Rodeo Realty

September 14, 2017

Rodeo Realty's Calabasas agent Desiree Zuckerman reps Star Trek alum Jonathan Frakes in home purchase

“Star Trek: The Next Generation” actor Jonathan Frakes and his wife, soap star Genie Francis, have purchased a home in Woodland Hills.

Rodeo Realty’s Calabasas agent, Desiree Zuckerman, represented the buyers and has since made headlines for her sale, being featured in the Los Angeles Times and Variety.

The Mediterranean-vibe house has six bedrooms and seven full and two half bathrooms in more than 8,900 sq. ft. of living space.

Built in 1988, the home also includes a formal entry with a curving staircase and a colossal crystal chandelier, formal living and diving rooms, and a family room, which features a sunken wet bar and walls of windows that take in the grounds. Additional features include a paneled library/office with a coffered ceiling and a black marble fireplace.

Sitting on more than a third of an acre, the property also comes with a swimming pool, a gazebo, and lush landscaping.

The couple purchased the property for $2,800,000.

To read the LA Times feature on this property, click HERE.
Variety, HERE.
View property website, HERE.

September 14, 2017

The Best Jewish Delis in Los Angeles

New York may be the Jewish deli capital of the world, but Los Angeles is no slouch when it comes to putting together a nice spread.

With Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur coming up, there’s no better time to familiarize yourself with the best of Los Angeles’ Jewish deli options.

Canters (Photo by Terry Olsen via the LAist Featured Photos Flickr pool)

CANTER’S DELI

An oldie but a goodie, Canter’s has been a beacon of fine delicatessen since it first opened in 1931. Painted a distinctive shade of Creamsicle orange, Canter’s is open 24 hours, a true gift when you find yourself wandering the desolate streets of the Fairfax district at 3:47 a.m. and longing for a steaming-hot cup of matzoh ball soup. (If you’ve never found yourself in this predicament, you haven’t lived in L.A. long enough.) There’s a certain gloomy glamour to Canter’s Deli; the Pfefferman family on Transparent, the “most Jewish show on television“, has a standing order there. And in her 2009 essay “Ten Notes on Oscar Season,” author Zadie Smith describes repairing to Canter’s—a “sprawling Jewish diner where you can get good chicken soup at two in the morning”—with a handful of celebrities after the Vanity Fair Oscar party. Canter’s is also home to The Kibitz Room, a wonderfully grubby dive bar that’s seen appearances from Guns N’ Roses, Joni Mitchell and other legendary musicians.

Canter’s Delicatessen is located at 419 N Fairfax Ave, Fairfax. (323) 651-2030

Pastrami and fries at Nate ‘n Al. (Photo by Celestine A. via Yelp.)

NATE ‘N AL

New York, you can keep your Katz’s and your Barney Greengrass; for us Angelenos, nothing hits the spot quite like a languorous Sunday-afternoon feast of matzo brei and cinnamon French toast at Nate ‘n Al. After you’ve finished digesting your brunch and perusing the “Arts & Leisure” section, order half a grapefruit to go and take a slow drive over to the Beverly Hills Athletic Club for an invigorating game of tennis. Then, ease yourself into a schvitz while complaining loudly about your lower back pain. Congratulations, you’ve just reached peak Affluent L.A. Jewish Grandfather.

Nate ‘n Al is located at 414 N Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills. (310) 274-0101

Langer’s Delicatessen on Alvarado Street. (Photo by Jasmine N. via Yelp.)

LANGER’S DELICATESSEN

We’ve written before about Langer’s legendary pastrami sandwich, which no less a food authority than Nora Ephron famously deemed the best in the world. The 70-year-old Westlake deli is no one-hit wonder, though; Norm Langer, who inherited the business from his father Al, can often be spotted at the restaurant, doling out corned beef and cheese blintzes with a side of Borscht Belt humor. Sadly, Langer’s closes at 4 p.m. daily—if you’re in a rush, avail yourself of their “curb service” and get an order to go, but be warned that the famous #19 Hot Pastrami Sandwich is best enjoyed at one of Langer’s signature brown booths.

