The Best Things To Do In LA And SoCal This Weekend: Jan. 14 - 16

Watch taiko drummers live on stage. Attend NFMLA’s January film festival, virtually. Attend an Asian Expo featuring food, shopping, anime, and K-pop. Watch a virtual Q&A with Kirsten Dunst. And For Folk Sake — check out the pop art of Erick Martinez.

With COVID-19 variants rising, many in-person events are being canceled or postponed. Please check ahead of time to confirm event status and vaccine/testing requirements for entry.

Friday, Jan. 14: 7:30 p.m.

Taikoproject: Benzaiten
Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts 
Pepperdine University
24255 Pacific Coast Hwy., Malibu 
The Japanese drumming group performs a dynamic mix of classical and contemporary taiko drumming, storytelling, and choreography. The show is inspired by Benzaiten, the Japanese goddess of everything that flows.
COST: $20 - $40; MORE INFO

Friday, Jan. 14 - Saturday, Jan. 15

NewFilmmakers Los Angeles (NFMLA) Film Festival
Virtual
The monthly film festival returns with the program InFocus: Counter-Ageism, which spotlights films and storytellers who are challenging our perceptions around age. Friday’s panel discussions include FilmTrack and Entertainment Rights, Experience and Ageism in the Film Industry with Greenlight Women, and Feature Film Distribution with Andy Bohn. Saturday opens with shorts related to the festival’s theme, followed by the L.A. premiere of Matthew Wade’s A Black Rift Begins to Yawn, and closes with a selection of Winter Shorts featuring highlights from NFMLA’s ongoing programming.
COST: $10 - $30; MORE INFO

The Pageant of the Masters holds an open casting call for this summer's show, 'Wonderful World.'

(Meghan Perez)

Friday, Jan. 14 - Sunday, Jan. 16

Pageant of the Masters Casting Call 
Irvine Bowl
650 Laguna Canyon Rd., Laguna Beach
Can you stand still for 90 seconds? The Pageant of the Masters — the famous summer showcase of living pictures in Laguna Beach — is looking for adults and children of all sizes and ages to volunteer to pose in next summer's show, Wonderful World. If you don’t want to be on stage, volunteers are also needed in the wardrobe, makeup, and headdress departments. They're also looking for cast area coordinators and refreshment servers.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

Friday, Jan. 14: 8 p.m.

New Orleans Jazz Orchestra’s NOJO 7 featuring Cyrille Aimée
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
14900 La Mirada Blvd., La Mirada 
Listen to live jazz performed by the seven-piece ensemble of the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, led by artistic director Adonis Rose. The one-night engagement also features French singer Cyrille Aimée.
COST: Tickets start at $15; MORE INFO

Saturday, Jan. 15: 8 p.m.

Robert Glasper Reimagines Ellington
Walt Disney Concert Hall
111 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles
The pianist who blends R&B, soul, and jazz performs Duke Ellington classics for the 21st century with orchestra and a few surprise guests.
COST: $59 - $147; MORE INFO

Saturday, Jan. 15 - Sunday, Jan. 16

2022 Asian American Expo
Fairplex
1101 W McKinley Ave., Pomona 
The Expo celebrates Asian cultures and upcoming Lunar New Year traditions with seven exhibition halls, more than 1,000 vendors, nine performance stages, and three food courts. Other attractions include the Sneaker Expo, the K-Play Fest, and the Anime Impulse + Gaming hall.
COST: $15 - $30; MORE INFO

Saturday, Jan. 15: 4 - 8 p.m.

Own Your Crown Group Show
eWKUKs... Flagship Store and Gallery
527 North Fairfax Ave., Fairfax
The men’s lifestyle brand and Crowns & Hops Brewing Company team up to host the opening reception for a group art show that celebrates the Black community. Tunes provided by Kweku Larbie, aka djaaay_q.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

'The Cultivators: Highlights from the Kinsey African American Art and History Collection' opens at the Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art in Malibu.

