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Turn on the TV or internet and you are sure to see a lot of booty shaking these days. A LOT (J-Lo & Minaj, I’m speaking to you). So why risk having to explain Anaconda to your 5 year olds? Turn off the devices and take your family out for an adventure. Here are my top 5 picks for some family fun this weekend:  1) Italian Feast of San Gennaro If you are a low-carb family, you may want to avert your eyes and skip to the next event on my list. But if you like pasta and full flavor Italian Food, then stay right here and read about the Italian Feast of San Gennaro in Hollywood! The festival takes over the streets by Hollywood and Highland on September 26-28th, and will be full of Italian food, music, kids activities, and celebrities. There will even be a “Gravy-Sauce” competition and a “Cheese Building” contest. Admission is only $5 and free for kids under the age of 12. Got the parking blues? Take the Red Line Subway and fuuggettabouutt it!  2) Halloween Harvest Festival I don’t want you to freak out, but Halloween is coming and you will have to start thinking about things like costumes and pumpkin carving. Why not get things rolling at the opening weekend of the Harvest Festival at Pierce College? The festival and corn maze on the Pierce College campus is opening this weekend for a 6 week period from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., with the Haunted House and Trail starting at dusk. Entrance is $5 but additional fees apply for some of the activities. Visit halloweenharvestfestival.com for more details. They have U Pick pumpkins, Holiday Hill Farms Stage Show, farm animals, and for older kids, a haunted trail and Fright Fair Haunted House. Save your freaking out for THAT!  3) Thousand Oaks 50th Anniversary Parade There is always a good reason to go to a parade, so go, why don’tcha? Saturday, September 27th, is the Thousand Oaks 50th Anniversary Parade starting at 9 am on Thousand Oaks Blvd between Dusenberg and Erbes Road. Everything from the Girl Scouts to City Officials will be involved! Expect to have a ton of fun watching a Military Fly Over, Bands and Drill Teams, and Floats. It’s free, so just show up and LOVE on that parade.  4) From Set to Screen Have you taken your kids to Paramount Ranch? It’s got a cool “Old West” feel, assisted by the history of the ranch as a set for TV and film, and some fun nooks and crannies to explore. This Sunday, September 28th, at 10 am they are having a free walk called “From Set to Screen”, so you can take the kids to learn about the secrets that turn a dusty set into a realistic town. Call 805-370-2302 for details.  5) Schoolhouse Rock Live at Pepperdine
Did you learn your grammar. spelling, and government policy from the TV show Schoolhouse Rock? Now you can revisit your youth by taking the kids to Schoolhouse Rock Live at Pepperdine AND participate in a free Family Art Day too! Sunday, September 28th, the Smothers Theater is hosting the tour of Schoolhouse Rock Live, a fun musical based on the classic educational TV show. The show starts at 2pm but get there at noon to enjoy the free family art day featuring hands on art projects and Weisman Museum tours. www.arts.pepperdine.edu has the info on tickets.You know you will be there singing along with Interplanet Janet, I’m just a Bill, and Conjunction Junction what’s your...FUNCTION! You KNOW you totally sang along with that one. Share your ideas for fun family activities by following me on Twitter @nickerberger, catching the SCV Buzz on KHTS AM 1220, or watching CTV’s The Buzz. Now get out of the house and have a little fun with your kids, wouldja?
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You all know that I am always on the lookout for fun and low cost family activities in SoCal, but when I find something that is not only a great event, but helps kids in need as well, I am all over it!
