LA County Natural History Museum

Life with my three year olds often revolves around negotiation. I try to convince them to eat their vegetables, pick up their toys, and behave in public. In return, they bargain with me for trips to the zoo, cookies, trains, and dinosaurs. The majority of the time, our negotiations go nowhere but every once in a while, one of us gets lucky. This time, the kids got their dinosaurs.

The Natural History Museum is a Los Angeles institution. Its located in the heart of LA, next to the Coliseum, in Exposition Park (and yes, its worth the traffic to get there). The gargantuan staircase out front leads you into a world of paleontology, dioramas of African mammals, and California history. Walking through the museum’s grandiose halls swept me back in time to the days of elementary school field trips and excited exploration.

The diorama halls are old fashioned but still entertaining. Its nice to be able to stand so close to wild (stuffed) animals and actually get a feel for their true size. Even with that mid twentieth century feel, we still had plenty of fun indentifying the African and North American Mammals.

Of course, my kids came with expectations to see dinosaurs. Unfortunately, most of the dinosaurs are currently not on exhibit. The Dinosaur Hall is undergoing major renovations for a state of the art exhibit to open in 2011. You better believe we will be there for that! In the meantime you can still see a Trex and Triceratops battle it our in the Grand Foyer or peek inside the windows of the Dino Lab to see real paleontologists hard at work during the restoration process. 

The Bird Hall was another fun place to explore. There were stuffed birds everywhere! Dioramas of birds. Birds behind glass cases. Eggs from different species of birds. It was avian madness!!!!! My favorite display was the hummingbird egg next to the ostrich egg. It really put into perspective just how diverse nature can be.

We quickly walked through the Gems and Minerals, Shells, and ancient Latin American Art because quite frankly, my three year olds just weren’t that interested. We spent a bit more time in the American and California History because it involved swords, cable cars, and model ships. But what really excited my kids was the Discovery Center.

The Discovery Center is geared towards children and gives plenty of hands on opportunities. Ben could have spent the rest of his life building the Trex and searching for bones in the Paleontology Dig Pit.  Mari enjoyed the pit as well but she also loved searching for tiny creatures inside the many terrariums they had set up inside the center. She found everything from snakes, to beetles, to giant hairy tarantulas! Eek!

All in all, I think the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County has something to offer for everyone. Are interested in spending some time exploring those great halls? Looking for details? The museum is located at 900 Exposition Blvd in Los Angeles and is open from 9:30 to 5:00 seven days a week. Adult admission is $9, Children 13-17 are $6.50, 5-12 years old are only $2 and Children under 5 are FREE. Such a bargain! 

Family Vacation
Los Angeles

Venice Beach

Some people may have thought I was a bit odd when I decided I HAD to take my three year olds to Venice Beach. After all, it doesn’t exactly have the same classic family feel as the Santa Monica Pier just a couple miles down the road. But I live in South Orange County, the Land of Homogeneity. There isn’t a lot of variety in our neck of the woods. Everyone sort of looks the same, dresses the same and acts the same. I love where I live and have met a lot of great people but I want my kids to understand that this great world of ours is filled with all different walks of life. And you can find some of the most unique at Venice Beach.

Lucky for me, my brother lives within walking distance of this bizarre little strand of sand. So we piled into the car and headed on down to see Uncle Chris. We walked down past the marina filled with opulent yachts and strolled past yuppies that appeared to be texting each other while sitting at the same table at an outdoor cafe. We drooled at beach front homes with views that most of us can only dream about. The kids played under the pier  and chased seagulls.

Then the scenery slowly began to change. Same spectacular beach front, just a different group of people. Multi-million dollar homes were replaced by knock off sunglass shops, tshirt stores, and “storefronts” promoting that green plant that is legal to smoke in CA with a valid medical prescription.It was a place where performers walked on glass for money and men sold bunnies out of their jackets. A beach where skate boarding and  graffiti were actually encouraged.   It was odd. It was eclectic. And my kids loved it.

A man dressed in a turban, hemp clothing, and the oddest roller skates I have ever seen was serenading passer-byers on his electric guitar. Guys were shooting hoops on the very court Woody Harrelson taught America that white men could in fact jump. Old tan men in speedos were working out alongside buffed out pretty boys on a little portion of  the strand dubbed “Muscle Beach”. It was the carnival of eclecticism that tourists have come to expect from Venice Beach.

 

I really do believe it is important to see America for what it really is- a wide variety of individuals enjoying the freedom to be whoever they want to be. Most people seem to fit into one mold or another but there will always be individuals who strive to break it, and I want my kids to know those people too.

