Julia Roberts as the Evil Queen

Use the link www.gofobo.com/rsvp to download passes with the code below.

MIRROR MIRROR

ABOUT MIRROR MIRROR

One of the most beloved stories of all time is coming to life in the motion picture Snow White legend, Mirror Mirror.  A fresh and funny retelling of the Snow White legend, Mirror Mirror features breakout star Lily Collins (The Blind Side) as Snow White, a princess in exile, and Oscar®-winner Julia Roberts as the evil Queen who ruthlessly rules her captured kingdom. Seven courageous rebel dwarfs join forces with Snow White as she fights to reclaim her birthright and win her Prince in this magical adventure comedy filled with jealousy, romance, and betrayal that will capture the hearts and imaginations of audiences the world over. The film also stars Armie Hammer (The Social Network) as the Prince, and Nathan Lane (The Birdcage) as the hapless and bungling servant to the Queen.

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Fresh, local foods will be from an assortment of food trucks, including Mexican, Indian and Asian cuisines. Cooking demonstrations by Chefs and Farmers will be on-going throughout the day. Attendees will have an opportunity to take part in a community flash mob, brought to you by Dance Attack , the Sweat Spot Dancers and led by Ryan Heffington.  An array of environmental organizations will be sharing their wealth of knowledge and tips about living sustainably.

According to the festival’s producer Katie Bergen, “The festival embodies both the pulsating energy and compassion that the City of Santa Monica has always emitted, but with a new twist!”  Allison Ostrovsky, Cultural Affairs Supervisor for the City of Santa Monica adds, “The City is excited to be reimagining this community jewel presenting the 20^th anniversary festival.”

The City of Santa Monica’s Cultural Affairs Division and Office of Sustainability and the Environment (OSE) present the Santa Monica Festival.  Cultural Affairs supports the arts, culture and the creative economy in Santa Monica. OSE is charged with protecting the environment and safeguarding the public health to create a more sustainable future.  Festival producer, Community Arts Resources (CARS) designs, installs and oversees a myriad of cultural events and has been dubbed by the New York Times as “Los Angeles’ preeminent festival producer”.  The festival is sponsored by Chobani Greek Yogurt, Crunchies Food Company, SOYJOY, Numi Organic Tea and Wyndham Vacation Resorts.

The Santa Monica Festival, a solar-powered, near zero-waste event, is free and open to all ages. The event is held at Clover Park, 2600 Ocean Park Blvd., between Cloverfield Blvd. and 28th Street.  Free and ample parking is available but in the eco-spirit, attendees are encouraged to take public transportation, walk or bike. Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus Line 8 serves Clover Park. This year’s festivities include a free and safe Bike Valet located at 25th Street south of Ocean Park Blvd.  Clover Park is wheelchair accessible. For more information please visit www.smgov.net/festival.

Download the FLYER here.

You can find the Santa Monica Festival online:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Santa-Monica-Festival/165401350179873
http://twitter.com/SantaMonicaFest
http://www.smgov.net/festival

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Heather Vanian LCSW and Laura Campbell

Hey Hollywood Moms & Dads, Just a reminder that the ACTORS FUND/ LOOKING AHEAD PROGRAM’s next Coffee and Conversation parent group will be held on Thursday, April 21, 2011, from 10:30am-12:00pm. Please RSVP to Heather if you plan to attend. To sign up for the group, please go www.lookingaheadprogram.org and RSVP through your account. Parking is validated, and light refreshments and snacks will be served.

Looking Ahead Program, 5757 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 400 | Los Angeles, CA 90036, 323-933-9244, ext.22

The Actors Fund for everyone in entertainment www.actorsfund.org and www.lookingaheadprogram.org

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A new comedy for Disney Channel starring China McClain (“House of Payne”) as middle schooler Chyna Sparks, a music prodigy who gets into a gifted program, Accelerated Natural Talent, at the local high school. She, along with her fellow ANTS, must now navigate the halls of high school where they’re not particularly fond of grade-skipping newbies. In addition to McClain, “Ant Farm” includes a roster of talented young actors: Sierra McCormick (“Ramona and Beezus”), Jake Short (“Dexter”) and Stefanie Scott (“Flipped”).

Free tickets are available for Tuesday, April 5, 2011 to see a taping of the hit show, SONNY WITH A CHANCE (aka SO RANDOM)

*MINIMUM AGE 10-18 Parents Welcome
*HOLLYWOOD CENTER STUDIOS-HOLLYWOOD

Starring : Tiffany Thornton (Disney Channel’s “Hatching Pete”) as Tawni Hart; Sterling Knight (“17 Again”) as Chad Dylan Cooper; Brandon Mychal Smith (Disney Channel’s “Phil of the Future”) as Nico Harris; Doug Brochu (“iCarly”) as Grady Mitchell; and Allisyn Ashley Arm (“Dive Olly Dive!”) as Zora Lancaster. Recurring cast members include Nancy McKeon (“Facts of Life,” “The Division”) as Connie Munroe, and Michael Kostroff (“The Wire”) as executive producer Marshall Pike.

