Here are my top 5 favorites:

Green Toys BPA-Free Plates

I pretty much love anything Green Toys makes since their products are made in the USA, BPA-free, made from recycled milk jugs, durable, PVC-free and phthalate-free.  For $6.95 for a set of 4, you also can’t beat the price.  They are dishwasher safe and even the packaging is made from recycled materials and printed on with soy ink.

Think Baby Complete Feeding Set

The Complete BPA-Free set contains a  Bento box with a lid that will even hold in liquid, a soup bowl, a baby bowl, a kid’s cup, a fork and a spoon.  The products are BPA- free, phthalate-free, nitrosamines-free, lead-free, PVC-free, PET-free, Tritan-free, Melamine-free and free of biologically harmful chemicals.  I like this product because they have added lids for the Bento box and the bowls as well as provided a nifty handle on the cup that can hook easily to a bag or other strap.  I also like that the part that is actually touching your food or drink in the cups and bowls is made from stainless steel.  The whole set costs approximately $40, so a little pricey, but you also get a fair bit of durable products for that cost.

LunchBots Children’s Stainless Steel Dish Set

I love this product because it is plastic-free.  They are made from high-quality food grade stainless steel, they are durable, and dishwasher safe.  This is a great product to throw in with your camping supplies or use every day at the table.   You get a cup, plate and bowl all for $19.95. I have to say I definitely like the simplicity of this product.

Skip Hop Stay-Put Mat and Plate

This product is BPA, phthalate and PVC-free and has a smiley face mat that the plate sits in to keep it from moving around the table – always a great feature for kids learning to use utensils.  The cute colors and the 3 separated sections of the plate also make the design of this very well thought out.  For $20 it is also reasonably priced.

Skip Hop Palette Plate

Skip Hop gets another spot on my favorites list for offering a creative product that is geared toward the way babies and toddlers eat – in several small portions.  The little bowls come with lids to easily store in the fridge so you can make up food before hand or put away the leftovers easily.  The cup also has a skid-resistant base to minimize spilling accidents.  Like other Skip Hop products, the Palette Plate is BPA, phthalate and PVC-free.  At $28 it is definitely a functioning work of art.

July 7 7PM. Start practicing your campfire songs becauseour Family Campfire Programs areback! The interpretive nature programwill amaze you, the activities will warmyour body and soul, and the songs are alwaysgood for a belly laugh. Loosen yourmarshmallow-roasting arm, pack up thefamily, and make it straight to the park. Youbring some good cheer and we willprovide the rest, including a roaringcampfire and marshmallows. Meet at theStone Amphitheater. 1.5 hours more info

Echo Park Lotus Festival

July 9-10. Highlights of the festival include music, dance and food – all of which celebrate Asian and Pacific Islander culture and traditions. This year’s focus is on the culture of Thailand. There will be a Health Fair, community groups offering information, and boutiques for shopping. more info

Burbank Party of the Century

July 8. It’s a celebration for the 100th birthday of the city of Burbank.  more info

16th Annual Bridge USA Natsu (Summer Festival) Matsuri 2011 – Torrance

July 10. It must be summer time when Bridge USA Festival hits Torrance. Last year as we walk into the Festival we are greeted by a thundering Taiko drums.  Cultural performances, exhibits, Japanese food, and booth games for kids, What more can you ask for a summer festival. more info

Disney’s Choo-Choo Soul with Genevieve!

July 10 1:30PM and 3:30PM. Straight from the Disney Channel to our stage!!! Get on board with musical artist Genevieve Goings, as she drives her train through fantastical lands while singing contemporary, kid-friendly hip-hop songs about ABC’s, 1-2-3′s, being polite and more! more info

Summer Music on the Redondo Beach Pier

Every Thursday & Saturday JULY 2 – SEPTEMBER 3, 2011 from 6PM-8PM.  The 2011 Summer of Music FREE concerts on the pier will feature a wide variety of bands, something for everyone to enjoy. Bring your beach chair, sit over the water and listen to some great music while you watch the sun set! more info

Sunday Evening Pool Parties and Barbeque at The Island Hotel

Sundays 5PM-9PM.  Join us poolside Sunday evenings to experience summer with family and friends and a selection of chef-crafted BBQ favorites and irresistible desserts.  Guests are also invited to come earlier to enjoy the pool and all the amenities it has to offer. $34 per adult,  $12 per child and complimentary for children under 5, exclusive of tax and gratuity. For reservations, please call 949.760.4920. more info

