Guten tag, Buzz readers, and a Happy Father’s Day to you, dad! With so much to celebrate this week, it’s kind of an embarrassment of riches, and with Juneteenth events (a holiday celebrated on June 19 to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the US), the summer solstice, the continuation of Pride Month, and Father’s Day on the schedule, nary a dull moment will be found. Just keep reading and you’ll see what I mean. (Oh, and just to make it easier to get around, the whole Metro system is free all weekend, to celebrate the opening of its new Regional Connector line.)
Arts, Culture, Juneteenth, and Dear Old Dad
Pride Month continues to bring Angelenos the goods with LGBTQ Night @ Cinespia, another joyous event happening on Saturday, June 17 from 7:15-10 p.m. Come enjoy “a bejeweled LA Pride night of queer camp gold and silver screen goddesses” at the Gentlemen Prefer Blondes 70th Anniversary at Hollywood Forever Cemetery. This delightful 1953 musical-comedy stars queer icons Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell as showgirls Lorelei Lee and Dorothy Shaw, who travel to Paris pursued by a private detective hired by the suspicious father of Lorelei’s fiancé. Bring your own picnic, or hit up the event’s bar and food stands. There will also be DJ sets and a free photobooth. Tickets are only $22, so get ‘em while they’re hot. Prepaid onsite and off site parking is also available. Gates at 7:15 p.m.; Movie at 9 p.m.
Next up for dad’s day is the African Americans For LA Opera: Father’s Day Recital at the Ebell of Los Angeles on Sunday, June 18 at 12 p.m. The beautiful and historic Ebell of LA, along with African Americans for Los Angeles Opera (AALAO) presents this special recital, featuring performances by internationally acclaimed pianist Althea Waites and renowned baritone Ralph Cato. A chapter of the Opera League, the AALAO is dedicated to raising awareness of opera throughout the Los Angeles area and providing a space for community opera lovers in Los Angeles. The concert will take place in the President’s Tea Room, with a light reception to follow at 1 p.m. Tickets are $25 in advance via Opera League website and $35 at the door. See you there!
Local favorite The Cat & Fiddle English Pub and Restaurant is at it again with a Special Father’s Day Menu on Sunday, June 18, made especially for you and dear old dad. Enjoy a Shepherd’s Pie egg scramble, or go for The Cat’s traditional breakfast with homemade bangers, beans, chips (french fries), and eggs or brunch staple item, Avocado Eggs Benedict – yum! And why not wash all that goodness down with a delectable Bloody Mary or featured specialty drinks like Orange Espresso Martini with mascarpone cream. Of course, they’ll be serving their Afternoon Tea and Traditional Sunday Roast, as well, if that’s more to your taste. Father’s Day Hours will be from 12 noon – 9 p.m. (Brunch 12-4 p.m.). Reservations are strongly suggested. Bonus: This is actually the debut of brunch at The C&F, which will be offering a brunch menu every weekend thereafter!
Say hello to summer in a special way at a Summer Solstice Salutation event on the first day of this beloved season, this Wednesday, June 21 from 3-4:30 p.m. Making its debut at the California African American Museum (CAAM), on this same day, Chloë Bass | #sky #nofilter: Hindsight for a Future America is an outdoor sculpture and performance art project by conceptual artist Chloë Bass. The sculpture takes the form of a participatory analemmatic sundial (aka human sundial) in which visitors cast shadows that determine the time. So come celebrate the solstice, the longest day of the year, at a lecture/ performance by Bass, followed by an outdoor sound bath provided by Sol & Sound. Seating will be on the grass, so feel free to bring a mat or blanket. This is a FREE event – kindly RSVP here. Please note: CAAM is closed for facilities upgrades until August 5, except for special public programs.
Can you believe Grand Performances is in its 37th year of bringing free summer concerts at California Plaza to you, the grateful public?! This week, on Friday, June 23, GP presents a special Pride Month show, The Poetry of Pride, featuring WeHo City Poet Laureate, Brian Sonia-Wallace, and Drag Queen Pickle of LA Drag Story Hour reading banned children’s books aloud while a chorus of poets responds and creates new work on typewriters, on the spot and in collaboration with the audience! Pride Poets founder, Brian Sonia-Wallace has been creating poems on-the-spot at a typewriter since 2012, and teaching other poets to do the same. In this show he brings together a “righteous rainbow” of LGBTQ+ poets of all ages to share their own work and write new work in dialogue with the audience. DJ Succubus will kick things off at 6 p.m. Kindly RSVP here. For more info, click here.
