Oh, hello. It’s me again, back with a menagerie of events for you to enjoy this week, starting in DTLA with a vintage clothing bazaar at ROW and a hairy, scary, fuzzy, buzzy Bug Fair at the Natural History Museum. Find local happenings in Larchmont Village at Chevalier’s Books, and with the Windsor Square Hancock Park Historical Society on Van Ness. Or catch the timeless love story, Aida, as it returns to the LA Opera stage, while the soulful sounds of Jazz at LACMA continue to fill the air. So many great options, so little time.
Arts, Culture, and Entertainment
It’s vintage shopping time again at ROW DTLA when the Pickwick Vintage Show comes back for another day filled with goodies from decades past. Sort through an abundant mix of vintage clothing, jewelry, accessories, and inspiration from more than 45 local vendors on Saturday, May 21. Doors open at 10 a.m. for early birds ($20), and noon for general admission ($10), and will be open until 4 p.m. Limited tickets will be available for purchase at the door, so advanced ticket purchase is highly recommended. The next show will be on Saturday, June 11.
Bug Fair 2022 is here! Whatwhat?! The Natural History Museum is excited to welcome you back this weekend, May 21-22 for a two-day festival celebrating more than a million species of insects for this 36th annual affair. Visit a variety of exhibitors and see everything from exotic insect collections to bug-related products. Learn about the local bugs that call Los Angeles home, do some crafting, get up close and personal with creepies and crawlies, and more. Bug Fair and other programming (excluding the Butterfly Pavilion) are included with regular museum admission. Museum hours are 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily. Closed on Tuesdays.
And don’t miss your once-in-a-decade chance to see Verdi’s epic love story, Aida, returning to the LA Opera stage for the first time in 16 years. Watch as Latonia Moore and Russell Thomas play secret lovers from rival kingdoms in this timeless romance, directed by Francesca Zambello and conducted by James Conlon. Hear some of opera’s most famous music, enhanced by a lavish new production with designs by LA street artist RETNA, complemented by a full chorus, orchestra, and ballet. Aida will be playing on select dates starting this Saturday, May 21 – June 21 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Ticket prices range from $29-$399.
A bit closer to home, the Windsor Square Hancock Park Historical Society presents An Afternoon with Costume Designer Daniel Orlandi on Sunday, May 22 from 12-3 p.m. Daniel Orlandi is an American costume designer whose work can be seen in a wide variety of films such as: Saving Mr. Banks, The Blind Side, Trumbo, Cinderella Man, Angels and Demons, The Davinci Code, The Normal Heart, Down with Love, etc. He has been nominated for several costume awards including a BAFTA, an Emmy, and a Costume Designers Guild Award for Excellence in a Period Film. The event will take place at 511 S. Van Ness Ave. The cost is $35 for WSHPHS members and $45 for non-members.
More Bo
ok Talks are going on this week at LA’s oldest independent bookstore, starting Monday, May 23 at 7 p.m. Head over to Chevalier’s Books to listen in as Bryonn Bain talks about her book, Rebel Speak: A Justice Movement Mixtape – A literary mixtape of transformative dialogues on justice with a cast of visionary rebel activists, organizers, artists, culture workers, thought leaders, and movement builders. Buy a copy of the book here.
Then, on Thursday, May 26 at 7 p.m., author, criminal defense lawyer, and one of the leading appellate lawyers in the United States, Alexandra Shapiro will be in-store discussing her novel Presumed Guilty. Follow a NY business woman’s journey as the target of a federal white-collar criminal prosecution who must now fight to prove her innocence, protect her family, and preserve her reputation. Please note that masks will be required for both events. Buy a copy of the book here.
And the Holocaust Museum LA will present another one of its enlightening programs, Hidden History Revealed: Through the Lens of Arthur Rothstein on Wednesday, May 25 at 5 p.m. This webinar, led by Rothstein’s daughter, Dr. Ann Rothstein Segan, will “illuminate the path that led her father to China, and then back home to a career that shaped the visual culture of post-war America during the Golden Age of picture magazines.” Rothstein played a pivotal role in the New Deal photo-documentary project that told the story of the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. This was a prelude to his photo-essay depicting the Jewish refugee community stranded in Shanghai after the war. This program is presented in conjunction with the museum’s special exhibition, Hidden History: Recounting the Shanghai Jewish Story.
