ML Interest Tag: griffith-observatory

A Total Eclipse of LA: See It With Little Stargazers

by rtandreakagey

Opposites attract for one spectacular view on Sunday, September 27th when the sun and the moon tango in the sky for a rare total lunar eclipse. Grab some blankets and hot chocolate and take your little Galileos out for an unforgettable view of the night sky. Check out our suggestions of best places to sneak a peek at this “sheer lunar-cy” with or without telescopes.

photo credit: Kolleen G. via Yelp

Stargazers Unite
Griffith Observatory
The popular Observatory will be hosting a free Lunar Eclipse Presentation on Sunday, September 27 with astronomy staff members explaining the phases of the eclipse to the crowd as they happen. The event will run from 6:30-9:45 p.m. and if a beautiful night under the stars isn’t enough, the Observatory will also have a pianist at a grand piano playing “moon themed music.” (Moonlight Sonata, anyone?) Take note, however, that parking is limited at the Observatory itself and the winding side street has been known to cause quite the traffic jam on popular nights, especially if there is a concert at the Greek Theatre. We suggest arriving quite early for a prime viewing spot and stress free parking or take the Metro Red Line (Sunset/Vermont) and the DASH Observatory Weekend Shuttle; they’re expecting an enormous crowd and parking will be challenging. If you can’t make it to the Observatory but still want to partake in the commentary, they’ll be live streaming the lunar eclipse on Griffith TV via their website.

2800 East Observatory Rd.
Griffith Park
213-473-0800
Online: griffithobs.org

photo credit: Santa Monica Mountains National Rec Area Facebook Page

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
Head up to the Santa Monica Mountains and join Focus Astronomy for a special lunar eclipse viewing party. They provide the telescopes, you provide the inquiring minds. Telescopes will be available for viewing and photographing the eclipse until 10 p.m. When the sun sets they’ll train the telescopes to the moon as it rises over the hills. This free event is from 5-10 p.m. Contact the Visitor Center for more information at 805-370-2301.

Rancho Sierra Vista
4121 Potrero Rd.
Newbury Park
805-370-2301
Online: nps.gov/findapark/event-listing.htm?eventID=27035

photo credit: Dennis E. via Santa Monica Sidewalk Astronomers Website


Take to the Streets
Santa Monica Sidewalk Astronomers
Look for these star guides on the 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica. They’ll have their telescopes set up for your galactic crew to view. And if your pint-size Copernicus catches the astronomy bug then Barnes and Noble is nearby for all of your star-reading needs. Or drive a little further up the boardwalk to Venice Beach where you’ll find more Sidewalk Astronomers near the Rose Avenue outfall. Either way, you can’t beat a starry sky over crashing waves.
Online: nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov/club-view.cfm?Club_ID=700


Burbank Sidewalk Astronomers
You can find some of the Burbank Sidewalk Astronomers set up at the Asia Pacific Museum in Pasadena where they’ll provide telescopes for the public. Keep an eye on their website for details and updates.
Online: home.earthlink.net/~sidewalkastronomers/index.html


LA Sidewalk Astronomers
Take the metro to the North Hollywood stop and enjoy people watching and star gazing alike. The LA Sidewalk crew will be set up near the NoHo Metro station.
Online: nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov/club-view.cfm?Club_ID=1224

Party in Your Backyard
The sky should be clear enough on the 27th to enjoy the eclipse from the comfort of your own backyard—even without a telescope. Here’s an approximate time frame for Los Angeles of what to expect from the cosmos:

6:45pm: Moon rises (Moon in partial eclipse)
7:11pm: Totality begins (Moon is totally covered in shadow)
7:47pm: Maximum eclipse
8:23pm: Totality ends (Moon emerges from shadow)
9:27pm: Umbral eclipse ends

photo credit: NASA Moon Images Flickr album/Bob Gent

Party in the Forest
Worried about getting a clear view of the sky from your personal city scape? Pack your binoculars and try one of these LA starry views for a cosmic retreat.  All are spectacular star watching spots on this or any night.

