Los Angeles Weekend Roundup

The Best Things To Do in Los Angeles 8/16/24 – 8/18/24

Friday

Eastern Mediterranean & Aegean Sea – Inspired Restaurant Deme Debuts at Hotel Figueroa

In celebratory fashion as we cheers to Hotel Figueroa’s 98^th birthday on 8/14, the hotel is proud to announce the grand opening of flagship poolside restaurant, Deme, at DTLA’s award-winning urban oasis, in collaboration with The Botanical Group! Named after Demeter, the Greek Goddess of the Harvest, and a nod to the hotel’s historic roots centered around celebrating and empowering women since 1926, Deme infuses the flavors and traditions of the Eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean Sea into the heart of downtown Los Angeles. Under the culinary direction ofAustralian Executive Chef Blake Shailes (known for his culinary expertise at renowned establishments like Grandmaster Recorders and Eleven Madison Park) Deme promises to transport guests to the Mediterranean through a menu rooted in the culinary traditions of the Greek Islands, Turkey, Lebanon, Cyprus, and Israel, utilizing the best of California’s bounty. Tuesdays – Sundays, 5:00 pm – close; Hotel Figueroa – 939 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90015; 213.627.8971 (Cover Photo Credit: Robiee Ziegler)

Hotel Bel-Air Enhances its Culinary Program with The Debut of The Living Room and The Patisserie

Los Angeles’ legendary estate and enclave of rarified exclusivity, Hotel Bel-Air, a Dorchester Collection hotel, ushers in a new era of culinary excellence and innovation with the reveal of The Living Room and The Patisserie. Offering two unique dining experiences effortlessly transitioning from day into afternoon and evening and brought to life by Champalimaud Design, the new spaces are carved from nature, reflecting the understated glamour that has cemented Hotel Bel-Air as an icon of Hollywood since 1946, taking guests on an immersive sensory journey designed for connecting, unwinding, and indulging. Various prices; 701 Stone Canyon Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90077; 310.909.1644

• The Patisserie: As guests cross the iconic Swan Lake bridge, they are welcomed by the aroma of home-made pastries and artisanal coffee at The Patisserie, an elegant and refined bakery nestled in an intimate outdoor courtyard. All specialty items and beverage selections can be ordered to-go or enjoyed in this welcoming new space amidst the hotel’s scenic gardens. Mondays – Sundays, 7:00 am – 12:00 pm
• The Living Room: The Living Room is an evolution of the quintessential hotel lobby lounge experience, showcasing exceptional afternoon and evening menu offerings developed by Culinary Director Joe Garcia. Inspired by the lush experience of a conservatory, Champalimaud Design created a warm, enchanting atmosphere complementing the verdant setting of the hotel. A bespoke wallcovering featuring hummingbirds, jasmine, ferns, and citrus blossoms is accompanied by fabrics and finishes in hues of green, yellow and red mixed with natural textures. The iconic fireplace glows in the center of room as guests are enveloped by a variety of palms and dracaena that reflect the unique indoor-outdoor look and feel of this tranquil hideaway. The space is activated through afternoon high tea, light fare, a caviar menu, and specialty cocktails. Wednesdays – Sundays, 2 – 9:00 pm; and Afternoon Tea is served Fridays – Sundays, 3:00 pm

Sushi by Scratch Experience at the AVP Manhattan Beach Open Volleyball Tournament

Scratch Restaurant Group – the innovative Los Angeles-based multiple Michelin-starred group from husband-and-wife team Chefs Phillip Frankland Lee and Margarita Kallas-Lee –  will be returning to the 2024 AVP Manhattan Beach Open Volleyball Tournament for an exclusive experience for an omakase inspired tasting menu for all Sand Club ticket holders. This experience offers guests exclusive access to signature sushi, where premium bites will be available to purchase at an elevated deck, while attendees can still catch all the action as they enjoy Scratch’s award-winning sushi offerings. $192+; Friday – Sunday, various hours; 1 Manhattan Beach Boulevard, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

Cocktail Recipes with Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum for National Rum Day

In honor or national rum day, here are a few Sailor Jerry cocktail recipes to make at home. Named after the legendary American tattoo artist Norman “Sailor Jerry” Collins, Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum is a Caribbean Rum blended and bottled in the USA featuring 100% natural spices and flavors. Each bottle reflects Collins’ dedication to his craft and innovative spirit, paying homage to his pioneering contributions to the tattooing craft. Every year, the blenders journey to the Caribbean to handpick the finest rums, which are then expertly blended with an unmatched recipe of spices and flavors.

Jerry Cola

Ingredients:

• 2 parts Sailor Jerry
• 4 parts cola
• 2 maraschino cherries on top

Method: Build in glass.