This week on September 18th the La Brea Bakery is partnering with No Kid Hungry and ABC Family stars to help fight childhood hunger in America. So that's about as important as it gets, right? All you have to do is go, pay $25, eat amazing food, have delicious drinks, listen to fun music, and hang out with celebrities like Lea Thompson, Marlee Matlin, Katie Leclerc, Vanessa Marano, D.W. Moffett, and Ryan Lane. Um, COUNT ME IN!!! How does all this eating and shmoozing help our kids? Well, 100% of the money raised will go to Share Our Strength's No Kid Hungry campaign, which is working to ensure that all children get the healthy food they need, every day. Sounds good, but how the heck to they pull that off? 1) Access: Connecting kids to effective nutrition programs like school breakfast and summer meals. 2) Education: Teaching low-income families to stretch their food budgets so their kids get healthy meals at home. 3) Awareness: Shining a national spotlight on the crisis of childhood hunger in America. Ok, even if there weren't baked goods involved, I would still be interested in supporting this great cause. Additionally, La Brea Bakery, the premier artisan bread brand in the country, is offering one sweet deal to customers of their cafés in Los Angeles and Disneyland to support No Kid Hungry: one dollar from every $4 specially marked two-pack of the bakery’s classic oatmeal-raisin cookies will be donated to the hunger-fighting organization through the month of September. Register and get all the info at: www.nokidhungry.org\LaBreaBakeryNKH. GO! They had me at "bakery"... Laura Nickerson is LA's go-to-mom for cheap and local family activities. Check her out @nickerberger on Twitter giving daily tips at #buzzLA, on KHTS AM 1220's SCV Buzz, or on CTV's The Buzz on Channel 3.  Photo by Bart/Flickr School is going at full speed, and even though you may still not fully understand the Common Core (What are “arrays”? Why are they now a thing?), you can at least hang with your family someplace fun while you figure it out. Here are my top 5 picks for some family fun this weekend: 1) BART AT THE BOWL “The SIIMPPP-SOONSSS”. The iconic music of the hit show is going to be featured at the Hollywood Bowl this weekend and it’s a great chance to take your whole family to the this well-known venue while the summer is still rolling. Friday-Sunday night, September 12-14th, you can experience Springfield in Hollywood by listening to some great music with scenes from the show playing along on the big screen. Special bonus? Surprise guests and a fireworks finale. Find info on tickets and here. Go, or you'll say "Doh!" (NO I DIDN'T! Yep, I did.)  2) COUNTRY FAIRE AT THE ADAMSON HOUSE Because the Valley is basically as sweltering as having a hot flash in the desert right now, it might be a good idea to head towards the cooler Malibu area for some outdoor fun. The gorgeous Adamson House is hosting a free Country Faire on Sunday, September 14th, from noon to 5pm and it’s got entertainment for young and old alike. Art Exhibits, live music, food trucks, plus kids activities are all set to go in honor of the Adamson House’s 85th anniversary. So go and enjoy some beauty and fun in the cooler air. Click here for info. 3) LA PARENT MAGAZINE PARTY AT THE AMERICANA The Americana at Brand in Glendale always has fantastic Kid’s Club activities, but this week the activities go above and beyond because LA Parent Magazine is throwing a party! The festivities are from 11-1 on Tuesday, September 16th on The Green and will have live music, face painting, gift bags, prizes, and...wait for it...Sprinkles Cupcakes, Cookies & Ice Cream. Yep, you had us at Sprinkles. All free, all fun, just head on over! Details are at www.americanaatbrand.com. Sprinkles. Cupcakes. Shall I go on? 4) OVARIAN CANCER RUN AT CBS RADFORD Whether or not you are a serious runner (not me) or more of a gentle stroller (me), odds are good that your kids love to run-even if it’s just running away from you when it’s time for a bath. So why not let them run like crazy and do a Kiddie K in the name of a good cause? The Ovarian Cancer Run is being held on Sunday, September 14th, at CBS Radford and they are raising money for Ovarian Cancer research and education. There are full runs for the adults if you are so inspired, but the Kiddie K is at 9:15 and only costs $5 per child under 11. Visit their website to register in advance an remember to hydrate those little ones. Go and have some fun running! Or watching your children run while you sip an iced latte!
