Let your kids toast in the New Year with some homemade GRAPE FIZZ, a fun non-alcoholic drink that is made with just three ingredients including grapes. A great soda style beverage you can make as an activity together with your kids to add some fizzle to activities such as a New Years Eve celebration or a family movie night. Drinking some GRAPE FIZZ would be an especially fun treat for an evening at home watching UPby Disney PIXAR. This dad blogger is planning on making up a batch with my kids to enjoy while streaming the movie on Disney+ this weekend.
Thanks to Kidstir for sending this recipe our way along with a template for some amusing Silly Staches & Smiles cutouts to add some goofiness to this diy kitchen activity. Kidstir is a unique subscription service for children that can be joined or given as a gift, or you can send one of the single kits, as well. Each month, Kidstir will send your child a cooking kit filled with three delicious, nutritious recipes, kid-size cooking tools, games and activities! With a focus on fresh, nutritious food and hands-on fun, Kidstir was created by moms who know that through cooking, children will gain important life skills in the kitchen — and cook up some fun family memories through the process.
GRAPE FIZZ RECIPE
Have you looked at the ingredients label on a soda bottle? Soda is full of artificial coloring, preservatives, and up to 50 grams of sugar! Kidstir provided this better-for-you-soda with just three ingredients—fruit juice, carbonated water, and a little sugar.
Ingredients
+2 cups seedless red grapes, washed
+2 cups sparkling water (plain carbonated water)
+Simple Syrup (optional, see recipe below)
Directions
1. First, pull the rinsed grapes off the stems. Place them into a blender.
2. A grown-up can help blend the grapes until they turn into juice.
3. Set a strainer over a measuring cup. Pour the juice into the strainer. Press it through the strainer by stirring with a spoon. You should now have about 1 cup of grape juice.
4. Fill a small pitcher with the sparkling water. Add the grape juice and stir well.
5. Taste the grape fizz. What do you think? If it's too tart, stir in 3 to 6 tablespoons of Simple Syrup to the pitcher. Pour into glasses.
6. To make a sweetener for your grape fizz, a grown-up can heat 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water in a saucepan. Bring it to a boil and stir. When the sugar has dissolved, remove it from the heat and let it cool. Add 1 tablespoon of syrup at a time until your drink tastes perfect to you!
Makes 4 Servings
SILLY STACHES & SMILES CUTOUTS
Cut out these shapes then tape them to a straw or cup for some goofy fun while enjoying a Grape Fizz:
ABOUT KIDSTIR
Monthly, 3 month, 6 month, and 12 month subscriptions are available with free shipping. Plus, Kidstir will debut a new surprise kit which will be revealed on the 21st of each month! All subscribers receive a 2 years Magazine Subscription to Real Simple, Parents or All Recipes magazines as a thank you bonus. A Cookbook Binder and Sibling cooking tools & creative materials can be added at checkout.
Learn more at www.kidstir.com.
Santa knew just what I wanted for Christmas! I've had my eyes on this Star Wars
book from Quarto Knows
for awhile. STAR WARS: THE BLUEPRINTS showcases the original technical drawings for sets and props used in the production of a number of these sci-fi movies from the Lucasfilm Archives.
STAR WARS: THE BLUEPRINTS provides an insider's look at the making of these films. From concept art envisioning how characters, settings and vehicles would appear in the movies to illustrations laying out the directions for building the sets scenes were filmed on, readers will get a detailed look into how George Lucas space opera was brought to life. Get a peek inside the creative process of how iconic Star Wars images such as Jabba's Sail Barge and Luke Skywalker's X-Wing went from art department ideas to being on screen in some of the most popular movies of all time.
The book includes more than 250 blueprints for sets and props utilized in Star Wars movie production including 10 three-page gatefold layouts. Scouring through all the details about the creative process of producing the original Star Wars movies included in this 336 page book has put a huge smile on my face as I learn new insights and trivia about these films. Did you know the space-pod EVA from 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) is shown in a Mos Eisley scene from A New Hope (1977) as an easter egg honoring Stanley Kubrick?
