Valentine’s Day festivities, Pan African Film + Arts Festival, Panic Party and more … Check out the top Los Angeles weekend events for February 13-16.
Edited by Alicia Luchak.
EVENTS
Los Angeles Travel & Adventure Show
Feb. 15-16. Spark your wanderlust with live music, scuba lessons and talks by TV travel experts at the largest travel show in the nation, held at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Discover over 350 global destinations; plan your next trip with thousands of travel experts; immerse yourself in faraway cultures on the Global Beats Stage; meet travel celebrities Samantha Brown, Rick Steves, Peter Greenberg and Pauline Frommer; and even take a camel ride. 10 am-5 pm. One-day ticket $11-$15; two-day ticket $18-$22, under 17 free. Los Angeles Convention Center, West Hall, 1201 S. Figueroa St., downtown, 203.878.2577. Tickets
Esters Wine Shop & Bar’s Galentine’s Day
Feb. 15. Celebrate a different kind of love on Galentine’s Day by brunching and crafting with your lady friends. Start the day with a holiday brunch of croque madames and brunchy avocado toast and sip on a Galentine’s sparkling cocktail (sparkling rosé, basil, Giffard’s Lichi-Li and a pinot noir float). After, local florist Krystal Chang will lead “The Language of Flowers—A Val/Galentine’s Workshop” to teach the significance behind types of flowers and show how to create a perfect garden-inspired arrangement. Flowers, vases, tools and glass of sparkling rosé provided. $125 per person. Esters Wine Shop & Bar, 1314 7th St., Santa Monica, 310.899.6900. Tickets
ScotsFestival & International Highland Games XXVII
Feb. 15-16. Celebrate the annual games with professional and amateur competitions in darts, piping, drumming, massed bands, Highland dancing and Highland athletics. Festivities include border collie sheep-herding, firing demonstrations and historic re-enactments. Whiskey tasting sessions with aged malt experts are available for adult festivalgoers. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. GA: $25 adults, $15 kids ages 4-11; VIP: $45 adults, $35 kids ages 4-11. The Queen Mary, 1126 Queens Hwy., Long Beach, 877.342.0738. queenmary.com
Panic Party
Feb. 16. This weekend, dance your way into a better tomorrow while you sip on cocktails from Endless West and enjoy plant-based food from Cena Vegan at the Hammer Museum. Support climate justice with nonprofits like Climate Resolve, Coalition for Clean Air, Heal the Bay and more. Guests can enjoy after-hours access to Hammer exhibitions, including short films and artist activations by Scott Boms, Nancy Baker Cahill and Adriene Jenik. Plus, receive exclusive merch and register to vote during the festivities. Museum members will be treated to priority entry and a cocktail. 5-8 p.m. Free. Hammer Museum, 10899 Wilshire Blvd., Westwood. hammer.ucla.edu
VALENTINE’S DAY
Café Gratitude + The Magic of Human Connection
Feb. 13-16. Share an intimate and interactive dining experience with your partner at Café Gratitude & The Magic of Human Connection’s collaborative Valentine’s Day celebration, “Cuisine & Connection.” With every food course, guests will partake in a “connection course” in order to cultivate a sacred space within their relationship while strengthening their romantic bond. 4-10 p.m. $45 per person. Available at all locations: Arts District, Larchmont and Venice Beach. Visit website to find the location closest to you. cafegratitude.com
The Front Yard Dinner
Feb. 13-14. Whether you are looking for an amorous dinner on Valentine’s Day or a feast the night before with your girlfriends for “Galentines Day,” The Front Yard at The Garland has the perfect festive menu. In addition to the contemporary casual indoor seating, the open poolside dining area with string lights and a cozy fireplace is the perfect setting to dine with someone special. On both Thursday and Friday, savor limited-time Valentine’s Day dishes like blue lump crab cakes, beef crudo, surf and turf and warm raspberry crumble. Th 5:30-10 p.m., F 5:30-11 p.m. The Garland Hotel, 4222 Vineland Ave., North Hollywood, 818.255.7290. Make Reservation
SPONSORED
Cattle & Claw’s Beef and Lobster Love Affair
Feb. 14. This Valentine’s Day, the SoCal-cool eatery is shaking up its typical burger and lobster roll offerings in celebration of the year’s most romantic dinner with a five-course, prix fixe menu featuring dishes that eloquently fuse the crustacean and beef love affair. Carnivores can indulge in a powerful mix of appetizing flavors, and lobster lovers are in for an insatiable seafood experience. 8555 Beverly Blvd., Beverly Hills. For reservations, call 310.770.1654, visit OpenTable or cattleandclaw.com.
