Best Things To Do This Week In Los Angeles And SoCal: June 19 - 22

Celebrate Juneteenth through music and film events. Attend a panel discussion on the hip-hop revolution. Listen to Love and Rockets live.

Events

Monday, June 19; 5 p.m.

Juneteenth: A Global Celebration of Freedom
Greek Theatre
2700 North Vermont Ave., Griffith Park
The musical celebration of Juneteenth will be broadcast live from the Greek on CNN, featuring music from Miguel, Charlie Wilson, Adam Blackstone, Kirk Franklin, Nelly, Jodeci, SWV, Davido, Chloe Bailey, Coi Leray, Muni Long, Mike Phillips and others. Vice President Kamala Harris also delivers remarks at the concert.
COST: $39 - $199 (plus fees); MORE INFO

Monday, June 19; 5 p.m.

Black Identity Through Media Panel / MISS JUNETEENTH
Aero Theatre 
1328 Montana Ave., Santa Monica
American Cinematheque presents a Juneteenth program that includes a panel discussion on Black identity in TV with the African-American Critics Association, followed by a screening of Miss Juneteenth (2020) at approximately 6:30 p.m. Directed by Channing Godfrey Peoples. The film follows a former beauty queen and single mother as she prepares her rebellious teenage daughter for the Miss Juneteenth pageant.
COST: $13; MORE INFO

Monday, June 19 - Wednesday, June 21; 8 p.m.

Love and Rockets
The Theatre at Ace Hotel
929 S. Broadway, downtown L.A.
The British rock group, founded by former Bauhaus members, returns for their first in-person appearance since 2008.
COST: Tickets start at $49; MORE INFO

Tuesday, June 20; 7:30 p.m.

How Hip Hop Became a Revolution in American Visual Art and Culture
Zipper Hall at The Colburn School
200 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A.
This summer marks the 50th anniversary of the birth of hip hop, and The Broad celebrates by holding a conversation with artist and Public Enemy co-founder Chuck D, Keith Haring Foundation Executive Director Gil Vazquez, Lisane Basquiat, sister of the late artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, and producer, curator and President of Channel Zero Productions Lorrie Boula. Together, the panel addresses the genre's global impact, including its influence on visual art and culture of 1980s New York and beyond.
COST: $25; MORE INFO 

One of the films at ShortFest is 'Death and Ramen,' a dark buddy comedy between a ramen chef (Bobby Lee) and the Grim Reaper (Matt Jones).

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Film still from 'Death and Ramen'

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Courtesy of Palm Springs ShortFest

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Tuesday, June 20 - Monday, June 26

The Palm Springs International ShortFest 
Camelot Theatres (Palm Springs Cultural Center)
2100 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs 
Watch dozens of short films in any number of genres at this awards-qualifying festival. In addition, the ShortFest Forum returns with classes and panels featuring industry representatives, filmmakers and guests.
COST: $12 - $60, passes available; MORE INFO 

Tuesday, June 20; 7:30 p.m.

Don’t Tell My Mother: Pride Edition
Dynasty Typewriter
2511 Wilshire Blvd., Westlake
The storytelling show celebrates Pride with performers onstage telling true tales they’d never want their moms to know. Hosted by Nikki Levy, Don’t Tell My Mother features Vico Ortiz, Liv Hewson, Chris Renfro, Ever Mainard and music by Abby Posner. A portion of ticket proceeds benefits GLAAD. And Coolhaus is one of the sponsors, so attendees can indulge in a free, limited-edition Love Out Loud ice cream sammies at the show.
COST: $25 - $30; MORE INFO

Tuesday, June 20 - Friday, July 30

The Ants
Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater
Geffen Playhouse
10886 Le Conte Ave., Westwood 
This horror play with dark humor, written by Ramiz Monsef and directed by Pirronne Yousefzadeh, posits the question, “Would you open the door?” On stage, a violent uprising outside a house on a hill leaves those inside feeling vulnerable and leaves the rest of us asking why we spend so much money protecting ourselves instead of investing in our shared humanity.
COST: Tickets start at $30; MORE INFO

Wednesday, June 21 - Saturday, June 24

VidCon Anaheim 2023
Anaheim Convention Center 
800 W. Katella Ave., Anaheim 
The world’s leading digital creators and fans are gathering at VidCon, showcasing works and projects from the entertainment, beauty, lifestyle, mental health and wellness, gaming/streaming and comedy worlds, along with activations and experiences from brands including Squishmallows, Paramount, Nickelodeon and Nintendo. Connect with communities and creators during the three days of panels and events.
COST: $85 - $1,088; MORE INFO

Wednesday, June 21; 3 p.m.

Summer Solstice Salutation with Chloë Bass
California African American Museum
600 State Dr., Exposition Park
Hindsight for a Future America is an outdoor sculpture and performance art project by conceptual artist Chloë Bass debuting at the museum on the summer solstice. The sculpture takes the form of a participatory sundial where visitors can cast shadows that determine the time. The afternoon features a lecture/performance by Bass, followed by an outdoor sound bath provided by Sol & Sound. Feel free to bring a mat or floor cushion for the grass.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

Thursday, June 22; 8 p.m.

