I was invited last night to cover Broadway LA's production of How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood. My date was my 4-year-old nephew, Declan, a big Dr. Seuss fan who had not yet been exposed to the mean old Grinch. To prevent an all-out melt-down when presents started disappearing, I warned him before the show started that we were going to see the mean Grinch, but it would all come out OK in the end.

I've never been a great fan of the animated story, but both Declan and I found the stage version totally enchanting. John Larroquette roped us in right off the bat, narrating as Old Max, the Grinch's dog, with James Royce Edwards as his younger, perkier self, the reluctant accomplice in the holiday heist.

Stefan Karl is a perfect Grinch whose heart starts out "two sizes too small" accounting for his hatred of Christmas, and his plot to steal it from the holiday-loving Whos down in Whoville. A highlight is Larroquette leading an enthusiastic audience in a sing-along of the classic "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch," complete with cue cards. An encounter with little Cindy Lou Who and the realization that Christmas will happen even if there are no presents, turns the fingery green creature into a fuzzy old softy in time for a happy ending.

The show is delightful for all ages, but, if you happen to have one handy, I highly recommend having a 4-year-old in your lap exclaiming at every wonderful turn of events.

When: Nov 10, 2009 - Jan 3, 2010
Where: Pantages Theatre, 6233 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028
Cost: $25 - $100 (subject to change). Check Goldstar.com for discount tickets.
Parking: $10-$15 in surrounding lots. Streets are metered until 8 pm
Metro: Red Line to Hollywood & Vine
Info: www.broadwayla.org

Photos by Ed Krieger courtesy of Broadway LA

Missing your cold weather traditions on your warm L.A. vacation? Try outdoor ice skating a la Rockefeller Center at LA's Downtown on Ice. That's right. Southern California's largest outdoor skating rink appears annually right in the middle of Downtown LA. The public ice rink fills a good part of Pershing Square across from the Biltmore Hotel. Each 1 hour skate session is followed by 30 minutes of ice resurfacing.
When: Nov 19, 2009 - Jan 18, 2010
Special Events:
Winter Holiday Festival, a Miniature Train Weekend, Mommie and Me Stroller Skating, concerts, movies and more.
Where: Pershing Square, 532 South Olive St, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Cost: Rates are $6 per 1 hour skating session plus $2 skate rental.
Parking: Discounted underground parking is available under the park with validation.
Metro: Pershing Square stop on the Red Line. $1 discount with Metro coupon.
Info: www.laparks.org/pershingsquare/doi.html, (213) 847-4970.

More:

• ICE at Santa Monica

Photo © 2006 Kayte Deioma, courtesy of www.KayteDeioma.com

While the thermostat hovers between fall and summer, snow is falling at Disneyland. The always polished park takes on a special shine under the twinkling holiday lights and garland of Disneyland's Christmas Fantasy. From November 13, 2009 to January 3, 2010 both Disneyland Resort parks are all decked out in their holiday finery. In addition to visiting with the traditional Disney characters, kids have a chance to visit with Santa and his reindeer and experience the delights of the Christmas Fantasy parade.

Despite the fact that it's already Christmas at Disneyland, don't count them out for Thanksgiving. The park is open, and there will be a full Thanksgiving spread in the Grand Ballroom at the Disneyland Hotel and at Napa Rose Restaurant inside the Grand Californian Hotel.

More about:
Christmas at Disneyland.
Disneyland Christmas Photo Gallery
Disneyland Christmas Parade Photos
Thanksgiving Dining in LA
Discount Disneyland Tickets at Kijubi

Photo © 2009 Kayte Deioma, courtesy of www.KayteDeioma.com

If you're looking for somewhere to enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving dinner while you're in Los Angeles, there are plenty of restaurants ready to carve up turkey with all the trimmings. I've compiled a selection for every budget in the Thanksgiving Dining Guide for Los Angeles.

Christmas is still over 6 weeks away but the holiday decorations were in stores before Halloween and Christmas-themed stage productions have already begun, with momentum building as the big day approaches. Whether you look on the holidays as a time for festivity and family or with a bit of jaded cynicism, there's a show to get you smiling.

