#225: The Skirball Cultural Center

Driving to work, I'd always hear the Skirball Center mentioned on the radio. I had no idea what it was, but the name sounds like Skeeter Ball, which made me think of arcades. Turns out, the only thing that Skeeter Ball and the Skirball have in common is that they're both fun for kids.

The Skirball Center is a museum and performance venue in one. It hosts music, comedy, film, talks and theater performances and also features exhibits and a cafe. Last weekend some of the museums in L.A. were having free admission, including the Skirball, so Brad and I checked it out.

Pearls of Wisdom: End the Violence

The Skirball's core exhibit is called Visions and Values: Jewish Life from Antiquity to America. It traces Judaism's roots all the way to life in America. The current rotating exhibit is called Women Hold Up Half the Sky which encourages visitors to take action on behalf of mistreated women and girls around the world.

Mosaic floor from an old temple

One thing that we didn't get to see which I was disappointed about was Noah's Ark, an interactive playground for kids. It was sold out when we got there. To avoid this, you can buy tickets online in advance.

Noah's Ark
pic from Familyigloo

A replica of the largest Jewish temple in Germany

Women Hold Up the Sky exhibit

Places to write notes to women in peril around the world

We enjoyed our tour of the Skirball, and I would definitely recommend it for families--It seemed that most people there had babies or kids in tow. The grounds are fairly large, and it is nice to walk around the buildings and admire the architecture. General Admission is $10 for adults, $7 for seniors and full time students, $5 for children 2 to 12, and free for children under 2.  Exhibits are free to the public on Thursdays.

Have you been to the Skirball Cultural Center? What did you think of it? Leave me a comment below!

Skirball Cultural Center

 Subscribe to 365 LA

 Follow 365 LA on Facebook!

#224: Tide Pool Adventures

It's not often when the lowest tide of the month occurs on a weekend afternoon, but this weekend we're in luck. The low tide this Saturday and Sunday is -1.4 ft and occurs at 2:30 and 3 pm. Perfect!

Check out this handy tide chart for more details.

Point Dume in Malibu (#46) is a beautiful place to explore tide pools. These pictures are from our trip to Point Dume in November when the tide was at -1.4 ft. We saw starfish, limpets, anemones and hermit crabs galore.

At low tide we could see the exposed sea grass. Beautiful!

Other tide pool spots to check out:

Free Tide Pool Walks given by the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro (this Saturday and Sunday)

Tide Pools at Crystal Cove near Laguna Beach


Where are your favorite tide pools? Leave me a comment below!

#223: Vanalden Cave

Even though we were alone in Tarzana's Vanalden Cave, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being watched. Of course, it didn't help that there were dozens of googly eyed faces peering out at us from the cave's sandstone walls:

Judging from the broken bottles and the ashes of a fireplace, this cave seems like a popular spot for a late night gathering. In the daytime, however, we were the only visitors. The walls of the cave are soft sandstone, so people have carved faces and messages all over the inside.

The hike to the cave is short--it takes roughly 30 minutes round trip. There are other trails to take if you want to extend your hike.  The trailhead to Vanalden Cave is located at the southern dead end of Vanalden Ave, near the intersection of Gleneagles Drive and Vanalden Ave. Street parking is plentiful and the trail is not crowded at all (we only saw one other group). 

The trail climbs steadily in the beginning. When we went this past weekend, there was a lot of pollen from these plants blowing around:

Not long into the hike we encountered a fork in the trail:



Take the left fork to see the cave. We encountered a group of people here who told us that the right fork leads to Mulholland Drive.

When you see this tree, follow the trail as it curves to the right. The cave is not far!

Here's the entrance to the cave. To get to the cave, there is a semi-steep descent from the trail. Also, notice how the top of the cave is flat. You can actually follow the trail on the right of the cave to walk around the top of the cave to peer down the holes. 

Here's the view from the top of the cave:

Watch where you step--it's a long way down through one of those holes!

 Views from inside the cave:

 Little plants living high in the cave walls:

Have you been to Vanalden Cave? What did you think of it? Leave me a comment below!

Vanalden Cave

 Subscribe to 365 LA

 Follow 365 LA on Facebook

#222: The Muzeo Museum

What do you get when you mix science fiction and fantasy in a Victorian setting? One word: Steampunk.  The Muzeo Museum in Anaheim is currently featuring a Steampunk exhibit. On display are artist models of futuristic technology as Victorians might have envisioned them back in the day.  

