Best Things To Do This Week In Los Angeles And SoCal: March 27 - 30

Screen 1970s grindhouse horror films. Watch Cameron Esposito’s new hour of comedy live. Attend AirTalk LIVE’s COVID Doctors Retrospective. And get pumped because Dodgers baseball is back!

Events

Monday, March 27 - Tuesday, March 28; 7:30 p.m.

The Abominable Dr. Phibes / The House that Dripped Blood
New Beverly Cinema
7165 Beverly Blvd., Fairfax
It’s Grindhouse night at the New Beverly, and it's screening two films from 1971. The Abominable Dr. Phibes stars Vincent Price (one of our favorites) in the titular role, avenging his wife’s death. The House That Dripped Blood is a horror anthology from Robert Bloch, directed by Peter Duffell and featuring stars that include Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing.
COST: $12; MORE INFO

Kelvin Harrison Jr. stars as Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, an 18th century French Creole virtuoso violinist and composer.

(Photo by Larry Horricks. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures.)

Monday, March 27; 7 - 9 p.m.

Reel To Reel: Chevalier
Grammy Museum
800 W. Olympic Blvd., downtown L.A.
This program shows exclusive clips from the forthcoming film Chevalier, inspired by the true story of composer Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges. Listen to a panel of creatives, including the film’s star Kelvin Harrison Jr., director Stephen Williams, composer Kris Bowers, and producer and arranger of the musical performances Michael Abels. The discussion will be followed by a special performance.
COST: $20; MORE INFO

Tuesday, March 28; 7 p.m.

Henry & June
Los Feliz 3
1822 N. Vermont Ave., Los Feliz
The American Cinematheque teams with Karina Longworth’s acclaimed podcast You Must Remember This for an “Erotic ‘90s” series. The podcast explores the secret and/or forgotten histories of Hollywood’s first century and the series screens the films discussed on the podcast on Tuesdays. First up is Philip Kaufman’s Henry & June (1990).
COST: $8 - $13; MORE INFO

Wednesday, March 29; 6:30 - 8 p.m.

AirTalk LIVE: COVID Doctors Retrospective
Caltech’s Beckman Auditorium
332 S. Michigan Ave., Pasadena
LAist presents host Larry Mantle as he’s joined a panel of doctors (and regular AirTalk guests). They’ll reflect on three years of living through a pandemic and discuss what they envision for the future.
COST: FREE - $15; MORE INFO

Wednesday, March 29 - Saturday, April 1; 7:30 p.m.

Cameron Esposito
Lyric Hyperion
2106 Hyperion Ave., Silver Lake
Comedian and QUEERY podcaster Cameron Esposito headlines a run of shows in which she riffs on her most personal material yet: a life-changing mental health diagnosis, divorce and getting remarried.
COST: $12 - $20; MORE INFO

Wednesday, March 29 - Sunday, April 16

SpringTopia: A Family Fun Fest - Los Angeles
6100 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Woodland Hills
This outdoor family experience includes several theme parks and fairground amusements wrapped up in one event. Interactive and immersive lands feature a light show, real puppies, a 3D circus, a winter wonderland, two spooky mazes, a life-size pirate ship and a silent disco.
COST: Tickets start at $35; MORE INFO

Wednesday, March 29; 7 p.m. (doors)

Andy Clockwise with Junaco, DJ Lord Fascinator
Gold-Diggers
5632 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood
Andy Clockwise is set to release the first two volumes of his four-album opus and heads out on tour to support the music. Bringing a mix of nu-folk, electronic, post-punk and New Wave, he’ll perform an intimate show in L.A. this week.
COST: Tickets start at $16.54; MORE INFO

Cassandra Trenary and Daniel Camargo in the ballet 'Like Water for Chocolate,' which has its North American premiere at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts.

(Fabrizio Ferri)

Wednesday, March 29 - Sunday, April 2

American Ballet Theatre’s Like Water for Chocolate 
Segerstrom Hall
Segerstrom Center for the Arts
600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa
Watch the North American premiere of Christopher Wheeldon’s latest full-length ballet, performed live by Pacific Symphony. Staged in three acts, the work features an original score by Joby Talbot and is inspired by Laura Esquivel’s novel of the same name. Set in 19th-century Mexico, the ballet tells the story of Tita, a young Mexican woman who follows duty and family tradition, unable to marry until her mother dies.
COST: Single tickets start at $29; MORE INFO

Thursday, March 30; 7:10 p.m.

