Soul Clap performed during the Parisian Ball event, while a host of other musicians took to the stage throughout the summer to entice revelers into a melodic daydream of old Parisian street music. 

Much more can be said about this festival, but the absolute best way to experience it, is to check it out for yourself- you will be in awe. 

Summer is here! Just kidding- it's almost over... but it feels like a sweltering hot mid-summer day, and that is whats important. So let's make a classic treat everyone loves- Root Beer Floats.*

So simple and a definite childhood throwback. Let them watch as you prepare this frothy beverage.

Ingredients:
Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
Faygo Root Beer
Straws & Spoons

Throw some heaping scoops of ice cream into a cup, mug, glass- whatever. Pour root beer until it almost peeks over the rim of the glass. It will bubble up like mad- embrace it. 

And- you're done. Easy as pie. [but not really because it's actually waaaay easier]

Take advantage of beautiful summer nights- you know, those balmy nights that are filled with crickets playing their tune- before the chill of Autumn fills the air. 

A fun way to spend time outside in the evening is to make your own ring toss- but not just any ring toss, take it to the next level by creating a Glow Ring Toss! This lawn game is very simple to make and the kids can help. Just grab some glow jewelry, (necklaces work better because they are larger) which can be found in craft stores and online, invite the kids to crack the tubes to get them glowing- and place two sticks (we used metal skewers) about 5 feet apart- that's it! 

Warning: Kids will get sidetracked by the awesome glowing being produced and probably abandon the game and start running around like some Tron character.

Tired of chasing down the neighborhood ice cream truck -the one that plays that absolutely annoying pseudo-rap- as it rolls down the street? (If you've heard it, you know exactly what I am talking about). Quit running after it and make your own ice cream treats!

The best part is- this ice cream won't melt because it is actually cupcakes! Perfect for summer, these are super simple to make and the kids will go wild when they see them! + they can help with the production.

Ingredients:
Ice Cream Cones [with flat bottoms so they can stand on their own]
Cake Mix
Cupcake Pans
Frosting or Whipped Cream
Decorations: Sprinkles, Candy, etc.

Make cupcakes according to instructions on box, except place batter directly into ice cream cone instead of cupcake papers. Fill cones slightly higher than half- I did not and they were flat!

Bake cones according to cupcake recommendations on box. Little ones can help set the cones up in the cupcake pan, while older kids can scoop the batter into the cones and help decorate with whatever edible baubles are in the pantry.

25 cupcakes were transported without incident- the secret was that they weren't frosted until directly before they were eaten. Whipped cream instead of frosting worked like a charm & added the height the cones were missing.

Back in kindergarten, mom made this recipe for my classroom birthday party & I was not pleased- they weren't true cupcakes... However- I recently served these at a childrens' summer soiree at 555 Gallery and they were a hit!

Bid farewell to summer in the sweetest of ways- by running to the nearest meadow or unkempt roadside and have some fun picking all the flowers you can handle. A favorite tradition for the end of summer, white Queen Anne's Lace transforms into bouquets of color in a few simple steps.

Take these delicate flowers home and cut them properly with sharp kitchen shears. Find an array of vases- we use the vase pictured above exclusively for this project every summer. Next, put a few drops of food coloring into each vase, then fill with water. Place the flowers into the water, and you will almost instantaneously see the microscopic petal change color.

This fun and educational and can be done with help from almost any age range, just delegate tasks for the appropriate for each age. This activity can be used to teach some basic ideas about science, the different parts of plants and how flowers stay hydrated- kids can actually witness the stems moving the water as it travels upwards- than as it changes the white to a rainbow of colors.