To request tickets for either show, please email : talent@majesticactors.com

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Age: 10- 18 yrs old (parents are welcome)

“Bucket and Skinners Epic Adventures” follows the escapades of two best friend surfers on their quest for awesomeness in the beach town of Pacific Bluffs, California. While Bucket (Taylor Gray) is a 15 year old Freshman who has his sites set on taking high school by storm, making the surf team, becoming class President and dating his lifetime crush, Kelly, an upperclassman, Skinner (Dillon Lane) his lifelong buddy, is completely satisfied just eating tacos and catching waves. Whether it s dealing with the arrogant sophomore bully, Aloe, (Glenn McCuen) trying not to be outwitted by Kelly’s conniving little sister, Piper (Tiffany Espensen) or just hanging out at Bucket’s Uncle’s surf shop, these two friends are inseparable. They may not be the smartest guys in the world, but nothing is going to stop them from living the Southern California dream. A new buddy comedy for Nickelodeon about two best friend surfer dudes on a never-ending quest for awesomeness.

To request tickets please email : talent@majesticactors.com

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“A community message has been issued by the LAPD Headquarters, Wednesday February 2, 2011 7:46 AM PST

LAPD Detectives Investigate Theft of Necklace

Los Angeles: On January 22, 2011, a one of a kind necklace, valued at 2,500 dollars, was taken from a jewelry store in the Venice area of Los Angeles.

As part of the Grand Theft investigation, Detectives with the Los Angeles Police Department’s Pacific Area obtained a search warrant on February 1, 2011, for
actress Lindsay Lohan’s Venice residence, to search for the necklace. Prior to service of the warrant, the necklace was returned to Pacific Detectives.

The case is currently under investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477). For full details, go to https://local.nixle.com/alert/4646780/?sub_id=454219″

People Magazine online further reports that Lohan continues to be on probation and remains under random drug testing in her ongoing DUI case. She faces a Feb. 25 progress review hearing and is also currently under investigation by Riverside County prosecutors for allegedly battering a Betty Ford employee.

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HMB Writer Michele Dahl with daughter Shelby and PBS super star, Elmo

On this beautiful, January day in Hollywood, my daughter Shelby and I had the pleasure of lunching with one of the most fabulous, endearing, furry celebrities in town… that’s right, Elmo himself!  Hollywood Mom Blog was invited to the Jim Henson Company Studios to celebrate the launch of PBS SoCal and all of the most fabulous stars were in attendance – Elmo from Sesame Street, Curious George, Sid of Sid the Science Kid, Buddy from Dinosaur Train, and Martha from Martha Speaks.

Once upon a time I dreamt of spending lazy afternoons poolside at the Chateau Marmont with hotshots from the Hollywood “It list.”  Now that I’m a mom, I’ve traded in my celebrity meet ‘n greet wish list for the company of life-size, plush characters. Sigh. I suppose I should appreciate it while it lasts because in a few short years, my 3 year-old daughter Shelby will be a tween and we’ll most likely be attending boy-band concerts and chasing down the Hannah Montana of the moment.  In any event, Shelby was thrilled to meet her favorite PBS television characters and this will be a day that we can both look back on with a smile.

KOCE has taken over as the top PBS station in Southern California and is now called PBS SoCal, and to celebrate the transition from KOCE-TV to PBS SoCal, Mel Rogers (President of PBS SoCal) and Lisa Henson (CEO of the Jim Henson Company) gathered all of our favorite characters from the PBS KIDS show roster for a performance, lunch and tons of fun.

PBS SoCal serves the Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura and San Bernardino Counties in California with entertaining educational programming and award-winning children’s shows like Sesame Street, Sid the Science Kid and Dinosaur Train. Shelby just loved being having her picture taken with her favorite monkey, Curious George, and this mama was thrilled at the chance to be photographed with the one and only Elmo and puppeteer Kevin Clash. I mean really… who doesn’t love Elmo?! Even celebrity mom Megyn Price brought her daughter out to join the festivities!

Hollywood Mom Blog would like to thank PBS SoCal for including us in such a fun-filled afternoon at the Jim Henson Studios. Our readers and their kidlets will definitely be tuning into PBS SoCal for all of their beloved children’s shows!

HMB Writer/Reviewer Michele Dahl is mom of pint-sized models Shelby and Cash Dahl. You can follow her on Twitter too at @Elle_Renee

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Kickin' It!

KICKIN’ IT! is a new live action comedy for Disney XD set at the Bobby Wasabi Martial Arts Academy, a strip mall martial arts studio and worst dojo in the under performing nationwide Bobby Wasabi chain. There, a ragtag crew of lovable misfits welcomes a hotshot skateboarder named Jack, who will teach a group of neighborhood goofballs about life, karate and how to just plain kick it. The Bobby Wasabi Martial Arts Academy is in danger of closing until Sensei Rudy recruits Jack, the only person who can restore glory to Bobby Wasabii and vanquish their bitter rival The Golden Dragon. Jack reluctantly joins the dojo and meets his new crew, tough guy and slacker Jerry, awkward yet confident Milton and the lovable and uncoordinated Eddie. These underdogs soon realize their newfound friendship will take them places they never quite imagined. Starring are Jason Earles (“Hannah Montana”) as Rudy, Leo Howard (Disney Channel’s short-form series “Leo Little’s Big Show”) as Jack, Mateo Arias (“Cold Case,” “Hannah Montana,”) as Jerry, Dylan Riley Snyder (“Life During Wartime”) as Milton, Alex Jones as Eddie and Olivia Holt (“Black & Blue”) as Kim.

