While at an event , Zach got his arm painted by Tania Crook of Infinite Arts and the family friendly Makin' Faces Face Painting. It was free to get it done as she had been commissioned by the event to provide face painting for the kiddos. Zach was first kid for the day I believe. Her work was awesome and quick. Friendly demeanor, made my little comfortable so she deserves a shout out.
Will link all ways to get in touch. Check out both pages.
*Sponsored entrance in order to facilitate our review. Though gifted free entrance all opinions are our own and honest.
*Links throughout taking you directly to webpage for each exhibit, so you can have the full course and wealth of info needed to go along with our day out.
If you have an inquisitive , who loves museums child; then take a trip to THEMUSEUM in downtown Kitchener Ontario. A new kind of museum full of interactive areas. No stuffy don't touch rooms. As an unschooling with homeschooling tendencies household , the play and interaction on each floor boasts learning through play for my little guy. Hands on experiences allow you to retain and hold the information longer when seeing and doing is your learning style.
THEMUSEUM is 5 floors with interactive exhibits, some of which are permanent for your day trip delights.
It was tough getting Zach to leave the the first few floors behind and start at the top and work our way down. With a little convincing we headed up the stair case to the 4th Floor Level.
The entrance to get into spectrum exhibit , walking the rainbow. Zach is a green freak so he only wanted to enter through the green chains. It was just like being at a carnival walking through. I took full advantage and weaved through the rainbow. the interaction isn't just for the kids.
There were a few interactive places on the walls and throughout for you to test your knowledge and try. I tried to skim them all as much as possible but anything that caught Zachs eye and he went off like a shot.
The main room holds Play the Rainbow. We could have stayed in that room forever. Lights strung in fabulous arches that you could manipulate and change the color of and add sound.
Some comfy bean bag chairs to just sit in wonder as you looked above you, like under a twinkling of a million stars.
The piano was a huge hit for Zach and I am sure you could have heard his chorus throughout. Here have a listen for yourself
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There was a third room to venture forth into in the Spectrum Exhibit, though I decided that it was going to be a no for me. They had a huge Ball Pit and did not realize till after there was a Balloon room. Balloons floor to ceiling. On the environmental side the balloon room should not be there from my perspective, and well I feel some type of way about the unsanitary conditions contained inside ball pits so I just pulled a mom move and we headed down to the 3rd Floor. The room was clean though and everyone was to take shoes off, just is not something for me. Plus I am pretty sure I would never have gotten my kid out of there and we had just started our adventure. Well just started the adventure inside THEMUSEUM; we are just going to forget the bus ride in and yep the bus ride home to.
There was just to much here to get through with my little in toe. While he learned many new things about our brains and how they work , his interest was not as enthusiastic as I had hoped it would be. Granted at 7 and knowing my kid I was expecting much , I just would have liked to have spent more time myself going through each item and module that were on display. There was one interactive experience we both loved though and that was the highlight for Zach on this floor. While he did do other things putting your head against a contraption and having you see your brain activity on the screen was so fascinating for him. It was interesting to see just how different each of our brain waves were. There is just so much in this exhibit if you have the time take it and immerse yourself in the Brain.
Heading down to 2nd Floor Family Experience level, there was the electricity Ball and you have to no matter what touch it. I was hoping his hair would go crazy cray , but just did really cool like sparks to his fingers as he moved. I am pretty sure this is a museum staple everywhere and to me it wouldn't be a Museum without it.
So regardless of the intentions I had for the Blog and the wealth of info I wanted to display, all hopes for anything went away the second we rounded the corner on the 2nd floor. With great reason. This floor holds permanent interactive Exhibits and the Creation Station Area. We were there in between events for the day so we missed out on any of the Creative stuff , though I am sure Zach would not have sat through anything esp with all the stuff on that floor.
Huge Lego blocks, bricks, water table, huge magnet wall, floor piano, and so much more. Here mommy go to just take a seat and Zach had free reign to do anything he wanted. run from thing to thing, play , explore, get wet, and just have fun. The water table we had a few school lessons and mommy played there to. The water had cleaner in it which was and is huge plus.
