“Veronica Mars” Has Its First Official Trailer & Yes––There’s a Taser

by Shahrzad WarkentinMay 3, 2019

Get ready marshmallows, the wait is nearly over! Hulu’s revival of Veronica Mars has an official full-length trailer that has us wishing that Jul. 26 was here already.

Neptune’s intrepid gumshoe is heading back to the small screen in the new eight-episode season, where spring break is in full effect. When tourists end up dead, Mars Investigations is hired to unravel the mystery behind the killings. And the result? An action-packed trailer that we may have already watched several times.

The minute-long trailer gives us so much more than the previous 35-second teaser released last month. We see that Kristen Bell and her taser aren’t the only characters to make an appearance––Enrico Colantoni, Jason Dohring, Patton Oswalt, and J.K. Simmons are also getting in on the action.

We can expect to see returning actors Percy Daggs III, Francis Capra and Ryan Hansen also head back to Neptune, but no word on whether gal pal Tina Majorino (who played Mac) will be joining the gang. Tune in to catch all eight episodes of the new show on Hulu on Jul. 26, 2019.

—Shahrzad Warkentin & Karly Wood

Featured photo: Veronica Mars via Instagram

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Where Can You Buy Luna Legend’s Playhouse? It’s Not Too Pricey & It’s Super Cute

by Erica LoopApril 10, 2019

Now your little star can live like a celeb. Luna Legend’s playhouse is available at Sam’s Club and yes, you can have this cute cottage for the littles in your backyard, too.

Supermodel and super-mama Chrissy Teigen recently tweeted about something that’s oh-so-relatable to many parents—the trials and tribulations of building their own child’s playhouse. Even though the Teigen and hubby John Legend, could have hired out the build to a pro, the couple took the DIY approach.

2 hours 35 minutes and counting pic.twitter.com/0D9kFF5bjm

— chrissy teigen (@chrissyteigen) March 28, 2019

Teigen documented the beginning of the build with a Twitter video, starting out with what most mamas know is a laughable shot of the playhouse box’s label reading, “Less build time, more play time.” The clip goes on to show the half-built mini house, along with all the extra parts sitting on the couple’s deck.

Yes we’ve all been there—especially when noting the title of the tweet, “2 hours 35 minutes and counting.”

DONE!! pic.twitter.com/TQWlJUT0ZD

— chrissy teigen (@chrissyteigen) March 29, 2019

But don’t worry. Teigen and Legend eventually finished their project. In a later tweet Teigen shared a pic of the completed house along with one word, “DONE!!”

pic.twitter.com/iFXKB33Fnc

— chrissy teigen (@chrissyteigen) March 29, 2019

If you’re in the market for a new pint-sized playhouse (and have a few hours to build it), the KidKraft Seaside Cottage retails for $399 exclusively at Sam’s Club!

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: Chrissy Teigen via Instagram

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Looking for a Temp Gig? The U.S. Census Bureau Is Hiring for Thousands of Jobs

by Erica LoopMarch 14, 2019

The federal government has hundreds of thousands of temporary U.S. Census jobs open. And we’ve got the scoop on how to score one for yourself.

Preparations for the 2020 U.S. Census are already under way. Even though preliminary operations don’t start until August, the government agency in charge of tallying up the nation is gearing up to scout specific locations, identifying where people do or could live. Following this Address Canvassing stage (which is set to conclude in October 2019), the Bureau will mail out 2020 Census invitations. To accomplish this stage, the Census Bureau needs temporary workers.

photo: Tim Gouw via Pexels

The Census Bureau’s hiring phase will last throughout the next year. New hires will start canvassing in the spring and summer of 2020, knocking on the doors of those who didn’t reply to the initial invitation. Along with these field jobs, the government is also hiring a limited number of Census office positions.

