mb palaver

WebPalaver: Jabberjaw, or Lessons from an Urban Mom

Some time after my friend Jabber's baby was born, she (Jabber, that is, not the baby) took to the web and started sharing her experience raising a baby in Manhattan.  Eight months ago, to my great delight, Jabber and her family moved back down to Washington, where they belong, in my humble, self-interested opinion.  Now Jabber's focus is on life with her toddler in DC, as her blog, Jabberjaw, puts it.  But if you're a new mom you don't have to live in DC to benefit from Jabber's now DC-centric blog, any more than you had to live in New York to benefit from it before, because she also chronicles the place-transcendent experience of life with a youngster, and provides exhaustive reviews of baby products (for want of a better term).  And even if you don't have children, she's an entertaining writer who's always fun to read (and those baby product reviews come in mighty handy for baby showers).

RandomPalaver: Community Building

My nephew loves playing city-building simulation games such as SimCity and Poseidon (above).  (When he asked my sister for SimCity she said "Sin City?!  What's that rated?!")  But sometimes it's best to build a city the old-fashioned way, with Lego guys and Lincoln Logs and an ice cream cone from your little sister's play kitchen.

Aerial View

Apartment Building

Church

Ice Cream Shop

Old Town

Park

Factory

Uncle Bob

LanguagePalaver: Italian, Family-Style

Want your bambini speaking Italiano?  Casa Italiana's fall classes start this week.  In addition to its roster of adult language, literature, cooking, wine, and ceramics classes, it offers two options for children.

"Italian for Children" is a fifteen week course beginning September 16.  It is aimed at children 3 to 13 years old, and classes are formed according to age and linguistic ability.  Classes are held on Sunday mornings, from 9:30 to noon.

"Fun with Italian -- Mommy and Me" is a chance for parents to give their really wee ones (18 months to 3 1/2 years) some exposure to the Italian language.  The description says:

Learn basic vocabulary, simple phrases, colors and numbers through hands-on activities in this action-packed class. Sing. dance and play "in italiano."  (Prior Italian experience is not necessary in this child and parent class.)

Mommy and Me will be held from October 1 to 24.  The schedule says it will be held "Mon, Wed, Fri 10:00 - 11:45."  I'm not sure whether that means you pick one, or you can go to all three.  Given that it costs $165, I'm guessing the latter.

You can find more information about the school at my prior post about Casa Italiana and other DC language schools.

Casa Italiana
595 1/2 Third Street, NW
Washington, DC  20001
(202) 638-1348
[email protected]

DCPalaver: Adams Morgan Day Festival

The 29th annual Adams Morgan Day Festival will be held this Sunday, from 12 to 7 pm.  This means music, food, arts and crafts, children's activities, and lots and lots of people.  On years when I've forgotten it was going on I was quickly reminded by the daytime parades of people walking from the Woodley Park metro across the Ellington Bridge (not to be confused with the nighttime parades of people making the same trek every weekend night).

Arts on Belmont, which takes place on Belmont Street just off 18th, showcases the work of artists and artisans.  It begins earlier, at 10 am, and the festival's website says to get there early when "serious shoppers can get unique finds and beat the crowds."

The Kid's Fair includes lots of state fair-like activities, such as a rock wall for climbing, football toss, moon bounce, face painting, and mini putt-putt.  It takes place off 18th Street between Wyoming and California Streets, in the field of the Marie Reed School.  Several performances for children are also scheduled; they will take place off 18th Street by the tennis courts.

Check out their interactive map for locations of events.