This is a fun, unique way to spend Father's Day weekend. I brought my dad here years ago for a…read moredifferent kind of Father's Day activity and we both loved it. I really enjoy seeing the creativity that's dwelling in people's minds and they're able to physically manifest it through skillful uses of chalk. Absolutely amazing. Make sure your phones and cameras are fully charged because you're going to want to take a lot of photos. Some of these don't even look like drawings. They look like photograph portraits. There are about 200 artists who participate each year, and you can vote for the best piece. I believe we parked in the Colorado structure and it was pretty affordable. Considering the festival itself is free, this is a great, one-of-a-kind, low-budget activity that I HIGHLY recommend if you're in the area.

It was a good surprise to stumble upon this event. Not sure how often this happened but we just…read morehappened to walk into it. Didn't think much of it as we thought it was just the half block of the street that was blocked off. But then noticed that it also took part of the plaza as well as the street across from that. I just thought it was the farmers market. These artist with their chalk skills are amazing to say the least. Taking a picture and then creating it with just chalk and showcasing it was unbelievable. Each and every artist from all ages displaying their work, from portrait to cartoon characters to photography. Walking through and checking each work out was amazing. Some were already finished while loads were still in the progress of their finished look. Even talking to them and asking what their inspiration was made the process more meaningful. In the plaza area, they had artwork for a silent auction as well as a dj. The whole place was pretty taken with artist on the ground working away. Even with the heat, it was not stopping them. The experience was great walking through and checking out what was being created. Meeting some of the artist was a nice touch to the day.

A local annual festival which took place this year from Friday, September 19 to Sunday, September…read more21. I decided to go Friday evening after work which ended up having slightly less scheduled events. However, the benefit was that there were lesser crowds, and the cool, end of summer breeze around the perimeter of the church was just the right temperature. The big draw for me was definitely the food. Specifically, I had a craving for moussaka. As luck would have it, by the time it was my turn in line the moussaka was almost out, so I was lucky to have one of the last pieces. Although the dish was only slightly warm, the taste was undeniably fresh and satisfying. My colleague and I talked about dishes to check out, and he raved about how delicious the roasted leg of lamb dish was. He also mentioned that the dance competition can be pretty entertaining. The group that was up that evening ranged from adolescents to the elderly, and it was clear early on the spirited elderly folks had both the charm and technique down to win it all. "Opa!!!" the audience would cheer them on. The surrounding area included vendors for jewelry, artwork, and even an AARP booth for ax-throwing. Decently sized festival and friendly folks around.

What a wonderful surprise! I stumbled upon this local Greek festival when driving up Rosemead and…read moresaw the buzz of excitement around St. Anthony Orthodox Church. Blue and white tents canvas the parking lot and house the vendors and bar. The festival offered a generous seating area where groups of all sizes could savor their meals and desserts to the tune of live music. The large dance floor means people of all ages joined in the group dances, creating a joyful atmosphere that was contagious! There is souvlaki that draws you in and the indoor hall where they serve plated meals. My favorite part of this enchanting event had to be the lovely grandmas who brought their energy and warmth to serve up their baked desserts, with a side of heartfelt smiles. We love the experience, and what this festival represents!

I have been participating in the Montrose Arts and Crafts Festival as a designer of jewelry. While…read morethe advertising and promotion is pretty good, there are too many jewelry people, someone walked by my booth and said" jewelry again"! That made me feel badly since I take time to hand design and make all my pieces, I sign up early and pay to be among the early vendors. This year, there were lots of people but they were not buying jewelry. The security is very good with the security guard at night. Unloading and loading are fairly organized as well. from a vendor perspective I've done better in prior years, from a shopper perspective, the fair is fun and the variety is fairly good.

It was so nice to attend the two street length Art Festival in Montrose; it was a beautiful day,…read morewith the warm sun beaming down on this wonderful event. I enjoyed seeing all the woodworking sculptures and unique paintings and photographic works. My wife liked the jewelry and custom clothing. We both wanted to get the Apple Cobbler, but it ran out within two hours of the festival opening. I'm hoping they will have more today, so that we can enjoy some of the food available!

