Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in Los Angeles Area, CA

This morning, your mechanic calls your cell phone and says yes sir, your car will be ready tomorrow and you can head on your way. So you still have another day to explore sunny Southern California. But you don't want to just do what tourists do you want an authentic experience. And oh yeah, your kids are still with you, so they'll need to be entertained, fed, and nurtured as well.

Day 3 Los Feliz

I say head on down to the funky fresh enclave of Los Feliz, (locals pronounce it FEE-liss) where alternative-music fans go to breed. Oh, the trendiness! The tousled hair! The man-purses! Even the children are on the leading edge of fashion and culture in this district. In an instant, you'll be 2 notches cooler just for visiting.

The homegrown family center of Los Feliz is Dragonfly DuLou, a boutique/workshop space/gathering area for parents and children aged 5 and under. Located on Hillhurst south of Los Feliz Blvd., the store was conceived as a physical manifestation of the phrase It takes a village Co-owner Kirk Baltz has his finger on the pulse of the community, and gave me some tips about where to go, what to do, and where to eat.

When you first arrive in Los Feliz, head to the aptly named Los Feliz Caf, home of delicious pastries and hot croissants. (2118 Hillhurst.) I'm told the spinach croissant will get picky kids to sample the green stuff! Take it to go and head to Griffith Park, that vast expanse of green in the heart of the urban sprawl. Frolic at the giant fountain, get the kids a pony ride, visit the zoo, check out the trainyards, and if you have older kids, catch a planetarium show at the observatory. (Younger, more talkative children will be kicked out politely asked to leave.)

But don't blow the whole day in the park. Oh, no.You'll have to head back to town to try the $1.50 tacos at Best Fish Tacos in Ensenada (1650 N. Hillhurst). It's a local favorite. You can get that food to go, too, and stop into Dragonfly DuLou to hang out in the outdoor courtyard. Mom and Dad can eat or shop while the kids check out the play area and ride the plasma cars. Depending on the day, you might check out a class they offer such delights as conversational Italian, hip hop dance, and for the really ambitious, the Bradley birthing method.