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Marin Young Performers in Les Miserables at Marin Center

Les MiserablesThe popular Broadway musical Le Miserables will be performed by some of of Marin’s most talented young performers at the Marin Center’s Showcase Theater in San Rafael. Directed by Sharon Boucher, Le Miserables is presented by San Rafael Community Services, San Rafael Young Performers Theatre, Mill Valley Parks and Recreation, and Pied Piper Productions.

Featuring music by Claude-Michel Schoenberg and based on the novel by Victor Hugo, Les Miserables is an epic saga that sweeps through three turbulent decades in 19th-century France. It's also one of Broadway's longest running musicals.

The show runs from Thursday, July 23 through Sunday, July 26. Thursday and Friday shows: 7:30 pm; Saturday shows: 2 pm and 7:30 pm; Sunday shows: 1 pm and 5 pm. Tickets are $18 in advance and $20 at the door, and can be purchased through the Marin Center Box Office, (415) 499-6800.

New Art Studio in Downtown Petaluma

Jennifer Richardson art studio painting activityLocal artist Jennifer Richardson has just opened a new art studio in downtown Petaluma that offers children's art camps and art classes for adults, teens, and children. The new "For the Love of Art" studio, conveniently located a short drive from Marin at 600 Petaluma Boulevard South, is the perfect place for children, teens and adults to feel safe and allow their creativity to emerge with guidance from Jennifer.

In addition to offering summer art camp, Jennifer offers a Tuesday night (7–9 pm) Teen Art Night—a safe place for teens to come and hang out and foster their artistic skills and interests. Thursday night is Adult Art Night, which offers an artistic learning experience along with a glass of wine and great music. Also offered every Friday from 6–9 pm is Parent’s Night Out, where kids can come and join in educational art activities, have a bite to eat, and let Mom and Dad have an evening off.

Jennifer’s art studio also offers birthday parties. Art projects are the take-home gifts and the clean-up is taken care of.

Learn the Techniques of Eric Carle at Art for ME

The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric CarleEvery child loves books by children's author and illustrator Eric Carle. Carle classics include The Grouchy Ladybug, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and The Tiny Seed. Learn about how to make your own art using Carle's techniques at Art for ME's workshop tomorrow, July 20, from 4 to 5 pm at Riley Street art supplies on 4th Street in downtown San Rafael.

Kids ages 4 to 6 will explore Eric Carle's collage techniques and make their own illustrations in his style. To create his unique and distinctive illustrations, Carle paints interesting, colorful patterns, then cuts them out and layers them.

Your Child Needs Stitches: Optimizing the Cosmetic Outcome

skin careMarin Mommies presents another guest post by Cheryl Huang, MD FACS, Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon and Marin mom.

Few of us have made it to adulthood without scars on our skin from childhood bobbles and falls. Though we all watch our children carefully, it’s likely that, at some point, your child will need stitches. Here are the answers to some important questions you should ask if your child requires stitches.

Q: What are some of the immediate things I should do at the scene of the injury?

A: STAY CALM… As a mother, I know that’s easier said than done. But one of the earliest skills I learned in my surgical training is that it is imperative to focus on the task at hand when you are the caregiver. Nix the emotional rage (“OMG, how is this going to affect her modeling career!” etc.). Rather, focus on delivering first aid. Apply direct pressure to stop bleeding. Of note, scalp wounds in particular can bleed dramatically due to their robust blood supply.

The King Tut Show for Families

Canopic Stopper of TutankhamunThe exhibition Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs at San Francisco's de Young Museum is probably the hottest museum show in the Bay Area this summer. If you grew up in the Bay Area, then chances are you remember the blockbuster 1979 Treasures of Tutankhamun exhibition from when you were a child. We had a chance to view the current King Tut show last week, and took our ancient Egypt-obsessed six-year-old and three-year-old through to look at artifacts from the tomb of the famous boy king and other Egyptian notables.

Overall, the show is stunning. All tickets are timed and dated, so you line up at your appointed time (the museum really has this organized well) and then enter through a set of double doors that look like they came from Pirates of the Caribbean or another similar Disneyland attraction. You're ushered into a dark room where a brief 90-second video introduces you to King Tut and ancient Egypt. When the video ends, another set of doors swing open and you enter the actual exhibition, where you're greeted by a beautiful, near-life-size granite statue of Tutanhkamun.

