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The loneliest phone booth in the world

MOJAVE NATIONAL PRESERVE — With only the lazy Joshua trees and hovering buzzards out here to bear witness, this isolated expanse of high-desert plain could well be among the quietest places on the planet. By day, the summer heat hammers hard and the dull whistle of the wind is the only discernible noise. Come nightfall, the eerie

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How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Alex Edelman

In “The Paper,” the much anticipated mockumentary spinoff to “The Office,” Alex Edelman plays intrepid accountant/reporter Adam Cooper, part of the team tasked with reviving local newspaper “The Toledo Truth-Teller.” Edelman was also a writer and consulting producer for the show, which premieres on Peacock on Sept. 4 with all 10 episodes, and says the

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Inside the newest hotel in Ojai, which is also the oldest

Downtown Ojai’s newest hotel, which is also its oldest, stands along Ojai Avenue like a rancher in his best string tie and leather vest. This property, now known as Hotel El Roblar, has been a fixture on Ojai’s main street for more than a century — party to multiple civic dramas, one fraud conviction, repeated

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How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Zack Fox

Long before Zack Fox was making scene-stealing appearances in “Abbott Elementary,” releasing music and amassing millions of views on his sweat-inducing DJ sets, he was best known for his Twitter jokes. Fox, a graphic artist and emcee for Atlanta-based indie label Awful Records at the time, was posting absurdly funny tweets under the alias “Bootymath,”

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Are you over 90 years old and very physically active?

I’ll never forget the moment I met 93-year-old DeLoyce Alcorn. It was last fall and he was in the midst of his weekly workout at the Strength Shoppe in Echo Park. The retired aerospace engineer, then 92, was wearing a fitted T-shirt that read “Be Strong. Be Resilient. Be You” as he strapped himself into

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A hike into horror and an act of courage

Glacier National Park, Mont. — JOHAN looked up. Jenna was running toward him. She had yelled something, he wasn’t sure what. Then he saw it. The open mouth, the tongue, the teeth, the flattened ears. Jenna ran right past him, and it struck him — a flash of fur, two jumps, 400 pounds of lightning. It was

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How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Alan Tudyk

Even if you’re not sure you’ve seen Alan Tudyk in the numerous films or TV shows he’s appeared in, you’ve definitely heard him. Tudyk has been endearing audiences with his vocal stylings ever since 2002’s “Ice Age” — he voiced characters like the Duke of Weselton in “Frozen,” Heihei the rooster in “Moana” and King

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SoCal’s Museum of Make Believe is a world of handmade wonder

With a playful spirit and a childlike sense of curiosity, it’s perhaps no surprise that the whimsically named Museum of Make Believe appealed instantly to a young audience. The Laguna Beach space, a 1,000-square-foot love letter to fairy tales, is a fantastical, mystical wonderland, where fables of lost love, ghostly pets and irresistible avarice are

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The Santa Ynez Chumash Museum: What to expect when you visit

p]:text-cms-story-body-color-text clearfix”> For thousands of years, the Chumash people lived along California’s Central Coast and on its Channel Islands. Then the newcomers arrived — Spanish explorers, Catholic missionaries, Mexican rancheros, California settlers — and the Chumash way of life was dismantled, their people enslaved and their traditions, culture and language forbidden. So it’s hardly surprising

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What was the best Disneyland era? Looking back on the past 70 years

p]:text-cms-story-body-color-text clearfix”> It’s all about a California (and high-growth) state of mind. A park photographer, Kristin Wagner, photographs visitors as they enter Disney’s California Adventure, just below a recreation of the Golden Gate Bridge. (Don Kelsen/Los Angeles Times) In a period of grand expansion, Disneyland would start to become a proper resort — a metamorphosis

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Palm Springs hotels have big summer deals — if you can face the heat

p]:text-cms-story-body-color-text clearfix”> Summer is here, and with it comes the annual desire to pack up and unplug somewhere, anywhere, else. But sandy beaches, far-flung tropical locales and mountain escapes often come with throngs of tourists and inflated pricing. Then there’s Palm Springs, where crowds empty out in the summer and luxury hotel prices dip to

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VTubers are descending on L.A. with multiple concerts

