Where to watch the Rams, Eddie Izzard does Hamlet, a birthday party for Marion Davies, ecolearning in the Sepulveda Basin and more of the best things to do this weekend.
Highlights:
The Rams are selling $10 tickets to watch the NFC Championship Game at SoFi stadium, and fans are already snapping them up.
Eddie Izzard stars in an acclaimed solo performance of Hamlet at The Montalban.
DineLA comes to Grand Central Market with $15 lunch menus and $25 dinner menus.
Comedy legend Margaret Cho comes to The Wallis for what she says will be her "most blistering and brutally honest show yet."
I have been LOVING how green everything is. The regrowth post-fires is nothing short of inspiring, and you can check out some of these hikes over the weekend to see for yourself. Another way to take advantage of the outdoors is by booking a free guided tour of the new 101 Wildlife Crossing. They’re coming up throughout the spring, so check the site for available dates to book.
But I know, I know, there are football playoffs to watch, too. So FINE: Here’s your watch party rundown for the Rams, who are one win away from the Super Bowl. What a year for L.A. sports…
If music is more your thing, Licorice Pizza has your listings for the weekend. It’s National Association of Music Merchants week down in Anaheim, and one of the coolest annual NAMM events is always the She Rocks Awards on Friday, hosted this year by the Bangles’ Vicki Peterson and Stitched Up Heart frontwoman Mixi Demner. Also on Friday, 112 is at the YouTube Theater, Dan Deacon plays the Teragram, Aaron Lee Tasjan is at McCabe’s in Santa Monica and Living Colour with John 5 is at the Observatory. And right at Licorice Pizza, Tenacious D’s one and only Kyle Gass performs with his band on Friday to celebrate the release of their new concert album, Live in Palmdale.
Finally, on Saturday, you can check out Ground Control Touring’s 4th Annual Abortion Access Benefit Series at the Lodge Room. Seahaven is performing Winter Forever in full at the Teragram, and Grammy-winner Arooj Aftab is at the Bram Goldsmith Theater.
Olive & June x Frankie's on the Park Galentine’s Mani Party
Saturday, January 24, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 712 Montana Ave., Santa Monica COST: FREE; MORE INFO
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Courtesy The Juliette Group
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It’s almost Galentine’s Day, so get primped at a family-friendly manicure party hosted by Olive & June and Frankie's on the Park on Montana Ave in Santa Monica. Moms, kids and tweens will enjoy complimentary polish changes, playful press-on customization and exclusive giveaways from the hip polish brand.
Eddie Izzard in Shakespeare’s Hamlet
Through Saturday, January 31 The Montalban Theatre 1615 Vine Street, Hollywood COST: FROM $97; MORE INFO
Eddie Izzard is truly a one-of-a-kind performer. From her comedy roots to taking on Shakespeare, Izzard has always been ahead of the curve. This version of Hamlet is here at the Montalban following runs in New York and London; it received a New York Outer Critics Circle Award nomination for Outstanding Solo Performance, as well as a nomination for the New York Drama League’s Distinguished Performance Award. Izzard says, “I have always gravitated towards playing complex and challenging characters and Hamlet is the ultimate. This is a production for everyone, a timeless drama with an accidental hero. Selina, Mark and I want audiences to see and hear an accessible, touching, tragic and dramatic Hamlet.”
Altadena + Leimert Park Art Walk
Threads of Unity: Celebrating Creative Kinship in the Spirit of George Washington Carver Sunday, January 25, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. In front of KAOS 4343 Leimert Blvd., Leimert Park COST: FREE; MORE INFO
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Courtesy LA Commons
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Explore the links between Altadena and Leimert Park’s Black communities with this celebration of art and ecology. Featuring rhythmic drumming and movement, a rootspeak workshop, and an interactive art activity by an Altadena-based artist, the event will highlight Altadena’s recovery from the Eaton Fire. There will also be a panel featuring Black Altadena community leaders.
