UCLA vs. Notre Dame, 2007

It helps to be a Bruins fan, but it’s not necessary.  A few years ago I attended the Notre Dame vs. UCLA game as an eager Irish fan, which was awesome because that was one of the only games they won that year.  Here’s what I learned about attending a UCLA football game:

Tickets:

Get them as a gift.  My buddy had fists full of tickets that he got from a relative, so he treated a slew of us to them.  If you’re not so lucky as to have a friend like that, you actually can buy them.  The tickets, not the friends.  General admission single game tickets start at $19 for adults and $5.00 for kids 3-12.  With over 90,000 seats, the Rose Bowl, where UCLA plays its home games, probably has room for you at least once.  Of course, if you want to guarantee admittance to the whole season, you’re gonna have to take out a second mortgage. Read More »

According to AAA, 2.5 million Angelenos are expected to get away from it all on Labor Day weekend.  That means there’s a 2.5 million-person hole left behind for visitors to fill!  So if you’re in LA for Labor Day and looking for something special to do, here’s a short list.

Malibu Chili Cook-Off

Carnival, celebrities, chili.  Tickets are $10 (cheaper for kids) and the chili vendors sell their wares, although they do give out 2 oz. samples for judging.  This event has grown from a small community gathering into a major undertaking, mostly by word of mouth, like the best ones do.

Long Beach Jazz Festival’s KJazz Blues Bash

A scaled down event that will take the place of the traditional weekend-long festival.  (It’s the economy.)  However, the organizers have planned what looks to be a lovely family-friendly celebration of music and food on the Cal State Long Beach Campus.  A free street festival beginning at noon welcomes you to bring blankets, low beach chairs, and even shade umbrellas for the perimeter.  You can also bring food and beverages, but there will be plenty for sale on site.  The evening ends with a performance by Keb Mo, for which ticketed seats cost $55.  Parking is $10.

Kidspace Farmer Day

For the little ones:  it’s Farmer Day at Kidspace in Pasadena.  If you don’t have the energy (or the patience, or a big enough diaper bag) to make it to one of the bigger events, why not venture out for a special day of animal petting for your preschooler?  The kids will get up close and personal with farm animals, and they’ll help bring in crops.  City folk are sure to love it.

KCRW’s 2nd Annual Pie Contest

What’s more American than a pie-eating contest?  Nothing!  Right!  Also, it’s free!  The second annual KCRW Good Food Pie contest takes place on Sunday, September 5 from 4 to 6 pm on the grounds of the Taste of Beverly Hills event (tickets vary in price but are mostly $$$).

Happy Birthday, LA

LA’s 229th birthday is celebrated by residents in a nine-mile walk from the original mission to Olvera Street downtown.

Leimert Park Village African Art & Music Festival

The 2nd Annual Leimert Park Village African Art & Music Festival is a celebration of art, music and food, with a schedule of performances, events, and activities for all ages.  It’s free.  Leimert Park Village is a thriving African American community right in downtown Los Angeles.

[photo by Mike Munchel via sxc.hu]

And you may ask yourself
Where does that highway go?

With all apologies to the Talking Heads we know where said highway goes – wherever we want.  Eat that train tracks!

I put out a call to our Vacations staff for photos of summer and all that it entails.  The following are their contributions.

Don’t worry, if your favorite writer didn’t submit a photo as they’ve probably got their own story brewing, or they’re just lazy, but probably the story thing.

Ed:

Hatteras, NC

What I did on my summer vacation (in 53 words or less). Read More »

When people come to Southern California, they think Disney, the beach, Universal Studios, and Hollywood.  That’s four good solid days or more of stuff to do, but you’ll be exhausted and broke afterwards.  If you still have time to kill and little ones to entertain, there are educational and fun options that won’t break the bank.  Kidspace Children’s Museum is one of those options.

Located near the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Kidspace is hot with the 10 and under set (and kids over 10 will pretend it’s not “cool” but will secretly love a visit).  The outdoor facilities have climbing features, water play, a special playground for little ones under 4, a trike track (must wear helmet to ride, but you ride!), and beautiful gardens to explore.

Trike track: no pants required!

Indoors, you are greeted by the cool kaleidescope entry tunnel which gives way to numerous interactive exhibits.

Safari

Discovering fossils

Earthquake exhibit

Learning how to earthquake-proof the house

During the summer the museum is open 7 days a week. A non-profit entity, the museum has been there for 30 years, and enjoys substantial support from local organizations.  It opened in its current location in 2004, which means all of its facilities are new and fresh, including the Wolfgang Puck Nestle Cafe and the cool little gift store.  Admission is only $9 per person for anyone over 1 year old, so you can still have some leftover dough for snacks and souvenirs.

Hot dog by Wolfgang Puck

This is also the perfect place to send your children with visiting relatives.  My parents took our son to visit when he was 3.5, and now that he is 4 he is begging to be taken back.  Here is a quick grandparent’s review of Kidspace:

• Friendly staff
• Inside is very clean (there was a worker actually wiping down a climbing structure)
• Staff is there for arts & crafts
• Trike tracks – fun for kids. Try to get kids to follow the arrows on the road and stop at the STOP sign! They have a smaller easier version for toddlers
• Ant hole – great fun in the dark, but make sure the parent knows the exit is on the next level (our kid entered, never came out.  Yikes!  They found him upstairs)
  
• Good science learning experience with a working computer
• Our boy loved the earthquake shaker, the “safari” vehicle, ant hole, not so much climbing stuff, I think he was just too engaged with “brain” stuff.
• Food was good! and affordable!  (Wolfgang Puck, no less)

Looking for a kid in an anthole

Kid in the anthole

Find the kid upstairs!