Roberta Brown

Editor-in-Chief

Years spent at Nickelodeon prepared Roberta to launch Mommy Poppins' Los Angeles branch in 2011, eventually becoming Mommy Poppins Editor-in-Chief in 2013. Previously she served as LA Editor for GoCityKids, National Editor for ParentsConnect, and Editor for NickMom—all of which works out well for her son, who has grown up serving as Chief Guinea Pig for all things fun in LA and beyond.

Latest posts by Roberta

Mother's Day Brunch Delivery or Takeout: LA Restaurants with Treats for Mom

Submitted by Roberta B on Mon, 04/27/2020 - 3:36pm

Mother's Day may look a little different this year. Heck, Mother may look a little different this year (ever notice that root is a four-letter word?), but all the more reason that Mama needs a little pampering. If you're Mom, stop reading right here and pass the laptop to the nearest family member—then await your surprise on a tray in bed.

For the rest of you: Mother's Day meals cooked at home are delightful only if you plan to do the dishes. Otherwise, let's move on to delivery and curbside takeout. Wonderful, indulgent, luxurious, and downright comforting restaurants all over Los Angeles are offering Mother's Day brunch treats from red velvet waffles and Thai tea pancakes to chicken 'n' waffles and breakfast cocktails. And lest we forget, many of these restaurants are local small businesses we love; every one of the delivery and pick-up options below is a local business we want to be there when it's safe for dining in to resume.

So mark your calendars for May 10th, start working on your homemade Mother's Day cards, and go ahead and pass Mom back the computer now so she can tell you where to order from.

Passover with Kids: 10 Ways To Make Seders More Fun for Little Kids

Submitted by Roberta B on Sun, 04/05/2020 - 10:00am

As religious holidays go, Passover is pretty user-friendly. It can even be a great holiday for inviting non-Jewish friends to join in, since the primary activities are eating, storytelling, and playing with food—all universally appealing. From a kid perspective, though, it can sometimes feel like a whole lot of sitting around waiting for something better to eat than parsley. Extra verses of Grandpa singing Dayenu may have been enough to keep the party entertaining when we were kids, but let's face it, the bar has risen a little since then. To keep the retelling of the slaves' delivery out of Egypt lively for the next generation, we've collected 10 creative ways to make a Passover seder a little more fun for kids. This is not your mama's seder, but it should help to hold everyone's attention until the matzo balls arrive.

Most of the ideas below even work for a virtual seder; if you're gathering the tribe by conference call, leave room for a few giggles!

What’s Open in Coronavirus Shutdown: Parks, Beaches, Hikes You Can Do While Social Distancing

Submitted by Roberta B on Fri, 03/20/2020 - 3:44pm

School is closed (along with everything else!), but this sure doesn't feel like spring break. Last night the governor, the mayor, and a series of LA County officials all issued statements in rapid succession saying to stay home. Any dream we may have had of escaping this COVID-19 madness ended abruptly.

But what exactly does a Stay-at-Home order mean?

Here's what it doesn't mean: It's not an order to stare at screens blaring scary news stories until you feel drained of all hope. It also doesn't mean your kids can't go outside! Sunshine and fresh air are healthy for body and mind—especially young ones—and there are several approved ways to enjoy that during this crisis. In fact, Mayor Garcetti's order specifically makes exceptions to the Stay-at-Home order for "walking, hiking, running, cycling, using scooters, roller skates, skateboards, or travel in a vehicle with household members to go to a place to walk, hike, run, or ride a bike."

We heard the man. Our kids need to run! So we've got a list for you of places you can stretch your limbs and feel normal for a spell—all while keeping six feet away from other folks.

Disneyland, Disney World, California Adventure, Disney Cruises, Universal Studios Close for COVID-19 Crisis

Submitted by Roberta B on Fri, 03/13/2020 - 10:00am

OK, folks, this just got serious. I know we've all been glued to our screens tracking the inconceivable developments of this pandemic situation, watching major events cancel in real time, wondering if our kids are going to be attending school from the sofa next week, canceling trips to Europe, etc... But look out because COVID-19, aka the Coronavirus, just shut down Disneyland.

March GoList: Best Things To Do with LA and OC Kids This Month

Submitted by Roberta B on Fri, 02/28/2020 - 3:21pm

Our picks for March are in! It's a busy month, with St. Patrick's Day, Purim, the arrival of spring, and migrating whales and swallows; no wonder there's an hour to switch off at the end of the month. Even the wonderful Butterfly Pavilion at the Natural History Museum returns mid-March. Now is your chance to plan ahead for these annual favorites picked from the many activities on our March daily events calendar, and snag tickets in advance.

Click through to the full listings, and you can automatically add them to your personal calendar. And if you don't already receive our newsletters with ideas for weekend events, camps, and more, you might want to subscribe--before spring break sneaks up on you!

Disneyland Prices Go Up, But SoCal Residents Can Still Get Their Deal—For Now

Submitted by Roberta B on Wed, 02/12/2020 - 2:00am

Everyone's talking about the new prices at Disneyland. It's understandable; the new 2020 Disneyland ticket prices released today reflect an increase of 3% to 13%, depending on the ticket or pass type. Annual passholders are bound to do some hard thinking about whether the Mouse House remains an affordable annual expense. More than a few people probably woke up this morning and kicked themselves that they didn't buy tickets yesterday. But here's the good news: if you're a SoCal resident, you can still get a great Disneyland deal at yesterday's price—if you act fast.

Ice Rinks and Figure Skating Classes for Kids in LA and the Valley

Submitted by Roberta B on Wed, 02/05/2020 - 5:28am

When the sun shines in balmy Los Angeles, when the temperatures in the Valley hit triple digits, when the bad weather on the news is all happening somewhere else – it makes a person want to go ice skating, doesn’t it? We may not have frozen ponds and Jack Frost nipping at our noses, but truth be told Southern California has some of the best ice rinks (including outdoor rinks!) and best skating instructors in the nation. It may sound crazy, but think about it – if you’re a famous skater who's spent your life shivering in the trail of a Zamboni, wouldn't you choose the California sunshine? Follow in the skate steps of local Olympic kids Michelle Kwan and Evan Lysacek and chill with some ice skating lessons at the best of LA’s figure skating classes.

February GoList: Best Things To Do with LA Kids

Submitted by Roberta B on Fri, 01/31/2020 - 6:06am

February is a time to appreciate where we live perhaps more than any other—not simply because of the opportunity to celebrate the valentines, presidents, parades, and whales below, but also because we live in a place where we can ski in the snow one minute and be sand sledding at the beach barely an hour later. Our hearts go out to our friends and family shivering in other states, of course; they really should come to visit. We'll use our weekend event roundups, our 100 Things List, and this February GoList to show them a good time, while they escape that winter thing they're all suffering from.

All of the cooler-than-cool activities below are on our daily events calendar, but a little extra notice helps to make sure your kids don't miss out. Click through to the full listings so that you can automatically add them to your calendar. Happy February!