ExperienceLA Blog

"Before A Fall" at the Hollywood Fringe Festival

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 17:16:40 PDT

Before a Fall is a play that tackles difficult subject matter, but easily pulls the audience into its layers, anxiously making you wait to see the storyline unfold. Promoted as a "Southern Gothic tale of faith, family, and fear," Before a Fall by Lily Mercer is centered on a small Southern town and a family under the firm grip of Reverend Jack Hawkins, a controlling grandfather and patriarch of a church.

The play is currently running at the Hudson Theatre, an intimate space that moves the audience through time and space as those on stand, witnesses at Darla's trial, give their testimonies. We sit as likely jurors, able to see exchanges in the courthouse, the classroom, the church, and the land owned by Reverend Hawkins.

The show has a strong ensemble cast that brings the story to life. Hawkins is portrayed by Worth Howe, who deftly conveys the character's overbearing confidence as a town leader and a dark family figure - striking the right balance of conviction and creepiness. In contrast to the Reverend are 18-year-old Darla Hawkins (Allie Costa) and six-year-old Lala Hawkins (Jamie McRae), whose scenes together are endearing, heightening the tragic circumstances of the narrative - Darla is on trial for murder, her grandfather suspected of molesting her. Costa's portrayal of the sweet and withdrawn Darla Hawkins is the epitome of both tragedy and hope, while Laura Napoli's role as schoolteacher Bonnie Davidson casts light on the struggle to understand right and wrong, to uncover the truth and set it free.

Before a Fall is among the number of great events that are part of this year's Hollywood Fringe Festival, occurring June 13th-30th and I highly recommend it be on your list. Before a Fall runs June 16th and June 23rd at 3:00PM and 7:00PM at the Hudson Theatre on Theatre Row.

-Charity Tran

Summer Outlook: Hollywood Bowl and Ford Theatres

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 16:33:41 PDT

Left: Hollywood Bowl
Right: Pacha Massive performs at Ford Theatres

Our most recent newsletters offer a glimpse at great upcoming summer events in two of our favorite outdoor venues: The Hollywood Bowl and Ford Theatres. Check out great events this summer featuring music, theatre, film, dance, and more!

Issue 481: June 7, 2013 (Summer at the Ford)

Issue 480: May 30, 2013 (Hollywood Bowl Extravaganza!)

What are you most looking forward to this summer?

-ExperienceLA Staff

Photos from our Flickr Pool

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Wed, 22 May 2013 23:30:59 PDT

We always have some great contributions to our ExperienceLA Flickr Pool! Here's a look at some of our most recent favorite photos! From sunsets to park strolls and professional cyclists to singing cowboys, Los Angeles experiences can't be beat.

-ExperienceLA Staff

by Charity Tran
Clifton's Cafeteria - Historic Exterior
Los Angeles (Downtown), CA

by Jeffrey S.
Spectacular sunset in the magnificent skies near LAX
El Segundo, CA

by R.E. ~
2013 Amgen Tour of California
Valencia, CA

by ~db~
Chego!
Los Angeles (Chinatown), CA


by Albert Valles illuminated by the king star! Griffith Observatory - Hollywood, CA

by Atwater Village Newbie
Del Cerro Park
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

by Cathy LaFever
Baby Sofie and her Mom, Hasina, at The Los Angeles Zoo
Los Angeles, CA

by Atwater Village Newbie
One of the Riders
Santa Clarita, CA

The Art of Dance: Los Angeles Events

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:30:57 PDT

There's plenty of dancing going on in Los Angeles! Check out these great upcoming events where you can watch the art of dance in its endless forms.

Fowler Out Loud: Laurel Tentindo

Saturday, May 18th, 2013; 6:00PM
West LA

Laurel Tentindo and friends present a site-specific, movement-and-sound ritual performance that migrates through the Museum. Come stroll the Fowler and see it transformed with magical imagery, dance, and sound.

LACMA: Indian Dance Performance
Saturday, May 18th, 2013; 7:00PM
Mid-Wilshire - Museum Row
The Shakti Dance Company performs Devadasi: The Eternal Dancer at LACMA's Bing Theater. The show "transports the audience into the world of ancient Indian temple tradition" with this classical Bharata Natyam production created by master choreographer Viji Prakash.

Los Angeles Ballet: "Balanchine Festival - RED"
May 18th, 25th, 26th & June 9th, 2013
Various Locations
Carpenter Performing Arts Center, Valley Performing Arts Center, Alex Theatre, Royce Hall
The Los Angeles Ballet performs La Valse, Agon, and Rubies in various locations throughout Los Angeles County. This festival features The Balanchine Talks, 45 minutes of discussion and interviews with ballet and Balanchine experts before each performance.

MECDA's 36th Annual Cairo Caravan: A Belly Dance Extravaganza
May 31st-June 2nd, 2013; Various Times
Long Beach
Enjoy three days of belly dancing on two stages, including a carnival "side-show" themed stage, free lectures/seminars/films, and an outdoor music tent with live music!

South Bay Ballet: A Midsummer's Night Dream
Saturday, June 1st - Sunday, June 2nd, 2013; Various Times/Performances
South Bay/Torrance
The South Bay Ballet performs this adaptation of William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" as part of their Storybook series.

Antics: lluminated Mansucript
Friday, June 7th, 2013; 8:30PM-10:30PM
Hollywood
Hyperkinetic hip-hop dance meets classical epic poetry when Antics opens the summer season at the Ford with a hip-hop dance theater interpretation of the ancient Mesopotamian poem The Epic Of Gilgamesh.

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago + Alonzo King LINES Ballet
Friday, June 21st - Sunday, June 23rd, 2013; Various Times/Performances
Downtown LA
Visionary dancemaker Alonzo King's LINES Ballet partners with Hubbard Street Dance, one of America's leading contemporary companies, in this new piece that embodies King's dynamic and expressive authenticity. This is part of Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at the Music Center.

-Charity Tran, ExperienceLA Editor

Bikes Take Over Los Angeles: Metro Bike Week

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Wed, 08 May 2013 13:12:05 PDT

Bright Bikes from CicLAVia. Photo by Charity Tran.

At ExperienceLA, we love Los Angeles experiences where people learn to explore the city on public transit...and bikes! Check out these events for Metro's upcoming Bike Week and more!

Metro Bike Week 2013
May 11-May 19th
Metro is having a Bike Week, advocating traveling with your bike everywhere. There's a bike adventure for almost every day of the week.

Saturday, May 11th - Start it all with a scheduled ride from Union Station to Dodger Stadium.
Monday, May 13th - Take the time to fix your bike or learn how to build a new one at events being hosted throughout the greater Los Angeles area.
Tuesday, May 14th - Join in the 10th Annual Blessing of the Bicycles!
Wednesday, May 15th - Tour bicycle lanes with Guided Ride Day!
Thursday, May 16th - Celebrate your bike commute or change up your commute by biking to work on Bike to Work Day! There will be various pit stops to help you on your journey!
Friday, May 17th - Sunday, May 19th - Head out somewhere fun with family and friends for the weekend with some great events! Ride your bike and mention "Bike Week" at select locations and receive a discount!

Learn more about Metro Bike Week and events: http://www.metro.net/bikes/bike-week/

Hammer Museum - Bike Night!
May 17th, 2013 - 6:00PM
One of the great events occurring during Bike Week is free and open to the public at the Hammer Museum! Festivities include bicycle portraits, a screening of 1983 Australian action movie BMX Bandits, bicycle-centric crafts, and free admission to LLYN FOULKES.

LACBC - Bike from Work After Parties
May 17th, 2013 - 5:00PM
The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition offers this list of "Bike from Work" after parties in Downtown LA, Downey, and Claremont. And after Bike Week has made you the most excellent LA bike enthusiast, you may also want to mark your calendar for their May 22nd event on "CA Road Rules for Bicyclists from Three Perspectives" and register for their June 9th Los Angeles River Ride.

Happy Riding!

-Charity Tran, ExperienceLA Editor

Saturday 5/4: Star Wars Day and Free Comic Book Day

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Thu, 02 May 2013 09:30:12 PDT

Contrary to my Star Wars™ desk calendar, Saturday isn't just any day - it's Star Wars Day! It's also Free Comic Book Day! To help you celebrate, we've compiled this selection of events!

Los Angeles Costume Swap - Star Wars Day

May 4th, 2013: 11AM-4PM

Long Beach, CA

Come dresssed as your favorite Star Wars character or piece one together at the Los Angeles Costume Swap! There will be Star Wars craft activities throughout the day and a children's book reading of Star Wars starting at 3PM. From 3PM to 4PM you can also swap comic books with other fans!

