Christmas Events in Southern California

Los Angeles County Holiday Celebration Dec. 24

www.lacountyarts.org

After 50 years of hosting the Holiday celebration, this year's event will be at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion of the Music Center in Los Angeles. It's a free six-hour concert with over 40 music groups, and is funded by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. It's all day on Christmas Eve, beginning at 3 PM to 9 PM. Parking is free in the Music Center parking structure.

A Christmas Carol Dec. 19-26

www.scr.org

Be entertained by one of the most popular Christmas plays by Charles Dickens. Performed on the Segerstrom Stage at the South Coast Repretory, this is the 30th season of it's production. This is a great way to relive the story of Ebenezer Scrooge finding joy in the holiday season.

Huntington Beach Smooth Jazz Series Dec. 31

www.bbjazz.com

Hosted by BB Jazz, a non-profit organization, this Smooth Jazz Series is at the Hyatt Regency in Huntington Beach with tickets ranging from $135-$175. Artists like Nick Colionne, Maysa, Chante Moore and Kim Waters perform while guests are able to dine and dance to their favorite holiday tunes.

Gabriel Iglesias Christmas Comedy Dec. 25

www.thejonlovitzcomedyclub.com

Gabriel Iglesias will perform stand-up comedy on Friday, Christmas Day. At $30 a ticket, he'll be at the Jon Lovitz Comedy Club in Universal City at 8:30 PM. Iglesias was a runner up onLast Comic Standing and is known for his animation, while appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live,The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and Good Morning America.

The Nutcracker Ballet Dec. 19-24

www.gwctheatre.com

Held at Golden West College in the Mainstage Theatre, this ballet is perfect for the family to celebrate Christmas. It honors the classic, full-length ballet and is presented by the Ballet Repertory Theatre. General admission is $16, with $14 for children under 12. 

Cruise of Lights Dec. 19-23

www.cruiseoflights.org

The Cruise of Lights is a narrated boat tour that looks at elaborately decorated homes and boats that sit on the Huntington Harbor. The cruise is 45 minutes long and tickets must be ordered online. Tickets are $9 for children and $15 for adults. 

101st Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade Dec. 19-20

www.christmasboatparade.com

With over a million viewers, the Boat Parade celebrates Christmas with this year's theme of "The Joys of Christmas Toys." Watch multi-million dollar yachts, small boats, and even canoes strut their stuff on the water for fourteen miles, starting off at Bay Island at 6:30 PM until 9 PM. 

Ice Skating at the Pike Dec. 19-31

www.raindbowharborholidays.com

Forget that you're in Southern California this season and hit the ice. This outdoor ice skating rink in Los Angeles is just $12 for an hour and a half session, and sits on the waterfront of Rainbow Harbor next to the Aquarium of the Pacific. They also host nights like Family Night and Pajama Night Skating. 

Stroll the Christmas Lights of Naples Dec.19-28

www.naplesca.org

Thousands of lights are displayed in Naples, Los Angeles along the windows of boutiques and homes. This community is known for going above and beyond, sometimes even called "gaudy", attracting many visitors each year who just want to enjoy over-the-top decorations.

Grinchmas Winter Wonderland Dec. 19-31

www.universalstudioshollywood.com

Universal Studios puts on 13 Days of Grinchmas each year, having real snow to play in and a whole area of the park devoted to Christmas. Grinchmas is decorated like Whoville, from Dr. Suess's How the Grinch Stole Christmas. There's also celebrities who attend and read the classic story each of the 13 days. The best part is that if you buy just a day pass, you get the whole year free (a great Christmas gift).  

Katie Cervantes

Live OC Magazine

www.LIVEOCMAG.com

TV Review: The Hills


Season five of MTV's The Hills has officially arrived this year, says Lauren Conrad. Although it's ratings are drastically lower since LC was replaced with Kristin Cavallari, the show is still thriving off of scripted material and ritzy drama.

The show lost viewers because Lauren was always more of the girl-next-door and Kristin has already stolen her friends' men in just a few episodes. Although the show is entertaining, not much has changed since September. For a show that's not really reality television, you'd expect a little more from it. Kristin has gotten in an (almost) fight with Audrina over Justin Bobby, but Audrina's moved on now that Kristin is officially with Justin, since he doesn't want to grow up "a lonely, old man."

Speidi just bought a new house, and the couple's latest squabble is over whether to have a baby or not. Heidi's new BFF is the little boy next door, Enzo, who she plays Wii with and bakes cookies for. Although the pair is sneaky and seem to have grown up faster than the rest of the cast, it's a little endearing the way they're happily married.

Now that Kristin is the star of the show, it's a toss of the coin guessing how much viewers will continue to tune in. She's extremely hard to like and seems to only be on the show to promote her acting career. She even admitted in an interview with the Los Angeles Times that the show was scripted saying, "I pretty much do anything they have me do because I don’t care…I mean, we’re filming a TV show. Let’s make it interesting. Let’s have a good time with it."

Although it can get dirty and annoying watching snobby people steal each other’s boyfriends and drive away in their BMWs, it’s what we expect from Hollywood. I still find it a joke that MTV hosts a "Cast Confessions" episode where the cast "tells all," but I guess if we're all willing to play along that this is really reality television, then MTV will give us what we want.

