Three things you *MUST* do before the end of the Summer

Somehow, it's already late August, and you never even saw Smurfs 2!!! took advantage of the long days of Summer the way you'd promised yourself you would. So here's some inspiration: three open-for-the-first-time-this-year activities you gotta get out and do before it all ends, and you're forced to wear an extremely light sweater.

Kayak the LA River
Yes, seriously: this year, the concrete-enclosed wash best known for being where Edward Furlong was chased by BOTH TERMINATORS is actually open for white water (!) kayaking, fishing, and "other recreational activities", at least until Labor Day, before it re-opens next year, so if you have fun doing it once... you'll be back. That's from a Terminator movie.
There's a crew taking kayaking expeditions; book your time with them right here

Zipline Venice Beach
You can now officially spend all that money you were saving for that trip to Belize on waffle tacos and trips to SD to eat this and just zipline right-the-f-over all the skateboarders and bikers and awesomely rollerblading dogs.
The company's called Flightlinez, which is clever-ish

Pedal Boat Echo Park Lake
Because nothing says "gentrification" like "doing things you did as a kid in that place where people used to make surprisingly enterprising crack deals", head to the totally renovated man-made lake, which boasts a new fountain, upgraded fauna, canoes, gondolas, and -- as far as we can tell -- NO MORE CRACK!
While you're there, here's where you should drink and eat and hang