Kindie Rock is Here to Stay!

Posted on January 12, 2013 by missG

Kindie Rock is taking over according to DNAinfo.com. They joined us at the last show with Bob McGrath and Jeremy Plays Guitar.

New child-friendly venues and festivals, such as Brooklyn’s monthly Hip Tot festival, mean expanding options for families. Click here to read the full article

The number of family shows for children is certainly expanding and the caliber of the performers is heightening. This is a wonderful time to experience music with your child. Take advantage and go check out some shows!

Hip Tot’s Santa is Not Exactly a Jolly Fellow…

Posted on January 2, 2013 by missG

For those who came to the December Hip Tot Music Fest, along with Jeremy Plays Guitar and Sesame Street’s Bob you got to meet our super awesome Santa. You all recognize Santa but you may not have known that our Santa is really a girl!

Santa and I go way back. She’s actually my cousin. Now how did my cousin get rooked into the role of Santa you might ask? Many of you know I used to have a store called Still Hip, a chidren’s resale shop. In the back play area we decided to host Santa portraits. The first year my husband at the time took on the jolly role. Soon after he and I split up. I really wasn’t sure what to do about Santa. My cousin Erica had just come out of a long term relationship herself and the two of us started talking a lot. One night we were chatting and I was telling her about my Santa dilemma. Now I’m not sure who said it first but I can assure you we both laughed. What if Erica was Santa? Hilarious! But the more she thought about it, the more she got into it. Suddenly there was no way she couldn’t be Santa! It was set!

We didn’t even know what a hoopla it would create. In 2009 The New York Time Local blog did a great story about her. I was so excited to see the story. I put my 4 year old on my lap and we started to read the article together. As I scrolled down my son exclaimed, “COUSIN ERICA IS SANTA?!?!” I looked at the screen and there was a picture of Erica pulling down her beard to reveal that she was (is) indeed a woman. Luckily my son now thought we really have an in with Santa since we are related!

To hear Santa banter, one might think that he’d worn the red suit, boots, beard and wig for decades. But this Santa was unlike the department store variety that most recall, since “he” was a “she.” –Amelia Blanquera, The Local, New York Times

Here we are 5 years later and Erica cherishes her role. This year Santa got a spot on News Channel 12 and a full story in the Wall Street Journal just in time for Christmas! I am so proud of my cousin and I know she and I will be spreading holiday joy for many years to come.

Few things make her happier than entertaining children as Santa. “I am really, 100%, always, wholeheartedly into Christmas,” she said. She picked up the trait from her mother and grandmother, both of whom were “hard-core into Christmas.” Since their deaths, Ms. Goepel carries the holiday torch for her family. –Jackie Bischof, The Wall Street Journal

UrbanSitter is Joining the Hip Tot Family

Posted on December 29, 2012 by missG

It’s official! UrbanSitter has signed on as a new sponsor for the Hip Tot Music Fest!

You may remember UrbanSitter from our show this October with The Deedle Deedle Dees. They had a sweet little table set up and their sitters were awesome! What a great time they had doing art projects with the kids at the show. Now that UrbanSitter has joined Hip Tot you will definitely see more of them. Feel free to ask about their website and definitely download the free iPhone app. It is super easy to use and so convenient.

Founded by four busy parents, UrbanSitter is an online resource where parents go to find & book babysitters recommended by people they know. Looking for the occasional sitter, full-time nanny, or last minute help? UrbanSitter will find available sitters—and show you the ones recommended by parents in your social circles (mother’s group, child’s school, sports team, etc.). Search sitters by date & time, book jobs, and even pay online—it’s quick, easy and efficient.

