For more than a century, California has been a magnet for heavyweights and hopefuls. They came to make their mark in the land of dreams -- and found gold underground, a place among the stars, and the vast future in a tiny microchip. The glamorous promise of success is mastered every day by Los Angeles' titans of industry, entertainment and science. Millions of people around the world clamor to share their secrets.

In May, you'll have the rare opportunity to trade theories with great minds from California's top universities and think tanks ... rub elbows with celebrities ... go behind the scenes of the world's best fantasy factories ... and take home news of the Next Big Thing. It's only in one place, for one week: the California Experience at the Los Angeles University.

Education
If you appreciate the educational value of a YPO university, then Los Angeles will have more than you ever bargained for. More talent is concentrated in this single metropolitan area than in just about any other spot in the world. With 70 percent new resources joined by YPO's "best of the best, " this will be the place to come for enlightenment.

Southern California's stellar residents certainly are the most visible of the state's abundant natural resources. Top entertainment professionals and personalities -- names you know, achievers like you -- will join you next May in the fame-and-fortune capital of the United States.

But there's more to the California Experience than Hollywood. You'll interact daily with masters of business acumen on an education track dedicated to Visionary Success. YPOers have said time and again that members make the best resources, so be prepared to hear from your peers such as 49er Gordon Segal, who founded Crate & Barrel, and Howard Schultz (Pacific Northwest) of Starbucks Coffee on this track.

California's brain trust will populate the resource guest list as well. USC, UCLA, Cal Tech, Claremont and Stanford will send the best in West Coast education, as will foundations and institutes such as the Rand Corporation and the Hoover Institution.

Study "The Past and Future of Urban America" from the local perspective. When a dusty farming village re-created itself into this sprawling metropolis, the result was a trendsetting melting pot of styles, cultures and power, complete with the pleasures and pain inherent when so many lives interconnect. On the guest list for this track: Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan, Police Chief Willie Williams, YPO 49er Peter Ueberroth (former chair of the LA Olympics). U.S. President Bill Clinton and former President Ronald Reagan have been invited to give the national overview.

Then there's the other meaning of the "L.A. Lifestyle": entertainment, fashion, food and drink. The best of the city's creative world has been invited to offer you a peek into their very fertile minds, and you can expect to hear from the likes of film director Stephen Spielberg, Hollywood superagent Michael Ovitz, master chef Wolfgang Puck, and Time-Warner chief Bob Pittman, the father of music television.

Entertainment meets high-tech on the information superhighway, the next revolution in comprehensive communications. Just as the superhighway combines cable TV, telephones and computers, the Los Angeles University will bring together experts in these fields to explain your place in the fabulous future of information technology.

Every day, gurus of fitness and nutrition will work your body inside and out: Dr. Deepak Chopra on alternative healing; sports and exercise with Olympic medalist Bruce Jenner and Jake "Body by Jake" Steinfeld; yoga with Bija Bennett; and Dr. Alan Neims on medicine and health, to name a few. You'll also learn to protect your healthy body as private investigator Anthony Pelicano reveals security measures for famous people, keeping such threats as kidnappers, extortionists and the press at bay.

Of course, that's just a sample of the unexpected you've come to expect. The major players in this company town have accepted YPO's invitation to share their accomplishments and dreams with you -- insights you'll find only at the Los Angeles University.

Focus Forum Day
Imagine dedicating an entire day to one essential area of your life. Charging your mind with in-depth information from world-class resources. Exchanging ideas with other YPOers and their spouses. Getting to the heart and soul of one of the most important elements in your life. In short, mapping the future with every possible advantage.

The Los Angeles University presents just such a rare opportunity. For the first time, a university will create tailor-made focus forums for professional and personal interests. Share the wisdom and experience of the best: top university resources and your peers in YPO.

Most major industries will be represented, with a special forum for companies wanting to compete for the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Or you may choose to work on a personal interest, such as investing and wealth management, family issues, health, sexuality or family businesses. Find the right chemistry, and your forum could take on a life of its own after the university ends.

Social
Hollywood's sharpest location directors couldn't find a better setting for a university social program than their own backyard. Opening evening on a movie studio back lot; closing night's trip back in time to the Coconut Grove -- you'll find yourself immersed in the glamour of the image capital of the world.

