Jamison's Los Angeles Blog

If you haven't gotten your cards and gifts - bad children. Procrastinate further at your peril. On the off chance that some of you may still be hunting for the perfect Mom's Day save - here's a helping hand. Check out this rundown of the best spas in Los Angeles.

More Mother's Day Picks

• Mother's Day Brunch
• Mother's Day Gifts

_{Photo © Le Petite Retreat Day Spa}

May Day is here again. Just as in 2007, thousands of protesters will descend on Downtown LA on May 1 for a march supporting immigrant rights. Last year's march ended in conflict and controversy when the LAPD moved in to clear demonstrators from MacArthur Park. Their efforts descended into a melee that left hundreds of protesters, journalists, officers and innocent bystanders injured. 29 officers are facing misconduct charges after an internal LAPD review. A deluge of over 250 lawsuits are still winding their way through the city courts. All in all, May 1, 2007 was not a stellar day for Los Angeles.

The LAPD has undertaken a major training effort to prepare officers for May Day 2008. Chief Bratton has reached out to community leaders to work side by side with the police in preparation for the event. Only time will tell if their efforts will succeed.

Check out About LA's full report on May Day 2007 - the May Day Melee.

May Day 2008 Events

May Day 2008 marchers will gather in two spots - the intersection of Olympic Blvd and Broadway Blvd, and MacArthur Park. At 2pm both groups will begin marching to City Hall, joining forces at 5th and Broadway.

_{LAPD at MacArthur Park - May Day 2007
Photo Courtesy Sarjohay / Creative Commons}

$100,000,000 worth of vintage and contemporary Ferraris all lined in a row. Over 100 vintage collector Ferraris. It's car heaven. Starting early Sunday morning the Ferraris will take over Old Pasadena running along Colorado Boulevard between Fair Oaks and Pasadena Avenue. The whole event is free. It's sponsored by the Ferrari Club of America - Southwest Region and the Auto Gallery. At 2pm a panel of 30 Ferrari experts will present awards to the top cars in 10 different classes. This is a rare event, and it's a great excuse to spend an afternoon exploring Old Pasadena.

Concorso Ferrari 2008 Basics

• When: Sun, May 18, 10am - 3pm
• Where: Colorado Blvd between Fair Oaks and Pasadena Ave
• Phone: (818) 971-3300
• Ferrari Club of America - Southwest Region website

_{Photo © Getty Images}

Here's a great idea for an art exhibit - base your work on things that get stuck in people's throats when they try to swallow them. I would dive into the art world myself but it turns out that someone has already done this. Believe it or not, The Swallowing Plates: Objects Swallowed and Recovered from the Human Body is about to open in Pasadena.Artist Lisa Wood based her work on the studies a famed Laryngologist (look it up) Chevalier Jackson. He found fame recovering objects from peoples gullets and windpipes. Bizarre? Perhaps, but the description of her work sounds like someone set Tim Burton loose at LACMA. It might be strange. But it might be fun. It's definitely worth a visit.

The Swallowing Plates Basics

• Opening Reception: Fri April 25 6pm - 9pm
• On View: April 25 - May 25
• Address: Gold Bug, 22 East Union Street Pasadena, CA 91103
• Phone: (626) 744-9963
• Website: www.goldbugpasadena.com

_{Photo © Gold Bug}

The poppies are back. The dry spell that dimmed the vibrant colors of Southern California's wildflowers has lifted enough for the poppies to make a serious comeback. The hills and fields of the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve in Lancaster are shimmering swaths of orange and yellow with dashes of bright purple. If you've never been, this is the perfect year to make the trip. It's been several years since the poppies have been so spectacular.

This weekend, April 19th and 20th, Lancaster plays host to the California Poppy Festival. It's two days of flowers, food, music and more. Hit the poppy reserve in the morning and then explore the festival in the afternoon. Leave bright and early, both the reserve and the festival will get crowded as the day progresses.

