We went to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, this summer for a weekend away--just the two of us, no kids.  They had fun with Auntie and the Grandparents.  We stayed at a comfy Bed & Breakfast, slept in, and had a fabulous gourmet breakfast served each morning.  Here are some fun things we did.

Lake Geneva Cruise Line Boat Tour

There are multiple boat tours available each day.  The mailboat tour shows the mailperson jumping off the boat onto the pier, and back again, without the boat ever stopping.  We just did the 1-hour tour of the lake, which showcases the beautiful mansions of the wealthiest families in Chicago, including the Wrigleys and the Fields (of Marshall Field's).  

Lunch with a Lakefront View

We had a casual lunch at Popeye's, which offered great classic American fare with a nice view of the lake.  Scuttlebutt's is right next door, and also offers a nice lunch with a great view.

Mini-Golf

We played miniature golf at Paradise Golf Park, which has beautiful landscaping and nice waterfalls.

Shopping

There are many art galleries and shops to browse, including Kilwin's, an ice cream & chocolate store.  We came home with a few paintings...and some chocolate...and some fudge.  :)

Dining

We had a casual dinner at El Palenque, a great Mexican place.  Sopra Trattoria, an Italian restaurant, was a bit more elegant.  Both had delicious food.

The Usborne Internet-Linked First Thousand Words in Chinese, by Heather Amery, illustrated by Stephen Cartwright, provides a brief introduction to Chinese language, including a rough guide to pronouncing pinyin and the 4 tones in Mandarin Chinese. 

The first section shows pictures of different scenes, such as "At Home".  These particular pages show the rooms in a house and the basic objects and furnishings inside the house.  There is no English on these pages, only simplified Chinese characters and pinyin in very small print.  They cover the kitchen, the garden, the garage, the street, the toy store, the park, the zoo, travel, the country, the farm, the seaside, the school, the hospital, the doctor's office, a party, and the store.

Next, there are pictures of foods, body parts, clothing, occupations, family members, things to do, opposites, days of the week, times of day, special days, the weather, the seasons, pets, sports, exercise, colors, shapes, numbers, the amusement park, and the circus.  Phew--very comprehensive!

At the end of the book, there is a word list, listed alphabetically in pinyin, where you can look up the English translation to any word in the book that you don't know.  If you have trouble pronouncing any of the words, you can go to their website and listen to all of the words in the book spoken by a native Chinese speaker.  For added fun, you can look for the hidden duck in every big picture, characteristic of Stephen Cartwright's work in Usborne books.

Although the Chinese characters and pinyin seem to be very tiny in this book, I do love this book for its wonderful illustrations and practical vocabulary lists. to buy

We recently made a trip out to San Francisco to visit friends.  EC was kind enough to show us around and recommend some great places to take the kids.

Golden Gate Bridge

It's an exciting trip for the kids to cross this fantastic bridge through the fog.  We got out and walked across part of the bridge.  It was freezing cold and windy, but really worth it.

Golden Gate Park

This gigantic park has so much to offer.  First, we went to visit the Japanese Tea Garden, where the kids got to climb over the Drum Bridge and see the beautiful Buddhist Pagoda.  We even sat down and had tea at the Tea House.  After lunch at the De Young Museum, we visited the Conservatory of Flowers, with its lovely plants and butterfly exhibit.  Later, we went back to ride the Carousel and play in the huge Children's Playground.

Fisherman's Wharf

Here, we got to see the Musee Mechanique, kind of an old-time arcade, where you can put in a quarter and get a palm reading, arm wrestle a mechanical arm, or watch puppets dance.  At Pier 39, we got to see the California sea lions, had a great dinner at the Crabhouse (they have a kids' menu), rode the 2-tier San Francisco Carousel, and played at the games arcade.  The Aquarium of the Bay is small, but fabulous.  We walked under a tunnel of ocean creatures and saw starfish, anenomes, all kinds of fish, sharks, and sting rays.  We even got to touch the starfish, leopard sharks, and bat rays.  What an amazing experience! 

Do you remember playing Cat's Cradle as a kid? 

If you who don't remember how to do it, here are some handy instructions for Cat's Cradle and String Games.  You can learn to do the Cat's Cradle, Cup & Saucer, Eiffel Tower, Witch's Broom, Jacob's Ladder, and more.  What a fun activity to share with your little ones.  to buy

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