Squirrel Nut Zippers!

This is not a secret: I am a swing dance geek. So I am very excited about this Thursday.

To celebrate the 85th anniversary of the La Monica Ballroom and as part of the Santa Monica Pier Centennial, the Squirrel Nut Zippers and Johnny Vana & the Big Band Alumni will be playing a free concert on the pier from 7-10 this Thursday, July 23. There is a free swing dance lesson at 6pm.

Visit the Santa Monica Pier website for more info.

Free Jazz Concerts

If you can brave the tourists on Tuesday nights, you will be rewarded with free music.

Hollywood & Highland center offers free jazz concerts every Tuesday night through August. Wine and cheese are also available for a $10 donation to Project Angel Food.

This Tuesday's concert is Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue playing from 7-9pm.

View the rest of the schedule at the event website.

LACMA Muse Artwalk

I'm bummed to miss this, but Saturday is moving day for me...

ArtWalk 2009
Saturday, May 30 | 12-8 pm
Miracle Mile
Four free museums
Twenty participating galleries

Official Website

Looks pretty awesome. And if you're super broke, there is a 99 Cent Store just west of Wilshire & Fairfax - I scored PBR Light there once.

Hold the phone - you won't have to hit up 99 Cent, unless you want to. The following galleries have happy hour starting at 4pm: David DeSanctis Gallery, Steve Turner Contemporary, Perrell Fine Art, Lawrence Asher Gallery, Jack Rutberg Gallery, DNJ Gallery. Happy hour sponsored by Grolsch, Malibu Family Wines, and Pernod.

Hmm...maybe I'll take a break from moving...

LA Weekly LA Weekend

Not sure how it happened, but you used to have to buy tickets, and now you don't.

To celebrate 30 years of LA Weekly, LA Weekend "will showcase some of LA's most dynamic and colorful talent, programming a cutting edge film screening, speaker panels, art, food, music and book signings."

There is some pretty awesome stuff on their schedule - Wil Wheaton, Point Break Live, a screening of "The Heart is a Drum Machine," and something called Belvedere Lounge from noon-4 on Saturday...Belvedere is a sponsor, so perhaps that means free booze? Looks like there is a bunch of free meat as well. Everybody loves free meat.

Events 4/24 and 4/25
Nike Montalban Theatre
1615 N. Vine St.
Hollywood

LA Weekly LA Weekend website

I highly recommend taking the train to Hollywood/Vine, as parking around there is already a nightmare and the metro station is around the corner from the Montalban.

Have fun!

Beauty Bar 9th Anniversary

Beauty Bar on Cahuenga in Hollywood is turning 9. Three Olives is "hosting" the bar from 9:30-10:30. I assume that means you drink for free. DJs won't be the only ones spinning.

Beauty Bar turns 9
Sunday, April 5
1638 N. Cahuenga
Three Olives Hosted bar 9:30-10:30

Free Tango Lessons

Tango Mar Vista is offering a week of free beginner tango lessons Friday, March 20th - Thursday, March 26th as part of Tango KaBLOOM! Classes each night at 8pm at:

Tango Mar Vista
12958 Washington Blvd.
Mar Vista, Los Angeles, CA, 90066

More information at Tango Mar Vista's website. Get your tango on!