Westwood Archives - Rodeo Realty

January 10, 2023January 19, 2023

Visiting Your Local Museums | Out and About

Los Angeles has plenty to offer on a rainy day, and what better way is there than to fill it with culture at one of the many museums in town? From LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) to MOCA (Museum of Contemporary Art), the city’s vast selection of famed art can be experienced without leaving your doorstep. Check out our list for more information about current exhibitions and museum details so you have no excuse not to indulge yourself in some dazzling artwork!

LACMA | Los Angeles County Museum of Art

LACMA’s collections are impressive and provide visitors the chance to explore works from across centuries, regions, and cultures. Discover stunning masterpieces of modernism, large-scale contemporary pieces, and traditional Japanese screens at one of the top local museums. At LACMA, you’ll find some of Los Angeles’s most superb special exhibitions.

Current Exhibits: Another World: The Transcendental Painting Group, 1938–1945 [December 18, 2022 – June 19, 2023]; The Five Directions: Lacquer Through East Asia [December 18, 2022 – April 16, 2023]; Afro-Atlantic Histories [December 11, 2022 – September 10, 2023]; Marley Freeman, ones former other one, 2021, New Abstracts: Recent Acquisitions [November 12, 2022 – May 29, 2023], 1947 Pressing Politics: Revolutionary Graphics from Mexico and Germany [October 29, 2022 – July 22, 2023]; Scandinavian Design and the United States, 1890–1980 [October 9, 2022 – February 5, 2023]; Robert Budzinski’s Faces of Humanity, Reexamining the Grotesque: Selections from the Robert Gore Rifkind Collection [September 24, 2022 – March 5, 2023]

Hours:

Monday	11 am–6 pm
Tuesday	11 am–6 pm
Wednesday	Closed
Thursday	11 am–6 pm
Friday	11 am–8 pm
Saturday	10 am–7 pm
Sunday	10 am–7 pm

Closed on Wednesdays, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day

More info.

Getty Center

When it comes to local museums, The Getty is a must. Perched atop its hillside residence, the J. Paul Getty Trust boasts an impressive collection of art and artifacts in both its original Villa home as well as newer center pavilions – all open to explore with free admission. Offering a unique perspective on L.A.’s landscape from Downtown vistas to Westward views of hillsides and oceans, visitors have the opportunity to experience Impressionist pieces, ornate French furniture displays, and rotating exhibitions over this remarkable site.

Current Exhibits: Uta Barth: Peripheral Vision [November 15, 2022–February 19, 2023], In Dialogue [October 25, 2022–March 5, 2023], Códice Maya de México [October 18, 2022–January 15, 2023], Dutch Drawings from a Collector’s Cabinet [October 11, 2022–January 15, 2023], Eighteenth-Century Pastels [August 30, 2022–February 26, 2023], J. Paul Getty Life and Legacy
[May 25, 2021–Ongoing]

Hours: Open 10 am–5:30 pm | Saturday 10 am–9 pm

Closed Mondays
Holiday closures: Thanksgiving Day, December 25, and January 1

More info.

Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens

With the bequest of entrepreneur Henry E. Huntington, Los Angeles is home to one of the most enjoyable attractions in the region today. Offering a unique blend of art, library holdings, and vast outdoor spaces worthy of exploration for an entire day – from Gutenberg Bible to stunningly landscaped Japanese gardens, every corner exudes essentiality! Delightful leisure awaits visitors aiming for full appreciation rather than making it a mad rush experience.

Current Exhibits: Method and Material: Tempera Painting in Focus
[Feb. 26–March 13, 2023], Gee’s Bend: Shared Legacy [Sept. 17, 2022–Sept. 4, 2023], Inspiring Walt Disney: The Animation of French Decorative Arts [Dec. 10, 2022–March 27, 2023], Crafting a Garden: Inside the Creation of Liu Fang Yuan [Oct. 22, 2022–May 29, 2023]

Hours:

Monday	10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Tuesday	Closed
Wednesday	10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Thursday	10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Friday	10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Saturday	10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Sunday	10 a.m.–5 p.m.

The last ticketed entry time is 4 p.m.

The Huntington is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Independence Day.

More info.

The Broad

As far as modern art museums go, The Broad stands out both inside and out. At this downtown museum, you’ll find a contemporary art experience like no other. Admirers of Yayoi Kusama, Andy Warhol, and more can explore two Infinity Mirror Rooms as well as an extensive collection featuring 2,000 post-war pieces from some of our favorite artists. Venture out into the plaza for tranquility among olive trees before grabbing a scrumptious bite at Otium restaurant with its French Laundry influence from Timothy Hollingsworth himself!

