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Learn all about cognac this weekend, courtesy of Rémy Martin, and even blend your own. (Image: Rémy Martin)
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Here are 20 of our favorite events happening in L.A. this weekend. Check out the November Guide for more suggestions.
FRIDAY, NOV. 18
LA MAISON RÉMY MARTIN (Cognac pop-up)
Rémy Martin Fine Champagne Cognac hosts the pop-up event La Maison Rémy Martin this weekend at at Siren Studios (1050 N. Orange Drive) in Hollywood. Learn about the cognac making process in four conceptual rooms while sampling cognac cocktails. Get educated about Rémy Martin’s specific marque, from VSOP to 1738 and XO, and even blend your own cognac. The pop-up takes 30-person group tours that spend 20 minutes in each of the four rooms for a total experience time of 1 hour and 20 minutes. There are also nighttime workshops/masterclasses with music, fashion, food and art experts including Soulection Music Collective co-founder, DJ,producer, photographer and designer, Andre Power; actor Laz Alonso and NY-based mixologist Kyle Ford. The experience and the masterclasses are free with advanced registration. Of course, you must be 21 and older to attend.
FEMMEBIT (Video + art) FEMMEBIT is a curated festival that features an all-female roster of L.A.-based video artists that takes place at Human Resources Los Angeles (HRLA) from Friday through Sunday. The experimental screen event features livestream broadcasts of panels and workshops, a VR exhibition and screenings daily. Dozens of artists are participating in the art weekend. FEMMEBIT begins on Friday at 6 pm with a VR exhibition and broadcast demo with Navel.live followed by a panel on VR + Empathy at 7pm. The first screening starts at 8 pm and closes with a livestream VJ session with Alex Pelly of Dublab from 10 pm. There’s also an art pop-up shop where a percentage of the proceed directly benefit Planned Parenthood.
L.A. ZOO NIGHTS (Holiday) L.A. Zoo Lights returns to Griffith Park’s Zoo and Botanical Gardens on Friday with thousands of LED lights, projections, characters and more. The lights are open from 6 to 10 pm daily, except Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (December 24/25). Zoo Lights includes a 60-90 minute walking tour through select areas of the Zoo while most of the animals are sleeping. There’s a holiday happy hour for 21+ on Dec. 8 and 15th at 6 pm ($75). The lights remain on through Sunday, Jan. 8, 2017. Admission: $9-$18.
CRIMSON PEAK (Film + talk)
Film at LACMA screens Crimson Peak, which is being presented on Friday night at 7:30 pm in conjunction with the museum’s current exhibition, Guillermo del Toro: At Home with Monsters. Del Toro’s most recent feature is his first true Gothic romance starring Tom Hiddleston, Jessica Chastain and Mia Wasikowska. The event includes a post-screening Q&A with del Toro. Tickets: $10-$12.
THE $100 SHOW! (Art)
Co-Lab Gallery in Highland Park presents its popular pop-up show The $100 Show!from Friday to Sunday. The cash and carry exhibition features more than 50 artists and 200 pieces, which are selling at $100 each. The opening night reception is on Friday from 7-10 pm.
ERMF LOCALS NIGHT (Music + art)
Center for the Arts Eagle Rock presents ERMF (Eagle Rock Music Fest) Locals Night on Friday featuring music by Bird & Thorn, Jhey & the Whee and Tony Lunn. The night features art, food and libations, too. The event is all ages. 8 pm. Tickets: $8-$10.
LA AUTO SHOW (Cars) The Los Angeles Auto Show returns to the Los Angeles Convention Center and is open to the public from Nov. 18-27. Explore more than 1,000 cars in the four exhibit halls and test drive more than 100 cars in DTLA. Organizers are expecting nearly 60 debuts of new vehicles. New to the show this year is GO, a showcase of cutting edge personal mobility, wearables, mobility apps and more. Tickets/passes: $5-$85.
