Twenty-two years and going strong, that's the Santa Monica Festival not me, if only. Although 90+…read moredegree heat was predicted, a light marine layer, cool ocean breezes created a pleasant backdrop to showcase this year's sustainability themed event, as well as, events within like, the Juneteenth Celebration, A Taste of Summer with the Annenberg Beach House and the Santa Monica Farmers Market Challenge which pitted Nyesha Arrington http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef/season-9/bio/nyesha-arrington and Josie Le Balch http://www.josierestaurant.com/ to create a $15 meal for four. I fear this foodie was a festival wimp because I was too wiped to hang out for their food fight. A myriad of activities for folks of all ages with kids really digging the Big Blue Bus and trash recycling truck to hop on and explore. The free bike valet http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/santa-monica-festival-santa-monica-2?select=vH2e66N3SWb9kldxGYxzyg#uVsNV593GV0zcfWGsam18g encouraged leaving the car at home as my friends and I did. Plenty of food trucks http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/santa-monica-festival-santa-monica-2?select=vH2e66N3SWb9kldxGYxzyg#8h3JhmFhSm4yY2dSUK3G3g and even a fashionmobile http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/santa-monica-festival-santa-monica-2?select=vH2e66N3SWb9kldxGYxzyg#_UknuOz5Hw8CSlqpB0GlAw ! Santa Monica is indeed a city of cultural activities and well-honed services to be taken advantage of by all. More here: http://www.smgov.net/Portals/Culture/content.aspx?id=15035 Highlight for me was artist Cassandra Tondro's http://tondro.com/ "From Cans to Canvas" interactive painting experience http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/santa-monica-festival-santa-monica-2?select=vH2e66N3SWb9kldxGYxzyg#wUrJjuqoQeDWgII5lKypig http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/santa-monica-festival-santa-monica-2?select=vH2e66N3SWb9kldxGYxzyg#1rjspkly2CXSvNRTZ6H9sg If you missed today's festival, do bookmark it for 2014, trust me, it's worth it!

We came, we saw, we thronged! From a distance, the Santa Monica Festival at Clover Park looked like…read moreany other free outdoor community event, a weekend sea of pedestrians and rows of white tents and bold lettered banners. But Saturday was cool, Clover's grass was green, and the atmosphere was indeed festive. There were several options for free or metered parking in supervised lots within walking distance, making at least our vehicular arrival and departure quick and painless. After leaving the car, we made a beeline for the park's restrooms, where, as it typically happens whenever we step out to a fairground, we spent a considerable chunk of our visit waiting our turns in slow-moving lines. Plenty of music filled our ears while we waited, especially the notes coming from center stage, where a featured group, The Lions, sounded particularly captivating. We quietly joined standing watchers later on, just in time to see The Lions wrap up their soulful and energetic gig. Festival treats were also close at hand, so we couldn't miss tasting Linde's old-fashioned sugar roasted almonds. We followed our noses to her popular table where I impulsively grabbed us a couple of warm paper cones in a sweet twofer deal. Linde jokingly asked if we were unable to share, to which I honestly replied, "yes." It was a fair-tastic time. The usual apparel gifts and arts-and-craftsy things were available for passers-by to browse and purchase, and interactive activities engaged families, kids, and kids-at-heart. It seemed apparent to us after one walk-through that the city government was out to connect with and educate visitors in exchange for cheap swag and fun, with a number of public service kiosks that let you spin wheels and answer questions for prizes. We didn't get around to checking everything out (see Tess M.'s yelp here: http://bit.ly/11hmlqO for some neat things we missed), but all in all, the Festival was pleasant and low-key, which is pretty much Santa Monica in a nutshell.