Current Exhibits: William Kentridge: In Praise of Shadows [Nov 12 – Apr 09, 2023]

Coming Soon: Keith Haring: Art is for Everybody [May 27 – Oct 08, 2023]

Hours:

Monday	Closed
Tuesday	11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Wednesday	11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Thursday	11 a.m.–8 p.m.
Friday	11 a.m.–8 p.m.
Saturday	10 a.m.–8 p.m.
Sunday	10 a.m.–6 p.m.

Closed: Mondays, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.

The standby line closes 60-90 minutes before the museum closes and may close earlier on busy days.

More info.

December 18, 2019

Out & About: Places to Give Back This Holiday Season

Family time, presents, bright lights, and plenty of delicious food to go around the table are what we know as the holidays. However, many people are not so fortunate, especially here in Los Angeles where the homelessness crisis has continued to worsen over the last year. From cooking meals to spending time with terminally ill children, to donating baby supplies to parents in need. Your helping hands and most importantly your time and smile are needed to brighten up the holiday season for someone this year!

Midnight Mission

Downtown’s midnight mission offers counseling education, and job placement to the city’s homeless population, as well as food, shelter, personal hygiene, and medical care. For the holidays, the Mission holds special events in addition to regular meal services and food donation drives. Note: Midnight Mission asks that female volunteers come with a companion since this is an all-male facility.

Union Station Homeless Services

San Gabriel Valley’s largest social services agency, offers year-round community meal programs and other services for the area’s homeless population: including emergency shelter, children’s education and recreational activity and adult classes in parenting, nutrition, and money management. Union Station Homeless Services has also hosted Dinner in the Park for over four decades, named the biggest potluck in the nation by the Los Angeles Times: This organization helps give warm holiday meals to more than 7,000 homeless, low income, and senior citizens.

Fred Jordan Mission

The Fred Jordan Mission has provided clothing, blankets, and food to the homeless for more than 50 years. For the holidays, volunteers hand out food bags, toys and blankets, and sing carols!

Food on Foot

Donating gently used clothing, shoes, blankets as well as food! You can sign up to volunteer anytime, and it usually costs $25 (which serves as funds to feed about five people per day).

L.A. Regional Food Bank

Come help distribute food this holiday season with L.A. Regional Food Bank. Volunteers are needed for special events, food sorting, and food drives: including the organization’s yearly Operation Gobble, where volunteers will help inspect, sort and repackage food for delivery during the holiday.

Holidays From the Heart (CHLA)

This program aims to lighten up the holidays for chronically ill children and their families. There are a number of ways you can help, including sponsoring a family or providing bulk gift items (clothing, diapers, making a monetary donation, or serving as a volunteer (shopping for gifts, distributing gifts).

Baby2Baby

This organization works year-round to ensure that no child is without the basic necessities of childhood; accepting donations all year long for items that will benefit children (infants to age 12) including but not limited to car seats, clothing (children’s and maternity), hygiene items (toothpaste, soap, sunscreen), coats, and more.

Crayon Collection

Upcycle gently used crayons, providing children with crayons and saving our landfills. Being a part of Crayon Collection allows families with children of all ages an easy way to volunteer and make a difference.

Brighten the Holidays (Salvation Army)

This program helps families who are experiencing hard times due to unemployment, medical issues, homelessness or other challenges. From generously providing family dinners to donating toys to put under the tree, help the Salvation Army lend a hand with holiday events to those who need it most.

December 16, 2019December 18, 2019

LA Eats: Los Angeles Farmers Markets Edition

Fresh fruits, homemade soaps, local sweet honey, eggs straight from the farm to crisp vegetables! Los Angeles has farmers’ markets all over the metropolitan area for your shopping convenience! Check out this list we put together by area for you!

