Jacqueline Stansbury

A native Angeleno, Jackie enjoys revisiting her childhood as a mom and writer for Mommy Poppins. She did a lot of cool stuff as a kid and has newfound respect for her own mom who made that happen without the internet! Today in Los Angeles, some things are gone, some have changed and some, like the grunion, remain exactly the same. In her former life, Jackie was a development executive on the Fox Studios lot where she rounded up writer/director lists and covered screenplays. Mommy Poppins is much more fun. Jackie's kids, Benjamin and Juliet, agree.

Latest posts by Jacqueline

Weekday Picks: MLK Day Parade and Other Free Fun, January 18-22

Submitted by Jacqueline Stansbury on Mon, 01/18/2016 - 4:50am

Though perhaps not as renowned as January’s Rose Bowl Parade, the Kingdom Day Parade on Martin Luther King, Junior Blvd. in Los Angeles has three times as many floats and annually attracts one million people. If you enjoy a parade and want to celebrate this great man’s dream of peace and freedom for all, DTLA is the place to do it. Volunteering is another way to honor Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy, and our MLK Day guide has many other celebrations around town as well as several camps for working parents who find themselves surprised by a school-free Monday so close to the recent winter break.

Gymnastics aficionados won’t want to miss LA Lights at Culver City’s Veteran’s Memorial Auditorium. This is an Olympic caliber competition with gymnasts from all over the world who may be headed to the games in Rio.

Friday night is for comedy. If your kids have never seen an “old” or “classic” movie, there is no better place for this introduction than the Old Town Music Hall in Old Town El Segundo. Sing along to the live organ and guffaw at the comedy shorts. It’s a fine mess worth getting into.

Find lots more to do on Mommy Poppins’ Daily Events Calendar or January Go List.

Weekday Picks: Underwater Parks and Something Free Every Day this Week, January 11-15

Submitted by Jacqueline Stansbury on Mon, 01/11/2016 - 4:51am

Christmas may be over, but in my house paying for it is not. My family is going to focus on free things to do this week, like drawing in El Segundo or playing at the mall in Century City. The second Tuesday of the month is always free admission at The Autry in Griffith Park. I love this museum because it covers both the myth and reality of Western expansion and never forgets the important role of movies. Currently, costumes from The Hateful Eight are on display.

The Fairfax Branch Library has storytime on Wednesday; why not spend the day at Third and Fairfax? If it doesn’t rain, let the kids run at Pan Pacific Park, followed by something I loved to do as a child and still enjoy with my own kids: perusing the Original Farmer’s Market. While you're there, a free ride on the trolley at the Grove is a treat, too.

One thing worth paying for is the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium’s drop-off class, Microbiologists: Underwater Parks. Two hours for mom to get some exercise on the beach or run to the grocery store, while the kids become educated about our environment and marine science—what's not to love? If this one is already filled, sign up now for the next one on January 25.

Weekday Picks: Frozen on Ice and Four Free Things, January 4-8

Submitted by Jacqueline Stansbury on Mon, 01/04/2016 - 4:59am

Apparently many kids are not heading straight back to school on Monday; some have another entire week. Others, like my children, return on Wednesday. As soon as I get used to having them back in school, it will be time for the weekend. We weathered two weeks of influenza in my house, so I am grateful for the extra days, and I fully intend to take advantage of good health with some of the free stuff this city has to offer. Free is always good after the excesses of the holidays.

While it is hard not to be a bit sick of the mall, chances are you are heading there anyhow for sales or exchanges. The South Bay Galleria has free juggling at its kids club this week. The LEGO lovers in your household may have cleaned up during the holidays, but the first week of the month means a free monthly mini model build. Plus there is a free admission day at the Huntington; showers are anticipated, but if that doesn't pan out, this week could be a last chance to enjoy those gardens before El Niño's deluge later in the month.

Disney on Ice’s Frozen in Long Beach is not free, but for fans who want to squeeze in one last winter celebration before school starts this one is worth doing. And speaking of frozen things in Long Beach, this is the last week to catch CHILL at the Queen Mary.

Weekday Picks: Roses, Horses, and Happy New Year! December 28-January 1

Submitted by Jacqueline Stansbury on Mon, 12/28/2015 - 5:28am

Growing up in Los Angeles, I enjoyed a New Year's Day tradition that my own children have yet to experience up close: the Rose Parade. My parents staked out curbside viewing several times when I was small, and one year we even watched the floats get decorated before the parade. It nags at me that the closest my own children have come to this quintessential, rain-or-shine LA experience is the television screen in our living room. I can't guarantee we will get there this year, either; nevertheless, I am highlighting two opportunities this week—one before and one after the parade. See the floats as they are assembled, or see them as they are disassembled. Or just get your family to the parade.