Langer’s is located at 704 S Alvarado Street, Westlake. (213) 483-8050

Black-and-white cookie goodness. (Photo courtesy of Wexler’s Deli, via Instagram)

WEXLER’S

While some Jewish delis refuse to stray from tradition (insert Fiddler On The Roof reference here), Wexler’s isn’t afraid to try new things. The downtown L.A. deli opened just three years ago in Grand Central Market, but its hearty, applewood-smoked fish and meats landed it on our most recent list of L.A.’s best breakfast spots. When it comes to a Jewish deli, so much depends on a pickle; while some establishments that shall remain nameless are content to serve up sad, soggy specimens alongside your entree, chef Micah Wexler brings the crunch with barrel-fermented pickles made in a salt brine. If you’re dining at Wexler’s Santa Monica location en route to the beach, pick up a “Big Poppa” (pastrami, egg and cheddar cheese on a bagel) to go, and don’t sleep on the chocolate babka.

Wexler’s is located at 616 Santa Monica Blvd in Santa Monica, (424) 744-8671. And at 317 S. Broadway in downtown L.A. (213) 620-0633

The lox plate at New York Famous Deli. (Photo via New York Famous Deli)

NEW YORK FAMOUS DELI

In a city teeming with high-concept “eateries”, there’s something wonderfully simple about New York Famous Deli. Nestled between a cheese shop and a hair salon on Colorado Boulevard in Eagle Rock, the restaurant offers an impressive Northeast L.A. counterpart to Langer’s famous pastrami sandwich, plus some New York-inspired offerings all its own. The eggplant parm really holds its own, and you haven’t lived until you’ve tried the “Rachel’s Belly Fries”, which come piled with cheese, grilled peppers, onions and roast beef. (Not exactly what they ate in the old country, but hey, it’s okay to get a little Reform at lunchtime.) In New York terms, NYFD is less of a Katz’s Deli and more of a random-place-next-to-your-subway-stop”: you drop in unexpectedly, and you don’t regret ending up there. Plus, you don’t really want to wait in that never-ending weekend line for Belle’s Bagels, do you?

New York Famous Deli is located at 2108 Colorado Blvd, Eagle Rock. (323) 255-3354

Chicken noodle soup at Brent’s. (Photo by Alan B. via Yelp)

BRENT’S DELICATESSEN & RESTAURANT

Next time you’ve got a hankering for Jewish deli in the San Fernando Valley, drive directly to Brent’s. Even if it were located in the Fairfax district, this Northridge spot would hold its own in the matzo-ball department, and the kreplach—meat or potato dumplings in soup—is the perfect comfort food. (We would have included a picture of Brent’s kreplach up top, but it is a cruel fact of life that all kreplach looks disgusting in photos. We don’t know why, that’s just the way it is.) The portions at Brent’s are staggeringly massive, so come with an appetite or be prepared to leave with a doggy bag. To that end, Brent’s is a great place to take your Jewish grandma to lunch if you want to give her a built-in subject to complain about: “Why do the portions need to be so big? Back in my day…” et cetera, et cetera.

Brent’s is located at 19565 Parthenia Street, Northridge. (818) 886-5679

Fleishik’s sign on Beverly Boulevard. (Photo via Fleishik’s.)

FLEISHIK’S

While many of the delis on this list are as old as Moses, Fleishik’s just opened in March. Still, the deli is already attracting a cult following to its location near the Grove. Fleishik’s is in the mold of New York’s updated Russ & Daughters Cafe, offering cheeky modern interpretations of old-school deli favorites. Sandwich-wise, you can’t go wrong with the “Bubbe” (brisket, raw red onion and horseradish on a challah roll) or the “Zayde” (grilled salami, pickles and caramelized onion.) In an extremely L.A. update on a New York deli classic, Fleishik’s offers an “almond milk egg cream”, as well as a host of liquors with which to wash down your nosh. The menu might be playful, but Fleishik’s does not play when it comes to Jewish dietary law—the restaurant keeps kosher, with an on-site rabbi supervising the food’s preparation, and observes shabbat on Saturdays.

