May is just around the corner and so are a bunch of attendance-worthy events. Catch the tail end of the LA Phil’s Gen X Festival, shop for unique, locally made ceramics at Clay LA, celebrate Cinco de Mayo at the Rose Bowl (I had to throw in at least one cinco event), bring the kiddos to the Zoo for a book reading with Ziggy Marley, honor those who survived and those who didn’t at a virtual Holocaust Remembrance event, and more. Oh, and don’t forget to reserve your seats for next Sunday’s Mother’s Day Brunch at The Ebell.
Arts, Culture, and Entertainment
Dudamel Leads Adès’ Dante during the continuation of the Gen X Festival at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. On Saturday, April 30, Gustavo Dudamel, along with the LA Phil, will premiere Thomas Adès’ “ambitious vision of heaven, hell, and the in-between.” Most Gen X Fest performances and events are sold out, but tickets are still available for this show! Tickets range from $20-$199. Showtime is at 8 p.m. Check out all of the other wonderful concerts happening this week on the LA Phil’s calendar.
The Craft Contemporary’s annual CLAY LA event is finally here! Head out of the house this Saturday and Sunday, April 30-May 1 for a weekend of shopping, music, clay activities, and fun. This yearly sale and fundraiser showcases some of LA’s most dynamic ceramic makers. Meet and shop from emerging and established local artisans, celebrated for their unique approaches to art and design. Tickets for Saturday are $9 at the door. Sunday funday is pay-what-you-can day. You can also beat the crowds for a more intimate shopping experience at the Preview Brunch on Saturday, April 30. At the cost of $40 ($35/members), you’ll enjoy early access to the market with first dibs on all the merch, a special clay workshop, plus free drinks and refreshments. So worth it!
May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, and the perfect time to see Hero Theatre’s revival of Tea, an exploration of the immigrant experience of five Japanese women learning to adjust to a new life in rural Kansas, alongside their American GI husbands following World War II. Written in 1982 by Velina Hasu Houston, Tea has been produced continuously over the last 38 years, and is presented as part of Hero Theatre’s ongoing commitment to “usher great works by underrepresented artists into the classic American cannon”. Performances will take place at DTLA’s Inner-City Arts on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., now through May 15.
The month of May has arrived, and if you’re willing to make the drive to Pasadena you can celebrate Cinco de Mayo early at the Rose Bowl on Sunday, May 1 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Join in on this FREE community event for the entire family with interactive activities focused on health and wellness, wealth building and prosperity, and arts and culture, with live entertainment, food and more! And to start things off right, there will be a fun family workout led by Metodo M at 10 a.m. in front of the main stage, which is meant to “reconnect the community with a healthy start.” Sounds good to me!
All month long the LA Zoo has celebrated Earth Day with its Wild for the Planet program, and this weekend is your last chance to get in on the action with a special book reading on Sunday, May 1 by Reggae legend Ziggy Marley and his wife and collaborator Orly Marley of their latest children’s book, Little John Crow, about a Jamaican vulture’s journey of self discovery. The reading will take place at 11 a.m. and is free with admission. Reserve your spot here. P.S. If you have any old handheld electronics lying around, bring them to the Zoo to recycle! Funds go to gorilla conservation initiatives through the Gorilla SAFE program. Tickets are $17-$22.
In remembrance of the Holocaust, the Holocaust Museum LA in partnership with ADL Los Angeles will be presenting a free virtual Yom HaShoah Commemoration on Sunday, May 1 from 2-3:30 p.m. “Together, we will remember those who perished, honor survivors, and highlight the experience of Eastern European Jews during the Holocaust.” There will also be a reflection on the devastating war in Ukraine and growing humanitarian and refugee crises today. The program will include: Keynote speaker Honorable Zev Yaroslavsky, Holocaust survivor Dana Schwartz, born in Lviv, live performance of Ukrainian composer Joachim Stutschewsky’s “Moods for Unaccompanied Oboe,” and the Consul Generals of Israel and Poland. Register here.
Have nothing to do this Tuesday, May 3? Well, now you do. Head over to Larchmont Village staple Chevalier’s Books for an in-store book talk and signing with NY Times bestselling author, actress, director and podcaster, Allison Raskin, along with her comedy and podcast partner Gaby Dunn. Dating is hard. But pursuing love and relationships when you live with mental illness can be even more overwhelming, says Raskin, who knows this challenge firsthand and shares her journey in Overthinking About You. “It’s a transformative book, with insights on every page and an inspiring message of optimism and hope.” Tickets are $22. Check out Chevalier’s full calendar here.
