It’s a new year, it’s a new you. Whether or not you followed through on your resolutions so far in 2019, you deserve to treat yourself to a weekend of fun in LA. In the city of stars there is no shortage of thrills. We rounded-up the best “Angeleno” approved events to spruce up your first weekend of the year!
Read below for events happening in and round LA January 4-6.
Discover your inner Angeleno!
Friday, January 4th
First-Time Fridays at LACMA
You haven’t been to LACMA you say? Well luckily for you, LA’s Contemporary Museum of Modern Art accepts this and offers First Time Fridays. This monthly event invites guest to explore the museum from 3:00pm-8:00pm for LA residents. If you let the ticket office know it is your first visit to LACMA, you will receive a free poster and discounts at the LACMA store, LACMA Cafe and C+M.
AK’s neighborhood block party returns this Friday on the “coolest block in America”. Whatever your craving, you’ll be sure to find something with new and old food trucks joining the event and merchant discounts plus late hours.
NBA tickets to see the Los Angeles Lakers play the New York Knicks are sure to be selling quickly! Fans from both sides of the nation won’t want to miss this exciting regular season game! If you want to be there to catch all of the action you’d better act now. Secure your seats so you can cheer on your favorite team!
Roam for Romans on a unique scavenger hunt that transports you to ancient Greece and Rome via the Getty Villa. You’ll follow a trail of clues and answer fun, tricky questions. Discover facts you never knew about the odd aspects of gods, goddesses, and the inventors of the toga party.
Discover the best foreign language films of 2018. This year’s five nominees include Capernaum from Lebanon, Girl from Belgium, Never Look Away from Germany, Roma from Mexico, and Shoplifters from Japan. The symposium will also include a free roundtable with the Directors for each of the nominated films. The panel will be moderated by Mike Goodridge, former HFPA member and VP turned festival director and programmer. Advance sale tickers are available until 5:00pm January 4 but will still be available for standby the day of.
Come share your love of Lego and discover hundreds of fan created models at the Pasadena Convention Center ! Enjoy their vendor area with new, used, and unique brick accessories as well as building techniques and panel discussions. It will be a weekend of fun for all ages.
Come see some of the fastest, rarest and most beloved Shelby’s of all time. The Petersen will celebrate Carroll Shelby’s birthday by having a cruise-in on the third floor parking structure of the museum. All car enthusiasts are invited to participate in the car show and contest. Coffee and snacks will be provided.
Named by Nickelodeon the “Best Children’s Theater” in Los Angeles, A Faery Hunt delights as a magical adventure. Auntie Angelica leads the audience on a gentle journey to help the Faery royalty! With the help of the audience and the Faeries, it’s a musical filled afternoon with fun, laughs and surprises.
Just because the holidays are over, doesn’t mean the fun has to be. Don’t miss out on the last day of the LA Kings Holiday Ice at L.A. Live. Skate your way through the weekend as a family fun activity or date night.
With Christmas just a week away, we know there is one thing on your mind! Holiday Cocktails!! Just as true as the spirit of Christmas, the “Spirits” of Christmas are your key to surviving Manic Monday with your in-laws. So check Cranberry Spritz off your list because have rounded up the best seasonal beverages to put you in a holly jolly mood.
The addition of homemade juniper syrup and fresh pine sprigs makes champagne feel even more festive.
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup juniper berries, crushed
1 bottle (750 ml) dry sparkling wine, such as Prosecco
Unsprayed pine sprigs, for serving
DIRECTIONS
Bring sugar, 1 1/2 cups water, and juniper berries to a simmer in a pot, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat; let cool completely. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve; discard solids. Refrigerate 1 hour or up to 1 week.
For each cocktail, combine 3 tablespoons juniper syrup with 1/2 cup sparkling wine in a glass. Garnish with a pine sprig; serve immediately.
There’s no substitute for homemade eggnog during the holidays! Our latest, greatest version combines silky custard with three types of booze — bourbon, rum, and cognac.
Freshly grated nutmeg offers a more delicate flavor and aromatic scent than the pre-ground variety. The eggs in both the base and the meringue are cooked, so food safety shouldn’t be a concern.
