Oakland Outing Kids in Tow

With 2 kids home full time and no summer camp in sight I have to keep us busy. Today turned out really well, It was low key but full of fun. We started with Dim Sum at the Legendary Palace in Oakland's China Town. The kids were too wide eyed and focused on the goings-on to actually eat much, but I got enough in them to last till the next stop. We had fun watching the carts drive by piled high with chicken feet, shrimp dumplings and pork buns (my fav!!). Dim sum is the perfect meal for kids with little attention span. Three people can eat for under $20 and be in a out in 20 minutes. Malik was a little disturbed by my odd behavior towards the end of the meal, "Mom, why do you keep saying No to that lady, that is not nice!" At least he knows his manors.

Then off to the Asian Branch of the library. We read a few books and perused the isles. Then we headed to the Oakland Museum. Its a good walk, only about 6 blocks. After a stern, "We will be there when we're there" the kids quieted down and took in the sights. We found a park on the way and the kids enjoyed climbing the giant "pirate ship" which was actually not a pirate ship but a replica of Zheng He's famous ship. Thanks to very informative signs we got a good little lesson in Chinese history, I knew there are explorers before Columbus.

"The Birth of Cool" was the new exhibit at the Museum. It started off a little slow, Salome was yelling... "When are we getting to the Museum, I want to go to the Museum." I had to break it to her that the museum was not a toy store or a park. She flipped her lid until we found the section with the 70's cartoons. Phew! The best part for them was the Natural History section with tons and tons of dead, stuffed California native animals.

On the way home we found Hello Kitty Heaven, who can pass up that up. So Salome got a stamp and Malik got his first backpack - no not Hello Kitty - SPIDER MAN! Finally, a non-hand-me-down-pink-Salome-monogrammed-backpack! He was very proud to show that to Papa. Malik passed out on the way home and barely woke for dinner. What a good day.