Itinerary: Grinch

All the Whos in Whoville felt through and through blue.

No snow! No sleds! No curly-toed shoes!

What is this place, where weather’s not freezing?

Did a Grinch pass this way, and steal the whole season?

One Grinch? Try two. Or three. Maybe more!

California could open a Grinch-selling store!

Thursday

Expanding a 72-page children’s book into a 102-minute movie leaves plenty of room for Grinch purists to be disappointed. In the case of Ron Howard’s “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas” film, the vote seems split on Jim Carrey in the title role. For the defense, The Times’ Kenneth Turan: “In a part he seems almost predestined to play, Carrey uses his unequaled physicality and a face so mobile it seems computer-generated to turn the grumpy green monster into an antic combination of Chewbacca and Jerry Lewis.” On the other side, the New York Times’ Stephen Holden: “Determined at all costs to be recognizable through his furry costume, the star regularly breaks character to address the camera and fire off smart-aleck remarks and references like ‘dude’ and ‘faaabulous.’ These showoff antics may lend the movie a contemporary edge, but their underlying cynicism is a profoundly corrupting influence.”

Friday

Before there was a “Grinch” movie there was a stage version that struck gold in 1998 for San Diego’s Globe Theatre (Simon Edison Centre for the Performing Arts, San Diego, [619] 239-2255).

Now Timothy Mason and Mel Marvin’s musical version of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” is back for a third year, running through Dec. 31. Guy Paul once again stars as the dastardly Grinch and a Whoville re-creation is featured outside the theater, on Copley Plaza.

The play runs Tuesdays through Sundays at 7:30 p.m., with matinees on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 11 a.m., and Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. $37-$42; 17 and younger, $18.50-$21. (619) 239-2255.

Saturday

Universal Studios--the company that made the movie--is capitalizing on all this Dr. Seuss action with Grinchmas at Universal Studios Hollywood (Hollywood Freeway at Lankershim Boulevard, Universal City. $31-$41. [818] 508-9600). A snowy 100-foot sledding hill is the Mount Crumpit Snow Plummet. A dark maze will replicate the Grinch’s cave. And props, sets and costumes from the movie will re-create Whoville, complete with singing and dancing Whovilians. Grinchmas runs from 9 a.m.-7 p.m. daily through Jan. 1.

If the Whos wanted to hit the road, they’d have to stop by the Petersen Automotive Museum (6060 Wilshire Blvd., L.A. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed Mondays. $10. $5 kids. Free 5 and younger. [323] 930-CARS) to pick up their wheels. The museum exhibit “Vehicles of the Grinch: No Straight Lines” includes eight vehicles used in the movie. The cars were each built on golf cart chassis and are fully functional.

Sunday

At Storyopolis (116 N. Robertson Ave., Plaza A. [310] 358-2500), there are plenty of Dr. Seuss books, along with original Dr. Seuss artwork. James Otis, a Dr. Seuss collector, is selling some of the original sketches he has gathered over the years. Many of the pieces are drawings that Dr. Seuss sent in response to fan mail or sketched at book signings. They’re on view through Jan. 31. The bookstore-art gallery also carries a series of Dr. Seuss lithographs and serigraphs.