Local Expert
Marael Johnson
Award-winning travel writer Marael Johnson has written for many prominent print and online publishers on areas as diverse as Outback Australia, Europe's Basque region, Louisiana's Cajun country, and…
Award-winning travel writer Marael Johnson has written for many prominent print and online publishers on areas as diverse as Outback Australia, Europe's Basque region, Louisiana's Cajun country, and remote South Pacific islands. She grew up in Los Angeles and resides in Southern California.
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Answer: not anyone living in Los Angeles, that's for sure. No need to huddle with the masses in some agoraphobia-producing intersection when we can bring in 2009 amongst the lapping waves, swaying palms, and glitzy stars (both the sky and paparazzi-chasing kinds). How about Paramount Studios? Yes, the Paramount where a huge area of the fabled studio's backlot will be abuzz with performers, DJs, and some very hip hipsters who will creative a Big Apple experience amid Hollywood filmdom. Instead of that east coast city's ball drop, this event will countdown to midnight with a Hollywood Star Rising. Ticket prices start at $100, but for an extra hundred bucks you can gain admission to a private VIP area with an open bar. For ticket info: www.gridlockla.com. Hotel parties to try out include: West Hollywood's Standard Hotel (www.standardhotels.com) with entertainment in the lounge, on the deck, and around the pool; renowned Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel (www.hollywoodroosevelt.com) with hot DJs spinning their tunes and other perks; Hyatt Regency Century City's (centuryplaza.hyatt.com) indoor/outdoor X bar for a more intimate and posh event including live entertainment and a champagne toast. And, for those who prefer a more intimate celebration--grab a bottle of bubbly, head to the palm-fringed beach, and revel beneath a starlit sky. Happy New Year!
One of the greatest things about L.A. is its geography. You can hang at the beach, hit the slopes, cruise the desert, and go clubbing in Hollywood all in the span of one day. 'Tis officially winter, and the weather has cooperated. Big Bear Lake--one of L.A.'s most popular recreational playgrounds and about a 2-hour drive from the city--currently has more than 3 feet of snow. And that's just today! Skiers, snowboarders, and those who love to watch have a choice of two premiere resorts--Bear Mountain Ski Resort and Snow Summit Mountain Resort (www.bigbearmountainresorts.com) composed of 75 trails, 26 lifts, multiple snowboard parks, and a skiable area that totals approximately 435 acres (including many interconnecting runs). Serving all levels of expertise the parks comprise children and family areas and sundecks that overlook all the action. Making it super easy to enjoy facilities at both resorts are the interchangeable lift tickets and a free shuttle to ferry visitors back and forth. Also available are equipment rentals, snow sports lessons for all ages, and plenty of cozy après-ski relaxations (hot tubs, fireplaces, and mulled wine all come to mind). For those who want to stay awhile, accommodations range from basic motels to fancy lodges. Caution: before you head up the mountain--a rather twisty and cliff-hanging event--check on road conditions and find out if chains are required.
In addition to the holidays, new events and poignant anniversaries are bringing joy to the season. The iconic Farmers Market (www.farmersmarketla.com) marks its 75th anniversary in January 2009 and celebrations are set to continue throughout the entire year. Beloved with locals and long a destination for tourists, the hubbub will include walking tours and an array of expanded seasonal festivals including Mardi Gras and the Summer Music Series. Available for purchase will be commemorative merchandise such as a new cookbook and a volume of photo history. Everyone's invited to post their market-centric photos, short stories, and other contributions at onsite memory boards. Out-of-towners can submit tales and such on the specially designated web page. Originally opened in 1940 with the sounds of the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra and some singer named Frank Sinatra, the Hollywood Palladium is back in business albeit with a different cast of characters on its memorable stage. The top-to-bottom renovation of this throwback to Hollywood's golden years is now geared toward more modern concerts and incorporates a spanking new dance floor and up-to-date acoustics. Over in Long Beach, the World Famous Laugh Factory (www.laughfactory.com) has opened what is purportedly the world's largest comedy club with a 505-seat main room, 170-seat balcony, upstairs VIP room, and the Stand-Up Comedy Hall of Fame. Nightly comedy shows equal plenty of giggles, guffaws, and belly laughs. And, who doesn't need those these days? The full bar also helps.