STAR WARS: THE BLUEPRINTS author J.W. Rinzler provides readers with extraordinary details of the production of a number of the Star Wars films that compliment the wonderful imagery included within this book. In addition to his own commentary on details and trivia regarding the production of these movies, STAR WARS: THE BLUEPRINTS also includes numerous interviews with the production designers, art directors, set dressers, and draftsmen who crafted the epic sets. You'll feel like you were behind-the-scenes during the making of these movies after reading this book!
While STAR WARS: THE BLUEPRINTS is really interesting to read with all the incredible insight provided by Rinzler within the text, it is the visuals that really stand out. In addition to all the intriguing blueprints, there are also more than 500 photographs and illustrations from the Lucasfilm production archives. From concept art of snow walkers tromping across the snowy landscape of Hoth to pictures of droids being assembled in Tunisia for desert world Tatooine scenes there are numerous eye catching pieces of art and photographs to look through. You could spend hours enjoying looking through this book before even beginning to read it.
Any diehard Star Wars fan will be geeked to flip through the pages of STAR WARS: THE BLUEPRINTS. It absolutely gets a Geek Daddy nod of approval. This dad blogger is going to be enjoying going through this hardback book reading it and looking at its wonderful visual imagery over and over again. If you want to be a master of Star Wars trivia, STAR WARS: THE BLUEPRINTS is a must get! For more information about purchasing the book, head over to quartoknows.com
Arriving today is the new animated adventure SPIES IN DISGUISE at movie theaters as well as a tie-in mobile game called AGENTS ON THE RUN available online to download for Android and Apple mobile devices based upon the film. A Christmas treat from Blue Sky Studios you can enjoy the debut of a new movie and the launch of a video game on the holiday. AGENTS ON THE RUN uses the popular runner platform for mobile games to let players run, jump, slide, and juke the heroes from SPIES IN DISGUISE through missions based upon scenes from the movie.
Super spy Lance Sterling and scientist Walter Beckett are almost exact opposites. Lance is smooth, suave and debonair. Walter is not. But what Walter lacks in social skills he makes up for in smarts and invention, creating the awesome gadgets Lance uses on his epic missions. But when events take an unexpected with Lance being turned into a pigeon by one of Walter's experiments suddenly this duo has to rely on each other in a whole new way. And if this odd couple can't learn to work as a team, the whole world is in peril. This plot plays out in both the movie SPIES IN DISGUISE and the mobile game AGENTS ON THE RUN.
Players in SPIES IN DISGUISE: AGENTS ON THE RUN start off as scientist Walter Beckett. As they run through levels collecting items and dodging obstacles, new characters including Special Agent Marcy Kappel and Super Spy Lance Sterling can be unlocked. Each character also has special abilities that can be earned through completing achievements and missions.
Walter's hand-held Coin Sucker 3000 vacuum can be upgraded to increase the length of time it collects coins or you can earn him a jet pack that lets him soar over bad guys and obstacles. Special Agent Kappel can increase the length of time she can use an umbrella shield which lets her burst through anything that gets in her way. You can also achieve the option to let her drive through portions of a level in a sports car. Super Spy Lance Sterling has a glide suit that can be upgraded and can improve upon the slide kicks used against henchmen as he progresses through the game. Each characters has their own unique strengths and weaknesses that provide their own elements of fun to playing AGENTS ON THE RUN.
SPIES IN DISGUISE: AGENTS ON THE RUN is free to download and play on Android and iOS devices. It does have in-app purchases and advertisements that are really ingrained into the gameplay. While the game is playable without these features in my opinion the games developer Denali Publishing has over-monetized it. The first time you hit an obstacle or get knocked out by a villain the game restarts unless you watch a video advertisement or spend some real life money to continue your progress uninterrupted. This is really annoying! It would have been nice if they had provided maybe like 3 lives before they started hitting you up to watch ads or spend cash.