Conservatory Dinner & Drinks
Feb. 14. Whether you’re single or celebrating with your soulmate, Conservatory’s special Valentine’s Day specials have something for everyone to love. For a romantic dinner date, enjoy a three-course prix fixe menu with highlights like kusshi oysters, uni and caviar toast, 36-ounce cote de boeuf and branzino a la plancha. For those embracing the single life with some friends, sip on the “Heartless Valentine’s” cocktail (and mocktail) menu, with drinks like “It’s Complicated,” “Stupid Cupid” and “Swipe Left.” Drinks available Th-Sa. Dinner $100 per person, cocktails $15, mocktails $9. 8289 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, 323.654.0020. Make Reservation
Grand Park Lover’s Rock
Feb. 14. For those looking for a more low-key Valentine’s Day dinner, have a special picnic in the park—complete with live music, food trucks and a holiday fountain lighting display. Bring your significant other, pets or friends to jam out to Lover’s Rock reggae music spun by DJ Linafornia, take a romantic moonlit walk and take in the beautiful historic views. 7-11 p.m. Grand Park, 200 N. Grand Ave., downtown. grandparkla.org
INKO NITO Dinner
Feb. 14. The Art District’s offbeat robatayaki INKO NITO is celebrating Valentine’s Day with a four-course omakase menu and festive themed drinks. Guests will start the evening off with a “welcome cocktail”: INKO’s Nest, with Soto Sake, Sipsmith Gin, yuzu, sansho pepper and elderflower tonic. The Japanese feast includes dishes like Dungeness crab maki, U10 ccallops,10-ounce Black Angus rib-eye, maitake mushrooms, crème brûlée and Asian pear salad. $65 per person (minimum 2 people). 225-227 S. Garey St., downtown, 310.999.0476. Make Reservation
FOOD + DRINK
Broad Street Oyster Co.
Now Open. The New England-style beach stand pop-up finally got a permanent location, nestled at the end of Malibu Village overlooking the lagoon. Enjoy Broad Street’s seafood classics like lobster rolls and Pacific Gold oysters, along with their new expanded menu and beer and wine. In addition to their new residence, Broad Street will still be popping up with seafood favorites at Smorgasburg and Hollywood Night Market. 23359 Pacific Coast Hwy., Malibu, 424.644.0131. broadstreetoyster.com
Kitchen at Descanso
Now Open. La Cañada Flintridge’s 150-acre botanical garden, along with the Kitchen for Exploring Foods, has launched a new dining menu with fresh cuisine inspired by the breathtaking flora. The menu features dishes like avocado toast with radish and ricotta cheese, a cauliflower “al pastor” tostada and the Kitchen’s Blend Burger with applewood bacon and tarragon aioli. Pair with beverages like Intelligentsia Coffee, lemonades, beers and wine—even special brunch cocktails like the Blood Orange Bloody Mary and the Blossom Mimosa. For younger diners, there is a special kids’ menu. 1418 Descanso Dr, La Cañada Flintridge. 818.949.4291 thekitchenatdescanso.com
ARTS + CULTURE
Art Los Angeles Contemporary
Feb. 13-16 This progressive contemporary-art fair returns to Hollywood for its 11th edition, filling the historic Hollywood Athletic Club’s two floors with a new boutique-style art fair, featuring 45 galleries in an open-format floor plan. See website for hours and tickets. Hollywood Athletic Club, 6525 Sunset Blvd., L.A., 323.851.7530. artlosangelesfair.com
Frieze Los Angeles
Feb. 14-16. Frieze Los Angeles is returning to take over Paramount Pictures Studios and shine a light on the city’s art institutions, emerging galleries and groundbreaking artists. Visit the website for participating galleries, prices, tickets and times. See website for schedule and ticket prices. 5515 Melrose Ave., Hollywood. 844.584.0653. Tickets
stARTup Art Fair
Feb. 14-16. The unique stARTup Art Fair returns for its fifth fair with over 70 artists, plus special programming and events. Plus– 25 lucky readers receive a free ticket by using the code SOCAL at checkout! The newfangled art exposition connects art buyers directly to up-and-coming artists at the Kinney Venice Beach hotel. Friday’s Opening Night Party is open to the public at the price of a general admission ticket and includes music, performances, food and drink. The Kinney Venice Beach, 737 W. Washington Blvd., Venice. startupartfair.com
The Last Ship
Through Feb. 16. Musical icon and multiple Grammy Award winner Sting stars in this heartfelt musical, which he also wrote the music and lyrics for. The story follows the tensions in a shipbuilding community when the local shipyard is closing. Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown, 213.628.2772. Tickets
Pan African Film + Arts Festival
Through Feb. 23. Billed as the largest black film festival in the United States, this showcase, now in its 28th year, is dedicated to racial tolerance through the exhibition of film, art and creative expression. PAFF showcases over 150 quality new films and over 100 fine artists from all over the world– including Matthew Cherry’s Oscar-winning animated short, Hair Love (pictured). Check website for movie showtimes, ArtFest hours and ticket information. Cinemark 15 BHC, 4020 Marlton Ave., L.A.; Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, 3650 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., L.A. paff.org
Photos: L.A. Travel & Adventure Show courtesy @TravelandAdventureShow/Facebook. Esters Galentine’s Day Workshop credit Krystal Chang. ScotsFestival courtesy the Queen Mary. Panic Party courtesy the Hammer Museum. Café Gratitude courtesy Café Gratitude. Front Yard Dinner courtesy the Front Yard. Cattle & Claw’s Beef and Lobster Love Affair courtesy Cattle & Claw. Conservatory credit Max Milla. Grand Park Lover’s Rock courtesy Grand Park. INKO NITO Dinner courtesy INKO NITO. Broad Street Oyster Co. credit Hanna von Matérn. Kitchen at Descanso courtesy Descanso Gardens. Art Los Angeles Contemporary courtesy ALAC. Frieze courtesy Tanya Bonakdar Gallery. stARTup Art Fair courtesy of stARTup Art Fair and Mido Lee Productions. The Last Ship courtesy Center Theatre Group. Pan African Film + Arts Festival courtesy @PAFFnow/Facebook.
