L I V E • PLAY • DO
magazine nwkidsmagazine.com
2014-2015 Birthday Party Guide
2 | NW Kids Magazine
NW Kids Magazine | 3
Contents 8 Get Rollin’ with a Roller Skating Birthday Party
10 Sweets, Cakes & Bakeries 12 Found Around Town: Best Birthday Presents for Under $20 16 Ridin’ in the “Yard”: A Lumberyard Q & A 20 Places to Party 26 Entertainers 28 Eb & Bean: A Review 30 Birthday Book Reviews for Kids 32 Craft: Make-Your-Own Birthday Pennant Banner 4 | NW Kids Magazine
EDITORS’
Corner
It’s time to celebrate! We truly love putting NW Kids together every month and know we’ve said it before, but the Birthday Party Guide is a favorite and gives us a chance to think about our kids’ favorite things. Parties, sweets, balloon animals, face painting, gifts, party places and more sweets! You may love planning your kiddo’s birthday parties, but if you’re anything like us, you might get a little flustered around the party planning. Maybe you have a formula. One year you throw a big party, the next year you let your child choose only a few close friends and head to your local doughnut or ice cream shop for a low-key affair. However you plan to spend their big day—we have you covered. In this year’s guide we feature action parties. And by action we mean parties where kids can roll on two or four wheels. Do you remember roller skating parties when you were a kid? We do! Unfortunately, there are only a few remaining places where you can rent a rink for your kid’s birthday party, but it’s so worth it. Most kids we know love the thrill of throwing on a pair of skates and trying out the old school tricks their parents once mastered. Don’t miss our list of skating party spots on p.10. And if you have kids who love to ride their bikes or scooters, check out The Lumberyard Indoor Bike Park Park Q & A on p. 16. It’s a great place to have a party or to spend the day riding when you can’t head outside. After attending what seems like a kajillion parties last year, it’s great to have a go-to item that will be easy on the pocket book. This month in Found Around Town (p.12) you’ll find our top birthday picks for $20 or less. Birthdays only come once a year and next year we’re doing something special in honor of this day we love to celebrate. We decided to round up all the party experts in one place and throw a giant birthday party; NW Kids style. We couldn’t be more excited to announce our first annual Birthday Party Expo happening on January 24, 2015 at OMSI. We’ll be announcing more details soon, so be sure and check us out on facebook or online at nwkidsmagazine.com. Party on, Kelley & Beth
Cover and contents illustration courtesy of ASHLEY GOLDBERG etsy.com/shop/ashleyg
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Listings Aadland Dental..................................................... 34 Academy Theater.................................................. 13 Archers Afield...........................................................9 Ashley G................................................................ 31 Bada’s Place........................................................... 31 Barre3.......................................................................3 Beanstalk..................................................................9 Bennett Suzuki...................................................... 34 Camp Fire Columbia.............................................. 13 Child’s Play Toys.................................................... 34 Clackamas Speech...................................................7 Dizzy Castle........................................................... 14 Do Jump................................................................ 34 Dr. Pike Dentistry for Children..................................3 Eb and Bean.............................................................9 Eco Maids.................................................................7 Farber Swim School.............................................. 13 Fazio Farms............................................................ 17 Friends of Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge.... 31 G6 Airpark............................................................. 13 GoodTime Chinese School.......................................7 Just Between Friends............................................ 17 Kidopolis............................................................... 31 Laurelwood........................................................... 17 Leisure Sports Inc/Club Sport............................... 21 Little Fruit Farm Montessori.....................................7 Little Linguists...................................................... 