“Bucket and Skinners Epic Adventures” follows the escapades of two best friend surfers on their quest for awesomeness in the beach town of Pacific Bluffs, California. While Bucket (Taylor Gray) is a 15 year old Freshman who has his sites set on taking high school by storm, making the surf team, becoming class President and dating his lifetime crush, Kelly, an upperclassman, Skinner (Dillon Lane) his lifelong buddy, is completely satisfied just eating tacos and catching waves. Whether it s dealing with the arrogant sophomore bully, Aloe, (Glenn McCuen) trying not to be outwitted by Kelly’s conniving little sister, Piper (Tiffany Espensen) or just hanging out at Bucket’s Uncle’s surf shop, these two friends are inseparable. They may not be the smartest guys in the world, but nothing is going to stop them from living the Southern California dream. A new buddy comedy for Nickelodeon about two best friend surfer dudes on a never-ending quest for awesomeness.

Non-Pay. Free Tickets to live taping only. Parents Welcome. Please contact Majestic quickly to reserve yourself a space!

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Now those three memories are in strong competition with this singular one:  I was quoted for the advertising campaign which has appeared in the Los Angeles Times daily since last Wednesday.  I’ll admit it has me on a Siskel and Ebert or Ebert and Roper kind of high (Two thumbs up!), an experience and honor I never desired but now that it’s arrived, is pretty cool.  That’s it – just wanted to share another amazing adventure on this ride of being the Hollywood Mom and to thank all of you for joining me.

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Come Join The Party In the Southland, December 15, 2010 – January 9, 2011. In Keeping with our favorite Disney Holiday tradition, Hollywood Mom Blog is promoting the 2010 Disney on Ice Show, “Let’s Celebrate!”

WHAT: Make an ordinary day extraordinary when Disney On Ice presents Let’s Celebrate! brings more than 50 Disney characters to the Southland for one colossal party on ice! This all-new, high-energy show features a magical medley of holidays, celebrations and festivals from around the globe and is set to a blend of contemporary music and favorite Disney songs.
WHERE: Produced by Feld Entertainment, Disney On Ice presents Let’s Celebrate! is scheduled for performances throughout the Greater Los Angeles area including STAPLES Center, Los Angeles; Honda Center, Anaheim; Citizens Business Bank Arena, Ontario; and Long Beach Arena, Long Beach. Join Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse as they as they celebrate “the most wonderful time of the year” with a winter wonderland featuring Woody, Jessie and Buzz Lightyear; plus other fun-filled holidays including a Very Merry UnBirthday Party with Alice and the Mad Hatter; a Royal Valentine’s Day Ball with the Disney Princesses; Mardi Gras with Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen; a Cherry Blossom Festival with Minnie Mouse; a Hawaiian luau with Lilo & Stitch; a Halloween haunt with the Disney Villains; and more in the celebration of the century! Disney On Ice presents Let’s Celebrate! will be a memorable and uplifting experience for the whole family to enjoy. Download the flier here.

WHEN: Wednesday, December 15, 2010 – Sunday, January 9, 2011
Dates & Locations:
Los Angeles – Staples Center: Wednesday, December 15 – Sunday, December 19

1111 South Figueroa Street, Los Angeles 90015
o Wednesday, December 15 – 7:30pm
o Thursday, December 16 – 7:30pm
o Friday, December 17 – 11:00am, 7:30pm
o Saturday, December 18 – 11:30am, 3:30pm, 7:30pm
o Sunday, December 19 – 11:30am, 3:30pm, 7:30pm

Orange County – Honda Center: Wednesday, December 21 – Sunday, December 26 2695 E. Katella, Anaheim, CA 92806
o Tuesday, December 21 – 7:30pm
o Wednesday, December 22 – 1:00pm, 7:30pm
o Thursday, December 23 – 11:30am, 3:30pm, 7:30pm
o Friday, December 24 – 1:00pm, 4:30pm
o Saturday, December 25 – 4:30pm
o Sunday, December 26 – 12:00pm, 3:30pm, 7:30pm
Inland Empire – Citizens Business Bank Arena: Wednesday, December 29 – Sunday, January 2
4000 Ontario Center Parkway, Ontario, CA 91764
o Wednesday, December 29 – 7:30pm
o Thursday, December 30 – 1:00pm, 7:30pm
o Friday, December 31 – 11:30am, 3:30pm
o Saturday, January 1 – 3:30pm, 7:30pm
o Sunday, January 2 – 11:30am, 3:30pm

Long Beach – Long Beach Arena: Wednesday, January 5 – Sunday, January 9
300 E. Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90802-4825
o Wednesday, January 5 – 7:30pm
o Thursday, January 6 – 7:30pm
o Friday, January 7 – 11:00am, 7:30pm
o Saturday, January 8 – 12:00pm, 3:30pm, 7:30pm
o Sunday, January 9 – 12:00pm, 3:30pm, 7:30pm

TICKETS: Tickets are priced from $16, $20, $25, $45 (VIP) and $65 (Front Row)
Opening Night tickets available for only $12 each (not valid for premium seating)
All seats are reserved and available at the venue Box Office, online at Ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-745-3000.

About Feld Entertainment:

Feld Entertainment is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting live touring family entertainment experiences that lift the human spirit and create indelible memories, with 30 million people in attendance at its shows each year. Feld Entertainment’s productions have appeared in more than 70 countries on six continents and include Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey®, Feld Motor Sports, Disney On Ice and Disney Live!.

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Actress Jamie Lee Curtis with her own beautiful handmade throw. They feel as soft as fur, but remember... Don’t Freak, It’s Faux!

NEW DATE AND TIME!! Sunday, December 12 · 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. for an afternoon filled with Holiday cheer,  friends,  food,  fun, philanthropy and SHOPPING!

