Find the best Los Angeles things to do for Feb. 16-20
Edited by Christina Xenos
EVENTS
Air + Style
Feb. 18-19. This festival, presented by snowboarder Shaun White, returns to LA this Presidents Day weekend with a full lineup of action sports and music headliners including Major Lazer, Flume and TV on the Radio. 2 p.m. One-day pass $79; VIP $129. Two-day pass $139; VIP $229. Exposition Park, 700 Exposition Park Drive, L.A., 323.651.4300. airandstyle.com
L.A. Cookie Con & Sweets Show
Feb. 18-19. The West Coast’s largest baking and pastry expo lets attendees enjoy free samples, meet foodie TV stars like Cake Masters’ Duff Goldman, watch baking demonstrations and participate in hands-on workshops. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. One-day pass $25; kids 3-12 $12. Weekend pass $45; kids 3-12 $22. Los Angeles Convention Center, 1201 S. Figueroa St., downtown. lacookiecon.com
Los Angeles Travel & Adventure Show
Feb. 18-19. The largest travel show in the nation features entertainment, food and tips from TV’s travel experts, including keynote speakers Rick Steves, Andrew Zimmern and Peter Greenberg. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. One-day ticket $11-$15, two-day ticket $18-$22, under 17 free. Los Angeles Convention Center (Halls GHJ), 1201 S. Figueroa St., downtown, 203.878.2577, ext. 100. travelshows.com
Oscar Nominated Film Screenings at Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills
Through Feb. 23. Take your movie night to the next level at Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills. Their new dinner and a movie screenings feature Oscar-nominated films presented in the hotel’s exclusive private screening room paired with a three-course dinner at Culina. Each dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. with the movie commencing at 8 p.m., with a special matinee lunch/screening of La La Land, Feb. 18. All proceeds will benefit the Make a Film Foundation. See the full schedule HERE. Call to reserve. Reservations required. $69/pp dinner and $39/pp lunch. Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills, 300 S. Doheny Dr., L.A. 310.860.4000. fourseasons.com/losangeles
Hear Sunday at elysian
Feb. 19. The newly remodeled Frogtown restaurant continues its Sunday live music series this weekend with a concert from Eyvind Kang & Jessika Kenny. The restaurant’s new bar will be open, offering heady cocktails to enjoy during the performance. Buy tickets HERE. 7-9 p.m. 2806 Clearwater St., L.A. elysianla.com
ScotsFestival & International Highland Games XXIX
Feb. 17-19. Celebrate Scottish heritage at the annual event. The festival will kick off with the Burns Supper on Friday night followed by a weekend of rich Scottish culture highlighted through authentic activities, athletics, dancing, entertainment and cuisine including border collie sheep-herding, firing demonstrations, performances by the Scots Greys Calvary, Royal Scottish Country Dance Society and historic re-enactments in ode to the Queen Mary’s Scottish legacy. See website for full weekend schedule and pricing. 1126 Queens Hwy., Long Beach, 877.342.0738. queenmary.com
NIGHTLIFE
Black Rabbit Rose
The mysterious new Hollywood nightlife destination conjures a blend of style and spectacle synonymous of the dynamic duo behind it—the Houston Brothers. This concept is equal parts bar and theater, with ticketed shows from an array of talent from magicians and illusionists to burlesque dancers, performing in its speakeasy theater space Thursday through Saturday nights. Cocktails in the intimate main bar blend perfectly with the ambiance, some like the Smoke N Mirrors are a spectacle with gin, sweet vermouth, a hickory smoke filled glass and flamed orange zest. You can also order Thai-Chinese favorites from neighboring take-out window, CryingTiger while you’re imbibing. (Photo by Jakob Layman.) 1719 N. Hudson Ave., L.A. blackrabbitrose.com
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The new West Side cocktail bar sports a chic ambiance and classic drinks with a focus on high quality and distinct mezcals, bourbons and scotches. Also find live entertainment, including a mix of blues and rock bands, in addition to nightly happy hour from 5-8 p.m. (Photo by Brad Romano.) 11780 W. Pico Blvd., L.A. More Info.
