Home Tips: 10 Home Décor Crafts to Turn Your Home Into an Autumnal Oasis

Transforming your home into an autumnal oasis could be as simple as focusing on the small accents you’re bringing into each room of your home. When it comes to the changing of seasons, there is nothing more exciting than when summer fades into fall. The leaves are changing, the weather is cooling down, and your coffee order changes from iced to hot. Fall is a time to put your beach towels back in storage, and get back into regular routines. Thus, making it the ideal opportunity to return to your crafting room with these 10 Fall DIY crafts in mind.

1. Fabric Pumpkins

Fabric pumpkins are a fresh way to display seasonal gourds. You can pair sewn faux pumpkins among real ones (some of which you can spray or sponge paint) during this fall season. Imagine — spare branches, scattered leaves, and these pumpkins displayed in your home. Autumnal oasis dreams.

Home Décor Craft: Sew linen, silk, and velvet into adorable faux pumpkins that can be displayed and reused every year.

2. Wheat Cluster

For an easy, lightweight decoration that still evokes the glorious fall harvest, try these dried wheat bundles.

Home Décor Craft: Begin by bundling together three to ten stalks of wheat. Then, wrap the stalks of wheat together in twine. Leave about three feet of twine hanging off the bunch in a tail. Next, cut the stalks to approximately three-inches in length. Repeat for as many bundles as desired. Then, push the separate tails on the twines through a chosen bead, loop all at the end, and tie it into a knot. Hang it upside down on your front door as a creative way to say hello to the fall season!

3. Rustic Woven Lanterns

Thinking of dressing your dinner table with fresh center pieces this holiday season? Look no further with this eco-friendly and chic way to upgrade your dinner table.

Home Décor Craft: Upcycle old mesh placemats by cutting & rolling them into tubes and stitching them along the seams. Place cylinder shaped votives around candles. Wax, soy, or electric candles – your guests won’t be able to spy the difference! Candlelight will gracefully flicker through the loose weave of the hurricane lanterns as you entertain over dinner.

4. Soft Seats

With this DIY craft, dinner isn’t going to be the only warm thing at your table. With these simple slipcovers, you can instantly reinvent dining chairs at your formal dining table over the holidays.

Home Décor Craft: To start, simply drape a finished sheepskin over the back of the chair before securing it with Ultrasuede-tape or cord. Extra fall points for choosing a contrasting cord color. Next, finish securing them to the chair by threading the tie through the sheepskin on each side with a tapestry needle (that will help you create a cuff over the chair’s top). Knot the ends and let them hang loose. Voila!

5. Gingham Knit Blanket

Believe it or not, you don’t need to be an expert knitter to tackle this DIY project; you can make this cozy throw blanket with quick-to-knit strips.

Home Décor Craft: Gather scarves in the colors you want, and sew them together. That’s it! Below, scarves of alternating stripes are sewn together to create a unique gingham pattern.

6. Harvest Branches

We love how easy these fleeced branches are to put together. Specifically how they have the power to add a touch of warm color to any setting you place them in.

Home Décor Craft: Simply pull a bit of fleece roving off a ball, and then press the end of the fiber against the branch. Start wrapping tightly, gently pulling the fleece apart (without tearing it) as you go. Wrap the branches until the piece of fleece runs out. Add more fleece as needed to cover the branch. When adding, wrap over the last inch of wrapped fleece with e.

The friction of your fingers on the fibers and the natural oils form your skin help the fleece stay on the branch and adhere to itself.

7. Pumpkin Spice Scented Candles

If you’re among the camp that counts down the days until you can sip a classic pumpkin spice latte once again, these homemade candles are for you. Poured into orange-tinted mason jars, they throw off an especially autumnal glow in any area you might have in mind.

Home Décor Craft: Hot glue candle wick to bottom of festive colored jar. Bring water to a boil in a pot (filled half way). Reduce to a simmer. Place a different jar with broken up candle wax inside into the pot of simmering water. Water should be about 1/2 way up the side of the jar. When the wax becomes liquid add a heaping tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice. Mix. Carefully pour the liquid wax into the festive colored jar. If the candle wick starts to tilt, secure the wick between two sticks or pencils. Set aside to cool overnight. Trim the wick. Light it up!

8. Nut Wreath

Celebrate fall’s abundance of almonds, hazelnuts, pecans and walnuts with this festive decoration. Use any hard-shelled nuts, including acorns you gather from your own backyard.

Home Décor Craft: Gather all your nuts, small and large. Begin hot gluing the large ones together to form the shape of your wreath. Add in the small nuts as you go to fill in the spaces. Let cool, and hang on door. Ta da!

9. Embroidered Throw Pillows

Upgrade a pair of store-bought wide-weave cushions by tricking them out with bright neutral yarns sewn directly into the weave.

Home Décor Craft: Grab some of your favorite colored yarn and sew in fun patterns and fringe with a tapestry needle. That’s it. Truly.

10. Block-Printed Linens

Block-printed linens are costly to buy, but surprisingly simple to make. With some textile paint, muslin fabric, and woodblock stamps, you can create linens that are exclusive and unique.

Home Décor Craft: Begin by layering a paper towel on top of a foam sheet; lay pre-washed muslin fabric on top, and smooth out any wrinkles. Then, pour your choice of textile paint on a plate. Next, dab a sponge in the paint and smooth it evenly onto a wooden printing block with a unique pattern. Stamp it on the muslin fabric. Let dry. Pictured are indigo shades, but you can substitue for any color of your choosing.

October 13, 2018October 23, 2018

This Week at Rodeo Realty: Westside Newsletter Oct. 8th-14th

Click the image below to view our Westside Rodeo Realty weekly

newsletter Oct. 8th-14th, 2018!!

September 5, 2018

Schedule Of Free Museum Days In Los Angeles For September

The intent of this “cheat-sheet” is to denote specific free days in any given month where Los Angeles museums that normally charge an admission waive their entry fees (not including parking). For this post we’re detailing September, 2018.

There are a couple highlights we want to call out to for the coming month: First, Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day will feature more free admission to more than a dozen museums in Southern California as part of a national free museum day event. Secondly, be advised that both the Natural History Museum and the La Brea Tarpits Museum are both free every Tuesday of September.

Free Museum Days in Los Angeles – September 2018

[SEPTEMBER 4] Kidspace Museum (4 to 8 p.m.)

[SEPTEMBER 4] Natural History Museum

[SEPTEMBER 4] La Brea Tarpits Museum

[SEPTEMBER 6] USC Pacific Asian Museum (5 to 8 p.m.)

[SEPTEMBER 6] Japanese American National Museum (from 5 to 8 p.m.)

[SEPTEMBER 6] MOCA Grand & MOCA Geffen (from 5 to 8 p.m.)

[SEPTEMBER 6] Skirball Cultural Center (noon to 5 p.m.)

[SEPTEMBER 6] Huntington Library (note that you have to reserve passes for the free day in advance, and it books up fast. For this reason we’d suggest you take a look at the free day for October and start planning when you need to be online to grab the tix)

[SEPTEMBER 7] Long Beach Museum of Art (3 to 8 p.m.)