Coagula Curatorial - May the Fourth Be With You

May 4th, 2013: 12PM-11PM

Downtown Los Angeles - Near Chinatown

This family-friendly, all-ages day of fun includes Star Wars costume contests, games, screen-printing, puppets, a comedy show, and balloon characters. Featured artists include expressionist woodcut artist Sean Starwars, balloon sculptor John Buckner, and performer Adam Shenkman (The Breakfast Show) who will be performing the Star Wars-themed puppet show. Family events will occur from 12PM-6PM. At 9PM the gallery will change into a comedy club for mature audiences to enjoy a Star Wars-themed comedy night.

ACME Artist Showcase featuring Mike Kungl
May 4th, 2013; 1PM-6PM
Anaheim, CA

At this special ACME Archives Artist Showcase, artist Mike Kungl will be making a special appearance and signing. Kungl will be debuting some of the newest ACME Archives Star Wars inspired pieces from his collection

Toys"R"Us - Lego Model Building: Mini-version of Jek-14's Stealth Starfighter

May 4th, 2013; 12PM-2PM
Participating Locations

At this event for ages 5+, kids can build a mini version of Jek-14′s Stealth Starfighter, as featured in upcoming The Yoda Chronicles special on Cartoon Network. Available at participating stores. Check website/call store to confirm event and availability.

Nerd Herd - May the 4th (be with you) 5K

April 28-May 4
Virtual Race; Run anywhere

Sign up for this virtual race! Run/walk it all at once or gather your miles through multiple outings! Maybe you can even dress in your favorite Star Wars gear (there's a costume contest)! It's also a great way to take in the sights of Los Angeles! Because it's a virtual race, there's an honor system, so we hope you'll be a good Jedi about it! Participants will receive a commemorative medal. Proceeds support the fight against cancer. You can also follow this up with the Banned Books and Harry Potter virtual races! If you participate in all three race, you'll get a fourth medal!

Free Comic Book Day!
May 4th, 2013
Participating Locations

To find out where you can get free comic books, check out the Free Comic Book Day website! The site offers a spiffy and convenient Store Locator of participating stores. Glen Weldon of NPR offers a Free Comic Day Cheat Sheet to help you find the right comic book for you (or for parents to find the perfect comic for their kids).

Enjoy the day and 'May the Fourth Be With You'!

-Charity Tran, ExperienceLA Editor

Literary LA: Festival of Books and a Book Drop Bash

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 17:11:52 PDT

Young Reader at LA Times Festival of Books

My status as a literary nerd is no secret, so I'm just going to cut to the chase and nerd out about last Saturday.

I headed out to the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books during the day and followed it with an evening at the Library Foundation of Los Angeles' Book Drop Bash at the Central Library. While reading is often a solitary affair, literary adventures like these are often best enjoyed among the company of those who love books too. Lucky for me, the Festival of Books is an excellent place to gather with your book-loving friends.

It is also a great place to find book deals and get freebies - and who doesn't love those? Although I've read The Hunger Games more times than I care to admit in this blog, it wasn't until this weekend that I bought them in hardcover format, spotting a great deal on the whole set! To carry my spiffy new books, I stopped by the USC Viterbi School of Engineering booth for a free tote bag. I was able to get one with the "too true" phrase "Sometimes it does take a rocket scientist". My other favorite free thing I got was my name written in Arabic, where I also learned that there is no "ch" sound in the language.

My Literary Haul from the Festival.

One of the best things about the festival, of course, is finding new books and bookish things. One such discovery was that there are graphic novels of my favorite girl detective Nancy Drew (don't worry, Veronica Mars, I still love you), so naturally I bought a copy to check it out. I also bought a "#38 Shakespeare" Jersey-style T-shirt from Novel-T; in addition to getting a cool shirt, a portion of the sale supports a good cause. As fate would have it, I also got this shirt just in time to celebrate The Bard's birthday yesterday in style!

The Library Store on Wheels was also an awesome stop in my Festival of Books adventure. The Library Store in Central Library is actually one of my favorite places, so I'm all for its mobile version - a cozy little truck filled with literary gems. Here, I added to my buttons collection with some sassy pins: "I read banned books."; "Books are sexy", and "I'd rather be reading." Make sure to follow them on Twitter and stop by for a visit of your own.

Buttons from the Library Store.

The Library Store on Wheels

Throughout the festival there were plenty of performances and interviews being held on various stages. My friend Jessica and I stopped by the the YA stage to catch a discussion with Gennifer Albin, Mark Frost, and Cornelia Funke, moderated by Cecil Castellucci. A dynamic conversation, the authors talked about their inspirations, their backgrounds, and the rewards and challenges of writing in the Young Adult genre. My favorite message was from Cornelia Funke who advised against formulaic writing and dumbing down content for readers.

Left-to-right: Cecil Castelucci, Gennifer Albin,
Mark Frost, and Cornelia Funke.

LA Times Festival of Books - #whatareyoureading Wall

Of course, no literary anything would be complete without that age-old question: "What Are You Reading?" The festival offered a wall just for answers to that question. As I'm always in the middle of several books, I had to think carefully without penning a novel-sized list of my own. So I chose two books that I'm currently enjoying from up-and-coming writers: Daniel Gardina's The Last Night and Christopher Johnson's Between Two Brothers.

Book Swap at the Book Drop Bash.

I left the festival and emerged at the Central Library a few hours later for the Library Foundation of Los Angeles' Book Drop Bash. I can't think of a better place to party than the library.

My friend Chris and I enjoyed an evening talking to fellow book lovers and writers and enjoying delicious sweets from Semi-Sweet Bakery. I was also finally able to try Handsome Coffee, headquartered in the Los Angeles' Arts District. Not only was it delicious, but it was a much-need pick-me-up by the end of the evening. Part of the event was a book swap, including donations from various sponsors as well as guests. So not only was this a party at a library, you were also able to drop off books you've already read and leave with new books to read. Leftover books from the swap are then sold to benefit the Los Angeles Public Library. A new book was a perfect party favor to close out an excellent book-filled day.

-Charity Tran, ExperienceLA Editor

Today is ArtsDay!

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 11:51:16 PDT

Arts Day 2013 in City of LA Council Chambers. Photo by Terence McFarland

At ExperienceLA.com we celebrate the arts every day. We love our many partners and their wonderful events and destinations. We're glad to be a place that can connect visitors and residents alike with the diverse offerings of Los Angeles' arts and culture scene. But there is something spiffy about official days to make sure we express our appreciation and advocacy. We are very glad to say that today is one of those days! Hello ArtsDay 2013!

As part of Arts Day 2013, several hundred arts advocates from around the city converged at City Hall this morning to the thank the LA City Councilmembers and Mayor Villaraigosa for their support of arts and culture. A number of them donned "Creative Capital" shirts designed by Andrew Colunga in a Arts Day T-shirt Design Competition. For those who missed out on that adventure (including this blogger!), we're spreading the word on how else you can join in the campaign for arts advocacy!

Show Your Advocacy: Download the ArtsDay Advocate badge and use it for your social media profile.
Express Your Advocacy: Send a letter to your Councilmember and express why arts and culture are so important to you and to Los Angeles. Arts for LA has set up this amazingly easy template and form for you to do so!
Share Your #ArtsLA Experience: Every day you can tag your discussion on arts & culture in LA County with the #ArtsLA hashtag. Use it, so that we can all know that you love it and join in the conversation with you.

We recommend following our friends at Arts for LA. Through them you can find out the latest in arts advocacy news and campaigns. You can: like them on Facebook; follow them on Twitter, and follow them on Pinterest!

-Charity Tran, ExperienceLA Editor

Celebrate L.A. Heritage Day 2013!

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 15:08:24 PDT

Pico House. Photo Credit LA Heritage Alliance.

This upcoming Sunday, (April 14th, 2013) from 11am to 4pm, head out to El Pueblo with family and friends to celebrate and learn more about Los Angeles Heritage! Featuring over 200 organizations from across LA, experience exhibits, booths, tours, five museums, children activities, and more for free!
Event highlights include:

Children's Area with activities like lantern-making with the Chinese American Museum
Historic Cars from various museums including the Petersen Automative Museum
Twenty Presentations, including talks about the history of the Pico House and the culinary history of L.A. Check out the full list of L.A. Heritage Day Speakers!

