One of my favorite charity groups in LA is SYP (a.k.a. Society of Young Philanthropists). Tonight they’re throwing a big gala in BH at the Paley Center and the cause couldn’t be more valiant. Proceeds from the gala will benefit the following two charities:

The UCLA chapter of Engineers without Borders will receive a grant to assist in construction of a preschool in rural Thailand and Doctors without Borders will receive a grant to assist their fight against childhood malnutrition in Niger.

This year’s Gala theme will also highlight the ways in which young professionals can partner with communities worldwide to improve their daily quality of life and lay foundations for international cooperation.

I’ll be there along with over 500 of the areas most accomplished and distinguished young business owners and professionals in LA (each one of them wanted me to say that).

The Society of Young Philanthropists is a Beverly Hills based not for profit organization that works to promote the involvement of young professionals in philanthropy. Over the past three years SYP has risen over $200,000 for various charities and hosted over three thousand young professionals at charitable events.

Who said girls can’t kick ass? The LA Derby Dolls match up in Downtown’s Toy District this weekend. Ticket will sell out to folks like Drew Barrymore and Ellen Page, so be sure to get one ASAP.

Click here for tickets.

Click here to learn more about the LA Derby Dolls.

Benefit for Griffith Park starring Ludacris and Tommy Lee

When: May 28, 7:30 p.m.

Where: The Greek Theatre

What: Discovery Network’s upcoming series, “Battleground Earth,” has challenged stars Ludacris and Tommy Lee to “go green.” Now the show culminates at The Greek Theatre to raise money for The Griffith Park Recovery Fund. Buy tickets at www.greektheatrela.com.

Scoop: Ludacris and Tommy Lee aren’t the only ones who care about the environment. Other special guests will be joining them in this much-anticipated “rap ‘n’ roll” concert.

From loin-clothed men warring it out in front of thousands at the LA Sports Arena in Exposition Park to practically naked porn stars putting on a convention at the Los Angeles Convention Center, June 6-8 is going to be jam-packed! Not to mention, Kobe and the Lakers could very well be playing at STAPLES Center in the NBA Finals.

IT’S PRETTY MUCH AN ORGY OF TALENT!

And what a perfect weekend for Downtown to put on it’s Open House. Branded as the “weekend to discover what living AND playing in all of Downtown LA’s neighborhoods has to offer,” Downtown Open House will truly be racking in the visitor numbers it’s been longing for.

This is the perfect time to stay at a Downtown hotel if you’ve never experienced the region over the course of 24 hours. The Wilshire Grand is offering a $99 rate all weekend.

Hidden from theme park visitor view, X2 lives up to the hype and is opening today at Six Flags Magic Mountain (located in Valencia, just one hour from Downtown Los Angeles). I had the opportunity to experience it yesterday and dear lord I want to go back today, but waiting in line is what’s keeping me away. If the line for Tatsu (Six Flags’ other major coaster) is an example of how long it’s going to take to ride X2, visitors are in for a wait that could exceed 2 hours. Nevertheless, the one minute of adrenaline, heart-stopping, free-falling rush is worth it! Just make sure to save room for dessert. Who could walk away from Six Flags without a Funnel Cake?

Here are the top 10 free things to do in LA:

1) Head towards the ocean and park the car when the smell of incense becomes overwhelming…Welcome to Venice Beach!

2) The largest city park in the country – 4,107 acres – Griffith Park possesses several attractions. From a well-kept budget golf course to LA’s acclaimed observatory, a day adventure in Griffith Park can easily turn into an evening spectacular.

3) You might not know where to find all the famous celebrities in LA, but you are guaranteed to see a few legendary actors below your feet at the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

4) Whether you have a convertible, motorcycle or VW Bug, Mulholland Drive is a cruiser’s glory road.

5) The richest discovery of Ice Age fossils in the world was unearthed in Los Angeles? Come see the active site at La Brea Tar Pits in Hancock Park

6) When traveling, there is no better way to immerse into the culture of the destination than by experiencing its rich flavors. Fortunately, LA is home to 4 million people who represent more than 140 countries. So there is no shortage of variety at Farmers Market.

7) The pinnacle of free finds in LA lies perched above the city peering down towards Westwood and Santa Monica.

Closed to the public in January of 2002, LA’s iconic Griffith Observatory is open and a must for both visitors and locals alike.

