Los Angeles

The only outdoorsy thing you've been doing lately seems to be mad dashes from your car to mall entrances. The kids are on constant buzz mode which only seems to be growing in intensity with each passing day drawing you closer to winter break. The insane holiday kookiness is surly pounding you something wicked. Right now you could use a little break to center yourself and recharge before the main event pummels you into next year.

If you're like me you've been desperately wanting to stroll the grounds of the Getty Villa in Malibu exploring the Greek antiquities and such yet have hesitated since it's reopening over two years ago because you just can't shake the image of the havoc your tiny tikes are sure to wreck if cut lose on the villa's beautiful grounds.

Super awesome, uber-cool and way too hilarious kiddie music show Pancake Mountain has landed in LA. To wake up the neighborhood, show us they're here and shake things up a bit they're hosting a TV Dance Party with non other than The Melvins.

When I was a teen my mother stressed, involved us in and made us aware of the importance of philanthropy namely community involvement. I was a certified coach for our local Special Olympics. I cleaned out my room and donated unused items to charities twice a year. She made sure I set aside a portion of my allowance to purchase toys for our local Toys for Tots program. I even helped package food items and clothing for the people in our community in need among many other opportunities.

Venice's new N'ice Cream Nielsen's Homemade Gelato & Sorbet shop is holding one scrumptious contest for kids. From now until November 30 kids can enter an in store contest where they can "dream up their own concoctions." And the sweet, sweet prize for creating the award-winning flavor is a tub of your prize creamy cold treat, prizes and gift certificates from the super-cool DIY book printing store Scribble Press gift certificates and prizes from Scribble Press. Winners will be announced Dec.

Trying to find a way to knock a few kid's gifts off the holiday shopping list without having to break the bank to please your picky playmates? LA Kids Consignment might be able to help. An organization started by a team of mommies looking for a way to cut down on wasteful consumerism the group holds events throughout the year for people to sell their new and gently used kids' items turning unused eyesores junking up homes into extra cash and new treasures for bargain hunters in need of a deal on expensive children's ware.

The S.P.I.R.A.L. Foundation, Spinning Potential Into Resources and Love, is a non-profit organization operating in Nepal and Vietnam "inspired by the principle of "Aid from within the Country." And is one of my new favorite things. A friend of mine pointed this amazing organization out explaining that she gets most of her holiday shopping done by purchasing items from the organization's shop and feeling extra gooey inside knowing her consumerism is serving a higher purpose.

Just in time to get us all revved up about the fast-approaching Thanksgiving holiday the Music Center in Los Angeles presents another wonderful morning for families to enjoy high quality, free performing arts as part of their popular World City series in their W.M. Keck Foundation Children's Amphitheatre.

This Saturday, November 8th from 11am to 4pm families can enjoy a free day dedicated to the art of drumming at the Japanese American National Museum. Sponsored by Target the event will include special performances by traditional drumming ensembles Progressive Taiko, an artistic group focused on sharing and educating communities about Japanese culture through the use of music in traditional and cutting edge ways, and UCLA's Poongmul group, an ensemble of traditional Korean drummers.

With Halloween falling on a Friday this year your family can continue the holiday fun throughout the weekend. One event that's totally family friendly and free and looks really cool is the Pumpkin Launch 2008 being held on November 1st at the Cal State University of Fullerton's Titan Stadium from 9am to 2pm.

And this is why I love living in LA. It doesn't get much better than a free Yo Gabba Gabba! show at Amoeba Records in Hollywood. Come out November 1st at 12pm and prepare to "jump, shake, shimmy" them sillies out between aisles of delicious vinyl while watching your best TV buddies pump up the jams. Oh so cool to the extreme. It's like the H.R.

It's a "dead man's party" this weekend. Is your family ready to raise the dead? Self Help Graphics & Art in Los Angeles whose mission is to educate young and emerging artists of the culture, history and beauty of Latino arts just might have two perfect family events to help you gear up for Dia De Los Muertos.

The Grove in Los Angeles understands that outdoor movies aren't just for summer. Something I always wondered about being a native Southern California girl myself. I mean, really, fall comes with it's gorgeous weather and early sunsets. What a great opportunity to go see an outdoor movie and not have to wait until 8 or 9pm for it to start. And perhaps your kids will actually get to watch the movie for once.

The Morgan-Wixson Theater in Santa Monica is baking up a special theatrical treat for families to enjoy each Saturday and Sunday from now until October 26th as their popular children's theater series Y.E.S. presents Laura Numeroff's beloved tale "If you Give a Moose a Muffin"

Looking for something wonderful to do with your family this weekend? Does it help that it's free and full of major entertainment and educational value?

The Music Center brought back their popular and super-cool World City series. World City is a series of free family events showcasing renowned artists. Each event in the series is themed around geographical locations. The series returned last month with an event celebrating the Armenian arts. And this Saturday, October 11, families will be whisked away to South America.

It's one thing to have Gwendolyn and the Good Time Gang played in a constant loop on your car CD player to please those picky tot ears and another to see this gang of kiddie music goodness live. To experience Gwendolyn and the Good Time Gang live with your mini rocker is to finally understand why your kid rocks out so dang hard to songs about stingy crustaceans and veggie gardens. And what better venue than McCabe's Guitar Shop in Santa Monica?

Remember wayyyyy back when E3 meant your "industry" hook-ups would hit up their co-workers with unisex names for badges to get your sorry "non-industry" butt in on some of the sweet gaming action? Back when you smuggly fanned yourself with your borrowed "Tony" name badge as you passed all the wanna-be hopefuls crowding the LA Convention Center doors? Back when Tony Hawk and friends showed off on indoor half pipes while sexy vikings and Everquest fairies mingled and posed for pictures with Pikachus and Katamari princes.

