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The Hotel Guide Destinations...

What's New in Los Angeles

Attractions

Universal Studios Hollywood (Hollywood) - Universal Studios Hollywood has added animated fun and excitement to its roster. A new, highly-anticipated theme park ride based on the blockbuster hit series, The Simpsons, is now open. Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie Simpson – stars of TV’s longest running series – ride along with guests in this new mega-attraction. Guests are rocketed along with the Simpson family and experience a side of Springfield previously unexplored. The experience includes thrill rides, dark rides and “live” shows that make up a new fantasy amusement park dreamed up by the show’s irritable Krusty the Clown. Universal’s award-winning creative team collaborated with The Simpsons creator and executive producers to design the ride. The ride features the show’s classic humor and many of its instantly recognizable characters - all voiced by the original actors. Currently the longest-running sitcom on television, the critically acclaimed series features characters that take traditional family life and turn it upside down. Exploding into a cultural phenomenon in 1990, The Simpsons has remained one of the most visible and marketable series domestically and internationally. www.universalstudioshollywood.com

Huntington Art Gallery (San Gabriel Valley) - After a $20 million renovation, the Huntington Art Gallery, located on the grounds of the Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens, re-opened on May 28. The refurbished mansion, which originally opened in 1928 as the first public art gallery in Southern California, to offer visitors an enhanced experience with one of the finest collections of European art in the nation, as well as a more accurate sense of the lifestyle of one of the most prominent millionaires of the early 20th century. In addition to a thoroughly updated infrastructure, the Gallery includes 5,300 additional square feet of public space, new interpretive components and new gallery presentations of approximately 1,200 objects of European art from the 15th to the early 20th century. www.huntington.org

Chinese Garden at the Huntington (San Gabriel Valley) - The "Garden of Flowing Fragrance," a three-acre Chinese summer garden, opened in February at the Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens. This is the first of nine gardens - four seasonal and five special collection gardens - that will encompass the Huntington's new 12-acre Chinese Garden. The newly opened garden will be the largest classical garden outside mainland China and one of the largest of the Huntington's 14 specialized gardens. The Chinese Garden will include a lake, tea house, pavilions and bridges within a landscape of plants native to China. Elsewhere on the grounds, the Huntington Art Gallery, built in 1911 as the residence of Henry E. Huntington (1850 - 1927), is set to re-open on May 28, 2008, following a $20 million renovation. Visitors will enjoy an enhanced experience with one of the nation's finest collections of European art, as well as a more accurate portrayal of the lifestyle enjoyed by one of the early 20th century's most prominent millionaires. www.huntington.org

Museum of Neon Art (Downtown) - The Museum of Neon Art (MONA) has reopened between Spring and Main Streets at 136 West 4th Street in Downtown Los Angeles. MONA was founded to exhibit fine art in electric and kinetic media; to document, preserve, restore and collect outstanding examples of neon signs; and to educate the public about the cultural, historical, aesthetic and technical aspects of electric art. www.neonmona.org

The Americana at Brand (San Gabriel Valley) - The Americana at Brand, opened May 2, and features a vibrant blend of shopping, dining and entertainment with creative residential living in a beautiful park-like setting. The project occupies 16 acres and has approximately 475,000 square feet of retail/commercial space, including 100 luxury condominiums and 238 apartment homes in the heart of downtown Glendale. At its heart, The Americana at Brand features a grand, two-acre park complimented by fountains, public art and generous open space. Promenades, meandering walkways and open-air plazas invite guests to shop, stroll, dine outdoors and just enjoy the beauty of the setting with family and friends. www.americanaatbrand.com

LACMA Transformation Update (Westside) - The Broad Contemporary Art Museum (BCAM) is now open at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). The $56-million, three-story museum is the first new art museum built in LA since the world-famous Getty Center opened in 1997. With 60,000 square feet of exhibition space, BCAM is one of the largest column-free art spaces in the U.S. The opening of BCAM marks the completion of LACMA's first phase of a multi-year transformation to expand, upgrade and unify its six-building, 20-acre campus. Budgeted at $156 million, the first phase also features the completion of a 15,375-square-foot, glass-enclosed BP Grand Entrance Pavilion, a covered concourse linking the western and eastern sections of the one-third-mile-long campus and public artworks designed by internationally acclaimed artists. With the opening of BCAM, LACMA now leads the field in devoting a greater share of its space and programming to contemporary art than any other encyclopedic museum. Phase II of LACMA’s transformation will be announced in late spring or early summer, with construction beginning thereafter. www.lacma.org

