Weekend Roundup
Find the best Los Angeles things to do for the weekend of 5.04.12
CINCO DE MAYO
Lucha VaVoom
May 4-5. Ridiculously fun performance featuring masked Mexican wrestlers, comedy, and burlesque acts all rolled into one wacky and entertaining evening. Also expect Aztec and folkloric dancers, tequila, tamales and a dance party. Mayan Theatre, 1038 S Hill St., downtown. luchavavoom.com
El Carmen
May 5. The Hollywood tequila standby opens early at noon to give you an extra seven hours to swig classic margaritas and 400+ tequilas, to the tune serenading Mariachis and a surprise visit from a Luchador. Hit it early for happy hour specials from noon-3 p.m. 8138 West 3rd St., L.A., 323.852.1552. elcarmenrestaurant.com
Olvera Street
May 5. LA’s festive open-air Mexican marketplace with restaurants, shops at historic El Pueblo de Los Angeles feels like Cinco de Mayo all year long. Expect a celebration of food, live music, performances, margaritas and more. Alameda Street between Main and Los Angeles streets, downtown, 213.628.1274. olvera-street.com
Click here for our full list of Los Angeles Cinco de Mayo Events
KENTUCKY DERBY
Hold Your Horses Kentucky Derby Party
May 5. Celebrate the Kentucky Derby in style with cocktails and whiskey flights by Marcos Tello, live music from Bastards Of Belleville, equine-inspired activities, buffet of southern specialities, all as you watch the race from multiple TVs throughout the Los Angeles Athletic Club. Don your favorite hat or play dress up with styles from Pooka Queen, who showcases her original creations at the party. Extend your evening by flashing your ticket for a complimentary cocktail at Cedd Moses’ 7 Grand. 1-4 p.m. $30/person (includes entry, complimentary Mint Julep, buffet, games and live entertainment). Los Angeles Athletic Club, 431 W. 7th St., downtown, 213.630.5200. laac.com
Derby Days at Freddy Smalls Bar + Kitchen
May 5. Sport your fanciest hat and head over to Freddy Smalls Bar + Kitchen to watch the race over mint juleps (classic, blackberry or maple mint), fried chicken sandwiches and house-made Old Bay potato chips. 11520 Pico Blvd., L.A., 310.479.3000. www.freddysmalls.com
EVENTS
Taste of the Eastside
May 6. Celebrate the Eastside’s delicious and diverse cuisine at Barnsdall Art Park in Los Feliz. Offerings include food tastings from neighborhood eateries, cooking demonstrations and a local produce marketplace. 1–5 pm; VIP entrance at noon. $35–$75, $5 for children 2–12, under 2 free. Barnsdall Art Park, 4800 Hollywood Blvd., Los Feliz. tasteoftheeastside.com
Venice Home and Garden Tour
May 5. Tour of 30 gardens and homes of architectural significance in Venice and the surrounding area. Food trucks and stands. Proceeds benefit the Neighborhood Youth Association’s Las Doradas Children’s Center. 10 am–5 pm. $70, $60 in advance, under 12 free. Tour begins at Las Doradas Children’s Center, 804 Broadway, Venice, 310.821.1857. venicegardentour.org
Transmission LA: AV Club curated by Mike D
Through May 6. Mike D of the Beastie Boys curates an exhibition at MOCA that features a mixture of contemporary art, design, music, film and food. During the festival find art, concerts, DJ nights, performances, installations, and dine at an outdoor pop-up restaurant from Chef Roy Choi (Kogi) who will feature a different menu of original cuisine each day. Also find an interactive coffee bar curated and designed by Robert McKinley. Geffen Contemporary, MOCA, 152 N. Central Ave., downtown, 213.626.6222. moca.org
MUSIC + DANCE
Coldplay
May 4. The Grammy-winning rockers finish up their three-night concert series at the Hollywood Bowl with hits from their latest album, Mylo Xyloto, along with other fan favorites. The Pierces and Metronomy open the show. Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N. Highland Ave., Hollywood, 323.850.2000. ticketmaster.com
The Danny Elfman Project | AYS
May 6. Explore the work of famed film composer Danny Elfman in a free symposium (4 pm) and concert (7 pm) at UCLA’s Royce Hall. Selections from Elfman’s scores for Tim Burton’s Batman and Edward Scissorhands, among others, will be performed alongside classical masterpieces. This is the inaugural event in a three-year project focusing on the music of the four-time oscar-nominated and Grammy- and Emmy-winning composer. The symposium features a discussion of his work and collaborations as well as a live performance. David Newman conducts the orchestra. Elfman most recently collaborated with Cirque du Soleil on Iris, its cinema-themed show at Hollywood & Highland; decades ago, he was lead singer-songwriter for the rock band Oingo Boingo and creator of The Simpsons theme. Advance reservations required. UCLA, 340 Royce Drive, L.A., 310.470.2332. aysymphony.org
