Professor Pennypickle's Children's museum

Stop the presses! She's back!

Wow, seriously....where does the time go? I'll tell you where it goes- it goes to writing and editing the PTA newsletter. It goes to doing freelance proofreading work. It goes to managing the facebook pages of some former/current employers. And taking care of 3 kids. And managing the hubby's business. And being pregnant (!). And sewing little patches onto 10 little Brownie Girl Scout vests. And every now and then doing a little sleeping. But only just a little. But that's enough of that, because what mom isn't insanely busy? No real mom, I tell ya what.

Anyhooooooo, I realized it had been almost a year since the last post on here and I said to myself I said "Self, you cannot let an entire year go by without a post. People are gonna think you've died. Or Temecula has imploded. Or something else weird." So, I'm back to chat about the totally adorable, super-fun Professor Pennypickle's Children's Museum (http://www.pennypickles.org/) in Old Town.

First of all, if you don't have a SmartCard ( http://www.shopsmartcard.com/), get one. Among many, many other fab discounts, tickets to P.P.'s are buy-one-get-one-free. You don't even have to be a super-cheap-skate to like that discount!

Alright, after parking in the plentiful and FREE parking behind the museum, and entering the totally cute, old-timey building and being advised that you are allowed to...nay, expected to touch everything in the place, you can enter one of many, many fun rooms. This is the library:


....with this whacky whirly-gig chair that rotates as you spin some other whacky whirly-gig contraption.And then you can go into the fireplace of the library (true story) and enter a crazy, dark black-light-lit maze, which even the baby found fun and not scary. Or into this "kitchen":
...and do any number of fun, silly experiments.

And although the entire place was fun for my littlest dude, there was a special room just for the under-4 crowd, which the under-4 crowd found to be very entertaining:


And don't forget driving the potty! What little boy doesn't want to drive a potty? I mean it combines "driving" with "potty". A veritable dream come true, I say.
And the not-so-spooky cellar of recycling:
followed by the crazy musical-instrument room of crazy musical instruments:

and this guy, who wasn't that educational or fun for the kids, but who made this mama laugh:


and some kind of gear thing? That's educational? Probably?In all, we had a crazily super fun time. Everyone, from 2 to 92, will find something to love here, even if it's just the cheap tickets. Which it won't be, but could, I guess, if you don't love fun, but are a cheap-skate.

The Nutcracker: not what I imagined, but better than I expected

On a blessedly cool December evening, blogger mama took her 2 girls to meet their Brownie Girl Scout troop at the oh-so-adorable Temecula Community Theater to see their production of our holiday favorite, The Nutcracker.

What little girl doesn't love to dress up and meet her friends and stay up late on a school night?  No little girl I've ever met, I tell ya what!  Brownie troop 1520 was as adorable and well-behaved as ever, and they were especially excited because we got to sit in the very front two rows.  How's that for good luck?

The production was beautifully done, with ornate costumes, perfect timing on all the sound and light cues (from my time spent on stage during all my schoolin' years, I've come to appreciate the difficulty in making this sort of thing happen), and the dancers could actually dance.  It was downright lovely.  Now I must warn any purists out there that there has been some "finagling" with the story line....it really makes more sense in this format, but it isn't the NYC-Ballet-and-all-other-major-company-in-the-whole-wide-world way to do it, so I can see how some might object.  The music is all there and all right and all the characters and the basic premise are the same, but the order was moved around a bit.  I can't explain it right, so you'll just have to go next year if you'd like to know what the heck I'm talking about.  Oh, and, um, during the party scene in the beginning when the guests are dancing with each other....they....um...(how do I say this without freaking you out?)....sing.  Yeah.  Okay, shake it off.

The music and dancing were so spectacular and the production so tight, that everyone in the audience, our crew included, was disappointed when intermission rolled around.  We were able to placate them by suggesting they practice their own dance moves in the courtyard outside the main auditorium, which they happily did and passed the 20 minutes with lots of hums and even more giggling.

After the show was over,  I enjoyed our walk back to the car through festively-lit Old Town Temecula.  Every lamppost, every building, every sign was covered in lights and greenery and cheer.  I took a bunch of photos and not one of them turned out, so you'll have to enjoy this one of a car.

