The Weekender by Ariel Leve 👋

How do you sign off? Illustration by Chris Morris Here in L.A, sign offs (either written or at in-person exits) vary with the person involved. I envy people who have the perfect sign off. It should fit the personality of the person writing. And if it’s from someone you don’t know – keep it basic. When I lived in England, publicists I’d never met and didn’t know would sign off with “Lots of love,” It took me a while to realize what they meant was: thanks. Here are my thoughts on some sign offs – ranked from least favorite to acceptable. Take care. Maybe it’s me (it often is) but I find this to be passive aggressive. A polite way to say fuck off. Especially if it’s at the end of a hostile email and definitely if it’s preceded with: I wish you the best. Best. Benign and perfunctory. Essentially useless. One step above nothing. Unless it’s coming from a friend. I had a friend I worked with professionally and whenever she wrote an email regarding work, she’d sign it with: best. The formality was jarring. I’d have preferred nothing. Nothing. One of my favorite sign-offs is no sign off. Just your name. Or the first letter of your name. It’s fine! People won’t miss what you were going to say. Nothing wrong with nothing. Anything in a foreign language when you’re American. If you’re not French, signing off with “a bientot!” is obnoxious. Even if you’re French, it’s obnoxious. Kind regards. Very British. When I was writing my column for the London Sunday Times Magazine, a reader wrote in to the editor to tell him how much he hated my column, hated me, really hated my photo, and couldn’t understand why he would employ someone who “fell out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down.” He signed it: kind regards. Peace. Can’t argue with Peace. I like it. People who use this as a sign off are usually hippie adjacent. Don’t sign off with “Peace” if you’re in finance or running a studio. Sincerely. It reminds me of the time when people wrote letters. No one signs e-mails with sincerely unless they’re writing a letter which I wish they were writing as an actual letter and not an e-mail. Cheers. Cheerful. Ends on an upbeat tone. Except when people put a comma after it. It has to be “Cheers!” Otherwise it’s a dud. My all time favorite sign off comes from one of my favorite people. She signs off every time with: Be kind to yourself. I asked her why she signs off with this and she said “I believe people are not always kind to themselves and if we are not kind to ourselves, why should anyone else be kind to us?” And with that, I’m letting you know I’ll be off for a month. Back after labor day with more to say and some exciting things to do -- that I may or may not do. Taking over for me while I’m gone will be Quentin Cohan. I don’t know him, but I’m told he’s nothing like me. Which means he likes to go out. So, see you in a month and be kind to yourself. Here are 5 things to do this weekend before I sign off… GO TO Van Gogh Immersive Experience Have you ever dreamt of stepping into a painting? I haven’t either. The wildly popular Van Gogh Immersive Experience is a 360º digital art exhibition where you step into the universe of the Dutch genius, Vincent van Gogh. A colleague at TheWrap recently went to this and highly recommended I feature it. She loved it so much, she did it twice! The virtual reality component was her favorite – and I can only imagine the stunning visuals. Who doesn’t want to be wrapped up in a starry night. The exhibition features more than 400 of Van Gogh’s most significant works through two large-scale immersive galleries, with 360-degree, floor-to-ceiling digital projections. In addition to the two-story tall central projection area, the all new virtual reality component guides you on a ten-minute journey through “a day in the life of the artist.” Given that reality isn’t all that great lately, virtual reality sounds good. [Photo by Tatiana Leiva] When: Opened July 15th - until September Where: 1345 N Montebello Blvd. Montebello, CA 90640 Hours: Weekdays: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. (Closed on Tuesdays) Weekends & Holidays: 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. Ticket Info: Tickets start at $17.90 for children and $29.90 for adults. Special prices are also available for seniors (65+), students (13 to 26) and those with disabilities. Limited VIP tickets that include the VR experience are available starting at $49.90 for adults and $37.90 for children. Group bundles are also available. Parking: Available [BUY TICKETS]( GO TO Santa Monica Night Market Someone asked me the other day, “What is the point of a night market?” I don’t know. What's the point of anything? Night markets or night bazaars that started in