Hello Dear Readers! Here’s what we’ve got goin’ on this week:

Bubbles! • Citizen Twain • Ritts at The Getty
• Police Museum • Howe-Waffle • Adventures By Disney

One of my most fun times riding the Dumbo attraction at Disneyland was late one night near park closing when Disneyland was nearly empty. Every guest on board the flying pachyderms for that ride was equipped with a bottle of bubbles. As the elephants ascended, the bubbles began to fly. It was a glorious sight.

Now I ask you, who doesn’t like bubbles? It may not be a bubble trailing Dumbo ride but you too can have some good, clean bubble fun this weekend — head on over to the Discovery Science Center of Orange County where they are about to open their annual Bubblefest, a celebration of all things bubble:

Join us for hands-on bubble activities where you can try your hand at creating giant bubbles and learn about the science behind the amazing Mega Bubblefest Laser Show. This year’s Bubblefest will be the biggest and most impressive outdoor festival in the Center’s history — With an inflatable play zone, water spheres, and interactive science activities, Bubblefest is truly fun for the entire family.

Most of what goes on at Bubblefest is included with regular Discovery Museum admission but for an extra fee you can see the Mega Bubble Show with Bubble Scientist Deni Yang:

World-renowned for unique and stunning artistry, the Mega Bubblefest Laser Show features a bubble carousel, bubbles within bubbles, smoking bubbles, spinning bubbles, bouncing bubbles and bubbles in all shapes and sizes.

Bubblefest runs at the Discovery Museum from March 31st through April 22nd. Mega Bubblefest Laser show times are as follows:

March 31 – April 15: 9:30 AM, 11:00 AM, 12:30 PM, 2:00 PM, 3:30 PM, 5:00 PM and 6:30 PM.
April 16 – April 22: 11:00 AM, 12:30 PM, 2:00 PM and 3:30 PM.

The Discovery Science Center is located at 2500 N. Main Street in Santa Ana. Admission for Children (ages 3-14) is$12.95, $14.95 for Adults (ages 15+) and $12.95 for Seniors (ages 60+). Parking is $4.00 (cash only). Hours of operation vary. For more information, visit this link.

I’m not sure anyone can ever outdo Hal Holbrook’s version of Mark Twain but Val Kilmer is game to give it a try (and at a cemetery of all places) when he presents his one man play, Citizen Twain, which he wrote, directed and stars in, for a limited two-weekend run at the Masonic Lodge at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Here’s how Playbill.com describes the show:

Deeply entertaining, with great wit, song and prose, the play weaves Twain's biographical themes into a play that proclaims and takes joy in the marvel of words, which, as Twain says in the play, 'Form the ladder to my heaven.' Storytelling was a lifeline for Twain, and in Kilmer's Citizen Twain, this lifeline continues into and after Twain's death, making it an appropriate choice to perform the show in The Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever Cemetery."

Mark Twain permantly resides at Woodlawn Cemetery in Elmira, New York

Show dates & times for Citizen Twain at the Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever are:

Tickets for the show run $40.00 — $60.00, parking is free and all performances will be followed by a question-and-answer session with Kilmer. Hollywood Forever is located at 6000 Santa Monica Blvd. in Los Angeles. Tickets can be purchased at this link. For more information, visit this link.

This is one I’m putting on my I-want-to-see calendar — The J. Paul Getty Museum is about to open an exhibit of famed photographer, Herb Ritts’ photos:

With stunning imagination and technical skill, Herb Ritts created distinctive photographs of fashion models, nudes, and celebrities that successfully bridged the gap between art and commerce. This major exhibition—which presents for the first time works acquired by the J. Paul Getty Museum in 2011—features nearly 100 photographs, including a selection of Ritts's vintage prints, magazine covers, Polaroids, and commercial video projects.

Herb Ritts: L.A. Style runs April 3rd through August 26th 2012, at The Getty Center, West Pavillion and a special audio tour that presents behind-the-scenes stories from Ritts's subjects and collaborators will be available. The J. Paul Getty Museum is located at 1200 Getty Center Drive in Los Angeles. The Getty’s hours are: Tuesday through Friday, 10:00 AM — 5:30 PM, Saturday, 10:00 AM — 9:00 PM and Sunday, 10:00 AM — 5:30 PM. (Closed Mondays.) While admission to the Getty Center and to all exhibitions is free, no reservations required; parking is $15.00. For more information, visit this link.

