Frugal Family: A Natural Wonder and a $20 Family Movie Night

Movies:  I love going to the movies, but I hate spending $40 on tickets for my family of four to see a movie. Luckily, 4 Star Cinema in Garden Grove is close by.  This weekend we saw Kung Fu Panda 2 for only $20. (Afternoon matinee price of $5 per ticket). The same movie at the matinee price would have been $36 at Bella Terra in Huntington Beach for a family of four. The regular admission price at the 4 Star Cinema is $8 versus the $11 price tag at other theaters.  4 Star Cinemas shows first-run movies and has better prices for snacks than the big movie chains.  Print this coupon for a free popcorn with a purchase of a drink and check out what’s playing at the theater on its Web page at 4starcinemas.com.

Free Natural Wonder:  One of the most spectacular sites to see in California has to be the running of the grunion. It’s incredible, and it’s free! 

Grunion are small, silvery fish that come ashore to spawn on Southern California beaches. The female grunion rides a wave high on to the shore and drills her body deep into the sand, where she lays her eggs.  Then male grunions wrap their bodies around the females and fertilize the eggs, and all the fish return to the sea. Two weeks later, the eggs hatch and return to the ocean. 

I have seen some spectacular runs on the north end of Seal Beach at the area known as River’s End or Land’s End.  Grunion spawn only on three or four nights after the highest tide associated with each full or new moon and only for a one- to three-hour period each night following high tide. The next run is anticipated to be tonight Wednesday, June 1, from 9:20-11:20 p.m., Thursday at 9:55-11:55 p.m., Friday at 10:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. and Saturday at 11:15 p.m.-1:15 a.m. These times are estimates from the Department of Fish and Game. Grunion don’t wear watches or carry cell phones, so be patient and enjoy the beach.