Katie Cervantes

Live OC Magazine

www.LIVEOCMAG.com

The Top 10 Christmas Gifts of 2009

1. Flip Ultra HD Camcorder $150-$250

www.theflip.com

In a multimedia world of vloggers and bloggers, this handheld camcorder is trendy and small enough to carry in your pocket. It's lightweight and fun to play with, even coming with your own way of designing the front of an original Flip. Try filming something on it for your recipient so they have something fun to watch after opening it.

2. WeSC Golden Violet Headphones $55-$150

www.turntablelab.com

These are prefect for music lovers and when you want something that speaks louder than mini headphones. They have square and circle earpieces and are adjustable to the size of your head. With a gold-plated plug, it and sounds better than what your standard Apple earplugs provide.

3. Chooka Buffalo Rain boots $60

www.chookaboot.com

It's important to be prepared for the rain in Southern California, even if it is only an inch of rainfall. Chooka Buffalo rain boots come in a lot of different styles (try boots with coy fish, or Hello Kitty ones) and are extremely comfortable. If you're strapped for cash though, you can find similar non-name brand ones at Target that won't look much different.

4. Snuggie $20

www.getsnuggie.com

No one's too cool for a Snuggie. These beauties come in an array of three colors and will keep you warmer than a normal blanket. They're currently selling as a two-for-one deal (perfect for couples) and are even quoted as being "perfect for night time pub crawls." They also come in leopard print--and, yes, even mini Snuggies for your dog.

5. The Droid $200

www.verizon.com

With rave reviews from recent purchasers who stood in line for hours, this is the latest phone to show off. With applications that easily beat out the iPhone (like star gazing that literally names the stars above your head), the only bad part is the weight and density.

6. Juicy Couture Faux Fur Earmuffs $55

www.juicycouture.com

Just because you're cold doesn't mean you still can't be fashionable. Give this gift to the diva in your life to keep her little ears warm and to help her stand out. They come in three colors with a wool band.

6. Magno Radio

www.anthropologie.com

With an MP3 jack and AM/FM dial, this radio is something that looks like it crawled out of Where the Wild Things Are. It's made out of real wood (for each tree used for the radio, one was replanted) and was designed by Singgih Kartono.

3. DJ Hero $100

www.djhero.com

You might have seen Eminem and Jay Z in the commerical for the new DJ Hero, but the brother of Guitar Hero allows more than just those artist since it allows you to play on a turntable to over 100 songs. You can customize your own songs and do more than Guitar Hero ever offered. If you don't have much experience spinning, this might be out of your league.

7. Tom's Shoes $44

www.tomsshoes.com

Perhaps the most charitable shoe in the world, Tom's is expanding faster than ever with their product. They offer dozens of fabrics, patterns and colors for any age. Although there's a variety of pairs, they all look extremely similar and you might be getting bored with the style, but they're still pretty reasonable at only about $44.

10. Toddland Moustache Comb $18

www.fredflare.com

Perfect for the special man in your life. Nothing says love better than good hygiene. This is a great stocking stuffer or gift to pair with a mustache wallet, also made by Toddland. Avoid giving it as a joke to a woman you may know.

Katie Cervantes

Live OC Magazine

www.LIVEOCMAG.com

Christmas Films to Enjoy

A Christmas Story (1983)

Perhaps the best Christmas movie of all time, A Christmas Story is the perfect reminder of being a kid during Christmas and wanting a gift that "could shoot your eye out!" Most memorable for the leg lamp, getting your tongue stuck on a frozen pole, and for having a crazy family, this film is lighthearted and never gets old, despite your age.

A Christmas Carol (2009)

The classic story of Ebenezer Scrooge could never be remade too many times. This year, Jim Carrey plays Christmas' worst nightmare in the animated film, A Christmas Carol. With Scrooge slightly resembling Carrey's appearance, this film is a thriller with the ghosts, the pace, and the latest animation for a Christmas film. This film is extremely similar to the original story, but is still entertaining and a great story to watch once more.

Home Alone (1990)

Who could forget the infamous scream of Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister, playing the role of the misfit in his family and being forgotten during Christmas. This film is original and an adventure with tarantulas, burglars, and the thrill of running the house as a kid.

The Santa Clause (1994)

Christmas isn't the same without Tim Allen, and The Santa Clause was one of his best films about trying to be both a dad, and the new Santa Clause. This film is magical and fun with it's look inside of Santa's toyshop and a chance to enjoy the sarcasm of Tim Allen trying to take on the world in one night.

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)

Chevy Chase doesn't do anything the normal way, including Christmas. This film always brings any family together to enjoy Chase getting electrocuted by Christmas lights and trying to endure redneck Cousin Eddie's visit. There's always something unique happening in this film and although you might not be able to relax while watching it, you'll appreciate your own family more.

Home for the Holidays (1995)

Holly Hunt plays Claudia, a woman going through a mid-life crises after being fired and having to visit her deranged family during the holidays. Her mother wears a wig, her aunt is still in love with her father, and her brother (played by Robert Downey Jr.) acts like he has ADD. Between her brother driving off every time she tries to get in the car and her emotional cookie-cutter sister having a panic attack, Home for the Holidays makes me laugh, even though I've seen it six times.

Elf (2003)

No one can forget Elf, the story of a boy going out into "the real world" from the North Pole to find his biological father. This is one of Zooey Deschanel's best performances and it's a classic because it has a little humor, a little romance, and a whole lot of Christmas.

Katie Cervantes

Live OC Magazine

www.LIVEOCMAG.com