Best things to do this week in Los Angeles and Southern California: July 22 - 25

I’ve been an Idina Menzel fan since I first saw her in the Jonathan Larson musical RENT in 1996. (To be fair, fan is probably an understatement, I even hosted a podcast during the pandemic called This Year’s RENT.) But my personal RENThead history aside, Menzel remains one of the most recognizable voices on Broadway and beyond – from "Let It Go" to her starring role on Glee, to her new musical Redwood, which opened just down the 5 Freeway at the La Jolla Playhouse and heads to Broadway this fall. Her latest release, Drama Queen, is her first album of original songs since 2016. Catch her performing Broadway classics and songs off the new album at the Wiltern.

If Amelia Earhart were still alive, she’d be turning 127 this year – and yet the mystery surrounding her disappearance still fascinates us as much now as it did in 1937, the year her plane lost contact in an attempt to circumnavigate the globe. Celebrate the trailblazer’s life (there will even be cake!) and hear about the latest attempts to find her plane on the ocean floor from the Deep Sea Vision team.

Teens ages 12-18 can join a marine biology expert for this virtual tour of the Manhattan Beach Roundhouse aquarium to learn about the diverse ecosystems of watersheds. It’s all online, so just register and explore!

Learn about how "The Book of Love" was written when you head to the Ford Amphitheatre to hear Stephin Merritt of The Magnetic Fields explore the band’s seminal 1999 three-volume concept album 69 Love Songs with Song Exploder podcast host Hrishikesh Hirway. Merritt will also perform an intimate solo show at the event. I’m putting in a request for “I Think I Need a New Heart.”

Co-hosted by PBS SoCal, this special night at the Fowler will feature a guided tour of the new exhibit Sangre de Nopal/Blood of the Nopal: Tanya Aguiñiga & Porfirio Gutiérrez en Conversación/in Conversation as well as a conversation about the art, food, and cultural ties between Latino and Islamic communities with Spanish Historical Linguistics expert Dr. Mariam Saada.

Comedians Jamie Kennedy, Harlan Williams, Erika Rhodes, and more will perform at NeueHouse in Hollywood in collaboration with the Headliner's Ball Comedy Show. The free show takes place at the members club’s historic Studio A sound stage.

New Orleans comes to the Mint, with jazz/funk legends George Porter Jr., Ivan Neville and more at the intimate mid-city venue. Get ready to get down with all the horns. Slapbak opens the night at 8:30 p.m., and the headliners go on at 10 p.m.

If you’ve been cooped up in the office too much lately, take a break with downtown L.A.’s hosted games at lunchtime and happy hour all week. On Tuesday, there’s Free Throw from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at The Yard at Cal Plaza and Mini Golf from 4 to 7 p.m. that evening. On Wednesday, play Cornhole from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and on Thursday, grab a partner for Pickleball from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the Bank of America Plaza.

Sometimes it feels like everyone else has access to a beautiful turquoise pool on a hot day and we’re stuck gazing over the fence. Don’t let that be you! Many hotels offer access to their pools for a small fee – even if you’re not staying there. For a weekday dip, check out the Dream Hollywood, which offers daytime swim passes all summer, Monday through Wednesday.

Sol Mexican Cocina (Cadillac Margaritas for $10 all day), Sirena at the Georgian (enjoy their rosemary-infused tequila, watermelon, mint, chipotle and lime cocktail) and La Lo La Rooftop ($50 tequila flights) are just a few of the dozens of bars and restaurants getting in on the National Tequila Day fun. Sample the tequila flights, try a new cocktail, or even get a free shot before you sing your heart out at Cowboy Karaoke at Desert 5 Spot in Hollywood.

Fresh fish – literally bluefin tuna caught that morning by the restaurant’s owner – is what’s on the menu in this collaboration between Venice’s popular Dudley Market and downtown Japanese hotspot YESS. Chef Junya will use all parts of the bluefin tuna to create menu items including smoked tuna head tacos and a tuna katsu cheeseburger.

One of the best “meet in the middle” spots, Paper or Plastik, is hosting a burger and beer deal nearly every weeknight. Mondays through Thursdays get their signature burger and a beer for just $18.