The U.S. Census Bureau reports that as of Mar. 4 over 170,000 potential hires have already filled out job applications. So far, the government has hired more than 800 new employees. If landing a 2020 Census job sounds good to you, visit 2020census.gov/jobs to apply. You can also call 855-JOB-2020 and select option 3 for more job-related information. Find local area Census office locations and pay rates for both field and office employees here.

—Erica Loop

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An Entire Neighborhood Learned Sign Language So This Little Girl Could Talk to Them All

by Erica LoopFebruary 27, 2019

A toddler girl who is deaf just inspired an entire town in an amazingly beautiful way. Instead of simply smiling or walking away, residents on Islington Road in Newton, Massachusetts learned sign language to communicate with two-year-old Samantha Savitz.

When she’s out and about in her neighborhood, Samantha is seriously into socializing. Her father, Raphael, told the CBS Evening News, “She’s super engaging. She wants to chat-up with anybody.”

https://twitter.com/muslimiq/status/1097122368651186176?s=12

Even though a cutely conversational tot rarely presents a problem to passersby, communication with a such a young child who is deaf isn’t always easy. When her neighbors couldn’t answer the little girl or even ask her about her day, they decided to make a change—in themselves.

The two-year-old’s neighbors hired an American Sign Language (ASL) instructor and got to work, learning how to communicate with the toddler. Now the tot’s new neighborhood friends can stop and chat with the little girl, brightening her day and theirs.

Samantha’s mother Glenda told CBS Evening News, “Yeah, it’s really shocking and beautiful.” We totally agree!

If this isn’t a more perfect example of “Won’t you be my neighbor?”—we don’t know what is.

—Erica Loop

Featured Photo: CBS Evening News via YouTube

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These Kids Are Making 6-Figure Salaries in Their Own Backyards (Literally)

by Erica LoopJanuary 6, 2018

photo: Pexels

A teenager having an after-school job? Umm, that’s not exactly breaking news. But a teenager having an after-school job that lands them a six-figure (yes, six-figure) salary kind of is. High school students RJ Duarte and Owen Johnson are making the type of money that many adults never see — and they’re having fun while doing it.

Duarte, who is now 17-years-old, started his career years ago. At age six or seven, the now-high school senior started mowing lawns with his big brother. Little did he know that a decade later he’d be running his own super-successful landscaping company. Green Worx, Duarte and Johnson’s brainchild, does what just about every other landscape company does. They cut grass, plant flowers, clean-up yards and remove snow (in the winter, of course).

The two boys started working together in middle school, when Duarte’s burgeoning lawn care company really started taking off. After realizing that he had more clients than he could handle by himself, the then-middle schooler started working with his friend and classmate Owen Johnson.

Green Worx has gone well beyond two kids, a mower and a few kindly neighbors who pay them in quarters to clean up their yards. The company is set to rake in over $100,000 this year. Not only are they bringing in the big bucks, but these high schoolers are now giving other kids a chance to make money. They’ve hired fellow students, paying them $10 an hour. This is more than the $9.30 minimum wage in Duarte and Johnson’s home state of Colorado.

With clients such as a golf course and a water park, the boys sometimes need to wake up at 2:30 a.m., just to work and go to school. It looks like the hard work is paying off. Along with the profits-a-plenty that they’re seeing, Duarte also won $1,000, for being a young entrepreneur, from Young Americans Bank.

Does your child have his or her own business plan? Tell us in the comments below.

Fly By Night: Don’t Miss This Free Pigeon Whisperer Event!

by Mimi O'ConnorApril 13, 2016

Despite recent evidence to the contrary, we don’t typically cover the pigeon beat. However, arts nonprofit Creative Time, the Brooklyn Navy Yard and artist Duke Riley have partnered to present somewhat of a pigeon symphony in May, and we think it shouldn’t be missed. It’s free, and happening on multiple dates through early June, but you have to register for tickets in advance and they’re going fast! Read on to get the full scoop!

photo: Creative Time

Only In New York
Entitled “Fly By Night”, Riley’s project is the type of thing that can pretty much only happen in New York, as it involves thousands of pigeons living in a converted ship docked at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, benefactors like Creative Time and the Yard, and a Brooklyn artist who also happens to have special bond with New York City’s unofficial avian mascot. (Riley rescued a pigeon as a child, and when he let it go it came back, resulting in a lifelong bond with the birds. As an adult, he lived and worked in a pigeon coop for five years, and in 2013, trained homing pigeons to smuggle cigars from Havana to Key West as part of the piece Trading With the Enemy.)

