General question: I know there are LAistas with kids -- are any non-localistas with kids contemplating going? With kids or solo?

JZ if you come I'd love to have us arrange some very kid-friendly outings for the group. Would love to see you guys and finally meet Matilda, and I'm sure our kids would get along.

I will happily vouch for the fact that meeting Matilda should be on everyone's to-do list. She completely charmed HPF. Sad we won't be able to get all the way to LA for F2F. One year, I will make this event.

Matilda will live in Buffista infamy for life for the Polar Bear incident alone.

You...Polar Bear!

Right up there with Kara and Schmacky the Man Pony, which will never not be funny.

Schmacky the Man Pony

I can't even think it without laughing out loud.

Chicagoistas! We are arriving in your fair city Friday morning. Well, hopefully. The weather report says fog in the am. DH doesn't know, but I have booked us for massages at the spa in the hotel when we arrive. No plans Friday night.

Saturday we plan to walk the couple blocks to the Michigan Ave Bridge to watch the dyeing of the river and then wander about to enjoy the parade. Nice of the city to have such festivities to celebrate our anniversary. No other plans.

Sunday we depart at 6pm so we should have some time during the day. Objectives include seeing Buffistas whenever and wherever possible, and eating pizza at some point. We have heard that the Chicago pizza can be okay. We know NY pizza rocks, and FL pizza is not noteworthy. I feel like we need to at least give it a try.

We are staying at the Swissôtel. If you have a Chicagoista email address I can send my cell number, or send a note to my profile email. Looking forward to the escape.

eta: we will have a car because DH can't live without one

Laura! I am currently scheduled to get off work at 1pm each of those days and I will be working downtown.

I've forgotten the deets on ChiKat's play. There are evening shows Fri and Sat, right?

Yay! I have the cell number in my profile. I chose downtown for ease of walking to the festivities Saturday.

ChiKat's show is 7PM on Friday. The shows Saturday are 11am and 2pm, so that wouldn't work with the parade schedule. I would love to go Friday night and see ChiKat. Also, I am a great audience member. Since we have the car it won't be hard to get there.

It's a bit of a drive from Pasadena, but it's very cool kids thing to do in SoCal: [link] Science for kids!!

Yeah, it's a drive. Sorry, don't know LA area, I know OC area a bit better.

Discovery Cube is fun, omnis, although I usually default to the California Science Center for that kind of hands-on museum because it's free and it's close to my work. Several other good museums there as well. But that's downtown, not Pasadena. Just as you don't know the LA area, my knowledge of Pasadena area is thin. I'm better with LA proper.

Oo Pasadena does have Kidspace Museum, which isn't free but it is fun. Skews a bit younger than the Science Center.