There may be a few of you who have not made it to Star Wars:The Force Awakens yet, and others whose children are clamoring for a second viewing. There’s nothing better than a movie matinee in the quiet week between Christmas and New Year’s. A fun alternative to Star Wars is the Marx Brothers double feature at Santa Monica’s Aero Theatre.

Finally, New Year’s Eve is not a holiday aimed at children, but the Discovery Cubes in LA and OC have a few ideas, as do the Zimmer Museum and Kidspace. One kid-friendly thing that caught my eye is the Skating Plus New Year’s Eve Party in Ventura. The roller rink celebrates with the clocks set forward to reach “midnight” at 3pm, after which parents can take the kids home, tuck them into bed, and crack open a bottle of well-deserved bubbly.

Weekday Picks: Santa Claus Is Coming to Town, December 21-25

Submitted by Jacqueline Stansbury on Mon, 12/21/2015 - 5:47am

The twelve days before Christmas have been flying by, and now we are counting down from just five. With the push to get it all done, we sometimes forget to stop to experience the events that make this season special. While not all of us celebrate the birth of Jesus, this is the week to do it if you do. Olvera Street’s annual Las Posadas celebration continues, and in Chatsworth it's possible to experience a re-creation of Bethlehem. For those who enjoy the secular delights of the holiday, catch some lights on houses, boats, or even at the zoo. Stop by and give Jolly St. Nick a last minute request for that one special toy. Sip cocoa by the fire or bundle up to ice skate al fresco. Regardless of whether or not Christmas is your holiday, December is undeniably festive.

Weekday Picks: May the Force Be with You and Santa, December 14-18

Submitted by Jacqueline Stansbury on Mon, 12/14/2015 - 7:08am

While December is usually about counting down to Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza and other winter festivities, in 2015 we also have a countdown to a movie, and this Friday night it premieres. If you haven’t yet scored tickets to Stars Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (or perhaps plan to wait for the crowds to subside), the next best way to mark this monumental occasional (laugh, but in my house it is a huge deal) is downtown in Pershing Square, where $10 gets you a lightsaber and a spot on one of two teams: Sith or Jedi.

Meanwhile, with only eleven days left until Christmas, there are plenty of ways to anticipate the season this week: Now is the time to pick up those last minute toys or give your kids face time with Santa Claus. Boats continue to deck their decks with boughs of holly and lights, parading all around the Southland. And the annual One Voice event at Santa Monica Airport is a great way for families to aid those whose holidays are limited by financial constraints.

There is a dizzying array of diversions in Los Angeles this holiday season. Be sure to peruse our Daily Events Calendar, December GoList and Holiday Guide.

Weekday Picks: 8 Crazy Nights and Santa Claus Is Coming to Town, December 7-11

Submitted by Jacqueline Stansbury on Mon, 12/07/2015 - 5:42am

The holidays are here. Regardless of how or what your family celebrates, I think we can all agree that festivities are bountiful in Los Angeles in December. It’s hard to choose just one thing to do each day, because there is so much going on. Every night this week is Hanukkah, which means tree lightings are outnumbered by menorah lighting ceremonies around town this week, mostly in convenient shopping locations like Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade or the infamous Sherman Oaks Galleria—handy for grabbing a last minute toy or holiday batch of socks and underwear.

A few major shows are opening, including Cirque du Soleil's KURIOS at Dodger Stadium, two different Lythgoe Family Pantos (Peter Pan and Tinkerbell in Pasadena and Snow White in Laguna), and Disney on Ice finally brings its Frozen tour to LA. And we are not even close to running out of Nutcrackers yet.

For those dissatisfied Angelenos dreaming of a white Christmas, I say go with what you got. How cool is it that we can ride an open air train in Griffith Park or see a drive-in double feature in the middle of December? It’s a festive time of year with myriad opportunities for merriment, including one super wacky chance to be included in the world’s biggest baby portrait. Best to keep up with these shenanigans and more by checking our Daily Events Calendar, December Go List and Holiday Guide.

Vaccines: Don't Lose Your Child's School Spot over the New Vaccination Law

Submitted by Jacqueline Stansbury on Tue, 12/01/2015 - 2:30pm

As of January 1, 2016, California becomes one of just three states (along with Mississippi and West Virginia) with mandatory vaccination requirements. This means that personal or religious belief exemptions will no longer be allowed for children entering school at the following three points: Childcare/Preschool, Kindergarten, and 7th grade. This affects many more families than just those who oppose vaccines, and probably many who don't yet realize they are affected. Parents who have made use of the personal belief exemption as a means to buy time (perhaps because they fully intend to vaccinate their kids, but not on the same schedule as their school district), need to know that this strategy is no longer an option. Complete proof of vaccination must be presented at the time of enrollment, which may be several months prior to the start of the actual school year.