L.A. Escapes — Big World Fun Family Series

An eight-year-old doing gravity-defying capoiera moves, an adorable tortoise named "Tortellini" and a middle-aged Bobby McFerrin-type dude in white leather Keds doing the Bankhead Bounce.

These are just a few of the visual treats my daughter and I have enjoyed at this summer's line-up of Big! World! Fun! Family Series at the Ford Amphitheater. Yesterday, she and I did the pony, the twist and some Afro-Haitian dance moves to traditional Southern and Gullah children's songs, courtesy of the Bay Area's Linda Tillery and The Cultural Heritage Choir.

The Family Series started in early July and runs every Saturday through Aug. 27. It's free for kids and only $5 for adults. It's a fully engaging hour of outdoor (tarp-shaded) entertainment that's a perfect fit for that random pre-lunch timeframe. Kids learn about the music and dance styles of cultures — from Vietnamese to Brazilian to zydeco.

The next event (Mexican folk ballet) is August 13 at 10 a.m. If you get there early enough, kids can participate in hands-on activities, such as crafts, animal petting stations and the like. And there are usually CDs for sale afterward and the performers make themselves available for meet-and-greets and photo ops.

Things to know:

-Parking is $1 up front. It's stacked parking, too. So, if you have a tiny and/or testy one and worry that your antsy kid may necessitate leaving early, know that, well...you can't. That is, unless you get there super early and park very strategically.

-The first time I went, I bought tix online, which turned out well because it was packed. The second time, I was able to walk right up and buy the ticket right before the show starts. I don't know if some shows are just more in-demand than others. Maybe call?

-There are seats, but they're not assigned. It's first come, first served. (Also, not every seat is a shady one; there are a few cracks in the shade tarp. And there's no shade at all in the back rows.)

-Bring water.

-Bring your own snacks, too (at least, if you're as uptight about what your kid eats as I am). You can eat inside the seated area, but all they sell at the concession stand is movie-style popcorn and other sugary and salty junk food.

-You should get up and dance. Your kid will benefit from seeing you do it...even if you're not particularly good at it. Sure, you may clap on the 1's and 3's. But do it with heart and a smile on your face and your kid will learn a lesson about being uninhibited. Don't be a lame!

For reals?! — It's been almost a year???

Pink Worm Listens To Some Jams

I checked the date of my last-written post and was gobsmacked. I knew it had been a while since I last posted here, but I didn't realize that it had been the better part of a year.

Makes sense, though. The Sept. 2010 date correspondent with the start date of my current paying gig. I spend the majority of my days writing stuff like this, this and (brace yourself) this.

Oh, and let's not forget mommy-ing and...buying my first ever house! Eagle Rock is the spot (never mind what the New York Times says)!

Anyway...to ease me back into the swing of things, I figured I'd go with an easy post. My husband just got back from a trip to Seattle and brought back the above print by Chicago artist Laura Berger.

So cute, right? It reminds me of my current obsession, Adventure Time (but, more on that in an upcoming post.) You can shop for more of Berger's handiwork here.

Okay. That wasn't so hard. I have tons more stuff to share. So, get ready to get involved!

Song of the Day

Yesterday, I held my own personal Stevie marathon; I listened to nothing else the entire day. It's almost too solid a canon to pick a favorite. Almost...

On this one, Stevie takes it there, brings it back and carries your ass there again. There's simply too much emotion here for just one listen (plus, you know it's going to take a while to nail all the words to the chorus!).

Stevie Wonder, "As"

Art I Heart — Varnette P. Honeywood

My mom discovered Varnette P. Honeywood the same way I imagine most Americans did in the 80s — The Cosby Show. Remember this one, below, from the upstairs hallway, right outside Rudy and Vanessa's room?

Her collage pieces depicting African and African-American life were hung throughout the Huxtables' home and my mother was drawn to the vibrant colors and soul-stirring imagery. She then set about collecting pieces from D.C.-area galleries and museum shops.

When I read today that she passed away after a two-year struggle with cancer, I was saddened, but also homesick. For my birthday (I want to say it was my 12th), my mom bought me this amazing print, took me to the frame shop and allowed me to pick the matte and frame. It hung over my bed until I left for college (bummer that now it's sitting in storage because neither of us has ever wanted to foot the bill for shipping!). It was a collage portrait of three young girls — one African, one Civil Rights Era and one modern-day — and it read "It's chance that makes sisters, hearts that makes friends." Alas, I can't seem to find an image of it online.