[SEPTEMBER 7] Norton Simon Museum (5 to 8 p.m.)

[SEPTEMBER 7] Pasadena Museum of California Art (noon to 5 p.m.)

[SEPTEMBER 9] Museum of Latin American Art

[SEPTEMBER 9 ] Craft and Folk Art Museum (pay what you can)

[SEPTEMBER 11] Natural History Museum

[SEPTEMBER 11] La Brea Tarpits Museum

[SEPTEMBER 11] Los Angeles County Museum of Art (also free for L.A. County residents with valid I.D. after 3:00pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays & Fridays all month long)

[SEPTEMBER 11] Autry Museum of the American West

[SEPTEMBER 13] USC Pacific Asian Museum (5 to 8 p.m.)

[SEPTEMBER 13] Japanese American National Museum (from 5 to 8 p.m.)

[SEPTEMBER 13] MOCA Grand & MOCA Geffen (from 5 to 8 p.m.)

[SEPTEMBER 13] Skirball Cultural Center (noon to 5 p.m.)

[SEPTEMBER 13] Long Beach Museum of Art (3 to 8 p.m.)

[SEPTEMBER 13] Santa Monica History Museum

[SEPTEMBER 16] Museum of Latin American Art

[SEPTEMBER 16] ] Craft and Folk Art Museum (pay what you can)

[SEPTEMBER 18] Natural History Museum

[SEPTEMBER 18] La Brea Tarpits Museum

[SEPTEMBER 18] Los Angeles County Arboretum (note: the tram doesn’t run on this day)

[SEPTEMBER 18] South Coast Botanic Garden

[SEPTEMBER 18] Descanso Gardens

[SEPTEMBER 20] USC Pacific Asian Museum (5 to 8 p.m.)

[SEPTEMBER 20] Pasadena Museum of California Art (from 5 to 8 p.m.)

[SEPTEMBER 20] Japanese American National Museum (all day)

[SEPTEMBER 20] MOCA Grand & MOCA Geffen (from 5 to 8 p.m.)

[SEPTEMBER 20] Skirball Cultural Center

[SEPTEMBER 20] Long Beach Museum of Art (3 to 8 p.m.)

[SEPTEMBER 22] More than a dozen SoCal museums and botanical gardens will be free for Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day.

[SEPTEMBER 23] Museum of Latin American Art

[SEPTEMBER 23] ] Craft and Folk Art Museum (pay what you can)

[SEPTEMBER 25] Natural History Museum

[SEPTEMBER 25] La Brea Tarpits Museum

[SEPTEMBER 27] USC Pacific Asian Museum (5 to 8 p.m.)

[SEPTEMBER 27] Japanese American National Museum (from 5 to 8 p.m.)

[SEPTEMBER 27] MOCA Grand & MOCA Geffen (from 5 to 8 p.m.)

[SEPTEMBER 27] Skirball Cultural Center

[SEPTEMBER 27] Long Beach Museum of Art (3 to 8 p.m.)

[SEPTEMBER 31] Museum of Latin American Art

As a reminder, it’s ALWAYS good to verify the status of free days before you visit, so be sure to check the official museum websites to verify visiting hours, parking costs, and any other pertinent details. Keep in mind free admission days may not include specially ticketed exhibitions.

Schedule provided by We Like LA.

August 3, 2018

Sparrow Mart art installation opens in Los Angeles

Supermarket Shopping can be a chore, but British artist Lucy Sparrow has made the mundane task into an experience so joyful that it’s even worth waiting in line for. She’s hand-stitched over 31,000 felt-covered plush replicas of grocery store items for her whimsical Sparrow Mart art-exhibit-meets-shopping-spree at The Standard in Downtown.

On the second floor of the hotel an entire room has been transformed into a grocery playground of sorts with shelves fully stocked with felt goodies that are all for sale throughout the month of August. In the produce section, smiley and doe-eyed avocados, potatoes and watermelons fill large cardboard bins, that are, of course, also covered in felt. White gondola shelves are stocked with Reese’s Puffs and Frosted Flakes cereal boxes, Jif peanut butter jars, and KitKat and Skittles bags — all hand-painted with striking attention to detail. If that wasn’t enough, there’s even a felty ATM machine at the entrance.

Photo via The Standard

“I decided to work with felt because I find that it’s a medium that is so synonymous with being a child,” Sparrow said in an interview with The Cut. “It’s an easy fabric to work with, it doesn’t fray, it’s available in all the colors you could possibly think of. So, I thought, I wonder if I could make an entire shop that if you’re daydreaming, it looks similar enough that you could go there thinking it was real.”

There’s an interactive component that brings childlike wonderment to many of Sparrow’s objects, like a felt-shrouded soda refrigerator with doors that open up to Coca-Cola and Snapple bottles, and a gum-ball machine that dispenses plastic capsules containing Dubble Bubble candies glimmering from its blue metallic fabric. At the overwhelmingly massive selection at the sushi glass counter, visitors get to pick out their favorite cut rolls and fill a black plastic sushi tray with the items. To add to the experience, guests can use actual shopping carts and baskets to hold their goods and line up at the check-out counter to purchase them.

Photo via The Standard

Hidden within this dizzying array of art pieces are Sparrow’s more playful and irreverent items, where she even manages to make things like alcohol bottles, Trojan condom boxes, Gas-X meds and Marlboro cigarettes cute. As an added bonus, a blue display case features Sparrow’s hand-made recreations of 1980s VHS and Betamax movie boxes like Footloose and Ghostbusters.

While the price tag of the items range from $1 to $50,000, pieces like a Twix bar will run you $35, a head of cheery cabbage for $40 and sushi at $10 a piece. If you happen to have very deep pockets, you can buy an entire seafood case filled with lobster, fish and clams for $50,000. Don’t forget to make your way to the back room behind the check-out counter to scope out some of the more expensive pieces of art, like a shopping cart filled with an assortment of grocery items and a Playboy magazine, or a Warhol-esque shadowbox of pastel-rainbow Campbell’s Condensed Tomato Soup cans.

Photo by Brian Champlin / We Like L.A.

A total of 50 visitors can be in the store at once and stay for 30 minutes at a time. All it takes to get into Sparrow Mart is checking in with the hosts at the hotel lobby before heading up the escalator to the store. Since there are no reservations, keep in mind that this exhibit is first come, first served.

If all that faux food shopping gets your stomach growling, there’s a British-inspired pop-up eatery downstairs in the lobby and in the hotel’s 24/7 restaurant that coincides with the Sparrow Mart installation. Here you’ll find snackable items like a sweet-and-savory Sparrow hand pie stuffed with confit duck and acho blackberry barbecue sauce, or a New Delhi Grilled Cheese sandwiched between melted cheddar and Beemster with mango chutney. If you want to go very meta, the hotel also offers combos where you can eat the real versions of the felt creations, like a raspberry-and-blueberry pop tart, and then take its plush counterpart home. Same goes for the homemade Moon Pies and a Tapatio cocktail made with mezcal and lime.

