THE MOUSE AND HIS CHILD family movie on April 10 at 11am at Hammer Museum

Hammer Museum's Billy Wilder Theatre is the location for UCLA's Family Flicks movies.  We have enjoyed many classic as well as foreign films for children as part of this monthly series for many years.  Back when it was held at UCLA, there were always cookies and juice during the intermission between the double features.

If we were not ladybug-hunting on Sunday April 10 in the mountains, we would have gone to see this movie! Well, there is always the book to read :)  ENJOY!

http://www.cinema.ucla.edu/events/2011-04-10/mouse-and-his-child-1977
http://www.cinema.ucla.edu/billy-wilder-theater

The Mouse and His Child (1977)

April 10, 2011 - 11:00 am

Billy Wilder Theater

Free Admission 

 

Directed by Charles Swenson and Fred Wolf

Adapted from the classic children’s novel of the same name by Russell Hoban, The Mouse and his Child has been unfairly neglected as a misfit film: A musical animated feature for children, it also channels many of the darker, philosophical themes of its source. The father and son of the title are mechanical toy mice, connected at the hands, who embark on a wondrous, perilous quest to become self-winding after a toy shop accident sends them to a landfill. Helped and harried by a menagerie of creatures, including an evil rat (voiced by Ustinov) who enslaves broken toys for his nefarious plots, father and son ultimately succeed in their journey, but not before the impressionistically drawn film touches on the nature of existence, the limits of infinity and the rigors of experimental theater. This is an odd one, but also one not to be missed.
Recommended for ages 10+

Based on the novel by Russell Hoban. Producer: Walt DeFaria. Screenwriter: Carol Monpere. Cinematographer: Wally Bulloch. Cast: Peter Ustinov, Cloris Leachman, Sally Kellerman, Andy Devine, Neville Brand. Presented in English dialogue. 35mm, Color, 83 min.

Part of: 

Family Flicks

Sunday, April 10, 9am to 1pm, go on a LadyBug Hunt hike in Frazier Mountain - RSVP needed

We are very fortunate to know this 4000-5000 foot elevation area up to over 8,000 feet on Mount Pinos very well.   My children have the vivid pleasurable memories of running around and trying to catch swarming ladybugs in the Frazier Park's town park!  At that time, we wondered where they nest in this area, having seen a Huell Howser program showing how ladybugs are gathered for sale in garden shops for ecologically-sensitive removal of aphids.  The only "problem" is that the ladybugs don't stay around after the aphids are gone ... where do they go, mate, and reproduce??

So we are excited to share news of this kid-friendly guided hike organized by the Santa Clarita-based Community Hiking Club with a naturalist guide who also know this area's history and culture well.  I do hope we will find the "massive ladybug occurence" which is very possible - think positively!!!

Please RSVP for his hike -- it is free (donations welcome) -- and here is the contact info from the organizer, Dianne.  If you do come on this adventure, please ask for me :)  We would love to meet other similarly adventurous and curious families!   The information below comes from their April newsletter aptly titled "Call of the Wild":

661-259-2743  RSVP Dianne at:  zuliebear@aol.com

Sunday April 10- Ladybug Hunt up Frazier Mountain with "Naturalist For You"  9AM-1PM

Meet at the Ridge Route Museum just before 9:00 AM and experience the colorful history of the Frazier Mountain area.  Artifacts and photographs tell compelling stories about the Chumash, El Camino Viejo (The Old Road), Tejon Pass, the Old Ridge Route (prior to the Interstate 5 Freeway), and the mountain communities.  Carpool from the museum to the trailhead.  Ascend the slope of Frazier Mountain past fragrant sagebrush scrub, gnarly canyon live oak woodland, and majestic coniferous forest.  See colorful lichen displays on jagged boulders.  As pinyon pines give way to white fir, enjoy panoramic views of the valley and surrounding mountain ranges.  Search for wildlife evidence and spring bloomers.  Come across an overflowing spring supporting willows and maple.  Possibility of observing a massive ladybug occurrence.  Afterwards, you can opt to enjoy a delicious lunch and freshly baked dessert at the Coffee Cantina in Frazier Park. This is not an included activity, but many of the attendees will choose to dine here. You may also opt to bring your lunch or visit some of the local fast food outlets for lunch.