INGREDIENTS
6 large egg yolks, plus 2 large whites
3/4 cup sugar
3 cups whole milk
Large pinch of coarse salt
1 cup heavy cream
2 ounces bourbon, such as Michter’s or Maker’s Mark
2 ounces dark rum, such as Appleton Estate
1 ounce cognac
Unsweetened freshly whipped cream, for serving
Freshly grated nutmeg, for serving
DIRECTIONS
In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar until pale yellow and thick, about 2 minutes. In a medium saucepan, bring milk and salt to a bare simmer. Whisking constantly, slowly pour hot milk mixture into yolk mixture.
Pour yolk mixture back into saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until mixture is just thick enough to coat back of spoon and hold a line drawn by your finger, 3 to 5 minutes.
Pour mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl; discard solids. Let cool, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Add cream, bourbon, rum, and cognac; cover and refrigerate overnight.
Whisk remaining 1/4 cup sugar and egg whites in a heatproof mixer bowl set over (not in) a pan of simmering water. Whisk until sugar is dissolved and mixture is warm (it should feel smooth between your fingers), 2 to 3 minutes. (For fully cooked eggs, a thermometer inserted into meringue should register 160 degrees.) Remove from heat. With a mixer on high speed, beat until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes. Fold into eggnog.
Pour into glasses (or a punch bowl); top with a dollop of whipped cream and sprinkle with nutmeg.
Margaritas aren’t just for summer! Cranberry simple syrup makes the frozen cocktail festive enough for the holidays.
Cranberry simple syrup gives this frozen cocktail a festive crimson hue — perfect for the holidays!
INGREDIENTS
For the Whole-Berry Cranberry Simple Syrup
1/2 cup sugar
8 ounces frozen cranberries (2 cups)
1 tablespoon finely grated lime zest
For the cocktail
1 cup tequila
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
DIRECTIONS
Make the Whole-Berry Cranberry Simple Syrup: Stir together sugar, cranberries, lime zest and 2 tablespoons water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-high, stirring constantly, until cranberries just start to burst, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool completely. Refrigerate, covered, until cold, at least 1 hour and up to 1 week.
Make the cocktail: In a blender, combine tequila, lime juice, 4 cups ice, and 1 1/2 cups cranberries and syrup from Whole Berry Cranberry Simple Syrup. Blend until smooth. Divide among 4 margarita glasses.
Massachusetts senator David Webster allegedly gave this potent punch recipe to a friend before he died in the mid-nineteenth century. Our iteration combines fruit with black tea, rum, sherry, Bordeaux, and Champagne.
Sherry, Bordeaux, Champagne, rum, and black tea meld with fruit in this knockout punch recipe that’s adapted from “The Steward & Barkeeper’s Manual” (1869). It can easily be doubled to serve a larger crowd.
8 ounces fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons), plus 2 more lemons, sliced into thin rounds, for serving
1 bottle (750 milliliters) Jamaican black rum, such as Hamilton
1 bottle (750 milliliters) oloroso sherry, such as Lustau
1 bottle (750 milliliters) Bordeaux red wine
1 pineapple, sliced into thin rounds, plus leaves for serving
1 bottle (750 milliliters) Champagne brut or prosecco brut, chilled
1 orange, sliced into thin rounds, for serving
12 star-anise pods, for serving
Freshly grated nutmeg, for serving
DIRECTIONS
Bring 4 cups water to a boil. Remove from heat and add tea bags; let steep 10 minutes. Remove tea bags. Add oleo saccharum, stirring until sugar dissolves and mixture is translucent. Remove lemon peels with a slotted spoon; discard. Stir in lemon juice, rum, sherry, and wine. Refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
When ready to serve, line the inside of a large punch bowl with pineapple slices (do not overlap). Fill one-third of the way with large ice cubes. Slowly pour tea mixture into punch bowl, making sure not to disrupt pineapple slices. Top with Champagne; gently stir to incorporate. Float lemon and orange slices on surface; sprinkle with star anise and nutmeg. Serve over ice.
Fresh rosemary adds a lovely woodsy aroma to this fruity, bubbly Pinot Noir-based cocktail.
INGREDIENTS
Ice
1 1/3 cups Pinot Noir
1 1/3 cups ginger ale
6 teaspoons cherry-flavored liqueur, such as maraschino or kirsch
Rosemary sprigs (optional)
DIRECTIONS
Fill four glasses with ice; add 1/3 cup Pinot Noir and 1/3 cup ginger ale to each glass. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons cherry-flavored liqueur to each glass. Stir to combine and serve with rosemary sprigs, if desired.
