Serving Larchmont Village, Hancock Park, and the Greater Wilshire neighborhoods of Los Angeles since 2011.

The Week Ahead – Events for December 11-17, 2021

Be sure to hit up the Unique Markets Holiday Pop-Up happening this weekend at ROW DTLA.

 

So many festive and cool events going on this week. There’s Black Doll Magic, a LACMA hosted poetry slam, another chance to support small businesses at ROW’s unique markets holiday pop-up, an opening reception at the Holocaust Museum, gingerbread garages at the Petersen, a drive-in theater showing of The Matrix, and two ice skating rinks. Wow, I’m impressed — that all sounds awesome, so I hope you can make it out and I’ll see you there!

 

Arts & Culture

 

The official opening reception of  Black Doll Magic: The 41st Annual Black Doll Show presented by The William Grant Still Arts Center is happening this Saturday, December 11 at 7 p.m. and will be happening online through February 22, 2022. According to the website, Black Doll Magic is a virtual experiment for artists, collectors and lovers of Black dolls to prepare themselves to come out into the world. Using Black Dolls as a metaphor for their creative selves and force of faith, the community shows up with the most fascinating, personal and sometimes comical view of a path towards transformations. Click here to RSVP for Saturday’s opening on Zoom.

The Holocaust Museum LA will present the opening of special exhibition, Ruth Gruber: Photojournalist on December 12 from 2-4 p.m., celebrating the remarkable life of this trailblazing woman and photojournalist. Her work documenting the Exodus 1947 was printed in thousands of publications and radically transformed attitudes toward the plight of Jewish refugees after the Holocaust. Direct from Gruber’s private archive, this exhibition includes never-before-seen color photographs and vintage prints, alongside contemporary prints made from her original negatives. Advanced tickets are required and free for CA residents.

Chevalier’s Books is hosting a free online book talk on Tuesday, December 14 at 5 p.m. Join Author Natashia Deón as she, along with Minda Harts, discusses her book The Perishing. A Black immortal in 1930s Los Angeles must recover the memory of her past in order to save the world. Buy a copy of the book here, and don’t forget to RSVP.

The good ol’ ’90s, the decade that keeps on giving…and The Matrix was just one of the many gifts we were given. Revisit or (gasp) see this iconic film for the first time at the historic Hollywood Legion Drive-In on 35mm, Tuesday, December 14 at 8 p.m. The cost is $30 per car (and up) and includes soda, candy, and unlimited popcorn. Tickets are still available, but not for long!

LACMA is another gift that keeps on giving with its abundance of free quality programs, workshops, art classes and talks. This week is no different, with a full calendar of events worthy of your time, including Free Family Days on Wednesday, December 15 from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Enjoy special museum hours and self-guided tours. Then sign in to Poetry in Color: A National Virtual Slam Inspired by the Obama Portraits on the evening of Thursday, December 16 from 7-8 p.m. (RSVP required). And now to balance things out with an in-person event, Friday Art Night: Portrait Printmaking will be happening on Friday, December 17 from 6-9 p.m. Design and cut your own block prints at the cost of $45/$50 for members/non-mems. Pre-registration is required; must be 21+ and fully vaccinated. 

 

Christmas and Holiday Fun-time

 

Get your shopping done this weekend at the Unique Markets Holiday Pop-Up at ROW DTLA December 11-12 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Discover the best local designers, emerging brands and artists all weekend long at ROW. Enjoy a slew of perks while you shop, including free drinks, DIY gift wrapping, family-friendly lawn games and FREE family portraits! Bonus: you’ll be supporting small and local businesses, too. Tickets start at $12.

