Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in west la, CA

Way Beyond Chicken Fingers: Authentic Ethnic Dining Options for the Adventurous

by Susan Choi

July 13, 2009

Back in March, I shared some dining options for you that are kid-friendly. We like ethnic food and try to expose our children to it as much as possible. Not to extol the virtues of living in LA yet again, but we really are lucky. We have access to so much different types of cuisine, so many little ethnic burrows into which we can venture and try new foods. So here are some more restaurants to try out, ethnic food that is authentic as it gets. Warning! These restaurants may not be the cleanest or the most kid-friendly. But they have really good, authentic fare.

Chung Ki Wa/Black Angus--Of course I will start off with Korean BBQ because I think it is the bomb! The food is delicious, the service is friendly, the prices are a little high but the meat quality is good. You also get a lot of variety of kimchi and other side dishes (ban chan). I recommend getting the kalbi (marinated short ribs) which you can cook at your table. For your kids to try: if your kids like noodles, you can get jap chae which is vermicelli noodles stir-fried with thin strips of meat and veggies.

India Sweet House--This isn't a typical Indian restaurant. It is a hole in the wall and reminds people of their visits to India. But the food is really good! It is vegetarian but even carnivores can enjoy the delicious paratha (flat-bread sandwich), samosa (potato/veggie stuffed turnovers), naan (Indian flatbread), and a variety of curries. They also have sweet stuff (thus the name) which changes all the time. For your kids to try: Aaloo paratha (potato) and a dessert!

Versailles Restaurant--The first time I went to Versailles, I had no idea what to expect of Cuban food. But I love to try new things and we gave it a go. It was delicious! This place is great for meat lovers, especially pork lovers. The Lechon Asada is very popular. If you prefer chicken, then try the garlic chicken. The fried plantains also come with each entree and is a nice yummy treat that your kids will love too. For your kids to try: the garlic chicken is your best bet though they do have a children's menu with chicken fingers or fish sticks.

Curry House--Going to Curry House reminds me of my time in Japan. I can't place my finger on it, but there is an authenticity about the place that I love. Oh, and the food is great too. Just about everything can come smothered with Japanese yellow curry sauce. Or you can try a plate of donkatsu (breaded fried pork with a special savory sauce). You may wonder why they serve spaghetti at a curry restaurant but spaghetti is very popular in Japan and it is made for a Japanese palate. For your kids to try: Chicken katsu (breaded fried chicken) curry or spaghetti.

Any restaurants you think should be added to this list? Please share!


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Weekend Warrior: Ralph's World and Ziggy Marley

by Susan Choi

June 04, 2009

There are some very cool activities going on this weekend so let's get right to it!

Ralph's World and Lisa Loeb will be performing at the Echoplex on Saturday at 11 am. If you haven't heard any of Ralph's World's songs, go to his website right now. He is a very cool kid's musician and his music is fun for adults to listen to, too! Lisa Loeb joins him for this not-to-be-missed concert.

Hey, man! Another amazing concert happening this Saturday at 10:30 am at Club Nokia, LA Live is a Reggae concert starring Ziggy Marley. It is a family concert featuring music from his latest album Ziggy Marley Family Time so children are encouraged to attend.

If you just can't get enough music this weekend, check out the LA Acoustic Music Festival at the Santa Monica Pier on Saturday and Sunday from 11 am to 10 pm. Check out the website for a list of scheduled performers. This festival benefits the California Acoustic Music Project which is a non-profit organization "whose mission is to provide California School children the benefit of music education every day."

Want to make a difference for children fighting life-threatening illnesses? Join the Second Annual Walk for Wishes benefiting the Make-a-Wish Foundation at the AT&T Center downtown on Saturday. The two-mile walk starts at 9 am. You can register now by going to their website or do walk up registration.

The 2009 Leimert Park Village Book Fair is also on Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm. This book fair, which was started to encourage literacy in Los Angeles, will features many different children's book authors. There will be food samplings made by celebrity chefs in the organic farmer's market. Face painting, clowns, a crafts pavilion and a magician will all be featured in the Children's Village.  In addition, Scribble Press from the Westside Pavilion will offer an opportunity for youth to write, create, and publish their own books on the spot.

