Cheap & Cheerful Mardi Gras - Fairfax & Downtown

F0r one of the most lively Mardi Gras in town..get over to Farmer Market. (3rd & Fairfax) Eddie Baytos & The Nervis Bros strikes up at 6:30pm at the west Patio. And you just have to get some jambalaya from The Gumbo Pot cajun food stall.

Admission is free, but be sure to get you parking ticket validated.

Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler!

http://www.farmersmarketla.com/special_events/index.asp

If you have little ones, Olvera Street is having a children's Mardi Gras with a mask making class, parade and pinata. The fun runs from 9:30 a.m.- 1:00 pm. All activities are free to the public.
Metered street parking and adjacent parking lot.

http://calleolvera.com/events/flyer1/
213-713 1373

Cheap & Cheerful Grammy Arrival Viewing- Downtown

It's award season in Los Angeles and one if the really fun things to try, at least once, is to squeeze your way into a good viewing spot for the arrivals of an award show.

This week it's the 54th Grammy Awards. The Grammys will be held at the Staples Center (1111 So Figueroa between 11th and Pico) this Sunday, February 26. The broadcast begins at 8:00pm local time, but there are rehearsals Saturday and arrivals begin around 6:00pm.

I would recommend not taking a car into the area, check a Metro subway map -- you can take the Red Line/Purple line to 7th/Metro then transfer to the Blue line for 1 stop to Pico Station and the Staples Center is right there. Or park further east into the city and walk in--you will thank me at the end of your evening.

While you are waiting for your favorite artists, you could check out the Grammy Museum. At $12.95 for an adult ticket, not the cheapest admission, but definitely worth it if you have never been before. Or just check out everything that is going on on the LA Live "campus."

http://www.grammymuseum.org/interior.php?section=tickets&page=ticketsindex

Can't get downtown? Here's the info-packed websites

http://www.cbs.com/shows/grammys//

http://www.eonline.com/redcarpet/2012/grammys


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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

Cheap & Cheerful Skiing - Mountain High/Wrightwood

What?! you say. Cheap and Skiing are mutually exclusive terms. Well here is the best deal I've found.

Mountain High offers a free 8 hour lift ticket on your actual birthday. That's a $59 -$69
dollar value depending on what day of the week you go. Now if you need equipment, you are still on the hook for $34 to rent skis and poles. If you have your own stuff, I'd recommend bringing $15.00 for lunch.

This is about as good as it gets.

http://www.mthigh.com/deal/birthday

(888) 754-7878.