Gorilla Exhibit Opens at the LA Zoo (Hollywood) - The Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens' new $19 million habitat for six African lowland gorillas is now open. Campo Gorilla Reserve, as it is formally known, provides the gorillas with an environment that closely resembles their native West African homeland. Visitors share the African experience as they journey along a misty, forested pathway for close-up views of the gorillas living in two separate habitats: one for a family troop of gorillas, led by a silverback male; and a separate habitat for two bachelors. Glassed viewing areas and planted moats are all that separates Zoo guests from the largest primate in the world. Gorillas are endangered species, and the opening of Campo Gorilla Reserve allows the LA Zoo to participate in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) species survival program for gorillas. Admission to the LA Zoo is $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 2-12. Groups of 15 or more can purchase adult tickets for $7; children's tickets are $4. www.lazoo.org

iFLY Hollywood at Universal CityWalk Hollywood (Hollywood) - Universal CityWalk Hollywood takes extreme to new heights with the opening of iFLY Hollywood, LA’s first ever indoor skydiving wind tunnel. Housed in the world's tallest and most technologically advanced indoor wind tunnel, thrill-seekers enjoy a close approximation of a true skydiving experience as they are suspended in mid-air at heights of up to 30 feet and wind speeds of more than 125 miles-per-hour, with 360-degree views of CityWalk's pedestrian promenade. The experience replicates skydiving by using two colossal electric fans (the equivalent of more than 800 horse-power), to give guests of all ages an authentic and intense free-fall sensation. Certified skydiving instructors provide individualized training prior to each skydiving adventure and guests don authentic skydiving gear. Guests receive a Certificate of Completion following their flight. Single flight packages cost $39.95. Group rates are available. www.iflyhollywood.com, www.citywalkhollywood.com

Encounter Restaurant (Westside) - Encounter Restaurant, located in the heart of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), remains open to the public with the scaffolding in place while exterior renovations continue. Operator Delaware North Travel and Hospitality Services has refurbished the restaurant's interior with new carpeting, repaired its iconic lava lamps and updated other fixtures. With 135-foot high parabolic arches and a futuristic design, the Theme Building has become one of the most recognizable buildings in the U.S. It was designed by architect Paul R. Williams in 1961 at a cost of $2.2 million and it was complemented by Encounter Restaurant in 1997. The restaurant offers "California Fresh" cuisine prepared under the direction of Chef Michel Audeon. Valet parking is conveniently available to accommodate diners and airport operated parking structures are located directly across the street. The restaurant is not within a screened security area of LAX, so travelers may keep their luggage at their table. Encounter Restaurant is open for lunch daily from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and dinner on Friday and Saturday from 4 to 9:30 p.m. www.encounterlax.com. www.lawa.org/lax

NOKIA Theatre Los Angeles (Downtown) - NOKIA Theatre Los Angeles will be the new home of the Primetime Emmy® Awards beginning with the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards national telecast scheduled for Sept. 21, 2008. The 7,100-seat, 210,000-square-foot NOKIA Theatre Los Angeles has become the official premier mid-sized live performance/award show/special event/music venue for Los Angeles. The state-of-the-art facility has the capability of accommodating such major award shows as the EMMY®s, Latin GRAMMY®s, ESPYS, MTV Music Awards, BET Awards and others, as well as live music concerts, comedy shows, family shows, short-run Broadway and community theater productions along with corporate conventions and seminars. NOKIA Theatre Los Angeles is the initial development completed at the massive L.A. LIVE project that will promote a 24-hour LA experience. Contact: Michael Roth, 213.742.7155; e-mail: mroth@aegworldwide.com. www.aegworldwide.com

Colburn School of Performing Arts Expansion (Downtown) - A new building opened at the Colburn School of Performing Arts in fall 2007. Adjacent to the Colburn School and across the street from Walt Disney Concert Hall, the new 326,000-square-foot building includes a performance lab, rehearsal hall, teaching studios, practice rooms and housing for up to 145 students. There is also a new outdoor plaza which serves as a venue for campus and public events. In addition, a new café provides meals for residential and non-residential students, as well as for visitors to the area. www.colburnschool.edu

