What to Love in L.A. Today

Free Design: If you want to get a closer look at the fantastical costumes of Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland (2010), head to the museum and galleries of the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising for its design exhibition on the movie. Featured alongside Colleen Atwood’s original costumes for the film are Alice-inspired clothing and products designed by celebrities, designers, and fashion icons, like Sue Wong, Tom Binns, and Avril Lavigne. Also currently showing at FIDM are “The Art of Television Costume Design,” featuring the work of 2010 Emmy-nominated designers, and “High Style: Perfume and the Haute Couture.”

FIDM Museum & Galleries, 919 S. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles; Tuesday–Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm, exhibition through September 30th; free.

Independent L.A.

It is a well-known fact by now that shopping at chain stores is an entirely different experience than shopping at independent stores. The main difference? Indie stores have character. And how much and what kind usually depends on the store’s neighborhood. For example, an indie bookstore in Los Feliz can feel entirely different than an indie bookstore in Malibu, unlike a Barnes & Noble, which pretty much looks and feels the same wherever you go.

This isn’t to say that I don’t like chain stores. I do. In fact, I love Ann Taylor LOFT (but we won’t talk about how many paychecks I’ve spent there) and the aforementioned B&N. But indie stores are about creating a community, whatever kind of community that is, be it people who like books, food, art, design, etc. As part of the generation that prefers to customize everything to our own tastes, I like it when stores display individuality. It makes the entire experience more personal.

That’s why I’ll be introducing a biweekly feature called “Independent L.A.,” which will showcase great independent stores in L.A., one at a time. My very general criteria? That the store has as few locations as possible and be based in California. I may deviate a time or two, though, to highlight a great store that straddles the line between being an indie store and a full-blown chain. I’d rather be more general than less, since the indie spirit can show up in many places, sometimes unexpectedly. If there’s a great indie store around where you live, leave a comment and let me know why you think it’s so great.

What to Love in L.A. Today

Cheap Comedy: Head to Upright Citizens Brigade tonight to see the improv of the Smokes, who perform weekly at UCB. Only $5 gets you an hour of comedy from several funny people (go here to see the list), including Katie Dippold (writer for Parks and Recreation) and Mr. Sassy Gay Friend himself, Brian Gallivan. If “What are you doing? What, what, what are you doing?” means nothing to you, please head to YouTube and fix this unfortunate situation.

Upright Citizens Brigade, 5919 Franklin Avenue, Hollywood, 7 pm, $5.

What to Love in L.A. Today

Free Festivals: Created in 1951 as a week-long celebration of California’s early settlers, Fiesta La Ballona has morphed into a three-day event that celebrates the community of Culver City. The festival features live music, carnival rides and games ($1 a ride), a community stage featuring local performers, lots of food vendors, a beer and wine garden, a petting zoo, and pony rides. Admission to the festival is free, as is parking. Free entertainment in the heart of Culver City? Yes, please!


Fiesta La Ballona; Veteran’s Park at the intersection of Culver Blvd. and Overland Ave., Culver City; August 27–29, Friday: 4:30 pm to 10 pm, Saturday: 8:30 am to 10 pm, Sunday: 8:30 am to 9 pm; free.

It’s Peter Pan’s Fault, Actually

My roommate recently told me about an article in the New York Times called “What Is It About 20-Somethings?” The article is long and covers a lot of different things, but the main gist is that our twenties may be another developmental stage, like adolescence, though less hormonal (for some, anyway). This might be the explanation, at least according to Clark University psychology professor Jeffrey Jensen Arnett, of why twentysomethings nowadays are taking longer to grow up.

Of course, not every twentysomething is single and living with his/her parents. My 26-year-old best friend, for example, is married, has a decent-paying job, and is currently paying a mortgage on the house she and her husband bought. This inconsistency is a major problem for defining the twenties as a developmental stage (because everybody has to experience it in order for it to be classified as such). (It would have been nice if adolescence had been an optional stage. Just saying.)

Personally, I’ve felt pretty lame at times that I’m approaching my late twenties and I’m not “all set up” (and it’s not for lack of trying). I’ve definitely felt the (self-imposed?) pressure of what Arnett refers to as “the age 30 deadline.” But even if Arnett’s findings don't technically classify the twenties as a developmental stage, it’s nice to see that there are other twentysomethings out there grappling with what it means to be an adult.

What to Love in L.A. Today

Free Amusement: Celebrate the last days of summer at Pacific Park, located on the Santa Monica Pier. L.A.’s only admission-free amusement park, there are plenty of rides (including the famous Ferris wheel), games, and food stands, not to mention stunning views of the Pacific Ocean. If you want to make this day even easier on your wallet, the park is a great spot to people watch and bask in the sun.

Pacific Ocean Park; 380 Santa Monica Pier; Sun–Thurs, 11 am to 11 pm, and Fri-Sat, 11 am to 12:30 am (hours until 9/7/10); free.

What to Love in L.A. Today

Free Art: Escape the August heat by heading to the coast today to check out the Santa Monica Museum of Art. Part of the Bergamot Station arts complex, the Santa Monica Museum of Art is a non-collecting museum that features a variety of rotating exhibitions and programs. There is a suggested donation ($5 general admission, $3 for artists, students, and seniors), but technically you can enter for free. Having written that, if you enjoy what you see at the museum, I’m sure any donation you could spare would be greatly appreciated. Oh yeah, and there’s free parking.

Santa Monica Museum of Art, 2525 Michigan Avenue, Tuesday–Saturday, 11 am to 6 pm, free.