LA Draws New International Air Service

In recent months, nine carriers have begun or have announced new international service to Los Angeles, and several more announcements are on the horizon. LA INC. projects 15 new or increased international routes between December 2007 and summer 2009; servicing both Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and LA/Ontario International Airport (ONT). Among the new airlines that have chosen Los Angeles as their West Coast gateway, EVA Air has established three direct service routes to Osaka, and Air France is now offering seven round-trips per week to London. In June, Alitalia will offer five round-trips per week to Rome and Korean Air will launch new, nonstop service from Los Angeles to São Paulo, Brazil. On Sept. 1, 2008, Emirates Airline will begin daily nonstop service between LAX and Dubai. And in December, V Australia will launch non-stop service between Australia and Los Angeles; under a newly signed open-skies agreement. The dramatic increase in frequencies at LAX and ONT is due in large part to the rise in passenger demand. There was a six percent increase in overseas arrivals at both airports in 2007, and in 2008, the volume is anticipated to grow by another four to six percent.
www.lawa.org

LA Dodgers Celebrate 50 Years in LA

The Dodgers kicked off their 50th year anniversary in LA with an exhibition game against the Boston Red Sox on March 29 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (where the team first played from 1958 - 1961 after moving from Brooklyn, New York). The record attendance of 115,300 was more than at any baseball game in the history of the sport. The Dodgers continued to celebrate on March 30 at Dodger Stadium, where they beat the Red Sox in an exhibition shut-out by new Dodger pitcher Hiroki Kuroda of Japan; a 32-year-old, right-hander who brings toughness to the team. And new Dodger manager, Hall of Fame great Joe Torre, led the team to an Opening Day victory on March 31 against the San Francisco Giants. Throughout 2008, the Dodgers will be celebrating their 50th anniversary. Beginning this month, the Dodgers organization will celebrate each decade of the team's history - one decade for each month - from the 1950s to the 1990s. Since coming to LA, the City's beloved baseball team has won five championships. Test your Dodger knowledge by taking the "Dodgers Quiz," now available on the LA INC. Web site, www.discoverLosAngeles.com.
www.dodgers.com

2008 Los Angeles Film Festival

The best of American and international cinema will be celebrated during the 2008 Los Angeles Film Festival in Westwood (June 19 - 29). Hundreds of screenings and special events will take place in venues throughout the area, including the Billy Wilder Theater at the Hammer Museum, the Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater at the Geffen Playhouse, the Mann Festival Theatre and the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre. Festivities include opening and closing night galas, more than 200 feature films, shorts, and music videos, as well as Coffee Talks, Poolside Chats, and other special star-studded events. The Los Angeles Film Festival is presented by the Los Angeles Times and is produced by Film Independent, a non-profit membership organization that champions independent film. General admission for attending screenings is $12. Tickets can be purchased online beginning May 21.
www.lafilmfest.com

Amtrak Prepares for the Summer

The Coast Starlight, one of Amtrak's most popular trains, will return to service this summer. Once again, the train will roll through some of the West Coast's most breathtaking scenery; connecting major cities from Los Angeles to Seattle. Throughout the 1,389-mile, 36-hour route, passengers will enjoy stunning vistas -- many of which can only be seen by rail -- including breathtaking Pacific Ocean shorelines, dense Northern forests and the spectacular peaks of the Cascade mountains. The Coast Starlight is one of the most recent Amtrak long-distance trains to be upgraded. Passengers will be treated to a new onboard experience, including modernized and refurbished rail cars, new and improved onboard services and newly enhanced amenities. Operating daily between Los Angeles and Seattle, the Coast Starlight will connect LA with Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Francisco, Portland and Seattle. More than just a convenient way to travel, Amtrak is also energy efficient. Traveling by rail contributes less per passenger mile to greenhouse gas emissions than either cars or airplanes. To raise awareness of the vital role rail plays in our nation's transportation system, Amtrak will be celebrating its first annual National Train Day on May 10 at Union Station; featuring live musical performances, VIP appearances and trip giveaways. In fiscal year 2007, Amtrak ridership increased 3.5 percent and revenue rose 14 percent. Amtrak officials expect 2008 to be even better.
www.amtrak.com

24 Hours in Downtown

Downtown is LA's creative bulls-eye, where world-class architecture, cutting-edge restaurants, avant-guard art and of-the-moment nightlife come together as one. Here's a 24-hour itinerary of how visitors can thrill to Pritzker Prize-winning buildings (the Academy Awards of architecture), fabulous food and sizzling sports and entertainment:

8 - 9 a.m.
Have breakfast at the Daily Grill Downtown, where you'll join trendy locals and visitors enjoying a traditional American menu in a dark-wood-and-tile setting. 612 S. Flower St. www.dailygrill.com

9 a.m. - noon
Take a self-guided walking tour of Downtown's Pritzker Prize-winning architecture. You'll see the Frank Gehry-designed Walt Disney Concert Hall (offering free self-guided audio tours); the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels (the third largest cathedral in the world); the I.M. Pei-designed U.S. Bank Tower (the tallest building west of Chicago); and the Thom Mayne-designed Caltrans District 7 Headquarters (solar panels deliver five percent of the building's energy needs). www.discoverlosangeles.com

Noon - 2 p.m.
Have lunch at Warung Café, a stylish urban eatery frequented by young professionals who enjoy the menu of Asian Fusion cuisine and the décor of original art. Speaking of art, this café is in the Downtown Arts district, which hosts a very popular Downtown Art Walk the second Thursday of every month. 118 W. 4th St. www.warungcafela.com

2 - 2:20 p.m.
Take the F DASH bus from Figueroa Street to Exposition Park. www.ladottransit.com

2:20 - 5:40 p.m.
Visit Exposition Park and explore the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, where you'll see CSI experts in the Dinosaur Institute at work on a teenage T-Rex skeleton to solve the mystery of its life and premature death. www.nhm.org

Walk a few steps to the California Science Center and discover the mysteries under your own skin at Body Worlds 3, with more than 200 authentic human specimens. www.californiasciencecenter.org

Next door, view the permanent and rotating art exhibits at the California African-American Museum. www.caamuseum.org

Then, relax and smell the roses - thousands of them - in the Exposition Park Rose Garden. The gorgeous blooms, arbors, trellises and shady benches have brightened the park since 1928. You might even see a wedding or a movie being made - it's a popular film location. www.nhm.org

5:40 - 6 p.m.
If you're visiting on a Saturday during college football season, stay in Exposition Park for a USC Trojans game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (home to the 1932 and 1984 Summer Olympics). Or take the F DASH bus from Exposition Park to 7th Street/Metro Center Station. www.ladottransit.com

6 - 8 p.m.
Enjoy dinner at one of Downtown's many great restaurants. At Cardini Ristorante in the Wilshire Grand Hotel, you'll find the classic Italian menu is boldly delicious under the new chef, Antonio Chavez, and the setting is uptown sleek. 930 Wilshire Blvd. www.wilshiregrand.com

8 - 11 p.m.
Choose your favorite entertainment, it's all Downtown. See the LA Phil perform at the Walt Disney Concert Hall; attend a concert at the NOKIA Theatre; catch a baseball game at Dodgers Stadium; or watch the LA Lakers, LA Clippers, LA Kings (NHL), LA Sparks (WNBA) or LA Avengers (AFL) play at STAPLES Center.

11 p.m. - 4 a.m.
Hit the late-night hot spots. The first locale on the evening crawl is Elevate Lounge, a stylish space where the distinction between inside and outside is blissfully blurry. Be sure to take in the views from a 21st floor balcony. If you look northeast, you'll see The Standard Downtown - your next destination. At The Standard Downtown Rooftop Bar, you'll discover an intimate space with vibrating waterbed pods (think ultramodern plastic cabana), red Astroturf, some of LA's top DJs, a dance floor, spectacular high-rise city views -- and oh yeah, a swimming pool. If you're ready for a more low key experience, duck into Library Bar across the street for a setting that's playfully erudite. End the soiree at The Edison. Formerly a private power plant, the one-of-a-kind underground lounge has retained much of the building's industrial aesthetic.

4 - 8 a.m.
Treat yourself to a late night snack or early breakfast at The Original Pantry Café, a Downtown fixture since 1924 (open 24 hours). Or get some shut-eye in one of Downtown's many fine hotels, including the Millennium Biltmore, the Wilshire Grand, the Hilton Checkers, the Kyoto Grand, the Westin Bonaventure, the Los Angeles Marriott Downtown, Hotel Figueroa, Omni Hotel LA, The Standard Downtown, the Sheraton Downtown or the O Hotel.

8 a.m.
Do it all again -- but this time in one of LA's other eclectic regions.