Los Angeles Parenting July Radar Screen

Dinosaurs, The Space Shuttle and Carmageddon

Ticket Giveaway for The Bright Stream

For the first time in 823 years, July has 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays and 5 Sundays. That's not exactly an excuse for the Radar Screen arriving later than usual (it's because we were on vacation, actually). But, be assured that there are still four fabulous July weekends to enjoy. Even if next weekend is the much anticipated Carmageddon!

Ticket Giveaway: American Ballet Theatre visits the Music Center's Dorothy Chandler Pavilion for The Bright Stream from July 14 -17.The Bright Stream, a delightful ballet set to a witty score by Dmitri Shostakovich, is full of fun, misplaced flirtations and a slew of disguises. Angelina Ballerina will be making a special guest appearance following the matinee this Saturday, so bring your cameras! Kids Off the Couch subscribers are eligible to win a Family Four-Pack to this Saturday's matinee performance (2:00 PM, July 16). Click here if you'd like to be entered to win. Tickets will be chosen by Wednesday night (7/13).

Dino Hall Opens: The BIGGEST news this month is that the Dinosaur Hall at the Natural History Museum is finally opening this Friday (7/16). Go online and reserve your timed entry tickets and then rent Land Before Time or Jurassic Park to bone up on the difference between an Allosaurus and a Velociraptor.

Elementary: Summer is a perfect time to visit the Descanso Gardens, especially onFamily Tuesdays when the gardens stay open at night for music programs. You can brush up on your Dickens at the Pasadena Playhouse's TWIST: An American Musical, which is based on Oliver Twist and directed by Debbie Allen. Shrek the Musical will be at the Pantages for two weeks, starting July 13. Summer Reading Tips: We love the two new books about Jane Goodall's life and work (for the very young) and even though school is out, your 2nd and 3rd graders can lose themselves in Dan Gutman'sMy Weirder School series.

Middle School: Even if you're not traveling to Europe this summer, put Paris on your itinerary by touring Paris: Life and Luxury at the Getty, which is open only until the first week of August; be sure to pick up the Family Programming flyer. Check out the free concerts at the Santa Monica Pier, running all summer and featuring the Bangles this weekend. If local art is your thing, take a tour of Watts Towers, which LACMA is helping to preserve (their tours are sold out, but you can do it on your own easily). Get your tickets for the latest Cirque du Soleil production, IRIS, billed as "a journey through the world of cinema," opening July 21 at The Kodak Theater. Summer Reading Tip: Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games series will take over your kids' brains, much as Harry Potter once did.

Teens: A perfect art and movie pairing, recommended by several subscribers, is to watch Bansky's Exit Through the Gift Shop and head down to Art in the Streets (the graffiti show) at MOCA. Slightly more highbrow would be the pairing of Ed Ruscha: On the Road, an exhibit at The Hammer through October, and picking up Jack Keroac's classic novel, of the same name. And you've gotta introduce your kids to Cameron MacIntosh's blockbuster musical, Les Miserables, at the Ahmanson through the end of this month, which has been re-staged for a new US tour. Summer Reading Tip: We just blew through this truth-is-stranger-than-fiction tale by Rebecca Skloot, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.

Adults: Vermeer's "Woman with a Lute" is spending the summer at The Norton Simon, making her the only Vermeer on the west coast. Be sure not to miss Christian Maclay'sThe Clock, which won the Gold Lion at the Venice Bienalle, and is playing at LACMA through the month. Click here for Kenneth Turan's rave review. Summer Reading Tip:Pick up local author Lisa See's Snow Flower and the Secret Fan -- the film version will be in theaters Friday.

If You Watch One Movie Together as a Family This Month: With Monday's successful launch of the last space shuttle, it's a great time to revisit Apollo 13, one of our favorite family movies. With spectacular direction from Ron Howard, memorable performances by Tom Hanks, Ed Harris and Joan Allen, you can celebrate the red, white and blue of it all, all month long. Click here for our Popcorn Adventure.

Women's World Cup: Click here for ABC's interview with Hope Solo and Abby Wambach, the stars of the American team's thrilling victory over Brazil last weekend. The semi-final game will be broadcast Wednesday, July 13 on CBS.