Ray guns

Bird mask

Ray guns, crazy corset costumes and mad scientist walking canes fill the rooms of this imaginative exhibit. Looking at all the crazy inventions, I couldn't help but be reminded of the prop store jAdis (#220).  

Walking canes

The exhibit also includes props and replicas from various science fiction films. Fans of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea will be delighted by a replica of The Nautilus and a full size Time Machine from the 1960 film.

General admission is a steep $13 for adults, but we got a Groupon 2-for-1 deal. Admission includes entry into both the Steampunk and the Victorian Art wings.  

Speaking of the Victorian Art wing, if you like walking canes and pipes, you are in luck. I've never seen such a large collection of the two. There are canes that turn into guns, canes that hide swords inside them, canes that act as compasses... It was fascinating, even for someone like me who is not so nuts for Victorian Art. 

While we were there, they were hosting some sort of festival where they were giving out free cocoa and popcorn. These people were having a jolly time dancing in the square:

Our friends Ron and Fran came with us to this event. Read Fran's post on the event here.  

Have you been to The Muzeo Museum? What did you think of it? Leave me a comment below!

MUZEO Museum

Outdoor Ice Skating in L.A.

photo of the Hotel Del Coronado rink by latimes

Ice skating in a t-shirt with the sun beating down... Yet another thing that Angelenos can brag about to their East Coast friends.

You don't have to go far to find an outdoor ice skating rink near you. Here are some of the best:

photo from laist

ICE at Santa Monica 

Go ice skating just steps from the beach! Admission includes unlimited time in the rink, and on Fridays and Saturdays you can skate until midnight. While you're there, take a stroll down the Promenade. $12 admission, including skate rental. 

photo from blogdowntown

Pershing Square: Downtown On Ice

Skate until 10 pm in this downtown winter wonderland. The square is right across the street from the Biltmore Hotel, so be sure to check out this historic hotel while you're there! $6 for an hour session, with $2 skate rental.

W Hotel Chill Ice Rink

Enjoy a 1600 square foot ice skating rink with cabanas, bar, and cocktails. Snow falls every hour, and between 11 AM and 1 PM there's a children's cookie decorating station. $10 for one hour of skating, including skate rental.

Irvine Spectrum Center: Holiday on Ice

Skate in this outdoor shopping center, with a ferris wheel as your backdrop. $12-14 for a 75 minute session, with $2 skate rental. Helmets are complimentary.

Woodland Hills Ice

This is the only outdoor skating rink in the San Fernando Valley. $12-15 for unlimited skating, including skate rentals. On Fridays and Saturdays, skate till midnight!

#221: California Heritage Museum

"No waves today. Guess I'm not surfing," sighed Brad.  I couldn't stand the sad look in his eyes any longer, so I suggested we drive out to Santa Monica to check out the Shortboard Revolution exhibit at the California Heritage Museum.

If you've ever been to Santa Monica's Farmers Market on Main Street (#91), you've probably sat on the Heritage Museum's front lawn to scarf down your market munchies. The house-turned-museum was built in 1894 for Roy Jones, the son of Senator John Percival Jones who founded the city of Santa Monica. In 1979 the Roy Jones House was named a City Landmark. Now the museum is dedicated to presenting displays of American art and promoting the passion of collecting.

I really enjoyed seeing the vintage surfboards on display and reading about how they evolved over time. It was a small exhibit though--not as big as the Shortboard exhibit at The California Surf Museum (#199). I also love the location of the museum--right on bustling Main Street. While there, we also checked out jAdis (#220) and ate a wonderful brunch at Amelia's.

 I do have a few gripes about the museum. The first is the admission cost. $8 per person feels a bit too steep for such a small museum; we were in and out in about 20 minutes. I also felt stalked by the docent there. I noticed there were no security cameras in the rooms, so a docent followed us into each room, keeping an eye on us. We were the only ones in the museum, so it was really obvious that we were being watched the entire time. Lastly, I was a little disappointed by the Aloha Spirit: Hawaii's Influence on California Lifestyle exhibit. It was basically a living and dining room decorated in a Hawaiian style with tiki mugs and Hawaiian dinner ware. I was hoping for more reading material or signs explaining the significance of things in the room, but there wasn't much.

