Jacqueline Stansbury

A native Angeleno, Jackie enjoys revisiting her childhood as a mom and writer for Mommy Poppins. She did a lot of cool stuff as a kid and has newfound respect for her own mom who made that happen without the internet! Today in Los Angeles, some things are gone, some have changed and some, like the grunion, remain exactly the same. In her former life, Jackie was a development executive on the Fox Studios lot where she rounded up writer/director lists and covered screenplays. Mommy Poppins is much more fun. Jackie's kids, Benjamin and Juliet, agree.

Latest posts by Jacqueline

Weekday Picks: Farmers Market Toy Drive, Thanksgiving, Black Friday, November 23-27

Submitted by Jacqueline Stansbury on Mon, 11/23/2015 - 5:45am

With Thanksgiving just a few days away, it's a time for sharing with others, and for picking up the last minute items you need for dinner; why not do both by saying "meet me at Third and Fairfax" for the annual Salvation Army Kettle Kickoff at the Farmers Market? Each year, the bright red donation kettles take their places at our nation's storefronts. This drive for donations begins at The Farmers Market with a festive holiday event that includes a tree lighting ceremony, sing-alongs with the Claremont Carolers, and tributes to civic and community leaders. The U.S. Marine Corps collects for Toys for Tots, too.

So if Monday is for giving and Thursday is for gratitude, Friday must be for getting, right? Not necessarily. The Los Angeles County Arboretum has an “Escape from Black Friday” nature camp, and there is much to do on our calendar that does not involve shopping. Personally, in anticipation of El Niño relieving us from the drought, I’m going to be Singin’ in the Rain, but if you are looking for a kiddie movie, The Good Dinosaur opens at the El Capitan this week. If you have tickets to the 7pm show on Wednesday you can also enjoy a free anniversary screening of Toy Story beforehand. The accompanying show celebrates 20 years of Pixar Animation.

Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks: Orange County's Own Grand Canyon

Submitted by Jacqueline Stansbury on Fri, 11/20/2015 - 12:18pm

As the saying goes, one thing they can’t make more of is land. It is sometimes hard to believe that Los Angeles was initially populated by people who wanted to grow things; they came for the oranges, stayed for the weather, and soon our rural western outpost became a city. Los Angeles is no longer the big suburb it was when I was growing up. I miss that old city but am perpetually grateful for all of the open land that we still have. Huge amounts of acreage have been donated or conserved. This means that on any given day our children can be surrounded by nature on public land that belongs to them and to us. We can leave the city behind to go picnicking, hiking or camping. We have beaches, deserts, the Santa Monica Mountains, and in Orange County, the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks: 37,000 acres of permanently protected wilderness designated as national natural landmarks by the State of California and U.S. Department of Interior.

Weekday Picks: Holiday Lights, the Great Outdoors, A Love Letter to Paris, November 16-20

Submitted by Jacqueline Stansbury on Mon, 11/16/2015 - 6:37am

In the mood for a movie? The Peanut Movie is getting parents and kids in the holiday spirit; Disney Screen at the Century in Huntington Beach is screening four Pixar movies for the price of one admission; and the beloved Little Mermaid is back at El Capitan. But if you've been trying to find the words to answer your kids' questions about what's happened in Paris, you might try hunkering down for a movie at home one day this week to share a beautiful portrait of Paris as it was and will be again, in the classic film The Red Balloon. This brief film (available at many libraries and Amazon) is about a boy, the balloon that becomes his friend, the bullies that torment him, and the boy’s liberation from cruelty when all of the balloons in Paris join forces to raise him up above the city.

Heading back outdoors, this week brings free days at Descanso and the Arboretum, a Chaparral themed evening in Temescal Gateway Park, curbside stargazing in Burbank and Sylmar, and holiday celebrations in Glendale, Burbank, and Manhattan Beach. For parents of very little ones, the Family Room in San Marino offers two classes for parents struggling with the topic of food: Baby Led Weaning: The Mush Stops Here and Stress-free Toddler Feeding. Sometimes it is nice to get a little help before they find out about fro-yo, ice cream, and pizza.

Though not always easy, there is nothing quite like a childhood in the city. Los Angeles has much to offer and Mommy Poppins has lots of ideas for things to do on our Daily Events Calendar.

Weekday Picks: Veterans’ Day, California Impressionists, the Stars at Night November 9-13

Submitted by Jacqueline Stansbury on Mon, 11/09/2015 - 2:00am

Those of us with school aged children need not be blindsided by the slightly inconvenient day off on Wednesday; if you work some place that doesn’t close for Veterans' Day and need child care, why not sign them up for beach camp? Remarkably, it is still warm enough to do that. When I’m not working, I tend to look at these days off as a gift of time with my kids. Find something cool to do! Southern California was home to two of our presidents, and regardless of how you feel about Richard Nixon or Ronald Reagan, their libraries are rich with history. The Reagan Library has Air Force One and panels from the Berlin Wall. In Yorba Linda, it is possible to see the humble home where Richard Nixon began his life. Both libraries have special events planned for this day honoring those who have served. (Note that the Nixon library is open, but the galleries are under renovation.) Not feeling presidential? There is loads going on this week that's not remotely political.

