Yay! I’m so happy I’m in town this weekend. And it’s a good thing, too, because there are LOTS going on.
Saturday, May 15
CitySip LA Home Brewing Class
Times are tough. Maybe you don’t have the money to go out for a night of drinking. So why not learn how to make your own booze at home? Beer guru Alex Macy will be taking you through the steps on how to brew your own beer starting with a basic extract brew. The event is $45 and gets you tastes of 6-8 commercial beers, Two Boots pizza and the know-how to make your own beer. But dress to get wet and dirty. Home brewing apparently gets messy.
- 1-4pm. $45. 2150 W. Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles (map). Reservations: (213) 483-9463.
The Vendy Awards LA
The Vendys are here! And six of the best LA street vendors are up for the award of the bestest vendor in all SoCal. This Saturday they’ll be judged by a prestigious foodie panel consisting of the Glutster, those Animal guys, Street Gourmet LA and KCRW’s Evan Kleiman. Entry fee to witness this spectacle is $50 which gets you the cook-off food and an open bar of wine and beer. Proceeds from this event will go to protect vendors’ rights.
- 4-7pm. $50 online, $60 at the door. MacArthur Park, S. Park View and W. 7th Street, Los Angeles (map).
Connect 4 Tournament at West 4th/Jane
Spend an entire afternoon drinking beer and playing an intense round of Connect 4. Get a team of five friends together for West 4th/Jane’s second seasonal Connect 4 tournament where the top three winning teams will get prizes! If you’re not in it to win it, at least the $20 entry fee includes unlimited tap beer for all four hours of the event. Email steven [at] west4thjane.com to confirm your team.
- 4-8pm. West 4th/Jane, 1432 4th Street, Santa Monica (map). (310) 395-6765.
Cinespia’s First Movie of the Season: The Wizard of Oz
Summer’s here! That’s how we count the seasons in L.A., right? With the arrival of Cinespia’s cemetery screenings. Saturday night’s kickoff movie is none other than cinema classic, The Wizard of Oz. Whip up a thermos of Hurricane cocktails to enjoy on your picnic blanket and maybe play a WoO drinking game. Check out my cemetery screening do’s and don’ts on how to best enjoy the experience. No tall chairs, please!
- Gates 7pm, movie 8pm. $10. Hollywood Forever Cemetery, 6000 Santa Monica Boulevard, Los Angeles (map).
Sunday, May 16
Santa Monica Classic 5K/10K
It’s going to be such a gorgeous weekend why not run a 5K or 10K through the streets of Santa Monica to best enjoy the weather? This annual fun run is a point-to-point course through SaMo that finishes at the Santa Monica Pier. Proceeds from the event go to benefit Heal the Bay. Online registration is closed but you can still register on race day.
- 7:30am 5K, 8am 10K. $40. 2600 Barnard Way, Santa Monica (map).
Margerum M5 + In-N-Out at Wallys Wine
Don’t be a wine snob. You know you want to check out this wine pairing of In N Out burgers and wine. In fact it’s already been done with great success. This event at Wally’s Wine is $20 per person and includes a glass of the Margerum M5, a burger and a full tasting. There will also be newly released vintages to taste.
- 1-4pm. $20. Wally?s Wines, 2107 Westwood Boulevard, Los Angeles (map).
Monday, May 17
Hudson House Hosts the Grilled Cheese Truck
Everyone’s favorite food truck, the Grilled Cheese Truck will be making an appearance at the Hudson House. The Redondo Beach gastropub will close its kitchen for the event but you can grab some cheesy melts and enjoy them in the bar along with libations from Hudson House’s beer, wine and cocktail menu. Newly revealed cocktails include the Imperia Pickled Blue ($10) with Imperia vodka, pickled vegetables and blue cheese stuffed olives and a cava cocktail available in blueberry, pear or blood orange ($8). New beer on tap is the chipotle-coffee stout, Black Phoenix.
- 5-10pm. Hudson House, 514 North Pacific Coast Highway, Redondo Beach (map).