Free & Affordable Fun

Zoo Time

2012-08-30T04:24:00.001-07:00

I have not posted in many, many months. Mainly because I have been super busy at work and making ZERO time for me and the things I like to do which happens to be blogging. But I'm here and ready to go.
An affordable, fun activity you can do with your children is the LA ZOO. Last week Kyky and I took some time out and went to the zoo. Who knew it was so cheap. Regular price 17 for adults and 12 for Kids but there are several coupons online I found that the app/website retailmenot had great deals. I think the best deal was 20 percent off plus 5 dollars off membership. There may be other great deals through your job or at Ralph's but make sure you check around first.
Well Kyky and I enjoyed our trip to the zoo. She kept begging to see the monkeys and when we did, it was not a BIG deal anymore. She wanted to take pictures of the animals so I would help her with my iPhone and let her take the pictures of the animals, but Kyky is at the stage in her life where she says, "I can do it, I can do it," and wants absolutely no assistance from me. After a long fight and Kyky getting very frustrated that her pictures were not coming out right she allowed me to help her.
Overall we had a great evening until we left and a bee stung her right in the lip. I pulled the stinger out rushed her to first aid they gave her an ice pack and told me to watch her. I now know Kyky is not allergic to bees (yayyyy) but I was freaking out the whole time because her lip was huge.
We had a great time. I was able to save some money and my baby was able to see the "monkeys."

Lera & Kyky

We love Art!!!

2011-08-21T05:38:00.000-07:00

Art can be free and fun. Children 5 and under get to know the world through their senses. So it is up to us as parents to help them develop their senses and teach them about the world around them. There are several museums that allow entrance into their facility for free on certain days and/or sign up for a kid membership.

LACMA free general admission to anyone 17 and under as well as one accompanying adult. The NexGen program that LACMA offers also host art classes. These art classes are free and fun. Below are LACMA art classes day and time and what class they will be offering.

Crazy About ColorAugust 7, 14, 21, 28
What colors are you crazy about? Artists like Mark Rothko or Sam Francis loved to play with color in their paintings. Be inspired by their work in LACMA's permanent collection to express yourself in bright and bold artist-led workshops.
LATCC | Free, no reservations
We Want Pie
September 4, 11, 18, 25
Join us on Sundays for programs designed especially for families. Make art, explore the museum, or join a bilingual gallery tour. Most of all—have fun. Enjoy A Slice of Pie on September 18.
North Piazza | Free with general admission
Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Long Beach Museum of Art is another place to visit and get in FREE. LBMOA offers free admission Thursday evenings from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and every Friday is free thanks to generous support from the L.A. County Arts Commission

In addition, the LBMOA offers free FREE Family Artmaking Workshops every Sunday in the Summer from
1:00 - 3:00 p.m. in the Ralston Family Learning Center. There are two more classes left August 21 and August 28

Another great art museum for free class is J. Paul Getty Museum Center and Villa. They have exhibits made by kids for kids, they have art detective cards, that gives children the opportunity to find the art in the museum from the cards and so much. The Getty offers drawing classes, family adventures, art festivals and so much more so visit their site and plan a visit.

Make time for your child and go make some art.

If you don't have time to go to these places art can be quite affordable at home. You can buy chalk from the dollar store and allow your child to do chalk art on the sidewalk or purchase crayons and a sketch pad. "Babies are born marvelously primed to receive and respond to sensory stimuli" so lets help are children explore those senses.

Here are a few arts and crafts that can be done with your little one's at home. Enjoy!!!!

Play Dough

Cooked Version: This cooked recipe will yield a batch of play dough for your favorite little person. To make it, you will need the following:

1 cup flour
½ cup salt
1 cup water
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Food coloring

Combine the above ingredients and cook them over medium heat until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan and forms a ball. Cool and keep the dough in an airtight container.
To play, give your child a small wad of dough and show him how to roll the dough into a ball or pat it on the table to make a flat pancake. Older children may enjoy the use of manipulatives to make clay play interesting—things such as a small rolling pin, plastic cookie cutters, plastic straws to poke holes, and even a garlic press to make strands of dough.
Peanut Butter Play Dough: This dough is edible, however be aware that peanuts can cause allergies in some children and eating wads of dough could be a choking hazard. Always supervise young children around play dough. To make this peanutty dough, you will need the following:

2 cups peanut butter
6 tablespoons honey
Nonfat dry milk
Cocoa or carob for chocolate flavor (optional)
Edible treats for decorations such as raisins or baking candy decors (optional)

Combine all the ingredients into a bowl and mix, adding the dry milk until your mixture reaches the consistency of play dough. Add the cocoa if you want a chocolate flavor. Enjoy the feel and taste of this fun modeling material.
Finger Painting: Finger painting is fun and easy with instant pudding. Just mix according to package directions and you're ready to play. Try using a cookie sheet, as this smooth non-porous surface is perfect for baby's finger tracks. If you want a permanent picture, place a sheet of white paper over your child's painting and press down lightly to make a print. Let this dry and hang for the family to admire. No need to worry about this paint—it's edible!
For more arts and craft ideas just Google toddler art projects.

Freebies

2011-08-20T12:23:00.000-07:00

Everyone loves free stuff check out these cool sites to catch some free stuff.

Sample Saturday at Nordstrom this week features Marc Jacobs Oh, Lola! Eau de Parfum. Get your free sample :-)

___________________________________________________________________

Free Facial moisturizer at Lavania

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For free skin care sample products for babies and kids check out Episencial Skin Care
EMAIL Episencial AT : Samples_Requests@Episencial.com with this information:
1. Subject: Episencial Free Samples

...2. Email Address
...
3. Full Name (first and last)

4 . Mailing Address

5. The URL where you heard about this offer

Don’t forget to like them on Facebook!

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Visit any Golfsmith store nationwide on Saturday August 20, to get a Free Nike 20XI 2-ball sleeve.

Back to School

2011-08-19T20:06:00.000-07:00

The first day of school is quickly approaching, some kids have already began their first day of the new year. Kids are expensive and have tons of needs such as school supplies, clothes, and sports equipment, since these things are needed how about finding the best bang for your buck.

1. First step to saving is create a shopping list. Go through your child's closest and get rid of the clothes they are unable to fit and from there create a shopping list of the things they need and want.
2. Compare online prices to in-store prices
3. Set a budget. Decide how much you will spend on each child. Teenagers cost more than children and you are able to shop at alternative locations.

Clothes

Old Navy has excellent deals on uniforms but make sure to compare those prices to Target who also carry uniforms around this time of year.

Also some other great places for affordable deals is JC Penny, Sears, and Nordstrom Rack. JC Penny and Sears has excellent weekend deals and you can get coupons sent to your phone if you sign up for mobile alerts.

Nordstrom Rack has affordable prices for name brand items that came straight from Nordstrom. They down side is the clutter and no organization but pretty much all these stores this weekend will be having tons of clutter because of door busters and back to school sales.

School Supplies

You can get affordable school supplies everywhere but the last place you ever want to buy school supplies from is CVS, Walgreens, or Rite-Aid. Check out discount store, Target, and Walmart. If you do purchase school supplies from CVS, Rite Aid, or Wal greens make sure to check their store paper for coupons and check online for coupons for specific companies like the crayola brand.

Electronics
This is an excellent weekend to search for a computer but definitely compare the prices. A lot of places price match but many companies are tricky because they state they price match and you must find the exact model number of a product and Best Buy have their own model numbers so you will never find their exact model :-/. But definitely check online and in-store. Make sure you get an extended warranty past the manufacturer warranty unless you know someone who can fix computers.(I have a contact if you need his info and just becasue the store is selling you Norton or McAfee don't go with that anti-virus programs. There are tons of other great antivirus programs such as Avast, Trendmicro, and Panda. So do your research before you buy.

During this season there are several churches, non profit organizations, and parks and recreation locations that hand out free school supplies to kids. So check your local neighborhood or church to find any free giveaways.

