Events
Holiday Tree Lighting at Downtown Santa Monica
Nov. 19. Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. is bringing the holidays to the Third Street Promenade with the return of Winterlit. To kick-start the festivities, head over on Friday for the annual lighting of the official City of Santa Monica 24-foot-tall holiday tree where you can also spot Santa walking through the Promenade and watch musical performances. During Winterlit, visitors can see the transformation of the downtown district into an immersive, festive experience featuring tens of thousands of colorful lights, decor and garland on Third Street Promenade, 2nd and 4th Streets. Begins at 6 p.m. See website for more info. downtownsm.com
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Flamenco Singer Arcángel Celebrates His Fiery Roots
Nov. 20. Get ready to set your soul on fire L.A.! Direct from Andalucía and his 2021 Latin Grammy performance, Arcángel shines with a passionate interpretation of flamenco from Southern Spain. The intermission-free evening includes solos from two sultry dancers, tour-de-force guitar, all fused with superb percussion. Don’t miss live Flamenco at the acoustically superior Zipper Concert Hall at the Colburn School. 8-9:30 p.m. 200 S. Grand Ave., L.A. Tickets
Los Angeles Ballet’s Nutcracker Tea
Nov. 20-21. Give your kiddos a magical memory at Los Angeles Ballet’s annual Nutcracker Tea experience! Taking place at the Waldorf Astoria, the event features a preview performance of excerpts from The Nutcracker, and opportunities for children to interact with the dancers and costumed characters from the production. Along with treats and refreshments, there will be a holiday boutique, themed craft activities and a keepsake photo opportunity. See website for safety protocols and tickets. 9850 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310.477.7411 (ext. 1006). losangelesballet.org
Food + Drink
Vinovore’s Second Shop in Eagle Rock
Opens Nov. 20. Silver Lake’s beloved female-centric wine shop—owned and operated by Coly Den Haan (pictured) and Angelica Luna—is ready to opening the doors to its second expanded location with a marketplace in the heart of Eagle Rock. The new spot will expand its offerings to include pastries, coffees, provisions and gift items—all by like-minded brands. In celebration, Vinovore is hosting an opening party on Saturday from 4-7 p.m. with some bites, sips and discounts on the whole shop. Note: Proof of vaccination required for entering the store. Open daily 11 a.m.-8 p.m. 4627 York Blvd., Eagle Rock, 323.274.4870. vinovore.com
Lulu at Hammer Museum
Now Open. Experience Hammer Museum’s new sustainability-forward restaurant led by acclaimed chef, writer, and cookbook author David Tanis and conceived with legendary chef and food activist Alice Waters. Open for lunch to start, Lulu offers a prix-fixe menu that changes daily; examples of dishes include baked Sonoma goat cheese, Mediterranean fish and shellfish stew, North African lamb tagine and olive oil walnut cake. There’s also an a la carte menu with offerings such as focaccia sandwiches. Open during museum hours (Tu-Su 11 a.m.-6 p.m.) with reservations available from noon-2 p.m.; Walk-ins welcome all other times. 10899 Wilshire Blvd., L.A., 424.999.4870. hammer.ucla.edu
Zinqué’s New Venice Flagship Location
Now Open. The beloved French-inspired cafe, bistro and wine bar has moved its original flagship Venice Beach location from Abbot Kinney Blvd. to Lincoln Blvd. This new spot features an expanded Euro-influenced menu, full bar, a massive outdoor patio and an all-new Parisian-like bodega, À Coté, that carries a curated—primarily European—line of products. New to the day-to-night menu (and exclusive to this location) are pasta dishes, pizzas and soccas. There will also be the special events onsite such as Paella Night and Moules-Frites Night. Su, M-Th 7 a.m.-midnight; F-Sa 7 a.m.-2 a.m. 1440 Lincoln Blvd., Venice, 310.310.2469. lezinque.com
Arts + Culture
Appalachian Spring at The Soroya
Nov. 19. The world-famous Martha Graham Dance Company, led by artistic director Janet Eilber, returns to The Soraya to perform on the 77th anniversary of its signature work, Appalachian Spring, to its original Pulitzer Prize-winning score by Aaron Copland performed live by Wild Up, conducted by musical director Christopher Rountree. The performance includes the West Coast premiere of Andrea Miller’s new Scavengers to music of Will Epstein, and Graham’s classic Division of Angels to music of Norman Dello Joio. 8 p.m. $41-$86. 18111 Nordhoff St., Northridge, 818.677.3000. thesoraya.org
Kidspace Children’s Museum’s Winter Frolic
Opens Nov. 19. Get ready for winter to arrive in Pasadena! Starting Friday and running through January 9, Kidspace Children’s Museum will transform into a land of wonder and delight at its first annual Winter Frolic, designed as a joyful space for children and families to share the magic of the holidays together. Look forward to a flurry of experiences and programs such as the no-ice Sock Skating Rink, building winter sculptures using “ice blocks” (pictured), decorating snowflakes and more. Tu-Su 10 a.m.-5 p.m. See website for more info and tickets prices. 480 N. Arroyo Blvd., Pasadena, 626.449.9144. kidspacemuseum.org
Los Angeles Master Chorale Performs Rachmaninoff’s All-Night Vigil
Nov. 20-21. Grab your tickets to the Los Angeles Master Chorale’s first concert of its 2021-22 season with Rachmaninoff’s All-Night Vigil at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Written in 1915 during World War l (and with the Russian Revolution close behind), this composition is a stellar demonstration of the full power, complexity and majesty of the human voice, and represents the highest achievement of the Russian Orthodox Church’s great choral tradition. Note: Proof of full vaccination and masks are required. Sa 2 p.m., Su 7 p.m. See website for tickets. 111 S. Grand Ave., L.A., 213.972.7282. lamasterchorale.org
Photo credits: Holiday Tree Lighting courtesy Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. Coly Den Haan of Vinovore courtesy White Oak Communications. “Appalachian Spring” by Hibbard Nash Photography. Kidspace Children’s Museum by Jamie Pham. All other images are courtesy of the businesses and venues.
