Best Things To Do This Week In Los Angeles And SoCal: Nov. 13 - 16

Members of Silkroad — the ensemble that fosters cultural collaboration — along with Artistic Director Rhiannon Giddens, perform at Union Station in a night of stories and song. The ensemble has embarked on its American Railroad tour, stopping in locations with significant connections to the U.S. Transcontinental Railroad. The shows tell the stories of the immigrant laborers whose contributions have largely been erased from history. The night ends with a Q&A with Giddens and author Lisa See.

Wilco frontman, Uncle Tupelo co-founder and author Jeff Tweedy discusses his latest book, World Within a Song: Music that Changed My Life and Changed My Music, with actor and author Nick Offerman. Tweedy discusses why people love and listen to music and how songs connect us to each other and ourselves. In the book, he talks about 50 songs that changed his life and influenced his music, including work by the Replacements, Mavis Staples, Joni Mitchell, Otis Redding and Billie Eilish.

Nov. 13, 15, 27 and 29 at 6 p.m.

The neighborhood eatery hosts public screenings of eight short films entirely created by Messhall staff and regular patrons. Each short was shot within the walls of the restaurant this past summer.

This panel discussion, held in conjunction with the Grammy Museum's exhibit, Hip-Hop America: The Mixtape Exhibit, focuses on an immersive audio docuseries on how the Bronx in the 1970s transitioned from "outlaw culture to hip-hop culture," with the turning point being the brutal murder of Black Benjie, a gang member-turned-peacemaker. Moderated by Vice Chair of Critical Dance Studies and an Associate Professor in the Department of Black Study at UC Riverside Imani Kai Johnson, the panel includes the executive producers and creators of the Audible Original: Chuck D, Lorrie Boula, Pete Chelala, Bryan Master and Julian Voloj.

In partnership with the bookstore Now Serving, Second Home Hollywood presents a conversation between award-winning chef, baker and author Nancy Silverton and LA Times cooking columnist Ben Mims. The two will discuss Silverton's new baking book The Cookie That Changed My Life: And More Than 100 Other Classic Cakes, Cookies, Muffins, and Pies That Will Change Yours. Silverton made her name first as pastry chef at Spago before creating her empire with Campanile, La Brea Bakery, Mozza and Chi Spacca.

Singer-songwriter Jenny Owen Youngs is on tour to support the release of Avalanche — her first full-length solo album in more than a decade. Her self-released debut, Batten The Hatches, landed her a song on Showtime's Weeds, leading to a deal with Nettwerk Records, which re-released the album along with her 2009 work, Transmitter Failure. You may have also caught Youngs on her podcast Buffering The Vampire Slayer, covering each episode of Buffy The Vampire Slayer and a new series with her podcasting partner/ex-wife called The eX-Files. John Mark Nelson opens. Ages 21+.

Attend a night of witchy fun, featuring burlesque, go-go dancing, psychics and vendors. The performance lineup includes Lux La Croix, Ruby Champagne, Queenie Blonde, Queen Ruby, Princess Farhana and Charlotte La Belle Araignee. Mae Lust emcees the night, which also features Lizzie Sixx on the turntables and rituals by Intuitive Shana.

Bring the kids and pets to the monthly night market (which takes place every third Thursday) featuring 35+ makers and live music. Enjoy glowing festivities including neon games and neon coloring, plus shopping, snacking and a beer garden. Free parking.

The WestEdge Design Fair returns to Santa Monica for the first time since 2019. Contemporary design professionals and enthusiasts can hear from more than 45 presenting speakers, 20 culinary and mixology demonstrations and engage with the industry’s leading established and emerging brands.

Watch the debut of Sparkle DTLA as 18 million lights, synchronized to holiday tunes, illuminate the night. The opening festivities include hot cocoa, sweet treats, an ugly sweater competition, live ice sculpture carving, shopping and music from iHeart 102.7 KIIS-FM DJ Santana and host EJ.

See It on 16mm presents a top-secret film from John Carpenter — of course, on a 16mm print. Though we don't know what you're going to see on the big screen, it's a safe bet that it'll involve horror, blood and a lot of synths. If you can't make it to the Frida, the film screens at the Art Theatre of Long Beach (11/16), Gardena Cinema (11/17), Philosophical Research Society (11/18 ) and Lumiere Cinema (11/19).

Indian restaurant Badmaash, which continues to celebrate its 10th anniversary, offers a new Indo-Chinese dining concept, Hakka Hakka, at its DTLA location on Nov. 13. Indian-Chinese cuisine, known as “Hakka Chinese” or simply “Hakka,” is the style of Chinese cuisine found in India; menu highlights include chili chicken, crispy lamb and Hakka noodles. Hakka Hakka seatings are at 6 and 8 p.m.

The Los Angeles-based My/Mochi takes over the Santa Monica Pickleball Center in honor of National Pickle Day. To celebrate the day, they're bringing a limited-edition Classic Pickle mochi ice cream for pickleball players and spectators. The flavor is only available at select L.A.-area Bristol Farms and at www.mymochi.com.

Caldo Verde celebrates bestselling author Nik Sharma and his book VEG-TABLE with a four-course meal. Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne’s ground-floor restaurant at DTLA’s Proper Hotel offers vegetable-centered recipes from Sharma’s cookbook (which will be available for purchase on-site via Now Serving). Menu highlights include Broccoli Za’atar salad; crispy sunchokes + preserved lemon gremolata; masala veggie burger with golden za’atar onion rings and buttermilk caraway dipping sauce; and crispy salmon with green curry spinach, coconut rice and winter squash.

The Larchmont location of Great White, the Australian-owned all-day cafe, welcomes chef, recipe developer, and New York Times best-selling cookbook author Molly Baz, for an exclusive evening featuring recipes from her new cookbook, More is More. Baz collaborates with Great White’s executive chef Juan Ferreiro to offer snacks, entrees and sides such as mortadella-wrapped grissini and Mollz Ballz meatballs, alongside her takes on pasta and salad. After the event, Mollz Ballz will be on the menu across all three Great White locations (Venice, Larchmont and Melrose) for a limited time.

A new pop-up has taken over the Tuk Tuk x Turntable space on Sawtelle, offering a French coastal menu with a Thai twist. The Plage collaboration between chef Rupert Blease of Lord Stanley in San Francisco and chef Amanda Maneesilasan of Tuk Tuk Thai opened last week with menu offerings such as the salmon with beurre blanc, garlic chive oil, squid with a Thai seafood sauce and cioppino. As of Monday, Nov. 13, indoor dining at the communal table will be by reservation only, and outdoor dining will be for walk-ins.