So here are my affordable tips on where to shop now it's time for you to get out there and do the shopping. Happy Back to School Shopping.

Kids Eat FREE

2011-08-18T16:35:00.000-07:00

Times are tough but kids eating free can make your day go a little better. There are several restaurants in the Long Beach are that offer free foods to kids on different day of the week.

Sunday

Carrows- Kids eat free on Wednesday and Thursday after 4 PM with the purchase of one adult meal.
IHOP- Kids eat free every day in the month of August from 4-10 PM with the purchase of one adult meal.
Rocky Cola Cafe- The information has not been checked out in a while but Every day, all day, kids 12 and under eat free with each purchase of an adult's meal.and I believe this is only for the Whittier location so call before you go.

Monday

Norms- Offers free food on Monday's from 2-10PM for the ages of 10 and under with each purchase of an adult's meal.

Tuesday

The Orginial Roadhouse Grill- Kids eat free every Tuesday

710 Grille-Kids eat FREE on Tuesdays! One child under 12-years-old eats Free off the

Kid’s Menu with a paying adult. No substitutions and Dine-In only.

Denny's- Visit your local Denny's each Denny's has their own children eat free day and time.

Ruby's Diner- Ruby’s recognizes the special achievements of kids age 12 and under by rewarding them with a Complimentary Kid’s Meal*

Food for Thought Certificate for Outstanding Academic Achievement
Good Citizen Certificate
Sports Superstar for Outstanding Achievement in Sportsmanship
Courageous Kids Certificate for his/her bravery at a Doctor’s/Dentist’s office

Contact your local Ruby's Diner to obtain certificate.

Wednesday

El Torito- Kids eat Free

Hof's Hut & Bakery- Kids Eat Free

The Small Cafe- KIDS UNDER 10 EAT FREE FROM THE KIDS MENU

During the rest of the week because it pretty busy no free meals are given out. Check with your local park or school to get free lunch for the kids and happy eating.

Free events week of August 8

2011-08-08T02:56:00.000-07:00

I have been away for a few days dealing with family issues and have not been updating. So for now, I will post free events weekly until I can get back into the swing of things. Continue to follow me on twitter @FunNLA for up to minute free activities. So, here are the free events in LA for the week of August 8.

Spend time with your children outside late at night around a roaring camp fire and marshmellows and all for FREE. The free camp fire program is located in the Santa Monica Mountains. They sing songs, tell stories, roast marshmallows and much more. Their are activities for kids of all age ranges for more information visit LA Mountains website

Day(s): Wednesday
Time(s): 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Address: (Vista Hermosa Natural Park) 100 N. Toluca Street, Los Angeles 90026
Phone: 213-250-1100

Another free event for the kids is KIDDLE KAROO'S BARNYARD BASH at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena. A great theater show with puppets for the family. There is a pre-concert, local vendors, and tons of fun. Kiddle Kanroo is a live theatre performance and the space fills up quickly so come early. Every Wednesday at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena is children's night and they have different performances. Through out the summer at the the Pavilion from Wednesday to Sunday there are free concerts with different performers nightly. For more information you can go to Levitt Pavilion Pasadena website

As usual there are several free concerts around town, Universal Studios City Walk, Santa Monica Pier, several beaches around Los Angeles. If you are looking for fun and affordable things to do around home with your child how about starting a garden or making a sock puppet. Here are some excellent sites to help with those fun activities.

How to make a garden

How to make a sock puppet

What free and affordable fun have you done with your children? Let me know and I will post it.

Free & Affordable Fun in San Diego

2011-08-05T16:02:00.000-07:00

San Diego is a beautiful city and their are many things to do there. This entry will list several places to visit and things to do in San Diego that is either free and affordable. Since their are a ton of things to do in San Diego I will list my top three activities for kids and my top three activities for adults.

My first pick is The New Children's Museum . Children ages 0- teens are able to enjoy the museum and the museum encourages children to touch, create and play. The second Sunday of each month is free and they are open from 10-4PM. If you are unable to make it the second Sunday admission is $10 for adults and children, which is still quite affordable.

My second pick is San Diego Children's Discovery Museum this museum is good for children 6 and under. It allows them to touch, build, create, and explore their senses. The museum is $5 per person for children and adults. This is a great place to take kids and teach them new things at the same time.

My third pick for children is the water conservation garden. This garden is free but they suggest you donate something. This garden is beautiful and children love to smell flowers. This garden shows visitors how to conserve water and have beautiful flowers. They offer several free classes and guided tours if needed.

City Fest is a "Celebration 'of community and spirit' with live music, arts and crafts, food vendors, and much more. This event will be August 14 from noon- 9pm. They will tons of activities for kids and adults.

San Diego Guild of Puppetry is displaying a puppet art exhibit by adults for adults. This event is free just call ahead of time to make an appointment to go by and look at the exhibit. 619-886-2594

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My third top pick to do in San Diego for adults is to attend the Handlery Hotel & Resort Pool Parties are from 1:00 - 4:00 pm every Sunday. Pool Parteis is the best way to cool down and have fun. For more information call 619-298-0511 .

Below are a list of museums and places that may be of interest some are free and quite affordable. So take some time away from LA and have some free and affordable fun in San Diego.

BIRCH AQUARIUM AT SCRIPPS
2300 Expedition Way, La Jolla, CA 92037 (858) 534-FISH; www.aquarium.ucsd.edu

Bonita Museum & Cultural Center
4355 Bonita Road, Bonita, CA 91902. 619-267-5141; www.bonitamuseum.org

CABRILLO NATIONAL MONUMENT
1800 Cabrillo Memorial Dr., San Diego, CA 92106 (619) 557-5450/TTY (619) 222-8211; www.nps.gov/cabr

CALIFORNIA CENTER FOR THE ARTS, ESCONDIDO MUSEUM
340 N. Escondido Blvd., Escondido, CA 92025 (760) 839-4120; www.artcenter.org

Coronado Historical Association and Museum of History and Art
1100 Orange Ave., Coronado, CA 92118 (619) 435-7242; www.coronadohistory.org

FLYING LEATHERNECK AVIATION MUSEUM MCAS
Miramar, San Diego, CA 92145 Call first for entry info (858) 693-1723 www.flyingleathernecks.org

HERITAGE OF THE AMERICAS MUSEUM
12110 Cuyamaca College Dr. W., El Cajon, CA 92019 (619) 670-5194; www.cuyamaca.net/museum

La Jolla Historical Society
7846 Eads Avenue La Jolla, CA 92037 (858) 459-5335; www.lajollahistory.org

Lux Art Institute
1550 South El Camino Real, Encinitas, CA 92024 (760) 436-6611; www.luxartinstitute.org

MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT COMMAND MUSEUM
1600 Henderson Ave., Building 26, San Diego, CA 92140 (619) 524-6719; www.mcrdmuseumhistoricalsociety.org

MARITIME MUSEUM OF SAN DIEGO
1492 North Harbor Dr., San Diego, CA 92101 (619) 234-9153; www.sdmaritime.org

Marston House & Gardens
3525 Seventh Avenue San Diego, CA 92103 (619) 298-3142; www.marstonhouse.org

MINGEI INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM
Balboa Park, 1439 El Prado, Balboa Park (619) 239-0003 www.mingei.org

MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART SAN DIEGO: Downtown
1100 & 1001 Kettner Blvd., San Diego, CA 92101 (858) 454-3541; www.mcasd.org

MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART SAN DIEGO: La Jolla
MCASD: La Jolla 700 Prospect St., La Jolla, CA 92037 (858) 454-3541; www.mcasd.org

MUSEUM OF MAKING MUSIC
5790 Armada Dr., Carlsbad, CA 92008 (760) 438-5996; www.museumofmakingmusic.org

MUSEUM OF PHOTOGRAPHIC ARTS
1649 El Prado, Balboa Park (619) 238-7559; www.mopa.org

OCEANSIDE MUSEUM OF ART
704 Pier View Way, Oceanside, CA 92054 (760) 435-3720; www.oma-online.org