Photo via The Standard

Sparrow Mart is the artist’s fifth felted show, following her New York appearance where she debuted her 8 Till Late bodega at The Standard at the Highline and sold out everything in two weeks’ time. It took Sparrow and her five-person team a full year in her “Felt Cave” studio in Essex, England to create all the pieces for this L.A. show.

Back when Sparrow had her first Cornershop installation in Bethel Green, London in 2014, she started off with just 4,000 pieces. In the ensuing years, her different exhibits have tackled subversive topics, like her sex shop installation called Madame Roxy’s Erotic Emporium that showcased didos, porn mags and sex toys. And then there was her Warmongery show that featured weapons, including guns, tanks and rocket launchers.

“I am very interested in military history and everything to do it, warfare and the grizzly events of people getting harmed. What better to turn it on its head than to use a fabric that is so innocent and childlike, it just completely messes with your head,” Sparrow told Wonderland Magazine.

Sparrow Mart is the artist’s largest installation to date. While that means that you’ll have a larger selection of items to choose from, it doesn’t mean that it’ll make it any easier deciding which adorable goods to bring back home.

Sparrow Mart is located on the second floor of The Standard hotel at 550 S. Flower St. in Downtown, and runs August 1, 2018 to August 31, 2018. The installation is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. It is closed on Mondays.

Article courtesy of We Like LA.

August 2, 2018

Weekend Events: August 3 – 5

Los Angeles provides no limit of things to do, some awesome and some not so awesome. Since time is precious in this fast paced city we curate a list of things to do in Los Angeles for every weekend that’ll help you decide how you want to spend your limited supply of attention (not to mention dollars!).

This weekend, from Friday, August 3 to Sunday, August 5, features Sparrow Mart, The Emoji Art Show, Free Happy Hour at the Viceroy, Stronger | Weekend, The Mayan Warrior art car experience at Grand Park, CatCon, Beach Goth, TASTE OF ECUADOR and MUCH more.

Enjoy your weekend!

Friday August 3rd, 2018

1. British artist Lucy Sparrow has transformed the second floor of the Standard in DTLA into Sparrow Mart a supermarket art wonderland fill with over 31,000 adorable felt-covered food replicas all for sale. Part art installation, store and loads of photo worthy moments, Sparrow Mart is free to attend on a first come first serve basis. FREE

2. Jackalope Arts is bringing a new night market to Pasadena on August 3-4 featuring a massive assortment of artisan vendors, free sunset yoga classes, acoustic music, DIY activities, and local food and drink, including a beer garden to sit back and enjoy the summer evenings. Happening at Old Pasadena’s Central Park. FREE

3. There’s a multi-sensory art party revolving around emojis coming to Los Angeles for one night. The Emoji Art Show, at DTLA’s Inner Space, will feature over 30 emerging local artists, live art, body painting, performances, DJ tunes, a full bar with food and emoji desserts.

4. Enjoy a vintage-style summer evening watching a drive-in movie during San Fernando Valley Summer Drive-In Movie Nights at the Lake Balboa Complex. Each evening will offer food trucks, a 26-player arcade game truck, laser tag, silent disco headphone party and family board games all included in your ticket price. Kicking off the weekend is a screening of Fast Times at Ridgemont High on Friday followed by Back to the Future Part II on Saturday. Check for discounted tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

5. Viceroy Santa Monica is hosting a “Vice Hour” happy hour this Friday to celebrate their new chef, Sean Piccarreto and the Angelenos are invited to come in for complimentary drinks and eats poolside with summer music vibes provided by TSR Airlines’ Dan and Lindsay Mancini.

6. American Cinematheque and LACMA present 3-D Double Vision a 3-D movie screening seriesfeaturing Amityville, Friday The 13th, Spacehunter: Adventures In The Forbidden Zone, The Meg and more.

7. The Music Center’s annual Dance DTLA series is back for 2018 with a series of Friday-night events at Grand Park. This week features DJ Nights an evening dedicated to curated music, dancing, and more from 9 p.m. to midnight. FREE

8. Brew at the L.A. Zoo features beer sampling from 40+ local craft and microbreweries, live music, pop-up zookeeper talks, animal discovery stations and more. Check for discounted tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

9. Back for the 15th year in a row, The Independent Shakespeare Co. presents Shakespeare in the Park at the Old Zoo in Griffith Park with free performances of Titus Andronicus on Friday and A Midsummer Night’s Dream Saturday through SUnday. FREE

10. The Hammer will host a Yappy Hour at 6 p.m. this Friday. Meet adorable adoptable dogs over a drink in the Hammer’s courtyard explore the museums current exhibition Made in L.A. The Hammer kindly ask you to leave your own dog at home for this event.

11. The La Brea Tar Pits and Museum will host Late Night Fridays where guests can enjoy free general admission from 5 to 8 p.m. and gain access to special activities, 3D movies, behind-the-scenes tours, live excavations, and more. FREE

12. WP24 by Wolfgang Puck’s Summer Supper + Show returns every Friday and Saturday, July through August, with a Asian-inspired dinner at WP24 by Wolfgang Puck followed by a movie screening on the private 26th floor hotel rooftop. This weekend they’ll screen Moonrise Kingdom.

13. The Griffith Observatory hosts a monthly forum where some of the most amazing phenomena in the known universe are explained and discussed. It’s called All Space Considered and it takes place on the first Friday of every month. FREE

14. Rodeo Drive’s BOLD Summer is set to bring an energizing spin to Beverly Hills’ Golden Triangle this August. Come enjoy a block party with live entertainment, special restaurant offers, and more. BOLD happens every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from August 2-25. FREE

15. The Roadium in Torrance presents Classic Drive-in Movies every Friday night in August and the first Friday of September. Each family-friendly event features classic films projected on the screen tower. Kicking off the series is a screening of The Goonies.

16. See Hershey Felder as Beethoven at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. The one-man shows will depict the iconic composer’s story through music and monologue. Hershey Felder: Beethoven will run from July 26 to August 19. Hershey Felder: Beethoven will run from July 26 to August 19. Check for discounted tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

17. Are you a Chase bank customer? Got a freebie you might want to know about. Coolhaus is teaming with the Forum and Chase to hand out free ice cream sandwiches to Chase customers on Fridays all summer long. Locations will change every Friday, and the offer is ice cream sandwich per cardholder. Get more info here.

18. Barnsdall Fridays returns to Barnsdall Art Park for the tenth year in a row, with evening tastings of boutique wines and music from KCRW DJs perched atop a hill with incredible city views.

19. For over 30 years, Grand Performances has offered a variety of performance events at California Plaza, for free. Their 2018 summer series runs June 1 through August 18. This Friday “When Moons Become Stars” a panel discussion featuring five indigenous ballerinas—Maria and Marjorie Tallchief, Rosella Hightower, Yvonee Chouteau, Mocelyne Larkin—and moderated by Bonnie Oda Homsey. FREE

20. Shakespeare By The Sea will once again offer a ten-week program of admission-free performances. The series continues with performances of The Winter’s Tale on Friday and The Merry Wives of Windsor Saturday through Sunday all at three different locations. FREE

21. Rooftop Cinema Club returns to the rooftops of LEVEL in DTLA and NeueHouse in Hollywood with multiple screenings this week that include Black Panther, A Quiet Place, La La Land and more.

