Things To Do In Malibu Beach

Following its 1920s heyday, downtown Los Angeles entered a protracted period of decline. Blame freeway-induced sprawl, the allure of the beach, or the burgeoning film industry's thirst for larger swathes of land. Whatever the reason, the city’s downtown districts became less its beating heart and more its ailing appendix—obsolete and expendable. This narrative of decline persisted until 2003, when architect Frank Gehry unveiled his $130-million-dollar Walt Disney Concert Hall. With striking curves of stainless steel and an acoustical quality that Frommer’s claims “equals or surpasses those of the best concert halls in the world,” the building would come to symbolize downtown’s 21st-century renaissance. Another prominent symbol of that renaissance emerged with the completion of the L.A. Live project. Developers and taxpayers spent billions to grow the area surrounding the Staples Center, which today comprises movie theaters, clubs, music venues, and restaurants. Head to the complex's Grammy Museum to check out four floors of interactive exhibits and artifacts that range from Stevie Ray Vaughan’s battered Fender Broadcaster to Michael Jackson’s sequined gloves. As the sun sets, bounce over to the Conga Room, a Latin music nightclub owned by a celebrity cohort that includes Jennifer Lopez and Jimmy Smits. Along with top salsa and Latin jazz artists, the club is home to Boca, whose Latin-style tapas dishes include seared tuna breaded with Cuban spices and shrimp marinated in coconut, cilantro, and jalapeno. With all the attention that L.A. Live and other new additions garner, it's easy to overlook the institutions that have flourished in downtown for decades. Two of the area’s eateries feature rich—if conflicting—histories. Phillipe the Original and Cole's have both been open since 1908, and both claim to have invented the French dip. It hardly matters who’s right, as both restaurants serve prime specimens of the sandwich piled high with beef, pork, lamb, or turkey. Break the tie by choosing the closer location; Cole's sits a few blocks east of Pershing Square, whereas Phillippe straddles the boundary with Chinatown just north of the 101. Thankfully, downtown Los Angeles doesn't shut down after dark. For a nightcap, head to The Edison, where guests munch on deviled eggs and sip bourbon cocktails. There’s an anachronistic element to the décor that recalls the early days of silent film—don’t miss a lounge filled with turn-of-the-century generators that create the impression of an Industrial Gothic cathedral. Nearby, Seven Grand caters to the worldly set with hundreds of whiskeys that range from cask-strength Irish spirits to single malts from Japan and India. Of course, pockets of downtown take pride in their shaggier sensibilities. A case-in-point: The Smell, an all-ages punk club, experimental music venue, and art gallery. The prevailing ethic is decidedly DIY; volunteers operate every aspect of the not-for-profit club, from manning the soundboard to running the vegan snack bar. Occasionally, well-known artists such as Peter, Bjorn and John stop by to perform, but the lineup tends to feature homegrown acts—this is partly why tickets typically cost only $5.

