UnHipLA » Weekend Escapes

Free Malibu Public Beach Safaris!

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 02:23:46 +0000

The Los Angeles Urban Rangers are at it again, offering its free safaris of the secret (but public) Malibu Beaches. If you hit my beaches tab, you’ll see how much fun I had going on this a few years ago. They showed me that the beach could be all mine, mine, mine. Here are the details from its mailing list:

The Los Angeles Urban Rangers announce:

MALIBU PUBLIC BEACHES SAFARIS–SUMMER 2009

Tired of Zuma and Surfrider? Want to find and use the other beaches in Malibu–The twenty miles that are lined with private development? These safaris show you how to find, park, walk, picnic, and sunbathe on a Malibu beach legally and safely. Each safari visits two different beaches. Skills-enhancing activities include sign watching, trailblazing the public-private boundary, a no-kill hunt for accessways, and a public easement potluck.

We are offering three safaris in east Malibu:

SUN Aug 2, 11:00am-2:30pm
SUN Aug 16, 9:00am-12:30pm
SAT Aug 22, 3:00pm-6:30pm

Safaris are free. Spaces are limited. To sign up, e-mail info@laurbanrangers.org w/name, # of people, and preferred date.

A downloadable "Malibu Public Beaches" guide is available at http://www.laurbanrangers.org/.

Hope to see you at the beach!
Los Angeles Urban Rangers
www.laurbanrangers.org

Spa Week is back

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 08:31:42 +0000

$50 spa treatments during Spa Week, April 13 – 19.

To find a spa near you, go to www.spaweek.com.

I suggest making an appointment with a spa that has facilities – sauna, steam, whirlpool, gym, pool – so that you can make a true, getaway day out of this. The Pacific Waters Spa in Huntington Beach and Spa Xanadu in Arcadia are two such spas. I’ve been to both and had a relaxing time. Ask the spa if they’ll order food for you. Though it’s a recession, you can still get your spa on.

Riverside Dickens Festival

Tue, 03 Feb 2009 03:01:32 +0000

The Riverside Dickens Festival is this weekend, February 6-8, 2009. Have tea with Queen Victoria, enjoy a Victorian Era fashion show, performances, and much more.

Disneyland FREE on your Birthday in ‘09

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 06:56:09 +0000

Go here for details from Disneyland.

(Thanks to JL for the tip.)

Spa Week is Back!

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 17:23:40 +0000

$50 spa treatments – Sept. 15 – 21 for the West Coast and Oct. 13 – 19 for the East Coast Midwest. Fun fun fun.

http://www.spaweek.org/

Luggage Quest

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 01:01:12 +0000

All’s been quiet on the blog front lately as I have been getting ready for a trip to India next month. Yep, next month, I’ll be traveling up and down India, having all my Bollywood dreams come true. Right, not quite, but still I’m sure I’ll have lots of exciting new adventures to share. So, I’ve been on the quest for a 22" duffel bag with wheels. I have looked online and at REI, Target, Mervyns, TJ Maxx, Kohls, Chinatown, and even the Fashion District downtown and have discovered two extremes: either a cheap-ass $13-15 duffel that a child could probably rip apart or $165 extremely rugged, well-made bag. I need something in between. I don’t want anything too nice as I’ll most likely be caught in some monsoons and will get messed up, but at the same time I need something that can withstand some rough terrain. I cannot in good UnHip LA conscience buy something too pricey. Anyone know where to buy some good yet cheap luggage in L.A.? I haven’t really scoured the SGV yet. When I find the place, I’ll let you know. The hunt continues.

Luggage buying tips here.

Coupon for 15% off REI purchase.

Here’s an online, REI-like store with a good selection of luggage www.travelcountry.com that has free shipping (for orders over $50) and no tax outside of Florida.