REUBEN H. FLEET SCIENCE CENTER
1875 El Prado, Balboa Park (619) 238-1233; www.rhfleet.org

SAN DIEGO AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM
2001 Pan American Plaza, Balboa Park (619) 234-8291; www.sandiegoairandspace.org

San Diego Archaeological Center
16666 San Pasqual Valley Road Escondido, CA 92027 (760) 291-0370; www.sandiegoarchaeology.org

SAN DIEGO AUTOMOTIVE MUSEUM
2080 Pan American Plaza, Balboa Park (619) 231-AUTO (2886); www.sdautomuseum.org

SAN DIEGO BOTANIC GARDEN
230 Quail Gardens Drive, Encinitas, CA 92024; (760) 436-3036; www.sdgarden.org

San Diego Children's Discovery Museum
380 N. Escondido Blvd., Studio 1 Escondido, CA 92025 www.sdcdm.org

SAN DIEGO HALL OF CHAMPIONS
2131 Pan American Plaza, Balboa Park (619) 234-2544; www.sdhoc.com

SAN DIEGO HISTORICAL SOCIETY: Serra Museum
2727 Presidio Drive San Diego, CA 92103 (619) 232-6203; www.sandiegohistory.org

SAN DIEGO HISTORICAL SOCIETY: Villa Montezuma
1925 K Street San Diego, CA 92102 (619) 232-6203; www.sandiegohistory.org

SAN DIEGO HISTORY CENTER
1649 El Prado, Suite #3 San Diego, CA 92101 (619) 232-6203; www.sandiegohistory.org

SAN DIEGO MODEL RAILROAD MUSEUM
1649 El Prado, Balboa Park (619) 696-0199; www.sdmrm.org

SAN DIEGO MUSEUM OF ART
1450 El Prado, Balboa Park (619) 232-7931; www.sdmrm.org

SAN DIEGO MUSEUM OF MAN
1350 El Prado, Balboa Park (619) 239-2001; www.museumofman.org

SAN DIEGO NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM
1788 El Prado, Balboa Park (619) 232-3821; www.sdnhm.org

SAN DIEGO ZOO
2920 Zoo Drive, Balboa Park (619) 234-3153; www.sandiegozoo.org

SAN DIEGO ZOO'S WILD ANIMAL PARK
15500 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido, California 92027-7017 (760) 747-8702; www.sandiegozoo.org

Save Our Heritage Organisation (SOHO)
2476 San Diego Avenue Ã‚Â· San Diego CA 92110 (619) 297-9327; sohosandiego.org

The New Children's Museum
200 West Island Avenue San Diego, California (619) 233-8792; www.thinkplaycreate.org

THE WATER CONSERVATION GARDEN
12122 Cuyamaca College Dr. W., El Cajon, CA 92019 (619) 660-0614; www.thegarden.org

TIJUANA RIVER NATIONAL ESTUARINE RESEARCH RESERVE
301 Caspian Way, Imperial Beach, CA 91932 (619) 575-3613; www.tijuanaestuary.com

TIMKEN MUSEUM OF ART
1500 El Prado, Balboa Park (619) 239-5548; www.timkenmuseum.org

USS MIDWAY MUSEUM
910 North Harbor Dr., San Diego, CA 92101 (619) 544-9600; www.midway.org

Veterans Museum & Memorial Center
2115 Park Blvd., San Diego, CA 92101 (619) 239-2300; www.veteranmuseum.org

Whaley House Museum
2476 San Diego Avenue San Diego, CA 92110 (619) 297-7511; www.whaleyhouse.org

WOMEN'S MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA
2323 Broadway Suite 107, San Diego, CA 92102 (619) 233-7963; www.whmec.org

Orange County Fair

2011-07-26T12:00:00.001-07:00

The Orange County Fair is currently going on and it is probably the most free and affordable fun you can have with your friends and family. The Orange County Fair has awesome food and excellent deals.
At the fair there is food, rides, exhibts, concerts and much more. The Orange County Fair cost $11 dollars for adults and $6 dollars for children 6-12 but the fair has free admission on Wednesday with certain stipulations.
This Wednesday, July 27, you can get into the OC fair for free between noon and 4 PM with a donation of one brand new children's book or three gently used books. On August 3rd when you donate five gently used clothing items admission is free.
On August 10 if you bring in one school supply you will get in free. Children gain free admittance every Thursday and Fridays you can purchase the Taste of the Fair; food vendors will offer a sample for $2.
Active military soldiers with ID can attend the fair for free any day of the week. There are tons of deals on the OC Fair website check it out and I hope to see you at the fair.

Navy Week

2011-07-25T23:04:00.000-07:00

This week is Navy Week. We as Angelino's do not get to see Navy ships and experience the presence of the Navy because they are based out in San Diego. So this week only for Free you are able to tour four military ships at the Port of San Pedro. The four ships that will be there are the USS Abraham Lincoln, an aircraft carrier; the USS Princeton, a cruiser; the USS Chafee, a destroyer; and the USS Champion, a minesweeper. Listed below are the dates and times to visit the ships. For further information visit
What: Los Angeles Navy Week

Where: Port of Los Angeles, San Pedro

When: Monday through July 31

Information: www.portoflosangeles.org and www.navyweek.org/losangeles2011/

Highlights: Public ship tour schedule:

USS Abraham Lincoln (aircraft carrier): 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday

USS Princeton (cruiser): 10 a.m. to

5 p.m. Friday and Saturday

USS Chafee (destroyer): 10 a.m. to

5 p.m. Friday

USS Champion (minesweeper):

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, 10 a.m. to

4 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday,

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday
So go out and visit the ships there are some rules and regulations such as children must be at least 8 years old to attend. Check it out this trip is educational for you and your child.

The Captains

2011-07-24T11:00:00.000-07:00

The Hollywood Forever Cememtary will be showing a free screening of the new Star Trek documentary The Captains. William Shatner travels the world to connect with each of the actors who play the Captain in the Star Trek series. Prizes will be given out to guest that dress in Star Trek attire and William Shatner will be in attendance to answer questions.
Cemetery gates open at 7 and the screening starts at 8:45 pM on the Fairbanks Lawn. Parking is $10.

Another movie that will be playing at the famous cemetery July 30th is Flash Gordon. This is a sci-fi classic. Gates open at 7 but the movie starts at 9. For both the Captains and Flash Gordon you can reserve parking ahead of time. The Captains parking and Flash Gordon Parking

Arrive at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery Early so you can visit the graves of some famous celebs. Don't forget to bring blankets and something to eat while watching the movie. I hope you find these events fun until next time Live Long and Prosper.

Just Random Free Things to do with the Kids

2011-07-22T21:45:00.000-07:00

Here are some random Free Activities you can do with your kids on Saturday.

Lowe's is offering a FREE workshop on building binoculars and a photo holder. Go to http://lowesbuildandgrow.com/Home.aspx for more info.

Lakeshore is also offering FREE Crafts for kids at every store every Saturday from 11-3PM for more information go to Lakeshore website.

Michaels has free arts and crafts on Saturdays this can be a cool outing and bonding time with the kids.

There are tons of free activities for kids you just have to search.

Let's go Clubbin'

2011-07-21T22:35:00.000-07:00

There are tons of free clubs for women to get into if they arrive usually before 10 but what places are available for men. The Akbar has free dance nights every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. 4356 Sunset Blvd Check it Out http://akbarsilverlake.com/ Akbar is a gay/straight bar that welcomes all.

The Short Stop is another free club but very popular because it is near Dodger Stadium. There is a pool table, a photo booth, and obviously a bar. The wait to get in the club is long but I heard it is worth the wait. Check out the reviews http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-short-stop-los-angeles

Free Classical Jazzy Gospel Concert in Palos Verde. Sunday, July 24, 2011 3:00 - 4:00 PM
Fun, casual concert. Genres to include classical (baroque, classic, romantic), jazzy (bossa nova, swing), traditional (gospel, country), and other popular styles. Music lovers of all ages welcome.

