{"id":458225,"date":"2026-09-09T12:58:15","date_gmt":"2026-09-09T12:58:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/458225\/"},"modified":"2026-09-09T12:58:15","modified_gmt":"2026-09-09T12:58:15","slug":"best-things-to-do-5","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/458225\/","title":{"rendered":"Best things to do"},"content":{"rendered":"

I was fortunate to get a sneak peek at the new Lucas Museum of Narrative Art last week and given how many thoughts our Best Things to Do readers had on the new LACMA Geffen Galleries, I can\u2019t wait to hear what you think of the Lucas once it opens to the public on Sept. 22. Please share your thoughts when you go!<\/p>\n

I was blown away by the building \u2014 it\u2019s light and airy while feeling futuristic and somewhat imposing at the same time. The gardens are green and have plenty of places to sit and soak up the sun or the shade and the reading room (which will be free and open to all), is definitely going on the \u2018best places to cowork\u2019 list. The art collection is mostly organized by subject rather than era and includes works by artists from Norman Rockwell to Frida Kahlo to Banksy to Lucas himself via the many pieces of Star Wars history on display \u2013 truly something for everyone.<\/p>\n

Elsewhere on LAist, get a peek inside the Thrifty Ice Cream factory,<\/a> make a plan to visit with us on Saturday at Cafe Calle<\/a>, or grab a ticket for Sunday\u2019s Arts Jubilee at Segerstrom<\/a> in Costa Mesa.<\/p>\n

Music<\/p>\n

Wednesday<\/p>\n

Thursday<\/p>\n

Friday<\/p>\n

Saturday<\/p>\n

Sunday<\/p>\n

Monday<\/p>\n

Tuesday<\/p>\n

Events<\/p>\n

NFL kickoff watch party: 49ers vs. Rams\u00a0<\/p>\n

Thursday, Sept. 10, 5:35 p.m.
The Regent\u00a0
448 Main St., Downtown L.A.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Two<\/p>\n

(<\/p>\n

Courtesy The Regent Theater<\/p>\n

)<\/p>\n

I guess summer really is over because football season is here again and the Rams first game of the year is taking on our neighbors to the north, the 49ers. Head to the Regent for a free watch party; there\u2019s a state-of-the-art sound system and LED video wall, plus it\u2019s free.<\/p>\n

Americana in the Park\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sunday, Sept. 13, 1:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Gandara Park\u00a0
1819 Stewart Ave., Santa Monica\u00a0
COST: FREE; MORE INFO<\/a><\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

(<\/p>\n

Courtesy City of Santa Monica<\/p>\n

)<\/p>\n

Alright, kids are back in school and football season started, but is it ever really not summer here? There\u2019s still plenty of good weather for a free outdoor Americana folk concert and that\u2019s exactly what\u2019s in store at Santa Monica\u2019s Gandara Park. Put on by our friends at McCabe\u2019s Guitar Shop, there will be performances from Albert Lee, Ricardo Lemvo & Makina Loca, Abby Posner & the Big Fall, Jason Luckett, the Bob Baker Marionettes.<\/p>\n

Fiestas Patrias Festival<\/p>\n

Sept. 12-13\u00a0
Multiple locations, Downtown Santa Ana
COST: FREE; MORE INFO<\/a><\/p>\n

Celebrate Orange County’s vibrant Hispanic and Latino communities at Santa Ana’s Fiestas Patrias in honor of Mexico\u2019s Independence Day. There\u2019s a parade and street fair, live entertainment from local bands, carnival rides, food, and more.<\/p>\n

Steel Magnolias\u00a0<\/p>\n

Thursday, Sept. 10, 7:35pm
Rooftop Cinema Club\u00a0
888 S. Olive St., 4th Floor, Downtown L.A.\u00a0
COST: $31.05; MORE INFO<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Two<\/p>\n

