Michele StuevenOn Saturday, Oct. 3, the Hot Wheels Legends Tour Presented by Mobil 1, the world’s largest traveling car show and global competition celebrating custom car culture, comes home to Los Angeles with a special stop at the Mattel Design Center at 333 Continental Boulevard, El Segundo, CA 90245 in El Segundo.
The free, family-friendly event will bring together standout custom builds from across Southern California, all competing for the chance to be immortalized as a 1:64-scale Hot Wheels die-cast car sold around the world. Hot Wheels designers and celebrity judges will evaluate entries based on the brand’s signature Legends criteria: authenticity, creativity, and garage spirit.
New for 2026, the El Segundo stop will feature expanded fan experiences, including activations from new partner AriZona Beverage Company with product sampling, a branded collaboration and a custom car giveaway. Fans can also get an up-close look at the life-size Hot Wheels Formula 1 2026 car featuring a custom Hot Wheels livery, alongside iconic vehicles from the Fast & Furious saga.
Beyond the competition, attendees can explore a full lineup of attractions, including life-size vehicles from the Hot Wheels Garage of Legends, interactive play areas, collector die-cast displays, and exclusive Legends Tour merchandise available only on-site.
Hot Wheels Legends Tour (Courtesy Mattel)
These days, it can feel impossible to escape the nonstop stream of bad news, endless notifications, and digital overload. Don’t despair. A comforting source of stress relief is coming to LA: therapy cats.
With nearly half of Americans reporting higher stress levels this year and 83% of Gen Z saying they have an unhealthy relationship with their phones, many are looking for simple ways to unplug. Research shows that spending just 10 minutes with a therapy cat can help reduce cortisol levels.
On Tuesday, Oct. 6 and Wednesday, Oct. 7, UCLA students and Westwood Village visitors can step inside the Therapod, a free mobile pop-up experience arriving ahead of World Mental Health Day for a few calming moments of connection, comfort, and feline-powered stress relief.
Students de-stress and get uninterrupted time with therapy cats at the Cat Chow Therapod (Angelina Katsanis/AP Content Services for Purina Cat Chow)
Purina Cat Chow is bringing back an evidence-based, screen-free solution directly to students who need it most as part of a three-city college tour of the mobile, phone-free experience offering participants a moment of calm through connection with certified therapy cats from animal therapy organization Pet Partners.
The Therapod will be located at UCLA’s Wilson Plaza, adjacent to Bruin Walk and the UCLA Store; then at Westwood Village near the main UCLA Campus
Also therapeutic: The Aliza Hotel, an independently owned, family-run boutique hotel and community hub on Rose Avenue in Venice Beach, is hosting its third watercolor workshop on Saturday, Sept. 26 at 10 a.m., led by local artist and teacher Shannon Courter. Open to all skill levels, the $85 class includes guided instruction, a watercolor starter kit to take home, and a specialty coffee or matcha.
Water color workshop (Gabriela Peres)