Easy Spiced Mai Tai 

Ingredients:

• 2 parts Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum
• 1 part lime juice
• ¾ part orgeat
• ½ part dry curacao

Method: Add all ingredients into a tin with a small scoop of crushed ice. Whip shake and dump into glass. Top with crushed ice. Garnish with an orange wheel.

Spiced Rum Piña Colada

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ parts Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum
• 1 part cream of coconut
• ¼ pineapple juice

Method: Add all ingredients to empty mixing glass and shake. Add ice and shake again vigorously. Strain into a highball or tiki glass and fill with ice. Garnish with fresh pineapple, maraschino cherry, and toasted coconut flakes.

Bruno Mars Live at the Grand Opening of Intuit Dome

Bruno Mars is taking Los Angeles by storm with his residency opening the brand-new Intuit Dome! Don’t miss your chance to see the Grammy-winning artist live and be part of history at the venue’s inaugural concerts. $648+; Friday, 8:00 pm; 3930 W Century Blvd, Inglewood, CA 90303; 888.311.0231

Last Weekend of the OC Fair

Don’t miss your last chance to soak up the sun and fun at the OC Fair! This weekend marks the final opportunity to experience thrilling rides, delectable food vendors, and live entertainment at this iconic Southern California event.  $13+; Friday – Sunday, various hours; 88 Fair Drive – Costa Mesa, CA 92626; 714.708.1500

“Vault” – LA’s New Immersive Drag Variety Show at The Beverly Center

Step back through time and get ready for an immersive 1920s speakeasy experience at the Beverly Center. Voss Events, A leader in LGBTQ event marketing and production, introduces “Vault: Immersive Speakeasy.” Enjoy live music, custom cocktails, and speakeasy-inspired snacks, before settling in for a world-class variety show, packed with jaw-dropping burlesque, aerial, and song & dance acts. $55+; Fridays – Saturdays, (through 8/31); 8500 Beverly Blvd, 8^th floor; Los Angeles, CA 90048; 310.854.0070

The event includes:

• A Comedic Variety Show That Spills the Tea: Hosted by the hilarious Shequida Hall, dressed as Madame G, owner of the speakeasy and mistress of ceremonies. The show features a mix of burlesque, aerial acts, song and dance, cracking the code behind some of the vault’s most carefully guarded secrets. 
• An Immersive Walkthrough Museum: Gain exclusive access to the vault, where you will uncover some cheeky truths. Journey through an immersive walkthrough where you will enjoy cocktails with a menagerie of iconic figures from Billy the Kid to Marlyn Monroe.
• A Prohibition-Style Speakeasy: Enjoy a 1920s-themed speakeasy with live music and thematic craft cocktails. Sip on an ‘Old Sport’ or a ‘Real McCoy’ while savoring 1920s-inspired bites.

Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood Debuts Beetlejuice Display

Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice! Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood is debuting a brand-new Beetlejuice exhibit just in time for the release of the highly anticipated sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, on 9/6. This exhibit is now open to the public, and no Studio Tour ticket is required to visit the exhibit or shop in the Studio Store. Guests will have the unique opportunity to get up close and personal with authentic props and costumes from both the original Beetlejuice film and the new movie. Free entry, Friday, Various hours; 3400 Warner Blvd., Burbank, CA 91505

Highlights of the exhibit include:

• Geena Davis’s iconic costume from (Beetlejuice 1988) 
• Alec Baldwin’s memorable costume from (Beetlejuice 1988)
• Beetlejuice’s wedding suit (Beetlejuice 1988)
• Various Afterlife costumes from (Beetlejuice Beetlejuice 2024)

Saturday

North Italia Celebrates ‘Aperitiki’ Brunch

Weekends are for brunch and modern Italian restaurant, North Italia is offering a limited-time brunch prix fixe, available on weekends throughout the end of August. The ‘Aperitiki Brunch’ is now available as part of North’s Summer Sips campaign, which introduced a new line-up of tiki-inspired, limited-time cocktails and a mocktail last month. Guests can enjoy a 3-course prix fixe menu that spotlights fan-favorite dishes and seasonal offerings from North’s summer menu, and of course pair their brunch with aperitiki drinks from the Summer Sips menu, such as the When in Rum (North’s take on a Bahama Mama) or the Pina No-Lada (a non-alcoholic refresher). $35; Saturdays – Sundays, Various hours and locations

Dish highlights include:

• Lemon Olive Oil Cake – lemon curd, wild blueberry compote
• Banana Coffee Cake – dark rum butterscotch, caramelized banana, crème fraiche
• Cacio E Pepe Arancini – crispy risotto, pecorino romano, crushed pepper blend, pesto aioli
• The Breakfast Sandwich – Italian sausage, applewood bacon, shaved porchetta, egg, roasted pepper, cipollini, scamorza, Calabrian aioli, crispy hash potato
• Breakfast Carbonara Pasta – poached egg, crispy pancetta, English pea, lumachel, herb breadcrumb, pecorino
• Breakfast Rosa Pizza – sweet Italian sausage, crispy pancetta, smoked mozzarella, two eggs, basil, spicy vodka sauce

Sunday

Bike, Stroll, Skate, Roll, or Dance Through Empty Streets at CicLAVia – Meet the Hollywoods Pop-Up Park

Join CicLAVia for their 54^th open streets event: CicLAvia — Meet the Hollywoods! Drawing inspiration from Bogotá’s celebrated weekly ciclovía, CicLAVia transforms the city streets from Hollywood to West Hollywood into temporary car-free zones, offering Angelenos the opportunity to enjoy a sprawling urban park. This inclusive event is open to all, fostering connections among communities across our vast city, providing a secure space for biking, strolling, skating, rolling, and dancing connecting East and West Hollywood. Free; Sunday, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm; Please check the route online

Rib Fest Travels West of the 405 

Due to popular demand, Suzanne Goin & Caroline Styne’s popular restaurant in Brentwood brings their Rib Fest to their Westside restaurant. A.O.C., located in the heart of Brentwood, will be suited up for the rib rodeo and Suzanne’s family-style feast of slow-cooked ribs, hot wings, and sides which has become a Goin/Styne summer tradition since 2000. A week of preparation goes into smoking the beef brisket, pork and lamb ribs, spreading the lure of wood smoke throughout both neighborhoods and attracting a growing swell of Rib Fest Groupies for this BBQ celebration. Guests are invited to wear their Stetsons, chaps and boots, and join the party. The menu features Suzanne’s Saint Louis-style pork ribs; braised Westholme beef brisket; spiced lamb spare ribs and too-hot-to-handle chicken wings. Mouth-watering sides include coleslaw & baked beans; long-cooked collard greens; buttered corn-on-the-cob; tomato and watermelon salad; and grilled cornbread & Wonder Bread. Finish with a summery dessert of warm peach cobbler with strawberries and buttermilk ice cream. Don’t miss some foot-stomping cowboy cocktails to enhance the menu. Guests may book online at OpenTable and securing reservations by credit card; cancellation without penalty accepted within 72 hours notice. $95; Sunday, 4 – 9:00 pm; 11648 San Vicente Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90049; 310.806.6464

On Sale Now

On Sale Now (8/24): Kick-Off Football Season with Brunch Experience at Black Angus Steakhouse

Black Angus Steakhouse will be kicking off football season by hosting a Brunch Experience on Saturday, 8/24. Hosted at all Black Angus Steakhouse locations, attendees of the Brunch Experience will be served three courses of off-menu dishes paired with refreshing handcrafted cocktails including the Lone Ranger Tequila, Citrus Sidewinder, and Lavender and Coconut Martini. Please note: All attendees must be 21+. $44.99 (Reservations are required); 8/24, 1:00 pm; Various locations

The specialty brunch will begin with: 

• An Avocado Toast, served on top of a signature molasses bread – paired with a Lone Ranger Tequila Mary made with Corazon Blanco Tequila and Bloody Mary Mix. 
• The following course will include a Steak & Egg Bowl made with Black Angus Steakhouse’s top sirloin, crispy fries, two over-easy eggs and bearnaise sauce – paired with a Citrus Sidewinder made with well vodka, blackberries, Blackberry MONIN syrup, orange wheel, orange juice, club soda, and a Grand Marnier float. 
• Lastly for dessert, a French Toast made with caramelized bananas – paired with a Lavender and Coconut Martini made with Corazon Blanco Tequila, Grand Marnier, Pina Colada Mix, and Lavender MONIN syrup.

On Sale Now (9/21): Celebrate Batman’s 85^th Anniversary with Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood

For one night only, Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood welcomes fans to celebrate Batman’s 85^th anniversary on the historic backlot with a behind-the-scenes look of the iconic 1989 film. The special one-hour guided tour focuses on Batman and a brand-new Batman exhibit, showcasing original costumes and batmobiles, bringing fans closer than ever to their favorite superhero in honor of the anniversary. The event will also include a special screening of Tim Burton’s Batman, starring Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson, and Kim Basinger. Fans won’t want to miss the chance to see the Bat-Signal illuminate Stage 16, one of the largest sound stages in the world that displays the WB logo. $89; 9/21, 5:00 pm; 3400 Warner Blvd., Burbank, CA 91505

*FOR THE BEST THINGS TO DO IN LOS ANGELES NEXT WEEK, CHECK BACK ON MONDAY!*