Our first day after summer school was to head down to the Aquarium of the Pacific to learn about blue whales and to go on a whale watching tour. We had the pleasure of boarding ship with Yvonne, Courtney, Shelby, and Adrienne, all moms with kids in tow. I have posted six videos of our experience of seeing a cow and calf off the Palos Verdes Peninsula – a really amazing thing to behold! To be so close to this gigantic ancient creature with our babies, well, it was special. In the video above you can see how close our boat came to the two, and you can also hear Courtney and I going crazy to get our boys to watch them! We loved it, and I think it’s a wonderful thing to experience with or without your five year old.

It was Critter and his partner in crime to go crazy when we got to the new Penguin Habitat – we couldn’t stop laughing and watching these funny birds, they are such little characters. In the photos you can also see the cool Watershed Exhibit, which helps you understand the relationship of the earth with water on a local level – count us in as big fans of learning about the ocean at the Aquarium of the Pacific! We have many more hours of exhibits to discover there.

< Although I'm well past the stage of being interested in breastfeeding, I couldn't pass up an invitation to attend something called Boobiepalooza. The aptly named event sponsored by Pump Station and the Berlins promised to be a fun festival to promote education and awareness to SoCal moms. Since my pal Jamie was going to be a panelist, and fellow Beverly Hills mom Sarah Maizes was to read her adorable new book On my Way to the Bath, I grabbed my Women in Life BFF Ashaa and we headed over to the beautiful old Ebell to see what was going on. We had a great afternoon visiting with some of my favorite moms, hearing some expert opinions on the new waves of childbirthing and rearing, and checked out a huge array of the best products and services for moms and dads on display. While we were visiting with Jamie, I finally got a bit of video of video of her explaining what her foundation actually does – there are lots of children’s sounds in the background, but that’s just the way we roll… turn up the volume and you can see how earnest this young mom is about helping others. And that really was the theme of Boobiepalooza – to help women and mothers enjoy life and feel more secure about their choices.

I am beyond thrilled to get tickets to see this while my mom is here. How wonderful will it be to see this classic of my childhood with my family? I can still remember seeing the Disney movie when I was a tiny child – I LOVED it!

There’s a fantasitc promo right now, too – Purchase early for just $49 (Reg. $72) from August 9-19 by calling 213.972.4400 and using code SUGAR or visiting Center Theatre Group . Restrictions apply, so be sure to read the details!

The Soar with Reading initiative is back for a second year, working to place books in the hands of kids in need and keep kids reading all summer long! With online activities and an awesome sweepstakes, PBS Kids, Barefoot Books and Jet Blue have partnered to help young imaginations SOAR! That’s not all – on Tuesday August 7th, the partners and PBS SoCal present a special Soar with Reading Celebration will feature a LIVE concert from Mr. Steve Songs (see video above for a performance from last year’s events) in the Mark Taper Auditorium. Families will even get to meet PBS KIDS’ characters Hooper and Super Why! following the concert. All attendees will receive resources for summer reading and be able to participate in hands-on summer literacy activities. This event is free to attend but RSVP is required!

Dear reader, what a summer we’re having! If you follow my Twitter stream, you know I haven’t deserted y’all – My Perfect Husband (now also known as the BeverlyHillsDad!), the Critter and I have really been enjoying all the activities and events we possibly can, because you know how we love people, style, and fun. I have found inspiration in so many places – one day it’s an exciting movie screening or party or art project or planting a garden and lying in the grass looking at the sky. I am cherishing every cute moment with my Critter before he heads to kindergarten in the fall, and finally had time to share some photos of stuff we’ve been doing only because he and dad have gone camping in Yosemite for four days. Up this weekend – the PBS Press Tour, where I will be able to preview the fall lineup and stalk Martha Stewart.

*Note – to view photos in large format, click on thumbnail, then click on photo in attachment page 😉

One of the best parts about having a kidlet is having the legitimate excuse to immerse myself in kids’ stuff, to which I have admitted an addiction. I think back on summers in Gulfport Mississippi, where my parents’ office was located across the street from the very glamorous (really!) Gulfport-Harrison Library. I would spend hour upon hour reading every book in the children’s section, proudly watching the librarian make a new hashmark by my name each time I reported to her that I had read another. The books would take my mind near and far, teach and entertain me, and broadened my mind to wanting to learn more.

The love of reading and learning was also supported by shows on PBS like the Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, The Electric Company, and Sesame Street – even though it was television programming, the number one theme was that if you can read you can learn, and if you can learn, anything is possible. The more things change the more they remain the same. Now I have a preschooler embarking on the summer before kindergarten. I want him to read, to learn, and to enjoy it the way I always have. He has lots of wonderful books and tons of cool online resources to help me teach him.

