December highlights

Once Halloween is over, we start thinking about the holidays.  Here are some wonderful local events that you don't want to miss!

December 1: Belmont Shore Christmas Parade - Long Beach
December 1: Penelope Lane Boutique - Old Ranch Country Club - Seal Beach - $1 admission (kids free)
December 1-2: Victorian Christmas - Banning Museum - Wilmington - free
December 1-25: ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas movies
December 2: CHN Holiday Bazaar - Anaheim Community Center - 250 E. Center St. - 2pm-6pm
December 5-9: Journey to Bethlehem - Manhattan Beach - free
December 7: First Fridays - Bixby Knolls
December 7-9: Portaits of Peace outdoor Christmas pagaent - Long Beach - free
December 15: Family Art Workshops - LB Museum of Art - free
December 18: Free day at South Coast Botanical Garden, RPV

October events!

October 1-31: Kids free at San Diego Zoo, Safari Park & SeaWorld (ages 3-11)

October 5: First Fridays - Bixby Knolls
October 12: Indiana Jones exhibit opens at the Discovery Science Center
October 13: Los Angeles Latino Book & Family Festival - CSU Dominguez Hills
October 13-14: Battle of the Old Woman's Gun reenactment - Dominguez Adobe - Carson - free
October 14: Japan America Kite Festival - Seal Beach - free
October 14: Readers Festival & Middle Ages - Mission Viejo - free
October 16: Free day at South Coast Botanical Garden, RPV
October 21: Family Art Workshops: 3D Postcards - LB Museum of Art - free
October 21: Autumn Sea Fair - Cabrillo Aquarium - San Pedro - free
October 24-31: Pirate Ship in Seal Beach - corner of Heather & Fir - free
October 27: Zombie Walk - Marina Green - Long Beach
October 28: Haute Dog Howl'oween Parade - Belmont Shore
October 28: Children's Harvest Festival - Rancho Los Alamitos - free
October 28: Wings, Wheels, & Rotors - Los Alamitos - free admission
October 30: Space shuttle Endeavor exhibit opens - California Science Center

Dinosaur Train at the Natural History Museum!

http://www.nhm.org/site/activities-programs/dino-train

Saturday, August 11

All aboard! We’re celebrating Dinosaur Train’s BIG BIG Dinosaurs Week airing on PBS SoCal with a special premiere of a BIG BIG Dinosaurs episode.  Come and join Buddy for an amazing NHM adventure!

 

Hours

Members only
7:30 am - 9:30 am
The NHM Grill will be open early for breakfast.
General admission
9:30 am – 3 pm (Museum is open until 5 pm)

Activities and Schedule

Free with Admission

7:30 am – 3 pm (Members only from 7:30 - 9:30 am)

• Catch the premiere of a BIG BIG Dinosaurs episode.
• Take your photo with stand-up figures of Buddy and the train.
• Watch an NHM Dinosaur Encounters performance (first-come, first-served seating).
• Explore the new Dinosaur Hall and the rest of the Museum.
• Join PBS SoCal’s Nature Trackers Club.

Limited Capacity; First Come, First Serve

Meet and greet with Buddy
7:30 am – 2:30 pm (Members only from 7:30 - 9:30 am)

• Meet Buddy and pose for a photo or just give him a big hug!
• Due to Buddy's popularity and limited capacity, we anticipate long wait times.
• Because of high demand, limited quantities of Raptor Passes are available for members at the Patron Family level and higher.

Live Performances of Dinosaur Train’s Craig Bartlett and His Band at: 8 am, 9 am, 10 am, 11 am, and 12 pm (Members only at 8am and 9am)

• Watch Craig Bartlett and his band perform the show's music live!
• Limited quantity of timed-tickets available at the door for 10 am, 11 am, and 12 pm shows.
• NHM members, reserve your timed-ticket now!

Local camping!

Maybe this is your little ones' first camping trip, maybe you're not a seasoned camper.  Don't worry, there are local camping spots that make the trip a bit easier.

One place is Rancho Jurupa Park in Riverside.  This is easy camping for those that want the experience, but not into roughing it.  Rancho Jurupa has a nicely maintained campground with many amenities and close to town.  And since it's only 50 miles away, you can pack up in the morning and make the 2pm check in.