This may sound unusual to visit the open house of the bureau of sanitation but at the same time, when would you have the opportunity to go? This Saturday from 9 am to 3 pm, visit the South Los Angeles District Yard for truck demonstration and tours, free food and games, 15 gallon citrus tree adoptions and free mulch. What a great way to teach children about recycling!

Japanese American National Museum will be hosting, Beat The June Gloom: a hands on family cooking class this Saturday at 11 am. It is an interactive family cooking class of simple summertime treats the whole family can enjoy. $25 per parent/child pair for members and $35 per parent/child pair for non-members. Be sure to reserve your spot by calling the museum.

The Zimmer Museum is hosting Family fun day on Sunday from 2 pm to 4 pm. Passport to the World: Greece is the theme this week. You and your children will explore the art and culture of Greece.

It is story time at Southwest Museum of American Indian on Sunday from 1 pm to 2:30 pm. Two beautifully illustrated Navajo stories, The Unbreakable Code by Sara Hoagland Hunter, illustrated by Julia Miner and Turquoise Boy, written and adapted by Terri Cohlene and illustrated by Charles Reasoner will be read followed by a hands-on, docent-led activity.  Read more...

Favorite Ice Cream Places to Go with (or without) Kids

by Susan Choi

June 02, 2009

I LOVE ice cream and all its reincarnations. I recently consumed two pints of Ben and Jerry's Coffee Heath Bar Crunch in four days. While this flavor is my all-time favorite, there is enough love to go around. Whenever I am in the mood for something sweet and the kids are with me, frozen yogurt is the most innocuous deviation from our normal healthy eating habits. So I have taken the kids to a lot of different ice cream/frozen yogurt eateries around town. Here are my favorites and the reasons why:

1) Twist (located on Santa Monica and Bundy)--This place is the best place to take the kids. It is inexpensive and you can control the amount of yogurt the kids get. Plus, they can choose from a large variety of toppings. I can walk out of Twist with three bowls of frozen yogurt for under $7 and four very happy campers. Favorite flavor: cake batter and waffle cone pieces toppings.

2) Whole Foods in Mar Vista (located on Barrington and National) and in Beverly Hills (located on Crescent and Wilshire)--I love the gelato here. My kids actually like the sorbets too plus you can get some shopping done. Favorite flavor: hazelnut/biscotti/coffee gelato.

3) Yoku Yoku (located on Palms and Sepulveda)--This place has both gelato and frozen yogurt and a variety of toppings. It is also open late and has a little lounge area with magazines so if you are able to come without the kids, this is a great place to come and indulge in yummy dessert and trashy magazines. Favorite flavor: cookies and cream frozen yogurt withOreo cookie toppings.

4) Didi Reese (located on Broxton and Le Conte)--This place is the go-to dessert place for UCLA students. Okay, I admit. I've never come here with the kids. My husband and I usually reserve Didi Reese for our date nights. But the prices are so cheap, and the ice cream sandwiches (two homemade cookies of your choice with one scoop of Dreyer's ice cream) are to die for. The parking is difficult and there is always a line out of the door. However, if I had to wait an hour in the freezing rain, it would still be so worth it. Favorite flavor for ice cream sandwich: cinnamon sugar cookie, candy chocolate cookie, and chocolate ice cream.

5) Rite Aid in Beverly Hills (located on Canon and Dayton)--As much as I love Ben and Jerry's ice cream, I don't like paying over so much for a little scoop. So Rite Aid is my favorite place to go for cheap ice cream. Just $1.19 for a single scoop. You can buy your ice cream and then walk over to the Montage Hotel on Wilshire and Canon. There is a beautiful outdoor public park area with little tables set up. Favorite flavor: Chocolate Malt Crunch

Invite a friend and get some ice cream together!