Arms Around America
Royce Hall Rehearsal Room, UCLA 
10745 Dickson Ct., Westwood
UCLA’s Center for the Art of Performance (CAP UCLA) presents a live recording of the Dan Froot & Company podcast, Arms Around America. Watch and listen as the company brings to life several scenes inspired by the real stories of families whose lives have been shaped by guns. Expect a performance that harkens to the days of traditional radio theater, with audience participation and live music from Julio Montero of the band Cuñao.
COST: $20; MORE INFO

Thursday, June 22 - Sunday, July 2

Dances With Films Festival
TCL Chinese 6 Theatres 
6801 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood
The indie film fest, is not a festival about dance — the name is a play on other “dance” fests like Slamdance, Sundance, etc., returns to Hollywood, screening more than 200 films (features, shorts, videos, documentaries and more) and offering a number of industry panels. The festival opens on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. with the world premiere of The Good Side of Bad, directed and co-written by Alethea Root. The family drama, based on a best-selling book, focuses on three adult siblings who are brought back together after a shocking diagnosis.
COST: $19 - 23 (tickets) - $375 (passes); MORE INFO

The A+D Museum, SoCalNOMA and The Helms Bakery Distric opens the exhibition, 'Close To The Edge: The Birth of Hip-Hop Architecture,' as part of the Los Angeles Design Festival.

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Courtesy of A+D Architecture and Design Museum

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Thursday, June 22 - Sunday, June 25

2023 LA Design Festival: Design For The People
Various locations
The festival — a citywide, interdisciplinary celebration of Los Angeles’ design culture and community — returns for its 10th year. The festival expands to three main locations, ROW DTLA, Helms Bakery District and the Downtown Long Beach Design District, along with a variety of independent events hosted around the city. One of the festival’s events is Close to the Edge: The Birth of Hip-Hop Architecture, curated by Sekou Cooke, which opens in the Helms Bakery District from June 22 - 25.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

Viewing Pick

The Bear, Season 2
The stressful restaurant comedy-drama returns for its highly anticipated second season, once again tracking the life of former fine-dining chef Carmy (Jeremy Allen White), who has taken over his family's Chicago sandwich shop after his brother’s heartbreaking death. At the end of last season, Carmy hung up a sign announcing the closure of The Beef and that a new restaurant called…The Bear would open soon. All 10 episodes of The Bear’s new season stream on Hulu on Thursday, June 22.

Did you know that June 22 is National Onion Ring Day? We didn't either, but Norms celebrates the day with its loyal 24/7 rewards members.

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Esperanza Doronila

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Unsplash

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Dine and Drink Deals

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

• sweetgreen celebrates Peach Week from June 20 to 23 with the return of their peach and goat cheese salad. On Wednesday, June 21, sweetgreen La Brea (180 S. La Brea Ave.) hosts a pop-up with AWAN, serving a limited-edition ice cream flavor inspired by Peach + Goat Cheese.  
• National Martini Day is on Monday, June 19, and so if you really want to celebrate in an economical fashion, Café Basque at the Hoxton in downtown L.A. is home to the $7 martini. It’s a traditional house vodka martini with dry vermouth, blanc vermouth and an onion brine. 
• NORMS Restaurants takes its food holidays seriously. To celebrate National Vanilla Milkshake Day on June 20, NORMS diners can enjoy milkshakes of any flavor for $2 with any $10 (subtotal) purchase. On June 22, National Onion Ring Day, the restaurants are offering its loyal 24/7 rewards members a free basket of onion rings.
• Kimpton Everly Hollywood holds a Summer Solstice Party on June 21 from 6 to 10 p.m., to debut its refreshed rooftop pool and brand new rooftop restaurant, Cannonball. Find DJ Bettie Blue spinning tunes, wellness vendors including Papers + Ink, Uh Huh Honey flash tattoos, CocoDealers fresh coconuts, Good Vibes Cookies crystal readings and interactive artwork with Roofless Painters. The party is 21+. Free with RSVP.
• Chef Roy Elam of the plant-based Sherman Oaks restaurant Donna Jean holds a  collaboration dinner with vegan author Miyoko Schinner on Wednesday, June 21. She most recently founded Miyoko's Creamery — one of the best-selling plant-based dairy brands in the world — in 2014. Enjoy a five-course, plant-based dinner that showcases the season’s best produce and signature cooking styles. Tickets ($175) are available via Resy with two seatings available.
• The After Hours Group presents a Queer Industry Night at Thunderbolt in Echo Park on Tuesday, June 20 from 8 p.m. to midnight. Sip cocktails from some of L.A.'s best LGBTQ+ bartenders including Ramsey Musk (Accomplice), Milena Meza (Olivetta, The Draycott) and Diamond Alabi-Isima (Del Monte). Tickets are $25 and include drink tickets (one cocktail or two beers), light snacks and a donation to the Groundswell Fund. Don’t forget to tip your bartenders!