With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Best things to do this week in Los Angeles and Southern California: August 5 - 8
(
Evan Zimmerman
)
Mysteries are the best kind of summer reading, quick to get through and gripping. Don’t even try to talk to me if you see me at the pool with a novel, I won’t hear you.
If you’re also a fan of whodunit storytelling, this week there’s a talk with writers Michael Connelly, Laurie R. King, and Walter Mosley you won’t want to miss at the Skirball. And if you prefer your mystery in stage format, the play version of Clue just opened at the Ahmanson.
For indie music fans, there’s also an Elliott Smith tribute show at the Regent, surfers will want to head down to watch the U.S. Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, and foodies will delight in a mix of chef-driven events, including a James Beard Foundation tasting at the Line Hotel and the World Taste festival in Anaheim.
Visit LAist.com for more to explore, including food editor Gab Chabrán’s hot take on why the area’s best tacos can be found in Whittier, a tour of Anaheim’s Little Arabia, and the latest on the push for East L.A. cityhood.
Sponsored message
Events
-
Wed, Aug 7Inventing the Page: Michael Connelly, Laurie R. King and Walter Mosley
-
Skirball Cultural Center
2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Brentwood
Suspense fans will be on the edge of their seats for this author event with master mystery writers Michael Connelly,
-
Skirball Cultural Center
-
Tue, Aug 6All My Rowdy Friends
-
The Regent Theater
448 S. Main St., Downtown L.A.
Silver Lake’s Elliott Smith Figure 8 mural may be a shadow of its former self, but the indie hero’s spirit remains imbued throughout Los Angeles.
-
The Regent Theater
-
Tue, Aug 6Cello & Piano Recital
-
Schoenberg Music Building, UCLA
445 Charles E. Young Dr East, Westwood
Enjoy a relaxing lunch hour with the dulcet cello and piano sounds of Beethoven, Haydn, and more during the Henry J. Bruman Summer Chamber Music Festival at UCLA.
-
Schoenberg Music Building, UCLA
-
Wed, Aug 7First Wednesday Lecture: Innovating the Future of Seafood
-
Aquarium of the Pacific
100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach
Navigating the fish counter feels like it requires a PhD sometimes. Head down to the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach for an evening of lively discussion with future of seafood expert Shannon Cosentino-Roush.
-
Aquarium of the Pacific
-
Sun, Aug 25'Clue'
-
Ahmanson Theatre
135 N. Grand Ave., Downtown L.A.
Wear your best Professor Peacock or Colonel Mustard getup and head down to the Ahmanson for the most fun you can have in 75 minutes.
-
Ahmanson Theatre
-
Sun, Aug 11U.S. Open of Surfing
-
Huntington Beach Pier
325 Pacific Coast Highway, Huntington Beach
You don’t need to book a flight to Tahiti to see world-class surfing this week. The best in the world head to the World Surfing League’s U.S. Open of Surfing in Surf City, U.S.A. – Huntington Beach – through August 11.
-
Huntington Beach Pier
Outdoor Pick
-
Wed, Aug 7Sierra Club Griffith Park Night Conditioning Hike
-
Merry-Go-Round Lot #2
4730 Crystal Springs Dr., Griffith Park
Meet at the Merry-Go-Round Lot #2 in Griffith Park and set out on the Sierra Club’s regular guided adventure through the park at sunset.
-
Merry-Go-Round Lot #2
Dine & Drink Deals
-
Tue, Aug 6Taste America Culinary Series
-
The LINE L.A.
3515 Wilshire Blvd., Koreatown
A “walkaround” tasting from influential chefs at L.A.’s most decorated restaurants will be part of the James Beard Foundation’s Taste America tour coming to the Line Hotel.
-
The LINE L.A.
-
Tue, Aug 6World Taste
-
Anaheim Packing District
440 S. Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim
Bites from Orange County’s Original Food Hall at the Anaheim Packing District take center stage at the fifth annual World Taste Event.
-
Anaheim Packing District
-
Wed, Aug 7Meteora x Maito: Ut Unum Series
-
Meteora
6703 Melrose Ave., Hollywood
Meteora is as much an experience as a restaurant, as Chef Jordan Khan (Destroyer, Vespertine) combines all the senses through design, smell, and of course taste into the Melrose space.
-
Meteora
-
Thu, Aug 8Bastani Sonnati flavor launch party
-
Jeni’s Larchmont
123 N. Larchmont Blvd., Larchmont
Jeni’s Splendid is known for their unique flavors, so swing by the Larchmont shop to try a new flavor partnership with streetwear brand The Hundreds.
-
Jeni’s Larchmont
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