Join Macc Designs for a night you won’t soon forget!  Discover what actress Jamie Lee Curtis and the entire cast of CSI all ready know and experience first-hand what makes luxurious “Don’t Freak, it’s Faux!” throws so fabulous. Not only are these gorgeous blankets by Macc Designs eco-friendly (no furry friends are harmed in the making of these throws) but for every five blankets sold, one blanket is given to a sick child.  To date Macc Designs has donated to Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles, Mattel Childrens Hospital UCLA , The Micheal Houghlin Foundation and others…and hopefully more soon!  Macc Designs has thankfully been able to donate every holiday season for 6 consecutive years and now plans to expand donations to a monthly outreach program! Every cozy blanket purchased directly contributes to making a sick child feel just a little bit cozier and loved.  And really, what’s more fabulous than that?

Date: Saturday, December 4, 2010

Time: 6:00 p.m.

Hosted by:  Stacey Uberstine and Merrie Uberstine,

Location: 5719 N. Limoges Court, Calabasas

RSVP to 818-878-0526, Required for Entry.

Feel free to bring your friends, the more the merrier and the bigger the difference we can make for this wonderful cause.

Susie Mullenger, Daughter MIchelle and Jamie Lee Curtis Cozy Up Under a Pile of "Don't Freak it's Faux!" Throws By Macc Designs.

About Macc Designs Founder Susie Mullenger:

It started out as a hobby – Susie making cozy throws for her family. Then she got the horrible news: a dear friend’s niece, sweet young 17 year old *Carrie, just blossoming into adulthood, was diagnosed with Leukemia.

Susie had an idea. Maybe Carrie would like a cozy throw, and maybe she could give a couple throws to some other kids in the hospital ward.

“This Saturday, I will go to the hospital, visit Carrie, and donate some throws,” Susie decided. Although Susie always does what she says she’s going to do, for some strange reason she didn’t feel like going on Saturday and postponed her visit.

“Tomorrow,” she told herself but when tomorrow came she again felt reluctant and again, uncharacteristically, delayed her visit.

“Tuesday for sure,” Susie thought feeling odd about her inconsistencies.

On Tuesday, Susie and daughter Michelle left for the hospital. They first stopped off and donated some throws to be given to other kids in the ward.  When they asked for Carrie’s room number, they were surprised to be directed, not to Carrie’s room, but to the Intensive Care Unit.  The two approached the ICU waiting room and immediately saw Carrie’s parents. Overwhelmed with grief, her parents broke into sobs and the group fell into a hug.

Stunned and grief stricken, Carrie’s parents had not yet contacted the rest of their family members and Susie immediately realized why she had arrived on that specific date and time.  She was to summon the other family members. Phone calls were made hurriedly and as Carrie’s family came together and comforted each other; Susie and Michelle quietly slipped out. As they walked back through the ward, she saw kids in their hospital beds, snuggled up under her faux fur throws. Susie knew providing needy children with comfort via her throws was to be her mission.  Early the next morning, Carrie passed away.

Susie says, “It wasn’t an accident that I ended up making these blankets. God is always trying to talk to us.  If we slow down to listen he can do incredible things and connect the lives of people in need.”

*Name changed for family privacy

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Elle Fanning at the premiere of THE NUTCRACKER in 3D, with HMB reporters Blaire Goldberg & Jordan Bobbitt

As most of you know, yesterday was the World Premiere of Elle Fanning’s new movie, “The Nutcracker in 3D” and Hollywood Mom Blog not only hosted a giveaway to our readership (Lucky reader Yasmin won 2 Passes!) but HMB also attended and interviewed the stars as they entered the theater.  It was a wonderful night at The Grove LA, where Christmas decorations are all ready up adding to the magical atmosphere.  The family film opens nationwide November 24, 2010. For a detailed synopsis of the movie, cast and hyperlinks please read our original post.

Below is a video recap of the evenings festivities at the premiere. A special thanks to my daughter Jordan for not only working the red carpet as an ace interviewer but for editing this piece in one afternoon. Thanks also to adorable Blaire Goldberg for her deft flip cam coverage and reporting skills, her mother Nicole Hanratty for working her magic with the camera up and down ladders as well as the red carpet and to Pennie and Emme Creager for overall moral support, being seat-saving ninjas and for the ride home. Muaahhhh! Big kisses to you all ladies!

This is what HMB’s winner Yasmin Matten had to say about her experience at the premiere:

Hi Tracy!
We can’t thank you enough for giving us the opportunity to go to the Nutcracker in 3D premiere last night! For several days, I kept eagerly waiting for that e-mail to tell me that I won, and I did! It was my daughter, Amelia’s, birthday and you helped make it a very special day. I had shown her the previews of the movie online and she was just so excited to be there. I didn’t hear a peep out of her during the entire movie! At the end of the movie, Amelia got to briefly meet and take a quick picture with Elle. This will be something really cool for her to see when she gets older.

Since moving to LA last year from the east coast, we’ve been having so much fun with all these “Hollywood moments”. My other daughter, Fiona (6mo), got her first “job” on TV when she was just a month old and we now have both girls with an agency. It’s fun, but it sure takes a lot of you! I promised my friends back east that I wouldn’t turn into a Hollywood mom, but it’s just so contagious! I love reading your blogs with all your great information. I can tell that you put a lot of effort into it. We all appreciate your hard work.
Keep up the great work you’re doing on the HMB! We look forward to more events!

