Find the best Los Angeles things to do for April 20-23

Edited by Christina Xenos

MUSEUMS
Museum of Ice Cream
April 22-May 29. The second outpost—four times as large as its New York sister—of the sweetest museum of all opens in the Arts District this weekend. Dive into the iconic swimmable sprinkle pool filled with one hundred million sprinkles, and enjoy other interactive highlights like a banana split room comprised of 10 thousand bananas, a mint grow house, a melted popsicle jungle and more. The museum has also curated ice cream for you to enjoy, which includes a “scoop of the week” from popular shops like McConnell’s, Salt & Straw and Cream. $29/pp adults, $18/pp children (3-12) and seniors (60+), includes two ice cream tastings and other edible treats. Wed.-Mon., 11 a.m.-10 p.m. 2018 E. 7th Pl., downtown. museumoficecream.com

 

 

EVENTS
Los Angeles Times Festival of Books
April 22-23. Authors, booksellers and readers mingle on the USC campus during this two-day celebration of the written word—the nation’s largest public literary festival. Expect panels, demonstrations and conversations with high-profile authors, including Joyce Carol Oates, George Saunders and Mozza’s Nancy Silverton. Check website for lineup and schedule. Sat 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Su 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. Parking $12. University of Southern California, University Park Campus, L.A. events.latimes.com/festivalofbooks

 

 

Sunrise Yoga at Skyspace
April 22. Celebrate Earth Day above downtown LA with a special yoga session at Skyspace. Practice your poses on the terrace during a session led by Teeki’s Paula Pavlova, and at the end of the session enjoy a final stretch on the skyslide. This is the first event in a six-month series; classes continue every fourth Saturday of the month through Sept. 23. 5:30 a.m. doors, 6-7 a.m. class. $25, includes admission to Skyspace, one skyslide ride, snacks and a Teeki pop-up shop. 633 W 5th St., downtown, 213.894.9000. oue-skyspace.com

 

 

Record Store Day
April 22. Independent record stores around LA join the worldwide celebration of music culture with in-store specials, live music and more. Head to spots like Amoeba Music, High Fidelity and The Record Parlour to celebrate. recordstoreday.com

 

 

 

Grand Butterfly Release
April 22-23. Kidspace Children’s Museums will release over 700 butterflies each day from its Stone Hollow Amphitheater. Also find special activities that celebrate the life cycle of the winged creatures and live music. Release is at 2 p.m. 480 N. Arroyo Blvd. Pasadena, 626.449.9144. kidspacemuseum.org

 

 

Family Flicks Film Series
April 23. The matinee screening series of new and classic family-friendly films from around the world at the Hammer Museum features Spirited Away. The movie surrounds Chihiro, a courageous young girl who uses her wits to escape a strange world of spirits. 11 a.m. 10899 Wilshire Blvd., L.A., 310.443.7000. hammer.ucla.edu

 

 

Yom HaShoah Commemoration
April 23. Keynote addresses will be given by U.S. Ambassador to Germany John Emerson and human rights activist Kimberly Marteau Emerson. Other speakers include Consul General of Israel Sam Grundwerg and Holocaust survivor Renee Firestone. At noon, the Museum will host a Yiddish poetry reading and a conversation with Holocaust survivor artists. Free. 2 p.m. Pan Pacific Park, 7600 Beverly Blvd., L.A., 323.456.5083. lamoth.org

 

 

Portals Project at Grand Park
Through April 23. Connect with people across the globe during the two-week long chat at Grand Park. All you have to do is sign up for a time and you will be connected with someone face-to-face in a distant portal and have real-time conversations as if he or she were in the same room. Chat about life, food, family and any other topic. The portals are gold shipping containers equipped inside with immersive audio and video technology. Each portal is staffed by a Portal Curator who provides translation as needed. Portal cities include Amman, Jordan; Berlin, Germany; and Mexico City, Mexico. 8 a.m.-10 p.m. 200 N. Grand Ave., downtown. grandpark/portals.com

 

 

MUSIC + DANCE
Goldenvoice Presents: April 2017
Through April 22. See your favorite Coachella artists and others at intimate venues across LA. Goldenvoice presents shows this weekend that include everything from Röyksopp (April 20) to Guided By Voices (April 22), Phantogram (April 23) and many more. See website for full schedule. (Photo by Sandlin Gaither.) axs.com

 

 

The Drop: Cold War Kids
April 24. Long Beach natives Cold War Kids pay tribute to Los Angeles and all its glory on their sixth album, LA Divine. See them discuss their new album followed by an intimate performance in the Grammy Museum’s Clive Davis Theater. The evening will be hosted by Scott Goldman, Vice President of the Grammy Foundation and MusiCares. $20 8 p.m. W. Olympic Blvd., downtown. grammymuseum.org