Rancho Jurupa allows tent camping, trailers, and RVs.  There is electricity and water located at each site.  Be sure to get a spot with a tree.  The online reservation system has photos for each site to make it easy.  BTW, we like site 40.

The campground has a water play area for the kids and a fishing lake.  The small store is open at 7am if you want to take an early morning walk for a cup of coffee.  The bathrooms and showers are clean and not very busy since half the campers have RVs.

And when you're ready to come home, it's only an hour to your doorstep and you have plenty of daylight to unpack.

Rancho Jurupa Park is located one mile west of downtown Riverside, near the junction of the 60 & 91 fwys.

For more information, go to Rancho Jurupa Park.

Fireworks!

On the morning of the 4th, join Justin Rudd and his Great American Kids' Bike Parade
10am, registration opens at 9:15am
Enter the beachfront parking lot at the end of Granada Ave.
Free to enter. 2012 is the 9th year for this event.
The out-and-back, two-mile parade route travels east along the bike path and continues down Bay Shore Avenue to Second Street.  Bring a chair and a cheering section for these youngsters.

Local firework displays begin at 9pm.

Queen Mary
1126 Queens Hwy.
562-435-3511
view from any shoreline in Long Beach or San Pedro

Joint Forces Training Base
11200 Lexington Dr.
Los Alamitos
714-229-6700
Gates open at 4pm
Free admission, parking $5
Everyone over 16 years old must bring ID
Arrive by 7:30pm to gain entry
Two entrances: Lexington Dr. & Orangewood Ave.
Food court, vendor fair, kids fun zone (additional fee), military displays, WW II re-enactment
Lawn chairs and blankets are encouraged
No alcohol, dogs, fireworks, or motor homes

Lakewood Block Party happens on the Saturday before July 4th
Parking lot south of the Angelo M. Iacoboni Library.
4pm-9pm, some activities require tickets
Family fun, a rockin' good time and a professional fireworks show return to Clark Avenue and the Lakewood Civic Center on Saturday, June 30th.  The block party includes fun for kids and families.  The family fun zone features a giant slide, obstacle course, bouncers, rock climbing wall, and pirate ship.


Party on the Pier
Belmont Pier
562-434-1542
Enjoy live music, a fish fry and BBQ, beer and wine gardens, boat rides on the shoreline.
Reserve seating for fireworks in advance.
$20/adults; $10/kids

Aquarium of the Pacific
100 Aquarium Way
562-590-3100
Enjoy the aquarium at night and get a fish-eye view of the Queen Mary fireworks.
Guests can choose special combo tickets to enjoy admission to the aquarium plus
an Independence Day BBQ buffet.
Special discounted hours only 5pm-10pm: $14.95/person
4th of July BBQ: Enjoy the aquarium from 9am-10pm
Dinner 6-8pm $37/adult
Advance reservations required for dinner
http://www.aquariumofpacific.org

Harbor Breeze Cruise
This year Harbor Breeze Cruises will be hosting two fireworks events.
July 3rd features fireworks from the LB Firefighters Memorial Assoc. and July 4th will feature fireworks from the Queen Mary, as well as other local shows.
100 Aquarium Way Dock #2
Join Harbor Breeze Cruises for a spectacular fireworks display from the water
in beautiful Rainbow Harbor
7:30pm-10pm
$30
http://www.2seewhales.com

AND there will be fireworks on Tuesday, July 3rd:

Long Beach Firefighters Memorial Association
The Alamitos Bay Yacht Club
7201 East Ocean Blvd
$25/adults (dinner included)
Kids 10 years old and younger are free
Menu: Tri-tip, chicken, drinks are extra
Live entertainment

Time to Cool Off!

