As we all recover from the 2020 election, take the week to learn more about some local history, support local organizations, or escape to a fantasy of far-flung travels.
Arts & Culture
If you’re getting a little stir crazy and miss traveling, Chevalier’s has an event for you on Monday, November 9th at 5:00 p.m. Author Suzanne Roberts will talk about her book Bad Tourist: Misadventures in Love & Travel, which is, “both a memoir in travel essays and an anti-guidebook,” which “takes us across four continents to fifteen countries, showing us what not to do when traveling.” Chevalier’s other book event this week, on Thursday, November 12th at 7:00 p.m., will travel you back in time with a discussion of Miss Aluminum, a memoir by Susanna Moore about her experiences in Hollywood in the 1970s.
Another way to get out of town without actually getting on a plane is to attend the 14th Annual German Currents Film Festival, which starts on Monday, November 9th and runs through Sunday, November 15th. Watch award-winning films by German filmmakers from home, such as “Christian Petzold’s Undine (starring Franz Rogowski and Paula Beer), Caroline Link’s When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit (with Carla Juri and Oliver Masucci), and Jan-Ole Gerster’s Lara (starring Corinna Harfouch and Tom Schilling).” You can also attend a Drive-In Double Feature of Nosferatu, The Vampyre and Tenderness Of The Wolves on Thursday, November 12th at 7:30 p.m.
For a more local perspective on film, on Thursday, November 12, at 12:00 p.m. the Ebell hosts Look What SHE Did! as the the organization “premieres three new films from their “Artists of Los Angeles” series, which features female artists from each of Los Angeles’ city council districts speaking about a woman who inspires them. Each film will be followed by a salon discussion with the artist/storyteller and film director.” Register for the event here.
Another very local film experience to take part in is The Valley Film Festival (Drive-In Edition), which – since 2001 – has aimed “to further the education, production, and distribution of filmmaking in The Valley, with a goal of bringing together established filmmakers, emerging talent, and their audiences on the studio backlot – just North of Hollywood.” This year the festival opens with Take Me To Tarzana on Saturday, November 7th at 6:30 p.m. It will run every Saturday and Sunday through November 21st.
Community & History
Another event you can attend to feel like a tourist even though you’re not going anywhere is Hollywood Heritage’s Evening @ The Barn: “Bunker Hill Los Angeles: Essence of Sunshine & Noir,” where author Nathan Marsak will “provide a compelling, personalized examination of Los Angeles’ storied Bunker Hill through location videos and interviews, revealing the area’s rich, multi-layered architecture, cast of colorful characters and its dramatic evolution over more than 150 years,” on Wednesday, November 11th at 7:00 p.m.
From now through November 15th join Pasadena Heritage’s “Preservation Pasadena: Craftsman to Modern” where you can “explore architectural style and design over five decades and learn the connections and differences that illustrate how architecture changed through time” The virtual “celebration of preservation and architecture and will include tours, lectures, panel discussions, conversations with artists and collectors and more!” Purchase tickets here.
In lieu of Alexandria House’s annual Casino Night, this year you can support this incredible local organization by attending its virtual Bingo Night on Saturday, November 7th at 7:00 p.m. The event will be “full of games, prizes, friends, and the best part is that you get to stay in your PJs! The evening will be honoring Nancy Berlin, Micki Kirkland, and NGA (National Giving Alliance) Hancock Park.”
For the second installment of Big Sunday’s discussion series on the seven deadly sins: “7D- Can’t Live With ‘Em, Can’t Live Without Them” join Amy Wiletz talking about what has got to be one of the top five seven deadly sins, Pride, on Wednesday, November 11th at 7:00 p.m.
Local Government
If you’re one of the many people who started paying attention to local government this election cycle and want to keep that train going, this is a great week to start attending meetings of your local neighborhood council! (You can look up which neighborhood council represents you by entering your address here.) The Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council Outreach Committee meets Saturday, November 7th at 9:30 a.m. and you can find the zoom link and agenda here. On Monday, November 9th at 6:30 p.m., both Wilshire Center Koreatown Neighborhood Council and Hollywood Studio District Neighborhood Council’s General Board Meetings take place. Mid City West Community Council’s General Board Meeting is on Wednesday, November 10th at 6:30 p.m.
