Jaydi's Weekend Jems

Thurs. July 30th

8pm, Movies in the Park

189 The Grove Dr.

The Grove

FREE

Watch Twilight under the stars!

Fri. July 31st

8pm, Cannibal! The Musical

(through Aug. 22nd)

The Garage Theatre

251 E. 7th St.

Long Beach

$18 ($15 for students)

Written by Trey Parker (South Park).  A horror story with fart jokes?  Can't wait to find out...

Sat. Aug. 1st

8:30am-4pm, Smashbox Makeup Classes

Sephora Sherman Oaks

14006 Riverside Dr.

FREE

Call 818.817.0900 (promo code: YELP) to reserve a spot in the

 limited-capacity sessions, designed to improve your skills (or lack thereof) with the brush.  FREE gifts for signing up!

3-9pm, Candy Land Lolita Tea Party

Royal/T

8910 Washington Blvd.

Culver City

FREE

(picture courtesy of Grub St.)

Experience this life-sized Candy Land game board, featuring fashion shows, cupcake & cotton candy stands, high tea served by the Royal/T maids, and more. RSVP to rsvp@royal-t.org (keyword: Candy Land).

7pm, Robot Chicken on Wheels

Skateland Northridge

18140 Parthenia St.

FREE with purchase of DVD

Seth Green and Breckin Meyer on skates as part of the Adult Swim Presents series.  Once inside, enjoy a live performance by Gym Class Heroes.

7pm, Cinespia Cemetery Screening

In Northridge tonight, some like it sweaty.  Not for you?  No worries.  Some Like It Hot at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, too.

Sun. Aug. 2nd

12:30-5pm, Cirque du Soleil Performance

The Grove

189 The Grove Dr.

FREE

The Grove is on fire this weekend. Perhaps literally. To celebrate its 25th anniversary, Cirque du Soleil will be performing portions from all six of its shows! Face painting and juggling included...

The schedule is as follows:

12:30 p.m.: "The Beatles' LOVE," as seen at The Mirage

1 p.m.: "Mystère," as seen at Treasure Island Hotel & Casino

1:30 p.m.: "O," as seen at Bellagio

3:30 p.m.: "Zumanity," as seen at New York-New York Hotel & Casino

4 p.m.: "KÀ," as seen at MGM Grand

4:30 p.m.: "Criss Angel Believe," as seen at Luxor Las Vegas

Thx to FWJ Laura for the heads up!

Other Weekend Updates

Tweet @LemonadeLA for FREE dessert at Abbot Kinney's new Lemonade restaurant.

Sake It to Me

Sat. Aug. 15th, 8-11pm

Renaissance Hotel

1755 N. Highland Ave.

Hollywood

Once again, Goldstar comes through!

I was holding off posting the LA Sake Fest, because it is supposed to cost $50; however you can purchase tickets at $30 for a limited time only.

How often do you get the chance to try 100 brands of sake?  Click here to purchase tix now.

CHAM Korean Bistro

851 Cordova St.

Pasadena

Unable to attend their grand tasting last week, I sent FWJ food blogger Jackie in my place.  Her thoughts:

"When I entered Cham, I wanted to try everything at the tasting tables. Since I couldn't narrow down the selection, I asked the man at the register to select options for me. The result?

"Mint lemonade - a solid A+, on the sweet side, which I prefer
Watermelon salad - very refreshing, perfect for a hot summer day
Tofu pockets - the marinated fresh crab meat was my favorite, but the arugula and red radish is a great vegetarian alternative

"Ssam garden platter - let's just say YUM...give me SSAM more! This plate was interactive dining at it's best. The delicious ribs came on a piping hot skillet with grilled onions. All the fixings came on another plate. You create your own wraps. It was amazingly appetizing, and fun, too! The sesame leaves were my favorite new discovery. They taste somewhat like anise, and Koreans use these fuzzy (trust me, they're good) little leaves to wrap anything and everything up before ingesting it. Waaaay better than boring old lettuce.

"Crispy rice cakes + lean ground beef (crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, sauteed in CHAM special soy sauce) - I was about to stop eating when the owner asked if I wanted ANYTHING else. I'd been eyeing the rice cakes the whole meal, so she brought me a small taste. They were DELICIOUS. The "special" soy sauce on the beef was more than special, and the rice cakes themselves were perfectly crispy. It was also one of the few times I've eaten perfectly cooked broccoli in a restaurant. I'd never had anything like it. They also have a vegetarian version with sauteed vegetables. If I were a vegetarian, I would eat here at least once a week!

"The staff was extremely polite and helpful (not surprising for a tasting), and I got the sense they'll remain this way even after opening. The owner showed me how to put the garden wraps together and informed me the chefs don't use any MSG or white sugar. If you taste the food, you'll instantly know CHAM really is a healthy, fusion alternative to the artery-clogging Asian restaurants out there."

Bottom line?  Check out CHAM now (picture courtesy of Food GPS)!

