When the producers of the 2-time Tony and Drama Desk Award-winning  comedy invited our family to watch this spoof of Alfred Hitchcock’s murder mystery – 39 Steps, I wasn’t sure what to expect for our 7 year old.  However, from the moment the lights dimmed and the stage broke into life, our 7 year old became progressively spellbound by the experience.

As an adult, I was absolutely thrilled by the brilliance with which a cast of 4 was able to play a 140 characters.  This clever and absurd rendition of Alfred Hitchcock’s murder mystery was filled with unexpected interpretations and wildly hilarious moments.  What I enjoyed most about the performance was being reminded that great theatrical performances don’t need extravagant sets, costumes or a 100 piece orchestra.  39 Steps is a performance where the power of suggestion and exaggeration tug your imagination out of the closet and transport you into a different reality.  We thoroughly enjoyed this show filled with many laughs, mystery, suspense, and a touch of romance.

I was a little concerned that the story line of a murder mystery would be too much for a 7 year old.  There are 2 shooting scenes where blanks are fired from a revolver that caused him to jump visibly, but all in all, the comical way in which these events unfolded on stage did not disturb him at all.  In any case, I was delighted that he was able to appreciate the artistry with which the directors and actors commanded on this stage.  Theatre is an art form that young people are slowly loosing the appreciation  for as productions lean more and more on special effects to draw their audiences in.  39 Steps isn’t so.  It’s artistically ingenious and I was delighted that our 7 year old had the opportunity to savor it.

It was with great sadness that I learned that 39 Steps just announced that their last performance will be Jan 16, 2011.  Time is running out to watch this brilliant performance.  I highly recommend that families with kids ages 9 and up try to catch the show before it’s final bow.

Here’s one of my favorite scenes from 39 steps.

More videos of 39 Steps

Planning your trip to New York with kids?  Check out:

• Activities for Kids in New York
• Kid-friendly Hotels in New York City

The Steal:  Win 2 Tickets to the comedy 39 Steps

Details: One lucky winner will win two tickets to a performance of 39 Steps at New World Stages in New York City

Winner: One (1) winner

Prize: Two Tickets to any performance of 39 Steps

HOW TO ENTER TO WIN: Leave a comment telling us which scene you liked the best.  Watch scenes of 39 steps here.

For additional entries, feel free to do any or all of the following. Each one counts as an extra entry but be sure to LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH ONE.

• Follow 39 Steps on Twitter
• Like 39 Steps on Facebook
• Write a review on Trekaroo and post a link to it in the comments each review gets you 5 entries

• Subscribe to the Trekaroo Blog
• Tweet a link to this Monday Mad Steal via @Trekaroo
• Post this on your Facebook Wall using the Facebook Share link above
• Fan Trekaroo on Facebook
• Follow Trekaroo on Twitter
• Post this giveaway on your blog
• Subscribe to Trekaroo in your reader
  

Rules and guidelines:

• 18 years of age or older
• US Residents only (Alaska and Hawaii residents are not eligible to win the Koolatron Travel Cooler)

Deadline to enter: Sunday,December 26, 2010 at 11:59PM PST

Contest Restrictions: Prize is valid for two full price orchestra/mezzanine seats to The 39 Steps on a select performance through January 16^th, 2011.  Winner will have the option to choose from a variety of dates.  Some blackout dates apply.

The Deal: Trekaroo Families Get Up to 50% off Tickets

$39 – Best available seats (Wed & Thurs performances only)

$55 – Rear Mezzanine seats (all performances)

$65 – Orchestra & Front Row Mezzanine (all performances)

SAVE OVER 50%! Tickets regularly priced at $69.50 – $89.50.

HOW TO ORDER:

1.  VISIT http://www.BroadwayOffers.com and use code TNHHC210

2.  CALL (212) 947-8844 and mention code TNHHC210

3.  BRING a printout of this discount to New World Stages at 340 West 50th Street

Restrictions: Offer valid for select seats at all performances through 1/16/11. Limit 10 tickets per order. All prices include a $1.50 facility fee. Offer is subject to availability and may be revoked at any time.

What is Monday Madness?

