I must admit that this week’s roundup is also a bit on the mellow side, as was last, but that’s fine with me because I’m an “easy like Sunday morning” kinda gal. And I know I promised more “action” this week, but it’s all about perspective. A Secret Garden Tour or Vintage Car Show may be as exciting to some as bungee jumping is to others. However, there are a few events mentioned below that might get your blood flowing, including a (free) Cumbia Punk Band Concert, exciting Porsche Trivia Night at the Petersen, and a screening of Rare Silent-Era Animations at the Velaslavasay Panorama. Whatever you do, you’ll be happy you did it. Toodles!
Arts, Culture, Family Wagons, and Cumbia Punk
The Windsor Square Hancock Park Historical Society presents its annual A Secret Garden Tour. On Saturday, June 3 from 1-5 p.m., five gardens within Windsor Square and Fremont Place will be open to you – the public. Plant Sales and a Silent Auction are also on the agenda, with complimentary refreshments making their way around. The cost is $45 for members and $55 for non-members. Base camp and tour starting point will be at 355 S. Windsor Boulevard. This is where the reception desk will be set up and where guests and docents will receive their wristbands. You can also buy tickets on the spot by credit card, cash, or check. The plant sale and silent auction will take place at this location as well.
Grand Performances are back, baby! Summer 2023 is coming in “HOT” at GP, so brace yourselves. It all starts from 6-10 p.m. on Saturday, June 3, with an explosive concert guaranteed to get you up and dancing to a modern mix of cumbia, salsa, Latin funk, and boogaloo. Opening the night will be La Verdad, the premier West Coast Latin music ensemble led by Grammy winner Gabriel Gonzalez, followed by La Papaya Club, a DJ/fundraising collective that celebrates the power of music and community through Afro-Latin and Indigenous sounds. Ending with the headliners Son Rompe Pera (“…audiences are literally left breathless when they see the band perform”), a pioneering Cumbia Punk band of brothers raised in the deep outskirts of Mexico City, who are now leaders in the resurrection of the marimba, the historic Mexican and Central American instrument that that has all but vanished. GP is FREE; please RSVP here.
Rarities and classics by animator Max Fleischer, inventor of the rotoscope, will be seen at the Velaslavasay Panorama’s recurring program, Film-In-Residence this Saturday, June 3, 10, and 24. Enjoy a special showcase of Fleischer’s rare, silent-era animations with live accompaniment from Mista Ragtime (aka John Reed-Torres), followed by a selection of short documentaries, ‘Screen Song’ cartoons and more! Polish-American animator Max Fleischer (1883-1972) and his production studios created iconic animations, including Betty Boop, Felix the Cat, Popeye, and Superman. Screening starts promptly at 4 p.m., so don’t be late! Film-in-Residence is a series of casual matinee film viewings, along with self-guided tours of the VP’s exhibits. Tickets $10 General / $5 VPES.
Also, co-presented by the Velaslavasay Panorama, Grand Views: The Immersive World of Panoramas, an exhibit of panorama history will be on display at the Forest Lawn Museum in Glendale, from now-Sept 10. Spanning the late 18th century to present, the exhibit will include rare preparatory paintings, 19th-century prints and posters, a painted movie backdrop, and more. The Forest Lawn Museum first opened in 1952 and now comprises 3 galleries that include the Crucifixion, a 195’ x 45’ painting by Polish artist and renowned panorama painter Jan Styka (1858-1925). Museum is open Tues-Sun, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Admission is FREE.
“From the Grand Canyon and Mount Rushmore to the sunny shores of the California Coast, Woodies and Wagons offered newfound freedom to explore and discover marvelous places.” So if you want to take a trip down memory lane and spend an afternoon outdoors, then come on down to the 27th Annual Gilmore Heritage Auto Show happening this Saturday, June 3 at the Original Farmers Market. “Wonderful Wagons” is the theme of this year’s show, which pays homage to Woodies, Lowriders and all of the Family greats. (OMG, remember that little bench seat that faced out the back window of the station wagon?) And these fond memories will be on display in the form of nearly 100 stunning American classics, including customs, hot rods, trucks and more. Come celebrate the romance of the open road and these special family haulers! This event is FREE and open to the public from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
In celebration of Holocaust Survivor Day and in collaboration with Barnes & Noble, Michael Morgenstern, head of survivor outreach and research at Holocaust Museum LA, along with actual survivors, will be at the Barnes & Noble at The Grove on Sunday, June 4 for a special panel discussion of Holocaust Survivor Memoirs. In her memoir, Trauma, Memory, and the Art of Survival, Gabriella Karin recalls going into hiding during the Holocaust, including living in a convent, and her life after. Eva Perlman’s memoir, Eva’s Uncommon Life: Guided by Miracles, tells her extraordinary story of escaping capture and the many miracles that kept her family alive. And Susanne Reyto was born just six days before the Nazi occupation of Hungary. Her book, Destination Freedom: Escape from Tyranny, traces her life from living in “protected houses” post-war, to living under communist rule, to settling in America. A book signing with the authors will follow. Please RSVP HERE; event takes place from 2-3:30 p.m. Bonus: A percentage of June book sales at B&N (The Grove) will benefit Holocaust Museum LA.