All the best,
Yasmin and Amelia Matten

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ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN
Abbott and Costello face off against the world’s most notorious monsters in this inspired monster mash that mixes old-fashioned scares with hilarious antics. (1948, 83 min. Dir: Charles T. Barton. 35mm, b/w)

THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW
Bing Crosby narrates this classic Disney adaptation of the haunted, heady tale by Washington Irving. (1949, 34 min. Dir: Clyde Geronimi, Jack Kinney. 35mm, color)

ALL HAMMER PUBLIC PROGRAMS ARE FREE. Seating is on a first come, first served basis. Hammer members receive priority seating, subject to availability.
Reservations not accepted, RSVPs not required.
Parking is available under the museum for $3 for 3 hours.

For more information, visit their website: www.hammer.ucla.edu

Hammer Museum, 10899 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90024  (310) 443-7000

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Disney Online  launched two new original video series featuring The Muppets and celebrity chef Cat Cora. “The Muppets Kitchen with Cat Cora” on Disney.com (www.Disney.com/MuppetsKitchen) inspires and entertains families through cooking and classic Muppet comedy, while “Hasty Tasty Cooking Tips with Cat Cora and the Muppets” on Disney Family.com (www.Family.com/HastyTasty) was created specifically for moms, offering recipes, step-by-step cooking tips and fun family-time ideas. “Muppets Kitchen” and “Hasty Tasty.”

Joining Cat Cora in the kitchen is her new Muppet cooking partner, Angelo. A chef with style, panache and a quirky habit of cooking up chaos, Angelo can spice up any meal. And with Muppet favorites like Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear and Gonzo dropping by, one thing is certain: everything is funnier in Muppets Kitchen.

“This has been a great partnership between Disney Online, the Muppets and Cat Cora, and the end result is a fantastic line-up of original content that will entertain families, while offering moms great tips and ideas for ways to create magical meals and spend more time together,” stated Paul Yanover, executive vice president and managing director of Disney Online.

“As a chef and a mother of four boys, meal time is family time at our house,” said Chef Cat Cora. “I hope the delicious and easy to make recipes featured on ‘Muppets Kitchen’ and ‘Hasty Tasty’ inspire more families to get creative and get cooking in their own kitchens!”

“Muppets Kitchen” episodes will offer a variety of entertaining themes including “Game Day,” “Movie Night,” “Slumber Party,” “World’s Biggest Sandwich,” “Breakfast Isn’t Just Breakfast Anymore” and “Birthday Cat-astrophe.”

“Hasty Tasty” will feature short episodes that focus on giving moms access to step-by-step cooking instructions, specific culinary information, helpful tips, nutritional guidance and advice on how to get kids excited about cooking. Episodes include “Dough-Re-Mi,” “Egg-straordinary Wraps,” “The Really Cheesey Episode,” “Chicken: the Dredge Report,” “Chicken Ins and Outs,” “Herb – The ‘H’ is Silent” and “Frozen Fruit Fun.” Additionally, the “Hasty Tasty” site will offer complete recipes and other helpful culinary content designed specifically for moms. “Hasty Tasty” also has a mobile web site giving moms access to all online videos and recipe ingredient lists on the go, as well as a mix the ingredients recipe game. Text HASTY to DISNEY (347639)* or visit Disney.com/HastyTasty.

About Cat Cora
On and off-screen, Chef Cat Cora (www.catcoracooks.com) continues to make a lasting impression on the culinary community. Her food aspirations began at an early age, and by 15, she developed a business plan for her own restaurant. In 2005, she made television history on Food Network’s Iron Chef America as the first and only female Iron Chef, and in 2006 Bon Appetit Magazine named her Executive Chef and bestowed her with their Teacher of the Year Award. Cat has also authored three must-have cookbooks including Cat Cora’s Classics With A Twist (June 2010, Houghton Mifflin). From partnering with Macy’s for a new restaurant concept called CCQ (Cat Cora’s Que) that premiered in December 2008 to her first stand alone restaurant, Kouzzina that opened at Walt Disney World BoardWalk Resort in September 2009, Cat’s bringing a taste of her culinary influence to both coasts.

About Disney Online
Disney Online (www.Disney.com or text MOBILE to DISNEY or 347639*) a unit of Disney Interactive Media Group, produces the No. 1 ranked community-family and parenting destination on the World Wide Web. Launched in 1996, Disney.com is the online and now mobile web gateway to all of the company’s Disney-branded entertainment initiatives, providing comprehensive access to, and information about Disney movies, travel, television, games, music, shopping and live events.

The Disney Online Mom and Family Portfolio is a leading group of sites that provide inspiration and ideas for parents on a variety of topics important to today’s families, including easy recipes, crafts, traveling with children, pregnancy, and parenting. Other sites in the Portfolio include Kaboose.com, FamilyFun.com and BabyZone.com.

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Fireworks from the Santa Monica Beach Club – thank you to Heidi S. for sending the picture and getting the party started!  More photos to come of our day-long celebration. Close friends are flying in this afternoon, then we’re rushing off to a  BBQ & Pool Party at noon, and plan to watch more fireworks tonight.

Where ever you are, we at HMB hope you have a wonderful, festive and safe fourth of July.

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Ryan and Trista Sutter help their 2-year-old son Max “color” a letter to legislators showing their family’s support for Seventh Generation’s Million Baby Crawl campaign and the need for toxic chemical reform.

HMB: Do you have any plans to have your kids pursue acting or any kind of performing such as reality tv, commercials or movies?

Trista: As parents, we only want our kids to be happy. Neither Ryan nor myself are actors, but if our kids would like to pursue that career, we will be their biggest cheerleaders!

HMB: Would you ever consider doing a reality show in which your kids are featured?