34 Madison Furniture...................................................7 Mother NaturAle PDX........................................... 17 My MasterPiece Art Studio................................... 21 Naydenov Gymnastics.......................................... 13 North Portland Orthodontics................................ 27 Omega Gymnastics............................................... 21 Oregon Episcopal School...................................... 19 Oregon Hope Chinese School............................... 34 Out of This World Pizza & Play.............................. 29 Peg Stilts............................................................... 15 Portland Aquarium............................................... 29 Portland Language Arts....................................... 27 Portland Parks and Recreation............................. 15 Portland Rock Gym............................................... 35 Portland Trampolines...............................................2 Pottery Fun............................................................ 15 Precision Elite Gymnastics.................................... 35 Rasmussen Farms................................................. 31 Rising Star Chinese School................................... 27 Royal Ridges.......................................................... 33 Spielwerk Toys....................................................... 35 Sunshine Montessori School................................ 33 Superkids Resale................................................... 33 Sweet Peas Kidzone.............................................. 31 The Circuit Bouldering Gym.................................. 18 The Craft Factory................................................... 13 The Kids’ Backyard Store..........................................2 The Oregon Garden............................................... 33 The Reading Toolkit............................................... 27 The Vintage Pearl.................................................. 27 ThriftMouse........................................................... 27 Tillicum Lodge...................................................... 31 Trinity Lutheran School......................................... 19 WeVillage.............................................................. 34 Whole Foods Market............................................. 36 World of Smiles..................................................... 21 6 | NW Kids Magazine
magazine Publisher / Advertising Director Michelle Snell michelle@nwkidsmagazine.com Editorial Beth Friesenhahn beth@nwkidsmagazine.com Kelley Schaefer-Levi kelley@nwkidsmagazine.com Account Manager Laurel Ackerman laurel@nwkidsmagazine.com Client Services Coordinator Brenna Burke brenna@nwkidsmagazine.com Design Robyn Barbon robyn@folkloremedia.com Client Ad Design Karel Chan karel@nwkidsmagazine.com Advertising Inquiries: 503-282-2711, ext. 1 sales@nwkidsmagazine.com Accounting & Business Services Heather Rex heather@nwkidsmagazine.com Connect With Us: • Phone: 503.282.2711 • email: contact@nwkidsmagazine.com • Facebook: facebook.com/nwkids • Twitter: @nwkids • Pinterest: pinterest.com/nwkids NW Kids is published monthly by Miche Media, LLC. Every effort is made to ensure accuracy; sometimes we make errors. Please let us know when we do and accept our apologies. Printed locally; Please recycle. CORRECTION: Pipsqueak Resale’s address should have been 16111 SE McGillivray Blvd, Vancouver, WA 98683 in the August issue. We regret the error.
WHAT WE’RE READING
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Photograph coutesy of OAKS AMUSEMENT PARK
GET ROLLIN’ WITH A ROLLER SKATING BIRTHDAY PARTY by KELLEY GARDINER
There’s nothing like the freedom of zipping around a roller rink on eight wheels, and doing it with a bunch of friends makes it even sweeter. The Portland area offers plenty of options for your active kiddos to strap on skates and get rolling. If your junior sports fanatic needs some skating inspiration, we also have the biggest roller derby league in the world right at our doorstep to show them how it’s done. GOLDEN SKATE For younger party animals that might be a little (or a lot) shaky on their wheels, Golden Skate in Vancouver is a great option with a ton of packages to choose from for your young skater. Older kids who hunger for more action can add on a game of Lazer Tag. Party packages start at $80 for eight skaters, or $105 with skating and Lazer Tag. goldenskateandlazer.com GRESHAM SKATE WORLD Do you remember skating at Skate World when you were a kid; shoutouts from the DJ, snacks, and lots of fun games? You’ll be glad to know not much has changed. Your honored guest will love taking a spin on the birthday prize wheel. Birthday packages range from $69 for six skaters up to a $225 deluxe package that includes a pair of skates for the birthday kiddo to take home. greshamskateworld.com 8 | NW Kids Magazine