This week, How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical opens at the Pantages Theatre; Robbie Jensen: The 12 Steps of Christmas opens at the NoHoArt Center; It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play continues at the Center Theatre in Whittier; and a live stage show introduces Disney's A Christmas Carol in 3D at El Capitan Theatre. For details on these and more visit my list of LA Christmas Plays and Shows.

The first productions of The Nutcracker start on Thanksgiving weekend. Some of them sell out, so get your tickets now. The same goes for popular Christmas Sing-Along Events at the Music Center. Some are already almost sold out.

More:

• LA Christmas Traditions
• Some More Unusual Christmas Traditions
• LA Gift Guide - Experiences to Give
• LA Holiday Boat Parades

Extra: Broadway's  Mary Poppins also opens this weekend at the Ahmanson Theatre at the LA Music Center.

Photo courtesy of Dr. Seuss Enterprises

The Bob Baker Marionette Theater will present A Holiday Spectacular beginning November 14, 2009. Over 100 puppets from marionettes to shadow puppets will be used in the one-hour performance. After the show the audience is invited to visit with the Puppeteers and have refreshments in the Theater's famous Party Room.

When: Opens Nov 14, 2009 through January 10, 2010 Sat-Sun 2:30 pm, Tue-Fri 10:30 am
Where: Bob Baker Marionette Theatre, 1345 West First Street, LA
Cost: $20 Children and Adults, $15 Seniors
Info: (213) 250-9995, www.bobbakermarionettes.com
Note: Reservations Required

Photo courtesy of The Bob Baker Marionette Theater

If you're not following me on Twitter, here are a few things you missed that I tweeted or re-tweeted the last couple days. If you'd like to be getting this kind of last-minute stream-of-consciousness deals and updates, you can follow me @LATravelWriter.  For Twitter newbies, @ indicates a Twitter address; RT is a re-tweet of what someone else tweeted; # indicates a subject you can follow. Learn more about Twitter.

Saturday:

• RT @silverlakeart: Free bike rentals for 4 pm Art Ride @bikeoven at Materials&Applications 1619 Silver Lake Blvd http://bit.ly/1387K0
• RT @West_LA: Zagat Food Truck Of The Week - Congrats! RT @mattieskitchen Yeah! Check us out on Zagat! http://bit.ly/1FsQ8V
• RT @LAUniqueTravel: Great site: Real #LA bldgs inspired bldgs in Disney's H'wood Studios at WDW Orlando - http://bit.ly/I6SXf
• Symbolic Wall of Art across Wilshire will collapse Sunday night w/German concert 4 20th anniv of Berlin Wall falling http://bit.ly/3xtQkl
• HSLB/IDA Pare Lorenz Film Fest starts tonight in Long Beach with Pare Lorenz films from 1936 and 1948 http://bit.ly/8cUyg
• Great Chefs of LA go Organic Sunday. Tickets $150 available at the door http://bit.ly/7bqhs
• RT @lahappenings: ART: Silverlake Art Crawl - FREE - http://www.silverlakeartcra...
• RT @TheAutry: Also free for BofA cardholders! RT @FreeFunLA: Headed out to Intertribal Arts Marketplace @TheAutry! #Free for kids under 9!
• RT @TripAdvisor: National parks, forests, & monuments across U.S. will be free this Wed, 11/11 for Veterans Day: http://bit.ly/3V6UL
• RT @blogdowntown: This one slipped under my radar. Panamanian Independence Day parade has Broadway closed.
• RT @LAist: Behold: One beautiful sandwich. But does Langer's truly have the BEST pastrami in America? http://ow.ly/Ahml

