As more things open up in L.A., there are also more in-person events happening and even the odd indoor option, but of course there are still plenty of virtual things going on around town, so you don’t have to change out of your sweatpants quite yet.
Arts & Culture
On Saturday, March 20th, Amy Sherald: The Great American Fact opens at Hauser & Wirth downtown. Sherald is best known for her official portrait of First Lady Michelle Obama in the National Portrait Gallery, and this will be her first solo West Coast exhibition debuting new paintings, which will be on view through June 6th. Book a viewing appointment ahead of time for weekdays, or show up and wait in line on standby from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on weekends.
The Groundlings is offering Improv For Parents on Sunday, March 21st at 10:00 a.m. The class “will be an opportunity to learn how to apply the foundations of improvisation to parenting and improve your child’s listening skills, help manage anxiety, improve self-confidence, emotional intelligence, interpersonal skills, and connect with them in playful and silly ways.” Taught by Groundlings Main Company member and instructor Lauren Burns, who has two children of her own (an 11-year-old daughter and 6-year-old son), Improv for Parents is for parents of children of all ages and costs $45.
Beloved local institution Trejo’s Tacos is celebrating its 5th anniversary on Saturday, March 20th. at its La Brea location. Danny Trejo himself will be there, along with a live Mariachi band performing from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. They’ll also have $5 drink and food specials all day long.
For more delicious food, head down to ROW DTLA, which is giving back to frontline workers with its “Buy A Meal, Give A Meal” campaign from March 20th to April 16th. For every meal purchased at ROW, they’ll donate a meal to frontline workers at the nearby Keck Hospital of USC. On Saturday, March 20th, the campaign will kick off with Phil Rosethal host of Netlifx’s Somebody Feed Phil and the creator of Everybody Loves Raymond.
If you’re willing to go for a drive for more tasty snacks, Knott’s Taste of Boysenberry Festival is ongoing through May 2nd, and offers “boysenberry-inspired savory bites, sweet treats, and refreshing drinks that can’t be found anywhere else. While the theme park remains closed, the food and merchandise-focused outdoor event offers over 80 boysenberry-infused food and drink items which are included on the event tasting card.” Tasting cards for adults are $45, and $20 for kids aged 3-11.
As always, there are plenty of drive-in movies happening all over, but WE Drive-Ins in Santa Monica is showing Disney’s Raya & The Last Dragon all weekend and the Oscar nominated Minari through Sunday, March 21st. Movie theaters are also opening back up for indoor movies at limited capacity, including the El Capitan Theater, which is also showing Raya and the Last Dragon if you’re up for it.
Community & History
The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County is celebrating Women’s History Month with digital events inspired by the museum’s Rise Up LA exhibition including When Women Rise Up: A Conversation with Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell and Dr. Lori Bettison-Varga on Thursday, March 25th at 7:00 p.m. The two will discuss “the 2020 election, which resulted in the historic election of Kamala Harris—the country’s first woman and person of color as Vice President—and the first-ever all-woman County Board of Supervisors. What is the significance of this political moment now and for the next 100 years? What can we learn from their own journeys as leaders, and how can women and young girls continue expanding their roles within their communities?” The program will be followed by a Q&A.
LA Walking Tours is also celebrating Women’s History Month with a virtual tour about the Women Who Shaped LA on Saturday, March 20th at 11:30 a.m. You’ll walk in their virtual footsteps and “learn about the woman who believed Los Angeles should be the next Paris, the one who was an early advocate for water conservation in California, and the one who used her popularity as a vaudeville actress to campaign for women’s suffrage. Hear about the places where they performed, made discoveries, ran businesses, fought for the rights of others, and socialized with like-minded friends and neighbors.”
Another LA sightseeing company, Esotouric, holds its weekly webinar on Saturday, March 20th at 12:00 p.m., and this week it’s all about local iconic architect Paul Williams. The webinar will feature “four Angelenos who have been profoundly influenced by [Williams’ work]: photographer Janna Ireland, author Stephen Gee, SeaView Palos Verdes historian Price T. Morgan and SeaView Palos Verdes historian and restorationist Larry Paul.”
This weekend is also Nowruz, the Iranian New Year, and on Saturday, March 20th at 6:00 p.m., the Farhang Foundation will hold a virtual celebration with live performances from all over the world.
Local Government
The Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council Transportation Committee meets on Monday, March 22nd at 7:00 p.m. and Land Use Committee on Tuesday, March 23rd at 6:30 p.m. The GWNC is also holding a special town hall on Thursday, March 25th at 6:00 p.m. all about E-Bikes. A panel of local experts including Lindsay Sturman, co-host of the podcast “Bike Talk,” Marcel Porras, Chief Sustainability Officer of Transportation Technology at LADOT, and many more will discuss electric bicycles and their place in the future of urban transportation, as well as answer your questions.