Photo credit: SP Photography/Flickr
It’s Grandparents Day! I’m not sure that I fully understand what that means as far as execution is concerned, but I do know that GRANDPARENTS ROCK! So take them out for some fun grandparently activities. 1) Do you like Taramosalata, Octapodaki, and ...Tina Fey? You might be just Greek enough for the LA Greekfest. It’s Friday, September 5th, through Sunday, September 7th, and tickets are under $5, with completely free admission on Friday. It’s a little bit of a drive to Central LA at 1324 S. Normandie Ave, but worth it for the copious parking and the chance to party like Nia Vardalos at her wedding reception.  Photo credit: Tom Simpson/Flickr 2) What woman hasn’t dreamed of having seven handy men waiting on her hand and foot? What about trading in for..one bat? Ok, maybe the reality of that is marginally uncomfortable to imagine, but there is a lot of fun to be had in a theatrical version of that story, especially when it’s free. This Saturday, September 6th, you can see free Fairy Tales in the Park at Foxfield Park in Westlake Village at 11:30 am. This is super fun theatre for your little ones, and this week’s show is “Snow White and the One Bat”. You are free to bring your own seven men if you like. And remember, sharing is caring. 3) We ALL want to “let it go” on Frozen, well, everyone except for your kids. They will stay in the frozen zone until they leave home and fall in love with a cuddly and short dude with a big orange nose. So why not just give in to it and take your little cuties to the Frozen Sing-a-long at the El Capitan? This is your last weekend to cart your kids to Hollywood (try the subway, another great and low cost bit of entertainment) in their shiny blue dress and matted blond wig. Just do it. There will be another movie to obsess about...someday...  4) We all know that wearing something from Lululemon when dropping off your kids at school is pretty much a standard uniform, but why not get some actual exercise in those stretchy pants? Lululemon at the Calabasas Commons is offering an in store yoga class from 9:30-10:30 for free on Sunday, September 7th. So go, and use those attractive yet supportive pants! 5) If you have children with disabilities, there’s a fantastic chance for you to join up with other families at Brandon’s Village playground at Gates Canyon Park in Calabasas. This is a fully-accessible playground and the group Brandon’s Buddies will be meeting up on Saturday, September 6th, from 11-1 for Integrated Play, Arts and Crafts, and Entertainment. You can visit www.kenproject.com for info and a calendar of events. It’s free fun at the park that children and families of all abilities to enjoy-that’s MY kind of “Buddies”!
Share your ideas for fun family activities by following me on Twitter @nickerberger, catching the SCV Buzz on KHTS AM 1220, or watching CTV’s The Buzz.  Photo by Julie Kertesz After a long week of school and work, it’s easy to plop in front of the TV and roost for the weekend. But there are tons of things you can do that are not too exhausting and really fun.
Here are my top 5 picks for some family fun this weekend: 1) There is something really great about seeing a stand-up comedian and laughing until your sides hurt, but usually the jokes are made for grown-ups. Sometimes even I feel a little young for them, so I never imagined bringing my kids to see a stand-up comedian without providing some kind of earplugs and a self-bleeper. BUT, this looks really fun: the 2 Milk Minimum Showcase with host Michael Rayner from Sesame Street and performances by 10 and 11 year old comedians. It’s Saturday, August 23rd, at 4:30 pm at Flappers Comedy Club and Restaurant in NoHo and is part of the Burbank Comedy Festival, and you can call 818.693.6478 for details. 2) If you haven’t seen Frozen yet...well, you probably don’t have or know anyone under the age of 10. BUT, now’s your chance-and for free! Its the Warner park Movie on the Green. Saturday, August 23rd, at dusk you can enjoy the hot weather with the coolest movie of the summer-Frozen. It’s at Warner Center Park on Topanga Blvd, which has plenty of room to run around and enjoy a picnic beforehand. Bring a blanket and chairs, and your earplugs for those of you totally over the songs. 3) We adults go to the gym and work out, but do our kids get that same chance? They do now! This Friday, August 22nd, at 11 am, you can take your kids to the Malibu Lagoon State Beach for a free physical fitness obstacle course. It’s $12 to park, but worth it to get your kids up and running around. 