The Strings Connection
716 Deep Valley Drive, Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90274 map
(310) 377-0803 http://www.stringsconnection.com

If you are a married couple looking for a night out in a Christian environment check out Calvary Chapel South Bay Dessert & Game Night • Friday, July 29th, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m., Multi-Purpose Room. The Marriage Ministry invites all married couples for Dessert & Game Night. Enjoy an evening of fellowship, food & fun! Bring your favorite dessert to share. Children’s Ministry will be provided. Contact Pastor Pat for details. 310-352-3333.
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Let's move toward some activities for the kids. Monday and Friday there is FREE storytelling at LACMA at 2 PM LACMA 5905 Wilshire Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90036. Hammer Building Room 2. All LA County Residents are FREE w/id after 5 PM so check out the story time. This Friday they will be reading July 22: Taken by the Fairies—Stories of Mystery and Magic with storyteller Rebecca Martin.

Many cities offer Free activities or low cost for kids either at the library or through parks and recreation. Check out the City of Redondo Beach event's schedule for story time and other activities http://www.redondo.org/cals/city_calendar.asp

Free stuff for teens and Adults

2011-07-21T03:07:00.000-07:00

So I said I will post free stuff for is teens and adults from time to time so this is it. Go see a free movie screening of Attack the Block. It's a movie about, " a teen gang in South London defend their block from an alien invasion" LA Weekly is giving away one ticket per person the movie screening will be screening July 29. Tickets are on a first come first served basis so get your tickets today. To get tickets email FILMCONTESTS@LAWEEKLY.COM.

Free Comedy.
So if you have some free time go to a free comedy show at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in Hollywood. They are amateur comedians and the time starts at midnight but you are sure to get a good laugh and a cool place to hang out. In addition, they have a running play called the Asssscat and on Sunday's the show is free. But all of their shows are very affordable. Check it out at the following link Upright Citizents Brigade .

X Games, X Games X Games!!!!!

2011-07-18T14:08:00.000-07:00

The best event of the summer is coming up, The X Games. The X Games will be going on at LA Live from July 28-31. There will be tons of free activities at X Fest which includes the ultimate action sports sponsors and industry village, featuring musical performances, interactive skate parks, athlete appearances, demos and more. But the X Games tickets start at $5 dollars so you may want to pay the extra money and attend some of the games. To save money purchase the tickets from Staples Center box office rather than ticket master but either way its an affordable buy.

http://espn.go.com/action/xgames/summer/2011/news/story?page=x-games-17-2011-tickets

There are four main areas to the event: the Staples Center, Nokia Center L.A. Live, Event Deck at L.A. Live, and Lot 7.
The Staples Center Events are listed below:

The X Games STAPLES Center venue consists of the following events: Moto X Step Up, Moto X Best Trick, Moto X Best Whip, Moto X Freestyle, Moto X Racing, Moto X Enduro, and Moto X Speed and Style.
Thursday, July 28: 2:30 PM - 7:00 PM
Friday, July 29: 2:30 PM - 6:15 PM
Saturday, July 30: 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Sunday, July 31: 4:30 PM - 8:00 PM

The X Games Nokia Theatre L.A. Live consists of the following events: The X Games Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE venue consists of the following events: BMX Vert and Skateboard Vert.
Thursday, July 28: CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC
Friday, July 29: 3:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Saturday, July 30: 2:00 PM - 8:45 PM
Sunday, July 31: CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC

The X Games Event Deck at L.A. LIVE consists of the following events: The X Games Event Deck venue consists of the following events: BMX Freestyle Park, Skateboard Street Men's and Women's, Skateboard Game of SK8, Skateboard Park Men's, BMX Freestyle Street.
Thursday, July 28: 11:00 AM - 6:15 PM
Friday, July 29: 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday, July 30: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday, July 31: 10:00 AM - 6:15 PM

The X Games LOT 7 consists of the following events: The X Games Lot 7 venue consists of the following events: Skateboard Big Air, BMX Big Air, RallyCross, and Rally Car Racing
Thursday, July 28: 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Friday, July 29: 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Saturday, July 30: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Sunday, July 31: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Let the fun begin!!!

2011-07-17T22:49:00.000-07:00

Carmageddon is over and the possibilities are endless. You can travel North or South for some amazing free and affordable deals for you and the kids around the Los Angeles Area.

FREE APP
HomeGrown Apps is giving away the free Hop 2 It ABCs app on iTunes *Wednesday Only* for FREE on Iphone or Ipad. This app will help teach your little one's their ABC. There is a free version to this app but it cost 99 cents. The free version is limited and has ads's. So this app is worth the wait.

FREE EVENTS

Tuesday, July 19, 2011 a video shoot at the Treehouse Social Club for Mom's and Infants. They will be teaching the sling and dance class from 1:00-2:00 PM. If interested contact them at (310) 288-3024.

Indie bands, street art, artisan wares, good food & great brews - Sat, July 23 2011 in Downtown Arts District of LA. www.Facebook.com/BloomfestLA #DTLA http://www.BloomfestLA.com

The 18th Annual Los Feliz Village Street Fair takes place July 24 from 11 AM to 10PM. For more information check out http://www.losfelizstreetfair.com/

Fairytales and Fantasy VI is a summer concert put on in Sierra Madre on July 31. It is apart of their summer concert series. The event goes on from 6PM-8PM. Sierra Madre Memorial Park 222 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. Sierra Madre, CA 91024

There are tons of free summer concerts and free summer movies. You just have to be resourceful and look.

Carmageddon Weekend July 16-17

2011-07-07T21:51:00.000-07:00

Carmageddon is quickly approaching. My suggestion stay home but if you have the need to travel I have listed several free and affordable places South of 405 from the 105 freeway. N'Joy

A concert that the kids will enjoy is the Next Big Thing Tour. They will be doing three free performance. Saturday, July 16th, 2011 Westfield Santa Anita � 1:00pm Amber Lily & Coco Jones perform
Saturday, July 23rd, 2011 Westfield Mainplace � 1:00pm Amber Lily & Coco Jones perform
Saturday, July 30th, 2011 Westfield West Covina� 1:00pm Sacha Edwards & Coco Jones perform.

If you want to get away how about a trip to the OC and take a ride in the Great Park Balloon. "The Great Park Balloon is one of the largest tethered helium (not hotair) balloons and the first of its kind in the United States." The Great Park Balloon is located in Irvine off the 405 South. This is far from carmageddon.

A cool affordable activity is to take a tour at the Angel's Stadium. This tour will allow you to see behind the scenes and tour angel stadium. The cost is $3 dollars for adults and $2 dollars for children. During off season you can visit every Tuesday during the season you can visit Tuesday's and Wednesday's. This will be a good place to go during the week when you are planning for that crazy carmageddon weekend.

How about a nice Hike or Bike by the beach in the OC. Orange County parks are the best place to do this. A good park to go to for some hiking in the OC is the Bolsa Chica Slough Trail. The trail is near the beach, it is only 1.7 miles and its great exercise. If you choose to go to the beach, Newport and Belmont Shore is nearby.

There are several free concerts around LA and Orange County. There is the Music by the Sea which is every Sunday in San Pedro. Summer and Music Concerts in Long Beach, and in the OC. Concerts are around Orange County in various places. Check it out http://www.ocdogfriendly.com/summerconcerts.html.

The San Clemente Ocean Festival may be a nice outing and it's free they will have competitions and races, tons of kid activities, and free concerts. The cool thing about this festival is that there will be a sand sculpting competition. Entry Fee is $25 dollars for a team and a team can be up to 10 people. http://www.oceanfestival.org/index.htm

If you live North of the 405 past the 101 there are few events that a person can attend during the carmageddon weekend. Movies on the Green @ Warner Center Park every Saturday evening and concerts every Sunday evenings.

