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

Back to School Clothes: LA's Best Deals and Styles for School Shopping

Submitted by Roberta B on Fri, 08/03/2012 - 6:10pm

Most LA school districts are going back earlier than ever this year - in some cases a whole lot earlier; is your child's wardrobe ready? Are the long pants long enough, the shoes closed-toe enough, and the lunch boxes appetizing enough? Most importantly, is there something in the closet exciting and cool enough to lure those little LAUSD recruits off the beach and into the classroom? If the answer to any of these questions is "Eek! Not yet!" then it's time to hit some back-to-school sales. And since finding great deals on all this gear is Mom's priority, we've collected six favorite places - three national chains and three for Angelenos only - where you can find fabulous school fashions at prices that won't make you resent the next growth spurt.

Mary Poppins Give-away: Four Free Tickets To See Mary Poppins at the Ahmanson

Submitted by Roberta B on Wed, 07/18/2012 - 10:32pm

Kidville, Brentwood's new indoor playspace, wants one lucky Mommy Poppins reader to win four free tickets to see the hit musical Mary Poppins at the Ahmanson! The Broadway show comes back to LA in August for a four week run, and Kidville figures that if anyone deserves a night out with Mary Poppins, it's Mommy Poppins. Read on for details of the give-away and a special Mary Poppins celebration at Kidville.

Shakespeare's As You Like It at the VA's Japanese Garden

Submitted by Roberta B on Tue, 07/17/2012 - 5:24am

If there's one city in the world that deserves more Shakespeare in the park than any other, surely it's ours. Oh, yes, London may be Shakespeare's 'hood, and New York has that awfully famous park, but we've got something infinitely more important: the weather. No need to suffer for our art here; when Angelenos see theater al fresco on a summer evening it is a pure delight - it is, in fact, As You Like It.

Summer Camp Give-away: $250 Gift Certificate for UCLA Family Commons Camp

Submitted by Roberta B on Sun, 06/10/2012 - 2:56pm

Wait, so you're still looking for summer camp? Evidently "wait" is your mantra. Well, waiting is about to pay off: we have a $250 gift certificate to share with one lucky procrastinator family! UCLA Family Commons in Santa Monica has every kind of summer camp imaginable - boys only, girls only, and little kids, too - and Mommy Poppins is giving away a $250 certificate to be applied to any week of camp. Read on for details - and don't forget to check out our other last minute summer camp deals, too!

The Transit of Venus - Is It Another Solar Eclipse?

Submitted by Roberta B on Wed, 05/30/2012 - 12:24pm

If you invested in a pair of eclipse viewing glasses or welder's glass last week for the solar eclipse, we have great news: you're about to get to use them again! As unlikely as it seems, we are to be treated to yet another once-in-a-lifetime celestial event in the sky over southern California, on the afternoon and evening of June 5, 2012. This time instead of the moon passing between us and the sun, our neighbor planet Venus makes a far rarer shadowy appearance known as the Transit of Venus - viewable in LA for the first time since 1882 (and the last until 2117!).

2012/13 Academic Year Calendars for LA Area Schools

Submitted by Roberta B on Sun, 04/29/2012 - 4:01am

The first day of school has been creeping farther and farther back in recent years, cutting deeper and deeper into summer. For many schools, August is part of the school year now, while other districts still cling to the time-honored "never before Labor Day" approach. All of this can make summer camp complicated to maneuver for some families, while others are knee-deep in homework.

From Burbank’s August 13 start date to Torrance’s September 6, don't just assume you know when school starts based on last year! Check our list of start and finish dates for the 2012/13 school year in and around LA County...

Guest Blogger: Christina Simon Gives the Scoop on Applying to LA Private Elementary Schools

Submitted by Roberta B on Thu, 03/29/2012 - 6:05pm

Christina Simon is the co-author of Beyond The Brochure: An Insider’s Guide To Private Elementary Schools In Los Angeles. She is the mom of a 3rd grade son and a 5th grade daughter who attend The Willows Community School. Christina’s work has been published on Salon.com, Mamapedia, BlogHer, The Mother Company, Scary Mommy, ecomom, and numerous other sites. She blogs at Beyond the Brochure, or you can find her on Facebook.

Museum of Flying at Santa Monica Airport: Plane Old Fun

Submitted by Roberta B on Thu, 03/22/2012 - 2:11pm

At the risk of being accused of gender-based stereotypes, I believe I have located the exact street address of Daddy Heaven. Don't get me wrong - I thoroughly enjoyed taking my son to the Museum of Flying at Santa Monica Airport the other day, and my son had a great time, too. But the people giving off the true glow of aerial ecstasy at this newly re-opened Santa Monica landmark are definitely the dads. It is, hands-down, the ultimate daddy outing.

Roberta Brown

Latest posts by Roberta

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