Los Angeles - April 27, 2006

The Weekend Guide

What to Do This Weekend

Weekend (wEk-end): n. the end of the week; specifically, the period beginning with happy hour on Friday and ending with a double latte on Monday.

SEE
Beauty Academy of Kabul
What: Liz Mermin documents what goes down when a group of American hairstylists head to the Middle East to teach Afghan women tricks of their trade.
Why: No beauty school dropouts.
When: Fri.-Thurs. See website for times.
Where: NuArt Theatre, 11272 Santa Monica Blvd., b/t Sawtelle Blvd. & 405 Fwy., West L.A. (310-281-8223).

DO
Carpe Diem Santa Monica Classic
What: Run a 5k or 10k to benefit Heal the Bay. Or just park near the finish line and check out the enviro expo.
Why: Bay-sic training.
When: Sun. Start, 8 a.m.; expo, 8 a.m.-noon.
Where: Start & parking, 2600 Barnard Way, Santa Monica; finish & expo, Santa Monica Pier, 200 Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica.

BUY
The Dock Downtown
What: A grand reopening of the home store’s expanded 20,000-square-foot space means everything’s up to 80 percent off retail.
Why: Furnished better than the dock at the bay.
When: Sat., 10 a.m-6 p.m.; Sun., noon-5 p.m.
Where: 1481 E. Fourth St., b/t S. Clarence & S. Anderson Sts., Downtown (323-446-0281).

READ
Festival of Books
What: Two days of book signings, author panels, and literary events.
Why: The last thing you read was the riot act.
When: Sat., 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sun., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Where: UCLA, 405 Hilgard Ave., b/t Sunset & Wilshire Blvds., West L.A. (310-825-4321). Shuttle pick up from parking lots 1, 2 & 36.

EAT
Tart
What: Dig into a new Latin-Caribbean influenced dinner menu full of inventive dishes using locally sourced ingredients.
Why: Sweet Tart.
When: Daily, 5-9:30 p.m., starting Fri.
Where: Farmer’s Daughter Hotel, 115 S. Fairfax Ave., b/t W. Third St. & Beverly Blvd., Fairfax District (323-556-2608).