Free stuff in the LBC

2011-07-06T18:36:00.000-07:00

I have been away for a few days enjoying some affordable and free fun. This weekend my friends, Kylee and I went to the Aquarium of the Pacific. The price of the aquarium is $24.95 this is quite expensive
but with my research I was able to find a $10 off coupon. I would have paid $74.85 rather than the beautiful price of $44.85. The aquarium was a nice outing. It was hot but my friends and I especially Kylee appreciated the times we was indoors. I would recommend this place as an affordable fun.

There are tons of free fun activities for kids in Long Beach this summer. The City of Long Beach is having a sea festival. The Sea Festival is a celebration of the Southern California summer experience highlighted in a series of beach, ocean and summer-fun event. Listed below are some events and the dates, times and links listed. N'Joy

Moonlight Movies on the Beach - IRON MAN 2 Thursday, July 7 start around 8ish (Note: All movies showing every Tuesday is shown at Sunsets on the Beach, Every Wednesday @ Cherry Beach and every Thursday @ Marina Green Beach.)

Long Beach Municipal Band July 7 @ 6:30 PM Long Beach Marine Stadium, 5255 Paoli Way

Transpacific Yacht Race Races start July 8

Long Beach Municipal Band July 8 @ 6:30 PM El Dorado Park 2800 Studebaker Road

Bixby Knolls Dragster Expo & Car Show Saturday, July 9th 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Sinjin CBVA Tournament Saturday an d Sunday July 9-10 starts at 9 AM @ Marina Green

Gospel Fest Sunday, July 10th @ The Pike - Shoreline Drive and South Pine Avenue

Catalina Ski Club "Special Needs Children's Day Friday, July 15 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.@ Marine Stadium

63rd Annual Catalina Ski Race July 16, @ 6 AM @ Long Beach Harbor

Copa Cabana Beach Soccer Long Beach/Belmont Shore Tournament Saturday and Sunday July 16-17 @ Belmont Shore - 1 Granada Avenue, Long Beach

2011 Long Beach Offshore Powerfest Saturday and Sunday July 16-17 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. @ Marina Green Park

Children Today 5K/10K Run/Walk Saturday, July 16 Marina Green Park Downtown Long Beach (off Shoreline Drive on the Beach Bike Path)

Alfredo's Ultimate Beach Party July 16th & 17th, 2011 Marina Green - Downtown Long Beach

National Collegiate Beach Volleyball Championships Tournament Saturday July 16th @ Alamitos Beach

Kahakai Relay Saturday, July 16 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. @ Marine Stadium along Paoli Way side

Capture the Wind Festival Friday, July 22nd @ Claremont Launch Ramp

Capture the Wind Long Beach Kite Expo Saturday and Sunday July 23-24 9:00 am to mid-afternoon @ Claremont Launch Ramp

Jessica Uniack Memorial Beach to Bay Race Thursday, July 28 @ Long Beach Yacht Club & Alamitos Bay

2011 Long Beach Municipal Band Schedule - 102nd Year!
All Concerts start at 6:30 p.m.
FREE

Week 3:		Week 4:
Theme: Flight!		Theme: Ragtime, Dixie,all that Jazz
Vocalist: Becky Suarez		Vocalist: Nicole Kubis
July 12 Bixby Bluff		July 19 Bixby Bluff
July 13 Los Cerritos Parks		July 20 Los Cerritos Parks
July 14 Marine Stadium		July 21 Marine Stadium
July 15 El Dorado Park		July 22 El Dorado Park

	Week 5:
	Theme: Great bands of yesteryear
	Vocalist: Tony Galla
	July 26 Bixby Bluff
	July 27 Los Cerritos Parks
	July 28 Marine Stadium
	July 29 El Dorado Park

MOONLIGHT MOVIES ON THE BEACH
Movies on The Beach start at dusk (approx. 8 p.m.)

Tuesdays July 5, 2011
Despicable Me
Granada Beach
Wednesdays July 6, 2011
Incredible Hulk
Cherry Beach
Thursdays July 7, 2011
Iron Man 2
Marina Green
Tuesdays July 12, 2011
Footloose
Granada Beach
Wednesdays July 13, 2011
ET
Cherry Beach

Thursdays July 14, 2011
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Marina Green
Tuesdays July 19, 2011
Megamind
Granada Beach
Wednesdays July 20, 2011
Yogi Bear
Cherry Beach
Thursdays July 21, 2011
Tale of Desperaux
Marina Green

Tuesdays July 26, 2011
Rango
Granada Beach
Wednesdays July 27, 2011
Back to the Future
Cherry Beach

Thursdays July 28, 2011
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom
of the Crystal Skull
Marina Green

Tuesdays August 2, 2011
How to Train Your Dragon
Granada Beach
Wednesdays August 3, 2011
Legends of the Guardian
Cherry Beach
Thursdays August 4, 2011
Alice in Wonderland
Marina Green

Tuesdays August 9, 2011
Toy Story
Granada Beach
Wednesdays August 10, 2011
Toy Story 2
Cherry Beach
Thursdays August 11, 2011
Toy Story 3
Marina Green

Tuesdays August 16, 2011
Pure Luck
Granada Beach
Wednesdays August 17, 2011
Tremors
Cherry Beach
Thursdays August 18, 2011
Grease
Marina Green
Tuesdays August 23, 2011
Jaws
Granada Beach
Wednesdays August 24, 2011
Jaws
Cherry Beach
Wednesdays August 24, 2011
Jaws
Cherry Beach

4th of July: Fireworks Shows Galore

2011-06-29T12:28:00.000-07:00

Below are a list of Firework Shows in various cities so you can have a safe and enjoyable 4th of July.

July 3
Avalon
Isthmus Cove Barge
9:00 p.m.
Cudahy
Cudahy Park
5220 Santa Ana St. (Field that backs up to the Riverbed)
9:00 p.m.
La Mirada
La Mirada High School (Soccer Field)
13520 Adelfa Ave.
9:00 p.m.
La Puente
La Puente Park
501 N. Glendora Ave.
9:00 p.m.
Norwalk
Cerritos College
12350 Imperial Highway (Parking Lot)
9:00 p.m.
South El Monte
South El Monte High School
1001 N. Durfee Ave.
9:00 p.m.
July 4
Alhambra
Almansor Park
800 S. Almansor St.

Fireworks begin at 9 p.m.
See the show from anywhere in the park. Limited parking, so arrive early.
Bring your own picnic or purchase food from various Youth Group Food Vendors.
http://www.cityofalhambra.org/government/Fireworks.html

Artesia
Artesia Community Park
12000 block of South Street / Elaine
Admission is free
9:00 p.m.
Baldwin Park
Sierra Vista High School
3600 Frazier Ave. (Field behind bleachers)
9:00 p.m.
Burbank
Starlight Bowl
1249 Lockheed View Drive

Celebrate America and our heritage at this fun and festive Independence Day event for the entire family. Join the Starlight Bowl and The United States Air Force for an evening of great entertainment filled with surprises. See a flyover, the induction of new enlistees, United States Air Force Veteran Daniel Rutherford singing the National Anthem, Surfin’ USA, The Burbank Philharmonic Orchestra and of course the best fireworks show in Los Angeles.
Gates open at 5:30 p.m.
Entertainment from 6:30 - 9:00 p.m.
Fireworks - 9:00 p.m
http://www.starlightbowl.com/july4.html

Calabasas
Calabasas High School
22855 W. Mulholland Hwy.
9:00 p.m.
Castaic Lake
Castaic Lake Recreation Area (Lower Lake)
32132 Castaic Lake
9:00 p.m.
Cerritos
Cerritos High School
12500 E. 183rd Street
9:00 p.m.
Claremont
Pomona College (Hammer Throw Field)
6th Street / N. Mills
9:00 p.m.
Commerce
Rosewood Park (Parking lot of Youth Center)
2535 Commerce Way
9:00 p.m.
Culver City
4401 Elenda Street (Culver City High School)
9:00 p.m.