Museum of Latin American Art Expands (Coastal) - The Museum of Latin American Art (MoLAA) in Long Beach underwent a significant expansion that more than doubled its original size. The museum now features expanded exhibit and art education areas, a new research library on Latin American art, a new film screening area and a new sculpture garden. www.molaa.org

Billy Wilder Theater at the Hammer Museum (Westside) - The Hammer Museum and the UCLA Film & Television Archive opened the new Billy Wilder Theater at the Hammer Museum in 2007; a truly unique nexus of film, art and cultural dialogue. Designed by Michael Maltzan Architecture, the state-of-the-art, 295-seat theater is the new home of the archive’s renowned cinematheque as well as the Hammer’s engaging and provocative public programs.

Universal CityWalk (Hollywood) - Located at Universal Studios Hollywood, Universal CityWalk raises the bar for the movie-going experience in a top-to-bottom re-engineering of its 18-screen movie complex, now with technologically advanced floor-to-ceiling screens, a sophisticated, state-of-the-art sound system and the widest, stadium-style seating available in any U.S. theater. Living up to its billing as “The Entertainment Capital of L.A.,” Universal Studios Hollywood, the “New CityWalk,” features a lively mix of new dining choices, a collection of contemporary retail favorites and an exciting range of entertainment choices, including mechanical bull-riding, virtual NASCAR racing, salsa dancing and iFLY Hollywood, boasting Southern California’s tallest indoor skydiving experience. www.citywalkhollywood.com

Noah’s Ark (Westside) - Lions and tigers and bears – in pairs! The new Noah’s Ark attraction, which opened in 2007 at the Skirball Cultural Center, delights, entertains and educates kids of all ages as they embark on an innovative and interactive journey that parallels the ancient story of Noah’s Ark. Inside the new attraction, visitors marvel at artfully crafted life-size animals, experience a simulated flood and learn about the beauty of diversity, community and new beginnings. A stunning, man-made natural rainbow signals the end of the journey and the bright new world to come. The opening of Noah’s Ark now makes the Skirball Cultural Center the largest Jewish cultural institution in North America, with 500,000 square feet of building space on 15 acres. www.skirball.org

Griffith Observatory (Hollywood) - LA’s landmark Griffith Observatory features 60 stellar exhibits that bring the wonders of outer space down to earth. Visitors thrill to “The Big Picture,” a mural depicting the world’s largest astronomical image of the night sky; a dramatic display of the planets – including Pluto, and arguably the most stunning views of LA seen from the Observatory’s hilltop plazas. The 200-seat Leonard Nimoy Theater, the Wolfgang Puck “Café at the End of the Universe” and a state-of-the-art Zeiss projector in the Samuel Oschin Planetarium are more exciting features. Originally opened in 1935, Griffith Observatory underwent a glorious $93 million renovation and expansion in 2006. Visitors may drive directly to Griffith Observatory and park in its parking lot or on the adjacent roads. As always, there is no admission charge to enter the Observatory building and no reservation is required to visit. The Observatory is open Tuesday to Friday, noon to 10 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. www.GriffithObservatory.org

Wicked (Hollywood) - The smash hit musical and highest grossing show on Broadway, Wicked, continues its wildly successful run at the historic Pantages Theatre. Exclusive “Wicked Getaway LA Packages” make it easy to get the best tickets in town and reservations at LA’s stylish hotels. Participating hotels include Beverly Garland’s Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza Beverly Hills, The Fairmont Miramar Hotel – Santa Monica, Hilton Los Angeles Airport, Marriott Los Angeles Airport, The Mosaic Hotel Beverly Hills, Renaissance Hollywood Hotel, Roosevelt Hollywood Hotel, Sheraton Universal Hotel, Sofitel LA, Sportsmen’s Lodge Hotel and Wilshire Grand Los Angeles. To book a Wicked package, visit www.discoverLosAngeles.com. For individual tickets, call 866.755.BWAY or visit Broadway/L.A.'s Web site, www.broadwayla.org. Groups of 15 or more should call 866.755.3075 or visit www.nedgroups.com.

