Saturday, June 25, 2011

Kristin’s Kickbacks: Free and Inexpensive Summer Ideas

Concerts

● LACMA has several free concerts throughout the summer. Check their website for more details. http://www.lacma.org/

● Free Concerts in the Park in Santa Clarita at Central Park. Saturday nights at 7 p.m. from July 9th to August 27th. http://www.santa-clarita.com/arts/concerts/ 27150 Bouquet Canyon Rd., Santa Clarita.

● Free Concerts in Park at Warner Center Park on Sundays from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. 5800 Topanga Canyon Blvd, Woodland Hills.

● Jazz at Descanso Gardens. Enjoy live jazz on Thursday evenings from 5:30 to 7 p.m. from June 23-August 25. Concerts are free with admission to the Gardens and free for members. 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada Flintridge, 91011. (818) 949-4200.

● Thursday night summer concerts at the Autry Museum from 6-9 p.m. July 7-September 1 (across from L.A. Zoo). The taco bar opens at 6 p.m., and the museum and museum store close at 8 p.m. Complimentary dance lessons and a separate dance floor for kids guarantee fun for all! Free for Autry members / $10 for nonmembers. 4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles, 90027.

● The Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts-Pasadena is proud to present its 9th annual 50 summer concert series. All concerts are FREE to the public beginning June 22 to August 28, Wednesday through Sunday. Enjoy an evening under the stars at Memorial Park in Old Pasadena while listening to quality entertainment ranging from Grammy winners and nominees, to international touring artists, and local favorites! 323-667-2000. http://www.levittpavilionpasadena.org/

Gardens

● Admission to The Huntington is free to all visitors on the first Thursday of every month with advanced tickets. Get tickets June 1st for July free day at 9 a.m. Call 800-838-3006 or get tickets online at http://www.huntington.org/default.aspx. 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, 91108. 626-405-2100.

● Los Angeles Arboretum. Free parking. Admission free on the third Tuesday of the month. 301 North Baldwin Avenue, Arcadia, 91007. (626) 821-3222.

● Descanso Gardens in La Canada. Open daily from 9 to 5. Adults $8, Children 5 to 12 $3, under 5 free. Parking is free. They also have musical events, some of which are free with admission. 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada Flintridge, 91011. (818) 949-4200.

Museums

● Kidspace Museum in Pasadena—free admission on first Tuesday of the month from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. 480 N. Arroyo Boulevard, Pasadena, 91103. (626) 449-9144.

● Noah’s Ark at the Skirball Museum. Free on Thursdays. Advance tickets required. 2701 North Sepulveda Boulevard, Los Angeles, 90049. (310) 440-4500.

● California Science Center. Free admission. Open from 10 to 5. Parking is $8. 700 Exposition Park Drive, Los Angeles, 90037. (323) 724-3623.

● Getty Museum in Brentwood and Getty Villa near Malibu. Admission is free. Villa requires reservations. Parking is $15. Getty Center is at 1200 Getty Center Drive, Los Angeles. (310) 440-7300. Getty Villa is at 17985 Pacific Coast Highway, Pacific Palisades. (310) 440-7300.

● Natural History Museum in Exposition Park is free on the first Tuesday of the month. Parking is $8. 900 Exposition Boulevard, Los Angeles. (213) 763-3466.

● La Brea Tar Pits is also free on the first Tuesday of the month. Parking is $6.00 with Page Museum validation (Page Museum parking lot only), $8.00 without Page Museum validation. Be sure to bring your parking ticket into the museum to receive your validation. 5801 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles. (323) 934-7243.

● LACMA is free on the second Tuesday of the month, as well as Holiday Mondays. Parking is now available in the new 6th Street parking garage, located just east of Fairfax Avenue. The charge is $7 and may be prepaid at all Welcome Centers, with credit cards now accepted. 5905 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles. (323) 857-6000.

● Did you know your children can get a free membership to LACMA? NexGen offers free general admission to anyone 17 and under as well as one accompanying adult. To join, visit the LACMA box office or print the enrollment form and mail it in. Here’s the link for the enrollment form: http://www.lacma.org/programs/pdfs/NewEnglishNexGenForm.pdf

Water Fun

● New pool and aquatic center at Northridge Park. 10058 Reseda Blvd. Northridge, CA 91324. 818-709-7475.

