The Best Things To Do In LA And SoCal This Week: Sept. 13 - 16

With the COVID-19 Delta variant spreading, it's best to check ahead of time to make sure events are still happening as scheduled.

Learn how to cha cha. Experience Yo-Yo Ma perform Bach's cello suites. Laugh at a bunch of comedy nights. Attend the first of many spooktacular Halloween events. Sip Negronis, hit up a new food hall in Montebello, nosh on hot dogs aboard the Battleship Iowa.

Monday, Sept. 13; 7:30 p.m.

Mermaid Comedy Hour
The Hollywood Improv Lab
8162 Melrose Ave., Beverly Grove
The female-centric comedy hour returns, produced and hosted by Valerie Tosi and Joleen Lunzer. The September lineup features Laurie Kilmartin, Subhah Agarwal, Irene Tu, Jasmine Ellis, Jeena Bloom and JoAnn Schinderle. There is a two-item minimum. Proof of vaccination is required. The show is 21+.
COST: $12; MORE INFO

Monday, Sept. 13; 8 p.m.

Living Room Series
The Blank Theatre’s new play development series, now in its 31st year, showcases established and emerging writers. This year, the performances take place online with minimal staging and actors carrying their scripts. The series opens with SK8ER BOIZ by Christopher S. Sullivan, directed by Kazu Takeda.
COST: $15 suggested donation; MORE INFO

David Kwong, playwright and performer, brings 'The Enigmatist' to The Geffen.

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Aaron Epstein

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Tuesday, Sept. 14 - Saturday, Oct. 30

The Enigmatist
Geffen Playhouse
10886 Le Conte Ave., Westwood
Attend the West Coast premiere of the show written and performed by The New York Times crossword constructor David Kwong. As a follow-up to his virtual hit production Inside the Box, Kwong presents an immersive experience of puzzles and cryptology. Clues are everywhere, so pay attention to the multilayered illusions. Guests must be vaccinated and wear masks. Those with medical or religious exemptions will be asked to take a COVID-19 PCR test within 72 hours and show a negative result before entry.
COST: Tickets start at $30; MORE INFO

Tuesday, Sept. 14; 8 p.m.

Sarah Cooper
Largo LA
366 N. La Cienega, Beverly Grove
The comedian gave us a lot of laughs during the early days of the pandemic as she lip-synced comments by former President Donald Trump and posted them to TikTok. Now, Cooper is doing stand-up around the country. Masks are required for entry. Proof of vaccination or negative test within 48 hours is also required.
COST: $35+ fees; MORE INFO

Tuesday, Sept. 14; 8 p.m.

Yo-Yo Ma: The Bach Project
The Hollywood Bowl
2301 N. Highland Ave., Hollywood
The great cellist returns to the Bowl to perform all six of Bach’s cello suites in an epic solo recital.
COST: Tickets start at $25; MORE INFO

Tuesday, Sept. 14; 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday Night Dance Cha Cha
Segerstrom Center for the Arts
600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa
Bring your dance shoes to one of the season's last Tuesday night classes. Instructor Oksana Kalinuka will teach the steps to the cha cha in a fun, upbeat class. All ages and all abilities are welcome. No previous experience is required.
COST: Tickets start at $10; MORE INFO

Wednesday, Sept. 15; 7 p.m.

An Evening with the Authors
The Yard Theater
4319 Melrose Ave., East Hollywood
Literary satire meets sketch comedy as a rotating cast of comedians pose as accomplished writers who share their most recent (fake) books and works. Proof of vaccination (or a negative COVID test within 48 hours) is required for entry at the door.
COST: $10; MORE INFO

Wednesday, Sept. 15

David Byrne's American Utopia
Various locations
Watch the Emmy-nominated feature as it plays in movie theaters nationwide for one night only. The screenings of the concert film-meets-Broadway stage production includes an introduction by Byrne and a never-before-seen conversation between him and director Spike Lee. The big screen debut coincides with the show’s return to Broadway on Sept. 17.
COST: Varies; MORE INFO

Thursday, Sept. 16 - Sunday, Oct. 17 (Thursdays through Sundays)

As Good as Gold
Theatre 40 in the Reuben Cordova Theatre
Beverly Hills High School
241 S. Moreno Dr., Beverly Hills
Theatre 40 presents the world premiere of a new comedy written by Marilyn Anderson. Directed by Roger K. Weiss, the play follows three female screenwriters who write an action blockbuster. Because of sexism and glass ceilings in Hollywood, they hire a young man to be their front, and he becomes the toast of the town. Where does this leave the three women?
COST: $36; MORE INFO

Thursday, Sept. 16; 8 p.m.

Collection Plate Comedy
The Renegade NoHo (Upstairs)
11136 W. Magnolia Blvd., North Hollywood
The new monthly comedy show, hosted by Alan Peterson, includes headliner Fanto, with Karina Reyes, Savannah Manhattan, Leon Walker, Angelica Mackey and surprise guests. There is a two-drink minimum and masks are required. Cash and Venmo Tips @collectionplatecomedy go directly to the performers. COST: $5 - $10 admission; MORE INFO

Thursday, Sept. 16; 8 p.m.

Rooftop Movies at The Montalbán: Something About Mary
The Montalbán
1615 Vine St., Hollywood
The historic venue recently reopened for rooftop screenings under the stars—with coronavirus safety precautions in place. The season continues on Thursday with the 1998 comedy featuring a Ben Stiller-Cameron Diaz-Matt Dillon love triangle. Doors and bar open at 6 p.m.
COST: Tickets start at $28.25; MORE INFO

A Place Called Home’s inaugural El Centro Del Sur Latinx Theater Festival celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month online.