DineLA at Grand Central Market
Through February 6 317 S. Broadway, Downtown L.A. COST: VARIES; MORE INFO
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Courtesy DineLA
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Just as you’re winding down dry January and doubling down on those fitness New Year’s resolutions, it’s time again for DineLA. Over the next few weeks, we’ll feature some of our favorite deals happening, starting with Grand Central Market’s offerings, which include $15 menu items at favorites like Lucky Bird, Maple Block, Moon Rabbit and Mizon.
Brains On! LIVE
Saturday, January 24, 12:30 p.m. House of Blues 400 Disney Way #337, Anaheim COST: LAist 15% discount with Code BRAINS; MORE INFO
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Courtesy Brains On!
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Popular kids’ podcast Brains On! brings their show on the road for a live all-ages event at the House of Blues in Anaheim. The afternoon is full of magic tricks, dance moves, out-of-body experiences, mystery sounds and even a game show, making learning about science interactive and fun. LAist readers get a 15% discount with the code BRAINS; to "unlock" the discount, you need to click on the lock button at the top of the screen, which will open a window to put in the code.
earth dwell/ers school
Saturday, January 24, 12 p.m. Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve 6350 Woodley Ave., Van Nuys COST: FREE; MORE INFO
The Sepulveda Basin.
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Robert Gauthier
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Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
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The Sepulveda Basin is home to many native bird and plant species that we often just pass by in our daily city lives. Earth dwell/ers school exists to teach about the unique environment of the L.A. River by combining the social and political history of the area with nature talks, food and birdwatching. With all the greenery out now, it’s a great time to join this exciting event, which includes a talk on oak tree decomposition and leaf decay, a sound guide and “ecopoetic snacks inspired by the winter landscape and the animals that live within it.”
Happy Birthday, Marion!
Sunday, January 25, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Annenberg Community Beach House 415 Pacific Coast Hwy., Santa Monica COST: FREE; MORE INFO
Marion Davies lived a life of scandal and intrigue, starred in silent films and was a legendary figure in Old Hollywood. Channel a little of your own Marion energy at her annual birthday party, hosted at the Annenberg Community Beach House. The festivities include live music with Janet Klein and her Parlor Boys, a chance to learn some 1920s dance steps and a chat with Lara Gabrielle, author of Captain of Her Soul: The Life of Marion Davies. You can also tour the Marion Davies Guest House and time-travel to the glam Hollywood beach escape of the 1930s.
Margaret Cho: Choligarchy
Friday, January 23, 7 p.m. The Wallis 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills COST: FROM $10 (SOLD OUT, WAITLIST AVAILABLE); MORE INFO
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Courtesy The Wallis
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Margaret Cho has always had a take-no-prisoners approach to her comedy shows, and this night at the Wallis will be no different. "This will be my most blistering and brutally honest show yet! Let’s tear down racism, homophobia and sexism with all that we have. We have to fight for what we have now, because if we wait any longer, it might be too late to save ourselves,” says Cho. Laugh, cry, get it all out with one of the original groundbreaking women in the comedy scene.
Echoes of History: Inspiring Civic Action and Building Democracy
Friday, January 23, 9 a.m/ to 6 p.m. Japanese American National Museum 100 N. Central Ave., Arts District COST: FROM $50; MORE INFO
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John Rudoff
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Japanese American National Museum
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If we don’t study history, we’re bound to repeat it. The Daniel K. Inouye National Center for the Preservation of Democracy (Democracy Center) at the Japanese American National Museum presents the symposium, Echoes of History: Inspiring Civic Action and Building Democracy. Hear from experts speaking about how we can create a lasting democracy, including Agnès Callamard of Amnesty International, Robert Evans of the Behind the Bastards and It Could Happen Here podcasts, contemporary artist Glenn Kaino and Pulitzer Prize–winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen at the day-long symposium. The event also includes complimentary admission to the exhibition MONUMENTS at MOCA, a mobile “banned bookmobile” presented by Bloom Wild Bookshop and a participatory musical performance by Great Leap featuring artist-activist Nobuko Miyamoto. The talks will also be live-streamed virtually for $25.
