Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
Best Things To Do This Weekend In Los Angeles And SoCal: August 11 - 13
Celebrate the release of a new documentary focusing on the indie label and collective the Elephant 6 Recording Co. Its roster included the Olivia Tremor Control, pictured above.
(
Jason Thrasher
/
Courtesy of Elephant 6 movie
)
Celebrate Nisei Week in Little Tokyo. Tour the former haunts of a “dirty old man.” Shop for props and ephemera at the Geffen. Ride in the Tour de Carson or in CAAM’s community ride.
Friday, Aug. 11; 6:30 p.m.
The Elephant 6 Recording Co. L.A. Premiere Event
Barnsdall Gallery Theatre
4800 Hollywood Blvd., East Hollywood
Attend the L.A. premiere event for an upcoming documentary on The Elephant 6 Recording Company & collective, which included bands like Neutral Milk Hotel, the Olivia Tremor Control, the Apples In Stereo, Elf Power and of Montreal. Directed by C.B. Stockfleth, produced by Lance Bangs, and executive produced by Rob Hatch-Miller. The evening also features live musical performances and surprise guests.
COST: $30.90; MORE INFO
The USC Pacific Asia Museum opens the exhibition 'Imprinting in Time: Chinese Printmaking at the Beginning of a New Era.'
(
Su Xinping, 'Fish Feast,' 1998
/
Courtesy of USC Asia Pacific Museum
)
Support for LAist comes from
Friday, Aug. 11 - Sunday, Nov. 12
Imprinting in Time: Chinese Printmaking at the Beginning of a New Era
USC Pacific Asia Museum
46 N. Los Robles Ave., Pasadena
This exhibition surveys printmaking by Chinese artists from the 1980s to the present. Curated by Danielle Shang, the exhibition features 60 works from the museum’s permanent collection, organized into three sections: Modern Woodcut Movement, the Post Mao Era and Crisis and Hope Since the 1990s.
COST: $7 - $10 for adult admission; MORE INFO
Friday, Aug. 11; 10 p.m.
Dancing Therapy: Perfect Kiss
Songbird Cafe
900 North Broadway #1050, Chinatown
Get ready to get sweaty and dance to new wave, post-punk, Italo disco, synth pop and “arpeggiated electronic exploits.” RSVP for free entry before 11 p.m.
COST: FREE - $10; MORE INFO
Friday, Aug. 11 - 13; Friday, Aug. 18
Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building Escape Room
Westfield Century City Mall
10250 Santa Monica Blvd., Space 2945, Century City
To celebrate the upcoming third season of its show Only Murders in the Building (starring Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez), Hulu transports guests to a mystery experience that allows them to relive some of their favorite moments from the show, interact with props and solve mysteries. Waitlist available.
COST: FREE with RSVP; MORE INFO
Support for LAist comes from
Friday, Aug. 11; 7 - 10 p.m.
Nick Waterhouse
Levitt Pavilion
2230 W. 6th St., MacArthur Park
We’re fans of Waterhouse’s neo-soul and R&B stylings. Catch him at this free outdoor concert, courtesy of Levitt LA and KCRW.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO
Nisei Week celebrations begin in Little Tokyo this weekend, featuring traditional Japanese dancers, taiko drummers, community groups, and the newly crowned Nisei Week Queen and Court.
(
Toyo Miyatake
/
Courtesy of Nisei Week
)
Saturday, Aug. 12 - Sunday, Aug. 30
The 81st Nisei Week Japanese Festival
Various locations in Little Tokyo, downtown L.A.
Celebrate Japanese and Japanese American heritage traditions during the Nisei Week Japanese Festival with a series of family-friendly events, interactive activities, and live music and performance. On Saturday at 7 p.m., the 2023 Nisei Week Queen and Court are officially presented in a program at the Aratani Theatre. On Sunday, from 4 to 7 p.m., view the Grand Parade with dancers, musicians, floats and surprises on 1st and 2nd Street, between Central Avenue and San Pedro Street.