And afterwards, take a short walk over to the Holocaust Museum LA for a concert of Violin and Piano Music from two young virtuosos. In collaboration with the Polish Music Center at USC, Fulbright scholars violinist Mateusz Strzelecki and pianist Andrzej Ślązak will present an exciting program of music by Polish-Jewish composers. This chamber music program will open with Roman Padlewski’s Berceuse and Aleksander Tansman’s Cinq pieces for violin and piano with two of Henryk Wieniawski’s romantic salon charmers, Gigue and Chanson polonaise to follow. Concert takes place from 5-6:30 p.m. RSVP HERE.
Moving on to more modern German connections, Americans have always had a lot of love for the iconic and now 75-year-old Porsche brand. And on Thursday, June 8, 2023, this milestone anniversary – of when the very first 356 was certified for the road in 1948 – will be marked with a Porsche 75th Anniversary Celebration and Trivia Night happening at the Petersen Automotive Museum from 7-9 p.m. How much do you know about Porsche? Join your fellow Porsche lovers and car enthusiasts to find out. Hosted by the Underground Network, attendees will be grouped in teams to compete for cool Porsche-themed swag. Tickets are only $20 and FREE for Petersen and Avant members. Capacity is limited to a cheeky – 75 spots, so please try not to procrastinate. Food, beverage, and admission to the recently opened We Are Porsche exhibit are also included in the ticket.
Community and Local Government
Attention People! The Starfest 2023: Student Variety Show and Fundraiser is going on this Sunday, June 4 from 1-3 p.m. at the Wilshire Ebell Theater, and you should come be a part of it! Witness firsthand what L.A.C.E.R. Afterschool Programs is all about, and the impact it has on the students it serves. There’ll be an “amazing” raffle and opportunity to donate at the event, but there is no obligation. Founded in 1995 by educators, community advocates and artists, L.A.C.E.R. Afterschool Programs provide underserved middle and high school students in Los Angeles with free arts, athletics, and academic activities. “By allowing young people the opportunity to expand their learning, improve their skills and develop new ones in a safe, supportive setting, L.A.C.E.R. fosters scholastic achievement, self-confidence, and good citizenship.” Tickets range from $5-$20; Raffle Tickets are $20 each.
The Mid City West Neighborhood Council has one meeting for y’all this week and it’s for the Homelessness, Refugees and Renters’ Rights Committee (HRRRTs) on Monday June 5 from 6:30 – 8:30 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.
And your local NC, the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council will close things out with two meetings on the schedule, one for the Resilience Committee on Monday, June 5 and another for the Sustainability Committee on Tuesday, June 6. Both meetings start at 6:30 p.m. The Resilience Committee meets at Coldwell Banker (251 N. Larchmont Blvd at Beverly). The Sustainability Committee meets in the Memorial Branch Library Community Room at 4625 W. Olympic Blvd. Check the GWNC’s website for agendas and full schedule.
And finally, speaking of the GWNC and sustainability, on Sunday, June 4, from 1-3 p.m. and in conjunction with FoodCycleLa, the GWNC Outreach Committee’s Glean Team will hold its monthly Larchmont Farmers Market gleaning and food giveaway. You can join GWNC and FoodCycle LA volunteers to pick up unsold produce and other goodies as the market is closing for the day, and then transport them to the Wilshire United Methodist Church where another crew of volunteers will organize and give away the food to anyone who would like to stop by and claim some. So if you’ve been looking for a convenient volunteer gig that’s right in the neighborhood, doesn’t take too long (about two hours, start to finish), helps people, and also keeps good, healthy food from ending up in a landfill, this is the one you’ve been waiting for. Sign up today to “feed people, not landfills!”