Who: Kids 10 and up (Minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.) and Adults

Where: Meet at the Ridge Route Communities Museum, 3515 Park Dr, Frazier Park, CA 93225, (661) 245-7747 9:00 AM

Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous (4-5 miles round-trip, dirt truck trail, some rough terrain, roughly 1000 feet of elevation gain, muddy conditions near spring)

Special Instructions/Supplies:

Please arrive at least 15 minutes before start time.  Bring a minimum of 1 quart (32 oz) of water per person.  Bring snacks and/or full meal.  Wear weather protection (jacket, hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, etc.), durable hiking socks and close-toed hiking shoes (extra pair for wet tours-there may be a little snow or mud), long pants, and backpack for snacks.  Bring first aid kit (Band-Aids, antiseptic, allergy medicine, tweezers, etc.) and cell phone. Walking sticks are recommended if you have them.

RSVP: Please RSVP to Dianne as we need a head count for the naturalist guide before April 10. (Small donations can be given to the naturalist/guide Joel if you would like, or to Dianne)

PLEASE CONTACT DIANNE AT zuliebear@aol.com to let her know for her head count.

Share the joy of symphonic music with your child with this free AYS concert at Royce Hall on April 10 at 7pm

We love music, theater, films, and the arts!   It doesn't have to cost much more than parking and gas for transportation.  With school districts considering music and the arts to be first to be cut when budgets are slashed, it is all the more important for families to explore music and the arts on their own.  It can even be free!

As a family, we have enjoyed extensively many of the free events in all musical genres - see the events I have blogged previously: World City concerts and art projects, Hammer Museum family movies and Getty Center and Villa.   I would like to add to this list of free offerings:  The American Youth Symphony concerts.  (Click on http://www.aysymphony.org/about-ays for its history and mission.)

Royce Hall is a beautiful venue and AYS will be playing an exciting and varied program at Royce Hall on April 10 at 7pm.  But come at 6 pm for the pre-concert talk--- just as they do at the LA Phil, these pre-concert talks often contextualize the musical pieces you will be hearing and highlights aspects of the composer's life.

This early exposure to music has been instrumental to my children playing the piano as well as a second instrument, the violin and cello respectively.  My daughter and I sing in the car together to enjoy our vocal ranges, while my husband has been playing the trombone "forever."   But it helps tremendously to have a gifted teacher, Alexander Tseitlin of Eleos Music in our case, to teach and mentor them in their comprehensive musical education.  Encouraged by our music teacher to audition, our 9.5-year old started playing the violin in the Crossroads Community Orchestra (you don't have to be a Crossroads student to play) this year.  I would highly recommend this small orchestra program as the best introduction to playing in an orchestra.  The conductor of both the Crossroads School  Chamber and Community Orchestra is Michael Powers.  In addition to being the Music Director of the USC Concert Orchestra, he is also the Assistant Conductor for AYS, and he normally gives the pre-AYS concert talks at 6pm at Royce West Lobby.

For more personal info on both Eleos Music (http://www.eleosmusic.com/) and Crossroads Community Orchestra, please contact me via the comments section..

If your child or children can sit through a concert, do get the free tickets for this program.  For those who cannot, and for those not living in Los Angeles, you can listen to live recordings of AYS performance on their website:   http://www.aysymphony.org/

Enjoy!  Here's more information on the music and composers featured in this concert.

http://www.classicalnotes.net/classics/verklarte.html

http://www.naxos.com/person/Henri_Lazarof/21029.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Der_Rosenkavalier

 

ROYCE HALL, APRIL 10, 2011, 7 PM

Alexander Treger, conductor

Schoenberg Verklärte Nacht
Henri Lazarof Symphony No. 2
Strauss Der Rosenkavalier Suite

The hall will open at 6:30 pm.