22. The Summer Playwrights Festival will show 30 plays in eight days from July 29 through Sunday August 5 at the Road on Lankershim in the Historic Lankershim Arts Center in North Hollywood.

23. Outdoor theater Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum, located in Topanga Canyon summer 2018 season begins on June 2 with a performance of Shakespeare’s Coriolanus. Check for discounted tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

24. The City of Monterey Park presents Summer Movies in the Park a family friendly event with free popcorn taking place in different parks in the neighborhood. This month the series concludes with CoCo at Barnes Park Amphitheater . FREE

25. Beyond the Streets is a fully immersive exhibition of street and graffiti art comprised of over 30 artist in a massive 40,000+ square feet exhibits. Artist are an eclectic mix of street and beyond including Retna, Shepard Fairey, Kenny Scharf Dennis Hopper and Jenny Holzer. This Friday is “Free Kids Friday” with a purchase of an adult ticket. Also, check for discounted tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

26. Since its the first Friday of the month check out all the cool events happening around town including block parties and art walks for First Fridays.

27. Free museum days: Norton Simon Museum (5 to 8 p.m.) and Pasadena Museum of California Art (noon to 5 p.m.)

Saturday August 4th, 2018

28. To celebrate LiveStrong.Com turning 10 years old, the entire team is holding a day of workouts and wellness this Saturday on the field of the Rose Bowl. Stronger | Weekend will feature celebrity trainers leading the day with workout classes, wellness insights, a marketplace, art installations, DJ tunes, and much more. You can even be a part of history, as Stronger | Weekend will include an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for Most People Holding an Abdominal Plank! Use the promo code LOSANGELES10 for $10 tickets to the event!

29. Celebrate Los Angeles’ unique celestial beauty when the National Park Service’s Night Sky Festivalreturns to Paramount Ranch in Agoura Hills this Saturday. The free event will allow guests to observe the planets of our Milky Way Galaxy through telescopes, listen to Native American night sky stories, and enjoy kids’ activities, including the opportunity to become a Junior Ranger. FREE

30. KCRW’s Summer Nights for the first time will be held at the new KCRW headquarters this Saturday. The Backyard Party will have 18 piece band The Midnight Hour, Ali Shaheed Muhammed, Adrian Younge, KCRW DJs Garth Trinidad and Travis Holcombe performing. A selection of food trucks curated by KCRW’s Evan Kleiman will also be available, along with record collectors and dealers hand-selected by Beats Swap Meet. FREE

31. CatCon is back August 4-5! The ultimate feline convention where pop and cat culture converge will have two days of cat merchandise from 150 vendors, DIY workshops, cat-world celebrities, adoptions and more. Check for discounted tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

32. Head over to Boyle Heights for the 1st Annual Beer Fest, celebrating the best of locally crafted beers. Food vendors and live entertainment will be available, while guests will sip on beers from the likes of Brewyard, Iron Triangle, Indie, Old Stump, and plenty more. According to Eventbrite this event has been delayed until October. Apologies for any confusion!

33. One of Burning Man’s most iconic art cars The Mayan Warrior will stop at Grand Park in DTLA August 4-5. The immersive light and sound experience is a ticketed event. All proceeds go towards funding the art car’s journey from Mexico City to Burning Man in August and Create Now, an organization fostering arts and education for youth’s.

34. Pop Saturdays, a free summer series taking place at Marina del Rey’s Burton Chace Park returns this week with a performance by Cat Power. FREE

35. Eat|See|Hear returns for 2018 with a screening of Groundhog Day at Centennial Square at Pasadena City Hall. Check for discounted tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

36. The Actors’ Gang will once gain bring back Free Shakespeare in the Park for Families with a production of Much Ado About Avengers an original play inspired by William Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” and the characters of Marvel’s Avengers. Taking place at Media Park in Culver City, the 45 minute, all‐ages production will run every Saturday and Sunday this month through August 26. FREE

37. If you’re a brunch enthusiast, you’ll want to head over to the Brunch Life Festival in Long Beach this Saturday. The inaugural event brings together restaurants in Orange County, Long Beach and Los Angeles for brunch tastings, mimosas, bloody marys, live entertainment, outdoor games, photo booths, and more. Check for discounted tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

38. Flypoet is bringing its Summer Classic to the newly renovated Ford Theatre for another year of the most highly sought-after spoken word poets in the country. Check for discounted tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

39. Heritage Square Museum in Montecito Heights is hosting a screening of L.A. Confidential this Saturday.

40. HARD Summer Music Festival is returning to the Fontana Speedway with a jam-packed EDM lineup on August 4-5 featuring Marshmellow, Travis Scott, Diplo, Virgil Abloh, Yellow Mustard, Flosstradamus, Rick Ross, Jaden Smith and much more.

41. Street Food Cinema returns this weekend with a screening of The Mask at Victory Park in Pasadena and Mama Mia at Poinsettia Rec Park in West Hollywood. Select screenings are discounted via Goldstar. DISCOUNTED

42. The Hollywood Beer and Music Festival is coming to the Hollywood Event Lot featuring 60+ local and regional craft beers, live entertainment and eight food trucks. Check for discounted tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

43. Enjoy a summer movie night at Warner Ranch Park in Woodland Hills when Movies on the Greenwith a screening of Grease. FREE

Sunday August 5th, 2018

44. Local L.A. band The Growlers presents the Beach Goth music festival at Los Angeles State Historic Park. Headliners include The Voidz, Doug E. Fresh, and The Growlers of course, with fan favorite experiences like Death of a Clown Cabaret a Beach Goth Island, which will feature a world of palm trees, dubbed out reggae music in quadraphonic sound, beer and plenty of sandy vibes.

45. Mount Wilson Observatory is offering classical music concerts within the dome of the 100-inch telescope above the observatory. Located in the San Gabriel Mountains above Pasadena, the shows happen once a month from May to October.

46. Bon Iver will take the stage of the Hollywood Bowl this Sunday as part of KCRW’s World Festival.

47. The 20th Annual TASTE OF ECUADOR Food Festival & Parade comes to Placita Olvera for a full experience of Ecuadorian cuisine and culture featuring crafts, musical groups, folklore customs, a parade and more. FREE

48. Head over to the Regent in DTLA for The Rock and Roll Flea Market. Happening on the first Sunday of every month, this flea market features 50 vendors offering vintage and handmade crafts, memorabilia, instruments, vinyl and more. The space also offer two full bars, a brunch menu, DJ’s all day, and “boozy bingo.” Free to attend.

