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

Stock your Summer with Culturally Rich Activities

The US government just issued new dietary guidelines confirming that more plants, less salt and more exercise are key to improving the health of all Americans. We leave it to you to gobble up the stone fruit and heirloom tomatoes at our local farmers' markets, but can help by stocking your family's cultural pantry this month.

Pictures of the Year: Kids and photography are a natural pairing, and we love quizzing ourselves on the world events from the past year at the 67th Annual Pictures of the Year International which runs until October 10 at the Annenberg Space for Photography. This traveling show represents the best of photojournalism from the past year and is a virtual global travelogue.

Native Son: We got an early view of the impressive retrospective of one of LA's most vibrant local artists at LACMA's summer blockbuster, John Baldessari: Pure Beauty (through September 12). We'll go so far as to proclaim it a must-see for every Angeleno this summer. Baldessari's So Cal roots are evident in his photographic art, which employs discarded film stills and other found images to comment on the prevalence of media in our lives. Most will recognize his large-scale works with blue, green or red dots over the faces of people, and seeing them in context (as well as reading the show notes) made us fans. Great for teens, or a grown-up date -- especially if you can get reservations at the new Red-O on Melrose, featuring a Rick Bayless-inspired Mexican menu.

Ticket Giveaway to Grease Sing-A-Long! Paramount is re-releasing one of their classic hits, Grease, as a sing-along event. Come join the fun as John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John belt out beloved tunes such as "You're the One that I Want". Click here to write to us for tickets to the only advance screening for this film, on July 6 at the AMC Century City. Be careful to think about the ages of kids that watch this film - it's sexuality meter runs higher than you might remember.

Plans for the Fourth? Maximize your festivity by celebrating at the Hollywood Bowl, complete with fireworks and country star Vince Gill who joins the LA Phil and USC Marching Band for a program that also includes the U.S. Air Force Band of the Golden West. Tickets are still available for the shows on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, July 2-4.

Outdoor Music for Families: The Skirball Cultural Center hosts fabulous outdoor concerts each Saturday and Sunday at 12:00 and 2:00, starting July 10 and ru nning through September 5. Get in the habit of dropping by with the younger ones for a whirlwind world tour of dance and song at the wonderful Family Amphitheater Performances.

A 3-D Summer: We weren't naturally 3-D believers, although Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, which is now on DVD, piqued our interest. But watching Toy Story 3 (in IMAX, no less) has us believing. Maybe it's just Pixar's spectacular storytelling, or maybe it's that our kids grew up with Toy Story's Buzz and Woody, and watching Andy pack them into the attic as he heads off for college choked us up. Either way, we're all into the funky glasses and big screen extravaganza that make going to the movies a special excursion again. Toy Story 3 is easily the best film of the summer so bring one and all -- though kids under 8 might want to wait for the July 9 opening of Despicable Me; it's zany and considerably less scary for younger kids than watching Buzz and Woody get whisked away by a trash truck to a burning landfill - don't worry, they get rescued in the nick of time!

Gladiator and Gerome: Ever since NPR did a story about gladiators being dug up in England, we've been itching to re-watch Russell Crowe in Gladiator (Rated R, 2003). It could inspire a trip up the hill to see the Getty's new show, The Spectacular Art of Jean-Louis Gerome, a French artist from the 19th Century who was more successful financially than critically. Come judge his artistic merit for yourself - we promise the kids won't be bored with paintings of gladiators, lions and duels. (Or the nudes - beware!).

Free Art for Everyone: Target Arts & Wonder Free Family Event runs from July 16-18 at participating museums around town, including LACMA, the Museum of Latin American Art, the Japanese American National Museum and The California African American Museum. When visiting a museum with a robust permanent collection, we let the kids explore the gift store's postcard rack for an image that appeals to them - then head into the museum to find the matching piece of art.

Where's my Mummy? If mummies are your thing, LA is the place to be this summer. The stars of the Bowers Museum's Silk Road exhibit are two Chinese mummies, never before seen outside of ther native land, and apparently "celebrities in the world of archeology" (according to the Los Angeles Times). Secrets of the Silk Road closes on July 25, so hurry down to Santa Ana. And Mummies of the World premieres at the California Science Center this week, boasting the largest traveling collection of intentionally and accidentally preserved mummies. Mummies 3D: Secrets of the Pharaohs plays in the museum's IMAX theater during the run of the show. Advance tickets necessary, so plan ahead!

