Socal Mom by Donna Schwartz Mills

Things to Do This Summer: The Getty Center

Thanks to the ongoing construction zone that is my home, we did not take my mum-in-law on as many sightseeing jaunts as we'd planned for her recent visit. But I did manage the drive down the 405 to the Getty Center.

Aside from being the best-endowed art museum in the world, the Getty offers great value for harried moms trying to figure out what to do with their bored kids this summer: For one thing, admission to the museum and grounds is ALWAYS FREE. (Note: That goes for the Center's sister facility in Malibu.)

Yes, you do have to pay $10* to park -- but you can spend that same ten bucks whether you are arriving solo or carrying a mini-van full of kids -- who will enjoy the tram ride up the hill to the museum complex. It may not be Disneyland... but it's a heckuva lot cheaper! 

The museum curators have come up with a full program of events and activities tailored for families, sure to entertain your young ones while giving them a taste for fine art. These include a "Family Room" with hands-on art activities, family tours, "art cards" which challenge your kids to solve a "mystery" as they explore the galleries and more.

This summer, the museum is scheduling "Family Art Stops" (described as "a half hour hands on gallery experience geared for families with children ages 5 and up)"  "Tuesday through Friday at 2:00 p.m.

Weekends are especially heavy with family events at the Getty, with gallery tours every Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 p.m., "Art Lab" workshops running from 11:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and Garden Concerts for Kids from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.

My mother-in-law was actually kind of bored with the paintings - but she loves a good garden, and the one at the Getty was commissioned as a work of art. There's a nice, rolling lawn where the kids can let loose a little, while you can relax and enjoy the gorgeous flowers and city view.

There are plenty of spaces to dine outdoors. You are free to bring your own lunch and set up in the picnic area outside the tram station, or you can take advantage of healthy offerings in The Cafe. And if you feel like splurging with all that money you saved on Disneyland admissions, you can enjoy a gourmet meal in The Restaurant. (If you do choose the latter, be sure to ask the maitre'd for the kids' menu. It's not listed on the website nor displayed in the dining room, but they DO have one!)

Now that my daughter will NOT be spending all of her time at the gym, I have a feeling we'll be taking advantage of more cultural activities like the ones at the Getty. After all, the price is right...

*NOTE: ONE HOUR AFTER PUBLISHING THIS POST, I WAS FORWARDED THE FOLLOWING PRESS RELEASE FROM THE GETTY:

GETTY ANNOUNCES NEW PARKING FEES

LOS ANGELES-The J. Paul Getty Trust today announced parking rates at both the Getty Center and Getty Villa will increase to $15 effective July 1, but parking at both sites will be free for evening programs after 5pm. Admission remains free. [STILL A BARGAIN, IN MY OPINION.]

Visitors attending evening events throughout the week, including theater, music, film, lectures, and other special programs at both the Getty Center and Getty Villa, will be able to park free after 5pm.

Museum visitors also can take advantage of free parking after 5pm on Saturdays at the Getty Center, when the Museum remains open until 9pm.

The Getty Center is open Tuesday-Sunday, 10am to 5:30pm, except for Saturday, when the Museum and the Restaurant are open until 9pm. No parking reservations are necessary. Museum admission is always free.

The Getty Villa is open Thursday-Monday, 10am to 5pm. Admission is free, but advance timed tickets are required. Tickets are available at www.getty.edu or (310) 440-7300. Same day tickets are frequently available.

For an up-to-date calendar of events, and complete information on visiting the Getty Center or Getty Villa, visit www.getty.edu.

Coyotes!

My British mum-in-law is bemused by much of what she's seen so far in SoCal.

She thought it strange that we don't let our cats out to roam the neighborhood - until my husband told her about the presence of bears and coyotes in the hills above our home.

He snapped this photo last month while he was on a job site in Malibu. The canine with the large canines was just yawning (whew!) and seemed uninterested in him or his Honda (they were about 30 feet away; gotta love good zoom cameras).