4) The final Summer Sun Sets Concert is here and you don’t want to miss it! August 24th at 6pm at the Calabasas Lake behind the Tennis and Swim center, catch The Section Quartet. They are featuring New West Symphony’s Lauren Chipman as they present this electrifying rock and roll show! You can visit cityofcalabasas.com for details. As always, byobcpds. Bring your own blankets, chairs, picnics, and dancing shoes. 5) All parents get pretty tired by the end of the day. Generally at the time the kids are just getting revved up. So, I came across an article that has fun games to play when you are feeling tired and it made me giggle, as well as giving me some great ideas. Here are a few games to play with your kids when you are exhausted: T-shirt road map: Put on a cheap tee and have your kids draw a road on the back of it, then drive toy cars on it while you lay on your tummy. Mom is queen: You are the queen on the throne and the kids bring you fake tea, slippers, etc. I like this one the best, for obvious reasons. What’s on Mommy’s back?: They put toys on your back while you lie down with your eyes shut and guess what they are. Hilarious and useful. Visit this article for more ideas. You can always get more LA Kids Activities by following me on Twitter @nickerberger and checking out the hashtag #buzzLA. Also check out my show “The Buzz” at www.cityofcalabasas.com or on Channel 3 in the West Valley, and "SCV Buzz" on KHTS AM 1220 in Santa Clarita. I’ll be back next week with more fun family activities!  (Photo by Paree) Here are my Top 5 picks for some Family Fun this weekend: 1) Summer break for your kids (we all know it’s for your kids, because it sure isn’t a break for you) is almost over, so why not celebrate with a Pool Party? Friday August 15th from 4-8pm head over to the Calabasas Tennis and Swim Center for a free open swim, music, games, and prizes! for info call Raine at 818.222.2782. Your kids will have a blast! And in the end, isn’t that what summer break is all about? YOU can sleep in September...
 Photo by Arturo Sotillo For some, this is the final weekend of Summer Break. Good, bad, or ugly, you should go out in style! Try some of these fun events for kids this weekend: 1) There is a great program at the Will geer Theatricum Botanicum in Topanga called the Family Fundays, and this week, it’s bug-tastic! Sunday August 10th at 10:30 am you can experience the musical stylings of Love Bug and Me, kids music with a variety of styles and world rhythms. Tickets are $10 for everyone over the age of 2. Visit www.theatricum.com for details. Your little love bugs will love these Love bugs! That is, if you love bugs... 2) You have to make sure you have caught some of the amazing Summer Sunsets concerts, like the upcoming Latin Music group Octavio Figueroa y La Combinacion’. This free concert is on August 10th starting at 6pm at the Calabasas Lake. Bring a picnic, chairs or a blanket, and your latin groove. You can even pre-order food at the Atmosphere Cafe by calling 818 222-0226. It’s so fun you may even find yourself dancing and singing along. Go ahead, nobody will judge you. 3) What??? You haven’t taken your kids to the fair yet? Me neither...but we SHOULD. This is the last weekend for the Ventura County Fair and it’s full of fun fair stuff like animals, rides, entertainment, and really fattening food. Plus there are fireworks every night! Admission is 8-12$ and you can check out their site for hours and directions at www.venturacountyfair.com. Go and feel proud of yourself. 4) The Ford Amphitheatre has some super cool summer entertainment that you might want to catch before it’s over. This week is Big!World!Fun! travels to Cambodia. It’s August 9th at 10 am and only $5 for adults and free for kids. Beautiful classical dance and music, plus lush costumes that make the show a dazzler for all ages. It’s a Saturday morning “to-do”. Because face it, you probably don’t get to sleep in anyways. 5) It’s time to party in the Bu, Malibu that is. Since summer is still a little toasty, head over to the Malibu Country Mart on Sunday, August 10th, from noon-3 for a Malibu Summer Block Party in the cool seaside air. Kids activities, food, fun, and a calypso band! Sounds like a party to me. You say “Calypso”, and I’m partying. You can always get more LA Kids Activities by following me on Twitter @nickerberger and checking out the hashtag #buzzLA. Also check out my show “The Buzz” at www.cityofcalabasas.com or on Channel 3 in the West Valley. I’ll be back next week with more fun family activities!  