Twenty-two years and going strong, that's the Santa Monica Festival not me, if only. Although 90+…read moredegree heat was predicted, a light marine layer, cool ocean breezes created a pleasant backdrop to showcase this year's sustainability themed event, as well as, events within like, the Juneteenth Celebration, A Taste of Summer with the Annenberg Beach House and the Santa Monica Farmers Market Challenge which pitted Nyesha Arrington http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef/season-9/bio/nyesha-arrington and Josie Le Balch http://www.josierestaurant.com/ to create a $15 meal for four. I fear this foodie was a festival wimp because I was too wiped to hang out for their food fight. A myriad of activities for folks of all ages with kids really digging the Big Blue Bus and trash recycling truck to hop on and explore. The free bike valet http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/santa-monica-festival-santa-monica-2?select=vH2e66N3SWb9kldxGYxzyg#uVsNV593GV0zcfWGsam18g encouraged leaving the car at home as my friends and I did. Plenty of food trucks http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/santa-monica-festival-santa-monica-2?select=vH2e66N3SWb9kldxGYxzyg#8h3JhmFhSm4yY2dSUK3G3g and even a fashionmobile http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/santa-monica-festival-santa-monica-2?select=vH2e66N3SWb9kldxGYxzyg#_UknuOz5Hw8CSlqpB0GlAw ! Santa Monica is indeed a city of cultural activities and well-honed services to be taken advantage of by all. More here: http://www.smgov.net/Portals/Culture/content.aspx?id=15035 Highlight for me was artist Cassandra Tondro's http://tondro.com/ "From Cans to Canvas" interactive painting experience http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/santa-monica-festival-santa-monica-2?select=vH2e66N3SWb9kldxGYxzyg#wUrJjuqoQeDWgII5lKypig http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/santa-monica-festival-santa-monica-2?select=vH2e66N3SWb9kldxGYxzyg#1rjspkly2CXSvNRTZ6H9sg If you missed today's festival, do bookmark it for 2014, trust me, it's worth it!

We came, we saw, we thronged! From a distance, the Santa Monica Festival at Clover Park looked like…read moreany other free outdoor community event, a weekend sea of pedestrians and rows of white tents and bold lettered banners. But Saturday was cool, Clover's grass was green, and the atmosphere was indeed festive. There were several options for free or metered parking in supervised lots within walking distance, making at least our vehicular arrival and departure quick and painless. After leaving the car, we made a beeline for the park's restrooms, where, as it typically happens whenever we step out to a fairground, we spent a considerable chunk of our visit waiting our turns in slow-moving lines. Plenty of music filled our ears while we waited, especially the notes coming from center stage, where a featured group, The Lions, sounded particularly captivating. We quietly joined standing watchers later on, just in time to see The Lions wrap up their soulful and energetic gig. Festival treats were also close at hand, so we couldn't miss tasting Linde's old-fashioned sugar roasted almonds. We followed our noses to her popular table where I impulsively grabbed us a couple of warm paper cones in a sweet twofer deal. Linde jokingly asked if we were unable to share, to which I honestly replied, "yes." It was a fair-tastic time. The usual apparel gifts and arts-and-craftsy things were available for passers-by to browse and purchase, and interactive activities engaged families, kids, and kids-at-heart. It seemed apparent to us after one walk-through that the city government was out to connect with and educate visitors in exchange for cheap swag and fun, with a number of public service kiosks that let you spin wheels and answer questions for prizes. We didn't get around to checking everything out (see Tess M.'s yelp here: http://bit.ly/11hmlqO for some neat things we missed), but all in all, the Festival was pleasant and low-key, which is pretty much Santa Monica in a nutshell.

It's always fun to go to the Abbot Kinney Festival. Lots to look at. Before the pandemic there…read morewere more bars on Abbot Kinney, not so much now.

Just another great way to harold the end of summer…read more.. AKF is thrown annually, stretches the entire length of Abbot Kinney Blvd. and has a little of everything: * YES - Lotsa food stands w/ interesting offerings (ie: Hotato's "chips" on a stick) * YES - Jewelry stands: both affordable and some pricier * YES - Art, signage & poster, clothing/tee stands * YES - Live music & DJ * YES - Fun people watching * YES - Most of AKB's original shops are open as well * WOA: - Street (free) parking. Tons of bikes were parked as well. - Pet-friendly. - Pretty clean; they were smart in placing tons of trash cans throughout. Too bad it's only hosted once a year.