He stayed here and played quite a while on this floor. Great place for younger kids to hang, learn and just explore.
We took a look at the Urban Streetscape project on that same floor before heading to the Grand Atrium on the ground floor. It was neat to see the street view in art. Glad we did also because of the concave mirror. Those are the best, Funhouse giggles. So many giggles and he made endless funny faces, here are 2.
Grand Floor holds the Main Entrance, Gift Shop, Visitor Services, Permanent Exhibits,Fish Tanks Cafeteria, Toddler Area, Cloak Room and entrance to B@THEMUSEUM Restaurant.
Cafeteria was not open for us to use or check out and while the restaurant was very cute and quaint , little bit to pricey and not to Zach friendly. Best to bring snacks.( Nut free is the intention and hope but being a public area not a guarantee, and they have that posted ) There is a large seating area to sit while kids play on the really cool staple exhibits on the ground floor. Tables and floors not very clean there. But kids play , eat to be expected really. The tots room for little under 4 is a great place for your little littles to hang and not have to worry about intrusion of the bigger kids. The massive building blocks were what kept Zach and needing the prodding to just go past and start at the top.
Tiny little gift shop is very well laid out but expect to pay a fair amount if you want to purchase anything.Par for course it is Gift Shop.
(Gift Shop , unfortunately the great pic I had of the entrance and guest service area got deleted, before I checked to make sure it uploaded.)
I have only touched the surface of how much is going on there. But this was our experience. To get a glimpse and see everything THEMUSEUM has to offer , head on over to their website and spend a few minutes checking things out. https://themuseum.ca/
The Lower level has the Underground Studio MakerSpace. really wanted to be able to check it out but we were in a date and time difference of availability. Hit up the link and check it out for yourself, to me would be worth checking out for yourself. https://themuseum.ca/the-underground-studio-makerspace/
We had such a great day there and I am so thankful to have received the experience. You really must get in and see both Spectrum and the Brain exhibits. You have until Sept to check them out. September boasts a new exhibit close to my heart and hopefully can get up there to check it out kid free this time. https://themuseum.ca/exhibitions/upcoming-exhibitions/afterlife/
Admission : 14+ $13.95 each
3-13 $9.95 each
0-2 free
Seniors 65+ 11.95
If you need to be price conscious which I can relate to $7.00 each for everyone on Wednesdays and they also have seniors day on Thursday $5 for 65+
We bused in from Cambridge so I do not know parking situation so there may be a fee for that to.
All in all a great day out, and one I hope you take the time to experience also.
Walking through the market and our stomachs grumble, fact. Not from being hungry, or you don't think you are hungry till the smell of the pop up food vendor shops or staple stores hit your senses like a wave of get in my belly intense flavour. The aroma as we were heading down one aisle following both our nose and now hunger for something to eat, and we see it. We see the object our senses awoken to... The French Fry Sign.But not just any fry. The aroma has a certain flavour profile and the ingredients listed, that was it.
THE FRIES
You get real potatoes, skin on cut to perfection, perfectly salted perfect sized fries. Marinated in rosemary, thyme, and chives and then topped with feta cheese. Served with this kalamata dip on the side that I can't even. It was just that good. These fries are a must for a quick snack or a keep you going so you can continue around the entire market. At $4.25 the price is right, fries are shareable and you get more real food. There is so much more to get there as well and if I had not been so memorized by those fries I would have taken a deeper dive into all the food on offer. But because I didn't and only had fries on the brain, I have no shame; from that sign , the ingredients and the aroma made it impossible for me to think of anything else. Since since there is so much more there how about you run to their Instagram page and check it out https://www.instagram.com/atasteofgreece1/ Just by seeing their pictures man I missed out, but those fries. Seriously wiped any other thought from my brain , esp once the dip hit my taste buds.
(Who gets the last bits...... no perfectly cut, topped to perfection spud gets left behind, nor any of that feta)
A Taste of Greece delivered just that, and I wanted to stay there and lick the dip container. But instead I took the fry fork and flipped it and it spooned it out. Any waste would have been pure blasphemy.