Chris Espinosa, GEneral Manager of El Pueblo Historical Monument says of the event, "The legacy of the Mexican, Chinese, Italian, Spanish and African immigrant communities along with our region's indigenous people will be honored for their role in making Los Angeles the diverse metropolis it is today."

The event is made possible through support from the Office of LA City Councilman Tom LaBonge, the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power, and FutureStudio.

Event Date: Sunday, April 14th, 2013
Event Time: 11AM-4PM
Location: LA Heritage Day will take place in the historic Pico House and the Plaza at El Pueblo Historical Monument, adjacent to Olvera Street.
Public Transit Tips: Go Metro! Near Union Station, the location is accessible by Metro Red, Purple, or Gold Lines.
For more information, visit http://www.experiencela.com/calendar/event/52807

For additional LA Heritage events and destinations, check out the ExperienceLA Los Angeles Heritage Portal, in association with the Los Angeles Heritage Alliance!

-Charity Tran, ExperienceLA Editor

Wandering Wondercon 2013

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 19:27:52 PDT

Wall-E Robot at Wondercon 2013

For the second year in a row, Wondercon arrived at the Anaheim Convention Center. The only day I was able to make it to the convention was Easter Sunday, and it marked the first time going to a convention on its last day. Last days are interesting: the craziness of the convention generally dies down a little and the crowds are a little less intense, but there's still plenty of fun to be had with events, vendors, and cosplayers roaming around.

I wandered the convention center with my friend Elizabeth Ann (Nerdlush) who festively wore a bunny-eared fascinator while I had decided that it was the perfect time to bring out my TARDIS costume with a modified fascinator hat for Easter Sunday.

Elizabeth was my partner in crime at last year's Wondercon in Los Angeles, where we had quite an adventure getting there in torrential rain and had the surreal experience of being surrounded by concurrent cheerleading and volleyball tournaments while at a geeky/nerdy convention. This year, there was no rain and sports tournaments, so perhaps my perspective of a more laid-back Sunday is a little skewed.

When we saw the line for the Arena, we both decided that it was perhaps not the best investment of our time to try and get into the panel for Much Ado About Nothing, the much talked about Joss Whedon foray into one of William Shakespeare's most famous plays (Cinema Blend offered an excellent live blog about the panel). So we concentrated on a time-consuming game plan that reflected our last year's adventures: walking the floor of the Exhibition Hall.

One of our first stops was at the Small Press Area at the end of the Hall, where Jimmy Purcell (Been Better Comic/J&J Studios) offered us an additional challenge to our wandering - a scavenger hunt! We were encouraged to be creative as we looked for the items. For example, we combined "zombie" and "bunnies" with Jim Hillin's Wireheads: Zombie Bunnies!, featured at a table in the next section. We also tried to cover some of the clues through T-shirts, especially the Seven Deadly Sins. A Star Wars shirt featuring Jabba the Hutt was our answer to "Gluttony" and another one featuring a curly-mustached R2D2 represented "hipster".

Zombie Bunnies

from Jim Hillin's "Wireheads: Zombie Bunnies!"

"Hipster" R2D2 and
Flat Bonnie Sloth Doll

Chatterbox Puppets

Of course the best part of our wandering around and participating in a scavenger hunt was how it let us talk to vendors and check out some pretty cool and unique items from artists that perhaps we would have walked right by! One of them was a Flat Bonnie sloth (pictured above) that was far from being one of the seven deadly sins (and if so, a very adorable one). We also found a "double-heart" necklace from House of Darkly (for those non-Whovians, Doctor Who has two hearts) and decided that since I was dressed as a TARDIS, me with the double hearts could represent "true love". My very talented friend Lori Lane (Chatterbox Puppets) had a table at Artist Alley, featuring some awesome original creations and some familiar homages to Star Wars, Pokemon, Pac-Man, and more. Her Storm Trooper Hand Puppet let us check off "stormtrooper" and "black and white" from the list.

A post about conventions like Wondercon wouldn't be complete without commenting on the cosplay and photo opportunities. R2D2 and a Wall-E seemed to follow us everywhere we went. We also spotted classic references to Star Wars (Storm Troopers, Darth Vader), Batman, Transformers, and there was even a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle!

All in all, it was a pretty excellent day of geeky fun! And yes, we did win:

Elizabeth Ann (Nerdlush) and Charity Tran (ExperienceLA)
with Scavenger Hunt Winning Print
Photo by Jimmy Purcell (Been Better Comic)

-Photos and Text by Charity Tran

Upcoming Literary Events

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 11:49:17 PDT

Panoramic Bookshelves at Skylight Books by intellichick

The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books recently announced their schedule of events for April 20-21 at USC. While we're super excited for the event, it is a WHOLE MONTH away! So while you're planning your Festival of Books excursion, here's some great events to quench your literary thirst in the mean time! Literary events can be found throughout Los Angeles at literary venues, universities, theaters, museums, libraries, and more!

Mama's Lessons - Stories by Barbara H. Clark
March 29th, 2013; 6:30-8:00PM
YWCA Santa Monica/Westside
Professional storyteller/spoken word artist Barbara Clark performs original life stories. In Mama's Lessons, Clark thinks about on lessons she learned from her mother - some she didn't quite understand/realize until she was a mother herself.

Poets Elana Bell and Sholeh Wolpé

March 29th, 2013; 8:00-10:00PM

Beyond Baroque Literary Arts Center - Santa Monica

Award-winning poets Elana Bells and Sholeh Wolpé will be featured in this event at Beyond Baroque. Ball's first collection of poetry (Eyes, Stones) was selected for the 2011 Walt Whitman Award and published by Lousiana State University Press in 2012. Award-winng poet, literary translator, and writer Wolpé's works include Keeping Time with Blue Hyacinths, Rooftops of Tehran, and The Scar Saloon.

Other Events at Beyond Baroque: Katherine Hastings & Toni Mirosevich (April 5th); Punk Hostage Press Event (April 6th); Eve Brandstein's Poetry in Motion - Claiming Ginsberg (April 6th);

Strawberry Yellow by Naomi Hirahara

March 30th, 2013; 2:00PM

Japanese American National Museum - Downtown LA

Naomi Hirhara authors the Edgar-winning Mas Arai mystery series. This event features the fifth book in the series and includes a Q/A session following the event. Read more about the author on Discover Nikkei.

Write Club Los Angeles

Every Second Monday of Every Month

This Month: April 8th, 2013; 7:00-8:30PM

Bootleg Theater - Downtown LA

This monthly event features 3 bouts of 2 opposing writers and 2 opposing ideas - each bout is 7 minutes. Audience picks a winner and proceeds go to the charities of the winner's choosing.

Carol Muske-Dukes: Twin Cities - The Provost's Writers Series

April 10th, 2013; 7:00PM

USC University Club - Downtown LA

Carol Muske-Dukes, professor of English at USC and former poet laureate of California, reads her latest book of poetry, Twin Cities, and discusses her recent anthology Crossing State Lines: An American Renga.

Sister Spit: The Next Generation

April 11th, 2013; 8:30PM

REDCAT - Downtown LA

San Francisco's Sister Spit brings their queer literary performance to Los Angeles. Hosted by Michelle Tea, the event includes singer/songwriter/performance artist DavEnd, writers Danny LVesque and Ali Liebegott, artist TextaQueen and graphic memoirist Cristy C. Road.

Mattilda Berstein Sycamore at Skylight Books
April 12th, 2013; 7:30-9:00PM

Skylight Books - Downtown LA

Mattilda Berstein Sycamore reads from her new memoir, The End of San Francisco.

Journals, Diaries, Blogs, and Notebooks: Writing About Daily Experience with Charles Hood

April 12th and 26th, 2013; 3:00-5:00PM

1450 Ocean - Camera Obscura - Santa Monica

Using literary and art world models, this class looks at ways journals and diaries can help us focus our observations and lead to longer, more developed writing.

Malibu Library Speaker Series - Kerry Max Cook

April 17th, 2013; 7:00-8:00PM

Malibu Civic Theatre - Malibu

Author of Chasing Justice, Kerry Max Cook served 20 years on death row in Texas for crimes he idd not commit. Self-educated and acting as his own attorney, Cook was exonerated with the help of the Dallas Morning News.

Poetry - Alice Fulton at the Hammer Museum

April 18th, 2013; 7:30-9:30PM

Hammer Museum - Westside

Award-winning poet Alice Fulton is author of poetry collections including Cascade Experiment, Felt, and The Nightingales of Troy.

