EVENTS
Paleyfest
Mar. 2-14. Celebrate the small screen at the 29th annual event, taking place at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills. Screenings and panel discussions with the casts and creative teams of hit shows such as Modern Family, New Girl and Mad Men offer fans a chance to hear from their TV heroes. All panels at 7 pm except for Revenge and Once Upon a Time (1 pm). $15–$75. Saban Theatre, 8440 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310.786.1010. paleycenter.org
All Space Considered
Mar. 2. Los Angeles astronomical beacon, the Griffith Observatory offers a public lecture where you can get news on developments in astronomy, space science and space exploration; see beautiful astronomical images, learn about wind and water on Mars and get your March sky report. Seating is first-come, first-served, up to the capacity of the theater, we recommend arriving between 6:45-7 p.m. (at the latest). 7:30 p.m. Free. Griffith Observatory, Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon Theater, 2800 East Observatory Rd., 213.473.0800. GriffithObservatory.org
The Florence Broadhurst Tour
Mar. 2. Evoking the spirit of iconic musical legends (think Blondie and the Supremes), The Florence Broadhurst Tour—a Kate Spade New York pop-up shop on a tour bus outfitted in Florence Broadurst’s japanese floral—stops at The Grove. Browse the Kate Spade spring collection on the bus, and stick around to see indie-pop band the Vivian Girls perform in concert at 7 p.m. The Lawn at The Grove, 189 The Grove Drive, L.A., 323.900.8080. thegrovela.com
Westside Connections
Mar. 1. Explore the connections between chamber music and food during the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra’s Westside Connections. Opening the series is acclaimed author, cook, journalist and food blogger Michael Ruhlman along with the music of Rossini, Puccini, Falla and Paul Schoenfield. Join Ruhlman as he discuss the food-themed music as well as the talent, techniques and artistic expression involved in gastronomy. Each evening includes an opportunity for audience questions. Subsequent installments of the series feature Pulitzer Prize-winning restaurant critic, Jonathan Gold on Mar. 22, and Susan Feniger, chef, restaurateur, cookbook author, radio and TV personality on Apr. 5. 7:30 p.m. $45 per concert; $120 3-concert subscription. Broad Stage, 1310 11th Street, Santa Monica, 213 622 7001 x1. laco.org
Cirque du Soleil’s Ovo
Through Mar. 25. A blue-and-yellow “grand chapiteau” adjacent to Santa Monica Pier hosts Ovo. Meaning “egg” in Portuguese, Ovo delves into the insect ecosystem with 55 performers and a riot of colorful, evocative costumes. The main act, a trapeze stunt, features six “flyers,” and the finale features “20 artists running, jumping and leaping up against a 24-foot vertical wall.” Santa Monica Pier, 200 Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica. cirquedusoleil.com/ovo
MUSIC + DANCE
Swan Lake
Mar. 3-4. Thanks in no small part to the film Black Swan, Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet Swan Lake is cool again, and Los Angeles Ballet is one of the companies bringing it back to the stage. New principal dancer Allynne Noelle, formerly a soloist for the Miami City Ballet, is among the dancers featured in the L.A. Ballet premiere of Swan Lake, the tale of a swan queen, a prince, an evil spell and an eternal love. It features choreography from artistic directors Thordal Christensen and Colleen Neary. Performances take place March 3–4 at UCLA’s Royce Hall; March 10 at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center; March 17 at the Alex Theatre in Glendale; March 24 at Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach; and March 31 at the Valley Performing Arts Center at California State University, Northridge. losangelesballet.org
!!! (Chk Chk Chk)
Mar. 1. !!! (Chk Chk Chk), the band best known for its high-energy live performances, which wowed crowds at last year’s Bonnaroo, Coachella, Outside Lands, hits the Echoplex for a rare intimate performance that features some of their new tracks. Don’t miss singer Nic Offer’s onstage dancing antics, which can charm even the most jaded of concert-goers, getting everyone to dance to the tunes as maniacally as he does. 1154 Glendale Blvd., L.A., 213.413.8200. attheecho.com