Fleishik’s is located at 7563 Beverly Blvd, Fairfax. (323)-746-5750

Complimentary pickles at Factor’s. (Photo by Winnie L. via Yelp)

FACTOR’S FAMOUS DELI

There are restaurants that perform wild gastronomical feats to get your attention, and then there are restaurants like Factor’s. Occupying the same space on Pico Boulevard since 1948, Factor’s shines brightest when it comes to the simple things—smoked fish, matzo brei, corned beef. While Canter’s may attract more star power, Factor’s does a brisk, no-frills business just fifteen minutes away, serving up food that can best be described as “delightfully predictable.” Just to clarify, there’s zero shade in that description; the best Jewish delis are marked by their predictability, serving up the same menu standbys—smoked salmon, whitefish, matzo ball soup—in a way that makes you feel at home, no matter what corner of the world you’re noshing in.

Factor’s is located at 9420 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles. (310) 278-9175

Story courtesy of LAist.

September 12, 2017

The Broad Releasing More Tickets For Yayoi Kusama 'Infinity' Mirror Rooms

Were you one of the unlucky ones who didn’t snag a ticket to the upcoming extended Infinity Room exhibit at the Broad? If so, luck is in your favor, because the museum plans to release 40,000 more tickets for the selfie-ready exhibit.

The additional tickets will go on sale Monday, October 2 at 12 p.m. This won’t be the same process as the first ticket go-around, though. Instead of sitting in an online waiting room with no knowledge of your chances, the museum will host a waiting room from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. on its website. At noon, you’ll receive one of two messages: either you’ve received a randomized number giving you access to buy tickets, or you didn’t.

How are they managing to sell more tickets for a specifically-timed exhibit? Well, the Broad knows what the people want, and apparently the people want to come to the exhibit outside normal museum hours. Normally the museum opens at 11 a.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. on weekends, and closes at 5 p.m. on weekdays and 8 p.m. on popular nights. For the exhibit’s two-month run, however, the Infinity Rooms will be open for a few hours outside of those regular hours. Here are the new special times:

Tuesday/Wednesday: 5-7 p.m.
Thursday/Friday: 10-11 a.m., 8-9 p.m.
Saturday: 9-10 a.m., 8-10 p.m.
Sunday: 9-10 a.m., 6-8 p.m.

That’s an extra 14 hours of Instagram content per week.

If you still don’t manage to get a ticket ahead of time, the museum will be offering a limited number of first-come, first-served, same-day standby tickets for the exhibit. Online, the tickets will cost $25; in person, they’ll be $30.

And remember, this exhibit isn’t for those who spend long amounts of time absorbing art. You’ll have 30 seconds of personal time in each room (infinity mirrors =/= infinity time) and about 15 minutes of group time at each room while everyone waits for the 25-person group to finish cycling through the space. If all goes well, you’ll leave with six new photos to fill your Instagram grid and some newfound connections with other digitally-obsessed museum-goers (or, at least, some new followers).

Article courtesy of LAist.

September 9, 2017

Economic update for the week ending September 9, 2017

August new jobs disappoint – The Labor Department reported that The U.S. Economy added 157,000 non-farm jobs in August. Economists had expected a gain of 180,000 new jobs. The unemployment rate grew to 4.4% from 4.3% in July. Wage growth also stalled growing just .1% over July and up just 2.5% from last August.

Stocks drop this week – Stock markets dropped this week following a disappointing August 2017 jobs report, and concerns about the cost of Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma frightened investors. Investors were calmed by a deal to extend the debt ceiling and avoid a government shutdown for three months. The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended the week at 21,797.79, down from 21,978.56 last week. The S&P 500 closed the week at 2,461.43, down from its close last week of 2,476.55. The NASDAQ closed the week at 6,360.19, down from last week’s close of 6,435.33.

