Seal Beach, CA Indoor Activities

For one day, vendors and service folk from the spa, fashion, and fitness industries take over the River East Art Center to share their wares and expertise during a six-hour extravaganza produced by women for women. The bazaar showcases health, fashion, and beauty products from the latest lines as cosmetologists dole out mini treatments. In the activity area, women can limber up in fitness classes, sample foods, string together crafts, or commemorate the excursion in the photo booth. For more conversational activities, The Expert Corner pairs event-goers with inspirational speakers for discussions on a variety of topics, from health and mental wellness to trends in the fashion industry.

While wandering the Museum of Latin American Art's permanent collection of works from artists native to 20 Latin American countries, it might come as a surprise to discover that the space was once home to a roller-skating rink and a silent-movie studio. Its transformation into one of the country's only museums dedicated to modern and contemporary Latin American art was the work of physician, philanthropist, and patron of the arts Dr. Robert Gumbiner. He acquired the properties and founded the museum in 1996, revamping the Hippodrome into galleries alive with Latin American music, paintings, and video.

Since that time, the museum has doubled in size, adding a 15,000-square-foot sculpture garden and expanding its collection to include masters such as Rufino Tamayo, Roberto Sebastián Matta, Los Carpinteros, and Tunga. The site now serves as a beacon of Latin American culture, showcasing artists who made names for themselves in their own countries but may not be well known in the United States. Beyond the eye-catching exhibitions, which have been featured in the Los Angeles Times, the museum offers educational programs and events such as concerts and film showings. After a day of sensory stimulation, guests can nosh on enchiladas or carve chicken-mole sandwiches into busts of Frida at the onsite Café Viva.