What Will Happen
It sounds sort of hard to believe, but at dusk on Friday to Sunday through early June, Riley will blow a whistle, at which point thousands of pigeons will emerge from their ship home at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The birds will be wearing small legs bands, similar to the ones historically used to enable pigeons to carry messages. (Yes: it may take a bit to get the kids to believe people actually communicated via hard copy and birds.) However, instead of carrying messages, the bands will be outfitted with tiny LED lights, and the birds will swoop and fly together, creating a twinkling piece of public art that of course will be different every evening.

photo: Creative Time

What’s It All About?
“Fly By Night” plays homage to pigeon-keeping both here and further afield, as well as to the pursuit throughout history. (Apparently, the birds have been domesticated for thousands of years, used for companionship, sports and service.) New York, of course, has long been home to communities of pigeon keepers, known as “fanciers”, with rooftop pigeon lofts found throughout the five boroughs, the numbers of which are sadly waning.

(Concerned about the pigeons’ welfare? Don’t worry: so is Riley, and the team of people hired to look after the birds, which includes an avian veterinarian, and specially-trained handlers on site before, during and after the performance. At the conclusion of the piece, Riley will adopt many of the birds as pets; others will find homes with other fanciers schooled in the ways of pigeon-keeping. You can read more about the kinds of birds involved in the piece, how they’re cared for and more, here.)

Riley hopes “Fly By Night” will help the uninitiated feel some of the joy the birds bring their keepers. “The first time I flew birds, I looked up and forgot the rest of the world’s noise. Pigeon keeping is like a religion, and those who enter into this relationship find more peace in their birds than anything else. My hope is for the audience to look up at these beautiful creatures and experience that same rapture, a freedom like no other.”

Will It? Well, you won’t know unless you’re there. Reserve your spots now!

Duke Riley’s “Fly By Night”
Fri.-Sun. evenings, dusk, May 7- June 12
Tickets: Free, advance registration required
Brooklyn Navy Yard
Online: creativetime.org

Are you going to “Fly By Night”? Tell us in the comments below!

—Mimi O’Connor

Please Hold!: A New Coworking Spot With Childcare

by Mimi O'ConnorApril 6, 2015

Shocker: today’s workplace/lifeplace/playspace is changing. That is, it’s likely at least one person in your household isn’t doing the typical 9-to-5 thing.There are more freelance-whatevers than ever before in NYC, and the marketplace is responding with a bumper crop of coworking spaces to accommodate the new way many of us now work. But as we’ve written about before, somehow what to do with the kids isn’t always (read: kind of never is) in the equation. The women behind The Workaround, a new coworking operation in Brooklyn, have established a solution that, uh, works, for both you and your kids.

photo of The Workaround founders Amy Butterworth, left, and Selena Beal: Bex at KidFalco.com

So, What’s The Workaround?

The brainchild of Williamsburg residents (and parents) Selena Beal and Amy Butterworth — freelancers in the worlds of television production and web design, respectively— The Workaround provides coworking spaces with childcare in the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Williamsburg and Bushwick.

Launched just last month, The Workaround curently hosts coworking sessions at local watering hole and event spaces The Cobra Club (Bushwick) and Videology (Williamsburg), and it’s already attracted the attention (and dollars) of parent journalists, designers, teachers, activists and yes, moms or dads who just need to write some e-mails or pay some bills without worrying about the kid.

Three-hour coworking sessions are hosted on multiple days and times, and are booked and purchased online at The Workaround’s site. The current rate is $30 per session, per child; four-packs are available for $100, and a sibling discount is in the works. Bonus: every potential client gets a free trial.

photo: The Workaround

Who Can Use It?

