Absolutely Awesome August!

August is a very busy month for me at work, so I definitely want to make time for all the fun I can get after hours, but also share the fun with colleagues, new arrivals to Long Beach, and even locals who need a few tips. Now that I have recovered from paying my (sometmes outrageous) monthly bills, I need time to make time to enjoy everything SoCal has to offer. The area is more that just sun and beach, though I love that as well.

Once again, I am glad not to have the expense of owning a car. Love my bike, ZipCar, and Zimride options.

My picks this month:

• Aug 5 - Cowboy Country - No cover 6 - 7 PM. My chance to finally try line dancing in LB!

• Aug 6 - Grand Performances - Watcha Clan and Yemen Blues - Free! 8 PM
  

• Aug 6 & 7 - U.S. Open of Surfing - FINAL WEEKEND!

• Aug 7 - Bowers Museum - International Family Festival - 12 PM to 3:30 PMAug 12 - Dance Downtown - 60s Night - 6:30 PM to 10 PM - Free.

• Aug 8 - FINAL DAY - Art in the Streets @ the MOCA. Free through 5 pm on Mon, Aug 8. [On Saturday, August 6, The Geffen Contemporary will be open late, until 9pm, courtesy of Ovation. $10]

• Aug 13 - Drum Downtown - Household items - 10AM to 11:30 AM - Free.
  

• Aug 18 - MoLAA - En La Noche - DJ Anthony Valadez - Free for members + 1 guest or $10 (Includes Drifter Car Show & some complementary tastings - Cafe Viva also has $3 menu)

• Aug 18 - Indian Ink Theater Company presents The Guru of Chai - Free!

• Aug 19 - Friday Night Sing-Alongs - FREE Admission, tickets required - 6:30 PM to 8 PM
  

• Aug 20 - 1 PM to 11 PM - 3rd Annual Long Beach FunkFest - Free, free, free!

• Aug 21 - Rose Park Bluegrass Festival - Noon to 5 PM - Free

• Aug 21 - 23 - LACMA - Lecture: Islamic & Indian Arts of the Book - Free
  

• Aug 27 - 5 PM to 11 PM - Buskerfest - FREE! - First & Linden - East Village Arts District

• Aug 27 - 10:15 PM to 2 AM - Space is the Place Roller Disco Party
  

• Through the end of August - Unique way to explore LA: Time/Trip LA - "a time travel themed multimedia experience that takes you through eight local shops in the Hollywood area." | article/quote source
  

• Anytime, anywhere - Temescal Canyon - Get outdoors and get moving.
  

• For fun in film, see my other blog: Confessions of a Netflix Addict
  

My search for comp and discounted tickets continues:

• Check out this site I found called Goldstar. They have half-price tickets and member reviews of concerts, sports, theater and more. I'm already a member! https://www.goldstar.com/join?p=F1243705RB

Not Free, or necessarily cheap, but perhaps worth the extra dough you'll cough up:

• Aug 11 - OC Fair - Michael Jackson Tribute Concert $15 - 8:30 PM + Food Truck Fair
  

• Aug 15 - The Grammy Museum - 8 pm | Reel to Reel with Tyler Bates - $15

• Aug 17 - The Grammy Museum - An Evening with Christopher Cross - $20
  

Out-of-town experience that I am drooling over, but that conflicts with another great event:

• Aug 20 - SF Sketchfest - 25th Anniversary of Labyrinth