Members do not need to make a reservation, and can enter the hall at 6:15 pm using their green membership cards.

Pre-concert talk in the West Lobby begins at 6:00 pm.

To get your free tickets (donations welcomed), please go to:

http://www.aysymphony.org/
For parking info and directions, see http://www.aysymphony.org/directions

Roller Coaster fun while learning the physics behind it!

Ever considered learning about science through having fun on roller coasters?

I am looking into organizing a day of fun at Santa Clarita's Magic Mountain and they have height requirements for some of the rides.

But there is a small roller coaster ride at Santa Monica's Pacific Park at the pier.  In my mailbox today is a $10 deal for Santa Monica's Pacific Park.  So, I bought a couple for my children.

If you would like to an all day $10 ticket (about half-price) for Pacific Park, this link is good only for today before midnight.

http://gr.pn/geLSNW

Check out this link for some science fun and here's the photo of an awesome ride from this link!

Enjoy,
GCB

http://www.funderstanding.com/aboutus/philosophy/learning-by-doing/roller-coaster

Roller Coaster

Faster than a speeding bullet. More powerful than a locomotive. It’s a … roller coaster? Well, they may not be quite as fast as a speeding bullet, but unlike Super Man, roller coasters don’t need any super powers in order to fly, spin, and race through the air at top speeds. What do they need? Physics.

This Sunday, March 20, is KIDS IN THE COURTYARD at UCLA's Fowler Museum

Fowler Museum at UCLA is another museum where my children practically grew up as my daughter was in a stroller when we first went regularly.  We know the staff well!  Once a month, there is a hands-on activity for kids to celebrate a new exhibit.   Kids usually have the opportunity to do something fun and creative with lots of art materials provided.   Last month, it was making sculptural masks you can walk with inspired by the African exhibit. Earlier, it was making kimchi AND creative decorative glass bottles!  We still have ours in the fridge ... yum!  We also learned art techniques when we made glow-in-the-dark paintings inspired by Indonesian weavers' stories which still amazes us with its glow at night. 

This Sunday, it is music making ... to celebrate their Jazz exhibit.  The permanent collection called Intersections is a treasure trove of cultural pieces from all over the world as well as videos to show the cultural contexts for their exhibits.  Wander around the beautiful UCLA campus while you are there.  Or roll down the hill outside the museum and explore the campus fountains.   Admission to Fowler is free, but UCLA parking is $10 all day or try a metered parking slot.

For current exhibits, see http://www.fowler.ucla.edu/exhibitions/current

http://www.fowler.ucla.edu/visit

Kids in the Courtyard Peanut, Peanut Butter…and JAZZ

Celebrate the opening day of Jam Session with peanut butter and jam sandwiches, and improvisational music-making led by UCLA students. 

Kids in the Courtyard: Peanut, Peanut Butter ... and JAZZ
Sunday, March 20, 2011
1-4 pm
Fowler Museum courtyard
Free Family program

The LA Marathon is also scheduled for Sunday, March 20. 

Plan your route to UCLA using this helpful guide.

Getty Center's Family Festivals offer art, storytelling, dance and music! Focus on the Far East this Saturday, March 19

If you have never been to a Getty Center's Family Festival, start going now!   You and your children will be amazed by what you see and experience in just a few hours.   Our family have been going for years and family festivals at both Getty Villa and Center have been our favorite art and cultural learning venues.   Both museums are beautiful with world-class exhibits to begin with, but on a family festival day, a themed focus brings together performance, art projects, music and dance.  Don't forget to view the special exhibits that inspire this day's celebration.

GCP'sTip:  Bring along your address book because Getty Center will mail any decorated postcards to any place in the world.

