The Best Things To Do In LA And SoCal This Week: July 26 - 29

Dodge zombies at a new VR experience. Attend Montreal's famous comedy fest — in L.A. Commemorate the life and death of Emmett Till. Get some culture as the “art season” officially opens with a major festival and several adjacent events. Eat your fill at a vegan food fest. Sip brûlée boba drinks or tiki cocktails as you celebrate National Chicken Wing Day, or nosh on mole tacos and fresh pasta.

Monday, July 26 - Saturday, July 31

Just For Laughs Montréal
If you’ve never been to Canada for this comedy fest, let the jokes come to you. This year, the festival features both online and in-person shows live from Montréal, New York City and Los Angeles. You'll get to see performances by Dave Chappelle, Kevin Hart, Kristen Wiig & Annie Mumolo, Jason Sudeikis & Bill Lawrence, Patton Oswalt, Bowen Yang, Gina Yashere, Maria Bamford, Pete Holmes, Maz Jobrani, Jean Smart and Amber Ruffin. The live, in-person shows (at Dynasty Theater here in L.A.) require tickets but will then air for free at hahaha.com.
COST: Varies; MORE INFO

The Yard Theater presents a new concert featuring Frank Fairfield and The Temple Street Trio.

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Courtesy of The Yard Theater

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Monday, July 26; 8 p.m.

Down at the Yard
The Yard Theater
4319 Melrose Ave., East Hollywood
The acoustic music series returns every Monday night. This week it features performances by Frank Fairfield and The Temple Street Trio. The band’s multi-instrumentalists play a range of old-timey rags, waltzes, polkas and choros. The band includes professor David Elsenbroich and veteran L.A. musician Zac Sokolow.
COST: $10 - $20; MORE INFO

Tuesday, July 27; 6:30 p.m.

Is South L.A. Forging a New American Identity?
Mercado La Paloma
3655 S Grand Ave., South L.A.
Zócalo, in tandem with Esperanza Community Housing, hosts its first in-person event of the year, and it will focus on the future of South L.A. Moderated by the Los Angeles Times' Angel Jennings, the panel includes Pierrette Hondagneu-Sotelo and Manuel Pastor, co-authors of South Central Dreams: Finding Home and Building Community in South L.A., and Corey Matthews, chief operating officer of Community Coalition. RSVP to join in-person or virtually.
COST: FREE with RSVP; MORE INFO

Tuesday, July 27; 7 p.m. PT

Writer's Block
The Hotel Café Second Stage
1623 Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood
The industry-based songwriter showcase returns on Tuesday nights to Hollywood. If the show is sold out online, a limited number of tickets may be available at the door. This week’s lineup includes Natalie Duque, brvthrs., Vân Scott, Aman Sheriff & Lucas Mccone. Ages 21+.
COST: $12; MORE INFO

Tuesday, July 27; 6:30 p.m.

Go with the Flow
Hotel Figueroa
939 S. Figueroa St., downtown L.A.
Guests and locals are welcome to join in a Rhythm & Release Yoga Buti Glow class hosted by fitness instructor Pamela Johnson of The Bridge Mind Body Movement, and fellow yogi Theresa Rhodes. Partake in a session of rhythmic movement and creative expression with nontoxic glow-in-the-dark body paint atop Hotel Figueroa’s open-air outdoor space.
COST: Tickets start at $26; MORE INFO

Tuesday, July 27; 6 p.m.

Sounds of Summer
2ND & PCH
E. 2nd. St. and PCH, Long Beach
The retail center continues its live music series every Tuesday through Aug. 24. This week showcases the Latin sounds of Gregg Young & The 2nd Street Band.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

A plaque marks the gravesite of Emmett Till at Burr Oak Cemetery May 4, 2005, in Aslip, Illinois.

