5 things to do: Desta’s 10th Anniversary - June 29 2017

Appa’s grand opening

Appa’s - 5865 Buford Highway N.E. Atlanta, GA 30340 Free. Noon.

Former hit pop-up Appa’s opens a brick-and-mortar on Buford Highway. Expect the same beloved sushi burritos and poke bowls, as well as an expanded full menu.

Not Here Right Now

Synchronicity Theatre - 1545 Peachtree St. N.E., No. 102 Atlanta, GA 30309v$25. 2 and 7:30 p.m.

After interning at Google in San Francisco and working for Nielsen in New York City, Royce Bable traded the monotony of corporate life for a one-way ticket to Southeast Asia. In his one-man-show Not Here Right Now, Bable recounts the experience of his eight-country adventure, ultimately encouraging audiences “to take meaningful and fulfilling risks to achieve happiness.” Funded by 165 people through Kickstarter, Not Here Right Now is the story of a millennial for millennials.

Red, White & Brew

Georgia Aquarium - 225 Baker St. N.W. Atlanta, GA 30313 $50-$65. 6:30 p.m.

The Georgia Aquarium is kicks off Fourth of July celebrations early this year. Enjoy unlimited beer sampling, BBQ, live music from the Regulars Band and, of course, aquatic animals.

Desta’s 10th Anniversary ft. Aster Aweke

Atlanta Symphony Hall - 1280 Peachtree St. N.E. Atlanta, GA 30309 $50-$90. 7 p.m.

Celebrating Ethiopian culture and a decade of Ethiopian cuisine from Desta, Atlanta Symphony Hall will host a black tie gala with performances from some of Ethiopia’s biggest stars. Headlining the evening is Afro-pop legend Aster Aweke, who will pull from a 30-year musical catalog stretching from Ethiopia to America. Next up is actor, poet, author, playwright and producer Alemtsehay Wodajo, who starred last year in the acclaimed indie film Woven. Stand-up comedian Meskerem Bekele, known for selling out arenas all over the African continent, will also take the stage, along with a cultural show highlighting Ethiopian heritage, arts and literature along with Desta’s 10-year transformation from a four-seat hole-in-the-wall to the 250-plus seat award-winning dining destination it is today.

Hip-Hop Orchestra

Ferst Center for the Arts - 349 Ferst Drive N.W. Atlanta, GA 30332 $20. 7 p.m.

When was the last time you witnessed, strings, horns and piano at a hip-hop show? Envision a blend of OutKast and orchestra. That’s a fraction of Thee Phantom and the Illharmonic Orchestra in action. After performances at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center and sold shows in Texas, the group is taking to the stage at the Ferst Center for the Performing Arts.