The Getty Villa (Coastal) - The former J. Paul Getty Museum in Malibu reopened as the Getty Villa, following extensive renovations. It houses Greek, Roman and Etruscan antiquities and is a center for the study of classical antiquities, archaeology and comparative ancient cultures. The décor remains classical in inspiration, with patterned mosaic and terrazzo floors, coffered ceilings, colorful plaster walls and wood and bronze details. The Getty Villa is a companion institution to the Getty Center in Brentwood, which opened in 1997. www.getty.edu/museum/villa.html

The Galen Center at USC (Downtown) - The new 255,000-square-foot, $147-million Galen Center at USC features 12,258 seats, a 45,000-square-foot pavilion, three practice courts, offices and the Athletic Department Hall of Fame. The arena is home to USC men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball. It is also utilized to host concerts, commencement ceremonies, community events, lectures, meetings, shows and pageants. www.usc.edu

Urban Garden Tour at the Music Center (Downtown) - A new 45-minute tour explores the nearly one-acre community garden at the Walt Disney Concert Hall with its 45 blooming trees and 15-ton Delftware rose-shaped fountain. The tour explains how the garden was constructed 35 feet above the ground and is available at 12:45 p.m. on select days; tickets are $15 each. Guided group tours and evening event tours are available by reservation for groups of 15 or more. www.musiccenter.org

Westfield Shoppingtown Topanga (San Fernando Valley) - The newly expanded Westfield Shoppingtown Topanga in Canoga Park is now home to 100 new shops, restaurants and other amenities. Dallas-based Neiman Marcus, an upscale fashion specialty retailer, is expected to open a 120,000-square-foot, two-level store in September 2008. The cost of renovating the entire complex is expected to be in the range of $300 million. www.westfield.com/topanga

Vibiana Place (Downtown) - The former St. Vibiana’s Cathedral, the Los Angeles Archdiocese’s former headquarters and main church, has reopened as Vibiana Place, following a major restoration. Now a venue for community performances, Vibiana Place also is available for public and private events. A second phase of the restoration will retrofit the bell tower and transform the former rectory into a restaurant. www.vibiana.com

Citadel Outlet Mall Expansion (Downtown) - One of the nation’s first outlet malls, the Citadel in Commerce recently expanded its 147,000-square-foot retail space to 272,000 square feet. New stores include Guess, Anne Klein, Nautica and Puma. Another expansion, scheduled for completion in fall 2008, will add an additional 128,000 square feet of retail space at a cost of $25 million. www.citadeloutlets.com.

Hollyhock House Rehabilitation (Hollywood)- Frank Lloyd Wright's first house in Los Angeles, Hollyhock House, underwent a $20 million restoration and tours are now available from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday. Originally built for oil heiress Aline Barnsdall, the house sits in the middle of the 11-acre Barnsdall Park in Hollywood. More than $2 million was devoted to repairing earthquake damage to the house; the rest was used to implement phase I of the master plan for the park, which included replanting 1,000 olive trees along the hillside on Hollywood Boulevard. www.hollyhockhouse.net

Downtown LA Walks (Downtown) - Downtown LA Walks is an urban “wayfinding” program that helps pedestrians and drivers find their way through the greater Downtown Los Angeles area. It is the largest urban wayfinding program in the nation, consisting of 1,300 pedestrian and vehicular signs that point the way to local attractions, public offices, subway stations, freeway entrances and other frequently visited destinations. Some of the featured attractions in the Downtown LA Walks program are the Walt Disney Concert Hall, STAPLES Center, Exposition Park, Union Station, Olvera Street, the African-American Fire Fighter Museum and Go for Broke Monument. www.downtownlawalks.com

Air Force One Lands at Reagan Library (San Fernando Valley) - Late President Ronald Reagan’s Air Force One, a Boeing 707, is now permanently parked at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley. The plane is housed in a new, 90,000-square-foot pavilion, along with Marine One (President Lyndon Johnson’s helicopter), Reagan’s presidential motorcade, a gift shop and a pub from Ireland that bears his name. Visitors can tour the inside of Air Force One. www.reaganlibrary.com

Hollywood Walk of Fame CityPass (Hollywood) - The Hollywood Walk of Fame CityPass focuses on the two-block area that honors more than 2,300 celebrities with sidewalk stars. The new CityPass booklet includes tickets to: the Kodak Theatre Guided Tour, Starline Tours of Hollywood (tour of movie stars’ homes), the Hollywood Museum in the historic Max Factor Building and Red Line Tours’ “Behind-the-Scenes” Hollywood tour. The booklet also includes a book of Hollywood & Highland Center discount coupons. The Hollywood Walk of Fame CityPass is priced at $49 for adults and $39 for children ages 4-12; and is valid for 30 days from the date of first use. www.citypass.com

