A hike to the Hollywood Sign has been on my California bucket list for a long time. About two years ago, our family attempted, but we failed. It was a new area to us and we started our outing too late in the day. I chalked it up as being a reconnaissance mission for a future visit.
This past holiday season I finally had a chance to try again. My family was in town for the holidays, and my 11-year-old niece expressed an interest in getting a good view of the sign. Quickly, a little group was assembled for an excursion to the sign. We were my sister, my niece, and my father (in the best attire he had for a hike—slacks and loafers!).
The view as we drove up Beachwood Canyon Drive, approaching what we thought would be the start of our hike
We had a little hiccup in the beginning. I began by taking them to the trailhead at the top of Beachwood Canyon, which I had figured out on our reconnaissance mission was a good place to start. I knew there had been some issues between neighbors and hikers/tourists and faintly remembered that the trailhead had been closed for a while, but I thought that was over. Turns out it wasn’t. The parking at the trailhead was still closed, but there were handouts that suggested we go to Griffith Observatory and begin our hike from there. We had no time constraints so we headed over there. Continue reading
Are you ready for another culture challenge? If you live in Los Angeles, you can “visit” and learn about the cultures of Ireland, Colombia, China, Israel, England, Italy, Iran, and Mexico this month. Will you attend an art workshop, a festival, a musical performance, or visit a museum? So many choices, so little time. I would love to hear in the comments what you and your family would like to do. Have you already attended something in the past? I’d love to hear how you liked it.
Andell Family Sundays—Art of Ancient Colombia
February is always a busy month for multicultural and diverse events in the Los Angeles area. It’s the month dedicated to honoring the achievements and contributions of African Americans to society, and we welcome the Lunar New Year. These events provide the backdrop for a multitude of opportunities to explore the richness of where we live. There are walking tours, live performances, art festivals and workshops, parades, museum exhibitions, and even an urban adventure race. What will you try this month?
Every year I look forward to the 
The theme of the workshop was Scandinavian folk motifs, but not much emphasis was put on that aspect of the workshop. Papers with examples of designs were present, but we were encouraged to create whatever designs we wanted. The grandparents chose to do holiday themed designs, Doobie and Daddy created geometric designs, and Sonny creatively etched his name. I was the only one to attempt a Scandinavian design. It was tricky and took much longer than the others, but that’s what I came to do.
The new year opens with many opportunities to explore Los Angeles and the diverse cultures and neighborhoods and museums that make it such a unique metropolitan area. With the approach of the new lunar year, there are of course many events featuring Asian cultures, but you can also find opportunities to explore other cultures through film screenings, museum visits, art workshops, performances, and even a cooking class. Where will your family venture this month?
Barnsdall Family Art Workshop
Family Jam: Up in the Air
Chinese Cultural Arts Celebration
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(To make your trip to the Church even more worthwhile on the day of class, stay for some traditional Norwegian porridge. Every Saturday they serve porridge at 2 o’clock.)
Skolegjengen performs at the Christmas Bazaar, Christmas service, and 17th of May celebrations at the Church. We had the pleasure of hearing them at this year’s 17th of May celebrations and they were a wonderful addition.
For Angelenos, December brings a multitude of opportunities to continue exploring other cultures and celebrations while staying close to home. Many of the events are part of an ongoing series, others are special to the season. I personally am a great fan of CicLAvia and the Swedish Christmas Fair, which unfortunately happen to fall on the same day this year. I’ve also seen I AM ELEVEN with my soon-to-be eleven-year-old son, which I highly recommend. This month I would love to see some of the films at the International Children’s Film Festival and maybe even make it to the Barnsdall Art Sunday when they focus on Scandinavian folk motifs for holiday cards. Continue reading to see what other cultures and celebrations are highlighted this month. What strikes your interest and may be worth an outing?
Fowler on the Town: Tastes of Indonesia