OAKS AMUSEMENT PARK It’s the oldest skating rink west of the Mississippi, and a Portland institution for skating and fun. Get ready for a sugar shock, because prices include ice cream, cotton candy and soda. A t-shirt and tote bag are included for the lucky birthday boy or girl as well. Non-skating adult chaperones are admitted for free. Parties are priced at $110 for eight skaters, and $9.50 per additional skater. oakspark.com/roller-skating.html MT. SCOTT COMMUNITY CENTER Bigger rinks offer party rooms, but maybe you want to make your shindig a bit more exclusive. Up to 30 people can skate in an affordable private rental at Mt. Scott Community Center. Rental time includes setup and cleanup times, but the place is all yours: your food, your decorations, and your music. The space itself is nothing fancy,
the rink is in the basement of a community center, but who cares when you’re rolling with your friends with your favorite song playing? Private rentals start at $132 for two hours, with a refundable security deposit of $25. For more information, search Mt. Scott, portlandoregon.gov ROSE CITY ROLLERS Roller derby isn’t just a bunch of surly tattooed ladies beating up on each other, though that’s certainly part of it! The Rose City Rollers are strong female athletes of all shapes and sizes. Groups of ten or more spectators can arrange reserved seating and a pre-game tutorial about roller derby if tickets are purchased together at least one week ahead of time. Check the fall schedule for the Rosebuds, junior roller derby skaters aged 12-17. Get your tickets early because these games sell out. Reserved group seating can be purchased for $20 per person, with no additional fees. rosecityrollers.com
Kelley Gardiner is the author of Roller Derby for Beginners. She’s ready to take her son skating at Oaks Park as soon as he starts walking. To catch up with Kelley visit, kelleygardiner.com NW Kids Magazine | 9
sweets, cakes &bakeries Candy, Ice Cream Custom Cakes and Gelato ARTISAN CAKE COMPANY ALMA CHOCOLATES almachocolate.com ALOTTO GELATO alottogelato.biz BEN & JERRY’S benjerry.com CANDY BABEL candybabel.com COOL MOON ICE CREAM coolmoonicecream.com COSMIC SODA POP AND CANDY SHOP fizzportland.com EB & BEAN ebandbean.com FIFTY LICKS fifty-licks.com MIO GELATO facebook.com/miogelato NECTAR FROZEN YOGURT LOUNGE nectarfroyo.com RUBY JEWEL rubyjewel.net SALT & STRAW saltandstraw.com SCOOP scooppdx.com SWEET FACTORY sweetfactory.com 10 | NW Kids Magazine
artisancakecompany.com BAKER & SPICE bakerandspicebakery.com BASKIN ROBBINS baskinrobbins.com BEAVERTON BAKERY beavertonbakery.com BLISS BAKE SHOP blisscupcakeshop.com CREMA BAKERY cremabakery.com FINALES finalesdesserts.com HELEN BERNHARD BAKERY helenbernhardbakery.com JACIVA’S jacivas.com LE COOKIE MONKEY lecookiemonkey.com LOVEJOY BAKERS lovejoybakers.com MEIANNA BAKERY, SE PORTLAND 503.788.7968 MEI SUM BAKERY, SE PORTLAND 503.777.3391 NEW CASCADIA TRADITIONAL newcascadiatraditional.com PASTRY GIRL pastrygirl.com
PIECE OF CAKE BAKERY pieceofcakebakery.net PIX PATISSERIE pixpatisserie.com SERIOUS CAKE seriouscake.com SWEET CAKES sweetcakesweb.com SWEETPEA BAKING COMPANY (VEGAN) sweetpeabaking.com SWEETS, ETC. sweetsetc.com THE CAKE GODDESS portlandcakegoddess.com BLAKE’S DECORETTE SHOP thedecoretteshop.com THE DESSERT TRAY thedesserttray.com TULA GLUTEN FREE BAKERY & CAFÉ tulabaking.com TULIP PASTRY SHOP, ST. JOHNS 503. 286.3444
Doughnuts, Cupcakes, Pies & more BLUE STAR DONUTS bluestardonuts.com COCO DONUTS cocodonuts.com CUPCAKE JONES cupcakejones.net
CUPCAKE MAMA everythingaboutweb.com/classes/table_files/ tables_example.htm# ORGANIC ISLAND SHAVE ICE facebook.com/organicshaveice PETUNIA’S PIES & PASTRIES petuniaspiesandpastries.com PIEKU facebook.com/PiekuPie PIE SPOT pie-spot.com PIP’S ORIGINAL DOUGHNUTS facebook.com/PipsOriginal SAINT CUPCAKE saintcupcake.com VOODOO DOUGHNUT voodoodoughnut.com
Mobile Sweet Cart Rentals & Catering ICICLE TRICYCLE MIX ‘N’ MATCH CREAMERY icicletricycles.com ONO SHAVE ICE onoshaveiceco.com SAINT CUPCAKE MELTY CART saintcupcake.com SALT & STRAW saltandstraw.com SCOOP HANDMADE ICE CREAM scooppdx.com VOODOO VAN voodoodoughnut.com
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FOUND
around Town
Volcano in a box by Copernicus Toys at OMSI, $18
Medieval Castle by Pop To Play at Grasshopper, $15
Best birthday presents for under $20
Eboo Felt Mosaic at Spielwerk Toys, $18
