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

Weekend Buzz – Events for March 19-20, 2016

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For many families, this is the first weekend of spring break, so it’s a great time to get out, explore and have fun.

Saturday

estatesaleFor the early bird scavengers among you, there are two big estate sales in the neighborhood this week.  The first, at 420 S. Rossmore, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Saturday, advertises “pristine condition” beds, nightstands, credenzas and a “wide array of modern pieces purchased from NK Home, as well as custom designs all made within the last three years.”  The second sale, at 448 S. McCadden, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, is for a 57-year resident and features a Jennings Sun Chief nickel slot machine, artwork, high end dressers, tables, chairs, cabinets and other furniture,  collectible figurines (Royal Doulton, B&G and others), Waterford crystal, several patterns of china and dishes (Lenox, Royal Doulton and more), lamps, teapots, books, frames… and more.  The highly-motivated sellers promise “great prices as we don’t want to move the stuff!”

timetravelfaireFor a very different kind of shopping, try the Time Travel Craft Faire at Whimsic Alley, 5464 Wilshire Blvd. Just in time for new installments of Outlander and Doctor Who, the fantasy specialty shop and event venue says the event is “our most popular craft fair.” Open both Saturday and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with raffles and prizes all day.  Vendors include The Sorcerer’s Phone, A Bird In The Hand, S&S Ink, Kit’s Designs, Selling Out For Crazy, 1138 Clothing, Riddle’s Tea Shoppe, Clockwork Arcanum, Whimsical Castle, A Chain of Events, Dazzbott, Simon & Duffy, Wizard Cops , Nerdy Novelty Design, The Colorful Geek, Jordandene, Art By Anthony DeJesus, Hello its Quokka, The Fandoms Menace, Leelo Jewelry, Black Lotus Haven, Henna By Lernie Beuler, and The Colorful Geek.

persianparadeLater, you can find two cultural events at downtown’s Grand Park.  First, celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year, at 11 a.m. with the L.A. Persian Parade, featuring marching bands, dancers, celebrities and food. The parade will march down four blocks of Spring Street, leading to a celebration at Grand Park. This year’s theme is “The Glories of Persepolis”, with performances by the Iranian Choir of America and the Pasadena Pipers.

latinfoodlogoNext, and apparently sharing park space today, is the Los Angeles Latin Food Fest.  This one runs all weekend at Grand Park, with ticketed events for adults only on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and all-ages events on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.  See https://latinfoodfest.com/tickets-2/ for tickets and event schedule.

lazoologoLater, this would be a great week for a visit to the L.A. Zoo.  As the LA Times reminded us this week, it’s baby animal season , and you can now see otter, black howler monkey, koala, kangaroo, Chacoan peccary, Masai giraffe and hippopotamus newborns.

grovebunnyFor a very different kind of animal experience a bit closer to home, from now through March 27 you can get your child’s picture taken with the Easter Bunny at the Grove. Walk-in sessions are available, but you can also make a reservation to avoid long lines. Hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

hoopurbialogoFinally, for fitness enthusiasts and other fans, you could catch the last few days of Hoopurbia – “the world’s first ever urban hula hooping festival.”  The week-long event fuses hooping with yoga, contemporary dance, fashion, music, art and cutting edge technology. It includes contemporary dance workshops, video shoots, music and multi-disciplinary collaboration, as well as evening performance viewings, “hoop jams,” artist talks, flash mobs, competitions, and an innovative performance showcase featuring “collaborative work between audio-visual artists, light and sound designers, choreographers, world-class hoop dancers, DJs and music producers.”  See the link above for details and registration.

 Sunday

mapplethorpeSunday would be a great day for a LACMA visit – it’s the last day of the museum’s major Frank Gehry exhibit, as well as the opening day of Robert Mapplethorpe: The Perfect Medium, which “explores Mapplethorpe’s body of work through early drawings, collages, sculptures, and Polaroid photography; materials from his archive; portraits, still lifes, and figure studies; rare color photographs; and two seldom-seen moving image works. The exhibition also highlights the artist’s relationship to New York’s sexual and artistic undergrounds, as well as his experimentation with a variety of media.”  See links above for ticket information.

cometdemoFor science geeks and younger members of the family, you could visit the Griffith Observatory to make a comet (yes, really!). Let’s Make a Comet, running from March 19–27, is a “25-minute demonstration program that mixes common household ingredients with dry ice to make a small comet that’s just like the real thing. The program explores the nature of water in all its forms – solid, liquid, and gas – and discusses why water is so important to life on Earth. Recent images and discoveries from NASA missions reveal where we might find water – and possibly life – on other worlds in our solar system.”  The demonstration takes place at 1 and 3 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday, and also at 2 and 4 p.m. on Tuesday-Friday during this Spring Break week (note that the Observatory is closed on Monday).

pasadenaheritageA bit further from home, but of special note for architecture fans, the annual Pasadena Heritage Spring Home Tour will be held on Sunday, March 20 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. This year’s tour, “Designing Their Own: Homes of Pasadena Architects,” highlights the homes that several significant architects designed for themselves.  According to Pasadena Heritage, “A remarkable number of architects came to Pasadena to experiment and build some of Southern California’s most impressive homes, and many settled here to live as well as to work.” The “drive-yourself” tour includes residences by Conrad Buff, Elmer Grey, J. Constantine Hillman (who was associated with Myron Hunt and Elmer Grey), and Everett Phipps Babcock (who worked with Wallace Neff). Ticket sales and a Pasadena Heritage Membership Table will be available at the 1926 Babcock House,  855 Rosalind Road, Pasadena 91108. Tickets are $45.

hattieFinally, an opportunity for both entertainment and some important local history with the last performances of Vickilyn Reynolds in “Hattie…What I Need You to Know!”  The musical, based on the life of Hattie McDaniel, the first African American actor to receive an Oscar for supporting role as Mammy in the epic film “Gone with the Wind” in 1939…and whose efforts to buy a house in Los Angeles’ West Adams neighborhood broke the color barriers there for the first time, takes the audience on a dramatic musical journey exploring McDaniel’s life from her early childhood, her relationship with her family, and her difficult decision to leave and move to Los Angeles. The show presents “intimate and personal sides of McDaniel’s life as a wife, businesswoman, and an inspiring African American entertainer,” and is directed by West Adams’ Byron Nora. Tickets are $25 at www.blacktheater.org   Shows are Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 6 p.m. at the Moments Playhouse, 665 N. Heliotrope Dr., 90004

 

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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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