Bond yields lower this week – Bond yields hit the lowest levels in over a year – The 10-year Treasury bond closed the week at 2.06%, down from 2.16% last week. The 30-year treasury yield ended the week at 2.67%, down from 2.76% last week. Mortgage rates follow treasury bond yields so we watch bond yields carefully.

Mortgage Rates near 18 month low – The September 7, 2017 Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Survey reported that the 30-year fixed mortgage rate average was 3.78%, down from 3.82% last week. The 15-year fixed was 3.08%, down from 3.12% last week. The 5-year ARM was 3.15%, almost unchanged from 3.14% last week. Rates at the end of the week were slightly lower.

Have a great weekend!
Syd

September 8, 2017

Rodeo Realty collect donations to help those affected by Harvey

The Houston Help for Harvey collection drive, put together by Rodeo Realty’s Todd Jones and his friend Greg Zekowski, was a success!

The collection ended Tuesday and the donations were amazing!

All donations collected at the Rodeo Realty Studio City office were loaded onto a truck, which was donated by Galpin Studio Rentals.

The truck headed to Operation Gratitude in Calabasas, a non-profit, volunteer-based organization, who annually distributes 250,000+ care packages to U.S. service members and are currently helping those who were affected by Harvey.

Thanks to Rodeo Realty’s support as well as the support of many individuals, groups, and companies, Operation Gratitude was able to send out their first truckload of 10 pallets on Thursday and have scheduled another 39 pallets to ship next Tuesday morning!

“I was truly amazed at how many Rodeo Agents and neighbors contributed to the cause,” said Todd Jones. “I hope that the good folks that suffered from Harvey find some relief with the donations.”

Rodeo Realty thanks everyone who took part in helping and putting together the collection drive. Thanks to those who donated!

September 8, 2017

Rodeo Realty's Sunset agent Kristin Morley talks about her investment in online leads

Rodeo Realty’s Sunset agent Kristin Morley is featured on Realtor.com and RISMedia for her investment in online leads.

“Kristin recently turned a $10,000 spend in online leads into $9 million in sales,” said Realtor.com.

Kristin sat down with RISMedia to share her story.

“While I devoted a bit more of my time this past year to other areas of interest, these numbers are consistent with what I earn during a normal year,” said Kristin. “That being said, I typically close anywhere between 8 and 10 leads in any given year. Realtor.com® is my preferred lead source. I have worked with various lead sources in the past, but the fact that realtor.com is affiliated with our MLS is one reason why it makes sense to be a part of them. And I absolutely love the service.”

In the Q&A, Kristin mentions some of the biggest deals she’s closed recently via Realtor.com leads have come from international buyers.

“I’ve found a niche in the international market by way of past clients referring me to others, “ said Kristin.

For those wanting to begin investing in leads, Kristin had this to say:

“The days of people coming into an open house to find an agent don’t exist anymore. By the time someone comes to your open house, they have researched the area, they know what the solds are, and 90 percent of them already have an agent. You need to be looking for buyers online, otherwise, you’re missing the boat.”

To read the entire RISMedia article on Kristin, click HERE.
Realtor.com, HERE.

September 8, 2017

Porto's Bakery Pop-Up Coming To Century City

As the story goes, Porto’s first started in Echo Park, where Rosa Porto opened a 300-square foot bakery on Sunset Boulevard in the ’70s. That store would expand to a 2,000-square foot facility in Glendale, which then doubled in size and was followed by locations in Burbank, Downey, and Buena Park.

Despite the years of expansion, the store never set up shop on the Westside. That’s about to change, however, as a Porto’s pop-up will arrive at the Annenberg Space for Photography in Century City in September. As noted at Eater, the Cuban bakery will crop up as a café called Doña Dulce. It will dole out Porto’s classic cheese rolls and raspberry besitos, among other items. There will also be coffee from F. Gaviña & Sons, which was founded in Cuba in 1870.

