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Your go-to guide for the weekend in SoCal
A flight of beers.
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Photograph by The Nerd Patrol via Flickr Creative Commons
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File photo of pizza.
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Photo by Robyn Lee via Flickr Creative Commons
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Japanese American Cultural and Community Center via Facebook
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Ah, the sweet smell of Friday. This week it's accompanied by the aroma of Italian cuisine and a brewery crawl. We've got the details.
FOODIE PICK
File photo of pizza.
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Photo by Robyn Lee via Flickr Creative Commons
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Feast of San Gennaro
It's time for L.A.'s annual celebration of the Italian tradition, the Feast of San Gennaro. There will be pizza, spaghetti, cannoli, Zeppole — Mamma mia! Along with the feast comes the music, geneaology activities, cooking demos and live entertainment, like a sauce-cooking competition. There will be plenty of cheese and garlic. Will you join in on the fun?
WHEN: Friday, Sept. 23 - Sunday, Sept. 25 | Event Schedule
WHERE: Highland Avenue, Hollywood | MAP
COST: Free
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CULTURE VULTURE PICK
https://twitter.com/lapodfest/status/775122003183271936
LA Podcast Festival
Attention podcast lovers: this event is for you. For the L.A. Podcast Festival's fifth year running, they are rounding up the best podcasts from around the interwebs. Some highlights include "My Favorite Murder," "Everything's Coming Up Podcast!," "Welcome to Night Vale," "The Dollop" and "Comedy Film Nerds."
WHEN: Friday, Sept. 23 - Sunday, Sept. 25 | Event Schedule
WHERE: Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills | MAP
COST: Single-day tickets start at $49 | Get Tickets
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NERD-TASTIC PICK
https://www.instagram.com/p/BKo_Je1hBq5/?taken-by=nerdbotmedia
Nerdbot Con
A worthy alternative to the massive convention in San Diego, complete with 'nerd karaoke,' cosplay contests and panels featuring giants in the worlds of YouTube, cosplay and more. The cool thing is, you can always use your fandom outfit for both conventions free of judgement.
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 24, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
WHERE: Pasadena Convention Center | MAP
COST: Tickets are $16 | Get tickets
FAMILY PICK
https://twitter.com/NHMLA/status/778040579053670400
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Dino Fest
This is for anybody who has a dinosaur cell phone case, the special edition box set of the "Jurassic Park" films — or any kid with a passion for dinos. Take the whole family to this inaugural fest with everything from hands on dig pits, paleo sketching and talks with real paleontologists. One note-worthy panel: “The Making of Jurassic Park,” with paleontologist and film consultant Jack Horner. Check out the museum's website for the full schedule of events.
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 24 - Sunday, Sept. 25, 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
WHERE: The Natural History Museum, Exposition Park | MAP
COST: Tickets are $12 for adults, $5 for children | Get tickets
21+ PICK
DTLA Brewers United Crawl
Probably the coolest beer crawl concept in a while, this beer lover's event allows you to taste the very best of DTLA's craft beer world. Take a ride on the free loop by showing up at any of the five station breweries, including Angel City Brewery, Arts District Brewery, Boomtown Brewery, Iron Triangle Brewing Company and Mumford Brewing to begin your journey. Pro tip: Pours from Dry River Brewing and Indie Brewing Company will be represented at Boomtown & Arts District, respectively. Cheers!
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WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 25, 1 - 5 p.m.
WHERE: Various breweries in DTLA
COST: Free, not including the price of beer
LOW-KEY PICK
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Japanese American Cultural and Community Center via Facebook
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Little Tokyo Book Festival
Going out doesn't always have to mean being engulfed by crowds. Head over to Little Tokyo's Japanese American Cultural and Community Center for a toned-down day surrounded by fellow bookworms. Attend panels with authors such as Angela Peñaredondo, Kenji Liu and Taz Ahmed, just to name a few, followed by book signings. Wrap up the literary day with a quiet read at the center's James Irvine Japanese Garden.
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 24, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
WHERE: Japanese American Cultural and Community Center, DTLA | MAP
COST: Free | RSVP
STAFF PICK
Abbot Kinney Festival
Enjoy live entertainment, food and drink, vendor booths and bring the kiddos along for the fun happening this weekend on Venice's iconic Abbot Kinney Boulevard. It's the festival's 32nd year, and it's all about having a good time while soaking in eclectic vibes and supporting Venice's community. Pro tip: Special perk for singles heading to the fest — you can download the app Spritzr and match up with other single people at the free HUSHconcert silent disco lounge.
WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 25, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
WHERE: Abbot Kinney Boulevard, Venice Beach | MAP
COST: Free
How are you spending your weekend? Let us know on Twitter @kellie_gal, @lizmoonyoz and @LeoHasACat.
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