Weekend Roundup

Find the best Los Angeles things to do for the weekend of 2.03.12

city-tavern-culver-citySUPER BOWL
City Tavern

Feb. 5. Culver City’s destination for “tap tables”—three booths with their own beer taps, for groups of eight (reserve now)—is every gridiron fanatic’s dream. For the Super Bowl they are also offering all-day happy hour with $10 beer growlers, early open time (2:30 p.m.) for tailgating, special Super Bowl bites including meatballs, Spanish chorizo pigs in a blanket and more. 9739 Culver Blvd., Culver City, 310.838.9739. citytavernculvercity.com

 

Basement TavernBasement Tavern at The Victorian
Feb. 5. Whether you’re “tailgating” (bar opens at 2 p.m.), or in for the long haul, enjoy happy hour specials all night long. Fans can watch the game on plasma TVs set up on the patio of The Victorian, while snacking on hot dogs, hamburgers, and other BBQ dishes served complementary with a two drink minimum. Basement Tavern also offers a special “bourbon and bacon” package, where you can score a bottle of whiksey or bourbon and bacon-wrapped hot dogs for 10-20 friends for $1,000. And for a more intimate game viewing experience, the private Fishbowl room, located below in Basement Tavern, can be reserved for a group of up to 20 people for $1,000, and decorated for the group’s favorite team. The reservation includes a bar and food tab, as well a private television, sound, and a security guard to maintain privacy. 2640 Main St., Santa Monica, 310.392.4956. www.facebook.com/basementtavern

 

The ChurchillThe Churchill
Feb. 5. Sporting five big screen, HD TVs located throughout the restaurants, West Third Street’s newest dining and drinking hotspot features a Super Bowl Sunday menu with specials on nachos, tacos and sliders; as well as several drink specials available during the game. Stick around for late night happy our, which begins at 10 p.m. and includes $6 bites, $4 wells, $4 select wines and drafts. 8384 West 3rd St., L.A., 323.655.8384. www.the-churchill.com

 

Click HERE for our full list of Los Angeles Super Bowl events

 

Kathy GriffinEVENTS
Kathy Griffin
Feb. 3-4. A comedian who needs no introduction, expect Kathy Griffin to delight you with her outrageous candor and rapid fire wit. Expect more stories, more dish, more of what she shouldn’t say but you know you want to hear, from the double Emmy winner, Grammy nominee and New York Times best selling author. Pantages Theatre, 6233 Hollywood Blvd., L.A., 323.468.1770. www.broadwayla.org

 

Blo W HollywoodGet Refined for Awards Season at Blo W Hollywood
Feb. 9. Tame your tresses at Hollywood’s premiere blow-dry bar. Pose on the pink carpet, and spend the evening getting complimentary blo outs from the custom Awards Season menu, sipping blo-tinis and listening to girly tunes. 6:30-9:30 p.m. RSVP by Feb. 7: blohollywood@blomedry.com. Blo W Hollywood, 6250 Hollywood Boulevard, Suite 500, Hollywood, 323.469.2569. blomedry.com

 

Ivan AmodeiIntimate Illusions: The Magic of Ivan Amodei
Feb. 3-4. Experience an evening of mystery, comedy and magic with award-winning magician Ivan Amodei. Set in his private salon at the chic Beverly Wilshire hotel, Amodei treats you to his original magic and secrets from greats like Harry Houdini, all while being accompanied by a concert cellist playing classics from Vivali, Mission Impossible, James Bond and more. Show runs every Friday and Saturday night at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Cocktail attire requested. $65/$75 front row. 9500 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills. www.ivanamodei.com

Griffith Observatory All Space ConsideredAll Space Considered
Feb. 3. Los Angeles astronomical beacon, the Griffith Observatory offers a public lecture where you can get news on developments in astronomy, space science and space exploration; see beautiful astronomical images, learn about solar storm, dark galaxies and get your Feburary sky report. Seating is first-come, first-served, up to the capacity of the theater. Free. 7:30 p.m. Griffith Observatory, Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon Theater, 2800 East Observatory Rd., 213.473.0800. www.GriffithObservatory.org

