Surviving Summer
By Jonathon Freeman-Anderson

Summer in Southern California, especially the valley, like the weather, should have variety. From beginning to end, regardless of anywhere else in the world, the great people of Southern California, Los Angeles County, and especially the surrounding suburban valleys of San Fernando, Conejo, and Simi will always maintain a busy assortment of events, activities, and interesting locations to experience during the summer. Whether a local or a tourist, the summer in Los Angeles is beautiful and with minimal effort or cost and can be experienced festively throughout the season. Most activities can happen with or without the family, intending for the most fun and relaxation out of every experience. One may have lived in the area for years without knowing how many interesting and different things there are to do within such a close proximity including sightseeing, local and well-known artistic performances, and indoor and outdoor sporting events. Check out the beach, go to a classic car show, or learn a new hobby like gardening or kayaking. Maybe plan a scavenger hunt just to have some fun quality family time and get the kids out of the house. The summer is here and Los Angeles itself is ripe with adventurous and comfortably exciting places to visit and unique, and entertaining activities to try.

Keeping one's mindset on complete relaxation and peaceful meditation may seem to require extreme changes of location, such as flying to somewhere exotic like China, Japan, or Spain. However, L.A. is amazingly so versatile that everything anyone wants for comfort and peace in far off destinations are available surprisingly close. The unique culture of Chinatown featured in the spectacular Roman Polanski film starring Jack Nicholson titled after the area is fascinating. Have tea in China Town www.chinatownla.com, and experience the classic and modern wonders of the Orient right in your own backyard. To get to Chinatown,

Take the 101 Freeway south. Exit at Broadway and turn left. Drive a few blocks north past Cesar Chavez to Chinatown. Parking is generally $3-$8 at one of
the nearby parking lots. On Saturday, June 28, Chinatown will celebrate the 70th anniversary of "New Chinatown." Hundreds are expected to gather in Central Plaza, 951 N. Broadway Street, from 7 to 11 p.m. to enjoy 1940's style big
band music and dancing, cocktails from the era, a video montage of the many movies shot in Chinatown, and a narrated video presentation of historic photos. Other entertainment will feature Chinese acrobats, martial artists, and lion dancers.

If you are seeking virtuous, serene examples of beauty within the sprawling southern California landscape, then check out the numerous Japanese Gardens in, and around Los Angeles. Take a tour of the Japanese Gardens like the UCLA Hannah Carter Japanese Garden or the Japanese Garden in Van Nuys. The UCLA garden is in Bel Air, one mile from UCLA, and a bit of a secret. Reservations must be made at (310) 794-0320 to attend before the address info will be released. The Japanese Gardens in Van Nuys, located at 6100 Woodley Ave., was opened in 1983 and ranked 10th in the nation by the Journal of Japanese Gardens in 1999. Call (818) 756-8166 in advance to confirm that the Gardens are open.

Los Angeles is rich, and abundant in its expression of Latin heritage and culture. Take a walk through the Olvera St. Alvarado open market www.olvera-street.com/. To get there from the Valley, take the 405 freeway South, to the US-101 S toward Los Angeles, take the Broadway exit, turn left onto N Broadway, turn right onto W Cesar E. Chavez Ave., turn right onto N Alameda St., and end at 845 N Alameda St. Olvera Street is the birthplace of the City of Los Angeles, otherwise known as El Pueblo Historic Monument. The colorful village features 27 historic buildings with a traditional Mexican-style plaza area. Wander around the marketplace and shop for souvenirs including handcrafted wares typical of old Mexico. Do not be surprised to find numerous historical and authentic landmarks of many different cultural groups' deep-rooted past and connection to a city built on the hopes and dreams of continued progress, innovative and creative milestones, and incomparable success in consistently achieving the American ideal.

Consider what the mixed salad culture that all of California represents to the rest of the country let alone our infamous local cities. Regardless of how anyone who lives in Southern California feels, the annually steady influx of tourists proves that there is something special about this moderately temperate, celebrity glittered world. In this land of opportunity is a very real idea that anyone can become an overnight success. There is an incredible amount of talent and art, heavily concentrated right here in Southern California. Poets, artists, comics, musicians, writers, and actors abound with talent and are always in need of venues for exposure. Is there enough space to display artists in all their glory somewhere in Los Angeles? Surprisingly, as long as the artist is patient and organized (rare traits amongst some), there is usually a venue or display location available for everyone's work. Every Thursday night for two years, at the Coffee Bean, within the Encino Plaza, on the northwest corner of Woodley and Ventura Blvd., a community of artists has been developing and performing their work at the Soapbox Sessions. The Soapbox is a free open-mic that starts at 8PM and is ran completely off audience donations. Host, Jason Brain, always leaves the audience with the simple, yet sincere Soapbox mantra, "Spread the Word. Spread the Love. Spread the Soap." It is always a fun experience and a warm crowd. Musicians can come out and join in a 10-minute impromptu group jam called the JamBox, which will now also be happening on Saturdays at the same location. On Tuesday nights, check out the long-running Cobalt Café poetry night. Located on Sherman Way, just past Topanga Cyn., on the right, the poetry night features new and old talent alike and has been doing so since 1984. Check it out at poetrysuperhighway.com/cobalt.