The Workaround is currently open to parents with kids ages four weeks to four years old; the maximum amount of kids in each session is six, with a limit of two infants per session.

How Does It Work?

Every Workaround venue features two distinct spaces: one for the adults working, one for the kids and hired caregivers. (The Workaround finds its childcare providers through Sitter City and Urban Sitter, interviews every candidate and checks all references. Additionally, the same caregivers are present at individual sessions to provide parents and kids with continuity and familiarity.)

Lest you be concerned your child is crawling around on the floor of a bar, don’t be. The childcare spaces at Workaround venues are clean, spacious and well-lit, and in addition to hosting Workaround childcare, are used for kids’ birthday parties, yoga classes, and more at other times.

photo: The Workaround

What Do I Get?

Aside from three hours to be super-productive, quite a lot, including work-ready tables and chairs, free WiFi, and complimentary coffee and tea. You can also be with your child as little or as often as you like, so if you have a child who needs a little help separating, that’s fine. Another option provided to nervous parents: a video monitor.

Kids get a pretty sweet deal too, with a fruit and veggie buffet, clean toys like train tracks and Duplo blocks, and music. Additionally, the three hour session is loosely structured with free play, storytime, songs, etc. to keep kids engaged and interested. (Kids even sing a “goodbye” song to parents as a semi-formal sendoff to the workspace.)

photo: The Workaround

What’s Next for The Workaround?

The April schedule is up and accepting bookings now. For the duration of the spring and summer, The Workaround will continue to take place at rented venues in the Williamsburg and Bushwick, however this new family-friendly coworking solution may settle into some permanent digs come the fall. (You’ll read about it here first!)

The Workaround
Coworking for Parents and Children in Brooklyn
email: hello@theworkaround.nyc
Online: workaround.nyc

Have you tried The Workaround? Tell us about your experience!

—Mimi O’Connor

On The Move: Atlanta Trucks & Trackless Trains for Hire

by Phebe WahlMarch 2, 2015

Maybe it is because they never stop moving themselves, but for whatever the reason, your little engine that could just loves things that go. If trucks and trains send your transportation-loving tot into a five-alarm fit, consider booking one for their next birthday. Whether it is a firetruck with sirens flashing or a trackless Thomas, here are some Atlanta trains and trucks for hire to get your party on track. All aboard!

Red Hot Fire Truck Events
Trust us when we tell you that your kiddo is going to lose his mind with excitement when the fire truck shows up with sirens blaring and lights flashing for his party! The folks at Red Hot Fire Trucks put on a fun filled party. After the kiddos take a ride, they can dress up in firefighter gear and shoot water from the fire hose. The can even sound the sirens and blow the horn, yes your neighbors are going to love you!

Good to know: If you’re looking to treat the kids even more, there are plenty of add on’s available including, fire hats and fire gear for sale, a piñata and fire safety themed goodie bags for the guests.

J & S Funtastic Entertainment
This cute and colorful trackless train will keep the fun and festivities on track. The kiddos will love its very Thomas the Train like face and at $175.00 for the first hour and $100.00 each additional hour, you will appreciate its very reasonably priced package.

Good to know: This train can hold up to 18 passengers at once, cutting down on wait time. Your price includes delivery and a train operator.

Action Packed Parties
An Atlanta source for everything you could possible need for parties, from tables and chairs to rock climbing walls (yes, you can rent those), Action Packed Parties also has one of our favorite trackless trains. This train is unique because it is electric, and therefore quiet—well, except for the music and giggling kiddos. Because it’s electric, there are no icky fumes to inhale and it can even be taken inside a large church or school.

Good to know: They will often discount rentals when you are renting more than one product. Consider adding a cotton candy machine or a snow cone maker to the mix.

