Holidays

Often film sequels are slam dunks at the box office, a seamless continuation from where a previous hit left off. But as the new installment of the 15-year-old franchise "Men in Black" proves, getting to the big screen isn't always a cakewalk. One of the most troubled productions in recent Hollywood memory, Sony Pictures' latest movie in the Will Smith-Tommy Lee Jones sci-fi-comedy franchise encountered multiple script rewrites, a discontented star and a three-month production shutdown as writers and studio executives scrambled to fix a project that nearly fell apart . By the time it was over, the studio had run up a tab of nearly $250 million - making "Men in Black 3" one of the most expensive releases of the summer.

LAX officials estimate more than 750,000 travelers will pass through the airport Memorial Day weekend, representing a decrease of 7.4% compared with the four-day holiday period in 2011 . Higher fares resulting from higher fuel prices are being blamed.... The angler who pulls in the grand prize tagged trout will win $50,000 at Big Bear's fourth annual Fishin' for $50K Trout Derby on June 9 and 10 . Entry is $55 for adults and $30 for participants under 16; www.bigbear.com or (800)

Government workers in Santa Barbara County can take full advantage of their last-minute holiday shopping this year, thanks to two extra paid days off that the Board of Supervisors quietly slipped into their stockings. Without comment, supervisors earlier this month gave county government's 4,300 employees Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve off. Since both fall on a Monday preceding a Tuesday holiday, the action created consecutive four-day holiday weekends.

Memorial Day is a day off for many of us, so as you're lighting the fire and throwing another burger on the grill, consider this quiz, which talks about the meaning of the day. If you get all 10, well, pop open a beverage and have another dog. 1. Memorial Day was originally called something else. What was it? a.  Day of the Dead b. Remembrance Day c. Decoration Day d. Armistice Day 2. During what war did the day originate? a. Revolutionary War b. Civil War c. World War I d. Korean War 3. Several places claim they are the real founders of the day. Which place in the South might have been the earliest adopter?

Turn the tables on dear old dad, who undoubtedly picks up the tab most every time you go to a restaurant. On Father's Day, June 17, take him out. Here are a few suggestions. If he's a jazz lover, try the jazz brunch at Cafe Fleuri at Le Meridien Hotel, Newport Beach, between 10 and 3. Ray Johnson will perform and the menu will be man food, a buffet featuring barbecued specialties. And if Dad's a really dapper guy, he could win Le Meridien's Most Elegant Father in Town contest.

Visitors to Jalama Beach on California 's rugged Santa Barbara County coastline between Point Arguello and Point Conception have a new option just in time for summer trips: overnight accommodations. Steps from the beach, seven new ocean-view cabins welcome guests at the isolated county park , 20 winding miles south of Lompoc.  Units sleep up to six in rooms furnished with queen, bunk and sofa beds but without bedsheets, pillows, blankets or towels.

As cities and schools across California celebrated the 82nd birthday of slain gay rights activist Harvey Milk, Orange County elected leaders remained steadfastly silent. Activists, for the second year, asked Orange County supervisors Tuesday to recognize Milk's birthday with a proclamation, but the board declined the opportunity, as it did last year. One of the supervisors, Janet Nguyen, walked from the board room shortly after the activists began their presentation. Last year, Nguyen also left the meeting as the activists spoke.

Twitterheads and boozehounds join forces for an extra-special excursion down the Sunset Strip at " Strip for the Holidays ," with seasonally themed stops at the Standard, the Comedy Store, the Viper Room and the Roxy. If you have any holiday shopping to do at the Hustler Store, that's an option too. The Standard, 8300 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood. 6:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Fri. Free. Info on Twitter at @standardhwood.

Holidays in Heck P.J. O'Rourke Atlantic Monthly Press: 288 pp., $23

Just when you thought it was Thanksgiving, surprise, it's Christmas! The Hollywood Christmas Parade is here to remind you that the holidays are in full swing and the new year is right around the corner. A tradition for more than 80 years, the festive spectacle will be hosted by Erik Estrada and Laura McKenzie and telecast on the Hallmark Channel. The parade begins on Hollywood Boulevard at Orange and sweeps down Vine to Sunset before returning to Orange. 6 p.m. Sun. Free. http://www.