(Courtesy of the Kinsey African American Art and History Collection )

Saturday, Jan. 15 - Sunday, March 27

The Cultivators: Highlights from the Kinsey African American Art and History Collection
Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art, Pepperdine University
24255 Pacific Coast Hwy., Malibu 
View art, photographs, rare books, letters, and manuscripts that chronicle the achievements and contributions of African Americans over the last five centuries. Curated by Khalil Kinsey and Larry Earl, The Cultivators includes some of the Kinsey Collection’s signature objects, along with works that have never before been shown publicly.
COST: FREE but tickets required; MORE INFO

Saturday, Jan. 15 - Wednesday, Feb. 2

Erick Martinez: For Folk Sake
Giant Robot 2 
2062 Sawtelle Blvd., Sawtelle
The gallery presents a solo exhibition from the L.A.-based Illustrator, screenprinter, and woodworker. The artworks will be available to view online at noon on Jan. 15 at giantrobot.com, and there will be a virtual tour at noon on @giantrobot’s Instagram Live. For those interested in in-person viewing, the gallery will be open from 1 to 4 p.m., followed by an in-person reception with the artist from 6 to 9 p.m.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

Saturday, Jan. 15 - Sunday, May 8

Songs of Conscience, Sounds of Freedom
Grammy Museum
800 W. Olympic Blvd., downtown L.A.  
This exhibition was first on display when the museum first opened in 2008. Examining music’s role in informing and inspiring social change throughout American history, the works on view cover spirituals sung by enslaved people in America, songs of the American Revolution, and the music and art of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. The exhibit has been updated to include the Black Lives Matter movement, songs that fight for LGBTQ+ rights, and how music from modern artists spur our collective social consciousness. COST: $13 - $15; MORE INFO

'Encanto' has special screenings at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood this weekend.

(Courtesy of Disney)

Saturday, Jan. 15 - Sunday, Jan. 16: 10 a.m.

Encanto
El Capitan Theatre 
6838 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood
For these early screenings, guests enjoy breakfast (muffin, cereal, yogurt, and juice or coffee) in a reserved seat while wearing their favorite family-friendly pajamas. Encanto-themed concessions are available for purchase and the Mighty Wurlitzer Organ plays before each of the shows.
COST: $25; MORE INFO

Saturday, Jan. 15 - Monday, Jan. 17

Jurassic Quest
Ventura County Fairgrounds
10 W. Harbor Blvd, Ventura
Walk through the touring dinosaur exhibition, which returns with 100 photorealistic dino replicas, dinosaur-themed rides and attractions, shows, interactive science and art activities, and a “Triceratots” soft play area for the littlest explorers. The indoor adventure requires timed entry to ensure safe distancing.
COST: Tickets start $19; MORE INFO

Sunday, Jan. 16: 1 p.m.

Kirsten Dunst Retrospective - Virtual Q&A
Virtual
American Cinematheque presents a live virtual discussion with actor Kirsten Dunst about her career and most recent film, The Power of the Dog. Directed by Jane Campion, the film also stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Jesse Plemons. RSVP for the Zoom link, which will be sent on the day of the event.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

The Southern California Slack Key Festival returns to the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center this weekend.

(Alan V. Alabastro)

Sunday, Jan. 16: 2 p.m.

2022 Southern California Slack Key Festival 
Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center
1935 Manhattan Beach Blvd., Redondo Beach
The 15th annual celebration of Hawaiian music returns with performances and appearances by George Kuo, Jim “Kimo” West, Jeff Peterson, Patrick Landeza & Sons, Ian O’Sullivan, Pomaika'i & Malie Lyman, and Alan Akaka. In addition to the concert, there's an Island Marketplace that runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. with free admission for the public. Shop for island-themed gifts, home décor, accessories, and apparel, plus Hawaiian food and shave ice.
COST: $20 - $135; MORE INFO

Sunday, Jan. 16: 3 p.m.

Floating Winter Residency
On the Waterfront
Marina del Rey
Floating, an outdoor arts and well-being collective, shares sound-based experiences in natural settings. No two experiences are exactly the same, and this week's performances include LGBT+ mariachi band Mariachi Arcoiris de Los Angeles and Photay with Carlos Niño and Randal Fisher. Curated by Pehrspace.
COST: $22 (and sliding scale); MORE INFO

Through Monday, Jan. 17

GLOW
South Coast Botanic Garden 
26300 Crenshaw Blvd., Palos Verdes 
GLOW (or Garden Lights & Ocean Waters) is a nighttime light show at the garden featuring thousands of lights, as well as interactive displays. Food and drinks will be available, with music setting the mood for the walking adventure.
COST: $24.95 - $34.95; MORE INFO

Susan Silton's 'Bursting in air,' is an audio/video installation that takes place in downtown L.A. nightly through Jan. 20.