If the Victorian Era’s your thing…

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 07:24:07 +0000

This sounds interesting and it’s in a little town called Fawnskin near Big Bear. It’s the Fawnskin Victorian Festival on July 5th and 6th. From their website http://www.fawnskinvictorian.com/:

July 5th and 6th, 2008

The Big Bear Valley Renaissance Society, Inc. is delighted to announce our first Victorian Festival on July 5th and 6th, 2008, at our permanent site on the north shore of Big Bear Lake!

Hosted in the lovely little town of Fawnskin, the Victorian Festival is a day in Charles Dickens’ London – a city filled with lively and colorful characters from both literature and history. Come join us for an adventure in this elegant era with hundreds of costumed players in music halls, pubs and dance parties. Explore our winding lanes, finding trinkets and treasures while surrounded by enticing aromas of hearty foods and the joyous sound of music in the air.

Some of the activities will include a Victorian Tea, Tea with the Queen, and readings by Charles Dickens, Edgar Allan Poe, Mark Twain, and other literary artists of the 19th century. We will have demonstrations of the Gatling gun, cannon, and a battle of the Queen’s Royal Army! Entertainment will also be provided on five stages throughout the day. And, for the younger set, we will have the children’s craft & game area.

While not all visitors come in costume, a great many do. The highlight of the event, the Grand Masque Ball under the stars on Saturday night, is a costumed affair, although a non-costumed gallery is available, if you would like to witness the glamorous spectacle.

More info on their site. Fawnskin, sounds like a magical place. Perhaps this could be another staycation of sorts.

Wrightwood Staycation

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 03:09:00 +0000

Try heading up into the San Gabriel mountains and enjoying Wrightwood in the off-season. You’ll see lots of trees and nice town folk; however, it could still be hot up there. Check the weather report. Wrightwood has its charms and surprisingly a lot of free summer programming. It’s about a one hour drive from L.A.

Dodger Tickets $3

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 02:15:06 +0000

Hey, if you’re in need of a really really cheap staycation, I got this from a mailing list I’m on:

"The Travelzoo Newsdesk has found this outstanding offer from
the L.A. Dodgers:

LOS ANGELES–JUNE 30, 2008– The L.A. Dodgers have slashed
ticket prices for games against the Atlanta Braves and
Florida Marlins to $3. Wow!

Tickets for games on July 7-13 are:
– Reserve seats … $3 (Reg. $16)
– Lower Reserve seats … $6 (Reg. $20)
– Infield Reserve seats … $9 (Reg. $28)
– Field seats … $18 (Reg. $50)

To book and for more information, click the link below.
IMPORTANT: You must manually enter "TZOOJULY" in the
Promotions and Special Offers field after selecting your
game date from the pull-down menu.
http://www.travelzoo.com/Newsflash.asp?429281 "

Play Ball!

Random Observations

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 06:12:37 +0000

Chicago versus L.A. (Note: I was staying in a suburb of Chicago.)

1. Public restrooms in Chicago do not use paper toilet seat covers that much. I only encountered these two times in my 1.5 week stay. Do Chicagoans not care about germs as much as Angelenos? Do they know something we don’t know?

2. Ice cream/milkshakes/sundaes are heavily advertised out in Chicago. Green tea froyo? The Pinkberry influenza has not hit the Chicago ‘burbs yet.

3. Lush greenness does exist…in the Midwest.

4. Keen brand footwear is very popular in Chi-town. I bought a pair of the clownish trekking shoes myself. They are like having your feet in bumper cars with Tempurpedic cushioning underneath them. They’re seriously arch-wear foot heaven. When I wear them, my feet are constantly being massaged. I did not notice Keens in L.A., but then again, I have not been looking at people’s feet that much either. Are Keens prevalent in L.A.? Anyone know? (Tip – If you have small feet and you’re female, you could buy children’s Keens and save about $50. Figure out your kids’ size by subtracting 2 or 1.5 from your adult size. For example, a woman’s 6 would be around a kid’s 4.)

I’m not saying Chicago is better than L.A.; it’s just refreshingly different.