Every Monday, Trekaroo announces on our blog, either a fantastic giveaway or an incredible deal.  It could be a green water bottle, a hotel stay on Maui or theme park tickets. Return every Monday to the Talking Trekaroo Blog for the details. Want a reminder? Become a Trekaroo member or follow us on facebook or twitter.

Thanks to Contest for Moms, Online Sweepstakes, CashNet Sweepstakes, and Sweepstakes Advantage.

Here’s a list of the best annual events in the Dallas area that are good for family fun. Are we missing something? Email us at editor@trekaroo.com and let us know.

Texas State Fair (September 24 – October 17, 2010)

An annual state fair held in Dallas, Texas (USA) that usually runs from the last Friday in September and ends 24 days later. The fair is held at the historic Fair Park where it has been held since 1886. Tons of activities, events and rides that kids of all ages will love. Photo courtesy of the Dallas CVB.

• Related article: Top Tips and Discounts for the Texas State Fair

The Great Pumpkin Festival at the Arboretum (Sept. 18 – Nov. 14, 2010)

Walk through the Storybook Pumpkin Village and discover four houses made completely out of pumpkins based on different children’s book. Visitors can also visit The Tom Thumb Pumpkin Patch and purchase pumpkins to bring home and carve. Be sure to check out Mommy & Me Mondays and Tiny Tot Tuesdays plus the Children’s Concert (10/11) and the Family Fun weekend (10/30-10/31). Photo courtesy of the Arboretum.

Howl – aween Nights at the Dallas Zoo (October 28-October 31, 2010 starting at 6pm)

The Zoo will close at 4 p.m. and reopen at 6 p.m. for a not-so-scary Halloween celebration. Dance the Monster Mash, work off that sugar rush with Witch-ercize, visit the colorful, themed candy stations to trick-or-treat, ride the Haunted Carousel and more.
Texas Stampede (November 12 and 13, 2010)

Take the kids to the Texas Stampede. Rodeos, roping contests, plus there’s a special section for your young cowboys and cowgirls called Rodeo U. It’s an interactive area with activities like Mutton Bustin, Goat Roping, pony rides, a petting zoos and more.

Photo courtesy of the Texas Stampede.

Holidays at the Arboretum (TBD)

Trains at Northpark Mall (November through early January)
Every year, an elaborate model train show is set-up for kids young and old to enjoy at the Northpark Mall. There’s often one or two Thomas ones too for fanatics.

Dallas Holiday Parade (December 4, 2010 starting at 10am)
The Children’s Medical Center Holiday Parade is a free event open to the public featuring marching bands, dancers, and celebrities. Kids especially love seeing the floats, balloons and characters like Clifford, Curious George, and of course Santa. Sidewalk seating is available along the Parade route. Tickets for reserved bleacher seating are available for purchase beginning in October.

Superbowl (February 6, 2011)

Easter Egg Hunts (TBD)
Scarborough Renaissance Faire (April 9 – May 30, 2011: Weekends and Memorial Day Monday)

Every spring, the Scarborough Faire comes to Waxahachie (xx miles south of Dallas). This Renaissance Festival is open Saturdays and Sundays from the first weekend in April until Memorial Day Monday. There are 21 stages with more than 200 performances. Three jousting shows take place each day. Photo courtesy of the Scarborough Renaissance Faire.

Museums across America are getting more and more kid-friendly.  Many have special exhibits geared to the interests of kids with interactive hands on learning stations.  If you’re looking for a special outing or some exceptional educational experiences, you’ve got to put these on your list of activities to hit up before the year ends.

Kid friendly Museum Exhibits in: San Francisco | Los Angeles | Seattle | Chicago | Dallas | New York City | Boston

In particular, these 10 kid-friendly museum exhibits really got us excited.  If you can, try to get to some of these with your kids! These exhibits promise big fun, educational experiences, and a plethora of interactive exhibits.

Exploring Trees Inside and Out

This 2,500-square-foot exhibit is designed for kids ages 2 to 7 to better understand the significant role trees play in the environment and how they can be involved in preserving them.   This exhibit engages all of your child’s senses.  They’ll be happy as an cockatoo crawling, smelling, listening, and pretending.  website

Catch this exhibit at:

California Science Center, Los Angeles, California – May 28th to September 6th,2010.

