Kids Off The Couch - Vote Election Day 2010

We attended The Women's Conference last week, which fired us up about getting to the polls tomorrow. Why? The conference theme -- "It's time... to be an Architect of Change" -- reminded us that each of our voices is critical. Witnessing a conversation between former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor andSupreme Court Justice Ruth Ginsberg was particularly thrilling. Neither justice, each of whom was at the top of her class at Stanford and Harvard Law Schools respectively, could get a job in a law firm when they first started their careers.Four women have now been appointed to the Supreme Court. Change can indeed happen in a life time. We hope that you'll exercise your civic responsibility by voting tomorrow. It only takes a moment and we promise that you will feel virtuous afterward. Your voice does matter.

How to Teach Kids a Family Civic Lesson: We are big on bringing kids with us to vote. They will enjoy punching out the chads and can wear your "I Voted" sticker all day long. Best of all, they'll get the message that democracy is active. Studies show that political beliefs are developed at home but since no kid wants to be lectured about politics, here are some media choices that will open up the subject for discussion.

Toddlers and Pre-School: We loved listening to School House Rock: Election Edition, singing along with songs about how a bill passes through Congress and learning a catchy rhyme about the Constitution.

Elementary school: There's nothing better for rousing politicos than Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.Our Popcorn Adventure centered around this classic Jimmy Stewart title about a fresh-faced Senator in Washington D.C. includes tips on voting with kids.

Teens: All the President's Men is about the power of the press. Our Popcorn Adventure is about touring the Los Angeles Times' printing and editorial facilities. Turns out, teens think it's pretty cool to watch Dustin Hoffman andRobert Redford in their edgy prime.

Kids Off The Couch

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Snow White + An Apple Adventure in Oak Glen = Kids Off The Couch

When we watch Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, our kids caution "Don't eat the apple" but alas, Snow White bites it every time. In 1938, Walt Disney gambled that families would sit in the theaters and watch a 90-minute animated film, and the film's success changed family movie going. The fairy tale storyline was familiar, but the chipper music and quirky dwarfs defined a genre that has become a part of our lives. Lately, the fruit that is most alluring at the grocery store are the shiny red globes -- the juicy tartness of varietals like Honey Crisp make us want to rush home and make pie. So when a KOTC subscriber recently mentioned that our chapter on Riley's Apple Farm was her favorite ever, we decided to update our Popcorn Adventure so you can take a trip out to the mountains for an apple adventure before the season ends. From picking fruit from the cobbled old trees at Riley's to pressing your own cider at Willowbrook Apple Farm to gobbling up mini apple cinnamon donuts and tasting different types of cider at Snow-Line Orchard, you're in for some splendid fall flavors. But, you'll need a few cute dwarfs to help cart all the bushels of fruit home! (Click here and plan a visit soon - the picking season doesn't last much past the first week of November!)

Kids Off The Couch Halloween - Where to Get Your Scare on From Tot to Teen

Halloween is all about anticipation -- so it's time to start carving pumpkins, planning costumes and charting your trick-or-treating route. Here are some ups and extras that can bring thrills and chills to your family's celebration.

Tots: The pumpkin patch is the place to be if your kids are small - be sure to get a photo of them with an over-sized pumpkin for the family album. Mr Bones Pumpkin Patch in Beverly Hills includes a hay maze, face painting, a petting zooand decor for the house -- open until 9:00 PM each night this month (except Halloween). Another safe bet is to trick-or-treat amongst the animals at Boo at the Zoo, October 30-31 from 10:00 AM-4:00 PM.

Movie Ideas: We never tire of Charles Schultz's It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. Click over to the website and read more in a Popcorn Adventure based on the classic cartoon. Our kids adore Kiki's Delivery Service, an animated tale about a little witch - more about the movie in a Popcorn Adventure that includes ideas for a simple Halloween. Finally, you can't go wrong with the gentle send-up of scary stuff in Monsters Inc.