Maurice Sendak: 50 Years, 50 Works, 50 Reasons

Ongoing Until April 18th; Museum Hours

Bowers Museum - Orange County - Santa Ana

As part of the 50th anniversary of Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are, the Maurice Sendak Memorial Exhibition at the Bowers Museum features a retrospective of his works including quotes from those who knew and was inspired by the author.

-Charity Tran, ExperienceLA Editor

Happy World Puppetry Day

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 11:45:59 PDT

Chain Chomp from Chatterbox Puppets.
Chatterbox Puppets offers custom-made puppets
and classes in puppet-construction

Our friends at the Pantages Theatre let us know that today is World Puppetry Day! So, how best to celebrate then by looking at our events calendar for puppet-related events? While there are events for kids, the humor and magic of puppetry comes to life in shows for all kinds of ages!

Kid-Friendly/All Ages
7th Annual Easter Festival
Location: Orange County Market Place - Costa Mesa
Date/Time: March 24th 2013 - 9:30AM-2:30PM (Swap Meet 7AM-4PM)
Cost: $2 or Free for ChildreN Under 12
Ages: All Ages
In addition to Easter events like treasure hunts, Easter baskets treats, and Easter bunny photos, this festival also offers face painting, mural coloring, and a marionette puppet show! Uncle Gus Puppet Carnival occurs at 10:30AM, NOON, and 2PM and is presented by Pullin Strings Puppet Productions of Huntington Beach.

Puppet Festival, A Famly Celebration of the Wonders of Puppet Theater

Location: The Skirball Cultural Center - Beverly Hills

Date/Time: April 7th 2013 - 10AM-4:30PM
Cost: $10 General Admission; $7 Seniors and Children over 12; $5 Children 2-12; FREE to Skirball Members and Children Under 2

Ages: All Ages

In this second annual event, the Skirball hosts a festival of art making, close-up puppet happenings, and a host of puppet performances "sure to delight visitors ages 2 to 102". The event brings together some of Southern California's most talented puppeteers and artists.

2013 Art & Craft of Shadow Theater Culmination - "Snakes R Us"

Location: North Hollywood Senior Arts Colony - San Fernando Valley

Date/Time: April 20th 2013 - 2:00PM-3:30PM
Cost: FREE exhibit and shadow theater performance

Ages: All Ages

A special performance in culmination of the 2013 Art & Craft of Shadow Theater, this event serves as one of the first kick-off events for the first annual Los Angeles Puppet Week celebrations.

Dinosaur Encounters at the Natural History Museum

Location: Natural History Museum - Downtown Los Angeles

Date/Time: Year Round (Schedule subject to Change - Check with Museum for Information)

Cost: Included with Museum Admission.
Ages: All Ages

At the Natural History Museum, NHM paleontologists and puppeteers bring dinosaurs to life with realistic T.rex and Triceratops large-scale puppets.

For Mature Audiences

Songs of Bilitis
Location: Bootleg Theater - Downtown Los Angeles

Date/Time: Thu-Sat through April 7th - 7:30PM-9:30PM

Ages: Mature Audiences Only

The Rogue Artists Ensemble combines multimedia projects with puppetry, movement, live audio-sampling, and Greek Masks as they explore "how a flamboyant heterosexual avant-garde Parisian novelist successfully impersonated a lesbian Greek poet in the most elaborate erotic literary hoax the world has ever known".

Real Men Sing Show Tunes...and play with puppets
Location: Norris Center for the Performing Arts - South Bay

Date/Time: Select Dates and Times - April 26th 2013-May 12th 2013

Ages: Mature Audiences Only

This musical features 29 original songs and "pays homage to all things male" including fatherhood, mid-life crisis, dating and marriage. Puppetry is used to fill out the "zany characters". Originally premiering in Florida in 2012, this is the West Coast premiere of the show.

-Charity Tran, ExperienceLA Editor

Reflecting on "This is Your Library"

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 09:05:02 PDT

From Left to Right: John Szabo, Exene Cervenka, Hector Tobar,
Mike White, and Justin Veach.
Photo by Gary Leonard

On March 2nd, I enjoyed an evening program at the Central Library entitled "This is Your Library". Conducted in a late-night TV show style, the program was moderated by humorous host Justin Veach and accompanied by the Library All-Star Band. Guests included a number of prominent Angelenos: punk legend Exene Cervenka; actor, writer, director Mike White of HBO’s Enlightened; author and Los Angeles Times journalist Héctor Tobar; and new City Librarian John Szabo. Following the event was a performance by Feeding People.

Photo by Gary Leonard

Exene Cervenka performs a song on stage.
Photo by Gary Leonard

I am a huge fan of the library's many programs, initiatives, and exhibitions and this night was no exception. Each guest brought their diverse narratives and distinct perspectives about Los Angeles; many spoke on the important role of the library and literary scene in their lives and careers. Cervenka discussed the impact of her experience with Beyond Baroque Literary Arts Center and visiting the Central Library. White talked about his time as a research assistant for his father and how events in his life inspired Enlightened. Hector Tobar related stories about growing up with the library and his local and international work with the Los Angeles Times. As new City Librarian, Szabo relayed some of his ideas and proposed initiatives for the library, including the possibility that the library could gift every new born baby in Los Angeles their first book.

Hector Tobar's book signing after the event.
Pictured: Charity Tran and Zach Behrens reading the
back cover to Tobar's novel The Barbarians Nurseries.
Photo by Gary Leonard.

What ultimately becomes presented in a program like "This is Your Library" is not only the compelling stories and backgrounds of these Angeleno guests, but also how the literary landscape of Los Angeles is so intricately intertwined with their narratives. The life stories of the guests often resonated with the audience who laughed and cheered throughout the evening, signifying that "This is Your Library" is just as much about individual stories as it is about a collective appreciation for "our" library.

The next "This is Your Library" event is scheduled for June 8th, 2013. Mark your calendars and, in the mean time, check out more events from the Library Foundation of Los Angeles.

-Charity Tran, ExperienceLA Editor

The Los Angeles Theatre or “The Theatre Unusual”

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 13:41:32 PDT

The Los Angeles Theatre proudly featured "Romeo & Juliet" for one night only.

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough (thanks to Cinespia and the Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation) to visit the Los Angeles Theatre, a movie palace built in 1931 on Broadway in the Los Angeles Theatre District. It was the last of its kind to be built. The reason for my good fortune was a charity event to help fund the care for this theatre, as well as others, in the Los Angeles area. The event featured a special screening of Baz Luhrmann's rendition of the Bard’s Romeo & Juliet.

People passing by might not notice this gem nestled among businesses on Broadway. No one would even begin to guess the wonder and glamour that awaits behind doors of what might look like to many on most days as an old theatre. Behind those doors, however are four stories of French Rococo and bold, glistening chandeliers. The foyer alone is enough to make you lose your breath.

The Los Angeles Theatre foyer stairway lead up to a bar
and the entrance to the mezzanine seating.

The theatre's architect, S. Charles Lee, was known for his Art Deco inspired designs. He seamlessly combined the styles of French Rococo seen in the Los Angeles Theatre and the Spanish-Romanesque look of the Tower Theatre (also on Broadway). In 1938, he lent his mastery to the Bruin Theatre in Westwood Village.

The theatre itself takes up about two floors worth of space with balconies fit for queens. The lower level includes a ballroom, a former children’s playroom, and bathrooms that make you feel like royalty.

The Children’s Playroom - designed to look like a circus, with ceilings
fashioned to look like the interior of a tent -
served as a makeshift photo booth for the evening’s patrons.

One of the balconies, to the left of the stage,
with its imposing statues staring down at patrons.

The opulent curtain that hides the twentieth century screen from sight.

John Wyatt, the founder of Cinespia, came out onto the stage before the screening to thank the audience for contributing to the arts. He talked about supporting the memories of those who dared to dream before us, including Charlie Chaplin, whose film "City Lights" was shown at the Los Angeles Theatre's Opening Night.

Photos and Text by Roxanne Castillo, Guest Contributor

Roxanne Castillo is a native Angeleno, freelance writer, and law student. Her writing focuses on exploring LA and marketing for small businesses. You can see more of her work on Opentimez and Squidoo.