Next, join the Ebell of Los Angeles for its Art Salon Opening Reception of A Family Affaire, Thursday, May 26 from 5-8 p.m. This father-daughter exhibition of art works by actor/athlete Michael Warren and Koa Warren, and the Ebell’s first since the pandemic, will be “brilliant and upbeat, with vivid color in two distinct yet complementary abstract styles.” Michael brings his artistic photography, inspired by nature, while his daughter Koa will showcase her unique style of painting without brushes (while teaching children, she came up with a unique painting method she has been exploring for the past ten years – water balloons!). The works will be on display until Monday, June 27. All pieces are available for purchase. Bonus: there will be live music and admission is free!
This week, LACMA welcomes jazz musician Denise Donatelli for another Friday evening of Jazz at LACMA on May 27 from 6-8 p.m. Sit back and relax as multi-Grammy nominated vocalist Denise Donatelli performs songs from her latest recording Whistling in the Dark—The Music of Burt Bacharach, which marks her first concept album devoted to a single composer. RSVP for a reminder email. Seating is limited and first come, first served. If jazz isn’t your thing, there are plenty of other offerings on the schedule. Check out the museum’s full calendar here.
Local Government
On Sunday, May 22, the Hang Out Do Good community activism organization will hold the final installment of its “Looking Local” candidate conversation series. This one will be a double-header featuring Bob Hertzberg, candidate for the LA County Board of Supervisors at 4 p.m., and Steve Johnson, candidate for City Council District 13 at 5 p.m. Click here to register for the free Zoom event.
This year Angelenos will also elect a new Mayor, and the Los Angeles World Affairs Council and Town Hall, in partnership with The Ebell of Los Angeles, is giving you a chance to meet the key frontrunner candidates at a series of live, in-person events leading up to the election. This month, on Tuesday, May 24, you’ll Meet Mayoral Candidate Karen Bass, who could become the leader of the second largest city in the country, with nearly four million residents from 140 countries, speaking 86 different languages. It’s a big job, and an election not to be taken lightly, so don’t miss your chance to ask the candidates questions directly. The event will take place at The Ebell; admission is free.
The Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council, in collaboration with Echo Park NC, Mid City West NC, and Palms NC, also invites you to an in-person Candidate Forum for Council District 5 and Council District 13 on Thursday, May 26. CD5 candidates: Jimmy Biblarz, Scott Epstein, Sam Yebri, and Katy Young Yaroslavsky. CD13 candidates: Albert Corado, Mitch O’Farrell, Steve Johnson, Kate Pynoos, and Hugo Soto-Martinez. The forums will take place at the historic Ebell of Los Angeles and will also be available via Zoom. The CD5 Forum will begin promptly at 6 p.m. and the CD13 Forum will start at 7:30 p.m. You can register for either the live event or the Zoom-based livestream here. If you have any questions, please email: [email protected]g or [email protected].
Your local NC, the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council has a pretty full week of meetings starting with the Transportation Committee on Monday, May 23 at 7 p.m., followed by the Land Use Committee on Tuesday, May 24 at 6:30 p.m. and the Quality of Life Committee on Wednesday, May 25 at 5 p.m. Click here to view the calendar for details.
And the Mid City West Neighborhood Council will wrap up our events list with 5 meetings this week, including a combined in-person CD5 and CD13 Candidate Forum on Thursday, May 26 (see above for details). The first committee meeting will take place on Monday, May 23 for Arts and Recreation, next up is the Social and Racial Equity Committee on Tuesday, May 24. Then, MCW’s weekly in-person Wednesday Walks on Wednesday, May 25, and the Executive Council will close things out on Thursday, May 26. Click here to check Mid City’s calendar for details.