 

Dine LADine LA
Through Feb. 3. Enjoy gastronomic delicacies from more than 300 of LA’s top restaurants–Bouchon, Boxwood Cafe by Gordon Ramsay, Napa Valley Grill, Fig & Olive, Petrossian, The Bazaar by José Andrés and many more–for a fraction of the price. Restaurants offer specially priced three-course tasting menus, many for both lunch and dinner. dineLARestaurantWeek.com

 

Cirque du Soleil’s OvoCirque du Soleil’s Ovo
Through Mar. 11. A blue-and-yellow “grand chapiteau” adjacent to Santa Monica Pier hosts Ovo. Meaning “egg” in Portuguese, Ovo delves into the insect ecosystem with 55 performers and a riot of colorful, evocative costumes. The main act, a trapeze stunt, features six “flyers,” and the finale features “20 artists running, jumping and leaping up against a 24-foot vertical wall.” Santa Monica Pier, 200 Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica. cirquedusoleil.com/ovo

 

GotyeMUSIC
Gotye
Feb. 2. Ask Gotye about his new album, Making Mirrors, and he will speak not of songs, but of sounds. Hell describe the various valves through which strings and choirs cycle on his Lowrey Cotillion, a vintage organ bought for 100 bucks in a second-hand shop that features on the record, or how he constructed a bassline by sampling the Winton Musical Fence, an unlikely instrument he discovered in Queensland, Australia. Catch him in concert at the El Rey Theatre. 5515 Wilshire Blvd., L.A., 323.936.6400. theelrey.com

 

M. WardM. Ward
Feb. 2. Armed with a guitar, harmonica, sparse percussion and a Tin Pan Alley-esque piano, M. Ward spins timeless classics that seem to flow effortlessly; simple yet eloquent tales alive with metaphor and imagery, told in a raspy, sepia-toned croon. $25. Masonic Hall, Hollywood Forever Cemetery, 6000 Santa Monica Blvd., L.A. hollywoodforever.ticketfly.com

 

Gustavo DudamelMahler Project: Mahler No. 8 “Symphony of a Thousand”
Feb. 4. In this epic musical event, Gustavo Dudamel leads the combined forces of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela – joined by the Los Angeles Master Chorale, Los Angeles Children’s Chorus and community choruses – in a performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 8, known as the “Symphony of a Thousand,” at the historic Shrine Auditorium for a spectacular performance with over 1000 musicians and singers. A roster of vocal soloists will also take part. Shrine Auditorium, 665 West Jefferson Blvd., downtown, 323.850.2000. laphil.com

 

Public School 612EAT | DRINK
Evening of Aphrodisiacs and Cocktails
Feb. 6. Public School 612’s popular night school hosts an aphrodisiacs course on using food and drink to increase desire. The class will explore flirtation, sensation, temptation and stimulation. Tuition is $40 per student and all pre-sales receive a $10 promotional card to be used at a later date.612 S. Flower St., downtown, 213.623.1172. www.publicschool612.com

 

AmmoArtisan Cocktail Bar at Ammo
Master mixologist Jason Robey–who has built a reputation for creating incredible, market-fresh cocktails that focus on savory flavors–crafts the new cocktail menu at AMMO. Sip 10 fresh selections such as Blood Orange Fizz (Bele Casel prosecco, aperol, blood orange juice, thyme), Johnny Green Spot (Tierra’s anejo tequila, green chartreuse, meyer lemon juice, grapefruit juice, Thai basil, jalapeno) and the Citrus Fashioned (Willett 5-year-old single barrel straight rye whiskey, lemon, orange and tangerine zest, maraschino jus, bitters). 1155 North Highland Ave., L.A., 323.871.2666. www.ammocafe.com

 

Joe’sFirst Fridays at Joe’s
Feb. 3. An upscale option during Abbot Kinney’s First Fridays, Joe’s offers fine wine, market driven cocktails, food and jazz, that is a mixture of instrumental and vocal artists, internationally recognized performers and local talent. Stop in between 6-7 p.m. and receive complimentary glass of wine with the purchase of any entrée or bar menu item. Joe’s Restaurant, 1023 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice, 310.399.5811. www.joesrestaurant.com

