Pretty and Pregnant?

Are you glowing and showing? Then the folks behind the Baby and Tween Celebration L.A. (April 25-26, L.A. Convention Center) want to see you!

They're searching for pregnant mommies who might be willing to walk (or waddle) on the catwalk for the event's Lov'n the Bump Maternity Fashion Show. Find all the details here.

And if you know a kid who loves to strut for an audience, they're also looking for youngsters ages 2-8 for the No Kidding...Kidster Couture Fashion Show.

The casting calls will be 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. on March 12 at the Manhattan Beach Marriott.

Congrats!

Congrats to Amy Hood of Los Angeles, who is the grand-prize winner of the I Don't Have Time for This Dan Zanes Concert Tickets Sweepstakes!

Have fun, Amy. And a big "thanks" to all the folks who entered (and read this blog)!

Ocean Quest

Dog? Check! Hamster? Check! Cranky feline whose only mission is to sleep 23-1/2 hours a day? Yep! Dolphin? Che... uh, what?

That's right. You can add a dolphin to your menagerie of adopted critters. And you don't even have to build a three-million gallon saltwater tank to do it. You simply surf over to the Ocean Conservation Society and read about Ninamom and her calf or Eos, a male dolphin who prefers the coastal waters, both of which have been identified and studied by the Los Angeles Dolphin Project team. 

The funds donated through the dolphin adoption program are used strictly for the research and study of these amazing mammals, which cruise right along our bays and coasts and frolic among our boats and surfers here in Southern California.

The minimum donation to adopt is $50, and you receive a certificate with a photo of your dolphin's dorsal fin (which researchers use to identify individuals), a detailed list of where your dolphin has been sighted and lots of information about bottlenose dolphins. By researching the dolphins that inhabit our area, the Ocean Conservation Society hopes to understand the delicate ecosystems here and educate visitors and residents on the value of keeping the beaches and waters clean and healthy for all occupants.

Because when Flipper is happy, everyone is happy.

Dan Zanes Deadline Today!

Have you entered to win tickets to see the cool kid-rock dude Dan Zanes perform at UCLA this month? Enter now, and your kids will love you. And you'll enjoy the music just as much, I promise!

This contest is for blog readers only, but it ends today. Click here to read the original post and find out how to enter!

Spring Travel Fever

I don't know about you, but the recent rains put a damper on my usual Valentine's Day/Presidents Day travel lust. But now that the sun is back and bringing up my core temperature, it's also making my feet itch.

But where to go and what to do? My budget's not any bigger, that's for sure. So I was pleased to see what looks like a pretty good deal at the luxurious Omni San Diego. Starting at $219 for one night, the "On the Road Again" package has some pretty fun perks for a traveling family (and includes free valet parking, to boot).

At check-in, kids receive a backpack full of games and toys as part of the hotel's Sensational Kids program. Cookies and milk are delivered in the evening, just in time to settle in after a day of exploring Sea World, the zoo or any number of great attractions the city has to offer.

In fact, art lovers can check out the new Bernar Venet exhibit, a series of 12 outdoor sculptures placed at key locations along San Diego’s waterfront district and throughout the city (including an installment outside the Omni).

The 32-story, 511-room hotel is also situated next to PETCO Park (there's a skywalk connecting the two) at the entrance to the city's Gaslamp Quarter, a fun place to meander and explore.

Upon check out, kids receive games for the ride home as well as some heathly snacks.