A couple miles north of Sunset Blvd in the Palisades lies Paseo Miramar, a five-mile hike that gives you some of the most gobsmacking views of the Pacific Ocean you’ll ever witness.

But first, you must pay a price.

I’m not going to lie to you: the first two miles of this thing — a steep, winding, seemingly endless incline up the canyon, with each corner promising relief that never comes — are going to kick you in the face.  They are going to kick the faces of your friends, your pets, your distant family members, and your unborn children.  Add a ponytail to them and they’d be Steven Segal in Out For Justice. Your suffering is going to be legendary.

But then, after about 45 minutes, something magical happens: your body accepts its fate. And before you know it, the incline levels out, and you’re slaloming down through green tree-tunnels and past wetlands and up through fields of high, honey-colored grass. Finally, you hit the top and there’s a wooden bench waiting for you. You flop down and drink in the views of the rolling Palisades, the muted sprawl of the city, the toy-sized Santa Monica Ferris Wheel in the distance, and that sheet of blue rippling from the crescent edges of the continent.  It’s all yours.

Masochism: it has its upsides.

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WHAT: Hike in the Palisades
WHEN: Good all year round
WHERE: Trail starts at the top of Paseo Miramar Rd
$$$: Free

Check out this unique idea to reinvent city streets through out LA on Sunday mornings: CicLAvia, a group that has previously done this same project in Colombia, successfully if I may add, wants to close down at least three major streets from East LA to West LA on various Sundays this summer and turn them into urban parks. To even attempt to accomplish this plan, they need your vote here. The idea is that they will block off the streets from car traffic from 10am-1pm, only allowing pedestrians, cyclists, families, skateboarders, and anyone else who you would find at a park to enjoy beautiful Sundays mornings outside and in a safe enclosure. They aim to provide this service in areas where parks are extremely lacking, the population is extremely dense, and is near public transportation to allow all to attend. Whether it works or not, it’s a nice idea and feel free to decide for yourself if it deserves your vote! They are currently ranked 53rd and need to be in the top 10 ideas to win the grant.
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WHAT: CicLAvia’s 7-mile Streets to Parks Project
WHEN: Voting ends March 31st
WHERE: Click here to vote!
$$$: Free

“Don’t do it. You’ll get eaten by coyotes.”  This is usually the response I get when I tell people I want to go night-hiking in Griffith Park.  “Nonsense,” I tell them, “I am a large, imposing adult male, not Jessica Simpson’s dog.  Besides, the coyote presence up there is seriously over-reported.”

The first thing I saw when I got there was a coyote.  Cold chillin’ in the parking lot by the merry-go-round. Humans — we only pretend we run this town.

Three times a week for the past few years, the Sierra Club has been leading after-dark hikes up into the mountains between Hollywood and Glendale.  A crowd of 60 or so adventurers gathers in the upper carousel parking lot, where individual groups form based on speed/trail difficulty (I chose a “3+” i.e. “medium” hike.) Then, lead by a central-casting Greek grandfather named Yanni, we were off, twenty silhouettes loping into the darkened hills.

Your eyes adjust to the gloom as you ascend a thin, winding trail, up through what Bob Dylan described as “haunted, frightened trees”, branches stripped by last year’s fires and looking like something from a Tim Burton movie in the moonlight.  You climb under giant fallen logs and bushwhack through overgrowth.  The sound of the freeway gives way to a chorus of chirping crickets and croaking frogs, and then silence — the soundtrack best suited to the spooky majesty of the landscape.  You crest a hill and the entire Los Angeles valley, from downtown to the ocean, opens up below like a massive, glowing cauldron.  “I feel like Batman right now,” you think to myself.  (Seriously, you think that.) Two hours and six miles later, you’re back in the city — sweaty, dusty-streaked and happy.

Don’t be fooled, dear humans; the coyotes know where it’s at.