  1. Templin Highway, Angeles National Forest
  2. Saddleback Butte State Park, Antelope Valley
  3. Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve, Antelope Valley
  4. Topanga State Park, Santa Monica Mountains
  5. Malibu Creek State Park, Santa Monica Mountains
  6. Mount Wilson, Angeles National Forest
  7. Frazier Park & Mount Pinos, Los Padres National Forest

Don’t see your favorite star gazing spot listed above? Share it with us in the comments!

—Andrea Conway Kagey

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Have A Super Last (Extra) Week of Summer Vacation

by Meghan Rose

Your prayers have been answered! LAUSD is one week closer to having the school year start after Labor Day. Which means there is an extra week of summer vacation this year. Which is awesome…and a little scary. You used up all your good stuff (beach, pool, beach again) in the first few weeks. Well, we’ve got 15 ideas that will make the last week of summer vacation the best.

photo credit: Nicole Castanada

Leave your ipad, iphone and any other screens at home and hit a new park. There’s one in Highland Park, Griffith Park, Beverly Hills or downtown.

It’s time to rock at the Skirball with the exhibit Bill Graham and the Rock n Roll Revolution. Kids can stop at the music stations, put on the headphones and soak in some great music. Or the whole family can step in  a mini theater complete with classics songs and a light show that is like stepping directly into a lava lamp.

Sure you hit the beach and the pools and even a splash pad or 4. But have you been swimming in a natural water hole?

photo credit: Churro Burough’s facebook page

Try a new ice cream. New to LA this warm season are ice cream tacos, ice cream churros, ice cream donuts, honey milk ice cream… and new August flavors at the enchantingly creative Salt & Straw.

See the biggest movie of summer. Nope, it’s not starring minions or dinosaurs or the talking voices in your head.

Get a jump on learning at the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit at the Science Center (so when they write their “what I did this summer vacation” essay in school you sound all cultured and stuff).

photo credit: Judy Park

“Shake It Off” with Taylor Swift. Even if you didn’t score tickets for her concerts at Staples at the end of the month, the whole family will enjoy the exhibit that’s been extended since everyone from toddlers to tweens (and parents) love the light-up dance floor at the Grammy Museum’s ode to Swifty.

Go camping. Or glamping. Or for a staycation in a hotel. Basically, we’re saying sleep somewhere other than your bed. Heck, a sleeping bag in your back yard works!

Go to the Bowl for a rehearsal—it’s the best free show in town.

photo credit: LeTania Kirkland

Check out a hip hood, one that just happens to have fantastic food. Choose from Chinatown or Japantown…

The last Little Rancher’s Roundup takes place on Tuesday at the Leonis Adobe. This week’s theme is Fiesta on the Ranch. Giddy-up on over.

Get ready for the Emmy’s with the kids (we know you’re binge watching after they go to bed, to get ready!). Check out the FIDM exhibition of costumes from TV shows, which have a healthy dose of costumes kids will recognize and enjoy, including those from Marvel’s Agent Carter, Once Upon a Time, Peter Pan Live! and Gotham.

photo credit: LeTania Kirkland

Baseball! Majors or Minors. Or Sparks, if basketball is more your thing. Maybe soccer? Catch a pro ball game before summer disappears.

If you’ve exhausted the summer’s movie budget with multiple screenings of the Minions and Inside Out, the $1 movie mornings sound extra appealing. Or how about $5 for a day of unlimited Disney big screen screenings?

See a comet formed before your very eyes at the Griffith Observatory.

What’s on your bucket list for these last golden days of summer vacation? Let us know in the comment section.

—Meghan Rose

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25 Reasons To Be Thankful You’re A Los Angeles Parent

by rtkrishannbriscoe

The beach in November, snowcations in Mammoth, and enough food from around the globe to ensure sophisticated palates by age 3—LA is a glorious place to be a parent. Not like you need any reminding (a holiday trip home to the Midwest should take care of that), but we wanted to take a moment to reflect on what makes our home the happiest place on earth for both kids and parents.

why we're thankful to be a parent in Los Angeles photo by Flickr user Maxime Auger via Creative Commons

photo credit: Maxime Auger via Creative Commons

1. You don’t have to board a plane to allow your kids to immerse themselves in a new culture. Chinatown, Olvera Street, Little Tokyo and Little Ethiopia are just a freeway (or a few blocks) away.