The Cuban connection is not a coincidence—the pop-up will be part of an exhibit that focuses on photography in Cuba. Titled CUBA IS, the exhibit builds up to an intimate portrait that reveals the humanity taking place behind the island country’s colorful walls. There’ll be over 120 photos that touch on subjects ranging from El paquete, an underground system of sharing digital content, to the Cuban punk rockers dubbed “Los Frikis.” The exhibit includes works by Leysis Quesada, Raúl Cañibano, Tria Giovan, and Elliot Erwitt.

CUBA IS will kick things off with an opening celebration on September 9 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. There will be food, cocktails, music, and dance performances. The exhibit, which is free, will run from September 9 to March 4. Check here for hours.

The Porto’s Doña Dulce pop-up will be in place from September 9, 2017 to March 8, 2018, and will only be open Wednesday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Annenberg Space for Photography is at 2000 Avenue of the Stars #10, Century City. (213) 403-3000. Admission is free for exhibits and public programming.

September 8, 2017

Los Angeles To Bid For Amazon's Second Headquarters

Amazon has been based in Seattle since its founding in 1994, but the e-commerce giant is planning a second headquarters elsewhere in the U.S., and Los Angeles is officially in the running.

Mayor Eric Garcetti’s office confirmed that Los Angeles was planning to bid on the new Amazon headquarters, with Garcetti calling L.A. “the perfect place for a company like Amazon to find talented workers, and an environment that nurtures growth and innovation,” in a statement emailed to LAist on Thursday.

Amazon announced plans to put $5 billion toward the construction of its second headquarters in a request for proposals from potential bidders. “We expect HQ2 to be a full equal to our Seattle headquarters,” Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos said in a statement on Thursday. Amazon will give priority to cities to cities with more than one million residents that are within 45 minutes of an international airport, according to the L.A. Times. Other cities planning to bid on the new headquarters include New York, Chicago and Atlanta, CNBC reports.

If selected to host Amazon’s new offices, Los Angeles could gain up to 50,000 new full-time jobs. The city is already home to Amazon’s thriving film and TV division, Amazon Studios, whose offices are located in Santa Monica (and could soon be moving to Culver Studios’ famed Gone With The Wind mansion.)

Not everyone is likely to be enthused about the possibility of Amazon expanding to Los Angeles, though. The tech-industry gentrification driving up prices in Venice’s “Silicon Beach” would likely increase with Amazon’s arrival, and Curbed raises the question of where L.A. would even fit an 8-million-square-foot Amazon complex. Nonetheless, it appears L.A. will fight to win the Amazon bid by the October 19th deadline.

Story courtesy of LAist.

September 7, 2017

Arts District's Newest Museum Set To Open This Weekend

This weekend a familiar local art institution is opening in a fresh space, under a new name.

On Saturday, Sept. 9 The Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (ICA LA), formerly known as the Santa Monica Museum of Art (SMMoA), will open the doors on a new 12,700-foot facility located on the south side of the Arts District in Downtown Los Angeles.

ICA LA’s new digs include 7,500-square-feet of exhibition space, a designated area for public programs, plus offices. Still yet to open is a cafe, which is scheduled to arrive sometime in 2018. And here’s the part you’ll want to note: Admission, both for the opening celebration and ongoing visitation, is free!

“now I’m going to tell you everything” is the inaugural project for ICA LA’s courtyard wall on 7th Street. Photo by Brian Champlin / We Like L.A.

After opening in 1984 SMMoA had spent it’s final 17 years as a tenant of Bergamot Station before shutting down in May 2015. For the past two-plus years former employees of the museum have been focused on looking for a new home, along with a strategy to rebrand and generate the operating funds necessary for a new endeavor. Now, all the hard work has come to fruition.

