I woke up this morning to yippees and woo hoos, as my kids saw the plethora of fluffy white stuff on the ground.  Finally, enough snow to build a snowman, have a snowball fight and go sledding.  Everyone rushed through breakfast, so that they could don their snow pants and snow boots.

If you are looking to indulge your kids love of snow this weekend, here are some of Chicago’s best sledding hills.

On the go is thrilled to be part of the 4th Annual Go Go Green 5K Run/Walk this weekend.  Not only can you get a bit of exercise and enjoy this wonderful Fall weather we’ve been having (Saturday’s high is predicted to be 58 degrees), but you can bring the family and enjoy some kid-sized fun after the race!

Best of all, the proceeds will benefit the Museum’s vision to be the urban gateway to nature and science. During the race, the Lincoln Park footpath will be transformed into a sea of green, as all participants are asked to dress in green. The fun continues when the Nature Museum opens its doors, for a morning filled with “green” events and activities. From science experiments, to hanging out with some of the Museum’s reptile species, to cooking demonstrations in Nature’s Lunch Box and learning about recycling (bring old batteries and gym shoes), the after-race will feature fun activities and learning opportunities to help connect all of us with nature and science – right in the heart of Lincoln Park.

On the go will be there with our Diaper Changing and Family Aid Station.  In addition to a clean and safe place to change your little one’s diaper, band-aids, wipes and hand sanitizer; we’ll also be handing out balloons, Halloween stickers and tips on the best places to find kid-sized fun this Fall.  We are thrilled to be partnering with Square One Organics.  They will be handing out samples of their delicious frozen organic mango puree.  Plus, the first 150 people who visit our tent will get a reusable shopping bag!  Just look for the BIG orange tent near registration and packet pick-up.

Hope to see you there!

Inside Scoop:

• What – go go Green 5K
• Where – Lincoln Park directly across from the Nature Museum (2430 N. Canon Dr.)
• When, Saturday, October 22nd, registration opens at 7am and the race starts at 9am.
• Cost – $40 adults, $15 children (under 6 are FREE)
• Insider Tip – All participants are encouraged to wear green.  Stop buy the on the go Diaper Changing/Family Aid Station for Square One Organic samples, stickers, balloons and more!

Now that my girls are getting a bit older, we’ve been exploring some new fun things to do outside.  I recently introduced them to miniature golfing.  There are actually four putt putt courses in the city.  None of them have the elaborate designs and themed holes that the larger places in the suburbs offer, but they none the less offer plenty of outdoor fun for those new to the game.

Diversey Driving Range and Miniature Golf (141 W. Diversey Pkwy.) is a small 18-hole course nestled between the driving range and a small park.  Although the holes were all short and lacked themes or frills, there was still plenty to keep our little ones interested including a hole with an small underground tunnel.  My youngest was pretty content simply putting her ball in the tunnel and watching it come out the other side.  Cost is $8 for adults, $6 for kids (under 4 are free). Plus, they did not charge the adults if we were simply helping the little ones. There is a parking lot right at the range and ample street parking.  There is a nearby grill with a nice outdoor patio that had great burritos and standard kids fare (hamburgers and hot dogs).

The Links at Navy Pier (600 E. Grand Ave) is also quite small, but is located in the shadows of the iconic ferris wheel at Navy Pier.  Each hole is named after a famous attraction in the city, but don’t expect elaborately themed holes.  The course is modest, but fun.  Plus, you can play for only $5 or as part of their five ride combo deal for only $15. In addition to all the rides and nearby Chicago Children’s Museum, there are also lots of family-friendly dining options on the pier. The parking is quite expensive though, so we usually ride our bikes down.  They have a huge bike storage area just in front of the entrance to the pier.

The Greens at Grant Park (352 E. Monroe) is only open during the summer (Memorial Day to Labor Day), but is a modest little 18-hole putt putt course ideally located next to the Art Institute and Millennium Park.  There is also a nice restaurant at the course, where you can dine outside surrounded by magnificent views of the city. My kids love the CTA, so taking the train downtown followed by some miniature golf is an ideal outing. Cost is $12 for adults and $6 for children.