As a staple inside one of the buildings, A Taste Of Greece will always be there for you. Nostalgia adorns their cash spot with a piece of the original wood before the devastating fire to the market many years ago.
Yes I was graciously given the fries to try ( which I am so grateful for and my taste buds are too), but all opinions and writing style is mine and given in a very honest way. I can't fault them in anyway except maybe a tall glass of that kalamata dip for the side but then that would just be being greedy at how amazing it is. This to I would buy in bottle form as a take home.
Whether you are hungry or not you can always find room for fries. Make sure to get yourself on to any GRT bus or train and get your self driven to the market for free. You have Thursday and Saturday left to ride when the market is open.
Ice cream the one true cold summery treat that can bring us all together . Everyone seems to have a story with ice cream , a fond memory or two, a flavour that causes a reminisce.
Now C@@@@@s you have had my heart but nestled away a the St. Jacobs Farmers Market is an ice cream surprise you must be sure not to miss. A secret needs telling and shouted from the roof tops.
I am talking about Grandpa Shantz's Homemade Old fashioned Ice Cream.
The whir of the machine, the sound hypnotizes you to even at the very least check out what is happening, and what is the machine itself.
Coming in close and realizing it is 2 John Deere mowers created to form an old fashioned ice cream maker, you sit and stare for a minute. Thinking can it be true, has Grandpa Ross Shantz really done it 13 years ago creating an ice cream making machine. The answer is simple and a resounding yes.
This will be the second year that Hannah, her brother, and of course the odd visit by Grandpa Ross himself have been at the market. First year for me to find them( first year back at the market in a very long time sad to say what a gem I have missed) and first year for them with a social media presence. So head here to their Instagram page https://www.instagram.com/shantzicecream/, give them a follow and then head to the Market , Tuesday , Thursday or Saturday and grab yourself a cup. Now do yourself a favour and just buy the $5.00 adult size right off the jump, you will regret that you didn't if you just get the small $3.00 kid sized one.
THE ICE CREAM
Cold creamy perfect hinted taste of Vanilla but so intense at the same time. A perfect balance of all homemade natural ingredients. By all rights as well you can taste the homemade and the love from a multi generation family business, bringing everyone's favorite treat to you. There would be nothing better than a cup on any summer day. If it can happen hint hint, maybe some take home mini quarts would be divine. So velvety smooth, not processed the taste of home. It is hard to explain to taste without having the sensation for yourself. How can I convey it tastes real with love, but that is exactly the perfect description. Creamy coating in your mouth , swirls of delicious homemade Vanilla Ice Cream.
There were caramel and chocolate syrups for the topping of your Vanilla Ice Cream but wanted to really taste and give the ice cream it's due. Now that we have the next ones will be topped with some caramel to give it a go.
This photo below explains everything perfectly regarding how they make it and I couldn't say it better. With a nod to the engines as well.
I would like to graciously thank Hannah ( Spelling on point I hope so :) ) , for agreeing to sponsor out our 2 cups to taste and try. While given product for free all the thoughts , opinions and my writing style is mine alone and an open and honest review. The fact is I am still thinking about it and wished I had had some for a late night snack last night and for my hot chocolate this morning as a topper)
The market is open tomorrow Thursday , grab your fiver and get over there. With all the GRT transportation free right now there is no excuse not to get up there .
(I took a picture of the picture from the Cambridge Times Newspaper )
Let's face it the price to ride the city bus is not very cost effective or friendly for this single mom. But thanks to the GRT ( Grand River Transit) unveiling the new ION and routes they are providing free service on all their platforms. From June 21 2019 after inaugural run of the ION to July 1 2019 , you can just hop on any city bus, ION light rail, ION Bus, iXpress, and MobilityPlus and Kiwanis. That's right no need to have a ticket, a pass or anything; just get on. ( I have confirmation from GRT that validates that.) Anyone within the region can just hop on. So even if you have a vehicle , maybe grab the bus a few times for free, the Environment will thank you and so will your wallet. Head to GRT website for all the info you may need GRT Website
This is great news for Zach and I , and we are going to take full advantage of this gift. We will also be Blogging and Vlogging our daily adventures also. We are looking for places to go within the region on the bus. The can include events, places to go, great places to eat or grab a pastry treat, etc.
