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Archive for the ‘L.A. Parent Events’ Category

Shooting Stars Winners Announced!

Monday, November 16th, 2009

This is it – the big “reveal.” What we’ve all been waiting for! This year was as tough as ever to pick winners in the three age categories (babies-18 months; 19 months-6 years; 7-12). But somehow we managed to pull our top contenders from all the beautiful faces that appeared at the event last month at the Skirball Cultural Center. So, thanks to everyone who participated! And thanks to the Skirball, the fabulous host for this year’s event.

Parents, your “mock” covers are coming soon. And watch for these faces to appear on upcoming issues of L.A. Parent in 2010!

L.A. Parent’s Shooting Stars 2009 Winners

Baby category: Zoe, 7 months, Oak Park

Child category: Dylan, 3-1/2 years, Woodland Hills

Youth category: Livia, 7 years, Studio City

L.A. Parent’s Shooting Stars 2009 Runners Up

RU, baby: Gisele, 7 months, L.A.

RU, child: Joseph, 6-1/2 years, Westchester

RU, youth: Adolfo, 10 years, Panorama City

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Something Fishy at Scarium

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009

Check out these photos from the recent Scarium of the Pacific at the Aquarium of the Pacific. This event reminded me just how great our hometown aquarium is – if you haven’t been there for a while (or, heaven forbid, never been there), pack up your little fishies and plan to spend a day exploring the tanks and exhibits. My kids love the shark petting and sea otters. But you’ll find an jumble of jellies, SCUBA divers who talk to visitors, and more information than you thought you could handle on the delicate ecosystem of the California coastline.

Of course, at Scarium we saw wildlife of a different sort (photos by Terresa Burgess and Carolyn Graham). From left: the L.A. Parent craft table stayed busy; Michele Weiss, account executive, poses with a pint-sized MJ impersonator; a sea jelly showed up; L.A. Parent account exec Helene Chemele played her cards right; Associate Editor Ronna Mandel with witchy Editor Carolyn Graham; a tiny chicken; Managing Editor Christina Elston met the resident otter.

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Shooting for the Stars

Friday, October 16th, 2009

Adorable children came two by two, filing into Noah’s Ark at the Skirball Cultural Center last Saturday for L.A. Parent’s Shooting Stars Cover Kids Contest. Kids enjoyed the animals and playtime at the Ark, and we enjoyed meeting L.A. Parent readers and getting to know your beautiful children. Valerie Tabor Smith hardly took a breath all day, tirelessly snapping photo after photo to get those perfect shots of all the children who waited patiently to have their special time in front of the camera.

Parents who attended will receive a mock cover of L.A. Parent featuring their child’s photograph. We’ll spend the next week or so trying to pick just three who will appear on future issues of L.A. Parent (stay tuned for the results!) – although in our minds, all of the kids qualify as Shooting Stars!

In the meantime, check out a few photos from the day:

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Shooting Stars Alert!

Friday, October 9th, 2009

shootingstars2009logoThere’s so much great stuff to report about L.A. Parent’s Shooting Stars Cover Kids Contest on Saturday (10 a.m.- 3 p.m.) at the Skirball, I almost don’t have room – or the time – to reveal it all.

First of all, the event itself is not a shallow beauty contest. Here at L.A. Parent, we know every kid is amazing and special, and photographer Valerie Tabor Smith is there to bring out both the inner and outer beauty of every child she photographs. It’s truly an enriching experience to get to sit in front of her lens!

And it’s always difficult to pick the top winner in each age category, but pick one we must. Those three will be featured on a future L.A. Parent cover (an incredible thrill indeed!) and will also receive an incredible prize package courtesy of Paul Frank Industries.

Aside from the chance to become L.A. Parent’s official Shooting Star Cover Kid, for $25 you’ll be getting a lot of bang for your buck. First of all, your kids get to play inside Noah’s Ark at the Skirball for free (that’s a $10 adult ticket and $5 child ticket savings right there!). Plus, crafty kiddos can join the drop-in art workshop or assemble funky structures in the “Ark-itecture” activity in the Family Amphitheater (again, all free!). There will even be a few props on display from the production of Where the Wild Things Are. And in about six weeks, we’ll mail you the “mock” cover of L.A. Parent featuring the Valerie Tabor Smith photo taken on the day of the event.