ICL LA has defined it’s mission as to “support art that sparks the pleasure of discovery and challenges the way we see and experience the world, ourselves, and each other,” according to the museum’s new website.

To launch that vision the museum will open with three exhibitions, all running through December 31, 2017:

– Martín Ramírez: His Life in Pictures, Another Interpretation features approximately 50 drawings and collages as part of the artist’s first presentation in Southern California.

– Sarah Cain: now I’m going to tell you everything is the inaugural project for ICA LA’s courtyard wall on 7th Street (see photo above).

– Abigail DeVille: No Space Hidden (Shelter) will be the artist’s first solo exhibition in Los Angeles.

Additionally, the opening weekend of Sept. 9-10 includes several special activities, tours and talks to welcome the public to the new space.

Saturday features:

Bilingual guided tours of Martín Ramírez: His Life in Pictures, Another Interpretation at 1, 2:30, and 4 p.m.
Matchsticks and Mashed Potatoes workshop on collage drawings and alternative image-making in the spirit of Martín Ramírez from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Performance by Los Jornaleros del Norte (The Day Laborers of the North) at 5 p.m.

Sunday features:

Migrar storybook reading and art workshop with Spanish-language children’s bookstore LA librería and Book Arts LA from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
A conversation with leading scholars of Latin American art and culture: James Oles, Rubén Gallo, Josh Kun, and conservator Harriet Stratis, moderated by Elsa Longhauser, discussing the life and work of Martín Ramírez from 2 to 3:30 p.m.
An interactive dance class by Cambalache, featuring Maestro Cesar Castro, Xochi Flores, Chuy Sandoval, and Juan Perez from 4 to 5 p.m.

ICA LA is located at 1717 E. 7th St., Los Angeles, CA 90021.

Opening weekend (Sept. 9-10) hours are from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Ongoing hours thereafter will be 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Wed. – Fri., and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sat.-Sun. Admission is free.

For more information on visiting ICA LA, or to help plan your visit, be sure to visit theicala.org.

Article courtesy of We Like LA.

September 6, 2017

Weekend Events: September 8 – 10

Los Angeles is filled with events, especially over the weekend!

This weekend, enjoy a lobster festival, an LA River boat race, a new museum in the Arts District and much more!

The schedule begins after this!

Friday September 8th, 2017

1. Long Beach Original Lobster Festival (Sept. 8-10) will feature fresh Maine lobster, live music, face painting, karaoke, arts & crafts booths, a petting zoo, plus various wine/beer gardens. Check for discount tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

2. Ohana Festival heads to Doheny State Beach for a three-day music festival with a diverse musical lineup playing right off the shore of the Pacific Ocean in Dana Point. Band include Social Distortion, Eddie Vedder, Jack Johnson, Pixies, TV on the Radio, Fiona Apple and Ray Lamontagne.

3. A special screening of Easy Rider comes to The Wiltern for a one-of-a-kind experience of the iconic 1969 film about two bikers on an epic road trip. The screening will be paired with a hot seven-piece band performing music from the original score.

4. Get spooked during Paramount Pictures After Dark Tour: Tales From The Other Side where you’ll hear scandals of yesteryear and the lost souls who haunt the studio lot by moonlight. The tour starts at dusk with champagne as you head into the studio lot where you’ll weave in and out of sound stages and the darkest corners of the infamous backlot. You’ll end the night next door at Hollywood Forever Cemetery the final resting place of some of the most infamous stars. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

5. The Muppets take over the Hollywood Bowl for an evening of music, special surprises and a spectacular fireworks show. Join Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo, Animal and the rest of the Muppet gang for an unbelievably fun and zany night.

6. Shop Everly Clothing’s last Summer sample sale for the season this Friday. All proceeds go directly to the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund!