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WHAT: Night Hike
WHEN: Tues, Wed, Thurs, starting at 6:45 PM
WHERE: Griffith Park — meet at the upper carousel parking lot
$$$: Free

Your weekend has officially begun.

Celebrate the end of a shark-infested workweek and pet a few live ones at the resurrected Shark Lagoon Nights.  Find an excuse to sneak out of work or revel in your freelance-society bliss because this one gets started early (6-9pm) and is located at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach.

A little bit of a journey for you Angelenos, but definitely worth the trek!  For FREE you can get up close and personal with bamboo sharks and sand tiger sharks, among other sea giants.  Liquid courage is available in the form of various wines and beer (for those feeling a little faint of heart) as well as coffee treats and sugar snacks for a different type of happy hour.  Rotating bands and dj’s perform, according to the night, but be sure to check their calendar before heading to this outdoor escape, just in case the rain STILL hasn’t migrated its way back to Seattle.

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WHAT: Shark Lagoon Nights
WHEN: Most Fridays, 6pm-9pm, starting March 5th
WHERE: Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach
$$$: FREE!

According to Berlin-native and house-producer, DJ KAOS, the answer is YES!  In a rare U.S. appearance this Saturday night at the Chase Loft Series-February Edition, the dj heavyweight promises to keep the crowd movin and groovin’ until the wee hours to his own version of Chicago-inspired house and disco beats.

Presented by The Chase, EVFA, and MEO, KAOS will be joined by rockin’ resident dj’s: JaseFromOuterSpace and Klassique at Junglerush, a hidden indoor/outdoor venue perfect for late-night dalliances or just a fun night out of the oh-so-predictable Hollywood scene. True to its downtown roots and promotional prowess, this event is one not to be missed.

Annd….that’s not all!  The recession-style OPEN BAR will keep the conversation flowing, not to mention your glass full for a mere $15 until 11pm and $20 thereafter.  I don’t know how much YOU typically spend on cocktails a night, but let me tell you, this is a STEAL in my drink-infused world.

Whether this inspires you late-nighters to at least consider making it in the door before the price increase or you still run a little late due to a last-minute addition to the perfect outfit, $5 more is a small price to pay for fun on the run, so I say let the rationalization takes its natural course. After all, the party will be poppin’ ‘til 3am and if Italians really do do it better, it will be well worth the wait.

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WHAT: Chase Loft Series-February Edition
WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 20th, 10pm-3am
WHERE: Junglerush/EVFA, 542 S Alameda (Cross St. Palmetto)
$$: $15 before 11pm, $20 after with open bar, CASH ONLY

Come one, come all, donned in your finest whites and perambulate though the streets of downtown tonight in your very own mini (I’m assuming sidewalk) parade! Being the second Thursday of the month, tonight is the downtown artwalk, and it seems that some of the organizers are sending out an open invitation for anyone who would be interested to join them in a living art piece of people. Encouraged props include: musical instruments, stilts, and beauty. Meet them down at Vibiana’s Cathedral, meander down Main to 6th, ending at The Temple of Visions on Spring. Have fun and don’t forget your Tide pens! (Ketchup stains from those hot dog stands are impossible to get out in the morning.)

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WHAT: Downtown Artwalk: Dress In White
WHEN: January 14th, 7pm
WHERE: Vibiana’s Cathedral, 210 South Main St.
$$$: Free!

Oh no! Herps are attacking the city! Fear not, you did not fall into a cheesy sci-fi flick from the 1950’s. For something to do a little off the beaten path, wander off to Pomona for the Reptile Super Show happening this weekend! There’s probably going to be all sorts of strange critters you never would have guessed existed outside of your dreams, and it’s the perfect opportunity to cure your best friend of their ophidiophobia. Maybe you’ll even find a little scaly buddy of your very own to take home!