Kou Mariya hasn’t shown her work to her family. That’s because Mariya, not her real name, is living a dual identity, and to protect her privacy, only the most sacred of confidants — or business partners — can know her true persona. Mariya, to her more than 84,000 followers on YouTube, is a friendly, flirtatious

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Griffith Park Pool, dry since 2020, to be replaced

The historic Griffith Park Pool, built in 1927 and once the largest aquatic facility in Los Angeles, has been dry since 2020. Now, as summer heats up, residents are learning that it won’t be filled again. Instead, the city is laying plans for a $28-million project to demolish it and build two smaller new pools

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Buffalo Bill’s Resort set to close amid Primm’s struggles

The giant rainbow-colored headdress sitting atop a bison beckoned generations of Angelenos and other drivers heading into Nevada on the 15 Freeway. Sure, Las Vegas was only 40 minutes north, but at Buffalo Bill’s Resort and Casino, patrons could enjoy gaming, drinking, neon lights and entertainment without the Sin City prices and crowds. It’s an

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How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Victoria Monét

Like most busy working mothers who struggle with work-life balance, three-time Grammy Award winner Victoria Monét cherishes spending time with her 4-year-old daughter, Hazel, who she shares with ex-boyfriend fitness trainer John Gaines. In Sunday Funday, L.A. people give us a play-by-play of their ideal Sunday around town. Find ideas and inspiration on where to

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How Erewhon became a Los Angeles tourist destination

When William Rath mapped out his post-law school trip to Los Angeles in May, his itinerary included the city’s quintessential landmarks: gazing up at the Hollywood sign from Beachwood Canyon, taking a celebrity homes tour, scanning the Pacific Ocean for whales off the coast of Long Beach. But amid these classic stops, one destination rose

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How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Judy Greer

Chances are, you’ve seen (or heard) Judy Greer in one of her many roles over her prolific, multidecade career. She’s played Maggie Lang in “Ant-Man,” voiced Cheryl Tunt in the long-running animated adult sitcom “Archer,” and appeared as Jennifer Garner’s bestie in the 2004 rom-com classic “13 Going on 30” (the two are friends IRL

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Samar creates unisex perfumes that make you feel things

p]:text-cms-story-body-color-text clearfix”> As you climb the staircase to Debbie Lin and Na-Moya Lawrence’s second-story Hollywood apartment, a smell begins to materialize. It’s earthy and calming — grounding, even — and by the time you open their door, the scent envelops you. That’s because Lin and Lawrence have set up their artisan perfume company, Samar, in

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How to have sex on your family vacation

“Vacation” and “sex” were once my two favorite words. Put them together and you’ve got the mecca of pleasure: a romp in Egyptian cotton sheets followed by a juicy room service cheeseburger. Can you say sex in Italian? I can — “sesso” — because my husband and I copulated our way across the country early

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How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Terry Crews

Terry Crews is a man of many talents. In the 1990s, he played for both the Rams and the Chargers before becoming an actor and starring in projects like “White Chicks,” “Everybody Hates Chris,” “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” and “The Expendables” franchise. Other roles on his resume? Old Spice spokesman, high-end furniture designer, accomplished painter and author

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Check out these vintage matchbooks from Route 66, SoCal motels

p]:text-cms-story-body-color-text clearfix”> Denise McKinney says she has probably somewhere close to half a million matchbooks tucked away inside her Riverside home. She’s been collecting for years and will typically pick up whatever strikes her fancy, no pun intended. She has specialties now, like matchbooks with animals on them or matchbooks that advertise radio and TV

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My epic search for the greatest motels in California

Listen. That’s the low hum of the highway you hear behind me, offset by the rumble of the ice machine down the breezeway. We gather today to celebrate the motel, a uniquely American creature, conceived in California through the unholy embrace of the automobile and the hotel. Since that beginning in 1925, motels have multiplied

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How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Gabby Windey

Spiritually, Gabby Windey is all about Sundays in a hardcore, no-exceptions, day-of-rest sort of way. The “Long Winded” podcast host became the breakout star of “The Traitors” this year after winning the reality TV competition with a series of bold outfits and stereotype-smashing strategic moves. Her stream-of-consciousness podcast monologues continue to boost her star, frequently

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Take a spring hike to a waterfall with the Los Angeles Times