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Courtesy of A Place Called Home

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Thursday, Sept. 16 - Saturday, Sept. 25

El Centro Del Sur Latinx Theater Festival
A Place Called Home’s inaugural festival streams six productions from six L.A.-based Latinx theater companies in celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month. The series begins this Thursday at 7 p.m. with the Latino Theater Company presenting Solitude. All productions will include Spanish subtitles. Live Q&A sessions following each production will be translated into Spanish in real time.
COST: FREE with RSVP; MORE INFO

Craft Contemporary hosts artist Billy Kheel who presents a virtual felt tacos and donut making workshop.

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Courtesy of Billy Kheel and Craft Contemporary

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Thursday, Sept. 16; 5 - 7 p.m.

Maker Night: Felt Tacos and Donuts with Billy Kheel
The Craft Contemporary’s new workshop series takes place via Zoom with artist Billy Kheel showing attendees how to create felt tacos and donuts. Participants can choose between donut or taco material in a to-go kit that’s available for purchase through the museum shop and includes all the supplies to make one of the treats.
COST: FREE with advanced registration; MORE INFO

The interactive haunted attraction 'Delusion' returns for 2021 to Pomona.

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Courtesy of Reaper’s Remorse

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Thursday, Sept. 16 - Sunday, Sept. 21 (select dates)

DELUSION: Reaper’s Remorse
The Phillips Mansion
2640 Pomona Blvd., Pomona
Jon Braver’s interactive horror theater attraction starts its run this week. Taking place in the dilapidated Phillips Mansion, it invites guests to wander around as they explore multiple, eerie narrative threads. In an adjacent area, food, drinks and other fun awaits. A VIP upgrade is available, allowing access to a second floor of terror.
COST: Tickets start at $89; MORE INFO

Through Friday, Nov. 5

Casper Brindle: Light | Glyphs
William Turner Gallery
2525 Michigan Avenue E-1, Santa Monica
The artist presents two new bodies of work that investigate light, color and perspective. The series plays with the idea of glyphs, ancient modes of communication (before the development of language) where symbols or marks were carved in relief to convey ideas.
COST: FREE with RSVP; MORE INFO

Streaming Pick

Brooklyn Nine-Nine Series Finale
This Thursday marks the final episode of the long-running police procedural sitcom that features an ensemble cast led by SNL veteran Andy Samberg as Det. Jake Peralta. To the show’s credit, it didn’t completely gloss over or shrink away from the issues facing police forces nationwide in the light of George Floyd’s murder. The series signs off with a two-part finale, "The Last Day,” which airs at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.

The Culver City Jewish Deli Wise Sons offers catering and large meals for groups for Yom Kippur.

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Courtesy of Wise Sons

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Dine and Drink Deals

Here's the 411 on restaurant happenings in SoCal:

• Bay Area Jewish deli Wise Sons opened its first SoCal outpost last month (in Culver City) just in time for the High Holidays. It's offering catering and large-format meals for Yom Kippur on Sept. 15-16. The menu includes a smoked salmon platter for six, apple smoked glazed chicken, roasted brisket and sweet raisin noodle kugel. Orders must be placed by noon two days beforehand.
• Toast Negroni Week (Sept. 13 - 19). Participating L.A. bars and restaurants are offering their interpretations of the classic cocktail made with Campari, gin and vermouth, with a portion of the proceeds going to charity. Stop by RedBird in DTLA for a Japanese-inspired version of the drink (Little Tokyo), Thunderbolt in Echo Park for a mysterious iteration (Isle of Negroni) or Hotel Figueroa for a tiki-meets-Italy take (Cielo Bello).
• The historic tequila bar and taqueria El Carmen (on Third St. in Beverly Grove) celebrates Mexican Independence Day on Thursday starting at 5 p.m. Guests can partake in the specially created cocktail Hidalgo's Grito ($10), margaritas for $5, Modelitos for $4 and Tacos (asada, pollo and papas) for $3. A mariachi band performs from 7 to 9 p.m.
• U Street Pizza in Pasadena, which opened this past spring, is now serving pizza-friendly cocktails, wine and West Coast beers. New drinks include Free Parking (watermelon juice, orange wine and pisco) and the Pizzalada, a Michelada using U Street’s pizza sauce.
• Eat hot dogs aboard the Battleship Iowa in San Pedro as Vicky’s Doghouse has opened on the ship's fantail. Choose classic and gourmet hotdogs, loaded fries, tater tots and onion rings. Enter at the rear gangway, next to the security shack. There’s no cost to board the battleship when eating at the restaurant, and parking is free for the first hour.
• Blvd Mrkt, the new indoor/outdoor artisan food hall market in downtown Montebello, had its official grand opening in late August. Built out of shipping containers and a repurposed brick building, the new food hall features Cafe Santo, Los Taquero Mucho, Alchemy Craft beer garden and NOLA Cajun and Creole.
• The L.A. County Fair isn’t happening this year — it's permanently moving to May starting in 2022 (its centennial year) — but if you miss the food, carnival rides and heat, there’s a miniature Bite-Sized Fair happening Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Sept. 26. Guests can enjoy giant turkey legs, deep-fried Oreos or almost anything covered in Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. Participating stands are also offering $3 bite-sized portions so you can sample everything.
• The dating app Bumble teams with a number of local bars and restaurants to pick date spots and happy hours. While the events are open to everyone, those with a Bumble profile can get complimentary food and drinks. On Wednesday, Sept. 15, the first 70 Bumble guests at Élephante Beach House in Santa Monica can enjoy up to two complimentary drinks and a selection of passed appetizers, including a cheese and charcuterie station, an assortment of pizzas and salads (while supplies last).