Uncle Milton’s Original Ant Farm at The Learning Palace, $17
Kiss Naturals DIY Soap Kit at Spielwerk Toys, $16
Gift Certificate from Green Bean Books The Button Factory by Chronicle Books at Kids at Heart Toys, $18
Ultra Stomp Rocket by D+L Company at Child’s Play, $20 12 | NW Kids Magazine
Finger Printing Art Set (Safari) by NPW at Black Wagon, $14
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goody bags & party supplies BALLOONS ON BROADWAY balloonsonbroadway.com BELLA STELLA bellastellaresale.com BLACK WAGON blackwagon.com BOOM BOOM’S BALLOONS boomboomsballoons.com CARGO cargoimportspdx.com CHILD’S PLAY childsplayportland.com COFFEE KIDS facebook.com/coffeekidspdx COLLAGE collagepdx.blogspot.com EGG PRESS eggpress.com FANCY THAT shop-fancythat.com
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FINAL TOUCH BALLOONS finaltouchballoons.com FINNEGAN’S TOYS & GIFTS finneganstoys.com LITTLE LARK alittlelark.com PAPER SOURCE paper-source.com PARTY CITY partycity.com PARTY MART partymart.com PRESENTS OF MIND presentsofmind.tv SPIELWERK TOYS spielwerktoys.com THE LIPPMAN COMPANY lippmancompany.com THE PARTY PLACE thepartyplacepdx.com
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RIDING IN THE “YARD”: A LUMBERYARD Q&A
Photographs coutesy of THE LUMBERYARD
Do you have a future BMX pro on your hands? Or at the very least, a kid who loves to ride their bike on trails, pump tracks or jump lines? Maybe you’ve been looking for a place to ride inside during the rainy months in Portland or quite simply need a rad place to hold your kiddo’s next birthday party. Look no further for all of the above than The Lumberyard Bike Park in NE Portland, an indoor bike park where kids of all ages can build skills and improve technique while having a blast. Lumberyard birthday party packages offer kids the opportunity to get on their bikes and checkout all that the park has to offer. We recently caught up with the folks at the Lumberyard and got the lowdown on this unique indoor bike park. How did The Lumberyard come to be? The genesis for the Lumberyard has been germinating in the recesses of Will’s mind since his earliest visits to another bike park in the Midwest about a decade ago. After years of pondering the possibilities, the plan started coming together. While service on the board of the Northwest Trail Alliance, Will developed the “mobile skills course” for the Sunday Parkways and other youth-oriented cycling events. It was while discussing his ideas in 2010 with one of the volunteers, Michael Whitesel, that the plan kicked into another gear. With his background in business plan development, Michael offered to review Will’s so-called business plan and never looked back. After another year of arduous work in developing the business plan, honing their pitch and seeking a location, Will and Michael were able to begin construction. Teaming up with a veteran park builder, the Lumberyard was able to overcome seemingly endless red tape and finally open its doors in May of 2012. 16 | NW Kids Magazine
Can anyone ride at The Lumberyard? All ages are welcome at the Lumberyard. We’ve seen children as young as 18 months on “run” bikes. Typically kids are adequately developed by 2-3-years old to begin riding. We discourage the use of training wheels, as they hinder improvements in balance. We do offer access to two-wheel “razor” scooters in our basement riding area, the Bunker. Progression is a founding principal in all of our course development. Riders of any skill can get started here and progress to a higher level. What kinds of classes/clinics/camps do you offer? We offer spring & summer camps, as both full day and half-day options for 5 days each. In the Spring and Fall, 10-week after school Shred Academy for a variety of skill levels, Special women’s programming, and Year round, various adult skills clinics. continued on p. 18
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What kinds of birthday party packages do you offer? We created party packages in several convenient sizes, with the Jumbo Package including: • 15 rider wrist bands good from start of party time until 10 pm • The private party room reserved for 3 hours • Personal party hostess to take care of set up, delivering food to party space, clearing tables and all of your party time needs • Tables with colorful tablecloths, plates, cups, napkins and utensils • Personalized Happy Birthday Card from Lumberyard Staff What’s next for The Lumberyard? More! More features, more programming and hopefully more locations. We are relentless about seeking ways to improve our guest experience. We want to be an asset to our community and find new ways to prove it every day!