Look around Los Angeles and there is always some artist desperate enough to hang under overpasses and spray-paint their "work," but to each their own, and their own idea of what is art. Many are looking for other like-minded artists to share their work, ideas, collaborate, or just enjoy it. This summer, if looking for art locations, Los Angeles has some of the best museums in the world. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art holds more than 150, 000 works spanning the history of art from ancient times to the present, (go to lacma.org). The Museum of Contemporary Art collects, exhibits, and interprets art created since 1940 in all media and preserves it for future generations, (go to moca.org). The J. Paul Getty Museum seeks to further knowledge of the visual arts and to nurture critical seeing by collecting, preserving, exhibiting and interpreting works of art of the highest quality, (go to getty.edu). Another cool museum, located in Santa Clarita Valley, is the historical Wild West-decorated Gene Autry Museum. Exciting and wondrous examples of art and culture canvas the Los Angeles if one is only willing to venture out of their comfort zone.

However, if still a little shy to the outside world and looking to stay at home and entertain guests, consider a barbecue in the backyard and/or coordinate something comfortable and intimate with movies, friends, and cocktails. Many party rental and electronics rental places are very accommodating with specials and setups throughout the summer including great deals on big screens, games, party food, and other accoutrements. Rent some classic movies - i.e.: Casablanca, The Birds, Gone With the Wind, Citizen Kane, etc. and have a throw back party serving cocktails from the era: Harvey Wallbangers, Manhattans, Gin Martinis, and Roy Rogers. All Valley Party Rental, located at Woodley and Devonshire in North Hills has been providing party rental services for over 25 years and has debatably the best customer service - and they deliver. For help, call (818)891-3676. Of course, it is always possible to get anything from furniture, appliances, electronics, and computers at rentacenter.com. If looking for a specific recipe for drinks, go to webtender.com where one can browse an incredible collection of cocktail and drink recipes. Search, browse, and vote on the best drink concoctions. Alternatively, take the beverages and fun to go, in a cooler, and head out for fun at the beach.

Along the miles and miles of Southern California coastline are beautiful sandy beaches that draw thousands every year. Many natives take pride in the Californian coastal culture where stereotypes like the surfer dude prevail. Check out beachcalifornia.com and discover premiere tourist spots like the boardwalk, piers, and world famous surfing locations. The website provides photos and comprehensive travel guides for every beach in California. When the weather is right, the So Cal public beaches are always packed. If planning to head to the beach, get there early because parking spots go fast, and on a busy day, the same goes for good spots on the beach. If without the proper gear to do something on the boardwalk, the beach, or in the ocean, there are always rental places nearby that have a large variety including roller blades, bikes, or boogie boards, surfboards, and metal detectors for treasure hunting. Cruise and travel along the coast of Santa Monica or Venice, check out the shops and have a gelato. It is easy to get to all the best spots including Venice, Zuma, Manhattan Beach, Santa Monica, Santa Barbara, Ventura, and various areas up and down the Pacific Coast Highway. Take Surf Lessons from professionals to become one or just relax, leisurely catching waves as an amateur hobby at one of a few locations including the M&M Surf School in Seal Beach. Founded in '95, a father and son team runs the school with decades of experience on the breaks of So Cal. Gearing lessons towards children and adults to provide a well-rounded experience along with all equipment (wetsuits, boards, experienced instructors) the school is a fixture on the coastal surfing scene. For more info, go to surfingschool.com.

Love getting together with family, friends, and neighbors to learn new hobbies and escapade on adventures around the city? Get everyone together and take a group cooking class. There are contests, sales, and special classes presented throughout Southern California. In Chinatown, at the Grand Star Jazz Club, 943 N. Broadway in Los Angeles, on Sunday June 8, will be a Chinese cooking class presented for kids ($15) and adults ($65). Learn to make many summertime favorites like a Cold Peanut Noodle Salad, Salt and Pepper Shrimp, Szechwan-style Eggplant, Egg and Tofu Fried Rice, and Baby Bok Choy with Black Mushrooms. Jet Tila, chef and Asian culinary expert, leads hands-on instruction. Children can learn to make fresh spring rolls and sweet rice packages. If time permits, they will also learn how to make a kite and see some 70-year-old kites on display in Chinatown's historic Central Plaza. Have a bake sale or donate them to a local homeless shelter. Wine tasting events are classy and fun, but always bring a designated driver. A good idea to get all the neighborhood kids involved is a good old-fashioned scavenger hunt where select homes can participate while different items need to be "found" at every location. Also, Home Depot, Lowes, and local nurseries offer short courses on how to plant and build one's own garden; a very pleasant summer activity. Hang out with friends, makes some pastries, drink some wine, plant a flower, and scavenge down a pair of purple socks from the Andersons. Then again, it is always possible that the neighbors would love to hang out away from the neighborhood. Maybe just to be ironic, go camping with a few other neighbors, and arrange the tents on the campground like the houses look in your neighborhood. Of course, that could be seen by some as sort of a weird cult thing.

