Roberta Brown

Editor-in-Chief

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

Latest posts by Roberta

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

Submitted by Roberta B on Sun, 12/29/2019 - 8:12pm

Phew. Is it over? So much planning goes into December that it's a little hard to believe when it turns up in our rear view mirror; but the calendar page flips, and it's all eyes on 2020! Luckily we don't have to wait too long until the next holiday weekend (complete with its own parade), and of course January is the perfect time to enjoy a day of skiing or sledding. We've got 11 don't-miss events to recommend in January; so recycle that tree and fasten your seatbelts for another year of fabulous ways to enjoy being a family in LA!

Candy Cane Lane Christmas Lights: What, Where, When, and Is It Worth Going?

Submitted by Roberta B on Wed, 12/18/2019 - 1:05pm

Christmas just doesn't feel like Christmas until you've seen some really good holiday lights. And of the many extraordinary home light displays that Los Angeles neighborhoods can boast, Candy Cane Lane is probably the most famous. That fame may come from its catchy name, or it may just be down to sheer longevity: this year Candy Cane Lane celebrates 70 years of lighting up the season and hosting neighbors from every other LA neighborhood in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Opening night is always a big event, followed by two glorious weeks of nightly sparkles. But is it really so much more special than that house on your street that overdoes the icicle lights? I'm prepared to go out on a limb and say yes.

Note that Candy Cane Lane plans to remain dark in 2020 due to COVID safety concerns.

Holiday Top 10: Best Christmas Events of the 2019 Season You Don't Want To Miss

Submitted by Roberta B on Mon, 12/16/2019 - 2:20am

Celebrate Riverside's Festival of Lights with a stop at the spectacularly decorated Mission Inn. Photo courtesy of The Mission Inn

It's a little overwhelming, isn't it? I collect fabulous things to do with kids for a living, and this time of year has me teetering on a precipice between ecstasy and panic attack—because there is just SO MUCH TO DO! There are so many incredible, awe-inspiring, photo-op demanding, once-a-year holiday experiences on my list that my kid is starting to hide from me. There's a limit to how much fun a person can take.

So I'm taking a breath and making a top 10 list. Believe me, there is plenty more to do; our Ultimate Free Holiday List is a great place to start, and our event calendar an obvious place to continue. You'll run out of energy before we run out of suggestions, I assure you. But if you're looking for a Top 10 List before your family has you committed, here's what you came for.

Queen Mary Christmas: Chill Is in the Air and Lights Are on the Ship!

Submitted by Roberta B on Mon, 12/09/2019 - 1:35pm

Christmas at the Queen Mary is a great place to spend a chilly evening during the holiday season. The vintage ocean liner in Long Beach harbor comes alive with Christmas lights, carolers, encounters with Santa, a seasonal ice rink, a Christmas train, and several other festive and wintery activities. The annual holiday event takes place both on board and around The Queen Mary, meaning lots of twinkly photo ops against the backdrop of the floating monument, as well as exploring the art deco decks of the beloved ship. For us, it's an annual holiday tradition!

Must-See Christmas Light Shows Worth Paying or Driving for over the Holidays

Submitted by Roberta B on Sun, 12/08/2019 - 10:42pm

An after-dinner drive to take in one of LA's classic neighborhood holiday light displays is a treat all families should indulge in. It's an easy, cheap way to get in the Christmas spirit (or just enjoy someone else's). Of course, counting on other people to decorate their lawns is only so reliable. To be sure of a full evening of holiday lights and holiday cheer, sometimes it's worth driving to a big public light display, or even splurging on pay-to-play holiday lights. Several local destinations indulge us in our desire to see grand-scale Christmas lights, from Zoo Lights to walks in the woods. The bigger the group you can round up, the more festive; it helps to know which of LA's big public light shows are worth the ticket price this holiday season.

Mommy Poppins Launches in Orlando and Atlanta for the Holidays

Submitted by Roberta B on Sat, 11/30/2019 - 1:09pm

We at Mommy Poppins get almost as excited about the holidays at this time of year as your kids do—in fact we're so excited that we want you to unwrap our two new Mommy Poppins city sites right now! Welcome to Mommy Poppins Orlando and Atlanta!

Our two new sites join our growing family of cities that includes Washington, DC, Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Houston, as well as NYC, Long Island, New Jersey, Westchester, and Connecticut.

December GoList: Best Holiday Events and Activities for LA and OC Kids

Submitted by Roberta B on Fri, 11/29/2019 - 10:52pm

Thanksgiving is behind us, and the daily, backward-counting dose of chocolate known as Advent begins. Suddenly we have barely three weeks left to squeeze every bit of holiday fun out of this city that we possibly can. There are amazing holiday light displays to take in and loads of free holiday extravaganzas. There are Santa photos to snap, trees to light, and Nutcrackers to see. In short, no matter how hard you try to do it all, there is more epic fun stuff going on than anyone could possibly do in a month. If you had to choose, though, below are the dozen December events we suggest you make time for.

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

Submitted by Roberta B on Tue, 10/29/2019 - 10:33pm

When Halloween is over, that can only mean one thing: time for Santa. You get a couple of days to donate or cash in all of that Halloween candy before the advent calendars, candy canes, and Hanukkah gelt start arriving. Rip down the Halloween decorations, quick, because some of your neighbors are already prepping their amazing holiday light displays. Yes, November is the sandwich month, and we're not just talking turkey. Read on for our top November things to do in LA, Ventura, and OC. We'll keep adding to our calendar daily and sending our weekly newsletter in time for each weekend, too; with so much going on, we'll have to!

Roberta Brown

Latest posts by Roberta

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