Viva La Echo Park ~ Free

SATURDAY, Sept. 30, 2006 Dusk

C.I.C.L.E. OUTDOOR FILM SCREENING at the Echo Park Film Center
A night of films, music, and fun celebrating and demonstrating Car-Free transportation choices. Bring a Blanket, a picnic, and a friend and watch the sun go down behind the Los Angeles skyline.

And the Echo Park Music Festival is all day Saturday and Sunday 11am-8pm.

Food, Art & Wine ~ Free

Saturday, September 30, 2006 6-9 pm
Opening Day: Intersections: World Arts, Local Lives

The finest examples of art from Africa, Asia, the Pacific, and the Americas from the museum's world-renowned collection.

Enjoy complimentary wine and snacks in the Fowler's Davis Courtyard. A shuttle will run between the Fowler and UCLA's newly opened Eli and Edythe Broad Art Center.

UCLA Fowler Museum

E.T. ~ Free

Friday, September 29, 2006 7:00 PM (Movie at 8:00 PM)
Atwater Movie Night
An outdoor screening of E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial this Friday. Free movie, free popcorn, and a (not) free raffle!

Red Car River Park - Atwater Village, CA

Thanks Brandon!

Mini-spa day ~ Free

Friday, September 29, 2006 all day

Dtox Day Spa opens with...
Free yoga classes Friday morning at 8am and 9am (includes use of spa facilities – steam room, sauna, shower).

The premiere event from 6-9p will include complimentary drinks and hors d’oeuvres, free mini-spa treatments (massage and hand/feet treatments), a raffle and giveaways.

dtox is on Los Feliz Blvd , just East of the 5 – across from Asia restaurant and the Los Feliz golf course.

RSVP by email to: michelle@dtoxdayspa.com

Yacht ~ Free

Friday, September 29, 8pm
:: Betalevel Events :: Which Side Are You On?

Yacht presents three multimedia diatribes about this angry, beautiful,and slowly warming world. PowerPoint, tangible electronics, performative lecture, next-gen positive vibrational dome music, among other things...

Shows are balls of light existing in time and space. Shows cannot exist in darkness.
Listen to the music here.
at Betalevel - directions here.

Logan's Run ~ Free

Wednesday, Sept. 27th 2006, 7pm (free before 8:30pm)

Synchronize - a live DJ re-scoring experience of Logan's Run.
With DJ Thomas Golubic, resident DJ at KCRW.

at Cinespace

Special Purpose ~ Free

Saturday, September 23, 10:00pm

The Special Purpose plays
at the Hotel Cafe. They're special AND they have a purpose.

Precious Italian Cheese ~ Free

Friday, September 22nd - Sunday, September 24th, 2006 10AM - 11PM

The San Gennaro Foundation is a nonprofit organization first founded by talk show host Jimmy Kimmel and producer Douglas De Luca. The festival is Italian-themed with fine food and wine from some of the best Italian restaurants in Los Angeles. There are also "precious cheeses" from Ralphs... (make of that what you will, but there's free entry)

1651 Highland Ave. Hollywood, CA 90028
behind "Jimmy Kimmel Live" Studio on Hawthorn, one block south of Hollywood & Highland

Light Entertainment ~ Free

Just because I think this is one of the coolest things ever...

LED Throwies by Graffiti Research Lab are an inexpensive way to add color to any ferromagnetic surface in your neighborhood. A Throwie consists of a lithium battery, a 10mm diffused LED and a rare-earth magnet taped together. Throw it up high and in quantity to impress your friends and city officials.

watch the video for some cool ideas...

story found on Shey.net
photo by urban_data on flickr

Monsters, Irving & Oohlas ~ Free

Thursday, Sept. 21 8-10pm

Live music, art and beer by Green Flash Brewery every 3rd Thursday in the Central Courtyard. Performances by Monsters are Waiting, Irving, The Oohlas and art by Sage Vaughn.

at Hollywood & Highland

Borat ~ Free

Wednesday, Sept. 20 9pm

MySpace is hosting free advance screenings of Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan

Bring a printout of your MySpace profile with THE BLACK CARPET and BORAT in your Top 8 for free admittance. One profile per person, first come first served. No cellphones or cameras will be allowed in the theater!

AMC Century City 15

Grease ~ Free

Tuesday, Sept. 19th 7pm
Grease

Santa Monica Drive-In Theater

Johnny Ryan Art & Beer! ~ Free

Friday September 15th, 2006 8pm - 10pm
CRASHES and BURNS - The Art of JOHNNY RYAN
At Secret Headquarters

Johnny first developed his hilarious drawings in the self-published title Angry Youth Comix. Johnny's unmistakable and humorous drawings have appeared in MAD, LA Weekly, National Geographic Kids, Hustler, Vice Magazine, Cool & Strange Music, The Stranger, and his work has earned multiple Ignatz, Harvey , and Eisner award nominations as well as a spot on Rolling Stone’s 2005 Hot List.

There will also be free beer!!

