Best Things To Do This Week in Los Angeles And SoCal: Jan. 30 - Feb. 2

Watch Jean-Luc Godard’s last film. Be dazzled by the artistry of Québec-based Cirque FLIP. View new works by Alison Saar. Attend LAist’s in person event: Culinary Connections - What’s Good In DTLA Food with our How To LA team.

Events

Monday, Jan. 30; 8:30 p.m.

Homage to Jean-Luc Godard: Le Livre d'image
REDCAT
631 W. 2nd St., downtown L.A.
REDCAT screens the late Jean-Luc Godard’s last film (1930-2022) Le Livre d’image (The Image Book). One of the most influential filmmakers of the last six decades, Godard directed Breathless (1960), Une Femme est une femme (1961), Vivre sa vie (1962) Contempt (1963), Band of Outsiders (1964) and many others. The Image Book is an essay film — a montage of film excerpts, archives, television reportage and fragments of text and music that transforms the original material.
COST: $10 - $12; MORE INFO

Tuesday, Jan. 31; 7 p.m.

How Has Computer Code Shaped Humanity? 
ASU California Center (and online)
1111 S Broadway, downtown L.A.
Zócalo and Future Tense present a discussion between tech entrepreneur Nonny de la Peña, author Charlton McIlwain and internet activist Ethan Zuckerman on human decision-making’s impact on the digital world—and the ways that code has impacted humanity. In-person guests are invited to a post-discussion reception.
COST: FREE with RSVP; MORE INFO

Wednesday, Feb. 1; 7:30 p.m.

Sophie Sucks Face ft Rachel Bloom!
Dynasty Typewriter
2511 Wilshire Blvd., Westlake
Guest Rachel Bloom joins Sophie Zucker ahead of the debut West Coast performance of her one-woman musical about love, incest, the widowhood effect and American-Israeli relations. “When Sophie accidentally hooks up with her cousin, she must decide to shun him or seduce him at the next family gathering.” This show is 18+.
COST: $20 - $25; MORE INFO

Wednesday, Feb. 1 - Saturday, Feb. 4

Whitney Houston Hotel 
W Hollywood 
6250 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood
The Estate of Whitney Houston and Primary Wave Music honor the late singer for her 60th birthday (coming up this Aug. 9) with a Grammy-week residency. Taking place at the W Hollywood, the programming includes Sony’s 360 Reality Audio Immersive Listening Lounge and a memorabilia exhibit featuring photos of Houston and iconic gowns worn throughout her career. There’s also a Whitney Houston pop-up shop with exclusive merch.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

Wednesday, Feb. 1 - Wednesday, March 1

2023 Directors Close-Up
The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts / Virtual
9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills
Film Independent signature program returns, focusing on the art and craft of directing and celebrating the directors, writers and creators nominated for the 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards. The program begins with seven online sessions and ends with three in-person events at the Wallis. The Feb. 1 program, Maiden Voyage: Best First Feature, includes speakers Elegance Bratton (The Inspection), Jamie Dack (Palm Trees and Power Lines), John Patton Ford (Emily the Criminal), Antoneta Alamat Kusijanovic (Murina) and Charlotte Wells (Aftersun).
COST: $99 - $150 for series passes; MORE INFO

Wednesday, Feb. 1; 7:30 p.m.

Cirque FLIP Fabrique: Muse
Smothers Theatre, Pepperdine University
24255 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu 
Québec-based Cirque FLIP Fabrique brings its contemporary circus to Pepperdine. Set to an original score and live vocals, watch acrobats, trapeze artists, aerialists and other performers play with traditional gender roles in Muse. (If you can't make Wednesday's show in Malibu, the Cirque moves Cal State Long Beach's Carpenter Center on Saturday, Feb. 4.)
COST: $10 - $50; MORE INFO

Through Saturday, March 11

Alison Saar: Uproot
La Louver
45 N. Venice Blvd., Venice 
L.A. Louver presents new work by Alison Saar who examines the realities, histories and layers of Black womanhood in the United States. This show marks Saar’s eighth with the gallery and includes sculptures, paintings and prints. The opening reception takes place on Wednesday, Feb. 1 from 6 to 8 p.m.
COST: FREE with RSVP; MORE INFO

Culinary Connections - What’s Good In DTLA Food With How To LA takes place at the Crawford Family Forum on Feb. 2.

(Courtesy of LAist)

Thursday, Feb. 2, 7 p.m.