Aaron Nigel Smith performing at Family Fundays

July 10 at the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum. more info

2011 Free Summer Concerts at the Peter Strauss Ranch

July 10. Don’t forget the four free Summer Concerts co-sponsored by the Topanga Banjo•Fiddle Contest and the National Park Service at the beautiful Peter Strauss Ranch (30000 Mulholland Highway, Agoura) on the second Sunday of June, July, August, and September of 2011! Enjoy bluegrass, old time and/or folk music sittin’ around the outdoor amphitheater under the shade of the giant old oaks. Parking and admission are FREE! Come on out and enjoy an afternoon of great music from 3pm to 5pm. Visit www.topangabanjofiddle.org/summer_concerts_2011.html for more information.

Barnyard Madness with the Three Little Pigs

Saturdays & Sundays at 12:30 & 3:00pm at the Santa Monica Playhouse. Barnyard Madness with the THREE LITTLE PIGS, a zany Country and Western romp following the romantic antics and showbiz aspirations of the McPig Sisters and their wolverine admirers. This finger-snapping, toe-tapping all-new version of the DeCarlo-Rudie Family Theatre Musical for Kids 2 to 102, complete with 40s be-pop and exciting audience participation, proves once and for all that friendship doesn’t depend on size, color, background, “species” or nationality. more info

The Wizard School Scavenger Hunt

July 9 4PM. Follow in the footsteps of young wizards on a field trip to the Getty Center in search of art that echoes characters, places and enchanted objects in the famed Harry Potter books and movies. Keep your trusty wand handy as you track down a powerful sorceress, a Snape-like potions master, flying owls and dragons, Hagrid-like giants, centaurs and unicorns like those you’d see in the Forbidden Forest, strange mermaids and sharks that seem straight out of the Triwizard Tournament, fierce knights in armor, and cloaked and masked figures as scary as any Death Eater or Dementor. Wizards and muggles alike can play and enjoy this hunt. The hunt is not an addition to or variation on Harry’s adventures, but instead references to the books will provide a surprising bridge to many strange and wonderful works of art. It’s a great way to discover—or rediscover—the museum. This hunt is designed for kids and adults to do together, but all-adult teams will be allowed to compete separately. Kids must be accompanied by adults. For ages 10 and up. more info

So why keep torturing yourself?  You don’t have to.  Not only are reusable swim diapers eco-friendly, adorable, and affordable, they also are constructed like a normal diaper with two Velcro tabs to remove the diaper in a cleaner fashion.

I first bought my Bummis Swim diaper when my baby was a breastfeeding infant and have used them through to her toddler years.  They are great at keeping in what needs to be kept in, easily changeable, easily washable and the right price at under $15 each.  When you consider a package of disposable swim diapers will cost you around $12, it isn’t a bad deal.

Recently, I also read that if you already cloth diaper using BumGenius 3.0 or 4.0 you can remove the insert and use the outer shell as a swim diaper.  All the previously mentioned advantages apply, plus you don’t have to make any extra purchases.  Check with with the folks at bumgenius.com for any specific questions or concerns.

July 2-3.  Join Kidspace in a patriotic parade around the gardens and museum grounds, make parade shakers and pom-poms, get patriotic tattoos, create a fireworks painting, and much more.  Fourth of July events will last all day, so see you there! more info

ZooKeeper Day at the LA Zoo

July 2.  Visit the Zoo for a fun-filled day to celebrate the upcoming release of the film Zookeeper. Just like in real life, the animal keepers in the fictional comedy Zookeeper form an extraordinary bond with the creatures under their care. In the case of the film, however, the animals break their time honored code of silence and speak – all for the sake of helping their kindhearted caretaker learn the rules of courtship and woo his mate. Zookeeper Day at the L.A. Zoo will feature prize giveaways, special zookeeper talks, a live radio broadcast from the Zoo, and a chance to learn more about the movie. Zookeeper Day at the L.A. Zoo is made possible by Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is proud to support the mission of the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens. more info

