Welcome, friends, to 2024! We’ve made it – some by the skin of our teeth, others with flying colors, and that’s something to be celebrated, no? Forget resolutions you probably won’t keep, just go with your gut, and let THAT be your guide to better things in this new year. Have a little more faith in yourself and good things can happen, perhaps even at one of these events below.. enjoy!
Arts, Culture, Coffee, and Calm
The calm after the storm of the holidays has arrived, so let yourself bathe in it as you get your craft on at Craft Contemporary this very Sat, Jan 6 at a Paper Cutting Workshop led by exhibiting artist Margaret Griffith. Whether you’re a stick figure artist or a fine artist, making art has always been good therapy and good fun, so if you’ve been looking to dip your toes or add to your repertoire of skills, this adult class offering should do the trick. Learn about Griffith’s site-specific installation, Chirk, made of large-scale paper cut sculpture, and create your very own hand cut paper creation. Workshop runs from 12-3 p.m. The cost is $90 ($85/members) and includes materials. Sharp tools will be used; participants must be over the age of 16.
Come join in the celebration and revelry as the Brightwork Ensemble Commemorates 10 Years of all things Brightwork on Sat, Jan 6, with a Special Birthday Concert in the historic Monk Space space. Get ready for virtuosic new music, sparkling wine, snacks, and surprises! This eclectic program was shaped by the ensemble’s history and includes a world premiere arrangement by Rajna Swaminathan, plus works by longtime collaborators Pamela Madsen and Adam Borecki. The fun starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 and $15 for Students, Seniors, and Artists impacted by COVID. Monk Space is located at 4414 W. 2nd St. And if you happen to be in need of a space for filming or a photo shoot, be sure to reach out via its website to schedule a tour and see why Monk Space is the perfect place.
Ahhhhh, can you smell that sweet aroma in the air? Is there anything better than freshly brewed coffee to fill your nostrils and warm your belly. The answer is no, and from 6-8 p.m. on Sat, Jan 6, you’ll have the chance to savor some Ethiopian varieties at an Ethiopian Coffee and Food Ceremony hosted by Balam the Jaguar Coffee Roasters at the Original Farmers Market. Balam is partnering with Tigi, owner of Cantaloop Ethiopian Cuisine and Ethiopian-born and raised female business owner, as they take you on a sensory journey to the heart of Ethiopia with this exclusive event. Get ready for an unforgettable evening filled with the warmth of Ethiopian hospitality, tantalizing traditional dishes, the mesmerizing Ethiopian coffee ceremony, and the rich history and significance of coffee in Ethiopian tradition. Tickets are $100 and space is limited, so hurry!
Lots of kooky good things and bound to be profound moments happening at the Philosophical Research Society (PRS) this week, starting with a couple Electric Soundbath sessions on Sat, Jan 6 – step inside a sonic container for inner journeying and let it gently carry you away toward expanded states of consciousness beyond space and time (um, yes, please) – and ending, appropriately, with Leonard Cohen on Film Night on Fri, Jan 12. This week’s packed PRS Calendar also includes Peace Classes, Body Movement & Meditation, Altered States of Consciousness, Surrealist Study Group, Illustrated Presentations, Tools for Being Human, and the list goes on, so check it out!
In honor of MLK day (Mon, Jan 15), the Holocaust Museum LA is bringing together religious leaders from multiple faiths from across Los Angeles for a panel discussion – Building Bridges: Religious Leadership During Times of Unrest – about the critical role they play during difficult times for communities. From the role of Rabbis during the Holocaust to the work of MLK and religious allies during the civil rights movement, we look at how these leaders can lift up and frame societal attitudes during challenging times. Panelists include: Pastor William D. Smart, Jr. – President and CEO of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference of SoCal, and Hyepin Im – President and Founder of Korean Churches for Community Development (KCCD). RSVP HERE. The Museum is located at 100 The Grove Dr. This event is FREE and takes place on Thu, Jan 11 from 6:30-8 p.m.
And lastly, but probably my favorite find this week, is an event courtesy of the Natural History Museum – a place of wonder and one of my fav LA institutions. I was a total rock nerd as a kid, and dreamed of being a geologist one day, so the NHM’s latest exhibit – 100 Carats: Icons of the Gem World – is right up my proverbial gem-paved alley. Step into a dazzling array of magnificent gemstones as you experience an extraordinary display of 100-carat (or larger) gems from around the world, including the world-famous Jonker I Diamond, the largest stone cut from the Jonker Diamond – the 4th largest diamond in the world when it was found in 1934 – which weighs in at a whopping 125 carats. Come learn about these exceedingly rare gems and their place in the scientific story of the history of our planet – every one is a mini geologic miracle. Exhibit open through April 21 and it’s free with museum admission.
Community and Local GovernmentÂ
My bad! I missed this one last week, but it’s all good because it’s right down the street, so you should have no problem getting over there this Sat, Jan 6 to give blood at a BLOOD DRIVE with CEDARS SINAI at the FARMERS MARKET. Begin the new year by donating your live-saving blood at the Cedars x OFM’s first blood drive of 2024. The Cedars-Sinai Bloodmobile bus will be parked next to the Market’s historic gas station from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.. Bonus: All donors receive free all-day parking and a side of fries from THICC Burger. Walk-ins welcome or register here: Saturday, January 6. Email/text for further info to Dracula Dave: (310) 717-5996 or [email protected].
And the Mid City West Neighborhood Council meets again this week, starting with a Homeless Count Planning (HRRRTs) Zoom Meeting on Mon, Jan 8 at 6:30 p.m. Followed by an in person Board Meeting on Tues, Jan 9 at 6:30 p.m. in the Pan Pacific Park Senior Center (Room #104) located at 141 S. Gardner St. Check Mid City’s website for Zoom links, agendas, and full calendar.Â
And your local NC meetings continue when the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council gets together for its monthly Board Meeting on Wed, Jan 10 in the Ebell of Los Angeles’s (743 S Lucerne Blvd), Dining Room, at 6:30 p.m. Check the GWNC website for agenda and supporting documents. Board meetings are held on the 2nd Wednesday of each month. (Note that the Feb and March meetings will be held virtually.)
The countdown to the Homeless Count is on, and volunteers are still needed! Help end homelessness in LA by helping the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) with its 2024 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count happening January 23, 24, and 25. The data collected is an essential component in understanding the scope and nature of homelessness in LA County and helps LAHSA and its partners deliver services where they are needed most. This year, the agency needs 8,000 volunteers to cover the entire Continuum of Care, and will mark the second year that Esri’s Homeless Point in Time App will be used, helping to make The Count as accurate as possible. Homelessness is a humanitarian crisis that truly takes the support of an entire community to end. Register to Volunteer here: TheyCountWillYou.org.