Elementary and Middle School: Strut your stuff at a Halloween Costume Parade at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater during matinees for the rest of the month. For a great selection of pumpkins and fresh produce, get to Pierce College'sHalloween Harvest Festival and explore the excellent Corn Maze. Older kids can stick around for Fright Nights from dusk until 10:00 PM. Dixie Canyon Elementary School is throwing a Pumpkin Fair on Saturday, October 23 from 11:00 AM- 8:00 PM with free admission, rides, costume contests and local food vendors. If you like corn mazes, it's worth driving out to Mission Hills to see how creative these attractions can get at Forneris Farms.

Movie Ideas: Ghostbusters comes off a bit cheesy but you'll laugh out loud (caution - there are some racy overtones at the end with Sigourney Weaver) and Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas is playing at El Capitan Theater from October 21-31; the film will be presented in 3-D with sensory effects including wind, snow, and fog.

Teens: Let's face it - teens want to be scared! Drop them (if they dare) atKnott's Scary Farm, or Universal's Halloween Horror Nights - it's all pretty intense, and absolutely not recommended for kids under 13. Our pick is theHaunted Hay Ride, newly relocated at the Old Zoo in Griffith Park (but still scary, and not recommended for kids under 10!).

Movie Ideas: Films that were once the height of technological advancement are now campy fun, though they can still produce screams -- Poltergeist, Beetlejuice. Click here for a list of the 25 Scariest Movies of All Times - proceed with caution!


Historical Haunts for Everyone Else: The 1925 silent film Phantom of the Operawill be screened with live accompaniment from the Royce Hall Organ on Saturday, October 30 at 8:00 PM. If they haven't yet seen it, bring the family to see the stage show of Phantom of the Opera at the Pantages Theater, playing until October 31. Throughout the Halloween season, there are fabulous Walking Tours of The Hollywood Forever Cemetery hosted by Karie Bible. Or, spend Halloween at Disney Hall with a screening of the silent film Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, accompanied by a live organ.

Day of the Dead celebrations: Dia De Los Muertos honors and celebrates the departed souls in our lives, so come experience this rich and colorful Mexican tradition on Saturday, October 30 (from 2:00 PM - 12:00 AM) at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Come in Day of the Dead costumes, and enjoy food and live music - kids under 10 are free! For another glimpse of this intriguing tradition, come to Casa de Calavaras at the San Juan Capistrano library on October 24 from 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM; or see the same exhibit (House of Skeletons) at the Bowers Museum on Sunday, November 7 from 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM.

Frightful Kitchen Ideas: Click here for recipes and ideas for marshmallow bones and blood red hot chocolate! But, here's the scariest things we've seen in a long time - a McDonald's Happy Meal that looked the same on the day it was purchased as it did 6 months later!

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Kids Off The Couch - What's On Our October Radar Screen!

The school year is underway and the snap is back in the air. The challenge for parents this month is to squeeze some family moments into the parade of three S's -- the multitude of school, sports and social activities that dominate our kids' lives. So, pick your head up from trying to organize everyone's complicated schedules long enough to find time for one thing that will bring the family together...even just for a few hours!

Halloween Season's Official Start: This weekend marks the start of the Halloween season with Kidspace's 16th Annual Pumpkin Festival -- October 9 and 10 from 9:30 AM - 5:30 PM -- one of the best Halloween events around for little kids. (Free to all). To get ready for Halloween -- which takes place on a Sunday night this year -- start stockpiling candy, click here for recipes and decorating ideas, and don't forget to buy your costumes early; it's a parent's scariest moment to be stuck without the right costume on October 31st.

10/10/10: A pretty cool date is coming up this weekend - October 10, 2010 - and CicLAvia is a unique urban project that will help you celebrate. Check out the video and take part in a civic experiment to play on streets that are closed off -here are ten different neighborhoods that are participating.

