People are often led to believe Disneyland is the happiest place on Earth, but that is not quite true. There is a happier place. It has giant turkey drumsticks and mead. This wonderland we’re talking about is, of course, the Southern California Renaissance Pleasure Faire.

Besides swashbuckling, looking 17th-century sharp and saying “Arr,” there are a lot of things to do should you make the wise decision to go to the Renaissance Faire, held at the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area in Irwindale. Located about 40 minutes from Hollywood, the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area is by no means a lush, natural gully (those of us who saw the old bay area Renaissance Faire location in Novato are somewhat spoiled). But it does the job of lending greenery, tree trunks and shade to complete the old-world Elizabethan atmosphere created by the traveling RenFaire troupe.

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Laura Dave, author of London Is The Best City In America (2006) and The Divorce Party (2008), will be joining the Bellacures Book Club this Sunday, June 26, to join the discussion on her latest novel The First Husband.

A tip from a friend reads:

How do you know when you’ve found the one? That’s the question the Bellacures book club will be asking this month as it reads The First Husband by novelist Laura Dave, whom People Magazine calls “A fresh, funny take on the search for a soulmate.” On Sunday, June 26th, Bellacures will have Laura in house for a moderated discussion led by Write In Color’s Melody Godfred. With discounted services, refreshments and author Laura Dave on hand to sign books and offer her insights, this month’s book club is not to be missed.

The book club will meet at the Brentwood Bellacures at 11712 Barrington Court. Discounted services (15%) start at 12 pm, with moderated discussion at 3 pm.

Brentwood Bellacures can be reached at 310-295-0016.

Tahiti is too far away, and Hawaii is overrated. Why spend $1,200 on a plane ticket when right in your front yard lies a weekend tropical oasis?

To the Los Angeles day trip warrior, Laguna Beach is a quick, affordable getaway. This mini-paradise is surrounded by soft beaches, beautiful architecture, fun people, good food and cool nightlife. If you spend some quality time relaxing and get out before you start to get used to it, a weekend in this place can feel like a day in Maui. Or at least a week in the MGM Grand pool area. Here are a couple of places to hit up.

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Los Angelenos who move out of town usually end up missing their city. Its crazy architecture, the gigantic ads, and especially the unique, stately skyline. Wish there was some way to take it with you?

Create My Scene is a Florida-based company specializing in giving Angelenos (well, and everyone else) the view they want from their windows, instead of whatever part of Detroit or Stockton they’re currently calling home. It’s as simple as creating a life-size, photo-based window film, adding a little sunlight to make it come alive, and there you are back in your old stomping grounds. Ah, remember that smell?

Curious? Visit Create My Scene to bring home back to wherever you are.

This announcement brought to you by the crazy homeless guy who never seems to leave your driveway.

Los Angeles loves to date. We’ve almost made an institution out of coming up with clever new date ideas, because when there’s so much to do and see, dinner and a movie is about the least interesting date idea one can imagine.

An LA date can be simple or elaborate, quick or involved. It can be a daytime outing or a nighttime romp, an intimate one-on-one encounter or a group affair. If you’re a Los Angeleno looking for your next date idea, here are a few simple places to start.
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Cluing in to Los Angeles’ raging love affair with food trucks, TruxMap — a Web service that uses Google Maps to pinpoint the real-time locations of food trucks in New York and San Francisco — has launched a map for Los Angeles, LAist reported Wednesday.

Hungry Angelenos who need a quick food truck fix can now give the map a glance to see what trucks are open near them, where their favorite truck is at the moment, and where it’s going to be in the near future. Obsessed foodies, you are stoked.
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Fans of Hollywood indie outfit Red Arrow Messenger have something else to look forward to besides the band’s melodic folk-pop, tight three-part harmonies and awe-inspiring stage presence. Every Monday in February the band is hosting a free variety show-style concert featuring favorite local bands, comedians, magic, food, and even a much-anticipated laser light show.
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Sometime in the 1930s, a time warp snuck up on a wandering trove of gamblers, thieves and misfits, swiped them up off the streets of New Orleans and dropped them, with their whiskey flasks and stolen wardrobe, into 21st century Los Angeles. Being the charming, ornery folk they were, they found a stash of instruments, started a gigantic brass band, and now they menace the unwitting masses through the roughhewn outfit known as Vaud and the Villains. Hands on your valuables, ladies and gentlemen.
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Los Angeles nightlife has many upsides, from the varieties of bars, clubs and lounges lining its streets to the wealth of live entertainment every night of the week.

But there’s a hurdle planted smack in the middle of Los Angeles nightlife: You almost can’t go anywhere without driving. That means forcing a friend into being the designated driver, scouring the streets for parking (or paying a valet), and spending your precious weekend nights in the car. The only other option is the city’s sparse supply of cabs, unless you happen to live within the limited range of the Metro.
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If you’re visiting for the holidays and looking for a tour of Los Angeles, Hollywood or any of the surrounding areas, these guided tour companies can show you the sights you want to see, with your schedule and budget in mind — and maybe with a little extra entertainment on the side.

Open-topped van tours circle around the Hollywood area throughout the day, and the colorful vans can be seen every day of the week from central Hollywood to Beverly Hills and beyond. Traditional shuttle-bus tours may venture further away, to areas like Long Beach or Orange County, and small-group walking tours are available for those who want to stay around the sightseer-friendly downtown or Hollywood Boulevard.
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