That being said there is time, talent and resources put into created games like SPIES IN DISGUISE: AGENTS ON THE RUN and obviously developers are looking to get a return on their investment. Before in-app purchases and advertising became the popular business model for the video game industry, a game for mobile devices like this would probably have set you back $10 or more. Now you can play the game for "free" but obviously there is a caveat to that. It is up to individual players to determine their preference for playing these types of games but this is a good reminder for parents to know what their devices settings are for in regards to allowing in-app purchases when their kids are playing on phones and tablets.
SPIES IN DISGUISE: AGENTS ON THE RUN is available on Google Play and The App Store. I played with the game after I wrapped up putting presents under the Christmas Tree when the kids had fallen asleep. Despite my gripe, I did actually enjoy the game play. I'll probably keep it on my phone awhile to play around with. Once I get the zigging and zagging down maybe I'll last a bit longer before getting knocked out and won't find having to watch advertising videos to keep my game alive as annoying. Give this game a try and let me know what you think about it.
Santa Sighting! Wow! He made it to our house in record time this year! Thanks to the app SANTA IN YOUR HOUSE, I took a picture with my phone of good ole Saint Nick putting presents under the Christmas Tree in our house this evening. Looking forward to showing my kids this picture of Santa Claus visiting our house when they wake up in the morning.
This free app is available for Android and Apple devices on Google Play and The App Store. Snap a picture with your phone or tablet's camera then insert one of the no charge images of Santa Claus and/or his elves into the shot from the app's Christmas gallery. Hit save and a picture of SANTA IN YOUR HOUSE will be stored in your mobile device's picture gallery.
In addition to a variety of free images, there are also in-app purchases available for additional clip art of Santa and other Christmas imagery. This is an easy to use app that can provide nice customized photographs for Christmas memories since you can control the photo backgrounds. Isn't it nice to have a picture of Santa Claus in front of the actual Christmas Tree in your own home?
If you like these Christmas pics, the app also has galleries for St. Patrick's Day, Easter, Valentine's Day and other occasions. How about staging a picture with the tooth fairy visiting your little one? There are a lot of creative pictures you can take with this app. I've been having fun playing around with it on Christmas Eve and have been thinking about using it to have some Leprechauns visit our place in March or the Easter Bunny in April. There are some really neat things you can do with this app not just at Christmastime but throughout the year.
I'm sure you are aware of the buzz about the chicken sandwiches that Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen introduced last summer. I'd been wanting to pop into the Popeyes that is located right across the street from a courthouse where my caseload frequently has me at to get one, but for months the restaurant has been mobbed by crowds clamoring for these chicken sandwiches. So when driving by heading home from court the other day and noticing this Popeyes parking lot practically empty, I made a U-turn to stop into the restaurant.
It must have been the holiday week being the day before Christmas Eve because in the past there had been over an hour wait or the Popeyes chicken sandwiches had been sold out when I'd stopped by. With everyone else focuses on holiday shopping and get-togethers the craziness that I'd witnessed going on there just as recently as last week had evaporated. I was able to walk-in and get a few Popeyes chicken sandwiches to bring home for dinner. It took me just five minutes to buy them and get on the road again!
So is this sandwich worth the hype? Believe it! Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen has created a great chicken sandwich that is one of the most delicious ones I've ever eaten from a fast food restaurant. It has a gourmet taste at an affordable price. I've come across a number of burgers and subs at various eateries priced at $3.99 that are no match to this Popeyes chicken sandwich. I was pleasantly surprised that the Popeyes chicken sandwich exceeded my expectations!
I was impressed before even biting into the sandwich by the way it was packaged. Popeyes serves the sandwiches in an insulated foil wrapper that keeps them nice and warm until you are ready to bite into your meal. They were still hot when my family bit into them after my 20 minute drive home. Plus these insulated wrappers are just the right size to eat out of or place your sandwich on so you don't need to grab a plate.