In terms of bang-for-the-buck, Sunset Strip Music Festival seems like a pretty good deal. It's $50…read moreper day, for 2 days. If you risk your life and go on Craigslist, like I did, you can get tickets for cheaper. On top of that, there was a promotion giving free uber rides to and from the event (we took advantage of that). Most of the music acts aren't huge, but a lot of the lesser-known names they brought in this year were very good! A rapper named Slim, and a band called Nightmare and the Cat were two good discoveries. I was originally drawn to this because Jane's Addiction and Empire of the Sun were headlining. There is a good amount of dust, so I would bring respiratory protection. There is also a lounge where you can sit and rest by one of the main stages that is a good place to rest your feet. We met a Hells Angel there and took a pic with him. The food at the food trucks is surprisingly good, especially at one called Me So Hungry - I would check it out! Also, feel free to dress a little crazy, you'll see some colorfully dressed people here. Overall, if you live in LA, I would check this festival out. I'll be going again.

As an event, you get 4 stars. If it were 2010 you'd get 5. As for this year's (2014) music…read morelineup, you get 1 star. So, I bumped it up a half point from the average for a 3 star rating. I was feeling generous. Went to Day 2 of the SSMF 2014, the headliner was Empire of the Sun. Not interested, but I've been wanting to go to this festival for years and I was either out of town or had nobody to go with. This year my friend wanted to go but he was only interested in seeing Day 2. I thought about going alone, but didn't want to feel like a complete loser, even though Jane's Addiction was the only band the whole weekend I even had the slightest interest in seeing. I wish I could go back in time to 2010 when Slash, Lemmy, Miles Kennedy, Semi Precious Weapons, Neon Trees, etc. played, or even the Marilyn Manson year, or last year's Joan Jett inspired year. But of course I had to go the year it was basically a hipster hell hole mixed with hip hop, which is basically my biggest nightmare, besides getting attacked by an overly made up clown, much like the one from Stephen King's 'It' only with giant talons as toe nails instead of clown shoes. Other than the music, it's a fun day to be outside in the awesome LA weather at one big block party. There are food stands and trucks and all the alcohol your liver never really knew it wanted. Something's got to give when your iPod holds your interest more than the band lineup of SSMF 2014. There are so few real rock n' roll venues and events left and I wish the Sunset Strip would stick to what it's good at, rock n' roll. There are plenty of EDM, hip-hop, hipster, etc. events. The Sunset Strip should be forever rock n' roll, no need to branch out, I feel like the attendance of this year's festival should be proof enough that a true rock n' roll lineup works better. Plus the fact that they scheduled it on the same weekend as the iHeart music event in Vegas makes me wonder what they were thinking...stop trying to 'be with the times and trends' and stick to what you know. It's like an Italian restaurant putting tacos on the menu, just doesn't work...

*** Beautiful day @ the LaBrea Pits.***…read more "Brasilian Day in LA" Festival was held here today from Noon to 5p, 12Sept'09. I met friends, we sat on a blanket under a tented area, listened to live music from five different performers/bands, ate foods from a variety of Brasilian restaurants and caterers, danced on a portable black&white checkered floor, and my boy even played in an inflatable castle with a slide as well. It was festive; food was good; fun for all. There were also promotional tents around. e.g. Delta Airlines to begin nonstop service from LAX to Sao Paulo this December 2009. *** Yes, I think I know where to go Xmas. ***

Another cool event we went to recently! We just happened to be in the Miracle Mile area, going to…read moreLACMA and noticed this festival. Fun, vivid, full of life like Brazil! So, we stopped by on the way to LACMA and on our route back to check it out, hang out, enjoy some food and drinks. Not a lot of sampling going on, but there were many vendors - food, clothes, soccer items, a beer garden, food trucks and a stage with bands, dancers, carnaval atmosphere. Cool and fun! We got crepes on the stick, mine had ham and cheese, my husband got one with chocolate inside. Very good. We also tried their Guarana soda! Pretty cool. Fun event! We're happy we happened to be in the area. Too bad they stop the fun at 6 PM. Bit early, right?

