Subscriber Giveaway: 6 Studio Ghibli DVDs

We are giving away a set of SIX DVDs to subscribers. Our inspiration for this giveaway is a a New York Times article that ranks all 9 Studio Ghibli titles.  The author's passion reminds us of how much we love these films. And now they can be yours. Enter to Win by telling us your "Top Three" favorites (and why you chose them). Write to familysavvy@gmail.com and we will award a winner by 10/20/17.
10.15.17

3 Amazing Docs

This past month, I watched three remarkable documentaries that took me wholly out of the travails of my own life and immersed me in the lives of others. Each one took me to a new corner of the globe, which …

10.12.17

Ken Gonzales-Day Murals at the Skirball

Kids like big things that they can see and (perhaps) relate to. And anything out of the norm tends to catch their eyes. For instance, murals on buildings - anything with a pop of color, especially if seeming to allude to a language akin to cartoons, can and will arrest their attention.
10.11.17

CUBA IS at The Annenberg Space for Photography

The latest show at The Annenberg Space for Photography offers a fascinating up-to-the-minute glimpse of life in Cuba and is one of the best shows of this fall's Pacific Standard Time LA/LA.
10.2.17

TOPIC: Is Tech Ruining a Generation?

A debate is raging in the mainstream media around an article claiming that cellphones are ruining kids today. The article, by Jean Twenge in The Atlantic, is getting all the attention, but to be fair, the subject has traction because …

8.31.17

Dunkirk

Christopher Nolan's latest film tells the incredible story of Dunkirk, a miraculous moment in WW2 history that is largely unknown outside of Great Britain.
8.30.17

Millard Sheets, the Marciano Art Foundation, and the Masons

I had a chance to visit the new Marciano Art Foundation (MAT) recently and found myself fascinated by the unusual history of the building itself - specifically the work of artist and architect Millard Sheets, but also the odd legacy of the Scottish Rite Free Masons. Here are some tips for taking a tour of the building, what to know about the art in the collection, and tips for exploring the elegant neighborhood in which it is situated - Hancock Park.
8.23.17

Carne y Arena at LACMA

Alejandro Iñárritu’s art and virtual reality installation, “Carne y Arena”, opened at LACMA in early July for a  limited run, after debuting at Cannes and having already spent some time at Milan’s Fondazione Prada. I visited this week — the …

8.16.17

Guy Stuff: The Body Book for Boys

Some topics are trickier than others to discuss with kids, and broaching the unavoidable topic of puberty tops the list. A time-honored tradition is to purchase a good book on the subject and leave it in the bathroom where it …

8.10.17