The Popeyes Chicken Sandwiches come in two varieties. Classic or Spicy. Both of these are the same except for the sauce spread over the chicken filet. The classic has mayonnaise and the spicy has a New Orleans style remoulade sauce on it. I bough a few of both types of sandwich. Both are good but my family preferred the spicy chicken sandwich. The spicy sauce isn't "HOT" but rather adds tasteful sass to the flavor of the sandwich.
The sauces aren't what make this sandwich special though. They compliment the other ingredients which include a quality chicken filet. You receive a big breast of meat that looks substantial and tastes great. Just looking at the size of the filet compared to ones I've had on sandwiches at other fast food restaurants made me say WOW! More importantly though these chicken fillets aren't just big but they are tasty to eat too.
The meat is prepared in a multi-step process before the chicken is cooked to make sure it is mouth watering when you eat it. First, the all-white meat chicken breasts are marinated in a blend of Louisiana Kitchen spices. Then they are hand-battered in a buttermilk coating before being fried up.
These chicken breasts are then placed between toasted buttery brioche buns. These buns are toasted enough to give them some extra texture but you are still soft to bite into. They are so much better than the typical hamburger buns used on sandwiches at many restaurants. The fact Popeyes included an out-of-the-ordinary bun highlights the effort made to enhance this sandwich over those found at other restaurants.
I have to give a shout out to the pickles too! Often times the pickles found at fast food restaurants are just little slivers of things. You can taste the pickles on these sandwiches. They have substance to them, flavor and crunch. If you like pickles you are sure to appreciate these and may even want to ask them if they can add on a few extra ones.
Not a pickle fan? You may want to ask them to hold the pickles then as they are a big part of the mix in putting this sandwich together. Though I'm sure the sandwich is still good without them for those who wish to forego the pickles.
After biting into a Popeyes Chicken Sandwich would I wait in line for an hour or more to get my hands on one? Absolutely not! No way! But if Popeyes can get their wait times and inventory management under control so that you can conveniently buy them without a hassle this is a sandwich I would definitely stop by to buy it from them over and over again.
If they can maintain the quality of the sandwich and don't jack up the price, I can see myself becoming a frequent customer at Popeyes. That is a win for them because I hadn't previously been visiting their establishment and a win for me because I LOVE this sandwich! Popeyes Chicken Sandwich gets A Geek Daddy nod of approval.
Appreciate AFB Hospitality Group inviting ageekdaddy.com to join in a free holiday brunch with some of Metro Detroit's most popular bloggers including yesnodetroit.com and metrodetroitmommy at THE MORRIE in trendy Birmingham, Michigan. THE MORRIE has garnered a reputation for being a lively spot for food, drink and music. It was my first time visiting the place and I wasn't disappointed. It was a great time!
First off was enjoying some Bloody Morries. These were some super bloody mary style drinks! Titos Vodka, housemade bloody mix, celery, pickle, olive, lime and hickory-smoked BACON. A great drink to put you in a festive spirit!
After drinks it was time for some eats. Wow! I wasn't expecting the Bacon, Egg & Cheese Flatbread to be so enormous. It was like ordering a large pizza for myself. No problem though because it was delicious. I ate it all up!
Chargrilled cauliflower flatbread, maple bacon, cheddar jack cheese, pickled shallot, arugula, scallion, white sauce, and baked eggs. I especially liked how the eggs were cooked in a sunny side up style so that their warm yolks melted out and covered the flatbread in a gooey goodness that complimented the dishes other ingredients. Warmed up my belly on a cold winter day. It was so good!
Of course, I wasn't going to turn down desert even after a huge, delicious meal. Have to say the desert was amazing! An ice cream sandwich that may have been one of the BEST deserts I've ever had! Yes was that good!
