Looking for a fun weekend excursion at one of the most foodie-friendly locations in LA? Melting Pot Tours will be leading a walking-and-tasting tour of the Farmers Market at 3rd & Fairfax to the Beverly Center at 3rd & La Cienega this Friday and Saturday at 9:30am. Tours are expected to last about 3.5 hours and will include tastings and small bites at various restaurants and eateries along the route. Tickets are limited, so......

Photo by ~db~ via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr CELEBRATE THE CULTURES OF SOUTH AMERICA: Check out the free South America Expo Fiesta in Downtown this afternoon, where all the countries of the continent will be represented. Eat, mingle, learn, and take in the entertainment. Like any good street fair there will be rides (and health screenings!). SEE THEE SOME SHAKESPEARE: Barnsdall Park is once again serving as a theatre space this summer......

Photo by sonoazure via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr DO A DOUBLE FEATURE: See two great films and get a whole lot of looks at some John Lautner architecture without even realizing you're being schooled. First up at 7 it's Less Than Zero, the ultimate LA-overindulgent teen tale of the 80s, then at 9 it's The Big Lebowski. The screenings are part of the Hammer Museum's ongoing Lautner focus, which looks at the......

Friday night's grand opening party for the highly anticipated Rush Street in Culver City was an evening of fun food and drinks; inside the incredible space on Washington Boulevard were gathered friends of the restaurant, folks from the neighborhood, local dignitaries, and a handful of LAisters, all eager to get a taste of the new bar and eatery. LAist Featured Photos contributor Michael Ngim (aka hinducow) was on hand along with our Caroline on Crack......

Photo by Lord Jim via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr SAY HELLO TO DEATH: Or at least the Museum of Death, in their new location. Fans of the macabre will delight in checking out one of this town's strangest tributes in museum form. Go if you dare! CELEBRATE COMME LES FRANCAIS: Celebrate the 7th annual official Bastille Day LA Festival in WeHo, with "French gastronomic delicacies and spectacular live entertainment." You may see......

A good hangout can be hard to find, so for anyone who finds themselves looking for nightlife in Long Beach, LAist's Photo contributor Michael Zampelli (aka rink_rat on Flickr) suggests The Pike Bar & Fish Grill. He tells us: "The Pike Bar in Long Beach is owned by the original drummer of Social Distortion and you can feel the vibe from the minute you cross the welcome mat with the Social D. skeleton logo and......

Fans of deep-fried anything rejoice! The Orange County Fair opened its gates yesterday and will be welcoming crowds in Costa Mesa until August 3. There's tons of stuff going on there from Tuesdays through Sundays, including live performances, kids stuff, carnival games, animals, exhibits, and did we mention the food? The theme this year in the OC is "Say Cheese!" so some combination of cows, photo ops, and dairy products is sure to be in......

Photo of Echo Park Lake by susan catherine via LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr DRINK BEER, SEE ART: The opening of the Vice Photo Show (featuring Rennie Ellis, Nippon Eye, and a special section curated by Tim Barber) promises beer and photos in affable combination in Culver City (eflyer). Give them an RSVP here. CELEBRATE THE LOTUS (WITHOUT ACTUAL LOTUS FLOWERS): It's the 36th annual Lotus Festival in Echo Park, although this year......

Photo by Puck90 via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr DO BRUNCH, AMERICANA STYLE: And no, we don't mean that Vegas-in-Glendale shopping monstrosity! But if there's not enough rock-n-roll in your weekend you can fix that fast (and feed your face) at Safari Sam's Brunch Americana (Noon-4) which is a no-cover brunch with live performances. For your listening pleasure, Brunch Americana features bands who play Rockabilly, Country, Roots, Western Swing, Hillbilly,Bluegrass & Folk.......

Photo by James Herman via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr HELP SEND A GIRL TO ROLLER DERBY CAMP: Check out the LA Derby Dolls fundraiser yard sale in Venice (but hurry, it's on from 9a-Noon!) and help give some cash to the cause. What little girl shouldn't learn how to be a roller derby queen? WATCH SEXY BRAZILIAN DANCING: The heat and passion of Brazil take the stage at the Ford, as......

