Page 109 - 2015 Travel Guide to California

ANDREW ZARIVNY/SHUTTERSTOCK. OPPOSITE: DAVID ZAITZ/LONG BEACH CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU
SPECIAL
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EVENTS 2015
THE HOLLYWOOD REEL INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL Screens new feature films,
documentaries, shorts and videos by emerging filmmakers who possess an independent
spirit and create innovative work outside the studio system. In February at multiple venues
and locations in Los Angeles. hollywoodreelindependentfilmfestival.com
FESTIVAL OF BOOKS Meet hundreds of literary lights and browse the booths at one of
the largest book festivals in the country. The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books celebrates
its 19th year. April 18-19 at USC. events.latimes.com/festivalofbooks
HERO COMPLEX FILM FESTIVAL The Hero Complex Film Festival brings together sci-fi,
comic book and fantasy film fans to watch their favorites on the silver screen and hear from
those behind some of the biggest hits. In May at TCL Chinese Theatres at Hollywood & High-
land in Hollywood. events.latimes.com/herocomplex/film-festival
LA STREET FOOD FESTIVAL Follow your nose to the sixth annual fest celebrating food
trucks and their delicious fare, from tacos to beignets to gumbo. Whether you’re looking
for a gourmet treat or a simple repast, you’ll find something that satisfies. June 27 at the
Rose Bowl in Pasadena. lastreetfoodfest.com
626 NIGHT MARKET Inspired by the bustling Asian night markets, this evening bazaar
will spice up your senses with more than 150 food vendors (tempting your taste buds with
skewers of beef, spiraled fried potatoes, stinky tofu and mango shave ice), performers and
retail booths. Entering its fourth year, this Asian-food-themed festival is held in the summer
in Santa Anita Park in Arcadia and its sister event—DTLA Night Market—enters its second
year in downtown Los Angeles. June-September. Check website for details.
626nightmarket.com
SUNSET STRIP MUSIC FESTIVAL In its eighth year, this three-day rock music club crawl
and street fest pays homage to the Strip’s musical heritage in West Hollywood. Music lovers
of every stripe from metal, punk, indie, pop to hip-hop will find something that appeals. In
August in West Hollywood. sunsetstripmusicfestival.com
THE ABBOT KINNEY FESTIVAL Founded in 1984, this eco-conscious artisan and food fes-
tival attracts many to this bohemian-chic area in Venice. Located on a one-mile stretch on
Abbot Kinney Blvd., from Venice Blvd. to Main Street. Sept. 27 in Venice. abbotkinney.org
Pacific Palisades. Then hop over to
Venice and the Strand on Manhattan
Beach to people-watch.
Family Fun
Check out fossils of saber-toothed cats
and mammoths that roamed the LA
Basin during the Ice Age at the Page
Museum at the Rancho La Brea Tar Pits.
Or if the kids are tired of trying to spot
stars on the ground, take them to the
Griffith Observatory. Featured in many
movies including Rebel Without a Cause
(1955), the observatory is set on the
southern slope of Mount Hollywood in
Griffith Park, with a view of the Holly-
wood sign and greater LA below. In
addition to visiting the exhibits and
events held Tuesday through Sunday at
the Samuel Oschin Planetarium and
Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon Theater,
go enjoy the monthly, free public star
parties held at the Observatory from
2:00 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. Budding
astronomers and their families are
encouraged to try out different tele-
scopes and talk to amateur astronomers
about the sun, moon and planets.
Or for something different, head to
Long Beach and tour the Queen Mary, a
retired ocean liner that sailed on the
North Atlantic from 1936 to 1967 and is
now a hotel, historical landmark and
entertainment venue.
HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME on
Hollywood Boulevard, above; there are lots
of ways to have fun in Long Beach, opposite.
INSIDER’S
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TIP
Mingle with good-looking LA
denizens getting outdoor cardio
by hiking RUNYON CANYON
PARK. It’s a 130-acre park, just two
blocks from HOLLYWOOD
BOULEVARD in the HOLLYWOOD
HILLS. Enjoy magnificent views
overlooking the city of Los
Angeles, the Hollywood sign,
GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY, DOWN-
TOWN LA, WILSHIRE BOULEVARD,
the PACIFIC OCEAN, SUNSET
STRIP, the CAPITAL RECORDS
BUILDING and the TCL CHINESE
THEATRES. Free yoga classes are
also available. The main entrance
is on Fuller Avenue by 2001
N Fuller Ave., Los Angeles.
lamountains.com/parks.asp?parkid=122
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