My mom and I took my kids to see the Christmas markets in France this past December. It was a…read morebucket list trip for my mom, and while my boys had a great time, the travel was complicated and arduous, mostly because of my wild three-year-old Wade B. A couple weeks later, my husband and I took the boys to the Enchanted Forest of Light at Descanso Gardens. They had an absolute blast, and my five-year-old Leo B. declared, with utmost sincerity, "I think this is the nicest place I've ever been." Matt B. and I had been once before, almost a decade ago, with our friends Caroline Y. and Scott S., when we were all young and childless. We came back together, this time with five kids, and as much as I enjoyed it back in the day, I found it even more compelling this second time around. The magic was amplified ten times by the presence of my sons, who absolutely loved all the beautiful, colorful lights. I did buy them shitty Christmas light necklaces, one of which broke almost immediately, causing considerable strife. The alternative, of course, was to deny Wade his request before even entering the garden, where he would badger me every time he saw another child with the necklace. I was not surprised to see that most of the children seemed to have them, every parent having made the same calculation on their way in. Smart and evil of Descanso Gardens to put that vendor right by the entrance. I'm guessing Enchanted is their big revenue generator for the year, and this is a McKinseyish way to maximize. The kids oohed and aahed at every exhibit, marveling at all the colors and lights. We oohed and aahed right with them, and had the additional pleasure of watching them play and interact with the elaborate, immersive displays. They loved the tulip fields, the model trains, the stained glass houses, the trees and music and light. There was also a large platform that served as a dance floor for small children, who partied to the ambient music. Wade was especially taken with this stage, and the one part of the night that did not go well was when I yanked him away so we could see the rest of the installations. It was cold and the kids were up way past their bedtimes, but we all had a blast at the Enchanted Forest. When pressed, Leo admitted that Paris was in fact as nice as Descanso Gardens, but the point was made. Come Christmas, we can take the boys to France or we can just drive to La Cañada and buy a few tickets that support a wonderful botanical garden. We might even manage the latter every year.

My family and I visited Thanksgiving weekend and had a blast wandering around all the light…read moredisplays in the garden! This isn't necessarily a holiday-themed "Christmas" light experience, but it put us all in the holiday mood nonetheless. The themed light displays are well curated, the event is organized, staff are friendly, and the free parking is orderly and well managed. There are ten different themed exhibits found on the mile-long path. By far our favorite was the Ancient Forest, but the Garden of Good Fortune and the Fantasy Forest were close seconds! They do a wonderful job of using the light displays to really compliment and highlight the giant oak trees and other featured plants - as well as excellent music choices to really immerse you in a serene fantasy forest type experience. Some of the exhibits are interactive, like the Symphony of Oaks where you can step on the lights to make them change colors and sing - so fun! They also had a large village of tiny stained glass houses and other buildings you could actually enter and walk through - really beautiful. Another display I loved was the giant light built to resemble the moon - it was placed directly over one of the ponds and the reflection was magnificent! And everyone loves the massive, sprawling field of tulip lights which has a rotating show that will occasionally send waves of lights towards you. We spent a good hour and a half meandering around the path, which is well maintained and mostly flat with plenty of maps to find your way around the exhibits. The staff did a great job of respecting ticket entry times and the exhibits are so well laid out that we hardly noticed the crowds. Very well done! They don't sell tickets at the door so be sure to purchase online in advance. Booking our timed entry tickets was very easy via their website. They also take advanced reservations for their on-site Farmhouse restaurant and for valet parking. The restaurant and gift shop area was packed so I'd recommend restaurant reservations. But the parking was ample, even at 6pm on a Saturday and so well staffed and managed that we found a spot easily with zero chaos. This was my first visit to Descanso Gardens and now I'm wishing I had seen it in the daylight so I could compare haha! Tickets are a tad pricey but ee loved their Enchanted Forest of Light and can highly recommend it. Plus you're supporting a local botanical garden! I'll definitely be back to see all the splendor of the garden in the daytime.

I really do miss live shows and getting a chance to get that feeling of happiness when you go to…read moreshows with friends, listen to great live music, and make memories. With the pandemic still very much so at large, we are very limited to these types of experiences, but Insomniac was able to pull this off, while still keeping everyone safe. The only downfall (and quite big IMO), was the wait time to enter the first weekend. We waited over an hour to enter GA, and eventually was asked if we wanted to upgrade to VIP for $50. I wish we were asked this in the beginning, but I wonder if they've been able to fix this problem since then. Also, if anyone has attended this and knows the link to the official playlist on Spotify, please send it my way! I'd love to bookmark this entire playlist to listen in my car.