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Kids Off The Couch Ticket Giveaway: TWIST - An American Musical at the Pasadena Playhouse

A new musical based on Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist

Ticket Giveaway for Wednesday, July 13 at 8:00 PM

It's not often that a new, family-friendly musical comes around, so Angelenos get a treat when TWIST - An American Musical, featuring American Idol's Tamyra Gray, debuts at the Pasadena Playhouse this month. TWIST, an adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic novel Oliver Twist, is set in New Orleans on the eve of the Great Depression and tells the story of a young orphan boy who navigates the colorful and sometimes rough waters of street life and racial intolerance in his quest to find his family and to find love.

The score for TWIST features the musical pulse of New Orleans in the 1920's and is highlighted by a tapestry of soaring ballads, hot jazz, blues, gospel and tap-infused dance numbers that will take audiences along this magical journey. Golden Globe and multi-Emmy Award-winner Debbie Allen directs and choreographs a timely show which is perfect for the whole family!

What: TWIST - An American Musical plays from June 14-July 17 at the Pasadena Playhouse with plenty of matinees for the family. Show at 8:00 PM Tuesday-Friday, 4:00 PM and 8:00 PM Saturday, and 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM Sunday through July 17. Tickets are on sale now.

Enter to Win: Kids Off the Couch has a Family Four-Pack to give away to the Wednesday, July 13 show at 8:00 PM. Click here to be in the drawing - and please include your telephone number. Winner will be chosen by Wednesday, July 6.

Photo: Boston (Matthew Johnson, center) and his Boys in a scene from TWIST - An American Musical at the Alliance Theatre. Photo: Greg Mooney

Kids Off The Couch info@kidsoffthecouch.com

info@kidsoffthecouch.com

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Ticket Giveaway: LA Phil Presents MGM HD West Side Story at the Hollywood Bowl

Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the iconic film with The LA Phil!


Certain films become classics by virtue of their perfect execution, and others pass the test of time because they capture an emotional veracity that rings true with generations of audiences. West Side Story has remained in our hearts by accomplishing both seamlessly, and with style that is truly timeless. Celebrate the movie's 50th anniversary at The Hollywood Bowl when The LA Phil plays Leonard Bernstein's electrifying orchestral score and memorable songs with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim live, while the newly re-mastered film is shown in glorious high definition on the Bowl's big screen with the original vocals and dialog intact. 

This classic romantic tragedy echoes Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, re-setting the story of the rivalry between the Montagues and the Capulets to 1950s New York, where the Sharks and the Jets fight over turf. Tune into Nathalie Wood's rendition of "Tonight" and show the kids that some stories just never get old.


What: LA Phil Presents MGM HD presents West Side Story at the Hollywood Bowl Friday, July 8th and Saturday, July 9th at 8:00pm. Plenty of seats are still available. Click here for tickets and more information about the show.

Enter to Win: Kids Off the Couch has a Family Four-Pack to give away to the Friday, July 8 show. Click here to be in the drawing - and please include your telephone number. Winner will be chosen by June 17.

West Side Story: The 1961 film, which garnered ten Oscars including Best Picture, ignited musical theater with innovations in its electric dance numbers and a cross-cultural love story that captured the imagination of a nation. Memorable songs include "Something's Coming", "Maria", "America", "Somewhere", "Tonight", "Jet Song", "I Feel Pretty", "A Boy Like That", "One Hand, One Heart", "Gee, Officer Krupke" and "Cool".

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Ticket Giveaway: Friday, June 17th - Family 4 Pack for Les Miserables at the Ahmanson!

When the kids were young, we had a beloved babysitter who sang "Castle on a Cloud" as a lullaby and the lilting melody is part of our family lore. Naturally, we took the kids to Les Misérables when it last came to town but they were probably too young to truly appreciate its historical sweep and romantic power. We're headed to France for a celebratory family trip this summer, and are excited to see Boublil & Schönberg's legendary musical before we depart. What better way to get in a Parisian mood?

The original Les Misérables, based on the Victor Hugo novel of the same name, is one of the most successful musicals of all time. Cameron Mackintosh has re-conceived the show for the 25th anniversary with glorious new staging and dazzlingly re-imagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo.

What: Les Misérables at the Ahmanson Theatre from June 14 - July 31. For tickets call 213.972.4400 or click here. Shows run Tuesday - Friday at 8:00 PM, Saturday at 2:00 PM and 8:00 PM, Sunday at 1:00 PM and 6:30 PM, and include Thursday matinees on June 23, 30 and July 28 at 2:00 PM.

