Find the best Los Angeles things to do for Feb. 9-14
Edited by Christina Xenos
EVENTS
Edwardian Ball
Feb. 11. Spend a merrily macabre evening at this annual fete, which toasts the work of author-illustrator Edward Gorey at the Globe Theatre. (Photo by Marco Sanchez.) $70-$90. 740 S Broadway, downtown. edwardianball.com
One Love Cali Reggae Fest
Feb. 10-12. See performances from some of the biggest names in reggae like headliners Slightly Stoopid (Friday), Rebelution (Saturday) and Dirty Heads and 311 (Sunday). Over 50 other artists also perform, including SOJA, 311, Iration, Chronixx, Stick Figure, Steel Pulse, J Boog and Fortunate Youth. In addition to weekend and single-day passes, you can also find VIP Lounge, Legend VIP, Rage On The Stage and VIP Cabana packages. See website for full line up and VIP packages. Tickets start at $65. 1126 Queens Hwy., Long Beach, 877.342.0738. onelovecalifest.com
VALENTINE’S DAY
Valentine’s Day In LA
There are a million ways to say “I love you” and “be mine” and we’ve covered over 100 of them in our Valentine’s Day Guide on SoCalPulse.com. From couples spa experiences, staycations and getaways to proposal and elopement destinations and dining for every taste, check out the ultimate guide to Valentin’s Day in LA. socalpulse.com
Clean Slate: A Pre-Valentine’s Party
Feb. 11. No Valentine? No problem! Let the Three Day Rule matchmakers be your personal cupid at the Viceroy Santa Monica hotel during a massive pre-Valentine’s bash. Enjoy cocktails, truffles, macarons and close-up magic from professional magician Mark Paskell. Get free admission when you bring a photograph of you with your ex to burn in a cauldron. 7 p.m.-1 a.m. Viceroy Santa Monica, 1819 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica. cleanslateparty.eventbrite.com
Sex & The City Zoo
Feb. 11. The L.A. Zoo’s wild, adults-only Valentine’s celebration features Fool for Love, a provocative animal dating-mating-cohabitating presentation, refreshments, up-close animal encounters and an optional intimate, seasonally inspired five-course wine-pairing dinner. $30-$140. (Photo by Jamie Pham.) 5333 Zoo Dr., L.A., 866.949.8007. lazoo.org
Valentine Distillery Tour and Tasting
Feb. 11. Our/Los Angeles Vodka and Mr. Holmes Bakehouse team up to offer a unique tasting experience hosted at the Our/Los Angeles Vodka downtown distillery. Stop by for a flight of three amorous tastings that include a sweet confection. Tastings at 5, 6 and 7 p.m. $25. Proceeds benefit Inner-City Arts. 915 S. Santa Fe Ave., downtown. Tickets.
Valentine’s Day Scavenger Hunt
Feb. 12. Vintage Malibu and Malibu Country Mart are helping lovers delight their sweethearts this Valentine’s Day as they host their fourth annual scavenger hunt. Couples will race the clock and each other to find four hidden jewelry boxes with prizes including $250 and $500 Malibu Country Mart gift cards, a customized beauty treatment from Beauty Collection and a grand prize diamond necklace. 10:30-11:30 a.m. Vintage Malibu at Malibu Country Mart, 3835 Cross Creek Rd., Suite 38, Malibu. malibucountrymart.com
Anti-Valentine’s Day Party
Feb. 14. Because Valentine’s Day isn’t just for happy couples, We Like L.A. and the Museum of Broken Relationships Los Angeles are throwing a party that offers evening access to all of the museum’s exhibits, in addition to an assortment of entertainment that’s sure to make you forget about this whole true love thing. Highlights include DJs spinning anti-love anthems all night long, food from NoMad Truck and Pico House, cash bar, raffle and more. 21+. $27, includes one complementary drink ticket. 7-9:30 p.m. 6751 Hollywood Blvd., L.A. brokenships.ticketleap.com
FOOD + DRINK
Maré Silver Lake
The third outpost of Chef Eric Greenspan’s and Midcourse Hospitality Group’s breezy coastal European-influenced restaurant takes you to the shores of Portugal in Silver Lake. Find many of your favorite dishes like shellfish served with your choice of broth, and whole branzino with fig-pomegranate glaze. The location also features unique rotating specials like bouillabaisse croquettes, Greek yogurt and pistachio arancini and grilled focaccia with chorizo and leek fondue, which compliment noshing at the large dining bar. Jim Hustead designed the lush airy spot with large open windows and accents of plants and candles. Other additions include an extended wine by the glass program and late-night hours until 2 a.m. Thurs.-Sat. Open from 5 p.m. with brunch and happy hour to come. 2609 Hyperion Ave., L.A., 323.522.6656. marerestaurants.com
Mikkeller
Opens Feb. 10. Danish brewing company, Mikkeller opens its first LA outpost downtown this weekend. The expansive destination is housed in a 100-year-old auto repair shop and features more than 62 taps dedicated to their own brews and other top selections. Also enjoy a variety of specialized bottles, craft cocktail program and meat slow cooked in their J&R Manufacturing wood smoker along with upscale tavern fare from chef Enrique Cuevas. The space also features Kaffebaren cafe, which offers nitro cold brew, green tea and kombucha on tap along with salads and sandwiches. 330 W. Olympic Blvd., downtown. mikkellerbar.com
SHOPPING
Eva Franco Sample Sale
Feb. 10-11. Ladies can style themselves in playful, yet sophisticated designs that have earned praise from top fashion publications and are favorites of stars from Zooey Deschanel to Taylor Swift. Fri, noon-6 p.m.; Sat., 11 a.m.-4 p.m. 2100 E. 14th St., downtown. evafranco.com
MUSIC
Kneebody
Feb. 11. Grammy-nominated quintet Kneebody generates explosive rock energy paralleled with high-level chamber ensemble playing, and highly wrought compositions balanced with adventurous no-holds-barred improvising. (Photo by Paulifornia.) $45+. The Broad Stage, 1310 11th St., Santa Monica, 310.434.3200. thebroadstage.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 Feb. 26. 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