ASPERGER’S ARE US (Film + Q&A)
In the documentary Asperger's Are Us directed by first-timer Alex Lehmann, he points his camera toward the members of the comedy troupe Asperger's Are Us as they plan one last show before they go their separate ways. People with Asperger’s don’t deal well with uncertainty, and the film follows the comics during the most uncertain time in their lives. The film plays at Arena Cinelounge this weekend and there’s a Q&A with exec producer Mark Duplass and director Lehmann after Friday’s 8 pm screening. Tickets: $13.
SATURDAY, NOV. 19
RARE EXPERIENCE (Beer)
Stout Burgers & Beers presents a beer fest for beer geeks at the restaurant’s Studio City location on Saturday from 1-6 pm. The Rare Experience beer festivalfeatures 20 breweries offering sours, barrel-aged and wild ales. Participating breweries include Deschutes, Logsdon, Allagash, Lost Abbey, Cascade, Almanac, Modern Times, Boulevard, Green Flash and others. General admission from 2-6 pm; the $50 price includes 10 draft beer tickets. The $70 VIP admission from 1-6 pm includes 12 draft drink tickets and 3 bottle tickets.
THE GREAT LOS ANGELES WALK (Walking in L.A.)
Now in its 11th year, The Great Los Angeles Walkwill lead a walk across Los Angeles beginning at 9 am on Saturday. It’s a great way to get exercise and keep the waistlines in check for Thanksgiving. The walk extends from Downtown to the beach via Pico this year, and as always, the Walk is completely free. It’s up to the participants to decide how much or little they want to walk, so it’s no pressure, just a lot of fun.
JENI’S SPLENDID ICE CREAMS + MR. HOLMES BAKEHOUSE (Sweet treats)
For the next few Saturdays (Nov 19, Nov 26 and Dec 3) Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams + Mr. Holmes Bakehouse team up at the Bakehouse in Highland Park for tasty ice cream and pastry pairings. Jeni’s truck will be parked out front from 9 am to 4 pm, offering treats this weekend like Hong Kong Milk Tea Donut w/ Wildberry Lavender Ice Cream; Churro Croissant w/ Churro Ice Cream; and Fruit Danish w/ Wildberry Lavender Ice Cream. Mix and match your own pastries and ice creams, too.
ACME. presents a solo show by Jennifer Steinkamp this weekend. (Image: Steinkamp's 'Still-Life 1,' 2016, computer generated animation, dimensions variable) JENNIFER STEINKAMP: STILL-LIFE (Art) ACME. presents Still-Life, a solo exhibition of new work by L.A.-based artist Jennifer Steinkamp (her 11th solo show at the gallery). The opening reception also doubles as an open house for ACME.’s new location in Frogtown. For Still-Life, the artist uses “animation and new media in order to explore ideas about architectural space, motion, and perception. In her latest series, the artist depicts a variety of female fruit bearing plants. Tempted by the idea of making a still-life, Steinkamp addresses the wryly taboo subject.” Also opening at the gallery this weekend: A solo exhibition of new paintings by Los Angeles based artist Daniel Cummings. The receptions/open house takes place on Saturday from 1-6 pm.
BURBANK’S WINTER WINE WALK (Holiday fun)
Downtown Burbank holds its first Winter Wine Walk on Saturday from 4-7 pm. The walk will feature more than 20 California craft wineries with tasting stations set up throughout the shopping and restaurant district along San Fernando Boulevard. There’s a tree lighting at 6:45 pm, followed by a snowfall from 6:45-8 pm, and The Bomb performs until 8 pm. Tickets to the wine walk are $45 and include a tasting glass and a map of tasting stops. Of course, you must be 21 or older to partake in the wine tasting.
JANFAM (Music + dance) JANFAM: The Movement is a participatory dance experience that honors the legacy of Janet Jackson. On Saturday, JANFAM takes place at Boogiezone Utopia in Torrance from 11 am to 10 pm. Participants have the opportunity to learn moves from Janet Jackson's choreographers and dancers themselves. The event is open to dancers and observers ages 8+. Tickets: $30-$35 per class or $100-$125 for all-day passes. Filming is not permitted.
