Off to see Charles; a few quick hits

In a few days I’ll be writing about our date seeing performer, humorist, chef, author, and “retro daddy” Charles Phoenix. If you haven’t seen one of his slideshows or taken his downtown L.A. tour, you are truly missing out. Here's a link to Charles' jello Christmas tree video.
And here's the flying gingerbread house video.

In the meantime, I wanted to do a few quick hits on some date ideas for you. As summer winds down, so do a lot of the freebies.  I mentioned the free Shakespeare performances by the Independent Shakespeare Co. (at Griffith Park) and the Downtown Repertory Co. in past posts.  Both are winding down their seasons over the next few days. Catch them while you can.

On Aug. 30, Vaud & the Villains will be playing at the Ford Amphitheater. We saw these guys earlier this summer and they were mind-meltingly good.  They are a 19-piece New Orleans orchestra and cabaret show with three very hot dancers. They are Moulin Rouge meets American noir, as the Ford describes them. Discount tickets are available through Goldstar and there’s free parking and a free shuttle at the Universal City park-and-ride. Check their website for details.

Eat See Hear is wrapping up its season with a screening of Pulp Fiction on Aug. 31 and The Breakfast Club on Sept. 14, both at Los Angeles State Historic Park. Food trucks and live music are also part of the mix. Again, Goldstar has discount tickets.

On Sept. 7, from 2 to 4 p.m., the Los Angeles Central Library is holding a free presentation of prewar Los Angeles photos from Ansel Adams. Afterward, you can head to Grand Park for a screening of Jurassic Park.