Gingerbread Garages are back at the Petersen Automotive Museum, starting Thursday, December 16 through December 24. Cruise around the exhibits and then head over to the museum’s Discovery Center anytime between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Build your own gingerbread garage for your favorite toy car!  Participation is free and included in museum admission. Tickets are $17/$15/$12 for adults/seniors/kids; advanced purchase required.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are hosting a Holiday Festival on their newly-renovated Centerfield Plaza, where the warning track, and both bullpens have been turned into a space for nightly entertainment, an ice skating rink, light displays, holiday-themed food and drinks, and photos with Santa! This holiday extravaganza is open now through December 23. Admission tickets start at $16 and must be purchased online in advance. Tickets are available for event entrance either before or after 7:00 p.m. Hours are 5-10 p.m. on weekdays and 3-10 p.m. on weekends (*Closed 12/6-8, 12/13, and 12/15). Parking is not included in the cost of the ticket and starts at $12. Proof of vaccination or negative test required.

And another skating rink courtesy of one of the city’s other beloved sports teams, the LA Kings Holiday Ice Skating Rink at LA Live is open now through January 7. Daily hours are 5 p.m. – midnight (Now-Dec 16) and 4 p.m. – midnight (Dec 17-Jan 7). There will be 4 skating sessions throughout the night, check the website for session times. Tickets start at $20 and can only be purchased on-site at the rink; no online sales are available for GA tickets; cost includes skate rental. A limited quantity of Fast Pass tickets (so you can skip the line) will be sold daily and will be the only tickets available for purchase online at $45 each. Bonus: present your rink ticket on the day you skate, and receive discounts and dinner deals at participating LA Live restaurants. 

And the 2021 Holiday Festivities at the Original Farmers Market will ramp up next Friday, December 17 and continue through December 24. Take in all of the Market’s Yuletide finery and celebrate the holidays with live music, arts and crafts, variety shows, Dickensian carolers and more!

There are so many great theaters, old and new, in LA and here’s another to add to your list. The Melrose Rooftop Theatre will be showing a slew of holiday films now through December 24. This week, starting on Sunday, December 12, enjoy showings of Bad Santa, Home Alone 2, and Lethal Weapon – which must have some holiday aspect to it, right? It’s been a few decades since I’ve seen it. Anyway, tickets are still available but I wouldn’t wait! This unique outdoor cinema experience is located in West Hollywood and includes the option to do Dinner + A Movie, which would start your night off with a three course meal. Movie tickets are $28; Dinner + A Movie are $49; must be 21 and over.

 

History and Community

 

It was tempting to put this one in the holiday category, since not all gift shopping has to be done at actual stores or fancy holiday-themed pop-ups, but if you enjoy searching for great bargains and vintage items, whether for gifts or not, check out the multi-family “somewhere between a yard sale and an estate sale” at 167 S. Beachwood Dr. on Sunday, December 12, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.  The organizers promise “lots of furniture including some vintage, as well as vintage art and embroidered napkins and placemats, kids winter gear, ps4, kitchen items, tons more.”

 

Local Government

 

There are quite a few meetings for the Mid City West Neighborhood Council this week, five to be exact, so I’m just going to refer you to their calendar for all the deets. Meetings start on Tuesday, December 14 with the General Board Meeting from 6:30-10 p.m. Then there are two on Wednesday, December 15 with “Wednesday Walks” and the Transportation and Sustainability Committee, and another two on Thursday, December 16 for the Outreach and Civic Engagement and HRRRTs (Homelessness, Refugees, and Renters’ Rights) Committees.

Greater Wilshire Neighborhood CouncilThe Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council, on the other hand, has just two virtual gatherings this week, starting on Wednesday, December 15 with the Quality of Life Committee meeting from 5-6:30 p.m. And then on Thursday, December 16 from 5-6 p.m. for an NPG (Neighborhood Purpose Grants) Ad Hoc Committee meeting. Check the calendar for more details to come.

 

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Julia Christiansen
Julia Christiansen
Julia is a native Angeleno and jack of all trades, having worked in television, visual effects, professional sports, health and wellness, and custom design. She currently resides in El Segundo.

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