Kids Off The Couch - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I + Whimsic Alley

When we read the final installment of J.K. Rowling's phenomenal Harry Potter saga, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, we genuinely feared for Harry’s life! Though we may know the end of the story now, we’ll still be first in line for the movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I when it opens on November 19. Our family has read every word of all seven Harry Potter books out loud together, and is excitedly awaiting the moment when we can catch up with Harry, Ron and Hermione in the trio's penultimate adventure. (The final tale will be brought to the screen in two parts, so fans can draw out the excitement for another nine months -- Part II won't be released until July 15, 2011). But all we really want to do is go to Hogwarts. We got a taste of our favorite School of Witchcraft and Wizardry by visiting Whimsic Alley, a store on Wilshire Boulevard that is custom-made for all Harry Potter fans. You can choose your own broomstick, try to get any of the beautiful hand-crafted wands to cast a spell, buy all sorts of Harry Potter games and gadgets, and even try on Hogwarts School robes. Stay to have tea at your own house table in Whimsic Alley’s Great Hall, complete with candles floating overhead and hosts who know their Harry trivia inside and out! One afternoon at Whimsic Alley is the next best thing to crashing through the wall at Platform 9 3/4 and hopping on the Hogwarts Express! (Click here for details on Special Events at Whimsic Alley planned in conjunction with next week's film premiere).

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

Ticket Giveaway for Toyota Symphonies for Youth and the California State Parks in Hollywood Film Festival
R.I.P. Halloween, hello Season of Giving! Despite the current heat wave, it's time to get into the autumn spirit and be thankful. Thanksgiving is still a few weeks away, so here's a cornucopia of tricks and treats to make sure your November isn't lacking the thrills of the recently departed All Hallow's Eve.

Toyota Symphonies for Youth Ticket Giveaway: Last month we sent a happy family to the LA Phil Presents Toyota Symphonies for Youth: Pianissimo concert. This month, we have two tickets to LA Phil Presents Toyota Symphonies for Youth: Berlioz' Symphonie fantastique at Walt Disney Concert Hall. The concert plays on two consecutive weekends this month (11/6 and 11/13, 11:00 AM) with Dudamel Conducting Fellow Jean-Michaël Lavoie conducting the LA Philharmonic, accompanied by a bevy of ballerinas. Click here if you are free for this weekend's performance - we'll notify the winner by Friday morning.

Ticket Giveaway for California State Parks starring in Hollywood Films: Many wonderful films were made in our state parks, and this weekend these productions are being celebrated at a film festival benefiting the California State Park system. See the films on a studio lot, and hear from actors involved with making them happen: Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi and MASH will be shown at the Paramount Theater at Paramount Studios on Saturday (11/6) and Spartacus and Planet of the Apes will be shown at the Darryl F. Zanuck Theater on the 20th Century Fox lot on Sunday (11/7). We have two weekend passes for a family of four to give away so click here if you want to be in this drawing. We'll award passes by Friday morning.

Art You Glad It's Autumn? The whimsical and colorful work of Maira Kalman will be showcased at the Skirball Cultural Center starting November 17. Maira Kalman: Various Illuminations (of a Crazy World) is the first survey of Kalman's work. A versatile illustrator and decorator, you'll recognize Kalman's work instantaneously from countless New Yorker covers. The Annenberg Space for Photography presents Extreme Exposure, showcasing daredevil photographers who venture into environments where no ordinary documentarian has gone before. We all held our breath at the sight of a determined elephant charging through the shallow waters toward an intrepid photog risking his life for the shot. If your family loves photography as much as we do, head to LACMA to see the godfather of color photography, William Eggleston, and over two hundred of his photographs in William Eggleston: Democratic Camera-Photographs and Video, 1961-2008.

Gobble It Up: November is a time for family, friends, and feasting, but also an opportunity to count our blessings and pay them forward. Kids benefit from even a few hours of service to those less fortunate, and you can learn more from reading past Popcorn Adventures on Oliver, The Blind Side and The Pursuit of Happyness. We love Union Station's annual Thanksgiving Dinner in the park. For the last 20 years the Union Station Foundation has been host to what's been named the "Biggest Potluck in the Nation," with over 1,8000 volunteers and 5,000 meals served last year. There are countless other ways to give back this Turkey day, so check out the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank and Create The Good for ideas for giving in your neighborhood.

DIY Thanksgiving Table: It's our tradition to host our loved ones around the dinner table each year, and the kids love to decorate the table. Some of our favorite finds are the Pilgrim Hat Centerpiece --all you'll need is a terra cotta pot, black felt, and black and yellow poster board. Let the kids create ornate place cards out of colored paper, leaves, and Popsicle sticks. We found a great site to jog your imagination, and another clever craft site with cute ideas like fashioning a photo into a clever Pilgrim napkin ring.

Showtime: If your kids have a fascination with the Trojan War, don't miss master storyteller Daniel Morden performing at The Getty Villa on November 13 and 14 at 3:00 PM. The one hour show is best for kids over eight. From the creators of the global dance phenomenon STOMP comes PANDEMONIUM, featuring outside of the box implementation of everyday objects like bottles, saws, and toys, alongside a complete symphony orchestra with strings, woodwind, and brass. Helen Hunt stars in Much Ado About Nothing in the Shakespeare Center's 25th Anniversary production, for two weeks only in December; featuring the music of Lyle Lovett. A Holiday must-see is The Nutracker, coming to UCLA Royce Hall on December 18. Tickets are sure to twirl out the door quickly, so get your tickets for this wonderful winter extravaganza. For more seasonal sounds, check out the Brian Waite Band at the Santa Monica Library. This kid-friendly jam band is right for elementary school and smaller who will encounter a cast of characters styled to provoke thought and educate through music.

Film Fix: Head to the Hammer Museum on November 14 for a free screening of The Black Stallion, the first feature film by Duma's Carroll Ballard about an unbreakable bond shared between a boy and a stallion while stranded on a desert Island. This weekend, James Cameron's record- breaking masterpiece Avatar will finally be premiering on HBO. Now we can get native with the Na'vi on demand. Be sure to head out to the multiplex over Thanksgiving weekend for Disney's 50th animated tale, Tangled, which opens on November 24. The El Capitan is hosting a live show with the movie's new characters -- Rapunzel and Flynn Rider -- from November 24-December 19.

Fall Back: Just a reminder that we turn our clocks back one hour at 2:00 AM this coming Sunday (11/7) when we go back to Pacific Standard Time. Daylight Saving Time starts again the second Sunday of March 2011.

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

If you like what we do, please tell a friend to sign up!info@kidsoffthecouch.com

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