TED Fellow Cyrus Kabiru C-STUNNERS Art Exhibit Until March 9, 2013

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 13:29:13 PST

A quick heads up from ExperienceLA. If you blink, this one week exhibit of wearable C-STUNNERS eyewear sculptures by 2013 TED Fellow Cyrus Kabiru from Africa will be gone, as it was timed to immediately follow the recent 2013 TED convocation. I frankly stumbled on this exhibit on Saturday, while eating lunch at Bergamot Station in Santa Monica. I had a chance to discuss the exhibit with Ed Cross who curated the exhibit at the Frank Pictures Gallery, as to how Cyrus developed his unique artistic skill and how he was discovered by TED. The exhibit will close on Saturday, March 9, 2013 with an art talk and closing reception from 4 pm to 6:30 pm. As I understand it, Cyrus Kabiru will still be around. The Frank Pictures Gallery is open daily from 11:30 am - 6:30 pm for this exhibition. The rest of my C-STUNNER flickr pictures can be found here.

Here is a short YouTube video showcasing the C-STUNNERS eyewear:

The following are excerpts from the press release on the exhibit:

Kabiru has been creating his 'spectacles' since childhood. First as toys for himself and later for his class-mates as a way of bartering his way through school work. His passion for ‘glasses’ stems from his father’s phobia about them. As a child, the artist’s grandparents punished his father severely for losing a pair of glasses that they had made huge sacrifices to provide him with. When the young Kabiru began playing with his father’s glasses, he was told by his father “if you want to survive in my house you will make your own glasses”. Taking him at his word, the young boy embarked on what would become his lifetime mission to create eyewear out of “trash”. His father, bemused by the explosion of toy glasses became an unwitting curator, decreeing that his son should “only make the glasses when there is a reason” by recreating again and again the object of his father’s pain, and his grandparent’s hope, Kabiru began to create a body of work that would have symbolic significance well beyond his own family story, ultimately becoming a metaphor for the power of creative transformation both within Africa and worldwide. Kabiru has been featured in group shows throughout Europe and the Middle East including Istanbul Design Biennale, Istanbul, Perimeter Art & Design, Paris, Rosetta Arts, London, Fashion Space Gallery, London College of Fashion, London, and upcoming shows in Dubai and Paris. His C-STUNNERS were recently worn by Bobby Womack on the cover of Clash Magazine’s December 2012 issue and he has been profiled by the New York Times (September 2012), The International Herald Tribune (September 2012), and Under the Influence Magazine’s Africa Issue (November 2012).

For more information about Kabiru’s work, you can watch the following video links below:
MTV Base - http://www.mtvbase.com/shows/touching-base/
Manufactured - http://vimeo.com/33167682
Ed Cross Fine Art - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3iWXSSj_6Y

A portion of artwork sales will be donated to the Kuona Trust, a non-profit dedicated to nurturing creative and intellectual development in children and youth by exposing them to hands-on art activities. Cyrus plans to develop a series of community workshops to educate youth in Kenya’s rural communities on the recycling of waste materials and environmental care while making art.

The C-Stunner Los Angeles tour is supported by Stunner of the Month, a monthly sunglass subscription service that is changing the way you see, and the way others see you. StunMo founders discovered and acquired some of Kabiru's work more than a year ago. As avid supporters of story-telling and bringing his creations to more people, they offered to put on a series of events while he is in Los Angeles to help one stunner from another. Stunner of the Month: It's not just a brand, it's a lifestyle. Start stunnin' today, go to www.stunnerofthemonth.com.

Cyrus Kabiru is represented by London based Ed Cross Fine Art who specialize in contemporary art from the African continent and its Diaspora. Further details at www.edcrossfineart.com

Top 10 Take Off on Outer Space Related Tourism Destinations in Los Angeles

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 11:08:12 PST

I was reading "What If We Made Space Travel Practical?" by Curtis Hill and I began to think about the top ten destinations in the Los Angeles area that could take you on a NASA inspired journey in greater Los Angeles. Now Curtis Hill's theme of his just released book is how one could go about drastically reducing the cost for a reuseable spacecraft (the Star Horse Project concept) with a focus on weight reduction, and it was coincidental that this week, there was an announcement on a privately funded flyby space flight to Mars, and now another SpaceX flight to the orbiting space station. So with thanks to Curtis Hill for inspiration to write this post, and to encourage one to visit his website, where one might find out when he might be doing a presentation and book signing, I present to you the ExperienceLA top ten ways to reach for the stars in Los Angeles.

California Science Center in Exposition Park. After the very slow journey of the space shuttle Endeavor from LAX that captured the imagination of Los Angeles, you now can see it on display at our very own space museum along with a visit to the IMAX theater to see the Hubble 3D telescope movie. I have also seen its sister shuttle at the Air and Space Museum adjacent to Dulles Airport which is worth a visit when in the Dulles airport area. At a recent event, I had a chance to discuss Apollo and Space Shuttle heat shield technology with Jeff Rudolf, Executive Director of the Science Center in Exposition Park. In fact, Curtis Hill in his book discusses the evolution of this ceramic based heat shielding technology.

Griffith Observatory. The City of Los Angeles did a remarkable job expanding and renovating this historic facility in Griffith Park overlooking Los Angeles. The planetarium is worth a visit alone, but going up there at night, when there is something special to see with their telescope will create a lifelong memory, or any time when the sky is clear. Telescope viewing until 9:45 pm, while observatory closes at 10 pm. But if you really want to see the stars, then check out these seven destinations in Southern California suggested by Zach Behrens from KCET who many years ago was an intern for the County of Los Angeles Art Commission who is a managing partner on the ExperienceLA project. If you hunt through Zach's many postings for KCET, you will see several suggestions for Star festivals in these various desert locations. And perhaps the best star gaving location is Death Valley

Memorial to the Ellison S. Onizuka and the other Challenger astronauts in Little Tokyo. This monument using a Challenger model was recently renovated and has been in place for decades now. Obviously a visit here, gives one a chance to explore Little Tokyo. For coffee lovers, be sure and check out Demitasse Cafe which is right across from the Challenger memorial. Among the best coffee houses in Los Angeles.

Helms Bakery District. You say, how can this be related to the space program? Well, on the Apollo 11 voyage to the moon, it just wasn't Tang that was taken to the Moon, it was also Helms Bread. Now you can visit the design show rooms, and then eat at Father's Office or Let's Be Frank, but to wonder how did Helms Bread end up on the 1969 moon landing. I know that story, and it would be a separate blog post on its own. You can ride the Metro Expo line and visit this destination and downtown Culver City along with the Exposition Park Science Center.

Los Angeles Central Library and It's Rotunda Globe (see lead photo). This is spectacular historic space, and I bet they have a great section on space related books inside the library, but seeing this piece of public art and the historic mural and other public art pieces is worth a visit to this famous Los Angeles landmark. Before you go, download the ExperienceLA Public Art application for Apple on Itunes and Google Play for Android mobile devices to explore all of the downtown Los Angeles public art locations. You might also want to plan your visit around one of the ALOUD author readings put on by the LA Library Foundation. Maybe a future panel will be centered on new books related to Space Travel which could feature Curtis Hill's book on "What IF We Made Space Travel Practical."

The Encounter LAX Theme Restaurant. This recently renovated historic restaurant at LAX has always invoked a space theme and the Jetsons. So if at the airport, try and plan a visit to eat here either upon arrival or departure. Also in the area, outside the airport, is the Proud Bird Restaurant, with its homage to aircraft, and ability to be near the jets landing at LAX.

Disneyland. Yes it is expensive, but think about all of the fun, one can have with a focus on Tomorrowland with its Star Wars ride and Space Mountain, and visiting the Disney Museum on Main Street to see possibly the different historical nods to space travel over the years. Since I am a big fan of Louisiana food, I would recommend a visit to Downtown Disney and eat at the Jazz Kitchen which is owned by the Brennan family that owns all of those famous New Orleans restaurants. The food at this restaurant is much better then what one will find at Disney New Orleans Square restaurant inside the park.

Hollywood Cinerama Dome at the ArcLight Theaters. Why does this make the list? Kind of a stretch, but wouldn't 2001 and other great space movies look great on this screen. The very first productions were for the cinerama technology that Lowell Thomas helped to make famous on his travelogues that debuted in this format. This destination is the best place to see a movie in Los Angeles. Get on the mailing list for special screenings at the Dome along with alerts for the new releases. And Hollywood is only 30 minutes from Union Station (see below) on the Metro, where you can also find the Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Get off at Hollywood and Vine Station for the ArcLight, then return to Hollywood Blvd for a walk looking at the Stars to the Chinese Theater where you can see imprints from the cast of Star Wars, and then get back on the Metro.

