Roberta Brown

Roberta to launched Mommy Poppins' Los Angeles in 2011. Previously she served as LA Editor for GoCityKids, National Editor for ParentsConnect, and Editor for NickMom—all of which worked out well for her son, who grew up serving as Chief Guinea Pig for all things fun in LA and beyond.

Latest posts by Roberta

25 Spring Egg Hunts and Bunny Meet-ups for Easter Week in Los Angeles

Submitted by Roberta B on Fri, 03/16/2018 - 3:27pm

Some of us have lovely gardens and the inclination to creatively hide eggs in them early on a Sunday morning. Others have an inclination to sleep late and find eggs hidden in someone else's garden. We find no shame in that and are more than happy to help guide you to lots of places where Peter Cottontail has evidently just been moments before. Most of the egg hunts below take place Easter weekend; keep an eye on our Event Calendar for last-minute additions, and check out these other places to find the Easter Bunny for more photo ops!

Kid-friendly St. Patrick's Day Celebrations: Parades, Parties, and Leprechauns in LA

Submitted by Roberta B on Fri, 03/09/2018 - 3:06am

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day with a jig and some crafting. Photo courtesy of One Colorado

Here comes Saint Patrick's Day; time to brush up the Irish brogue for the one time per year (unless you're really Irish) that you use it. The holiday falls on a Saturday this year, which makes for a weekend of celebrating with parades, festivals, and corned beef. So top o' the marnin' to ye; Erin Go Bragh; that shade of green looks bonny on you, and let's go find that pot o' gold!

What's Purim and Why All these Carnivals and Festivals?

Submitted by Roberta B on Wed, 02/21/2018 - 4:31am

Purim Justice Carnival. Photo courtesy of IKAR

Not too sure what Purim is? Imagine something between Hebrew Halloween and Middle Eastern Mardi Gras, and you'll more or less have it. Jewish families know Purim as a time of uncharacteristically raucous rabbinical revelry, marked by costumes, noisemakers, interactive storytelling, triangular pastries, and enough drink (for the grown-ups) to muddy the lines between good and evil. Gentile families generally don't know it at all. But Purim is worth knowing. Its story has all the best elements: a party-hearty king, a beautiful and courageous queen, a resourceful good guy, and a bad guy so hateful that everyone drowns out his name with noisemakers at carnivals all over town. Check out one of the events below for classic Purim carnival activities, costume parades, and boisterous retellings of the Purim story.

And if you know of a celebration we've missed, please let us know!

Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebrations that Are Great for Kids

Submitted by Roberta B on Thu, 02/08/2018 - 2:45pm

Mutty Gras, courtesy of LA Farmers Market

In New Orleans, it's Mardi Gras. In Venice, Italy, it's Carnevale. In Austria they call it Fasching, and in England Shrove Tuesday, Pancake Day, or just plain old Fat Tuesday. Whatever the name, it's a party; and with its traditions of masks, music, and bling, this party deserves to be shared with kids. We've collected LA's most family-friendly Mardi Gras celebrations below, and they're mostly FREE. Let the good times roll!

LA Gets Its Own Cat Cafe—Where Kids Can Play and Cuddle with Kitties

Submitted by Roberta B on Fri, 02/02/2018 - 1:00pm

If the internet really is just a vehicle for cat videos, then LA gets the ultimate internet cafe this weekend. Cat cafes have been a thing in New York for a while, but Angelenos have had to wait for someone to jump through the hoops required to open a haven of kitties and caffeine here in LA. This weekend CatCafe Lounge opens its doors in West LA, inviting cats and cat-lovers to curl up together over a tasty drink and a toy mouse.

Getting Started with Ice Hockey: Classes and Leagues at Rinks around LA and the Valley

Submitted by Roberta B on Tue, 01/23/2018 - 12:37am

Playing hockey on the local pond? Yeah, that'll happen when the Valley freezes over. But just because our kids can't go out back to hit a puck around like their snow-bound counterparts on the East Coast doesn't mean they can't get the ice time to pursue their Olympic hockey dreams -- the LA area produces some of the top figure skaters and hockey players in the country. Here are some top spots for kids to hit the ice and hone their hockey technique.

Mission Inn Festival of Lights: Riverside's Legendary Holiday Lights Display

Submitted by Roberta B on Wed, 01/03/2018 - 7:37am

I've been hearing about the holiday lights at the Mission Inn in Riverside for as long as I've been writing about SoCal events, but it took me until this season to finally take the plunge into slightly-less-daunting-than-usual traffic to see the spectacle for myself. I had to know if the lights that USA Today calls the Best Holiday Lights Display in the Nation really are all that. More to the point, are they worth driving an hour or more, when we know there are some pretty impressive holiday lights a whole lot closer to home? I filled a minivan with the toughest audience I know (five 13-year-olds) and drove to Riverside on a Friday night to answer that question. Really.

Vienna with Kids: 35 Things You Didn't Know You Could Do in Austria's Capital

Submitted by Roberta B on Mon, 01/01/2018 - 3:01pm

Exploring the great cities of Europe with children in tow may sound more complicated than it's worth—except that it's really worth it. And speaking of great cities of Europe, there is none greater than Vienna. Once the seat of the Austro-Hungarian empire, the Central European capital packs in museums, palaces, and epic landmarks the way Mary Poppins packs surprises in her carpetbag. Vienna is a feast for the eyes, with a feast for the belly waiting at every corner, too. I'll take Vienna over Paris every time.

But kids? What's there for them, amidst all of these old buildings? If you dread dragging little ones on cultural tours, but long for a bit of culture yourself, check out Vienna. In summer, the city has an astonishing number of kids' activities, well organized in the city's Ferienspiel plan listing free and cheap kids' activities all over town. In winter, holiday themed activities turn Vienna into a twinkling, often snowy, wonderland.

Roberta Brown

Latest posts by Roberta

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