Trista: We have had numerous requests to film a reality show about our family life over the years…including those that would feature our children, even their births. Although we never say never, we do not feel that having cameras in our home 24/7 would be the right decision for our family at the present time.

Bachelorette Season 1 alum, Trista & Ryan Sutter, recently hosted a Healthy Baby Home Party at her home in Colorado to educate family & friends about keeping children safe from toxins in common household products.

Event sponsor Seventh Generation gave away the Sutter family’s favorite green products during the party including disinfecting wipes and diapers. If you’d like to host your own Healthy Baby Home Party, please visit www.HealthyBabyHomeParty.com.

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Moms Marnie Owens (pictured far left) and Karis Jagger (yes, she’s related to Mick) started Baby2Baby in 2006 when they wanted to pass on items their kids had outgrown, but couldn’t find an organization that accepted baby goods specifically. Now their organization gives to more than 30 local community-based organizations.

Baby2Baby just kicked off their Spring Fundraising Drive with the help of inspiring Hollywood Mom and Baby2Baby board member, Julie Bowen, (Claire on Modern Family) who just celebrated her twin sons’ first birthday last week by hosting a Baby2Baby fundraiser at The Coop.

Fundraisers and open houses are an important component of what Baby2Baby does.  Once a month, their 12 partner organizations send in donation request forms for clothing and gear that their clients need.  Baby2Baby pulls together the requested items from inventory and often purchases essentials that are in great demand such as strollers, cribs and car seats.  On the third Wednesday of the month, the organizations come to Baby2Baby to pick up their items.

It is important that donations do not remain on their shelves, but find their way to the Los Angeles families that need them.  For this reason, Baby2Baby hosts “open houses.”  Additional organizations are invited to our space to collect excess inventory items for their clients.  These items generally include clothing, toys and books. Pretty awesome isn’t it? We hope this inspires you clean out your closets and give back!

Donation Drop-off Locations:

Baby2Baby

5522 West Pico Blvd. (east of Fairfax @ Sierra Bonita. Parking and entrance in rear lot via Sierra Bonita)

Los Angeles, CA 90019
Tel: 323-933-BABY (2229)
10:30 to 1 Mondays and Wednesdays

Pumpkinheads
11640 San Vicente Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90049
Tel: 310.207.6760
10 to 6 Monday-Saturday
10 to 5 Sunday

The Treehouse Social Club
426 South Robertson
Los Angeles, CA 90048
Tel:  310-288-3024
9 to 5 Monday – Friday (open until 8 PM on Wednesdays)
9 to Noon – Saturday

Your contributions to Baby2Baby will help the following organizations in the Los Angeles area:

• 1736 Family Crisis Center
• Beyond Shelter
• Jenesse Center
• St. Anne’s
• Kedren Community Health Center
• Angel Interfaith Network
• Spiritt Family Services
• Asian Pacific Women’s Center
• Westside Pregnancy Clinic
• UCLA Health System
• Los Angeles Unified School District
• LAUSD-Hyde Park Program
• CAST- LA
• The Women’s Circle
• Maternal and Child Health Access
• DCFS
• Asian Pacific Community Fund
• Asian American Drug Abuse Program
• Little Tokyo Service Center
• Pacific Asian Counseling Services
• UCLA ob/Gyn
• LAUSD-Lincoln HS
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Celebrity parents gathered in Beverly Hills this past weekend in support of their friend and fellow celebrity parent, Kathy Ireland who hosted a Mother’s Day reception at Geary’s, a leading retailer of fine luxury gifts, in honor of the launch of her new jewelry line produced by Elan Luxury Collections.  The collection includes diamond-studded hoops designed to hang straight without an uncomfortable swing effect, artful crucifixes [pictured on Kathy below], dinner rings and a variety of bangles and bridal items which provides Ireland’s customer with high quality items at a variety of price levels, which begin under $200 but expand to several thousand.

Among Ireland’s guests were the original real life and television momager, Shirley Jones, her husband Marty Ingels, Ed Begley Jr. with wife Rachelle, and Tony Dovolani of “Dancing with the Stars.” HMB Contributor Diana Marcketta had the opportunity to glean parenting tips from each of them, beginning with Shirley Jones who raised a pack of devilish Cassidy boys in the city of Angels.  When it comes to parenting in the fast-moving world of Hollywood there are no easy answers, say several of entertainment’s leading moms and dads, but some solid, hard rules can be helpful.

The original Hollywood Mom, Shirley Jones (left), attends Kathy Ireland's celebrity-studded Mother's Day Event at upscale gift shop, Geary's of Beverly Hills. Photo: Diana Marcketta for HMB

Shirley Jones, the “television” mother of the 1970′s sitcom “The Partridge Family” and the real-life mom of three sons (former “Hardy Boys” teen idol Shaun Cassidy and brothers Ryan and Patrick) and one stepson (David Cassidy, former teen star of “The Patridge Family”), was in attendance with husband, comedian Marty Ingels.

Having grown up in a community of 800  in rural Pennsylvania, Jones, whose own decades-long acting career began on Broadway and then led directly to the silver screen in “South Pacific” and “Oklahoma,” says she worked diligently to instill the same kind of small-town values in her children. In fact, she took the role on “The Partridge Family” so she could be home with her children.   The father of Jones’ children was the late Jack Cassidy – an highly-renowned actor who died in 1976.   She divorced Cassidy in 1974, two years prior to his death, and later married Marty Ingels [pictured above].