Lakewood residents are so lucky.  They have six parks with wading pools.  Good thing LB'ers can join in.
Open 11am-4pm for kids 3-7 years old from June 16 to September 3.
Open everyday: Mayfair, Palms
Open Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, & Sunday: Del Valle & San Martin
Open Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, & Sunday: Bloomfield, Boyar
Wednesdays: Boyar, Del Valle, Mayfair, San Martin will be open 5pm-7:30pm on Wednesdays
(June 29-August 29).
Weekends: all pools open 11am-4pm May 26-September 30

In Cerritos, Liberty Park has a great little splash pad for the toddler set.
You can also cool off at the water play areas at Long Beach Towne Center and the Cerritos Library.

Splash Pad at Sigler Park in Westminster is free and open every day from Noon-5pm starting June 18 to September 3.  7200 Plaza St., Westminister.

Atlantis Park in Garden Grove. $1 admission.  13630 Atlantis Way, Garden Grove, CA 92844

A little bit further is the Lemon Park Spray Pool. 701 S. Lemon, Fullerton

Buccaneer Bay in La Mirada.  The family-fun “Buccaneer Bay” combines the excitement of a water park with pirate themed features throughout. Buccaneer Bay features a flowing river channel, three water slides, a children’s interactive play structure, zero-depth beach entry and two spray pad areas. Pirate themed elements include: a marooned ship, a dramatic skull rock, shade canopies that resemble sails, cannon walls, wharf plank benches, and crow’s nests.  Open daily till September 3rd. 10:30am-5:30pm.  $17.95/person, under 48" $12.95.  Family Friday Nights June 29-August 17 4pm-8pm. $14.95/person, under 48" $10.95.
13806 La Mirada Blvd.
La Mirada, CA 90638
Phone: (562) 902-3191

Summer Fun!

I just updated the calendar above.  See? ^

Lots of fun in the LBC this summer: movies in the park, movies on the beach (Jaws, anyone?), $1 movies at the Towne Center.  Besides movies, the South Coast Botanical Garden is free every third Tuesday of the month.  Okay, you're asking, 'What's in our neck of the woods?'  The Pirate Invasion hits Belmont Shore June 30-July 1.  There is free Shakespeare By the Sea in Long Beach, Lakewood, and Rossmoor.  The Origami Festival is at the Japanese Gardens at CSULB on July 15.  And the first ever OC Mini-Maker Fair is July 14!  And lots more, so get out your planners/iPhones. :-D

Garden Reciprocal Program

Did you know there's a garden reciprocal program in Southen California and across the country?

Join one of these local gardens as a member and get free admission to all for one year.

• Descanso Gardens, La Canada Flintridge
• LA County Arboretum & Botanic Garden, Arcadia
• Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, Claremont
• South Coast Botanical Garden, Palos Verdes Peninsula
• Fullerton Arboretum
• The Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden, CSULB

Membership to the Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden is $40 for CSULB alumni and $50 for the basic membership.  This gives you admission for two adults and children at the same address.

The complete directory of participating gardens is at http://www.ahs.org/events/reciprocal

 

Rancho Los Alamitos Grand Re-opening!

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Noon-5pm

FREE

Free Parking is at CSULB Lot 11 located on Palo Verde Avenue at Rendina with continuous shuttle service to the Rancho. Shuttle buses are handicapped accessible.

Refreshments are available at a reasonable cost.

http://www.rancholosalamitos.com/

On this much-anticipated occasion, come back to Rancho Los Alamitos and discover the living story of Southern California found in the extraordinary historic site today.  Be among the first to experience the remarkable opening of the Rancho Center and the restored barnyard where the great shires, rabbits, and ducks have come home to stay.  Celebrate with the sights and sounds of music and dance from all eras; listen to the native and newcomer stories; try your hand at ranching skills, crafts, and food; and revel in the traditions of people spanning the times of the region then and now.

Opening Procession (12:30pm): The celebration begins with a lively procession of performers representing the diverse spectrum of Californians, past to present, who call the region home.

Music and Dance Performances: Intertribal Bird Singers, Paso de Oro Dance Company, El Mariachi Zacatecas, The Shanty Man Bill Dempsey, California Cowboy Band, and the International Peace Choir.

Mapping a Legacy of People and Place: Identify yourself on the land as a native or newcomer and marvel at the international diversity.  Tour the grounds, engage in activities, and collect maps that depict the historic eras of the region and the state.