7. Garbage Pail Groundlings is the latest main stage show at the renowned LA theater. The show is filled with sketch comedy, improv and a cast of growing comedians who’ve made appearances in movies like Ted and television shoes like Workaholics. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

8. Spend the night screening cool indie films from the Morelia International Film Festival during Cine Sin Fronteras presented by The Latin American Cinemateca of Los Angeles. Taking place at the Mexican Consulate of Los Angeles, the event is free and open to the public with a pre-screening reception serving complimentary sangria and beer. FREE

9. Get a peek into the Fall TV season during the 11th annual PaleyFest Fall TV Previews Sept. 6-16. Located in Beverly Hills The Paley Center for Media will play host to the ten-day festival featuring some of the most anticipated shows both new and old, as well as star-studded panel discussions with series cast and creatives.

10. The folks at Rooftop Cinema Club are back with two screenings at their rooftop locations. Memento at LEVEL in Downtown Los Angeles and Casablanca at Montalban in Hollywood.

11. The LA County Fair takes over the Fairplex in Pomona from Sep. 1-24 with fair-style foods, live musical performances, carnival-style games, rides, and unique attractions such as an expanded farm section (over five acres) featuring tons of interactive agricultural experiences for guests to enjoy. Check for discount tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

12. The Burbank International Film Festival heads to AMC Burbank 16 in Downtown Burbank Sept. 6-10 with 180+ feature and short films representing 60 countries. Expect artist tributes, panels, afterparties, red carpet, receptions, and networking opportunities.

13. Head to LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes for a free summer of salsa concert with The Arsenio Rodíguez Project. FREE

14. Ballona Discovery Park is hosting a free family movie night screening nature friendley films. FREE

15. LACMA’s award winning Department of Music Program provides hundreds of free concerts and musical events every year for Angelenos to enjoy. This Friday their jazz series continues at the BP Grand Entrance.

16. Free museum days: Long Beach Museum of Art

Saturday September 9th, 2017

17. The Sunstock Solar Festival comes to the Magic Box in Downtown L.A. for an all-solar music festival featuring an eclectic array of alternative and indie musical acts, solar-powered art, organic food, and more. Bands playing include Ra Ra Riot, Wild Cub and Robert DeLong. The festival will also have discussions based around clean energy, sustainability, and social justice. Check for discounted ticketsbefore making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

18. The Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (ICA LA), formerly known as the Santa Monica Museum of Art (SMMoA), will open the doors to a new 12,700-foot facility located on the south side of the Arts District in Downtown Los Angeles. ICA LA’s new digs include 7,500-square-feet of exhibition space currently housing three exhibitions on opening day. FREE

19. The High & Low Festival heads to Nos Event Center in San Bernardino with bands like Brand New, Death Cab for Cutie, Tegan and Sara, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, Best Coast and more. There will also be live comedy by The Hard Times. Kurt Braunholer, Mike Lawrence, Guy Branum, and Cameron Esposito.

20. The DAC Gallery will host an opening reception for The, Their, Likeness a group art exhibition featuring works from a variety of mediums that touch on the idea of portraits. All artists in the show are from the ECF Art Centers Program a space that provides mentorship, and support for adult artists living with developmental disabilities. The reception is open to the public and Fort Point Beer Co. will be pouring during the event. FREE

21. The scenic Glendale Narrows section of the Los Angeles River will be home to the fourth LA River Boat Race happening this Saturday. The race through the river is open to paddlers of all ages and abilities! Though the suggested donation is $25, all are welcome to “pay what they can afford.”

22. Esotouric Bus Adventures presents The Birth of Noir a James M. Cain’s SoCal Nightmare Bus Tour. This tour explores the life, work, myths and passions of American novelist James M. Cain (The Postman Always Rings Twice, Double Indemnity) and his time in California. Check for discount tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

23. There’s a cannabis themed Beatles tribute party this weekend in DTLA. Hosted by GRASSFED and The Art Of Edibles the evening will honor the 50 year anniversary of the album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. The event will include a “multi-sensory” listening session of the original album in the dark, a Q&A with renowned Beatles album cover designer John Kosh, live covers of Beatle songs and a sponsor table where guests can learn about cannabis products and more.