Friday

• I object to Christmas events the weekend after Halloween, but Old Towne Orange has their holiday fair this weekend http://bit.ly/Uamoq
• RT @justSantaMonica: Contemporary Craft Show is this weekend. Get a head start on finding the perfect gift.... http://bit.ly/25PZ3V
• @GoldstarLA still has a few dates left for 40% off Cirque du Soleil Kooza tickets in Santa Monica http://bit.ly/19bxiC
• RT @downtown_la: In case you missed the news: You can now see a live map of DASH bus locations on your mobile device http://ow.ly/zHjb
• But all the wristbands were given out yesterday! RT @NBCLosAngeles: OMG. "Glee" at The Grove http://bit.ly/ixBJZ #Glee
• RT @HiltonLongBeach: Happy Hour tonight!! $5 well drinks/house wines $3.50 tap/domestic beer $4 imported beer $6 martinis 1/2 price apps!
• RT @LABargains: Have a Bank of America card? Get FREE admission to LACMA this weekend, Nov. 7-8. (Tix reg. $12) http://bit.ly/17re2I
• LA theatre, comedy and other events for half price or even free http://bit.ly/38deLR
• Half-price tickets this Saturday for kid-friendly comedy at ComedySportz Kidz http://bit.ly/9M7BW

Emmy winner Susan Lucci from All My Children has been announced as the Grand Marshal for the 2009 Hollywood Christmas Parade (yes, they're back to the original name).  This year, for the first time, the parade will be taped and televised as a national prime-time event from 8 to 10 pm on December 10 and again on Christmas Eve on MyNetworkTV (KCOP 13 in Los Angeles).

There's lots of free curb space along the 2.5 mile parade route, but if you'd like to see the parade in relative comfort, you can buy tickets to the grandstand seating on Hollywood Blvd. Bleacher seats are located between Orange Drive and Highland Ave on both sides of the street.
When: Sunday, Nov 29, 2009 6:00 pm
Where: U-shaped route starts at Orange and Hollywood Blvd. - travels east on Hollywood Blvd. to Vine, turns South on Vine to Sunset, travels west on Sunset back to Orange. Grandstand seats run from the beginning of the parade route to Highland Ave on both sides of the street.
Cost: Grandstand seats $35, group discounts for 25 or more
Parking: Hollywood & Highland Center, $2 for first 4 hours
Metro: Red Line Station Hollywood & Highland
Info and reservations: (866) PARADE1 (866-727-2331). www.thehollywoodchristmasparade.com

More:

• LA Christmas Traditions
• Most Unusual Christmas Traditions in LA
• Give LA Travel Experiences for the Holidays

Photo courtesy of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.

The 2010 Entertainment Book, which is valid now through November 2010, is $5 off and shipping is free through November 16. With the many 2 for 1 dining offers, you can save the price of the book in just one use. The book also includes discounts on movies and attractions. Read the Review of the Los Angeles Entertainment Book and if you decide it's right for you, click Buy Direct to get the discounted rate. Compare other discount options in the LA Discount Guide.

I fully support buying full-priced theatre tickets to support the arts if you can. But in the current economy, ticket prices may make some people think twice about a night out to see a show. No money is no excuse for not seeing a show or attending an event or tour while you're in Los Angeles. You can often see a play for less than it costs to see a movie with discounted tickets from Goldstar.com (free registration required), Stubdog.com, LAStageTix.com, or Plays411.com. Most of these have branched out to provide half price tickets to concerts, tours, museums and even spa treatments.

This week, Stubdog.com has FREE tickets to variety of comedy and theatre performances as well as half price tickets for Cirque du Soleil's Kooza, comedy shows at M.I.'s Westside Comedy Theater, the Hollywood Improv, ComedySportz LA and Quick Culture art tours, as well as this weekend's Speakeasy at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel and more.

Goldstar.com, also has half-price tickets to Kooza, plus Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical, at the Pantages Theatre, Songs for a New World in Long Beach, Wait Until Dark in Hermosa Beach and many others. They also have discounted tickets to Medieval Times, Pirate's Dinner Adventure, the Laserium, the Aquarium of the Pacific, Dodgers and LA Galaxy games, museums, tours and dozens more opportunities.

LAStageTix.com has half-price tickets to Big River at the Actor's Playhouse in Hollywood, Baby It's You - the Musical in Pasadena, A Big, Gay, North Hollywood Wedding in North Hollywood, The Gogol Project at the Bootleg Theatre and more.

For additional discount theatre tickets, check out Plays411.com

If you call (909) 429-7469 x0 before 2 pm Saturday, Nov 7, you can get $10 off Tibbies Cabaret's Forever Fifties dinner show on the Queen Mary for the performances on Sunday Nov 8 and Friday, Nov 13, 2009.