the monthly BEAT: Miracle Mile/Mid-City/Fairfax. Eat Out.

Chau and I both used to work in the Miracle Mile section of Los Angeles, and you better believe we found our fair share of great eateries. Any time of day, this relatively unassuming stretch between Beverly Hills and downtown Los Angeles has some delicious options.

Between around 11:30 a.m. and 2:00 or 3:00 p.m. a ton of famous L.A. food trucks are parked out front of the Variety Building (5900 Wilshire), and the 5750 Wilshire offices (which includes E!).

The Counter (for a custom burger and a quality milkshake)

Mixt Greens (healthy made-to-order salads and sandwiches)

Umami Burger La Brea (a BEAT favorite)

Caffe Latte (well-made espresso drinks, breakfast, muffins, soup, hearty salads, etc.)

Tawanni Thai (very decent strip mall Thai food, their tofu yellow curry was my go-to favorite)

Luna Park (good happy hour specials, pleasant little outdoor sidewalk area)

Stark Bar at LACMA (for creative cocktails and small plates)

Enjoy!

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: the BEAT

Do It. San Diego Music Thing.

Summer may soon be over, but you've still got an excuse for a road trip this weekend. The San Diego Music Thing -- great name, right? -- looks like pretty much the closest thing Southern California may get to its own SXSW, and while it isn't exactly boasting something along the lines of a Death From Above 1979 reunion, it's still got some cred. A few L.A. highlights include Abe Vigoda, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. and Exene Cervenka (from X), and that's alongside some 150 other bands over the two-day event. Plus there'll be speakers straight from the heart of the music industry, offering their insights and probably some fun stories to boot.

Best of all, an all-access pass -- meaning every concert and speaker panel -- is only $45 right now (or $50 the days of). For both days! It's a pretty sweet deal. And if you just want to check out the bands alone, it's only $20 a day.

Musical road trip sounds pretty good now, huh?

The San Diego Music Thing takes places this Friday and Saturday at The Lafayette Hotel, located at 2223 El Cajon Blvd. in San Diego.

-- Chau Tu

Advance Notice. Moby at Book Soup.

Moby (an Angeleno who lives in this awesome Hollywood Hills castle) has a new album and book out, and on Monday he'll be at Book Soup for a signing. There are a few fantastic reviews on Amazon, so if you're already a Moby fan, or just curious about what he's been up to recently (other than eating/hanging out at Oaks Gourmet), check out Destroyed.

Monday September 12 at 7:00 p.m. 8818 Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood. Info: booksoup.com, (310) 659-3110

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images North America via zimbio.com

Do It. The GOOD 30-Day Challenge.

Now that you've taken off that wonderful holiday celebrating your labor, it's time to get down to some real work. The ever-positively-refreshing GOOD magazine is urging everyone take part in its GOOD 30-Day Challenge over the course of September. The big theme? Connecting with people. Here's what the mag has to say about it:

With the internet age not only upon us, but so intertwined into our lives that living without the web seems impossible, sometimes we forget to talk to each other. Sure, we tweet, text, Facebook, Google+, Gchat, and AIM constantly—it's not that we don't communicate. But how often do we actually talk?

So it's time to connect -- IRL, so the kids say (that's "in real life," in case you needed that defined). Already, day one has challenged people to send someone a postcard. A real, snail mail postcard. Ain't that cute? A great way to reconnect with an old friend, and share some news in a quick and easy way. Day two? Have a conversation with a service employee.

It's a wonder how much a little consideration can bring so much good. Do your part, and check out good.is each day at 5:30PST every September day for your next challenge, and follow-up with #30DaysofGOOD.

-- Chau Tu

Happy Labor Day 2011!

Happy Labor Day! Enjoy the long weekend.

Grab a book (or September Vogue), and a cold drink, and relax.

Thank you, as always, for reading our blog!

-- the BEAT

the monthly BEAT: Miracle Mile/Mid-City/Fairfax. Tarfest 2011.

The Miracle Mile/Mid-City district is a peculiar one: packed with shops from Melrose to the Grove, eateries along Beverly and Fairfax, and cultural centers like LACMA, the El Rey or the New Beverly, there's a lot going on. But there's also no freeway in sight, making the area a certain kind of trek on weekends and during weeknight rush hours -- and yet one that's totally worth it.

