LA Zoo

You know Dasher and Dancer, Prancer and Vixen...yes, these are Santa's famous reindeer from the Reindeer Romp at the LA Zoo!

I often overlook the Zoo when I'm needing a getaway from the hustle and bustle. So when a friend invited me to go for a stroll at the Zoo, and I knew it was Reindeer Romp time, I got away in a flash!

It was one of those rare LA days, sandwiched in a pocket between raining the day before, and more rain predicted for the next few days. There was a noticeable crisp in the air, the kind where a jacket is not optional. Like me, the animals were appreciating the sun and soaking up the warm rays.

As for that getaway, seeing such diverse creatures from different continents is almost like taking a trip. No need for a passport to enjoy the lions, tigers, bears (oh, my!), kangaroos, elephants, chimps, zebras, giraffes, hippos and all the other animals working on their tans. There are 80 or so exhibits at any time, so there's always something fantastic to see.

Just in the nick of time for Christmas, the reindeer were front and center for this visit. The North Pole is another continent, right?! Families were enthralled with Santa's support crew, appearing right before their wondering eyes. It was fun to hear parents explain why these reindeer weren't with Santa. The reindeer will romp through January 3. And, yes, Virginia, they get Christmas Day off.

Click here to go to their Web site.

Chill - Coffee, Crepes and Frozen Yogurt

Chill is a super-cool hybrid of seemingly unconnected themes: fro yo, coffee and crepes.

I went for the red velvet frozen yogurt - sold by the ounce - with some fruit and candy toppings. Very tasty! I also sampled the tart green apple yogurt. Yum. They had at least eight different fro yo flavors to choose from, and a large selection of toppings. I was content for the moment.

But, a friend ordered a dinner crepe with chicken, cheese and spinach. Here you see the Chill staffer making it. I was shocked to see a crepe made to order inside this supposed yogurt shop. It smelled so good on the griddle, that I was considering reconsidering my yogurt!

They're open from 7A to 11P, which means they're good for the morning coffee, afternoon snack or dinner. Give them a try when you're in the area to satiate the blood sugar whatever hour - or whatever craving - it may be.

They do not have a Web site at this time. Street address is 11706 Moorpark near Coldwater Canyon in Studio City. Phone is 818-762-0041.

DWP Light Festival

Are you feeling like a humbug about the holidays? The DWP Light Festival in Griffith Park is a sure way to snap into the spirit of the season!


This is the fourteenth year of lights and music along Crystal Springs Drive, right by the Zoo. The lights outline models of icons such as City Hall, the Observatory, LAX, Venice Beach and other LA attractions. Everyone is snapping pictures for their Christmas cards, and cheery music is pumped over speakers. I can count on at least one Elvis song each time. Blue Christmas is definitely my favorite, and his White Christmas works in a pinch. Great fun, and it's all free!

I've been going to the Light Festival for at least six years. Last year the DWP folks trialed a few vehicle-free nights, meaning you got to walk down the middle of Crystal Springs, as opposed to the horse path to the side inhaling exhaust fumes from the cars driving by. This year, after listening to feedback and deciding on a greener Christmas, they made more than half of the nights geared to pedestrians and bicyclists. Now until December 17, park at the Zoo and walk one mile each way under and around the lights. Much better photo ops! Then, from December 18 to 30, cars will be allowed to drive through the route, starting from the Los Feliz side of the Park. Walkers are back on the dirt path. Trust me, it's not as much fun on those nights, but it is still worth it if you miss the pedestrian nights. I'd definitely have a Blue Christmas without this event!

Click here to go to their Web site.

Los Tacos

Los Tacos is my go-to place for nachos, and my SGV equivalent of Tito's Tacos (see June 17th post), with horchata replacing the root beer and ice balls. Many of my "in the know" friends are fans, and one visit is enough to convert anyone.

I walked or drove by their neon signs many times heading south on Fair Oaks. I finally stopped in and ordered the large carnitas nachos to go. Dang! It was huge!! (The picture is the small order for reference.) And I was hooked.

