Kid-Friendly Downtown

Downtown resident and mother Susana Benavidez writes weekly articles on living with kids in Downtown Los Angeles.

Little Barn's Play Space for Kids Opens Downtown

By Susana Benavidez — October 15, 2009 — 10 Comments

STH70967 Susana Benavidez

|Photo Gallery| Downtown Los Angeles might not immediately spring forth images of the Brady Bunch, but if you go to Grand Hope Park on Saturday mornings you will see a group of parents that refuse to move to the suburbs just because children joined the family portrait. The conversations range from scoring tickets to the Yo Gabba Gabba show at the Shrine in November to whether we will ever see a set of swings in downtown L.A.

We do now, thanks to Little Barn, a new play place that is bringing bright colors, a glow-lit ball pit room and life to a sleepy street at the edge of Downtown. — Continued Inside...


World City -- An Escape to an Urban Oasis with Music, Dance, and Art

By Susana Benavidez — October 06, 2009 — 1 Comment

World City Susana Benavidez

|Photo Gallery| This Saturday I woke up early and rushed to make breakfast, go for a run and get the girls ready for another treat at the W.M. Keck Foundation Children's Amphitheater at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

World City -- a free event for families with an international roster of performers and artists -- is the type of event you wake up early for and do all you can to attend. — Continued Inside...


The Puppeteer that Pulled My Heartstrings

By Susana Benavidez — March 20, 2009
4 Comments

Last weekend I had the pleasure and good fortune to attend the Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre hosted by World City at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. The program is completely free and a true hidden gem in Downtown. Vit Horejs, the puppeteer and artist, was heart-warming, engaging and really funny – sometimes with a dry humor like when proclaiming a...


Let's Make a Downtown Play Date

By Susana Benavidez — March 06, 2009
1 Comment

Who says Downtown's no place for kids? This week's list of Kid-Friendly events is a big one. Before I get into the list, I want to invite parents to join me on Saturday, March 14th, for the FREE World City Marionette Theatre performance at 12:30 pm. Tickets will be distributed beginning at 11:00 am.


International Children's Film Festival Opens at REDCAT with “Rise and Shine”

By Susana Benavidez — February 27, 2009

REDCAT Lobby Display

Sunny warm weather, clear blue skies and a downtown bustling with people and activities; life this Saturday morning was picture perfect. The girls and I set off from South Park on a trek to Bunker Hill, headed for the REDCAT International Children’s Film Festival. As we made our way down Hope Street we were detained in front of the Sheraton as a sea of dressy...


Getting Involved In Education Isn't Just a Task for the Parents

By Susana Benavidez — February 20, 2009
14 Comments

Last week I went to my first Neighborhood Council meeting. In a surprise to me, no one bit my head off, cursed me, or drove me away. I have heard countless horror stories about Neighborhood Councils, not just in Downtown but also throughout the city of Los Angeles. Yet last week's Education Committee meeting injected me with a jolt of energy in my quest to...


A Rainy Sunday in LA

By Susana Benavidez — February 13, 2009
31 Comments

It rained in L.A. this weekend, which is news for most Angelinos. There was also the Firecracker Run in Chinatown, which I ran in. In the rain. I didn’t brave the 10K but I did complete the 5K—gasping to the end. A few friends signed up (at my pushy suggestion that they join an event that benefits local schools, libraries, and recreation centers in Chinatown...


Rumblings of Getting Older with Kids

By Susana Benavidez — February 06, 2009
5 Comments

Last week was my birthday! I know - how could you not know? The world must have felt a shiver of delight at knowing that such a wonderful being as myself turned another year older. The positive outcome of my increasing age is that I don’t feel uncomfortable when people ask how old I am, how old I was when I had my kids or why I look too young to have kids...


Taking a Break from the School Search to Party!

By Susana Benavidez — January 23, 2009
1 Comment

After the chaos of the Holidays -- the flu, an infected tooth, way too many gifts and an empty wallet -- we decided to raise the stress-o-meter by throwing a kid’s birthday party in Downtown! My daughter turned four and since she has been asking for a party since the day after she turned three, I caved in. In my defense, before you start labeling me a pushover...


You Always Have a Choice: Charter, Magnet or Zoned School

By Susana Benavidez — January 16, 2009 — 7 Comments

The quest for a school in Downtown L.A. has brought me in contact with wonderful people. I met with Ted Morris, founder of FuturoPrep Charter School, who proved to be a wealth of information and a perfect source for little nudges in the right direction. I contacted Councilwoman Jan Perry, whom responded incredibly fast and referred me to a few charter schools and to her Education Director: Pamela Huntoon.

The meeting we set up at Urth Caffé, which was attended by parents and Ted Morris, was successful in identifying that we need a guide to find the right elementary school. Through research on the LAUSD website, greatschools.net and individual school websites, I was able to compile data on test scores, the diversity breakdown, and state ratings on the public, charter, and magnet schools that surround Downtown. — Continued Inside...