La La Land - Pint-Sized

Designer Duds for Half-Pint Prices

If you want the thrill of shopping in the high-end boutiques for jr. without the sticker shock, Kitson’s tanks for babies by Dream for $105 or a toddler’s silver leather skirt by Flowers by Zoe for $148, go across the street to Lisa Kline Kids on Robertson just south of Beverly Blvd. On most Saturdays and Sundays (at least during the summer) you will find a sidewalk sale where you can snatch up cute little items for your mini me at 75% off. I snagged a Splendid top that retails at $64 for only $16. The clothes are in bins marked for babies on up to tweens. While I was there, I saw Nigel Barker from America’s Next Top Model shopping for his son.

Another cool spot to hit is It’s A Wrap also on Robrtson Blvd just north of Pico. They don’t have as many kid’s clothes, but who cares, you just came from Lisa Kline right? It’s a resale shop of clothes that were worn in a variety of films and television shows. Love the way your fave soap star dresses, you'll probably find that outfit there. The sizes are a little crazy though (the smalls are anorexic Hollywood small), I tried on a skirt and let’s just say I never got to zip it up. There’s a ton of stuff and new merchandise seems to come in often. Be prepared to take your time and go through the racks because they have a ton of stuff. On the day I went, belts and purses were 50% off.

Goodbye Long, Hot Summer

Labor Day is one of those holidays I don’t really look forward to anymore. It signifies the end of a free-wheeling summer where the days were long and the nights were longer. Now it’s back to the pressure of getting my daughter to school on time, home work in the evening and two hours of sunlight. I’ve been really bad and my blog went on an involuntary summer vacation. Didn’t plan it, the writing just didn’t happen. Let’s see, what I did on my summer break? Actually, it’s what did Kortney do on her summer break since it’s all about her anyway. She started it off in May with a part in the Transformer’s 2 movie and shot two commercials – one for Hallmark and one for Walmart. It wasn’t all work and no play, she’s only six afterall. She took a couple of trips to visit fam, played host to out-of-town guests, and enjoyed her lanyard making days at summer camp.

Baby Modeling & Beyond On Sale!

Get all of your questions answered about how to get your little one on tv and in magazines. You can purchase at Amazon for $12.95 or check out our 10 day sale at Ebay for $9.99.

Kortney's Dairy Queen Commercial

I found Kort's voice over Dairy Queen commercial where she says the word "antidisestablishmentarianism" on You Tube.  We were in Hawaii when we first saw it, we only caught the tail end of it.  At first we didn't think it was her voice, but after watching it on You Tube, it's her.  Enjoy!

Blink & You'll Miss Her in Real Men Wear Gowns!

The Ad Council finally put up a PSA Kort shot in November. She's in the very beginning, you'll only glimpse a little bit of her face as the actor playing the father picks her and a little boy up. Check it out here.

Out of the Mouths of Babes

This afternoon while driving, I was talking to Kortney about moving to the valley. You can get more bang for your buck out there housing wise. Such as sage, Kortney says, "I don't want to move to the valley because I wouldn't be able to go to my school anymore and besides I wouldn't be close to my agency." Spoken like a true Hollywood kid!

Diva for a Day

If you’re looking for a stress-free solution to your child’s next b-day party, you should definitely consider Olivia’s Dollhouse Tea Room. They have eight locations. Kort had her sixth birthday at the West Hollywood spot. It’s on a residential street, we drove past it several times while looking for it. Inside is a cozy atmosphere, not a lot of room for parents, so it's recommended to have kids dropped off.

The party lasts for two hours, you can pay an additional fee and get an extra hour if you think you need it. We had 12 girls and two hours was just enough time. My little girly girl was in her glory when she got to pick out an outfit from a huge room filled with more than 200 dresses, shoes, purses and feather boas. After all the girls picked out their dresses, it was on to hair and make-up. While they were waiting, they got to accessorize with bling from a huge jewelry box. There’s also plenty of knick knacks and decorations on the wall to distract them.