Saturday night was hopping in Chinatown, from Hop Louie's to the Lindy Hop on the dance floor as the iconic neighborhood celebrated their 70th anniversary. A big band was on hand to provide the tunes, folks in 30s and 40s garb milled about, the shops were open, and the Central Plaza was abuzz with young and old alike celebrating Chinatown's history. To learn more about the area's features and stories (like why it's called "New"......

Photo by Phil Romans via Flickr EXPERIENCE WATER MEETS DANCE MEETS CHINATOWN...THE MOVIE: Stephan Koplowitz's Liquid Landscapes begins tonight via Grand Performances with the showing of original dance film inspired by locations from Roman Polanski’s Chinatown, followed by a screening of Chinatown itself. It's the start of a one-week dance tour of LA inspired by water and sites that have to do with water. SEE A FILM: It's the last day of the Greek......

Photo by the_mule via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr CELEBRATE CHINATOWN'S 70th: Head down to Chinatown's Central Plaza tonight to celebrate this incarnation of the area's 70th Anniversary (and learn what other Chinatowns came before!). They're having 40s-style Big Band music and dancing, cocktails from the era, costume contests, and lots of historic photos and info and a bunch of entertainment. The event is free, and so is the dancing. SHOP AND......

If you're at any LA Film Festival events this weekend, keep your eyes and ears open for the RVIP Lounge. The ridiculously fun, pimped-out ride, is appearing outside film festival venues and events, Friday through Sunday. If you come across the RVIP Lounge, step inside or take a ride. The RVIP, first made famous at SXSW last March, is going Tinseltown replete with a group of up-and-coming filmmakers & celebs, inspired new media and......

Photo by Jonathan Alcorn (aka Sundogg) via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr PIG OUT LIKE A KID: At drink. eat. play's Gourmet Five Year Old Party being held this afternoon at Boulevard3 in Hollywood. Fresh takes on favorites from when you were a kid will include mac 'n cheese with lobster, kobe-style beef sloppy joes and assorted sophisticated sweets with plenty of free-flowing juice (wine) to wash it all down! (These are......

Photo by saragoldsmith via Flickr GET WET: Hit up your local public pool and go for a swim--it's Opening Day today and with on-tap temps in the 90s and 100s, cooling down is definitely in order. MAKE MUSIC: Pasadena is abuzz today with the sounds of music. In honor of World Music Day, Make Music Pasadena turns the whole city into one big spontaneous stage, with pro performers on 6 themed main stages, and......

Now that it stays light until almost nine o'clock, nighttime has taken up its annual habit of being more playful, with balmy temperatures and the hint of summertime. But weekday doldrums can still take over, which means weeknight relaxation and indulgences are a must-have. Here's where the beautiful and historic Langham, Huntington Hotel & Spa comes in. From now until August 27, every Tuesday and Wednesday night from 4-8 they're having a poolside summertime special,......

Photo by GarySe7en via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr On Friday, June 20th, the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific will reach its one-decade milestone. In honor of the occasion, they have launched a year-long celebration at the marine life-themed attraction with various events, contests, exhibits, and features centered around the number 10. The ten-sanity is abundant: You can find out their picks for their top 10 favorite animals, catch their 10th......

Crosswalk Countdown - GuerilLA from Kelly Herrington on Vimeo. A crosswalk at Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade starts to count down. Once it hits 10, a group of enthusiastic party-goers begin to count down with it out loud (think New Years Even at Times Square). The clock hits zero, the blinking hand changes to solid and everyone begins to scream in joy. "Happy New Years!" This is the latest "mission" from LA's version of......

Last Saturday at Dockweiler Beach was Lushness X, a volleyball tournament where uniforms and outfits are "highly encouraged." It's fair to say the tournament is a party, billed with rules that include make-out sessions (usually girl-on-girl), "corndogging" (pouring water on player and forcing them to roll in sand) and an occasional egging. LAist Photographer Tom Andrews spent the day sporting photos of the event and here's what he saw. Also: Team/Group Photo Gallery Related: The......