Enter to Win: Kids Off the Couch has a Family Four-Pack to give away to the Friday, June 17 show at 8:00 PM. Click here to be in the drawing - and please include your telephone number. Winner will be chosen on Tuesday, June 14.

Les Misérables: Les Misérables is set in 19th century France, and tells a classic story of revolution and redemption. The magnificent score includes the classic songs "I Dreamed a Dream", "On My Own", "Stars", "Bring Him Home", "Do You Hear the People Sing?", "One Day More", "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables", "Master Of The House" and many more.

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Kids Off The Couch Ticket Giveaway: LA Phil at Hollywood Bowl Fourth Of July Fireworks Spectacular!

The Fourth of July means fireworks, plain and simple. When we were little, we danced the hokey pokey at a bandstand on Cape Cod and then stretched out with our siblings on blankets in the middle of a football field to watch thefireworks. The memory is plenty potent and we've been challenged, as parents, to create the same type of memories here in Southern California. We have watched from thebeach (fun but oh-so-crowded), stayed home to watch fireworks in TV after a backyard party (big mistake, they're best observed in person) and once spent an evening on the101, kids asleep in their car seats after an all-day beach party, watching high-school fireworks celebrations going offin succession across the valley.

One of the most relaxing ways to spend the Fourth in LA is to cap off a concert at the Hollywood Bowl with their spectacular fireworks. The explosions are timed to the 1812 Overture, and the kids can simply gaze upwards and watch a terrific display. This year, the LA Phil has invited Darryl Hall and John Oates to headline three shows with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. The pop-duo, who are members of members of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, will play their own hits as well as plenty of good-old fashioned American music.

What: LA Phil Presents July 4th Fireworks Spectacular (Saturday, Sunday & Monday, July 2-4, 7:30 PM) with special guests Daryl Hall & John Oates. Plenty of seats are still available. Click here for tickets and more information about the show.

Enter to Win: Kids Off the Couch has a Family Four-Pack to give away. Click here to be in the drawing - and please include your telephone number.

Hits from Hall and Oates Remember these classics: "Sara Smile", "Rich Girl", "Kiss on My List", "Private Eyes", "I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)", "Maneater", and "Out of Touch".The duo had 34 singles chart hits make the Billboard Top 100.

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Kids Off The Couch: What's On Our June Radar Screen!

Welcome, Summer!

Ballet Nacional De Cuba Ticket Giveaway

If school isn't out yet for your kids, at least the end is in sight. Get ready to celebrate the End of Homework by enjoying some of the many family festivals and art events around town this month. We've unearthed so many neat film festivals that we are secretly hoping for some June Gloom so we won't feel too bad ducking inside!

Ballet Nacional de Cuba Giveaway: Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at the Music Center is bringing the wonderful Ballet Nacional De Cuba to town for five shows of Don Quixote from June 23-26 (including two matinees). First formed in 1948 by Alicia Alonso, Ballet Nacional de Cuba has created more than 600 works and performed in more than 60 countries. Kids Off the Couch subscribers are eligible to win a Family Four-Pack of tickets to the 2:00 PM performance on Saturday, June 25 at the Music Center's Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Click here to enter your name to win - please include a phone number!

Movies Galore this Month: Besides the many summer films already in theaters (we love Kung Fu Panda 2), there is a plethora of film festivals for lucky Angelenos this month. From the Los Angeles Times Hero Complex Film Festival at the Chinese 6 Theaters (June 6-9), that includes a free matinee of The Incredibles, to the Los Angeles Film Festival(June 16-26), that takes place downtown again this year, to a fabulous line-up of Tim Burton films at LACMA. Your family's film savvy quotient is about to go way way up!

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: Tree People is holding it's annual Green City Fair this weekend (June 4) in Coldwater Canyon, with live music, face painting and plenty of environmental workshops and hikes. You can also enjoy the outdoors the following weekend (June 11) at the Children's Nature Institute's Kids Rock Concert and Festival in Hancock Park. If you have grandparents in town, there's nothing more relaxing than an afternoon spent at the Getty -- either the Villa or the Getty Center -- following some of their creative art programming for kids. And, consider paintapic, a cool at-home art project, which turns a photo into a paint-by-numbers project.