 

 

Tosca
April 22-May 13. Electrifying Sondra Radvanovsky returns to reprise her acclaimed portrayal as fiery prima donna Tosca in one of opera’s bloodiest, most intense dramas. The production is a revival of the John Caird staging, conducted by James Conlon. (April 22, 27, 30; May 2, 5, 7, 13.) (Photo courtesy of LA Opera.) Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown, 213.972.0711. laopera.org

 

 

M.A.R.S. Festival
Through April 23. This new festival features over 35 local and internationally established contemporary musicians, as well as performance and visual artists. Check website for lineup, schedule and tickets. Art Share L.A., 801 E. 4th Place, downtown; Angel City Brewery, 216 Alameda St., downtown. festivalmars.com

 

 

STYLE + BEAUTY
Spa Week
Through April 23. Biannual event sees participating spas around the city offer signature treatments (massages, scrubs and facials that usually cost $100-$500) for just $50. See website for participating spas and wellness locations. 212.352.8098. spaweek.com

 

 

 

FOOD + DRINK
Woodley Proper
The new Encino dining destination builds off the concept of dining at the bar. It’s equal parts drinks from barman Devon Espinosa and food from Scratch|Restaurants’ chef duo Phillip Frankland Lee and Margarita Kallas-Lee. Pair seasonal libations and selections from table-side cocktail carts with signature dishes like pickled shrimp guacamole; country-style sour dough toasts that come topped with everything from salmon and Greek yogurt to roasted chicken liver; seafood towers and a dry aged prime New York strip. (Photo by Jakob Layman.) 16101 Ventura Blvd., Encino, 818.906.9775. woodleyproper.com

 

 

Pizzana
Opens April 21. From Candace and Charles Nelson, the couple behind Sprinkles cupcakes, in partnership with with actor and friend Chris O’Donnell, comes a new spot in Brentwood to dine on neo-Neapolitan pizza pies. The Nelsons tapped Naples-born master pizzaiolo Daniele Uditi for their first savory venture. Come for Uditi’s “slow dough”—a meticulously prepared with a blend of imported Italian flours, creating a crust that is light and easy-to-digest, yet sturdy enough to pick up with one hand. Pies include the Amatriciana with housemade amatriciana sauce, fior di latte, crispy prosciutto crudo, red onion, shaved parmigiano; the Corbarina with cherry tomato, zucchini blossom, burrata, gremolata; and spicy Messicana, an ode to Uditi’s Mexican wife featuring chorizo, cilantro lime sauce, sweet chili, jalapeño, queso fresco. They also offer vegetarian, gluten- and dairy-free selections. (Photo by Amy Neunsinger.) 11712 San Vicente Blvd., L.A. pizzana.com

 

 

The Flats
The dynamic new Beverly Hills restaurant offers a menu centering around its signature old and new school artisanal flat breads, which come in options like Spanish chorizo with roasted red peppers, caramelized onion, manchego and oregano; tomato kimchi with mozzarella, black garlic and sea beans; and southern-fried chicken with pink lemonade mozzarella, watermelon powered and house tabasco. Also enjoy small plate starters and a election of in-house cured meats, which pair perfectly with their craft cocktail menu. 8400 Wilshire Blvd., L.A., 310.909.7549. theflatsrestaurant.com

 

 

THEATER
Block Party
Through May 21. This celebration of the Los Angeles theater scene spotlights three recent productions from local theater companies, each of which plays for two weeks. Failure: A Love Story runs from April 14-23; Citizen: An American Lyric opens April 28; Dry Land runs from May 12-21. Kirk Douglas Theatre, 9820 Washington Blvd., Culver City, 213.628.2772. centertheatregroup.org

 

 

Into the Woods
Continuing. This reinvention of James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim’s fairy-tale musical about the power of wishes finds the acclaimed Fiasco Theater ensemble revisiting classic songs like “Children Will Listen” and “Giants in the Sky.” (Photo by Joan Marcus.) Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown, 213.628.2772. centertheatregroup.org

 

 

Plasticity
Through May 1. The multilayered, multimedia theatrical event aims to take audiences on an often comedic tour of the collective unconscious. Ovation Award-winning co-writers Alex Lyras and Robert McCaskill (The Common Air) team with Grammy Award-nominated composer Ken Rich, visual artist Corwin Evans and two-time Emmy Award-winning editor/producer Peter Chakos (The Big Bang Theory) to examine how the brain is able to rewire and heal itself. In it, a comatose man recreates his identity by delving deeply into his memories, while hovering family members and loved ones (all played by Lyras) divide into scheming camps over grave neurological decisions. Monday nights. Hudson Theatre, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd., L.A., 323.960.7787. plasticitytheplay.com