From a film series inspired by dance icons Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly to celebrations welcoming the Year of the Dog, here are the top LA weekend events for February 1-4.
Edited by Christina Wiese.
EVENTS
L.A. Invents
Feb. 2. John Doe and Exene of L.A. punk band X headline the return of the Natural History Museum’s nighttime First Fridays series which weaves together nature, culture and creativity. 5-10 p.m. $20. The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 900 Exposition Blvd., L.A., 213.763.3466. nhm.org
Film Series: An Invitation to Dance
Feb. 2, 9, 16, 23. Every Friday in February, enjoy classic films featuring dance icons Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly. The series coincides with The Norton Simon Museum Taking Shape: Degas as Sculpture exhibition—which features dozens of brass dancers—and kicks off with Top Hat (Feb. 2) and continues with Swing Time, An American in Paris and Singin’ in the Rain. Films start at 5:30 p.m. $15 adults; $12 seniors; Free for Museum members, students with I.D., 18 and under. Museum admission included. 411 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, 626.449.6840. nortonsimon.org
Chinese New Year at Citadel Outlets
Feb. 2-28. Welcome the Year of the Dog with a vibrant month-long celebration featuring festive lanterns, twinkling lights and a traditional 17-foot Chinese Pagoda. Shoppers can also visit the Customer Service Center and say the phrase “Xin nian kuai le” or “Gong xi fa cai” (meaning Happy New Year) to receive a complimentary red envelope which will contain either a store gift card or center promotion. Free. Citadel Outlets, 100 Citadel Dr., Suite 480, L.A. citadeloutlets.com
Dumpling Day
Feb. 3. Horse racing and delicious dumplings collide for a one-of-a-kind event at iconic Santa Anita Park. Choose from either the Dumpling Package (one order of dumplings, one craft beer, $5 betting voucher, club house admission) or bring a few pals to take advantage of the Dumpling Crawl 4-Pack which includes all the above for each person, but at a discounted rate. Noon-4:30 p.m. $30 Dumpling Package, $110 Dumpling Crawl 4-Pack. Santa Anita Park, 285 W. Huntington Dr., Arcadia. santaanita.com
Ebb & Flow: Culver City
Feb. 3. Head to Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook, home to the infamous Culver Stairs, for a family-friendly day of fun from the creative minds behind Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre. Highlights for the day include opening remarks from travel writer Jedidiah Jenkins, performances from well-known choreographers, workshops for both professional dancers (led by LA La Land’s assistant choreographer Jillian Meyers) and non-professionals, booths from local artists and more. Noon-7 p.m. Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook, 6300 Hetzler Road, Culver City. Tickets
40th Annual Redondo Beach Super Bowl Sunday 10K/5K
Feb. 4. Before settling in for Sunday’s big game, give your legs a stretch on a scenic run through South Bay. The route takes in views of the Pacific, the Redondo Beach Historic Pier, the Marina in King Harbor and the Wyland Whale mural before finishing at a Michelob Ultra post-race hospitality area. See website for registration cost and race start times. Seaside Lagoon, 200 Portofino Way, Redondo Beach. redondo10k.com
Super Vegan Sunday
Feb. 4. Smorgasburg LA—downtown’s weekly market featuring food, drink and shopping vendors—brings a big dose of healthy for this Sunday’s edition. Expect the usual establishments to serve special vegan options alongside select pop-up options curated by Eat Drink Vegan and Vegan Street Fair. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. ROW DTLA, 785 Bay St., downtown. la.smorgasburg.com
Pop-Up Magazine
Upcoming | Feb. 5. The “Winter Issue” of this live journalism event features stories from filmmakers, authors and more at the Theatre at Ace Hotel. On deck for the evening are never-before-heard stories accompanied by illustration, animation, photos and an original score by Magik*Magik Orchestra. 7:30 p.m. $35-$49. 929 S. Broadway, downtown. acehotel.com
STYLE + BEAUTY
Charlotte Stone
Feb. 1-Apr. 30. The Ventura-based designer footwear label launches its very first retail experience at Culver City’s elevated shopping and lifestyle destination, Platform LA. A go to for A-listers like Solange and Brie Larson, the shop will showcase exclusive styles with an emphasis on items from the Spring/Summer 2018 line. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. daily. 8850 Washington Blvd., Culver City. charlotte-stone.com
FOOD + DRINK
Golden Apple at Jane Q
Now Available. Golden Ticket … or Golden Apple? The newly launched off-menu item comprises of a cored jumbo apple filled with rich, white chocolate ganache coated in decadent salted caramel before being enveloped in gold leaf. The outside layer isn’t the only thing that’s shiny—the Golden Apple fetches a pretty penny of $700. A 1.5-ounce pour of Louis XII cognac accompanies the indulgent dish. Jane Q at the Kimpton Everly Hotel, 1800 Argyle Ave., Hollywood. everlyhotelhollywood.com
