UnHip LA

Go ride a stagecoach!

Los Encinos State Historic Park

On Sunday, October 19th, Los Encinos State Historic Park in Encino will host a unique living history event. It will be "Stagecoach Day", which celebrates the 150th Anniversary of the start of scheduled stagecoach service in California.

This program will feature an actual stagecoach with horses, traveling the old Overland Mail route (Ventura Blvd) from Campo de Cahuenga in Universal City to Los Encinos and then to the Leonis Adobe in Calabasas. It is scheduled to arrive at Los Encinos around mid day.

In addition, the program at Los Encinos will feature two 19th Century style bands (Los Californios and the Band of the California Battalion), Victorian dancing, a blacksmith, a telegraph office, children’s games, tours of the restored 1849 adobe and participants in authentic Victorian costume.

Pack a picnic and stay the day–admission is free. Old West attire is encouraged (no weapons please)

Los Encinos Website
(Directions, park history and archives of historic photographs)

"Stagecoach Days" are being celebrated throughout the California State Parks system. Ft.Tejon State Historic Park is having their "Overland Mail Day" on Saturday, October 4th.
Print a flier

 

More recession fun -

On October 4 and 5th, many museums in Los Angeles County will be open for freesies.  Typically a museum free day means way more crowds, but still it’s a fun way to hit a bunch of museums at once.  Here’s the list from www.MuseumsLA.org:

MUSEUMS FREE-FOR-ALL
Free Admission Days October 4 and/or 5, 2008

In a joint effort to welcome diverse communities across Southern California, the Museum Marketing Roundtable announces the fourth annual “Museums Free-For-All” during the weekend of Saturday, October 4, and Sunday, October 5, 2008. The following 24 institutions—exploring art, cultural heritage, natural history and science—will offer free admission to all visitors on one or both dates

Participating Museums:

• Armory Center for the Arts - Both Dates
• Autry National Center - Sunday, October 5th Only
• Bowers Museum - Sunday, Octoher 5th Only
  
• California African American Museum - Both Dates
• California Heritage Museum - Saturday, October 4th Only
• California Science Center - Both Dates
• Craft and Folk Art Museum - Both Dates
• Fowler Museum at UCLA - Both Dates
• The Getty Center - Both Dates
• The Getty Villa (advance tickets required) - Both Dates
• Hammer Museum at UCLA - Both Dates
• Japanese American National Museum - Sunday, October 5th Only
• Los Angeles Fire Harbor Museum - Saturday, October 4th Only
• Los Angeles Fire Museum & Memorial - Both Dates
  
• The Museum of Contemporary Art,
           Los Angeles (MOCA) - Both Dates
• Museum of Latin American Art (MoLAA) - Both Dates
• Museum of Tolerance - Sunday, October 5th Only
• Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County - Both Dates
• Norton Simon Museum - Sunday, October 5th Only
• The Paley Center for Media - Both Dates
• Petersen Automotive Museum - Both Dates
• Santa Monica Museum of Art
• Skirball Cultural Center
• Southwest Museum of the American Indian.

*Regular parking fees apply. General museum admission only. May not apply to ticketed exhibitions. Advance reservations may be advisable for some exhibitions.

 

I just found out about this funny-sounding event:  the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach has free shark petting every Friday night from 6 pm - 9 pm, with light refreshments and alcoholic beverages available for purchase.  Sounds like it could be a dangerous combo. I called and asked if a lot of people show up and the aquarium said no. The Shark Lagoon is the only area open for free; the rest of the aquarium is closed.  Still, I think this is a great sounding happy hour.  Drink, pet, and then go out on the town.  Long Beach is a fun town.

From the Aquarium’s website  www.aquariumofthepacific.org:

Aquarium Event

Shark Lagoon Nights

The public is invited to get up close with the ocean’s ultimate predators at the Aquarium of the Pacific for FREE during Shark Lagoon Nights. Guests will have the opportunity to touch bamboo sharks and see large sharks such as sandtigers as well as rays in the Aquarium’s Shark Lagoon.

Coffee, hot cocoa, beer, wine, desserts, and snacks are available for purchase.

100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach, CA 90805
(562) 590-3100