● Aquatic center in Santa Clarita. $4 for adults, $3 for kids, 2 and under free. Family Movie Nights at Aquatic center-- $7 a person, various dates. 20850 Centre Pointe Parkway, Santa Clarita. 661-250-3766.

● Rancho Tapo Community Park—Water & Climbing Playground. 3700 Avenida Simi, Simi Valley (Also known as Lemon Park)

● Beach day! Pack a lunch and spend a day at a local beach.

Other Discounts

● $1 movies on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m. at the Regal Theatres in Simi Valley, Calabasas and Santa Clarita. Older G and PG movies. Check their website for schedule.

● Miniature golfing at Castle Park in Sherman Oaks. Weekend Early Birds $3 from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Kids 4 and under free with paid adult.

● Griffith Observatory. Open Tues.-Friday 12 noon to 10, Sat. and Sun. 10-10. Free admission.

Additional Ideas

● L.A. Zoo

● Bowling

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Kristin's Kickbacks List Week of 6-24

Activities

June 24. After 9 p.m. Print your coupon for a FREE single serving of Orange Chicken at Panda Express. This coupon is good Friday, June 24 after 9 PM only! http://www.pandaexpresssocialmedia.com/uplate/coupon.php?source=wallpost

June 24. 6 p.m. Free weekly jazz concerts at LACMA. This week: Sandra Booker. BP Grand Entrance. No reservations needed.

June 24. 6 to 9 p.m. Free admission to the Aquarium of the Pacific’s Friday Shark Lagoon Nights. The aquarium is free from 6pm to 9pm select Friday nights. Please note that while it is almost every Friday, some Fridays are excluded. Check the dates for availability before you go. Shark Lagoon Nights can be canceled due to poor weather. 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach, CA 90802.

June 25. One Day Wonder Sale at Old Navy. You can get $2 tank tops for women and girls, with a limit of 5.

June 25. 5 p.m.-7 p.m. Latin Sounds in Hancock Park. (Free event every Saturday 5 pm–7 pm, May through September). This week: Rumbankete. Dorothy Collins Brown Amphitheater at LACMA, in Hancock Park north of the museum.

June 26. 6 p.m. FREE weekly concerts at LACMA. (Los Angles County Museum of Art). This week: Baritone Ryan De Ryke and pianist Daniel Schlosberg. These one-hour concerts are presented free to the public on Sundays in the Leo S. Bing Theater. If you don’t make it there, you can also listen online for free at: http://www.lacma.org/programs/SundaysLive.aspx#audio

June 26. 6 p.m.-8 p.m. FREE weekly concerts in the park. Warner Park, 5800 Topanga Canyon Blvd, Woodland Hills. This week the group is The Preservation Hall Jazz Band.

June 28. 10:30-11:30 a.m. FREE. Toddler story time at Borders at the Northridge Mall.

June 28. 4-7pm. Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf.12 oz. Honeydew Ice Blended drink & Strawberries and Cream Ice Blended drink will be available for $1.All proceeds from these beverages will be donated to The Fisher House Foundation, providing a "home away from home" for military families.

June 28. 5:30 p.m. Descanso family favorite Rhythm Child launches the Summer Family Series. For six Tuesday evenings, enjoy family-friendly music, theater and fairies. Bring a picnic (normally not allowed in the Gardens) and get ready for fun. Free with Gardens admission: $8 adults, $6 seniors/students, $3 children 5-12, free for children 4 and younger. No reciprocal gardens admissions. June 28: Rhythm Child (Main Lawn). Children enjoy the pure joy of music with interactive drumming.

June 28-29. 10 a.m. $1 summer movies at select Regal Theatres. Selected G or PG movies start at 10 am every Tuesday and Wednesday during the festival. Tickets and seating are first-come, first-served and are limited to theatre capacity. GULLIVERS TRAVEL & RAMONA & BEEZUS are playing at the Civic Center Stadium 16 in Simi Valley at 2751 Tapo Cyn Road. MARMADUKE &

MEGAMIND are playing at the Canyon Country Stadium 10 at 18800 Soledad Canyon Road in Santa Clarita. DIARY OF A WIMPY KID & TALE OF DESPEREAUX are playing at the Grand Palace Stadium 6 at 4767 Commons Way in Calabasas. Here’s the link for the full summer schedule: http://www.regmovies.com/summermovieexpress/default.aspx

June 30. 5:30 p.m. Elliott Caine continues the 10-week Descanso Jazz Series. Bring a picnic (usually not allowed in the Gardens.) Free with Gardens admission: $8 adults, $6 seniors/students, $3 children 5-12, free for children 4 and younger. No reciprocal gardens admissions. June 30: Elliott Caine, East Coast jazz and bebop, http://www.myspace.com/elliottcaine

July 1. 9 a.m. Get tickets for August free day for Huntington Gardens. Call 800-838-3006 or get tickets online at http://www.huntington.org/default.aspx.

