List: Memorial Day Weekend in LA

Looking for something to do this long holiday weekend in LA?
The real question is how are you going to fit this all in? Click on each link for event details.

Memorial Day And The Soldiers Out to War
Originally uploaded by pappajohn1969

Friday, May 28th:

• 9. Happy Hour Tapas in Hermosa Beach
• 80. Free Live Jazz Concerts at LACMA
• 97. 100¢ Cocktail Night at The Edison
• 127. Grunion Run - Unique idea, must do at least once
• 140. Last Friday on Main Street, Santa Monica - Monthly event to sip, shop & stroll with music
• 143. The London Happy Hour - Five After Five
• 154. XIV Happy Hour by Michael Mina
• 179. Summer Live Music at Malibu Wines - kick off event, perfect for picnic
• Click HERE for more things to do on Fridays

Saturday, May 29th:

• 32. FREE at The Getty Center - Enjoy the sunset & Leonardo da Vinci plus free parking after 5 PM.
• 104. Shoot Arrows like Cupid for FREE - Beginner archery lesson
• 154. XIV Happy Hour by Michael Mina
• 179. Summer Live Music at Malibu Wines - perfect for picnic
• 180. Fiesta Hermosa - Twice per year festival with live music, arts & crafts & beer/wine garden
• 182. Cinespia Cemetery Screenings - watch North by North with picnic & BYOB
• Click HERE for more things to do on Saturdays

Sunday, May 30th:

• 38. Find Peace at Lake Shrine - Free hidden gem near Malibu
• 50. Farmer's Market in Santa Monica - Every Sunday
• 112. FREE Cooking Classes - at a Williams-Sonoma near you
• 114. Cheap (& FREE) Laughs at UCB Theatre
• 122. Kayak though Naples Canals
• 179. Summer Live Music at Malibu Wines - day time only, perfect for picnic
• 180. Fiesta Hermosa
• 182. Cinespia Cemetery Screenings - watch Purple Rain with picnic & BYOB
• Click HERE for more things to do on Sundays

Monday, May 31st:

• 9. Happy Hour Tapas in Hermosa Beach
• 80. Free Holiday Mondays at LACMA - music & entertainment, family-friendly
• 122. Kayak though Naples Canals
• 143. The London Happy Hour - Five After Five
• 154. XIV Happy Hour by Michael Mina
• 172. Free Bowling at Lucky Strike
• 180. Fiesta Hermosa
• Click HERE for more things to do on Mondays

For another resource at your fingertips, check out my Google Calendar. Whatever you do, have fun and be safe!

182. Cinespia Cemetery Screenings

Watching movies at the cemetery with wine & beer?!?!
I've watched movies in the park, but have yet to do it at a cemetery! Sounds creepy yet fun at the same time. The Cinespia at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery has a whopping 4.5 stars rating by 200+ Yelpers. From what I gather, part of the appeal that sets it apart from a movie theatre is that you can bring a picnic and drinks (yes, alcohol IS permitted) PLUS a DJ spins records before and after the screening. The $10 cash donation (for grounds keeping) is comparable to the price of a theater ticket nowadays, however the whole experience pales in comparison. This is a great idea for a group date, maybe even for a first date.

Tell 'em Large Marge sent ya!
Originally uploaded by daft or dangerous

Cinespia Cemetery Screenings is on it's 10th season of summer series (May - October). Screenings are usually on Saturday nights with bonus nights on holiday weekends on occasion. Here's the schedule for the first month:

• 5/15 - The Wizard of Oz
• 5/22 - The Thing
• 5/29 - North by North
• 5/30 - Purple Rain
• Check the calendar for monthly updates.

The cemetery gates open at 7 PM, so come early to park (free street parking or $5 on the cemetery grounds, best before 6 PM I heard) and claim your spot on the grass (bring blankets, short lawn chairs and pillows). This is first come, first serve (AKA no advance reservations required or tickets available). Show time is not until 8:30 PM, so eat, drink & be merry while the sun sets and the DJ spins music. Afterward, let the traffic die down by hanging out with more tunes by the DJ. If the Hollywood Cemetery is too much of a trek, the OC Great Park in Irvine offers free movies in the park throughout the year, such as Cheap Date Idea #165.