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And don’t forget the pub! The Lumberyard Pub is family friendly and serves lunch, dinner and local beer for tired and hungry riders. Birthday packages range from $120-$250. For more information visit, lumberyardmtb.com
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to places party Animals A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE wildsideoregon.org OREGON ZOO oregonzoo.org
Aquarium OREGON COAST AQUARIUM aquarium.org PORTLAND AQUARIUM portlandaquarium.net
Art & Craft 100TH MONKEY 100thmonkeystudio.com ART ALA CARTE artalacartepdx.com BLUE PLUME STUDIO blueplumestudio.com CERAMICAFE-ART LOUNGE ceramicafenw.com CHOCOLATE CRAFT STUDIO chocolatecraftkits.com COLLAGE collagepdx.blogspot.com FANCY THAT shop-fancythat.com LET IT BEAD letitbeadportland.com MIMOSA STUDIOS mimosa-studios.com MY MASTERPIECE ART STUDIO mymasterpieceartstudio.com 20 | NW Kids Magazine
MULTNOMAH ARTS CENTER multnomahartscenter.org PORTLAND CHILD ART STUDIO portlandchildartstudio.org POTTERY FUN potteryfunpdx.com SCRAP scrappdx.com SPARKS ART CENTER sparksartcenter.com THE CRAFT FACTORY craftfactorypdx.com YOUNG ART LESSONS youngartusa.co VIBE OF PORTLAND vibepdx.org
Bounce INFLATIBLE KINGDOM inflatiblekindgom.com JJ JUMP jjjump.com G6 AIRPARK g6airpark.com SKY HIGH SPORTS por.jumpskyhigh.com PUMP IT UP pumpitupparty.com
Bowling ALLEN’S CROSLEY LANES crosleylanes.com
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places toparty GRAND CENTRAL BOWL thegrandcentralbowl.com KELLOGG BOWL kelloggbowl.com MILWAUKIE BOWL milwaukiebowl.com NICOLI’S GRILL & SPORTS BAR sportsatnicolis.com SUNSET LANES sunsetlanes.com TIGARD BOWL tigardbowl.com WILSONVILLE LANES wilsonvillelanes.com
Climb CIRCUIT BOULDERING GYM thecircuitgym.com CLUBSPORT clubsports.com/oregon PORTLAND PARKS AND RECREATION portlandoregon.gov/parks/article/430541 PORTLAND ROCK GYM portlandrockgym.com STONEWORKS CLIMBING GYM belay.com
Cooking KIDS CENTRAL KITCHEN cookincolor.com MERRY KITCHEN themerrykitchen.com THE KIDS COOKING CORNER thekidscookingcorner.com 22 | NW Kids Magazine
Dance, Gymnastics & Yoga ALL STAR DANCE ACADEMY asdaonline.biz BODYVOX bodyvox.com/event-space DANCEWORKS DANCE STUDIO danceworkswa.com DO JUMP! dojump.org GYM NEST thegym-nest.com METRO GYMNASTICS CENTER metrogymnastics.com NAYDENOV GYMNASTICS ngymnastics.com OMEGA GYMNASTICS omega-gymnastics.com OREGON GYMNASTICS ACADEMY ogagym.org PRECISION ELITE GYMNASTICS precisionelitegymnastics.com STYLE SHOCK CHEER AND DANCE styleshockcheeranddance.com THE ART OF MOVEMENT theartofmovementstudio.com THE CHILDREN’S GYM childrensgym.com TUMBLE BUS tumblebuspdx.com VELOCITY ATHLETIX velocityathletix.com WESTSIDE DANCE AND GYMNASTICS ACADEMY westsideacademy.com
Event Space OREGON ZOO oregonzoo.org THE FAMILY ROOM AT MILAGROS evenues.com/meeting-space/studioPortland/9689 WORLD FORESTRY CENTER worldforestry.org
Fairy & Tea Party DOLLHOUSE TEAROOM dollhousetearoom.com
Farm BELLA ORGANIC FARM bellaorganic.com KRUGER’S FARM MARKET krugersfarmmarket.com LEE FARM leefarmsoregon.com OLD MCDONALD’S FARM, INC. oldmcdonaldsfarm.org PLUMPER PUMPKIN PATCH & TREE FARM plumperpumpkins.com RASMUSSEN FARMS rasmussenfarms.com
Firehouse BELMONT FIREHOUSE jeffmorrisfoundation.com
Fishing RAINBOW TROUT FARM rainbowtroutfarm.com
Fun Center BIG AL’S ilovebigals.com