Dodgers Opening Day
Dodger Stadium
1000 Elysian Park Ave., Elysian Park
It’s time for Dodgers baseball! The 2023 regular season opens with the boys in blue taking on the Arizona Diamondbacks. Julio Urías takes to the mound as the game’s starting pitcher.
COST: Tickets start at $96; MORE INFO

Thursday, March 30 - Sunday, April 2

The Other Art Fair (TOAF)
Barker Hangar 
3021 Airport Ave., Suite 203
TOAF strives to present art without the usual elitism. In addition to viewing hundreds of works of art, the programming includes guest exhibitions, immersive installations, live poetry readings and DJs.

COST: $12 - $20, $45 - $50 for opening night party; MORE INFO

Thursday, March 30; 6 - 10 p.m.

Los Angeles Union Station's Season Opener Watch Party + Fan Fest
Union Station - South Patio 
800 N. Alameda St., downtown L.A. 
If you can’t make it to the aforementioned game, the station hosts a public watch party and fan fest for the Dodgers’ season opener. Watch the game live on a large LED screen, surrounded by family friendly activities such as face painting, a personal baseball card photo station, music, prizes, giveaways, swag and baseball-themed snacks and swag. If you are craving a heartier meal, burgers, brats and beer are available at the station’s Homebound Brew Haus.
COST: FREE admission; MORE INFO

Thursday, March 30; 8 p.m.

Matthew Desmond: Poverty, by America
William Turner Gallery at Bergamot Arts Station
2525 Michigan Ave., E-1, Santa Monica  
Live Talks Los Angeles welcomes Pulitzer Prize-winning, bestselling author (Evicted) Matthew Desmond as he discusses his latest book Poverty, by America. He puts forward a new and bracing argument about why it persists in America: because the rest of us benefit from it.
COST: $20 - $46, virtual options available; MORE INFO

Viewing Pick

The Big Door Prize
Based on a novel of the same name by M.O. Walsh, The Big Door Prize is a half-hour comedy series created by Emmy winner David West Read (Schitt’s Creek), who also serves as showrunner and executive producer. With a cast led by Chris O’Dowd, Gabrielle Dennis and Ally Maki, the show follows what happens when a mysterious machine appears in a general store, promising to reveal each resident’s future potential. The first three episodes of The Big Door Prize debut on Wednesday, March 29 on Apple TV+ followed by one new episode air on Wednesdays through May 17.

Dine and Drink Deals

Loreto - Barra de Peninsula, a new resturant that opened in Frogtown, is described as "a gastronomic trip through the Mar de Cortés."

(Jakob N. Layman)

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

• The Lemon Grove rooftop bar, atop The Aster in Hollywood, debuts a new Moonlight Hour on Thursday, March 30. The late-night twist on happy hour offers discounted food items and specialty cocktails Thursdays through Saturdays from 9:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Offerings include charcuterie and cheese ($15), flatbread and a bucket of four beers or a bottle of wine ($40) and mixed mushroom flatbread ($12). 
• To close out Women’s History Month, Women Who Whiskey Los Angeles holds an evening of cocktails at the woman-owned Greenbar Distillery on Wednesday, March 29 at 7 p.m. Open to everyone (ages 21+), the night includes a tour of L.A.'s first distillery since Prohibition, an array of tastes from Greenbar's portfolio of organic spirits, low-abv cocktails, non-alcoholic RTDs (ready to drink) and light bites. Tickets are $49.
• The team behind the Arts District’s LA Cha Cha Chá opens their newest bar and restaurant concept Loreto - Barra de Peninsula in Frogtown. They’re serving up premium seafood, almost entirely from Mexico, “prepared with bold and spicy flavors from Sinaloa, the smoky charcoal grills from Sonora, and the nuanced flavors from the Bajas.” Loreto is currently open for dinner from 5 to 10 p.m. from Thursdays to Mondays.
• The cocktail den Bar Envie recently opened in Long Beach. Inspired by the sips and tastes of New Orleans, bar offerings include the Chartreuse Julep, Rhubarb Ramos Fizz and the Absinthe La Louche experience. Crescent City food classics including gumbo and jambalaya are on the weekly rotating menu. Bar Envie has happy hour daily, but Tuesdays are “Fat Tuesday” happy hour, from 4 p.m. to close.
• In honor of Women’s History Month, Gracias Madre West Hollywood teams executive chef Diana Briscoe and Maciel Bañales Luna, owner of Maciel’s Plant-Based Butcher Shop, on Tuesday, March 28. Starting at 7 p.m., they’ll present a plant-based, Mexican-inspired four-course tasting menu featuring house-made plant-based meats, including a corn salad with Maciel’s bacon, plus her crab cakes and Mexican ribs. Tickets are $125 per person, with an option to add mezcal pairings (+$55).