COST: Varies; MORE INFO
Support for LAist comes from
Saturday, Aug. 12; 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Backyard Tag Sale
Geffen Playhouse
10886 Le Conte Ave., Westwood
The Geffen holds its biggest sale of the year, where guests can purchase 10 years of “stuff” from plays produced at the theater. From high-end bespoke furniture (e.g., the chaise lounge Idina Menzel lamented her character’s life for eight shows a week) to vintage items, props, posters and ephemera, the sale helps the Geffen make space for more theater.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO
Upcoming Go Fact Yourself LIVE event.
(
LAist Design
/
Go Fact Yourself
)
Saturday, Aug. 12; 7 p.m.
Go Fact Yourself LIVE with Alex Borstein and Ego Nwodim
Crawford Family Forum
474 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena
LAist hosts another live-in-person recording of Go Fact Yourself — “the podcast where we quiz the smartest celebrities we know, and find out why they love what they love.” Hear (and see) the show before the rest of the world as hosts J. Keith van Straaten and Helen Hong welcome guests Alex Borstein and Ego Nwodim and super-secret experts to try to stump them in their self-proclaimed areas of expertise.
COST: FREE - $15; MORE INFO
Saturday, Aug. 12; 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Haunts of A Dirty Old Man: Charles Bukowski Bus Tour
Grand Central Market (Meeting place)
317 S. Broadway, downtown L.A.
This Esotouric bus tour takes you on a journey of Bukowski’s passions and vices: writing, sex and Los Angeles. Stops include the "Postal Annex Terminal where he gathered the material for Post Office, the De Longpre apartment where he tried marriage and fatherhood," and his favorite East Hollywood liquor store, The Pink Elephant. The four-hour tour (including both bus riding and walking) is hosted by Richard Schave.
COST: $85; MORE INFO
Support for LAist comes from
Saturday, Aug. 12; 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Tour de Carson
Various locations in Carson
As part of the city of Carson’s 55th Anniversary Celebration, the city sponsors two Tour de Carson bicycle riding events: The Family Adventure Ride is a beginner-level 9-mile ride, and the Explorer Ride is a 20-mile intermediate-level ride. Both rides will have rest areas along the way and include a ride inside the Velodrome (at the Dignity Health Sports Park). Both events start and finish at Cal State University Dominguez Hills (Parking lot 3). Stay for the community festival with local vendors. Registration is requested.
COST: FREE with RSVP; MORE INFO
Sunday, Aug. 13; 2 p.m.
Ghostbusters
The Theatre at Ace Hotel
929 S. Broadway, downtown L.A.
Beat the heat and catch a matinee in the restored 1920s movie palace. The Ace screens the ’80s hits on Sundays. This week, it’s the OG Ghostbusters, followed by Karate Kid (Aug. 20), Dirty Dancing (Aug. 27) and Who Framed Roger Rabbit (Sept. 10). Before the show, swing by LOAM for brunch and get 20% off your meal along with themed cocktails and specials for the movie by showing your movie ticket. Plus, all diners at LOAM get free popcorn for the matinee.
COST: $25; MORE INFO
Prime Video's karaoke party bus rolls around WeHo on Sunday for the release of its movie, 'Red White & Royal Blue.'
(
Courtesy of Prime Video
)
Sunday, Aug. 13; 10:30 a.m.
Double Decker Karaoke Bus
Various locations in West Hollywood
To promote its upcoming film Red, White & Royal Blue, Prime Video rolls out a show-stopping double-decker karaoke bus that will take to the streets of Los Angeles on Sunday. Unleash your inner rock star or serenade your secret crush. The bus tour kicks off at Milk Bar, where the bakery hands out slices of Birthday Cake with a Red, White & Royal Blue theme, then moves to Rocco’s and Hamburger Mary’s for more karaoke, giveaways and fun.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO
Join in the CAAM Exposition Park Community Ride this weekend. At 3 miles, it's perfect for riders of all abilities.