Free Music for Kids from the San Francisco Symphony

Music for Kids of All AgesThe Marin League of the San Francisco Symphony presents its free "Music for Kids of All Ages" on Sunday, July 12, from 3 to 5 pm at the Mill Valley Community Center. Kid friendly snacks and refreshments will be provided, courtesy of Whole Foods. It's a great way to introduce children to the symphony and classical music. This concert features:

  • Dave Kim, multi-instrumentalist, DJ and professional violinist; he has shared the stage with many notable musicians artists around the world.
  • Quinteto Latino, a five-piece brass group featuring musicians from the San Francisco Symphony

Space is limited—call or email for reservations at (415) 216-3372 or sfsmarin@gmail.com. The concert is free, but donations are gratefully accepted.

The Mill Valley Community Center is located at 180 Camino Alto. For more information, go to sfsymphonymarin.blogspot.com.

5 Tips To Help Relieve Your Baby's Constipation.

Apple juice to help with constipationMarin Mommies presents a guest post by Bay Area mom blogger Naomi Tripi. You can read more of her tips for parents of babies and toddlers on her blog at www.tripibabytips.blogspot.com

Within days of becoming a new parent, one of your very favorite topics will be...poop. Suddenly one of the most fascinating topics in the world is your baby's bowel movements. So naturally, when your baby has constipation, finding a way to relieve it is a top priority. Unlike adults, babies cannot simply eat more fiber to help their bowel movements be more regular and comfortable, they rely on us to provide constipation relief. Of course, it is important to be sure that your baby is indeed having constipation before you try to treat it. Babies, especially breastfed babies, can sometimes go up to 3 or 4 days between bowel movements, simply because they are metabolizing nearly all of their feedings.

Kids Free on Wednesday, July 1 at the Marin County Fair

Today is Youth in Arts Day, with free admission for all children 12 and under. Today is also Marin IJ Day. Visit marinij.com to print out your coupon for $2 off fair admission.

Admission: adults $14, senior citizens 65 and older $12, children ages 4 to 12 $12, and children under 4 free. All admission prices include the exhibits, entertainment, fireworks and rides.

Today's Concert:

  • Creedence Clearwater Revisited, 7:30 pm. Featuring original Creedence Clearwater Revival bassist and drummer Stu Cook and Doug Clifford.

More Marin County Fair information: www.marinfair.org

Marin County Fair 2009: Cool Green Fun

Marin County FairIt’s time again for the Marin County Fair at the Marin County Fairgrounds in San Rafael. This theme for this 64th fair is "Cool Green Fun." Highlights include a solar powered carousel and stage, the Big Green Magic Show by Steve Trash, science fun and education with Wizard's Challenge, recycled arts and crafts, an electric car display, and more!

Of course there are also the more traditional fair offerings like farm animals and Hambone Express pig racing in the barnyard, 28 free (with fair admission) carnival rides, the 20th annual Creatures and Models exhibit, concerts, fine arts, and of course the nightly fireworks display.

This year's Marin County Fair runs from Wednesday, July 1 through Sunday, July 5, 11 am to 11 pm daily.

King Tut Opens at the de Young Museum on Saturday

Statues of King TutUnless you've been living under a rock or in a remote cabin in the Sierras for the last year or so, you know that the big King Tut exhibition, Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs, opens at the de Young Museum in San Francisco this Saturday, June 27. The exhibition will be there through March 28 of next year.

Entrance to Tut in '79The last King Tut exhibition that rolled through the Bay Area back in 1979, back when many of us were small children, and certainly there are many of us who are looking forward to taking our children to see these treasures this time. This exhibition is bigger, and concentrates a little more on the history of ancient Egypt around the time of Tut, with artifacts from the tombs of his ancestors and members of his royal court, as well as 50 objects from Tutankhamun's tomb itself. What isn't in the show is the famous solid gold mummy mask that was the hit of 1979's Treasures of Tutankhamun; you're going to have to fly the family out to Cairo to see that, as the Egyptian government won't let it travel anymore for safety reasons.

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