49. The third annual BrunchCon LA returns to The Reef in Downtown L.A. with plenty of brunch items, plus an open Mimosa and Bloody Mary bar. In addition to brunching, there will also be photo booths, a Museum of Brunch, dancing, a marketplace, Mimosa Pong, Giant Jenga, corn hole, and more! Check for discounted tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

50. Escape the summer heat during Jazz on the Lawn, a series of free summer concerts at Santa Monica’s Gandara Park every Sunday in August. In addition to live music there will be free dance lessons, food trucks and picnic games. FREE

51. Movie Night at The Wiltern will host a Toy Story matinee screening with themed photo ops, face painting and coloring stations. Check for discounted tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

52. The Beverly Hills Farmers Market is hosting a Picklefest, featuring a variety of pickled fruits and vegetables this Sunday. Event is free to attend!

53. Check out LACMA’s latest exhibition, 3D: Double Vision an interactive exhibit that explores the art and illusion of 3D.

54. E.P. & L.P. in West Hollywood continues their stylish cinema series Melrose Rooftop Theatre with a screening of How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days.

55. Sunday August 5 is National Oyster Day! Herringbone in Santa Monica will be offering $1 oysters all day long (limit two dozen per table) and Ivory on Sunset will be offering $1 oysters all day in honor of the day.

56. Celebrate summer in the SGV during Movies in the Park, a free outdoor film series screening at Alhambra Park. This weekend they’ll screen Lego Ninjago. FREE

Schedule provided by We Like LA.

August 1, 2018

Schedule Of Free Museum Days In Los Angeles For August

Remember if you can’t make it to one of the free days listed below there are over two dozen museums in and around Los Angeles that offer free admission ALL the time which are not listed here.

And as for the rest of the freebies listed below… enjoy!

[AUGUST 2] Japanese American National Museum (from 5 to 8 p.m.)

[AUGUST 2] MOCA Grand & MOCA Geffen (from 5 to 8 p.m.)

[AUGUST 2] Skirball Cultural Center (noon to 5 p.m.)

[AUGUST 2] Huntington Library (note that you have to reserve passes for the free day in advance, and it books up fast. For this reason we’d suggest you take a look at the free day for September and start planning when you need to be online to grab the tix)

[AUGUST 2] Long Beach Museum of Art (3 to 8 p.m.)

[AUGUST 3] Norton Simon Museum (5 to 8 p.m.)

[AUGUST 3] Pasadena Museum of California Art (noon to 5 p.m.)

[AUGUST 3] Free late-nights at La Brea Tar Pits Museum (5 to 8 p.m.)

[AUGUST 5] Museum of Latin American Art

[AUGUST 5 ] Craft and Folk Art Museum (pay what you can)

[AUGUST 7] Kidspace Museum (4 to 8 p.m.)

[AUGUST 9] Japanese American National Museum (from 5 to 8 p.m.)

[AUGUST 9] MOCA Grand & MOCA Geffen (from 5 to 8 p.m.)

[AUGUST 9] Skirball Cultural Center (noon to 5 p.m.)

[AUGUST 9] Long Beach Museum of Art (3 to 8 p.m.)

[AUGUST 9] Santa Monica History Museum

[AUGUST 10] Free late-nights at La Brea Tar Pits Museum (5 to 8 p.m.)

[AUGUST 12] Museum of Latin American Art

[AUGUST 12] ] Craft and Folk Art Museum (pay what you can)

[AUGUST 14] Los Angeles County Museum of Art (also free for L.A. County residents with valid I.D. after 3:00pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays & Fridays all month long)

[AUGUST 14] Autry Museum of the American West

[AUGUST 16 Pasadena Museum of California Art (from 5 to 8 p.m.)

[AUGUST 16] Japanese American National Museum (all day)

[AUGUST 16] MOCA Grand & MOCA Geffen (from 5 to 8 p.m.)

[AUGUST 16] Skirball Cultural Center (noon to 5 p.m.)

[AUGUST 16] Long Beach Museum of Art (3 to 8 p.m.)

[AUGUST 17] Free late-nights at La Brea Tar Pits Museum (5 to 8 p.m.)

[AUGUST 19] Museum of Latin American Art

[AUGUST 19] ] Craft and Folk Art Museum (pay what you can)

[AUGUST 21] Los Angeles County Arboretum (note: the tram doesn’t run on this day)

[AUGUST 21] South Coast Botanic Garden

[AUGUST 21] Descanso Gardens

[AUGUST 23] Japanese American National Museum (from 5 to 8 p.m.)

[AUGUST 23] MOCA Grand & MOCA Geffen (from 5 to 8 p.m.)

[AUGUST 23] Skirball Cultural Center (noon to 5 p.m.)

[AUGUST 23] Long Beach Museum of Art (3 to 8 p.m.)

[AUGUST 23] Museum of Latin American Art (5 to 9 p.m.)

[AUGUST 24] Free late-nights at La Brea Tar Pits Museum (5 to 8 p.m.)

[AUGUST 26] Museum of Latin American Art

[AUGUST 26] Craft and Folk Art Museum (pay what you can)

[AUGUST 30] Japanese American National Museum (from 5 to 8 p.m.)

[AUGUST 30] MOCA Grand & MOCA Geffen (from 5 to 8 p.m.)

[AUGUST 30] Skirball Cultural Center (noon to 5 p.m.)

[AUGUST 30] Long Beach Museum of Art (3 to 8 p.m.)

[AUGUST 31] Free late-nights at La Brea Tar Pits Museum (5 to 8 p.m.)

Schedule provided by We Like LA.

July 18, 2018

LACMA’s Latest Exhibit Explores 3D Art

LACMA’s latest exhibition, 3D: Double Vision is a survey of 3D art, dating as far back as 1838, when the stereoscope had just been invented by English scientist Sir Charles Wheatstone.

Sometimes, 3D images feel like the future. Not necessarily the one we will have, but the one imagined by those who lived before—the kind of future where you’d live in a silver dome and drive a hovering Trans Am. When I told this to Britt Salvesen, Head and Curator, Wallis Annenberg Photography Department and Prints & Drawing Department, she nodded.

“I think ‘futuristic’ is a great word for [3D], and another word that I often find in the literature is ‘utopian,’” she said. “Dream of the perfect image, the perfect mode of representation of the ultimate realism. That kind of rhetoric occurs again and again. That’s sort of the frontier that image makers are always going for.”

Double Vision takes over the Art of the Americas building (where you may have seen Guillermo del Toro: At Home with the Monsters, also curated by Salvesen) and has been divided into five sections. The first serves as an introduction to 3D, while the rest move chronologically from the Victorian era to the present.

3D works via binocular vision: essentially, two eyes take the information they receive and convert it into one, volumetric image. This is also how a stereoscope works. It offers two nearly identical images, each taken from a slightly different perspective, and presents one to each eye. Your brain does the rest of the work, merging the two into a single image with depth. It doesn’t work for everyone; an estimated 5 to 15 percent of people may have stereo blindness, meaning it’s difficult for them to see 3D images the way they are intended. Yet enough people were excited by 3D imagery that the medium took off.

Peering through a stereoscope. Photo: Juliet Bennett Rylah

Salvesen was focused on the 19th century in her graduate studies, writing her doctoral dissertation on Victorian stereoscopy. She became secifically became interested in how 3D became “massively popular in a very short time.”