Princess and the Pea in the Park

July 2 in Westlake Village.  All Fairy Tales in the Park performances are held outdoors in a variety of venues and is always free of charge, though the players pass the hat to help cover costuming and travel costs, donations are always voluntary. From staging beloved fairy tales on a beautiful amphitheatre stage to a loading dock, the front lawn of a recreation center, or dockside in the grass, the aptly named Gypsies in a Trunk perform anywhere there is an audience! more info

Mar Vista Farmers Market Kids Art

July 3. Free recycled art the first Sunday of every month. Add a bit of seasonal art making when shopping for veggies with the family! more info

Lucky Diaz & the Family Jam Band

July 3 at the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum.  Contemporary family music all dressed up in the 50’s!  Come on out and jam with us. more info

Kidspace Free Family Night

July 5 4PM – 8PM. Love the theater?  Then don’t miss Theater 360 as they perform a sneak preview of their upcoming production, “Hairspray.”  They will present shortened versions of the more popular scenes from the hit Broadway musical, and even teach a few dance moves to the kids.  The performance starts at 6:30 p.m. in the Stone Hollow Amphitheater.  There will be no Museum admission charge between 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.  This program was made possible in part by the Pasadena Arts & Culture Commission and the City of Pasadena Cultural Affairs Division. more info

Long Beach – The Queen Mary

Join us for a day of fun in the sun and an unforgettable 4th of July celebration. The day’s festivities include entertainment throughout the day:

• Strolling performers, Balloon Artists, Face Painters and Uncle Sam!
• On the main stage you can groove to the tunes of Flattop Tom & His Jump Cats, an energetic and dynamic band playing blues and swing (12:00 p.m. & 4:00 p.m.)
• GRAMMY Nominated, Lisa Haley and the Zydekats, one of the most joyful Americana/Cajun/Zydeco acts on tour today (4:30 p.m. & 8:30 p.m.)
• Dance the night away on the Verandah Deck located on the stern of the ship with a DJ Craig playing your favorite dance mixes from Classic Rock and Roll and Disco to the hottest jams of today (7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.)
• Fireworks at 9:00 p.m.

Culver City – Culver City High School

The Exchange Club of Culver City and the City of Culver City invite you to attend our annual Fourth of July fireworks show at Culver City High School. Gates open at 5PM, entertainment begins at 6:30PM, and the fireworks start at 9PM.
Culver City High School is located at 4401 Elenda Street. Click here if you’d like to see a map of the vicinity. Parking is available in nearby lots for $5 per car. Enter those lots off of Braddock Dr. at Huron Ave., two blocks east of Sepulveda Blvd.
For 55 years the Exchange Club of Culver City has been dedicated to bettering the lives of our community’s children with a special focus on the prevention of child abuse. The suggested donation of $2 per person (children under 5 are free) will help us continue those efforts.
If you’re hungry you’ll be able to purchase hotdogs, soda, and Kettle Corn. You can also get tickets for the Exchange Club’s raffle, which features grand prizes of an LCD flat screen tv and $100 gift certificates good at Westfield Fox Hills Mall! There will be great live music, too.
Please note that you are not allowed to bring alcohol or fireworks of any kind onto the school grounds.

Burbank – Starlight Bowl

Celebrate America and our heritage at this fun and festive Independence Day event for the entire family. Join the Starlight Bowl and The United States Air Force for an evening of great entertainment filled with surprises. See a flyover, the induction of new enlistees, United States Air Force Veteran Daniel Rutherford singing the National Anthem, Surfin’ USA, The Burbank Philharmonic Orchestra and of course the best fireworks show in Los Angeles.

Gates open at 5:30 p.m.

Entertainment from 6:30 – 9:00 p.m.

Fireworks – 9:00 p.m

Hollywood – The Hollywood Bowl

July 4th Fireworks Spectacular with special guests Daryl Hall & John Oates

Saturday, July 2, 2011, 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, July 3, 2011, 7:30 p.m.

Monday, July 4, 2011, 7:30 p.m.

323.850.2000 

Huntington Beach

4th of July Parade – The biggest parade west of the Mississippi for Independence Day includes an entire day of fun. The parade begins on Pacific Coast Highway at Main Street at 10 a.m. and travels up Main Street to Gothard Street, usually lasting about 2.5 hours.  Time: 10 a.m. Location: Main Street from Pacific Coast Highway to Ellis.

