EVENTS
Dine LA
Jan. 22-27, Jan. 29-Feb. 3. Enjoy gastronomic delicacies from more than 300 of LA’s top restaurants—Bouchon, Boxwood Cafe by Gordon Ramsay, Napa Valley Grill, Fig & Olive, Petrossian, The Bazaar by José Andrés and many more–for a fraction of the price. Restaurants offer specially priced three-course tasting menus, many for both lunch and dinner. dineLARestaurantWeek.com
Cirque du Soleil’s Ovo
Jan 20.-Mar. 11. A blue-and-yellow “grand chapiteau” adjacent to Santa Monica Pier hosts Ovo starting Jan. 20. Meaning “egg” in Portuguese, Ovo delves into the insect ecosystem with 55 performers and a riot of colorful, evocative costumes. The main act, a trapeze stunt, features six “flyers,” and the finale features “20 artists running, jumping and leaping up against a 24-foot vertical wall.” OVO Opening Jan. 20. Cirque du Soleil performs under the big top in a show inspired by insect life. Santa Monica Pier, 200 Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica. cirquedusoleil.com/ovo
Pacific Standard Time Performance and Public Art Festival
Jan. 19-29. The 11-day festival features more than 30 major performances and large-scale outdoor projects, including new commissions, reinventions, and restagings inspired by the many radical and trailblazing public and performative works that were created by artists during the Pacific Standard Time era. Highlights include a massive landscape painting and skydiving performance; outdoor pyrotechnic and flare light performances; 25 tons of dry ice in a landscape installation, landmark peace tower installation in West Hollywood and more. pacificstandardtimefestival.org
L.A. Art Show: Modern & Contemporary
Jan. 18–22. Seventeenth annual art fair features modern and contemporary artworks exhibited by 90 galleries from around the world. The show creates a vibrant atmosphere that examines the present while formulating the future and is committed to showing the highest quality works ranging from Ed Ruscha, John Baldessari, Henry Moore, David Hockney, Roy Lichtenstein, Jim Dine, Andy Warhol, Fernando Botero and others. Includes Print Fair. Call for hours. $15–$35. Los Angeles Convention Center, 1201 S. Figueroa St., downtown, 310.822.9145. www.laartshow.com
Affordable Art Fair
Jan. 18–22. Showcases contemporary artwork from more than 70 galleries priced from $100 to $10,000. Call for hours. $15–$20, under 12 free; free admission Jan. 19 4–9 pm. L.A. Live Event Deck, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., downtown, 212.255.2003. www.affordableartfair.us/losangeles
Art Los Angeles Contemporary
Jan. 19–22. Contemporary art fair with 70 international blue-chip and emerging galleries with a strong focus on Los Angeles galleries. The fair also hosts a comprehensive programming series, including world class artist talks, museum curator led panel discussions, and film screening and performance series. Special events are staged on site at the art fair as well as throughout the city in satellite locations. Jan. 19 (opening night) 7–9 pm; $40–$45. Jan. 20–21 11 am–7 pm, Jan. 22 until 6 pm; $18–$30. Parking $10. Barker Hangar, 3021 Airport Ave., Santa Monica, 323.851.7530. artlosangelesfair.com
Beverly Hills Celebrates the Year of the Dragon
Jan. 20. Celebrate Chinese New Year in Beverly Hills with an evening entertainment, shopping and dining. Festivities unfold with a Chinese lion dance and drum corps performance group. Several stores and restaurants on and around Rodeo Drive embrace the arrival of the Chinese New Year with in-store specials and dining promotions throughout the evening. Be one of the first 1,000 people who register at the welcome table to receive a Good Fortune envelope, containing a commemorative pin, listing of special in-store events and offers, and a limited few may win an exclusive gift valued at $200. 6 p.m. 400 block of Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills. www.lovebeverlyhills.com/dragon
ART
Ellsworth Kelly: Prints and Paintings