 

AbundancePARTNER LOVE
Abundance Winter Sale
Feb. 1-5. Abundance – A Plus Size Boutique features designer clothing from comfortable business to casual or dressy special occasion, one of the few higher end boutiques catering to women sizes 12-26. This weekend, save 30% to 60% on end of season one-of-a-kind unique clothing unlike anything found in department or chain stores. 13604 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, 818.990.6128. www.abundanceplussizes.com

 

Ellsworth Kelly: Prints and PaintingsART
Ellsworth Kelly: Prints and Paintings
Through Apr. 22. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art hosts the first retrospective of Ellsworth Kelly’s prints since 1988. More than 100 prints and five paintings from the prolific Kelly’s collection are displayed at the Broad Contemporary Museum of Art, exploring his mastery of grids, contrast and curves. LACMA, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., L.A., 323.857.6000. lacma.org

 

Metropolis IIMetropolis II
Metropolis II, artist Chris Burden’s latest piece, is a dynamic cityscape interwoven with elaborate system of 18 roadways, including one 6 lane freeway, and HO scale train tracks. In it 1,100 custom manufactured cars (think Matchbox or Hot Wheels) are attached by a small magnet, brought up a conveyor belt and then let go at the crest to (by the power of gravity) speed along the roadways at a scale speed of 240 mph. According to Burden (via LACMA’s website), “The noise, the continuous flow of the trains, and the speeding toy cars, produces in the viewer the stress of living in a dynamic, active and bustling 21st Century city.” Exhibit runs Fridays-Sundays. LACMA, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., L.A., 323.857.6000. lacma.org

 

art-pasadena-playhouseTHEATER
Art
Through Feb. 19. What is more valuable – good art or good friends? Serge, Marc and Yvan are about to find out. When Serge drops a small fortune on a controversial painting, sparks (and words) fly as each experience the dire consequences of adhering to one’s taste in art. Written by Yasmina Reza (God of Carnage), this acclaimed international hit is also directed by nine-time Emmy Award-winner David Lee. Pasadena Playhouse, 39 S. El Molino Avenue, Pasadena, 626.356.7529. www.pasadenaplayhouse.org

 

A Raisin in the SunA Raisin in the Sun
Through Feb. 19. Phylicia Rashad makes her L.A. directorial debut with this 50-year-old classic about an African American family’s dream of a better life amid racial tension and betrayal. Kirk Douglas Theatre, 9820 Washington Blvd., Culver City, 213.628.2772. www.centertheatregroup.org

 

 

Our TownOur Town
Through Feb. 20. Oscar, Emmy, and Golden Globe-winner Helen Hunt stars in this groundbreaking new version of Thornton Wilder’s iconic American play. Our Town tells the story of young lovers George and Emily, whose life in a small New England town becomes a microcosm of every day life. The wisdom of the play, rendered through a deceptively simple story, makes Our Town an enduring treasure of the American theater. This electrifying new production is directed by Broadway director and MacArthur Fellow David Cromer in his LA debut. Most of the seating for this production will be on stage with the actors. Broad Stage, 1310 11th St., Santa Monica 310.434.3200. thebroadstage.com

 

Red Hot Patriot: The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly IvinsRed Hot Patriot: The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins
Through Feb. 19. Two-time Tony and Oscar nominee Kathleen Turner sizzles as Molly Ivins, the brassy Texan reporter whose liberal journalism skyrocketed her to the national stage. This acclaimed show captures the redheaded reporter’s indomitable character by weaving personal anecdotes with her colorful take on national politics. Geffen Playhouse, 10886 Le Conte Ave., L.A., 310.208.5454. geffenplayhouse.com

 

Clybourne ParkClybourne Park
Through Feb. 26. In this play inspired by A Raisin in the Sun, jokes fly and hidden agendas unfold as two vastly different generations of characters tip-toe the delicate dance of social politics, pitting race against real estate at the crux of two seminal events —50 years apart —in the same north Chicago house. Mark Taper Forum, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown, 213.628.2772. www.centertheatregroup.org

 

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