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WHAT: Reptile Super Show
WHEN: Saturday, January 9th, 10am – 6pm and Sunday, January 10th, 11am – 5pm
WHERE: Pomona Fairplex, 1101 W. McKinley Ave., Pomona 91768
$$$: $9 for adults, $5 for kids

Get a sneak peak of this year’s Renaissance Pleasure Faire at The Egyptian Theatre. The courtyard will be “magically transformed into an Elizabethan village with food and merchants, performers and craft demonstrations”. There will also be fine clothes, fun games, toys from Hallowed Tree, and traditional music that is sure to make you laugh and have a merry old time. As with the regular faire, this sampling will be filled with villagers, knights, kings, and queens! To top it all off, the theatre will show the award-winning animated film, The Secret of Kells at 1pm, and end the day at 5pm with a double-feature of Excalibur (1981) and Knightriders (1981).
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WHAT: Renaissance Faire Sneak Peak + Appropriately themed films
WHEN: Saturday, January 9th @ 12pm-7pm
WHERE: The Egyptian Theater
$$$: $7-$11

Bon voyage, dear 2009! You were quite a kick in the pants. Should you feel like kicking your short term memory in the pants for the night, head on down to ye old Alvarado House in Echo Park tonight for an all night dance under sheets, stars, and low basement ceilings rager. Brought to you by the Hang The DJs crew, these parties do not disappoint. Outside is a tented backyard with video projections and Star Wars sheets, inside is a somewhat ramshackle house where you’d sooner assume to see haunted portraits of former owners rather than 100 club kids smarmily dancing and pounding on the ceiling.

This installment features DJs Ana Calderon, Knyfeprty, Aaron Castle amongst others, along with (more) free Colt 45 10 – midnight, cash bar the rest of the night. Be sure to bundle up with lots of layers since it’s primarily outdoors, however the indoor dance room does get pretty sweaty. And don’t plan on going to that early morning church service tomorrow. They look down on hangovers, so I hear.

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WHAT: HTDJs End Of Year Party
WHEN: Saturday, December 26th, 10pm – 4am
WHERE: The Alvarado House, 1027 N. Alvarado St., Echo Park 90026
$$$: $5

I’m not sure if a long line of boats is actually called a parade, but the organizers of the Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade aren’t too concerned with semantics – they’re too busy decking out a marina’s worth of boats with an awful lot of sparkling lights.  I’ve never been, but I bet all the decorations look pretty magical when they’re reflecting in Newport Harbor.

Normally, it costs more than 30 dollars to ride around in a boat and see all the lights, but the boat tours can be had for a deep discount tomorrow evening.  The 5:45 cruise is only $22.50 and the 8:00 cruise is $15.  Definitely worth checking out, but be sure to make your reservations online!

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WHAT: Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade
WHEN: December 16th-20th
WHERE: Newport Harbor
$$$: 15 and up

Turn your Lazy Sunday into a Funky Happy Sunday with a permaculture digging workshop. Joan Stevens, apparently known to many as Mama Botanica, will lead this workshop. It will involved, “hands-on cardboard sheet mulching workshop and teach us how to plant a ground crop to prepare the soil for winter” and planting a grapefruit and apple tree as well. Tony Moss, a permaculture designer, will give you a tour of the backyard garden and tips on how to create your own! There will be music, dance, and food as well, a raw food lunch to be exact. The menu will include a cauliflower pate, cheese kale chips (made with out cheese), and home made kombucha tea. This four hour workshop will hopefully inspire as well as entertain you, so check it out!

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WHAT: Funky Happy Sunday Permaculture Digging Workshop
WHEN: Sunday, December 13th @ 11am – 3pm
WHERE: New Reality Garden
$$$: $15

In a move surely masterminded by Dov Charney to sell more winter leggings, the LA parks department has partnered with Spaceland to hold a concert series on an outdoor ice rink.  As they have for the past 12 years the parks department has erected an ice rink in Pershing Square, and this year every Wednesday night Spaceland will hold concerts there through mid January. The first concert is tonight with Salt Petal joined by Boweevil.