Nominations for the 98th Academy Awards were announced this morning.
What's next: The awards ceremony will be held on March 15. You can watch the announcement above, or check back soon for a full list of nominees.
Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman presented the nominees for the 98th Academy Awards this morning. The awards ceremony will be held on March 15. You can watch the announcement above, or check back soon for a full list of nominees.
What to expect: Light rainfall with cool temperatures of mostly in the mid 60s.
What about snow: Any snow fall will reach the 8,000-foot elevation range today, and drop down to 6,000 feet tomorrow.
QUICK FACTS
Today’s weather: Mostly cloudy
Beaches: mid 60s
Mountains: 55 to 64 degrees
Inland: 62 to 68 degrees
Warnings and advisories: None
After a warm spell, winter weather has returned to Southern California.
Thursday's rainfall will be on the drizzly, scattered end of things. The National Weather Service forecasts around a quarter inch of rainfall through Friday. Any snowfall will stick to the 8,000-foot elevation range Thursday, and drop down to around 6,000 feet by Friday.
As for temperatures, it's going to be another relatively cool day.
We're looking at highs in the mid 60s from the coasts to the valleys, and up to 68 degrees in the Inland Empire. In the Antelope Valley, temperatures will range from 54 to 63 degrees. And in Coachella Valley, expect daytime highs from 69 to 74 degrees and dry conditions.
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The Sundance Film Festival begins for the last time in Park City, Utah, before heading to Boulder, Colo., next year. It's a bittersweet finale for the country's premier independent film festival, founded by Robert Redford in 1978.
Honoring the festival's history: With a gala, the festival plans to pay tribute to the late actor and director, who died of natural causes in September. This year, the festival will screen films that got their starts at Sundance, including Little Miss Sunshine, which went on to be nominated for best picture at the 2007 Oscars.
What else will be screened? The festival will also screen a remastered print of the 1969 movie Downhill Racer, in which Redford plays a champion skier. Over the years, Sundance has been a launching pad for filmmakers such as Quentin Tarantino, Ava DuVernay, The Coen brothers, Ryan Coogler, Chloe Zhao and Paul Thomas Anderson.
The Sundance Film Festival begins for the last time in Park City, Utah, before heading to Boulder, Colo., next year. It's a bittersweet finale for the country's premier independent film festival, founded by Robert Redford in 1978.
With a gala, the festival plans to pay tribute to the late actor and director, who died of natural causes in September.
"Before he passed earlier this year, [Redford] shared with us this quote: 'Everybody has a story,'" says the festival's director, Eugene Hernandez. "This notion is such a great framing for a festival that has always been about finding and sharing with audiences the stories that come from all over the world."
This year, the festival will screen films that got their starts at Sundance, including Little Miss Sunshine, which went on to be nominated for best picture at the 2007 Oscars.
The festival will also screen a remastered print of the 1969 movie Downhill Racer, in which Redford plays a champion skier. Redford was also a producer on this indie film.
"He would tell this story year after year about getting Downhill Racer made," recalls Sundance senior programmer John Nein. "It became a way that he understood the notion of protecting independence and protecting the artistic voice of a film. He often used that when he talked to emerging filmmakers, to relate to the struggles that they had in getting their films made the way that they wanted to."
Nein says one way to recognize that legacy is by programming 40 percent of the slate from first-time filmmakers. More than 16,200 films were submitted from 164 countries. Throughout the year, the Sundance Institute hosts labs and programs and provides grants and fellowships for independent filmmakers.
Over the years, Sundance has been a launching pad for filmmakers such as Quentin Tarantino, Ava DuVernay, The Coen brothers, Ryan Coogler, Chloe Zhao and Paul Thomas Anderson.
Another filmmaker whose career Sundance supported is Rachel Lambert, who says she was inspired by a film Redford directed: Ordinary People.