Jaydi's Weekend Jems

Fri. July 24th

7:30-9pm, Salsa Lessons

Mama Juana's

3707 Cahuenga Blvd. W.

Studio City

$10

Rodrigo Guzman (Dancing with the Stars, So You Think You Can Dance?) offers beginner salsa lessons. If you practice hard enough, you might be able to look like the woman in the picture. Don't want to look like the woman in the picture? Ignore me. Why are you reading this blog anyway?

7:30pm, Laserium Show

Historic Vine Theater

6321 Hollywood Blvd.

$12

An interactive light show set to Beatles music. Need I say more? Click here for restaurants that offer 20% off if you're planning on watching the show.

Sat. July 25th

8:30-9:30am, Yoga on the Pier

Santa Monica Pier

FREE

Presented by 102.7: bring a mat, towel, and photo ID. Nature will do the rest. Thanks to FWJ reader Megan for the heads up!

7pm, Cemetery Screening

(movie starts at 8:30pm)

FREE

Looking for the rainbow connection? Head to the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. This time the series will be screening The Muppet Movie. Feel free to bring all friends - humans and puppets alike. Just remind them not to talk once the movie starts.

7:30pm, Hollywood Outdoor Cinema

the Old Circuit City

4400 Sunset Blvd.

Silverlake

If the cemetery doesn't do it for you, watch The Big Lebowski here instead, powered by an xbox on a 40' inflatable screen.

Sun. July 26th

5-8pm, Dessert Decadence

Renaissance Hollywood Hotel

1755 N. Highland Ave.

$40

Too much to spend for an endless assortment of all-you-can-eat pastries, chocolate, and more? Maybe. A dieter's worst nightmare? Absolutely. Enough to stop Jaydi...? I think not. Click here to join her.

7pm, Movie Under the Stars

(and every Sun. through Sept. 27th)

The W Hotel

930 Hilgard Ave.

Westwood

FREE

Paramount Home Entertainment presents The Kite Runner. Dine with "self-righteous monkeys" or get cozy in a private cabana. The choice is yours.

Sick Six Savings

FWJ reader Flor: $15 Twitter Tickets to Six Flags available now!

WeHeart WeHo

West Hollywood shops and eateries have combined powers to save the planet.  Well, technically to save our wallets, but in this economy...what's the difference?

My favorite deals are listed below:

Entertainment

- FREE admission to the Comedy Store

Shopping

- Up to 75% off Le Bra

- 50% off Just Cavalli

- 60% off Catherine Malandrino

Dining

- 2 courses for $22 at Taste

- 2 courses for $25 at Lucques

- 15% off Le Pain Quotidien

- 4 courses for $35 at Katana

- 2 courses for $20 at Comme Ca

For a complete list of discounts, click here.

The Dean of Book Soup

Wed. July 22nd

9:30pm

Book Soup

8818 W. Sunset Blvd.

West Hollywood

Howard Dean reads excerpts from (and signs) copies of his new book Howard Dean's Prescription for Real Heathcare Reform.  

Book Soup keeps getting better.  I frequently BS, but if the new discount is true, I'll be frequenting BS more often.

Bulk Up for Shuffleboard

Tues. July 21

Until 10:30am

Purchase any beverage at Starbucks and receive a pastry for FREE.  Simply print out this coupon and show it to your barista (or pull up the website on your phone!).

8pm

6124 Hollywood Blvd.

$5

For a small fee, enter the single-elimination shuffleball tournament at Blue Palms Brewhouse (home to the LA Beer Float Showdown on Juy 26th).

Save on Sushi

Purchase a Groupon today for only $15, and receive $35 to Itacho (7311 Beverly Blvd), a yummy mid-city sushi bar.

Cupcakes and Ketchup

Monday, July 20th

11am-2pm

257 S. Spring St.

Downtown

Blue Cupcake will be offering FREE cupcakes and coffee today!

for dinner

Screw the Recession and dine at Ketchup tonight at 50% off. Just remember to make reservations.

***I went last night (Sunday) as part of the Sunset Strip Summer promotion. While it was awesome to feast upon their trio fries and Napa Valley short ribs (not to mention their complementary kobe beef sliders), the service was super slow. It took 35 minutes to get seated (with a reservation) and even longer to get served. 50% off? I guess you get what you pay for.

P.S. The deal is sweet, but the parking is not. $10 to valet and no street parking in sight.

Jaydi's Weekend Jems

Fri. July 17th

7:30-9pm, Friday Night Sing-Along

W.M. Keck Amphitheater, Walt Disney Concert Hall

Join hundreds of Beatles lovers and live musicians as they belt out the band's favorite tunes. The event is FREE; however tickets are distributed 45 minutes prior to the event. Plan

accordingly, and you will have an easy day's night :D

Sat. July 18th

SusieCakes Giveaway

Brentwood

To celebrate their 3rd anniversary, this chain will be stuffing 10 "Golden Tickets" into their frosting-filled cakes. Winners will receive prizes ranging from baking classes to custom cakes each month for a year.

