OMG I’m so excited about this weekend! Fireworks, BBQ, beer, birthday! Eeeeee! Yes, I’ll be up in SF celebrating my bday and the 4th of July but will be missing the following. BTW, if you are looking for where to catch some pyrotechnical awesomeness, check here and here.

Thursday, July 2

Buy a Crumbs Cupcake and Support the Troops
Just for the holiday, Crumbs Bake Shop has created a special patriotic cupcake of vanilla cake, chocolate buttercream filling, and vanilla cream cheese frosting with a sugar cookie star covered in blue fondant with red, white and blue sprinkles. It’s $3.75 for that fatty signature size and proceeds go to the USO to support the troops. Grab some for that Hollywood Bowl Fourth of July celebration or Hollywood Forever’s Jaws screening and have a sugary salute.

• Thru July 5. $3.75 each. Various Crumbs locations.

Friday, July 3

Silverlake Wine Tasting at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hollyhock House
Now this sounds like the perfect way to start the holiday weekend. Enjoy tastes of four boutique wines from around the world whilst picnicking at the Barnsdall Art Park. Afterward, go on a guided tour through Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterpiece, the Hollyhock House, a historic-cultural monument. The Coolhaus truck will be on hand selling its special Barnsdall flavor, Honeyhock Ice Cream.

• 5:30-7:30pm. $15 wine tasting or $23 wine tasting and tour. Hollyhock House, 4800 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood (map).

Doors Cover Band and $5 Jack at Rush Street
Rush Street is celebrating the 4th all weekend but its festivities will begin with Doors cover band, Peace Frog (named after a Doors song), rocking out the Chi-town-inspired restaurant/bar. There’s no cover and you can toast to Mr. Mojo Rising with $5 Jack drink specials all night.

• 10pm-2am. Rush Street, 9546 Washington Boulevard, Culver City (map). (310) 837-9546.

Saturday, July 4

Hermosa Beach Ironman
Every 4th of July competitors hit Hermosa Beach Pier for the greatest Ironman ever. And only the truly athletic don’t throw up. Participants must run a mile, paddle a surfboard for a mile and then guzzle down a six-pack of beer. The first to hold down their drink wins! Don’t worry if you’re “out of shape,” you’ve probably been training all this time and didn’t know it. BTW, apparently this isn’t sanctioned by Hermosa so do your beer guzzling discreetly or else triple fine for you! Oh, and BYOB and surfboard if you want to participate.

• 9amish? No one knows for sure. $20 to participate. Around 29th Street and Manhattan Avenue, Hermosa Beach (map).

Cemetery Screening: Jaws
Forgo fireworks for terror! Just kidding. But watching the scariest “When Animals Attack” movie would be an awesome way to kick off your 4th of July. Jaws, one of my fave horror movies, takes place during a small town’s own 4th of July Weekend celebration. “Oh no! Don’t go into the water!” But will they listen? Newp! Bring your own picnic of bbq and some red vino to enjoy during the movie. Gates open at 7:30pm and djs will be spinning before and after the screening.

• Gates open 7:30pm. $10 donation. Hollywood Forever Cemetery, 6000 Santa Monica Boulevard, Hollywood (map).

Rustic Canyon BBQ and Beer Bash
Barbecues are so much work but so yummy. Fortunately, Rustic Canyon in Santa Monica is hosting a BBQ and Beer Bash where you can enjoy a one-night-only menu of slow-cooked BBQ pork ribs, lobster rolls, soft shell crab sandwiches and even homemade ice cream. They’ll even have a grill out back. And Beer Chick and sommelier Christina Perozzi will be on hand to pour her hand-selected small-batch brews to sate the thirsty.

• Starts at 4pm. Rustic Canyon, 1119 Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica (map). Reservations: (310) 393-7050.

Sunday, July 5

My birthday! Woo WOOO!