Jones recalls that the family originally moved to Beverly Hills because, at the time, the school district was one of the best in the country.   What she didn’t anticipate was the peer pressure her sons would experience living in such an upscale community. Shirley immediately felt challenged by the material demands and expectations of her sons.  “They would say, ‘That kid has a Rolls-Royce. Why can’t I have a Rolls-Royce?’” says Jones, “I said ‘You can have a car, but you have to pay half [and] I’ll pay half’,” said Jones.  “Then I would tell them to go down to [local grocery stores] Von’s or Ralph’s and get a job boxing groceries. At least, they could do that to earn some money.”

With a houseful of boys – stepson David Cassidy, sons Shaun Cassidy, Patrick Cassidy and Ryan Cassidy – Jones endured her share of teen-age antics.  “I had a list of rules for each of them written on yellow legal paper stuck to the refrigerator,” says Jones. “So that any time I was out-of-town, or working late, there was no doubt what the rules were.  No girls spending the night,” says Jones of some of yellow, legal pad, written rules. “No screwing girls in the car parked in the garage.”  And despite Jones’ pleas, each of them followed the family tradition, pursuing careers in show business.

“I begged Shaun not to go into show business. I pleaded with him to go to college,” says Jones of her oldest son. “But [into show business] he went, right after his brother David.”  Ryan and Patrick are also involved in the entertainment industry. In fact, Jones was so vigilant in her pleas for her oldest to get a regular job, Shawn reminded her of it immediately following his very first performance at Madison Square Garden.  While Jones waited with several family members in an alley way for her son following the performance, she recounts, “He pulled up next to me [in his limousine], rolled down the window, and said, ‘Now do you think I should be boxing groceries?’” says Jones. “[Then] he rolled up the window, and drove away.”  Jones says the best advice she could give any parent is to be vigilant about knowing what’s going on in their children’s lives.  “You have to stay on top of them,” says Jones.

Ed Begley & wife, Rachelle Carson at Kathy Ireland's Mothers Day Celebration at Geary's Beverly Hills. Photo: Diana Marcketta for HMB

TV actor and environmental activist Ed Begley Jr. and his wife Rachelle Carson, who star in Discovery’s Planet Green series, “Living with Ed,” share similar parenting views with Jones.  “We try to spend as much time as possible together as a family,” Begley says of life with their 10-year-old daughter, Hayden Carson. “You can’t let life get in the way of being with your children. There’s always social networking. There’s always that email to send out. You know how it goes, ‘Just a minute, let me send this out,’ and then 10 minutes later, you’re still at the computer. You simply have to walk away and be really there with your child.”

Begley says he makes sure his schedule gives him lots of time at home with his family.  “When I’m there, I’m really there with her,” Begley says of parenting Hayden. Begley and his wife monitor their daughter’s behavior, as well as her friends’ behavior.  “You want to make sure your kid is hanging out with the right crowd,” says Begley.

Being active with your child is also an important part of being a parent today, says Begley. The distraction of television, the Internet and in some cases cell phones, makes children sedentary, says Begley.  “Participate with them,” he suggests. “I’ll go riding bikes with [Hayden] or go swimming, or maybe it’s not a sport I’m into, but she’s into it.  Just as long as they’re staying active and you’re staying active with them. I think that’s important.”  Begley says because of he and his wife’s environmentalism, his daughter has also had the added benefit of experiencing a garden and understanding where food comes from.

“She’s not afraid of worms. She’s never afraid of worms in the garden, “ says Begley, who taught his daughter Hayden about worm’s role in the supplying needed nitrogen for the garden soil’s benefit. “She knows that food doesn’t come on the Safeway bus nor grown on the Von’s tree.”

Tony Dovolani at Kathy Ireland's Geary's Mother's DAy Event Photo: Diana Marcketta for HMB

Tony Dovolani of Dancing with The Stars and father of three says life moves in the fast lane in Hollywood, not just for adults but for kids as well.  “There is a lot of peer pressure to having everything now,” says Dovolani, who lives in Connecticut with his wife and children when not shooting ABC’s hit dance show. “I don’t understand why they don’t want to experience life. Life is a wonderful experience. Experience life as it comes. It doesn’t all have to be now.”

He’s often shocked by teenage girls’ desire to have breast augmentations and lip-pumping injections, and to seek public attention.  “Everyone seems to be publicity hungry even if they’re no one,” he says. “It used to be that fame and notoriety came because it was talent-based. Now people want to be famous for being famous and for blogging about nothing. That influences our children, our teenagers, in a negative way,” he says.

Dovolani sincerely understands the concept of hard work. He came to the U.S. under political asylum when his family fled their home country of Kosovo. “We came here with nothing,” says Dovolani, whose father was formerly CEO of a large computer corporation in Kosovo. “But it was too dangerous for us to stay [in Kosovo]. We would not be alive today had we not come to the U.S., but we left everything behind to do that.”

Dovolani says he and his wife have long established a united front in parenting their children…even before his wife Lina became pregnant with their first child more than four years ago.  “In our house, the parents are the parents,” he says. “The children do not make the decisions. We do. If we have a disagreement about how something is to be done, we don’t share that in front of the children. We discuss it alone. We share each other’s views. Then when we speak to the children, we speak to them as one.”

Tony learned his communication skills from his own family.  “We never fight,” he says of his extended family. “We listen to each other’s views. We may not agree with each other. But instead of getting angry, my father will say, ‘Did you look at it this way?’ and then ask you to consider your opinion from another point of view.”  Dovolani additionally shares that he and his wife rely on the comfort and support of extended family that live nearby in New York.  But the most important relationship, Dovolani feels, in raising children is for parents to be supportive of one another. “It takes a team,” he says.  Dovolani will soon appear on the TV talk show “The Doctors” to share his views about parenting.