The Exchange Club of Culver City and the City of Culver City invite you to attend our annual Fourth of July fireworks show at Culver City High School. Gates open at 5PM, entertainment begins at 6:30PM, and the fireworks start at 9PM.
Culver City High School is located at 4401 Elenda Street. Click here if you'd like to see a map of the vicinity. Parking is available in nearby lots for $5 per car. Enter those lots off of Braddock Dr. at Huron Ave., two blocks east of Sepulveda Blvd.
For 55 years the Exchange Club of Culver City has been dedicated to bettering the lives of our community's children with a special focus on the prevention of child abuse. The suggested donation of $2 per person (children under 5 are free) will help us continue those efforts.
If you're hungry you'll be able to purchase hotdogs, soda, and Kettle Corn. You can also get tickets for the Exchange Club's raffle, which features grand prizes of an LCD flat screen tv and $100 gift certificates good at Westfield Fox Hills Mall! There will be great live music, too.
Please note that you are not allowed to bring alcohol or fireworks of any kind onto the school grounds.
http://culvercityfireworksshow.com

Diamond Bar
Diamond Bar High School - Baseball Field
21400 E. Pathfinder Rd. (Pathfinder & Brea Canyon)
9:00 p.m.
Gardena
Rowley Park (Baseball Field)
13220 S. Van Ness Ave.
9:00 p.m.
Hansen Dam
11770 Foothill Blvd.
Lake View Terrace

4th of July Celebration at Hansen Dam is in its 17th year and is a free fun- filled family Cultural Affair which includes Gourmet Food Trucks, Music, Raffles & Prizes, Free Water Slide Kid Zone and other entertainment, which culminates with one of the most dramatic fireworks displays in the area.
Visit the kids zone sponsored by Shrek The Musical coming to the Pantages Theatre July 12-31. Get to the Hansem Dam July 4th, 2011 between 12-1PM to see Shrek perform live on the main stage!
$10.00 (Parking lot fills fast, please arrive early to secure a good spot)
Monday, July 4th 11:00 pm
http://www.hansen4th.com/home/index.php

Hollywood
Hollywood Bowl
2301 North Highland Ave.

July 4th Fireworks Spectacular with special guests Daryl Hall & John Oates
Saturday, July 2, 2011, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, July 3, 2011, 7:30 p.m.
Monday, July 4, 2011, 7:30 p.m.
323.850.2000 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 323.850.2000 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
http://www.hollywoodbowl.com/tickets/performance-detail.cfm?id=4229

Huntington Beach
Main St. from Pacific Coast Highway to Ellis

July 4, 2011 4th of July Parade - The biggest parade west of the Mississippi for Independence Day includes an entire day of fun. The parade begins on Pacific Coast Highway at Main Street at 10 a.m. and travels up Main Street to Gothard Street, usually lasting about 2.5 hours. Time: 10 a.m. Location: Main Street from Pacific Coast Highway to Ellis.
FIREWORKS AT THE BEACH - Time: 9 p.m. Cost: Free. Location: Find a spot on the sand from the Huntington Beach City Beach between the HB Pier and Huntington Street. hb4thofuly.org
PANCAKE BREAKFAST - Start your 4th of July Day with a Pancake Breakfast in Lake Park between 6 and 9 a.m. Cost is $5/ person. Pancakes, juice, coffee, and sausages included.
SURF CITY RUN & VENDOR EXPO - Starts at 7 a.m. and goes along a course that starts and finishes on Main Street.
VENDOR EXPO- The Pier Plaza includes a special 4th of July event with vendors selling foods and gifts.
Those Guys, band - at Perqs Nite Club. Time: 7 p.m. Location: 117 Main St. Huntington Beach, CA. Phone: (714) 960-9996 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (714) 960-9996 end_of_the_skype_highlighting.
http://www.huntingtonbeachevents.com/calendar.html#4th_of_July_Information

Huntington Park
Salt Lake Park (Northwest Soccer Field)
3401 E. Florence Blvd.
9:00 p.m.
La Crescenta
Crescenta Valley High School
2900 Community Ave.

Entrance is via La Crescenta Elementary
Tickets are $5 each; children under 2 get in for free.
9:00 p.m.
http://www.cvfireworks.com

La Habra
La Habra High School (Baseball Field)
801 Highlander
9:00 p.m.
Lancaster
Antelope Valley Fairgrounds
2551 West Ave H
http://www.avfair.com/
Lancaster
Lancaster Municipal Stadium
2400 W. Avenue I
Lancaster
6:55 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.
Long Beach
The Queen Mary
1126 Queen's Highway

Join us for a day of fun in the sun and an unforgettable 4th of July celebration. The day’s festivities include entertainment throughout the day:
• Strolling performers, Balloon Artists, Face Painters and Uncle Sam!
• On the main stage you can groove to the tunes of Flattop Tom & His Jump Cats, an energetic and dynamic band playing blues and swing (12:00 p.m. & 4:00 p.m.)
• GRAMMY Nominated, Lisa Haley and the Zydekats, one of the most joyful Americana/Cajun/Zydeco acts on tour today (4:30 p.m. & 8:30 p.m.)
• Dance the night away on the Verandah Deck located on the stern of the ship with a DJ Craig playing your favorite dance mixes from Classic Rock and Roll and Disco to the hottest jams of today (7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.)
• Fireworks at 9:00 p.m.
http://www.queenmary.com/July-Fourth.aspx

Lynwood
Lynwood City Park
Baseball Field
11301 Bullis Rd.
9:00 p.m.
Malibu (Private)
Barge off the Coast
80 Malibu Colony Road
9:00 p.m.
Malibu (Private)
Barge off the Coast
21528 Pacific Coast Highway
9:00 p.m.
Malibu (Private)
Barge off the Coast
27910 Pacific Coast Highway
9:00 p.m.
Malibu (Private)
Barge off the Coast
22338 Pacific Coast Highway
9:00 p.m.
Pacific Palisades
Palisades Charter High School
15777 Bowdoin Street
July 4th
Entertainment 6:30 p.m.
Fireworks 9:00 p.m.
http://palisadesparade.org/Fireworks.php
Pasadena
Rose Bowl
"Americafest 2011"

2:00 pm   The Festival begins outside the stadium.
Family Fun Festival & Food Court on Area H

6:00 pm   Gates open

7:00 pm   Entertainment to include live entertainment by the Jan & Dean Show featuring Dean Torrence, Mariachi Divas, band performance by DCI Phantom Regiment, Ives Brothers FMX motorcycle stunt and the Biggest Fireworks Show in Southern California produced by PyroSpectaculars by Souza.

9:05 pm   Americafest Fireworks: The Biggest Fireworks Show in Southern California Produced by PyroSpectaculars by Souza

Tickets: $13
Children 7 & under FREE
Active Military with ID FREE

http://www.rosebowlstadium.com/RoseBowl_Americafest.php

Pico Rivera
Meller Elementary School (West grass area)
6016 Rosemead Blvd.
9:00 p.m.
Pomona
Pomona Fairplex
1101 W. McKinley
Pomona

It’s the 25th annual fireworks spectacular at Fairplex. Monster trucks and motoX extreme get the crowd cheering and the stupendous fireworks are the grand finale. The nighttime programming is a crowd pleaser and has played to a sold-out audience since its inception in 2002. It puts the boom in KABOOM!

The FMX riders delivering the colossal speed, moves, jumps and spins are the amazing Jimmy Fitzpatrick, Jeff Griffin, Julian Dusseau and Nick Dunn. And, then the dusty big boys appear led by Bounty Hunter, Iron Outlaw, Time Fly's, Fired Up and Obsession. Drivers navigate these behemoths weighing between 9-11 thousand pounds perched on 66 inch tires kicking up the dust and excitement levels exponentially.
*Please note that all riders and drivers are subject to change without notice.

Monster Truck and Big Air Free style Motocross 8 p.m.
Fireworks Spectacular 9:20 p.m. (Gates open at 5 p.m.)