Plus, L.A. Parent has received some amazing prizes to give away throughout the day in “A,” “B” and “C” level categories. A few include:

  • Wii, Nintendo DS and Playstation games from THQ, Atari and many others
  • Forever Friends Dolls
  • KAZAM push bikes
  • Paul Frank clothing sets
  • Ugly Doll & Snugaboo pkg
  • Green Toys brand toys
  • Blu Ray DVDs from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment
  • BRAVO - Tony Hawk Huck Jam series skateboard, Pulse Kick Scooter and Slither Scooter
  • WOW WOW Wubzy DVDs and books from AnchorBayEntertainment
  • Kickboard USA g-bike, Kickboard Scooter and Mini Kickboard Scooter
  • Mr. Toast and Shakey Bacon plush toys
  • Gamewright games
  • Hasbro card games
  • Yo Gabba Gabba, Dora and Spongebob DVDs from Nickelodeon
  • Freaky Creatures Set from Abandon Entertainment
  • Roundabouts cupcake sleeves basket
  • Animal Planet Nintendo DS and Wii games as well as animal totes and other toys from Discovery Toys

So don’t miss out!

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It’s 4 Kids

Friday, May 8th, 2009

The thought of a child suffering from cancer – or any other disease, for that matter – is just too much to comprehend. That’s why L.A. Parent joins forces every year with the Children’s Cancer Research Fund for its annual Kids 4 Kids 5K Run/Walk. L.A. Parent was there April 26 with a booth, face painting and balloon critters to show support for the organization, which provides funding for clinical research in pediatric cancer and to improve the medical environment for children undergoing treatment.

One of our favorite children’s entertainers, Silly Sally, brought her crew to entertain, and L.A. Parent’s photographer-at-large (whose heart is as big as her generosity) Valerie Tabor Smith pitched in to capture the fun of the day. We saw Elmo, gave away goodie bags, ate In ‘N Out Burgers, watched kids enjoy the carnival and overall felt really good about helping out this important organization.

Check out Valerie’s photos:

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The 5K race courses through Century City.

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From left are race participants Francis Aurino (dad) with kids Rachele, 8, and Nicolas, 5, next to Patrick Dodd (dad) with Max, 9, and Jamie, 11.

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Race participant Kaylee Dodson enjoyed the music.

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Ronna Mandel found a Horrid Henry fan. (Photo by Terresa Burgess)

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L.A. Parent staffers Terresa Burgess (graphic designer), Ronna Mandel (associate editor), Lillian Doshay (account executive), Silly Sally (clown), Carolyn Graham (editor) and Dean Gojobori (graphic designer).

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Carolyn Graham and Ronna Mandel model the latest in Zac Efron movie fashion.

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Jackie Kooper, L.A. Parent account executive from the South Bay, made peace (sign) with the face painter. (Photo by Terresa Burgess)

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Cheers for “Cheerios”

Friday, May 8th, 2009

Birthday cakes, parental blame and guilt and preschoolers who use bad words were the hot topics at last Sunday’s special performance of Cheerios In My Underwear (and Other True Tales of Motherhood). The event brought together the winners of the Moms Who Write essay contest (sponsored by L.A. Parent) – Irene Lyle, Heidi Fischer Clarke and Beth Deitchman – with several celebrity and author moms to get into the Mother’s Day spirit with Amy Simon, star of Cheerios, her original one-woman play.

Read the winning essays here.

Pictured are (from left):

Erika Schickel: Author of You’re Not the Boss of Me: Adventures of the Modern Mom and book critic and contributor to the L.A. Times

Ronna Mandel: L.A. Parent’s associate editor and author of the Good Reads With Ronna blog

Stephanie Blum: Comic and star of acclaimed solo show, When I Cough I Wet Myself

Carol Schlanger: Award-winning playwright, author and actress

Jennie Fahn: Writer/performer of You Mutha!, a one-mother show, and actress in numerous TV and theatrical productions

Heidi Fischer Clarke: Contest winner for “Moms Who Have To Pee”

Amy Simon: Author/playwright/radio talk show personality

Irene Lyle: Contest winner for “I Blame My Children”

Beth Deitchman: Contest winner for “Ubermom”

Cheyenne L. Garwood: Honorary winner

Im Jung Kwuon: Honorary winner

Maddie Calabrese-Nassaney: Publisher of L.A. Parent

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The Write Stuff

Tuesday, March 17th, 2009

Have a great kid story to share? Then you’re in luck! This month marks the launch of the third annual Moms Who Write Comic Essay Contest, brought to you by L.A. Parent, the fine mamas at Mamapalooza and the incredibly talented Amy Simon, star of “Cheerios In My Underwear and Other True Tales of Motherhood.”