Caramel ice cream sandwiched between two English toffee cookies. It was so tasty I'm tempted to go back to THE MORRIE just for desert! That being said their food and drinks are so good it would be a shame to stop by and not indulge in their whole menu while there.
In addition to food and drinks this dad blogger was also treated to some great live music during this holiday brunch. I really appreciate that live music isn't just not for the night time scene at THE MORRIE. It is impressive that they have performers on site during brunch hours. The musician really enhanced the setting with a fine performance of soft rock songs.
THE MORRIE gets a geek daddy nod of approval for a tasteful place to eat out. In addition to the Birmingham spot there is also a location in Royal Oak. Head over to themorrie.com to see a calendar of upcoming performers and learn more about their menu.
Fox Home Entertainment provided the featured product for promotional consideration
I was bummed that I didn't get a chance to see AD ASTRA when it was in theaters. So this sci-fi fan is excited that the film is now available to add to your home entertainment video library. Thanks to Fox Home Entertainment for providing me a digital code so I can watch it on Vudu. Looking forward to grabbing some popcorn and relaxing on the couch to watch this flick!
The premise of AD ASTRA is that thirty years prior to the start of the movie's events, Clifford McBride (Tommy Lee Jones) led a voyage into deep space, but the ship and crew were never heard from again. Now his son Roy (Brad Pitt) -- a fearless astronaut -- must embark on a daring mission to Neptune to uncover the truth about his missing father and a mysterious power surge that threatens the stability of the universe.
AD ASTRA has elements of science fiction hits 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) and The Martian (2015) wrapped in its own original story. I appreciate that from seeing the trailer it seems this sci-fi adventure is portrayed with an intent to provide a realistic envisioning of future space travel to make the fantasy aspects of the adventure more compelling and believable to audiences. I'm geeked about watching AD ASTRA!
The movie is now available on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD, and online Digital services such as Vudu and MoviesAnywhere. If you purchase the movie from Best Buy through a link in this post, it may generate a small commission to support this dad blogger at no additional expense to you. Thanks for your support of ageekdaddy.com!
When watching a sci-fi movie do you ever wish you knew more about the mechanics and layouts of the spaceships featured in them? If so, you'll appreciate these two Star Wars books from Insight Editions: Haynes Owner's Workshop Manuals for Imperial and Rebel Starfighters. Insight Editions have taken the format of Haynes Manuals which are renowned by diy enthusiasts in assisting with automobile maintenance and repairs and applied it to Star Wars spacecraft. Haynes Manuals now provide specifications, statistics and schematics not just for more than 400 real life vehicles but also a variety of starfighters from the Star Wars movies.
This book delves into the various starfighters utilized by the Rebel Alliance in the original Star Wars trilogy as well as the updated vessels used in the Disney sequel movies. Learn all about A-Wings, B-Wings, U-Wings, X-Wings and Y-Wings from both a pilot and mechanic's perspective. Haynes Star Wars Rebel Starfighters Owners' Workshop Manual is chock full of photographs from the movies as well as television shows such as The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels showing these spaceships interiors and exteriors from a variety of angles. Plus there is a special section devoted to pilot training and gear that provides an overview of the components of a flight suit.
Rebel Starfighters is also filled with blueprints and illustrations showing the inner workings of these crafts. Blueprints provide specifications for the different starfighters used by the Rebels and Resistant and show where different components are located within them. These are formatted like you were looking at the details of a modern day fighter plane making these fantasy vehicles appear as if they were real.
For example looking at the blueprints for a T-70 X-Wing divulges the starfighter has a length of 41 feet and maximum acceleration of 3,800 G. The blueprints also pinpoint the locations of equipment across the starfighter ranging from deflector shield projectors to its subspace radio antenna.
