Things to Do in South El Monte

Before guest conductor Mei-Ann Chen marks her historic Pasadena Symphony debut with a program that features Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony, Grammy award-winning violinist James Ehnes showers the crowd with pulled and stuttered notes in a virtuosic performance of Korngold’s Violin Concerto. Having performed in more than 30 countries and appeared with some of the world’s most renowned orchestras, Ehnes tugs sonic rainbows from his stringed companion in a solo work that earned him Grammy, Juno, and Western Canadian Music awards. Captive audiences seated in Section B will have precious little time to slingshot their rose bouquets onto the stage before Mei-Ann Chen claims her place as the first woman to conduct the Pasadena Symphony’s assemblage of gifted musicians from the motion-picture industry.

From the outside, the big, red bus looks like an open-topped relic from across the pond. Once on board, however, a rainbow oasis of streamers, flags, and tinsel reveals that this is no stodgy ride; rather, it’s the flagship vehicle of Out & About Tours—a tour company dedicated to celebrating the oft-overlooked sites associated with Los Angeles' LGBT legacy. Company CEO Jim Anzide pulls double duty as the tour’s guide, narrating historic info about the roots of the LGBT community in neighborhoods ranging from West Hollywood and downtown to Silverlake and the Sunset Strip. Lively banter punctuates each trip as Anzide and his guides quiz passengers on history and share personal anecdotes. They also lead walking tours that explore La La Land's hotels and bathhouses and curate their signature SunGay Brunch tour—a mini bus excursion that includes mimosas and bites at stops including Flying Leap Café and The Other Side, Los Angeles' last piano bar purportedly haunted by the ghost of Fats Waller’s Wurlitzer.

Led by head coach Terry Murray and captain Dustin Brown, the 2010–11 LA Kings' gloved hands are firmly holding steady in the heart of the Western Conference standings. Watch as they attempt to solidify a spot in the playoffs behind sleek passes from Anze Kopitar and the deft puck-stopping of goalie Jonathan Quick. At a hockey game, you get the suspense of watching an object swish against a net (like in basketball or soccer), the thrill of rambunctious brawls (boxing), the elegance of ice skating, and the utter brutality of golf all combined into one action-packed event.

Mark Morrow knows Hollywood. After arriving in Los Angeles more than 25 years ago, he enjoyed a brief foray into the music scene before finding his niche in the tourism industry. Mark went on to design his acclaimed Hollywood and Beverly Hills tour, the success of which earned him recognition from the Small Business Development Center hosted by Santa Monica College.

In the comfort of a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van, Mark shuttles passengers around Tinseltown, showing off iconic sights and sounds while focusing on TV, movies, and musical moments. While sharing entertaining anecdotes, he guides groups past downtown LA, the Hollywood sign, Grauman's Chinese Theatre, and other famed landmarks where feature films were made and straight-to-DVD releases were watched. As he waxes informational about all of the landmark sites, a 32-inch flat-screen multimedia center projects additional information, trivia, and satellite views of celebrities' homes.

The Los Angeles Ballet is a group of more than two dozen dancers who prance across the stage like marionettes controlled by Santa's team of bethumbed reindeer. See this renowned company perform a holiday classic to the choreography of experienced husband and wife team Thordal Christensen and Colleen Neary.

Promoting positive socials skills through gleeful play, Under the Sea Indoor Playground, named one of the area’s best indoor play spaces by CBS Los Angeles, gives kids a colorful landscape of obstacles, toys, and floor-to-ceiling murals to play in. Throughout the three locations, youngsters of various ages ramble through soft-padded activities such as the soft moon bounce, or exorcise pent-up energy scaling the sea castle. Meanwhile, parents and guardians can watch proudly from nearby seating or join in and challenge children to good-willed games of foosball. For younger children, Under the Sea turns down the tempo of play with a soft baby corner, toddler swing, and learning-oriented play equipment. Under the Sea is designed to help develop social skills, coordination, and self-esteem with a colorful cast of painted octopi, mermaids, and sea monkeys mistaking the playground's yellow slides for sea bananas.