Douglas Park Learning Course & Mini Golf (1401 S. Sacramento Dr.) has a a 18-hole putt putt course and a 3-hole learning course all free to the public.  My girls and I visited last year, and although the course is free it is quite run down and appears to be rarely used.  The water features within the putt putt course had some trash in them, and were full of algae, etc.  Given the state of disrepair, I would not recommend bringing your little ones to this course.

If you enjoyed this article and the other reviews on the go provides, please vote for us on parents.com for Best Local Blog.  Thanks!

The girls and I recently visited the Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center in Willow Springs.  Unfortunately, we did not pick the best day for this outing, since it rained all morning long.  That did not stop us from having loads of fun!  The Little Red School House Nature Center consists of the original Little Red Schoolhouse from 1886 and a new, spectacular nature center built in 2010.  Best of all, it is all FREE!

The nature center houses everything from hands-on exhibits where your little one can touch bones and acorns to huge aquariums that are teaming with local wildlife (snakes, fish and some fabulous turtles).  We started our visit in the activity room playing with the many nature inspired hands-on exhibits and arts and crafts.  My kids loved the puzzles, bones, craft table and the live (and giant) caterpillars.

We then moved on to the other side of the building where all the live animals are located.  We had a great time meandering through the snakes, frogs and birds.  The highlight of our visit was definitely the aquariums.  The fish and, most of all, the giant turtles really captured my toddlers attention.  It was great to learn so much about the local animals that inhabit the miles of trails and many lakes right outside the Nature Center’s doors.  The views of the lake and surrounding area are amazing too.

We finished our visit with a run through the rain to the original schoolhouse.  There are still a few exhibits and one crow still housed in the schoolhouse.  There are also a couple outdoor animal exhibits along the path to the schoolhouse, but it was raining too hard for us to really get a look at the owls and other outside animals.  We also really enjoyed learning the history behind the schoolhouse.  Wow…have times changed.  Click here to learn more about the history of the schoolhouse.

If the weather would have been better, we would have explored one of the many stroller friendly, short walking trails in the surrounding Cook County Forest Preserve .  They go through oak forests, past lakes and through savannas.  There are maps and descriptions available at the Nature Center.

After leaving the Nature Center, we head over to the Plush Horse Ice Cream Parlor (12301 S. 86th Ave, Palos Park, IL).  It is about 5 miles away in Palos Park, and well worth a stop.  They have been serving up delicious ice cream for more than 80-years.  Plus, there is a GIANT stuffed horse.  My kids were in heaven…and so was I.  My mint chocolate chip sundae was delicious!

Inside Scoop:

• Where – 9800 Willow Springs Rd., Willow Springs, IL (25 miles from the city)
• Cost -FREE
• Insider tip – There is no food or drinks for sale at the Center.  Plus, they don’t have a designated picnic area.  There are lots of places to have a picnic near one of the lakes or off one of the many trails in the surrounding Forest Preserve.

If you enjoyed this article and the other reviews on the go provides, please vote for us on parents.com for Best Local Blog.  Thanks!

We had a great time hosting the Diaper Changing and Family Aid Station at Retro on Roscoe this weekend.  I met lots of local families, and found myself chatting with a lot of parents with younger kids about which parks I like best for toddlers and babies.  I recently put a list of my favorite parks for little tikes together for The Bump Club and Beyond, which I’ve included below.

When looking for fun parks for wee ones to play at, I try to stick to ones that are enclosed, have baby swings and other equipment specifically designed for smaller children and have plenty of shade.  All of the parks below meet these criteria, plus have a little something extra to offer.

Best water playground – River Park (5100 N. Francisco Ave.) has a great water playground for crawlers and toddlers.  The area is completely enclosed, and has lots of different sprinkles, sprayers and other fun ways for your little one to get wet.  Since there are no slides or things to climb on, this water playground tends to attract mostly younger kids.  The adjacent park has a large grass area with plenty of trees perfect for a picnic.