Blueprints for the A/SF-01 B-Wing Starfighter highlight a number of components for this blockade buster that are details most people wouldn't think about when just watching it fly across the screen in Return of the Jedi or the episode of Star Wars Rebels it was featured in. Yet going through the details in this book really bring the starfighter to life showing details a mechanic would want to know such as pointing out the S-foil wing actuator system and reactor excess-plasma vent. Plus highlighting the layout of the cockpit's flight controls makes it feel as if a reader is being prepped to be able to fly one of these themselves.
The book also has lots of diagrams such as different configurations of starfighters or combat maneuvers. One diagram shows how Y-Wing cockpits could be adapted for a variety of mission uses ranging from bombing missions to patrol flights. Another diagram show a basic combat maneuver X-Wing pilots trained to do when engaging with TIE fighters in aerial combat.
TIE FIGHTER
Speaking of TIE Fighters, Insight Editions has also produced a Haynes Owner's Workshop Manual for Imperial and First Order models of this starfighter as well. Learn all about the various models of these starfighters including Darth Vader's unique specced out TIE Advanced x1 and Kylo Ren's TIE Silencer. The book is full of photographs of all these starfighters taken from the movies and animated tv series showing close up views from all sorts of angles.
Blueprints show all sorts of interesting details about these starfighters portrayed as if they were real vehicles. Wonder why TIE Fighters have those huge wings on them? Want to learn how a twin ion engine works? What are those giant wings on their sides for? You'll find out by reading this book!
Learn how TIE Fighter pilots train in simulator pods and about the flight suits they wear. Compare the differences between the flight suits of the Imperial Navy and a First Order pilot. Also learn about the maintenance and technical support required to keep TIE Fighters operational. Plus the book diagrams the battle maneuvers TIE Fighter pilots are feared for conducting with precision.
A GEEK DADDY NOD OF APPROVAL
I've been geeked flipping through the pages of these books from Insight Editions. This dad blogger has really enjoyed learning all the details and inner workings regarding the ins and outs of these starfighters. Must read content for diehard Star Wars fans! Science fiction lovers who like to delve into the technical aspects and backstories of the genre will also really appreciate reading these Haynes Manuals of Star Wars starfighters. I give both books ageekdaddy.com nod of approval!
A free edition of this book was provided to review by Quarto Knows
Forty years ago Director Ridley Scott merged the genres of sci-fi and horror in the movie ALIEN. This story of a spacecraft crew being stalked by a terrifying parasitic creature that has invaded their ship still scares audiences decades after the film's release. Especially that iconic scene where the alien bursts through the chest of a crewmember after gestating within the man's body who was infested while exploring a derelict alien ship they stumbled across during their space mission. Oh that is gory!
I'm always interested in going beyond the content of my favorite movies learning more about the details of the characters and places within them. Biographies, concept art, prop schematics, and production storyboards are all things I eat up and love to scour through. They are a great way to further immerse yourself into the fictional universes of movies and expand your imagination beyond the scripts of your favorite flicks.
If you are like me and enjoy learning extra details about the creation of movies and discovering insights into the characters and settings in them, check out ALIEN VAULT from Epic Ink. This book takes readers behind the scenes in the production of ALIEN (1979). It includes interviews of the cast and crew sharing details about creating the movie, photographs taken on set, and production sketches used to shape the look of the sets and scenes within ALIEN. Sci-Fi fans will truly be geeked about all the content contained within ALIEN VAULT.
Originally published in 2011, an expanded version of ALIEN VAULT has just been released in recognition of ALIEN'S 40th anniversary with an additional chapter delving into the prequel films PROMETHEUS (2012) and ALIEN: COVENANT (2017). The book is chock full of concept art, production materials, and photographs that provide some incredible insight into the creation of the ALIEN franchise. I was fascinated flipping through its pages!
Highlights of the book include:
+ Imagery of Director Ridley Scott's annotated ALIEN storyboards along with Polaroids and script pages;
+ Preproduction concept artwork by H.R. Giger;
+ Costume designs by Moebius;
+ Sketches and construction blueprints for the Nostromo;
+ Never before scene photographs of the cast and crew during the production of ALIEN.