Upright Cabaret’s Rhythm of the Night
May 5-6. Stars from from American Idol to Broadway sing hits of Ricky Martin, Gloria Estefan and Santana against an exciting multimedia background. Expect to hear favorites like Livin’ La Vida Loca, Shake Your Bon-Bon, Rhythm Is Gonna Get You, Anything for You, Smooth, Let It Shine, and more, performed by Oliver award-winner Lesli Margherita, American Idol’s David Hernandez, Lexi Lawson (Rent, In the Heights), and Rogelio Douglas, Jr. (In the Heights, The Little Mermaid). Show runs in Thousand Oaks (May 5) and Hollywood (May 6). uprightcabaret.com/events
Dance Downtown: Salsa & Merengue
May 4. Celebrate the sheer joy of dancing during evenings that bring together live bands, DJs and you! Live out loud, learn different dance styles and join in on Downtown’s only open air dance floor. Beginner dance lessons are sprinkled throughout the evening and every skill level is welcome. 135 North Grand Ave., downtown, 213.972.3660 musiccenter.org
EAT | DRINK
Dominick’s Crawfish Boil
Saturdays in May. Celebrated West Hollywood Italian eatery Dominick’s brings back a festive local favorite: its annual crawfish boils. Drawing upon his New Orleans heritage, chef Brandon Boudet takes over the eatery’s patio on Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m. to boil 300 pounds of Louisiana crawfish. In addition to the crawfish, available for $10.99 per pound, diners can enjoy a selection of Boudet’s Big Easy-inspired dishes, including Po’ Boy sub sandwiches, Creole boiled artichokes with remoulade and Dominick’s Dago red and white wines by the bottle. For dessert, the chef offers New Orleans Sno Balls—snow cones drizzled with house-made syrups—in multiple flavors, served with an optional shot of Old New Orleans spiced rum. Space is limited; reservations for the crawfish boils are recommended. 8715 Beverly Blvd., L.A., 310.652.2335. dominicksrestaurant.com
Evan Kleiman at The Charleston
May 7. Celebrated chef Evan Kleiman (KCRW’s Good Food, Angeli Caffe) pops up for a one-night four-course rustic Italian feast at Jet Tila’s nightlife venue, The Charleston. Menu highlights include antipasti misti from the farmers market, gnocchetti di ricotta, linguine vongole, lasagna Angeli and more. $45/pp. 6 p.m./8 p.m. seatings. 2460 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, 310.828.2115. CharlestonLA.com
THEATER
The Heiress
Through May 20. Catherine Sloper, who stands to inherit a fortune from her ailing physician father, is a plain-looking young woman living under his malevolent scrutiny, as well as his well-meaning but cold-hearted demeanor. Dr. Sloper disapproves of Catherine’s passionate suitor Morris Townsend, certain that the penniless young man has proposed marriage to win Catherine’s inheritance. Catherine’s too much in love to consider this potential betrayal. Pasadena Playhouse, 39 S. El Molino Avenue, Pasadena, 626.356.7529. Save 20% on tickets, click here: pasadenaplayhouse.org
The Convert
Through May 19. The Center Theatre Group commissioned Obie Award-winning playwright Danai Gurira to write this powerful new play about a teenage girl in colonial southern Africa torn between family and faith. Kirk Douglas Theatre, 9820 Washington Blvd., Culver City, 213.628.2772. centertheatregroup.org
Good People
Through May 13. Nominated for a 2011 Tony Award for Best Play, Pulitzer Prize winner David Lindsay-Abaire’s Good People takes an affectionate look at the ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’ through the eyes of characters who won’t be ignored. Geffen Playhouse, 10886 Le Conte Ave., Westwood, 310.208.5454. geffenplayhouse.com
The Bungler
Through May 27. The Bungler is comic genius. Moliere’s first romp written in verse, and one of the greatest hits of his lifetime. This rarely produced gem is a non-stop cavalcade of wily servants, dim-witted young lovers and avaricious old men on a bumbling, tumbling, tackling, wild and woolly ride. A Noise Within, 3352 East Foothill Blvd., Pasadena, 626.356.3100 x1. ANoiseWithin.org
Antony and Cleopatra
Through May 13. Shakespeare’s seminal tragedy is based on larger-than-life figures caught up in an empire-shattering dance of lust, love, politics and war. “Its appeal is the fascinating relationship between Antony and Cleopatra, who love each other deeply but in a way that is not sustainable… Because of their flaws, we can identify with the lovers and see a part of ourselves in them,” muses director Julia Rodriguez-Elliott. A Noise Within, 3352 East Foothill Blvd., Pasadena, 626.356.3100 x1. ANoiseWithin.org