Idea! Event + Style
Still want to provide the little one with some truck and train thrills, but looking to keep it chic? If you want to create the Pinterest party of your dreams, but you just don’t know where to begin, dial up Atlanta event and style guru Jasmine Shah. She can work with you to create a party full of the sweet details moms love, plus the fun and adventure the kiddos love. The icing on the birthday cake? She handles it all so all you have to do on the big day is actually enjoy spending time with the little ones!

Good to know: Her Vintage Fire Truck package might be just what you are looking for, but note that everything is completely customizable so you can be sure it is suited to your little fire chief.

Have you hired a trackless train or truck for your event? Share your story with us in the comments section below.

—Candice Rose

Photos courtesy of Red Hot Fire Truck Events via Facebook and Action Packed Parties

Just Opened: Whimsy Boutique in Lafayette

by rtsarahbossenbroekOctober 2, 2014

If you’ve put off back-to-school shopping in order to avoid the crowds at the outlet malls and chain stores, you may now be panicking as your kid heads out the door for school pictures squeezed into last year’s sweater. Soothe your shopping anxiety and gather up some European-style kids’ clothes at Lafayette’s newest boutique, Whimsy.

Located in the Lafayette Shopping Center just a few doors down from Trader Joe’s, Whimsy carries both well-known (Petit Bateau, Charlie Rocket) and lesser-known (Spanish brand Mayoral, Japanese hit Bit’z Kids) brands at reasonable prices. There’s colorful denim by Jean Bourget, soft layette goodies by Splendid, Nano, and Catamini, and squeal-worthy special occasion dresses by Biscotti by Kate Mack, Mimi & Maggie, just to name a few.

You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile…and a Great Hat!
Any fashion-forward kid knows the power of accessories, so Whimsy carries stylish hats for boys and girls, as well as a wide array of darling jewelry (on a recent visit, a mom was buying a child’s bracelet—for herself) and hair baubles, as well as Frozen-themed flip-flops and handmade necklaces. (There are Elsa and Anna tutus, as well.) A favorite item in the store this fall is a hilarious knit “fauxstole”—answering the question “What does the fox say?” with “phew!”

Locally Grown
Shop owner Nicole Jarotsky was raised in Orinda and is now bringing up her three kids in Lafayette. But in between, she worked for some of Paris’ most glamorous fashion houses (Chanel, Paco Rabanne) and cosmetic companies. She earned an MBA while living in France, and when she moved back to California, flexed her business know-how to start her own company. She started making feather extensions in every color, selling them by the fistful at festivals. Jarotsky (who also has a classical dance background) then launched a line of fanciful tutus that she could barely keep on the racks. Dubbing her venture Fairies and Feathers, and adding flower girl dresses and an option for bespoke tutu orders, Jarotsky hired an assistant as the orders grew. But she was sewing the tutus in her home, and longed for an outlet to connect further with her community on a daily basis. She looked around at a few retail spaces and kept returning to Whimsy’s current home. With a mezzanine level and high ceilings, it seemed the perfect spot to highlight colorful, stylish kids’ clothing with great details.

Comfort for All
Even if your child’s not big on shopping, you can browse while she retreats to a cozy hideaway under the stairs, complete with cushions, books, and a flat-screen TV. Or they can play with the puzzles and sweet toys (a whole shelf devoted to collectible Maileg mouse toys will transfix). On the other hand, if you’ve got a little shopoholic, the upstairs loft is a spot just for girls, with its own dressing room and racks of stylish “big girl” styles—even some cool tween gifts, like wireless smartphone amps. Lamorinda tots (and moms) are known to be a stylish bunch, and now Whimsy is bringing a whole new je ne sai quois to their little looks. Stop by to play around the shop with Nicole and her staff and pick out some treasures to express your kid’s true style.

About Town
Look for Jarotsky and the rest of the Fairies and Feathers crew selling tutus and feathers at upcoming street festivals. Whimsy is located just a few doors down from Trader Joe’s, in the Lafayette Shopping Center on Mt. Diablo Blvd. in downtown Lafayette. There is ample parking, and you can walk there from the Lafayette BART station.