As cities and schools across California celebrated the 82nd birthday of slain gay rights activist Harvey Milk, Orange County elected leaders remained steadfastly silent. Activists, for the second year, asked Orange County supervisors Tuesday to recognize Milk's birthday with a proclamation, but the board declined the opportunity, as it did last year. One of the supervisors, Janet Nguyen, walked from the board room shortly after the activists began their presentation. Last year, Nguyen also left the meeting as the activists spoke.

Strong gains in U.S. auto sales over the last six months eased in April as the Easter holiday, bad weather and fewer selling days ate into the business of some of the largest automakers, includingGeneral Motors Co. andFord Motor Co. But analysts and industry officials don't see the industry slipping further and said the falloff was probably temporary. "Taking it all into consideration, we are holding the trend of a moderate recovery," said Jeff Schuster, an analyst at LMC Automotive.

Boogie boarding, painting Easter eggs, chasing the kids on the lawn next door -- GOP presidential front-runner Mitt Romney is taking an unusually long, but well-deserved four-day break from the campaign trail to celebrate the Easter holiday at his beachfront home in the one of the loveliest (and most upscale) beach communities in Southern California. The Romneys seem to be enjoying a traditional Easter weekend, beach-style. On Friday, the campaign posted an Instagram photo of Mitt and Ann Romney, surrounded by grandchildren, painting Easter eggs.

President Obama reflected on his Christian beliefs in his weekly address, wishing all Americans “a weekend filled with joy and reflection, focused on the things that matter most.” In an address focused entirely on the holidays of Passover and Easter, Obama said "for me, and for countless other Christians, Easter weekend is a time to reflect and rejoice. " “These holidays have their roots in miracles that took place thousands of years ago,” he said. “They connect us to our past and give us strength as we face the future.  And they remind us of the common thread of humanity that connects us all.” Obama broadened his message to include believers and non-believers alike.

Sundown Friday marks the beginning of Passover, the commemoration of the Jews' emancipation from enslavement in ancient Egypt. This year Passover falls on a day of enormous significance in the struggle for freedom in modern Egypt — April 6. That date is synonymous with the April 6 Youth Movement — formed in 2008 and named for the date of a planned strike to support Egyptian workers — that became the backbone of last year's Tahrir revolution that...

Republicans in Congress mocked the Obama administration's plans to improve conditions for immigrants held in county jails and detention facilities Wednesday, saying that a raft of reforms written by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement amounts to coddling lawbreakers. In a hearing titled “Holiday on ICE,” Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, took aim at recent administrative changes designed to improve medical care for detainees, reduce incidents of sexual abuse, increase access to safe water and outdoor recreation, among other reforms.

This time of year the outpouring of flash and sparkle is unavoidable; basic black velvet and silk, inevitable. We are encouraged to dress up with silver in the form of bugle beads or bangles that flash at the wrist. And gold? Don't get us started with the gold. Gold chains. Gold mini-dresses covered with golden sequins. Golden flats. Golden clutches. Gold jewelry, real or otherwise. When we step onto a busy street or enter a hotel ballroom or walk into a private party of even a modest scale, we are likely to encounter a parade of fashions seen only in the last few weeks of the year.

Emily Dickinson's Homestead Limited edition print available from m-plus-e.com, $20 Michael Fusco and Emma Straub have designed a great set of prints of writer's homes. Also available: the houses of Edward Gorey, Edgar Allan Poe and Flannery O'Connor. Glamour From the Ground Up Ed Fox Taschen, $17.99 Hardcover/DVD edition This native Angeleno's sensual celebration of the female foot comes with ingenious packaging: a reversible jacket for incognito perusing.

The nation's busiest seaport complex had a down month for cargo statistics in February compared with a year earlier, but officials blamed it in part on an early Chinese New Year's celebration that idled factories in that nation. Combined, for example, the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach moved a total of 445,835 cargo containers carrying imported goods last month. That was a decline of 12.5% from a year earlier. Chinese factories traditionally close for the celebration for a week of more, said Art Wong, a spokesman for the Long Beach port.

George Washington 's birthday has come and gone this year, but if some lawmakers have their way, it would be commemorated in future years on the actual day, not necessarily a Monday. A congressional hearing is scheduled for next week on a bill by Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.) to reestablish Feb. 22 as the official federal holiday honoring  the father of our country. Washington's birthday has become "simply a time for many to celebrate a three-day weekend," Wolf said.