(
Wayne Bishop
/
on Unsplash
)
Outdoor Pick
CAAM Exposition Park Community Ride
On Saturday, Aug. 12, from 10 a.m. to noon, meet up for an easy 3-mile bike ride around Exposition Park and a trip to the California African American Museum. Don’t have a bike? Then pick up a bike and helmet at CAAM provided by partners Metro Bike Share. Admire the architecture and gardens while riding bike lanes and with the bike signals on Figueroa Street. The ride is “no-drop,” meaning that the ride will be at a comfortable and inclusive pace for all participants. Ages 16+. Free with RSVP.
Viewing Pick
Pluto TV Free Movie Week at Vidiots
The free streaming television service Pluto TV hosts a free movie weekend (Aug. 12 - 13) at Vidiots in Eagle Rock as part of its ongoing support of independent theaters. Watch six different films for free, plus get complimentary Pluto TV swag and popcorn. Films screening are: Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, Attack the Block, A View to a Kill, Freaky Friday, La Dolce Vita and First Blood. To book tickets, visit vidiotsfoundation.org/film-series/plutotvfreemovieweekend. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Lunetta holds a tasting dinner that puts paella at the front and center of the meal.
(
Courtesy of Lunetta
)
Dine and Drink Deals
Here are a few dine and drink options to indulge in this week.
- Lunetta in Santa Monica holds a Taste of Lunetta Paella Dinner through Saturday, Aug. 12. The experience starts with an amuse-bouche for two, Pan con tomate y jamon, zucchini blossoms, sweet corn agnolotti, a choice of Lunetta’s classic paella or grilled lavender rack of lamb and orange flan for dessert. The experience is offered at $78 per person. Reservations recommended.
- Join in a pancake and bacon breakfast on The Green at the Americana at Brand on Saturday, Aug.12 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. to benefit the Glendale Police and Fire Departments. First responders will serve the breakfast, and there will be family friendly activities including face painting, balloon artists and live entertainment from country music singer/songwriter Sophia Dion. Tickets: $20 per person; free for those ages 3 and younger.
- Port City Tavern in Long Beach returns its Summer Fest on Saturday, Aug. 12 from 3 to 10 p.m. In addition to craft cocktails and a biergarten, the food lineup includes smash burgers by Proudly Serving, tacos from Tacos La Revancha Kitchen & Beer and munchies from Ever’s Fantastic Cafe. Free admission, but must be 21+ to attend.
- Smorgasburg opens a pop-up bar at ROW DTLA this week aptly named Smorgasbar. Open on Thursdays and Fridays from 4 to 10 p.m. at the old Alameda Supper Club Space, the pop-up features a DJ and food vendors. This Thursday features food from Evil Cooks and Cali Dumpling and Mano Po on Friday.
- Nick Westbrook’s biscuit pop-up Pa’s Biscuitisserie continues its August residency at Coucou in Venice. Taking place on Sundays and Mondays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Westbrook tips his hat to his grandfather’s biscuit recipe by offering them four ways: fried chicken biscuit sandwich; bacon, egg & cheese biscuit sandwich; spicy lamb sausage & gravy biscuit and the jam & honey butter biscuit.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The U.S. Supreme Court lifted limits on immigration sweeps in Southern California, overturning a lower court ruling that prohibited agents from stopping people based on their appearance. -
Censorship has long been controversial. But lately, the issue of who does and doesn’t have the right to restrict kids’ access to books has been heating up across the country in the so-called culture wars.
-
With less to prove than LA, the city is becoming a center of impressive culinary creativity.
-
Nearly 470 sections of guardrailing were stolen in the last fiscal year in L.A. and Ventura counties.
-
Monarch butterflies are on a path to extinction, but there is a way to support them — and maybe see them in your own yard — by planting milkweed.
-
With California voters facing a decision on redistricting this November, Surf City is poised to join the brewing battle over Congressional voting districts.
Best of LAist