Opening Jan. 22. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art hosts the first retrospective of Ellsworth Kelly’s prints since 1988. More than 100 prints and five paintings from the prolific Kelly’s collection are displayed at the Broad Contemporary Museum of Art, exploring his mastery of grids, contrast and curves. LACMA, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., L.A., 323.857.6000. lacma.org
Metropolis II
Metropolis II, artist Chris Burden’s latest piece, is a dynamic cityscape interwoven with elaborate system of 18 roadways, including one 6 lane freeway, and HO scale train tracks. In it 1,100 custom manufactured cars (think Matchbox or Hot Wheels) are attached by a small magnet, brought up a conveyor belt and then let go at the crest to (by the power of gravity) speed along the roadways at a scale speed of 240 mph. According to Burden (via LACMA’s website), “The noise, the continuous flow of the trains, and the speeding toy cars, produces in the viewer the stress of living in a dynamic, active and bustling 21st Century city.” Exhibit runs Fridays-Sundays. LACMA, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., L.A., 323.857.6000. lacma.org
MUSIC
Wilco
Jan 24, 25, 27. With eight studio albums to its credit, Jeff Tweedy and his band of musical geniuses passes through Los Angeles in celebration of its latest release, The Whole Love. Wilco performs three LA dates: the Hollywood Palladium Jan. 24, the Wiltern Jan. 25 and the Los Angeles Theatre Jan. 27. The Whole Love—a collection of 12 songs that ranges from bold rock to acoustic ballads to pop—has already earned many accolades including a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rock Album (tbd Feb. 12). wilcoworld.net
Mahler Project: Mahler 1
Jan 19-21. Over the course of the next few weeks, Gustavo Dudamel accomplishes the extraordinary: leading all of Mahler’s completed symphonies (and more) with two orchestras, the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela. With its tunefulness and exciting fanfares, Mahler’s First is one of his most popular. Begun when he was only 24, the symphony boasts many unusual features that contributed to its poor reception when it premiered in 1894. $30 – $170. Walk Disney Concert Hall, 111 South Grand Ave., downtown, 323.850.2000. laphil.com
Le Salon de Musiques: A la Cour de Versailles
Jan. 22. The afternoon performance features dancers Linda Tomko and Jill Chadroff, mezzo-soprano Monika Bruckner, harpsichordist Patricia Mabee and a Baroque ensemble performing works by Marie-Antoinette, Rameau, Duphly, Gluck, Grety and Lully. Performances are accompanied by sparkling wine, food by the Patina Group and informal conversation following the music introduced by musicologist Julius Reder Carlson. They take place on the fifth floor of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion; by not putting them on a stage, series organizers hope to bring a more personal touch to chamber music. The series continues one Sunday each month through May from 4 to 6 pm. 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown, 310.498.0257. lesalondemusiques.com
EAT | DRINK
Weekend Brunch at The Tripel
Celebrate your weekend over cocktails and bistro fare at Playa del Rey’s gastropub The Tripel. Dine on selections such as banana bread French toast; sweet carrot faro with chicken sausage, poached egg and truffle pecorino; duck “hash” with salted peewee potatoes and fried pancetta; the Cure, a the Tripel’s trusty pretzel burger with avocado and a fried egg, and more. Signature brunch cocktails include bloody beer: spicy tomato spiked lager, and cave cocktails with pear, peach or strawberry flavors. 333 Culver Blvd., Playa del Rey, 310.821.0333. thetripel.com
[U]OVO at Lago
Jan. 20-Mar. 25. Located steps from the Santa Monica Pier where Cirque du Soleil’s newest production, OVO, is underway, Locanda del Lago offers a a themed “[U]OVO at Lago” menu. Each dish draws its inspiration from “uovo,” the Italian word for “egg” and the cornerstone of the new show’s storyline. Dine on housemade linguine pasta with guanciale, egg, black pepper, and pecorino; Egg tagliatelle with bolognese meat sauce and more. Specials are available during both lunch and dinner. Locanda del Lago, 231 Arizona Ave., Santa Monica, 310.451.3525. www.LagoSantaMonica.com