Coincidentally, right after our conversation about coyotes, I received a press release from my friends at KCET, announcing that they will be the subject of this week's episode of Socal Connected:

Once thought to be inhabitants of hillside canyon communities alone, coyotes have not been a major threat in Southern California.  But, as Judy Muller reports in “Urban Coyote,” that may be changing.  Recently, coyote attacks have been on the rise, particularly in communities such as Huntington Beach, Long Beach, neighborhoods surrounding Griffith Park, Sherman Oaks, Studio City and Woodland Hills.  What can you do to protect yourself, your family and your pets, and what does this mean to Southern California?...

...Experts have several recommendations on how to prevent a coyote attack.  Some tips include:
•    Keep cats and small dogs inside (indoor pets live an average of at least ten years longer) and never leave them unattended outside
•    Never leave pet food or water outdoors
•    Clean up fallen fruit from your trees (coyotes particularly like peaches and avocados)

The show will air on KCET Thursday night at 8:00 (and repeats on Friday at 8:30). My mum-in-law and I will be watching.

It's A Small World After All

 A couple of posts ago, I mentioned that I'd spent Saturday at Disneyland. The occasion was an opportunity to preview the update of the classic ride, "It's a Small World," which reopened today after a renovation that took nearly a year.

Several folks (including writers and bloggers for family websites) were invited to check out the changes... and potentially appear in a Disney promotional video.

"We're going to have to go on the ride three or four times in a row," I warned my 12-year-old. "Are you OK with that?"

She nodded. She figured it was a small price to pay for a shot at fame and fortune on TV... and a day at the park.

"And you need to look like you're enjoying it!" I added.

"Will I be on Disney Channel?" she asked. I indicated it was possible (after all - ANYTHING is possible).

"It's a Small World" is the kind of Disneyland attraction you tend to either love or hate -- with no in-between. You can't argue with its message: that we are all family together on this earth and as such, we need to learn to understand one another and all get along. I know I got that message back in 1965, when I first saw this ride at the New York World's Fair (where it debuted the previous year -- it was transplanted to Disneyland in '66).

But by the time I was my daughter's age, I'd decided that enjoying "It's a Small World" simply wasn't cool. For one thing, there was that song: the mother of all earworms, written by the Sherman Brothers, who are masters of catchy tunes you can't get out of your head. (Listen to a number of 1960's era Disney soundtracks - like "Mary Poppins," "Jungle Book" and "Winnie the Pooh" and you'll know what I mean. If you have small children at home, you likely already do.)

And then there was my mom.

My mom LOVES "It's a Small World," and would have a fit if anyone suggested we skip it one trip. And when you're a teenager, anything your mom loves is AUTOMATICALLY uncool.

I carried those feelings well into adulthood... until I had a child of my own.

Megan was just 18 months old the first time I took her to Disneyland, on a Sunday after I'd finished a particularly grueling week at work. She was still in a stroller, and so young that she got in free... but she was also too little to get much out of any of the rides...

...except for "It's a Small World." I left her stroller outside the attraction, carried her into the little boat, and watched her eyes grow wide as we floated through the gentle ride with the happy music and doll-like figures. She was delighted by it -- and so was I. I was able to experience it with new appreciation.

As the years went by, I discovered something else about "It's a Small World," and this is one of those insider secrets that is the reason people read blogs like mine, so listen closely: The attraction is on the lengthy side, and it's got great air conditioning. So if you've been at the park for hours, and your feet are getting tired and it's a REALLY HOT summer day... "It's a Small World" will allow you to rest in cool, cool comfort for a full 12 minutes (or longer!)

Other rest-your-feet attractions are the Disneyland Railroad that will take you from one land to another around the park... "Honey, I Shrunk the Audience"... and Star Tours.

But I digress. The point of this post is to tell you about the ride.