Stories from the Land: Storytelling for young and old speaks to the traditions of the native Tongva people, Spanish and Mexican fiestas, the northern, westward, and eastward migration, and the impact of agriculture and urban development on the land over time.

 

From June 13 to July 5, reservations will be required to visit the Rancho Los Alamitos site during normal public hours.

April 21-22 Events

Saturday & Sunday: Pet Expo, OC Fairgrounds, Costa Mesa
Saturday & Sunday: LA Times Festival of Books - USC (Shakespeare for Kids will be at booth #555)
Saturday & Sunday: Bubblefest @ Discovery Science Center - $20
Saturday & Sunday: Day Out with Thomas the Train - Filmore

Saturday: Kids Solar Grand Prix - Long Beach
Saturday: Center Space & Farmer's Market Kickoff - Long Beach
Saturday: Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary Spring Fair - Silverado, CA

Sunday: Summer Camp Fair - Lowell Elementary, LB 10:30am-2:30pm

April 13-15

Lots of stuff going on between the raindrops this weekend!

April 13-15: Youth Expo, OC Fairgrounds, Costa Mesa
Centered around our Centennial Farm and Garden, Youth Expo features fun, free, hands-on activities for the whole family.  Free admission for all ages.  General parking is $5. Saturday and Sunday enter at Gate 3 off Fairview or Gate 4 off Arlington.  FIELD TRIP DAY is Friday, April 13, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Free parking for cars and buses. Enter at the Main Gate off Fair Drive.

April 13-15: Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach

April 14: Kids Swap Meet - Cypress Community Center 8am

April 14: SoCal Wildflower Fest - Casper Wilderness Park, SJC
Come enjoy music, expo vendors, clinics, and activities designed to connect families, children and adults with the nature.  The event is held at Caspers Wilderness Park in San Juan Capistrano.  The day will be filled with family-friendly activities designed to get folks off the couch and into nature!  Enjoy music, lunch from Lime Truck, expo booths and activities for the entire family.

April 15:  CicLAvia  -10 miles of car-free LA

Until April 15: Discovery Science Center - Star Wars exhibit, Santa Ana

Upcoming Events!

The Easter Bunny has a week to get baskets in order and plan the egg-dying!

Next week is Free Cone Day at Ben & Jerry's.  Our local location is at the Long Beach Towne Center. Tuesday, April 3rd, 12-8pm

A super awesome event for the grownups is coming up on Wednesday. LBCC will be holding their annual plant sale.  The students in the horticulture program really go all out and the prices are wonderful!  We plan our major garden projects around this event.  April 4-7, Pacific Coast campus, 1305 E. PCH.  Wagons/students will be there to help you carry/load plants.  9am-6pm

And we can't forget the egg hunts!  All of these are on Saturday, April 7.

9am-Noon
Spring Fest - Signal Hill Park; egg hunts for children 3-10 and photos with the Easter bunny.  Signal Hill police department will issue child ID cards.  LA Fire Department Station 60 will have their fire truck on display and activities provided by the Signal Hill Library.  A wristband for a small cost will allow children access to additional activities such as a train ride, balloon artist, crafts, games, and jumpers.  Each child should bring their own basket to gather eggs.

9am-11am
The City of Los Alamitos Recreation and Community Services Department is holding its annual Spring Carnival with an Easter Egg Hunt scheduled for 9:30 a.m.
Little Cottonwood Park, 4000 Farquhar Avenue
This event is free for children ages 1-14 years, and it includes games, raffle prizes, and more

10:30am
Childrens' egg hunt at Oak Knoll Park in Cypress
There will be a teen hunt at Arnold Cypress Park at 8pm

Easter Festival! 10am-2:30pm
OC Fairgrounds, Costa Mesa
Adults $2, Children free
Treasure hunt, photos with Easter Bunny, face painting, free gifts, and puppet show

For more events next week, check out my calendar here.

Free Tutoring

• Where: St. Isidore Family Center, 10941 Reagan St, Los Alamitos, CA 90720
• Date: Weekly on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays
• Time: 2:30pm–4:30pm 
• Instructors are Jelica and Jose Campos
• Website: http://stisidoreplaza.org/