"It's a profound legacy a single human being can leave an entire nation's culture," she says of Redford. "It's remarkable."
Lambert will premiere her newest film, Carousel, a love story starring Chris Pine and Jenny Slate.
Also showing at Sundance: documentaries about Chicano theater pioneer Luis Valdez, singer Courtney Love, tennis star Billie Jean King, and South African leader Nelson Mandela.
Among the features in competition is The Gallerist with Natalie Portman and Jenna Ortega.
Another is The Invite, with Olivia Wilde, Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton. The Invite's producer, David Permut, has been faithfully attending Sundance since the late 1980s, when he was in the audience for Steven Soderbergh's breakout Sex, Lies, and Videotape.
"I never miss Sundance. I've been going every year since," says Permut. "I stay for 10 days, I'm not in and out like a lot of people from Hollywood when they're there with their film. I love the second week because it's basically cinephiles from all over the world."
Permut showed his first film at Sundance — Three of Hearts — in 1993. Last year, his film Twinless won the festival's audience award.
"I have 57 movies I want to see this coming Sundance," he says. "For me, it's about discovery."
Actress Hana Mana in <em>The Friend's House Is Here</em>. The film was smuggled out of Iran to premiere at this year's Sundance Film Festival.
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Alma Linda Films
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Some filmmakers have gone to great lengths to get their work screened this year — including the Iranian film The Friend's House is Here.
The drama—set in Tehran's underground art scene — was shot under the radar of Iranian authorities. Amid the country's recent political turmoil, members of the film's crew had to drive 11 hours to smuggle the film over the Turkish border to get it to the festival. According to the film's publicist, the film's two main actresses were not heard from for weeks during Iran's recent unrest. The publicist says the women are now safe but have been denied visas by the United States to attend Sundance.
Copyright 2026 NPR
Pie 'n Burger cheeseburger, one of nearly 50 spots participating in Pasadena Cheeseburger Week, Jan. 25-31.
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jslander
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LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr
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Topline:
The annual Pasadena Cheeseburger Week runs Sunday through Jan. 31, celebrating the burger's local origin story and the 100th anniversary of Route 66. Lionel Sternberger is credited with inventing the cheeseburger in 1924 at his father's roadside stand, the Rite Spot, on what would become part of Route 66 along Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena.
Why it matters: Pasadena’s claim to the cheeseburger is a significant part of Southern California's food history, with direct ties to car culture and roadside dining.
Who's participating: Nearly 50 restaurants are taking part, including Dog Haus Biergarten, Pie 'n Burger, the Taproom at the Langham Huntington Hotel and Magnolia House. There are also week-only specials, including Tardino Bros. Italian Kitchen's chili cheeseburger pizza and Burrito Express' smashburger taco.
Why now: It’s a perfect opportunity to explore some of those Pasadena spots that you've been meaning to try (and a good way to fire up your palate before LAist’s citywide Tournament of Cheeseburgers later this year!).
Topline:
The annual Pasadena Cheeseburger Week runs Sunday through Jan. 31, celebrating the burger's local origin story and the 100th anniversary of Route 66. Lionel Sternberger is credited with inventing the cheeseburger in 1924 at his father's roadside stand, the Rite Spot, on what would become part of Route 66 along Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena.
Why it matters: Pasadena’s claim to the cheeseburger is a significant part of Southern California's food history, with direct ties to car culture and roadside dining.
Who's participating: Nearly 50 restaurants are taking part, including Dog Haus Biergarten, Pie 'n Burger, the Taproom at the Langham Huntington Hotel and Magnolia House. There are also week-only specials, including Tardino Bros. Italian Kitchen's chili cheeseburger pizza and Burrito Express' smashburger taco.
Why now: It’s a perfect opportunity to explore some of those Pasadena spots that you've been meaning to try (and a good way to fire up your palate before LAist’s citywide Tournament of Cheeseburgers later this year!).