UPDATE 05/26/10: The screening schedule for June is posted! Click HERE for the calendar updates. Enjoy watching a movie under the stars on cemetery grounds - spooky yet romantic, right?

Approximate cost of creative date idea = $10 pp + $5 Parking.
Actual value of the cheap date idea = $25 Total.
Kiss & Tell Date Idea by @callmemochelle

180. Fiesta Hermosa 5/29-31

Arts & crafts, live music, beer garden by the beach.
Fiesta Hermosa is back again! Actually it happens twice per year on the weekends of Memorial Day and Labor Day. So mark your calendar for Sat 5/29 - Mon 5/31, 3 days of fun under the sun (10 AM - 6 PM). I usually go once or twice per year since this is in my old stomping ground, Hermosa Beach. The arts and crafts are always interesting to see. As for the food booths, the freshly roasted corn is my personal fave. If you have kids, the carnival rides (not free) look like fun too.

Fiesta Hermosa
Originally uploaded by 365 Cheap Dates

In my opinion, the best part of the festival is the live music at the 2 stages: Main Stage at Pier Plaza & Strand (family-friendly) and Beer Garden Stage at 11th Street & Beach Drive (21+ up). Click HERE to see the full lineup. Some tables and seating are available, otherwise be prepared to mix and mingle through the crowds. A small open area is available for rocking out in front of the stage in the beer garden (good spot for people watching). Drink tickets are usually $5, good for either beer (5 microbrews on tap) or red and white wines. Admission is free to either stage, but the line at the beer garden can get a bit long at times either due to ID check or overcapacity. In that case, the line does move, so check out the rest of the festival and go back when the line dies down.

Admission to all of this is free, but the food and drink can add up. As usual by the beach, parking is limited here. Knowing that, the City of Hermosa Beach offers complimentary off-site parking AND shuttle buses between 7:30 AM - 7:30 PM. For the environmentally-friendly, FREE valet bike parking is being offered 10 AM - 6:30 PM at 11th Street and The Strand. Click HERE for directions and more festival info. If you miss it this time, Fiesta Hermosa will be back in September.

Approximate cost of creative date idea = Free Admission.
Actual value of the cheap date idea = Priceless.

179. Summer Live Music at Malibu Wines

Wine + live music = romantic date idea, even a first date idea!
Starting Memorial Weekend, the Summer Live Music is back at the Malibu Wines tasting room! The winery, Malibu Family Wines provides live music for free starting May 28th until October 24th by night (Fri-Sat 7-9 PM) or day (Sat-Sun 1-3 PM). This is definitely something worth checking out at least once in the next 5 months, especially when the weather is perfect for an outdoorsy activity. The property is family-friendly during the day, so the kids and adults can enjoy the mid-day concerts (1-3 PM) on Saturdays and Sundays. After 6 PM, it's adults only for the evening concerts (7-9 PM) on Fridays and Saturdays.

Drink, drink and be merry!
Originally uploaded by 365 Cheap Dates

My friend took us here last summer since it's her favorite spot and then we were pleasantly surprised (as you can tell by my photo here) by a live band coming onto stage. There is one requirement for admission: a purchase of at least one bottle of wine by each group. That is unless you catch the wine tastings before it ends at 6 PM, however sharing a bottle is more cost-effective. Invite your friends to share a bottle (or two or three) and make it a group date! Bottles range $14-27, so that could be as cheap as $3.50pp on a double date! As for parking, it's free along Mulholland Highway, but carpool and come early as these events get packed. Bring a picnic and a blanket, otherwise some food is available for purchase there and tables are reserved for minimum purchases.

While you're up in Malibu, make it a full day of fun by combining it with one of these other things to do:

• Cheap Date Idea #96: The Getty Villa offers free museum admission but reservations are required.
• Cheap Date Idea #38: Lake Shrine is a beautiful spot for a day date plus it's FREE.
• Cheap Date Idea #10: Point Dume State Beach is a nice beach with lots of activities, including rock climbing.

Whatever you decide to do, have fun!


Approximate cost of creative date idea = $14-27 per bottle.
Actual value of the cheap date idea = Priceless.
Kiss & Tell Date Idea by Miss W., @stephschneider & Derek @malibufmlywines