Kids Off The Couch

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Shrek + Monsters and Miracles: A Journey Through Jewish Picture Books = Kids Off The Couch

Most kids haven't a clue that the green and stinky ogre that has clumped his way through their childhood sprung from a spare and pithy children's book. Chances are, your kids have seen (or will soon see) Shrek Forever After -- the fourth and final sequel to Shrek that is currently ruling the box office. What better way to kick off discussion about summer reading lists than to remind the kids that some of their favorite on-screen heroes sprung from the pages of books? From Shrek to Harry Potter, to Twilight and The Bourne Trilogy, literature is the source of many wonderful screen experiences and these days, a love of reading starts with great book illustation. A new show, Monsters and Miracles: A Journey through Jewish Picture Books, offers Shrek-lovers the chance to meet the ugly, but confident, ogre drawn by author and illustrator William Steig. The show, which is open in Los Angeles at the Skirball Cultural Center through the summer and travels to the Eric Carle Museum of Art in Northampton, MA from October 2010 to January 2011, includes seminal artwork from Maurice Sendak, Eric Carle, Mordicai Gerstein, as well as illustration from contemporary authors, such as Lemony Snicket and David Goldin. With iPod Touch stations around the exhibit, and ceiling-sized book spines that cleverly divide the galleries, you'll think you're in book heaven. (Click here for Summer Reading Tips, more about author and illustrator William Stieg, and details about two of our favorite museums).

Kids Off The Couch - Talking to Your Kids About John Wooden (1910-2010)

Quotes to Live By "Sports do not build character. They reveal it." Much will be said over the next few days about the wisdom imparted by legendary UCLA coach John Wooden, whose winning record (10 championships in 12 years) and memorable statements influenced generations of athletes. Wooden's Pyramid of Success has been used by countless coaches, as well as adopted by business motivators. Naturally, many of his teachings are readily translated to parenting. After all, athlete after athlete has said that Coach Wooden "prepared them for life". Spend a little extra time with today's Sports section to read up on the lessons learned by the players he influenced. And, tuck a few of those quotes away! We're sure they'll come in handy as you coach your kids through life. Click here for a nice list of John Wooden quotes, and click here for an LA Times article from last year's celebration of Wooden's 99th birthday. And finally, click through these photos of Wooden's life and spend a few moments celebrating a life well lived. Have a great weekend. Kids Off The Couch If you like what we do, please tell a friend to sign up! info@kidsoffthecouch.com www.kidsoffthecouch.com

My Fair Lady + New York's Chelsea Market = Kids Off The Couch Road Trip: Flower Power in NYC

The Merry Month of May is made for celebrating mothers and the bountiful blooms of Spring. What better way to combine the two than by winging off to New York City for a special visit to Chelsea Market? The market, located in an old Nabisco factory, explodes with New York's finest -- fresh fish, remarkable flowers, scrumptious bakeries, clothing and kitchen supply shops, and exotic food stands. Our cinematic inspiration was My Fair Lady, the classic musical starring Rex Harrison as a linguistics professor who transforms a Cockney-accented flower girl into a lady. Dazzled by Audrey Hepburn's sunny turn as Eliza Doolittle, we headed to the refrigerated flower rooms at the Chelsea Wholesale Flower Mart, and delighted in copious floral splendor before heading out to forage among the many food vendors in the cavernous building. After everyone gathered their favorite lunch treats, we headed out into the daylight and clamored up to an extraordinary elevated garden walkway called The High Line that afforded views of the Hudson to the West and fun peeks down the art-filled streets in the Meatpacking district, and West Chelsea. Securing a seat for a Sunday morning picnic required a bit of Eliza's gumption but once settled, we spread out in the sunshine, nibbled on freshly baked muffins and practiced our best "rain in Spain" imitations. Happy Mother's Day to all! Click here for more about the Market and the High Line, an elevated walkway that stretches through the neighborhoods of Chelsea

Kids Off The Couch - The May Radar Screen

May is for Mothers

Here's what we want for Mother's Day. You can forget the spa, or the brunch at a fancy restaurant (we'll be full from breakfast in bed, after all). Just get us out of the house for some Q-time all together as a family.

As for the rest of May, get your teacher gifts together, finalize those summer plans and then... put your feet up. You're going to want to rest up for the schedule-jangling, camp-trunk-packing and medical-form-filling out days of summer.

Mother's Day: Our favorite Mother's Day gift is to have a tree planted in our honor by TreePeople.

It's a good, green way to express your enduring love - any time of year. We also love the idea of spending Sunday morning at the Hammer's free screening of Little Women, and catching an al fresco brunch at Wolfgang Puck's Hammer Cafe. If you want the more traditional fete, click here for a list of brunch specials around town, or go to tea at a fancy Beverly Hills Hotel (Hotel Bel Air is still closed for renovation so try Tea at the Montage or Afternoon Tea at Bazaar by Jose Andres). For a truly memorable afternoon, get some fresh air at The Descanso Gardens where Mother's Day will be celebrated all weekend. Kidspace also has a Mother's Day Spa and activities for youngsters.