FOOD + DRINK
Dessert Tasting Menu at The Peninsula Beverly Hills
Dessert never needs to be an afterthought ever again. The Peninsula Beverly Hills is putting it center stage with their new seven-course dessert tasting menu from executive pastry chef Stephanie Boswell. This isn’t your everyday molten lava cake; Boswell has lined up all her favorites like a coconut terrine, Baileys cheesecake and Nutella crepe—to name a few. The tasting is also paired with free-flowing Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne for two. $76. Thurs.-Sat. from 8 p.m. (Photo by Dylan+Jeni.) The Peninsula Beverly Hills, The Living Room, 9882 Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310.975.2736. beverlyhills.peninsula.com
Salt & Straw West Hollywood
Opens Feb. 17. The iconic, family-run ice cream purveyor known for its artisanal, chef-driven approach opens its fifth scoop shop in West Hollywood. Find all your favorite flavors—Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons and Stumptown Coffee & Compartes Love Nuts—in addition to head ice cream maker Tyler Malek’s seasonal, monthly rotating offerings, sundaes and milkshakes. As part of an introduction to those neighbors, Salt & Straw will host a pre-opening fundraiser for The Trevor Project with a pop-up station at Guisados from 6-9 p.m. Full and partial proceeds, respectively, will go toward crisis intervention and suicide prevention services for LGBTQ young people ages 13-24. 8949 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood. saltandstraw.com
Hanging with Harris
Feb. 20. Celebrated culinary MC and fundraising auctioneer Billy Harris announces his new dinner series that kicks off at Union in Pasadena. The evening begins with a cocktail reception hosted by a mixologist from the leading Scotch whisky distiller, William Grant & Sons, followed by a four-course seated dinner with wine pairings. Each event will also have a charity auction where all proceeds (and a portion of ticket sales) will benefit James Beard Foundation, Alex’s Lemonade Stand, No Kid Hungry and PIGGY BANK. $125/pp. View full schedule on website. hangingwithharris.com
Kaliboration Dinner at Michael’s Santa Monica
Feb. 20. Chef Miles Thompson of Michael’s Santa Monica and chef Kevin Meehan of Kali restaurant team up at newly revamped Michael’s for a collaborative dinner celebrating California cuisine and ingredients. The four-course prix-fixe dinner features highlights from Kali’s and Michael’s menus such as Thompson’s Dungeness crab chawanmushi with uni, ginger sprout and Japanese sesame, and Meehan’s black barley “risotto” with black garlic and toasted cheese. 5:30-9:30 p.m. $70/pp. Michael’s Santa Monica, 1147 Third St., Santa Monica. michaelssantamonica.com
MUSEUMS
Masters of the American West
Opening Feb. 11. Each year, the Autry Museum of the American West hosts the Masters of the American West art exhibition and sale, the country’s premier Western art show, where 75 nationally recognized artists present their best work (such as Kim Wiggins’ A Vanishing Breed. The pieces showcase the range of subject matter that contemporary, historic and mythic Western experiences inspire. The exhibition is open to all museumgoers, while art aficionados can attempt to claim a piece for themselves on opening night. (Photo Kim Wiggins, A Vanishing Breed, oil, 40 x 50 in.) 4700 Western Heritage Way, Griffith Park, L.A., 323.667.2000. theautry.org
THEATER
Zoot Suit
Through March 19. Demián Bichir (A Better Life, The Hateful Eight) stars in this much-anticipated revival of Luis Valdez’s landmark 1978 play. (Photo courtesy of Center Theatre Group.) Mark Taper Forum, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown, 213.628.2772. centertheatregroup.org
Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Through March 18. Eugene O’Neill’s semi-autobiographical masterpiece won the Pulitzer Prize for drama in 1957. Jane Kaczmarek and Alfred Molina star in this powerful portrait of a single day. Gil Cates Theater, Geffen Playhouse, 10886 Le Conte Ave., Westwood, 310.208.5454. geffenplayhouse.com
Plasticity
Through March 13. 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. Hudson Theatre, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd., L.A., 323.960.7787. plasticitytheplay.com
The Found Dog Ribbon Dance
Through March 12. Professional cuddler Norma’s quest to return a lost dog to its rightful owner leads her to encounter a slew of oddballs, and maybe even discover a second chance at love. The world premiere of the bittersweet romantic comedy is about loneliness, oxytocin and the healing power of Whitney Houston. $30. The Echo Theater Company @ Atwater Village Theatre, 3269 Casitas Ave., L.A., 310.307.3753. echotheatercompany.com
Bakersfield Mist
Through Feb. 26. Jenny O’Hara and Nick Ullett reprise the roles they created in Stephen Sachs’ hit comedy, which premiered at the Fountain Theatre and went to London’s West End and around the world. Maude Gutman, an unemployed, chain-smoking ex-bartender living in a run down California trailer park, believes the painting she bought in a thrift store for $3 is really an undiscovered masterpiece worth millions. When stuffy New York art expert Lionel Percy arrives to evaluate the work, the result is a fiery and often hilarious debate over class, truth, value and the meaning of art. Inspired by true events. $15–$35. (Photo by Ed Krieger.) The Fountain Theatre, 5060 Fountain Ave., L.A., 323.663.1525. fountaintheatre.com
