Alicia’s Place to Celebrate 25 + 1 Years With Outdoor Party, Vegan Food Trucks

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

Longtime Palisadian Alicia Albek is inviting the community to celebrate 26 years of Alicia’s Place Childcare from 12 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, September 19, along Temescal Canyon Road.

Albek moved to the Palisades in June 1993 with her then-1-year-old son Adam. Two years later, when she was pregnant with her second son, Arik, Albek said she found herself looking for a local daycare for Adam.

“We were very attached to each other and I didn’t find any place that I liked,” Albek, a resident of Marquez Knolls, shared with the Palisadian-Post about the founding of Alicia’s Place. “I needed help, and after Arik’s birth in July and with the encouragement of friends, I started Alicia’s Place Childcare.”

After attending her daycare, Albek’s three children, Arik, Adam and Ayla, went to Marquez Charter Elementary, Paul Revere Charter Middle and Palisades Charter High schools.

Over the years, Albek shared that she has had children from all over the world at her daycare, including Russia, China, Brazil, Germany, France and Japan, as well as throughout the United States.

“Locally, I’ve had children from as far as Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Topanga, Marina del Rey, Brentwood and around the Palisades,” Albek added.

Albek estimated that she has cared for almost 1,000 children—if not more.

“Because of our very flexible schedule, some children have been with us for a few hours, part time, full time, for a few weeks, if visiting from out of town or a few years, making Alicia’s Place their second home,” she explained. “Some of these families stay in touch forever. Some of my best friends have come from bringing their children to my daycare.”

Albek said that is has been interesting seeing the different parenting styles and trends change over the years, from the types of bottles used to foods available for babies.

“My favorite memory is playing outdoors and one of the girls was in a car,” Albek shared. “Just trying to encourage imagination I asked her, ‘Where are you going? The market, Disneyland, the park, the beach?’ She answered: ‘I’m going over there!’ pointing to the other side of the yard. That’s why I try not to interfere with their play time.”

Albek planned to celebrate the 25th anniversary of her daycare in 2020, but due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, she elected to postpone it until 2021, thus celebrating 25 + 1 years of Alicia’s Place.

“I’ve been planning for the longest time to have a 25th anniversary because of how grateful I am to this beautiful community of ours,” Albek said. “It’s so important for me to give back to these amazing families who have entrusted us with their most precious gift, their children.”

The celebration is slated to include food from a selection of vegan vendors (Original Herbivore, Srey Vegan and Xonxitas), mariachis, a visit from Whirlie the Clown and a Zumba lesson with Allison Rochkind.

Community members who have not had children attend Alicia’s Place Childcare are invited to the celebration to mingle with neighbors and friends.

The festivities will take place near the intersection of Temescal Canyon Road and Pacific Coast Highway.

“In our very changing world, the best we can do is to bring up these children in a compassionate, loving and caring way,” Albek concluded. “To care for the world, all its inhabitants, nature, animals, oceans, air and land. We can all do a little something extra to make it the world that they deserve to inherit.”

To RSVP, email vamosvegan@gmail.com.