Some of you parents might also recognize her signature style from "Little Bill."

Rest in peace, Ms. Honeywood. You made a beautiful, indelible mark. I am now going to coordinate that (long-overdue) D.C. to O.C. shipment.

Song of the Day

A bowl of Trader Joe's knock-off Rice Krispies, a sunny day and this...

Emiliana Torrini's "Me & Armini"

Wantables — The Free-Wheelin' Edition

By hsingping

The training-wheels are off of Little One's powder pink bike and she's dabbling in big-girl business right now. This past Sunday I witnessed her first independent pedaling — Daddy-free and without major or even minor spills.

It's taken an excrutiatingly long time to build up to this point, as we have somewhat of a scaredy cat on our hands. Despite our chosen technique of practicing on a gently sloping grassy hill near our house — the theory being that falling will hurt less — my daughter has proven intractable up until now. Many, many false starts. Lots of encouragement falling on deaf little ears. It's almost a complete rehash of my multiple failed attempts to learn (at the embarassingly delayed age of 8!). But it's true what they say: When they're ready, they're ready.

So, in honor of this milestone, I'm bike blogging today. Actually, cycling has really been in the air around here.

My husband has taken to daily exercise rides (!!!) and has been pretty disciplined about it, I might add. He's trying to get me as hyped on biking as he is. As annoying as the constant pestering has been, I'd be lying if I said it isn't working. Perhaps, he's gotten a little inspiration from my pal, Brad, who's been training like crazy to ride for the Pablove Foundation, which raises money for the fight against childhood cancer.

Then, too, on a recent trip to The Camp, I stumbled into Cycle Werks and fell in love...

This Alexander Girard beauty rounds up to $800 and I'd never ride it on the merciless hills surrounding my house. But that does nothing to dampen the longing! Not for nothing, I'd take any one of the Girard Amsterdam series (btw, the website at the link has a learning curve). If I had this gorgeous vehicle, I'd surely then be able to convince myself to purchase more than a few of the items included in this adorable Design*Sponge "bike madness" round-up.

But back to my daughter. It's only a matter of weekends before she's zooming around Greater Southern Orange County and she needs accoutrements! First up, we have to replace that ill-fitting, more-harm-than-good discount store helmet with something sweet like this one by Little Nutty...

Then, she'll need a bit of bad-ass chic (how menacingly cute would this look along with her newly-missing teeth?!)...

Plus, she'll need to announce her arrival...

(Honestly, this bell is cooler looking than her bike.)

Also on our frivolous checklist: protective pads. Any suggestions on cute knee and elbow cover-ups?

For the Love of Lists — My Portland Top 9

I get the SAD's real bad. In fact, living in sun-deprived San Francisco for a year nearly sunk me. So, I know that there is no way — despite its myriad charms — that I could ever live in Portland. But, man, did I love visiting. We were sorely in need of a family vacation and a four-day stay in Portland was pitch perfect.

Yes, it rained when it was inconvenient and was only sunny when it didn't particularly matter. Yes, there were several down-and-out scenes I didn't really need my cloistered daughter to witness (including a Ronnie Dobbs-esque dramedy between some drunk and airport security as we were leaving). And, yes, the family headcold squashed our biking plans. But that bohemian burp-up of a city was just the respite we needed after a long, dull Orange County summer.

We had the benefit of two back-bending hosts who took us to nearly every part of town — from the Oregon Zoo to Mt. Tabor, hipster boutiques to a truly super market. Behold, the list of my Top 9 sites seen.

9. Here's the oatmeal brulée and nutty bunny smoothie we ordered for my daughter at Gravy. Despite gorging myself on my own perfect Mount St. Helens-sized biscuit drenched in country gravy and huge mug of jasmine pearls tea, I still managed to gobble up what she so foolishly wasted. Cool art on the walls, a cool waitress, a bookcase stocked with kid-distracting picture books and great Mississippi Ave. neighbors (Black Wagon, The Fresh Pot, etc.) earned this place a gold star.