Valley

Calabasas

When: Saturdays from 8 am to 1 pm

Where: 23504 Calabasas Road, Calabasas, CA 91302

Encino

When: Sundays from 8 am to 1 pm

Where: 17400 Victory Blvd, Van Nuys, CA 91406

Northridge

When: Wednesdays 5 pm to 9 pm

Where: 9301 Tampa Ave, Northridge, CA 91324

Sherman Oaks

When: Tuesdays 3pm to 8 pm

Where: 14006 Riverside Dr. Sherman Oaks, CA 91423

Burbank

When: Saturdays from 8 am to 12:30 pm

Where: 101 N Glenoaks Blvd. Burbank, CA 91502

Westside

Melrose Place

When: Sundays from 10 am to 2 pm

Where: 8248 Melrose Pl. Los Angeles, CA 90046

Beverly Hills

When: Sundays from 9 am to 1pm

Where: 9300 Civil Center Dr. Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Century City

When: Thursdays from 10 am to 2 pm

Where: 10100 Santa Monica Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90067

Hollywood

When: Sundays from 8 am to 1 pm

Where: 1600 Ivar Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90028

Santa Monica

When: Sundays from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm

Where: 2640 Main St. Los Angeles, CA 90405

Marina Del Rey

When: Wednesdays from 11 am to 3 pm

Where: Vía Marina &, Panay Way, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292

Los Angeles

Historic Downtown

When: Sundays from 9 am to 2 pm

Where: 209 W 5th St. Los Angeles, CA 90013

Pershing Square

When: Wednesdays 10 am to 2 pm

Where: 532 S. Olive St

Crenshaw

When: Saturdays from 10 am to 3 pm

Where: 350 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd

Central Avenue

When: Thursdays from 10 am to 3 pm

Where: 4301 S Central Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90011

Echo Park

When: Fridays from 3 pm to 7:30 pm

Where: 1146 Logan St. Los Angeles, CA 90026

December 11, 2019December 12, 2019

Weekend Events: December 13 – December 15

Enjoy the weekend before the hustle and bustle of the holidays with these fun-filled events! Help Mickey look for clues in his search for Tinker Bell on ice or have a snowball fight with the kids in Los Angeles’ very own Winter Wonderland. From live performances to holiday markets and parades, we’ve got it all covered for you.

Friday December 13, 2019

Disney on Ice: Mickey’s Search Party Los Angeles

Location: STAPLES Center

When: 7:30 pm

Join Mickey Mouse and his friends at this brand-new adventure filled with world-class skating, high-flying acrobatics, and unexpected stunts! Help them follow Captain Hook’s treasure map and look for clues in the search for Tinker Bell! Make precious memories with your whole family during Aladdin, Toy Story, and Little Mermaid as the search party becomes an all-out magical celebration on the ice, in the air, and all around!

Los Angeles Philharmonic

Location: Walt Disney Concert Hall

111 South Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012

When: 11 am

LA Phil features Michael Tilson Thomas as the conductor and Daniil Trifonov as the pianist. Trifonov has the reputation of taking a beloved classic like Tchaikovsky’s popular Piano Concerto and imbuing it with fresh new life. L.A. favorite Michael Tilson Thomas also leads Copland’s Third Symphony, built on the composer’s stirring Fanfare for the Common Man.

Taco Tour

Location: 1001 N. Alameda St. Los Angeles, CA

When: 10:30 am

During this bicycle tour, you will be taken to what we consider are some of LA’s best taco spots. You will experience a taco tour of Los Angeles that takes your body and taste buds on an unforgettable ride to some of LA’s hidden gems. This tour rides through different neighborhoods, historic sites, and they’ll stop at various taco stands and trucks so you can experience one of LA’s most popular on the go foods.

Saturday December 14, 2019

Winter Wonderland

Location: Baldwin Hills Crenshaw

3650 West Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 9008

When: 3 pm- 7 pm

Winter Wonderland is an opportunity for families across City Council District 8 to meet each other and celebrate the holidays with some fun in the snow! Councilmember Marqeece Harris-Dawson and Baldwin Hills Crenshaw invite you to join a day of holiday celebrations including music, food, and a toy giveaway. Performances begin at 4:30 pm, Grammy-nominated soul singer and songwriter Marsha Ambrosius will headline the free holiday concert. You won’t want to miss out on this!

Moonlight Forest Lantern Art Festival

Location: Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden

301 North Baldwin Avenue Arcadia, CA 91007

When: 5:30-10pm

The 2019 festival will be more spectacular than ever with dazzling new lanterns and interactive experiences. Children will find bright circular swings and other interactive delights in Children’s World. Visit your family, friends, and holiday guests for a highly memorable evening.

