Toby B

Toby is our uber-busy events editor for Mommy Poppins LA. Feel free to email Toby about events for our LA area calendar.

Latest posts by Toby

Best Things To Do Presidents Day Weekend in Los Angeles with Kids

Submitted by Toby B on Thu, 02/14/2019 - 12:05am

Guests watch traditional fan dancers at Santa Monica Place’s 2018 Lunar New Year celebration. Photo by Mathew Tucciarone courtesy of Santa Monica Place

This weekend is about more than just the long weekend (though it is a long weekend). This weekend asks us to examine the power of the individual: to do good, to achieve, to entertain and inform.

Whether your skill is trick shotting, krill eating, or sheep herding, whether your area of expertise is geekdom or brick-building or onomatopoeia, this weekend reminds us that we can all rise up and achieve great things.

On Monday in particular, we look at the American presidency and the power of one individual to impact the lives of so many. LA is lucky to have two presidential libraries in the region, both of which offer up observances of the holiday. Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you are going to do with your kids on this long weekend.

Read on for our most statesmanlike picks for this weekend …

Everything Is Awesome at The LEGO Space Hollywood

Submitted by Toby B on Sun, 02/03/2019 - 1:56am

If your kids are hyped up about The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part opening February 8, you could make them feel special by taking them to experience it live and interactive right now at the LEGO Space Hollywood. The free pop-up photo op experience offers tons of Instagrammable moments, interactive installations, and fun reveals from the new movie. And don’t think for a second they would make a LEGO space without giving you the opportunity to play with LEGOs.

Fun for LA Kids this Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Weekend

Submitted by Toby B on Thu, 01/17/2019 - 4:01am

Honor MLK's legacy - there are Day of Service events all over LA. Photo courtesy of City Year Los Angeles

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, "Life's most persistent and urgent question is 'What are you doing for others?'" This weekend, families can join together to answer that question, by participating in the MLK Day of Service. A day spent giving back is just one way to honor Dr. King's memory. There are parades, celebrations, and concerts throughout the weekend to bring our families and communities together in honor of his legacy.

Little ones can learn from Dr. King's example as well, with a number of events this weekend particularly geared toward young children. Kids can listen to inspiring stories , participate in service projects, and share their dreams for the future.

Inspiration can be found on other fronts with founding fathers and kung fu figure skaters, blood moons and behind the scenes, bulldogs and boars, ephemeral art and fast moving motocross, high flying acrobats and dancing on, what do call em? feet, all serving as examples of what one can achieve. Now is a good time to ask our children: how do you try to make a difference? And where do you find your inspiration?

Keep reading for some of our most inspired picks for this weekend.

Christmas Weekend: Best Activities for LA Kids Dec 22-25

Submitted by Toby B on Thu, 12/20/2018 - 2:17am

The Enchanted Forest of Light at Descanso Gardens. Photo by Jen Lewin

Happy Holidays, folks! We're smack dab in the middle of a festivity frenzy, with Christmas and Kwanzaa coming on strong. (Those of us who are been-there, dreidel'd-that, done with Hanukkah can turn our attention to the Baby New Year's impending arrival. And Mary Poppins!)

This weekend offers the last chance to put the finishing touches on Christmas, before the big guy comes down the chimney late Monday night. Across Southern California, lights are twinkling, nuts are cracking, and reindeer are romping, as moms and dads scramble to buy last minute gifts (while finding time for a seasonal spectacle or two).

And then comes Christmas. No doubt many of you plan to spend Christmas Day at home with friends and family. For those of you looking for activities outside the home, good news: we're here to help. First up, we offer 25 Things To Do on Christmas Day. And if your kitchen closes on Christmas Day, we present a list of restaurants that are open. Christmas is the gift that keeps on giving, and after the presents are all exchanged we can still enjoy the gift of other people being gone. (Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and the freeways much more bearable.) For holiday cheer that continues on into next week, might we suggest some of LA's finest Christmas light displays, or some in Orange County (and, if you're willing to spend a little, some holiday light displays are worth the ticket price).

