Serving Larchmont Village, Hancock Park, and the Greater Wilshire neighborhoods of Los Angeles since 2011.

Weekend Buzz: Events for February 11-12, 2017

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The weather may be iffy for the next couple of days, but that’s not going to deter any of the special events around us this weekend.

grovepopupFirst up on Saturday,Valentine’s Day is coming soon and The Grove can help with gift shopping through its “Artisinal LA” event, a special marketplace in the Grove’s park.  It features hard-to-find, locally made goods…including handmade soy-wax and beeswax candles from Piece by Paz, jewels from Katie Dean, skincare items from Bonblissity, industrial and vintage-inspired home goods from Lincoln + Hobbs, and more.  Hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday only.

ChaseCampenFor those interested in neighborhood preservation, realtor Chase Campen is holding a talk with Ken Bernstein, a Principal City Planner with the City’s Office of Historic Resources, on Saturday at 3 p.m. at the Wilshire Country Club, 301 N. Rossmore Ave.  Bernstein will cover a wide range of issues from preserving the city’s architecture to HPOZ programs, affordable housing, and the overall City planing process.  Space is limited; RSVP to [email protected] or (323) 788-4663.

cafamiransmallIf you’re in a more artistic mood, the Craft and Folk Art Museum will feature an all-woman artist panel in conversation about their contemporary perspectives on Iranian life and individual art practices, in conjunction with the museum’s “Focus Iran 2: Contemporary Photography and Video” exhibit.  The event starts at 3 p.m. and is free when you RSVP.

paffAnd finally on Saturday, for those interested in film, the Pan African Film Festival kicks off this weekend (and runs through February 25). This year, the festival celebrates 25 years of showcasing the broad spectrum of Black creative works, particularly those that reinforce positive images and help destroy negative stereotypes. With more than 150 films, USA Today ranked the PAFF as the #3 best film festival in the U.S.  The festival’s guiding philosophy is that “film and art can lead to better understanding and foster communication between peoples of diverse cultures, races, and lifestyles, while at the same time serve as a vehicle to initiate dialogue on the important issues of our times.”  For the full schedule of events, films and venues, see the link above.

tubshevatOn Sunday, the Westside Jewish Community Center, 5870 W. Olympic Blvd., holds its annual Tu B’Shevat (Birthday of the Trees) Festival, which is one of the few big community events aimed primarily at families with young children (ages 2-8).  Hours are 12-4 p.m., rain or shine, and events will include a silent auction, food, games, crafts, a bouncer, organic farmers’ market, pony rides and a petting zoo (weather permitting), and free trees from the city’s Million Trees program.  Everyone is welcome, and admission is free (food and game tickets will be available for purchase at the event).

grilledcheesemeltdownsmallIf celebrating childhood puts you in the mood for more adult versions of your favorite comfort food, you might want to head downtown for Time Out Los Angeles’ Grilled Cheese Meltdown, at the Majestic Downtown, 650 S. Spring St. The event promises “creative takes on this cheesy classic, from top-notch eateries around the city,” as well as beer from Angel City Brewery.  Tickets include tastings from each participating restaurant and two drink tickets, plus music from DJ Marcus, temporary tattoos, games, giveaways and more.  Participating restaurants include Richeeze, The Grilled Cheese Truck, Catcher in the Rye, The Carving Board, Fred 62, The Walrus and the Hedgehog, and Tender Greens (tomato soup).  See the link above for tickets and more information.

filmweekoscarsThen, as long you’re downtown, and if you love movies, you might want to check out AirTalk’s FilmWeek: 2017 Oscar Preview, at The Theatre at Ace Hotel, 933 S. Broadway.  Sponsored by radio station KPCC, the event features AirTalk program host Larry Mantle and a panel of FilmWeek critics discussing and debating the contenders for this year’s major Oscar categories.  It starts at 1 p.m. and KPCC members receive a $2 discount on tickets.

cafamdreamcatchersFor more hands-on art, head back to Miracle Mile, for the Craft and Folk Art Museum’s monthly CraftLab Family Workshop: Love-Catchers-Dream-Catchers.  For this special Valentine’s Day-themed event, fiber artist Mimi Haddon helps participants create love-inspired dreamcatchers, using beads, feathers and poems.  You can drop in any time between 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. to participate.  Admission is $7 for adults, $5 for children and free for CAFAM members…and you’ll go home with your very own dream-catcher.

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Click to see full-size flier.

Later, on Sunday evening, join members of the Ebell of Los Angeles, 741 S. Lucerne Blvd., for a night of Bingo at the Ebell.  From 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., you can enjoy the Ebell’s twist on this classic game, including a $200 Black Out Round, cash and prizes, and a cozy chili supper (BYOB). The more people that attend, the bigger the pot of prizes.  Tickets are $25 for Ebell members, and $30 for non-members.

haemmerleinsmallAlso on Sunday evening, you could check out the new “My Demands Are Unending” solo show by artist Patrick Haemmerlein at the Wallspace LA gallery at 607 N. La Brea, with an opening reception from 7-9 p.m.   Haemmerlein’s work combines vintage and contemporary photos, along with torn pages of poetry and bars of music from the 1800s and early 1900s, to explore “coexistence through the beauty of contradiction” in the city of Los Angeles. The show runs through February 20.

metrodeckingheaderFinally, you may remember those 16 weekends last fall when the intersection of Wilshire and La Brea was closed for the installation of street-level concrete decking that will allow subway construction underneath.  Well, the same thing is now happening at Wilshire and Fairfax for the next 18 weekends. Starting tonight, the intersection will be fully closed to traffic from 8 p.m. on Friday until 6 a.m. on Monday for the removal of asphalt and the installation of the new concrete panels. (More information is available here from Metro.)  So please plan accordingly, especially when visiting Miracle Mile’s Museum Row and nearby destinations.

Have a great weekend!

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Elizabeth Fuller
Elizabeth Fuller
Elizabeth Fuller was born and raised in Minneapolis, MN but has lived in LA since 1991 - with deep roots in both the Sycamore Square and West Adams Heights-Sugar Hill neighborhoods. She spent 10 years with the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council, volunteers at Wilshire Crest Elementary School, and has been writing for the Buzz since 2015.

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