Beyond Chicken Fingers: Six Delicious Kid-Friendly Dining Options

by Susan Choi

March 10, 2009

We are a family of eaters. We come from a long line of good eaters, going back many generations. Thankfully our children share our passion for food which makes it easy for us to go to restaurants with them. As I snack on some creme brulee, I thought I would share some of our favorite restaurants that aren't kid-oriented (like Chuck E Cheese) but still kid-friendly on the Westside. Some of them are chains but they are easy, the kids love them, and the food is good. The others, I hope I am exposing you to a new restaurant that will become a new favorite.

Dagwood's Pizza in Santa Monica and Venice (pizza, Italian)--Great for delivery or a dine-in restaurant. It has a neighborhood pizza joint feeling and the pizza is delicious! Pasta and subs for those who are not pizza eaters.

Taiko in Brentwood (Japanese)--Located in the Brentwood Gardens structure on the 3rd floor, it is an affordable Japanese restaurant. We love to order a couple rolls and the Taiko combinations. Best of all, they have Hello Kitty melamine bowls and plates for the kids. The weekends get busy so call in advance to reserve a table.

Koreatown Plaza food court in LA (Korean)--Being Korean, we love to come here regularly. However, the great thing about eating here is that everyone can choose what they want. We normally get some noodles, Korean BBQ meat, soup, and dumplings. There are tons of high chairs, the menus are in English with pictures, and also have Vietnamese noodles, Japanese options and Boba tea.

Souplantation in Brentwood and Marina Del Rey (salad bar buffet)--this is one of the kids' favorite restaurants. To be honest, I am not sure how many vegetables they actually eat. But they certainly do eat the pasta, muffins and frozen yogurt. And I try to get a week's worth of vegetables in one sitting, to make up for my usual deficiency.

Kay n Dave's in Brentwood, Rancho Park and Pacific Palisades (Tex Mex)--this place is great for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They serve freshly made mini muffins at breakfast and delicious chips and salsa for lunch and dinner. The Rancho Park location is my favorite because it has an outdoor patio in the back.

Colony Cafe in Rancho Park (burgers and salads)--I love burgers and the burgers here hit the spot when I am craving. The fries are awesome too. My kids love the hot dogs here and the frozen yogurt is excellent.


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Looking back at 2008

by Susan Choi

December 30, 2008

What an amazing year it has been at Savvy Source West LA! The site officially launched in May with Nina Moon and she filled the treasure troves with tons of toddler-friendly times. Savvy source West LA has advice on what to do with your kiddies during sunny days , rainy days , weekend days , and special days . Interested in art ? music ? books ? No problem. We've got it covered. Want  Read more...

5 tips for the first day of preschool

by Nina Moon

September 02, 2008

Whether you're sending your two-year-old to preschool for the very first time or your little one is an old hand at this whole preschool gig, here are a few sweet reminders for the start of the school year. 1. Notes in the lunch box - Even though your preschooler (probably) can't read, a few little silly pictures on post-it notes will put a smile on her face and ease those first-day jitters. 2.  Read more...

Sweet Ways to Cool Off

by Nina Moon

August 26, 2008

It's hot. Nothing much else to say about it. It's just hot. I give my two-year-old a bath and 30 minutes later he's sweaty and stinky again. And my baby is pretty much going nekkid 24/7. Now you could simply crank up the AC, run through the sprinklers a few times and maybe take a dip at a local pool, but why not indulge in some cool, sweet treats to beat the heat? Here are a few tips to keep  Read more...

Koreatown Plaza Market -- Bring Your Preschooler and An Empty Stomach

by Nina Moon

August 13, 2008

Like so many families in Los Angeles, we find ourselves frequenting several different grocery markets in order to find all the food items we want/need. I go to Trader Joe's weekly for the basics, then to what we've dubbed the regular supermarket (i.e. Albertson's, Ralph's, etc.) for things like Ritz crackers (mmm'salty goodness!) and roasted whole chickens, and to our local farmer's markets  Read more...

Even Better Than the Farmer's Market? - Tierra Miguel Foundation Farm

by Nina Moon

July 21, 2008

Eating well has always been important to me. And by eating well, I mean eating healthy. Sure I drink more coke than one person should and, yes, my sweet tooth is bordering on addiction, but I also try to make sure that my family is eating balanced, nutritious meals. Part of that quest has recently involved exploring our local farmer's markets. Sure it can be expensive, but I've found that if I  Read more...