Best themed playground – Argh mateys! Supera Park (2528 N. Racine) has two awesome pirate ship themed play areas (one for toddlers and one for older kids), a large boat shaped sandbox and a sea horse you can ride.  In addition, the equipment is in great condition, the park is completely enclosed and there is plenty of shade.

Best place to explore nature – Peterson Park (5801 N. Pulaski) and the adjacent North Park Village Nature Center is a fabulous place to escape city life.  Although the equipment at Peterson Park is a bit dated, the shaded paths and waterfall more than make up for it.  Plus, the beehive and stroller-friendly trails past lily pad laden ponds in the Nature Center offer the perfect setting for your toddler too explore our native flora, fauna and insects.

Best picnic venue – Oz Park (2021 N. Burling St.) not only has charming statues of the characters from the Wizard of Oz, but also offers the perfect setting for a picnic.  The equipment may be a bit older and wooden, but it is huge and has lots of tunnels and bridges for crawlers to explore.  Just next to the playground is a separate grassy area that is completely enclosed.  The space is quite large, so there is plenty of room for the kids to run around after (or during) your picnic.

Best place to catch a concert – The Welles Park Gazebo (2333 W. Sunnyside Ave.) is the ideal place to catch one of the Chicago Park District’s famed “Concerts in the Parks.”  Babies and toddlers love music!  What better way to spend an evening then some quality time on the baby swings or cooling off under the sprinklers, and then an evening picnic and concert in front of the gazebo.  Concerts are every Tuesday at 6:30 during the summer.

I love summer.  You’ll never catch me complaining that it is too hot.  Although I have been in Chicago for seven years, the California girl in me loves the sunshine!  My friends back home always marvel at the Facebook pictures I post of my kids at the beach here in Chicago.  I actually live closer to the beach here than I did as a kid growing up in Souther California.

Following are four of our favorite beaches to visit.  All of them have stroller-mats, which are great if you are toting wee ones, but also come in handy when you are pulling a wagon full of stuff!  Let us know what your favorite beach is.  I am always looking for new places to explore!

Foster Avenue Beach (5200 N. Lakeshore Dr.) – Today the girls and I headed to Foster Beach with a friend and her two toddlers.  We had a blast.  The beach is easy to get too (right off the Foster Ave. exit on Lake Shore Dr.), has plenty of parking ($1 and hour), bathrooms, stroller-mats and a lifeguard.  We got there at 10am, and the beach and parking lot were relatively empty.  When we left just after 1pm, they had both filled up.  The bathrooms were clean, and they even have an outdoor shower area where you rinse off all that pesky sand.  It is amazing to me how much sand collects in my girls swimming suits.  Then again, they do roll around in the surf for hours!  Between swimming, sand castles, a picnic and lots of chasing each other through the surf laughing, everyone had a great time!

Montrose Beach (4400 N. Lake Shore Drive) is also another one of our favorites.  They too have plenty of parking, easy access from Lake Shore, large grassy area perfect for picnics if you want to eat away from the sand, a nearby playground (bit on the older side), stroller-mats, lifeguards, bathrooms and a snack bar.  Plus, next to the beach is a great butterfly and bird sanctuary.  On September 13th at 6pm, the Chicago Park District is hosting an Evening Prairie Walk through the sanctuary.

North Avenue Beach and Beach House (1600 N. Lake Shore) offers families all the beach amenities one could ask for, plus an amazing view of the city skyline. The ocean liner inspired beach house has bathrooms, a restaurant on the top deck, bike rentals and a concession stand. The beach is wide, relatively clean, has lifeguards and offers plenty of people watching. The beach can get a bit crowded, but what do you expect for a beach in the middle of the city?  There is a nearby paid parking lot, but it fills up fast.

