Weekend Buzz – Events for December 12-13, 2015

Music, arts and several holiday-themed experiences dominate this appropriately cool December weekend.

On Saturday, civics and education take center stage in the morning.  First up, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is holding its monthly Customer Service Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. This helpful event allows you to discuss billing and service order questions via good old face-to-face interactions with department personnel.  The event is held at DWP offices around the metro area, with the closest for most Buzz readers being the Crenshaw office at 4030 Crenshaw Blvd..

From there, still in water-wise mode, it’s just a hop, skip and jump over to the Washington Irving Branch Library, 4117 W. Washington Blvd. (a block east of Crenshaw), for a free native plant workshop at 10 a.m. Come learn about drought-tolerant plants and how to design your own “California yard.”

For families, the possibly rainy weather provides a great opportunity to go to the movies, specifically the Los Angeles International Children’s Film Festival, which unspools more than 100 childrens’ films from around the world (both shorts and features) at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art this weekend.  Hours are 10 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., both Saturday and Sunday.  For the full schedule, which is arranged by age group, see http://www.lacma.org/series/11th-annual-los-angeles-international-childrens-film-festival.  Also, definitely worth noting, all screenings are free; no reservations required.

On Saturday evening, leave the kids at home and you can glam up for the Ebell of Los Angeles’ Annual Holiday Ball.  Enjoy cocktails, hors d’Oeuvres and a jazz trio at the elegant Ebell clubhouse, followed by a gourmet dinner, Grand March and dancing to the Fabulous Esquires Big Band…followed by a dessert buffet, coffee and “frivolity” in the club’s Art Salon.  Black Tie or “Festive Holiday Dress,” of course.  Cocktails begin at 6 p.m.; tickets are $100 or $90 for Ebell members.

On Sunday, you can sleep in a bit, as most of the day’s events are clustered in the afternoon and early evening.

First up is Colors of Nature, a CraftLab Family Workshop at the Craft and Folk Art Museum at 1:30 p.m. Experience the beauty of nature’s colors by extracting colorants from flowers, fruits, plants, and even your favorite vegetables…and experimenting with natural dyeing processes. The event is free for CAFAM members, $5 for children and $7 for adults.

Later, music takes over with three very different happenings.

First is a unique holiday concert: the Da Camera Society’s Chamber Music in Historic Sites series presents Spanish Brass playing two afternoon sets (at 2 and 4 pm.) in downtown’s iconic Bradbury building. Join this magnificent musical ensemble for a festive sonic adventure in the Bradbury’s resonant five story atrium – from arrangements of traditional carols and holiday favorites (excerpts from Corelli’s Christmas Oratorio and Handel’s Messiah) to Vince Guaraldi’s “A Charlie Brown Christmas. Tickets are $65 and available through the Da Camera Society’s website.

Just as festive, but more local and less pricey, you could bring the whole family to the Big Sunday 6th Annual Holiday Party and Sing-Along, from 3-5 p.m. at the Big Sunday office at 6111 Melrose Ave. “You haven’t celebrated until you’ve celebrated with Big Sunday,” says the ubiquitous community service organization.  “Each year people from all walks of life join us to eat, sing (with the world-famous Big Sunday Band!) and enjoy the holidays. Everyone who needs – or wants to give – a little extra TLC at the holidays is welcome! It’s a blast, and good for all ages.”  They’ll also be collecting toys for kids and food for hungry families. For more info, to donate items or to RSVP, see the Big Sunday website.  

And finally, not specifically a holiday concert, but also free and open to everyone, The Mojave Trio—violinist Sarah Parkins, cellist Margaret Parkins, and pianist Genevieve Lee—will play at LACMA‘s Bing Theater at 6:00 p.m.  The group will be joined for this performance by guest artist Alma Fernandez, viola, as they perform Beethoven’s Piano Trio in D major, Op 70, No. 1 “Ghost” and Schumann’s Piano Quartet in E flat major Op. 47.

Assuredly a most lovely end to your holiday-season weekend.