When our evening came to a close, we were tired but happy.  No traffic, no icy roads- just good fun with good people in a great town.

For more info on this and other productions at the Temecula Community Theater:

www.temeculatheater.org

42051 Main St.

Temecula, CA 92590

 1-(866)-OLD-TOWN

Only One Week Left! Peltzer Pumpkin Patch = cheap fun

It's that time of year again- the leaves changing colors, the days getting cooler...oh wait, just kidding!  The palm trees are still green, and it's 95 degrees today, but a couple of weeks ago, we had a chilly snap so we loaded up the kiddos and scurried over to Peltzer Farms off of 
Rancho California Rd. for some cheap and easy fall-ish fun.  

The pumpkin area itself was smallish, but for us that was okay, because really the pumpkins are not the most interesting part of a pumpkin patch adventure anyway.  An awesome tortoise that you can really touch, on the other hand?  Now we're talkin'!

And don't forget the adorable oh-so-fat little goats.  You can buy food if you want them to eat out of your hands (maybe snacking all day isn't the best way to manage weight after all!), but we opted out of that portion of the excursion.  They didn't seem to mind.Then it's off to peruse the collection of authentic, restored John Deere tractors!  Even city kids who've never run across acres of open land have an innate appreciation for the fun that is a big 'ol tractor, no matte what their age.And last, but most certainly not least, what little girl would object to a totally safe, uneventful, sweet little pony ride?  No real little girl, I tell ya what!  Both of my mini-mes, who adored this part of the day, asked if there was a way that Roney and The-other-one-whose-name-escapes-me could pretty please come and live with us.  Ah, memories of my own youth!This irresponsible blogger apologizes for not having photos of the other fun activities at the farm, including a corn maze (my hair looked totally awful in the photo.  True story.  I won't post awful-hair pics- I just can't do it) that was actually a bit circuitous and exciting, pig racing (which we missed because we just had to do the corn maze again), and the picnic area (which I neglected to photograph because I was too busy enjoying my insanely decadent homemade-chili covered sausage with freshly chopped onion and cheese purchased there for the reasonable price of I-can't-remember).  And there are other things too, which I encourage you to discover for yourself by going to www.pelzterfarms.com and perusing their lovely website.  Or, if you're in the neighborhood stop by yourself.  Your kids will thank you, and you'll love it too!

Peltzer Farms

39925 Calle Contento

Temecula, CA 92591

(951) 695-1115

Open daily 9am-8pm

Tex-mex meets Cali-mex...and they get along!

There's this thing that happens when a Texan moves to California, and it's not something you're ready for because you figure, well, it just makes sense that you'd be able to find mexican food here.  I know, I know- there are mexican joints everywhere.  The difference is that Cali-mex is a little crunchier, a little fruitier, a little more with the limes and a little less with the cheese.  Tex-mex has sour cream and shredded cheese, and portions so big you can share them with two of your kids and still be full.  For most Texans in SoCal, this is just something you're gonna have to get used to.  Not so if you live in Temecula, though!  Welcome to Rosas Cafe and Tortilla Factory, founded 25 years ago in San Angelo, TX, making fresh Tex-mex so fast you'll barely have time visit the salsa bar before they call your number.

Typical pseudo-mission style on the outside meets roomy loft on the inside, taking you by surprise, but in a good way.  The way that makes you glad you decided to give it a shot instead of going to In 'n Out....again.  

The decor is downright fun, with collections of all manner of spanishy-inspired and not-really-spanishy-at-all items hanging on and from every surface in the place.  From plates to vases to wooden parratos, your kids will get a kick out of this place even before they start eating.

Ah, but then the food will arrive (approximately 18 seconds after you order it), and I'm sure every member of the family will be pleased.  From freshly made tortillas, to healthy portions of both rice and beans, even the pickiest family members will have something to cheer about.