And this year we have a special surprise under our tree: Mommy Poppins has just launched sites in Washington, DC and Chicago! Thank you, Santa, it's exactly what we wanted!

Because Living a Movie Is Way Cooler than Watching One— Meet Ralph Breaks VR

Submitted by Toby B on Sun, 12/09/2018 - 10:54am

Virtual Reality: it may sound like a phrase describing the half-awake state in which most parenting takes place, but in fact it's something way cooler. VR to our kids is putting on a pair of goggles and going somewhere entirely different, to experience things that aren't remotely happening. And that type of adventure is the trade of a seemingly uneventful little space in Glendale and Anaheim called The VOID, whose newest VR experience lets visitors enter the world of Ralph Breaks the Internet.

Fire Damage Update: Closures Affecting Los Angeles and Ventura County Families

Submitted by Toby B on Fri, 11/16/2018 - 1:33pm

Firefighters battling the Woolsey Wildfire. Photo by Mike Meadows courtesy of Los Angeles Fire Department

As we approach Thanksgiving week, we are reminded of all we have to be grateful for, and perhaps much we have taken for granted in the past. Our wild, beautiful woodlands and coastline are the heart and soul of our city, but can also represent great vulnerability. Our hearts go out to all who have experienced loss in the last week.

According to the most recent reports, 98,362 acres have been burned by the Woolsey and fire, and 435 structures have been destroyed, with another 57,000 still listed as being in danger. Even in areas where the immediate risk of fire has passed there may still hazards due to debris, utility outages, and damaged infrastructure such as roadways and power lines.

Many venues were closed and whole communities evacuated during the fires, due to air quality, road accessibility, and continued fire risk. As our emergency responders get the flames under control, we can start to take stock of the damage that has been done.

Below we list the status of some popular locations in the affected area that may impact your family. We will update the list as we get more information.

Things To Do in LA this Weekend with Kids: Museum Day, Sing-a-long Sound of Music, and Dino Fest

Submitted by Toby B on Thu, 09/20/2018 - 3:34am

To the top of the pumpkin pile at Tanaka Farms! Photo by Arianna Menon

Fall, fall, fall, harvest, Halloween, fall. You can't hide from it now because here it is. The sun is doing that thing it does when it flies south for the winter and, assuming we don't see our shadow, we're looking at 6 more weeks of autumn. (Note to kids: don't learn your science from sleep-deprived mommies. Stay in school!)

And you know us, we're all about school ... as in old school! Union Station offers a crash course in the classics, such as Pac Man, Donkey Kong, and Street Fighter. You can learn the notes to sing at the Hollywood Bowl or listen to the high notes on Santa Monica Pier. Venues all around town screen golden oldies from the 60s, 80s, and 00s.

Out with the old, you say? We've got some new ideas and some big surprises. (LOL). But the things we love most are best described as timeless. Some things never go out of style, like keeping our kids safe and valuing peace.

Keep reading for our most timeless picks for the weekend...

School Start & End Dates: 2018-19 Academic Year Calendars for LA County Schools

Submitted by Toby B on Tue, 07/31/2018 - 3:12pm

Summer vacation ain't what it used to be. The majority of SoCal school districts now opt for an August start date, with only a few South Bay stragglers sticking with the old-school, post-Labor Day start. And beware assuming that school starts and finishes roughly when it did last year, because schedules seem to change all the time. This year Alhambra is first out of the gate, leading the back-to-school race with a pool-party-pooper start date of August 10; Torrance kids still get the most out of summer with their September 6 first day.

Wondering where your district fits in, and how much time you have left for these 50 Free Things To Do in Summer? Bookmark our list below with start and finish dates for the 2018-2019 school year all over LA County. And if what you read makes you wonder about what other school options are available to you, maybe our school guide can help.