In conjunction with the GRAMMY Museum’s new exhibit, 100 Years of Peggy Lee, the Museum will be welcoming Peggy’s granddaughter, Holly Foster Wells, on Tuesday, May 3 for an intimate discussion about Peggy’s remarkable life and career, the new exhibit, and the release of Miss Peggy Lee: An Autobiography. Considered one of the most important musical influences of the 20th century, Peggy Lee wrote more than 270 songs, recorded more than 1,100 masters, and had more than 100 chart hits throughout her seven-decade career. Start time is at 7 p.m.; check-in is at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $20. A curator-led private tour of the Peggy Lee exhibit will be available prior to the event (tour is not included in the cost).
From Seeds to Psychedelics: Returning to the roots of well-being with new ideas drawn from ancient ways, is the overall theme of this season of First Fridays at the Natural History Museum, which looks to the power of plants and fungi to save us. Explore the museum after hours with live music, DJs, topical discussions, signature cocktails, and more! In its second installation of the season on Friday, May 6, the theme will be Plant Powered, with discussions moderated by Dr. Yewande Pearse, a neuroscientist and science communicator. Festivities will begin at 5 p.m. Tickets are free for members and $20 for non-members. Next up is Seed Sovereignty on Friday, June 3.
Oh my goodness, it’s almost Mother’s Day and I have no clue what I’ll be doing for my mother this year. And if you’re in the same proverbial boat as I, how about reserving a spot at The Ebell’s Mother’s Day Brunch on Sunday, May 8. Give your mom the gift of an elegant brunch with delicious food, endless champagne, and live entertainment. This annual event grows each year, so make your reservations now (hence the heads up)! Seating in the Lounge has sold out, but Garden dining is still available. Tickets are $87 for adults and $45 for children (6-12), kids 6 and under are free. Seating location is available on a first come, first served basis.
Community
I love when communities come together, and this time it’s for a KYCC and CD13 Community Beautification and Arbor Day Event, happening Saturday, April 30 from 9-11:30 a.m. The Koreatown Youth and Community Center along with the Council District 13 folks will be spearheading this annual cleanup, which removes thousands of bags of trash from the surrounding neighborhoods. All of the volunteer slots have been filled this year, but just something to think about for next time. And in honor of Arbor Day, I believe they will also be giving trees away to City of Los Angeles residents, so if you live in the area why not head over to 149 N. St. Andrews Pl. to check it out.
Are you someone who likes cool and unique stuff? I know I am, and if I lived a little closer I’d be heading over to Artisan and Friends Flea Market this Saturday, April 30, where local Judy Reidel and 12 of her artisan, collector, and creator friends will be selling their goods (mostly clothing and accessories) at Judy’s 1121 S. Gramercy Place home from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. The event will take place in her private garden with light refreshments provided. Judy’s home is located in historic Country Club Park in mid city LA, near Arlington & Olympic, with easy street parking. Entry is free; checks and cash preferred.
And in case you missed this announcement last week, I’m including it again. From now through Monday, May 2, the Natural History Museum is rallying everyone in LA County to get outside and take pics of local wildlife during the 7th annual City Nature Challenge. Using cameras and smartphones, thousands of people in hundreds of cities across the globe will be partaking in this year’s collaborative challenge. These shared photographic records will be added to an international database of urban wildlife that will be used by scientists and naturalists all over the world! Learn how to become a novice naturalist here.
Local Government
This week, the HODG “Looking Local” candidate conversation series will feature talks with city attorney candidate Teddy Kapur on Sunday, May 1 at 4 p.m…and Eli Vera, candidate for LA County Sheriff at 5 p.m. on Sunday. Click here to register and get the Zoom link.
Your local NC, the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council has just one virtual get together this week for the Resilience Committee on Wednesday, May 4 at 7 p.m. Click here to view the calendar for details.
And the Mid City West Neighborhood Council will wrap up this week’s events with another full calendar starting with the HRRRTs (Homelessness, Refugees, and Renters’ Rights) Committee on Monday, May 2. The Social and Racial Equity Committee has a meeting on Tuesday, May 3, followed by MCW’s weekly in-person Wednesday Walks on Wednesday, May 4. Lastly, the Planning and Land Use Committee will finish things off for the month on Thursday, May 5. Click here to check Mid City’s calendar for details.