A pinch of cayenne pepper turns up the volume on this refreshing cocktail made of bourbon, lemon juice, maple syrup, and apple cider.
INGREDIENTS
Ice
6 ounces bourbon
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
1 cup apple cider
Cayenne pepper
DIRECTIONS
Fill four glasses and a cocktail shaker with ice. To shaker, add bourbon, lemon juice, maple syrup, and apple cider; shake vigorously. Strain into glasses and top each with a pinch of cayenne pepper, if desired.
Never choose between a dessert cocktail and a cup of coffee again! For the best of both worlds, shake up a shot of espresso with chocolate, sugar, vodka, and ice, strain, and finish with whipped cream.
Can’t decide between a post-dinner drink and a hit of caffeine with something sweet? This mocha cocktail should satisfy both cravings.
INGREDIENTS
1 ounce chopped bittersweet chocolate
1 teaspoon sugar
Hot espresso shot (1 1/2 ounces)
2 ounces chilled vodka
Ice cubes
Heavy cream
DIRECTIONS
Combine chocolate and sugar in a cocktail shaker. Pour espresso shot over chocolate mixture; stir until smooth. Add vodka and a few ice cubes. Shake vigorously several times, then strain into a chilled martini glass. Spoon over top a few tablespoons of heavy cream that’s been whipped just until silky and thick; stir with a toothpick to create streaks. Serve immediately.
Serving big-batch drinks like this fruity gin-and-rosé punch at holiday parties is definitely the way to go. Guests can help themselves, and you can focus on hosting!
Float cranberry ice cubes for a more festive punch bowl — drop 1 or 2 cranberries into each ice cube mold before filling with water and freezing. This recipe comes from Sas Stewart of Stonecutter Spirits.
Stir together gin, pomegranate juice and simple syrup in a punch bowl or large pitcher. Add ice cubes and sparkling rose just before serving.
COOK’S NOTES
For a cranberry-infused simple syrup, add 2 cups fresh or thawed frozen cranberries to saucepan with water and sugar before cooking. Strain the syrup once cool, and discard or reserve the cranberries for another use.
Freshly grated nutmeg and aromatic star anise give this creamy gin-based cocktail a flavorful boost.
Spices add a complementary note to most cream-based cocktails — grated nutmeg and aromatic star anise add flavorful dimension while also providing a visual accent in this recipe from Sas Stewart of Stonecutter Spirits.
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup Stonecutter Spirits Single Barrel Gin (2 ounces)
1 1/2 tablespoons cream (3/4 ounce)
1 tablespoon creme de cacao (1/2 ounce)
3 to 4 dashes Jamaican or Angostura bitters
Freshly grated nutmeg, for sprinkling
1 star anise, for topping
DIRECTIONS
Shake together gin, cream, creme de cacao, and bitters vigorously with ice in a cocktail shaker for 8 to 12 seconds. Strain into a chilled brandy snifter glass. Sprinkle with nutmeg and float star anise.
There is nothing that says the Holliday season is here more than a glide around your neighborhood rink. And while for those of us in LA a cool day on the ice is far and few between, the options this December are grand. So grab your winter wear and head to one of the Ice Rinks listed below for a jolly good time!!
LA KINGS HOLIDAY ICE – L.A. LIVE, WESTFIELD TOPANGA, THE PIKE OUTLETS (NOV 10, 2018 – JAN. 6, 2019)
LA Kings Holiday Ice at L.A. LIVE I Photo courtesy of L.A. LIVE
LA Kings Holiday Ice at L.A. LIVE I Photo courtesy of L.A. LIVE
The Los Angeles Kings are hosting their popular holiday outdoor attraction, LA Kings Holiday Iceat three locations: L.A. LIVE (Nov 10, 2018 – Jan. 6, 2019), Westfield Topanga in Woodland Hills (Nov. 17, 2018 – Jan. 6, 2019) and The Pike Outlets in Long Beach (Nov 16, 2018 – Jan. 6, 2019). The Kings and AEG opened the first Holiday Ice Rink at L.A. LIVE in 2009, and it’s since become an annual L.A. holiday tradition. This is the third consecutive year the Kings have hosted an outdoor ice rink in Woodland Hills and Long Beach, both in their same locations.
Dates of operation at each rink is subject to change. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the LA Kings Holiday Ice website.