Marina Del Rey Holiday Boat Parade

Location: 13650 Mindanao Way, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292

When: 5:30 – 7:00 pm

Arrive early to grab a spot on the lawn at Chace photo or a good photo spot at Fisherman’s Village, two of the most popular viewing places. The 2019 parade theme is “Kids Make Holidays Bright”. A brief firework show at 5:55 pm announces the start of the parade, which lasts until about 8 pm.

Sunday December 15, 2019

The Nutcracker

Location: Royce Hall-UCLA

10745 Dickson Court Los Angeles, CA 90095

Time: 12 pm

Los Angeles Ballet continually brings exciting ballet productions in Los Angeles, and their annual Nutcracker is no exception. In this production, LAB has stayed true to their classical roots with a little spin: the show is set in LA in 1912. This LAB performs The Nutcracker at five different venues throughout the Southland, so there’s plenty of opportunities to catch a performance without having to sit in too much traffic.

Unique LA Holiday Market

Location: Santa Monica Pier, Downtown Santa Monica

The annual holiday market features clothes, accessories, and art pieces from a number of quality handmade brands. Check out local products and rub elbows with the different designers and artists showcasing their work.

Frozen

Location: Pantages Theatre, Hollywood

6233 Hollywood Boulevard

Time: 1pm and 6:30 pm

Do you want to build a…rainy day fund to save up for tickets to a smash hit Disney-inspired Broadway musical? Good, because Frozen is coming to L.A. The Broadway musical based on the 2013 animated Disney film, will kick off a national tour with strong fall 2019 performances at Hollywood’s Pantages Theatre.

November 26, 2019

LA Eats: Best Coffee Bars in Los Angeles

With the days getting colder you’re probably in the mood to curl up with a good book, and a cup of the best coffee in town in hand. Whether you’re located in downtown Los Angeles, out west in Santa Monica, or in the suburbs of Studio City. We’ve got all the right places for you to sit down and enjoy your cup of joe to warm up on these chilly winter days!

The Daily Dose

Location: 1820 Industrial St., Los Angeles, CA 90021

This little coffee shop, hidden down a brick-lined alley of Industrial Street, serves a variety of coffee and tea beverages, as well as a seasonal food menu with whimsically-named dishes made from locally sourced ingredients. Don’t forget to try “The Farmer” one of L.A.’s best sandwiches, described “vegetarian behemoth that weighs a full pound and packs a rainbow’s worth of ingredients between slices of Kalamata olive bread from nearby Bread Lounge”.

Zinc Cafe & Market

Location: 580 Mateo St., Los Angeles, CA 90013

Here you’ll find favorites like avocado breakfast toast (smashed avocado, butter, radish salad, chives, lemon zest, various egg dishes, and omelets. Locals will stop by throughout the day, whether it’s an alfresco lunch of wood-fired pizza beneath olive trees or an after-work cocktail at Bar Mateo.

Stumptown Coffee Roasters

Location: 806 South Santa Fe Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90021

Located just steps from Bestia and Bread Lounge, Stumptown features a retail bar, roastery, training lab, and warehouse. Espresso shots are pulled from in the front bar from a custom La Marzocco Strada MP. Stumptown has been ahead of the game with the latest coffee trend, nitro cold-brew coffee, which is served on tap or available in cans. What’s more? The free coffee tastings at noon on Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.

Groundwork Coffee Arts District

Location: 811 Traction Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90013

Groundwork Coffee is the latest outpost of L.A.’s homegrown coffee and tea destination, originally founded at Venice Beach in 1990. In addition to its signature organic coffees, Groundwork offers an expanded food menu featuring house-made baked goods, salads, sandwiches and more.

La Colombe

Location: Multiple

The Silver Lake location has a bold, Instagram-friendly mural on the side of the building and many LA-only offerings. In addition to the regular coffeehouse offerings, mango rooibos chili iced tisane and hemp “mylk” for vegan drinks.

Bluestone Lane

Location: 12186 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, CA 91604

Bluestone Lane originated in New York City, where it’s been on the scene since 2013, with other locations around Philadelphia, Washington D.C., and San Francisco. The cute little location just started brewing in Studio City with a flagship expected in West Hollywood soon. With their sights set on taking over Los Angeles, the brand hopes to have six locations soon!

Dinosaur Coffee

Location: 4334 W. Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90029

Laptop lingerers and chatty post-yoga meetups, if these sound enticing then head over to dinosaur coffee, of the best coffee spots in Silver Lake. The sleek space is heightened by a wood sculpture hanging from the ceiling that resembles a skeleton, and you may or may not see origami dinosaurs around the shop.