OPERA
Simon Boccanegra: Meet the Artists
Mar. 1, 4. Meet the cast of Simon Boccanegra following the Mar. 1, performance. Plácido Domingo, Maestro James Conlon, Ana Maria Martinez and more, will be at a reception—open to all ticket holders—in the Oval Bar area of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Giuseppe Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra has long fascinated Plácido Domingo, who has often performed its tenor role of Gabriele Adorno. He now performs the role for his “home” company in the work’s L.A. Opera premiere. James Conlon conducts; Elijah Moshinsky directs. Soprano Ana María Martínez, last here for La Bohème in 2004, returns as Boccanegra’s long-lost daughter, Amelia, and bass Vitalij Kowaljow, in his second appearance this season, returns as Fiesco. Italian tenor Stefano Secco makes his company debut as Gabriele, and Italian baritone Paolo Gavanelli returns as Paolo Albiani. Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown, 213.972.7211. LAOpera.com
Albert Herring
Mar. 3, 8, 11, 14, 17. It’s spring in a bucolic English country village; time to choose a May Queen from the lovely local maidens. But the only virgin to be found is Albert Herring, a meek mama’s boy who reluctantly becomes Loxford’s first May King. After his friends surreptitiously ply him with liquid courage at the coronation ceremony, Albert discovers the nerve to assert himself for the first time in his life. Tenor charmer Alek Shrader will make his LA Opera debut in the title role. Albert Herring is the second in a series of operas celebrating the upcoming centenary of the legendary English-language composer, Benjamin Britten. LA Opera, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown, 213.972.7211. LAOpera.com
THEATER
Spamalot
Through Mar. 4. Winner of the 2005 Tony Award for Best Musical, Monty Python’s Spamalot, the musical comedy sensation, tells the tale of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table as they embark on their quest for the Holy Grail. Pantages Theatre, 6233 Hollywood Blvd., L.A., 800.982.2787. broadwayla.org
Antony and Cleopatra
Mar. 3-May 13. Shakespeare’s seminal tragedy is based on larger-than-life figures caught up in an empire-shattering dance of lust, love, politics and war. “Its appeal is the fascinating relationship between Antony and Cleopatra, who love each other deeply but in a way that is not sustainable… Because of their flaws, we can identify with the lovers and see a part of ourselves in them,” muses director Julia Rodriguez-Elliott. A Noise Within, 3352 East Foothill Blvd., Pasadena, 626.356.3100 x1. ANoiseWithin.org
The Jacksonian
Through Mar. 25. This eerie offering by Pulitzer Prize winner Beth Henley and directed by Tony Award winner Robert Falls transports us to a seedy motel in Jackson, Mississippi circa 1964. You go to The Jacksonian Cottages to bury your secrets, making the motel an unsettling world where the subversive becomes commonplace and the passage of time becomes hauntingly unpredictable. Revolving around the night of a murder, The Jacksonian is a surreal trip that is rife with disturbingly dark humor. Cast features Ed Harris, Glenne Headly, Amy Madigan and Bill Pullman. Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater, Geffen Playhouse, 10886 Le Conte Ave., L.A., 310.208.5454. geffenplayhouse.com
EAT | DRINK
Market Basket Bartender Program
Sundays. Stop by City Tavern and create your own custom $6 cocktail with guidance and creativity of bartenders Jeremy Back and Gia St. George. All you have to do is pick one of three options in three categories (spirits, fruits, and syrups). Spirits range from rum to rye to gin; fruit category features a variety of herbs and spices; while syrups include flavored syrups, bitters, and liqueurs–all selections based on a mix of what is currently fresh and in season and the current bartender’s whimsy. 9739 Culver Blvd., Culver City, 310.838.9739. citytavernculvercity.com
Hudson House Anniversary Party
