Coming Up: Lowe's Build and Grow Clinic - Mini Baseball Game

Lowe's Build and Grow Clinics are a fun way to get your kids making things. And they're free!
Here's what's coming up:

Make a Mini Baseball Game
Saturday, April 10, 2010 at 10 a.m.
To sign up, check out the Lowe's Build and Grow Clinic website.

Review: Kabuki Hot Springs

Get a Japanese bath experience...in San Francisco. Head over to Japantown.

While the Kabuki Hot Springs offers traditional spa services (massage, facials, body treatments and acupuncture), you’ll be just as relaxed going with the communal baths.

After depositing your clothes in the locker room, you’ll enter the serene bathing area. The spa area has dimmed lights, where you’ll find a dry sauna, steam room, hot pool, cold plunge, Western style showers (with curtains) and a seated Japanese-style bathing area. Take a bowl of salt (included - near the hot tub) and head over to the seated area to exfoliate, rinsing off with a hand-held sprayer. But don’t make the mistake of shaving before you arrive – or that salt will sting. I learned the hard way.

In between pools and bathing, you can relax on wooden recliners, sip tea and use the chilled-cucumber washcloths. The room is quiet, with some people reading magazines and some just resting their eyes. Stay an hour, or stay all day. All for $22-25 (the baths are $15 if you get a treatment as well). Leave your own toiletries at home - the Kabuki has shampoos, soaps, combs, lotions, towels and more.

The Kabuki Hot Springs baths are reserved on alternate days for men and women – so no need to worry about dropping your towel in front of the opposite sex. Men use the baths on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays, while it’s reserved for the ladies on Wednesday, Fridays and Sundays. As for Tuesdays: it’s co-ed (though clothing is required).

Most days it's no problem to just drop in. I went last Mother's Day, and did have to wait. Though I got there on the early side, so the wait wasn't long, and I could still sit in the relaxing spa corridors.

Coming Up: Bubble Lady at Foster City library

Looking for some bubblicious fun? Check out the Bubble Lady at the Foster City library. She's performing for kids age three and older on Tuesday, April 6th 4 p.m. It's free!

Coming Up: free admission to Bay Area Discovery Museum for Month of the Young Child Celebration

Don't miss the 6th annual Month of the Young Child Celebration at the Bay Area Discovery Museum in Sausalito! You'll get free admission to the event, on Saturday, April 10th, from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

The Bay Area Discovery Museum teams up with early childhood service organizations to honor and celebrate young kids. They're sponsoring free performances like the Mariachi Los Cachorros and the bluegrass band Kenny Blacklock and Friends.

Kids can "eat a rainbow" of fruits and vegetables with bilingual health educators. Boy, that part sounds exciting!

Seriously, though, this is a fabulous museum that I've written about for Family Fun Magazine. I love the place!

Coming Up: Babies Movie Screening Event

The new movie Babies is coming out - and it looks fabulous. It's a documentary that follows babies Ponijao (from Namibia), Mari (from Japan), Bayar (from Mongolia) and Hattie (from San Francisco) through their first year. You can see a trailer from the movie Babies here.

Watch a screening of the movie while supporting Embrace, a non-profit organization working to save babies worldwide, with low-cost infant incubators. Learn more about Embrace here or get information on the event here.

When: Wednesday, April 14, 2010 at 7:30pm (doors open at 7)

Where: AMC Metreon, 101 4th Street, San Francisco

Ticket Price: $30 donation

Includes: the $30 presale ticket includes a donation to Embrace, a preview screening of Babies, access to a exclusive Q&A session with Hattie's parents, and a special presentation by Embrace's CEO, Jane Chen.

Get Tickets: embracebabiesscreening.eventbrite.com

Coming Up: Madagascar 2 movie free - at Serramonte Center

This Friday, April 30th, see Madagascar 2 for free at Serramonte Center in Daly City. The movie starts at 5:30 in the Macy's wing.

Coming Up: Family Sundays at SFMOMA

Coming up this month - free Sunday family tours and hands-on activities at SFMOMA. Kids 12 and under get in free (adults don't). Family tour (aimed at ages 4-11) starts at 1:00, with special programs starting at 2:00. Generally, the day (which runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.) includes the tour, hands-on art creation and other programming like movies, book readings and more. You need to RSVP since space is limited.

Here's what's coming up:

April 4 & 18 - Less is Best
According to SFMOMA: "Appreciate the choice of a small gesture, the art of taking away. Minimalism aptly demonstrates that less can be more. The short list? Sol LeWitt, Ed Ruscha, and Robert Ryman."

May 2 - The Joy of Junk
According to SFMOMA: "Any artist knows that someone's junk is another's treasure. Collect all you can. Spiff it up. Anything can be art, according to junk connoisseur Robert Rauschenberg."

June 6 & 20 - Focus on BLUR
According to SFMOMA: "What is it? It's playing with focus and light. It's using photography tricks to alter perception. It's the artist's visual truth. That's what. Picture Andy Warhol, Gerhard Richter, and Sigmar Polke, for a start."