Ongoing Deals

Interested in a Los Angeles Zoo Membership? I received an email from the zoo today, giving me a code to pass on to anyone interested in a membership. Use this code to get $10 off membership: 11105FFW This code is valid until June 30.

Friday, June 10, 2011

Kristin's Kickbacks List Week of 6-10

Activities

June 10. 6 p.m. Free weekly jazz concerts at LACMA. This week: Charles Owens Quintet. BP Grand Entrance. No reservations needed.

June 10. 6 to 9 p.m. Free admission to the Aquarium of the Pacific’s Friday Shark Lagoon Nights. The aquarium is free from 6pm to 9pm select Friday nights. Please note that while it is almost every Friday, some Fridays are excluded. Check the dates for availability before you go. Shark Lagoon Nights can be canceled due to poor weather. 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach, CA 90802.

June 11. 10 a.m. FREE Build and Grow Clinic at Lowes. Bring your child to Lowe's and they can build a project. The kids get goggles and an apron and a kit to build an item. They use hammers their size and get a patch afterward for completing the project. I would recommend trying to sign up online and getting there early. The last time we went there were fewer projects available and people who signed up ahead were given priority.

June 11. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Target Free Family Saturday at the Japanese American National Museum. 369 E. First St., Los Angeles.

June 11. 12 p.m.-7 p.m. Happy Birthday Pasadena at the Pasadena Museum of History. The free day includes music, dancing, entertainment and hands-on activities. www.pasadenahistory.org 470 W. Walnut St., Pasadena.


June 11. 3-5 p.m. Christian Performing Arts Center’s Dance Production. $15 for adults, $8 for children. Tickets on sale now 818-921-4430. www.cpacstudio.com Birmingham High School Theatre. 17000 Haynes Street, Lake Balboa.

June 11. 5 p.m.-7 p.m. Latin Sounds in Hancock Park. (Free event every Saturday 5 pm–7 pm, May through September). This week: Louie Cruz Beltran. Dorothy Collins Brown Amphitheater at LACMA, in Hancock Park north of the museum.

June 12. 6 p.m. FREE weekly concerts at LACMA. (Los Angles County Museum of Art). This week: Violinist Phillip Levy and Capitol Ensemble. These one-hour concerts are presented free to the public on Sundays in the Leo S. Bing Theater. If you don’t make it there, you can also listen online for free at: http://www.lacma.org/programs/SundaysLive.aspx#audio

June 14. 10:30-11:30 a.m. FREE. Toddler story time at Borders at the Northridge Mall.

June 14-15. 10 a.m. $1 summer movies at select Regal Theatres. Selected G or PG movies start at 10 am every Tuesday and Wednesday during the festival. Tickets and seating are first-come, first-served and are limited to theatre capacity. HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON & MARMADUKE are playing at the Civic Center Stadium 16 in Simi Valley at 2751 Tapo Cyn Road. DIARY OF A WIMPY KID & TALE OF DESPEREAUX are playing at the Canyon Country Stadium 10 at 18800 Soledad Canyon Road in Santa Clarita. MONSTERS VS. ALIENS & THE SPY NEXT DOOR are playing at the Grand Palace Stadium 6 at 4767 Commons Way in Calabasas.

Ongoing Deals

Get a free Father’s Day card from Paper Snaps right now. It even ships free and no coupon code needed. You can personalize the words and add photos! This deal is good until June 13. http://www.papersnaps.com/more-1/fathers-day-greeting-cards.html

Another card company, Card Store, is offering a free card with free shipping! Use code FREECARD when you check out. http://www.cardstore.com/?utm_medium=aff&affid=310&utm_campaign=CJprogram&utm_source=CJ (Thanks to common sense with money for these card deals!)

