It’s summer and frugal divas love the outdoors. Well, by that I mean outdoor areas close to my home. Sorry someone else will have to let you know about the joys of camping.

The Getty is not just for art lovers. They are hosting a film series starting this Saturday June 11. The only expense is parking and it is free after 5 PM for the Saturday events. They have a bar and cafe where you can get nibbles or bring your own picnic basket.  Come at five, see some exhibits, eat, and enjoy the view.

My kind of fresh air fun is the Santa Monica Pier free movie series. Come early and take a walk along the Palisades, bring a picnic for the beach or grab a snack at the Promenade, and enjoy the ocean view! This is why we put up with all the traffic.

Every Thursday evening from 5 to 8 is free at MOCA. Enjoy art while mixing and mingling with the downtown denizens.  And downtown now offers free concerts at the Grand Plaza

And would you leave out Culver City. It is the 17th Annual Music Festival. Free concerts on July 7th and every Thursday nights at seven until August 25 and all the great eateries including a Trader Joe’s where you can pick up a salad to munch while you enjoy the music.

Farmers markets have become fun places to hang out.  Use this great website Farmernet.com to find the one nearest you or be brave and venture out to one in another neighborhood. Meet other fresh food lovers, buy great produce, and enjoy my idea of the outdoors.

Now these are the things that make me a happy camper!

The Frugal Diva loves culture and she loves the word free. By combining these two concepts, the divas of the world can soak up culture without getting soaked.

Most museums have a free day. It may be once a week, once a month, a late night but they believe that everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy great works of art. And you can either pack a lunch or get a snack at one of the reasonably priced cafes. Check the local sites for venues in your area.  The free day can usually be found under visitor’s information.

Since many of you will be traveling this summer here is a great site for finding free museums in your city, to take house guests, and at  your destination.  Museum Free Days provides a great list for many cities and links to the repsective website.  If you are Los Angeles bound find 100 things to do for free in LA.  Cheap fun in San Francisco  has free events around town and they even let you know that 7-11 is giving away free Slurpees on Sunday June 11th. 

Tickets for the Smithsonian Free Day  on Sept. 25, 2010 to participating museums are available for download.

The world of culture is yours – just learn that timing is everything.

Make this day special with choices tailored to your mom.

Art Lover Mom reads the arts section first, collects catalogs, and thought your first grade drawings were infuenced by Kandinsky. Go to the Getty in Brentwood. There are three choices – splurge on The Restaurant at the Getty, enjoy the cafeteria with a wide variety of entrees and views of the city, or get a sandwich and eat out on the terrace. Currently on view Leonardo da Vinci and the Art of Sculpture: Inspiration and Invention.

American History Buff Mom knows the name of every U.S. President, fact checked your homework, and easily quotes what happened on this day fifty years ago.   The Autry Museum is doing a Mother’s Day brunch and then take her to tour How Women Made the West.  Museum teachers will be available for gallery tours at 1:00 p.m.

Environmental Mom recycles everything, knows global warming is not a hot flash, and uses both sides of the printer paper.  The Annenberg Center for Photography is free and just next door to the best food court in town at Century City featuring Lawry’s roast beef and the Breadbar. The exhibit is on the precarious state of the world’s water.

Design Mom knows what is the new black this year,  how to use Photoshop to make your holiday pictures more interesting, and only sees art films.  Try one of the most interesting places in Culver City, The Royal T.  With servers in maids outfits, this combination cafe, art space, and store will be sure to surprise mom. The menu includes Japanese/French cuisine and a great selection of teas.

Dodgers Mom loves Los Angeles, went to everyone of your little league games, and knows that Manny always saves the day. Sunday will be Mother’s Appreciation Day  at Dodger’s stadium for a day game against the Colorado Rockies.

Yoga Mom stays flexible, eats vegetarian, and believes that meditation will solve all your problems. Take here to BryanKest’s Power Yoga  Santa Monica Studio for a donation only class and then to Real Food Daily for lunch.  Sit on the beach afterwards and chant OM.

Let me know if you have interesting ways to celebrate Mother’s Day.

The Getty has Saturdays Off The 405  starting on June 12th. This is nice since they don’t charge for parking after 5:00 on Saturdays and the galleries stay open until nine. Watch the sunset from on high. 

The Getty Museums are  free all the time and everyday of the week. They ask only that you pay to park. That means when you bring a carload of guests from out of town, you can take them to see the beautiful Getty, the collections, and the smashing view all for $15 (as of the last time I went and free after 5:00 PM on Saturdays). The more guests, the cheaper the visit, so carpool with four and enter for less then  $4 apiece.  They will be impressed and amazed.  Another great trick is to drop them off, enjoy a few hours of peace at home, wait for the phone call, and pick them up – with no charge at all. They have a fabulous day and you can run errands guilt free.

All the pertinent information is on their visitors page however it does not tell you that this is a spectacular experience.

The Brentwood Getty affords you a view of the city that is unparalled. On a clear day you can see forever and since they are open until 9 PM on Saturdays you can see the city light up at night.  Walk the interesting garden path, see some art, eat at the reasonable cafeteria or coffee kiosks or the more upscale restaurant or bring your own sandwich – they are user friendly to the point of putting out umbrellas for visitors when it’s raining.  They have free talks and tours about the exhibits. They have fee hands on workshops for kids. The one this week end is  Family Drawing Hour: Exploring Color! Saturday February 20, 2010 3:30 PM geared for families with children ages 7 and up.

Saturday Nights at the Getty (formerly Friday Nights at the Getty) is a free, contemporary performance series featuring an eclectic mix of music, dance, theater, and spoken word events in the auditorium. Only reservations are needed. In the summer they have free outdoor concerts and dancing.  And remember parking is free after 5:00 p.m. and the galleries are open.

The Getty Villa  in Malibu is a museum of ancient Greece, Rome, and Etruria. You can view antiquities, Greek, Roman, and Etruscan antiquities -plus inspired architecture and gardens with a view of the ocean. There are tours and family activities here also. They also have evening activities with play readings and talks. Parking after 5 PM is free for cultural events.

Did I use the word free too many times? These places are so fabulous it’s amazing they and all the activities are free. Give yourself a treat and enjoy them this weekend!