Los Angeles

Weekend roundup

January 30-February 2

Events

Wild Weekends at L.A. Zoo

Feb. 1-2. Kicking off its themed weekends, the L.A. Zoo celebrates Lunar New Year with events honoring the Year of the Snake. Visitors can explore animals of the Chinese zodiac, watch a Mangshan pit viper feeding and add wishes to the Wall of Well Wishes. The event also features traditional Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese dance performances, along with calligraphy, lantern-making and paper-cutting demonstrations. Activities are included with zoo admission. Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 5333 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles. lazoo.org


Dance Camera West Film Festival

Through Feb. 2. Celebrating 25 years, the annual Dance Camera West festival brings four days of dance-focused films to Barnsdall Gallery Theatre, along with a special Saturday screening at the Philosophical Research Society and a five-day Co-Creation Lab for filmmakers and dancers. In response to the fires, all tickets and festival passes are pay-what-you-can. Visit the website for the full schedule. Hours vary. 4800 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles. dcw.eventive.org


Lunar New Year at Westfield Topanga

Feb. 1. Marking the Year of the Snake, a Lunar New Year celebration takes place at Westfield Topanga this Weekend. The event features a lion dance performance, lucky red envelopes and festive decor. Admission is free, with special offerings from retailers like Sandro, Maje and Lego. Saturday at 3 p.m. 6600 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Canoga Park. westfield.com

Alt Comedy All-Stars: A Benefit Show for Comedy Gives Back

Jan. 31. A powerhouse lineup of comedians gathers at the Fonda Theatre for a Comedy Gives Back benefit, supporting mental health and financial relief for comedians, including those affected by the fires. The event features Patton Oswalt, Zach Galifianakis, Bob Odenkirk and the Mr. Show cast, with special guest Jon Hamm and additional surprise performers. All proceeds benefit the nonprofit’s efforts to provide critical support to the comedy community. Friday at 8 p.m. 6126 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles. goldenvoice.com

Shark Lagoon Nights 

Starts Jan. 31. Visitors can get an up-close look at rays and large sharks while touching smaller species like bamboo sharks as Shark Lagoon Nights return to the Aquarium of the Pacific in 2025. The free event kicks off this Friday, offering an interactive experience with the aquarium’s shark exhibits. No RSVP required. Starts this Friday 6-9 p.m. aquariumofpacific.org


Food + Drinks

Bistro Na’s Year of the Snake Feast

Through Feb. 3. Lunar New Year celebrations at Bistro Na’s include exclusive dining sets for 10. Chef Tian’s seasonal menu features chayote leaves salad and braised lobster with crab meat, great for family gatherings. Dine-in guests will receive a complimentary Bing Tang Hu Lu, a traditional Beijing dessert of candied hawthorn berries, limited to 50 servings per day on a first-come, first-served basis. Monday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. & 5-9 p.m. 9055 Las Tunas Drive, Ste 105, Temple City. bistronas.com

Kasbah by Members 

Now Open. Bringing traditional Moroccan cuisine to Hollywood, Kasbah offers a prix-fixe menu in an opulent setting within Members, the Sunset club and restaurant. The menu features traditional dishes like harissa soup and flavorful tagines made with lamb or chicken. Guests can enjoy a family-style meal before heading into the adjacent nightclub, where executive chef Alex Moreno introduces a new menu of small plates and lighter fare to complement the venue’s nightlife experience. Hours vary. 7627 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles. members.love

Lunar New Year Celebration with Ben

Through Feb. 2. The Benjamin celebrates Lunar New Year with exclusive specials alongside its regular menu. Offerings include hoisin skirt steak with rapini and broccoli flowers and pastrami egg rolls with maitake, crispy brussels and sweet and sour spicy mustard, crafted by executive chef Dillon Baker. Beverage director Nathan Oliver complements the menu with cocktails like the dirtier martini and mezcal daisy from the signature martini selection. Tuesday-Saturday, 5:30 p.m.-till close. 7174 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles. More Information

Maison Kasai x Truffle Brothers x Aleksander Winery

Jan. 30. Chef Josh Gil and Maison Kasai team up with Truffle Brothers and two-time NBA champion turned winemaker Sasha Vujacic of Aleksander Winery for an exclusive five-course truffle and wine dinner. The menu highlights truffle-infused dishes paired with select wines from Aleksander Winery, including courses featuring Santa Barbara uni, lobster carbonara and venison with sauce chasseur. This event starts this Thursday with a welcome reception at 6:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 7:00 p.m. 1254 S. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles. Reserve Now