For more info and to sign up CLICK HERE

Posted on August 24, 2012 by missG

Hip Tot Music Fest @Littlefield features Audra Rox Live Concert September 9^th

Family Friendly Live Music Concert Series Blows The Lid Off The Toy-Box This Month With a Special Live Performance From The Cool Beans Animated Characters

Brooklyn, NY – August 22, 2012 – Hip Tot Music Fest (www.HipTot.com), the premiere monthly family-friendly live Brooklyn performance and music series, will feature Audra Rox (www.audrarox.com/) live in concert on September 9^th @Littlefield Performance & Art Space in the Gowanus section of Brooklyn. The music event is famous for complimentary snacks from sponsor Plum Organics (www.plumorganics.com/), free goody bags worth the price of admission, local vendors, surprise pre-concert events and giveaways.

This month the lid gets blown off the toy-box with live performances from Audra Rox “Queen of the NY Kid Rock scene,” according to Time Out Kids. “Audra Rox is a gem. She connects so well with kids of all sizes. Her energy and spirit are infectious, her songs are clever and catchy and a lot of fun to sing along to. Her band is rockin’!” States Marty Beller of They Might be Giants.

Hip Tot Music Fest has recently signed a multi-year strategic partnership with Walsh Family Media who bring The Cool Beans animated Band to life with a live pre-concert performance. “Imagine our audience of young hip kids’ as they get blown away when Veg-J of The Cool Beans jumps out of the screen on to the stage ripping his guitar in full costume, in a live pre-show performance,” states Hip Tot Music Fest co-producer Gabby Napolitano. To celebrate this partnership Walsh Family Media is offering FREE-download of ‘Bean Somethin’ @ www.walshfamilymedia.com.

Plum Organic also sponsors the pre-concert fest featuring performances from The Cool Beans and Jeté Dance Center; a book reading of ‘A City Is’ by Melanie Hope Greenberg ; arts and crafts with The Scrap Kins, Glitter Tattoos with Glitter Tattoo New York, Face Painting with Lady Z; Cardboard castle built by Mini Jake and Makedo and local food from Die Koelner Bierhalle .

Families have a blast with new exciting performers each month that the whole family can enjoy, as well as giveaways of great stuff like face painting for a party, autographed copy of A City Is and music CDs. Plus each family goes home with a goody bag filled with Cool Bean flip books, Penguin Group Mad Libs (http://www.madlibs.com), tattoos, stickers, discount cards and more–all in the heart of Brooklyn at Littlefield, 622 Degraw Street, in Gowanus.

See Hip Tot Music Festival Concert Schedule, for full details on upcoming concerts October 14^th, The Deedle Deedle Dees; November 11th, The Itty Biddies; December 9th Jeremy Plays Guitar.

About Hip Tot Music Fest
The family-centric Hip Tot Music Fest is a series of live performance and music concerts for families at state-of-the-art performance and art space Littlefield in Brooklyn. Co-produced by Adam Meyer and Gabby Napolitano, Hip Tot Music Fest brings family and community merchants together with live performance for a true fest. Pre-show and intermission entertainment includes performances by animated band The Cool Beans, various performance artists, well known childrens authors, arts and crafts, face painting, glitter tattoos, food as well as an array of local-vendors and community service providers. For more info visit: www.HipTot.com; LIKE us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/stillhip; or follow us on Twitter @hiptotmusicfest

About Walsh Family Media
Is an independent intellectual property developer and animation studio based in NYC, founded in 2002 by Hollywood stuntman and entrepreneur Patrick Walsh Jr. With a mission to strengthen the connection between parents and children by creating healthy hip and fun family branded content, hence The Cool Beans. ‘We Need a Hit!’ is the first wide-release ‘CG’ animated feature film created by the independent animation company: www.walshfamilymedia.com/

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Trés Leches and Rene Collins were super cool!!!

Posted on July 16, 2012 by missG

What a great first show! The day started with Melanie Hope Greenberg reading tow of her awesome books. Then we had a brief gymnastics routine with some of the instructors of Ms. J’s Gym in Williamsburg. Then we had some beautiful music with Tres Leches and Rene Collins. Both brought the feeling of togetherness and fun to the stage.

Out front we had an incredible sample sale booth from Oeuf, along with arts and crafts from The Scrap Kins and, of course, our favorite face painters Candy and Lady Z!

Can’t wait to see you at the next show!