Admission is free, but there is a parking fee of $15.  Take advantage of free parking after 5pm on Saturdays and view the most beautiful sunsets and cityviews.  No reservation is required.

For more info on everything at Getty Center, click on:  http://www.getty.edu

Here's the program from Getty Center's website for your convenience:

Family Festival Celebrating Photography from the New China and Felice Beato: A Photographer on the Eastern Road

Date: Saturday, March 19, 2011
Time: 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Admission: Free; no reservations required.

Discover the richness and beauty of the ancient empires of India, Japan, and China as well as recent explosions in artistic creativity. Experience traditional Chinese opera, listen to Chinese folktales told by a master storyteller, and be dazzled by the amazing music and dance of these vibrant cultures at this hands-on family festival.

Arpana Dance Company

Arpana Dance Company: Indian Music and Dance
A complex synthesis of music, sculpture, poetry, and color, the ancient dance form of Bharata Natyam will be brought to life by the Arpana Dance Company. The exciting display includes cross–rhythmic patterns, graceful hand gestures, and storytelling.
10:30–11:15 a.m.
3:15–4:00 p.m.
Museum Courtyard

Snap Yourself! Photo Booth
Inspired by the exhibition Photography from the New China, stop by this on–the–go photo booth to capture your family in action. Take home your picture and display it in your very own frame made at the Getty!
11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
GRI Lawn

UCLA Confucius Institute Calligraphy Studio
A demonstration by master artist Fan Duanran on the art of Chinese calligraphy and a hands-on workshop led UCLA Mandarin Teaching Scholars. Master Fan will discuss and demonstration its history, techniques, and styles. This is a unique opportunity to witness a master at work, ask questions, and try your hand at one of the critical standards for Chinese literati.
11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
1:30–3:00 p.m.
Museum Courtyard

	Barbara Wong

Barbara Wong—Storytelling
Hear storyteller Barbara G. Wong tell Chinese folktales full of humor and wisdom. These stories about dragons and ghosts, hundreds—even thousands—of years old, are still being told today.
11:30 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
2:45–3:30 p.m.
Museum Lecture Hall

The Artistry of Beijing Opera Make-Up

Beijing Opera Make-Up Demonstration
Have your make up done and dress up like a traditional Chinese opera performer!
11:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Museum Courtyard

The Shaolin Warriors and Chinatown Acrobats
Monks from China's famed Shaolin Temple, the Shaolin Warriors of Chinatown perform skillfully choreographed martial–arts feats alongside the spectacular Chinatown Acrobats. Breathtaking and beautiful, these ancient art forms date back over 2000 years.
Noon–12:45 p.m.
4:30–5:15 p.m.
Museum Courtyard

	China's Renowned Hu Wen-ge Performs Traditional Beijing Opera

A Journey into Beijing Opera
Presented by California Institute for Chinese Performing Arts (CICPA)
Enjoy a fun, interactive program filled with action, music, and beautiful costumes. Acclaimed Beijing opera artists from Taiwan, China, and England help uncover the mystery behind this traditional form of Chinese art.
1:00–2:00 p.m.
4:00–5:00 p.m.
Museum Lecture Hall

TAIKOPROJECT
TAIKOPROJECT presents a dynamic program blending traditional Japanese taiko drumming with contemporary rhythms and music.
1:30–2:30 p.m.
Museum Courtyard

Art-Making Workshops
10:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

Make a Frame
Use Chinese newspapers and magazines to create a frame fit for your own family portrait.

Pagoda Arcardtecture with Marni Gittleman
Construct a customized Pagoda with playing cards inspired by iconic elements of Asian architecture.

Chinese Calligraphy
Learn about the oldest continuously used writing system in the world. Explore what the characters mean and how to write them using traditional ink and brush. This workshop is led by alumni from the UCLA Confucius Institute Mandarin Teaching Scholars Program.

Postcards
Create your own work of art using rubber stamps and the Chinese calligraphy techniques you've learned. We will mail your postcard anywhere in the world!