Photo courtesy of Holiday Ice Rink Pershing Square, Facebook
Now in its 21st year, Holiday Ice Rink Pershing Square kicks off its 2018-19 season on Nov. 15 and runs daily through Jan. 21, 2019. Framed by skyscrapers and adorned with festive holiday lights, L.A.’s largest outdoor ice skating rink spans 7,200 square feet and welcomes more than 54,000 skaters and 450,000 spectators annually. General admission for each one-hour session is $14, including figure or hockey skate rental.
A portion of proceeds will benefit the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation & Parks. Go Metro to the Pershing Square Station and receive a $1 skating session discount.
ICE AT SANTA MONICA (NOV. 3, 2018 – JAN. 23, 2019)
Ice at Santa Monica | Photo courtesy of Downtown Santa Monica, Facebook
Every holiday season, Downtown Santa Monica transforms the corner of 5th Street and Arizona Avenue into Ice at Santa Monica. The 8,000 square-foot ice skating rink brings a winter wonderland to the beachside community and has become a beloved annual tradition. Admission is $15 for all-day skating, including skate rental. The Randy Gardner School of Skating provides ice skating lessons with experienced professionals for skaters of all skill levels.
For more information, call the Ice team at 310.260.1199.
QUEEN MARY CHRISTMAS (NOV. 23, 2018 – JAN. 6, 2019)
Queen Mary Christmas
Discover new traditions mingled with old-fashioned holiday cheer at the Queen Mary Christmas. Stroll the beautiful decks of the legendary ship and experience thousands of twinkling lights, carolers and musical performances, meet and greets with Santa, and more. Slip on a pair of skates and glide around the True North Ice Rink located atop the Sports Deck of the Queen Mary – 181 feet off the ground – with a 360-degree view of the Long Beach skyline and harbor. The glittering stars and historic smoke stacks will light your way!
WESTFIELD SANTA ANITA (NOV. 30 – DEC. 16, 2018)
Photo courtesy of Westfield Santa Anita
Enjoy ice skating without the cold at Westfield Santa Anita! Embrace all things winter with Westfield’s free synthetic ice rink on The Promenade. Donations will be accepted and 100% will benefit the Boys & Girls Club of the Foothills. On Saturdays (Dec. 1, 8 & 15), Winter Nights at Westfield Santa Anita presents music, a hot cocoa station, and artificial snow on The Promenade. On December 8, enjoy a special performance from Lythgoe Family Panto featuring Princess Flinda and Elphaba. Winter Nights is free and open to the public!
Olympic champion Kristi Yamaguchi visits The Rink | Photo courtesy of Downtown Burbank, Facebook
Downtown Burbank’s most festive holiday tradition is back for outdoor ice skating, fundraising events, and special performances. The Rink in Downtown Burbank will be open from Thursday, Dec. 13, 2018 through Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019. A great way to celebrate the holidays, The Rink in Downtown Burbank is just steps away from more than 400 shops and restaurants, and the recently renovated Burbank Town Center. Located next to Burbank City Hall at the corner of Third Street and Orange Grove Avenue in Downtown Burbank, hours of operation will be 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, extended to 11:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights.
As we find ourselves in the midst of the holiday season, the bounty of festive events in LA is a plenty. From performances of the Nutcracker to a Winter Wonderland in South LA…
With all the hustle and bustle of our weekday routine we bring you a curated list of the weekends top activities happening throughout the city of stars.
Limited engagements taking place this Dec. 14th-16th
Christmas is coming and so is the one and only Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker: Dove of Peace Tour! Presenting world class Russian artists, hand-painted sets, and a 2 dancer Dove of Peace with a 20 foot wingspan. The Great Russian Nutcracker brings the Christmas spirit to life for all ages, “Kids wide-eyed with delight!” says the New York Times. Experience the Dove of Peace Tour, spreading goodwill in over 100 cities across North America in 2018. Get seats now for the whole family and make memories for a lifetime at Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker! www.nutcracker.com
iHeart Radio’s KOST 103.5 Presents: Barry Manilow – A Very Barry Christmas! Pop culture icon Barry Manilow performs his special holiday concert on Friday, December 14. With worldwide sales of more than 80 million records, Barry Manilow’s success is a benchmark in popular music. His concerts sell out instantly. He is ranked as the top Adult Contemporary chart artist of all time, according to R&R (Radio & Records) and Billboard Magazines. Click here to purchase tickets.