“I wanted to think about what was the craving that people had for the experience, and not just wanting to repeat it, but to collect and own it,” she said. “I was fascinated with that, and then kept getting curious about the next chapter. It seems like there is always a desire and an impulse towards that illusionism.”

Wheatstone’s stereoscope, which used drawings and mirrors, was cumbersome. In 1849, scientist David Brewster—inventor of the kaleidoscope–produced a more portable device which could be used to view stereocards. Stereocards featured two side-by-side images that would appear as one 3D image when viewed through the device. They became wildly popular, and Victorians would snatch them up from companies like the London Stereoscopic Company for at-home viewing. They’d immersive themselves in far-off worlds without packing a bag, a primitive harbinger of the 21st century’s consumer VR headsets.

The World’s Fair also played a large role in the growing popularity of 3D imagery. The stereoscope made an appearance at The Great Exhibition in London in 1851, supposedly enchanting Queen Victoria. The View-Master made its debut at New York’s World Fair in 1939. At that same event, auto company Chrysler revealed a short 3D film titled In Tune with Tomorrow in which a 1939 Chrysler Plymouth is assembled, seemingly by magic thanks to stop motion animation. The film was so popular that it was redone in technicolor and presented again during the fair’s second season. This was the first time many people were exposed to 3D cinema, but Hollywood would start cashing in on the gimmick in the ’50s.

Guests to 3D: Double Vision will be able to view In Tune with Tomorrow, multiple iterations of stereoscopes and dozens of stereocards, a host of 3D cinema, and several more modern illusions. Various types of 3D glasses are available throughout the exhibit space, while signage indicates which one is best for each piece. There are enough things to look at and watch that one could easily spend a couple hours inside.

As guests enter, Thomas Ruff’s 3D-ma.r.s.80 (2013) offers two large, grayscale images of Mars’ surface, the craters deepening as soon as one slips on their red and blue glasses. Nearby, artist Tristan Duke’s Platonic Solids (2015) offer hand-drawn holograms on nickel-plated coppers discs. There are five of them, and on each, a geometric figure dances and shimmers.

Tristan Duke’s Platonic Solids Photo: Juliet Bennett Rylah

Among the many stereocards depicting beautiful places and historic events, one will find a collection 19th century French Diableries. These hellish, yet humorous images depict skeletons and demons getting wild in the underworld. When backlit, the black and white images change. Eyes glow red, as light shines through tiny pinpricks. Viewers can activate the light by pressing a button on the display. (You can see some Diableries, appropriately set to Bauhaus, in this video.)

In a dark theater, a 25-minute montage of various 3D clips plays on repeat, ranging from mid-century B movies to modern film and animation. Definitely stay to see the trailer for The Maze, a 1953 horror flick in which a man breaks off his engagement after inheriting a Scottish castle from his uncle—not exactly an original conceit, but a delightful horror trope, nonetheless. His suspicious fiancée follows him to Scotland, only to experience a cavalcade of horrors inside the eponymous maze. Plastic bats and cobwebs dart out from the screen, eliciting more laughs than terror.

Other notable pieces include Simone Forti’s hologram piece Striding Crawling (1975-78), in which a holographic figure does just that, vaguely reminiscent of the desperate message Princess Leia sends to Obi Wan Kenobi in ’77’s Star Wars: A New Hope.

Then there’s the exhibit’s largest work, at least in terms of scale: Michael Snow’s sculpture, Redifice(1986). It’s a hulking, red box, about eight feet high and 20 feet long. It’s peppered with windows, some of which contain holograms, sculptures, or dioramas. Salvesen named it as one of the pieces she was most excited to display.

“It’s like if you were looking into a skyscraper,” she remarked. “It’s just so effective and fun.”

Near the conclusion of the exhibit is a series of holograms by Ed Ruscha, each one appropriately declaring it ‘the end.’ Continue down a hall with your glasses on to see Peggy Weil’s 3D Wallpaper, originally presented in 1976 and redrawn for Double Vision. Though this is sure to become the designated selfie spot, Double Vision isn’t the kind of exhibit one can simply view through other people’s photos. Many of the illusions can only be seen with the human eye, making it a truly interactive and immersive show that Instagram alone could never do justice.

3D: Double Vision is part of The Hyundai Project: Art + Technology at LACMA. See it on display in the Art of the Americas building July 15 through March 31. Visit LACMA online to keep up with exhibit-related programming, including a screening of ‘The Maze’ at Aero Theatre in Santa Monica on August 9.

Story courtesy of We Like LA.

July 11, 2018

Schedule of Free Museum Days in Los Angeles For July

A reminder for this month that The Natural History Museum and the La Brea Tar Pits Museum both skip their free admission first-Tuesdays for the months of July and August. That said, La Brea Tar Pits offers free late-night Fridays (5 to 8 p.m.) starting this month and ending in August. NHM and La Brea Tar Pits Museum will also have free admission days on every Tuesday in September.

As always remember there are over two dozen museums in and around Los Angeles that offer free admission ALL the time which are not listed here.

Enjoy!

Free Museum Days in Los Angeles – July 2018

[JULY 1] Museum of Latin American Art

[JULY 1] Craft and Folk Art Museum (pay what you can)

[JULY 5] Japanese American National Museum (from 5 to 8 p.m.)

[JULY 5] MOCA Grand & MOCA Geffen (from 5 to 8 p.m.)

[JULY 5] Skirball Cultural Center (noon to 5 p.m.)

[JULY 5] USC Pacific Asian Museum (5 to 8 p.m.)

[JULY 5] Huntington Library (note that you have to reserve passes for the free day in advance, and it books up fast. For this reason we’d suggest you take a look at the free day for August and start planning when you need to be online to grab the tix)

[JULY 5] Long Beach Museum of Art (3 to 8 p.m.)

[JULY 6] Norton Simon Museum (5 to 8 p.m.)

[JULY 6] Pasadena Museum of California Art (noon to 5 p.m.)

[JULY 6] Long Beach Museum of Art (11 a.m. to 5 p.m.)

[JULY 6] Free late-nights at La Brea Tar Pits Museum (5 to 8 p.m.)

[JULY 8] Museum of Latin American Art

[JULY 8 ] Craft and Folk Art Museum (pay what you can)

[JULY 10] Los Angeles County Museum of Art (also free for L.A. County residents with valid I.D. after 3:00pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays & Fridays all month long)

[JULY 10] Autry Museum of the American West

[JULY 12] Japanese American National Museum (from 5 to 8 p.m.)

[JULY 12] MOCA Grand & MOCA Geffen (from 5 to 8 p.m.)

[JULY 12] Skirball Cultural Center (noon to 5 p.m.)

[JULY 12] Long Beach Museum of Art (3 to 8 p.m.)

[JULY 12] USC Pacific Asian Museum (5 to 8 p.m.)

[JULY 13] Long Beach Museum of Art (11 a.m. to 5 p.m.)

[JULY 13] Free late-nights at La Brea Tar Pits Museum (5 to 8 p.m.)