Tickets are $69.99 during the week, $89.99 Fridays and Saturdays, $79.99 on Sundays. An additional…read more$59.95 to upgrade to VIP (up to 8 people per car) and another $20.00 for the service fee. Yeah, it adds up and it doesn't seem worth it, but if there's 8 of you in the car and split the tab, it isn't too bad. We came through on a Friday night. We opted for the VIP package and bypassed pretty much everyone (that line looked like a thousand miles long, so that alone threw all regrets, doubts and second thoughts out the window!) Bypassing the long line was one thing, but then my passengers' bladders decided to go in sync and in unison all needed a bathroom break BEFORE the drive. The VIP package came in handy once again - they have a separate set of porta-potties for VIP peeps, too! Needless to say, there were no lines there either. So, yeah, off to a good start. I didn't really know what to expect, so I decided not to expect too much. There were a lot of mixed reviews on Yelp (complaints were mostly about the cost) so I kept an open mind. THE VERDICT: Totally WORTH IT. This whole production was well put-together. It was beautifully created with a lot of imagination. The engineering and construction alone were astonishing, how long did it take them to put it all up! And I really liked that they coordinated all the lights' movements with the music coming off the assigned radio station (107.9.) And those souls braving the cold as they entertained us with their dance moves... KUDOS! (I didn't get to see what's in the VIP box but going by how each of my passengers went through it like the Tasmanian Devil, I'm gonna assume whatever was in there was fun!) If this is your thing, here are a few tips: 1) Entry is at Holly and Huntington NOT at the main entrance. If you do end up at the main entrance, they'll reroute you. No worries. 2) You can come through as early as 30 minutes before your scheduled time, but try to be there within that window just for the sake of being considerate. The whole thing is about 45 minutes to an hour, all depending on how slow or fast you go. 3) CLEAN YOUR WINDSHIELDS! I meant to, but I completely forgot. But even with the semi-dirty glass, it was still pretty good. 4) Sunroofs are great! I didn't have one (wouldn't have mattered if I did since I was the one behind the wheel) but I was sorta jealous of the peeps who made full use of it. I imagine that's the best way to experience it. 5) You are allowed to open your windows. Just watch out for fog machines... 6) Take your time and let it all sink in. If you can afford it, I highly recommend it, something cool to do social distancing style. It's an event for all ages and a great excuse to get out of the house more especially during these challenging times.

I haven't been out to the 626 Night Market in a while, but this year I actually got to go on the…read morelast two days of the market. I went Saturday because they had the Dreamstate event going on and it was fire! The music was good and the crowd was hyped. I honestly think it's really cool that they're doing something like this at the night market and they should definitely keep bringing more EDM events here lol. It seemed pretty crowded compared to the last time I came, but they also had a ton of new vendors. Everything felt more spread out, so even with all the people, the lines weren't super crazy. I ended up coming back again on Sunday for the last day. It was crowded too, but nothing unbearable. We waited in line for some squid and a few other things, and I think the longest we waited was around 20 minutes, which honestly isn't too bad for the 626 Night Market. Overall, I really enjoyed coming back this year. Lots of food to try, plenty of new vendors, and adding events like Dreamstate made it even more fun. I definitely plan on coming back the next time they're around!

I've been going to the 626 Night market every year for the last couple of years. Although I feel…read morelike prices have rose pretty significantly in the past couple of years this is an event I'm always excited for. It is peak summer where you are able to be out in a comfortable summer night and browse what feels like any and all food there is. I thought this year was especially great with the DJ and the location. Previous years they always had the DJ tucked away all the way in the back but having them front and center of the event was a great call. Always have that awesome music in the background added a lot to my experience. Some of the standout thing we got was Japadog which is a wagyu hotdog that will make you rethink what a hotdog can be. We got a truffle katsu sandwich there too which is as fabulous as it sounds. Also had salt bread which was especially exciting considering I have been craving them ever since visiting Korea. Lastly, I got a fried Reece's cup which I have been in the hunt for some time since they seem pretty rare, so of course that hit the spot. Overall, this was an awesome 626 night market better than previous years. This is something I'll continue to look forward to every year!

Christmas is in the air! After the tree lighting ceremony in San Marino, my boyfriend and I took a…read morenice, scenic walk along Christmas tree lane (AKA, St.Alban's street right off of Huntington drive). It's a hop, skip, and a stone's throw away from the San Marino Christmas Tree/Fire Department! It was a nice, quiet walk past the beautifully decorated million-dollar homes. Although it's not as vast and expansive as most Christmas Tree lanes in Southern California, it is definitely a sight to see each year!

BIG TREES! I wish I could say more about this but it is not like the other where you see hella…read moreChristmas decorations on the house. Just really big trees that are decorated. It cool if you happening to pass by, not to seek out and visit. Just remember BIG trees!