Overall, though, I think this museum is a worthy stop if you're in the Santa Monica area, especially if you're a surfer or enjoy vintage surfboards.

Have you been to the California Heritage Museum? What did you think of it? Leave me a comment below!

The California Heritage Museum

#220: jAdis

Entry fee $100. 99% Off with Cash, reads the sign on the door. Good thing I had cash on me! Next to that sign read another one that said "Knock First." Brad and I followed the directions, and a man greeted us at the door. Welcoming us in, he exclaimed that since we knocked, we got half off our entry price. We happily paid the dollar admission and were instantly transported into an inventor's wonderland.

If the interior of jAdis on Santa Monica's Main Street seems familiar, you've likely seen its props in many movies (eg. Superman, Wonder Woman, Wild West, The Prestige, The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus).  From the genuine Tesla generator sitting near the entryway to the large model rocket ship with a man moving inside, everything in jAdis brought out the wide eyed kid in me. If you're so inclined, you can even buy some of the items to take home.

jAdis is hard to define. It's part prop rental business, part museum, part curiosity shop. The owner of jAdis, Parke Meek, passed away in January 2010. His life story is one of the most unique and inspirational I have heard. Parke Meek left school with a 6th grade education, but his vision was way beyond anything that school could teach. He was always curious about how things worked, and by observing the world, he made mental connections that most people are blind to. Even at a young age, he was already thinking like an inventor. Meek wasn't afraid to speak his mind, yet he never made an enemy in his life. He became great friends with Charles and Ray Eames and worked at their firm for 25 years. He also befriended Frank Lloyd Wright, Howard Hughes, and other prominent figures of the time. 

To learn more about Parke Meek and see his collection for yourself, be sure to drop by jAdis on Friday-Sunday from noon to 5 pm.   Bring a dollar, and don't forget to knock ;)

jAdis 

L.A. King's Giveaway Winner

Congratulations to April A. for winning the Barry's Ticket's L.A. Kings Giveaway! April, an email has been sent to you with your tickets.  Thank you to everyone who entered. Stay tuned for more giveaways in the future :)

L.A. Kings Giveaway!

photo from wallpaperpimper

Woohoo! Time for another giveaway! Barry's Tickets is generously giving away a set of 2 tickets to the L.A. Kings hockey game this Tuesday, November 8 at the Staples Center! These are great seats too--I looked them up and they're selling for about $100 for the pair. Act fast because the winner will be chosen in less than 48 hours. 

Barry's Tickets is one of L.A.'s best resources, with tickets to sports, concert, theater and exclusive events around the city. With no service fees, 24 hour customer service, and a 200% guarantee, you'll be hard pressed to find a better ticket distributor. The Lakers, Katy Perry and Disney on Ice are just a few of the events that look awesome coming up. Check out their site--you'll be impressed!

*This giveaway is closed*

#219: The Schindler House (aka Kings Road House)

Tall people better be prepared to duck because this house is made for shorties! The Schindler House is a must-see for fans of modern architecture. The house is tucked away on a quiet residential Kings Road in West Hollywood. Walking past it, you'd never guess that it houses the MAK Center for Art and Architecture.  

The house was designed by Rudolph Michael Schindler, who was friends with other architecture heavy weights such as Richard Neutra and Frank Lloyd Wright.  After overseeing the construction of Wright's Hollyhock House (#64), Schindler set out to build the Kings Road House, which became one of Schindler's most important works. Construction of the house completed in 1922.

There's currently a small exhibit running till January 8th titled Sympathetic Seeing: Esther McCoy and the Heart of American Modernist Architecture and Design.  It focuses on the architectural historian Esther McCoy through photographs, drawings, texts, videos and audio interviews.  Admission is $7.

Finally, a word of caution. The bathrooms in the house are for you to use, but beware! The toilet refused to flush, and as Brad fiddled with it, one of the tubes came loose and started whipping around, soaking our clothes and getting us both in the face a couple of times. It was like a scene from Three Stooges. Nyuk nyuk nyuk. Pretty embarrassing, especially when I had to inform the front desk about it, utterly drenched. :P

 Short doors for short people

The driveway

Have you been to the Schindler House? What did you think of it? Leave me a comment below!

The Schindler House

 Subscribe to 365 LA

 Follow 365 LA on Facebook!