Plus there is more! There are pull outs secured within envelopes contained inside the book's cover with reproduced movie artifacts. These include a detailed schematic of the Nostromo, early designs of the facehugger concept, replicas of storyboards and a promotional poster from Japan. Pull these out to get a really close up look at these meticulously duplicated items used in producing and promoting ALIEN for its initial release way back in 1979.
This has been such an intriguing and interesting read for me, I absolutely have to give ALIEN VAULTa Geek Daddy nod of approval. Published by Epic Ink, an imprint of Quarto Knows. Epic Ink produces collectible books that celebrate entertainment and pop culture. Some other fine books by Epic Ink that this dad blogger has reviewed include Star Wars: Scum & Villainy and Star Trek: Stellar Cartography. To get your hands on any of these great sci-fi books, head over to quartoknows.com
After eight years of adventures, the heroes in a half shell have shown enough turtle power to reach a milestone issue in their IDW Publishing comic book series. Arriving on store shelves on this New Comic Book Day (Wednesday, December 11, 2019) is TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #100. It wraps up loose ends from a number of story arcs, ends the journey of one significant character, and opens up new directions for the future of other characters as the series moves forward into future issues. This extra-sized 50 page comic book is a must to pick up for TMNT fans and comic book collectors.
Let's flip through the covers leading up to TMNT #100:
Plus check out this cover art created by original TMNT co-creators Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman. It is the first time in decades that the two have collaborated. But this is just the beginning as it has just been announced the two will be co-collaborating on a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles story arc for IDW Publishing coming out next summer titled The Last Ronin. There is a sneak peak at the end of TMNT #100 so make sure to flip through all the way to the back page of the comic book to see it.
There is a lot going on in TMNT #100: CITY AT WAR -- THE END. Shredder has been separated from his head and Karai has replaced the deceased warrior as leader of the Foot Clan. While this is going on a Mutagen bomb has been detonated over New York City by another villain creating hundreds of new mutants. And they aren't all as friendly as the Turtles!
Master Splinter and a bunch of orphaned children are being held hostage in the Foot Clan's headquarters. The Turtles partner with an android named Bishop and his armed force of militants on a rescue mission only to be double crossed. So it is total anarchy as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles must battle through menacing mutants, Bishop's forces, and the Foot Clan in an effort to rescue Master Splinter and the orphans he is caring for. Of course Bebop and Rocksteady aren't going to miss out on this battle royal.
If that isn't enough an immortal witch has created a headless zombie Shedder as part of a magical ritual to summon a giant dragon. As a humongous dragon emerges over New York City have the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles finally met their match? Holy Chalupa! This comic book is certified turtlefied!
I'm not going to give any spoilers as everything I've mentioned has been led up to in recent issues building up to #100. So grab yourself a slice of pizza and pick up TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #100 from your local comic book shop. You can find stores carrying the issue at comicshoplocator.com. You can also purchase print and digital editions online at idwpublishing.com
We got into the holiday spirit with a visit to the historic Cranbrook House in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan to see it decorated for Christmas. Designed by noted Detroit architect Albert Kahn this English Tudor-style was built in 1908 for the family of a newspaper mogul. It is the oldest surviving manor home in Metro Detroit. The mansion is now a centerpiece of the Cranbrook Educational Community which includes an art museum, science center and college preparatory academies.
Annually in December, the Cranbrook House is opened to the public for one weekend to showcase it decorated for Christmas. Visitors to this ticketed can take self-guided tours of the historic home enjoying its ambience decked out with Christmas trees, garland, and wreaths. Plus there is a chance to get a family photograph with Santa Claus. This year's Holiday Splendor event took place December 6 - 8. Proceeds from tickets to this fundraiser support the preservation of this National Historic Landmark.