The Gaming Krib's innovative portal software/hardware includes a whole new learning paradigm which begins this fall/winter 08’ for more than 3 million parents, children and educators. For the first time, an internet-based and electronic (hardware based interaction) way to balance a child's learning and social needs, via the cell phone, TV and Internet.

This Saturday, September 27, Smithsonian Magazine is sponsoring Museum Day 2008. "Enjoy free general admission for you and a guest to hundreds of museums and cultural venues nationwide. Present the Museum Day admission card to receive free general admission at participating Museum Day locations.

This Sunday, September 28 is the Abbot Kinney Street Festival. In it's 24th year this festival stretches from Venice to Main Street along trendy Abbot Kinney boasting block after block of crazy-cool wares, goodies and sounds in true Venice style. A place where burning sage and lemon-grass scented truffles mix and mingle so fragrantly you're instantly transfixed by the scene.

If you're household is anything like ours it wakes promptly at 7am each morning without fail. Oh and that includes weekends. Which is why the kids' concert series Wake Up with the Waves held at the Santa Monica Pier is such a welcome Saturday morning treat. And we couldn't be happier to see it's return this weekend with the twangy sounds of uber-cool folk children's band The Hollow Trees.

Tonight from 5-8pm mosey on down to your local Cold Stone Creamery and enjoy some free frozen sugary goodness on them.

The Redondo Beach Lobster Festival takes place this weekend September 26-28th at the Seaside Lagoon. In it's 13th year this annual event promises fun for the whole family. plus loads of "fresh Maine Lobsters." While there's plenty of live entertainment including wake boarding demos and music acts like Too Rude.

Are you looking forward to celebrating Talk Like a Pirate Day with your family but don't quite know how to party like a pirate with your littlest revelers? Kidspace in Pasadena might just have the perfect event to get into the pirate spirit without worrying about drunk scallywags stumbling over your kids.

With it's open paint and play sessions, chalk walls, art and music classes we think LA tot-spot Play happens to be a pretty swell place.

My husband and son have recently been laying the "we want a kayak" hints pretty heavily. However, I hesitate slapping down the major bucks for any hobby prior to learning the basics or at least test driving the hobby first. I have a garage full of equipment from past endeavors I was suckered into purchasing.

That's where Kayaks 4 Kids saves the day.

I've always thought Cinespia's Cemetery Screenings would be a great "date night" thing to do with my better half. It's just the right mix of movies, music, food, alcohol, uber-cools, energy and morbidness. Ideal for us p-units who spend most Saturday nights curled up on the couch with two kids between us watching "The Never Ending Story" for the tenth Saturday in a row. Don't get me wrong, I love the movie. Heck, I introduced the movie to my kids.

I blame the Summer Olympics in Beijing for my obsession with all things Chinese.

Looking for a family friendly drum circle with tons of rowdy drum banging, jamming, and dancing and minus the burning sage?

A Los Angeles Times article claims that Los Angeles Unified School District plans to set up an Internet program that will enable parents to monitor and manage children’s lunch-money spending, how many times they're late to class and just how poorly they're doing in algebra... Is this an empowering form of transparency, or another slide toward a culture of surveillance?

The Falcon Theatre in Burbank, Ca. is somewhat known for their pop-musical interpretations of classic stories like their popular "Alice in One-Hit-Wonderland" series.

If you're wondering when this Elizabeth Mitchell made an awesome kids' CD and what she's doing playing a free family concert at The Getty Center in Los Angeles this weekend you're way off silly. I understand you're suffering from some serious Lost withdrawals...deep breath..it'll be back soon...

Maybe it's because I have a real soft spot for "mom and pops" or because "Miss. Bindergarten" really helped my apprehensive son get ready for kindergarten that I feel compelled to tell you about a fun little event happening August 22 and 23 at Mrs. Nelson's Toy and Book Store in La Verne, Ca.

That's right, Memorial Park's Levitt Pavilion in Pasadena, Ca. has been holding a wonderfully large and comprehensive free summer concert series all season. On five of the seven days in the week the pavilion stages some high quality entertainment and depending on the day concert goers have been treated to musical talent ranging from kids' music to world music to American music.

This weekend marks the beginning of my all-time favorite summer activity to do with my kids. Every Saturday and Sunday at 11am from August 9- August 31 families can pack up a picnic, head-on over to the Media Park in Culver City and watch The Actor's Gang do the unthinkable. For the past two years they've taken the most fowl, treacherous, tragic Shakespearean plays and transformed them into colorful, comical family theater productions.

UrbanDictionary.com says that a staycation is "a vacation that is spent at one's home enjoying all that home and one's home environs have to offer."

That's what we did this last 4th of July weekend.

Uber-cool California based childrens' band The Hollow Trees bring their upbeat, rocking music to the Skirball Center this Sunday, May 4 at 10am for a special Bob Dylan tribute show. According to their site, "The Hollow Trees play what they call “Folk Music for Families.” It’s high energy acoustic Americana music played with passion, skill, and humor.

As parents raising fearless little dare devils it's hard to deny the instant appeal and wonderment of the circus. To avoid any broken bones when junior decides to do a backward flip off the swings just like his favorite trapeze act why not give him the real deal while learning the fundamentals of the circus arts? A breath of fresh air from your traditional gym lead youth activities, Kinetic Theory is ready to offer Circus Arts classes to Westside boys and girls beginning May 12th in their new training studio!

A few Fridays ago I'd just accomplished a fairly successful clean-up/scrub down session of house cleaning when my two year old decided her day wouldn't be complete without a messy round of finger paint. With company on the way and a minty fresh house what was I to do? Enter a wonderful tot hot spot known as Play.