Ohio Street Beach (400 N. Lake Shore Dr.) is very popular with swimmers. It has a great one mile course that runs parallel to the drive. Since my hubby and I both do the Chicago Triathlon each year, we tend to take the girls here a few times each summer.  We’ll take turns swimming, while the girls make sand castles.  Although not traditionally noted as one of the best family friendly beaches, we love it.  It has a great view, nice access to the water, lifeguards, stroller-mats, lots of bicycle parking and usually there is a food vendor or two just up the hill.

The Morton Arboretum has combined two of my favorite things…being outside and Chicago theatre! Introduce your kids to live theatre, while enjoying the great outdoors with Theatre Hikes.  Families can walk along with the action from scene to scene outdoors among 1,700 acres of trees and beautiful landscapes. Theatre Hikes runs this July through October, and has productions of some classic family stories including the Wizard of Oz and Around the World in 80-Days.

Inside Scoop:

• Where – Morton Arboretum Thornhill Shelter (Parking Lot 21)
• When – Saturdays and Sundays July through October at 1pm (unless otherwise noted)
• Cost – Adults $19, Children $13 non-members. Order online or call 630.725.2066
• Tips – Sunday hikes are low-impact (suitable for strollers, walkers, and wheelchairs).

Shows:

• July – The Hobbit
  Tolkien in the trees! Theatre-Hikes® kick off the summer season with J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic The Hobbit. Follow Bilbo Baggins as he is tricked by Gandalf the Wizard into going on an adventure with 13 dwarfs.
• August – The Wizard of Oz
  There is no place like home! The Wizard of Oz is August’s Theatre-Hike®. Follow this adaptation of the L. Frank Baum novel as Dorothy and her friends travel to find the great and powerful wizard to help them with their heart’s greatest desires.
• September, starting September 10 – Around the World in 80 Days
  Stampeding elephants! Raging typhoons! Runaway trains! Hold onto your seats for the original amazing race! Join fearless adventurer, Phileas Fogg, and his faithful manservant as they race to beat the clock!
• October and Columbus Day – Night of the Living Dead (All performances at 3 p.m.)
  In this campy horror classic, zombies rise from their graves and take over the world. Local junior high and high school youth will appear in each performance as extras in the “zombie chorus”!

Looking for some “extreme” family fun?  Check out Cirque Shanghai Extreme at Navy Pier Pepsi Skyline Stage!  We were lucky enough to be invited to attend the show last Thursday, and had a blast.

As you may know, my kids are toddlers so I was a bit concerned that they would not last the entire show since we went to the 7:30pm performance.  Well…those fears were unfounded.  My two toddlers were enthralled from start to finish. I did not even have to break out my stash of emergency lollipops (usually reserved for long lines and such).

The show starts with beautifully costumed dancers/performers coming down the aisle, which delighted my three-year-old.  From the moment the show starts the performers are dancing, jumping, tumbling and flying across the stage.  The show is really action packed.  My family particularly enjoyed the aerial acrobatics, roller skating couple and the motorcycle finale.

The theatre is outdoors, but well shaded and on the water so we had a nice breeze. They sell food and drinks (everything from apple juice to Pinot Grigio) that you can bring to your seats…bonus!

My family gives Cirque Shanghai Extreme two thumbs up!  The show was appropriate for toddlers, but I think school age kids would enjoy it even more. Want to check it out for yourselves?  On the go has a family four pack of tickets to give to one lucky reader.  To be entered into the drawing, simply email me by 5pm, Friday, July 15th at cindymccarthy@onthegochicago.com.

Inside Scoop:

• What – Cirque Shanghai Extreme
• Where – Navy Pier Pepsi Skyline Theatre
• When – Now through September 5th
• Cost – Ticket prices range from $15-$32.50.  All children’s tickets are $15 for any seat in the house.

Rides, animals and carnival games…what more could a kid ask for?  This past week the girls and I visited Santa’s Village Azoosment Park in Dundee.  If you have a little one who likes carnival rides and animals, this is the perfect place for you.  They have rides just the right size for adventuresome toddlers and a number of larger rides geared towards school age children.  My two dare devil toddlers were in heaven, although I have to admit that riding the hot air balloon ride backwards made me a bit queazy!  Luckily, the other rides were all tame enough that the kids could ride without my personal supervision.