CHUCK E CHEESE chuckecheesepizza.com DIZZY CASTLE dizzycastle.com ELECTRIC CASTLE’S WUNDERLAND wunderlandgames.com ENCHANTED VILLAGE enchantedvillage.com FAMILY FUN CENTER fun-center.com OAKS PARK oakspark.com SAFARI SAMS jungleoffun.com THE GAMEROOM gameroompdx.com
Horseback Riding COWBOY JERRY’S HORSES cowboyjerryshorses.com ONCE UPON A HORSE onceuponahorse.com QUARRY RIDGE FARM quarryridgefarm.com RIVER RANCH EQUESTRIAN DAY CAMP riverranchhorses.com ROYAL RIDGES RETREAT royalridges.org SKYLINE EQUESTRIAN CENTER skylineeq.com THE LITTLE CORRAL thelittlecorral.com
Karaoke VOICEBOX KARAOKE LOUNGE voiceboxpdx.com
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places toparty
Museums A.C. GILBERT’S DISCOVERY VILLAGE acgilbert.org
Laser Tag & Go Karts LASERPORT laserportofbeaverton.com MALIBU RACEWAY maliburaceway.com SYKART INDOOR RACING sykart.com ULTRAZONE LAZER TAG ultrazoneportland.com
Legos BRICKS 4 KIDZ bricks4kidz.com BRICKS & MINIFIGS® bricksandminifigs.com LITTLE ENGINEERS little-engineers.com ENGINEERING FOR KIDS engineeringforkids.com/location/portlandmetro
Martial Arts AIM HIGH MARTIAL ARTS aimhighma.org NINJA SHOOL portlandninjaschool.com TULEN CENTER tulencenter.com
OREGON MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY omsi.edu PORTLAND CHILDREN’S MUSEUM portlandcm.org
Pampering & Haircuts PIGTAILS & CREWCUTS pigtailsandcrewcuts.com SIT STILL sitstillkids.com ZENANA SPA zenana-spa.com
Picnics THE OREGON GARDEN oregongarden.com PORTLAND PARKS AND RECREATION portlandonline.com/parks/finder
Pizza Parties JOHN’S INCREDIBLE PIZZA johnspizza.com MISSISSIPPI PIZZA mississippipizza.com OUT OF THIS WORLD PIZZA outofthisworld.net PAPA’S PIZZA papaspizza.net
Movies Play ACADEMY THEATER academytheaterpdx.com FAMILY CINEMAS familycinemas.com 24 | NW Kids Magazine
GYMBOREE gymboreeclasses.com KIDOPOLIS kidopolispdx.com MUNCHKIN PLAYLAND munchkinplayland.com
PLAY BOUTIQUE playboutique.com RAINBOW PARK & PLAYGROUND 123playground.com WEVILLAGE wevillage.com
PORTLAND FUTSAL portlandfutsal.com SOCCERPLEX portlandsoccerplex.com TUALATIN INDOOR SOCCER tualatinindoor.com
Puppet Shows Sports & Active Play EMILY ALEXANDER PRESCHOOL OF THE ARTS alexanderpreschool.com
Ice Skating LLOYD CENTER ICE RINK lloydcenterice.com MOUNTAIN VIEW ICE ARENA mtviewice.com SHERWOOD ICE ARENA sherwoodicearena.com WINTERHAWKS SKATING CENTER winterhawksskatingcenter.com
Roller Skating GOLDEN SKATE goldenskateandlazer.com GRESHAM SKATE WORLD greshamskateworld.com OAKS PARK oakspark.com/roller-skating MT. SCOTT COMMUNITY CENTER portlandoregon.gov/parks/60409
Science MAD SCIENCE portland.madscience.org
Soccer LIL’ KICKERS pdxlilkickers.com OREGON SOCCER CENTER oscindoor.com
ARCHERS AFIELD archersafield.com GLOWING GREENS MINIATURE GOLF glowinggreens.com LUMBERYARD lumberyardmtb.com THE LITTLE GYM thelittlegym.com THE PLAYGROUND GYM theplaygroundgym.com TRACKERS EARTH trackerspdx.com
Water Play CHILDREN OF THE SEA childrenofthesea.com EVERGREEN WINGS & WAVES WATERPARK evergreenmuseum.org/waterpark/ FARBER SWIM SCHOOL farberswimschool.com MITTLEMAN JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER oregonjcc.org NORTH CLACKAMAS AQUATIC PARK pdxsurf.com PORTLAND PARKS AND RECREATION Multiple Locations portlandoregon.gov/parks/finder TUALATIN HILLS PARKS & RECREATION DISTRICT Multiple Locations thprd.org NW Kids Magazine | 25
entertainers Balloon Artists JOE MISHKIN, “NOT YOUR AVERAGE JOE” joemishkin.com NANA BANANA nanabananaballoon.com
SHINING FACES shiningfaces.com THE GILDED CAT thegildedcat.com TINA CONNOLLY tinapaints.com
Circus Act Magicians