San Pedro Waterfront Promenade (Coastal) - The “greenbelt” public promenade is now open in San Pedro. This attractive, pedestrian-oriented waterfront parkway is adjacent to the easterly right-of-way of the existing railroad, immediately east of Harbor Boulevard between Swinford Street and Fifth Street. The promenade is an approximately 50-foot-wide corridor paralleling Harbor Boulevard, and includes landscaping and a paved pathway with a combination of decomposed gold colored granite, red lava rock gravel, stone paving and concrete. Clusters of trees are placed in the different paved zones to define shade areas, and include magnolias and peppermint trees. Colorful seaside gardens meander alongside the paths. Granite seat walls and benches, litter receptacles and bike racks are also located along the parkway. Tying the Parkway together is the “story rope” – a granite band winding along the path, punctuated by solid red granite benches and story “loops.” In the granite band loops, stories of San Pedro's waterfront history are engraved in the granite and lit in the center with the project's signature compass star. www.sanpedrowaterfront.com

Hollywood & Highland: Better Than Ever (Hollywood) - Luxury retailer Louis Vuitton is expanding its presence at Hollywood & Highland Center -- the heart of the new Hollywood -- with a new boutique that opened in 2007. More new additions include Guess, XXI Forever, Vino 100 (a trendy new restaurant), Orange (an energetic nightclub hosting Hollywood’s A-listers) and the center’s exclusive boutique spa, Spa Luce, which will open in May 2008. This follows Hollywood & Highland’s $10 million facelift from its new owners, CIM Group, which included new elevators connecting Hollywood Boulevard with the top of the four-level center, making it easy to get from the street to the shops, restaurants and clubs. The Hollywood Visitor Information Center also is located here and is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays, 323.467.4612. www.hollywoodandhighland.com

Cabrillo Marine Aquarium (Coastal) - San Pedro’s Cabrillo Marine Aquarium recently underwent a $10-million renovation. The aquarium’s new Exploration Center allows children to explore the habitats and organisms of the Cabrillo Beach Coastal Park through hands-on interactive exhibits and activities. The Aquatic Nursery, a new major exhibit, raises young sea animals like grunion, garibaldi — California’s state fish — and white sea bass. A new research facility, the Virginia Reid Moore Library, features an extensive collection of works on Southern California ocean life. www.cabrilloaq.org

Point Fermin Lighthouse (Coastal) - One of Los Angeles’ most historic landmarks, the original San Pedro wooden lighthouse at the Port of Los Angeles, has been restored and is now open to the public. Built in 1874, the Point Fermin Lighthouse guided ships safely into San Pedro Harbor (now known as the Los Angeles Harbor) for decades. In addition to a brush with LA history, visitors to the Point Fermin Lighthouse enjoy scenic views of Angel’s Gate, Catalina Island, Point Fermin Park and the vast LA coastline. www.pointferminlighthouse.org

Outdoors

Ahmanson Ranch (San Fernando Valley) - Ahmanson Ranch now features 15 miles of trails for hikers, bikers, equestrians and dog walkers. Nature enthusiasts are welcome to enjoy the Los Angeles park, open from sunrise to sunset and located just north of Calabasas. The unspoiled landscapes are home to several rare and endangered species. The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy purchased the 2,983-acre park for $150 million, saving it from housing development. It is the largest parkland purchase ever (in both acreage and dollar amount) in the Los Angeles and Ventura county regions. www.ahmanson.org

Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles (Coastal) - The Trump National Golf Club recently opened in Rancho Palos Verdes. Perched on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the course is open to the public and provides a spectacular view from every hole. Originally designed by Pete Dye as the Ocean Trails Golf Course, the property was purchased by developer Donald Trump, who spent more than $250 million to redesign it with lakes and waterfalls. Located on the Palos Verdes Peninsula 30 minutes south of Downtown Los Angeles, the course also offers a 45,000-square-foot clubhouse with locker rooms, a pro shop, three dining options, conference rooms and a grand ballroom. www.trumpgolf.com/trumplosangeles/index.asp



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