Whimsy
3643 Mt. Diablo Blvd.
Lafayette, Ca
925-444-3184
whimsykidz.com

—Sarah Bossenbroek

This New Birthday Party Craze Is Totally Poppin’

by rtmorganbrasfieldAugust 5, 2014

Gone are the days when princesses and superheroes ruled the children’s birthday party circuit. Bubble parties are the newest craze popping up throughout the Bay Area, with “bubbleologists” dazzling children and parents alike. Whether it’s covering your tiny guests in life-sized bubbles, or watching party-goers chase hundreds of bubbles through the air, these bubble masters are sure to leave your guests bursting with joy.

Photo Credit: Michael Ashe via freshphotoblog.com

The San Francisco Bubble Man
Mike Ashe, also known as “The San Francisco Bubble Man,” hosts bubble parties from San Rafael to Palo Alto (no East Bay performances at this time). His parties begin with a variety of gigantic and multi-shaped bubbles to wow the crowd, and end with children and their parents learning how to make giant bubbles themselves. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a child not chasing (and popping!) his jaw-dropping bubbles.

The SF Bubbleman’s Tips On Throwing A Poppin’ Bubble Party
“We’ll need a large grassy area with enough space for the bubbles to form and the kids to run. Parks work the best, but I also work in large backyards. A little known fact, the bubbles LOVE humidity and the San Francisco fog! The colors appear more iridescent when the sky is overcast, but even in hot, dry and clear conditions, the bubbles bring out the joy in people.”

Contact: Mike Ashe, mikeashesf@gmail.com
Cost: $275-$300 per hour depending on location, more for longer parties or corporate events. Online: sfbubbleman.com

Photo Credit: Morgan Brasfield

Bubblemania and Company
At a Bubblemania bubble party, the “bubbleologist” will perform a 30–40 minute indoor, interactive show wowing the tiniest bubble lovers with rainbow bubbles, square bubbles, triangle bubbles, bouncing bubbles and giant bubbles. The rest of the hour is spent outdoors where children learn how to make their own bubbles using bubble wands. Bubblemania will travel throughout most of the Bay Area, from Santa Rosa to Modesto to San Jose. (Strictly outdoor parties are available, please see website for details.)

Bubblemania’s Tips On Throwing A Poppin’ Bubble Party
“Encourage your kids to participate and be engaged in the show as much as possible! What is unique about a bubble party is that unlike a clown or a magician who is geared for a specific age group, bubbles appeal to kids of all ages, including the adults. We often hear from the parents, “’I think I enjoyed the show even more than my kids!'”

Contact: Joseph Ferri, 415-738-2561
Cost: $200 for 1 hour (up to 20 children, which includes an indoor presentation followed by outdoor playtime).
Online: bubblemaniaandcompanysf.com

Photo Credit: Michael Ashe via www.freshphotoblog.com

The Bubble Lady
Rebecca Nile, also known as “The Bubble Lady”, is a 17 year veteran of bubble making. Covering all of the Bay Area and a bit beyond, Rebecca is also a clown, incorporating fun and silliness into each of her shows. Rebecca’s shows are indoor only, but her partners, “The Bubble Meisters” host outdoor bubble play for children of all ages.

The Bubble Lady’s Tips On Throwing A Poppin’ Bubble Party
“For indoor shows, make sure there is plenty of space, good lighting, and no toys lying around! For outdoor shows, mornings and late afternoons are the most ideal times for bubbling. Hot and dry conditions are not suited to bubbling. Most importantly, relax and enjoy your guests. That’s why you hired an entertainer!”

Contact: bubbleshows@gmail.com
Cost: $275-$325 per hour for Rebecca’s indoor show, $250-$300 per hour for the Bubble Meister’s outdoor show.
Online: thebubblelady.com

Have you ever been to a bubble party? Tell us about it in the comments!

—Morgan Brasfield

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