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You’re here. You’re reading. You might as well get yourself primed for another fun week of to-dos in the city of angels.
On deck this September 14-18 in Los Angeles, you’ll find “What is the New World Order?”at Zócalo Public Square, Esoteric Game Night at the Philosophical Research Society, Locals’ Night at the Pier, Nat Geo Live at BroadStage, Friday Night Flights at Columbia Memorial Space Center, and more.
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Things To Do This Week
M = Less than .5 miles from an L.A. Metro Station, FA = Free Admission, TP = Top Pick
Sunset Yoga at Runway Playa Vista – FA > Every Monday in September, RUNWAY Playa Vista hosts Sunset Yoga with Livwell Playa, a free outdoor flow series held on the lawn turf. Led by instructors from the upcoming Livwell Playa yoga studio, each 50-minute practice is designed for all experience levels to unwind and reset at dusk. Attendees must bring their own yoga mats. Admission is free, though advance registration is required. Starts at 6:30 p.m. More info here.
Infinite Loop – Midnight Magic at Benny Boy – FA > Any MTG players out there? On Monday, Benny Boy Brewing hosts Infinite Loop – Midnight Magic, a casual Magic: The Gathering Commander night held on the outdoor patio. Players of all skill levels are invited to bring their decks for inclusive gameplay, Rule 0 deck discussion, and social matches alongside craft ciders and beers brewed on site. Attendance is strictly restricted to ages 21 and older. Admission is free. Runs 6 to 11 p.m. More info here.
JLF Los Angeles: What is the New World Order? – M FA > This Tuesday, JLF Los Angeles, Zócalo Public Square, the UCLA Burkle Center for International Relations, and Teamwork Arts co-present a preview event for the upcoming Jaipur Literature Festival at the ASU California Center Broadway. The evening examines America’s shifting global role, featuring a keynote conversation between Indian MP Shashi Tharoor and UCLA’s Kal Raustiala, followed by a panel with Pulitzer Prize-winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen, Harvard historian Caroline Elkins, and former U.S. Ambassador Nina Hachigian. A post-discussion reception includes food from Villa’s Tacos and Pijja Palace, live music by Las Colibrí, and screen printing by Self-Help Graphics & Art. Admission is free with advance registration. Program runs 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. More info here.
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Esoteric Game Night – TP > The Philosophical Research Society hosts its monthly Esoteric Game Night in the PRS Bookstore this Wednesday, presented as part of its “Folk & Fairy Tales” event series. September’s installment, titled Riddles in the Dark, features candlelit, Tolkien-inspired riddle challenges alongside ancient board games, tarot, and parlor games. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own riddles to solve in a family-friendly setting. Admission is a $10 suggested donation. Runs 7 to 9 p.m. More info here.
LA in Motion Now & Next – FA > On Wednesday, the newly relaunched Arts Council of Greater Los Angeles presents LA in Motion Now & Next: Reimagining Art, Access and Policy at The Wende Museum’s Community Center. Focusing on case studies from LAX Airport and LA Metro, this panel discussion explores the future of public art, urban policy, and creative accessibility across Los Angeles. Art critic Catherine Wagley moderates a conversation featuring Maya Emsden (LA Metro), Sarah Cifarelli (LAX Art Program), and David Pagel (Claremont Graduate University). A post-discussion reception follows the main talk. Admission is free, though seating is limited and requires advance RSVP. Runs 6 to 9 p.m. More info here.
Locals’ Night at the Pier – FA > Locals’ Night is back at the Santa Monica Pier this Thursday, featuring live music, family activities, and local traditions across multiple Pier stages. The Main Stage hosts punk rock by Riptide Band, Horny Toad, and Implicit Bias, while Salsa Way features Son Mayor, salsa lessons with Courtney Parisi, and Super DJ Robby. Highlights also include a Classic Car Meet with DJ Cee Rock, the Afterglow Exhibition, and Books & Cookies storytime inside the Merry Go-Round Building. Admission is free, with optional $40 Pacific Park ride wristband packages available. Runs 3 to 10 p.m. More info here.
All Space Considered – FA > This Thursday, Griffith Observatory hosts the September installment of All Space Considered, a free monthly astronomy program in the Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon Theater and streamed on YouTube. Observatory staff discuss current space news, lunar eclipses, galaxy imagery, and the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. The edition features guest speaker Dr. Katie Mack, theoretical astrophysicist and Hawking Chair in Cosmology, presenting on dark matter. Admission is free, with priority seating for Foundation members. Program begins at 7 p.m. More info here.