A friend invited me to CineVita for Teen Beat Live and I honestly had no idea what I was getting…read moremyself into. We parked in PS3 garage just around the corner from CineVita. There's a lot of development still happening in the area so the area around CineVita looked kind of rough but there was a dirt path lined with some trees to get to the venue which literally faces SoFi Stadium. I can't imagine how congested it would be if you had tickets to a show and there was also something going on a SoFi. Picnic area/bar/food stations were outside the venue. Concession stand and bar was also inside the venue. The queuing to get scanned in didn't make sense to me and felt like it took way longer than it should and it was not even that busy yet. They have mobile ordering at the table so I ordered a slice of Pepperoni pizza. I've seen comments saying the food isn't good, but it's more or less the same quality food at a movie theater or at the stadium. It was expensive and fine for what it was, but I fully expected that. One thing I'll say is the wine selection was pretty good and so was the liquor selection. Clearly they could tell that the audience attending CineVita was not your typical sporting event beer drinking crowd. Show was supposed to start at 7:30pm supposedly but didn't really start until 8pm. There was a quick intro speech highlighting the venue itself which is a Spiegel tent. Thought it was a pretty well made temporary structure. Seating for the shared tables was very crammed. So much that even the servers had trouble passing by which seemed not great in case of an emergency. Given the larger size of Americans, don't think these small tables should have more than 4 max at a table for the most optimal experience. There were 8 of us crammed at my table and it was a pretty uncomfortable experience. Fortunately I was in an aisle so was able to spill over into the aisle a bit, but I felt bad for the couple that was at the front of our table and on the other side who was wedged between people from two other tables. Nobody wants to be that close to each other! Performances for Teen Beat Live definitely were nostalgic for me as someone born in the 80s. Lots of great classic 80s songs were performed throughout the show and seeing this is LA, the performers were excellent! I definitely was dancing in my seat the entire time! Restroom facilities are a fancy porta potty that are very tight inside. Knowing the venue was a portable tent, I thought they had the nicest quality of porta potties at least. Overall a great experience. I hope they take guest feedback about seating and the overall flow getting into the venue into account and work out the kinks as I definitely think the concept itself has potential.

What a beautiful spot in a beautiful "tent"! The location would only be better if parking were…read moreeasier. But once you're there, the fountain of the sofi and the red carpet, make you feel special as you enter. The vibe is 80s cheesy fun and the crowd ate it up! The singers and dancers did an incredible job and deserved the standing ovation they received. The theme itself was fun but I think they can do more with a story. It felt very Vegas or cruise ship, instead of clever and quirky LA immersive plays. Drinks and food are pretty pricy but they sell off the pizzas for $10 at the end of the evening (which I appreciate).

**Freakin hard to find unless you know exactly how to get there so clear your mind and listen to…read moreUncle Chris. Exit Wilshire West from the 405 and turn right into it... like immediately! Don't even think about other ways in. Like a picky whore, this is the only way in. I tried to get here from Wilshire during rush hour after dinner. I was on the wrong side of the street. You think it would be fast and easy to get onto the other side right? NO! 40 minutes later, I was at my show. The venue itself is nice, but the parking attendents are retarded. I saw Altar Boyz here at this theatre that's old and historic yet I had no idea it existed. It is a nice size and I would go here again.

My first job in college was here. It is a very nice little playhouse. I saw Stomp over 40 times…read morehere. I loved that show, so asked for extra hours to work :) This place usually doesn't have reoccuring shows like that though. It typically has travelling shows such as dance shows, small concerts, non mainstreamed plays, and holds a lot of the asian cultural shows performed by UCLA students. It is a nice lil cozy place, typically frequented by an older crowd, but it really is determined by the program. Don't bring in cameras, or people like me will take them from you until the end of the show. And we take pictures of ourselves with them in the back to piss you off later when you get them developed :)