We orderd the chicken fajita platter that, apparently, is supposed to feed 2-3 people.  If you can only feed two people with this combo, then those people had better have just run a marathon.  We had no trouble filling our whole family to the gills with this plate, which included the rice and beans, sour cream, shredded cheese, guacamole, as much salsa/limes/cilantro/onions as our little hearts desired from the salsa bar, and an enormous stack of those freshly made tortillas.  Oh, and of course, the actual chicken.  We loved it, all three of the kids loved it, and our budget was a fan, too.  Feeding five people for $23 and not needing to drink water in order to do it?  Now that's my kind of lunch.

Rosas Cafe and Tortilla Factory

28134 Jefferson Ave.

Temecula

(951) 506-5800

p.s. They have a drive-thru, too.  Sweet!

Buns of Steel, Skin of Cocoa

We moved to Temecula just over a year ago- five days before my girls started school, and a mere nine (yep, 9! ) days before my son was born. Yeah, things were a little hectic. But as any mother knows, after the post-partum fog lifts and you stop feeling so much like an all-night diner, you'd better get your butt out there and do something or you'll never feel like you again. Now, as you may have gathered, I am a cheapskate. For some, the monetary commitment of certain mommy-style walking groups might provide the extra motivation necessary for you to actually show up and feel the burn three times a week. I (remember: cheapskate) decided I could walk just fine on my own, thank you very much, and set out with baby in stroller one brisk late-winter morning after dropping the biggers off at school. After only two days of solo strolling (here comes the part where I talk about what I love about Temecula), the group of gals I had passed on both of those days stopped, called me over, and invited me to walk with them. I felt so human! These were grown-ups! With babies! Who knew how to speak!

Fast forward six months, and we're still walking the same route. I took the above photo this morning, and although you (sadly) can't tell, this was a hilarious moment in which everyone decided to do some "extreme kinesthetics" for the benefit of this pic. Being that I am apparently a terrible photographer, that didn't quite come through, and it just looks like we're totally into stretching every time we stop for water. We're not. What we are into is walking 5 days a week, a five mile loop, up and down hills, rain, snow, sleet, or shine. But, um, like, we live in Temecula, so really it's pretty much just shine. But the hills are real, and so are the results: a nice firm booty and skin so toasty brown that your poor friends from the northeast will have to do their very best not to lash out in envy.

To find a free walking or running group near you, log on to www.SeeMommyRun.com and search for your city. If you'd like to join us, with all our sassy banter and how-to-save-a-dime chatter, look for Temecula Fit Mommies - we'd love to have you!

Oh Me, 'Pho Mai'! Vietnamese Food that's Sure to Please

A lot of people talk about how Temecula is just teeming with "big box" retailers and restaurants, usually in a way that let's you know that they much prefer the hole-in-the-wall / mom-and-pop / living-the-american-dream type place....the kind of place, they imply, you're not gonna find in Temecula. Um, have you ever been to Temecula? I mean, yes, you can go to Chili's or Tony Roma's or Outback if you want, but there is also no shortage of tiny, poorly decorated,

totally delicious, absolutely wonderful hole-in-the-wall joints. Joints owned and operated by people who grew up cooking and eating that kind of food, who have no experience with tasteful interior design, and who are so thankful to get up every morning in a place that lets them have their own place. Places without a corporate training crew but with food you crave on a lazy Saturday afternoon and a strange obsession with instrumental versions of Tom Jones songs.

Today's delicious excursion was to Pho Mai Vietnamese Restaurant. Located conveniently, and quite unglamorously, in the K-mart shopping center on Ynez Rd, you'll find no pretense or ceremonious service rituals (i.e. writing of the servers name on your paper table cloth; leading you to your table; smiling...). What you will find are the strange nautical-inspired booths (shown above) a mildly disconcerting interest in preserved butterflies,
and incredible, amazing, delicious, awesome, and cheap Vietnamese food. As the name implies, you'll have your choice of Phos (yes, with menu descriptions that go something like this: tendon tripe brisket tendon with noodle and tendon tripe. Pictured below is #15. I don't pretend to know what's actually in it. Really, I don't), which is why the hubby and I go,but you'll also get a lot "Mai" (haha! get it? instead of "more"? sorry....). Like these mouth-watering spring rolls (#04) , filled with, in addition to all the usual spring-roll ingredients, barbecue pork and an actual small eggroll. You will absolutely drool when you taste that peanut sauce! And for the kids in your life, because I know you've probably got 'em and I'm guessing their not so into tendon-tripe-jalapeno-brisket-tripe soup, there's a whole bunch of great stuff to choose from, like this Vietnamese version of fried rice (#54) that had generous amounts of shrimp and sausage throughout. Or this plate (#49?) that came with half a barbecued chicken, rice, and salad. Yum!

