Weekend Buzz – Events for January 21-22, 2017

They say the weather’s going to clear up on Saturday, which should make it easier to enjoy being out and about.  More rain possible on Sunday, though, so it’s a good thing that we have some indoor activities for you on that day.

First up, though, as most people know already, the really big event happening on Saturday is the Women’s March Los Angeles.  A companion event to an even bigger gathering in Washington D.C. (and many others in other cities), it’s estimated that anywhere from 50,000 to 100,000 people will be gathering at downtown’s Pershing Square at 9 a.m. and then, at 10, making their way to City Hall, about a mile away.  After a slate of kickoff speakers at Pershing Square, a long list of dignitaries and celebrities will continue speaking at City Hall until 4 p.m.  If you’re going, public transportation – or bike or foot travel – is highly recommended (Metro will be running extra buses and trains). But even if you’re not going, it’s good to be aware of street closures and probably best to avoid downtown altogether until at least 4 p.m.  Either way, here are some things to keep in mind:

• According to the organizers, “this is not a protest. The Women’s March is a celebration of human rights. In some cases, there will be a march and rally, but it depends on the event and what organizers have planned.”
• Although the event is planned by women and in celebration of women’s rights, “any person, regardless of gender or gender identity, who believes women’s rights are human rights” is welcome.
• Safety is a high priority:  “Women’s March LA is meant to be a safe space for all of those attending and participating. Please be courteous, respectful to everyone, and keep the following in mind:
  • No alcohol
  • No weapons of any kind
  • No dogs or pets (service animals only, please)
  • Be mindful of all attendees, this event is open to everyone and is inclusive to anyone who would like to participate.”

For more information, see the links above, which have route and parking information, street closure locations, speaker lists and more.

If you’re not going to the march, and want to heed the “avoid downtown” advice, we do have some other more traditional activities for you.

First is a big estate sale, at 322 S. Lorraine, which starts today (Friday) and runs through Sunday.  Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday.  Contents of the 6,000 square foot home and guest house include art (including signed Erte pieces), rugs, 500-600 Snowbabies figures, thousands of Christmas ornaments and large Christmas display pieces, hundreds of Disney figures and other collectibles, hundreds of Dept. 56 Christmas pieces, hundreds of picture frames, more than a thousand beanie babies (all with tags), and hundreds of toys and stuffed animals.  Also a Weber baby grand piano, Lowrey organ, multiple guitars and violins.  Furniture includes a sofa and settee with carved wood frame, dozens of lamps, two iron chandeliers with dragon motif, a massive trestle dining table with 12 chairs, large china cabinet, CalKing carved wood poster bed, CalKing sleigh bed, pair of twin carved beds, multiple dressers, multiple sets of nightstands, multiple cabinets, dozens of pieces of outdoor furniture…and much, much more.

Later, at 12:30 p.m. enjoy the monthly BARK event at the John C. Fremont Library, 6121 Melrose Ave..  BARK is an all-volunteer program that encourages children to increase their reading skills and self-confidence by reading aloud to certified therapy dogs. All dogs are trained to work with children, and the owner is present at all times. (You can also chat with the owners and learn all about the dogs and their special training.) All ages welcome, and of course, this and all other library programs are always free.

For more adult entertainment, and after most of the crowds will have dispersed downtown, you could try Uncorked: LA, “a complete experience for wine lovers,” from 5 to 9 p.m. at Union Station.  The event offers more than 150 wines, a champagne bar, international wine section, gourmet food trucks, live music, a custom wine themed photo booth, blind tasting bar and more.  General admission is $60.  There’s also a VIP option ($70), which includes an extra hour to taste, shorter lines and some special wine selections. Both tickets include all wine tastings…but food is sold separately. Cocktail attire is requested but not required. Also, please note:  you must be 21 + to attend (and this includes babies and infants).

Finally on Saturday, if you’re in the mood for a classic film, consider a trip to the American Cinematheque’s Egyptian Theater, 6712 Hollywood Blvd., for a 7:30 p.m. screening of Sergio Leone’s The Good, The Bad and the Ugly, billed as “surely one of the bloodiest, funniest and most wickedly entertaining portraits of human corruption ever made.”  The surreal tale of the American West during the last days of the Civil War follows a trio of equally violent and unrepentant gunslingers (Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach and Lee Van Cleef) who engage in a jaw-dropping series of double and triple crosses to get their hands on a fortune in stolen Confederate gold.

On Sunday, for some interesting local-ish history, join the Los Angeles Visionararies Association (LAVA) for “The Hollywood Fire Devil.” In this forensic science seminar, Professor Donald Johnson and arson detective Ed Nordskog will provide an “as-it-happened telling of the biggest active arson investigation in US history,” in which police solved the case of a mentally ill man who set 52 fires over a four- day period in Hollywood in 2011.  The story begins when a woman named Dorothee Burkhart used a fake check to pay a Frankfurt, Germany doctor the equivalent of $10,000 for breast augmentation surgery, then fled with her son to Hollywood, where she opened an erotic massage parlor.  Then, after Dorothee was eventually arrested, her son committed “the largest and most furious amount of arson activity ever recorded,” resulting in “the largest and most intense arson manhunt ever conceived in the United States.”  Learn the rest of the story on Sunday.  The event starts at 12 p.m. at the Cal State L.A.’s Hertzberg-Davis Forensic Science Center.  Tickets are $36.50 at https://esotouric.com/crimelabjanuary2017/

Later, in a much more peaceful and soothing vein, the Ebell Classical Music Series welcomes Robert Thies in concert at the historic Ebell of Los Angeles at 3 p.m.    Thies first captured worldwide attention in 1995 when he won the Gold Medal at the Second International Prokofiev Competition in St. Petersburg, Russia, making him the only American pianist to win the first prize in a Russian piano competition since Van Cliburn’s famed triumph in Moscow in 1958. He now enjoys a diverse career as an orchestral soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician and has performed with orchestras throughout the world. On Sunday, he’ll perform a program featuring composers from Vienna, Moscow and Paris, and including:

Beethoven: Sonata, Opr 31, no. 3 in E-flat major
Schubert: Impromptu No. 3 in G-flat major
Brahms: Intermezzo Op. 117 no. 1 in E-flat major
Rachmaninoff: Prelude, Op. 32 no. 12 in G-sharp minor
Scriabin: Etude, Op 2 no. 1 in C-sharp minor
Etude, Op 8 no. 12 in D-sharp minor
Debussy: Clair de lune from Suite Bergamasque
Ravel: Ondine
Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue

Tickets are $30 for Ebell members and $35 for non-members.

And finally on Sunday, for another vintage film opportunity, head over to the Petersen Museum for a special 7 p.m. screening of the James Bond classic, “Goldfinger.” In this installment of the classic adventure series, “Bond is back and his next mission takes him to Fort Knox, where Auric Goldfinger and his henchman are planning to raid Fort Knox and obliterate the world economy. To save the world once again, Bond will need to become friends with Goldfinger, dodge killer hats and avoid Goldfinger’s personal pilot, the sexy Pussy Galore.”  Refreshments and popcorn will be provided and parking is available in the Petersen’s parking structure for $12.

Have a great weekend!