Fun and outdoorsy is every scoutmaster's byline on dating websites, but it also happens to be what many prefer their vacations to be like during the summer. There are daily boat rides and camping facilities set up for the different island communities near Los Angeles, including Catalina and the Channel Islands. Take a camping trip there or at any of the many camping locations spread throughout Southern California. If maintaining the goal of water activities, if not the beach, then have some fun taking kayaking lessons in Oxnard, take a two-hour drive north to go river rafting down the Kern River, or have a bunch of friends chip in, rent a small yacht for the weekend, take it out to international waters, and open a floating casino. A natural, breathtaking, and exceptionally easy summer activity would be old chestnut, hiking. Located within easy driving distance in every direction are many nice hiking areas, such as the Santa Monica Mountains, the Los Angeles National Forest, and many other quaint local parks. Take the 405, exit Getty Center Dr., make a left over the freeway, and a left again onto Mulhullond Drive., follow the road for about five miles and keep an eye out for a big, dirt road on the left. This is also known as "Mulhullond Dirt." Make a left and follow the road for as long as you can drive. If the gate is closed, park, and hike about a mile and a half to the N.I.K.E. Missile Radar tower. On a clear day, one can see the most beautiful 360-degree panoramic view of the valley, Burbank, the downtown skyline, and all the way to the ocean. Take an excursion there for sunrise or sunset and it will be a guaranteed experience to cherish.

From conservative fare to more extreme outings, the summer is ideal for an abundance of different athletic activities. From golfing, sailing, and fishing to skydiving, bungee jumping, high ropes and zip-line courses, or just play target practice with your friends on the paintball field, or check out some local, indoor go-kart courses great for the whole family. Rental facilities or second-hand sports stores make outdoor activities inexpensive and convenient. Consider getting a variety of different equipment like trampolines, volleyball equipment, and other fun, but be safe - volleyball on trampolines is not recommended. So-Cal has many golf courses, but not every one is Tiger Woods or rich enough to afford a country club membership, so check out one of the many affordable courses and driving ranges located in and around the Valley. Now that the snow is melting, the mountains are ready to be conquered by the bikers. A few great locations cater from ski resorts with the lifts set up to take bikes up to the top of the mountain instead of ski gear. It is time to get crazy like a Gatorade commercial and sweat different colors like blue, yellow, and orange.

This summer, catch all the different concert events and music festivals happening throughout the area. Playboy's legendary annual jazz festival returns this season. The Hollywood Bowl has a whole season of incredible acts this summer. Other venues with interesting events coming up include the Canyon Club, and Harper's Bar and Grill.

Getting in touch with nature means more than just the trees, but also with the animals and fellow-creatures many us love and all of us cohabitate with on Earth. There are handfuls of parks, especially designated for dogs that are great during the summer months when the weather is decent to get out with friends and play with the animals. The parks have specific hours, water, and fake fire hydrants for the animals to use at their leisure. Many are big enough places where everyone can run around, stretch their legs, and meet fellow pet-lovers. Local equestrian centers, and some beachside resorts, offer the opportunity to learn and ride around the more rural parts of Southern California.

Do you have any plans for Fourth of July? Well be sure to arrange to check out fireworks displays from all over Southern California happening in locations like Porter Ranch, Dodger Stadium, and the Hollywood Bowl.

Many want to become the next big actor or star in Tinsel town, but not everyone has what it takes. If interested in finding out about the life on a set, consider doing non-union extra work for a while and work on different movie, television, and commercial sets. If looking for success in a major Broadway musical, then look no further this summer than the CityWalk at Universal Studios, Hollywood where their holding auditions for some lucky fan to have a walk-on appearance in the Los Angeles production of "Wicked."

Also, check out the fun events happening this summer at the Warner Center, including their long-running concerts in the park music series or sit outside and enjoy a selection of films shown in the Warner Center Park.

All right, at this point, summer should have a plan, budget, and be ready to rock. For any event, please keep safety in mind and the party will not have an excuse to stop. When traveling to any location in Los Angeles whether it be without time constraints at the beach or for an event at a very specific time, figure travel time and Los Angeles's pesky traffic into all plans. Be prepared financially as well, because as all things connected to oil, the cost has gone up. From food to ticket prices and parking rates, everything is more expensive, but that should not deter from having a good quantity of quality fun. If anything, consider commuting around town via bus or subway and really get the feel of this city and the people who live here.