Howdy! I’m Jaclyn Cosgrove, an outdoors reporter at the L.A. Times. My job is to explore the mountains surrounding Los Angeles to find the best hikes, campgrounds and other adventures for you to tackle. I also write Between a Rock, where we feature outdoors survival stories every month, and The Wild, our (free!) weekly outdoors

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4 magical lantern festivals in or near Southern California

Is there anything more like a fairy tale than thousands of glowing lanterns floating heavenward into the night? Long before the luminescent spectacle awed viewers of Disney’s 2010 film “Tangled,” real-life lantern festivals have been taking place around the world. In China, sky lanterns were first used as a means of communication in warfare during

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The L.A. Times guide to the best motels in California

The motel, a word born in California, turns 100 this year. And for road trip adventurers, there have never been more options. You might stay at the legendary pink palace that is the Madonna Inn. Or Surfrider Malibu, where you can borrow a Mini Cooper and cruise along PCH. There’s Sea & Sand Inn, which

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Inside the buzzy closet sale for L.A. fashion ‘it’ girls

Some advice: If you love something, set it free — even the Miu Miu heels. This was the notion that two friends, Quinn Shephard and Francesca Goncalves, were discussing in a sun-kissed setting (a “pool somewhere,” Shephard recalls). They wanted to barter their old clothing, but that was a sticky prospect in Los Angeles —

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Wrestle a luchador? Airbnb to offer 22,000 experiences

Airbnb wants to do your hair, cook your dinner, massage your back and possibly photograph your honeymoon. All these services, and several more, are part of a new bid by the company to further expand beyond its roots as a lodging broker. The company unveiled Airbnb Services — which includes 10 initial categories — while

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Cercle brings an immersive concert experience to L.A.

p]:text-cms-story-body-color-text clearfix”> While Cercle’s in-person shows over the years have required fans to get on an airplane and travel to historical and remote destinations such as the Sisteron Citadel in France, Barbolla wanted Cercle Odyssey to be more accessible to fans. “We wanted to bring nature to the city,” he says. It was also a

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Where to find a hidden field of poppies in L.A. County

Nature enthusiasts walked among colorful native flowers growing wild at Elizabeth Lake and Munz Ranch roads. (Raul Roa / Los Angeles Times) For me, springtime means taking road trips to document the wildflower fields through Southern California. But this season has not been a good one. Due to the lack of rain in the crucial

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What fans wore to Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ show in L.A.

Beyoncé kicked off her highly anticipated “Cowboy Carter” tour this week in Los Angeles at the SoFi Stadium, where she’ll be gracing the stage five times through May 9. Share Share via Close extra sharing options As expected, the Beyhive (a.k.a. her most dedicated fans) showed out with their western-inspired outfits, which were heavily influenced

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How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Paul Feig

Onscreen, multihyphenate screenwriter-director-producer Paul Feig is best known for fun and funny films such as “Bridesmaids,” “Last Christmas” and “A Simple Favor.” And offscreen, he’s known for his impeccable sense of style, enthusiastic embrace of cocktail culture (his Artingstall’s gin brand makes frequent cameos in his movies) and, it turns out, a penchant for all

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How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Jordan Firstman

Making a comedy-music album based on secrets shared by internet strangers might not seem like an obvious step for Jordan Firstman, who stars in FX’s “English Teacher” and Rachel Sennott’s new HBO show that’s being called the “It” pilot of the season. But there is nothing about Firstman’s career that feels textbook Hollywood — and

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What to know about Universal Studio’s new Fan Fest Nights

“Star Trek” is a franchise that’s always seemed ripe for exploration in a theme park. Space travel, aliens, magic-like technology and, perhaps most importantly, an underlying belief in human-centered optimism. Encounter someone who saw “Star Trek: The Experience” in Las Vegas, which opened in the late ’90s and ran for about a decade, and expect

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Epic Universe gives Disney theme parks a run for their money

Orlando, Fla. — There is no theme park land quite like Dark Universe. Tucked inside Universal Studios’ showstopping new Florida park Epic Universe, don’t expect warm reassurance as you enter the space. Coffins, a crypt and a creepy statue of a young girl are what greets us. Round the bend, and the world opens up, a steaming,

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How to explore Sequoia National Park’s Crystal Cave