2. The arts abound, with museums, theater, art studios, music classes or dance performances and lessons; there are a million and one ways here to cultivate your children’s artistic abilities and interests.

3. We live in a city where people are free to be who they are. Individuals and families of various cultures and walks of life all call this place home and each day is an opportunity to instill kindness, compassion and tolerance in our kids.  From Venice to WeHo to Ktown to Downtown, just visit any nook in our city to check out the awesome diversity.

4. Whether it’s at the Griffith Observatory, Hollywood Walk of Fame or The Grove shopping center, stars (human ones and the kind our kids wish upon) abound in this city known for star sightings.

5. We’ve got mountain tops and ocean views, sunsets and forests, gardens and the desert, cities and suburbs and just about everything in between. If it’s all about location, location, location— here in LA we’ve got it in spades.

slideshow_2

photo credit: Chaboukie

6. Shop til you drop at hip, trendy and one-of-a-kind boutiques, second hand stores where you can score designer duds for less, and even big box stores abound where you can go bulk and stock up on all those things that always seem to disappear from the diaper bag. If you want to buy it, you can find it!

7. Even in the dead of winter families can spend the afternoon pool side. Only in LA can you find people heading to the sand for the holiday staycation. Park play-dates also happen throughout the year. Struggling in and out of snowsuits?  Can’t even imagine it!

8. Here in the winter, we have sweater weather. Not parka weather, not wellington boots and thermals weather—sweater weather. Closet space is for surf boards, tennis & golf gear and sand toys, not bulky coats.

9. We don’t have to leave town to hit the theme park! Whether your kid loves the thrill of a roller-coaster at Six Flags, the chance for a dinosaur sighting at Universal Studios or they’ve got a soft spot for the mouse, you don’t have to spring for plane tix to indulge in childhood’s greatest delights.

10. People make fun of our eating habits, but we love the variety. There’s an eatery that caters to the taste buds or allergies of every member of your family. Whether you’ve got a sushi lover or a kid who will only eat mac and cheese you’re covered. Hip froyo spots and cool coffee shops are just the tip of the iceberg. Vegetarian, juice bars and gluten-free havens are on every corner. Not to mention, we’ve got our share of legendary food places.

Clover via facebook 4

photo credit: Clover via facebook

11. After a long week, few things are more relaxing than a nap. But a great manicure and pedicure come close. Nail shops are as numerous as palm readers in our city and many cater to the 10 and under crowd.  Pamper ’em young, we say!

12. Living in LA can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be.  LA has loads of really cool free activities— stuff to eat and do. Whether it’s a free concert, museum or a restaurant where kids eat free, living in LA doesn’t have to break the bank.

13. Contrary to popular belief, LA peeps are not as self absorbed as some think. From donating to a local charity to dropping off food at the food bank, there are loads of ways we teach our kids to make a difference in our city—and beyond.

14. We practically invented farm to table, mostly because here the farm is never far from the table! As the fruit bowl of the nation, several farms can be found close by. On a lazy day, simply opt for a local farmers market.  There’s one on every corner, every day of the week.

15. We do complain about the traffic a bit, but we don’t even have to leave the house!  You can have milk and cookies delivered, order Thanksgiving dinner to go or have a cool class come to you.

16. It’s a great city to show your little girl some serious girl power. Women are political leaders (both CA Senators are women!), professors, activists, studio execs, business owners and holding their own in the rink.

derbydollsontrack

photo credit: Derby Dolls

17. We’re a movie town, but we love our books! With libraries galore, indie bookstores tucked around town and specialty places for kids like Books and Cookies, not to mention the annual LA Times Festival of Books, LA loves the lit.

18. LA is leading the charge in going green.  We’re all about making strides to reduce our carbon footprint and helping our kids learn how they can do the same. Recycling and upcycling may seem trendy, but here it’s also a way of life.

