Oh, it's official! We are in the holiday season. Neighbors are "Griswolding" their houses with plastic Santas, mounds of faux snow and more lights than LA Live. Aisles in shopping centers are overcrowded with the masses of bargain hunters trying to procure the best gift for that special someone.
The holiday season also means putting off going to the gym and instead, stuffing your face with exorbitant amounts of food. But one way to get a little bit of exercise and embrace the season (and maybe even your childhood) is to don a pair of blades and go for a skate.
The outdoor ice rink at Pershing Square is now open and will be so until January 18th. The rink provides all the necessities and an interesting feel of tranquility in the midst of a bustling city. Check out their website for the times you can hit the ice, and a list of all the events and concerts held at the rink.
If the backdrop of downtown isn't to your liking, then head to Santa Monica for another opportunity to skate outdoors at ICE, located on 5th Street. It's open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday through Thursday and to midnight on Friday and Saturday.
And if ice skating just minutes from the beach doesn't get you in the holiday spirit, then you can visit the LA Live outdoor rink but you will have to wait until December. The LA Kings are sponsoring "Holiday Ice @ LA Live" all December long, giving you the opportunity to skate under the neon buzz of LA's version of Time Square.
At Seaside Ice in Redondo Beach on Nov. 27-28, there will be a skate with Santa night. Santa will be at the rink at 4:30 p.m. and will have other guest appearences leading up to the "big" day. However, if skating with ole' Saint Nick doesn't excite you, then stop by this weekend at 4 p.m. for "Swim Suit Skate" where ice skating in a bikini is something normal -- only in California!
So, lace them up and pick your view--urban, beach or neon--and head to the ice for a great time of outdoor skating. Then ring all your out-of-town friends that live in cold weather cities and brag to them about how you experience the best of both worlds; outdoor holiday ice skating in shorts and a t-shirt.