It’s a bucket list kind of week here in LA. By the end of the month, you could say you’ve watched a play in a cave (the final showing of the aptly titled CAVE at Griffith Park) and challenged an indie-rock icon to a dance-off (Arcade Fire’s been doing this at some of their shows). As always, check Groupon for even more great things to do in Los Angeles. Renegade Craft Fair Downtown | Saturday, July 26–Sunday, July 27, 11 a.m.–6 p.m. The international celebration of handmade arts and crafts is swinging through Grand Park, inviting locals to check out hundreds of DIY vendors. In addition to shopping for prints, clothing, stationery, and countless other goods, you can also hit up the food-truck lot and listen to tunes spun by KXLU DJs. (200 N. Grand Ave.; free) Cowabunga! 30 Years of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Silver Lake | Through July 27 With three decades under their ninja belts as sewer-dwelling crime fighters, the Heroes in a Half Shell are now officially a common interest of parent and child. In celebration of the live-action movie coming out next month, the iam8bit gallery has curated a family-friendly exhibit of TMNT-themed art from artists around the world. (2147 W. Sunset Blvd.; free) CAVE Griffith Park | Friday, August 1, 7 p.m. For this site-specific play, you won’t just be expected to turn off your cell—you’ll also be expected to hike. Audiences meet a half-hour before curtain time, then trek up to Bronson Caves to watch the story of a false prophet who has sequestered his family in fear of an upcoming apocalypse. (Bronson Caves; $20 suggested donation; buy tickets here) Arcade Fire Inglewood | Friday, August 1–Saturday, August 2, 7 p.m. The world’s biggest indie band is out to make their first arena tour feel as intimate as possible, greeting fans in lobbies and grooving beside them during dance-offs. Previous shows have included a “Motownphilly” cover and a surprise appearance from Echo and the Bunnymen frontman Ian McCulloch, so who knows that they’ll have up their mirrorball-ed sleeves for the LA crowds. (The Forum, 3900 W. Manchester Blvd., Inglewood; $40–$90; buy tickets here) Eighth Annual Outstanding Art of Television Costume Design Exhibit Downtown | Through September 20 Great costumes make great television more transformative—who hasn’t imagined themselves in Cersei Lannister’s gorgeous gowns or Walter White’s slimming coveralls? Get up close to small-screen style at this exhidbit curated from past conteners for costume-design Emmys, including the sparkly numbers worn in one of last year’s winners, HBO’s Liberace biopic Behind the Candelabra. (FIDM Museum & Galleries, 919 S. Grand Ave.; free) Photo courtesy of Renegade Craft Fair's Facebook page.

Whether embracing your inner child at an ice-cream festival, reliving your high-school years at a screening of Dazed and Confused, or commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights movement, this week’s events give you a chance to revisit the past. As always, check Groupon for even more great things to do in Los Angeles. Street Food Cinema Exposition Park | Saturday, August 2, 5:30 p.m. If seeing Richard Linklater’s much-lauded new film Boyhood has you jonesing for some of his cult classics, this outdoor screening of Dazed and Confused should do the trick. Come early for food-truck fare and indie-rock tunes from local band Speardane, before settling in for the 8 p.m. screening. (700 Exposition Park Dr.; $6–$17; children 5 and younger are free; buy tickets here) People Get Ready: A Soundtrack of the Civil Rights Movement Downtown | Saturday, August 2, 8 p.m. Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights movement, this concert features modern soul and world-music singers performing freedom songs by Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder, and other legends. The lineup includes French favorites Les Nubians, as well as Sam Cooke’s granddaughters, who’ll likely be covering their grandad’s classics. (350 S. Grand Ave.; free) Once Hollywood | Through August 10 This Oscar-, Grammy-, and Tony-winning story may have moved from Off-Broadway’s modest theaters to the Pantages’ grand stage, but it still centers on the original songs Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová wrote for the film. If you get there early enough, you can even grab a drink from the onstage bar before the show begins. (6233 Hollywood Blvd.; $32.25–$140.70; buy tickets here) Ice Cream Festival Downtown | Through August 24 At Rosa Mexicano, chefs are throwing a month-long Ice Cream Festival, during which they’re making scoops inspired by their savory, south of the border foods. Flavors include avocado, cinnamon-chili-spiced chocolate, and sweet-corn-and-caramel. If you’re worried how these concoctions might taste, don’t be—Martha Stewart once said the restaurant serves “the best guacamole in the world.” (800 W. Olympic Blvd.; free) Jack & the Giant Sawtelle | Through August 24 In this reimagining of the classic fairy tale, kids in the audience decide the characters' fates by helping them make decisions along the way. The Little Theater's intimate, 49-seat setup eases the interactive process, but come early for a good seat as the venue is first come, first serve. (12420 Santa Monica Blvd.; $10–$15; buy tickets here) Photos courtesy of the Dazed and Confused Facebook page and Rosa Mexicano.