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Free weekend? Restaurant week, African art and Photo LA
Pok Pok LA is the second Chinatown outpost of Andy Ricker, the American-born chef who has built a small Thai food empire in Portland, Oregon and New York. The restaurant is one of hundreds participating in dineLA.com's restaurant week.
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Evan Sung for The New York Times
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"Disguise" is on display at the Fowler museum this weekend.
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ROWANNE HENRY JUGAN
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Free weekend? Restaurant week, African art and Photo LA
While we wait for El Niño weather to get its act together, let's celebrate SoCal's plethora of awesome art and food. Here's everything you need to know to join the party.
1. Full Moon Hike (for Women)
Sorry, dudes. This one is for females. Ladies, you'll meet at Griffith Park and hike for about an hour. There will be a full moon ritual at the top before you hike back down. This is a public event, but if you want more details on where to meet and what to bring, you'll have to join this private Facebook group.
When: 7 p.m. Saturday
Where: Griffith Park | Specific location here
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Price: Free
2. Murder mystery comedy show
If your Netflix binge of "Making a Murderer" has you craving more suspense, enjoy it IRL this Friday. Improv Collective in Costa Mesa is hosting an evening of murder mystery comedy so that you can laugh while trying to figure out whodunnit.
When: 9:30 p.m. on Friday
Where: Starlight Theater | MAP
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Price: $5 at the door or pre-sale | Tickets
3. Secret concert in L.A.
Local bands plus free booze. Score. Broken Company is hosting the first of a series of secret concerts. It's called "Mind the Music," and it'll be at an undisclosed L.A. location. Bands playing Saturday night include WYLDR, Little Wolves, King Shelter and Royaljag (and one surprise guest, of course). Even better: there will be an open bar for the over-21 crowd. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the first band hits the stage at 9:15. Pro tip: Broken Company expects a full house, so arrive early.
When: Doors open at 7 p.m. Saturday
Where: It's a secret | RSVP for the location
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Price: Free
4. A French flick: Pierrot le Fou
Calling French New Wave lovers: Jean-Luc Godard's "Pierrot le Fou" is playing Friday through Thursday Jan. 28 at the Cinefamily. The newly restored film starring Anna Karina and Jean-Paul Belmondo ventures from Paris to the Mediterranean in a storyline laced with crime, comedy and romance. Godard, famous for allegedly filming sans scripts, explores a realist journey as the two main characters Ferdinand (Belmondo) and Marianne (Karina) take off on an adventure while being chased.
When: Playing Friday to Thursday, Jan. 28 | Showtimes
Where: The Cinefamily | MAP
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Price: Tickets are $12
5. Photo L.A.
Photo L.A. is celebrating its 25th anniversary this weekend. The event brings together dozens of galleries and museums to display tons of photographic art. New and established exhibitors will showcase contemporary, modern, traditional and vintage photography. Also on display: classic photos from artists such as Horace Bristol and William Klein. The fair kicks off Thursday and runs through Sunday. Pro tip: Here's a list of exhibitors.
When: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday
Where: The REEF | MAP
Price: $20 one-day general admission | $30 weekend general admission | MORE
6. Dine L.A.
Kombucha pumpkin soup, green curry eggplant, hickory-smoked duck and sweet shrimp sushi. Are you drooling yet? It's that time of year again. dineLA.com is hosting another 14-day-long restaurant week with 300 participating spots offering price-fixed menus through Jan. 31. Here's a handful of places we're excited about: Redbird and Ledlow in downtown Los Angeles, Pok Pok L.A. in Chinatown, POT and Commissary in Koreatown, the Raymond in Pasadena, Sugarfish in Beverly Hills, Brentwood and other locations around SoCal. Pro tip: Use dineLA's website to see a list of menus and to book your table. This year, dineLA and Opentable will donate $1 of every reservation to the Midnight Mission.
When: Through Jan. 31
Where: Participating restaurants around Los Angeles
Price: Breakfast, lunch and dinner menus vary
7. Disguise: Masks & Global African Art
Twelve African artists will take you on a journey through optical illusions, computer magic and virtual reality in "Disguise" at UCLA's Fowler museum. The artists' work include drawings, photographs, videos, masks, sculptures, performances and installations. Pro tip: See live performances in the gallery throughout the day on Sunday, Feb. 7 and Sunday, March 13.
When: Noon to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday | On display through March 13
Where: Fowler at UCLA | MAP
Price: Free
8. Indian Kites Festival
Enjoy family fun on the beach this Sunday at the Indian Kites Festival, an event inspired by the South Asian festival called Makar Sankranti/Uttarayan. You'll see kites flying high above the Long Beach shore to celebrate L.A.’s harvest season Sunday. Meanwhile, the Bollywood Bites food truck will be on hand serving up tasty treats. The event is hosted by the Los Angeles and Orange County chapter of the Network of Indian Professionals. Pro tip: Tickets and kites will be available on-site. If you want five or more tickets, email president@netipla.org.
When: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday
Where: Ocean Boulevard and 54th Place in Long Beach | MAP to meeting point
Price: Tickets range from $11 to $59 depending on kite inclusion | Tickets
What did we miss? Let us know @kristenlepore and @kellie_gal.
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