Bar Nine

Location: 3515 Helms Ave, Culver City, CA 90232

This space in the Hayden Tract area of Culver City is hidden, minimalist by design with low-slung counters and Modbar espresso systems. The daily coffee (out of three roasted every season) and the latte with house-made hazelnut milk is a must-try! Grab delicious cookies and/or pastries while you’re here!

Civil Coffee

Location: 5629 N. Figueroa St. Los Angeles, CA 90042

At their stylish Highland Park coffee shop with high ceilings, beautiful Mexican tiled floors, and a walnut-topped bar they feature single-origin beans from Coava, Heart, and others. Try the “The Figueroa” made with espresso, condensed milk and cinnamon the menu also features everything from toasts with myriad toppings, salads, sandwiches, and sweets.

Blue Bottle

Location: Multiple

In 2014, the Oakland-based shop set its sights on Los Angeles and it’s now grown to 12 hyper-chic locations across town, including Venice, Beverly Grove, Culver City, Echo Park, Los Feliz and beyond. All serve blue bottle coffee and espresso drinks made with a rotating selection of blends and single-origin beans. Try the sweet, unique New Orleans-inspired cold brew with chicory, milk, and sugar!

November 19, 2019November 19, 2019

Top 10 Apps & Software for Realtors

Cold calls, listing appointments, inspections, meetings, escrow, holiday cards, social media. Oh my! As a realtor, you are running your own business and if you’re just starting out, you’re building your brand. This career can quickly become overwhelming. But have no fear, PropTech is here! We created a medley of apps and software for all your gadgets to make your job run more smoothly! Check them out!

Freshchat

Freshchat is an advanced chat software that you can easily plug into your website. If gives your visitors exactly what they want: instant gratification! Get a notification on your phone whenever someone has a question, or better yet, easily program a chatbot to engage them until they’re ready to talk to you!

Focus Booster

Instead of giving yourself a few hours (or even worse) an unlimited amount of time to work, Pomodoro makes you limit your work in just 25 minutes. After that 25 minutes, no matter what you have cooking you will take a five-minute break. When you complete 4 Pomodoro cycles of 25 minutes of work split by 5-minute breaks, you take a real, 10-20-minute break to eat lunch, chat with coworkers, or head out for coffee.

HouseCanary

HouseCanary’s home valuations are based on dozens of data points both public and private and instead of going back a year or two, actually, consider trends from the past few decades when coming up with their valuations. While HouseCanary’s valuations are the most accurate many in the industry have seen, they’re not out to replace agents anytime soon. In fact, they offer affordable valuations that you can use to supplement your own hard work.

Feedly

Since you don’t have to read the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Real Deal, and your local paper every morning, Feedly can help! Enter in a few websites or news categories you want to follow and Feedly sends you a nice curated list of the top stories every day.

Avochato

Avochato gives agents, ISAs, or other team members a fully-featured desktop dashboard to text with many leads and clients at once. You can access easy-to-use message templates, send texts one-to-many, and of course click-to-dial for hot leads or clients that need extra help. They can also give you ten unique phone numbers so you can easily segment leads from online sources, signage, open houses, etc.

NodalView

NodalView lets agents use their own smartphone, and a few smart odds and ends like a wide-angle lens attachment to create their own 3d tours to give the other 3D tour companies a run for their money. For a few hundred bucks and a plan starting at $59 per month, you can start making as many 3D tours as you want. With a team plan, you can use up to five devices at once, effectively making 3D tours for large apartment complexes to massive multimillion-dollar mansions!

Expensify

Expensify automatically scans and tags your receipts, so you don’t have to. Ditch the shoebox, manila folder, or whatever you use to keep your receipts! This app will make your life a lot easier!

Trello

This app lets you create and keep track of long-term projects and to-dos with your entire team. It’s also super easy and intuitive to use.

Redx + Storm Dialer

If you’re trying to cold call (you should in this market) without using an autodialer like Storm Dialer, you’re leaving money on the table. First, there is just no way you’re going to keep up with the volume of numbers you need to dial, not to mention with voicemails, hang-ups, or wrong numbers. In addition, stopping to dial your phone every 30 seconds will slow you down to a crawl and kill your momentum. Set yourself up REDx + Storm Dialer.

Buffer

If you’ve already dipped a toe into social media only to get turned off by the constant demand to post, then Buffer is for you. Do you want to reach your Instagram followers at 7:30 am even on days you sleep in? Buffer lets you figure out what times and types of content your leads on each platform respond to, then helps you create a posting calendar loaded with content.