One of the first things we noticed was that the old fiberglass boats have been replaced by ones of molded plastic (think of the Little Tikes line of backyard play equipment). While I miss the old boats, these are apparently sturdier and easier to maintain. (I saw a post online where someone speculated that the new boats are also bigger to accommodate the fact that Americans on average weigh more than they did in the 1960's. Disney denies that rumor -- but it would make sense.)

The next thing we noticed was that Disney characters now appear among the ride's children of the world: Peter Pan and Tinkerbell in London, Pinocchio in Italy, Lilo and Stich in the South Pacific, etc. Disney says the ride features a total of 29 Disney and Disney Pixar characters. I don't remember seeing nearly that number -- so I suppose that will be my challenge on my next visit to the park.

It is possible that some of the characters had not been placed yet when we saw our preview, as it was obvious that park employees were still putting finishing touches on it... there were cans of paint and brushes, ladders, bubble wrap and other debris scattered in corners around the ride (which I began noticing during the second go-round).

The other huge change is the addition of the United States as one of the countries of the world. In the original version of the ride, the US was represented at the end with (in 1964 vernacular) a little cowboy and Indian. Now, there is a nicely sized representation of a cornfield (I guess they chose the Midwest), as well as a depiction of Hollywood. You can get a feel for how it looks in the video below:

I know people who don't like it when you mess with the classics. Some are complaining that the new configuration negates the original "peace on earth/let's all understand one another" message of the attraction, and accusing Disney of injecting marketing into it by the inclusion of the characters.

I really think folks should lighten up. It's a theme park. It's entertainment. Does Disney integrate the rides with all their other products and market to its guests? Yeah. That's just good business, and the company would be crazy NOT to do that. There is a reason why my parents introduced me to the classic Disney films and that I in turn did the same with my daughter.

That does not mean that I enjoy finding myself in a gift shop before I can exit every attraction, or that I'm being tempted to purchase family photographs whenever we get off a thrill ride... but I'm pretty good at saying "no." Lately, I tell my daughter that she can purchase any souvenirs with her own money, and that works like a charm.

When we'd finished the ride, one of the Disney crew asked my daughter if she wanted to appear on camera for an interview... and she came down with a sudden case of shyness. "I thought you wanted to be on Disney Channel," I coaxed. She changed her mind.

I ended up doing the interview, but I'm pretty sure they won't use it. I told them about thinking the ride was uncool when I was a kid. Somehow, I don't think that's the message they want out there.

Disney On a Diet

We spent Saturday at Disneyland, which might be - as they say - the happiest place on earth... but hasn't always been so for people on a diet. Sure, you can bring your own food into the park and stow it in a rented locker...

... but the place is SO BIG, and you spend so much time walking from one end to the other, that you may not feel like heading back to the locker when hunger strikes. And that tends to occur a lot, because everywhere you turn, there are kiosks selling delightful smelling churros, ice cream, popcorn, hot dogs, etc., etc., etc.

This problem is doubled if you hold a "park-hopper" ticket, which allows you to wander freely from the original Disneyland to its younger sibling, California Adventure.

There are plenty of sit-down dining options, too - which traditionally offered fare like hamburgers, pizza and fries.

But a couple of years ago, the Walt Disney Company announced a new directive to provide healthier kids' meals for their guests. "This is a terrific initiative because it makes it easier for parents, even while on vacation, to provide their children with a well-balanced meal with kid appeal," Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, said at the time. "An overwhelming majority of parents tell us they prefer the more nutritious meals for their children over other options."

The change is noticeable: from fresh fruit cups sold at some of the kiosks alongside the sweets... to a child's spaghetti lunch that includes a nice piece of poached chicken and apple slices.

And from what I've seen, the directive to improve the nutritional offerings for kids has spilled over to adult meals. With a little planning, you can get through an entire day at Disney without straying from your diet... if you so choose.

Below is an informal rundown of your best bets in both parks:

Earth Shaking Matters

We had a bit of excitement in SoCal yesterday, courtesy of Mother Nature.