Artelice Patisserie Opens New Location

Now Open. Expanding to a third location, Artelice’s new Studio City patisserie offers a welcoming space with indoor and outdoor seating for guests to enjoy coffee and pastries. Known for its expertly crafted French-inspired desserts, the patisserie offers chocolate passion fruit tarts, mango éclairs, matcha croissants and a selection of cakes, viennoiseries and macarons. Tuesday-Friday, 9:30 a.m.- 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. 12430 Ventura Blvd. #100, Studio City. artelicela.com

Golden Fortune: Year of the Snake Festivities at Crustacean 

Through Feb. 2. Celebrating Lunar New Year, Crustacean Beverly Hills offers a special à la carte menu, featuring dishes like money bag shumai, salt and pepper crispy quail, caviar fried chicken and uni garlic noodles with 24K gold. Activities include dragon dance performances on Friday at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., as well as a Lunar New Year brunch on Sunday with the An-Sum cart and good luck dishes. Also, throughout the week, the restaurant continues to provide meals for first responders and those displaced by the fires.

Arts + Culture

Schubert, Strauss & Saariaho

Jan. 30 & Feb. 2. Inspired by Wagner’s Liebestod, Strauss’ Death and Transfiguration explores the journey beyond life through rich harmonies and orchestration, depicting a man’s final moments. In a similar reflection on mortality, Kaija Saariaho’s HUSH, composed in her final months, presents a “journey to silence,” with a trumpet that growls and glides ghostlike through the orchestra. Susanna Mälkki conducts the program, which also includes Schubert’s haunting yet lyrical Unfinished Symphony. Thursday at 8 p.m. Sunday at 2 p.m. 111 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. laphil.com

Fake It Until You Make It 

Now Playing. Larissa FastHorse’s Fake It Until You Make It, directed by Michael John Garcés and produced with Arena Stage, debuts as a sharp comedy about identity, ambition and reinvention. The play follows Wynona, a Native American leader of N.O.B.U.S.H. and River, her white counterpart at Indigenous Nations Soaring, as their escalating rivalry exposes the absurdities of competition in the nonprofit world. Hours vary, check website for showtimes. 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles.  centertheatregroup.org

Shanghai Nights: A Lunar New Year Celebration

Feb. 2. Benny Boy Brewing hosts a free Lunar New Year concert featuring multilingual singer and accordionist Jessica Fichot, who blends Shanghai’s swing era with jazz and Mandopop. The Lincoln Heights brewery offers cider and beer pairings, with food available from Zef BBQ in the afternoon and Dumpling Dream in the evening. Saturday at 7 p.m. 1821 Daly Street, Los Angeles. bennyboybrewing.com

Roots and Renewal: Honoring the New Year of the Trees

Feb. 2. After weeks of closure due to the Palisades Fire, the Skirball reopens with a free community day focused on gratitude, healing and environmental appreciation. The Tu B’Shevat celebration features artist talks, guided walks, panel discussions, art making, live music and a TreePeople workshop where visitors can plant a tree to take home. Admission to all exhibitions, except Noah’s Ark, is free, including Diane von Furstenberg: Woman Before Fashion. Sunday at 11 a.m. 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles. skirball.org

Visions of the Universe

Opens Feb. 1. Corey Helford Gallery presents Visions of the Universe, a solo exhibition by South Korea-born, Davis-based artist Seongmin Yoo. In her CHG debut, Yoo explores humanity’s future and extraterrestrial life through surreal landscapes filled with alien flora, celestial cities and dreamlike imagery. Influenced by surrealists like Yves Tanguy and Leonora Carrington, her work blends the unknown with a deeply human touch, creating otherworldly compositions with emotional depth. Opening reception is this Saturday, 7-11 p.m. 571 S. Anderson Street, Los Angeles. coreyhelfordgallery.com

Photo credit: Shanghai Nights courtesy of Benny Brewing. Wild Weekends courtesy of The LA Zoo. Artelice Patisserie courtesy of Jakob Layman. “Drifting Eternities” courtesy of CHG. Interior of restaurant courtesy of Maison Kasai at Level 8.All other images are courtesy of the venues and businesses featured.

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