November 14, 2019November 14, 2019

Weekend Events: November 15 – November 17

From tubing on snow in Elysian Park to Ice Skating in Perishing Square to a Wine Walk in Burbank, we have got you covered as far as cold-weather welcoming events go in the city! Take a peek at these events, grab a friend, get outside, and celebrate the coming holiday season!

Friday November 15^th, 2019

Snow Day LA Tubing in Los Angeles

Snow in L.A.? Yes, thanks to Snow Day L.A., a tubing park located in Elysian Park. The wintry pop-up packs acres of festive features, with synthetic snow and snow tubing, and trees decorated with icicles, snowcaps and lights. Just remember: This is still Los Angeles, so expect something that sort of resembles a snowy winter and not quite a full-blown Alpine experience. (Sourced from Timeout.com, Photograph Courtesy: Snow Day LA)

Time: 6PM – 10PM

Location: Elysian Park, 835 Academy Road, Los Angeles, CA

Tickets: HERE

29 Rooms – Expand Your Reality Tour

The Expand Your Reality Tour is the latest 29Rooms experience from Refinery29 – a space where you’re encouraged to step into the art, wear the art, touch the art, and connect with others (and yourself) in the process. Created in collaboration with innovative talent, visionary artists, and your favorite brands, 29Rooms pairs the joy and play of exploration with the pulse of current events and culture.

Time: 1030AM, 130PM, 530PM, 830PM

Location: 4315 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90004

Tickets: HERE

2019 Bai Holiday Ice Rink in Perishing Square

The Bai Holiday Ice Rink Pershing Square offers the quintessential winter activity in the heart of beautiful downtown Los Angeles. Surrounded by art, lively activity, and the impressive city skyline, our outdoor ice rink lets you enjoy entertainment and ice skating under the sun and stars.

Time: 1130AM to 930PM

Location: Perishing Square – 532 S Olive Street

Tickets: HERE

Saturday November 16^th2019

Burbank Winter Wine Walk

The Social Event Of The Year is coming back to Downtown Burbank. At 4pm The Wine Walk will get started! You MUST be 21+ to join the wine walk. Your ticket will get you samples from Wineries and Breweries in your favorite Downtown businesses. Each guest will receive a tasting cup and a map of the participating tasting sites in Downtown Burbank. Each tasting site will have a designated area set up for Wine Walk guests to sample the amazing wines or beers! Wine tasting will end at 7:00 pm. As you stroll through Downtown, you will be surrounded by a winter holiday ambiance of live entertainment, beautiful holiday lighting and snowfall from 6:45 pm-8 pm at the Main Stage!

Time: 4PM – 7PM

Location: Downtown Burbank (check-in address given when purchasing ticket)

Tickets: HERE

Explore the Culinary Jewels of Downtown Los Angeles on a Walking Tour

Savor the sights, sounds and flavors of Los Angeles on this fun food tour. Your knowledgeable tour guide will lead you on a leisurely three-hour walking adventure through this extraordinary downtown area, sharing stories of the city’s early settlers, Hollywood’s heyday, architectural background and the transformation of L.A.’s culture and food scene. Along the way you’ll get to enjoy tastes from unique eateries, including the best bakeries, authentic ethnic restaurants and renowned establishments currently creating a buzz in the foodie universe — six stops in all. By the end of the tour, you’ll be able to impress your friends with your vast knowledge of the city and its hidden culinary gems.

Time: 11AM

Location: Sidewalk Food Tours of Los Angeles – 5454 South Olive Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013

Tickets: HERE

Los Angeles Opera – The Magic Flute Opening Night

One of Mozart’s most enchanting operas, this supernatural tale, accompanied by his fine score has enjoyed much success since its premiere in Vienna in 1791. A popular draw since the 2013/14 season, this production, directed by Barrie Kosky in collaboration with British theatre company ‘1927’, is back for 2019 to inspire and delight audiences of all ages with its heady mix of hand-drawn animation and live performance. Get tickets now to immerse yourself in the art that is the opera.