19. There are plenty of places to make a splash. Public pools, splash pads and water parks. Even in the drought-iest of days, you can keep it cool.

20. We still have a winter experience, just minus the freezing temps! Local malls bring out ice skating rinks and artificial (and real) snow all winter long. And you can always turn up the AC while you sip your phenomenal Hot Chocolate.

Big Gay Ice Cream

photo credit: Big Gay Ice Cream

21. While we are a rather health conscious city, we do love our sweets.  Ice cream is the new cupcake, donuts (and fonuts) rule the breakfast table and we’ve never met a macaron or salted caramel treat we wouldn’t devour.

22. But back to the health conscious thing – we’re a fit city! With awesome hiking trails, exercise classes with kids and super yoga for the whole fam, we’ve got lots of ways to get and stay fit together.

23. To drive or not to drive, that is the question. No, really!  We’ve got options. There’s actually an extensive and growing subway, trains and bus system in the city. And with more bike lanes and bike laws all the time, we’re becoming a pedal friendly place, too.

24. Not only are there tons of opportunities for kids to participate in athletics, but there are many opportunities for them to watch them. The Derby Dolls, Dodgers & Angles, Clippers & Lakers, Sparks, Kings & Ducks, the Galaxy and USC & UCLA all call this city home.  Who needs football?

25. Our city is filled with a rich history, and each day every family living here gets a chance to add to LA’s story.

What’s your story? What makes you thankful to be an LA Parent?

-Krishann Briscoe

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Your Los Angeles 10 Before 10 Bucket List

by Tinybeans Team

You know how there are New Yorkers who have never been to the top of the Empire State Building?  Don’t raise the L.A. version of that kid!  With so much to do here, and traffic being, well, LA traffic, it’s easy to miss a few “gottas.”  So, check our bucket list of the 10 things all kids growing up in Los Angeles should experience, and see what you can cross off — and where you should be heading this weekend.

 

Hooray for the Hollywood Sign

Paris has the Eiffel Tower. NY has Lady Liberty. We have the Hollywood Sign – the most iconic vista in town. Perched on the top of Mt. Lee, it is in fact possible to hike up above the letters and look down. But it’s a long and hot hike, and trails are often closed. So with kids, we recommend taking in the view from Griffith Observatory. Parking is easier, you can hike to one of several vantage points that are all kid-friendly, and while you’re here, you can visit the observatory and take in sweeping views of the rest of the city. Don't miss all of the the amazing activities for kids that Griffith Park has to offer.

2800 E Observatory Rd, Griffith Park
Phone:213-473-0800
Online: griffithobs.org
photo credit: Eva Leudin via Creative Commons

Can you check everything off, or do you need to get busy?  And what must-dos are we missing?  Let us know – we know you’ve got a strong opinion!

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The 2 Best Parks You’ve Never Been To

by sommy rhee

Google “kid-friendly parks in Los Angeles.”  Go ahead, we’ll wait.  Or we’ll save you the trouble: you’ll find lots of the same old familiar parks where you’ve probably play-dated plenty.  What you won’t find is either of these two hidden gems: Barnsdall Park and Greystone Mansion Park. Even their names sound very grown-up.  And at first glance, they both seem like beautiful, romantic places perfect for a doting, artsy couple in the honeymoon days of their relationship (yes, we were there once too).  But once you uncover what these parks have to offer, you’ll soon realize that they are both oft-overlooked family friendly spots that offers gorgeous outdoor views as well as fun attractions for the kids.  So this weekend take the family to explore one of these parks (instead of hitting the one down the street for the umpteenth time, the one where your kids take off for the jungle gym and you browse your iPhone) – we think they’ll become new favorite destinations.

Greystone Mansion & Park
Greystone Mansion was built by an oil magnate in 1927 and is a real piece of LA history.  The kids will get a kick out of visiting this castle-like structure (called Greystone because of all the grey stone used to build it – just like a castle!) with impressive grounds that include ponds with turtles and koi.  When driving up to the entrance be sure to look for a small green sign that says, Greystone Park Entrance, which marks the drive uphill to the spacious and free parking lot.


