Things to Do in Duarte

Since they were kids, siblings Regina and Fabiano Carpinelli have lived and breathed comics. In 2011, the Carpinellis' passion came to a head as more than 35,000 fellow comic fans attended their inaugural Comikaze Expo. The success of the event attracted the attention of the legendary comic man himself: Stan Lee, creator of Spider-Man, who has since partnered with the duo to create Stan Lee’s Comikaze Expo the Comic Con of L.A., a celebration of all things comic, gaming, sci-fi, and fantasy. The official comic book convention of Stan Lee punctuates its two-day celebration with celebrity guests, fan-focused panels, costume contests, and gaming competitions. Art shows feature the work of industry greats and unknown artists side by side, allowing attendees to discover snippets of new stories or hunt pagefuls of their favorite rare character combinations, such as when Batman teamed up with Kristi Yamaguchi in Figure-Skating Fury.

Local charities use a portion of the proceeds to enrich the lives of those in need, demonstrating one of the many ways stories can change the real world for the better without resorting to wearing Darth Vader costumes to the office.

Winter-sports enthusiasts have coasted the slopes of Mt. Waterman since 1939, and today the venerated mountain sports more than 30 runs for skiers and snowboarders of all experience levels, including a sizeable number of advanced areas. Located just 45 minutes from downtown Los Angeles, the resort's three chair lifts transport visitors to runs across the 325-acre grounds, including well groomed slopes for beginners and yeti-infested wilderness for seasoned pros. Non-skiers are welcome to take advantage of the views from the lifts or lounge at the warming hut. The hut soothes exhausted skiers with a cozy fireplace and a restaurant, which serves up hot burgers, sandwiches, and poached snowmen.

Championship-level karts and professional Formula 1 racers grip the asphalt turns and straights at Allen Berg Racing Schools' duo of private racing tracks. Navigating Auto Club Speedway's 13 twists and turns in a fleet of competition-grade racecars, the speed-smitten staff demonstrates the art of tire burning and swift pizza delivery. Alternatively, along Varsity Chrysler Speed Park's 1.1-kilometre track in Calgary, miniaturized karts reach up to 120 kilometres per hour while staying inside the new-and-improved safety barriers. During the road-car program, experienced instructors crank the speedometers of street-legal cars to teach students the art of lapping, slalom, and how to achieve speedy drive-thru chicken-nugget orders. At the cap of engine-revving sessions, the vehicles' HD cameras capture the full experience in an on-board video.

Erika Ikeler holds laid-back fashion design seminars at 8-Limbs each month, supported by apprenticeships and networking opportunities. The space also serves as a gallery and boutique stocked with handmade jewelry, clothing, home decor, and other goods made by independent artists and designers. As Echo Park buzzes outside, Erika infuses her funky shop with her own artistic energy, equipping novice designers with the skills necessary to fashion their own threads, home goods, or costumes for ghosts to wear to toga parties. Her hands-on classes maintain modest sizes, ensuring budding designers receive personal attention. Each student mans a provided sewing machine—or his or her own trusted apparatus—and learns the gamut of garment-creation, from sewing machine basics to the intricacies of designing successful clothing.

The careers of a veterinary technician and a real-estate agent don't typically overlap—unless you're Patricia Lincourt, who holds both jobs. Having scoped out 10 acres of tree-shaded property, Patricia oversees a team of horses on the verdant grounds, now known as Lincourt Stables. She channels her third title—that of a licensed "L" dressage judge—to train students of all skill levels in hunter, jumper, and dressage disciplines. Though many of her lessons focus on competitive technique, others instruct students who saddle up solely for pleasure or to finally intimidate a much taller sibling. Regardless of the goal, all of the sessions strive to build confidence and poise in a calm, family-friendly environment. Students steer their mounts in one of six arenas with sand footing, two of which boast full jump courses. Accompanying turnouts and grassy expanses allow horses to roam freely as visitors recline in a picnic area.