A compendium gallery of teams related to the post and photos from LA's Wildest & Hottest Volleyball Tournament: Lushness X. All photos are by LAist photographer Tom Andrews. Related: The 2007 'Six Man' Volleyball Tourney Photo Essay......

Try hard and you might get this hang loose feeling from checking out the Hawaiian Fest in Northridge Photo by bhollar via Flickr Annual Northridge Ho Olau lea (Hawaiian Fest) Say Aloha to the the 50th state with a taste of the food and fun of Hawaii. Lots of Hawaiian shirts and grass skirts, vendors with all sorts of goods, fresh floral leis, loads of food (shaved ice!!!!), and beer. Luckily it won't be......

If the rain doesn't deter you from heading out today, there are some weekend-long festivals that might make it worth your time... Or you can hedge your bets and hang tight today and wait for Sunday--or in some cases Monday--to get in on the fun. Photo of last year's Topanga Days by mackenzieeeee via Flickr Topanga Days Topanga Days, a three-day music and arts festival, features The Living Sisters (Inara George, Eleni Mandell, Becky Stark)......

LA Magazine has already crowned it one of the best things about living in LA. If you've ever tried to drive down Santa Monica Blvd. around Gower on a Saturday night, you'll quickly find out what thousands of Angelenos already know: there's no better way to spend a Saturday night than with a picnic and a bottle of wine in the middle of a cemetery, watching a classic film. In fact, Cinespia's weekly summer......

In conjunction with the exhibition "The Vision and Art of Shinjo Ito," The Westwood Art Forum is presenting a series of free events that include guided meditation classes, yoga, discussions and a day programmed for children. Spaces are filling up fast, but there is still plenty of availability starting this Thursday for events throughout May and June. The different yoga classes encompass Anusara, Hatha and interestingly, symphonic where instructor Brad Keimach sets the practice to......

California Strawberry Festival (Oxnard) This annual fundraiser is focused on the legendary Ventura County strawberry, and has lots of food, crafts, and entertainment from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Strawberry Meadows of College Park (3250 South Rose Avenue, Oxnard). Tickets: $12 Adults; $5 Youth (Ages 5-12); $8 Seniors (55+); $8 Active Military and Dependents with ID; Children 4 and under are free Lilac Festival The 26th annual Lilac Festival in Frazier Park at......

A slogan is only words until it makes it on a t-shirt. This morning we cottoned on (get it? groaaaaan!) to the pro-taco truck tee that's now up for sale via York Blvd, the NELA-based blog. You can buy the 100% cotton tee via their online store (SaveOurTacoTrucks.org also directs you to the York Blvd online store). With 5-7 days shipping you might not get it in time to wear it to Thursday night's Zocalo......

LAist absolutely loves the Redwood Bar & Grill, a pirate-themed hangout close to Disney Hall and the Civic Center downtown -- not only is it a lovely place to wander into on a cold and lonely winter night, but it serves our Editor's Choice for Best Mac N' Cheese in the city. I know, right! So you'll be thrilled to hear that the Redwood is now open for brunch! Beginning this weekend from 11am......

When an Orange County woman asked her husband to go clean the car, he came back with some old lottery tickets. Turns out one was worth $1, another was $3 and the final ticket was $198,468. The woman had bought the tickets back in March at a Fountain Valley liquor store and forgot about them until her husband came up with them. The next time your mother, your wife, your girlfriend or whoever tells you......

Photo by LAist News Editor Andy Sternberg Wait, cancel that, reports The Smoking Gun in March: Major League Baseball has forced the closure of an online business run by a Barack Obama supporter who tweaked team logos to create t-shirts promoting the Illinois Democrat's presidential bid. The web site Obamaofdreams.com began selling the $19.99 shirts last month and had more than a dozen versions available when an MLB lawyer sent proprietor Morris Levin a......