Best things to do this week in Los Angeles and Southern California: April 21 - 24

It’s hard to believe we’ve passed the 100-day mark since the fires. In so many conversations with people who’ve been affected, what I’ve seen beyond all the hardship is positivity and silver linings, from reignited relationships with family to the discovery of new areas of the city, to rebuilding projects that are nothing short of inspiring.

Did you know there’s a TARDIS right here in Burbank? For more to explore, visit LAist.com, where you can learn about the San Gabriel Valley’s thriving Vietnamese food scene, get the lowdown on Dodger Stadium’s best nearby food and drink options and learn about how you can help the sick brown pelicans in Huntington Beach.

Events

Tuesday, April 22
Earth Day events
Multiple locations 
COST: VARIES

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Malte Mueller

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Say thank you to your mother (Earth, that is) with a wide range of nature-themed events in a variety of locations on Tuesday. First in Santa Monica, join in any of the events happening all day long at the city’s Earth Day Celebration, including a collage workshop from Camera Obscura artist-in-residence Raphaele Cohen-Bacry using recycled materials and a talk about plastics pollution with experts from Heal the Bay. Across town at Descanso Gardens, the native blooms are on display for Earth Week. And if you want to get your hands dirty, join Tree People for a day cleaning up the Betty Dearing Trail, starting at 9 a.m.

Thursday, April 24, 6 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. 
WORDTheatre: An Evening with Ben Shattuck
William Turner Gallery
2525 Michigan Ave. E-1, Santa Monica
COST: FROM $40; MORE INFO 

Kick off Festival of Books weekend early and on the west side with WORDTheatre’s celebration of Ben Shattuck. Stories from his new book, The History of Sound, will be performed by actors including Jason Butler Harner (The Handmaid’s Tale) and Michael Provost (The Holdovers). Bergamot is always a fun scene, so check out some of the art or have a drink at Birdie G’s and wander around a little beforehand.

Every Thursday, 8 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. 
Silver Lake Star Party 
Sunset Triangle Plaza
3700 Sunset Blvd., Silver Lake 
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

L.A. has all kinds of star parties, but none quite like the Silver Lake Star Party, where the celestial bodies take the spotlight, not the moustachio-ed, hipster ones (but surely there will be some of those, too). Organizers from the Los Angeles Astronomical Society will have telescopes to share on hand, but feel free to bring your own and gaze up at the moon and planets. Plus, it’s Sunset Triangle, so you can grab a burger at The Win-dow or ice cream at Mashti Malone’s.

Tuesday, April 22
Tuesdays at Monkspace: Alexander Elliott Miller & Wendy Richman
Monkspace
4414 W. 2nd St., Koreatown
COST: $10 (WITH CODE "LAist"); MORE INFO 

Violist Wendy Richman will perform selections from Vox/Viola, an album of music she commissioned for voice and viola in which she performs both parts. Her performance is followed by a celebration of Alexander Elliott Miller's new album Antibodypolitic, written during the pandemic for electric guitar and synthesizers. The work features rock-influenced instrumental writing that explores experiences of quarantine, loss, the adrenaline rush of getting into running, and a forward-looking hopefulness. Our friends at Monkspace are offering $10 tickets with code "LAist" (normally $25) to their weekly Tuesday event featuring contemporary classical musicians.

Thursday, April 24, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
A Day for Us: Fire Relief Festival 
The Count’s Den 
1039 S. Olive St., Downtown L.A. 
COST: $25; MORE INFO

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Courtesy Immersive Art Collective

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Spend any part of your day at this 12-hour benefit festival for and by performing artists affected by the recent wildfires. The event features music and performances from local artists, including Brody Scott, Paula tha Balla and Yves Gore, plus food vendors and drinks. All ticket sales and donations will go directly to the performers involved.

Through Sunday, May 18
Just Like Us
The Los Angeles Theatre Center 
514 S. Spring St., Downtown L.A.
COST: FROM $20; MORE INFO

The a-little-too-timely Latino Theater Company's West Coast premiere of Just Like Us by Karen Zacarías follows four teenage Latina girls in Denver from their senior year in high school through college, two documented and two undocumented. Based on the non-fiction book by Helen Thorpe, the play “exposes how their legal status affects their opportunities, their day-to-day lives and their friendship.”

Monday, April 21, 11 a.m.
Sound Bath at the Garden of the Clear Stream
Japanese American Cultural & Community Center 
244 S. San Pedro St., Little Tokyo 
COST: $38.50; MORE INFO 

Even just reading the title of this event makes me say “aaaah.” Enjoy a mid-morning sound bath in the beautiful oasis of the JACCC garden in Little Tokyo and take in some relaxation right in the middle of the city.

Viewing Pick

Thursday, April 24, 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. 
"Transforming the Los Angeles River" 
Natural History Museum Commons 
900 Exposition Blvd., Exposition Park 
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

How to LA's Brian De Los Santos and Producer Evan Jacoby kayak the L.A. River.

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Courtesy of Brian De Los Santos / Gary Golding

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LAist

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Wrap up Earth Week with a free double feature of SoCal Snowy Owl and the Earth Focus episode “Transforming the Los Angeles River” at the Natural History Museum Commons Theater. A panel discussion follows the screening, and it’s a great chance to get a first look at the new NHM Commons, a gathering space designed for community and conversation at the museum.

Dine & Drink Deals

***Wednesday, April 23, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. 
Sip & Savor: A Farm to Glass Event
10929 W Pico Blvd., West L.A.
COST: $35; MORE INFO

One of my favorite bars in L.A. is the unassuming Wellesbourne, where you can get a proper cocktail and be transported to a cozy English country pub, right on Pico Boulevard. They are hosting a “farm to glass’ event with Frey Ranch distillery, featuring spring-themed whiskey cocktails, passed hors d’oeuvres and live music.

Through Sunday, April 27 
Long Beach Taco Week 
Multiple locations
COST: VARIES; MORE INFO

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Over a dozen Long Beach restaurants are creating unique and classic tacos at value prices for the first-ever Long Beach Taco Week. The deals and the tacos run through April 27.

April 22-23, 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. 
The Athletic x The Beast 
Villa’s Tacos
5455 N. Figueroa St., Downtown L.A.
COST: VARIES

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Courtesy Villa's Tacos

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Get NFL draft-ready with The Beast. The popular comprehensive guide from The Athletic pops by Villa's Tacos to help football fans get smart on their team’s picks. There are also print copies of The Beast, tasty treats and other free swag in store.