I am sure most of you are already acquainted with Tamera Mowry-Housley.  She first caught our attention in 1994 when she appeared in the show Sister, Sister with her twin sister, Tia Mowry.  Tamera went on to star in a number of movies and now has her own reality show on the Style Network, Tia and Tamera.

In addition to a new baby and a reality show, Tamera has recently taken on one of her biggest projects to date!  She has just become a host on the hot new show, The Real.  The show features five amazing women (Tamera, Tamar Braxton, Loni Love, Jeannie Mai and Adrienne Bailon) that share their thoughts, views and opinions on life, love, sex, marriage, kids and a whole lot more!  The show has a fresher vibe than the standard female roundtable discussions that currently dominate the TV airwaves.  There is a youthful, diverse energy that The Real shares with viewers.

Even with an insane schedule, Tamera always makes time for her fans.  I recently had an opportunity to catch up with Tamera and discuss motherhood, marriage, and her awesome new talk show, The Real! 

When it came time to choose an easy and fun family vacation this summer, San Diego was a no-brainer.  Having lived there as a child while his Dad was in the Navy, my husband and his family are always happy to return, so last month we joined up with extended family and made the trip.  

The hotel we chose was Loews Coronado Bay Resort - a great pick for families and, as you can see, families with dogs!  With gourmet room service for pets, pet-sitting service, and special amenities including bowls, leashes, and toys, Loews really rolls out the red carpet for the furry members of your family.  Above is a picture of my daughter meeting the very glamorous hotel patrons Lexi-Lou and Jilly-Bean dining al fresco at the Loews' Market.  They had just come from the doggie-spa (note their painted toe nails) and were delighted to visit with our kids during dinner.  And YES, their mommy does push them around in their own pink stroller!!  [Although I rarely afford myself the luxury of a pedicure, I don't begrudge these cuties their pampered life...they earn their keep with professional modeling gigs.] 

Aside from giving the royal treatment to pets, Loews pampers families too.  In addition to a recent $12 million renovation (see the glamorous lobby above) Loews has  grown into a world-class destination for kids and in 2010 it was named by Parents magazine as on of the "10 Best Beach Vacations in the US."

Take a ride back in time and visit the museum that shows how street cars helped develop our local history. For kids, there is a hands-on model street car display. Continual guided tours are offered of "Street Car Hall," which features a nice collection of different street cards from the United States and Europe.  Some are even over 100 years old.  See a gallery of the collection here.  

Visitors can also go on a narrated round-trip street car ride into the woods "as Maryland and Virginia would have looked more than 100 years ago when the first electrical street cars went out beyond Washington DC city limits."  The museum usually puts out at least two different street cars on the tracks for rides and each offer a different experience and part of history.  The round-trip ride takes about 10-15 minutes.  

This is a small scale museum but still worth a visit, especially if you take the chance to go on multiple street car rides.  There are no food or picnic facilities on site, so please plan accordingly. 

Museum Details:
National Capital Trolley Museum
1313 Bonifant Road
Colesville, MD 20905

Admission: 
$7.00 – Full Fare  (18 years to 64 years old)
 $5.00 – Reduced Fare (2 years to 17 years old and 65+)

The museum is only open on weekends in the winter and on Thursdays-Sundays during the other seasons.  Check the website for hours of operation at http://www.dctrolley.org.


Pictures by Micaela Williamson, Kid Trips Northern VA