Based upon the jolly good time we had at the Cranbrook House Holiday Splendor event, I highly recommend making it part of your holiday festivities next year. Visit housegardens.cranbrook.edu or call 248-645-3149 in November to get specific Holiday Splendor dates and times to mark on your calendar. Especially, if you have young children at home because Cranbrook House provides an exceptional Santa Claus Sighting experience.
Mrs. Claus greets families as they wait to see Santa and get kids to fill out wish lists helping parents get some clues for present ideas and encouraging the children to chat about the gifts they want. If you don't have your holiday shopping all done yet this can be very helpful!
Situated in the picturesque library of the Cranbrook House, not only does this event provide a grand backdrop for photographs with Santa but he also provides a lot of interaction and personal attention to the kids that visit. A very nice opportunity to get a wonderful picture for your family's Christmas card or a memorable photo for a child's scrapbook.
During our visit Santa really chatted us up and expressed a genuine interest in each of the children that visited him. Only one family is brought into the grand room where he is located at a time so it feels like a private moment and there is no sense of rush because of a crowd surrounding you like is often the case during a visit with a Mall Santa. A bunch of digital pictures are taken and mailed to you so there is no pressure to purchase an expensive photo package to capture the occasion. Also they don't mind if you pull out your own camera to take a few shots of your own. With hat in mind, the Santa Sighting tickets during the Holiday Splendor event are a real bargain.
After taking some posed pictures and talking with children about what gifts they would like for Christmas, Santa then has the kids sign a book pledging to stay on the Nice List for another year. I thought that was a nice touch! The only regret I have from the experience is that we didn't bring my son and daughter when they were younger and probably would have been more into the moment. Don't miss out on this experience if you have young children looking forward to meeting Santa at Christmastime!
As we left Santa handed each of us some special glasses to wear. Donning these lenses transforms the lights on Christmas trees and other holiday decorations into shiny gingerbread men. Not only was it fun to explore the Cranbrook House seeing the special effects of these glasses throughout it but they also worked at home on our own Christmas decorations. We enjoyed relaxing in our family room after our Cranbrook House visit, sipping eggnog and enjoying the view of our Christmas tree twinkling with gingerbread men.
After spending some time with Santa Claus, we enjoyed walking around the Cranbrook House taking in the festive atmosphere. Entering this historic home is like stepping into a Charles Dickens novel. The holiday decorations compliment the antiques, artwork and architecture of the Cranbrook House providing a festive vibe to the place. In addition to the library, visitors can also explore a variety of rooms on the first floor of the manor house.
Visitors can wander through a Reception Hall paved in Moravian tiles that was originally used for entertaining guests and imagine being at a holiday gathering when the place was home to a vibrant family. The home office has a stately fireplace and display of artwork picked up by the Booth family during a South American expedition. The Sunset Room was laid out for a tea party. Two of our favorite rooms though were the Dining Room and Oak Room.
The Dining Room was decorated with a Chronicles of Narnia theme. A bust of Aslan guards the room's fireplace. A frosty looking Christmas Tree represents the Witch from the first book in the C.S. Lewis series of novels. Turkish delight was even placed upon the dining room table.
The Oak Room was filled with a ceramic Christmas Village circled by a model train. This isn't any ordinary toy train though. It is a classic Lionel Train from the 1930s covered in 18-karat gold plating. Toy enthusiasts and train hobbyists as well as kids of all ages will be delighted to get a close up look at this amazing locomotive. Beyond seeing Santa, watching this toy train race around the tracks laid out in the Oak Room was a highlight of our self-guided tour of the Cranbrook House.
Marvel in the architectural details of this magnificent estate, enjoy cheerful holiday decorations and have yourself a Merry Christmas by partaking in the Holiday Splendor of the historic Cranbrook House. This holiday fundraiser to help maintain and preserve this splendid place absolutely gets a Geek Daddy nod of approval. To learn more about this places or other events taking place here throughout the year, go to housegardens.cranbrook.edu