I was in my car, about a mile from my home, when the 5.4 temblor hit yesterday. I thought there was something wrong with my tires because I felt a definite wobbling in the car as I drove. When I stopped at a red light and it continued to shake, I figured it was some kind of engine trouble. I was trying to decide if I could make it up the hill to my house or if I should risk taking it in to the shop when the smooth public radio FM deejay whispered, "Do you feel that?" And then I knew.

I've been in the car before when a quake has hit. It happened a lot in the mid-90's, as aftershocks of the 1994 Northridge incident. These would register in the 3- or 4- range on the Richter scale, and I never knew they'd occurred until someone told me. That size shock is pretty mild, even when you are right on top of the epicenter. This was the first time I'd experienced one that was large enough to feel while driving, and it was a pretty strange sensation. I can tell you that I don't want to be in a car during a 6. I don't want to be anywhere near a 7.

My niece, who attends UCLA and now lives in Westwood, had never experienced a quake of any magnitude (the Sacramento region, where she grew up, is way less seismically active than most of the state). She was a bit -- yeah, I'll say it -- shaken. As she lives in a second-story apartment, she probably experienced a lot more swaying than someone would on the ground. But she agreed with me that once it was over -- and she realized that this was not "The Big One," and that no one she knew was hurt -- a moderate earthquake can liven up your day. It's like the heightened sense you get on a roller coaster... it's a little bit scary, but you come out of it safe, and that makes it kind of fun.

I am not trying to make light of those who did suffer injuries or property damages in this incident. That doesn't make anyone happy, and I know that a 5.4 quake is a frightening thing for those who have not lived through one that is larger. But I feel a lot like the news reporter I listened to said yesterday, who reminisced of a 5.3 aftershock following Northridge. He said the 5 felt really mild after having experienced the initial quake: Northridge was a 6.7 on the Richter scale, which means it was about 100 times stronger than the temblor we felt yesterday.

Besides, this week has brought news of real tragedies. Vicki Forman, another SoCal blogger who was a speaker at BlogHer, lost her son last week, just days before his 8th birthday. If you click on the link, you'll discover that yesterday's quake hit during the memorial service. (Vicki's friends have created a fund in Evan's name, details here.)

And Lisa, who blogs as Midwestern Mommy, found out yesterday that she has cancer. I happen to know a number of bloggers who are dealing with the disease. That is news that would shake me to the core, for a lot longer than the 10 seconds or so that the earth moved yesterday.

As for the Mills family, life moves on. The economic climate and the housing crisis are a lot like the stresses and strains that build up on our fault lines and eventually rupture in the form of an earthquake. My husband has trouble sleeping at night, as he is required to run his office with fewer resources while chasing work that isn't out there. We are learning to live on less, even as costs rise and pressures mount to spend more on services we already use.

I was offered a virtual assistant job yesterday -- I am thisclose to taking it. I will be spending the day doing data entry for a friend's business and am also investigating other options that would drastically change how I spend my days.

And my little girl continues to grow into an adolescent, with all the joys and sorrows that entails -- for the entire family. This month, she's experienced several bouts with uncontrollable crying. I'm a cryer, so it doesn't bother me (other than the desire to help her through it). But the sound of her wailing and sobbing makes my husband crazy. He doesn't understand it; doesn't know why she can't "just stop it" and thinks that when I am comforting her I am actually "encouraging" her...

...Which usually ends in a kind of domestic quake of our own.

The California Games

I can't believe I began the summer lamenting that I wouldn't be taking any vacations this year.

Instead, I ended up planning several short road trips. The result: Plenty to write about -- but little time to do it!

I just got back from watching Megan compete in the California State Games, which is a kind of youth Olympics event, complete with young athletes marching in to witness the lighting of the torch. As the march-in was Friday night and her meet was Sunday afternoon -- and the event was in beautiful San Diego -- we made a weekend of it. My sister and her family planned a short stay in Mission Bay to coincide with it, so it was a full family affair...