Tickets are available online and at the kiosk at the Fairplex Credentials Office weekdays from 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. beginning Monday, May 9 –July 4 (or until sold out).

Reserved Box Seats $19.50
Trackside Bleachers $17.50
General Seating $15
Buffet at Top of the Park $45
Free, ages 2 and younger

http://www.fairplex.com/fp/eventscalendar/kaboom.asp

Porter Ranch
Shepherd of the Hills Church
"4th of July Spectacular"
19700 Rinaldi Street
Porter Ranch

Welcome to the 13th Annual 4th of July Spectacular presented by Shepherd of the Hills Church and Shapell Homes; one the largest 4th of July shows in all of Southern California. This event features an aerial fireworks presentation, inflatable "moon bounces" for the kids and a wide variety of local food vendors. In addition, we will have a Civil Air Patrol Cadets color guard presentation honoring military service men and women.
When: July 4, Gates open at 4:30
Cost: Free
Parking: Free
http://www.theshepherd.org/4th

Redondo Beach
Seaside Lagoon
200 Portofino Way, Redondo Beach

Gates open at 2:00, Fireworks at 9:00 p.m.
Kids 4th Annual Freedom Parade at 7:00, Live Entertainment until 10:00 p.m.
http://www.redondofireworks.com

Rosemead
Rosemead Park
9200 Mission Avenue
9:00 p.m.
South Gate
South Gate Park
Corner of Pinehurst and Tweedy
9:00 p.m.
Sunland-Tujunga
Verdugo Hills High School
10625 Plainview Ave.
4:00 to 10:00 p.m.
http://stnc.org/
Torrance
Barge off Coast of Torrance Beach
Palos Verdes and Via Rivera.
9:00 p.m.
Whittier (Private)
Friendly Hills Country Club
8500 Villa Verde Drive / Mar Vista
9:00 p.m.

Woodland Hills Warner Park 5800 Topanga Canyon Blvd. Entertainment starts at 6 p.m. Fireworks at 9 p.m. http://valleycultural.org/dennis-p-zines-july-4th-extravaganza-july-4/

Let's go to the BEACH!!!!

2011-06-28T11:59:00.000-07:00

Going to the beach is always fun and relaxing and IT'S FREE. This may be an obvious thing to do but not many people take advantage of the beaches here. We have so many beautiful beaches, such as El Matador Beach, Newport, Malibu, and Hermosa. Their are tons of awesome beaches and they should be explored. One of my favorite activities is to kayak out in La Jolla but now since I have my Glow-worm I am postponing my kayking,and trading it in for a pail and bucket. A fun activity to do as a family is to build a sand castle. See what your kids can do and help them along the way.

While at the beach how about visiting the Gospel Fest. This annual event will take place July 10 at Shoreline Drive & South Pine Street. The event is free but if you would like VIP Tickets they are available for purchase. Enjoy the wonderful music, food, and the performances. This event is expected to have 15,000-20,000 attendees.

If the beach is not your thing. You can always take your little one's bowling. Kidsbowlfree.com is a group of bowling alleys that came together to offer free bowling for kids 15 and under for the summer. The kids get two free bowling games a day every day from June to September. The kids can stay cool and have fun bowling with their friends.

For some late night fun, take your kids to see a Shakespear play put on by the Independent Shakespeare Company. From june 30- August 28 this company will be acting out several Shakespeare plays at Griffith park old zoo. The plays go on from Thursday to Sunday and start at 7 PM. Shakespeare under the stars is a cool way to end the night. For more information visit their site at http://www.iscla.org/

There are many free and affordable fun you just have to search for them. Come back tomorrow for more free and affordable fun.

A whole lot of activities going on!!!!!

2011-06-26T23:15:00.000-07:00

This week there are tons of activities for you to do with your little one. Some free, some affordable and maybe one or two that is worth the money. But let me first start off with my day. Today my Glo-worm and I went to the Summer and Music concert in Long Beach our day first started off with a train ride on the Blue Line. The Blue line is pretty nasty so Kylee was on stand by with the hand sanitizer once we got pass that we were ready to go and have fun.

We arrived in Long Beach an hour early so I decided to go to a park so Kylee can swing and play around. The first park we came across was a dog park we looked at the dogs for a minute then headed to Ocean and Cherry to Bixby Park. This park is horrible. It was dirty, the play area equipment looked old and I just did not feel comfortable so Kylee and I had lunch and just decided to head back to our free concert.
We arrived at Promenade Square Park and planted our self in a O.K. spot The band was an alternative, rock, country type but it was cool. I just enjoyed watching Kylee walk around and say hello to other babies and total strangers.

Overall Kylee and I enjoyed our time and may do it again next week but just arrive later rather than earlier.

So I know you have been waiting on the goodies. What activities are going on this week that is free, affordable and just worth the money. Well let's start off with FREE that is always fun.

Free Fun

Skirball Cultural Center Museum Offers free visits every Thursday
Music Center offers free dance classes starting at 6:30PM

July 01 - Bollywood/Bhangra
July 15 - Argentine Tango
July 29 - Disco
Aug 12 - 60s Night
Aug 26 - Zydeco
Sept 09 - Samba

This may be late for the kiddies but its a cool outing for you and your friends.

The Grove Los Angeles: At the Grove every Thursday they have storytime and activities for kids. Also at the Grove every Tuesday at Pottery Barn Kids they have story time. These activities allow your children to meet other children and get out the house. Both you and your children will enjoy it.
Autry National Center: You will be able to enter this awesome museum for FREE every SECOND TUESDAY of the month.
Los Angeles County Museum of Art also allows you to enter their magnificent museum every SECOND TUESDAY of the month but they also allow you to enter their facilities for FREE every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday after 5PM for LA COUNTY RESIDENTS ONLY and with proof (so don't forget your ID)

In addition, at LACMA they offer free story telling every Monday and Friday but you must pick up the tickets at the box office. So those were my free picks.

Affordable Fun:

This weeks affordable fun is the Wild Life Learning Center in Sylmar, CA admission is only $6 dollars for adults and $5 dollars for kids. Depending on where you live gas may be a slight issue but other than that it beats going to the zoo if you can't afford it.

Pricey but Worth It:

My Pricey but Worth It suggestion is a movie. At the Grove in LA on Monday's the theater has Monday Morning Mommy Movies. You can bring the kids, bring the baby, let them cry and scream you can enjoy a movie without feeling embarrassed and your kids can be their self. This is definitely worth it.

So these are my Free and Affordable Fun Tips. Don't forget to follow me on twitter @FunNLA and have a free and affordable day.

Fun in the Sun

2011-06-25T22:21:00.000-07:00

Today was a very hot, hot, hot, day. My Glow-worm and I had several choices on places to visit but the heat and this crappy L.A. traffic just routed us back to the water park. Today we visited Cerritos Park in Glendale. Normally when we visit the park its one or two parents maybe five or six kids but today a bunch of kids and parents were there. My little 10 month Glo-worm was getting ran over by the older kids and did not have as much fun as she normally does at this water park.

This park is cool because there is a play area for kids 2-5 and though Glo-worm is 10 months she can handle the play area like any two year old. The only thing that sucks is that there are no swings and she loves the swings at the park.

So, our plans for Sunday is to attend the Summer and Music (SAM) event in Long Beach. It is a free music concert that occurs every Sunday in Long Beach at Promenade Square Park from 3-7 PM. This is a great place to sit and enjoy the kids and listen to some live music. Bring a picnic basket and sit on the grass and just relax. Before or after the event you may want to hop on to the FREE Passport Bus and ride down to the beach. This event will cost me a total of $6 dollars and that will be the cost of a day pass for the Metro blue line. I will pack a lunch for my Glo-worm and I to and we will have an awesome time. What plans do you have for Sunday?

Weekend Fun

2011-06-25T09:49:00.000-07:00

This weekend it will be nice and sunny so you may ask yourself, “Where should I go this weekend?” Well here in so cal there are a few activities that you and your kids can totally enjoy.