Now that I'm in the club, friends proudly share that they cater their parties with Los Tacos. I sometimes run into people who test the waters with "you may know this little taco place over by the Huntington Hospital..." before admitting to being a fan. I proudly proclaim my fan-dom! Although Los Tacos bills itself as "the world's greatest tacos," I'll let you decide that for yourself. "The world's greatest nachos" -- now I'll definitely agree to that!

No Web site at this time. Located at the intersection of Fair Oaks and California in Pasadena, behind the dry cleaner. Phone is 626-795-9291.

The Donut Hole

The westside may have Randy's Donuts; I wrote about them back in June. But, the San Gabriel Valley has The Donut Hole, another iconic stop on my search for LA's donut hole-y grail.

The Donut Hole kicks the giant donut theme up a notch, as you get to drive through this one! Really, you drive in and on the right hand side the baking is going on, and on the left hand side you coast past racks of fresh donuts on the way to the decision window to place your order.

This big donut says "It's the Quality," but we all know it's the quality of kitsch in this pursuit. Do you know of other enormous donuts? I'd love to hear about them!

They do not have a Web site. Street address is 15300 Amar Road in La Puente, CA 91744, and phone is (626) 968-2912.

Fish King

Fish King in Glendale is more than a fresh fish and poultry store. It is more than a quick lunch or dinner spot. It is more than an outlet for your prepared Thanksgiving turkey or Honeybaked Ham. It is all of these things!

It's the day before Thanksgiving and I met a friend at Fish King for some chow with a side of catch-up. Upon approaching their store on Glendale Avenue just north of the 134, I immediately saw multiple folks loading their cars with the paper crate sized boxes of food, sure to grace a festive table the next day. Once inside, I saw a massive fresh seafood and poultry counter, packed with last minute shoppers selecting the big day’s protein. Preordered cooked turkeys were available to those folks who planned ahead.

But, I was there for lunch. Just inside the doors is the charming Galley Deli. They call it a deli, but you won’t find a meat slicer or dill pickles here. There’s no pretense, either; you’ll see a big orange water jug on the counter, plastic utensils and nautical décor. Everything in the cases looked fresh and fantastic, and I had a hard time narrowing down my meal selection. I went with the charbroiled salmon with teriyaki sauce, coleslaw (with zesty pineapple and red peppers), and grilled zucchini. YUM!! I saw several diners with white styrofoam cups of clam chowder or lobster bisque. Non-fishy things like mac and cheese and cheesecake were also available. All seemed very happy with their choices, including me. Fish King rules!!

Here's an insider's tip: they also own the Honeybaked Ham store on Glendale on the other side of the 134. Pick your holiday order up here and avoid the crowds at the Vons/IHOP shopping center.

Click here to go to their Web site.

Flight Path Museum

You'll probably have to go to LAX for a pick up at some point over the holidays. The Flight Path Museum and Learning Center is a great place to hang out while waiting for your arrival.

Located on the south side of the airport, at the end of the 105 on Imperial Highway, the Flight Path is a collection of flying-
related memorabilia. From the Wright brothers' first flight in 1903 to Boeing's new Dreamliner, you can see and learn about it here.

There's a great timeline about both the history of flight, as well as our local growth. LAX got off the ground in 1928 in former bean and barley fields. Mines Field became Los Angeles Municipal Airport, and the aviation manufacturing companies starting moving in. LA was "the Detroit of aviation" during that time. I was surprised to read that during World War II, the airport (as it existed then) was camouflaged to look like a farm from the air to protect the fighter plane production.

They have a DC-3 from the '40s in the back and invite you to go inside with a guide and take a looksie. The plane was owned by the Union 76 Corporation, so it is arranged for inflight boardroom meetings. I chuckled at the couches with the seat belts. I sat in the cockpit and started immediately with the Airplane! lines in my head; Roger, Roger. What's the clearance, Clarence? and others brought a huge smile to my face.

My favorite exhibit inside the Museum is the various flight attendant uniforms. I selected the "white glove" version, as a reminder of a time when flying was civilized and a lot more fun. Some of the versions were quite sassy, while others were themed to a location, like the Hawaiian muumuu, the Japanese kimono, and the wacky coonskin cap as the topper for the Americana look.

I would definitely recommend going there and waiting out the dreaded LAX pick up. Yes, you picked the wrong day to complain about going to the airport!

Click here to go to their Web site.