While frost makes its debut on windshields and dying leaves pile up in this country’s colder climes, golden sunshine beams down like a spotlight on the wide, palm-fringed boulevards of Los Angeles. Oh, you can expect a chill now and then around the harvest moon. And if you happen to hit Hollywood during Halloween, those chills just might run down your spine.
Make time for Mozart while in Los Angeles with tickets to the LA Opera’s presentation of Wagner's “Lohengren” Nov. 20–Dec. 12; or make it a date with the LA Phil, whose stellar season began Oct. 7 at Walt Disney Concert Hall.
Take advantage of a cool fall day to enjoy one of LA’s many outdoor flea markets and farmers markets. The latest to hit town is the Los Angeles Flea Market, a huge affair held at Dodger Stadium on the last Sunday of each month, featuring more than 500 vendors and a phalanx of hot and hip gourmet food trucks. If your Sundays don’t sync, try the Melrose Trading Post at Melrose and Fairfax avenues — a smaller, more manageable layout in a fun neighborhood near West Hollywood — happening every Sunday, rain or shine.
Be a part of Hollywood history as the American Film Institute ventures into its 24th annual film fest with director David Lynch at the helm. It marks the first time the film festival has put itself into the hands of a guest artistic director, and events will include a sidebar of films that have influenced the director’s work over the years. The festival runs Nov. 4–11 and will screen films at the historic Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, the Egyptian Theatre and the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, as well as the Mann Chinese 6 theaters.
Head to Santa Monica and step on a Starline Tour Bus for a tour of where the stars really live most of the time — at their beach houses in Malibu. See the homes of huge stars like Leonardo DiCaprio, Cher and Bill Murray while enjoying the stunning views from the Pacific Coast Hwy. You'll also pass by the gorgeous Getty Villa and make a stop in star-studded Malibu Beach. Starline provides the ride, the blankets and the stories by guides in the know.
Step back in time to a period of old-school Hollywood glamour and opulence at the Warner Grand Theatre in San Pedro, which first opened in 1931. The venue will celebrate its 80th birthday in January, Don't miss the gorgeous theater's fall and winter lineup of foreign and classic films and documentaries.
Sip and savor the vintages and views in Malibu’s rolling wine country at Malibu Family Wines, owned by the Semler and DeJoria families (yes, the king of hair care loves a good grape) deep in the Santa Monica Mountains. LA’s own secret Napa can be found on Mulholland Highway just 25 miles north of Santa Monica. A stop at the outdoor tasting bar brings the heady aroma of the local terroir in flights of chardonnays, merlots, syrahs and cabernets. Enjoy the wine and the time and keep the Malibu Family Wine glasses as a souvenir.
Take a drive through Hollywood’s tragic history, discover the amazing architecture of Walt Disney Concert Hall, thrill your inner foodie on an epicurean tour or even embark on an interactive scavenger hunt throughout the city. There's no better way to see the city than with an in-the-know guide, and LA has a variety of unique tours to suit every taste.
Lark Ellen Gould is a longtime resident of Los Angeles who writes regularly and often about the city for a number of magazines and websites. She has authored two books on LA for Globe Pequot Insiders' Guides.