HEATHER PEARL heatherpearl.org MOTION MAGIC motionmagic.net PEG STILTS pegstilts.com
ALEXANDER, MASTER OF MARVELS parlorofwonders.com MAGIC OF SETH PRODUCTIONS magicofseth.com PRESTO THE MAGICIAN prestothemagician.com
Clowns Musicians BJ THE CLOWN bjtheclown.com BIZZY THE CLOWN bizzytheclown.com
LORNA MILLER westernhummingbird.com
BUTTON THE CLOWN clownsportland.com
MO PHILLIPS mophillips.com
CHA CHA THE CLOWN chachatheclown.com
MR. BEN mrbenmusic.com
OLIVE AND DINGO oliveanddingo.com
Face Painters FANCY FACES BY AMY fancyfacesbyamy.com MYSTIQUE’S FANCY FACES mystiquesfancyfaces.com NICOLE’S FACE PAINTING nicolesfacepainting.com
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JOHNNY & JASON johnnyandjason.com
TALLULAH’S DADDY tallulahsdaddy.webs.com THE ALPHABETICIANS thealphabeticians.com
Puppeteers DRAGON THEATER PUPPETS dragontheater.com PENNY’S PUPPETS pennypuppets.com
RED YARN redyarnprojects.blogspot.com TEARS OF JOY THEATER tojt.org
Reptiles MR. LIZARD misterlizard.com THE REPTILE MAN oregonreptileman.com
Save the Date!
Birthday Expo January 24, 2015 @ OMSI
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eb & bean a review
Article and Photograph by LAURA LOCKER
I
still remember the day back in the ‘80s when my mother excitedly told me about a miraculous new product: frozen yogurt. It held the necessary nutritional contradiction that propels so many successful food trends—both health and sin in the same bowl—and was close enough to ice cream to deliver satisfaction. However, much frozen yogurt is made with artificial ingredients, and the toppings are loaded with high-fructose corn syrup, dyes, and who knows what else. By the time you pile on the toppings, the sin inevitably outweighs the healthiness, and the experience is a wash. Not so in the new frozen yogurt shop, Eb & Bean, which recently opened on Broadway in Northeast Portland.
ice cream is founded upon the principle of using exclusively fresh, local dairy—a mission that Nathan has also followed in Eb & Bean, where large, painted type above the water cooler proclaims, “All of our dairy is organic and sourced from farms within 100 miles of Portland.”
When you enter the airy, hiply-designed shop, it’s an entirely different feeling than the one you get at the standard self-service, pour-and-weigh yogurt shops. The counter is set back in the tastefully spartan space. There is plenty of seating, and a friendly, knowledgeable server assembles your bowl as you scan over a variety of thoughtful, fashionable, and clever new toppings. (Don’t worry; some classics also lay in wait.)
Three house-made sauces are offered: salted caramel, hot fudge, and marshmallow. These are not the worrisomely thick, gooey versions you typically find. The salted caramel and marshmallow in particular seemed to complement rather than compete with the yogurt, adding an additional sweetness and depth.
The owner, Elizabeth Nathan, comes with a dessert pedigree, having studied in Paris under Martine Lambert, a wellknown artisan ice cream chef. Lambert’s 28 | NW Kids Magazine
They offer three standard yogurt choices daily: vanilla (lowfat), chocolate (nonfat) and tart (full fat). Three other offerings are rotated periodically. During my visits nondairy almond milk, ristretto coffee, and raspberry yogurts were on the menu. The vanilla is creamy, and the tartness that characterizes frozen yogurt is subtle in their formulation. The chocolate pleased my 6-year old son, though my self-indulgent side would have loved a full-fat option.