Boweevil describes themselves as “an eclectic mix of rock & country with a dash of garage, psych. and punk style.”  So basically it is rock music, and that aint bad.  Salt Petal is a fun and fast band with an adorable lead singer, who sings in both Spanish and English.  She also plays the accordion, and thanks to Mad Men we now know that the accordion might be the sexiest instrument a woman can play.

Spaceland will be hosing concerts at the outdoor rink on Wednesday nights into January, check the LA parks Website for the complete schedule.  Skating is only $6 and renting skates is a mere $2 more, so no excuses.  Fun skating and some good music, fork over the eight bucks.

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WHAT: Ice Skating Outdoors With Spaceland
WHEN: Wednesdays 8-10pm, today through January 18th, 2010.
WHERE: Pershing Square
$: $8 including skate rental.

Have you ever thought that you would be much better off if you had been in your prime in the 1920’s? I certainly have (red lipstick, coiffed hair, gin bottles…come on)…and here’s our chance to experience the swinging ’20’s in a fast and loose city. Dress in your best tweed, feign a mustache, and muster up all the moxie you can handle for a historic bike ride through downtown L.A. Seriously, this is the best idea ever. Meet at Union Station at 12:30pm and ride through L.A.’s oldest streets and art deco highlights, and end at Royal Clayton’s English Pub for a pint and probably some belly-warming food. Do some killer thrifting this week and you could win Best Period Outfit, Best Bike and Tweed Pairing (awesome!), Most Graceful Mount and Dismount, or Best Facial Hair. I’m thinking cabbie hat, tweed blazer, mustache, perhaps a pipe and pocket watch, and hopefully a matching Paul Frank cruiser/tweed combo. Don’t forget to bring water; must be 18+ to time travel.

WHAT: Tweed, Moxie, and Mustache Ride
WHEN: Sat. Nov. 21st (our own Scarlet’s birthday) 12:30pm
WHERE: Union Station
$$$: free!

The Neo Acro Theatre Co. is hosting it’s very own city-wide scavenger hunt. I highly suggest taking advantage of this opportunity! It’s not every day someone else will organize a massive hunt for you! Plus, with teams of five, the entry fee is $25 which means only $5 a person! It’s such a great deal because most of the scavenger events around town cost upwards of $30/person. To sign up, send your name, number, and email address to this e-mail. I’m sure they will accept walk-ins as long as you bring the cash! Entry fees are due on the day of the event at the home base on a sweet little street called Lankershim. You cannot participate unless your entry fee is paid when you arrive! Your team will have 5 hours from noon to 5pm to complete as many of the tasks as possible. And of course the winners will receive some sort of secret prize, maybe a pony. Who knows. But remember, you’re never too old to go on a scavenger hunt!!!
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WHAT: City-Wide Scavenger Hunt
WHEN: Saturday, November 14th @ 12pm-5pm
WHERE: RSVP to find out!
$$$: $25/team of 5

Tonight’s Downtown Art Walk sounds sweeeeeet. Let’s see here… Habeas Lounge is hosting a cycling culture salon, walking tours of the “mobile truck revolution” and classic theatres, extended happy hours til 8pm at Bar 107 and $8 PBR pitchers at The Down & Out, 10% off at Clifton’s when you show your Art Walk map, and just so you know, the one negative thing is that the awesome free Hippodrome Shuttle lost funding (lame) and won’t be around tonight. For your fill of living art, stop by the Spring Arcade between 5th and 6th street, where live music and performances will take place. Between 5 and 9pm, bring an item of clothing you no longer want to the Homesite, tell your story about the piece, and then exchange it with another participant. And remember, every gallery along the row has it’s own closing time, so if you get there past 9PM, don’t be surprised if people are slowly filtering out. Get there early, grab a Kogi taco or three, and enjoy the Art Walk!!! For more info, visit the website here.
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WHAT: November’s Downtown Art Walk
WHEN: Thursday, 3pm and on
WHERE: Gallery Row Downtown
$$$: Free