Nat Geo Live: Diving the Great Barrier Reef -> This Thursday, National Geographic Live returns to BroadStage Santa Monica with Diving the Great Barrier Reef. Marine biologist and Explorer Dr. Erika Woolsey will provide a 75-minute illustrated lecture taking audiences under the waves to explore the Great Barrier Reef’s coral spawning events and marine life. Dr. Woolsey addresses the severe impacts of ocean warming and coral bleaching while sharing conservation strategies to protect these vital underwater ecosystems. Ticket starts at $75. Program begins at 7:30 PM. More info here.
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Docs @ LA Plaza – M FA > LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes is hosts a free screening of the documentary Raicilla: Memoria de un Paisaje (2026) this Thursday. Raicilla explores the ancestral agave spirit of Jalisco through producer interviews and coastal landscape footage. Presented in Spanish with English subtitles, the film covers traditional production methods and ecological concerns facing the spirit. Screening is followed by a Q&A with director Pedro Jiménez and a guided raicilla tasting. Admission is free with advance online RSVP strongly recommended for capacity. Program begins at 7 p.m. More info here.
Friday Night Flights at Columbia Memorial Space Center-> This Friday, Columbia Memorial Space Center in Downey hosts their monthly adults-only evening that mixes science talks, brain-boosting trivia, and hands-on activities in a relaxed social setting. Expert astronomers and aerospace professionals lead the conversations, making it as engaging as it is educational. Admission is $5, beer available for purchase. More info here.
Night Dive at AoP -> On Friday, the Aquarium of the Pacific hosts Night Dive: Oktoberfest, an adults-only evening of art, music, and community inside the galleries. The event features a polka performances by West Coast Prost, sets from local DJs, and themed food and drink specials served at Café Scuba. Tickets are $49.95 for general admission and $44.95 for members, with food and beverages sold separately. 18+ only. Runs 7:30 to 11 p.m. .More info here.
Salsa Night at Ivy Station – M FA > This Friday, Ivy Station hosts another Salsa Night on its outdoor plaza in Culver City. The evening begins with a free beginner-friendly dance lesson taught by Pepe Gonzalez, followed by open social dancing with live music performed by the Fermin Fusion Salsa Band. Food and drinks are available for purchase from local Ivy Station vendors. Free 2-hour parking validation is provided in the on-site garage. Admission is free. Program runs 6:30 to 9 p.m. More info here.
Dining & Drinking
(picks by Christina Champlin)
Sobremesa at Lucia (Every Thursday) -> Beverly Grove’s modern Afro-Caribbean restaurant Lucia transforms every Thursday evening into Sobremesa, a late-night experience built around salsa, bachata, and merengue. Stay long after dinner and let the music take over. A $35 prix-fixe menu is available alongside the à la carte offerings, featuring a Burger, Cubano Sando, Tagliatelle and Mushroom Picadillo, and a Tamarind Caesar Salad, plus one Mojito Martini in classic, passionfruit, or tropical fruit blend.
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Oystravaganza at The Evangeline Swamp Room (September 17) -> One of LA’s most inventive bartenders makes a rare appearance this Thursday. Matthew Biancaniello joins The Evangeline Swamp Room in Chinatown for a one-night pop-up in partnership with chef and owner Marcus Christiana-Beniger of The Little Jewel of New Orleans, centered around an Oystravaganza of bivalves and boundary-pushing cocktails. Biancaniello’s menu includes an Asian Pear and Curry Leaf Sazerac Oyster Shooter with vanilla bean pastis and candy cap mushroom-infused Peychaud’s, a Pimm’s Cup with Weiser Farms melon, rhubarb, and lemon balm, and oyster shooters topped with tequila, uni, blueberry reduction, and St-Germain foam. Chef Marcus brings a “222” Palette of Oysters ($36) featuring duos of Oysters Rockefeller in a Pernod bath, charbroiled oysters with prosciutto and BBQ shrimp, and fried Washington Oyster Angels on Horseback with Cajun Lightning Remoulade. Enjoy everything a la carte or choose a package. The $55 Oyster Experience, is a guided progression of three oysters and a Sazerac Shooter, and the $75 Premium Tasting, adds a full cocktail. No reservations, first come first served. Get there early.
LOQUI y Amigos (September 15 – October 15) -> Fresh off its 10-year anniversary in Los Angeles, LOQUI launches its first-ever collaboration series with a month of limited-time dishes and events alongside friends and like-minded chefs. LOQUI y Amigos kicks off September 15 with the launch of a new permanent menu item, the Adobo Verde Chicken Taco, across all locations. From there, the series brings Fly By Jing to LOQUI La Brea for a Chili Crisp Chicken Bowl and Chili Crisp Guava Quesadilla (September 25–29), Woon in Filipinotown for a SideWok Party with Wok-Fired Carne Asada Tacos (October 2), followed by the same tacos at the Arts District location (October 3–6), and a closing celebration at Playa Vista on October 16 featuring a Pork Adobada Pie from Pizza Ananda and a special churro cruller donut from French cruller artisans Nyletta.
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