[JULY 15] Museum of Latin American Art

[JULY 15] ] Craft and Folk Art Museum (pay what you can)

[JULY 17] Los Angeles County Arboretum (note: the tram doesn’t run on this day)

[JULY 17] South Coast Botanic Garden

[JULY 17] Descanso Gardens

[JULY 19] Japanese American National Museum (all day)

[JULY 19] MOCA Grand & MOCA Geffen (from 5 to 8 p.m.)

[JULY 19] Skirball Cultural Center (noon to 5 p.m.)

[JULY 19] Long Beach Museum of Art (3 to 8 p.m.)

[JULY 19] USC Pacific Asian Museum (5 to 8 p.m.)

[JULY 19] Pasadena Museum of California Art (5 to 8 p.m.)

[JULY 20] Long Beach Museum of Art (11 a.m. to 5 p.m.)

[JULY 20] Free late-nights at La Brea Tar Pits Museum (5 to 8 p.m.)

[JULY 22] Museum of Latin American Art

[JULY 22] ] Craft and Folk Art Museum (pay what you can)

[JULY 26] Japanese American National Museum (from 5 to 8 p.m.)

[JULY 26] MOCA Grand & MOCA Geffen (from 5 to 8 p.m.)

[JULY 26] Skirball Cultural Center (noon to 5 p.m.)

[JULY 26] Long Beach Museum of Art (3 to 8 p.m.)

[JULY 26] USC Pacific Asian Museum (5 to 8 p.m.)

[JULY 27] Long Beach Museum of Art (11 a.m. to 5 p.m.)

[JULY 27] Museum of Latin American Art (5 to 9 p.m.)

[JULY 27] Free late-nights at La Brea Tar Pits Museum (5 to 8 p.m.)

[JULY 29] Museum of Latin American Art

[JULY 29] Craft and Folk Art Museum (pay what you can)

Article courtesy of We Like LA.

July 5, 2018

Fun Things To Do This July In Los Angeles

Need stuff to do this month in Los Angeles? We looked ahead on our calendar to focus in on some of the best events happening in July around Los Angeles that you should probably have on your radar. After all, better to get your tickets now than wait till the last minute and find out your favorite event is sold out.

July 2018 event highlights include Old Pasadena Summer Cinema, Anime Expo, the 38th Annual Lotus Festival, a Live Score Festival, Reggae on the Mountain, Delicious Little Tokyo, BeatyCon, Outfest, and LOTS more.

Enjoy!

1. KCRW’s Summer Nights (throughout July)

KCRW’s Summer Nights free event series returned for 2018 in June, but July takes it up a level, including separate performances by Still Woozy, Kauf, and Cut Chemist at The Hammer plus Chinatown Summer Nights on July 28. More information

2. 4th of July in Los Angeles (July 4)

Need plans for the 4th? We’ve put together a handy round-up of Independence Day activities in L.A., including Americafest at the Rose Bowl, a 4th of July Block Party at Grand Park, the Queen Mary’s All-American Fourth of July Celebration, and more. -> More information

3. Old Pasadena Summer Cinema (starting July 5)

Old Pasadena Summer Cinema will offer 17 free movie screenings from July 5 t0 28 at a variety of indoor and outdoor locations throughout the Old Town Pasadena area, including a set of four travel-related films to screen at Distant Lands Bookstore, nine outdoor screenings at the courtyard of One Colorado, and three special theme nights at Central Park. -> More information

4. Anime Expo (July 5-8)

This marquee four-day expo will feature panels, Q&A’s, workshops, plus video rooms and autograph stations with some of the best manga creators and voice actors in the industry. -> More information

5. Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube & More: ‘Summertime in the LBC’ at The Queen Mary (July 7)

Summertime in the LBC comes to the Queen Mary in Long Beach on July 7 for a one-day music festival showcasing many of your favorite hip-hop artists, including Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, The Game and many more artists. -> More information

6. The 2018 Salsa Festival at Pershing Square (July 7-8)

The 3rd annual Los Angeles Salsa Festival returns to Pershing Square for a fun-filled cultural event honoring salsa. Guests can expect plenty of dancing opportunities plus multiple food vendors and a beer and margarita bar. -> More information

7. Dirtybird BBQ 2018: Los Angeles at the Coliseum (July 8)

Dirtybird BBQ 2018: Los Angeles comes to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Plaza on July 8 for great food and music on a summer day, headlined by DJ Claude VonStroke. -> More information

8. Movie Nights at Tropicana Bar (starting July 10)

The Hollywood Roosevelt hotel will throw Angelenos a movie night series every Tuesday night from 8 to 11 p.m. from June till September 3 by the David Hockney painted Tropicana Pool. -> More information

9. The South Bay Greek Festival (July 13-15)

The South Bay Greek Festival, at St. Katherine’s Greek Orthodox Church in Redondo Beach, offers Greek food (spanakopita, lamb chops, baklava), and dancing. -> More information

10. Union Station 2nd Annual Summer Train Festival (July 14)

Union Station in DTLA is hosting their second annual Summer Train Fest on July 14. Fun for all ages, guests can tour vintage train cars, enjoy 360° virtual reality stations, shop local vendors, grab a bite at popular food trucks, dance to live music and much more. -> More information

11. 38th Louts Festival at Echo Park Lake (July 14-15)

The 38th annual Lotus Festival will be a two-day event featuring live entertainment, arts and crafts, a boat race, an asian food court, dragon boat races and of course and plenty of opportunities to enjoy the blooming flowers on the lake. -> More information

12. Reggae On The Mountain 2018 (July 14-15)

The 9th Annual Reggae On The Mountain returns to Topanga Canyon’s Topanga Community Center on July 14-15 for two jam-packed, fun-filled days of roots reggae from Toots and The Maytals, Derrick Morgan, The Lions, Pato Banton and more. -> More information

13. Beautycon Festival at the Los Angeles Convention Center (July 14-15)

Get your lipsticks ready, Beautycon Festival returns to the Los Angeles Convention Center July 14-15 for a two-day beauty convention with Kim Kardashian West and many other personalities. -> More information

14. Swingin’ Summer Dance Series Returns to The Wiltern (July 15)

For three nights in July, August and September, The Wiltern hosts Swingin’ Summer, a series of vintage-style evenings with swing dance lessons, drinks, and dancing to live music. -> More information

15. Outfest Under the Stars at the Ford Theatres (July 18-21)

Outfest Under the Stars. four nights of LGBTQ films at Hollywood”s Ford Theatres, will show Bad Reputation, Wild Nights with Emily and more. -> More information

16. Jaws in Concert at the Hollywood Bowl (July 20-21)

As part of their summer line-up, the Hollywood Bowl is hosting a rendition of the thrilling cult classic Jaws for two nights on July 20 and 21. Tickets start at $14. -> More information

17. Delicious Little Tokyo 2018 (July 20-21)

For two days, enjoy delicious servings of food and drink crafted from the streets of Little Tokyo, including a chance to sample more than 50 types of sake. -> More information

18. Big Sing California at The Walt Disney Concert Hall (July 21)

Come sing during Big Sing California, a choral concert broadcast across the state along with choirs from San Francisco and more during a simultaneous performance. -> More information