9pm, Old Pasadena Film Festival

33 E. Green St.

My pick for this weekend's film festival is Sixteen Candles, set to be screened on the rooftop of a schoolhouse parking garage. Have fun. Just don't let your date try to steal your undies!

Sun. July 19th

8am-11pm

Milk

7290 Beverly Blvd.

For National Ice Cream Day, this shop will be dishing out FREE scoops of ice cream (flavors ranging from vanilla to banana dulce de leche). All you have to do is enter the restaurant and utter, "I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!"

7pm, Shakespeare by the Sea

Roxbury Park

471 S. Roxbury Dr.

Beverly Hills

Pack a picnic, kick back in your beach chair, and enjoy a FREE performance of Love's Labour's Lost.

"Very Dangerous. You Go First."

Reminder: FREE Raiders of the Lost Arc screening tomorrow night (Wed.) in Century City.

Tuesday Dinner

If you aren't grabbing a 3-course meal at Ammo ($30), try snagging some FREE hot dogs and ice cream at your nearest Wienerschnitzel location.

A healthier option, for only $20, could be some all-you-can-eat action at the Farmers Market.

Mocha Mondays

Every Monday thru August 3rd, McDonald's will be giving away FREE iced or hot mochas from 7am-7pm.

National Hot Dog Month

Tues. July 14th, 5-8pm

Wienerschnitzel locations

Once again, to honor National Hot Dog Month, this chain will be giving out FREE original chili dogs and ice cream.

Taste of Farmers Market

Tues. July 14th, 5-9pm

To celebrate 75 years of all things Farmers Market, you can sample food from all 36 restaurants for the price of $20.  Five dollars more will include 2 drinks.  To purchase tickets to the event, click here.

A Half-Priced Geisha

50% off Geisha House (6633 Hollywood Blvd.) tomorrow night!  Make reservations now.

323.460.6300.

Jaydi's Weekend Jems

Fri. July 10th

2-3pm, Stop by and grab a FREE Tea Freddo from Peet's Coffee.

6:30-10pm, Dance Downtown - West Coast Swing

135 N. Grand Ave.

Los Angeles

Sat. July 11th

***12-5pm, Swap-O-Rama-Rama

California Market Center

110 E. 9th St.

$5-$10

This could be incredible or completely disgusting.  Show up and decide for yourself, as this will be my first swap-o-rama.  The concept: exchange your unwanted clothes for as many FREE clothes as you can carry out to your car.

The Renegade Craft Fair will be in the same building at the same time, where over 200 artists will be selling handmade clothes and accessories.

Click here for details.

Also, on your way to the event, why not grab a FREE slurpee at 7-Eleven in honor of 7/11's National Slurpee Day?

Fri. July 10th - Sat. July 11th

Old Pasadena Film Festival

The largest FREE outdoor film festival in Southern California will be screening movies every Friday and Saturday through July 25th.  This weekend, enjoy Notting Hill, The King and I, Daddy Long-Legs, and Footloose.

Special treats include a live orchestra performing the Daddy Long-Legs' soundtrack, and Alfred Newman's kids discussing their father's prolific scoring career.

For the full list of screenings, click here.

Sun. July 12th

Ketchup

8590 Sunset Blvd.

West Hollywood

Every Sunday this season, take 50% your bill by mentioning the "Sunset Strip Summer" promotion.

"You Hit Me with Your Car."

"That was pretty cool."

Thurs. July 9th, 7:30pm

Arclight Sherman Oaks

15301 Ventura Blvd. #920

Click here for FREE admission to a screening of I Love You, Beth Cooper tomorrow night.  The ticket is good for two; however, show up early to ensure admission.

A Cold Dosa of Hermosa

Thurs. July 9, 4-7pm

Paciugo Gelato Caffe

1034 Hermosa Ave.

Hermosa Beach

FREE gelato in honor of their one year anniversary.  Thx to Eater LA for the find!

Fiber Freebies

Although I'm not a huge fan, people where I work go crazy over Fiber One bars.  Click here to fill out a form and receive FREE samples!

Jaydi's Weekend Jems

Sat. July 4th

9am-5pm, Mr. & Mrs. Muscle Beach

1800 Ocean Front Walk

Venice Beach

FREE

Start your morning off by watching the brightest and the buffest compete for a chance to earn the title of Mr. & Mrs. Muscle Beach.  The finals start at 1pm.

10am-2pm, 2 for 1 Frozen Yogurt

9401 Brighton Way

Beverly Hills

Yogen Fruz, one of my favorite frozen yogurt chains in LA, is offering a 2 for 1 special this Independence Day.  The shop is a unique in that they blend their toppings with the yogurt, creating delicious spoonfuls of purified goodness.

7:30pm, Cemetery Screening

FREE, $10 donation suggested

It's another Cinespia screening at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, and this time it's Jaws!