FIREWORKS AT THE BEACH – Time: 9 p.m. Cost: Free. Location: Find a spot on the sand from the Huntington Beach City Beach between the HB Pier and Huntington Street.

PANCAKE BREAKFAST – Start your 4th of July Day with a Pancake Breakfast in Lake Park between 6 and 9 a.m. Cost is $5/ person. Pancakes, juice, coffee, and sausages included.

SURF CITY RUN & VENDOR EXPO – Starts at 7 a.m. and goes along a course that starts and finishes on Main Street.

VENDOR EXPO- The Pier Plaza includes a special 4th of July event with vendors selling foods and gifts. Those Guys, band – at Perqs Nite Club. Time: 7 p.m. Location: 117 Main St. Huntington Beach, CA. Phone: (714) 960-9996.

Pasadena – The Rose Bowl

“Americafest 2011″

2:00 pm   The Festival begins outside the stadium.Family Fun Festival & Food Court on Area H

6:00 pm   Gates open

7:00 pm   Entertainment to include live entertainment by the Jan & Dean Show featuring Dean Torrence, Mariachi Divas, band performance by DCI Phantom Regiment, Ives Brothers FMX motorcycle stunt and the Biggest Fireworks Show in Southern California produced by PyroSpectaculars by Souza.

9:05 pm   Americafest Fireworks: The Biggest Fireworks Show in Southern California Produced by PyroSpectaculars by Souza

Tickets: $13

Children 7 & under FREE

Active Military with ID FREE

For a full list of other Fireworks locations click here.

June 23 10AM.  A reading of Little Hoot by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, illustrated by Jen Corace plus art! more info

ET at The Devil’s Night Drive-In

June 25, doors open 7:30PM, show starts at 9PM. more info

Skrumps Launch Party

June 25 12PM-3PM. Join us as we celebrate the comic book debut of the Skrumps, the newest member of the Jim Henson Company family. more info

Randy Kaplan at Play

June 25 9:30AM.  Join us for a special family concert with Randy Kaplan. He’ll be playing his originals, plus songs he performs on our PLAY music CDs. more info

LACMA Family Art Program

June 25 12PM. Free Art Program for Children, Teens, and Parents. Learn new art techniques and skills. Free supplies and instruction. Program courtesy of Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). more info

Stories Around the World Puppet Show

June 25 2PM. Join puppeteer Len Levitt as he takes you around the world with his very funny puppets and stories. more info

Skateboard Safety Workshop

June 25 4:30PM. Join Eric “Tuma” Britton from the Venice Skateboard Assn. and learn about safety, equipment, skateboards, etiquette, skate parks and more…Also, skateboard videos! New workshop each week. For grades k-5 (& parents!). more info

EGG! Concert at Dragonfly Dulou

June 26 11AM. Join EGG for a rockin’ good time! Bring the whole family, all ages welcome! more info

INCA, Music from Peru

June 28 3:30PM. Discover the beautiful and exciting music and dance of the Incans with Inca Peruvian Ensemble. Free for all kids and families. more info

Bubble Mania!

June 28 3PM.  Our Summer Reading Club kick-off program is the fabulous bubble magic of Bubble Mania! See rainbow bubbles, square bubbles, bubbles in bubbles, and even a kid in a bubble! Fun for kids of all ages. more info

Two of Southern California’s Piers offers a great way for kids and families to interact with ocean life all for under $5.

At the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium, Heal the Bay has created a haven for some of the local ocean life including sharks and an octopus.  Their volunteers are full of knowledge on all of the wildlife within the aquarium and can assist your children in petting some of the sea creatures.  Every Sunday is Shark Sundays, where the volunteers provide an in-depth presentation on these amazing creatures and every Saturday you can come in to view the octopus feeding.

The Manhatten Beach Pier also offers an aquarium for the family housing massive Sea Bass and an overhead tank where the eels slither their way above you.    Every Sunday is a FREE sea story time at 11:30AM.  Come check out the Roundhouse Aquarium for just a $5 family donation.

