Our picks of places to go + things to do to make the most out of your November.
DON’T MISS THIS → Descanso Gardens Enchanted Forest of Light dazzles the gardens Nov. 25 – Jan. 8 (5 to 10 pm). Visitors can explore the mile-long magical light displays and interactive environments. Move through 10 different colorfully illuminated displays during your stroll, with some interactive illumination and sound features. Make it a great date night and head to the new restaurant Maple, featuring seasonal dishes from Chef Mark Salazar. Maple will be open for nightly dinner beginning Nov. 25, but guests must have a ticket to the Enchanted event in order to book dinner reservations.
READ THIS → Everything I Want to Eat: Sqirl and the New California Cooking from Sqirl‘s founder and chef Jessica Koslow. For those of you who have eaten at the East Hollywood establishment, you can expect the same in the contents of the book, allowing you to re-create these dishes and enjoy them at home with friends. Koslow gives you the “real deal” recipes, including the famous ricotta toast, sorrel pesto rice bowl and beef ravioli. A collection of more than 100 recipes, the book also promotes the manta behind the restaurant: “any dish can be tweaked, reimagined, and reinterpreted to fit the needs and dietary restrictions of any diner (or cook)”. AND THIS → Appetites: A Cookbook, from our favorite culinary badass Anthony Bourdain. His new book brings the reader into his home kitchen, with recipes that range from classic French fare to Vietnamese street food to homestyle Italian. Finish it off with some much needed life advice from Bourdain, “Everyone should know how to roast a chicken. It’s a life lesson that should be taught to small children at school.”
HEAD TO → The Los Angeles Auto Show running Nov. 18-27. Test-drive over 100 cars and explore more than 1,000 vehicles. Expect to find over 60 new car debuts from brands like BMW, Porsche, Mercedes, Volkswagen and more. For families, kids will enjoy the fun zone, with bounce houses, video games, face painting and much more. The show will be open on Thanksgiving Day and may be the perfect escape (or break) from food and family, with a much smaller crowd of car enthusiasts.
BUY THIS → Away‘s stylish tech-friendly luggage arrives this month to DTLA’s pop-up center Row just in time for all your holiday traveling. Founded by two former Warby Parker execs, the suitcases will be featured at Row until the end of the year. The complete collection of rolling suitcases features built-in USB chargers, 360-degree spinner wheels, a removable laundry bag and a TSA-approved security lock. In addition, the pop-up will stock a selection of travel essentials, like cashmere clothing and accessories from White + Warren, fragrances from Travel by Land, luxe leather goods by Koio Collective and more.
VOLUNTEER HERE→ Union Station Homeless Services’ annual Thanksgiving Dinner at Pasadena Central Park provides thousands of meals for those in need. Now in its 45th year, volunteers must register ahead of time. Can’t volunteer? There are so many other ways to help, including monetary donations, pie orders and more.
GET FESTIVE HERE → Snow Los Angeles, the city’s first outdoor snow tubing park located at The Old Lodge in Elysian Park, just a few minutes from DTLA. Experience the winter wonderland Nov. 10 – Dec. 23, with over 10,000 square feet of synthetic snow. Enjoy tubing, food trucks, drinks, singing snowmen, and much more. There’s no day quite like a snow day.
UNWIND HERE → StretchLab offers assisted one-on-one stretching sessions that can be appreciated by everyone from athletes to desk jockeys. Each stretch is designed by a trainer and physical therapist and increases blood flow, lengthens your muscles and decreases the risk of injury. Schedule stretches directly following those high-intensity workouts or on your rest days for maximum relief. With two locations in Venice and Santa Monica, StretchLab will open their third this month in Hollywood.
GO SEE THIS → Marina Abramović: Walk Through Walls at The Getty Center on Nov. 15. Performance artist Marina Abramovic discusses her new memoir during her only Southern California appearance. An account of her career, using pain as a creative medium, Abramović looks back at her unusual life, pushing her body past the limits on a quest for emotional and spiritual transformation.