WP24. Up on the 24th floor of the Ritz Carlton at LA Live, here is where you can get a sense of being above Los Angeles, just like landing at LAX. Eating at this Wolfgang Puck restaurant is really out of this world and fabulous but expensive, however, you can just go up for drinks and appetizers. The views are incredible, and if you want more of being up high, and this time being outside, then check out The Perch also in downtown Los Angeles.

Union Station. So the reader is asking, how might this be a space related destination. For those who might have flown into Los Angeles, and are doing this without a car, you might have taken the Airport Flyer to Union Station, or even Metro on the Green,Blue, and Red Metro Subway lines. It is conceivable that one day, this could be the jumping off spot for High Speed Rail that would connect Los Angeles to San Francisco. Several decades ago, Governor Jerry Brown earned his nickname from Chicago Sun Times columnist, Mike Rothko, of Governor Moonbeam by proposing that the State of California launch a telecommunications satellite. He was way ahead of his time, and now he is supporting the High Speed Rail project. And it is possible, that many years from now, a High Speed Rail line could connect to a space port. Anyway, Union Station is another historic facility, an iconic art deco structure, and well worth a visit in its own right, as a jumping off place to explore Downtown Los Angeles.

Then there are the following events.

JPL Open House on June 8th and 9th, 2013. On this one you need to plan in advance for your visit to the Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena. It will be worth it, and the event is free. Everyone knows about JPL and its association with NASA. So here is a chance to see what they are up to now. And did you know that they make their own olive oil from the trees on campus. It has become an annual fundraiser.

Kronos Quartet Performing the Sun Rings at CSULB Carpenter Center on March 23, 2013. If you miss this performance, then you will have to track down Kronos Quartet to see when this is being performed again, or just watch one of several 15 minute clips on YouTube. Tickets are on sale now and most likely will sell out.

All Day Los Angeles Space Tourism Society Symposiums on March 2 and June 29, 2013. This all day seminar is being given twice at a hotel near LAX. Cost is $175. They have some very interesting speakers lined up.

So this has been the do it on your own, space related tourism in Los Angeles. But if money is no object, one can pay for a deluxe custom tour from the Space Tourism Society over a one week period that includes a couple of these destinations on my list, along with personalized tours of many other places that contributed to our efforts thus far in Space travel. The first one is from March 2 to 8, 2013, and the second opportunity is from June 29 - July 5, 2013. The cost is $3,678 and is up close and very personable.

So blast off with these Los Angeles area Space-related destinations and events, and take a few minutes to listen to Curtis Hill on his website as to how the Star Horse Project could make space travel affordable and practical which could stimulate our economy with new technology. If you do decide to pick up a copy of the book, you will find it very readable, thought provoking, and highly educational.

Stay Home and Read Today!

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 11:47:36 PST

I know what you're thinking: "Wait? You're telling me to stay home? Experience LA is telling me to just stay home?" But that's the name of a great fundraising event today for the Library Foundation of Los Angeles called The Stay Home and Read A Book Ball, and you don't actually need to stay home to participate.

This fundraising event, in its 25th year, values one of the best ways to support the library - take some time out of your day to read. You can tell your friends you're going via Facebook and show your support by paying for your "ticket" to the ball by making a donation (Click on the "Give Now" button at the top right-hand side). No fancy dress-up and no carriage necessary (unless you want to) - just have a good book on hand to enjoy a little reading time. Proceeds to this fundraiser support the Los Angeles Public Library and its cultural and educational programs, including the [ALOUD] series!

(See what we did there? It all comes back to experiencing LA!)

I, for one, am a big advocate of reading everywhere and anywhere. My "Stay Home and Read A Book Ball" plan will actually involve a "carriage" ride - a 45-minute ride on the Expo Line. I'm going to let myself leave the serious reading at home and enjoy Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. I saw the movie recently and, in addition to enjoying the book, I am "having a ball" comparing the book to the film adaptation.

I'm glad this event helps me recognize one of my favorite things about being a frequent transit rider: it gives me the time to lose myself in a good book. So if you're heading out tonight instead of staying home and going Metro to get there, I recommend a little reading for your transit ride! Just make sure not to miss your stop!

Happy Reading!

-Charity Tran, ExperienceLA Editor

African American History: Beyond the Month of February

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 17:42:13 PST

The California African American Museum currently has African American
Military Portraits from the American Civil War.
Pictured: Unidentified African American Soldier in Union uniform with
wife and two daughters. From Library of Congress.

February may be African American History Month, but this doesn't mean that you can't continue the exploration of African American history, stories, and culture throughout the year. Check out these events and destinations to keep the experience going!

American Theatre Experience at Center Theatre Group - Join Center Theatre Group this spring for the African-American Theatre Experience! Center Theatre Group celebrates art and culture with an inspiring combination of live theatre including:

Apr 24 - June 9: August Wilson's Joe Turner's Come and Gone, directed by Phylicia Rashad
Apr 25 - May 5: Fela!, back by popular demand with Michelle Williams from Destiny's Child
Apr 28 - June 2: The Royale - a world premiere inspired by the legacy of Jack Johnson
May 21 - June 3: The Scottsboro Boys, Kander and Ebb's final song and dance.

California African American Museum (CAAM) - Current CAAM exhibitions include "Sampling the Microscopic Artwork of Willard Wigan" (through March 17th); "Go Tell it on the Mountain" (through April 7th); "African American Military Portraits from the American Civil War" (through April 14th). In addition to the museum gallery exhibitions, CAAM also has some great programs, including books signings, film screenings, discussions/interviews, performances, and workshops. Open year-round with FREE admission.
Dreamgirls - DOMA Theatre Company opens its second all-musical season with Dreamgirls at The MET Theatre. The hit musical features the story of a black girl group making it in the music industry as they struggle with the challenges of their rising stardom and their musical and cultural identities. Runs until April 7th.
The Ethical Dimensions of Medical Discovery: Lessons from The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks - A Lecture by Rebecca Skloot - Rebecca Skloot, award-winning science writer and author of the debut book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, discusses her work in this lecture at USC Health Science Campus. Her book "tells the story of a young black woman who died of cervical cancer in 1951, and left behind an inexplicably immortal line of cells known as HeLa." These cells were harvested without her (or her family's) knowledge or consent, but have contributed to scientific research and advancement. Occurs April 4th at 4PM.
Be Young, Gifted, and Black - Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lorraine Hansberry (A Raisin in the Sun) comes to life in this play featuring selections from her plays, diaries, lectures, and letters. Runs through March 17th.
Voices - Griot Theatre of West Valley presents Les Weider's Voices. In this play, Lena, with her Black Nationalist upbringing, struggles with having a relationship with a white man. Her struggles become further complicated as she explores the National Archive's recordings of emancipated slaves. Previews March 21-22. Runs on select dates March 23-April 14th.

-Charity Tran, ExperienceLA Editor

LA Times Travel Show at LA Convention Center on February 23 and 24

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 12:46:33 PST

What I like best about the LA Times Travel show this upcoming weekend at the LA Convention Center are the culinary presentations and hearing from travel authors. Thus, even if you are not planning on doing any travelling, other than from an armchair, attending this Travel Show can be lots of fun for all ages. You can go to the LA Times Travel Show official website to see the entire schedule, but what I make an effort to see are the cooking demonstrations and authors that will be speaking as shown below. Not to be missed is Andrew McCarthy on Sunday, talking about his new book, The Longest Way Home. Below he is pictured with Don George, former North American Editor for Lonely Planet Books and now Special Features Editor at Gadling.com, at the Annual Book Passage Travel Writing and Photographers Conference in Corde Madera.