Culinary Connections - What’s Good In DTLA Food With How To LA
Crawford Family Forum
474 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena
Join How To LA’s Cheap, Fast Eats team Brian De Los Santos and Gab Chabrán to hear how great budget-friendly eateries around downtown L.A. have developed ways to survive and thrive. Get the origin story of how superstar flour tortillas get made and hear tales from restaurants’ front lines. Of course, there will be something delicious to eat!
COST: FREE - $15; MORE INFO

Thursday, Feb. 2 - Saturday, Feb. 11

Jazz at Naz Festival
Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts (The Soraya)
18111 Nordhoff St., Northridge 
Eight-time Grammy winner Christian McBride’s “The Movement Revisited” kicks off the Jazz at Naz series with an aural tribute to Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr., Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X and Barack Obama. Other performers in the festival are: Samara Joy with Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, Loudon Wainwright III and Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks, Melissa Aldana and her Quartet and Joel Ross.
COST: Individual tickets start at $36; MORE INFO

Thursday, Feb. 2 - Sunday, Feb. 5

11th Annual San Pedro Film Festival
Several venues including 
Warner Grand Theatre at 478 W. 6th Street, San Pedro
The festival screens and celebrates the diverse culture and community of San Pedro with a series of independent film, documentaries and shorts. SPIFF opens with Christopher HK Lee’s Korean War documentary Forgotten Victory, with stories from Korean War refugees who share their memories of the Hungnam evacuation
COST: FREE admission with RSVP; MORE INFO

Thursday, Feb 2

UCLA First Thursdays
Westwood Village
1031 Broxton Ave., Westwood
UCLA First Thursdays returns this week, featuring daytime activations at the Westwood Village Farmers’ Market from 12 to 4 p.m., followed by an evening block party at 7 p.m. with experiences that include meteorites on display, telescopes to view the moon and Mars, photo booth, space games, performers and giveaways.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

Viewing Pick

Schoolhouse Rock! 50th Anniversary Singalong
Those of us of a certain age remember watching Interplanet Janet, Conjunctions and (I’m Just a) Bill on Saturday mornings. ABC airs a 50th anniversary special of Schoolhouse Rock! on Wednesday, Feb. 1 at 8 p.m. Hosted by Mr. ABC Ryan Seacrest, performers include Black Eyed Peas with "Three Is A Magic Number," Julianne Hough and "Interplanet Janet," The Muppets & Fortune Feimster with "Unpack Your Adjectives" and Ne-Yo’s rendition of "Verb: That's What's Happening." Available on Hulu on Feb. 2.]

Dine and Drink Deals

The Tasting Kitchen in Venice has launched its seasonal winter menu.

(DERRICKWORLDD)

Here are a few dine and drink deals to indulge this week.

• Beginning Monday, Jan. 30, Alfred Coffee guests can sip on the limited-time drink — the Coconut Date Shake Latte — that celebrates Alfred and Vita Coco’s collaboration. On Friday, Feb. 10, customers can order the Coconut Date Shake Latte for free during happy hour, up to $10 in value. Happy hours are exclusive for Alfred mobile app users and orders.
• On Feb. 2, Holey Grail Donuts unveil their latest “Breaking Bread” collaboration donut: the Dough-Nation with skater Tony Hawk. The Dough-Nation is a taro donut fried in coconut oil, and made with Hawaiian vanilla bean, burnt coconut caramel, and flakey salt. The donut will be available in February at all Holey Grail locations in L.A. and Hawaii. Proceeds from the sales will benefit The Skatepark Project, a nonprofit that offers grants to help finance public skateparks in low-income communities.
• Chef Travis Passerotti and his team at The Tasting Kitchen on Abbot Kinney just launched their winter menu, highlighting California’s bounty from the Santa Monica Farmers Market, handmade seasonal pastas, local meat purveyors and sustainable fish. New items include chicken wings with persimmon glaze and pistachio ($23), Heritage pork loin with black futsu pumpkin, apple, sage and prosciutto cider brood ($48) and agnolotti with short rib, sweet potato and chestnut ($36).  
• Bar Chelou from chef-owner Douglas Rankin (Bar Restaurant, Petit Trois, Trois Mec, Saam) opened last week in Pasadena offering a mix of small plates with French and Spanish influences. Dishes include clam toast, cheese and meat plates, rainbow trout and an Ibérico pork chop.
• On Tuesday, Jan. 31 LOAM at the Ace Hotel hosts L.A.’s first nonalcoholic bottle shop for the first Soft Spirits Supper. The vegetable-forward restaurant offers three-course prix fixe dinner where each course is paired with a spirit-free cocktail, wine or digestif selected by Soft Spirits founder Jillian Barkley. Main dishes are a market risotto with sunchoke chips, pomegranate, rosemary or grass-fed hanger with grilled spring onions, charred shishitos, zhoug. Tickets are $120.
• The Original Farmers Market at Third and Fairfax celebrates the Year of the Rabbit with Lucky 8 Specials that run from Monday, Jan. 30  to Sunday, Feb. 5. More than 20 market merchants are offering specials ranging from 88 cents to $8.88 and beyond. Specials include orange chicken plates, matcha green tea ice cream pints, Year of the Rabbit stickers, postage stamps, lottery scratchers, Tsing Tao beer and more.