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Scott Olson

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Getty Images

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Tuesday, July 27; 2 p.m. PT

“Let the People See What They Did to My Boy”: Commemorating Emmett Till for Future Generations
Online event
In August 1955, a Black 14-year-old named Emmett Till was kidnapped, tortured and murdered by two white men in Mississippi. His lynching catalyzed the civil rights movement and his death serves as a reminder of the anti-Black violence and racial injustice that still plagues our country. The Mellon Foundation presents a virtual discussion that explores how to best preserve and commemorate Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley’s legacies. Panelists include Elizabeth Alexander, Crystal N. Feimster and Kevin Young.
COST: FREE with RSVP; MORE INFO

Wednesday, July 28 - Sunday, Jan. 23, 2022

Sanford Biggers: Codeswitch
California African American Museum
600 State Dr., Exposition Park
The artist and L.A. native has been developing a body of work informed by African American history and traditions. CAAM presents the first survey of his quilt-based works — 50 pieces that include references to contemporary art, urban culture and sacred geometry. Known as The Codex series, Biggers has created mixed-media paintings and sculptures done directly on, or made from, pre-1900 antique quilts.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

Wednesday, July 28 - August

Viva Las Vengeance: Army of the Dead
Westfield Century City
Rooftop 5th Floor Parking Garage
10250 Santa Monica Blvd., Century City
Netflix opens a new immersive VR experience based on Zack Snyder’s film, Army of the Dead, which was released earlier this year. The VR game’s premise is a rescue mission in the middle of the zombie apocalypse in Las Vegas. L.A. is the first stop as Viva Las Vengeance travels across the U.S. Recommended for those ages 13+. There will be food and drinks available from C3’s “Sin City Tacos,” specifically developed for the experience.
COST: Tickets start at $24; MORE INFO

Wednesday, July 28; 8 p.m.

Better Half Comedy
Bar Bandini
2150 Sunset Blvd., Echo Park
Kara Klenk and Jared Logan host the stand-up showcase every Wednesday. This week’s lineup stars Demetri Martin, RB Butcher, Megan Gailey, Liza Treyger, Solomon Georgio and Neel Ghosh. The show is 21+.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

Wednesday, July 28 - Sunday, Aug. 1

Gallery Weekend Los Angeles
Various locations
Gallery Association Los Angeles launches a new initiative that brings together more than 70 local galleries and art spaces. Coinciding with the L.A. Art show, it offers a number of self-guided options that explore art in different neighborhoods around Los Angeles.
COST: FREE MORE INFO

Wednesday, July 28 - Sunday, Aug. 1

Frieze Viewing Room Los Angeles Edition
Online / Various locations
The fourth installment of the Frieze platform series coincides with the inaugural edition of Gallery Weekend Los Angeles. More than 40 galleries are participating with online and in-person exhibitions. A new curated section of the viewing room is dedicated to the digital art of Liu Chuang, Nik Kosmas, Peng Ke, aaajiao and Lu Yang. All works in the curated section will also be available to purchase as non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

Luciana Abait’s video projection “Agua,” is part of the L.A. Art Show's DIVERSEartLA 2021 program, curated by Marisa Caichiolo.

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Courtesy of the L.A. Art Show

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Thursday, July 29 - Sunday, Aug. 1

L.A. Art Show
L.A. Convention Center
1201 Figueroa St., downtown L.A.
The comprehensive modern and contemporary art show returns in-person this year, featuring dozens of galleries and programming that highlights new technology-based art including AR, VR and NFTs. The opening night premiere party happens on Thursday from 7 to 11 p.m. to benefit St. Jude Children’s Hospital.
COST: $30 - $250; MORE INFO

Thursday, July 29 - Sunday, Aug. 1

Felix LA Art Fair
Roosevelt Hotel
7000 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood
The contemporary hotel art fair celebrates local art from 29 L.A.-based galleries in the poolside cabanas.
COST: $75 passes; MORE INFO

L.A. Live invites you to eat, drink and play.

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Davide Angelini

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stock.adobe.com

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Thursday, July 29; 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Eat, Play & Park Free
L.A. Live
800 W. Olympic Blvd., downtown L.A.
Take advantage of featured summer menus and drink specials at participating venues and restaurants. The Grammy Museum also stays open until 8 p.m. with 20% off admission tickets. Plus, there's free parking until 10 p.m. in West Garage Gate B (located on Chick Hearn Court).
COST: Varies; MORE INFO

Director Rodrigo Garcia attends the 2020 Sundance Film Festival.

