Best Things To Do This Week In Los Angeles and SoCal: Dec. 4 - 7

Comedy musician Avery Pearson hosts a night of comedy with guests Bobby Lee, Jeff Ross, Sara Weinshenk, Trevor Wallace and Jessica Michelle Singleton. Ages 21+ with two-drink minimum.

The Skirball’s Howard I. Friedman Memorial Lecture takes place on the 68th anniversary of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Hear from Rev. Dr. Bernard Lafayette Jr. and Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky who consider the relationship of Jewish values to the establishment and defense of civil liberties. The fireside chat is inspired by the Skirball’s current exhibition This Light of Ours: Activist Photographers of the Civil Rights Movement. This year’s Howard I. Friedman Memorial Graduate Essay Prize winner and the lecture both explore the relationship between Black and Jewish communities.

Gil Scott-Heron’s daughter Gia Scott-Heron and spoken word artists from Jazz House perform the timeless and classic words of the activist, poet and singer, considered by many to be the Godfather of Rap. If you can’t make the shows this week, there are additional performances on Dec. 11-13.

Wendlo, the Atlanta-based, alt-pop duo of Jacob and Chelsea Hamilton, caught our attention on Instagram. Their innovative arrangements of pop tunes — check out “You Make My Dreams (Come True)” — are such earworms. Now, see them live in L.A. with Georgia Parker opening.

Listen to members of the Pacific Chorale, conducted by Robert Istad, in this intimate concert of timeless traditional and contemporary seasonal music. The church will be bathed in flickering candlelight, accompanied by organist Jung-A Lee and pianist David Clemensen. The program includes Taylor Scott Davis’ Solstice; Bob Chilcott’s Dona Nobis Pacem; and a moving arrangement of Angels We Have Heard On High by Benjamin Harlan.

Grammy Award-winning Samara Joy returns for holiday concerts following her sold-out Soraya debut earlier this year in the Jazz at Naz Festival. She takes to the stage with members of her musical family — her father, uncle, and cousins — for a night of holiday music influenced by gospel, Motown, and jazz.

Now’s your chance to test your skills, Squid Game style, as Netflix’s newest immersive experience has taken over a section of Television City. After greeting the Front Man himself, tackle a series of escalating challenges and earn points along the way. After The Trials, celebrate at the Night Market, which features a wide array of Korean and international sweet and savory food items along with enticing beverages curated by Chef Katianna Hong (of Yangban). The experience is closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

Watch an all-new musical journey and holiday event that features spectacular cirque performances for the whole family.

Debbie Allen Dance Academy (DADA) returns with its reimagined, award-winning production of Hot Chocolate Nutcracker, complete with its original score, diverse dance styles and humor. The 2023 production features guest artists Amanda Smith of Dance Theatre of Harlem as the Fairy Queen, Carlo Imperato (Fame,Grey’s Anatomy) performing the role of “Harvey of the Rat Pack,” Vivian Nichole Williams as Myrtle, and Jean-Victor Mackie as the Nutcracker Prince. Guests can add a Fairy Queen Tea to their experience before each matinee show.

Watch a rare 16mm screening of Bob Clark’s holiday horror classic, co-presented by See it on 16mm. In the film, sorority sisters Olivia Hussey (Romeo & Juliet), Margot Kidder (Superman) and Andrea Martin (SCTV) are terrorized in a series of phone calls and then in person.

The Aster’s culinary pop-up series Food as Art continues with chef Jaime Pesaque creating a five-course dinner featuring contemporary Peruvian cuisine.

The Los Angeles Times unveils its annual 101 Best Restaurants guide that coincides with the guide’s premiere on latimes.com. The reveal party serves up unlimited bites and sips from the city’s top restaurants and bars, while The Times Food team presents a live countdown of this year’s 101 list. Participating restaurants include A.O.C., Alta Adams, Chi Spacca, Guelaguetza, Yangban, and Yang’s Kitchen, among others.

Birdie G’s chef and owner Jeremy Fox’s Hanukkah-ish dinner series returns, bringing in acclaimed guest chefs from around the country. The lineup includes a mix of Jeremy’s mentors, friends and former colleagues, including Sean Brock (Audrey), Justin Pichetrungsi (Anajak Thai), Dave Beran (Pasjoli) and Junghyun Park (Atoboy) among them. Enjoy a menu of à la carte specials by these guest chefs, alongside some classic Birdie G’s dishes each night. It’s not a fancy, ticketed event or prix-fixe dinner, as they want people to come on multiple nights. S. Pellegrino and Acqua Panna feature refreshing sparkling and still water, and Champagne Henriot pours three Champagnes by the glass.