Fun outings for moms, dads and other grown-ups – without the kids.
Date With L.A.
A Weekend Date in Carmel
On the second Friday of the school year, my husband and I hit the road for a 330-mile road trip to Carmel-by-the-Sea, that jewel of California that sits on the Monterey Peninsula. It’s always hard leaving your kid, but we had equipped my mother-in-law with detailed instructions on afternoon pickup and our complicated TV remote […]
Playa Vista: A Date in the Neighborhood
The excitement leading up to my pre-planned solo date was pretty intense. Then again, it always is. I try to balance the demands of life with little local get-aways that allow me solitude and self-care. Usually, I go for lunch and a movie or visit a bookstore and a cafe. This time, I decided I’d […]
Spin Wax with DJ Blackarach
Even if it’s been eons since you were in the classroom, consider becoming a student of something new now that you’ve got the kids settled back into their school rhythm. For this year’s creative parenthood idea, we recommend you “be a DJ for a day” under the master-spinning tutelage of Burt Blackarach, a Grammy-winning engineer […]
A Late Night in Alhambra
Alhambra and Monterey Park are both famous with foodies for having some of the best Asian eateries not only in Southern California, but in all of North America. Dispatches on these venues are part of what made Jonathan Gold the first food writer to ever win the Pulitzer Prize. My wife and I live in […]
Go Downtown and Take to the Skies
It started in modern-L.A. fashion. I was on time for 6 a.m. sunrise yoga at OUE Skyspace LA, having made the drive to downtown Los Angeles from Altadena in traffic-free time, parked in the convenient garage (Westlawn Parking Garage) on Flower Street next to Central Library and climbed one flight of the lovely Bunker Hill […]
Smorgasburg LA: Opening Up Taste Buds and Business Opportunities
In 2009, my husband and I left our beloved West Adams neighborhood in L.A. and moved to the ’burbs so that I could be closer to a new job in Cerritos. I salivated over my 15-minute commute but desperately missed being in the “center of it all,” particularly the vibrant literary, artistic and culinary communities […]
Ladies’ Day Out at Third & Fairfax
One of my favorite lunch spots is The Original Farmers Market, which is celebrating its 85th anniversary this year. No matter what food I’m craving, I usually find it there. With more than 100 grocers, retailers and restaurants, and year-round activities, it’s also where I like to bring out-of-town guests. My visiting friend Kim Orlando […]
A Day of Relaxation and Rejuvenation in Westlake Village
We moms know to-do lists well. Keep going, keep doing. Take care of everyone and every project – that’s the mom life. But recently, I’ve been granting myself permission to embrace a different mindset: Treat yourself; no guilt allowed. Trust me: Your mind, body and especially your family will thank you for it. For my […]
Dodger Season! It’s Time for … a Date in Echo Park
Sometimes, as parents, we have to squeeze a quick date in after school drop-off. Such was my treat on a recent Wednesday after I dropped my son off at his school near Dodger Stadium. I used to work for the Dodgers, and one of my favorite ways to take a break from Blue Heaven was […]
Good Food, Culture and Pampering on the Hill
Growing up with a mom who is a great home-cook-turned-chef, I learned not to be surprised when a restaurant’s food doesn’t stack up to Mom’s cooking. Still, even with our discerning palates, my little sister Bobbie and I were excited to visit the bustling intersection of Overhill Drive and Slauson Avenue for our Date with […]
Historic and Hip, Pasadena is a Romantic Treasure
By Mimi Slawoff To celebrate our anniversary, my husband Bruce and I headed for the storybook town that sits at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains: Pasadena. Rich with greenery, architectural charm, art and all manner of restaurants, Pasadena is a great place to spend a day with your valentine. Explore the Pasadena Playhouse […]
Burbank: Studios, Nature, Old Charm
Growing up in Burbank, I saw it evolve from a one-theater town (the Cornell Theatre, demolished in 1980) and the quaint downtown pedestrian Golden Mall to a sophisticated city with mega movie theaters, shopping centers and plenty of dining options. Yet, with pockets of historic restaurants and quirky boutiques, my hometown retains a charming small-town […]
Date Night in Little Tokyo
Little Tokyo is the second oldest neighborhood in L.A., and is an incredible intersection of civic, cultural and culinary history. With almost 40 restaurants between First and Third streets and Alameda and Los Angeles streets, there are only a few other districts in the city with as many eateries. Though my wife and I have […]
Date with L.A.: Parisian Sensibilities in the San Fernando Valley
When I lived in Paris, one of my favorite pastimes was being an urban flâneur – a stroller, lingerer, saunterer, if you will. With no hard-set agenda, I would walk around and see where the day took me. For this month’s Date With L.A., I decided to slip back into my flâneur shoes in the […]
Malibu Wine Safari Offers Grown-up Mother-Daughter Fun
When my three children were growing up, we visited kid-friendly L.A. attractions ranging from A-Z. The kids are grown now, but we still enjoy spending time together and chatting about life, sometimes even over a glass of wine. So, for this “Date with L.A.,” my daughter Christina took me on a mother- daughter trek to […]
Retro Row Helps New Yorker Adapt to Long Beach
Years ago, when my partner, an East L.A. native who is now my husband, coaxed me across the country, I was not sure how well this New Yorker would adapt. Luckily, moving to the very walkable “Retro Row” neighborhood in Long Beach turned out to be a dream come true. Shortly after our son’s birth, […]
Leimert Park: An Artistic Getaway
Since my move to L.A. five years ago, I’ve heard countless stories about Leimert Park serving as a popular center for African American arts and entertainment. My previous Leimert experiences centered around stops to my favorite bookstore, Eso Won Books (4327 Degnan Blvd.), a necessity for book lovers and writers like myself, and grabbing delicious […]
Atwater Village: Hip and Down-to-Earth
When L.A. Parent invited me to write this inaugural “Date with L.A.” column – a monthly feature that will encourage parents to enjoy a day or night in L.A. – without the kids – I yelped with joy. L.A. is my hometown; it’s where my family is centered, the place that holds my memories. I […]
Date Night: The Pan Am Experience
Does anyone ever deliberately set out to eat airplane food? If that food is part of Air Hollywood’s Pan Am Experience, you definitely should! Avoid the crowds at LAX, leave your luggage at home and head instead to a cluster of warehouses off the 118 Freeway in San Fernando to board a Pan Am 747 […]
International Plates for Picky Palates
My child, once a baby who gummed anything I put in front of him, has become a quintessential picky toddler. Every suggestion is met with a cheerful, but firm, “No,” and I’ve watched his culinary world narrow into a rotating Lazy Susan of hot dogs, chicken fingers and fish sticks. This is something I swore […]