Saturday Destination Stage

2:45 - 3:45 PM

Los Angeles Times Presents: Tasting Tips Around the Globe with Jonathan Gold, Cathy Chaplin, Barbara Hansen and Tomo Kurokawa

Saturday Keynote Speakers at Petree Hall

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Arthur Frommer Presents: The Top New Trends and Destinations in Travel

1:00 - 2:00 PM

Phil Keoghan, host of “The Amazing Race” and author of “No Opportunity Wasted”

3:00 - 4:30 PM

2:30 PM Informal Audience Q & A with Rick Steves.
European Travel Skills with Rick Steves

Sunday Keynote Speakers at Petree Hall

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Mike Wolfe, Star of History Channel’s
American Pickers1:00 - 2:00 PM

1:00 - 2:00 PM

Andrew McCarthy, author of “The Longest Way Home”

3:00 - 4:30 PM

2:30 PM Informal Audience Q & A with Rick Steves.
European Travel Skills with Rick Steves

Saturday Culinary Stage

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Cooking Demonstration Presented by Amy Finley, author of “How to Eat a Small Country”

1:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Cooking Demonstration by Brian Malarkey of The Taste

3:00 - 4:00 PM

Cooking Demonstration Presented by Debbie Lee, author of “Seoultown Kitchen”

Sunday Culinary Stage

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Cooking Demonstration Presented by Amy Finley, author of “How to Eat a Small Country”

1:00 - 2:00 PM

Cooking Demonstration Presented by Roberto Martin, author of “Vegan Cooking for Carnivores”

3:00 - 4:00 PM

Cooking Demonstration Presented by Jeffrey Saad, author of “Jeffrey Saad's Global Kitchen: Recipes Without Borders”

FIDM Museum Annual Motion Picture Costume Design Exhibition

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 12:12:47 PST

For the 21st year the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) Museum and Galleries showcases, up close and personal, costumes from a wide range of 2012 movies at their campus in the South Park neighborhood of Downtown Los Angeles until April 27, 2013. If you love going to the movies, then this is a must see exhibit, and it is even free, although donations are greatly appreciated. Plus, they have one of the best museum stores in all of Los Angeles, showing unique items from many former students. The FIDM exhibition and store is open from Tuesday through Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm.

This year FIDM has all five of the movies nominated for an Academy Costume Design Oscar, and eight of the fifteen movies nominated in the Costume Guild's three categories of competition. My embedded Flickr slideshow gives one a walk through of the motion picture costumes on exhibit, and if you are on an iPad, click here.

As I write this, the Costume Guild will be having their award dinner tonight to announce their three winners. For each of the categories, my predictions for Costume Guild awards would be Skyfall, Anna Karenina, and Mirror Mirror. [Update on morning after: My predictions were correct.]

The following listing of movies and costume designers is from the Costume Guild website, along with my notation as to an Oscar nomination, and the ones in bold are on exhibit at FIDM.

NOMINEES FOR THE 15TH ANNUAL COSTUME DESIGNERS GUILD AWARDS

EXCELLENCE IN CONTEMPORARY FILM

* Beasts of the Southern Wild – Stephani Lewis
* The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel – Louise Stjernsward
* Silver Linings Playbook – Mark Bridges
* Skyfall – Jany Temime
* Zero Dark Thirty – George L. Little

EXCELLENCE IN PERIOD FILM

* Anna Karenina – Jacqueline Durran (Oscar Nominated)
* Argo – Jacqueline West
* Les Misérables – Paco Delgado (Oscar Nominated)
* Lincoln – Joanna Johnston (Oscar Nominated
* Moonrise Kingdom – Kasia Walicka-Maimone

EXCELLENCE IN FANTASY FILM

* Cloud Atlas – Kym Barrett, Pierre-Yves Gayraud
* The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey – Ann Maskrey, Richard Taylor, Bob Buck
* The Hunger Games – Judianna Makovsky
* Mirror Mirror – Eiko Ishioka (Oscar Nominated)
* Snow White and the Huntsman – Colleen Atwood (Oscar Nominated)

I personally have seen all 15 of the above movies, and in fact my personal goal is to see every film that has been nominated in 2013 for an Academy Award. I am getting close, and have already seen more movies for this award season then any other time in my life. My personal favorite 2012 movie is Beasts of the Southern Wild, although these costumes are not on display at FIDM. My Oscar predictions for Best Picture would be Argo, Best Director - Steven Spielberg for Lincoln, and Best Costume for Anna Karenina designed by Jacqueline Durran. However, there is definitely the possibility of an Oscar Costume Design upset for Mirror Mirror which would honor the life time work of prior Oscar winner Eiko Ishioka who died in January 2012. Her costumes for Mirror Mirror are spectacular, which is what one would expect from the person who did the costumes for the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics.

With regard to Jacqueline Durran, some may remember her for the famous green dress from Atonement. And with Anna Karenina, she again had the chance to design costumes for Keira Knightley. What was amazing were the intricacies of all of the costumes that were made for Anna Karenina. The movie itself opened to mixed reviews, but with the fabulous costumes, score, cinematography, and production design, it is a movie that is best seen on the large screen. The Academy Oscar award for costumes in prior years have tended to go to period dramas, especially those centered around royalty. Thus, Anna Karenina is considered the odds on favorite for those having fun with Oscar predictions.

Other costumes on display at the FIDM Museum are the following:

* Paranorman – Kym Barrett, Deborah Cook (costume boards and figurines at FIDM)

* The Artist: Mark Bridges (winner of 2012 Costume Design Oscar)

* The Avengers - Alexandra Byrne

* A Royal Affair – Manon Rasmussen

* American Reunion - Mona May (FIDM Graduate)

*End of Watch - Mary Claire Hannan (FIDM Graduate)

*Hitchcock - Julie Weiss

*John Carter - Mayes Rubeo

*The Master - Mark Bridges

*Sparkle - Ruth E. Carter

With men's hat's being a current fashion statement, I have this second set of Flickr 2013 FIDM motion picture costume pictures with a focus on head wear along with some other close-ups of the costumes. There are no hats in Argo, but the use of a down jacket vest is so right on for the 1980 time period, reminding me of my own clothing that I was wearing while being in Iran with the revolution going on in Fall 1978. The Argo costumes are by Jacqueline West who some will remember for her contemporary costumes from The Social Network.

During the year, one can see costumes in the lobby of the Hollywood Arclight and sometimes in the Dome in conjunction with such motion pictures being shown in their great theaters. However, they are always behind protective plastic. And that is what is great about the FIDM Museum exhibitions. There is nothing between you and the costumes. Thus, you get a great view. For those looking for ideas on where to eat at nearby restaurants within walking distance, you can partake of the just announced 2013 James Beard semi-finalists at Mo-Chica (Ricardo Zarate) and at Rivera's (Jon Sedlar) for the category Best Chefs of the West. Ironically, the James Beard awards are considered to be the foodie Oscars, and there are other downtown Los Angeles restaurants that are also in the running for James Beard awards.

The Revivalists Return to L.A. to Play the Roxy on February 20th

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 12:46:24 PST

For those who missed the New Orleans based The Revivalists during their 2012 Los Angeles area visits to Club Nokia and The Mint, there is another chance to see them live as they headline at The Roxy Theatre on Sunset Blvd on Wednesday night, February 20,2013. You can read my prior ExperienceLA blog post on The Revivalists here. Tickets are still available and can be purchased from the Roxy website link for $12.50. They will be appearing with four other bands, and so I am not sure exactly when The Revivalists will come on stage. Doors open at 7:15 pm. Not previously shared on my last ExperienceLA blog post was my own YouTube video of The Revivalists playing in the New Orleans area which is embedded below, and if trouble viewing is linked here.

For those who might be going to the 2013 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival (also known as Jazz Fest), The Revivalists are scheduled for May 4, 2013. The Revivalists have previously played Jazz Fest and continue to make many appearances in Louisiana throughout the year. Also, since our last post on The Revivalists, they were recognized by Offbeat Magazine Best of the Beat Awards with three awards from their seven nominations, Best Rock Band. The Revivalists are touring nationally right now, and will return to Southern California later this month with appearances in Santa Barbara and San Diego. Take advantage of these SoCal appearances, as David Shaw and his band mates put on a great show. You will be entertained, as they are very talented, and the music is a fusion of many styles as you might pick up from my YouTube video.

You can follow The Revivalists on Facebook and here is my own picture with David Shaw.

GRAMMY and Hyundai Emerging Musician Competition: CENTERSTAGE

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 10:12:25 PST

CENTERSTAGE announced during Grammy weekend it's competition for three emerging music artists to be discovered and then mentored by Grammy award winning musicians. The competition has a very small window for submitting, with performances to be uploaded on the CENTERSTAGE site by February 19, 2013. The underlying web platform powering this competition is the GRAMMY Amplifier engine. At a recent press conference, shortly before the Social Media Rock Stars Summit that officially kicked off the live web streaming of Grammy weekend, the Grammy Recording Academy and Hyundai announced the competition with Mike Shinoda, member of Linkin Park representing the mentors. Incidentally, Linkin Park is the number one band on Facebook with almost 50 million fans. Representing The Recording Academy was Evan Greene, CMO, and representing Hyundai was Jon Budd, Senior Group Manager of New Media Hyundai. The three are shown in this picture with Mike in middle, Evan on left, and Jon on right.