Skateboard Auction Opening ~ Free

September 15, 2006 6pm

The Moca Store’s Second Invitational Skateboard Silent Auction

The opening celebration of the MOCA Store’s Second Invitational Skateboard Silent Auction. Bid on your favorite artist-designed ’80s skateboard decks. Boards will be up for silent auction through October 29.

Featured artists include Gary Baseman, Skullphone, Mike Giant, Sage Vaughn, Prvtdncr, KofieOne, and more.

MOCA Store Santa Monica
2447 Main St., Santa Monica

Bubbles, Music & Bikes! ~ Free

Friday, September 15th – 6 to 10PM
"Bubbles" Opening at Materials & Applications

This event takes place during the kick-off of Art Crawl. Bicycles will be available at M&A on loan (with picture id) so that you can pedal around Silver Lake, Echo Park, and Los Feliz to see what's on at the other galleries.

This interactive installation is a spatially adaptable pneumatic environment at an urban scale. The installation consists of large air-bags or "bubbles" that inflate and deflate in reaction to the visitors coming to the site.

David Ornette Cherry ~ Free

Friday, September 15, 2006 7:30pm
David Ornette Cherry

Cherry creates organic musical fusions on a foundation of garage-style beats, weaving in hypnotic melodica, wood flute, and piano solos, funky instrumental collisions, Latin, North African, and Asian melodies. It all comes together in a sonic collage Cherry calls "multi-kulti" music.

Getty Center, Harold M. Williams Auditorium Reservations required - Call (310) 440-7300

Art, Drinks, Charity ~ Free

Thursday, Sept 14th 7-10pm
DEL REY LOFTS, THE JAXON HOUSE GALLERY and VENICE MAGAZINE to benefit the VENICE FAMILY CLINIC

SILENT AUCTION featuring an elite art collection donated by local artists (over 75 pieces of art!) curated by Melissa Ross, The Jaxon House Gallery
Free Cocktails, Hors D'oeuvres, DJ Shark and Dancing

Del Rey Lofts - 4115 Glencoe, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292

RSVP essential to: venicepaige AT yahoo.com

Pilot Screenings ~ Free

For all the tube heads. The Museum of Television and Radio is doing their annual free screenings of the fall pilots. Parties each night start @ 6:30p and screenings start at 7:00p.

“In the Prime” schedule

Tuesday, 9/12 ABC
Wednesday, 9/13 NBC - screening filled
Thursday, 9/14 CBS
Friday, 9/15 The CW

RSVP required: 310-786-1099 or email specialeventsLA@mtr.org

Shark & Friends ~ Free

Wednesday Sept 13th
Shark from The Wild Colonials

The Cinema Bar is more of a juke joint, and one of the best places to see Americana acts in Los Angeles.
no cover

with John Would on Lap Steel guitar, the Dimebox Band, and Sarah Stanley

Cinema Bar
3967 Sepulveda Blvd. (just S of Venice Blvd.)
Culver City,
CA 90230-4607

Griffith Park Night Hikes ~ Free

Tues Sept. 12th 7pm
Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday night

Sierra Club guides leading the weekly night hikes through Griffith Park. These experienced nature leaders can show you the vibrant and exciting nocturnal wilderness creatures living in our own collective back yard.

Meet at the merry-go-round parking lot #2 in Griffith Park, Los Feliz. Flashlight optional.

Thanks LA Alternative!

James Ellroy ~ Free

Sunday, September 10th 7:00pm
James Ellroy Reading - Black Dahlia

With the release this month of the Brian De Palma film based on Ellroy's best-selling novel about this famous unsolved Los Angeles murder, the always- fascinating Ellroy returns to Skylight to tell all. New editions of the book include an original 3,500 word essay from Ellroy with his thoughts on the movie and on the murder itself.

Skylight Books
1818 N Vermont Ave,

Thanks Dana D.! (she found it via Flavorpill)

Jazz, Wine & Food ~ Free

Sunday September 10, 2006 5–8 pm

The Missing Peace Summer Sendoff! Free admission
Celebrate the closing weekend of The Missing Peace: Artists Consider the Dalai Lama at this party on the exhibition’s final day in Los Angeles.

Live jazz with the Cornell Fauler Trio
Complimentary drinks, including wine provided by Blue Lifestyle
Savory snacks provided by El Coyote
Discounts on special Missing Peace store merchandise

at the UCLA Fowler Museum
For directions click here

LOS ANGELES TAMALE FESTIVAL ~ Free

11:00AM Friday, September 8th - Sunday, September 10th, 2006.
The 2nd Annual LOS ANGELES TAMALE FESTIVAL

Free TAMALE COOKING CLASSES giving by Celebrity Chefs Jaime and Ramiro of Mi Casita Restaurant.

TAMALE JUDGING CONTEST
Experience various types and flavors of TAMALES.
SONORA DINAMITA and the ERNIE G Comedy Show
Mariachi, Trio, Pop, Soul, Rock en Espanol...
For the Kids we have carnival games, Petting Zoo, Arts and Crafts.