The stalactites and stalagmites of Sequoia National Park’s Crystal Cave, a sprawling subterranean wonder that’s been closed for four years, will be accessible again this summer. But to get in during the open season of May 23 through Sept. 7, you’ll need tickets, which are available now. The guided tours are considered strenuous with steep

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How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Antony Starr

New Zealand-born actor Antony Starr, best known to American audiences as arch-villain Homelander from the Prime Video superhero parody “The Boys,” says that although he’s lived in Los Angeles for the better part of a decade, his busy shooting schedules have kept him far afield for long stretches. In Sunday Funday, L.A. people give us

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How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Kat Dennings

To television viewers, Kat Dennings is probably best known for playing down-on-her-luck characters — first in a six-season run as Max Black on the CBS sitcom “Two Broke Girls,” and, more recently, as Tim Allen’s estranged-but-reunited daughter on ABC’s “Shifting Gears,” which aired its first-season finale earlier this month (all episodes are available for streaming

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Long Beach’s VIP Records unveils plans for a museum

In the early 1990s, Kelvin Anderson Sr. built a makeshift recording studio in the back of his Long Beach record store, a vinyl-filled paradise called the World Famous VIP Records on the corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue. He wanted to give youth a creative outlet in the gang ridden

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L.A.-China flight diverted, delayed after pilot forgets passport

Possessing valid documentation is the second item on the State Department’s checklist for U.S. tourists traveling internationally. It’s required for pilots, too, as an estimated 257 passengers found out the hard way last weekend. United Airlines Flight 198 left Los Angeles International Airport at 1:47 p.m. Saturday for a roughly 14-hour journey to Shanghai, China.

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Luxury at LAX? How Delta is going after the high-end market

Tucked away from heavy foot traffic and noisy crowds, the Delta One Lounge at Los Angeles International Airport offers a different kind of travel experience. Customers can enjoy hot towels, zero-gravity massage chairs and caviar-topped ice cream while waiting to board their flights. They also have access to private security lanes and baggage check, eliminating

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Adults-only hotels are all over California. Are they legal?

Can hotels legally ban children? With spring breaks starting momentarily and summer vacations not far away, the question is puzzling a wide scope of California travelers — parents booking their next family vacation as well as adults looking for a child-free escape. And the answer is complicated. The issue flared in February when the Alila

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How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Adam Devine

Adam Devine (“Workaholics,” “Pitch Perfect”), who reprises his role as youth pastor Kelvin Gemstone on the HBO televangelist comedy “The Righteous Gemstones” for a fourth and final season that begins airing (and streaming on Max) Sunday, won’t share many details about how the Danny McBride–created series ends, besides that it goes out big. “It ends

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No getting around it: Britain needs more Americans

To walk through Leicester Square in central London is to endure a pummeling of the senses. Its jostling tourists, the glaring lights of its supersized casino and M&M‘s store, and a backing track of buskers’ out-of-tune guitars put it among the worst places in one of the world’s best cities. The area also symbolizes an

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Why Pokémon Go is still drawing people out in droves

On the golf course just outside the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, thousands of people stride across the grass, phones in their hands and eyes on their screens. “Who has a shiny Oshawott they can trade? What about a Blitzle? Any Pansages?” one person asks. “I’ve got a Snivy!” someone shouts back. “I’ll trade a Panpour,”

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How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Poppy Liu

With a toddler, a Shih Tzu and several chickens, actor Poppy Liu has a full house. “I’m raising so many beings,” said the “Hacks” star, who recently appeared in the Netflix drama series “No Good Deed” and will star alongside Tessa Thompson in the streamer’s upcoming series “His and Hers.” In Sunday Funday, L.A. people

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Disabled Disneyland visitor sues over new, stricter DAS pass

Last July, San Diego resident Trisha Malone applied for a disability exemption at a booth just outside the Disneyland and California Adventure theme parks. The Disability Access Service, or DAS, pass she wanted would have allowed her to avoid waiting in time-consuming lines for popular Disney rides. Malone met with personnel representing Disney for her

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Hiking and yoga: How to combine the two for a perfect workout

• Yoga adds flexibility and strengthens lower body joints, which makes it a great addition to your hiking routine. • Try these structured events in L.A. and Orange counties that combine the activities. • We’ve also found trail-adjacent yoga classes, including in Runyon Canyon and Griffith Park, so you can plan your own workout. “Isn’t