During the holidays, The Grove turns into a magical winter wonderland. It's always an amazing place…read morebut becomes a legit tourist and locals destination during November and December each year. I'm a bit biased in my love for The Grove already, but I really do love it a bit more during the holidays. They have so many events, pop ups, special sales and the decorations are on point! It gets INCREDIBLY busy though so try to avoid peak times. The traffic truly gets bananas during busy times in November and December. The season kicks off with their special Tree Lighting ceremony, a drone show and even ends with fireworks. The tree is a massive 100' tall and this past season Lance Bass was our master of ceremonies! He brought his boy band homie Nick Carter, Rick Caruso the master of the Grove was there, Dasha, Loud Luxury, Kevin Woo and Liamani. They air the celebration on TV, as well. I think the most exciting part of the Winter Wonderland at The Grove is the snowfall! Where else in Los Angeles can you see beautiful snow cascading down!? It happens at 6 and 8pm every day from late November through December 31st, at least in the 2025 holidays that was the schedule. I rolled through at least 10x during December to experience the holiday spirit there! I absolutely love it. It is NOT just for tourists, locals love it.

Pulled up to The Grove thinking I'd just get some holiday vibes and maybe a coffee. Ended up caught…read morein a full Hallmark fever dream with snow falling on palm trees and toddlers dressed like elves doing TikToks. Shit was surreal. But also? Kinda perfect. Lights everywhere. I mean everywhere. Felt like the tree was giving Rockefeller Center but LA version... less snow boots, more Balenciaga hoodies and oat milk lattes. The snowfall hits at 6 and 8pm and yeah, it's fake, but you forget it's fake when you see everyone staring up like it's their first snow. Even the most jaded Angelenos had their phones out. I went on a weeknight which helped dodge the stroller traffic jam. Security was chill. Parking was war as usual but that's The Grove. Don't pull up thinking it's gonna be quick. This is a whole evening. The kind where your phone dies from photos and your wallet cries from the pop-ups. They really go full Disney Channel Original Movie. Somewhere between High School Musical finale and Happiest Season energy. It's giving... Troy and Gabriella finally kissed and the snow machine hit right on cue. You don't come here for peace. You come here for the feeling. For the chaos wrapped in tinsel. For the nostalgia. For that one perfect snow selfie that makes December feel like something again.

Thanks to Yelper friend Dee D, I went to this FREE fantastic film series put on by LACMA in…read moreconjunction with the Tim Burton Exhibit. I've never been to LACMA. Well, I've driven by it. It is pretty gorgeous to walk through and not drive by at 5 mph. Clean, manicured lawns, well-lit, and great architecture. It was a spur of the moment thing planned a day or so before. Harmonie T and Brian I took charge of bringing blankets and yummy food from Savyon Cafe. I've always complained that movie theatres need better food options--like Asian food options. We had a great mini feast, good weather, and a perfect community setting. I felt like I was in the 50s or 60s--when people hung out together in public space. Well, that's what I believe anyways. It was a perfectly wonderful movie night. Tip: --Bring a jacket or blanket. --Bring something to lay over the grass because it was pretty wet. --Bring someone to cozy up too. D#$% you Singledom! But it's okay. No need to cry for me LA. I'm not the most PG-13 person with dates and this is a family event. --Use the free parking option by arriving after 7pm and parking in the Pritzker Parking Garage (on Sixth Street just east of Fairfax Avenue or the Spaudling lot on Wilshire Blvd). --Do not exit near the Hollywood Bowl or main parts of Hollywood on a Friday evening. Exit a little earlier and take smaller streets to avoid terrible traffic (2 miles/20 minutes terrible).

Super fun, cute photo op. We got an Uber but heard parking is difficult. Just how it looks. I'd try…read moreto go during the week for less busy times if you're looking to get a pic. People are constantly in the background.