Salazar Park
3864 Whittier Blvd
Los Angeles, California 90023

UCLA Extension Courses ~ Free

Starting Saturday, Sept. 9th
ATTEND A FREE UCLA Extension OPEN HOUSE
Talk to instructors and staff. Learn about specific programs, courses, and careers. You can even enter a drawing to win a free course.

In SEPTEMBER, attend a free class on these subjects:

Landscape Architecture
Writers Faire
Gardening & Horticulture
Fitness Instruction Open House
Alcohol/Drug Abuse Studies and Counseling Open House
Engineering, Information Systems & Technical Management
Journalism, Public Relations & Fund Raising
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

For full schedule click here

Greek Festival ~ Free

Friday, Sept. 8th 2006 5-11 pm
LA Greek Festival 2006

Tom Hanks & Rita Wilson invite you to experience a Greek Festival of food and dancing.
On Friday: DJ Gus Sverkos, Zorba Dance Contest, Greek food & beer, Ouzo, Greek gifts

Free admission on Friday, however festival lasts all weekend.

at the Saint Sophia Cathedral
1324 S. Normandie Ave. 90006

Schnitger hearts Hess ~ Free

Thursday, Sept. 7th 2006 6:30 PM
MOCA ART TALKS PRESENTED BY GALLERY C

In conjunction with Eva Hesse Drawing, Lara Schnitger will discuss how Eva Hesse’s work has inspired her own artistic practice.

MOCA Grand Avenue

Dengue Fever & LA Munchies ~ Free

Thursday, Sept. 7 6:30pm
Two things: A concert & a DVD premiere - all in one place!

Concert at 1st & Central: Dengue Fever
Critics around the country have hailed this six-member band that fuses Cambodian pop with psychedelic rock as one to watch.

DVD Premiere "LA Menu Munchies" is a digital magazine that portrays Los Angeles' urban fabric through the needle and thread of food. - Join its creators, Collage Ensemble Inc.--Alan Nakagawa, Mona Kasra, and Alex Alferov--in the world premiere of their DVD, where cooking-show meets cultural explosion.

at the Japanese American National Museum

Race Training & Food ~ Free

If you need motivation to get back in shape:

There are FREE training runs with Nike Club Run LA until the race. You just show up, pick your distance (1, 3, 5 miles) and pace group (from 7 min/mile to 12 min/mile). Each training run is hosted at a food place, so you may get free drinks and food by each establishment. People can also demo Nike shoes and the new Nike + (which is where your iPod talks to your shoe giving time, distance and mile pace).

There is no commitment to the race either. You can run at the Club Run LA events and never sign up for the Run Hit Remix.

Mondays - 6:30 PM
Jamba Juice 204 South Lake Avenue Pasadena, CA 91101 626.744.5200
Westwood Brewing Company 1097 Glendon Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90024 310.209.2739

Tuesdays - 6:30 PM
The Abbey 692 North Robertson Blvd West Hollywood, CA 90069 310.289.8410
Sangria 68 Pier Avenue Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 310.376.4412

Wednesdays - 6:30 PM
Yankee Doodles 1410 3rd Street Promenade Santa Monica, CA 90401 310.394.4632
USC Lyon Center 1026 West 34th Street Los Angeles, CA 90007 213.740.5127

Thursdays - 6:30 PM
NIKETOWN LOS ANGELES 9560 Wilshire Blvd Beverly Hills, CA 90212 310.275.9998
El Mercadito 3425 East 1st Street Los Angeles, CA 90063 323.268.3451

Saturdays - 8:30 AM
Starbucks 5301 West Centinela Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90045 310.338.1297
Jamba Juice 4923 2nd Street Long Beach, CA 90803 562.987.2500

Thanks Zach Behrens!

Anchorman ~ Free

Tuesday Sept. 5th, 7pm
Drive-In Theatre: Anchorman - The Legend of Ron Burgundy - presented by Comedy Central

Drive-In Theater on the Santa Monica Pier benefiting The Cancer Relief Fund.

Free tickets available at all Santa Monica Visitors Centers: 1920 Main St., 1400 Ocean Ave., Cart on the 3rd St. Promenade.

Vacation....

Sorry for the post delay. I have been on a Cheapskatin vacation, camping through Northern California and up through Oregon. I will have a write up of the coolest cheap places to stay along the way soon.

Until then, let me leave you with this little freebie...

Tonight, there is a John Fogerty & Lucinda Williams concert at the Greek Theatre in Los Feliz.

Cheapskatin Tip: If you can't get or can't afford tickets to this, there is a great space behind the theatre to see the show for free. Park in Los Feliz along Hillhurst and walk up Hillhurst or Vermont to the Greek Theatre. There is a hiking path that goes directly behind the theatre and can be accessed at the corner across from the park bathrooms on the left hand side before you get to the theatre. Follow the curving trail (it's steep so wear good shoes) up to the top. You will most likely see a fair amount of hipsters going up this trail, and they can show you the way. At the top, there is a clearing to sit back and watch the show below....