19. 5th Annual Los Angeles Live Score Film Festival (July 21)

Composers and filmmakers create scores to be performed live at the 5th annual Los Angeles Live Score Film Festival at Barnsdall Art Park’s Gallery Theatre. -> More information

20. PLAYDATE 2018 at Kidspace Children’s Museum (July 21)

Enjoy a night out for a good cause! On July 21, head to Playdate 2018 for an after-hours adult night out that supports the Kidspace Children’s Museum, a non-profit organization. -> More information

21. The Skirball Museum Presents Happy Anniversary, Fraggle Rockers (July 24)

Jim Henson’s Fraggle Rock is celebrating thirty-five years with a party at The Skirball Cultural Center on July 24. Join famed puppeteers for a discussion about the series with a few other puppet surprises. -> More information

22. 10th Annual Taste of Farmers Market at 3rd & Fairfax (July 24)

The 10th Annual Taste of Farmers Market comes to 3rd Street and Fairfax featuring an evening of bites from over 50 of the Market’s top-rated restaurants, grocers and eateries. Tickets includes food sampling, firehouse chili tastes prepared by firefighter chefs, beer and wine samples, two non-alcoholic drinks and free parking. -> More information

23. Sunset Concerts at the Skirball (starting July 26)

Skirball’s annual Sunset Concert Series features six Thursday night concerts with eclectic and inspiring artists from July 26 to August 30. This year’s lineup kicks off with Goapele on July 26. -> More information

24. Uncorked: LA 90+ Wine Festival at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica (July 27)

Uncorked: LA 90+ Wine Festival comes to Barker Hangar in Santa Monica featuring a curated selection of over 100 wines rated 90 points and higher from all over the world. -> More information

25. L.A. Rare and Wild Beer Fest in Santa Monica (July 28)

Billed as a beer connoisseur’s one-stop celebration, the L.A. Rare and Wild Beer Fest is coming to Barker Hangar for an evening of unlimited beer tastings! -> More information

26. Summer Happenings at The Broad (continues July 28)

Summer Happenings at The Broad is a series of late-night events featuring music, performance and art held on the last Saturday night from June through September. The July 28 edition will be inspired by German artist Joseph Beuys with performances by faUSt and Baltimore duo Matmos.

Article courtesy of We Like LA.

June 15, 2018

‘Cat Art Show’ Returns to DTLA

The biennial Cat Art Show is returning to Los Angeles for the third time, filling DTLA’s Think Tank Gallery with kitty-inspired work from over 100 different artists, starting Thursday, June 14.

Cat Art Show’s Susan Michals, who also founded CatCon, is a former journalist and current cat enthusiast. She said she created these feline-centric events as a way for people to connect in the real world as opposed to the virtual one, and to share experiences together. After all, cat videos have siphoned countless hours of our time, but it’s nothing compared to gathering with your fellow cat lovers to look at a trove of cat art.

“Cats are beautiful creatures, both inside and out, and have been revered since the days of ancient Egypt,” Michals says. “They can be found in museums the world over.”

She points to a 2015 Brooklyn Museum exhibit, Divine Felines: Cats of Ancient Egypt, which contained a bevy of objects including sculptures, amulets, and even cat-shaped wooden coffins meant to house cat mummies. The exhibit toured to a handful of other museums, including the Smithsonian in D.C. in 2017. According to Antonietta Catanzariti, a curatorial fellow with the Smithsonian at the time, Egyptians did not worship cats as gods, contrary to popular belief. They were actually associating the behavior of cats—the way they might hunt or protect their families—to specific deities.

“For some people, it’s quite hard to see how that works, but then when you think about how a cat you own has a hunting attitude or is more relaxed, it can be related to Egyptian gods and goddesses,” she told the Washington Diplomat. “Don’t think of Egyptians as worshipping animals, but as observing the natural world.”

It’s not so far off from associating a cat with, say, grumpiness or the desire to buy a boat. So when you think about it, humans have, in a way, been making cat art and cat memes for a long, long time.

Dr. Paul Koudounaris, “Mewcifer” Photo: Cat Art Show

Cat Art Show has grown over the years, now featuring more artworks than ever before. While they saw some 4,500 guests in 2014, Michals says they’re expecting about 10,000 visitors over the course of this year’s 10-day run. These guests might find work from “godfather of pop-surrealism” Mark Ryden, German photographer Ellen von Unwerth, and Los Angeles’ own Dr. Paul Koudounaris, who will also present a lecture on cats throughout history on June 21.

Michals has several pieces she’s excited to see in this year’s show, including Tiffany Sage’s painting “Apollo and Garfield,” in which an orange tabby is cradled by a person in a Garfield mask. There are also two pieces from Serbian painter Endre Penovác, whose watercolor cats bleed into the paper like a passing apparition. Scott Hove, who previously installed a ‘cake maze‘ at Think Tank Gallery in 2016, now offers a cat sculpture in the same style, called “Kittycake.”

Some of the artwork is political, like Rose Freymuth-Frazier’s “Divine Intervention,” in which a fluffy, white cat with amber eyes places one paw on a stuffed Trump toy. Other pieces are more playful, like Penelope Gazin’s “Pussy Princess,” in which a beautiful woman in a green gown wears a similar fluffy, white cat on her head.

“I love Jayne Mansfield and [the piece] reminds me of her, plus it’s got a great camp quality to it that reminds us to lighten up and have a laugh,” Michals said.

Proceeds from the Cat Art Show will benefit two different charities: Kitten Rescue, a volunteer-run rescue for homeless kittens and cats, and the Ian Somerhalder Foundation, which, among other efforts, offers funds to low-income pet owners for emergency animal care. (If you ever feel like becoming a volunteer at Kitten Rescue, their Atwater Village no-kill sanctuary always needs people to help socialize and care for their animals.)

And yes, Michals does have a cat of her own: a Maine Coon named Miss Kitty Pretty Girl, rescued from a South Central shelter when she was just eight weeks old on what was to be her last day. Miss Kitty is now 13 and Michals calls her, appropriately, “The Muse.”

Alexey Sovertkov, “Triptych” Photo: Cat Art Show

Cat Art Show opens today, June 14, at Think Tank Gallery, located at 939 Maple Ave. in the Fashion District. The exhibition runs through June 24.

There will be a public opening on June 14 from 8 to 11 p.m. with a full cash bar, vegan food via Beyond Vegan, and a photo booth from Vetted Pet Care. Tickets are $10. Starting June 15, gallery hours will be daily from noon to 5 p.m. Admission is free on weekdays and $5 on weekends.

On June 21 from 7 to 10 p.m., Dr. Paul Koudounaris will present his lecture, Feline Frolic: An Evening of Famous Feline History with PURRlesque PURRformances by Vanessa Burgundy and Iza La Vamp. Cash bar. Tickets are $20.

On June 23 from 7 to 10 p.m., there will be a closing party with adoptable kittens from Kitten Rescue LA and a photo booth via Vetted Pet Care. Tickets are $25 and include two cocktails. Find all ticketing info here.

Article courtesy of We Like LA.