More than 14,000 people attended Unique LA's fifth annual Spring Show, which featured 350 handpicked designers and artists, many of whom are Los Angeles-based. The event, which was held May 11 and 12 at the California Market Center in Downtown LA, also raised $3,000 for the Downtown Women's Center. Some of the items we found during our shopping adventure were: the best strawberry jam ever, do-it-yourself school notebooks, backpacks that change lives, LA commute necklaces and playful cat silhouette bikinis.

We're just getting started, but here are a few sights from Thursday, July 12, the first full day at Comic-Con 2012. Among other things, we spotted Waldo and caught Starbuck hanging out with She-Ra. Which costume's your favorite?

We caught everything from a naughty Thundercat to a chill Rainbow Brite wandering the halls of the convention center Friday and Saturday at Comic-Con. As the event comes to a close today, and costumes go back in their closets, we're already looking forward to next year!

A trip to Paramount Ranch in the Santa Monica Mountains transports visitors to another time—enabling people to walk in the footsteps of actors like Cary Grant, Bob Hope and Mae West. From the permanent Western Town set to the rugged trails, hiking through the park is a calorie-burning way to explore movie-making history.

With each passing year, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory Open House in Pasadena becomes a "can't miss" event for more and more people. This year's theme was "The Excitement of Exploration," and the two-day event (May 14-15) hosted more than 38,000 visitors.

The LA County Fair ends this Sunday, and the above photos are just a taste of this year's attractions. If you're headed to the Pomona Fairplex, keep in mind that it can get pretty hot, so be sure to pack some sunscreen and keep hydrated.

For one weekend each year, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena opens its doors to the public for a massive open house. This year's theme was "Worlds Beyond," and the event took place May 15 and 16. Special features such as a 25-foot space simulator, the actual camera that flew on the Hubble Space Telescope, 3D and infrared photos, assembly and fabrication facility tours, and gliding robots in the "Robo-Dome."

Although one could spend days exploring the LA County Fair, LAist was surprised to find just how much can be packed into one afternoon. In the past, we've shared images of fried food, ice cream and a massive brick of cheese fries. This time around, we turned our attention to fun and engaging activities for kids, as well as some rides, items for sale, and other miscellaneous goodies.

It's that time of year again, when many LA residents (along with others from around the world) make the trek to Comic-Con in San Diego. Given that 125,000 people are attending the convention this year, navigating the Comic-Con exhibit hall is an event in itself. You must be prepared to get up close and personal with the crush of people, and it's probably a good idea to keep an eye out for spiky plastic costume pieces that inevitably poke unsuspecting passersby.

Although it may look like a convenience store from a distance, as you draw closer, it's obvious that 826LA's "Echo Park Time Travel Mart" is something special. After all, it's not every day you get to purchase items that appear to be from the distant past...as well as the future! Some of the products are so whimsical that first-time visitors often ask, "Is this actually for sale?" Items range from "Robot Milk" to "Barbarian Repellent."

As LAist has mentioned in the past, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Annual Open House is one of the best free events in town. This year, May 2-3, kids and adults alike enjoyed exhibits, demonstrations, 3-D Mars photos, dancing robots and more. Plus, it's not every day you get to ask a rocket scientist a question!

Gifting events have long been a part of Oscar's history, and this year—more than ever—gift suites are going green and giving back. LAist attended the GBK "Circus of the Senses" event at the SLS Hotel on Friday, Feb. 20, to become familiar with the charities and artists involved with the event. Oscar nominees, presenters and other notable figures were given special wristbands that enabled them to receive goodies throughout the suite.

Each November, Civil War reenactors gather in Moorpark to take part in Southern California's largest yearly Civil War event, called "The Blue and the Gray." And they keep it real—from the clothes they wear to the campsites (yes, they even sleep there!) The event usually takes place right before Veteran's Day, and many of the reenactment participants are veterans.

The LA County Fair is now in its second week, and LAist again returned to snap some photos of the fun. Some of these photos were taken just as the fair was opening, before the hordes of people and the long lines. The "FairView Farms" area is always a highlight, and this visit included mischievous goats, the Budweiser Clydesdales and various animals giving birth.

Over the weekend, teams of electrical linemen gathered at the Department of Water & Power in Sun Valley to compete in the 2008 Lineman's Rodeo. Hosted by the DWP and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 18, electrical journeymen and apprentices showed off their agility and raced against the clock in various competitions. [These photos were also featured in the LA Daily News.]

It's become a bit of a tradition. Each year, my co-workers and I spend one of our November lunch breaks at Costco. The seven of us help each other shop and have a fun time trying to find some deals. The first year we did it, someone posed the question: "But doesn't that mean we'll miss lunch?" Well, nothing could be further from the truth. Thanks to the little food sample stands set up at key locations around Costco, it's a treat for the taste buds, and with so many options, it makes one feel like a judge on Top Chef. This year the store outdid itself. We tasted morsels from nine different tables and I daresay it might've been the best lunch break all year.

I’ve been hearing about Civil War reenactments for a while now, but until this year I had no idea there was one a few miles from LA County. According to the official event website, this particular reenactment (hosted by the Richmond Howitzer Battalion) is the largest in Southern California. The participants, many of whom are veterans, pay the expenses themselves and the attention to detail is amazing.