ForYourArt Brunch at Cecconi’s
Jan. 21. Kick off Pacific Standard Time’s Public Performance Art Festival with ForYourArt during brunch at Cecconi’s. Guests receive a tote bag from Band of Outsiders, an official map to the Public Performance Art Festival, and 20% off brunch. Just mention the word “friends” to their server, sign up online at ForYourArt.com. 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Cecconi’s West Hollywood, 8764 Melrose Ave., L.A., 310.432.2000. www.cecconiswesthollywood.com
Wine Tasting and Demo at a/k/a An American Bistro
Jan 21. See a/k/a Chef James Lambrinos and Bistro 45 Chef Steven Lona demo sustainable dishes such as roasted Brussels sprouts with duck confit, Kabocha squash risotto with cinnamon spiced crème; grilled purple and white asparagus with truffle vin and more. Then join them for a sustainable wine dinner that features demo selections and Santa Barbara wines. Tasting is $18/pp ($15 with promocode: WhereLA) and includes all food and wine. A five-course wine dinner featuring the same Santa Barbara vintners takes place at 5:30 p.m., $65/pp. 41 Hugus Alley, Pasadena, 626.564.8111. www.akabistro.com
THEATER
A Raisin in the Sun
Opening Jan. 19. Phylicia Rashad makes her L.A. directorial debut with this 50-year-old classic about an African American family’s dream of a better life amid racial tension and betrayal. Kirk Douglas Theatre, 9820 Washington Blvd., Culver City, 213.628.2772. www.centertheatregroup.org
Our Town
Through Feb. 20. Oscar, Emmy, and Golden Globe-winner Helen Hunt stars in this groundbreaking new version of Thornton Wilder’s iconic American play. Our Town tells the story of young lovers George and Emily, whose life in a small New England town becomes a microcosm of every day life. The wisdom of the play, rendered through a deceptively simple story, makes Our Town an enduring treasure of the American theater. This electrifying new production is directed by Broadway director and MacArthur Fellow David Cromer in his LA debut. Most of the seating for this production will be on stage with the actors. Broad Stage, 1310 11th St., Santa Monica 310.434.3200. thebroadstage.com
Red Hot Patriot: The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins
Through Feb. 19. Two-time Tony and Oscar nominee Kathleen Turner sizzles as Molly Ivins, the brassy Texan reporter whose liberal journalism skyrocketed her to the national stage. This acclaimed show captures the redheaded reporter’s indomitable character by weaving personal anecdotes with her colorful take on national politics. Geffen Playhouse, 10886 Le Conte Ave., L.A., 310.208.5454. geffenplayhouse.com
Clybourne Park
Through Feb. 26. In this play inspired by A Raisin in the Sun, jokes fly and hidden agendas unfold as two vastly different generations of characters tip-toe the delicate dance of social politics, pitting race against real estate at the crux of two seminal events — 50 years apart — in the same north Chicago house. Mark Taper Forum, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown, 213.628.2772. www.centertheatregroup.org
Fela!
Through Jan 22. Legendary Nigerian Fela Kuti was a musical dynamo and a political powder keg who used his supercharged and sexy Afrobeat sound and charismatic spirit to ignite and inspire a generation to dare challenge a government of oppression. FELA! is both rave and theatrical wonder. Thanks to Fela’s captivating music and the visionary direction and choreography of Tony Award® winner Bill T. Jones, this tale of courage, passion and love will shake you: body and soul. Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown, 213.628.2772. www.centertheatregroup.org
Wicked
Through Jan 29. Back by popular demand! L.A.’s favorite musical flies back to the Pantages this holiday season after a record-breaking two-year run. Called “A phenomenon that keeps growing” by The Los Angeles Times and “Broadway’s biggest blockbuster” by The New York Times, “Wicked” is the untold story of the witches of Oz and how they became known as the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good. Pantages Theatre, 6233 Hollywood Blvd., L.A., 323.468.1770. www.broadwayla.org