Best things to do this week in Los Angeles and Southern California: July 15 - 18

The Decemberists, Portland's early 2000s indie darlings, have been called “literary alt-rock,” which is actually pretty accurate. Colin Meloy has one of the most instantly recognizable voices in indie music, and he and his merry crew bring their distinctive sound to The Bellwether on Monday night for the second of two shows at the intimate venue. Their upcoming album ninth studio album, As It Ever Was So Will It Be Again, was just released last month.

There’s no shortage of rumors swirling around the Democratic Party this week, and a few of them have put Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer front and center. Good timing for her new book, True Gretch: What I’ve Learned About Life, Leadership and Everything in Between. Whitmer will talk about the new memoir, which focuses on her life and her path to the governorship as well as her work through the COVID-19 pandemic and the failed assassination plot against her. Veep star and UCB founding member Matt Walsh (Veep) will join her in conversation at Live Talks L.A.

Guster made a decent-sized splash in the late '90s and early 2000s, and the Boston-area band has continued to make good music and figure out unique ways to speak to their audience as they age together – partnering with comedy shows, making music for TV shows, and of course releasing new albums. The Dynasty Typewriter show promises a mix of music and comedy, with special guests Madison Cunningham, Chris Fleming, Greg Hess, Holly Laurent, Rory Scovel, and Beth Stelling.

LACMA is hosting a screening of Ed Ruscha’s short film Elysian Park and the Stone Quarry Hills and a conversation about creating art in and about Los Angeles at the Academy Museum, the museum's new neighbor. It’s a great complement to this summer’s big Ed Ruscha exhibit and an opportunity to learn more about a range of artists who live and work here. Artists Judy Baca, Vincent Valez, and Ruscha himself will be on a panel moderated by LACMA CEO Michael Govan.

The SheLA Summer Theater Festival comes to us from its sister festival in New York and focuses on new works by gender-marginalized playwrights and composers. The short festival features five shows and runs through next weekend, with several pieces that we're looking forward to seeing, including Ink and Paint, a new musical about the women who worked behind the scenes at Disney to bring the princesses we know and love to life. There's also Zora and Langston, about the friendship and rivalry between Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes during the Harlem Renaissance.

The Bradbury Building — famous for Bladerunner being filmed there, but also just one of the coolest buildings (architecturally speaking) in L.A. — is the setting for this event put on by the L.A. Review of Books and The Berggruen Institute. Artists and authors David Wallace-Wells, Jenny Offill, Bharat Venkat, and Jonathan Blake will speak about the climate crisis and how art and literature can effect change.

The Orange County Museum of Art’s new permanent building only opened in 2022, so if you haven’t had a chance to head down to Costa Mesa to check it out yet, the big Yves Saint Laurent exhibit that opened recently is a great excuse to hop on the 405. The designer’s work is shown through original sketches, photos, jewelry, and of course haute couture garments from the 1960s through the early 2000s. Tres chic!

This is a true treat – and a deep cut – for all you super film nerds out there. The Academy Museum is highlighting British filmmaking in collaboration with the British Film Institute and will show early 20th-century experimental filmmakers The Archers’ (Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger) Black Narcissus (1947) in a rare 35mm nitrate film presentation. Editor and frequent Martin Scorcese collaborator Thelma Schoonmaker will join for a Q&A.

Nothing says summer in Spain like paella and sangria. Zinque Malibu is providing just that: $50 per person paella on the patio (including a beer or non-alcoholic beverage), plus live flamenco music and pitchers of sangria for $60.

Pretend you’re on that vacation in Italy by heading up to Highland Park for a free amaro tasting by local California spirits producer Brucato Amaro at the Arroyo Club. The brand will be on hand to do guided tastings of three types of amaro; they’ve also created special amaro-based cocktails available for purchase.

Crossroads Melrose chef Tal Ronnen is bringing chefs Keith Corbin and Daniel Patterson from Alta Adams to the restaurant for a plant-based Southern cuisine feast. The four-course menu is $75 per person; highlights include deviled eggs, heirloom tomato & peach salad, barbecue lion’s mane mushrooms, candied yam gratin, collard greens, and more.