Gear up for the holiday season at this holiday pop-up, boasting over 20 artisanal vendors including makers, crafters and chefs. Local makers and crafters will display one-of-a-kind, festive goods to toast the season of oversized sweaters and hot chocolate (if L.A. weather permits). Find the fair in the lobby of DTLA’s Bank of America Building.
On Saturday, December 15th, Council member Marqueece Harris-Dawson will be hosting the 4th Annual Winter Wonderland at Baldwin Hills Crenshaw from 12 pm-4 pm. Winter Wonderland will be filled with fun holiday activities. Winter Wonderland will have snow sledding, a toy giveaway, food trucks, and music.
Susan Feniger of Border Grill and the Food Network’s Too Hot Tamales will be at The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens in the 1919 Café signing copies of Cooking with Too Hot Tamales, Mesa Mexicana, City Cuisine, and Susan Feniger’s Street Food. Meet the TV personality, restaurateur, cookbook author, and chef known for her eclectic and adventurous globally-inspired cuisine. Purchase one of her cookbooks from the 1919 Café to meet Chef Feniger and receive a personalized message inscribed in your book!
Songbird Dianne Reeves rings in the holidays at The Soraya with timeless jewels from her album Christmas Time is Here. The reigning diva of jazz was recently awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Juilliard, recognized for her “breathtaking virtuosity, improvisational prowess, and unique jazz and R&B style.” Join us for an evening with the four-time Grammy Award-winner for an unmatched holiday treat.
Ralphie wants one thing for Christmas—a Red Ryder BB rifle—mounting a full-scale, hint-dropping, Santa-begging campaign in the face of a nasty bully, an overworked department-store Santa, and other wintry calamities in what the New York Times calls “maybe the best Christmas movie ever.” (1983, dir. Bob Clark, 94 min.) All ages are welcome. This free program is not ticketed.
An Afternoon of Poetry and Performance at The Broad
Location: The Broad Stage
Red Hen Press and the Broad Stage are proud to present An Afternoon of Poetry and Performance. The performance features California Poet Laureate Dana Gioia, contemporary poet Blas Falconer, and award-winning composer Morten Lauridsen with award-winning musicians Rod Gilfry and Carin Gilfry. The spiritual depth of Morten Lauridsen’s music will make for a thrilling venture into the radiant beauty of soul language.
The perennially popular Handel’s Messiah jubilantly conducted by Artistic Director Grant Gershon and sung by the Los Angeles Master Chorale is a Christmastime concert experience not to be missed.
Now that the holidays are in full swing, the bounty of festive events is upon us. While it’s never quite “Winter” in LA, we certainly know how to make the magic of the season happen. With that in mind, we say pause your Netflix night in and don your best seasonal attire, Tis’ the Season for the Holidays in LA Pt. 2!!
Winter Wonderland at The Grove
Nov. 19th-Dec. 25th
Location: The Grove
Celebrate the holidays at one of LA’s famed shopping destinations-The Grove. The month long celebration features a 100-foot Christmas Tree, the Santa House, and additional live music and entertainment. Snow falls every evening up until December 25th at 7pm and 8pm. Click here for more info.
Santa Con
Santa-Con
December 8th
Location: TBA
As the event sates, Santa Con is one of the few chances adults get to truly take part in the wonder of Christmas. It likely doesn’t hurt that adult beverages are involved. Part-takers are encouraged to dress in their Jolly best for this free angeleno event. Click here for more info.
Brew HoHo
December 8th
Location: The Phoenix Club, Anaheim
With over 100 craft beers to chose from, its no wonder Brew HoHo stays a hit year after year. Many of the city’s best beer is brewed in Anaheim, making the venue of choice that much more ideal for the beer fanatic in you. Click here for more info.
Santa Monica Pub Crawl
Santa Monica Pub Crawl
December 8th
Location: Santa Monica
What better way to jumpstart the holidays than jingling all the way to SMPC’s 10th annual holiday event. Ok, maybe no jingling but certainly a fair amount of festive fun. With over 6,000 patrons having crawled until their hearts content last year, this years event is sure to be just as memorable. The fee to take part is $15 and proceeds from the Pub Crawl will go towards the Westside Food Bank to aid those in need during the holiday season. Click here for more info.