Here’s a bowling deal Brenda told me about. Children 16 and under get 2 free games a day, shoe rental is not included, from May to September (the dates are on the website).Also there is a plan for 17 years and older, $28 for 4 adults all summer, 2 games a day free, shoes not included. Not bad if you have a participating bowling alley nearby. Check out the details at www.freebowling.amf.com

Interested in a Los Angeles Zoo Membership? I received an email from the zoo today, giving me a code to pass on to anyone interested in a membership. Use this code to get $10 off membership: 11105FFW This code is valid until June 30.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Kristin's Kickbacks List Week of 6-3

Activities

June 3. 6 p.m. Free weekly jazz concerts at LACMA. This week: Greg Reitan Trio. BP Grand Entrance. No reservations needed.

June 3. 6 to 9 p.m. Free admission to the Aquarium of the Pacific’s Friday Shark Lagoon Nights. The aquarium is free from 6pm to 9pm select Friday nights. Please note that while it is almost every Friday, some Fridays are excluded. Check the dates for availability before you go. Shark Lagoon Nights can be canceled due to poor weather. 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach, CA 90802.

June 4. 9 a.m.-12 p.m. (Every first Saturday of the month). Home Depot's Free Kids Workshop. The workshops teach children do-it-yourself skills and tool safety, while at the same time helping to instill a sense of accomplishment. In addition to the newly constructed project kit, each child receives a kid-sized orange apron, similar to The Home Depot associates' aprons, and an achievement pin.

June 4. 5 p.m.-7 p.m. Latin Sounds in Hancock Park. (Free event every Saturday 5 pm–7 pm, May through September). This week: Téka. Dorothy Collins Brown Amphitheater at LACMA, in Hancock Park north of the museum.

June 5. 6 p.m. FREE weekly concerts at LACMA. (Los Angles County Museum of Art). This week: Pianist Mark Robson. These one-hour concerts are presented free to the public on Sundays in the Leo S. Bing Theater. If you don’t make it there, you can also listen online for free at: http://www.lacma.org/programs/SundaysLive.aspx#audio

June 7. 10:30-11:30 a.m. FREE. Toddler story time at Borders at the Northridge Mall.

June 7. Free day for La Brea Tar Pits and the Natural History Museum.

June 7. 5 p.m. FREE LEGO® mini model build at the Glendale Galleria LEGO store, the first Tuesday of each month. One free per child. Event is open to children ages 6 to 14 (I’ve brought my younger son without a problem). 2148 Glendale Galleria, Glendale, 91210. (818) 549-0733.

June 7. 4 p.m.-8 p.m. Free evening at Kidspace Museum. This museum in Pasadena is a lot of fun for children and normally $10 a person, so this is a great deal! (It offers free admission the first Tuesday of the month from 4-8 p.m.) 480 N. Arroyo Blvd., Pasadena, 91103. (626) 449-9144. www.kidspacemuseum.org

Ongoing Deals

Interested in a Los Angeles Zoo Membership? I received an email from the zoo today, giving me a code to pass on to anyone interested in a membership. Use this code to get $10 off membership: 11105FFW This code is valid until June 30.

Catalina Express is celebrating their 30th Anniversary by giving a Free Pass to anyone who wants to go to Catalina on their birthday. Valid for round trip travel on your birthday between May 1, 2011 to April 30, 2012.You must pre-register online! You will receive an email confirmation from which you will download and print your Free Birthday Pass. Here’s the link to check out all the details: http://www.catalinaexpress.com/birthday_promo.php

Kellogg’s has a free gas offer. Buy 10 Kellogg’s cereals, mail in the UPC codes with a form from this link http://www2.kelloggs.com/aarp/rewards/ , and get a $10 MasterCard to buy gas. You can do this 5 times per household.

Jamba Juice Deal! Get $2 Fruit Refreshers from Jamba Juice using the coupon found at the link below. These are made with fruit and coconut water. http://jambajuice.fbmta.com/shared/images/2147483718/2147483718_20110520314374.png

Snapple has a great rebate offer right now. Keep an eye at your local stores for Try Me Free Snapple rebate forms good on this product. The rebate is good for a FREE 6-pack (up to $5.99 value). I found some on the Snapple bottles at Ralphs. Plus you can request it once per person, but you can send up to 5 requests for other family members.

Upcoming Events

June 11. 3-5 p.m. Christian Performing Arts Center’s Dance Production. $15 for adults, $8 for children. Tickets on sale now 818-921-4430. www.cpacstudio.com Birmingham High School Theatre. 17000 Haynes Street, Lake Balboa.