(Courtesy of LAND (Los Angeles Nomadic Division))

Through Thursday, Jan. 20: 6 - 9 p.m.

Susan Silton: Bursting in air
1035 S. Broadway, downtown L.A.
The artist’s video/audio installation takes over a vacant ground floor space in DTLA. A mournful and reflective response to last year’s insurrection on Jan. 6, Silton also addresses “the state of play in 21st century America: the accumulation of hundreds of years of disenfranchisement, disempowerment, and disrepair, spurred by racism and greed, inextricably bound.” Masks and proof of vaccination will be required upon entry.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

Outdoor Pick

Rose Bowl Half Marathon & 5K
Put those New Year’s Resolutions in gear and sign up for the 13.1 or 3.1-mile race distances (depending on your fitness level) on Sunday (Jan. 16). Entrants get a race bib, finisher’s medal, shirt, and post-race festival entry. The 21+ half-marathoners also get a drink ticket at the festival. If you feel like challenging yourself without the crowds, virtual registration options are also available. If you’re just starting out on your fitness journey and not ready for racing, the Rose Bowl loop is approximately 5K.

TV/Streaming Pick

The House
This animated dark comedy for adults features three strange tales of the people who made “the house” their home. The anthology is directed by stop-motion animation leaders: Emma de Swaef and Marc Roels, Niki Lindroth von Bahr, and Paloma Baeza. Voice actors include Helena Bonham Carter, Matthew Goode, Mia Goth, Miranda Richardson, and Jarvis Cocker. All three episodes of The House will be available on Netflix starting Friday, Jan. 14. 

The Rustic Canyon Family restaurant group has ventured into Ojai, opening The Dutchess — a bakery, cafe and Burmese restaurant.

(Mariana Schulze)

Dine and Drink Deals

Check out the 411 on restaurant, bar, and food happenings in SoCal this weekend:

• Tay Ho Restaurant San Gabriel (529 East Valley Blvd., Suite 118B, San Gabriel) offers Vietnamese street food, including their signature Bánh Cuốn (specialty rice crepes). The new location holds its official grand opening celebration on Saturday, Jan. 15 from 11 a.m  to 3:30 p.m.  Win giveaways such as 100 complimentary entrées, 100 free drinks, and other prizes, while listening to music from DJ SG.
• Byrdie’s Rotisserie in West Hollywood has reopened for dine-in, takeout, and delivery. Serving up fresh and healthy(ish) comfort food options, fan faves include the chicken sandwich on a buttered Portuguese bun or the Caesar, All-American, Southwestern, and the Mediterranean Bowls. A portion of proceeds from each meal sold benefits the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.
• Road trip time: The Rustic Canyon Family restaurant group has opened The Dutchess in Ojai, a café and Burmese restaurant (chicken tandoori pictured, above). Currently open for dinner Wednesday-Sunday, 4:30-9:30 p.m., the bakery and café are scheduled to open on Jan. 19 at 7 a.m. 
• Santa Anita Park holds a Burgers and Brews event on Saturday, Jan. 15, with burger curation by Smorgasburg L.A. Taste burgers by Thicc Burger, Motzburger, Evil Cooks, Say it Ain’t So, and Love Hour. Various ticket packages are available ($28-$55), but items are also available a la carte.
• San Antonio Winery in Lincoln Heights teams with Fenny's Flowers on Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon for a Wine & Succulent workshop. The floral activities are accompanied by small bites and wine sipping, of course. Must be 21+ to participate in the event ($68).
• New item alert: Milk Bar, founded by award-winning pastry chef Christina Tosi, now offers a Pancake Cake for a limited time. The cake is made to look and taste just like a stack of pancakes — and it's even topped with a pat of "butter" made out of frosting. Limited quantities are available in stores and online at milkbarstore.com.
• Jelly Belly jumps on the Dry January action by adding new jelly bean flavors to their Cocktail Classics Line. Now sample the Mimosa, Gin & Tonic, and Moscow Mule beans — sans alcohol — which join existing fan-favorite flavors including Pomegranate Cosmo, Margarita, Mojito, Piña Colada, and Strawberry Daiquiri.