To all my fellow overworked, underpaid, underappreciated, and undershaven Mommies out there, as I mentioned in last week's blog I am launching my new radio version of "The Buzz" at KHTS AM 1220. We leaped onto the air waves this week and I have a blog link for you if you are in the SCV area with some really fun ideas for your family. To check it out click here: SCV BUZZ But my Valley mommies, I haven't left you hanging. Here is this week's episode of "The Buzz" that features the amazingly well hidden Salvation Army Camp in the Santa Monica Mountains, plus some family fun for you too.I'll be back next week with more family activity ideas for both areas! In the meantime check me out on twitter @nickerberger or on Facebook at SCV Buzz. Now, go have some fun with your kids, wouldja?As all of you moms know, there are weeks that just have too much going on to accomplish everything on your to do list. Unfortunately this week I am sidelined by the launch of my new radio show “SCV Buzz” on KHTS AM 1220 and am unable to do my full blog. I promise I won’t leave you totally high and dry-watch this week’s episode of “The Buzz” on CTV to give you some great ideas for family fun in the Valley this weekend. You can always get more LA Kids Activities by following me on Twitter @nickerberger and checking out the hashtag #buzzLA. Also check out my show “The Buzz” at www.cityofcalabasas.com or on Channel 3 in the West Valley. I’ll be back hopefully next week with more fun family activities-thanks for understanding fellow mommies!  (Photo by SpookyTW via Flickr.com) THE TOP 5 FAMILY ACTIVITIES THIS WEEKEND by Laura Nickerson
It’s hot. And the World Cup is still going on (how long, exactly, is that thing going to last? I think it started approximately 20 years ago). But neither of these excuses should keep your family inside and parked on the couch. Here are some fun activities for you and your family to try this weekend: 1) The Lotus Festival is BACK after few years off for renovations, and is a great choice for families that want to get out and try something unique. The festival celebrates Asian-Pacific culture at Echo Park Lake with Dragon Boat races, Asian themed music and dance shows, all of which are centered around the remodeled Echo Park Lake’s blooming lotus bed. It’s on July 12th from noon-9 and the 13th from noon-8. Visit http://www.musicforautism.org/downloads/poster-2014-07-13-ca.pdf for info. It’s a bit of a drive, but at least your car has air conditioning... 2) If you want to experience a great location and some great Queen music, take the family to the Summer Sun Sets Concert “Queen Nation”. At 6pm on Sunday, July 13th, head to the Calabasas Lake for this amazing tribute band. Admission is free, so bring your picnic, chairs, and anyone in your life that loves great Queen music. Visit www.cityofcalabasas.com for details. Warm up your voice for the singing along, and your neck to do your Bohemian Rhapsody/Wayne’s World homage. 3) A simple yet interesting thing to try is heading to the King Gillette Ranch for their 1 mile “Walk into the Chumash World”. It’s at 3pm on Saturday, July 12th, and will give you and your kids a fascinating insight into the way the Chumash Indians used the natural resources of their environment for thousands of years. Meet at the parking lot to the left of the pond. Info is at http://www.lamountains.com/pdf/KGRSummer2014.pdf. It’s free, short, and eco-friendly. 4) There’s a great program at the Leonis Adobe over the summer: the LIL Ranchers Club. It starts on July 8th and runs Tuesdays from 9:30-11:30am through the summer. Let your “LIL” ones learn to cook, feed animals, and learn about life on the historic ranch a for only $4. Visit leonisadobemuseum.org for info. They won’t complain about doing modern day chores again! 5) Music for Autism is presenting a free Interactive Concert for individuals with Autism and their families. Sunday, July 13th, at 1pm they will present classic Disney hits performed by seasoned stage performers at the The Help Group Autism Center Theater in Sherman Oaks. It’s completely free, but RSVPs are essential at musicforautism.org or by calling 877.863.7473 x1 Here's the flyer: http://www.musicforautism.org/downloads/poster-2014-07-13-ca.pdf. You can always get more LA Kids Activities by following me on Twitter @nickerberger and checking out the hashtag #buzzLA. Also check out my show “The Buzz” at www.cityofcalabasas.com or on Channel 3 in the West Valley. I’ll be back next week with more fun family activities! |
AuthorLaura Nickerson, Queen of cheap and local family activities, Momblogger of 2, Host of CTV's The Buzz and KHTS AM 1220's SCV Buzz, visit #buzzLA for daily tips. Archives
November 2015
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