If you have any recommendations that would be great as we would love to include those. Also if you would like to partner with us on these adventures that would be great to. We are offering and looking for direct exchange of free product , event tickets, donut, etc for being included in our posts. You will be highlighted and we will include any extra info you require, and share all of your links to your social media as well. We of course will be sharing across a wide range of social media mediums too.
Can not wait for these adventures to begin and if you want to just join us let me know.
**Just for knowledge for those that do use the bus on a regular basis, I know that routes are changing and things will be different for you. Please make sure to check out the website and prepare yourself for the changes.
DISCLOSURE : I have no partnership with GRT and the views, reviews and thoughts are mine alone.
We are a day off of the one year anniversary of my bio-dads death. You see even at 44 years old last year when he left me , I had only known him 9 short years. Not a even a decade with the man my whole life I built around a Fairy Tale in my head. And when I say my whole life , his abandonment affected my whole life and if I remain honest it stills does. You can do all the internal self work you can find, let go of it , well think you finally let go of it , but it comes back. Cause no matter how much you wish it wasn't true, that man s action proved he never wanted you to you. Holding on to that and feeling that for over 3 decades scars you so deep. I wish now at this age I could have listened when I was told stories or told the truth about the man who ran away, but it doesn't matter, it is something you have to get for yourself , see it to finally be able to accept it.. How I wished that bubble for me could have been burst when I was younger. meet the man decades and decades earlier. My life wouldn't have been the ruin I let it become. You never quite heal from being in effect thrown away. The crazy part is it happened to me as a later teen from the family I loved so deeply , who were always there for me , they decided to abandon me too , throw me away so easily for a couple years. You have no idea the damage that that does to you.
I was sad for about 2 hours when he died for the actual man that passed away, the man I had come to know. Though as in his life as he did with his children , he chose to die alone, not give us the courtesy of knowing that it was the end. That abandonment then at the most crucial time at the end of someones life sparked the anger. I went from the grief stage to the anger stage in less than a few hours . The anger lasted till my birthday this year in January when pieces of my fathers life and his ashes showed up to my door. I broke hard. Gut wrenching sobs attacked my whole body , right down and touched the little girls soul. It hit me like a wave of terror, ripping through me like I was that 3 year old again crying on the top of the steps just wanting my dad.
My internal sadness continued daily at the onset of his passing, but only for the little girl so badly damaged deep inside who spent her entire life wishing with every fiber of her being , that the man she created in her head would come and make everything better. That didn't happen though , that never happened. I became the hero of my story after I found him myself. And I begrudgingly admit that I made a critical mistake in self healing right from the time we first talked and it is still unfinished when he left for good this time around. I never once called him on his abandonment , never once did I ask why didn't you want me. I was just that little girl again desperate to not lose her dad again so I kept the fairy tale going until it shattered itself.
Until it shattered for you , nothing anyone said or did mattered or would have swayed you in anyway.
And now I have done it to my youngest son. It kills me every day to know exactly how he feels. I know the torment going on in his head. You build your dad up so high in your head , give them so much of your internal power, none of which they deserve. Cause no matter how they spin it , or how they explain it away ; they left you . They abandoned you , you aren't good enough to hold a place in their life and their heart. Never in a million years did I expect the man who biologically helped me produce Zach to abandon him that way. And you see I did it again; I created a false fairy tale around the man cause all I thought about was making sure Zach would one day get the chance to meet his dad. Plus he has a son already and treats that kid like gold , so why would he treat Zach any less. Hold out hope everyday that today would be the day he would come save him. I didn't know how else to process the abandonment of my son from his father, since of course I was still an abandoned little girl myself. I won't let Zach live a lifetime , decades of that abandonment to scar his as I am scarred; he is so damaged without his dad already. It actually is scary to see, he is more affected at that age than me.