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How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Meredith Hagner

About five years ago, when Meredith Hagner (whose characters range from clueless to maniacal in “Search Party,” “Vacation Friends” and “Bad Monkey,” to name just a few) fully committed to giving up her rent-controlled Williamsburg apartment in Brooklyn, N.Y., to make a home on the West Coast, she thought she knew exactly where she wanted

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As Trump cuts federal jobs, even national parks on chopping block

As the Trump administration rushes to cut spending and eliminate federal jobs, even the people who work at the national parks — among the country’s most beloved and least politicized institutions — find themselves directly in the crosshairs. Last week, the seasonal workers who staff 433 national parks and historical sites, including Yosemite, Death Valley

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These 28 hiking trails burned in the Palisades fire

Since the Palisades Fire broke out on Jan. 7, it has burned almost 24,000 acres through Pacific Palisades and several neighborhoods along Pacific Coast Highway. Many of those acres were populated by homes, and others popular hiking trails throughout the Santa Monica Mountains. Firefighters continue to make progress on extinguishing the Palisades fire, which was

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Disneyland’s original Haunted Mansion returns this week

When Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion reopens Saturday in its classic, non-holiday form it will essentially mark the completion of a nearly yearlong refurbishment project, one that added significant backstory and lore to one of the resort’s most famed and mysterious attractions. A fixture at the park since its 1969 opening, the Haunted Mansion has been the

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Fire evacuees can find rooms at these L.A. hotels

The Hotel Assn. of Los Angeles reported that its members “are currently taking in thousands of Angelenos who have been displaced by the Palisades, Eaton and Hurst fires,” often at discounted rates. Many of the hotels are also taking in pets, the association board said in a statement Wednesday. The Hotel Assn. of Los Angeles

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12 California experiences and adventures to have in 2025

Has it occurred to you that civilization might be overrated? Me too. So I’ve been thinking about the natural world — actually, the many natural worlds contained within California, and how whole they can make us feel. With that and the new year in mind, here are a dozen seasonally suitable classic California adventures. These

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Go phish! Scammers target FasTrak system users with threatening texts

A phishing text message warning of a legal threat and financial penalties has been hitting users and even non-drivers of Los Angeles County’s Metro ExpressLanes. The spam has led to a flood of complaints from Metro ExpressLanes users, who have been calling the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority seeking verification and advice, Metro authorities

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In Coachella Valley, residents seek a park along shrinking Salton Sea

SALTON SEA, Calif.  —  In a state boasting epic mountain ranges and stunning coastlines, the Salton Sea is not typically considered an outdoor-lover’s paradise. California’s largest inland lake, which straddles Riverside and Imperial counties, is in fact beautiful. The 35-mile-long sea shimmers, a cascade of colors in the desert, when the sun sets over the

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Two Bit Circus is back as a Santa Monica pop-up arcade

Before me stands a glistening silver box — sleek, elegant and with boldly defined protruding vertical lines, giving it an ever-so-slight vintage Art Deco look. A golden vent rests at its top, the figures on its grille appearing like alien hieroglyphics. This, I am asked to pretend, is an elevator, which will take me from

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Airport facials, anyone? The 7 best luxury lounges at LAX

Best for: Ultra-luxury travelers who want extra privacy What it’s like inside: Though it doesn’t come cheap, PS is the ultimate commercial-yet-feels-private airport experience. Travelers begin their journey at a facility completely separate from the rest of the airport, with an entrance that is off Imperial Highway. Say goodbye to typical LAX traffic. Upon arrival,

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Disneyland doubles down on diverse live shows for the holidays

One of the Disneyland Resort’s new holiday offerings is a show featuring the young guitar-slinging character of Miguel from “Coco.” But it’s ultimately rooted in a culture and history that long predates the 2017 film. Show director Tobi Longo pulled from her childhood, her family roots and a cultural heritage in working with her peers

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This real life video game takes you across L.A. — literally

“Great Gold Bird,” a theatrical production unfolding across multiple sites in Los Angeles, begins inside my home. It starts with a mystery, introducing itself as a missing persons story. Yet it’s also a puzzle. Henry, we’re told, has disappeared. Only he didn’t just suddenly vanish. I’m now an active investigator, as the protagonist has intentionally

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