Roberta Brown

Editor-in-Chief

Years spent at Nickelodeon prepared Roberta to launch Mommy Poppins' Los Angeles branch in 2011, eventually becoming Mommy Poppins Editor-in-Chief in 2013. Previously she served as LA Editor for GoCityKids, National Editor for ParentsConnect, and Editor for NickMom—all of which works out well for her son, who has grown up serving as Chief Guinea Pig for all things fun in LA and beyond.

Latest posts by Roberta

Support LA! Toy and Book Stores Offering Curbside Pick-up & Delivery in Lockdown

Submitted by Roberta B on Mon, 05/04/2020 - 10:54am

Like so many things we took for granted before the COVID-19 pandemic, toy stores and book stores have had to close their doors to visitors for now. We may understand the logic, and yet there are moments when a new toy or book really does feel essential. In those moments, we'd like to encourage you to support your local businesses—the toy stores we want to find when doors open again, and the book shops that host all of those wonderful storytimes and author visits. While you're getting creative about connecting with your community, don't forget to include your friendly neighborhood toy and book vendors.

We've rounded up a list of wonderful local book stores and toy shops that are offering curbside pick-up or delivery options during the #StayatHome days. These small businesses offer a combination of contactless pick-up, free local delivery, and online shipping. Several can text you photos of options, or hop on a call and make suggestions. Every one of them would be VERY happy to hear from you.

Let's make sure The Last Bookstore doesn't live up to its name.

And while you're showing your support for the businesses you love, we hope you'll count Mommy Poppins and our small business partners among them. You can support Mommy Poppins by sharing articles you find useful with friends or on your social media channels, checking out our directory of virtual classes, camps and birthday parties and telling businesses you found them through Mommy Poppins. Also, as part of our effort to keep our local parent writers and this website afloat and support some of our favorite family businesses, we've created Poppins@Home, a platform for small businesses to share free and low-cost online classes and birthday parties with kids all over the country. Please consider trying a few of these fun, affordable, and creative classes—and spreading the word among your friends—as yet another way to support, uplift, and get through these challenging times together!

Underwood Family Farm Re-Opens for Pick-Your-Own Visits!

Submitted by Roberta B on Fri, 05/01/2020 - 2:11pm

Photo courtesy of Underwood Family Farms

Update: The Pick-Your-Own fields will open again on May 9, 2020, at both the Moorpark and Somis locations.

Underwood Family Farms shares some much needed good news today: Moorpark's popular pick-your-own farm is opening up its fields to allow families to get some fresh air and pick some fruit and vegetables in the spring sunshine—starting today! It's the outing we all desperately need, and just in time as the weather starts to change. So while we're missing our beach days, let's go to the farm, ride the tractor, pick some berries, and bring home fresh dinner. There are rules to make it all safe, of course, so read on for all the details.

Is LA Going Back to School in July? Is that What Governor Newsom Just Said?

Submitted by Roberta B on Tue, 04/28/2020 - 11:50pm

This post has been updated to reflect new information from LAUSD on May 4, 2020.

Governor Gavin Newsom turns out not to be a fan of the anthem School's Out for Summer. He may have won kids' hearts when he announced his support for ending the school year back on April 1, but he lost them again today, when he took to the podium in support of going back to school in July. Is this for real? Will we be jumping right back into a new school year only a few weeks after breaking for summer? What would that look like? And who decides? We've collected some key answers to the questions lots of students and parents are asking.

Mother's Day Brunch Delivery or Takeout: LA Restaurants with Treats for Mom

Submitted by Roberta B on Mon, 04/27/2020 - 3:36pm

Mother's Day may look a little different this year. Heck, Mother may look a little different this year (ever notice that root is a four-letter word?), but all the more reason that Mama needs a little pampering. If you're Mom, stop reading right here and pass the laptop to the nearest family member—then await your surprise on a tray in bed.

For the rest of you: Mother's Day meals cooked at home are delightful only if you plan to do the dishes. Otherwise, let's move on to delivery and curbside takeout. Wonderful, indulgent, luxurious, and downright comforting restaurants all over Los Angeles are offering Mother's Day brunch treats from red velvet waffles and Thai tea pancakes to chicken 'n' waffles and breakfast cocktails. And lest we forget, many of these restaurants are local small businesses we love; every one of the delivery and pick-up options below is a local business we want to be there when it's safe for dining in to resume.

So mark your calendars for May 10th, start working on your homemade Mother's Day cards, and go ahead and pass Mom back the computer now so she can tell you where to order from.

What’s Open in Coronavirus Shutdown: Parks, Beaches, Hikes You Can Do While Social Distancing

Submitted by Roberta B on Fri, 03/20/2020 - 3:44pm

School is closed (along with everything else!), but this sure doesn't feel like spring break. Last night the governor, the mayor, and a series of LA County officials all issued statements in rapid succession saying to stay home. Any dream we may have had of escaping this COVID-19 madness ended abruptly.

But what exactly does a Stay-at-Home order mean?

Here's what it doesn't mean: It's not an order to stare at screens blaring scary news stories until you feel drained of all hope. It also doesn't mean your kids can't go outside! Sunshine and fresh air are healthy for body and mind—especially young ones—and there are several approved ways to enjoy that during this crisis. In fact, Mayor Garcetti's order specifically makes exceptions to the Stay-at-Home order for "walking, hiking, running, cycling, using scooters, roller skates, skateboards, or travel in a vehicle with household members to go to a place to walk, hike, run, or ride a bike."

We heard the man. Our kids need to run! So we've got a list for you of places you can stretch your limbs and feel normal for a spell—all while keeping six feet away from other folks.

Disneyland, Disney World, California Adventure, Disney Cruises, Universal Studios Close for COVID-19 Crisis

Submitted by Roberta B on Fri, 03/13/2020 - 10:00am

OK, folks, this just got serious. I know we've all been glued to our screens tracking the inconceivable developments of this pandemic situation, watching major events cancel in real time, wondering if our kids are going to be attending school from the sofa next week, canceling trips to Europe, etc... But look out because COVID-19, aka the Coronavirus, just shut down Disneyland.

March GoList: Best Things To Do with LA and OC Kids This Month

Submitted by Roberta B on Fri, 02/28/2020 - 3:21pm

Our picks for March are in! It's a busy month, with St. Patrick's Day, Purim, the arrival of spring, and migrating whales and swallows; no wonder there's an hour to switch off at the end of the month. Even the wonderful Butterfly Pavilion at the Natural History Museum returns mid-March. Now is your chance to plan ahead for these annual favorites picked from the many activities on our March daily events calendar, and snag tickets in advance.

Click through to the full listings, and you can automatically add them to your personal calendar. And if you don't already receive our newsletters with ideas for weekend events, camps, and more, you might want to subscribe--before spring break sneaks up on you!

Disneyland Prices Go Up, But SoCal Residents Can Still Get Their Deal—For Now

Submitted by Roberta B on Wed, 02/12/2020 - 2:00am

Everyone's talking about the new prices at Disneyland. It's understandable; the new 2020 Disneyland ticket prices released today reflect an increase of 3% to 13%, depending on the ticket or pass type. Annual passholders are bound to do some hard thinking about whether the Mouse House remains an affordable annual expense. More than a few people probably woke up this morning and kicked themselves that they didn't buy tickets yesterday. But here's the good news: if you're a SoCal resident, you can still get a great Disneyland deal at yesterday's price—if you act fast.

Roberta Brown

Latest posts by Roberta

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