OFF THA' HOOK: It's a sight seen on a thousand oil paintings: A lone angler, in waders, fishing in the middle of a vast forest. That'll play out, sort of, when the LA River stages its first-ever Fishing Derby on Saturday, Sept. 6. Nope, the angler won't be "lone," nope, hip-deep waders aren't required, and there will not be a vast forest in the background but rather the buildings of busy Los Angeles. One of the goals of the day, beyond pairing some rustic fun with our metropolis's major waterway? To keep an eye out for steelhead trout, which once swam freely in the river. Oh, and yep: It's catch-and-release. You can still dress the part of the oil painting angler, though (we would).
LA GREEK FESTIVAL: We know, and we try, and we heed the call: When attending a party full of interesting foods, one is expected to try most everything. But what if we wanted to sit off to one side, enjoying spanokopites all day? That's a-ok, too. Of course, this fest, which joins hand and dances at Saint Sophia Cathedral from Friday, Sept. 5 through Sunday, Sept. 7, has such a wide array of scrumptious foodstuffs -- souvlaki, lamb, and melomakarona (mmm, honey cookies) -- that even the most serious spanokopita maven'll likely cast a wider eating net.
WALKING WITH DINOSAURS: Arena-style entertainment has seen a plenty of rock 'n roll heavyweights and circus spectaculars, but T. Rex rarely clomps through for a roar-filled cameo. That'll change at the Honda Center from Sept. 3 through 7 when ancient beasties -- or some very impressive puppet-y equivalents -- take the stage for a show that's part entertainment but all educational goodness. The touring dinos are inspired by the BBC series, so, yeah: You'll learn lots. Can't spread your pterodactyl wings and fly to Anaheim? Hang tight: Staples Center is up next.
LONG BEACH LOBSTER FESTIVAL: You, a shirt you don't mind getting dripped-all-over, and a fresh lobster, three weekends in a row? Could happen, if you make for Rainbow Lagoon in the LBC from Sept. 5 through 7, then for the Port of Los Angeles from Sept. 12 through 14, and finally Redondo Beach the weekend after that. It is, without quibble, SoCal's claw-and-butter show, September, with Long Beach leading the proceedings. Music, kidly happenings, and sides for your lobster meat? Yes, and yes, and more yes.
REDONDO BEACH PIER CHALK FESTIVAL: The sunshine should boast some of that late-summer soft-a-tude, the waves shall be doing that picturesque crashing/receding thing, and you? You're using one of Southern California's best-known over-water walkways as a look-down canvas. It's free to join in, young artists are welcome, too, and the first 150 people? You nab gratis chalk, ohhhh yeah. Who is drawing the pier *atop* the pier? Too meta? We think the pier would enjoy hosting its own portrait, at least as long as the chalk lasts. Saturday, Sept. 6