Asia, they’re thriving and electric. If you like leisurely strolling, shopping, and eating – it’s fun and much more of an event than a day market. This particular night market starts at 1pm and goes until 10pm. It will feature three dozen unique and local food pop-ups, curated by the 626 Night Market team with merchandise vendors and a full bar. Also, it’s free. Can’t beat that. Maybe that's the point. [Photo by 626 Night Market] When: July 29, July 30 -- 1 p.m. - 10 p.m. Where: 1324 5th St. Lot 27 Santa Monica CA 90401 Admission: Free with ticket registration Info: [( Parking: Metered street parking. You could also park at the library. Parking lots: Parsons and Kaiser. Or park at the closest Metro Gold line station. [TICKET INFO]( GO TO Old Spanish Days Fiesta I was informed about this festival last week and as I began to read up on it, realized I could have a degree in Spanish history and still not be able to cover all of what it includes. So here’s an abbreviated version. The Old Spanish Days Fiesta in Santa Barbara consists of five days of continuous events and activities and it’s been an annual community-wide event that begins on the Wednesday before the first Friday in August. It celebrates the city's heritage from Spanish founders and from the Spanish, Mexican and North American pioneers who first settled there. Some of the events include a history of Old Spanish Days at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum where you can celebrate the pageantry, fashion and traditions and a courthouse fiesta tour -- Free one-hour docent-guided tours of the beautiful Spanish-Moorish Historic Landmark which will take place every hour between 10:30 am and 3:30 pm. There will be a colorful Mexican market (across from City Hall) to feast on Spanish and Mexican-American foods, shop for crafts and souvenirs, or enjoy entertainment all day and into the early evening. There will be dance events and music. You have to look at the events schedule because there’s so much more. If you’re thinking of taking a trip to Santa Barbara and you can’t afford a trip to Spain, this is the next best thing. [Photo by Fritz Olenberger, Courtesy of Old Spanish Days Fiesta] When: August 2- 6 Visitor Info: If you are planning a trip to Santa Barbara to enjoy Old Spanish Days, you can find information on hotel accommodations, getting around the city, and more of what the city has to offer by visiting the Santa Barbara Visitor's Center website or calling (805) 966-9222. Where: Santa Barbara, CA Calendar of events: [Here]( [BUY TICKETS]( CHECK OUT Mariachi Festival While you’re in Santa Barbara, check out the Mariachi Festival at the Santa Barbara Bowl, a 4,562-seat amphitheater and an alternative venue to the Hollywood Bowl for seeing outdoor concerts in a beautiful setting. This event is not connected to the Spanish Days fiesta… but it’s fiesta adjacent! Mariachi is an art form and even though it says “festival,” it’s one night only. It features Pedro Fernández, Natalia Jiménez, and Mariachi Estrella de México. If you’re familiar with Mariachi music, you’ll know who they are. I am not a mariachi aficionado, but I’d definitely go check this out. When: Saturday, August 5th at 5 p.m. Where: Santa Barbara Bowl 1122 N Milpas St, Santa Barbara, CA Parking: Santa Barbara High School offers convenient and safe parking, which is $15 per car (cash only). [TICKETS]( GO TO L.A. Zoo Friday Nights Kids love zoos. They do. I'm not a fan but I'm also not six. This summer, families are invited to experience the L.A. Zoo on a beautiful summer evening and have the “opportunity to see what your favorite animals get up to during twilight hours.” On Friday nights this summer, the zoo is open late and you can roam around the entire zoo until 8 p.m. while enjoying music, a family friendly dance party and games. There will also be carousel rides and food trucks This Friday: Music: Flashback Heart Attack, DJ Johnny Hawkes Food Trucks: Baby’s Badass Burgers, Cousin’s Maine Lobster, Burnt to a Crisp Texas Smokehouse, After’s Ice Cream, Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, Jay’z Tacos. It’s a family friendly activity and definitely a lot cooler (literally and figuratively) than going during the day. [Photo by Jamie Pham, property of the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association] When: Friday July 28 - August 18 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. Where: Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens 5333 Zoo Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90027 Parking and directions: [Here]( [Info Here]( Suggestions? Thoughts? Write to me here: Ariel.leve@thewrap.com [Facebook]([Twitter]([Instagram]([Website]([YouTube]( 2034 Armacost Ave. | Los Angeles, CA 90025 [Unsubscribe](