Once parked, head for the winding stairs, which are accessorized with cool plants of all sorts, including greens that are unconventionally planted on top of mini roofs.

Visit the many koi ponds that they have on the grounds.  The kids can sit for hours just observing the fish, baby tadpoles, and sun-basking turtles.

Equip the kids with comfortable shoes since there are a lot of paved paths great for strolling (but not great for strollers, so if you’ve got pre-walkers, don’t forget the baby carriers).  When you wander, don’t forget to stop and enjoy gorgeous views of Beverly Hills and beyond.

Being a little known spot means that this is a wonderful park to come to on a hot day – it’s rarely crowded and you can always find a place for a blanket under a shady tree to curl up with books, or watch the kids run around.  And don’t forget the cameras – there are tons of beautiful backdrops for family portraits or pictures of the kids (especially if they’re wearing their knight or princess costumes, as they’ll look right at home with the castle-like mansion in the background).  And check out the website for special events hosted here: car shows, tea time on the terrace, foodie classes for grownups and special summer music concerts all take place throughout the year.

Potty Presence
When you park, you may wish to note that the bathrooms are located at the bottom of the stairs next to the koi pond before you get to the mansion. This is convenient when you first arrive, and not as handy once you’ve started wandering.  You might want to make a pit stop upon arrival…

Greystone Mansion & Park
905 Loma Vista Drive
Beverly Hills, Ca
Phone: 310-286-0119
Online: greystonemansion.org
Hours: Daily 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

Barnsdall Park
Located in the Hollywood/Los Feliz area is a surprisingly peaceful, kid-friendly park with loads of free parking.  Upon entering the park, you can park at the ground level or drive up the hill to park closer to the art gallery and grounds. (If you are toting your kids and your stroller, we definitely suggest parking at the top of the hill.)

There is a large sunny lawn area for the kids to run around and catch some amazing views of the city.  Play “I Spy” with the kiddos and see if they can spot the Hollywood sign or the Griffith Observatory from afar.

Sun or shade?  This park has both.  When you need a break from the sunshine, grassy play, and spectacular views in front of the Hollyhock House (designed by Frank Lloyd Wright), move to the shady side in front of the Art Gallery, where you can get a little respite from the heat.  This side also has nice paths for scooters and little bikes.  And every Sunday from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm kids can let their creative minds loose at the free family art workshops that are open to the public .

In addition to the free weekend art classes, daily art classes for kids (and adults) are also offered varying by age and topic (and at very reasonable city-subsidized fees).  Check the website for the most recent list of classes here.


Barnsdall Park also offers wine tastings at the Hollyhock House (curated by Silverlake Wine) on Friday afternoons all summer, that offer juice boxes & crafts to the kids, and food trucks & hipster DJs spinning tunes for all.  You can always take a tour of the Municipal Art Gallery that houses some of Southern California’s rising stars in the art world or tour the Hollyhock House, also known as architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s very first project in Los Angeles.  Still need a reason to visit?  If you happen come on Wednesdays from 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm you can stock up on fresh fruits and veggies and enjoy an impromptu picnic at the farmer’s market.

Potty Presence
There is a spacious bathroom located right across from the Junior Arts Studio, but be sure to ask for the key from the Junior Arts Studio. When the studio is closed, don’t panic, take the kids to the bathroom located inside the Municipal Art Gallery. (Potty training parents please note that if both the Junior Arts Studio and the Municipal Art Gallery are closed, there are no outside public bathrooms.)

Barnsdall Park
4800 Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood, Ca
Phone: 323-660-4254
Online: barnsdall.org
Hours: Daily 5:00 am-10:00 pm

When did you last go to either of these picturesque parks?

— Sommy Rhee

Images courtesy of Sommy herself!

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It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane…It’s the Space Shuttle Endeavour

by writerredtri

Not so long ago, in a galaxy called the Milky Way, a space shuttle was built in a town about an hour outside of Los Angeles (Palmdale).  It flew over 100 million miles and spent almost a year of its lifetime in outer space.  This dynamic little shuttle wanted nothing more than to retire to its sunny hometown, delighting and educating school kids for generations to come…

Image courtesy of Renata Kanclerz.