MIDDLE SCHOOL: MOCA is holding a Big Family Day celebration (June 5), downtown. The Hammer continues its Family Flicks programming with a free screening of Hyper Sapien (June 12). The Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum has two Shakespeare plays in its summer line-up, The Merry Lives of Windsor and A Midsummer Night's Dream. Plan ahead for this treat, because seeing a play in Topanga Canyon is a must-have LA experience. Click here to read a Popcorn Adventure about this fabled outdoor theater.

TEENS: Consider letting your art-loving teens wander around the Culver City Artwalk this Saturday (June 4). Or if they're into dance, check out the Dance Camera West Dance Media Film Festival (June 16) at The Getty Center. We're always fretting over our kids' obsession with their cellphones, so take a quick listen to Warren Olney's radio show from yesterday; it's the start of what is sure to be a lengthy national conversation about cell phones as potential carcinogens.

PARENTS: Satisfy your travel itch at the Getty by checking out a new photo show, A Revolutionary Project: Cuba from Walker Evans until Now, that explores the Cuban cultural and political landscape during three distinct historical periods - before, during, and after the 1959 revolution.

Too Good to Be True: Two cool new food ideas emerged this month -- check outWaffle Chix, serving fried chicken and waffles in Westwood, and a souffle bar at Rockenwagner's at the Market at Santa Monica Place. As for eating at home, check out the USDA's brand new food plate, released this morning that replaces the 19 year-old food pyramid, and aims to be easier for families to use in planning healthy meals.

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Kids Off The Couch: Memorial Day Weekend 2011!

Summer is Upon Us

Good news: it's going to be sunny by Monday, so get your BBQ prep done early (while the kids are studying for exams or finishing up their spring sports). We've had a chance to look at most of the new art shows around town, so you can have the summer's cultural outings planned before June even begins.

MOVIES in THEATERS: There's plenty of raunch in the theaters for adults, from Bridesmaids to Hangover Part II so if that's not your thing, drop in on a worthy kid option (Kung Fu Panda 2) or check out the films that were well received in Cannes last week: Midnight in Paris from Woody Allen (starring Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams) or Terrance Malick's much awaited The Tree of Life.

ART AROUND TOWN: We got a sneak peek at what will surely be this summer's must-see show, LACMA's Tim Burton, which is lots of fun. We will write up a comprehensive report next week, but mark your calendar to take advantage of a fabulous line-up of Burton films, screening at the museum throughout June. Show is expected to be a blockbuster, so get your advance entry tickets now. The Getty Center's Paris: Life and Luxury employs an engaging organizing theory, with objects from a Parisian household presented by the "Four Times of Day." We were particularly impressed with a spectacular golden bed where the women of the household performed their "toilette" while receiving (what a concept!). The Skirball Cultural Center's Houdini: Art and Magic is great for magic-loving tweens, and we also loved The Annenberg Space for Photography's Beauty Culture. Be sure to head downtown for MOCA's Art in the Streets, showcasing large-scale, colorful graffiti art that is a hit with everyone from 8-80. If your kids are into street culture, check out a related show at the Pasadena Museum of California Art featuring the work of the Clayton Brothers. And, while you're sipping lemonade by the pool, don't forget to peruse this season's Hollywood Bowl schedule which includes a Grease Sing-A-Long, Hall and Oats for the July 4th Fireworks Spectacular and Hairspray with the original Broadway cast of Harvey Fierstein and Marissa Jaret Winokur.

Subscriber Tip: A loyal KOTC-er gave us the heads up about a new show at the Santa Monica Museum of Art -- a video installation by filmmaker Marco Brambilla, called The Dark Lining, that uses film clips in pastiche to create a new narrative. Our subscriber's kids, who are 11 and 13, thought it was the "coolest art show ever".

MEMORIAL DAY ACTIVITIES: In lieu of parades, LA has wonderful regional celebrations starting today, such as Topanga Days, the Valley Greek Festival and a Jazz Reggae Festival at UCLA.

Ideas: Stumped by what to get a graduate in your life? Check out Flavorpill's grad gift guide. While you're thinking about college and careers, consider that PayPal's Peter Thiel is plucking kids out of college and supporting their entrepreneurial ideas with $100,000. Not a bad idea considering this sobering report on the highest (and lowest) paying careers.

And, Finally: We were moved by this YouTube video about the dangers of melanoma. Titled "Dear 16 year-old Me," it's a powerful reminder to young people that their "skin never forgets". Good-bye tanning beds, hello sunscreen.

We'll be back next week with the June Radar Screen.

Kids Off The Couch

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