Tarfest 2011 is sure to add to a bit of the madness, but in a good way. Presented by Launch LA, the arts and culture event is taking over Miracle Mile for much of September. First there's the art, from Sept. 16 to 29, at the Korean Cultural Center, featuring a variety of artists and genres. Then on Sept. 25, there's the free concert: taking place at the La Brea Tar Pits (Tarfest? Get it?) and featuring performances by local bands like Saint Motel and Everest. Look for more art on that day, with installations and environmental sculptures, as well as the usual array of food trucks and festival-ness. It'll be a good excuse to start checking out the area, even if it takes you a while to get there.

For more information on Tarfest 2011, click here.

-- Chau Tu

Check It. Les Jeans de Chanel.

Lately I've been excited over Chanel's Fall 2011 metallic nail polish line, and now this!

On September 8, Fashion's Night Out in NYC this year, denim-inspired Les Jeans de Chanel will debut.

I love the flat muted tone of Blue Boy, it reminds me of soft cotton, á la James Perse T's.

Join the waitlist today, and while you're at it, blue jean baby, download Elton John's "Tiny Dancer".

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: Chanel

Do It. AFI's Great American Movie Quiz with Alex Trebek.

If you're ticking off those last things to do before this summer ends and you don't have a barbecue to hit on Sunday, it might be the perfect excuse to head to the Hollywood Bowl. It's not your regular classical concert or even one of those contemporary concerts they've been having -- nope, Sunday night is The Big Picture: AFI’s Great American Movie Quiz Hosted by Alex Trebek.

How does that not sound amazing? Participate in the ultimate sort of movie trivia put on by the foremost film expert (AFI), hosted by the foremost kind of host. And the questions will be answered/performed live by the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, as film clips are shown on screen. Perfect for the movie buff, or the non-movie buff (because hey, you'll learn something!), or just everyone in between looking for an inventive night out.

The Big Picture: AFI’s Great American Movie Quiz Hosted by Alex Trebek takes place this Sun., Sept. 4 at the Hollywood Bowl, located at 2301 N. Highland Ave. in Hollywood. Tickets are still available (ranging from $16-$168) and can be bought here.

-- Chau Tu

Do It. Gainsbourg And His Girls at the Silent Movie Theatre.

A couple years ago, I read what a fan Beck is of Serge Gainsbourg's Historie de Melody Nelson, and high-tailed it to Amoeba to get a copy.

This past weekend, there was a Serge Gainsbourg Tribute concert at the Hollywood Bowl. Performers included Beck, Zola Jesus, Victoria Legrand of Beach House, Sean Lennon, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, among others.

These days, it seems more Americans may know who Charlotte Gainsbourg (21 Grams, I'm Not There., Antichrist) is than her late famous French father, but a new documentary is in town to change that. Many of his numerous muses are featured in the film--Jane Birkin, Brigitte Bardot, Catherine Deneuve, Françoise Hardy, and Vanessa Paradis.

The Cinefamily at the Silent Movie Theatre is screening Gainsbourg And His Girls tonight through Friday.

611 North Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles. Tickets $10. Info: cinefamily.org, (323) 655-2510

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: France 3 + Morgane Productions

Do It. Barnsdall Park Friday night wine tasting.

It's pretty depressing: the end of summer is nearing. The sun is setting earlier, the Cinespia screenings are ending, and so too are the Barnsdall Park Friday night wine tastings.

That last event is a new discovery of mine, and I'm pretty bummed about its pending end, but you all still have one more week to enjoy it. For $25, you can support the nonprofit Barnsdall Foundation, which oversees community projects, and then enjoy a fun night of wines from the nearby Silverlake Wines. You'll get a cute souvenir glass and a total of four pours under that price as well, and you happen to get to enjoy it with one of the best views of the city. Seriously, the sunset scene there is amazing. Chill to the DJ music and grab food from the participating food trucks. And for just $15 more, you can take a guided tour of the famous Frank Lloyd Wright Hollyhock House. A great sendoff for summer.

The last Barnsdall Park Friday night wine tasting this season takes place this Friday at Barnsdall Park, located at 4800 Hollywood Blvd. in Los Feliz. Get your tickets here.

-- Chau Tu