Calling all folks interested in magical worlds (and not the Disney kind, ppl) to the Philosophical Research Society on Friday, June 23 for a lecture titled, Reimagining The Magical World: From Dali to The Tarot of Dior. From Dali to Alexander McQueen, explore how myth and magic have inspired fine art, fashion design, advertising, and other cultural creation in the modern era through the themes and imagery of witchcraft, Tarot, and Freemasonry. Made a Fellow of the Philalethes Research Society in 2021, Angel Millar is also the author of several books. He studied fine art at Chelsea College of Art and Design and fashion at Central Saint Martins. He currently works in digital marketing for a contemporary fashion brand in NYC. Tickets are $10 (Zoom option available). Lecture + Book Signing will take place from 7-9 p.m. in the PRS Auditorium.
And finally, it’s Jazz at LACMA closing the week out with a smile on Friday, June 23 from 6-8 p.m. Come out and enjoy an evening concert courtesy of the Highland Park House Band, a group of “seasoned Los Angeles musicians who excel at their craft and have come together to realize new compositions.” Comprising Scott Gilman on tenor sax, Peter Smith on piano, Trevor Ware on bass, and Charles Ruggiero on drums, the group is dedicated to recording and performing music composed by the band members. The band has also produced a series of videos seen on YouTube. Jazz at LACMA is free and open to all. Seating is limited and first come, first served. Face masks are encouraged but not required.
Community and Local Government
As spring is about to turn into summer, the Miracle Mile Residential Association is finishing up its spring cleaning this year with a big Operation Sparkle community cleanup event on Saturday, June 17 from 9-10:30 a.m. Participants (everyone is welcome!) will meet at Wilshire Green Park (8th and Sierra Bonita), and will work together to tidy up Wilshire Blvd. from Curson to La Brea.
Then, if you’re looking for another great way to spend Father’s Day on Sunday, June 18, look no further than CicLAvia: South LA – Vermont Ave. Take in the open air and open (car-free) streets, while you jog, ride, bike, skate, run, walk, skateboard, spectate, and enjoy the route however you want. Use the digital map to plan which businesses, local gems, activities, and Hubs to check out throughout the day. People of all ages and abilities are welcome! Bonus: This event is 2 for 1, including the 3rd annual Juneteenth Celebration and Resource Fair brought to you by LA County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell. It’s a free community event that uplifts the impact of Juneteenth and creates a space for redefining what freedom means today. It will include includes live performances, food trucks, activities, and access to community and county services. On-site record expungement, mental health services, tenant protection support, and more will be available, too. Registration is required for attendees interested in accessing on-site services. Events take place from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
You can also celebrate Junteenth by joining the Mid City West Neighborhood Council, Melrose Trading Post, and Greenway Arts Alliance for their Second Annual Juneteenth Community Celebration on Sunday, June 18. Bring Dad and the rest of the fam to the Melrose Trading Post for a day of arts, history, and culture. For free tickets and more info, visit bit.ly/MCWJuneteenth2. MTP is located in the parking lot of Fairfax High at 7850 Melrose Ave. Event takes place from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Meanwhile, y
our local NC, the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council has one gathering on the calendar this week and it’s for the Outreach Committee on Tuesday, June 20 at 6:30 p.m. All Outreach meetings take place at the JC Fremont Branch Library, Community Room, located at 6121 Melrose Ave. Check the GWNC’s website for agendas and full schedule.
Finally, the Mid City West Neighborhood Council has two meetings again for y’all this week, starting with a Transportation & Sustainability Committee on Tuesday, June 21 and ending with an Executive Council meeting on Thursday, June 22. Both meetings commence at 7 p.m. Check Mid City’s calendar for more info and full schedule of meetings. Please Note: all MCW meetings will now be held at the Pan Pacific Park Senior Center (lunch room) located at 141 S. Gardner St., Los Angeles.