I enjoy going to Holiday craft fairs because I prefer to support local small businesses, and I…read moretypically find cute, unique gifts. In addition to doing a little holiday shopping I specifically came here to see my girl, fellow fabulous YE, Hannah S. When I arrived, the festivities were in full swing. There were two stages set up - one on each end. The front stage featured performers from the local school. I was impressed with their musical talents. The young girl that was singing had a great voice. A local band was playing at the other stage a few blocks down. I took my time strolling through the vendor booths while looking for Hannah. I finally spotted her festive booth - The Curio Cat. Hannah looked adorable in her Santa Cowboy Hat. I immediately gave her a great big hug! I just love her energy and her amazing smile. The Curio Cat is a student research academy dedicated to helping children expand their knowledge in Biology, Chemistry, & Computer Science through research & development. It was founded by Hannah & her husband Derek (who is also very sweet). They teach kids useful skills while boosting their self-confidence. (thecuriocat.com) The setup of this Holiday Fair was nice and well organized. It was family oriented and pet friendly. There were also food trucks and fun activities for kids. Santa was even there for photos.

This is a really wonderful, local community holiday street fair focused on family friendly…read moreactivities that is sure to put you in the holiday spirit! Almost all the booths are decorated out for Christmas and all are local vendors so it's a great place to support the area community while Christmas shopping. Not only do they have tons of vendors, but they also have so many fun activities- especially for the kiddos! They have a little parade led by Arcadia's beloved mascot Perdy the Peacock with the local high school band too. They have tons of lawn games like bean bag toss and a large play area. There's live music on both ends of the fair and tons of food trucks! And they even had a big snow machine!! It was so fun to play in the "snow" in SoCal haha! And the kids absolutely loved it! We tried the Chicken Satay burrito from the ThaiMexCocina truck and the Pulled Pork fries from the Locke Down BBQ truck and everything was fantastic! A lot of the trucks were giving out samples too - all were excellent! The fair takes place on a Saturday in early December from 10am-4pm. Parking is street parking or in the local garages that are within reasonable walking distance. Attendance is free so it's definitely worth a visit! I've also participated in this fair as a vendor and the city of Arcadia does a great job for the customers AND vendors! It's very organized and well laid out. We're definitely planning on participating next year and doing our Christmas shopping here again.

What great way to enjoy a beautiful Saturday Evening! A very relaxing setting under the dark star…read morefilled sky, the moon peaking a bit behind some rouge clouds, with my folding chair and my delicious "Yelp-Corn" (Thanks to Katie and her busy band of popcorn warriors!) I have the perfect setting to watch the classic sensation "Psycho" (1960) I'm glad that after much procrastination I finally made it here! The big screen was perfect especially in this dark night and for this black & white movie, The sound system was good enough to drown the surrounding noise, Food wasn't a problem- we are in Old Pasadena after all. I had such a great time and I know that my friends Jackie S. & Bray O. did too. Thank you to everyone who made this outdoor movie possible! A big thumbs up to you guys! Until next time!

This is the cutest date…read more To bring your mate Only thing that I wish. Is that I wasn't here with my sis.... *Sigh*

There's plenty of parking just come early to not walk so far…read moreYou pay via QR code upon entry To get to the location it's about a 5 to 15 minute walk it's depending on where you parked The location is easy to find just follow all the food trucks and vendors The check-in process was extremely smooth. Everyone was so happy and welcoming. I recommend to get there earliest so you can get a good spot so you can overlook the water The music could have been a little bit louder because it was hard to hear But the live performers were awesome I wish there was more interactive activities. I feel like everyone was just sitting around, waiting to launch their lanterns, but it was still a beautiful experience. I will most definitely go again next year

The best part of the Water Lantern Festival was spending quality time with my wife and…read morestepdaughter. Decorating our lanterns, enjoying the atmosphere, and watching the lanterns on the water together made for a great family memory. That part was awesome. But everything else? Not so much. Parking was excruciatingly bad. There were only about three people directing cars at the entrance, so it took forever just to get in and park. If you arrive early, you end up parking farthest away from the actual event and have a long walk. Getting out after the event was even worse. With basically one exit, traffic barely moved. We were stuck about an hour just to get out. RIDICULOUS. My advice: park outside the park if possible and walk in. The food situation wasn't much better. They had plenty of food trucks, but everything was overly expensive, the lines were long, and you're looking at around a 30-minute wait for food. Another tip: bring your own food and drinks. You'll save money and a lot of time. Overall, the lantern experience itself and the quality time with my family were memorable. I'm glad we experienced it together. But the parking situation, traffic control, expensive food, and long waits really brought the overall experience down.