Tanabata festival at Hinoki & the Bird

On Friday, Aug. 10, and Saturday, Aug. 11, celebrate Tanabata – the Star Festival – at Hinoki & the Bird. Chef Brandon Kida is preparing a five-course, prix fixe tasting menu. Add a wine and sake pairing or special hand-crafted cocktail. The menu is inspired by the Japanese celebration of love and each guest will receive a traditional Tanzaku ribbon. Inscribe a wish and hang the ribbon on a plant in the restaurant. Tradition stipulates that when plants grow, the personal wishes will be released into the universe and brought closer to the heavens. The special dinner is $85 per person with seating available from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. 10 W. Century Drive. (310)552-1200.

Family beach food and fun

Head to Marina del Rey’s Mother’s Beach on Thursdays through Sept. 27 for “Beach Eats” featuring food trucks and music. The trucks will serve savory and sweet fare from 5 to 9 p.m. and bands will perform from 6 to 8 p.m. This evening, Kalama Brothers will perform Hawaiian music. On Aug. 16, Christopher Hawley Rollers will perform music reminiscent of Little Feat, Bob Marley, Johnny Cash, Duane Allman and Andres Segovia. Free Ride offers free daily transportation in the marina and Venice from noon to 9 p.m.; text a pickup location, destination and number of passengers to (323)435-5000. The Marina del Rey WaterBus also runs every Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to midnight through Sept. 3, with $1 rides each way. 4101 Admiralty Way. visitmarinadelrey.com.

EAT-SEE-HEAR outdoor movies

Celebrate every Saturday this summer with EAT|SEE|HEAR outdoor movies, music and food trucks. On Saturday, Aug. 11, the featured film is “Inglourious Basterds,” which will be shown at The Autry Museum of the American West. The events are dog-friendly and each screening offers a “fashionably late” VIP section for arrival right before each film starts. All online ticket purchasers are entered for a chance to win a round trip flight on Air New Zealand. A performance by State to State precedes the film at The Autry. Food trucks include Seoul Sausage, Mapuche, Bacon Nation, Ragin’ Cajun and Royal Red Velvet Cupcakes. All ticketholders have free access to the museum before the screening. General admission is $14; $21 for VIP tickets. 4700 Western Heritage Way, Griffith Park. eatseehear.com.

Wood-fire supper at Lucques

Lucques celebrates its 20th anniversary on Sunday, Aug. 12, by welcoming “Wood-Fired Heroes.” James Beard Award-winning chef Suzanne Goin and restaurateur Caroline Styne, along with Executive Chef Javier Espinoza and Chef de Cuisine Mercedes Rojas, will welcome chefs Chris Bianco, of Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix, Arizona, and Russell Moore, of Camino, in Oakland. Bianco will serve pizza and market-driven antipasto, and Moore will grill fish skewers and Liberty duck. Goin finishes with grilled fig leaf panna cotta with walnut pain de gênes, figs and Munak Ranch melons for dessert. The special dinner is $150 per person. 8474 Melrose Ave., (323)655-6277.

Obica Italian Riviera dinner

Raimondo Boggia, Obica Mozzarella Bar, Pizza e Cucina managing partner and WSA sommelier, presents a special Italian Riviera dinner with wine pairings on Tuesday, Aug. 14, at Obica Santa Monica, and Thursday, Aug. 16, at Obica Sunset Plaza. The four-course dinner and wine pairing are $95 per person. 606 Broadway, Santa Monica, (310)393-6633; 8630 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, (310)360-5983.

The Garland’s final Songs of Summer concert

On Thursday, Aug. 16, The Garland presents a performance by the Cowling Band in its outdoor venue as part of the free summer concert series. Guests can enjoy inventive drinks, bites and music from 7 to 10 p.m. 4222 Vineland Ave. (818)980-8000, eventbrite.com.