...which means that breaking away to write was a near-impossibility. Hell, my husband and sister complained every time I glanced at the steady stream of email I was receiving on my Blackberry. You have no idea how much trouble they would have given me if I had gone hunting for a hotspot so I could write.

This is why I have not been online since Thursday afternoon (when the Internet in my home went down for several hours). As of this time last week, I was putting the finishing touches on part 1 of my post about our Las Vegas trip -- and promising to finish the half-done draft recounting our experiences in Palm Springs the previous week.

Those posts remain half-done drafts. And in three days, I am flying up to San Francisco for BlogHer.

Can you say "over extended"?

So... this blog will be taking a non-linear turn this week, as I jump around in time so I can catch up before BlogHer.

We'll start with the trip we just finished: San Diego.

I wish I had photos to show you of the opening ceremony for the California State Games. It really felt like the real deal. For one thing, it took place at Qualcomm Stadium. For another, there must have been thousands of youthful participants, as the march in to the stadium seemed to go on FOREVER. The really cool thing is that the entire proceeding was broadcast onto the stadium's jumbotron -- so I got to see the joyful expressions on the faces of my daughter and her teammates as they entered the field.

The reason I don't have photos is that I almost didn't make it to the Stadium on time, having opted to stay at a four-star Priceline-booked downtown hotel instead of the cheap Mission Valley inn on the trolley line, with the rest of the team. I had dropped Megan off with her coach so I knew she would arrive along with them -- but I wanted to have my own car so I could boogie when the whole thing was over.

The road leading to Qualcomm was bumper-to-bumper, and just as I got there, my cell phone froze on me. This put me into a panic: How was I going to find the other parents? How was I going to find my kid? I managed to get the phone working again by removing and replacing the battery -- but I was shaken. I was already at the ticket booth when I realized I'd left my camera in the car. I had no desire to run back to fetch it.

After what seemed like hours (I had NO IDEA there were so many kids who play softball - I don't think there was an empty field in all of San Diego last weekend!), the ceremony began with a drop-in by about a dozen Navy Seals... who literally parachuted onto the field, ending with one holding an American flag for the Star Spangled Banner. Yeah, it was kind of hokey -- but really cool at the same time. That was followed by some speeches about the value of youth athletic programs and some Gong-show ready entertainment.

The program ended with a pretty nice fireworks show.

Then came the ordeal of catching back up with our kids. As much time as it took for them to march IN to the stadium, finding them after the event took even longer. At least, it felt that way. It was nearly 10:00 p.m. by the time I had my daughter back -- neither one of us had eaten dinner. Fortunately, my sister and husband (who had driven down after work and was already relaxing with the family at their hotel in Mission Bay) were waiting for us. We phoned them a room service order and found a late dinner waiting for us when we caught up with them -- just in time to catch our second fireworks show of the night, emanating from nearby Sea World.

Saturday was our time to kick back, and we decided to do so at my sister's hotel. She and her family stayed at the Mission Bay Hilton, which is right on the bay, so it boasts a small beach, a dock where you can rent boats and jetskis, tennis courts, a spa -- and a fabulous pool (which was adjacent to a fabulous bar that serves truly fabulous pina coladas).

We figured we could get the best of both San Diego worlds by moving our party downtown for the evening. We dined on excellent tapas at Cafe Sevilla in the Gaslamp Quarter (which was within walking distance from our downtown hotel). The food was plentiful...and reasonably priced.

Sunday's gymnastics meet was a lot like any other... except that our team rocked! Megan and her friend Wesley both took first place All-Around prizes for their ages -- and the top three for most events featured at least one of our girls.

I would have pictures of this but for a nasty surprise when I turned my camera on: I must have dropped it somewhere, because I could not access any of the menus. Instead, all I could see was something that looked like a crack on the screen INSIDE the camera.

"Just go to the store where you bought it and get it fixed," my husband suggested.

The last time I tried that with a digital camera I was told it would cost nearly as much to fix as it would to buy a new one. It is also extremely unlikely that, should it be reparable, I could have it back before I go to BlogHer on Thursday. At any rate, future posts will be without photos for the foreseeable future.

