Watermelon is so delish and fresh this time of year and you can get a mouthful at The Watermelon Festival. Where there’s a need there’s a way and… the KNEAD to Give Festival. Sometimes the best vacation is a staycation and the Spiked Tropical Punch Tasting in Culver City can only add to the rewards of staying home to escape. There’s a super duper selfie opportunity for Olympic Gold and Metro lovin’ tomatoes.

 August 13-14. Watermelon Festival

Any way you slice it gals, there is nothing better than juicy Ice-Cold watermelon on a hot summer day and you can find just that for free with unlimited servings of prime watermelon all day long at The Watermelon Festival. Beside FREE watermelon (I feel that bears saying again) there’s a full day of fun with delicious foods, carnival rides and attractions, games, contests, entertainment, a Kids Zone, and more. Me thinks there’ll be some seed spittin’ and melon carvin’ happenings as well tomatoes. Be ready to pucker up!

Co-presented by the Sunland-Tujunga Lions Club and the Sunland Tujunga Chamber of Commerce in Lakeview Terrace at the Hansen Dam Park Complex, the celebration kicks off a 54-year tradition that pays tribute to the early days when watermelons were the prized crop of the eastern San Fernando Valley foothills. AND it is a fundraiser, ladies.  Proceeds from the festival will benefit charitable projects in the community.

August 17. Tropical Staycation

Spiked Tropical Punch is what Downtown Culver City will be serving to making you feel like you are in a tropical paradise ladies…without the stress of travel of course.  To enhance the experience, the sound of the tropics from the steel drum band “Island Rhythms” will be playing to make the staycation complete. I could certainly use this kind of an escape if only for an evening.

As always for these events, check in at any participating businesses to pick up your “Third Wednesday Passport” and be sure to turn it in at the end of the night so you don’t miss out on the raffle to win a prize.  Just sayin’ tomatoes.  Check in at any participating business to pick up your “Third Wednesday Passport,” then turn it in at the end of the night to be entered so you don’t miss out on the raffle to win a prize.  Just sayin’ tomatoes.  Check in at any participating business to pick up your “Third Wednesday

Thur August 19. Olympian Meet and Greet  

The Olympics may be far from LA but The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Los Angeles 2024 Olympic Candidature Committee have teamed up to celebrate gold medalists of Olympics past with meet-and-greets at transit stations throughout the region.  They are bringing Olympic fever up close and personal to LA.  Are you in the mood for a little Metro time traveling ladies?

The timed portal window for these appearances will always be the same — 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. And some locations require a TAP card to enter.

Drop by to say hi, get an autograph or take a photo! Here’s the schedule of athletes:

• Atlantic Station, Aug. 12 — Brenda Villa, Gold Medal in Women’s Water Polo.
• Chatsworth Station, Aug. 15 — Rafer Johnson, Gold Medalist in Decathlon.
• 7th Street/Metro Center, Aug. 16 — Valerie Brisco, 3X Gold Medals in Relays.
• Downtown Long Beach Station, Aug. 17 — Lisa Fernandez, three-time 3X Gold Medal winner in Softball.
• APU/Citrus College Station, Aug. 18 — Bryan Clay, Gold Medal in Decathlon.
• Downtown Santa Monica Station, Aug. 19 — Mark Spitz, nine-time Gold Medalist in Swimming at 2 games.

August 14. KNEAD to Give

The Green Wish and Knead & Co. Pasta Bar are teaming up for the biggest food and music charity event ever at LA’s historic Grand Central Market.  The KNEAD to Give fundraiser is powered by passionate people and organizations to keep LA green by raising money to help 5…yes 5 ladies… FAB charitable LA green nonprofits.   Enjoy great food and entertainment and a new ice cream sandwich called the “Freddo”. Yum. That and all the giving at KNEAD to Give is impressive tomatoes.

A few of the restaurants serving will be Ramen Hood, DTLA Cheese, Moruno, Olio, Courage & Craft, Golden Road and of course Knead & Co. Event proceeds will support these amazing local organizations:

• Food Forward – rescues fresh local produce that would otherwise go to waste.
• HoneyLove – a conservation organization with a mission to protect honeybees.
• Muir Ranch Pasadena – in 2011, volunteer teachers and students converted 1.5 acres of John Muir High School into an urban green farm.
• Hollywood Orchard – bettering neighborhood quality of life by operating a community orchard that is a teaching model for sustainability.
• Friends of the LA River – a non-profit organization whose mission is to protect and restore the natural and historic heritage of the Los Angeles River.