Kathy Ireland Photo: Diana Marcketta for HMB

More About Kathy Ireland:

When former supermodel Kathy Ireland, now 47, ended her famous career at 27 or 28, she was anxious to begin her own business.

“I had tried all throughout my modeling career to start my own business, “ says Ireland, who is founder and owner of the brand Kathy Ireland Home and Kathy Ireland Jewelry, both part of the multi-product marketing site KathyIreland.com. “But I kept failing. I tried one business after the other, and it failed.”

“When I ended my [modeling] career, I could dedicate myself to the business,” says Ireland, whose first success in launching the Kathy Ireland brand came in the design of socks for women.  “I was turned down time after time,” says Ireland. “They told me I was too dumb to do this, that this wasn’t the right product, that I didn’t know what I was doing, why did they need me, I heard everything. Then I hit my millionth sale in socks…a simple item that women need. Women bought it. I knew I had something.”

What Ireland found was that it was her connection with women, and her deep understanding of their needs as a working mother and wife herself that helped build her success, she says.

“KathyIreland.com is dedicated to finding solutions for the busy Mom,” says Ireland, who has more than 15,000 products to service her customer. “I listen to her, to my customer. She knows what she wants. She communicates to me what she wants, and I respond.”

Ireland reads through emails she receives daily from mothers like herself, who often manage a career, a family and marriage. She penned a book released in 2009, “Real Solutions for Busy Moms; Your Guide to Success and Sanity,” to provide guidance to a population of women whose daily schedules are often packed full of work, children and maintaining a home.  “It is heroic for a woman to make it into a store,” says Ireland of most mothers’ busy schedules, “I want them to have a wonderful experience when they do.”

Ireland says she began her business career as a child growing up in Santa Barbara with her sister, Mary. The two would gather rocks, paint them and sell them at a price of 5 cents or 10 cents as paperweights or interesting sculpture pieces.  Ireland says her sister made more money by selling her rocks at a higher price, but her own artfully painted rocks were more creatively designed with painted flowers and rainbows. For years, she says, her grandmother kept one of her painted rocks in her purse as a weapon should she be approached by unwanted strangers.  “That taught me a lesson in quality,” says Ireland. “That people will hold onto things that are well-designed of a high quality.”

Her own jewelry line, produced by Elan Luxury Collections, includes diamond-studded hoops, ingeniously designed to hang straight without an uncomfortable swing effect, artful crucifixes, dinner rings and a variety of bangles and bridal items  which provides Ireland’s customer with high quality items at a variety of price levels.

“At first, she, my customer, told me she wanted something that doesn’t have any fluff. Sometimes my customer tells me she needs a solution to traveling, and we find a solution for that. But now she’s ready for something more romantic with a little luxury, ” says Ireland. “We designed the jewelry line as a solution for people in love.”

Ireland says her days as an entrepreneur for KathyIreland.com vary.  “Sometimes it’s about design, sometimes it’s about human resources, sometimes it’s about distribution,” says Ireland, who worked to discern her own strengths and weaknesses in building her business. “I have strengths. I know what they are. I have my weaknesses too. They are many. So I built a business family to support the areas I was weak in and now I feel we have a very strong network. I have a very strong, supportive business family.”

Although Ireland, who gained notoriety for her appearances as the cover swimsuit model for Sports Illustrated is grateful for her modeling career, it’s business that has always been her passion.  “When you have a passion for something, it’s not work,” she says.

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Julia Roberts with niece Emma at the premiere of their film, "Valentine's Day"

International movie star Julia Roberts (and auntie to teen star Emma Roberts, pictured left) apparently struggled to be noticed by Hollywood agents when she was starting out as an actress because they labeled her “too trailer park.” The 41-year-old actress was first seen in “Mystic Pizza” and became a household name playing a prostitute in Pretty Woman, opposite Richard Gere.

“The Cult of Celebrity,” a tell-all book reveals that  Roberts’ promising talent was lost on even Hollywood’s biggest talent bookers back in earlier years. Robert Attermann, VP and Managing Director of Abrams Artists Agency admits to Cult author Cooper Lawrence  that the agency made the mistake of passing on Julia, as well a handful of other future stars. According to Attermann, “Julia Roberts came in years ago, and the commercial agent who met with her at the time said, ‘Nah, she’s too trailer park’.  As a matter of fact, when we moved offices, we were going through old rejection files, and in there was Annette Bening, Robin Givens, Julia Roberts and a couple of others.”

Can you believe this?  Arguably one of the strongest female actress at the box office over the last two decades and she was considered a “pass” by some of the top agents in the business.  It just goes to show that internal fortitude and perseverance are key in this business. I hope this uplifting story inspires you and your child today and especially on those days when rejection comes calling.

“The Cult of Celebrity” by Cooper Lawrence addresses the phenomena of today’s preteens, teens and twenty-somethings aspiring to celebrity. Our culture more often than not emphasizes the external, the superficial and the importance of fame. As a result young people are increasingly more  driven towards it as any humiliating reality television show (Jersey Shore, The Hills, My Sweet Sixteen) will prove.  Some young people falsely believe celebrity status or being “discovered” is the magic fairy dust needed for “happily ever after.”  Author Cooper Lawrence addresses the specific issue of young girls and celebrity and provides tips and hints for parents to provide positive parenting.

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