Spins and Skyscrapers: Downtown on Ice

The Pershing Square tradition is back for its 16th twirl around the rink.

It's just along about now -- "now" being two to three weeks ahead of Thanksgiving -- when those without plans or a hankering to go the traditional route start discussing how else to approach the holiday.

There's always the beach, though that's chilly. The movies, too, though they stay busy. And there's Downtown on Ice, the Pershing Square seasonal ice rink that keeps long hours on all of the major end-of-the-year holidays.

A holiday skate session has become a regular thing for many a SoCal family and friend set, and they'll likely be out again when the building-adjacent pop-up twirls into its 16th year.

That begins on Thursday, Nov. 14. Not just begins, but begins with the proverbial bang. The grand opening ceremony includes a free performance with a "Lion King" star and skating exhibitions. More crowd-pleasers are ahead, including a January broomball tourney.

General admission is eight bucks, skate rental is two. It's up to you whether you don your mittens or not; some people like to head down to Pershing Square on the sunnier, balmier days of December for a spin in short sleeves.

Final date is Jan. 20, 2014.

And will you show on the holidays for some skatery? Lots of people do. There's just something novel about an ice rink, tall buildings, sunshine, and palms. If the visiting relatives don't believe that Los Angeles has such a place, just point your mittens for Pershing and show them how we do indeed practically have everything under the sun here. (Literally.)

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