Voltaggio Brothers STRFSH

Bryan and Michael Voltaggio have opened STRFSH, a causal sandwich shop upstairs in the Gallery Food Hall on the Third Street Promenade. The “Top Chef” stars work closely with fishermen who harvest and catch sustainable seafood. The flavorful and affordable fresh fish and fried chicken sandwiches are served on soft toasted sesame seeds buns with thick East Coast-style fries. Order Voltaggio favorites or build your own sandwich, gluten free tortilla wrap or salad. A variety of toppings are available. The restaurant offers beer, wine, kombucha, ginger beer and Coke freestyle. 1315 Third St., Santa Monica. (310)844-7525.

Laurel Point Low Tide happy hour

Laurel Point, a seafood restaurant in Studio City, offers seasonal oysters daily for $1.75 during the restaurant’s “Low Tide” weekday happy hour. During weekend brunch, guests can order oyster shooters with house bloody Mary mix and a choice of vodka, gin, tequila or mezcal. Laurel Point also serves sake oyster shooters with ponzu, cucumber, shallot, sesame oil and rice vinegar. 12050 Ventura Blvd. (818)769-6336.

Water Grill oysters

Water Grill offers over 15 varieties of oysters daily at its Santa Monica and downtown locations. Guests may order an oyster sampler with six varieties for $17.10, or a dozen for $32.20. Enjoy Pacific Coast Summerstone oysters, which are briny with a sweet finish and only grow and feed during summer. Other menu items include an iced shellfish platter available in three sizes. The Grand platter serves up to two guests, while The Deluxe serves three to four and The King serves five to seven people. Platters include oysters, wild littleneck clams, wild jumbo brown shrimp, California Dungeness crab, farmed Peruvian Bay scallops, Carlsbad Mediterranean mussels, North American hard-shell lobster and large Channel Islands sea urchin. 544 S. Grand Ave., (213)891-0900; 1401 Ocean Ave., (310)394-5669.

Brunch at Baltaire 

Enjoy sweet and savory toast paired with rosé during brunch at Baltaire. Chef Travis Strickland bakes Baltaire’s bread in-house daily using a naturally fermented sourdough starter. He tops each slice of toast with fresh, locally-sourced ingredients from the nearby Santa Monica Farmers Market. Bellwether Farm ricotta toast is paired with summer rosé sangria, the Polito Farm fig toast goes well with a glass of 2017 Copain “Tous Ensemble” from Mendocino County, and try the jumbo lump crab toast with 2017 Domaine du Carrou, Sancerre Rosé, from France. The brunch special is available every Saturday and Sunday in August from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. 11647 San Vicente Blvd. (424)273-1660.

Vegetable ice cream  at Salt & Straw

Salt & Straw co-founder and head ice cream maker Tyler Malek has crafted five new flavors for August featuring seasonal produce from local Southern California farms.

Flavors include freckled chocolate zucchini bread made with Weiser Farms’ zucchini and chocolate date shakes showcasing Flying Disc Ranch Dayri dates. Other flavors are green fennel and maple ice cream, vegan beet red velvet cake and peanut butter and pickles. The ice cream is available at all Los Angeles Salt & Straw scoop shops in August, along with classic flavors. Pints are available to pick-up and for delivery through Postmates. 8949 Santa Monica Blvd., (424)288-4818; 240 N. Larchmont Blvd., (323)466-0485; 829 E. Third St., (213)988-7070; 12180 1/2 Ventura Blvd., (818)358-2890; 1357 Abbot Kinney Blvd., (310)310-8429.

Sunday brunch at Tony’s P’s Dockside Grill

Every Saturday and Sunday, enjoy breakfast and brunch on a patio overlooking the marina or in the dining room at Tony’s P’s Dockside Grill. Enjoy $15 bottomless mimosas or bloody Marys from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a two-hour time limit. 4445 Admiralty Way, (310)823-4534.

Café Del Rey sweet treat

Café Del Rey is offering a free dessert with any $30 purchase through Sunday, Sept. 30, only one offer per check. The restaurant also features a jazz guitar performance in the lounge on Fridays and Saturdays from 6 to 9 p.m. A cellist entertains during Sunday brunch. 4451 Admiralty Way, (310)823-6395.