You might have heard a little something about the space shuttle Endeavour recently!  It was kind of hard to miss all the excitement, as it flew over major landmarks in the city and school kids lined up on school playgrounds, at the airport or at the beach for a view of the historic flight.  Then a few weeks later the shuttle was met with fans and crowds at every turn as it made its way along the streets of the city.  (Check out an amazing time-lapse video of that trek here.)  And then it arrived home at the California Science Center, where it will live at the Sam Oschin Pavilion. What are you waiting for?  Get your tickets today and go see it up close and in person!  But first… let us give you the scoop on getting the most out of your visit.

Image courtesy of Craig Deitrich via Flickr.

Super cool facts about our very own space shuttle
Our space program has had 5 orbiters—Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavour—and together they have made a total of 135 missions. Endeavour was the final orbiter to join the shuttle fleet. Endeavour’s final mission took place in May 2011. More fun facts:

  • Is the first (and only) shuttle named by kids.
  • Is the first shuttle to service the Hubble Space Telescope.
  • It carried the first African-American female astronaut into space (Mae Jemison), the first Japanese astronaut in the shuttle program (Mamoru Mohri) and the first married couple to fly on the same space mission (Mark Lee and Jan Davis).
  • And on Endeavour’s first spaceflight, four spacewalks were completed in a single shuttle mission, which had never been done before.

What to do when you visit
Endeavour is currently on display in the Samuel Oschin Space Shuttle Endeavour Display Pavilion. (Until a new addition to the Science Center called the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center is completed).

Image courtesy of Renata Kanclerz.

Endeavour: The California Story is the first stop on every visit – it’s a companion exhibit featuring pictures and artifacts (like Endeavour’s potty, galley and tires) that relate the shuttle program to California, where the orbiters were built

You may have to forewarn your kiddos that this is a “looking not touching” exhibit.   To preserve the spacecraft, they will not be able to actually enter it.  But they will be able to get as close to Endeavour as possible and examine it from many perspectives and elevations.

Don’t forget the IMAX tickets
Two space IMAX movies will be showing to round out your day.  Choose between Hubble 3D, where the audience goes along with space-walking astronauts as they attempt one of the most difficult and important tasks in NASA’s history- repairing the Hubble Space Telescope; and Blue Planet, which features footage taken by crews during five space shuttle missions (including a breathtaking “earthrise”).  Or better yet, don’t choose, see both!

Image courtesy of Renata Kanclerz.

Space shuttles and astronauts and meteors, oh my!
Did this just whet your appetite for more outer space encounters?  You’re in luck:  Los Angeles is a great place to explore the final frontier!  Not only do we have Jet Propulsion Labs in Pasadena (and did you know, you can book a private tour there at any time), there is the Columbia Memorial Space Center in Downey, the recently renovated Griffith Observatory, with wonderful programs for kids, public star parties and an awesome planetarium, and finally, the Mount Wilson Observatory is open to the public from April 1 – November 30.

The 411
Because you’re not the only family who can’t wait to see the shuttle, a visit requires a timed ticket, which you can reserve in advance online.  The tickets are free, but there is a $2 service charge per ticket.  If you’ve got youngsters who aren’t good at waiting, you may wish to make your trip during non-peak times (peak viewing times are weekday mornings and weekend afternoons), as even timed ticket entry may be delayed during those times.

The California Science Center is located at 700 Exposition Park Drive, right in the middle of Exposition Park (adjacent to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and across the street from the University of Southern California).  There is plenty of on-site parking for $10, or leave your car at home and take public transit! Take the Metro Expo Line and exit at the Expo Park/USC Station.

Food Tips
If you don’t want to eat McDonalds, Taco Bell or a cafeteria style option, pack a picnic and eat in the beautiful Rose Garden behind the museum.  Something is usually in bloom and kids delight in running around the giant fountain!

Let us know about your trip to see the Endeavour. Any tips you’d like to share with our readers? 

— Meghan Rose

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