BEST FRIENDS SHOW (Storytelling) The Best Friends Showis back at Nerdmelt at 9 pm on Saturday. The show invites comedians to tell a shared story with their best friend—because sometimes friends remember better than they do. Stories by Beth Stelling and Ryan Singer; Marcy Jarreau and Natasha Rothwell; and Drennon Davis and Mike Nissen. 100% of our profit from the show will be donated to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Tickets are $8 in advance, $10 at the door.
DesignerCon returns to the Pasadena Convention Center this weekend. (Image from 2015 DesignerCon) DESIGNERCON (Design) DesignerCon (DCON) 2016 returns to the Pasadena Convention Center on Saturday and Sunday featuring two days of collectible toys, art, apparel, ephemera and more. The convention is a great mixture of pop, urban, street and underground art with more than 350 artists, designers and vendors. There are also art shows, panels, presentations and exclusive releases during both days (Saturday, 9 am-6 pm and Sunday from 10 am-5 pm). New this year, DCON teams up with Crewest Studios to help develop programming and the opening night party with DJ Z-Trip. Admission: $10-$25. (Pro-tip: This is the best place to get your Christmas shopping done early.)
STOUTS N STACHES (Beer crawl + fundraiser) Stouts N Staches is back for its fourth year in Venice Beach on Saturday, featuring a bar crawl to raise awareness for the Movember Movement and funds for the Venice Family Clinic. Participating restaurants will offer beer and food specials to support the cause. The mustache themed bar crawl starts at Danny's at 3 pm, then heads to Larry's, Bank of Venice, Barlo Kitchen + Cocktails, Canal Club and finally James Beach & Townhouse for the after party. Tickets: $12-$15, which includes food and drink specials and live entertainment. The $25 VIP ticketincludes six craft beer tastings, whiskey tastings from Highland Park and gift bag from Dollar Shave Club.
NEWFILMMAKERS LOS ANGELES (Film) NewFilmmakers Los Angeles (NFMLA) holds its monthly film festival on Saturday at 1139 South Hill St. in Downtown Los Angeles. Shorts Program #1 at 5:45 pm is being held in partnership with ISA. The second shorts program at 7:45 pm focuses on American Indian & Aboriginal Cultures and their Influence in Modern Cinema; and the 9:45 pm screening of the feature film Blowtorch. Single Program Tickets: $5 pre-sale online, $7 at the door; $15 for the all-night pass, which includes all pre- and post-receptions.
SUNDAY, NOV. 20
CROSSFADE (Art fundraiser) Crossfade is a Sunday afternoon “Sound and Modernism” event that takes place at the Silver Lake Neutra VDL House as a benefit for Barnsdall Arts art programs in underserved communities. Coordinated by Barnsdall Arts and Big City Forum, sounds for the event are being curated by a group of taste-makers from LA's creative community including Benjamin Ball, Andrew Berardini, Rani De Leon, Tim Durfee, Micah Hahn + Saskia Wilson Brown, Shelley Holcomb, Victor Jones, Niki Livingston + Yusuke Tsukamoto, Michael Parker and Amanda Yates Garcia + Josh Callaghan. Explore the Neutra home while treats from local favs Silverlake Wine, the Coolhaus truck with Richard Neutrapolitan ice cream and others will be served up. Tickets: $30, $15 for students.
HELL TOUPÉE: AN ACLU BENEFIT (Comedy fundraiser) Hell Toupée: An ACLU Benefittakes place at Nerdmelt from 4-6 pm on Sunday. The comedy show is hosted by Courtney Karwal and Jamie Loftus and features comics Riley Silverman, Alice Wetterlund, Neel Nanda, Sheng Wang, Emily Heller, Sam Jay, Dulce Sloan and more surprise guests (like Andy Kindler!). Guests will also have the opportunity to draw on a giant community mural to get people working together to create art. Tickets are $15. All proceeds go to the ACLU.
Want the 411 on additional events and happenings in LA? Follow @LAist or me (@christineziemba) on Twitter.
Every two years, Desert X presents site-specific outdoor installations throughout the Coachella Valley. Two Los Angeles artists have new work on display.