It’s finally here: easy, cheap access to East Los Angeles. I’m seriously ecstatic. To celebrate, Metro’s offering free rides and tons of events at several different stops. Little Tokyo/Arts District will feature live karaoke, a mini street fair with booths from neighboring restaurants and businesses, and plenty of family activities. Union Station will bring Christmas SUPER early (awkwardly so) with a visit from Santa and some carolers. Over at Mariachi Plaza Station, there will of course be live mariachi bands, tons of Latin live music, and Boyle Heights’ first ever block party and street fair. Included in the fair will be tons of delicious food, free giveaways, and local art exhibits.Finally, the East L.A. Civic Center Station will offer live Chicano rock, a farmer’s market, more food booths, family fun, cooking classes, and more. One can easily spend his or her day riding the Gold Line (for free, remember?) and checking out all these free activities highlighting L.A.’s diversity and it’s eagerness to change it’s transportation issues, one line extension at a time!

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WHAT: Metro Gold Line Extension Grand Opening
WHEN: Sunday, November 15th All Day
WHERE: East L.A.
$$$: Free

Don’t these meteors know that Tuesday is a work night? Whatever, I still want to stay up. The Leonid Meteor Shower is back and if we get lucky enough, and the foggy smoggy air clears juuust enough, we will be able to see tons of shooting stars. I remember one a few years back with perfect sky conditions, and even with the bright lights of LA, my friends and I saw at least one every two minutes. It was great. You’ll know if you’ll be able to get a good show if you can clearly see the stars that make out the Big Dipper formation. Grab a blanket, or six (it’s chilly out there), snuggle up under the stars, and make some fabulous wishes!
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WHAT: Leonid Meteor Shower
WHEN: Monday-Tuesday November 17th-18th @ 11PM-4AM
WHERE: Your backyard
$$$: Free

This one’s for all you fashionistas (and fashionistos) out there: a social ride that starts with Scoops and ends with lots of fun shopping at Melrose.  Dress in your most fabulous duds and meet at Melrose and Heliotrope for some delicious ice cream followed by a leisurely ride down the street to shopping.  The group will decide how much shopping to do and where to stop, but it should be at least a couple hours’ worth.  After you’re all shopped out, you’ll bike back for dinner (maybe) at Scoops.

Even if you’re not a super biker, don’t worry!  This ride is no Wolfpack Hustle.  In fact, the LA Cycle Chic website advocates the Slow Bicycle Movement and biking in heels, so you’ll need to worry more about showing off your cute clothes than your mad bike skillz.

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WHAT: Shop Melrose with LA Cycle Chic
WHEN: Saturday, November 7th starting @ 3 PM
WHERE: Starts at Melrose and Heliotrope
$$$: Depends what you buy

First Falcor, then Yoshi, now this.  The dragons are taking over!  Anyone know what ride these guys are from?

Submitted by Tanya G.

LA is awesome.  Prove it with your pictures.  If you have an LA Blink you’d like posted, send it to marksy [at] boredla [dot] com. Make sure you include your name, where you took the photo, and anything you want to say about your pic.

This Saturday, The Bigfoot Lodge’s little sister, Bigfoot West over on Venice Blvd. is getting into the holiday spirit and hosting a Rocktoberfest all afternoon. The event boasts “bands, brats, and Octoberfest beer”, with live music, BBQ from Uncle Creepo (whaaa?), & a bunch of tasty beers like Beck’s Oktoberfest, Jack’s Pumpkin Spice Ale, Hoffbrau Munchen, Spaten Oktoberfest, Hacker-Pschorr, & Weihenstephaner. I haven’t been to this space yet, but from the looks of it, it’s still got it’s kitschy decor that draws an audience from all around to the Eastside location. Definitely a step in the right direction compared to their Stinker’s endeavor… eh.
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WHAT: Rocktoberfest
WHEN: Saturday, October 17th @ 12pm-8pm
WHERE: Bigfoot West
$$$: Free entry