As a PBS Kids VIP I attended the PBS Annual Meeting last month and was thrilled to be able to preview the newest program called Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood. I was whisked from LAX to Denver for a whirlwind trip where I was also able to gather with folks from PBS Kids / PBS, meet the other PBS Kids VIPs, and get another visit with my kids’ TV idol Angela Santomero. Angela promised that Daniel Tiger, the “child” of the Fred Rogers Company and PBS Kids has enough lovey-love and cuteness to melt the coldest heart, and will also teach preschoolers how to cope with emotions and have empathy for others. It really was inspiring to be able to see her speak to a huge crowd of people who grew up with Mister Rogers Neighborhood who were all excited to see how the themes from our beloved “neighbor’s” lessons would translate to the new millennium. The trolley, red sweater, sneakers, the Land of Make Believe, and the sweet characters are all still there, but this time all in animated form, since there is no way to replace Mr R. The real Mrs. Rogers was there too, and I got to give her a hug and tell her how my son watches Mister Rogers just like I did and how happy I am about the new series.

There’s a reason PBS Kids programming survives and thrives after all these years. It’s still made by people whose mission is to change lives, one house at a time, and that everyone can afford to watch – it’s still public and reaches 99% of all homes. I left Denver energized, looking forward to seeing Daniel again on Labor Day, and ready to host a little summer kick off party of my own, with the help of PBS Kids, iVillage, and Scholastic. Last Friday I had a Summer Reading Party at the Critter’s preschool support literacy through the iVillage PBS Kids Summer Reading Community Challenge. We read books, colored printable pages, took fun photos, and watched PBS Kids programming. All good Beverly Hills events end with a goody bag, and this was no exception – the wee ones took home discount coupons, notebooks, bookmarks, tatoos, sticker sheets, activity story sheets, and reading charts that parents can use to encourage reading all summer.

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You may remember what an AWESOME time we had last year with Paul Frank. We were super lucky this year as well to be guests at a divine Mommy and Me Event at the Beverly Hills Hotel hosted by our cool pals at Paul Frank and BabiesRUs. Moms were treated to preview the summer collections from Paul Frank, tea and goodies, hand massages, and fab party photos while the kids were occupied by cookie decorating, cavorting with Julius, dancing and playing with new summer toys from Paul Frank. The Grandmother was here for spring visit, so I was really happy that she could enjoy the idyllic afternoon at the iconic hotel (including celebrity sightings, of course) with all the fun Paul Frank imagery. It was a perfect Beverly Hills Mom day.

I had such a great afternoon at the Peninsula recently celebrating the publication of Heather Porter’s new book Body Back. When we last met, Heather was just finishing up the book, and I had a lot of fun learning about what life is like for a glamorous English mom living in Dubai, along with some unexpected little details that one must tend to to get a book completed for release on three continents. I like to call Body Back an almanac of tips and strategies for literally getting oneself “back” after having a baby. Heather is lovely and proper to the point you almost can’t imagine that she too endures the daily ups and downs of motherhood, but she does, and those moments are what convinced her to write the book, that she notes essentially combines thirty or more books into one.

I’ve always loved Jenny McCarthy for being such a hilarious hot chick. At the tea we had so much fun talking real girl talk at our table, which included Jenny and Heather’s tips on teaching kids practical skills in this day and age, how we met our husbands, what it’s like for Jenny to be on the dating scene – I offered to find her a fabulous husband like MPH, at which point she revealed that she has hopes for her new romance. Let’s keep our fingers crossed for her – but the offer stands. Jenny brought along Executive Director Candace Mcdonald of Generation Rescue, a group that Jenny presides over as President, which helps find healing for children with autism. Jenny has been very public with her son’s diagnosis and has admirably strived to share information with the public about autism. We learned a bit about GenRescue, how to get our Body Back, and laughed a LOT.

In honor of the launch of Body Back, Heather is generously donating 20% of proceeds from book sales on her website to Generation Rescue – be sure to use the code provided!

Since you know about my admiration for Elizabeth Glaser, I hope you will join me in attending this wonderful event or give heartily so that her legacy can continue…

The Greystone Concours has now become THE annual event for luxury and antique car fans! My Perfect Husband (MPH) and I have been guests at the last two shows, and it is now our favorite springtime date. If you followed our post from last year’s event, you know that the show is rated by FIVA, with autos on display that even the most particular afficianado would swoon. Although the Concours is a serious show for the serious collector and fan, it also combines all the things we both love together – Beverly Hills, fabulous cars, design, history, and architecture, and a really fun mix of people who attend.

While MPH shoots the wonderful auto photos you see in the gallery, I peruse all the other parts of the estate, spotting details I haven’t noticed before in the architecture and gardens, and looking over all the luxe vendors who are tucked into the rooms of the mansion and throughout. We rendezvous on the terrace for a romantic bite and a glass of wine. It’s a perfect Sunday afternoon.