Coast 2 Coast Mom

Fancy Nancy the Musical in NYC

Fancy Nancy the Musical premiered at the McGinn/Cazale Theatre on the Upper West Side of NYC this weekend, opening the Vital Theatre Company's 2012-2013 season of family programming. I was delighted to have been invited to attend the purple carpet press opening and see the show for myself! I even borrowed a fancy li'l friend, Little C, to join me for the experience. . . Inside awaiting the Fancy Nancy musical to begin . . . There were pink feather boas and butterfly headbands inside to get even more fancy for the hour-long performance. Little C was mesmerized by the... Read more →

The Amazing Max: A Must-See Magic Show in NYC

We were recently invited to attend a magical and giggle-inducing performance of The Amazing Max at the MMAC Theater (Manhattan Movement and Arts Center) near Lincoln Center in NYC. It was everything we had hoped it would be. Max perfectly wove magic tricks with spontaneous family-friendly humor that kept everyone from tots to grandparents smiling through the whole show. It was, in fact, amazing! We took one of the Kiddo's friends with us to enjoy the show, and we also had the Kiddo's class "pet," Rocky the monkey, along with us. He had to take pictures and write in a... Read more →

Start the Party! Save the World Available for PlayStation Move

Last night I suprised the Kiddo with a preview of the Start the Party! Save the World video game available via download today on the PlayStation Network (PSN). It was great family fun! The latest update to the PlayStation Move's Start the Party! series, it has 20 family-friendly mini games for one to two players at a time. It's available exclusively for the PlayStation 3. This version of Start the Party! lets you play as a superhero in the middle of the gaming action using the PlayStation Move controller and PlayStation Eye camera to integrate some augmented reality video of... Read more →

I'm a PBS Kids VIP Blogger!

I just noticed The Mama Maven's post about joining as a PBS Kids VIP, and realized that I haven't yet shared the good news! :-) I'm excited to share that I've been invited to join a group of parent bloggers getting an inside look at PBS Kids content, creators, leaders and stations as a PBS Kids VIP!! I've been fortunate to have enjoyed some TERRIFIC experiences with PBS in the past, from moderating a "Cyberchase" talk-back panel, to being a PBS 13 Kids Club ambassador, to meeting Angela Santomero and getting an inside look at the development of "Super WHY,"... Read more →

Dylan's Candy Bar Easter Egg Hunt with Jelly Belly in NYC

Dylan's Candy Bar is prepping to host the ultimate Easter Egg Hunt with Jelly Belly in NYC in a few weeks and the Kiddo and I are so excited! An Easter egg hunt in such a legendary candy shop!! Tickets go on sale tomorrow Wednesday, February 29, 2012 on GiltCity.com for the candy-riffic Easter Egg Hunt that'll take place Sunday, March 18, 2012. The event includes a continental breakfast, the opportunity to explore Dylan's Candy Bar in search of eggs, and games and activities like photos with Dylan's Chocolate the Bunny and Mr. Jelly Belly, and playing with the Jelly... Read more →

2012 Philadelphia International Flower Show Opens March 4th

I recently attended a press preview for the 2012 Philadelphia International Flower Show and am happy to report that I was so impressed with the family and kids programming that we're heading to Philadelphia in March to check it out for ourselves! This year's theme for the Flower Show is “Hawaii: Islands of Aloha,” and will take place March 4-11 2012 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The preview totally had me wanting to book airfare to visit Hawaii again - all of the bright, bold colors and unique flowers (orchids, anyone?) - but of course, my favorite Hawaiian flowers are... Read more →

Double Fine Happy Action Theater Launches in Xbox LIVE Arcade

Double Fine Happy Action Theater just launched in Xbox LIVE Arcade and is great for playdates or families with multiple kids because everyone can interact with the video game download on their own simultaneously. So you can totally avoid getting annoyed by the sibling or friend who runs in front of the Kinect sensor while others are playing mid-game ;-) Double Fine Happy Action Theater is a fun interactive experience with no instructions or required gestures, and no way to "win" or "lose" the game, making it great for preschoolers and up. The game includes 18 different environments where up... Read more →

How Do You Regulate Your Family Tech Use on a Family Vacation?

Because I write about technology and see a lot of tech devices before they're available on the market, I'm often asked which device/laptop/game console/phone, etc someone should buy, whether they should wait for the next upgrade, and which apps they should install for their kids. The next most popular question is how we set rules for using electronic devices in our family . . . which always makes me happy to discover that others are being mindful of screentime, but I also feel a little uncomfortable answering because what works for us may not work for them. Basically, we use... Read more →

Brisk Iced Tea Launches BriskSaber App with Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace in 3-D

Brisk Iced Tea is launching a new mobile app called Brisksaber, in conjunction with the theater release of Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace in 3-D. When I first read about it, I had a huge grin on my face because I couldn't wait to share it with the Kiddo and @c2cDad. The Brisk app, Brisksaber, brings iconic Star Wars lightsaber battles to smartphones, and makes players choose to play for The Light Side or The Dark Side right off the bat. If you choose The Light Side, you'll battle evil characters like Darth Maul, Jabba the Hutt, Darth... Read more →

Curious George Holiday Spectacular Premieres Tonight on PBS Kids

That loveable monkey, Curious George is back just in time for the holidays. He'll be "monkeying around" with not one, but three movies that will broadcast starting tonight on PBS Kids, with what could be the start of a new family holiday tradition. First, is the broadcast premiere of the original Curious George movie starring the voices of Will Ferrell, Drew Barrymore and Dick Van Dyke followed by Curious George 2: Follow That Monkey and Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas. The Holiday Spectacular will air on PBS KIDS throughout Thanksgiving weekend, so if you miss it today, you can... Read more →