9) What may seem to be miles from civilization is merely knocking on your doorstep in Los Angeles.

10) Shopping and dining are at your fingertips everywhere in LA. However, Santa Monica’s car-less promenade draws the most traffic in LA’s Westside.

Below are examples of hotel rates recently available on Hotwire.com for Memorial Day weekend (May 23 - 27, 2008):

Chicago: $89/night, 3.5-star hotel, North Michigan Avenue/Water Tower/Gold Coast
Las Vegas: $114/night, 4-star hotel, Strip East
San Francisco: $109/night, 4-star hotel, Union Square East
New York City: $226/night, 4-star hotel, Downtown/SoHo
Seattle: $112/night, 4-star hotel, Downtown /Pike Place
Los Angeles: $96/night, 3.5-star hotel, Downtown
Washington DC: $99/night, 4-star hotel, Dupont Circle/Embassy Row
Toronto: $89/night, 4-star hotel, Downtown
Boston: $139/night, 4-star hotel, Waterfront Area/South Boston
Orlando: $45/night, 3-star hotel, Universal Orlando/I-drive North Area

It’s not even Friday and I’m already nervous for what’s sure to be the scariest press preview since skydiving in Argentina. But if $10 million worth of re-enforced steel, re-imagined special effects and 100% kick-ass, 360-degree rotating seats can’t hold me, I might as well fall out of a plane naked and smoke a red on the way down.

“FLASH!” … Sure, I’ll pay $20 for that photo I could never take alone on the timed Canon.

If you can’t wait for the scoop tomorrow, spin in your revolving chair at work 10 times with your eyes closed and then try standing up with your pride intact while your boss snaps a shot and puts it on the server for the company to see.

As the host of the Lakers-Spurs memorable Game 1 and the David vs. David American Idol finale, L.A. LIVE in Downtown Los Angeles is the pronounced winner on all fronts. Can’t wait till the GRAMMY Museum opens in December…talk about a one-stop-shop to see the best in entertainment!

There’s no doubt that the Los Angeles Lakers have had a renaissance this season. Following the Pau Gasol trade, the LA Lakers became red hot, earning them a place in the Western Conference Finals. To reach the NBA Finals, the story will inevitably revolve around Kobe Bryant, the league’s MVP, and whether or not his entourage can knock down the reigning champions, the San Antonio Spurs.

Starting Wednesday, May 21, the battle for the “Best of the West” title opens up at STAPLES Center in Downtown. For LA visitors, there are few better ways to experience Los Angeles than catching the much-anticipated series. Don’t be surprised if you hear talk of Kobe and the Lakers in the coming weeks. Lunch counters, bars and clubs — wherever you are, the talk of the town will be the Lakers.

There’s a clear reason: it’s a classic battle between the Lakers and the Spurs. With intense matchups between Bryant and Bruce Bowen, Pau Gasol and Tim Duncan — as well as a talented supporting cast — the two teams have always brought the will to win.

But it’s the Lakers that have the decorated franchise history of Magic and Kareem — and Phil Jackson’s nine championship rings. The winning tradition runs deep with these perennial contenders for the NBA’s most coveted hardware, the Larry O’Brien championship trophy. Tune in at a popular LA restaurant or bar to see if they’ll add one more to the collection.

Check out the Western Conference Finals schedule at www.nba.com/lakers.

Related Links
24 Hours in Downtown LA
Los Angeles Sports Bars

-Keith Lin

The Simpsons Ride is now open at Universal Studios Hollywood. The new mega attraction, based on the critically acclaimed TV series and movie, is showing a side of Springfield previously unexplored. Guests enter “Krustyland” (a fantasy theme park created by the show’s cantankerous Krusty the Clown) and are rocketed along with Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie Simpson on “Krusty’s Thrilltacular Roller Coaster,” where they rip roar at faster than lightning speeds on a hysterical, almost unimaginable adventure. The Simpsons Ride is an unprecedented collaboration between Universal Parks & Resorts and The Simpsons creators, Executive Producer Matt Groening and Executive Producer James L. Brooks. The ride features the show’s classic humor with 29 popular Springfield residents all voiced by the original talent. While Springfield is located near a Nuclear Power Plant, the ride takes energy conservation seriously and has been constructed to be eco-friendly.
www.discoverlosangeles.com
www.thesimpsonsride.com
www.universalstudioshollywood.com