Time: 730PM

Location: Dorothy Chandler Pavilion – 135 N Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Tickets: HERE

Sunday November 17th, 2019

Water Lantern Festival

Los Angeles Water Lantern Festival is coming up on November 17, 2019! Voted #1 Best Cultural Festival by USA TODAY! Water Lantern Festival is a floating lantern event that is all about connections. Magical nights in cities across the U.S. include food, games, activities, vendors, music and the beauty of thousands of lanterns adorned with letters of love, hope and dreams reflected upon the water. As the sun begins to set on the evening sky, Water Lantern Festival begins to shine with the launch of the lanterns onto the water as we Light The Water together. Watch your unique lantern drift out into the water as it joins other lanterns carrying hope, love, happiness, healing, peace, and connection. It’s a night that you’ll never forget. Tickets are selling fast.

Time: 4PM – 9PM

Location: Whittier Narrows – 750 S Santa Anita Ave, South El Monte, CA 91733

Tickets: HERE

Autumn Festival

Delve into the arts, cuisines, cultures, and marine environments of Asia during the Aquarium of the Pacific’s eighteenth annual Autumn Festival. Autumn Festival highlights the traditions and cultures of Japan, China, Korea, and the Philippines through a weekend of learning opportunities and family entertainment celebrating the rich diversity of Asian and Asian-American cultures.

Time: 9AM – 5PM

Location: Aquarium of The Pacific – 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach, CA 90802

Tickets: HERE

“ASSSSCAT” Comedy Improv Performance

Every Saturday and Sunday, the UCB franchise’s longest-running, most beloved showcase “ASSSCAT” starts when a base cast of the theater’s current top-brass—including founding UCB members Matt Walsh, Matt Besser and Ian Roberts—takes the stage. Then they introduce the surprise celebrity alumnae and friends who will be joining them (think Horatio Sanz, Ben Schwartz, Adam Pally). And finally, another special guest takes the stage, a non-improviser (think Flea, Cat Power, Rebel Wilson, Lena Dunham) who opens the show with a personal story, that’s deftly mined for laughs by the players. But you have to go to find out who’s there—that’s part of the fun. Looking for a cheap night out? Sunday shows are free, but seating is first-come, first-served, so be sure to arrive early. (Sourced from Timeout.com, Photograph Courtesy UCB)

Time: 7:00PM

Location: UCB Theater Sunset – 5419 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles 90027

Tickets: FREE! First come first served.

November 13, 2019November 13, 2019

Home Tips: 10 Thanksgiving Crafts for Kids Seated at The Thanksgiving Table

When you stop and think about it, Thanksgiving is a time for holiday inspiration. It is the holiday that kicks off the rest of the holiday season. As with any day of the year, kids find inspiration in all sorts of arts and crafts. Keep your younger guests happily occupied ahead of the family feast with these challenging, fun, and entertaining arts and crafts.

1. Cornhusk Dolls

As harvest-time icons go, we much prefer the simple beauty of corn-husk dolls. They’re understated, easy to make (even for children), and truly ingenious – requiring not much more than some husks, twine, glue, and felt.

2. Leaf Leis

Give “aloha!” an autumnal twist: embellish string necklaces with paper leaves (cut out a big pile with a craft punch) and colorful organic pasta. Cut leaves out of butcher paper with punches. Show kids how to sandwich twine between two leaves with glue, thread twine through pasta, and secure it with knots to create necklaces.

3. Mini Mayflower

Tip your hat to the Pilgrims with a ship constructed using a simple origami boat fold and stocked with tools for decorating the butcher paper “tablecloth” that you set on the kid’s table.

4. Pop-Cornucopias

Kids’ hands and mouths will be occupied until the turkey’s sliced by creating these amazing snack-filled cones from two different colors of butcher paper. Cut two sheets of butcher paper in different colors into fan shapes, one larger than the other. Trim edges with pinking shears. Roll each fan shape into a cone, sealing with a glue stick. Nest long cone inside short cone, bending horn up at the tip. Fill with popcorn and let the kid crafters munch to their heart’s content.

5. Coloring Place Mats

The clock is always ticking when kids are expected to sit down for a holiday meal. Eke out a little peace with these clip-art placemats! Trim craft paper to 11 by 17 inches and run the sheets through your printer like regular paper. Set the placemats out on the table with some cups of crayons and encourage the kids to have at it.

6. Acorn Dolls

A little craft project can keep the kids who opt out of helping cook the holiday meal entertained. This acorn family is fun to decorate and customize – also, just as fun to play with. To make, collect a bunch of acorns in a variety of sizes. You can turn mini acorns into babies and bigger ones into adults. Pop off each cupule “hat” and hot-glue it to a wooden ball. Then, hot-glue the ball to the nut. Have the children use colored pencils or markers to draw on facial features and hair.