24. KP Projects La Brea Gallery will host an opening reception for Scott Hove’s new exhibition titledLast Ticket for the Beauty Train. The evening will feature nearly 30 new pieces of sculptures and installations that examines what Hove terms “the failures of the Illuminati.” To gain access to the free reception, the public must RSVP to rsvp@kpprojects.net. FREE

25. Spend a day tasting amazing dishes from top chefs during the annual LA Loves Alex Lemonade. Participating chefs include Jeremy Fox, Wes Avila, Scott Conant, Ray Garcia, Valerie Gordon, Bruce Kalman, Walter and Margarita Manzke and much more. Happening at UCLA, the event is dedicated to raising funds for research into new treatments and cures for all children battling cancer.

26. Street Food Cinema this Saturday features two screenings on Saturday: Mighty Ducks – 25th Anniversary at Griffith Park Los Angeles and Mean Girls at Marriott Golf Course Manhattan Beach.

27. Woofstock 2017 is a celebration of peace, love, and paws at the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica. This pet-friendly day will feature lots of fun in the sun, with activities like complimentary pawdicures, live music, LA Love & Leashes adoptions, costume contest, vendor demos and giveaways. FREE

28. Visit the Redondo Pier for the 15th Annual Chalk Art Festival, an all-ages event that transforms the South Bay pier into a work of art. Guests are free to pick up some chalk and get creative! FREE

29. Eat|See|Hear is back with a screening of Harry Potter at Centennial Square at Pasadena City Hall. Check for discounted tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

30. Burbanks Game Realms is hosting a Sega Dreamcast 18th USA Anniversary Celebration where they’ll roll out a bunch of Dreamcast games for the public to play. Admission costs $7.

31. L.A.’s only live animated comedy show Picture This! is back with a free show on Saturday at The Virgil where the bar will be fully stalked and a taco truck will be parked outside for your dining pleasure. FREE

32. The folks at Rooftop Cinema Club are back with two screenings at their rooftop locations. Inception at LEVEL in Downtown Los Angeles and Raiders of the Lost Ark at Montalban in Hollywood.

Sunday September 10th, 2017

33. Grand Park presents a Beat Swap Meet this Sunday where guests will be able to check out record & vinyl goods alongside live art-making, entertainment and a classic car show. FREE

34. The 71st Annual East Los Angeles Mexican Independence Day Parade & Festival comes to the Mexican Consulate in Downtown Los Angeles for one of the longest-running parades in the country. FREE

35. There’s a public opening reception for City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery (LAMAG) titled Condemned To Be Modern. Part of Pacific Standard Time, the exhibit examines modern architecture through the eyes of 21 Latin American contemporary artists. On opening day, there will be a special performance art piece featuring Mayan interdisciplinary artist Crystal Sepulveda set against the backdrop of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hollyhock House. FREE

36. Cheer on the Dodgers as they go up against the Colorado Rockies. Spend an evening at the iconic Dodger Stadium and dine on the newly revamped menu as you watch the boys in blue. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

37. The Los Angeles Latino Book and Family Festival comes to the La Plaza de Cultres y Artes for a full day of exhibits, storytelling, author meet-and-greets, workshops, activities, food and much more. FREE

38. Head to Manhattan Beach for Pub at the Club a food and libation festival featuring 20+ awesome craft brewers, 10 wineries and 10 delicous restaurants ready to pour and serve you unlimited tastings. Taking place at the Manhattan Beach Badminton Club, 100% of the proceeds will go to benefit the MB Badminton Club’s Junior Foundation.

39. Friendship Buddies is a weekly stand-up comedy show at the Verdugo Bar in Glassell Park. Come hangout in the back patio, enjoy a cocktail, and LOL to outstanding stand-up comedians in Los Angeles. FREE

40. Free admission days: Museum of Latin American Art and Craft and Folk Art Museum (pay what you can)

Article courtesy of We Like LA.