Opening ceremonies kick off with a blockbuster production at the historic Hollywood Bowl. A quick scene change will take you to the Warner Brothers Ranch, where you'll sample a "Taste of California" from among L.A.'s best restaurants and the state's award-winning wineries. Watch for the rollerbladers -- L.A. lifestyle vignettes will play out all around the party as you rub elbows with your fellow YPOers and other celebrities.

Throughout the week, enjoy the insiders' view of Los Angeles with invitations to the stunning homes of YPOers and other local luminaries. Tuesday evening, you'll dine on culture, with festivities designed around an art museum, television show taping, jazz club or sporting event. For your free night on Wednesday, grab a limo to one of the city's best restaurants -- reservations guaranteed.

Celebrate May 5, the Mexican independence holiday of Cinco de Mayo, at a fiesta alegre on the Santa Monica beach. YPO will transform the exclusive Jonathan Beach Club into a Mexican market village, and you'll party the night away with mariachi music and margaritas.

Hollywood comes to Century City for Friday night's closing ceremonies. For one night only, the ballroom of the Century Plaza Hotel will play the role of the legendary Coconut Grove, where stars of the 1930s and '40s accepted their Academy Awards and paraded for the gossip columnists. Keep an eye out for Clark Gable, Jean Harlow, Charlie Chaplin and other, more contemporary faces during YPO's own Oscars ceremony. And remember to smile for the Paparazzi!

Off-Sites
For a superlative start to the university, arrive early -- Saturday will be the "best possible day" you could have in and around Los Angeles. For the most discriminating of aficionados, this is the day to seek the culinary secrets of your favorite L.A. chef, discover emerging artists or languish in a day of beauty at a world-famous spa. Tour the beaches by bike or the metropolis on a motorcycle, tourguide optional. From beginning to end, this will be your fantasy day, fulfilled by the best the city has to offer.

All off-sites adventures are dedicated to showing you the Los Angeles even life-long Angelenos haven't seen. This city bursts with so much show biz, science, culture and kitsch, you won't want to miss a thing. Members from the five area YPO chapters will be on hand to show you around ... you'll be warmly welcomed wherever you go.

In the works so far for the rest of the week (with more surprises in store):
Stargazing, part one. Take a front-row seat at a live television show taping, and sneak behind the scenes of a major film set. You never know who you'll run into!
Stargazing, part two. Blast off with sky-high-tech at the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena's Jet Propulsion Labs, and Lockheed's SKUNKworks -- the U.S. military's ultraprivate applied-research facilities -- as well as other local high-tech operations.
Heavenly bodies. Wake up with L.A. at aerobics workouts in the studios of the stars, adorn yourself on chic Rodeo Drive, and thrill your palate in the company of California's stellar chefs.
Back to earth. Return to terra not-so-firma for the harrowing earthquake simulation at the California State Museum of Science and Industry. Take an insiders' look at vintage car collections, the diverse architecture and fabulous interiors at the Pacific Design Center and, of course, fine art via special tours of museums, artists' lofts and some of the world's finest private collections.

Accommodations/Travel
Be a part of the best stargazing in Los Angeles -- or just enjoy a wonderful place to relax between university events. The Westin Century Plaza Hotel and Tower in Century City has a dazzling heritage and good connections: Built on 14 acres of the former 20th Century Fox Studios back lot, it's mere blocks away from Beverly Hills and exclusive Rodeo Drive. Best of all, the high price of luxury doesn't apply here. As a university registrant, you'll qualify for special YPO room rates of US$145 - $180 per night, luxury suites ranging from US$250 to $900 per night, and special airfares.

Academies
The complete California Experience begins with an academy. These exclusive adventures bring history and heritage to life -- on an Old West cattle drive, in the peoples' native lands, on the road and in the air. See for yourself what draws millions to the Golden State every year, in a way enjoyed only by select few travelers: YPO style.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles
April 25 - 30
Arrive in Monterey
Fly into Monterey to spend a few tranquil days at an inn on a Big Sur mountainside ... then shift gears for high-performance driving lessons at the Jim Russell Racing School! Behind the wheel on the YPO Road Rally and Scavenger Hunt, you'll wind through California's most fabulous countryside. After your road trip, a private rail car will whisk you down the coast to Los Angeles.