Explore the Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve

California Poppy Festival Basics

• When: 10am - 6pm, Sat and Sun, April 19 - 20
• Where: Lancaster City Park, 43011 10th St W Lancaster, CA 93534
• Tickets:
  • Adults: $8
  • Children 6 - 12: $5

_{Photo © Paige Selby}

July 1, 2008

That's the date the two new cellphone laws take effect. Three months remain until the crackdown. The basic rundown is simple: all drivers will be prohibited from using a handheld wireless telephone while operating a motor vehicle. No dialing while driving. If you're 18 or older you can use a hands-free device. If you're under 18, it's no phone, no way, no how, no time.

Police will be authorized to pull you over for using a cell phone. The base fine for a first offense is $20. It gets knocked up to $50 for second and subsequent convictions. Penalty assessments could bump the fines up to $76 for first-timers and $190 for repeat-offenders. However the DMV will not add violation points to your driving record for this offense. There are a number of specific caveats that modify the law, ie. you can use your phone in an emergency situation.

For more specifics on the new laws check out the California DMV website.

There are a lot of bloggers in the 500 square miles of Los Angeles. And it might possibly take more hands than yours truly alone to cover the nearly 20 million people living in the Greater LA area. So this week, we offer a toast to the competition. Here are the best of the best LA blogs, from the local divisions of the big corporate sites, to the laser-focused specialists with an eye for detail.

Got a favorite blog I've overlooked? Let me know. Drop a note at the About.com LA Forum, or send an email at: losangeles.guide@about.com.

There is a thriving theater scene in Los Angeles, with a dedicated core audience that supports local theater companies and seeks out challenging new stage productions. On the other hand, there aren't many people outside that core audience who have any idea local theater companies even exist in LA. They do, and if you've never checked them out, you're missing some of the best dramatic work being produced in this city.

We are a movie town. But if you branch out and take a break from the movie theater for an evening, you might just find a whole new world at your fingertips. Case in point: The Dying Gaul opens tonight. It's a tragic tale of loss, sex, and betrayal set right here in Hollywood in 1995. It was written by Craig Lucas, author of Prelude to a Kiss. There's only so many hours of Project Runway you can watch at one time. So take a chance and try something new.

The Dying Gaul Basics

• Address: The Elephant Theatre at 6322 Santa Monica Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90038
• Phone: (323) 960-7745
• Dates: March 20 - April 19
• Time: Thurs - Sat: 8pm
• Tickets: $20
• Website: www.plays411.com/dyinggaul

  _{Photo © The Fine Arts Players}

KCRW's famous DJ is headed to Pasadena this weekend to get the crowd at the Pasadena Art Market in a true artistic groove. The market is a showplace for the work of the students, faculty and alumni of the Art Center College of Design and Pasadena City College. Raul will be spinning on Sunday the 16th from 12pm to 4pm. Great art, cool music and after the show head down the street for dinner and drinks at the Vertical Wine Bistro.

Pasadena Art Market Basics

• Address: One Colorado Courtyard, Pasadena , CA 91103
• Phone: (800) 307-7977
• Website: www.pasadenaartweekend.com
• Dates: March 15 - 16, 2008
• Time: 10am - 5pm

_{Raul Campos
Photo © Raul Campos}

Travel + Leisure magazine is at it again. It's time for America's Favorite Cities 2008. Of course these are the people who ranked us dead last in the "Friendly" category in 2007. We also ranked at the bottom in the "Public Transportation" category. They might have a point there. But still, "Friendly"? Really? We're plenty friendly. We're unbelievably friendly. The problem we have is that so-called survey is a really an unscientific popularity contest that any and everyone can vote in between now and June 15th.

We're the pretty girl in school. We're the captain of the football team and the head cheerleader. The rest of the student body is just a little bit jealous of sunny La-La land. That's fine. We're awesome. They're jealous. No problem. Except they figured out a way to spit a little venom our way. They vote. They read Travel + Leisure and they vote in large numbers.

So we've got to fight back. That means we have leave the pool momentarily and log on to the computer. Mildly painful, I know, but worth it. Head on over to the Travel + Leisure website and vote for LA as America's Favorite City for 2008.