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Rich Polk

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Getty Images for IMDb

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Thursday, July 29; 6 p.m. PT

Los Angeles Times Book Club with Rodrigo Garcia
Filmmaker Rodrigo Garcia (In Treatment, Albert Nobbs) discusses his memoir, A Farewell to Gabo and Mercedes, with L.A. Times editor Steve Padilla. The book is a reflective account of life, death, family and celebrity, focusing on his father Gabriel García Márquez, and his mother, Mercedes Barcha. The event will be livestreamed on Twitter, YouTube and Facebook.
COST: FREE with RSVP; MORE INFO

Streaming Pick

How It Ends
This apocalyptic comedy, produced, written and directed by Daryl Wein and Zoe Lister-Jones, also stars Lister-Jones as an Angeleno who scores an invite to one last wild party before the world ends. Getting to the party won’t be easy as her car is stolen and she’s trying to tie up loose ends with friends and family. She traverses Los Angeles with her younger self (Cailee Spaeny) running into an eclectic cast of characters. The film also stars Olivia Wilde, Fred Armisen, Whitney Cummings, Charlie Day, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Helen Hunt, Nick Kroll and Lamorne Morris. Stream on Amazon Prime.

Dine and Drink Deals

Qué Padre is a surf-inspired taco eatery that opened in Pacific Palisades.

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Courtesy of Qué Padre

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Here's the 411 on restaurant happenings in SoCal:

• Qué Padre, a new surf-inspired taco concept, opened at Palisades Village last week. The tacos include cochinita pibil, Bohemia beer-battered halibut, pollo mole negro, beef birria, butter-poached lobster, and nopales. The restaurant also offers a grab-and-go breakfast burrito and cinnamon buns glazed with Mexican chocolate.
• Summer Nights: L.A. Arts District is a new vegan night market at Boomtown Brewery in DTLA. It takes place on Wednesdays from 5 to 9 p.m. The market also offers beer and eco-friendly products. Food vendors include All Vegan Franks, Auraganic Juicery, Chloe's Confectionery; Devi's Donuts, Honey Greens Juice Bar, Original Herbivore and MANEATINGPLANT.
• Barcade in Highland Park has a happy hour daily until 7 p.m. Get $1 off beers, wine and well drinks, or a short of Four Roses bourbon and any $7 pint for $10.
• The Culver City stalwart Ugo has opened a new location, on the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica. The outdoor Italian cafe serves housemade gelato, fresh pasta, arancini, pizzas, Italian coffee and desserts.
• The upscale Esperanza Cocina de la Playa officially opens in Manhattan Beach this week. The menu (from the team behind Palmilla) includes prawns pacifico con salsa, relleno de langosta y camarón, and five kinds of ceviche. The bar boasts a long tequila and mezcal list.
• National Chicken Tender Day is on Tuesday and several restaurants are offering a plant-based twist on the holiday. Crave Cafe (Studio City), Salt & Fries (Glendale), Hotto Bento (Sawtelle) and Crave (Hollywood) are giving away free meals featuring Beyond Meat’s new Beyond Chicken Tenders. The meal deal is available only via DoorDash on July 27. Customers who purchase a Beyond Chicken Tender item receive $15 off their order.
• Tuesday is also National Crème Brûlée Day. Sunright Tea Studio locations throughout SoCal are celebrating by showcasing seven beverages served with Sunright’s creamy brûlée foam. The bubble tea shop’s menu items include Crème Brûlée Boba Milk, Oreo Brûlée Boba Milk, Ceylon Brûlée Latte, Jasmine Brûlée Latte, Oolong Brûlée Latte, Four Seasons Brûlée Latte and Matcha Brûlée Latte.
• Two days later, on Thursday, it's National Chicken Wing Day. Celebrate by noshing on Brooklyn Ave. Pizza Co.'s wings, which come in such flavors as mole and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.
• Legendary Los Feliz dive bar the Tiki-Ti reopened earlier this month for the first time since the pandemic started. And Eater L.A. reports that people waited in line for five hours to get in. Angelenos are ready for their mai tais!