The first activity is the Leimert Park Village Book Fair. There will be authors, poetry, theater, workshops, performances, storytelling, book signings, author meet-and-greet, kids’ activities, live music, literary walking tours, and cooking demos. This event should be fun for you and the family and best part it’s FREE. The location of the book fair is 3347 W. 43rd St. , Los Angeles , CA , 90008. 10AM-6PM

The next free fun will be a nice road trip but the kiddies will definitely have fun and that is a trip to the Ojai Lavender Festival. If you have a little one like I do this will get their senses working. The smell of lavender flowers, the touch, and the site of the beautiful flowers. Hopefully after this road trip and the calming smell of lavender your little will sure to have a goodnight sleep. You can find the Ojai Lavender Festival at Libbey Park, 205 E. Ojai Ave., Ojai. Free parking with shuttle to venue available at 821 W. Ojai Ave. 10AM-5PM

Another great place to take the little ones is to the Griffith park and Observatory. You may want to hike around for a bit let your child touch the tree’s and smell the flowers. Or you can pay a few dollars for your son or daughter to ride the ponies or take a ride on the merry-go-round. There are tons of activities to do at Griffith park and the observatory is free but the exhibits you have to pay for.

This weekend my Glo-worm and I will take some time exploring Griffith Park then do lunch and we will end our day at the library. Make sure you keep hats, sun block and glasses on yourself and the kids, like I always tell my Glo-worm “safety first!”

Free & Affordable Fun

2011-06-24T06:17:00.000-07:00

I decided to start this blog to inform everyone, mainly parents, about the Free & Affordable Fun that they can experience with their children. But I know that there are teens and adults without children out there so I will try to post Free & Affordable Fun from time to time for you wonderful people.

I want to first start this blog off with Splash Pads. Splash pads are these water vessels on concrete, spewing out water from different types of holes, buckets, or sprinklers. My 10 month baby LOVES IT. I recently went to a splash pad about a week ago in Glendale, at Cerritos Park and it was so awesome. The parents were friendly. I always look out how friendly the parents are because their attitudes sometime reflect how they may or may not treat your child.

In addition to friendly parents, the water that came out of the sprinklers did not come out too forcefully so my little glo-worm was not afraid to walk in or place her hand in the water. When she became bored with the water she was able to walk over to a sand less, but very nice rubber play area and slide on the slide or run around in the grass. I prefer rubber playgrounds over sand or wood chips because my little glow-worm loves to place things in her mouth and sand playgrounds is just a large kitty litter box and with budget cuts is the city or county cleaning the sand, doubt it. And the wood chips are just as bad they have actually gone through my sandals and have made me bleed (ouch). That’s so not fun and I would hate for my glo-worm to get hurt.

Another splash pad that I visited this week was at Virginia Ave Park in Santa Monica. Now this splash pad is more for children ages 5 and up. The water comes out the spouts very hard and forceful. My little glo-worm did not stand a chance with that water. In addition, the parents there were very boogey and stand offish, and my pet peeve the park had sand. But one cool thing they did have a play area for kids ages 2-5. So glo-worm was able to play on a lot of different things without the older kids pushing her around. So listed below are splash pads around LA. Most splash pads are free but some places will charge you but the most is two or three dollars and you also get access to the swimming pool. Splash pads are popping up everywhere, libraries like Cerritos Library, parks, and many more. So here are a few places. If you know a place that is not listed, please let me know about it or tell me about your experience.

Lira

Free & Affordable Fun

Ø A.J. Martin Park

14830 E. Giordano Street

La Puente, 91744; (626) 917-8354

Hours: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Cost: FREE

Ø Amelia Mayberry Park

13201 E. Meyer Road

Whittier, 90605; (562) 944-9727

Hours: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Cost: FREE

Ø Annenberg Community Beach House

Splashpad Play Area

415 Pacific Coast Highway

Santa Monica, 90402; (310) 458-4904

Hours: 8:30 a.m. – Sunset

Cost: FREE for the splash pad outside; Public pool is open 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and costs $10 for adults; $4 kids aged 1 and up

Ø Basset Park

510 North Vineland Avenue

La Puente, 91746; (626) 333-0959

Hours: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Cost: FREE

Ø Dalton Park

18867 Armstead Street

Azusa, 91702; (626) 852-1491

Hours: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Cost: FREE

Ø North Hollywood Recreation Center

North Hollywood Pool

5301 Tujunga Ave. (and Magnolia)

North Hollywood, 91601; (818) 755-7654

Hours: 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. – 5 p.m. (M-F); 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. (S-S)

Cost: $2.50 Adults; FREE for kids under 7 (kids under 7 must be accompanied by adults, who must wear swimsuits while watching the kids) The Fee also covers pool use.

Ø Pacific Park Splash Pad

501 S. Pacific Avenue

Glendale, 91204; (818) 548-4098

Hours: Dawn to Dusk

Cost: FREE

Ø Panorama Recreation Center Splash Pad

8600 Hazeltine Avenue

Panorama City, 91402; (818) 893-3401

Hours: 8 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Cost: FREE

Ø Rimgrove Park Splash Pad

747 North Rimgrove Drive

Valinda, 91744; (626) 330-8798

Hours: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Cost: FREE

Ø San Angelo Park Splash Pad

245 S. San Angelo Ave.

La Puente; (626) 968-2666

Hours: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Cost: FREE

Ø Stoner Park Pool Splash Pad

1835 Stoner Ave.

Los Angeles, 90025; (310) 575-8286

Hours: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. (M-F); 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. (S-S)

Cost: FREE for 17 years and under; $2.50 for adults

Pool 0-4 ft of water

Ø Sunshine Park Splash Pad

515 Deepmead Avenue

La Puente, 91744; (626) 854-5559

Hours: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Cost: FREE

Ø Swim Stadium Splash Pad (Water Play*)

3980 South Menlo Avenue

Los Angeles, 90037; (213) 763-0129 (5)

Hours: 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Cost: Adults $2.50; FREE for kids 17 and under

*A pool with 1 foot of water has play structures and water sprays.

Ø Sylmar Park Recreation Center Splash Pad

13109 Borden Ave.,

Sylmar, 818-367-5656 (6727)

Hours: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Cost: FREE

Ø Valleydale Park

5525 North Lark Ellen Avenue

Azusa, 91702; (626) 334-8020

Hours: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Cost: FREE

Ø Virginia Park Splash Pad

2200 Virginia Ave.

Santa Monica, 90404; (310) 458-8688

Hours: 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Cost: FREE

Ø El Barrio Park (Google Address)

Stuart Wheeler Park (Google Address)

Also Check out LA County Parks and Recs Site and select Splash Pad and they will show you splash pads in the area. http://gis.lacounty.gov/parkslocator/features.aspx

It’s the 25th annual fireworks spectacular at Fairplex. Monster trucks and motoX extreme get the crowd cheering and the stupendous fireworks are the grand finale. The nighttime programming is a crowd pleaser and has played to a sold-out audience since its inception in 2002. It puts the boom in KABOOM!

The FMX riders delivering the colossal speed, moves, jumps and spins are the amazing Jimmy Fitzpatrick, Jeff Griffin, Julian Dusseau and Nick Dunn. And, then the dusty big boys appear led by Bounty Hunter, Iron Outlaw, Time Fly's, Fired Up and Obsession. Drivers navigate these behemoths weighing between 9-11 thousand pounds perched on 66 inch tires kicking up the dust and excitement levels exponentially. *Please note that all riders and drivers are subject to change without notice.

Monster Truck and Big Air Free style Motocross 8 p.m. Fireworks Spectacular 9:20 p.m. (Gates open at 5 p.m.)

Tickets are available online and at the kiosk at the Fairplex Credentials Office weekdays from 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. beginning Monday, May 9 –July 4 (or until sold out).

Reserved Box Seats $19.50 Trackside Bleachers $17.50 General Seating $15 Buffet at Top of the Park $45 Free, ages 2 and younger