Festival of Carols
December 8th & 15th
Location: Disney Hall, DTLA
Whether you love a classic holiday song or just the joy of the season, the Festival of Carols is sure to put you in the Christmas spirit. With over 100 classically trained carolers, this event is sure to warm the heart of even the most Grinch-iest of Grinches in your friend group. Click here for more info.
Snow Wonder
Marina Del Rey-Snow Wonder
Dec. 8th
Location: Burton Chase Park
Ring in the holidays at Marina Del Rey’s annual Holiday celebration-Snow Wonder. Enjoy art, crafts, music, food and even real snow as Burton Chase Park isn transformed into a Winter Wonderland. The event will also feature a fireworks display followed by the Marina’s Boat parade. Whether you chose to sled or sit in on the days fun, Snow Wonder is guaranteed to be a hit for the entire family. Click here for more info.
Stevie Wonder’s House Full of Toys
Stevie Wonder’s House Full of Toy’s benefit concert
December 9th
Location: Staples Center
Stevie Wonder’s House Full of Toys returns for its 22nd year at the Staples Center in Downtown L.A. The event is hosted by the musician himself along with other special guest in order to raise funds to provide toys for thousands of children in orphanages, hospitals, and shelters throughout LA. This year the show will also serve as a benefit concert for those affected by the recent California Wildfires. Concert-goers are encouraged to bring an unwrapped gift or toy. Click here for more info.
Winter Wonderland End of Year Party
The Source OC- Winter Wonderland Year End Party
December 15th
Location: The Source, Buena Park
While there is still a couple weeks before you start planning your NYE celebrations, The Source’s Year-End party is the kickstarter. With a five-hour open bar, food samples, and a goodie bag valued at over $100 as well as top-notch DJ’s, you’ll leave having won the season! Click here for more info.
Newport Beach Boat Parade
December 19th-23rd
Location: Newport Beach
Celebrating its 110th annual year, the Newport Beach Boat Parade is a showcase of luxury. From boats to yachts and even canoes donned in over $500,000 worth of Holiday decor, it is a spectacle worth viewing. Don’t miss out on on Bayside lit up in its festive splendor. Click here for more info.
LA County Holiday Celebration
LA County Holiday Celebration
December 24th
Location: Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, DTLA
Celebrate the many cultures of the Holidays and LA at the LA County’s 59th Annual Holiday Celebration. This free event is fun for all ages with over three-hours of multicultural music, dancing, and performances. Many diverse L.A. – based artists and community groups showcase their talent, artistry and traditions on The Music Center’s iconic Dorothy Chandler Pavilion stage. The event is put on by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and will also be streamed on pbssocal.org. Click here for more info.
The Holidays at Universal Studios
Now-January 6th
Location: Universal Studios, Universal City, LA
Let your inner “Who” or “Wizard” run free at Universal Studios annual Holiday celebration. Enjoy a “Grinchmas” with all of your Whoville favorites and Dec.8, 9 and 14 – 30 as you partake in Who-liday celebrations. Solemnly swear that your up to no good? Well you wont need a Marauders map for the Wizarding World pf Harry Potter’s Christmas celebration. Venture over to Hogsmeade and enjoy festive decor, and dazzling lights music cast against the backdrop of the Hogwarts Student Choir and accompanying throaty frogs. Plus what better time to enjoy a hot cup of Butterbeer (in our case all the time but especially during the holidays)? Click here for more info.
“Holiday Time in Paleyland”
Holiday Time in PaleyLand
Nov. 24th-Jan 6th
Location: The Paley Center, Beverly Hills
Celebrate the joy of the season with a family-friendly line-up of classic holiday features. Playing from noon-5pm will be festive favorites like Dr. Suess’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas, A Rugrats Kwanzaa, and Frosty the Snowman. Santa will also be there for the fun on the weekend and select weekdays from 11am-5pm. Enjoy the screenings while taking part in fun games and complimentary hot cocoa! Click here for more info.
Queen Mary Christmas
Dancers perfrom around the main Christmas tree at the Queen Mary’s Chill Ice Adventure Park in Long Beach on Wednesday, December 13, 2017. (Photo by Scott Varley, Daily Breeze/SCNG)
Now-Jan. 6th
Location: The Queen Mary, Long Beach
Step aboard Long Beach’s Queen Mary for a Holiday Extravaganza. A mix of new and old traditions, the holiday spectacular features beautiful decks of lights, carolers and musical performances. Enjoy the outdoor skating rink or visit with Santa. Walk through the Gingerbread Village or lounge in Santa’s Captains Quarters. There is festive fun for all to be had! For more info click here.