Just a block from the beach begin the canals. Their quiet beauty is a nice contrast to the flamboyance of the beach. Pathways skirt the canals and provide a wonderful place to take a stroll. Kayaks cruise silently past well manicured homes and under quaint little bridges. During the holidays the neighborhoods surrounding the canals come alive with brilliant lights and festive paddle boat parades. Eventually you drift back out of the canal district and into reality. Venice was an interesting urban hike, and it was definitely one I am glad I let my children experience.

Family Travel Tips
Los Angeles

Aint’ No Business Like Snow Business

We don’t get snow in Orange County. Okay, maybe at the very top of Saddleback Mountain or when a community has it trucked in for a play day, but that’s about it. This suits me just fine. I could really do without winter. Give me sunny and 75 every day and you won’t hear me complaining. I would much rather visit winter than live in it. Luckily, we can drive a couple hours and be surrounded in the powdery white stuff. Its one of the great things about living in Southern California- beach one day, snow the next. Recently we received a nice dumping of snow in our mountains so we decided to head on up towards Wrightwood and have a snow day!

The first time we took our kids to the snow was in the Sierras. It was just after they started walking and they were not too pleased to be confronted with a new obstacle. Now, they are three years old so walking in the snow took only a few minutes of getting used to before they were old pros. But we didn’t come for a walk! We came to sled. I am not sure who had more fun, my husband or my children.

   

No trip to the snow is complete without a snowman. Paul made an Orange County snowwoman, complete with tiny waist. I made a more traditional snowman. A dog liked my creation so much he peed on it!

We had snowball fights,ate the snow and played until the ice soaked through our gloves and froze our fingers. My kids are already asking for more. So is Paul I think we may have another snow day in our future…

 

If you are looking for a place to have a snow day in Socal check out Wrightwood. It is closer to LA and Orange County than Big Bear and doesn’t involve winding mountain roads. We took Interstate 15 to Hwy 138 to Hwy 2. Mountain High Ski Resort is just down the road and has a tubing park (it was sold out the day we went but we still had a great time at a much cheaper price). Pull off on the side of the road when you see a good spot and be prepared to pay a small fee to play since it is private land (we paid $5.00 per person). The landowners charge fees not because they are mean and greedy but because people leave trash behind and someone has to clean it up. So pay the high school kid five bucks and pick up your trash! Nature is not a garbage dump. 

Aquarium of the Pacific

It has been raining in Southern California. No, I take that back. Its has been POURING in Southern California. The kind of weather you expect to see in Texas or Florida but not here. We are not equipped for the rain. Our schools are outdoors, our play areas are outside, and sometimes finding something to do that is inside can be a challenge. Luckily, there is the Aquarium of the Pacific. Its not completely insidoors but you can still see most exhibits without so much as getting a drop of rain on your head.

We headed to the Aquarium of the Pacific during our last big patch of rain. Mari had won a free ticket  at a beach clean up and Ben had been talking about sharks non-stop. As soon as we walked through the entrance we were taken aback by an enormous whale hanging from the ceiling. Immediately my kids started squealing with excitement. We continued on over to a huge tank filled with fish. The kids pressed their noses up to the glass and got up close and personal with some of the animals that reside in the Pacific.

I glanced out a window and noticed that there was a break in the rain so we hurried to check out the outdoor activities. Ben was immediately drawn to the play area where he could pretend he was a pirate on the ship and climb on some sharks. We were able to coax him away once he realized there were real sharks and rays in the big tank and he could touch them!

 

Our reprieve from the rain was short lived so we headed back inside. Luckily the seals and sea lions were ready and willing to put on a show for us. The kids were absolutely thrilled to be so close to those adorable pinnipeds.  If you choose to visit the aquarium on a sunny day, you can also view the seals and sea lions from outside (though I happen to prefer the underwater view).

We went from tank to tank, learning about the wonders of the Pacific from jellyfish to otters to sea dragons to puffins.  We visited the freezing cold waters of the Pacific Northwest and then oggled the brightly colored sea life of the tropical Pacific.

In addition to the sea life exhibits there is also a really cool 3D movie that you can watch at the aquarium. We passed on it during our most recent visit because Mari gets a little freaked out by 3D but I have seen it in the past and its well worth your time. If you would like more information on the Aquarium of the Pacific click here.

Family Travel Tips
Long Beach

LA County Fair

Ahhh...... the La County Fair. Where else can a city kid get face to face with a cow, pet a sheep, and run through a corn maze without leaving the metropolitan area? Of course no self respecting fair exists without fried food, halls filled with people selling the next big thing, and rides that spin so fast I get nauseated just looking at them. Lucky for us Socal residents, the LA County Fair has all of this. But did you know it is also where you can pet an alligator, walk amongst dinosaurs and teach your kids the fine art of horse betting? I didn't either, until I went!