Reviews of California Science Center with Kids | Kid-friendly Activities and Hotel in Los Angeles

Chicago Children’s Museum from October 2nd to January 9th, 2011.

Reviews of the Chicago Children’s Museum with Kids | Kid-friendly Activities and Hotels in Chicago

Photo by: Arbor Day Foundation

Chomp 2! Return of the Carnivorous Plants

What kid can resist the excitement of coming face to face with meat-eating plants like the statuesque white trumpets of the American Southeast, the sinister pitcher plants of Borneo and the glistening sundews of South Africa.  This swampy paradise is sure to delight your child.  Do not get your fingers too close to these plants, little ones…. they bite! website

Catch this exhibit at:

Conservatory of Flowers, San Francisco, CA – now till October 31, 2010

Reviews of the Conservatory of Flowers with Kids | Kid-friendly Activities and Hotels in San Francisco

Photo by: Conservatory of Flowers

Living in Space, about the International Space Station

This traveling exhibit provides an interactive experience where kids eat, sleep, work, and play in space.  If you have a young child who loves anything to do with space, don’t miss this wonderful exhibit. website

Catch this Exhibit at:

Bay Area Discovery Museum, Sausalito, CA – May 29th to August 15th,2010

Reviews of the Bay Area Discovery Museum with Kids | Kid-friendly Activities and Hotels in San Francisco

Minnesota Children’s Museum, St. Paul, MN – Sept 4, 2010 through Jan 2, 2011

Reviews of the Minnesota Children’s Museum with Kids | Kid-friendly Activities and Hotels in the Twin Cities

Photo by: Bay Area Discovery Museum

Mammoths and Mastodons: Titans of the Ice Age

This brand new traveling exhibit will allow kids to explore the world of mammoths and mastodons through fossils, artifacts, engaging interactives, immersive media, and the story of the most complete and best-preserved mammoth ever found, the baby Lyuba. website

Catch this exhibit at:

The Field Museum, Chicago, IL – now till September 6th,2010

Reviews of Field Museum with Kids | Kid-friendly Activities and Hotels in Chicago

Liberty Science Center, Jersey City, NJ – October 16, 2010 to January 9, 2011

Reviews of Liberty Science Center with Kids

Photo by: Flickr/taygete05

Curious George saves the Day: The Art of Margret and H.A. Rey

Kids and adults all have fond feelings towards Curious George. In this wonderful exhibit, you’ll see original drawings and learn about how George actually saved his ‘parents’ from Nazi occupied Europe.  Website

Catch this exhibit at:

Jewish Museum, New York City – now till till August 1st, 2010

Reviews of Jewish Museum with Kids | Kid-friendly Activities and Hotels in New York City

Photo by: The Jewish Museum

Bodies

The ‘Bodies’ exhibit provides a rare look into real human specimens, showing how amazing our human bodies are. For young children, it may be too much, but for your tween and teens, this exhibit is a must see. website

Check their website for where you can catch this exhibit.  They are showing in many cities across America including Atlanta, Dallas, Cleveland, Grand Rapids, Las Vegas, Tuscon, New York

Kid-friendly Activities and Hotels in Atlanta | Kid-friendly Activities and Hotels in New York City | Kid-friendly Activities and Hotels in Dallas

Toys: the Inside Story

This fun exhibition literally breaks open the world of toys so that your child can discover the simple mechanisms commonly found in toys.  Your budding toy designer can also create their own toy-like combination of gears, pulleys, linkages, cams, and circuits. Enjoy some free-form and open-ended toy design. Caution: get ready for massive toys dissection when you come back home! website

Children’s Museum of Manhattan, New York City – from May 29th till September 18th, 2010

Reviews of the Children’s Museum of Manhattan | Kid-friendly Activities and Hotels in New York City

Photo by: John Douglas

Peter Rabbits Flower Village

Enjoy the flower houses at the Dallas Arboretum that bring alive the world of Beatrix Potter.  This is the cutest little exhibition. Fans of Beatrix Potter should not miss this. website

Catch this exhibit at:

Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, Dallas, TX – now till July 31st, 2010

Reviews of the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens with Kids | Kid-friendly Activities and Hotels in Dallas