YESSSS! I did it - 100th review of 2013! And I couldn't be prouder that it is on the LA Culture…read moreFestival, aka Hollywood Carnival! If you ask around, most people are pretty familiar with Carnival in Brazil. BBF - beads, bikinis, and feathers galore! Loud music, rhythmic drums, sexy Samba dancers. But not many people are familiar with Caribbean Carnival, specifically originating in Trinidad and Tobago. This is where my family is from and I am a die-hard Carnival Jumbie (Google that!)! I can't be more excited to celebrate and share the Caribbean Carnival culture with the Los Angeles area. There are so many cities across the world that host a Caribbean Carnival - Miami, New York, San Francisco, Houston, Notting Hill, Toronto, Berlin. It's about damn time the entertainment capital of the world also had a Carnival! The parade started in 2012. In only 2 years time, this has become a grande event! Carnival dancers in costumes, infectious soca and calypso music, a Carnival Village with food, drinks, face painting for the kids, crafts and vendors, and live performances. If you've never had a "Bake and Shark" sandwich, this is a MUST MUST MUST! The best thing you ever did eat! Yes, I'm biased because it gives me an excuse to be drunk in the streets on a nice hot day dancing my worries away! But it's also such a diverse event that really mimics the unique blend of cultures in LA. Takes place usually the 3rd Saturday in June. The parade is on Hollywood Blvd at starting at Vermont and ends just passed Vine or Cahuenga. Now, Carnival is not a spectator event! You *can* watch from the sidewalk if you'd like, but it's so much fun to join a band, get in a costume, and be IN the parade! I have had the best times ever the last 2 years and can't wait for 2014's parade. See you on the road!

I am in this parade every year. For the last two years I was in the Epic mas band. I love the…read morepeople, the music and the energy. Every year it gets bigger and bigger. So much better than Westchester carnival, which no longer exists! Its so notice to see everyone come out and celebrate. Even the businesses welcome everyone, so its refreshing Parking can get really hard. I was fortunate to find some at LaBrea and Hawthorn, then shuttle over to the start which is at Hollywood/Vermont. I am sure next year will be even bigger and better.

Love this place..every year the line up of musicians are worth the wait…read more Yayayayayyayay

The Culver City Summer Music Festival is A LOT smaller when you compare it to the Santa Monica…read moreTwilight Dance Series. Both are free concerts that occur on Thursdays in the summer. I prefer the Santa Monica concert more, because it's at the pier. Or, you can also watch the concert on a megascreen on the beach! The Culver City concert is located at city hall. Minimal grass space. Mostly concrete for you to sit on. There is free parking underneath city hall. Or you can park at the nearby Culver City Garages for 2 hours free. We got there at 6:30, when the concert was scheduled to arrive at 7. There was no place to sit. Every inch was taken. There isn't too many places to stand either, without blocking the sea of people sitting down. Luckily we managed to find a tiny spot in between two groups near the stage. If you get there early enough, the city of Culver City puts out chairs right in front of the stage for people to sit on. (About.. 30-40?) I don't know if I would come back. It's nice. And parking was relatively painless. And the concerts in Culver City have better acoustics. I guess I would . . . if there was a good band playing that night. *Two thumbs up*

The street fair is on Hillhurst Ave from Los Feliz Blvd to Prospect Ave. For clearing such a huge…read moreblock of the surface street, the booths are lackluster and mildly interesting. The bouncy air mattresses for the kids looked very dirty and worn... I don't think I would want my kids to climb all over that germ mountain and put their hands in their mouth. There was a booth with free photo booth that seemed interesting. Otherwise, it's hard to not compare this to so many of the bigger, newer, cleaner fairs around the city (626 Night Market, OC County Fair, LA County Fair, etc) But go Yelp for having a booth! Represent!

Perhaps this street fair deserves a higher rating at any other time, but when I got there at around…read more9:00 at night, it was pretty dead, and according to the vendors, it had been that way all day. Fortunately, there were still interesting things to see, from jewelry makers using materials from a disassembled nuclear warhead, to bracelets with a cause that's supposed to make you happy when you wear it. My favorite vendors there were Noral Clothing which makes gorgeous custom, and Lulu Designs, which have awesome vintage designs on high quality materials. bracelets Music and food is also featured here, with a special area for the 21 & older crowd looking to dehydrate the old fashioned way. With alcohol. And once that's done, there are vendors giving away "healthy" soda samples. The food vendors range from Umami Burger, to traditional Thai food. And if worse comes to worst, and you don't find anything on the street, there are pretty trendy restaurants on the sidewalk. My personal favorite, is a Thai vegan place called 'Green Leaves Vegan,' selling healthy food at very reasonable prices. Even if it's not the most exciting of places to go to, it's definitely worth stopping by if you're in the area. You might find a small treasure worth the effort.