The source for the excellent toppings reads like a who’s-who of local purveyors: Jacobsen Salt, Honey Ridge Farm, Bakeshop, Bridgetown Bees, Ristretto Roasters, and so forth. My only quibble is in regard to the “candycoated milk chocolates” that are offered
in place of M&M’s—my son gave them an enthusiastic thumbs up, buy my palate missed the full flavor of the original. There are wonderful combinations to be had for diners both young and old. My favorite was, hands-down, the orange cardamom caramel corn made by Pinkleton’s Curious Caramel Corn, a company that uses organic heirloom corn, Oregon butter, cane sugar, and Oregon sea salt. It maintained its crispness in the yogurt and was a perfect blend of salt, sweetness, and butter. I paired it with the rich almond toffee crumbles and perfectly toasted coconut over the almond milk yogurt, and the combination created one of the best bowls of yogurt I have ever had. Despite the undoubtedly higher cost of the quality ingredients, the prices are comparable to more run-of-the-mill shops (bowls start at $2.75 for a kid’s size, $3.75 for a small and $4.75 for a large; ingredients are $1 for the first, $1.50 for two, and $1.75 for unlimited choices). If you are weary from a day of shopping at Lloyd Center, it is a perfect respite—however, it is also worthy of a trip in and of itself. ebandbean.com Laura Locker is a native Portlander who has lived and eaten around the world. She has two restaurant-loving children, aged 5 and 9. NW Kids Magazine | 29
Birthday Book Reviews For Kids REVIEWS BY CAT WIESE OF GREEN BEAN BOOKS
A BIRTHDAY FOR COW! (ages 1-4) by Jan Thomas (Board Book $7.99) Pig and Mouse are hard at work trying to give Cow the best birthday ever! So what would we eat for a birthday? Well, isn’t it obvious? A cake! But Duck has other ideas. Pig and Mouse are at their last straw with Duck until they find out that maybe Duck was right all along. A wacky birthday story for toddlers that has simple repetitions and a goofy twist at the end. HOORAY FOR HAT! (ages 4-8) by Brian Won (Hardcover $16.99) Elephant is not the life of the party when he’s grumpy. Is anyone much fun when they are grumpy? But when Elephant gets a surprise in the mail, he is filled with joy to discover hats. Hats for all occasions, including birthday hats. Hooray! Elephant finds he wasn’t the only grumpy animal, but luckily he has more hats. Hooray for Hat! is a great story about sharing with friends, getting rid of the grumpies, and fashioning only the best hats for the best parties.
A PIECE OF CAKE (ages 4-8) by LeUyen Pham (Hardcover $16.99) Mouse has made a delicious cake for Little Bird’s birthday! On the way to give Little Bird his cake, Mouse runs into a few animals who all want a piece of the cake. Who wouldn’t want a piece of cake? But Mouse is a very generous mouse and trades a piece of cake to each critter along the way. What is Mouse going to do for Little Bird’s birthday now? A Piece of Cake is a wonderful story about friendship, sharing, and creativity. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BABYMOUSE (#18) (ages 7-10) by Jennifer L. Holm & Matthew Holm (Graphic Novel $6.99) If you’ve ever had a birthday party, then you must know that the BIGGEST and MOST extravagant parties are the only parties worth having! (At least that’s what Babymouse thinks) It’s Babymouse’s birthday, and you know she won’t settle for anything less than GRAND for her party. Discover what Babymouse has up her sleeve for her birthday party in Happy Birthday, Babymouse!
1600 NE Alberta Street 503-954-2354 greenbeanbookspdx.com
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Make-Your-Own BIRTH DAY PENNANT BANNER Banners are a great way to brighten a room for any occasion. Follow these simple steps to make your own birthday banner, but keep in mind that you can write your own message and color your own pennants instead of purchasing colored, patterned paper.
Supplies: Cardstock Paper Scissors Glue
1 2 3
Decorating supplies Letter stencils or letter stickers Hole punch Ribbon
F irst, take one piece of cardstock or thicker paper/cardboard and create a triangle template. Our triangles are 5” x 6.5”, but you can make yours any size you’d like. Use a pair of straight scissors to cut out your template, then trace it onto the decorative paper or cardstock you’re using for the triangles. Pro tip: If you have some scissors that cut patterns into paper, it adds an extra dash of fancy when you cut out your triangles.
4 5
rab that hole punch and make one G hole in each of the top two corners. Unravel your ribbon and thread it through the holes. Pro tip: If you start threading the ribbon from back to front, you will see the ribbon on the front side of the triangle and it adds to the decoration. Here comes the best part – hang those banners high and it’s party time!
ext up – decorating! If you have N patterned paper, skip straight to step 4 to add your letters. If you’re using blank paper, this is the part where you take your markers, crayons, colored pencils, stickers, and stencils, and decorate to your heart’s content! Pro tip: If you’ve used thin paper, glue your decorated triangles onto cardstock to give them extra support. o you know how to make bubble D letters? Feel free to write your message by hand, but we recommend using a stencil to trace your letters (don’t forget to color them in!), or purchasing sticker letters to stick onto your decorated triangles.
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The Craft Factory is a drop-in craft studio and birthday party event space located in the heart of Multnomah Village in SW Portland, Oregon. We also host private parties, school workshops, and are involved in arts education. Visit us online at craftfactorypdx.com or call us at 503.577.4310 to book your party today!
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