It seems as though whenever I make plans to go to a fair, the weather gods plot against me and send temperatures soaring up into the 100s. Lucky (or unlucky) for me, I am stubborn and when  make I plans to go to the stinking fair, we are going to the stinking fair. I had promised my daughter a birthday ride on a carousel and since Legoland did not have one (shocking isn't it? I mean how cute would a Lego carousel be?), I knew I could fulfill her wish at the fair.  Yes, it felt like it was about 116 as we walked across the never ending span of asphalt through the parking lot, past all the big kid rides, and over to the tiny tots section, but the excitement on her face when we finally spotted her coveted "up and down" was worth it. Plus, getting the carousel ride out of the way meant I didn't have to listen to her requests continuously for a second day in a row. She is a persistent little monkey.

From there we shopped the air conditioned buildings where I secured a lifetime supply of jewelry cleaner and contemplated spending too much money on a jalapeno griller thingy (it seemed like such a cool thing to have at the time) before sounds of Paul asking me where my sanity went echoed in the back of my head.

The kids were getting antsy and I was feeling recovered enough to journey back into the heat so we headed over to the farm area. We greeted the panting farm animals and fondled some goats but I think Mari and Ben's favorite part was running through the hay bail maze. They did it over and over and over and over. Mari just kept running. Never stopped. Never seemed winded. That child is born to run. Ben, on the other hand, was pink and sweaty after a couple laps and kept finding ways to cheat in the maze. That's my boy.

After a pony ride we left the farm area and headed back in to the AC. This is where Ben hit the jackpot. An entire building devoted to dinosaurs! The kids got to pet an alligator  and walked amongst animatronic giants. Ben was so excited he just didn't know what to do with himself.  Dinosaurs were definitely not something I was expecting to see at the fair!

Our trip to fair couldn't be complete without some horse racing. The kids had a blast cheering for the horses and playing with the older cousins in the stands between races. I tried to get Ben to tell me if I should take horse 3 or horse 5 in the next race and he kept insisting I pick "ball". There was no ball choice but Ben obviously thought there should be. In his world, balls are always the best choice.

This weekend is the last weekend of the LA County Fair and I highly encourage you to go. The weather should be in the low 70s (finally!) and your kids will have a great time. Oh- and if you get a chance, throw two bucks on the number three horse for me, he's due!

Family Travel Tips
Los Angeles

Family Travel Tips
Pomona

A Day in Marine Del Rey

LA is weird. One second you are in the ghetto, the next you are surrounded by million dollar homes. Regardless of the socio-economic level of any given neighborhood, one thing is constant. Traffic is a bitch. Where else can you sit traffic at 3AM because a car chase is speeding on down the 5? Given some of its less than desirable qualities, LA does have some great weather and fantastic beaches.

The other day I decided to head up to Marina Del Rey and pay my brother a visit. His apartment (that he pays both of his arms and legs for) is conveniently located across the street from the marina which conveniently has cute little beach and playground.

This beach is more like a lake than the ocean since its at the marina. This is boring for surfers but pretty great for parents since they can let their kids play in the water without fear of them being swept out to sea. It isn't the prettiest beach I have ever been to but the kids loved wading safely in the water and then running back up the beach to go down a slide or take a quick swing. Plus they enjoy the view of all the boats in the marina. You can make a nice afternoon of it at the Marina Del Rey Beach and dine at the Cheesecake Factory which is on site. Or grab a piece of cheesecake and bring it back to the beach if you would rather sit and enjoy the rays.

I have to end this post with a couple pictures of our time at Chris's apartment. The kids were in love with his kitten. The kitten was not nearly as impressed with Mari and Ben.

We ended our day with Chris because he had plans. He had to put on his purple jumpsuit and head off to Lebowski Fest. Yep. I did say purple jumpsuit. Here are shots of him dressed as Jesus from the Big Lebowski. Enjoy!

Santa Monica Pier

I have lived in California pretty much all my life. 18 of those years I lived in Southern California. Now you would think in all that time maybe, just maybe I would have been to the Santa Monica Pier. But no. Never. So on a recent trip to see my brother's new  baby kitten Sofia Cheetara (do you like the Thundercats reference?), I made the executive decision to have lunch at the pier.

 

There is just something quintessentially LA about the Santa Monica Pier. Maybe its the beach that is so wide that it seems to stretch on forever. Or perhaps it is the vendor trying to sell you a picture of yourself next to a cardboard cutout of your favorite star. It could even be the family wearing matching Mexican ponchos that are way too small for them which they probably purchased earlier in the day at Olvera Street. Or maybe it is all of those things combined. The day we went was cold and dreary but I can just imagine the beach full of bikini clad girls and middle aged fat European men in speedos come summer.  It isn't as big as I thought it would be. Certainly no Santa Cruz Boardwalk but there is a charm to it. Carnival rides, souvenir shops, and locals trying to cast a line and get lucky. Not a bad place to spend the afternoon.

 

 

PS- Anyone know what movie this is from????