This is a great activity to add to your list when it comes to seeing Christmas lights. It's only 1…read morehouse that goes all out in this block it seems like so you wont be there for long. Parking is free but a bit tricky Overall add this to you list of Christmas lights to check out

All went to perfect at doctor Fleming's office! He is such a caring and knowledgeable of his craftread more

Had such a wonderful time at Burgers and Beer; thanks to Brittany B. and Yelp! Wish I could've been…read moreas lucky as Darlene F. and had attended all the events, but this was a great one! Parking was easy, weather was perfect, and there was tons of food and drink! Jim G. and I sampled burgers (both mini and 1/3 portions of larger burgers) from fabulous restaurants all over town. There was also a decent amount of wine to be had, although for my tastes, Justin Winery was the only one I was interested in. There were tons of breweries/beers represented as well. Both Singha and Peroni were giving out full beers! That was much appreciated! Yummy cupcakes, cake, and chocolate to round out the evening. I was excited to meet Kathy Griffin and to do some painting on the Blue Moon mural. having never painted before, I found it very fun. Overall, it was an excellent Friday. Although the tickets are expensive, I would consider purchasing them next year (although more free ones would definitely be better!)

Los Angeles Times / Food & Wine: THE TASTE: 2 Blissful Days in Beverly Hills…read more I spent 2 blissful days in Beverly Hills enjoying this event (courtesy of Melissa S. of Essential Chocolate Desserts ;). Day 1, Saturday, Sept 3rd Secrets from the Kitchen & Cellar: Food and wine from some of the best restaurants and wine purveyors in Beverly Hills. There were 2 main pavilions, with over 40 restaurants/exhibitors; so it was not humanly possible to sample EVERYthing...but I gave it my best shot! ;) Several of my favorite spots were there: Café Rodeo/Luxe Hotel Café, Chaya Brasserie, Locanda del Lago, McCormick & Schmick's, Mr. Chow, Napa Valley Grille, Palomino, and Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. Favorite drinks: Mionetto Prosecco, 4 Copas Organic Tequilla margaritas, Cutie's Juice (100% tangerine), and Chopin's Vodka Rye Martini Bloody Marys served in their V.I.P. lounge. Dessert: No room for much of that, but did savor a bit of Green & Black's Organic chocolate (cherry; hazelnut), and a lime sorbetto in the Peroni Lounge. Day 2, Sunday, Sept 4th Fashion Bites Brunch: Ohhh...a banquet lined both sides of Rodeo Drive between S. Santa Monica and Wilshire Blvds. Café tables were also there for our dining comfort. Some like it less hot, and sought refuge in the Ciroc Vodka Lounge. Tres decadent! The food trend(s): Pork belly and Quail eggs; they were EVERYwhere! The Napa Valley Grille's pork belly was my favorite, flavorwise; but, for texture, would pick the PB from The London. But EVERYthing from Lobster/Brie sliders on brioche, frittatas, mushroom w/truffle oil bisque, Kobe beef, gazpacho, to Jamaican curries -- All luscious! Favorite beverages: Mionetto Prosecco w/Elixir Floral Infusion 'shots' (English Lavendar and Damascan Rose tied, but also enjoyed Antillean Hibiscus and Andean Fire Orchid); Adult Chocolate Milk was good; and was intrigued by the Chocolate Shop's Chocolate Red Wine. This time, saved room for dessert from Pure Cheesecakes and Sprinkle's Cupcakes. Plus enjoyed mini currant scones w/fresh lemon curd, chocolate brioche French toast, Waffles de Liege, and strawberry-stuffed French toast (though, technically, these are NOT desserts), and candy courtesy of Mickey Fine (plus, got a coupon for a free milk shake at their soda fountain). Can't WAIT for The Taste/LA 2012!