8. Yes, cupcakes are passé by now. But after seeing a crew of goo-faced smiling kids walk out of Saint Cupcake, my daughter pressed her face on the storefront window and began wordlessly pounding the glass like a zombie. We had little choice but to go in. If you can stand in this festive, miniature-filled shop without letting out even the most inaudible squee, you may possibly be a jerk. We ordered cupcakes and they were extra on-point. So many who've cashed in on the cupcake trend forget that they are actually supposed to taste as good as they look, if not way better. This place knows what they're doing. Oh, and there's a boutique in the back, too. Hello! Noun carries a well-chosen selection of vintage homegoods and handmade jewelry. It's like a small, non-mall version of Anthropologie. Plus, their slogan ("A person's place for things") had be giggling all the way down the street.

7. The service at the Alberta location of local French chain Petite Provence was so warm and friendly that I could've stayed there all day. I had savory french toast with grilled ham and asparagus and gruyere sauce. Slammin'! Oh, and the huge bowl of cardamom rum latté was nearly enough to lay me out flat. I never even made my way over to the sprawling glass case filled with pastries and breads, so I obviously have to make my way back there.

6. Bella Faccia Pizzeria is not much on ambiance. In fact, it's very much like a no-frills New York pizza parlor. And that's why I loved it. That, and the fact that the pizza was crispy, thin New York-style perfection. And let's not forget the good, fresh salad, a nice pitcher of local beer and a huge scoop of some crazy-good key lime pie gelato from Staccato Gelato. Yes.

5. The onset of rain made caffeine very necessary. At tiny, little Bakery Bar I found the perfect macchiato, which was the first/best of Portland's famed coffee that I'd find on the whole trip (added bonus: the banana bread with chocolate ganache).

4. We were only in town four days, yet we ended up in Grasshopper twice. The over-priced kids clothes in the front of the store had me feeling skeptical, but the far more affordable toys scattered all about helped ease me into this place (so many under-$10 options!). There's a very inviting, hands-on set-up and even the bathroom was thoughtfully planned. The staff was super helpful, too. When I discovered they didn't carry what I was looking for, one employee wrote out step-by-step directions to someplace that would. On the next visit, another voluntarily jotted down some notable kid's book titles for me. Our total haul included some of their vast Playmobil stock, very hip stickers by arty French toy brand Djeco and a copy of The Secret Lives of Princesses.

3. Man, was I under-dressed for Multnomah Falls. This is the second tallest natural waterfall after Niagara Falls and, even on a nice day, the surrounding area is wet. It should be noted that I've lived in mostly arid climes since I was 17, so I don't have any of that performance fleece, wind-blocking gear that seemingly everybody there but me was wisely wearing. My suede moccasins weren't useful, neither was the dainty Splendid 3/4 sleeve open cardigan I relied on as a "jacket" on that chilly day. So, you have a city slicker without a slicker, stuck in the middle of real-live, actual nature. Though this is an equation for lousiness, I totally loved it. The beauty of the falls was second only to the site of my daughter splashing about the trail in her froggy galoshes, marveling at the giant moss-covered trees.

2. Powell's City of Books — The next time I am in Portland, I will right my wrongs and apportion far more than a piddly hour at this bookstore. Ridiculous. I loved it so much and I only saw a fraction of it. In addition to an armload of used books (including this Strawberry Shortcake cookbook I loved as a kid), we snagged a copy of the new J.otto Seibold, which isn't even on Amazon for another few weeks!

1. The Bye and Bye is the bar my friend Liam owns with a few good friends. It is freakin' lovely. Weird to say about a bar, right? According to a Portland law, bars have to serve food and some (though, I don't think all) are open to minors until 8 p.m. The whole family headed over to the bar for some delicious vegan plates (yes, for real). They have cozy seating indoors and out and a design-scheme that is so very un-bar-ish — great art, modern colors, no squawking flatscreen TVs, no stale jukebox...my husband even gave the bathroom a good report. It doesn't even have that gross bar smell. I mean, how many bars do you go to and find people reading novels and working on their laptops while they sip? If you go, get the vegan grilled cheese. Believe me. Oh, and tell Liam I said hi.

Edit: I'd hoped to round it out to an even 10 by putting our hotel on this list. It was an old grammar school converted into a hotel — complete with hardwood floors, current and retro films showing in the theater and a cafeteria-turned-restaurant. All over the building, there was actual school memorabilia and our room was once part of the woodshop classroom. Alas, staying there turned out to be as fitful as sleeping in an actual functioning school, which is to say, noisy and uncomfortable.