The staff of two was pretty quick and efficient. After the girls were all gussied up, they showed off their new look in a mini-fashion show. They took a keepsake picture from their strut down the catwalk. We had one little boy at the party and he came dressed as a knight. Olivia's has top hats and moustaches for boys but they are more than welcome to dress up how they please and bring their own costumes.

After the show, they all sat down to enjoy lunch. They had their choice of pb&j finger sandwiches, pizza and hot dogs. The birthday girl got a bell that she could ring for service. By the end of lunch I was SO tired of hearing that bell but the hostesses were really sweet about it. We brought our own cd, so Kort had her favorite music playing during the party.

Olivia's supplies a cake but it's really small and the guests do not get any. They sang “Happy Birthday” and Kort blew out the candles and that was the last we saw of that cake. They packed it up along with the gifts and sent it home. The kids got candy instead. Before they left, each guest got to pick a keepsake out of a big chest of goodies. The birthday girl got the option of getting either a Victorian doll or two items.

The kids really enjoyed themselves, it was like being let loose in Cinderella’s closet (after she married the Prince of course).

Building Better Readers

The stars will be out to shine and lend their support to a worthy cause on April 13 at the ArcLight Cinemas in Hollywood. The Explore-A-Story: A Celebration of Books fundraiser will feature Julie Andrews (Mary Poppins, Enchanted and The Princess Diaries series), Madison Pettis (The Game Plan and Cory in the House) and Laila Ali from 10:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. to support and inspire the love of reading.

The third-annual Explore-A-Story: A Celebration of Books offers an all-inclusive, up-close and personal day with celebrity readers, children’s book authors and illustrators, storytelling performers, musicians, and puppeteers. The Disney Family Film Festival, children’s crafts, book signings at the Barnes & Noble Book Fair and Radio Disney will bring additional joy to young hearts. Food, also included in the ticket price, will be provided courtesy of local favorites like Pink’s Hot Dogs.

The price is a little steep, $75 a head but considering that the money goes to renovating LA public school libraries and creating reading programs, it's worth it. Especially since the school system is taking a big hit with the budget cuts in the coming year. Click here for more info.

Baby Modeling & Beyond Giveaway!

There are still a few more days to leave a post at Goodies for Mom for a chance to win a copy of my book, Baby Modeling & Beyond: From The Stroller To The Red Carpet. You gotta be in it to win it. :)

Lots of Giggles & Hugs

I'm not going to lie, when I lived in LA, pre-mommy days, I never saw any kids. I didn't know people actually raised families in LA and when I was considering moving back to LA after I had Kortney, I was worried about finding enough kid-friendly activities for us to do. I'm discovering that there are more than enough things to do! Now I'm the recreations and park expert. So, where can you take the kids on a Friday night and get a real meal that doesn't consist of pizza yet the kids can run around and play? Three weeks after opening, Giggles and Hugs on Wilshire and Barrington is turning out to be quite the hot spot. It was packed, loud, well, plenty of giggles and raucous laughter filled the air when we came in on the tail end of disco Friday. The dj was spinning his last song when we walked through the door. Didn't matter because Kort and her friends kicked off their shoes and made a bee-line for the play area. Of course, the immediate comparison is Chuck E. Cheese but it's more intimate, it's a smaller place and the decor is adorable. Murals are painted on the walls, the ceiling is sky blue with a variety of clouds in the shapes of airplanes and such. It's the little touches that set it apart, real table cloths and and the choice between silverware and kid friendly flatware and dishes. The menu offers a variety of healthy options and of course, tried and true kid faves like mac and cheese...and pizza. Prices are comparable to other restaurants, ranging between $6.95 for kid's dishes to $10-$12 for adult entrees. It's $9 for the play area but Go City Kids has a coupon for free open play. TreeHouse Social Club in Beverly Hills is a similar type venue, except they also offer classes and manicures, etc. I haven't been lately, but the last time I was there, they did not have an extensive menu. Both places are worth checking out.