Photo by: Dallas Arboretum

Lizards and Snakes: Alive

Hate them or love thme, your kids will fascinated by the 60+ live lizards and snakes in re-created habitats.  This exhibit introduces visitors to a diversity of legged and legless creatures and their remarkable adaptations. website

Catch this Exhibit at:

American Museum of Natural, New York City – now till September 2nd,2010

Reviews of the American Museum of Natural History | Kid-friendly Activities and Hotels in New York City

Photo by: Michael & Patricia Fogden

Headgear: the Natural History of Horn and Antlers

This multimedia exhibition provides an unusual in-depth look at horn and antler headgear dawned by some animals, providing a look at the evolutionary process of such animals.  3-D diorama and video presentations illustrate the use of horns and antlers in combat. website

Catch this exhibit at:

Harvard Museum of Natural History, Cambridge, MA – May 22nd, 2010 till January 2nd, 2011

Reviews of the Harvard Museum of Natural History with Kids | Kid-friendly activities and hotels in Boston

Full List of Kid-friendly Museum Exhibits:

• Kid-friendly Museum Exhibits in San Francisco, California
• Kid-friendly Museum Exhibits in Los Angeles, California
• Kid-friendly Museum Exhibits in Seattle, Washington
• Kid-friendly Museum Exhibits in Chicago, Illinois
• Kid-friendly Museum Exhibits in Dallas, Texas
• Kid-friendly Museum Exhibits in New York City
• Kid-friendly Museum Exhibits in Boston, Massachusetts

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LiLing Pang is a contributing author on Trekaroo – a reviews site dedicated to exploring and traveling with kids.

Travel with kids to: CA | CO | DC | FL | HI | IL | MA | NC | NY | PA | TN | TX | VA | WA

If your kids have nerves of steel (unlike mine), you might be able to scare the socks of them at some of these haunted houses, ghost tours, and Halloween events.  Many attractions across the country have special Halloween tours or fright houses set up.  But what’s age appropriate and what isn’t?  What ages are your kids?  Check out this list of

Spooky Halloween Adventures for Appropriate for Kids

Trekaroo parents are full of great recommendations.  Margie says that the Ghost and Gravestones Haunted Trolley Tours in Savannah, Georgia are “worth every penny”.  JessicaP had a great time on the Ghost Tour in Colonial Williamsburg.

Some of these are sure events are sure to give you and the kids a good dose of the Halloween creeps. But be forewarned!  Not until about 6-9 are kids better able to separate fact from fiction, so do use that astute parental discretion you have.

Photo by: www.flickr.com/photos/uriel1998/1807180512

LiLing Pang is a contributing author on Trekaroo – a reviews site dedicated to exploring and traveling with kids.
Travel with kids to: CA | FL | HI | MA | NY | PA | TX | VA

Father’s Day Celebrations all over the US

Photo Credit: flickr, azdodson

If you go back to 1908, you’ll find the roots of Father’s Day in a small town in West Virginia. While listening to a sermon at church, Mrs. Sonora Smart Dodd thought that fathers deserved the same type of recognition as mothers did. After her mother passed away, Sonora and her 5 siblings was raised by her father William Smart. The holiday became official in June 1910, the birth month of William Smart.
Do you need some ideas on how to celebrate with your special Dad? Fun and original Father’s Day events will take place on Sunday, June 21st all around the US to celebrate our great Dads. Here are some exciting things to do that day across the US in AZ, CA, IL, NC, NY, PA, VA, WA and WI.

3. George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens

3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway
Mount Vernon, Virginia

Comment:

Spend Father’s Day with the Father of Our Country! “General Washington” greets visitors and poses for photographs from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Father’s Day, June 21. Listen to General Washington as he discusses his role as husband, stepfather, and Father of Our Country at 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m. in the program “Father to the First Family”. With a purchased ticket to Mount Vernon, fathers visiting the estate will receive complimentary admission to George Washington’s Distillery & Gristmill, located three miles from the estate on Route 235 South. Admission to Mount Vernon is $15 for adults and $7 for children. Admission to George Washington’s Distillery & Gristmill is $4 for adults and $2 children. Children under 5 are admitted free.

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