Just open your email, put carolyn.graham@parenthood.com as the recipient, and start sharing. Keep it at 1,000 words or fewer (you must be an L.A. mom to enter) and submit it to me by April 20. It’s just that easy.

Winners will get to read their essay at a special May 3 performance of “Cheerios” along with other celebrity moms (stay tuned … past readers include SNL alum Laraine Newman and others!). There will be other prizes, too. It’s a warm and fuzzy day filled with fun and good feelings as we share the horrors and hilarity of motherhood.

(At left: Amy Simon, center, is surrounded by essay contest winners at the 2008 Moms Who Write performance of “Cheerios.” Photo by Lauren Sparrow)

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L.A. Parent Cooks!

Saturday, November 22nd, 2008

We have a winner! L.A. Parent’s Associate Editor Ronna Mandel trekked over to the Whole Foods Market Arroyo Parkway in Pasadena yesterday to check out the press launch of Personal Trainer: Cooking, a new interactive cooking coach for Nintendo DS that comes out on Nov. 24.

Ronna, like me, is a bit of a stranger to a skillet, so she was somewhat tentative when she found out there would be a competition similar to the TV game show Supermarket Sweep followed by some kitchen time. Media folks were to be divided into teams, after which they received their recipes, and, using the new “cooking coach,” raced through the Whole Foods Market.  

Imagine Ronna’s surprise when she and her teammate won!

For her hard work, Ronna brought home a huge copper trophy, a Whole Foods gift certificate, a copy of the game and, of course, the honor of having represented L.A. Parent so well by simply serving up lentil soup. Congratulations, Ronna!

Despite all the hulabaloo surrounding the press event, Ronna says the game is actually a great tool for nonchefs and could be a huge help to tweens and teens trying to find their way in the kitchen. Potential chefs can choose from more than 245 recipes, which include pictures (also helpful, Ronna says), shopping lists and other useful features. Overall, the title offers a unique and helpful way to use an electronic device that is primarily for gaming.

Pictured below (from left) are David Ruprecht of the Supermarket Sweep game show, Ronna, David Young of Nintendo of America and Ronna’s teammate, Ada Chan, of Pasadena.  

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Boo!

Thursday, October 30th, 2008

Yes, it’s been awhile between posts. I’ve been busy with the November issue, and yes, of course, Halloween and all the events that go with it. 

This year, L.A. Parent sponsored the Scarium of the Pacific, which filled the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach last weekend with a smattering of little fairies, Power Rangers and even an elephant with its own toddling peanut (among numerous other darling costumes!). Managing Editor Christina Elston, who made her own treasure costume, came up with the bat mobile craft, which became a popular spot throughout the weekend. Michele Weiss, one of our account executives, went all the way with her Jack Sparrow costume by donning facial hair (which made for an interesting moment when we stopped at the drive-thru at Starbucks).

Other L.A. Parent staffers brought the Halloween spirit to help out at the event, including Publisher Maddie Calabrese-Nassaney, Suky De Bellis, Lillian Doshay, Helene Chemel, Michelle Marino, Jackie Kooper, Michael Berick, Terresa Burgess and Dean Gojobori. Silly Sally, who has brought her fabulous crew of face painters and storytellers to several events with L.A. Parent, brought her cheerful spirit and big shoes.

Our new associate editor, Ronna Mandel, was celebrating her birthday and couldn’t make the event, but she helped to procure a custom Halloween wagon from West Coast Wagons to provide a fabulous giveaway at the event. Congratulations go to Patricia Murillo from Huntington Park on winning the wagon!

Check out these photos from the event:

      

From left: Michele Weiss as Jack Sparrow; Silly Sally brought a storytelling witch; Christina Elston is a treasure, and Carolyn Graham, the starfish, clings to the tank; Suky De Bellis, Michele and Lillian Doshay work the crowds.

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