Best Things To Do This Week In Los Angeles And SoCal: Dec. 11 - 14

The Moth's GrandSLAM brings back 10 LA StorySLAM winners to battle for the title of Los Angeles storytelling champion. They'll tell tales with the theme, "Out on a Limb," sharing tales about taking chances, shots in the dark, and going straight for the high dive. The stories are heartbreaking, hilarious, and all the emotions in between.

The Pacific Opera Project (POP) takes over the brewery for a night of beer and baroque. POP stars Janet Todd, Erin Alford, Jon Lee Keenan, Ben Lowe and Zach Neufeld lead the audience in Handel's "Messiah." Download the score and sing along or just hang out and watch. The night also includes games and prizes. Tickets include admission and one cider. Additional beverages and food are available for purchase. 21+.

Attend a night of music and short plays, written by some of the theater’s talent, including works by Halley Feiffer, Stephen Adly Guirgis, Vince Melocchi, John Pollono, Tim Venable and others. The night is emcee’d by Rogue Machine’s Artistic Director Guillermo Cienfuegos, with a cast including Jon Bernthal, Joshua Bitton, Sofia Hasmik, Cheyenne Jackson, Danny Pino, and Tracie Thoms.

The Commons at Calabasas hosts its annual Menorah Lighting Celebration at the adjacent Calabasas Civic Center Plaza, in partnership with Calabasas Shul, Chabad of Calabasas and Or Ami Calabasas. Celebrate the holiday with live music, a fireworks show, Hanukkah treats and the official lighting of the Menorah. This complimentary event is open to the public. Space is limited; entry is not guaranteed.

The Hollywood Heritage Museum celebrates the centennials L.A. had in 2023, including 100 years of Hollywoodland, the debut of 16mm film, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the Angeles Temple, Whitely Heights, Cecil B. DeMille's The Ten Commandments and the Biltmore Hotel. Plus, the museum debuts its new exhibition, Paramount on Parade with Jack Oakie and Friends. The evening includes archival materials, historians and presentations. Light snacks, drinks and a toast will be served.

Various locations around Newport Beach Harbor

The Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade kicks off this week with more than 100 boats dazzling the night sky with lights and holiday decorations. The parade also features pyrotechnics, synchronized light shows, displays, singers, dancers and other entertainment, which viewers can watch from more than 50 locations along the parade’s 14-mile route around Newport Harbor. This year's grand marshals are Hallmark Channel stars Andrew Walker and Nikki Deloach, who will lead the festivities on opening night.

Harlem-based vocalist, guitarist and composer Allan Harris returns to the Carpenter Center for the holidays, bringing Nat King Cole classics to a live audience. Listen to classic tunes such as “Silver Bells” and “Winter Wonderland” delivered by Harris' baritone and his band.

Listen to readings, spoken word and acoustic performances from Amelia Ada, Clement Goldberg and Naz Riahi at this installment of Smog Check Thursdays. Set against the backdrop of John Baldessari’s large-scale artwork that inspired the title of the current exhibition, Desire, Knowledge, and Hope (with Smog), the series features short sets, so visitors can expect to be in-and-out in 30 minutes.

This week, the museum begins the limited film series Works of Enduring Importance: 35 Years of the National Film Registry, showcasing the breadth, depth, and diversity of the Registry throughout its 35-year history. The series kicks off with a screening of Zoot Suit (1981) in 70mm, which was added to the National Film Registry in 2019. Directed by Luis Valdez (La Bamba), the film adapts his acclaimed stage play that focused on events that led to the Zoot Suit Riots of 1943.

Celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Warner Bros. and listen to the music from the studio's most famous films under the glow of candlelight. The program includes The Wizard of Oz: "Over the Rainbow" (1939); Casablanca: "As Time Goes By" (1942); Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory: "Pure Imagination" (1971) and "I'll be There for You" from Friends.

Watch a screening of the 2017 documentary Dreaming of a Jewish Christmas. Set almost entirely in a Chinese restaurant, the film is about the Jewish songwriters who crafted our favorite Christmas carols. Among them: Irving Berlin, Mel Tormé, Jay Livingston, Ray Evans, Gloria Shayne Baker and Johnny Marks.

Descanso Restaurant, known for its Central Mexican street-inspired cuisine and its Plancha dining experience, is now offering a family-style Pozole Take-Home Special available Thursday through Sunday during December. Descanso’s 32-oz. pozole features a savory, slow-simmered red chile broth flavored with guajillo and ancho chiles, spices and aromatics, and filled with tender chunks of braised pork shoulder and hominy with additional fixings to add at home. The pozole is available for delivery or takeout for $27.

Madre Oaxacan Restaurant & Mezcaleria's Torrance location holds its annual blind taste test of mezcal, curated by owner Ivan Vasquez. The selection includes some of Vasquez's old favorites as well as the best arrivals of 2023. Tickets include 10 mezcales for the tasting and a three-course dinner.

The Topanga Social food hall, which includes 25+ specialty food and drink venues, recently launched its special “Lunch Crunch” offerings on weekdays from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Order lunch combos from participating eateries for only $15. Specials include a spicy tuna hand roll and salmon hand roll, plus a drink from Temaki by Seaweed Handroll; a burrata caprese panini, arugula side salad, plus a drink from Burrata House; a shrimp plate and a drink from Shrimp Daddy; and a fried shroom bao with a drink from ManEatingPlant.