Holiday in the Park
Holiday in The Park at Six Flags Magic Mountain
Dec. 15th-30th
Location: Six Flags Magic Mountain, Los Angeles
The “Thrill Capital of the World” brings you all the holiday joy this season with their festive celebration. With over two million lights strewn about the park from Merry Lane to Santa’s Cottage, you will be in a world of holiday splendor. Entertainment will include the Holiday Square Carolers and music by the Mistletones and Kwerkmas. Jingle all the way through the day and don’t miss out on this family fun! Click here for more info.
No matter your plans this season, we at Rodeo Realty wish everyone a Happy Holidays!
With as many restaurants as there are Bird scooters, we’ve decided to simplify your options of the week by dishing out the best places to grab a bite from power lunches to elegant fare. Read below for our nosh worthy eats throughout L.A.
“Breakfast is the most important deal of the day…”
Top Chef contestant Shirley Chung has completed her LA move, after opening a smaller stall at The Fields and now this all-day contender in Culver City, serving breakfast through dinner (with a small break in the afternoon) serving reasonably priced, new school Chinese comfort fare. So far the results are pretty solid, making Ms. Chi one of the most compelling places to open in Downtown Culver City since Bacoshop.
Already clogging up Instagram with its delectable Japanese-style sandwiches, this coffee and daytime restaurant goes into a tiny slot in Echo Park from Akira Akuto and Nick Montgomery. Order the katsu sando, Japanese-style convenience store food, and see what happens when cooks use high-quality Duroc pork with plush milk bread. Prices are high considering the inspiration for these sandwiches, but the flavor is there to match.
Amara Chocolate’s tiny interior is often mistaken for a Venezuelan cafe. And while the spicy cacao latte is worth it, so are the fluffy, yet crispy arepas. The kitchen stuffs these traditional Venezuelan pockets with shredded beef arepas with gouda, or fresh cheese, black beans, and ripe sweet plantains. Amara also has something unique to LA: cachapas, a Venezuelan crêpe made with fresh and roasted yellow corn.
This Downtown Indian restaurant has a new outlet in the heart of Fairfax District serving upscaled curry classics. Bring a crew and share the hyped (but delicious) chicken tikka poutine, spicy lamb vindaloo, and fresh naan.
Echo Park’s Cosa Buona is an eastside staple for a casual menu that goes beyond pizza to include a collection of droolworthy sandwiches. They all stay true to the Italian-American ethos of the place, from those mozzarella sticks to chicken parm or meatball sandwiches to a collection of simple salads.
This second floor space looks unassuming from the street but inside there’s possibly the best Sichuan food outside of San Gabriel Valley and it’s deep in the Westside. Sure, there’s Din Tai Fung and Meizhou Dongpo at nearby Century City, but the real sichuan spice lovers will come to this Santa Monica Boulevard strip mall for one of LA’s top Chinese restaurants. Try the special noodles, cold chicken, and toothpick lamb.
Highly regarded San Francisco chef Daniel Patterson has brought his Alta restaurant to West Adams, installing Watts native Keith Corbin as the chef. The fare and vibe is spot-on for what the neighborhood needs, a well composed dining room that doesn’t feel fussy with some “California soul food” to match on the menu. Corbin takes comfortable classics like fried chicken, oxtails and rice, and collard greens and puts a bit of finesse on them. Don’t miss the excellent wine list either.
This casual pasta and salad restaurant in El Segundo is a smash hit with locals, taking over a corner slot in a strip mall and filled with carb-loving diners. Chef Jackson Kalb, formerly of Factory Kitchen and NYC’s Union Square Cafe, takes a casual every day Italian-American approach to pasta, with some maximum flavor going into the handmade noodles. It’s the most exciting place to open in this main drag of El Segundo since the next door Sausal debuted a few years back.
Sara Kramer and Sarah Hymanson opened this sleek modern Middle Eastern restaurant in early 2017 with a commitment to refined, restrained technique and top-quality farmers market produce. The result is one of the most popular new restaurants in the city. The morning Turkish-ish breakfast is a solid daytime pick, while the mezzes and small plates rule the roost for dinner service.