As described in a press release: "CENTERSTAGE was developed based on the success of GRAMMY Amplifier which was launched in January 2013. It allows musicians to share their tracks via SoundCloud for a chance to have their music share on-line by a panel of musical icons." There will be three winners selected from among all music genres which will be announced at the upcoming March SXSW in Austin Texas at the GRAMMY party. According to the press conference trio, there is really no set criteria for selection, but getting exposure to the Amplifier community should be useful for those competing. A blue ribbon committee is being formed to select the three winners. The event promoting the three winners will be tailored to reflect the talents of each. The press release did indicate, however, that one of the criteria will be social media driven based upon the "likes" showing up within the GRAMMY Amplifier community. With such a short competition window, this is a great opportunity for three musicians to be discovered and then be mentored and publicized.

In announcing the competition, Mike Shinoda, talked about how he was discovered, based upon tapes that he and a friend had done imitating Snoop Dog, and sending them to an A&R music representative. The music rep was stunned to learn that the two weren't a real band and encouraged them to see what they could do with other musicians. The rest is history.

ExperienceLA takes pride in being invited to this press conference to help publicize this competition, as we provide a platform for musicians to help publicize themselves with their appearances anywhere in the greater Los Angeles area. Our event feed, merged with Ticketmaster, ends up on the official LA Tourism website. The ExperienceLA blog has helped to spotlight a number of emerging bands in our area appearing at clubs such as The Mint, and was especially proud of shining a light on a band that has now been invited to Coachella. So if you are performing anywhere in Los Angeles, become an ExperienceLA cultural partner and help to publicize such appearances. And again, take this opportunity being underwritten by the GRAMMY Recording Academy and Hyundai to compete in the CENTERSTAGE competition.

And here are a few more pictures as a slide show connecting to Flickr that I took at the press conference, or if you have an Ipad, then click here.

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24th STreet Theatre: Walking the Tightrope

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 07:35:36 PST

Walking the Tightrope is sophisticated children's theater that recently opened at the 24th STreet Theatre in the West Adams community near USC that will run on Saturdays through March 30, 2013. The reasonably priced play is just over an hour, and one can catch a 2 pm or 7:30 pm performance. According to the nonprofit theater's Executive Director, Jay McAdams, it is very rare to find this quality of children's theater in the Los Angeles area; in fact the British playwright, Mike Kenny, was quite surprised to learn that the 24th STreet Theatre had decided to fully produce his play. Even though the play is intended for children, dealing with a subject that all of us, unfortunately, are forced to confront at various stages of life, it works for both young children and adults alike. The play brought tears to all of the adults in the small theater. When I went to see the play, I had no idea as to the theme, but it became apparent within the first 10 minutes. Do I need a spoiler alert?

The use of live piano music (sometimes evoking a circus), played by musician Michael Redfield, and a projected backdrop video that is simulated to look like old 8 mm or an even older format, creates the feel of a late 1950s coastal town that could be anywhere in England. The set is very simple, and the stage directions are almost non-existent within the context of the script according to Jay McAdams. With the play opening with a clown on a swing, you very quickly realize that the title of the play has a circus element, and that scene fades away with the arrival of Esme (played by Paige Lindsay White) on the train for her annual summer visit with her Granddad Stan played by Mark Bramhall (who has an extensive IMDB list of film credits as a character actor and many local theater productions, including a reoccurring role back in the TV series Alias).

In order for this play to work, the audience has to believe that Paige Lindsay White, who is a young adult can project herself as a child of maybe 10 (plus or minus 2 years) and create an emotional bond between a grandchild and grandfather. Trying to guess the age of Esme is a function of figuring out, at what age would parents be comfortable putting their child alone on a train to a seaside resort to visit their grandparents. The actor playing the clown has no lines, and has to show emotions through movement. Credit needs to be given to the director of the play, Debbie Devine, who has also been the long serving drama director of the Colburn Performing Arts School in Downtown Los Angeles.

What really works in Walking the Tightrope is the interaction between Esme and her granddad. Esme has been coming to visit for many years, but this time something is different. Watching the play, it brought back my own memories of my interaction with my grandfather when I was also about the same age. Ironically, this circus theme for an adult, will also bring to mind the brilliant book, Water for Elephants, as the main character in that play, wanted to return to the circus as a senior citizen. At the end of the play, Esme asks her Granddad Stan whether he is ever going to run off to the circus, he says no, but rather he would go off and do....but I won't give this line away. See the play. You won't be sorry. With or without kids in tow.

The 24th STreet Theatre has been operating in the West Adams neighborhood for 15 years now and was recently recognized for its community service by the Mayor and LA City Council. As a family, one could easily attend the theater on a Saturday afternoon and then check out one of the many museums in Exposition Park. For the families living in the downtown area, this would be a great afternoon excursion. Then adults looking to try something new, going to the 24th STreet Theatre, is a great opportunity to visit, before or after, one of the many new downtown Los Angeles restaurants.

FREE February Kid-Friendly Events

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 12:09:52 PST

The Littlest Musicians by Lucyrk in LA
From the ExperienceLA Flickr Pool

Heading out with the kids doesn't have to be an expensive adventure! Organizations and destinations throughout Los Angeles offer a wide-variety of kid-friendly events from arts and crafts to nature outings to festive celebrations. Here are a few in February we thought were pretty fun...and free!

-Charity Tran

Craft a Valentine (Card)!: Bring the kids out to this free event to craft a valentine for someone special!

Date/Time: 02/09/2013 - 10AM-12PM

Location: One Colorado (Old Pasadena)

Cost: FREE

Art Workshop Beads of Faith: Ronald Jackson facilitates a beading workshop to create personalized ornaments of faith. This art workshop is for all ages!

Date/Time: 02/09/2013 - 2PM-4PM

Location: California African American Museum (Downtown LA)

Cost: FREE

Chinese New Year Festival - Year of the Snake: Celebrate the Year of the Snake in Chinatown Los Angeles with a parade, festival, food, and activities for all ages! The event includes an attempt to break the world record for paper folding!

Date/Time: 02/16/2013 from 12PM-8PM; 02/17/2013 from 12PM-6PM

Location: Los Angeles Chinatown (Downtown LA)

Cost: FREE

Whale of a Weekend: Highlighting the annual migration of the Pacific gray whale, this event allows kids (and adults) of all ages to learn more about whales and engage in activities and events. You might even see whales from the west end observation deck!

Date/Time: 02/16-02/17/2013 - 12:30PM-5PM BOTH DAYS

Location: Heal the Bay's Santa Monica Pier Aquarium (Santa Monica)

Cost: FREE for children 12 and under; Admission for other ages is $5 suggested donation ($3 admission per person required)

Free Bus Trip to the Mountains: Solstice Canyon: Take a fun, free day trip with the family exploring Solstice Canyon - just make sure to pack a lunch and bring water!

Date/Time: 02/23/2013 - 9AM-4PM

Location: Vista Hermosa Natural Park (Santa Clarita)

Cost: FREE

"Make it and Take It" Craft Class for Kids: Sit by the ocean at Dockweiler Beach and enjoy a free craft project. For kids 0-12 years old, accompanied with an adult

Date/Time: Every Saturday until 2014; 11AM-1PM

Location: Dockweiler Youth Center (South Bay)

Cost: FREE

For more events ideas, visit the ExperienceLA.com Calendar of Events!

Celebrate the Year of the Snake in Chinatown LA

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 08:00:01 PST

Photo Credit: LA Chinatown Business Improvement District

Head out to Chinatown LA to celebrate the Year of the Snake with a midnight ceremony, a memorable festival and parade weekend, and a world record-breaking attempt in paper folding!

The events in Chinatown kick-off on Saturday, February 9th at 11:00pm. Head out to Thien Hau Temple for a midnight ceremony inclusive of Buddhist and Taoist traditions, lion dancers, and 500,000 firecrackers.

On the weekend of February 16th-17th, celebrate the Year of the Snake with Chinatown LA's annual Chinese New Year Festival and the 114th Annual Golden Dragon Parade. Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and LAPD Chief Charlie Beck will be Grand Marshals of a parade that features floats, dancers, and bands. The parade starts on Saturday, February 16th at 1:00pm. Following the parade will be a weekend festival of cultural performances, children's activities, cultural workshops, food trucks, and more! You'll also have the opportunity to participate in helping to break the world record for paper folding. Festival attendees and volunteers will attempt to assemble the 80,000 individual pieces that will create a large paper-folded snake sculpture.

For more information, visit the Chinese New Year Festival listing on ExperienceLA.

If you're looking to celebrate some more, you can also participate in the 2013 LA Chinatown Firecracker 5/10K on February 23rd-24th.

-Charity Tran