We got there when the park opened and stayed about three hours.  The lines for rides were surprisingly short.  In fact, most of the times the kids were able to go on a second time without even getting back in line.

After spending quality time getting their thrills on the rides (many of them over and over again), the girls moved on to exploring the zoo part of Azoosment Park.  They have an eclectic array of animals.  From the more exotic (reindeer and camels) to the domesticated (sheep and goats). We had a great time learning about and feeding the animals.  Next we moved on to the ever popular pony rides.  Again, the lines were short, so my girls got to pick their pony and were able to ride more than once. Hooray!

We finished our day with lunch at one of their many shady picnic tables.  If you don’t feel like bringing your own lunch, they have restaurants, ice cream parlors and even a Hoffbrau House/Beer Garden.  As would be expected, the food offered is pretty much standard amusement park fare, and most of the outlets I saw only accepted cash.

Although a bit of a drive from the city (took us just under an hour), the girls and I had a great time. I loved that it was one price to get in and go on all the rides instead of being nickled and dimed for each ride.  It was great to be able to let the girls go on rides over and over again without worrying about how much it was costing me. Most of the rides and attractions seamed to be geared toward toddlers and younger school aged kids, so older kids/tweens might not find the place quite as enthralling as my two.

Want to check out the Azoosment Park for yourself?  Email me at cindymccarthy@onthegochicago.com by 5pm Friday, June 24th for a chance to win a family four pack of tickets.

Inside Scoop:

• What – Santa’s Village Azoosment Park
• Where – 601 Dundee Ave., East Dundee, IL
• Cost – $16.50  (adults and children 3 years and up), 2 and under and active military are free
• Insider Tip –  If you are not lucky enough to win tickets, click here for a coupon good for $3 off admission good through July 10th.

As many of you know, my family and I love to take road trips.  I think we love the planning almost as much as the actual adventure.  My husband is the master at finding quirky places and “Americana” for us to stop at along the way.  This trip we are going to the future birthplace of James T. Kirk, so when I say quirky…I mean quirky!

We are picking up our rented RV today and then hitting the open road with our two girls (Grace 3 1/2 and Clare 2 1/2).  First stop is the above mentioned future birthplace of James T. Kirk (Riverside, Iowa), then on to the Amana Colonies and  Winterset, Iowa (Bridges of Madison County and the birthplace of John Wayne).

Thinking of planning your own Road Trip with the kiddos or just looking for some interesting places to stop on the way to grandma’s house?  Check out the blog I did for WEtv.com on Finding “Americana” in your backyard.

Stay tuned for more tales and tips from the road…

It seems like all winter we long for the dog days of summer.  But when summer finally arrives (hallelujah!), instead of spending the days basking in the glorious sunshine, we try to pack an entire year’s worth of outdoor fun in one, often times too short, summer!

Here are five of our favorite summer time activities here in Chicago:

1. Splish Splash, lets get wet! Check out one of the city’s great water playgrounds or public pools.  Our two favorite water playgrounds, Adams Playground and River Park, offer bathrooms, great playgrounds, huge water features and even nice grassy areas to host a picnic.
2. Dance through the streets. Street festivals are more than just cover bands, hot asphalt and cold beer. Many of the summer festivals have dedicated kids areas with face painting, pony rides, carnival games and great kindie music performances.  A few of our favorites are Retro on Roscoe (August 6 & 7), Old Town Folk and Roots Festival (July 9 & 10) and Sheffield Garden Walk (July 23 & 24)
3. Soak up the rays! Visit one of the family friendly beaches in Chicago. Many of the city’s beaches offer stroller mats for easy access to the sand and water, bathrooms, playgrounds and snack bars.  One of our favs is Montrose Beach at 4400 N. Lakeshore which has food, bathrooms, lifeguards, a large sandy area, playground and plenty of parking.
4. Enjoy farm fresh produce. Stroll through one of the city’s 20 plus farmers markets. In addition to teaching your little one a bit about where their food comes from, you might even be able to inspire them to try a new veggie (a mom can dream can’t she).  Many of the markets, like the Green City Market, boast food vendors, live music, kids clubs and are even located next to parks.
5. Watch the stars under the stars. Enjoy a family movie at one of Chicago’s local parks.  From classics like Ferris Bueller’s Day Off to new favorites like Despicable Me, your sure to find a flick that your whole family will enjoy. Check out the 2011 Movie’s In the Park schedule to fine one near you.  All movies are FREE and begin at dusk!

