Lots of events this week to gather with the community virtually as we gear up for Christmas – there’s even one item on the list for anyone feeling a little wistful about not being able to attend a work holiday party this year. Plus some music, local history, and tamales.
Arts & Culture
On Saturday, December 19th at 7:30 p.m., join LACMA for “an evening of art and storytelling in this StorySLAM co-produced with The Moth, the acclaimed storytelling non-profit” at Moth Virtual StorySLAM: After-hours—Alex Prager: Farewell, Work Holiday Parties. L.A. based artist Alex Prager’s installation Farewell, Work Holiday Parties is on view at LACMA and is the inspiration for the theme of the night’s stories.
Another holiday tradition that looks a little different this year is the Los Angeles Ballet’s annual fundraiser: Clara’s Nutcracker Tea on Sunday, December 20th at 11:00 a.m. The live interactive virtual event promises to be “a magical event for children and the entire family! Clara invites you into her home as she hosts her Nutcracker Tea party with friends, Marie, Columbine, Nutcracker, and Snow! Gather with your family to enjoy an afternoon of interactive play with dancing, magic, music, crafts and Holiday fun for All Ages!” Tickets start at $39.
For even more family Christmas fun, join the Lythgoe Family Panto virtual at home Holiday Sing-along on Sunday, December 20 at 5:00 p.m. to benefit Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Sing your favorite carols along with actors from “A Snow White Christmas, Peter Pan and Tinkerbell; A Pirates Christmas, A Cinderella Christmas, Sleeping Beauty and Her Winter Knight, Aladdin and His Winter Wish, The Wonderful Winter of Oz, Beauty and The Beast; A Christmas Rose, surprise princesses and the jolliest man on Earth, Santa Claus.”
If you’re trying to convince an East Coast acquaintance to move to L.A., especialy if they’re just on the verge after the recent snow storm, send them Los Angeles Tourism’s live-streamed “Magic Hour” sunsets which include a view of Downtown and a performance by a local musician. Saturday, December 19th at 4:15 p.m. hear from Strauss Shi who “will play both the classical violin and erhu to capture his intersectionality as a Chinese American” and on Sunday, December 20th at 4:15 p.m., catch Kimiko Daniels, “an upcoming jazz artist based in Los Angeles, [who] will share original piano works and holiday music.”
Community & History
IRL home tours likely won’t be back on the table until we’ve all been vaccinated, but the 53rd Annual Holiday Look-In Home Tour presented by the Women’s Committee of the Pasadena Symphony must go on. The tour, happening online, “showcases the architecture and gardens of four magnificent Pasadena homes decorated for the holidays in festive floral regalia.” The tour is free, but donations are welcome.
A delicious way to celebrate the holidays is to learn how to make (and then get to eat) tamales from Dora and “Mama” Socorro Herrera of Yuca’s, on Saturday, December 19th at 5:00 p.m. RSVP by emailing [email protected] to get the link and ingredient list. The class is $20 per student, and each student will receive a $5 Yuca’s gift card.
Esotouric’s weekly webinar this week is a dive into “The Weird World Of Programmatic Los Angeles Architecture” on Saturday, December 19th at 12:00 p.m. Explore all the “strange buildings that were also commercial signs—shaped like hats and flower pots, tamales, zeppelins, chili bowls, cameras, owls, windmills, oil cans, sailing ships, puppy dogs, grand pianos, Egyptian sphinxes, mushrooms, hot dogs, coffee pots, icebergs, even crashed aircraft.” They used to be all over the city (and some still stand).
Local Government
The Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council’s Land Use Committee meets on Tuesday, December 22nd at 6:30 p.m.