jaffa.LA
Now Open. The newest eatery to land on West 3rd fuses new and old world flavors to deliver a delicious modern twist on Israeli cuisine. Helmed by chef Anne Conness, expect explosive flavors from dishes that use fresh ingredients and sustainable meat and seafood. Dinner service begins on January 31, with lunch service to follow on February 5 and brunch service starting on February 17. 8048 West 3rd St., L.A. jaffa.LA
Woon Noodle Pop-Up at ETA
Feb. 1. Highland Park’s beloved cocktail bar partners with L.A.-based pop up noodle cart for a special night of home-style Chinese stir fried beef noodles and veggies noodles, pork belly baos and a unique cocktail menu curated by ETA. DannyG and Jasmin Blasco will spin an eclectic mix of vinyl throughout the evening. 5630 N. Figueroa St., L.A. etahlp.com
Black Truffle Tasting
Feb. 1-28. Indulge on a five-course truffle tasting menu with stunning panoramic views of the Pacific as your backdrop. Chef de Cuisine Andrew Vaughan oversees the menu that showcases highlights like chestnut veloute (granny smith apple, celeriac, crispy faro topped with black truffle) and petite filet rossini (seared foie gras, puree of red potatoes, black truffle), among others. $225. mar’sel, 100 Terranea Way, Rancho Palos Verdes. terranea.com
Boomtown Brewery 3 Year Anniversary Celebration
Feb. 3. Raise a glass to celebrate three years of beer slinging in Los Angeles County. A special anniversary brew will be served to honor the occasion—a Belgian White Imperial brewed with rose petals and raspberries—alongside a lineup of 18 artisanal craft beers. Local food vendors like Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, CA Burger Shop and Ridges Churro Bar will also make an appearance. Noon-2 a.m., 21+ after 8 p.m. Free. 700 Jackson St., downtown. boomtownbrew.com
National Zebra Week at Malibu Wines
Through Feb. 4. Don’t wait until Valentine’s Day to clink glasses with your significant other or gal pals. Enjoy $25 bottles and $7 glasses of the Timon Zebra Rosé Zinfandel, a fruit-forward wine named after Malibu Wines’ very own Timon the Zebra which can be visited on a Malibu Wines Safari. 31740 Mulholland Hwy., Malibu. malibuwines.com
Bento Boxes at Hayato
Now Available. Shake up your lunch routine with Hayato’s newly launched bento box encompassing 16 different components. Chef Brandon Go curates and cooks the daily selection which includes items like black cod saikyo yaki, seared duck breast and koshihikari rice with root vegetables. Pre-orders are highly encouraged as Go only creates 20 specialty boxes a day. Hayato marks the first official dining establishment to open its doors at ROW DTLA and will roll out dinner service in early 2018. 1320 E. 7th St., Suite 126, downtown. hayatorestaurant.com
ARTS + CULTURE
Chagall 20th Century Master at Galerie Michael
Now Open. Explore more than 44 exquisite works by Marc Chagall, best known best for his vivid and mystical use of colorful dreamscapes. Even the legendary Pablo Picasso agrees: “…now that Matisse is dead, Chagall is the true colorist—the only artist who really understands what color is.” M-Sa 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Su 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Galerie Michael 224 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310.273.3377. galeriemichael.com
Smooth Moves
Feb. 1-14. Love is in the air as American Contemporary Ballet re-creates some of Fred Astaire’s most famous dances on the 32nd floor of the Bloc tower, against the backdrop of downtown L.A.’s sparkling lights. See website for showtimes. $40-$105. American Contemporary Ballet, 700 S. Flower St., Suite 3200, downtown. acbdances.com
‘Grandfather: A Pioneer Like Us’
Opens Feb. 4. The Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles—a fairly new addition to the Arts District in downtown—welcomes a fresh exhibition that explores the detailed work of renowned Swiss curator Harald Szeemann who continually challenged and redefined the practice of exhibition curation. W-F 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Sa-Su 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Free. 1717 E. 7th St., downtown. theicala.org
‘Water by the Spoonful’
Through Mar. 11. The second in Hudes’ (In the Heights) trilogy of plays, Water follows the four disparate members of an online chat room for recovering addicts. See website for showtimes and ticket prices. Mark Taper Forum, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown, 213.628.2772. centertheatregroup.org
Film Series: An Invitation to Dance photo courtesy of Photofest. Chagall photo courtesy of Galerie Michael. ‘Grandfather: A Pioneer Like Us’ photo by Christina Wiese.
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