7. Kiddie Cups

This year decorate the kids’ table with pilgrim-hat serving cups and Mayflower-sail straws. Start with nine-ounce paper cups in black and gold. For the sails, cut them out and punch holes as indicated. Write a name on each and slide it onto a straw. For the hat, use a craft knife to cut away the bottom of a black cup. To add detail, cut a brim, trace it onto black paper, and cut it out. With glue, attach it to the cup rim. Voila!

8. Paper Turkey Hats

This festive hat features a turkey plume fit for the holiday spirit. Print out a handful of template copies and they’ll be ready to “gobble-gobble” around the house!

9. Colorful Paper Turkey Place Cards

Your kids can help you set the Thanksgiving table with these simple and adorable colorful turkey-shaped place cards. Attached an accordion-folded piece of colored construction paper to a cut-out turkey template. Add your guests’ names on the body of the turkey and arrange them on your table.

10. Pilgrim Hats

Easily crafted with a few folds, these paper hats and bonnets get kids into character as Pilgrims. To make the hat, download our template from the internet for the hat front and buckle, and trace them onto drawing paper. Cut out the silhouette of the hat, then fold up the brim. Cut out the headband; rest it inside the fold of the brim, and secure with a dot of glue. Note that cutting the gold buckle can be tricky; it’s best done by an elder of the settlement (aka an adult). Glue buckle onto hat, above brim. Wrap headband around head, and secure with a dot of glue (or tape).

November 5, 2019November 5, 2019

LA Eats: Top 10 Gluten-Free Restaurants

Satisfying your hunger isn’t as easy as going to your local sandwich shop down the street to grab a bite to eat when you’re following a strict gluten-free diet. So, my fellow gluten-free people, we put together a list just for you! With all of the gluten-free eateries we found in Los Angeles, you’ll have difficulty deciding where to get that sandwich sushi or pizza fix! Our list includes gluten-free donuts. Yes, you read that correctly: Gluten-free donuts!

1.Kitchen Mouse

Location: 10889 Lindbrook Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90024

Quinoa salad, rice cakes, and pesto bowls are some of the fan favorites at Kitchen Mouse. This restaurant is located in Highland Park, and there is a play area for the little ones! Mickey’s Chilaquiles are a must-try! This dish consists of corn chips covered in enchilada sauce with black beans, cilantro sauce, pepitas, vegan cheese sauce, serrano slaw, and avocado! Hungry yet? See the menu here

2. Crossroads Kitchen

Location: 8284 Melrose Ave

The upscale Mediterranean restaurant makes it one of the more popular destinations in that area. The trendy spot is run by famed chef Tal Ronnen and is a restaurant where vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores happily dine together. The menu at Crossroads Kitchen is comprised of small plate items perfect for sharing and allows you to try many more dishes. Full plate meals are also offered and consist of assorted soups, salads, pastas, and “comforting classics”. Click here for the menu!

3. 800 Degrees Neapolitan Pizzeria

Location: 10889 Lindbrook Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90024

This pizza joint claims that your pizzas are cooked within 60 seconds, sounds like a pretty sweet deal! With classic meatballs, cheese bread, topped with garlic, mozzarella, parmesan, and truffle flavored Boschettos al Tartufo cheese, wood-roasted broccolini with garlic, snappy Calabrian peppers and olive oil you won’t want to miss out on a delicious pizza pie. The most important feature of this pizzeria? The gluten-free crust! See the menu here

4. M Café

Location: 7119 Melrose Ave, Hollywood, CA 90046

This healthy spot in Beverly Hills has a number of gluten-free dishes, including crispy rice avocado toast, grain bowls, sandwiches and salads that can be prepared with gluten-free ingredients. This spot specializes in plant-focused and minimally processed food, staying away from artificial ingredients. Tip: make sure you also grab a free turmeric refresher shot on your way out. Click here for the menu!

5. Flower Child

Location: 1332 2nd St., Santa Monica, CA 90401

Just steps away from the Santa Monica beach this stellar gluten-free eatery is Instagram photo-worthy every way you turn. In close proximity to the hustle and bustle of the Promenade, this is the perfect pit stop on your Saturday shopping trip in Santa Monica. The menu is loaded with rare gluten-free items you won’t find just anywhere, like gluten-free mac & cheese, pitas, and cookies. Get the menu here