Happy Earth Day, Los Angeles! We’re kicking things off with free rides on Metro, and as the week rolls on we’ve got a slew of fresh (and fun) to-dos for you to enjoy.
From April 22-26, check out Wild Things Are Happening at Skirball, ABUNDANCE at L.A. Dance Project, Live in the Lounge at The Ebell, an Arts Party at The Hammer, the Comedy Basement at Grand Central Market, a gRUNion Party with the Venice Oceanarium, and more. Jump into our full list below!
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Things To Do This Week
M = Less than .5 miles from an L.A. Metro Station, FA = Free Admission, TP = Top Pick
Free Rides on Metro for Earth Day – FA > L.A. Metro is celebrating Earth Day on Monday with free rides all day long on all services, including buses, trains, bike share, and Metro Micro. Rail station turnstiles will be unlocked and bus fare boxes will be covered. Catch all the details here.
Wild Things Are Happening: The Art of Maurice Sendak at The Skirball – TP > Skirball Cultural Center’s latest exhibition celebrates the artistic legacy of Maurice Sendak, a Jewish American artist renowned for his beloved children’s books including Where the Wild Things Are. Organized by The Columbus Museum of Art, Wild Things Are Happening premiered in 2022, marking the first major retrospective of Sendak’s work since his passing in 2012. Here you’ll find over 150 sketches, storyboards, and paintings sourced from The Maurice Sendak Foundation’s collection, plus costumes, props, first edition books and more, all offering a glimpse into Sendak’s creative process and is the largest and most comprehensive showcase of his art to date. Skirball is opening Tuesday to Sunday. Admission starts at $18 for adults, and they offer free entry on Thursdays. More info here.
Sketch Party LA – FA > Sketch Party’s twice-monthly drawing/drinking meet-up is back at Benny Boy Brewing this Tuesday. They’ll hook you up with sketch paper, pens, pencils, and markers, then it’s up to you to create, mingle, hang out, and enjoy BB’s solid lineup of craft beers and ciders. Quarantine Pizza Co. will be on hand selling slices as well. All artistic levels welcome. Free to attend. Runs 7 to 11 p.m. 21+ only. More info here.
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ABUNDANCE – FA TP > This Wednesday through Friday at L.A. Dance Project, you can check out ABUNDANCE, a showcase of cutting-edge performance art and interdisciplinary works by artists challenging traditional norms and intersecting forms of oppression with their lived experiences as non-traditional or fat bodies. The lineup includes re-stagings and new works by performance, sound, and literary artists Patrisse Cullors, Edgar Fabián Frías, Jessica Carolina González, Vanessa Hernández Cruz, Alima Lee, Caleb Luna, Melba Martínez, Cody Perkins, Ghis Rodríguez, Yesika Salgado, and Dorian Wood. Performances begin at 7:45 p.m. each night. Free to attend. More info here.
Fowler Out Loud – FA > The Fowler’s evening concert series is back this Wednesday with a performance from South African voice and sound artist (and current UCLA PHD student) Zama Dube. The one-hour performance begins at 7 p.m. Free to attend. More info here.
The Comedy Basement – M FA > On Thursday, Grand Central Market welcomes a fresh evening of stand-up in the lower level hosted by Jeff Rory Scovel. This week’s lineup includes Greg Fitzsimmons, Irene Tu, Reene Gauthier, Jenny Jennings, Sklyer Higley. Free/donation-based performance. Show begins at 7 p.m. More info here.
Live in the Lounge at The Ebell -> Celebrate the birthday of William Shakespeare (The Bard would be 460 this week!) with a blend of live jazz and staged performance at The Bell on Thursday. Players from the 6th Act Theatre Company will perform a staged reading of Twelfth Night, accompanied by a jazzy musical composition from John Allee. Tickets are $20. The performance begins at 7 p.m. More info here.
Downtown Downey Night Market: Hello Kitty & Friends -> This Thursday, the latest edition of the Downtown Downey Night Market gets an assist from a Hello Kitty & Friends costumed character, a free photo booth, and a live DJ. Plus, expect the usual assortment of 50+ local vendors, and 6 food trucks. Free entry. Runs 5 to 9 p.m. More info here.
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Arts Party at The Hammer – FA TP > Arts Party is The Hammer’s free annual shindig for college students by college students. Expect an evening filled with live music, after-hours access to the museum’s galleries, art-making workshops facilitated by L.A. Zine Fest, Self-Help Graphics & Art, and Hammer Student Educators, on-site food trucks, and free cookies from Diddy Riese (while supplies last). Free to attend, but college students only! Runs 7 to 10 p.m. More info here.
Puppet Up! -> Producer and director Brian Henson with actor, director, and improv expert Patrick Bristow present Puppet Up! – an uncensored a night of outrageous puppet mayhem featuring 80 of the MISKREANT puppets brought to life by comedian puppeteers from The Jim Henson Company. The show continues for a second weekend at Hensen Studios in Hollywood this Friday to Sunday. The program includes puppet improv from audience suggestions, along with recreations of classic pieces that haven’t been seen by live audiences in decades. Tickets start at $75. More info here.
gRUNion Party – FA TP > During spring and summer, on select nights during the full and new moons, hundreds of shimmering grunion fish come ashore to spawn. Join the Venice Oceanarium this Friday for an interpretive party during grunion season, and anticipate the possibility of witnessing thousands of these silvery fish on the beach. Gather around 10:45 p.m., but please note that the grunion may be appear later (if at all), so the end time is uncertain. More info here.
Kimpton La Peer Disco Court – FA > The Kimpton La Peer invites the public to the rooftop of their West Hollywood hotel every weekend for a 70’s inspired “Disco Court” featuring a DJ spinning tunes under a sparkling disco ball and free plays on the Pickle Ball court. Disco Court runs from 4 to 8 p.m. on Fridays and, 2 to 8 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. More info here.
Dining & Drinking
(picks by Christina Champlin)
Westholme Wagyu Fest -> Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne are throwing a special dinner spotlighting Westholme Wagyu at their downtown Los Angeles restaurant, Caldo Verde. Set for Thursday, April 25, the menu will feature Westholme’s top-notch cuts prepared in Chef Goin’s signature style. Priced at $95 per person, the meal includes an Australian wine pairing selected by Caroline Styne, along with dessert crafted by Caldo Verde’s pastry chef, Irene Widjaya. More info here.
Bistro Na’s & Camphor Dinner Collaboration -> Camphor, a Michelin-starred modern French bistro, will join forces with Imperial Chinese restaurant, Bistro Na’s, for a unique 5-course dinner on Friday, April 26. The collaborative dinner, prepared by Camphor’s Co-Executive Chefs, Max Boonthanakit and Lijo George, along with Chef Tian Yong of Bistro Na’s, will feature a curated menu paired with wines. Dishes such as Rock Lobster Crudo, Scallop Pasta, and Tangyuan Almond SemiFreddo are just some of the highlights. Reservations are $185 per person. Guests also have the option to include a wine pairing for an additional $75. More info here.
Portuguese Restaurant Week at Barra Santos -> Neighborhood Portuguese restaurant Barra Santos in Cypress Park is participating in Portugal Restaurant Week April 22-28 with a special 3-course pre-fixe menu priced at $45. Diners can enjoy dishes like Maria’s Salt Cod Fritters with potato and caramelized onions, Grilled Sardines, and a chili-marinated Bifana Pork Sandwich.
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