Downtown's Music Center (www.musiccenter.org)--officially Performing Arts Center of Los Angeles County--is home to four superb venues: the eye-popping Walt Disney Concert Hall; Dorothy Chandler Pavilion; Ahmanson Theatre; and the exquisitely renovated Mark Taper Forum. Resident companies at the Center include Los Angeles Philharmonic, Center Theatre Group, LA Opera, and Los Angeles Master Chorale. Located within the Walt Disney Concert Hall complex is REDCAT, a sort of laboratory space for cutting-edge performance. Internationally renowned artists can be seen on the various stages most of the year. During this holiday season, sagging spirits will undoubtedly be perked up by the cheery "Holiday Wonders Christmas Around the World," performed by the Los Angeles Master Chorale. Lulling a more serene and relaxing experience is the Los Angeles Philharmonic production of "Alsop Conducts Brahms," showcasing conductor Marin Alsop. The LA Opera brings the exuberant "Carmen" to the stage, the Center Theatre Group engrosses audiences with mystery thriller "The School of Night," and the Kirov Ballet honors tradition with "The Nutcracker. "Holiday Sing-Along," hosted by David Prather, is festive and fun. Choose whatever suits your holiday mood--or change that mood via the miracle of song, dance, drama, and festive frivolities. Five onsite restaurants include chef Joachim Splichal's Patina, French-style brasserie, contemporary marketplace café, the outdoor Pinot Grill, and a "grab and go" spot. Eat, drink, and......be.
Long awaited, long overdue in this music-industry town, it's official: The GRAMMY museum (yes, it is in all-caps, as deserved) had its ribbon-cutting ceremony last night and opens its doors to the public today. Go there! Located in downtown's L.A. LIVE district, the four-story building is chock-a-block with one-of-a-kind exhibits that explore and celebrate all aspects of music including, of course, the prestigious Grammy awards. The museum's opening, in synch with the 50th anniversary of the awards, features 30,000 square meet devoted to permanent, traveling, and interactive exhibits that highlight and explore genres from country and hip-hop to classical and jazz. In addition, visitors will be lead through the creative process of music making in all its forms, will be able to view rare films and artifacts, and immerse themselves in the joys, miracles, and business of the sounds that keep us dreaming, happy, poignant, passionate, and sane. While the museum highlights Grammy-winning artists, it also recognizes the numerous other artists who contributed to the music industry and were influences on the award holders. The third floor houses "Everything Grammy," where you'll learn all about the nomination and awards process and other behind-the-scenes action, as well as the more blatant red-carpet experience including some of the more significant and controversial outfits stars have worn. This isn't your parents--or grandparents--museum. Programs for families and kids include a GRAMMY Awards Children's Festival, programs that explain reggae, zydeco, swing, and other musical forms, and special tours and events. For more information: www.grammymuseum.org.
It almost reads like an oxymoron since the entire City of Los Angeles can be described as "one of a kind." But, it's the holiday season, and we're talking shopping here. In a city that aspires to trend setting, it's not much of a stretch to find cool bling for your friends and family (and for yourself!). Famed Melrose Avenue offers many unusual shops, but how often these days do you actually come upon an independent bookstore? Bodhi Tree (www.bodhitree.com) offers all things New Age and spiritual, from books to videotapes, as well as a gift section where you can stock up on basic necessities like multiple brands of patchouli oil and eye-catching Tarot cards. Also adhering to the spiritual bent is the Self-Realization Lake Shrine (www.yogananda-srf.org/temples/lakeshrine) near the beach in Pacific Palisades. Open to the public, the lovely gift shop/museum stocks an eclectic assortment of handcrafted jewelry in all price ranges, bright woven accessories, incense sticks and cones, and the burners to use them in. Pièce de resistance for interesting items are the mom-and-pop-type shops at the historic Farmers Market (farmersmarketla.com) where, among the stalls, you can pick up a mind-boggling (and fire-inducing) array of hot sauces ranging from mild to Help! at Light My Fire along with delectable made-from-scratch sweets at circa-1920's Littlejohn's English Toffee House that turns out handmade toffees, fudge, marzipan, honeycomb, and other melt-in-your-mouth confections (this is risky, since your purchases might not make it beyond the parking lot!). Don't overlook the many fine museum stores. One example is the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (www.nhm.org) in downtown's Exposition Park where you can pick up replica relics of L.A.'s dinosaur past such as postcards, figurines, stuffed animals, and some scary-looking stuff. And, though there are plenty of touristy-type souvenir shops along Hollywood Boulevard, serious collectors head to Burbank's Book Castle's Movie World (www.bookcastlesmovieworld.com) to select from a 30-plus-year stash of movie posters, entertainment industry-related books and back-issue magazines, masks, stills, and Maltese Falcon reproductions. What other city has a shop like that, I ask you??