Get the Manners Ready: dineLA Restaurant week runs for two weeks -- October 2-8 and October 10-15. With fixed prices for lunch and dinner, it's a nice way to introduce kids to proper restaurant manners. (Or a a long-overdue date night that won't break the bank). For some tips on table manners, visit our friends atBeverly Hills Manners .

Twirl, Anyone? Old Pasadena's Cultural Dance Festival, on October 10 (from 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM), celebrates dance traditions from around the world, is free and well worth attending with the whole family since everyone is encouraged to participate. Once you work up a sweat, stop in for some cereal at the brand newMix N Munch.

Breath of Fresh Air: The Children's Nature Institute's Urban Nature Week takes place from October 18-25, with a series of activities designed to encourage families to connect with nature in our urban environment. Take part in a nature walk, learn about an edible garden or ride a bio-diesel bus to visit Old Glory, a one hundred year-old tree. Our favorite urban-nature connector is Tree People - volunteer to plant trees or just take a hike in their Coldwater Canyon park.

A New Fruit in Town: Ever heard of Angel Red? It's a new varietal of pomegranate - so start checking out the food aisles and be the first to decide if the seeds are softer. Don't forget to tell the kids the story of Persephone and her fateful encounter with pomegranate seeds.

Family Movie Night: Disney is re-releasing Beauty and the Beast this week, with it's gorgeous animation and unforgettable music. For a different type of equally impressive animation, check out last year's exquisite Oscar-nominated film, The Secret of Kells.

In the Theaters: Sometimes, heading off together to the multiplex is the best thing to restore sanity. Save a night for Secretariat this weekend - a Disney film about the woman (Diane Lane) behind the 1973 winner of the Triple Crown (PG, opens Friday). Legends of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole is a gorgeous film for older kids (it's gruesome in parts despite a PG rating), and an especially rich experience for those who loved the books by Katherine Lasky. The film's director, Zack Snyder, is going to take on the next Superman movie. And finally, everyone's talking about The Social Network, Aaron Sorkin and David Fincher's brilliant film about the world's youngest billionaire. (PG-13, in theaters). Anyone who is on Facebook should see this film, which we love. Caution: heavy partying portrayed in the film, so teens and up.

Take Care of Yourself: It's Breast Cancer Awareness month, and even the NFLis embracing the cause. Don't be the last one to screen yourself and consider your family history. And, there are numerous studies showing the increase in traffic accidents since we all became addicted to our hand-held phones. What keeps our phones in our purses? The desire to be a good example to our soon-to-be-driving kids.

Bring on the sweaters -- it's going to be a great October!

Kids Off The Couch

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Great Train Movies + Art and the LA Metro System = Kids Off The Couch LA

When LA kids hear the word "subway," they are more likely to think of a sandwich than an affordable and accessible means of transportation. Over the summer, we took a trip on LA's Metro system, riding from downtown's Union Station to the end of the Red Line in North Hollywood, stopping along the way to explore each station's public art works. Union Station's art work has a water theme, the Hollywood/Vine station is an homage to the film industry, and the Universal City station (our fave) has gorgeous tiles that chronicle California's gained independence from Mexico. What began as an art tour turned into a history tour and inspired us to screen some of our favorite train movies, many of which (coincidentally) also provided lessons from the past. We journeyed back to the Civil War in The General, the Mad Men world of Hitchcock's 1950's with North by Northwest, and soaked in the vistas of the American West in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Whether used for a thrilling chase, as the starting location for romance, or as a moving bank targeted for robbery, trains have always been one of cinema's best story-telling vehicles.(Click here to learn how you can tour the Red Line or the Purple Line and for more on our favorite train films).

Kids Off The Couch - What's On Our September Radar Screen!

Labor Day and Beyond

Bananagrams Giveaway for best "My Perfect Summer Moment" entry

Our kids started school this week, and already Monday feels like it was 100 years ago. You know, back when we were lazing around doing last minute errands? Now it's all about backpacks, lunchboxes and homework. Our antidote? Spend Labor Day weekend doing things we'd do in mid-July -- go to a county fair, enjoy some beach food and catch the latest movie.