Came here for a yelp elite event, Katie B hooked it up with the tickets and some free food and…read moredrinks next door at Rock and Reillys. We happened to see an Elton John and Billy Joel tribute night, so it was dueling pianos kind of night. It was great! But you can totally go to this show for free AXS Tv has a show called Worlds Greatest Tribute Band I guess its on its 4th season now, but you just sign up on their website http://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-worlds-greatest-tribute-bands-on-axs-tv-tickets-5500472060 So anyway this show happens on Tuesdays, doors open at 6pm and the show starts rocking at 7pm. I believe the shows go on for an hour to an hour and half, but its really fun since the guys that go up there are tribute bands. Just pick a night where you like the band, you're sure to have a rockin time singing along to your favorite jams. You'll probably have to pay to park in the back, unless miraculously you find some free parking (unlikely). But the show is free, so it's not a bad way to start the evening. This event is great for tourists and/or locals alike, because its free and its right in the heart of the Sunset Strip. So if by chance you dont' like it, you can bounce and find a myriad of things to do nearby.

While on vacation last year we went to see the Motley Crue cover band. I'd never been to the…read moreWhiskey so I was absolutely thrilled to just be in historic venue - getting to hear fun/party music performed flawlessly just added to it being a great night. Katie Daryl makes for a great host (on-air and at the venue). I was there with my daughter who's 7 and everyone made sure she could see the show. Katie even gave her some swag. I will say that if you're going to bring kids-the Whiskey allows it at all of their shows-get there early because it's all SRO with few spots for a shorter person to see the show. Another aside: The Crue cover band had 2 girls dancing, including on a pole, which I thought would lead to an awkward walk back to the car but the situation was diffused when my daughter said "That's so cool that they bring gymnasts out on stage with them" ... ah to be 7 and have a clean brain. SUPPORT this show and support LIVE MUSIC !!!! even if it's a cover band. We don't need yet another venue changing to 100% DJ.

Best place on the Westside to see some improv, one-man and one-woman shows as well as take a great…read morewriting class taught by Jane Morris on Wednesday evenings! I love that you can also get an empanada next door, but that's just me! Great space, lots of laughs to be had there.

Best kept secret in L.A. Great groups and seasoned performers…read more They have a house group called Bucket of Snakes, made up of a lot of Second City alumni and some great all girl groups, but a particular favorite of mine is the Transformers, who are usually there 2 Saturdays a month. Crazy, wild and so damn funny! This place is out of the way in Culver City, but it's definitely worth the trip.

Our community will always miss the very special place that was the Pierson Theatre / Theatre…read morePalisades. For decades, it wasn't just a building, but a home where neighbors came together to share stories, laughter, and music. Generations of families made memories there--whether performing on stage, volunteering behind the scenes, or simply enjoying an evening out with friends. When the January fire took it from us, it felt like losing a member of the family. Yet, the love and spirit it nurtured in Pacific Palisades will carry on, reminding us that while the theatre may be gone, the community it created lives on in all of us

We saw Thelma-Louise Re-dux, and it was very entertaining. Good acting and characters , and the…read moreband they had was quite good. Especially the drummer. Nice location in the hills.

I was invited by my neighbor Chris Franciosa who played Walter in Becky's new car. This was my…read morefirst time at theatre 40. Parking was free and inside Beverly high school. Not necessarily easy to find at first but I'm glad I was aware then there were signs too. The theater is pretty small with three rows in front then sitting on both sides. Perhaps a capacity of 100? Very intimate. Not sure how the view is from the sides however. I loved the play. A series of 6 plays is around $235 which is very reasonable. I'll definitely come back! The restrooms are ancient with doors that are wayyy too small, but I guess it's common for a school? Briefly met the artistic director who is clearly passionate about his job and doing his best to keep this theatre alive. I loved that.

Fabulous, hysterical, already ordered tickets for their next show, and well worth the ride from…read moreOrange County!!! "Becky's New Car" had the best cast and everyone was a seasoned actor with a long list of previous plays and TV shows they've been in. There were parts I couldn't stop laughing, and enjoyed the play so much. I've invited 6 friends to return in July for their next one, which sounds even funnier. If my SUV could fit more people I would have asked more friends to join us. Parking was so easy, subterranean, safe and you walk right into the building from their underground garage. David the Managing Director was so personable and inviting, he seemed to know a lot of the attendees by name as regulars. I could hardly wait to see their next play, "A Jukebox for the Algonquin" and I have no doubt it too will be terrific! Great evening & a fun time.