Weekday Picks: Blast Off! Space in 3D, ICE Is Back, Free LEGO, November 2-6

Submitted by Jacqueline Stansbury on Mon, 11/02/2015 - 3:10am

It may not feel very wintery, and by the way, where the heck is El Niño? Nevertheless, ‘tis the season for ice skating on the beach. Santa Ana winds be damned; ICE in Santa Monica returns this week. Celebrate the opening with Olympic pairs champion Randy Gardner and the California Gold Synchronized Skating Team. This annual event is one of my family’s favorite ways to launch the holidays. The music is fun, and the skating is free.

Speaking of launching, Journey to Space opens at the California Science Center this week. Spin out of your orbit in an immersive exploration of the final frontier. Tuesday is LEGO day, with free mini models at participating stores and a brick building play date in Chinatown.

A new month usually means lots of free days so be sure to check our Daily Events Calendar for other things to do.

Weekday Picks: Countdown to Halloween and Day of the Dead, October 26-30

Submitted by Jacqueline Stansbury on Mon, 10/26/2015 - 1:22am

This is it folks, just five more business days before All Hallows Eve. Here in Los Angeles, there is absolutely no reason why Halloween should be a one day event revolving around the acquisition and consumption of candy. While I confess my own house is on its second bag of candy corn, we have also managed to squeeze in several thematic excursions: Dark Harbor at the Queen Mary is a must do for older kids who like to be terrified; it starts haunted and gets scarier from there. Spooky, atmospheric, and worth the monumental wait is the Ghost Train in Griffith Park; arrive before dark or just as it's closing to avoid the most epic lines. Rise of the Jack O’ Lanterns is dark enough to be mildly spooky but still appeals to young ones (hold out for discounted tickets on Goldstar or elsewhere). And Bob Baker’s Marionettes always offer an enjoyable way to celebrate the holiday; Mr. Baker is no longer with us, but his Halloween Spooktacular continues.

Free Halloween activities this week include The Hollow Trees at Kids Club on the Green in Glendale, cartoonist Dave Boatman showing Studio City kids some spooky Halloween cartooning, and a Hotel Transylvania family picnic on the Promenade at Santa Monica's Cinema on the Street. Don't forget to pass by Boney Island in Sherman Oaks, too.

This Week’s Picks: Evening Hikes, Movies, and Halloween Haunts, Plus a Consignment Sale, October 19-23

Submitted by Jacqueline Stansbury on Mon, 10/19/2015 - 3:00am

In case you were wondering, yes, we are capable of talking about things other than Halloween. Take El Niño, for instance. El Niño may not be here yet, but once that soggy rascal does arrive, there won’t be much opportunity for heading outdoors; best to enjoy Griffith Park Observatory’s Sunset Walk and Talk one more time before the deluge arrives. We can talk about teens, too: Santa Monica high schoolers may want to check out the library's Teen Advisory Council, a leadership program advocating for the library that meets this Monday and throughout the year. As anyone with kids starting to think about college knows, leadership and community service are vital components of the application process. Or we could mention the LA Kids gigantic consignment sale in Woodland Hills, where 650 families have contributed 100,000 new and barely used items; if you're working on a Halloween costume, this may be a place to pick up a few items.

Oops - there we go again talking about Halloween. Well, let the hauntings begin, or rather continue! There’s a maze in Malibu, and Sherman Oaks has Boney Island. And as part of the El Capitan’s Halloween trilogy, Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas screens. It’s a favorite family tradition in my house to watch this movie, which somehow manages to work our two favorite holidays into one stop action animation masterpiece that includes a tremendous score by Danny Elfman.

This Week’s Picks: Halloween Beckons! Pumpkin Patches, Spooky Movies, Terror Train, October 12-16

Submitted by Jacqueline Stansbury on Sun, 10/11/2015 - 8:00pm

Halloween is one of my family’s very favorite holidays. My daughter has had her costume for weeks. I’ve been holding out but will likely break down and fill up the candy corn bowl before the week is over. While trick-or-treating and candy eating on the 31st are what it’s all about, in truth the joy of Halloween is in the anticipation. By mid-October celebrations are well underway; you may not want to carve pumpkins yet in this heat wave, but it’s a great time to visit the patch. Underwood Farms is especially fun, and a mid-week visit is a low-cost way to avoid the weekend crush.

Something I missed last year (won’t make that mistake twice!) is the Halloween Ghost Train operated by LA Live Steamers in Griffith Park. Oh, and it’s the second week of the month, so there are free days at The Autry and Japanese American National Museum if you and yours are looking for some non-holiday related fun. Read on for our favorite five things going on this week.

Jacqueline Stansbury

Latest posts by Jacqueline

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