Labor Day Weekend: The LA County Fair opens this weekend and runs until October 3 with rides, horse races, concerts and the Body Works show. A new street festival popped up: theFYF2010 on Saturday (9/4) takes place downtown and has a cool lineup of musicians and comedians; free for kids under 10. Check out the Descanso Garden's Boddy's Big Backyard, with activities for little kids throughout Monday (9/6). Got a babysitter and nothing to do? Check out Los Angeles Plays Itself, a 2004 documentary about the discrepancies between the LA presented in movies and our city in reality. This film is not on DVD, so get to the Aero on Saturday and Sunday (9/4 and 9/5) at 7:30 PM. Chow down at two big food festivals this weekend: Taste of Beverly Hills runs all weekend, and the Los Angeles Times Celebration of Food and Wine takes place at Paramount Studios on Sunday (9/5).

Eat Like it's mid-July: The SLS restaurant group has taken over Gladstone's Malibuso drop in and see if the tourists take you for a native. For an endless summer vibe, get yourself toParadise Cove Beach Cafe (good take out, too). Pretend you're still in Maine at the Long Beach Lobster Festival on September 10-12. Our favorite sand-in-the-toes dining takes place at Back On the Beach Cafe, right in Santa Monica.

Spiffy Coastline: Keep our beaches swim-worthy and help your kids find a meaningful community service activity by participating in Heal the Bay's annual Coastal Clean-Up Day, this year on September 25. The organization rates our local beaches and runs regional clean-ups regularly; registration required.

90049 Residents Take Note: A wonderful community food-and-shopping event called FIRST TUESDAY debuts in Brentwood Village next Tuesday night (9/7). Local shops (such as Ruby Slippers and Star Toys for kids, and Habit and Jennifer Knits for moms) will stay open late and offer special deals to customers. At last, it will be easy to find some of your fave food trucks such as Don Chow Tacos, Komodo, Ahnjoo, World Fare and Coolhaus, all of which will hang around to feed shoppers if they flag. At Barrington and Sunset, from 5:00-8:00 PM.

Peel! Keep a set of Bananagrams on the coffee table to keep that lazy summer afternoon mood alive -- don't tell, but the infectious game is a great vocab booster for any age group. We are giving away a DOUBLE BANANAGRAMS to a KOTC subscriber who best describes a Perfect Summer Moment with their family. Click here and send us your story.

A Great Month at the Movies: It's a good month for date night films: just open is George Clooney's thriller, The American. An excellent (and eerie) novel by Kazuo Ishiguru's, Never Let Me Go has been turned into a film starring Keira Knightly and Carey Mulligan (9/15). We're very curious about the one children's movie on the horizon - you've seen the owl trailers for Legend of the Guardians, (9/24) based on the books by Kathryn Lasky and produced by the folks who brought you Happy Feet. For a guilty pleasure - rent the original Wall Street to get ready for the new Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps starring Michael Douglas, Carrie Mulligan and Shia LeBoeuf (9/24).Waiting for Superman (9/24) aims to do for the public education system whatAn Inconvenient Truth did for climate change: shake things up!

Secrets to Success: The biggest shock about moving from summer to school is that trusty alarm clock gets put into heavy use again and the scheduled week takes over from unstructured time. Current research suggests that both sleep and day dreaming are important factors in learning and the creation of self. For more on why sleep and day dreaming are key ingredients for your kids success in life (and justification for ranting about their screen time) read Po Bronson on the subject of sleep in his book,NurtureShock: New Thinking about Children and click here for the recent Los Angeles Times story on the benefits of zoning out.

Reality Check: Face it, you're going to have to be organized to survive the school year so click here for a free download of these super cool Organization Cheat Sheetsfrom our friends at MommyTrack'd.

Kids Off The Couch

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