Kick off the summer festival season with one of the most kid-friendly fests of the year, Do Division.  There is an entire kids fest within the fest called Do Division Family Fun Fest.  We went last year, and had a blast!  As you know, we love checking out the kindie music scene here in the city, and Do Division Family Fun Fest has a great lineup this year including Laura Doherty, Mary Macaroni, Super Stolie, Jeanie B and more.  Plus, they are brining back many of the popular activities from last year and a few new ones including:

• Building Block Toys Carnival Wheel,
• Christy Webber Bee Hive tent,
• Cat n Mouse Game Store’s Game tent
• Baby Take a Bow Hip Hop workshop,
• pony rides,
• The Easel Art Studio Craft Tent,
• punk rock hair styling by Psycho Baby,
• face painting,
• cookie decorating,
• the Children’s Learning Place Toddler Zone, and
• a bounce house

The Inside Scoop:

• Where – Hoyne between Division and Potomac
• When – June 4-5 from noon-6pm
• Cost – Donation to enter fest. Some activities (e.g.. pony rides) are an additional cost.  Proceeds benefit Friends of Pritzker School and LaSalle II PTO, two public elementary schools in Wicker Park.

Looking for something fun to do this weekend?  Check out Chicago Kids Day at the Mayfest Tent.  This amazing event celebrates children’s health and wellness.  You and your wee ones will enjoy arts & crafts, yoga, live performances and other kid-sized activities geared towards educating kids on health, safety and wellness in a fun and entertaining way.  Plus, the proceeds benefit Neighborhood Parents Network and the YMCA.

Inside Scoop

• Where – Mayfest (Ashland and Barry)
• When – Saturday, May 21st from 10am-1pm
• Cost – $10 suggested donation.  All proceeds go to NPN and Lakeview YMCA.

Sun, leaves and flowers…hooray!  I went for a run today, and I was so happy to just be outside and see leaves again.  This has been a brutal Spring so far, and I for one am ready to shed my winter coat and be OUTSIDE!

Here are a five fun places in and around Chicago where you can enjoy the spring flowers, leaves and sunshine with your wee ones!

1. Jump, climb and explore the Children’s Garden at the Morton Arboretum. Not only is the Arboretum huge (1700 acres of trees, prairie, lakes and rivers), but it offers year-round opportunities to experience nature (tram ride, scenic drive, hiking, biking, snow shoeing and cross country skiing).  The Children’s garden is hands-on and massive.  Kids can run, jump, slide, climb and explore to their hearts content.  They also offer lots of kid friendly activities, classes and events. They have a great little lake just off their restaurant, which is ideal for strolling around with your little ones. Adults are $11 and kids are $8.
2. Get a hands-on experience of what life was like on a farm at the turn of the century at Kline Creek Farm in West Chicago.  The historically costumed interpreters actually operate this living-history farm using the tools and techniques of the past.  Your family can not only take a tour of the big house and farm, but also participate in the farm chores.  My kids loved collecting the eggs from the chicken coup and strolling out to see the sheep and cows, plus there is a nice little picnic area too. The farm is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, but FREE Thursdays through Mondays.  Visit their site for a complete list of their daily activities.
3. Stroll through 155 acre nature preserve without leaving the city at The North Park Village Nature Center. The Nature Center itself is quite small, but they do have some bones and horns your little ones can touch, and a real beehive that they can look inside (this was the highlight for my girls). Behind the Nature Center is the actual preserve which features trails that wind through woodlands, wetlands, prairies and savannas. There is a huge pond in the wetland area that has beautiful lily pads and dragonflies buzzing around. The main trail is a loop and is less than a half-mile. Although the trails are not paved, they are very stroller friendly and shady.
4. Blackberry Farm in Aurora is a 54-acre living-history museum and offers a little something for everyone.  From UNLIMITED pony, train and carousel rides to the more than 200 varieties of trees and five museums, everyone in your group will have a great time and learn a little something too. Don’t miss the blacksmith & weaving demonstrations as well as the chance to visit the farm cabin and one room schoolhouse to see how settlers lived in the 1800’s.  After all the fun, enjoy lunch in their picnic grove along the lakeshore.  Pony rides are weekends only in May. Non-resident adults are $7 and children are $6.
5. Stop and smell the flowers at the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe.  There are several gardens your kids are sure to love including the Fruit and Vegetable Garden, Waterfall Garden and of course the Model Railroad Garden (additional $5 for adults and $3 for kids). My kids had a great time running around trying to identify the different fruits and vegetables, and they took three or four trips back to check out the beehive. Don’t miss the scavenger hunt checklist at the information desk. Although there is lots to see and it is wonderful to just stroll outside, there is not a lot for kids to climb on or touch. If you have kids with a short attention span, you may want to plan your visit around one of their MANY scheduled activities. The garden is free, but the parking is $20.