Did you know that Los Angeles has a police museum? I just learned about it and definitely want to check it out. Right now the Los Angeles Police Museum is presenting an exhibit with a fascinating, albeit somewhat gruesome subject; the investigation of the murder of Elizabeth Short - aka the Black Dahlia:

Mugshot of Elizabeth Short was taken in 1943 for underage drinking

The museum has received materials from the investigative file to help educate the public about the investigation and further explain the incredible efforts the LAPD exerted to solve the brutal murder. The unique exhibition, sponsored by best-selling author James Ellroy, about the 1947 murder of Elizabeth Short is now part of the museum tour. Never before seen portions of the official LAPD investigation are displayed along with other information relative to the case commonly referred to as the "Black Dahlia."

The exhibit is open now through June 16th, 2012. The Los Angeles Police Museum is located at 6045 York Blvd. in Los Angeles, and is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM & the Third Saturday of the Month from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Admission is $8.00 for ages 13 to 61, $7.00 for Seniors (62+) and free to Children (12 and younger). Free parking is available on the east and west side of the building. For more information, visit this link.

Let’s turn our attention to a sweeter subject, shall we? Close to Disneyland is a nifty Victorian house that’s open to the public for tours of what life used to be like in Santa Ana back in the late 1800s. The Santa Ana Historical Preservation Society has some nice Easter plans for the home — you may want to check it out for some Easter fun:

Put on your best Easter bonnet and join us for a special spring Open House at the Dr. Willella Howe-Waffle residence on Saturday, April 7, 2012 from noon to 4:00. Included with your tour of this 1889 Victorian gem are delicious tea and Easter sweets, and displays of vintage clothing and Victorian Easter cards. Join in our Easter cookie decorating event; unleash your creativity as you embellish your own cookies to take home. We’re even having an old fashioned "guess the number of jelly beans" contest for a chance to win a special prize. In our gift shop you just might find that perfect item to tuck into the Easter basket of the history lover in your life.

Admission to the Victorian Easter fête at the Howe-Waffle house is $5.00 for Adults, $4.00 for Seniors & Members and $3.00 for Students — Kindergarten through 12th grade.It is located at 120 Civic Center Drive West in Santa Ana. For more information, visit this link.

We’ll end things today with a mention of Adventures By Disney. I don’t know about you, but I kind of think of Adventures By Disney as expensive vacations to exotic places. Sure, there’s that. They just added a new itinerary that’ll take you to Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia:

Continuing its tradition of creating award-winning immersive experiences around the globe, Adventures by Disney announced today an all-new destination for 2013 – Southeast Asia. Featuring Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, the 12-day, 11-night itinerary will give travelers the opportunity to experience some of Asia's most exotic and culturally-rich cities – including Saigon, Hanoi, Hoi An, Luang Prabang, Siem Reap and Angkor Wat – in a way they may not have thought possible; as a family.

But, Adventures By Disney is more than that … here’s what caught my eye when I was reading their press release. (Now, I don’t know about you but if I was a tourist coming to the LA area, that’d be something I’d want to do to be sure):

Adventures by Disney also offera a one-day tour of the Los Angeles area, "Lights, Camera, Magic," allowing families to discover the iconic locations and star-studded sites of Hollywood. This adventure takes you to the Disney Studios and Beverly Hills where you will be transported back in time during a behind-the-scenes look at The Walt Disney Studios, which is both a working facility and the headquarters of the company. Then, head out to experience famous locations like Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills and Hollywood's famed Sunset Strip.

Sounds cool to me and I’ve lived in the LA area all my life. Maybe it’s something you’d like to put on your to-do list. For more information about Adventures By Disney’s offerings, visit this link.

Okay, that’s it for this week, thanks for stopping by. I’m gonna go decide if I want to head over to DCA today for a look at all the new Cars Land merchandise and maybe a taste of that dill-flavored popcorn. I’ll leave you and say good-bye till next week.

In the mean time, if you want to know what I’m up to, you need to follow Pressing Matters on Twitter. You never know what you’ll find there — food, museums, shopping, Disneyland, Museums, Adventure! Follow along as I search for the all the latest Pressing Matters & tweet about what I find:

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