Weekend Highlights - May 8-9: The Santa Monica Festival takes place this Saturday, from 11:00am to 6:00pm at Clover Park. Come listen to music, eat local food and relax. If you bike to the event, you can be entered to win a new set of (two) wheels - and there is a free bike valet to help you keep your day green. Families with younger children will prefer motoring over to the National Train Day, celebrated this Saturday at Union Station. Free, all day long.

Strawberry Festival: If you are a Farmers' Market groupie, you know it's strawberry season, and time to celebrate all things berry at the California Strawberry Festival. Festivities take place over the weekend of May 15-16 in Oxnard and Strawberry Shortcake is the Official BerryFest Princess of Strawberryland for Kids (the theme park portion of this foodie-fest).

One Better than Baywatch: A national arts project called Portraits of Hope is working with local schools to transform the lifeguard stations along our CA coastline. Starting May 10, you'll find cheerful, flowery guard stations sprinkled along the beaches. Click here for information about this public art project.

What's Up, Chuck? The Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences has a fun new exhibit about the prolific genius who created Bugs Bunny and his friends. Chuck Jones: An Animator's Life from A to Z-Z-Z-Z is free, and opens May 14. Worth a browse with your animaniacs.

Art Watch: The new

Monsters and Miracles show at the Skirball Cultural Center presents classic illustrations by beloved artists such as William Stieg and Maurice Sendak, with iTouch stations where children can hear celebs reading books aloud -- this is a gorgeously presented show for anyone who loves to read. If photography is your thing, check out the Annenberg's Water: Our Thirsty Planet, and don't miss Tasteful Pictures at The Getty Center, scrumptious images of food, glorious food!

KOTC Reader Suggestion: A KOTC subscriber, Laura Sympson, came up with this clever idea for a Popcorn Adventure. Take in the new animated film, The Secret of Kells and embark on a weekend at LA's Renaissance Faire. The Renaissance Faire takes place each weekend in the spring (until May 23); here's our take on bringing kids to these fairs. We've had our eye on this film for some time (the film's website is worth a visit) and will alert you when it's on DVD.

Creature Comforts: The Bug Fair at the Natural History Museum is a leggy extravaganza with special programming throughout the weekend of May 15-16. The Pavilion of Wings will be open as well (it's a rite-of-spring in our home) so while you're looking at the spiders, don't miss the chance to have thousands of butterflies land on your shoulder and head - a blissful experience. And, before it gets too hot to hang out in the deep valley, check out the Wildlife Learning Center in Sylmar.

For Parents With a Moment to Spare: The Venice Art Walk and Auction takes place over the weekend of May 22-23 and offers wonderful Art and Architecture tours of Rustic Canyon and areas of Venice and Santa Monica. Ticket prices apply; event benefits the Venice Family Clinic.

Concert Watch: Lots of great music coming our way in the next few months, especially for tweens and teens. There's Glee - Live In Concert at Universal Amphitheater, May 20-22. South Pacific opens on May 27 and runs through mid-July. And Rent comes to the Hollywood Bowl for three nights, August 6-8. It's a good time to look over the whole summer schedule for the Bowl. Kids will love the Bugs Bunny at the Symphony and a sing along Sound of Music (September 25).

Please Give: Nicole Holofcener's new film, Please Give, captures the mood of mothering a teenage girl better than anything we've read or seen. You'll never be able to purchase a pair of blue jeans for your daughter without thinking of Catherine Keener's struggles with parenthood and... liberal guilt. Presuming that some of you worry about these things, check out Women for Women International, a phenomenal organization that pairs women like us with women in war-ravaged countries; our financial and emotional support can help another woman change her own destiny. Click here for more information about a Mother's Day gift that really counts.And, Mom? No one appreciates all that you do more than we do. (With gratitude and apologies to our male readers!)
Kids Off The Couch

If you like what we do, please tell a friend to sign up! info@kidsoffthecouch.com
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Water: Our Thirsty World + Donating to Water Charities = Kids Off The Couch

To commemorate Mother Earth on her birthday (April 22), we turn to one of the planet's most pressing issues - the availability of fresh water. The current National Geographic magazine, Water: Our Thirsty World, explores the social, religious and cultural uses of water around the globe, and demonstrates how diminishing water supplies affect communities, people and animals. Our kids are pretty good about basic earth-friendly practices but the disparity between the abundance of water in our lives and the shocking lack of clean water for many families around the world made our household conservation efforts feel like a drop in the bucket. How could we redouble our efforts to help others? With the help of the National Geographic website, we found fabulous charities deeply committed to helping those in need and set about trying to raise funds to make a difference. From organizing school fund-raising efforts to substituting a birthday gift with the gift of clean water for someone else, we are trying to incorporate an awareness of this pressing need into our daily lives. Now, that's something to think about in the shower. (Click here for more on the magazine and for our list of charities that specialize in water issues).