Watch Out! - Toddler on a Sugar High

by Nina Moon

June 18, 2008

I'm pretty strict when it comes to sweets, but I'll admit it, whenever my son is feeling a little blue or I worry that I've been neglecting him for the newborn, I take him out for a bit of sugar and some one-on-one time. Here are a few of our favorite places: Yoku Yoku One of the countless spin-offs of Pinkberry, Yoku Yoku is cashing in on all the recent dessert trends by serving fro-yo,  Read more...

Eat N' Play at Giggles N' Hugs

by Nina Moon

June 12, 2008

The first time my moms group and I tried to have lunch together with our kids, we chose a charming and very grown-up restaurant on Montana Avenue. Not surprisingly (at least in retrospect), we spent nearly the entire time trying to feed, entertain and manage our little ones. Instead of a modified ladies-who-lunch experience, we were left feeling guilty and apologetic for the noise and mess we  Read more...

Daddy Dearest - 5 Father's Day Restaurants

by Nina Moon

June 10, 2008

Mothers are so often portrayed as the ultimate multi-taskers juggling kids, household chores, family schedules in addition to their real jobs. But in our family at least, both mom and dad are multi-tasking. I juggle caring for our two children during the day with cooking, cleaning, freelance work and soon preschool co-op responsibilities, but my husband doesn't come home from a long day at  Read more...

Mozart, Moby and Miles -- SummerSounds at the Hollywood Bowl

by Nina Moon

June 04, 2008

There's nothing quite so romantic or fun as an evening at the Bowl, listening to music under the stars. Kids love the outdoor setting and the endless flights of stairs. And who wouldn't love eating a picnic dinner with hundreds of other Angelenos? Unfortunately, sometimes the evening concerts are just a little too late for our littlest ones. Luckily, every summer the Hollywood Bowl holds  Read more...

5 Best Birthday (Cup)cake Bakeries

by Nina Moon

June 03, 2008

Photos of celebrities waiting in line at Sprinkles in the gossip rags are threatening to make traditional cakes nearly obsolete and although I love a good cupcake, I still think that nothing beats a good layered birthday cake, complete with the requisite number of candles (one candle on a cupcake? Lame! Unless you're old enough to be embarrassed about your agethen maybe kind of awesome). So  Read more...

5 day trips just outside of LA

by Nina Moon

May 20, 2008

With so many things to do in Los Angeles itself, it almost seems silly to leave, right? But, yes, one must admit, there are pretty neat things to do in the world outside LA. Still, we must not venture too far. A day trip perhaps? 1. Disneyland/California Adventure - I'm holding out till my son can actually remember his first trip to the Happiest Place on Earth (I'm thinking he needs another  Read more...

Princess for a Day -- So you want to be the Greatest Mom on Earth?

by Nina Moon

May 19, 2008

Sometimes, girls just wanna have fun. I don't have a daughter (yet!), but I did have The Greatest Mom on Earth who made sure to plan special mother-daughter days where I was basically pampered silly. And although there are tons of places to have fun on a much more modest scale, why not splurge a little? After all, Los Angeles is such a great place to be pampered. Start your day at the Grove  Read more...

History Lessons - Olvera Street

by Nina Moon

May 15, 2008

Known as the birthplace of the City of Angels, Olvera Street represents the oldest part of downtown. Technically, Los Angeles was founded on a site slightly southeast of Olvera Street in 1781 by a group of Spanish settlers, but they were forced to higher ground due to flooding. Olvera Street was the central street on the plaza of the new town. In the 1926, a socialite named Christine Sterling  Read more...

5 Things To Do When the Sun's Shining

by Nina Moon

May 13, 2008

This list is nowhere near comprehensive since the sun shines here, well, a lot. LA has been designed with the sun in mind so you'd be hard-pressed to find places that aren't good for sunny day visits. Here are a few of my favorites nonetheless: 1. Redondo Beach and Pier After splashing around in the waves, head up to the pier and eat lunch at Pacific Fish Center where you're giant crabs and  Read more...