*photo by Lillie Grossman

Sunday, June 19

Father’s Day at KidSpace

June 18-19. Calling all camping dads!  Come out for weekend camp activities at Kidspace including water purifying workshops, root beer making in the gardens, knot tying, tent set-up races, and learning about animal tracking. Complete your camping at Kidspace with a memorable camp photo. Pre-order your camp lunch for two online at www.kidspacemuseum.org.  more info

Father’s Day Gift Swap

June 19 at Zimmer Children’s Museum. Has your dad gotten too many boring presents like ties and socks for Father’s Day? Do you think he’d appreciate something a little more fun? Well, bring in last years ties or socks and together with Dad turn them into the coolest Father’s Day presents around! more info

Sesame Street Live @ The Nokia Theater

June 17-19.  When Super Grover loses his superness, Sesame Street needs a hero! Never fear, Elmo and his team of Healthy Heroes are here. Teaching lessons of healthy habits through song and dance, Elmo, Abby Cadabby and your favorite Sesame Street friends will explore exercise, nutrition, sleep/energy and hygiene – all in a quest to put the “super” back in Super Grover. It’s Elmo’s Healthy Heroes to the rescue! more info

Traveling Seeds

June 18 2PM. Plant the seed for understanding our native plants. In all different sizes and shapes, they have developed the most ingenious ways of traveling to just the right place for starting a new life. more info

Baldwin Hills Fest

June 18, 10am-3pm. Join a Guided Nature Hike this Saturday at 9am with a State Park volunteer! Meets at the park entrance at the bottom of the hill. We hope to see you at the Baldwin Hills Fest on Saturday, June 18th! Giant Puppet Parade is at 11am with performances throughout the day until 3pm. more info

Father’s Day @ the Autry

June 19 11AM. Father’s Day is a special day for everyone and a great opportunity to get the family together for a day of fun. Treat everyone to our special Father’s Day programs and activities, then join museum teachers to make a special gift for Dad. more info

Aesop’s Fables @ Theatricum Botanicum

June 19 11AM. Interactive, In-the-Round theatre for kids (0-9 yrs) and families to enjoy together. Join in the fun with The Wind and the Sun, The Tortoise and the Hare, The Country Mouse and The City Mouse, and The Lion and the Mouse! more info

Father’s Day Gift Swap @ Zimmer

June 19 3pm. Has your dad gotten too many boring presents like ties and socks for Father’s Day? Do you think he’d appreciate something a little more fun? Well, bring in last years ties or socks and together with Dad turn them into the coolest Father’s Day presents around! more info

You could start by drawing your own silly cartoon or ask your kids to draw their own for Dad.   You might expand this family project into making Dad a book for Father’s day filled with pictures, drawings, memories and reasons why he is such a great dad.

If the guy you are honoring in your life is a soon-to-be dad, check out this Recycled Dad-to-Be set from uncommongoods.com.  It includes a Diaper Dude bag made from recycled plastic bottles, a Baby Owners manual and Produced Locally onesie.

If you want something extra special for Dad, check out the Stronghold.  They have been in business in Los Angeles since 1895 and while I can’t say how “green” their manufacturing process is, they do make all of their jeans and products in downtown LA.  Hats off to them for keeping it local after all these years.

Lastly, if you want a full-proof way to show Dad you care, cook him a meal that truly says “I love you”: Spinach Parmesan Risotto

What You’ll Need

2 tbsp Extra -Virgin Olive oil

1 tbsp butter

1 organic yellow onion, diced

5 cups organic chicken broth

(optional) 2 organic, boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 1/4 cup organic Arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 bag organic baby spinach

1/2 cup organic Parmesan cheese – splurge on the good stuff that you have to grate yourself

salt and pepper to taste

What to Do

In a large soup or stock pot, heat the oil and add the onion (add the chicken if desired).  Simmer and cook the onion until it is translucent (and the chicken is browned).  Add the garlic, rice and butter stirring continuously for about 2 minutes.  Add the wine and any seasoning while continuing to stir the mixture over medium heat.  When the wine is reduced, add the broth 1/2 cup – 1 cup at a time stirring and waiting for each cup  to be absorbed by the rice.    When you have added 3 cups, add the spinach and continue to add the broth at the 1/2 cup-1 cup rate until all of the broth is absorbed and the rice is fluffy and soft.  Turn off the heat and add in the Parmesan stirring it until melted.

Serve warm with a drizzle of Parmesan on top.

PS – this is a family favorite, my kids love it!

For more information visit their website.

If you are more in the mood for some tasty cherries, check out Copelands Cherry Ranch or 5 Star Ranch in Leona Valley.  They hope to have Organic Cherries for the picking throughout July.