Wine Country Cuisine
April 26 - 30
Arrive in San Francisco
There must be something in the Napa Valley air that sharpens the senses -- especially the palate. Join forces with a gourmet chef for the insider's look at the wine country, featuring exuberant cooking lessons, exquisite meals and exclusive winery tours. That luscious Napa climate also supplies the perfect atmosphere for such regional pleasures as a hot-air balloon ride, champagne breakfast and a private croquet tournament at the chef's home.

Wine Country Cycling Tour
April 26 - 30
Arrive in San Francisco
Discover verdant Napa Valley from two new views: Take to the backroads on a personally fitted bicycle for an inn-to-inn tour, and board a hot-air balloon for a sky-high perspective. Along the way, visit wineries and feast on gourmet picnics. You'll ride at your own pace, covering as much ground as you like between overnight stays at countryside inns and spas. Bicycles, equipment and touring vans will be provided.

The Pure Golf Academy
April 26 - 30
Arrive in Monterey
Golf lovers looking for the best call the Monterey Peninsula paradise, and once you see the area's 15 golf courses and the incredible coastal scenery of 17-Mile Drive, you'll agree. The pros at the area's award-winning courses will challenge the competitor in you, leaving time to enjoy the breathtaking surroundings between rounds.

City of the Stars
April 26 - 30
Arrive in Los Angeles
sn't this what draws people to L.A.: the glitz, the glamour, the stars of backstage Hollywood and Beverly Hills highlife? Live the lush life of a celebrity as you venture by limo to the indulgences of Rodeo Drive shopping, head-to-toe spa pampering, country-club golf and other "totally L.A." pastimes. You'll return for costume changes to the Beverly Wilshire Regent, where Julia Roberts became "Pretty Woman." Save your best smile for your screen test -- and keep practicing: "I'm ready for my closeup, Mr. DeMille..."

Baja California
April 26 - 30
Arrive in Cabo San Lucas
Named for California, claimed by Mexico, Baja California is coveted by all who appreciate the best in golf, diving, deep-sea fishing and other pleasures that come naturally to a land where the desert meets the ocean. From the luxury resort of Cabo San Lucas on Baja's southernmost tip, learn firsthand about Mexico and its opportunities and challenges, and how they may someday relate to your business.

Odyssey of the Mind and Body
April 26 - 30
Arrive in Honolulu
A fitness expert will guide you toward living longer and feeling better ... now, if you could only live forever at the exquisite Koele Lodge on Lanai! The island attracts enthusiasts of snorkeling, hunting, riding, tennis and golf (on two top-flight courses). The lodge's full spa facilities and plantation setting will appeal to those who simply love to relax among spectacular surroundings.

City Slickers
April 26 - 30
Arrive in Reno
Shed your greenhorn image and step back into the Old West for ropin' and steer wrasslin' on a working cattle ranch. At Spanish Springs, they really will rouse you at sunrise, ride you over mountains and work you until it's time to sing around the campfire. After the two-day cattle drive, it's back to the 20th century with a few days of golf and gambling in Lake Tahoe.

Yosemite
April 26 - 30
Arrive in Fresno
Naturalist John Muir's love of the Sierra Nevada inspired lasting environmental legacies such as Yosemite National Park and the Sierra Club. Hike in his bootsteps through Yosemite and learn about his contributions in a program designed by the Nature Conservancy. After moderate-level trekking through the wilds, return to the upscale Ahwanee Hotel to rest up for further explorations of the rivers, lakes and wineries of the San Joaquin Valley.

Reefs, Ruins and Rainforests
April 25 - 30
Arrive in Guatemala City
California traces distant origins and modern influences to Guatemala, Belize and Honduras, and provides some of the staunchest defenders of these countries' endangered rainforests. Find yourself in this natural hot spot -- climbing an enormous Mayan pyramid, hiking the great rainforests, and diving the spectacular Blue Hole and Ambergris Cay -- learning about conservation in one of the last unspoiled areas on earth.