Mar. 4. Celebrate three years with the South Bay staple, as chef-owner couple Brooke Williamson and Nick Roberts serve freshly grilled tropical ocean flavors from an outdoor barbecue, along with gourmet jello shots (think guava and kumquat tequila), and a spicy cachaça mojito. Stop by the draught-truck for some delicious rare brews. 3-8 p.m. 514 North Pacific Coast Hwy., Redondo Beach, 310.798.9183. HudsonHouseBar.com
Ray’s & Stark Bar Anniversary Party
Mar. 5. In honor of their first anniversary of Ray’s & Stark Bar, executive Chef Kris Morningstar offers an exclusive menu featuring the “best dishes from the year,” while Stark Bar serves up drink specials for those looking to toast the celebration. Adding to the excitement, Ray’s very own sommelier/barsmith Paul Sanguinetti and general manager Martin Riese will DJ throughout the evening. Guests are also invited to bring an item to be screen printed for a lasting reminder of the celebrations. Giveaways are also on the agenda. 6-11 p.m. LACMA, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., L.A. rsvp: 323.857.6180. RaysandStarkBar.com
Culina Celebrates Two
Mar. 3. Celebrate two years of modern Italian cuisine at Culina. Head over to the restaurant for a bowl of Spaghetti alla Chitarra with san marzano tomato sauce, peperoncino and basil or dine on a selection of Crudo including Ricciola with yellowtail involtini, star anise, cucumber, orange and tarragon, and enjoy a glass of Prosecco and dessert on the house, along with dried house-made spaghetti with a special sauce recipe from Culina. Four Seasons Hotel, 300 South Doheny Dr., L.A., 310.860.4000. culinarestaurant.com
Good Things Come in Threes
Mar. 1-31. Chaya Downtown turns three and offers a happy hour menu of $3 drink and appetizer specials, in addition to a special three-course prix-fixe dinner menu featuring selections like roasted heirloom beets alongside baked cana de cabra; Grilled Wagyu flank steak and Belgian chocolate fondant with raspberry coulees. 525 S. Flower St., downtown, 213.236.9577. thechaya.com/downtownLosAngeles
Oyster Fair at Chaya Venice
Feb. 16-Mar. 3. Located just steps from the California coast, Chaya Venice features its Oyster Fair menu and ode to the sea. The menu features hot and cold dishes, highlights of which include Angus beef tartare with fried oyster and sweet potato chips; oyster and citrus-cured salmon chowder with Tokyo winter Japanese leeks; striped bass and oyster papillote, leeks, shitake mushroom, black truffle, and vin blanc sauce. Oyster Fair menu is served during dinner, along with the regular menu. Chaya Venice, 110 Navy St., Venice, 310.396.1179. thechaya.com/venice
Pacific Standard Time: Art as an Appetizer
Through Mar. 31. Dubbed the only event where you can literally eat Pacific Standard Time, Art as an Appetizer is a collaboration with chef John Sedlar, artist Ron Cooper, and mixologist Julian Cox who worked together to create a one-of-a-kind menu inspired by Pacific Standard Time works of art (the food is served on a plate showing the image of the art that inspired it). Ask for it at Playa and Rivera by showing Pacific Standard Time museum proof of admission or mentioning the “Pacific Standard Time Secret Menu”. Playa Restaurant, 7360 Beverly Blvd., L.A., playarivera.com; Rivera Restaurant, 1050 South Flower St., downtown, riverarestaurant.com
ART
Ansel Adams Los Angeles
Feb. 18-Mar. 17. Known most prominently for capturing the beauty of the American West, photographer Ansel Adams also had other assignments. While he was working as a photojournalist for Fortune Magazine in 1940 he photographed the lost landscape and lifestyle of a prewar Los Angeles. More than 200 rarely seen images from the archives of the Los Angeles Public Library Ansel Adams Collection are now on view at Drkrm downtown. 727 S Spring St., downtown, 323.271.5635. drkrm.com
Ming Wong: Making Chinatown
Through Apr. 1. For his first solo exhibition in Los Angeles, Berlin-based Singaporean artist Ming Wong creates a series of videos and scenic backdrops that center around the making of Roman Polanski’s seminal 1974 film Chinatown. Shot on location in the Gallery at REDCAT, Wong’s reinterpretation, Making Chinatown, transforms the exhibition space into a studio backlot and examines the original film’s constructions of language, performance and identity. REDCAT | Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater, 631 West 2nd St., downtown, 213.237.2800. redcat.org