By Cheryl Petran
My daughter Daniela turned 15 in April, and with that I’ll be celebrating 15 years with the Pump Station! Over the years, I’ve interacted with literally hundreds of credentialed parenting experts and thousands upon thousands of expecting and new parents. I’ve heard EVERYTHING – so I thought it might be fun to share 15 tips I’ve learned over the past 15 years! (more…)
Planning the Perfect Family Vacation
By Gabo Najenson
Q:Why should families travel to Israel?
A: Israel is a very versatile country with a rich history of the Holy Land that has existed for over 5000 years.
Traditions and spirituality in countless historical sites have been preserved for thousands of years. Walking through many of the streets of Israel feels like you have been transported back in time. At the same time, Israel is the startup nation filled with modern elements of nightclubs, vegan restaurants and more.
The journeys within Israel will take you from ancient synagogues to breathtaking hikes in the wild. (more…)
A Revolutionary Education Approach
Innovation has been key to School of Rock’s success, beginning with its core music-education approach, The School of Rock Method™, which earlier this year, was awarded a U.S. Patent validating it as an exclusive concept and practice. The groundbreaking School of Rock Method builds musical proficiency through its proprietary Method App™, Method Book™ collection, SongFirst® approach, Method Engine™, and performance-based music curriculum. (more…)
Tips for Better Sleep and Stress Management
By Lauren Rashap, C.N.
Sleep accounts for 1/3 of our lives; it’s where we spend the much needed time to heal and repair the body. When we’re in stress mode and that sympathetic system is blasting, not only are we having difficulty falling asap and staying asleep, but we are reducing the time spent in the Delta stage (3 and 4) necessary for lowering blood pressure, promoting tissue growth and repair and releasing that symphony of hormones – my personal favorite -HgH (human growth hormone) essential for growth, anti-aging and muscle development. (more…)
Creativity, Confidence, and Time Travel: Why 826LA Emphasizes Writing
By Cheryl Klein
Throughout the fall, volunteers worked one-on-one with elementary school students in the Tutoring program at 826LA, a nonprofit organization with writing centers in Mar Vista and Echo Park and at two Los Angeles high schools. The prompt: Write about your memories, both happy and difficult.
It all started with a birthday, the cake, the people, and ended with a gift. This birthday changed everything…the gift was a DOG! wrote Grace T.
My cat Mochi has black and white spots. He smells like cat food, soap, and fish mixed together. He makes a funny noise when he talks to birds, Nathalie C. described. (more…)
Test-taking Is A Skill
By Danny Strauss
Founder of A Perfect Score
Test Prep Expert
What better skill to teach a young student than How To Take A Test?
Surprisingly, this is a skill not taught in school. Perhaps it is because we (teachers, students and parents) tend to look at a test score as a reflection of how well a student studied for a test, an indication of a student’s ability, or even as a measurement of how smart they are. But no matter what these tests are telling us about our kids, one thing these tests undoubtedly measure is how well the student takes a test.
There is a performance aspect to test-taking and perhaps it should be looked at the way we look at performance on stage or in a playoff game. Athletes, actors and musicians are certainly aware of having to perform under pressure, in front of an audience, and they factor that into their preparation. Students should, too. (more…)
Overnight Camps in the Time of Covid
By Jill Levin
Are you looking to send your child to an overnight camp this summer but concerned about Covid? If so, you’re not alone. I think most parents are evaluating whether sending their children away during these times is a good idea.
You should know that the camps that I work with have learned what they need to do to keep campers and staff safe – and have done a great job accomplishing that! Some camps took on this responsibility in the summer of 2020. They followed CDC and state guidelines. For 2021, they shared these best practices with other camps and they remained aware of changes as they occurred. The result was a very successful 2021 camp season. I have every confidence that summer 2022 will be the same. (more…)
Valentine’s Day Cocktails
Mi Amor
- 1 ½ oz. Inspiro Tequila
- 2-3 strawberries, cut up
- 2-3 dashes of chocolate bitters
- Petal Sparkling Rose
Directions: Rim glass with strawberry and roll into coco powder. Add strawberries and chocolate bitters to the bottom of a shaker and muddle. Add Inspiro Tequila and ice to shaker and shake well. (more…)
PUL3E Fights Heart Failure with One Woman’s Crypto NFT Power
By Emilie Wright
The PUL3E NFT project just launched in support of my fiancé Andrew’s untimely diagnosis of severe heart failure earlier this year, 2021, at only 31. PUL3E is a collection of 7,676 beautifully-rendered 3D animated NFTs based on the human heart, showcasing a range of heart conditions and abnormalities, to raise money for the heart charities that have supported Andrew and many others during their journey. I have pledged to donate 5-10% of all proceeds raised from selling NFT art to heart charities.
A Perfectly Terrible Storm
PUL3E is the result of a perfectly terrible, unfortunate, and heartbreaking storm. Were it not for my lifetime of experience working in mental health services and advocating for social justice and equality and my passion for cryptocurrency and NFT (Non-Fungible Token) digital art project, I don’t know what I would have done when my partner Andrew and I discovered that his sudden shortness of breath and chronic fatigue and his generally extreme unwellness was the result of sudden heart failure. (more…)
Why You should Support City Council Candidate Dr. Sharona Nazarian
Dr. Nazarian promises public safety, economic development and improved quality of life.
Q: Why are you running for council?
A: I am running for Beverly Hills City Council because I have dedicated my career to public service and I have a deep commitment to giving back to the community that has given me so many opportunities. I am a proud immigrant, active in the community and a philanthropic advocate. I am a 30-year Beverly Hills resident with strong community ties and currently a Beverly Hills Public Works Commissioner and LA County Commissioner for Alcohol and Other Drugs. I have been actively involved in Beverly Hills for decades. I am a public servant, and our community means everything to me. I love living here with my family, and over the last few months, I realize that we need some fresh and innovative thinking. It is time to bring new energy and ideas to the city council, and together we can do this so our community has more of a voice. (more…)