I am always looking for any excuse for a fun night out sipping cocktails with the girls!  So when I heard about the WBBM Newsradio 780 and 104.3-JACK-FM present Sassy Moms Night Out event on February 24th, I immediately started planning my “sassy” red inspired outfit and recruiting some of my fav gal pals to join me!

In addition to a night out with your girlfriends, the event will include: cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, a custom handbag filled with Swag from 1154 LILL Studio and access to complimentary beauty services courtesy of Mario Tricoci! The ticket price also includes a copy of “Bump it Up: Transform your Pregnancy into the Ultimate Style Statement” and its author, style expert, journalist and all-around fashion aficionado Amy Tara Koch will be on-hand to personally sign the books and moderate a fashion demo for sassy moms of all shapes and sizes.

Yours truly will be tripping, I mean strutting across the stage as part of Amy’s fashion demo.  Yikes!  Wish me luck, and cross your fingers that they don’t put me in those crazy tall heals that are so popular this season!

Plus, on the go Chicago has been given 2 tickets to giveaway to one of our readers.  Simply email me at cindymccarthy@onthegoChicago.com to be entered into the drawing!  The winner will be pulled at 5pm on Friday!

A portionof the ticket sales for this Sassy Moms Go Red event will be donated to the American Heart Association. Plus, guests are encouraged to bring gently worn maternity clothes to help support New Moms, Inc., one of our fav local charities.  New Moms breaks the cycle of poverty among teenage moms.  They are truly an amazing organization. Donations will be accepted from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Alhambra Palace.  If you have maternity clothes you would like to donate and live on the North side of Chicago, but can’t make the event, send me an email (cindymccarthy@onthegochicago.com).  I would be happy to pick them up and deliver them to the event.

Inside Scoop

• What – Sassy Moms Night Out
• When – Thursday, February 24th from 7-10pm
• Where – Alhambra Palace Restaurant (1240 W. Randolph St.)
• Cost – $60
• Tickets/Reservations – Click here or by calling 800-320-2289 x1

Looking for a new way to enjoy the great outdoors this winter, check out Northerly Island.

Polar Adventure Days

On January 22nd and February 26th, Northerly Island will be host to Polar Adventure days.  Families can watch as amazing ice sculptures are created, meet live Siberian huskies and other wild animals, listen to storytelling or live music, make winter-themed crafts, and sip on hot cocoa all for FREE!

Cross Country Ski & Snow Shoe

If there is more than 3 inches of snow on the ground, you can rent snow shoes or corss country skis for FREE at Northerly Island on select weekends this January and February.  (Jan 8, 9, 15, 16, 23, 29, & 30; Feb 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, & 27)