Best Of LA: Week Of August 25

(credit: Marie Astrid Gonzalez for LATMG)

Los Angeles, wrap up the great month of August with a celebration or two! You can start it with dessert and end it with an epic dance party, extra indulgent food tasting, or music jam by the sea. Need a mid-week fix? Check out "Trying," a true-to-life story of friendship or get inspired to write your story at a free writer's gathering.

(credit: FIG & OLIVE)

Monday, August 25

Celebrate National Pot de Crème Day
FIG & OLIVE
8490 Melrose Pl.
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(310) 360-9100
www.figandolive.com

Start your Monday off with a sweet celebration in honor of National Pot de Crème Day. FIG & OLIVE features a decadent Chocolate Pot de Crème, one of the most beloved dessert dishes, that is filled with simple and striking flavors of chocolate, vanilla, and butterscotch. Topped with crunchy praline financiers, vanilla cream, and a shaving of orange zest, who says you can't start your week with dessert?

(credit: Lemonade)

Tuesday, August 26

Restaurant Opening: Lemonade
Riverside Drive
4400 Riverside Dr.
Burbank, CA 91505
www.LemonadeLA.com

The fast-casual, cafeteria-style restaurant, Lemonade, known for its fresh SoCal comfort food, just opened its doors in Burbank. Offering seasonal dishes to studio execs, Toluca Lake locals, and visitors to the area, it's the perfect spot for a grab-and-go lunch or dinner. Lemonade will feature signature salads, slow-cooked braises, soups, artisan sandwiches, and their namesake: freshly made lemonade. Located in the iconic Riverside Drive building, the space has been modernized and renovated but will still retain its 1963 charm from the outside.

(credit: Ford Theaters)

Wednesday, August 27

Writers Gathering
Ford Theater
2580 Cahuenga Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90068
(323) 461-3673
www.fordtheatres.org

Get encouragement in creativity as you join with others in the LA writing community to share your voice at the Ford Theater's Writers Gathering. Fun and engaging writing exercises will help you hone your skills; writers for performance arts can share their works in progress to gain feedback. This free event is open to the public.

(credit: International City Theatre)

Thursday, August 28

"Trying"
International City Theatre
Long Beach Performing Arts Center
300 East Ocean Blvd.
Long Beach, CA 90802
(562) 436-4610
www.InternationalCityTheatre.com

The powerful true story of the friendship between 81-year-old Francis Biddle, U.S. Attorney General and primary judge during the Nuremburg trials, and a tenacious 25-year-old Canadian woman who became one of Biddle's secretaries. The poetic and poignant story is brought to life by actors Tony Abatemarco and Paige Lindsey White. Written by Joanna McClelland Glass (the real life secretary) and directed by John Henry Davis. Tickets start at $42.

(credit: Marie Astrid Gonzalez for LATMG)

Friday, August 29

The Taste
Paramount Pictures
5555 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90038
events.latimes.com/taste

The Los Angeles Times' Annual Labor Day weekend celebration of SoCal's culinary scene is back and better than ever. Some of the best reviewed restaurants of the year (Girasol, Plan Check Kitchen + Bar, Fishing with Dynamite, and many, many more) will be serving up tasty samples from their noteworthy fare. Cooking demos and speaker panels will round out a weekend of delicious food sampling as well. The opening night party takes place tonight, August 29th. Don't miss Saturday's Field to Fork and dinner as well as their Sunday brunch which is now a family affair at Taste. Kids can join in the feast for just $5!

(credit: Queen Mary)

Saturday, August 30

Shoreline Jam
1126 Queens Hwy
Long Beach, CA 90802
(877) 342-0738
www.queenmary.com

Spend your Labor Day weekend at the Queen Mary's Waterfront Event Park for their Shoreline Jam, a two-day music festival by the sea. The Dirty Heads lead Saturday's lineup with their Billboard topping blend of rock, hip-hop, and reggae. Additional music from Pepper, Stick Figure, The Grouch & Eligh, The Aggrolites, Collie Buddz, J Boog, and more. $25 advance tickets available which include access to the Queen Mary.

Silent Frisco
The Santa Monica Pier
200 Santa Monica Pier
Santa Monica, CA 90401
www.silentfrisco.com

Head to the Santa Monica Pier this Sunday for Silent Frisco, a silent dance party. Utilizing two-channel wireless headphones, dancers can select their favorite DJ with the flip of a switch, dancing to their own groove as they desire. Two sessions are offered: The Sunshine session, from 2-5pm which is open to all ages, while the Sunset Showdown, from 5-10pm offers a DJ battle to win the dancing hearts of the crowd.

Katie Bodell is the Blog Editor for Trekaroo, the largest family travel website in the U.S. She is also a freelance writer, a happy wife to her best friend, and a mom to three sweet California girls. See more on: Trekaroo | CheapOair | Google+ | Twitter.