Now this part might not be as important to all of you as it is to me, but I have a child who is especially....um...let's call it 'sensitive', to gross bathrooms. Gross bathrooms and no-name restaurants tend to go hand-in-hand. Not at Pho Mai, my friends!

And although the decor falls squarely on the tacky side of fancy, it was clean, and updated, and as close to SoCal chic as I've ever found in a restaurant of this variety.I must confess, I'm a little embarassed to end a post with a photo of a toilet...so I'll close with a shot of the generically generic shopping center window of the best not-at-all generic Pho restaurant this side of the international date line.

Pho Mai Vietnamese Gourmet

26487 Ynez Rd

Temecula, CA 92591

(951) 296-1880

Monday thru Saturday: 10 am - 8:30 pm

Sunday: CLOSED

Splurge Alert! Sharkey's Cuts for Kids

The thing that makes living on a budget bearable is knowing that every now and then, we're going to go out and do something totally fun and frivilous and costs too much, but, in terms of memories-made and bragging -rights-among-friends, is totally worth it. Today we did one of those somethings, and I'm happy to report that it was money well spent. The thing we did was to get uber-cute back-to-school haircuts at Sharkey's Cuts for Kids off of Overland Ave. Because it's a franchise, you get totally amazing decor and colors one would imagine would be way too much, but which turn out to be just enough to amaze the pants off girls who love it when things are way too much:

And because it's a franchise, you also get to support a local business owner who has always wanted to have her own place, but could never make it happen, and has finally made it happen, and you just can't wait to support her. Yeah, the whole franchise thing is a good deal.

A haircut at Sharkey's turned out to be way more than just a haircut (and we did get very good haircuts!), starting with our first surprise of the day: manicures!

Okay, well, they weren't full manicures, but that's probably a good thing, as the full deal requires one to sit still for an extended period of time. Not good if you're a kid receiving said service, and especially not good if you're the baby brother who's waiting for his sisters to engage in yet another girly-girl activity. Anyway, they picked their paint colors, sat on zebra striped seats in a hot pink room filled with the illustrious sounds of Hannah Montana surrounded by all manner of princess costume....and were in heaven. Then it was on to the main event, which naturally started with a full shampoo (notice the placement of the hand to insure the previously mentioned manicure remained in full view):Ooooh, before I forget....the sweet owner, whose name starts with a D, was insanely kind and, true story!, brewed a pot of coffee and served me a steaming cup as soon as this whole adventure started. Coffee! Freshly brewed! And served to me! A girl after my own heart.

Now onto the cut, speedy and precise. Flat screen T.V. anyone? Hannah Montana? Yes please, I'll take two.

Or if you have littler ones, let 'em choose their truck and enjoy some Noggin...they'll forget they're even getting a haircut at all! Of course, no haircut is really complete until you get your blowout (and glitter!), preferrably with the mostest funnest, cutest, stripiest blow-dryer ever!

Oh, oh, oh! And what does one do while one's sister is receiving her haircut? Why, one plays games on the American Girl website on a fabulous flat-screen Apple in the play room, that's what one does!

And finally, when you think it just can't get any better, you are ushered back into the amazingly pink room of manicure fame and instructed to choose your favorite feather boa (yes! A collection of different feather boas!).

Once you are suitably fanci-fied, D will take your picture in front of the mirrors-of-awesomeness, while you sit in the pink-director's-chair-of-coolness, wrapped, of course, in your favorite feather boa. And then she will print your photos and you can take them home with you so you can immediately show your friends, and then your friends can hound their mom to take them to the newly-found Most Fabulous Place on Earth: Sharkey's

Sharkey's Cuts for Kids

41785 Nicole Lane

Temecula, California 92591

Phone: 951-699-0218