Events: Charm City cake class, Byzantine dining at the Getty, root beer taste-off

Duff Goldman’s west coast cake shop, Charm City Cakes West, is holding a series of cake decorating classes led by the bakery’s team of professional decorators. The first class is Saturday, July 12, at 11 am and will teach students ages 14 and up to make cakes with a quilted monogram design. Each class has a different decorative focus, from tree trunk cakes to fondant emojis, and cost between $100 and $150, depending on the class. Reservations are required and space is limited, so visit their website, call (323) 642-7234, or email info@charmcitycakeswest.com to reserve a spot. Charm City Cakes West, 8302-A Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90069, https://www.charmcitycakeswest.com

Food historian Andrew Dalby will be lecturing at the Getty Villa as a part of “At the Byzantine Table: Greek Traditions, Roman Tastes” on Saturday, July 19. The program will highlight the cuisine of the Byzantine Empire and also features a four-course dinner in the Inner Peristyle Garden. The meal will be prepared by Bon Appetit’s culinary team Chef Mayet Cristobal and Chef Fernando Cayanan in consultation with food historians Sally Grainger and Andrew Dalby. The evening’s events accompany an exhibition at the Getty called, “Heaven and Earth: Art of Byzantium from Greek Collections”, which will be open for viewing after dinner from 9 to 10 pm. Tickets are $175 per person (includes wine and parking) and go on sale Tuesday, July 1, and will be available via Getty Visitor Services at (310)440-7300 or www.getty.edu. Getty Villa, 17985 Pacific Coast Hwy, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272, https://www.getty.edu/museum/programs/lectures/at_the_byzantine_table.html

Galco’s Soda Pop Stop, the LA soda store boasting 500+ types of soda, is hosting its annual soda tasting party on Saturday, July 20, from 5 to 8 pm. Guests will have the chance to taste over 75 different root beers, birch beers, and sarsaparillas in order to choose for themeselves which pop is the soda king. Galco’s event benefits Friends of the Southwest Museum, a campaign rallying to re-open LA’s first museum. The tickets are $12 for adults and $5 for children if purchased in advance, and include music and all-you-can-drink soda tasting. Tickets go up to $15 if purchased at the door. All ticket purchases can be made directly at Galco’s. Visit www.friendsofthesouthwestmuseum.com for more information. Galco’s Soda Pop Stop, 5702 York Boulevard, Los Angeles CA 90042, (323) 255-7115