It's a good thing I got some in on the half-finished posts that will be going up BEFORE I get to San Francisco.

Cabazon: Desert Shopping and Swimming

My plan for today's post was to write about the Palm Springs area and what a bargain it is for travelers in the summer months (when demand for desert uh, warmth is on the low side).

Megan and I were going to leave the house early, check in to our Rancho Mirage hotel and then check out the local sights, like the Aerial Tramway and...

...well, that was the only activity I was aware of here. I figured we woud spend the rest of the day shopping at the River complex, and hanging out at the pool.

That was before Megan turned on her newly charged cell phone and found a text message from a friend, who happened to be staying at the Morongo Casino and Resort, out in Cabazon... which we would be passing by on our way to Palm Springs. The Desert Hills Premium Outlet mall is located right next to the resort... I had always wanted to check it out (for some reason, my husband never seems to want to stop and shop when we're traveling) and Leesa and her family were planning on having lunch there. So why not?

While there, Leesa's family invited us to come and hang out with them at the resort's fabulous pool. So instead of an awesome aerial view, we ended up spending the afternoon at an Indian casino... and it was good.

Sunny San Diego (and Coronado, too)

When I was a kid growing up here in the San Fernando Valley, my family's favorite vacation destination was San Diego. It's relatively close (just a two hour drive if traffic is light), it's on the coast, and the weather is almost always perfect (even when it's raining in Los Angeles, as it was this weekend).

So when I received an invitation to attend a blogger event this weekend at Sea World (to try out the park's new Sesame Street themed Bay of Play area), I jumped on it. For the last couple of years, we've been heading down to San Diego purely for gymnastics meets. How nice would it be to go there for fun?

As it turns out, it was very nice indeed.

Public Service Announcement for SoCal Residents

Do you live in Southern California? Do you love reality TV? Wanna get paid to be an extra on something?

I subscribe to a list that sends out TV audience opportunities and they sent me this today (below the jump).

I do not know the show they are casting for, nor do I know anything about the pay. I'm just passing this along. If I did not have school pickup obligations (or if I wasn't too old for them!), I would do this myself just for the blog fodder. (If do you and write about it, please let me know!)

Invasion of the Riff-Raff: An Anniversary to Remember at the Montage Laguna Beach

It was weird to be spending our anniversary this year at a renowned five-star hotel; pampered in the proverbial lap of luxury while our conversations centered on layoffs, recession and hard times ahead.

It’s strange that riff-raff like us had even HEARD of the Montage resort in Laguna Beach, let alone be returning to the place – especially with our tenuous connection to the bizarre police shooting that occurred there last year.

The first time we visited, we were guests of some extravagant and generous friends who invited us there to help them celebrate a milestone birthday. We hadn't seriously considered coming back until that charity silent auction we attended in October.

One of the prizes was a one-night stay at Montage with bidding begun at a bargain rate of $200. So we placed a bid.

By the end of the evening, it was too late; especially once my husband’s boss entered the fray. Gareth was determined to win, and he did. But our final cost was $50 more than it would have been if we had just made the reservation directly with the hotel. (At least, the money goes to charity, and we can write that $50 off.)

Riff-Raff that I am, I was determined to use all of the resort’s facilities to the max this time – and milk as much as I could out of our one-night stay.

“Did you tell them it was our anniversary?” I asked my husband last week. I’d expected them to ask us when we’d made our reservation. Husband shot off a quick email asking if they had any suggestions for us. For a hotel of this caliber, that’s code for “We expect you to make a fuss.”

I was not disappointed.

We made it to Laguna around 11:00, hoping to obtain an early check-in. A room was available, so we had the desk clerk send our luggage over while we moseyed over to the property’s “casual” dining room, The Loft. After being seated, my husband handed me a letter from the general manager, welcoming us to the property and wishing us a happy anniversary there.

Boo-ya!