Best things to do this week in Los Angeles and Southern California: July 8 - 11

The Moth StorySLAM tackles "Temptation" this month, so work on your best true stories about self-control (or lack thereof!) and head over to Silver Lake to compete or just listen in.

Backgammon may conjure up images of old men playing outside coffee shops or in grandma’s living room, but one local club is proving the ancient game is anything but. The Venice Backgammon Club has been hosting events that keep growing in popularity and the easy-to-learn but hard-to-master game is quickly becoming a fun way to meet new people and check out new spots. This week’s event also features live jazz at the Venice West.

The original queen of rap, singer and producer Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott proves she still knows how to work it with her new Out of This World Experience tour. Her two-evening stop at Crytpo.com also features hip-hop royalty Ciara, Timbaland, and Busta Rhymes.

The Hammer is cutting through the noise and frustration with some grounded talk from legal scholars about what’s going on in Washington. The Safeguarding Democracy Project at UCLA Law hosts panelists from Yale Law School, UCLA, Stanford, and Loyola Marymount to discuss the real-world impacts of recent Supreme Court cases.

Give yourself the gift of mid-week creativity by joining guest teaching artist Ernesto Vazquez at MOLAA in Long Beach for a workshop on woodblock printmaking. The museum provides all the materials, just bring yourself!

There are few pleasures like the joy of sitting quietly in front of great art and the Mark Roktho room at MOCA is one of the best places to do that. The 2014 film The Silence of Mark Rothko is a visual biography of the abstract painter that uses place and architecture to place Rothko and his work in the greater world. Take advantage of the chance to screen it (and then check out the art in real life) this week.

Corepower Yoga is hosting a series of free outdoor yoga classes right on the Culver City steps this summer. Enjoy sunset and stretching on the steps; registration is required. This week is currently full, but you can join the waitlist, or book their July 16 date.

Olivo Amigo Salad and Pan Con Tomate are on the menu at this hands-on cooking class from Olivo Amigo and Benny Boy Brewing. Your ticket includes a drink (beer, wine, or cider) and class ingredients.

Deals abound at Tu Madre's three locations around the area during their popular Feliz Hour. The special menu features deals on beers, wine and cocktails as well as bar bites and inventive street tacos.

Eataly’s Terra restaurant hosts winemakers Guido Orzalesi from Castello La Leccia and Matteo Calvaruso from Castello di Perno for a five-course dinner and pairing. The ticket includes wine and food as well as a discount on wine purchases.