Cheap & Cheerful Chinese New Year - Chinatown

Dragons of the world unite! The 113 annual Golden Dragon Parade & Chinese New Year Festival kicks off at noon tomorrow, Saturday January 28.

The fun runs from 12 noon till 8:oo pm Saturday and 12 noon to 5:00 pm on Sunday.

The parade is great, the food, amazing and performances, astounding.
Kid friendly, but a mob scene.

For a complete schedule of events and important information on
street closures and parking, ( I say take the Metro) visit:


http://chinatownla.com/calendar.php?eventId=80

(213) 680-0243.

Cheap & Cheerful Thursday Farmer's Markets - Downtown

Get out of that stuffy office!
Stretch your legs, soak up some sun and buy something fresh for lunch for a change. Both the City Hall Farmer's Market (200 N. Spring Street) and 7th & Fig Market are open for business on Thursdays.

I'll cover the phones...buy me some caramel corn will ya?

City Hall Farmer's Market 10:00 am - 2:00pm

http://findlocal.latimes.com/listings/city-hall-farmers-market-los-angeles

7th & Fig Farmer's Market 10:00am - 4:00pm

http://www.farmernet.com/events/one-cfm?venue_id=81


Enjoy!

Cheap & Cheerful Movie - Santa Monica

If you haven't seen Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris, head over to the Santa Monica Library. (601 Santa Monica Blvd.) at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, January 17th.

A first run movie, in a beautiful building, for free? Hard to beat.

If you need more info, I would recommend calling the library directly.


310) 458-8600
http://smpl.org/MainLibrary.aspx

Cheap & Cheerful National Parks - all over

Here's a great way to enjoy the amazing weather we've been having. This weekend Saturday January 14 through Monday January 16 (Martin Luther King Day) are free days not only in California--but across this great land of ours.

Admission fees will be waived for all three days, so pack a picnic, grab a back pack and go explore your great outdoors. Pretty hard to beat free.

Don't know which way to head? Here is a list of National Parks in driving distance from Los Angeles.

http://usparks.about.com/od/travelitineraries/tp/Driving-Distance-And-Drive-Times-From-Los-Angeles-To-Selected-National-Parks.htm