Best things to do this week in Los Angeles and Southern California: December 2 - 5

Step one: get a ticket to see The Dandy Warhols at the Moroccan Lounge. Step two: watch the 2004 documentary Dig!, which chronicles the parallel but vastly different 1990s trajectories of Portland band The Dandy Warhols and San Francisco’s Brian Jonestown Massacre. Step three: head to the Moroccan Lounge for a 30th-anniversary experience (plus songs from their most recent album, Rockmaker) in an intimate venue that’s not to be missed.

If all you remember from school about George Washington Carver is peanuts, get yourself to this curatorial walkthrough of the new exhibit at the California African American Museum about the groundbreaking scientist who upended traditional ideas about agriculture and conservation. Carver was also an artist — who knew? — and his paintings are on display alongside lab equipment, notebooks, and contemporary works that respond to his work. Curators Cameron Shaw and Yael Lipschutz will lead the tour, which is part of the region-wide Getty initiative PST ART: Art & Science Collide. The exhibit runs through March 2.

I know, I know, another conversation about the last few weeks in American politics might be tough, particularly following family dinner table discussions at Thanksgiving! But this conversation between popular political commentator and progressive YouTuber Brian Tyler Cohen and Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is sure to be enlightening and spirited. Jeffries is in L.A. to discuss his new book, The ABCs of Democracy, and the event is produced in partnership with the Writers Bloc series.

A fun fact about yours truly: I was on Jeopardy! back in 2019. Unclear if that disqualifies me from bringing my trivia skills to the first-ever Jeopardy! Bar League event from Alamo Drafthouse, but be warned there are some serious quizzers in this town. A collaboration between Sony Pictures Television, Geeks Who Drink, and Alamo Drafthouse, the free event allows teams of up to six people. It takes pub trivia to a new level with a live, interactive show. Maybe there will be a Ken Jennings cameo?? We can dream.

100,000. That’s how many lights are going to be on display at the Grand Illuminations installation by L.A.-based artist group Liquid PXL at The Yard at Cal Plaza, starting this week and opening with a fun celebration. The large-scale kinetic sculptures feature “electric dandelions” and a 25-foot LED light tree. Live music and refreshments are happening Wednesday night, but the lights will be up for you to enjoy in the evenings until 10 p.m. all season long through Jan. 8.

We are spoiled for choice with Christmas lights this year! In addition to the downtown’s Grand Illuminations, Long Beach is kicking off the season with its 10th annual Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony, which has 500,000 lights, according to the website. Take that, downtown! The party includes performances from The Nutcracker, a capella group SoCal Vocale, musical theater star Terron Brooks, and more, all culminating in a fireworks show. The lights and the tree will be up for all to enjoy through January 1.

The MoMA Contenders series is always a favorite way to catch movies with Oscar buzz, complete with conversations from the filmmakers and actors and in the artsy setting of the Hammer. This year kicks off with an introduction from actor Felicity Jones and a screening of her latest film, The Brutalist, about Hungarian-Jewish architect László Toth (Adrien Brody) who survives World War II and starts a new life in America. The Piano Lesson and Memoir of a Snail screen later in the week; full schedule here.

The NY Times Cooking recipe for Dirty Chai Earthquake cookies has become a holiday staple at our house. As we anxiously await the new batch of creative holiday cookie recipes, trek to Fat + Flour for a demo, tasting, and preview of this year’s fresh batch with food writer and recipe maker Genevieve Ko and the team at the acclaimed Culver City bakery.

How many of the L.A. Times' "101 Best Restaurants in Los Angeles" picks have you been to? If you call yourself a foodie, the L.A. Times' 101 Best Restaurants Reveal Party is for you. Get a sneak peek of tasty bites from favorite spots like Here’s Looking at You, Bridgetown Roti, Jitlada, Osteria Mozza, and many more.

Curious about how your favorite cup of joe goes from bean to brew? The folks at O Coffee have put together a series of intimate (maximum four people per session) roasting workshops to dive deep into how the process works. You’ll get a lesson on farming, harvesting, processing, and roasting as well as a hands-on demo. Unleash your coffee nerd and don’t expect to sleep after all that evening caffeine!