Best Of LA: Week Of July 7
July is the perfect month to indulge in outdoor festivities, fabulous food, and family fun. This week, try out two brand new restaurants, a foodie-loving, altruistic gastropub and a whimsical and unique approach to fine dining eatery as well. The OC Fair opens as well this week. Take the whole family outdoors to the opening of the Fair, see "The Greatest Show on Earth," or head out to Ventura's annual Surf Rodeo music and surfing festival. And, if that doesn't keep you entertained, a few must-see theatrical events also debut this week.
Monday, July 7
Restaurant Opening: A&O Kitchen + Bar
1221 Coast Highway
Newport Beach, CA 92663
(949) 630-4285
www.anchorsandoceans.com
Anchors and Oceans, a brand new restaurant hitting the Newport Beach dining scene is the perfect place to start your week. This recently opened gastropub features unique craft beers, specialty cocktails, shared plates, hearty dishes, and a welcome unpretentious vibe. Their partnership with ONEHOPE winery donates half of the profits of these select wines to ending childhood hunger through the World Food Programme, and benefiting childhood relationships through the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County.
Tuesday, July 8
Free Tuesday at The Autry National Museum
4700 Western Heritage Way
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 667-2000
www.theautry.org
Sponsored by Wells Fargo, the Autry National Museum in Griffith Park is offering free admission today (and every 2nd Tuesday of the month). The Cowboy Gallery and Art of the West exhibit feature art and artifacts that reflect the values and history of the American West. For a limited time this summer, kids and families can learn California history while panning for gold!
Barton G The Restaurant
861 N. La Cienega Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90069
(310) 388-1888
www.bartongtherestaurantla.com
Owner Barton G. Weiss is breaking the mold of fine dining with the introduction of Barton G The Restaurant to the West Coast dining scene. His theatric twist on fine dining is eye-catching, whimsical, and full of fun innovation. Neo-classical American comfort food is available at Barton G, but expect the unexpected. Laughing Bird Popcorn Shrimp is served tableside in a popcorn machine, seared Ahi Zen Tuna comes with a yuzu ponzu fountain for dipping. Try Lobster Pop Tarts, Duck Dynasty Spring Rolls, a Blooming Seabass, or steak: their Great American Steak is paired with a four-foot fork. For dessert, consider Marie Antoinette's Head, a pink cotton candy wig served with petit cakes or a Humpty Dumpty full of ice cream.
Wednesday, July 9
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Presents LEGENDS
STAPLES Center
1111 South Figueroa St.
Los Angeles, CA 90015
www.ringling.com
For a night of mythic proportions, take your family to the all-new Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Baily Circus, LEGENDS. The greatest show on earth is the perfect summer family activity and will thrill kids of all ages with daring feats (including the brand new double trapeze), spectacles of strength (like the China National Acrobatic Troupe balancing 20 people on two bicycles), and plenty of animal interactions (over 85 animals from nearly every continent take part in the show). VIP tickets get you family on the floor meeting the Ringmaster, animals, and stars of the show. The event runs through July 15.
Related: Guide To Ringling Bros And Barnum & Bailey Presents LEGENDS
Thursday, July 10
L.A. Theatre Works presents "August: Osage County"
UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television
235 Charles E. Young Dr.
Los Angeles, CA 90095
(310) 827-0889
www.latw.org
The original Steppenwolf and Broadway cast members (including many Tony Award winners) Deanna Dunagan, Rondi Reed, Kimberly Guerrero, Francis Guinan, and Mariann Mayberry are reuniting for five-select nights to record Tracy Lett's Pulitzer Prize winning epic, "August: Osage County." The performances will be recorded in front of a live audience (without sets or costumes) to be aired on KPFK 90.7 FM or streamed at www.latw.org. The dark comedy offers a glimpse into the lives of the Weston family who gather during a summer heat wave to provide solace to their unpleasant alcoholic matriarch and find their missing father.
Friday, July 11
Visit The OC Fair
88 Fair Dr
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(714) 708-1500
www.ocfair.com
The OC Fair is back in town. Take the whole family out for a day of fun at the Fair, including fabulously unique fair food and drink, thrilling rides and amusements, carnival games, animals, entertainment, concerts, and sporting events. Food highlights include Deep-Fried Doritos or Chicken Skin (in addition to Twinkies and Oreos), Bacon-Wrapped Jack Daniels, and local craft beer at the OC Brew Hee Haw. The Offspring, Bad Religion, Pat Benatar, LeAnn Rimes, Jeff Foxworthy, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and plenty of tribute bands highlight the concert series.
Saturday, July 12
Surf Rodeo
Pierpont Beach
Ventura, CA 93001
(805) 628-9083
www.surfrodeo.org
Ventura's iconic Surf Rodeo is back featuring a 2-day festival of a surfing competition, rodeo games, and music festival. Watch the surf competitions starting each day at 6am, with stunt surfers on-site on day one. Among the top acts performing on two big stages will be Cisco Adler, Birdbrain, Cornerstone, the Grim, Klockwyze, Lime Cordiale, New Beat Fund, Suburban Legends, Sweet N' Low, Raging Arb & the Redheads, Pato Banton, Age of Aquarius, Cool Arrows, Jackass, Shaky Feelin', and the Upbeat, among others. Food truck options and two beer gardens give you plenty of great chances for tasty grub as well. Enter to win a restored 1977 VW Bus (pictured above before restoration), with proceeds benefiting the Boys & Girls Clubs of Ventura, the Girls Empowerment Workshop, and A Walk on Water.
Sunday, July 13
"All's Well That Ends Well"
Will Geer's Theatricum Botanicum
1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd.
Topanga, CA 90290
(310) 455-3723
www.theatricum.com
Theatricum's all-Shakespeare repertory season has just begun, and you can join in the fun by celebrating Shakespeare's 450th birthday with the bittersweet comedy, "All's Well That Ends Well." You'll follow Helena's quest for love and class ambition as she, a stunning but low-class woman, heals the king and wins the right to marry any man of her choice. Performances take place in the Theatricum Botanicum's outdoor amphitheater; dress is casual.
