Itinerary: Olympics

The Olympics may be taking place halfway around the world, but there are plenty of ways to catch Olympic fever this weekend. Visit some of the landmarks from Los Angeles’ own 1932 and 1984 Summer Olympics and enjoy some Aussie-related activities to get in the mood. Go easy on the Vegemite while you’re “chin wagging” with your mates, though. Australians love the stuff, but you have to eat it practically from birth to really appreciate it.

Friday

On Friday, stop by the Amateur Athletic Foundation of Los Angeles (2141 W. Adams Blvd., Los Angeles, [323] 730-4646), built in 1988 with money left over from the 1984 Olympics. The facility’s Paul Ziffren Sports Resource Center has an extensive collection of Olympic materials. Currently on display in the library are Olympic torches from most of the modern Summer Games and posters from all the Olympic Games.

Videos--both highlight reels and some hour-by-hour broadcasts--are available for viewing, as are newspapers, magazines and photo archives from previous Olympics. The library is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (except Wednesday, when it closes at 7:30 p.m.), and is also open the first and last Saturdays of the month, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

On Friday night, drive by the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (3911 S. Figueroa St., in Exposition Park. [213] 748-6131), where the Olympic torch will burn for the duration of the Games in Sydney. The Coliseum no longer offers public tours, so if you want to visit the inside of the landmark structure, you’ll have to attend the USC football game Saturday against San Jose State. Check out the historic “Olympic Special” street lamps along Los Angeles Street, south of Temple Street. They were designed in 1932, the same year 10th Street (now Olympic Boulevard) was renamed in honor of the Games.

Saturday

The Pasadena Historical Museum (470 W. Walnut St., [626] 577-1660) is featuring an Olympic exhibit with more local flavor. “Let the Games Begin” offers photos and memorabilia about the Coliseum, Rose Bowl and Santa Anita Park Olympic venues, and salutes Southern California’s Olympic athletes. The show, curated by sports historian Lynne Emery, is open Wednesday through Sunday, noon-5 p.m., ending Nov. 26 ($5; students, seniors, $4).

In the evening, watch the Games on TV at either Outback Steakhouse location (18711 Devonshire St., Northridge, [818] 366-2341 or 21880 Hawthorne Blvd., Torrance, [310] 793-5555). The Aussie-themed restaurant chain will be featuring New Zealand grilled lamb.

Sunday

After reading the Olympics coverage in the Sunday paper, pull out CDs by such Aussie bands as Men at Work and Midnight Oil.

Head west to Sylvia White Gallery (2022-B Broadway, Santa Monica, [310] 828-6200), which offers contemporary work from top Sydney artists Audrey Rhoda, Mariola Smarzak and Jean Weiner. The gallery is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and this Saturday only, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Ends Oct. 6.

Gladstone’s 4 Fish (17300 Pacific Coast Highway, Pacific Palisades, [310] 573-0212) is featuring Aussie fare all month. The wait staff and chefs will be wearing traditional Australian slouch hats (with corks hanging down) and aprons while cooking “shrimp on the barbie,” pan-fried John Dory and Australian Blue Nose sea bass. The restaurant also gets a daily shipment of yabbies--a freshwater mini-lobster crustacean that was a favorite in the land Down Under long before white settlers reached Australia in 1788. You just might find marketing director Christine Lloyd watching and weeping copiously into her Fosters. She’s an Aussie native and doesn’t get home much.