Rooftop Cinema Club is honoring Dolly Parton\u2019s legacy with a screening of the ultimate ode to Southern female friendship, Steel Magnolias (in both Spanish and English), with 10 percent of ticket sales benefiting Parton’s Imagination Library<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Staged reading of WTC View\u00a0<\/p>\n

Friday, Sept. 11, 7:30 p.m.
Celebration Theatre & LA LGBT Center\u00a0
The Village at Ed Gould Plaza (Renberg Theatre)
1125 N. McCadden Place, Hollywood\u00a0
COST: FROM $29; MORE INFO\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

(<\/p>\n

Los Angeles LGBT Center<\/p>\n

)<\/p>\n

Michael Urie (Ugly Betty) directs this special September 11 anniversary reading of WTC View, Brian Sloan\u2019s 2003 play about the weeks following 9\/11 in Lower Manhattan. The story looks at a gay photographer\u2019s struggle to find community in a time of societal and personal change. \u201cI was just beginning my third year of drama school in New York on 9\/11, and I vividly remember how raw we New Yorkers still were when we premiered the play in 2003,\u201d said Urie. \u201cNow Brian\u2019s beautiful play is a time capsule of those weeks following 9\/11, when we were all babies in a new world and the interactions we had with strangers were so intimate and heartfelt.\u201d<\/p>\n

Spotlight Arts Festival\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sunday, Sept. 13, 2 to 5 p.m.
Bank of America Performing Arts Center
2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks\u00a0
COST: FREE; MORE INFO<\/a><\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

The first-ever Spotlight Arts festival in Thousand Oaks brings together local artists, performers, and community organizations for a free afternoon of art, music, creativity, and connection. The festival will feature 15-minute live performances from a range of local groups, artist booths, hands-on activities, live painting, and more.<\/p>\n

Maria Koutsogiannis in Conversation with Gaby Dalkin<\/p>\n

Saturday, Sept. 12, 11 a.m.
Now Serving\u00a0
727 N. Broadway, #133, Chinatown\u00a0
COST: FROM $11.49; MORE INFO\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Hands<\/p>\n

Didn\u2019t get to the Greek Islands this summer? No problem. Greek chef, author, and Instagram favorite Maria Koutsogiannis is bringing Greece to us as her debut cookbook, Greek Out, launches at Now Serving. The book features more than 120 Greek-inspired recipes alongside personal stories rooted in family, culture and tradition. She\u2019ll be in conversation with Gaby Dalkin at Now Serving.<\/p>\n

Come as You Are: The Musical\u00a0<\/p>\n

Tuesday, Sept. 15, 7 p.m.
The Ripped Bodice\u00a0
3806 Main St., Culver City\u00a0
COST: $22.58, MORE INFO\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Blue<\/p>\n

Emily Nagoski, PhD has the answers to all the things you were afraid to ask about sex \u2013 and now you can sing along. The New York Times best-selling author of Come As You Are and Come Together has packed her ukulele for a fun night of music and sex talk (what could be better?) at the best romance book store around, Culver City\u2019s The Ripped Bodice.<\/p>\n

Postcode Ukraine: Diary of a Volunteer\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sept. 11-30
Westwood Contemporary\u00a0
1101 Westwood Blvd., Westwood Village
COST: FREE; MORE INFO<\/a><\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

(<\/p>\n

Postcode Ukraine<\/p>\n

\/<\/p>\n

postcodeukraine.com<\/p>\n

)<\/p>\n

As we head into a fifth year of war in Ukraine, the Wende Museum\u2019s Westwood Contemporary is highlighting the work of British photographer Mark Neville, who has been documenting the lives of everyday Ukrainians through his expansive project, Postcode Ukraine. Postcode Ukraine: Diary of a Volunteer is here through the end of the month, ahead of a larger international tour.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"I was fortunate to get a sneak peek at the new Lucas Museum of Narrative Art last week…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":458226,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[163,165,164],"class_list":["post-458225","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-anaheim","tag-anaheim","tag-anaheim-headlines","tag-anaheim-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/458225","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=458225"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/458225\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/458226"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=458225"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=458225"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=458225"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}