Film Reviews & Previews
The eighth annual L.A. Wine Fest is this Saturday and Sunday at Raleigh Studios. There you’ll find over 500 wines, spirits & brews. You can also take classes about Spain’s Rioja wine region, wine and artisanal cheese pairing, and one led by several California vinters who share their stories about starting and running wineries. Gourmet food trucks and live music round out the festival nicely.
Jump in and join a joyous mass of dancing Angelenos on summer Fridays between May and September on The Music Center Plaza. Beginner dance lessons, live bands/DJs spinning tunes, and warm summer nights make for a chance to meet, greet, move and groove. All of it free, no charge, gratis, every other Friday 6:30 to 10 PM.
This Friday the 31st is devoted to the tango! Here’s the full schedule for the summer. A couple of the events have passed but there’s still a lot of dancing to be done.
May 3 – Salsa/Merengue
May 17 – 90s Night NEW!
May 31 – Argentine Tango
June 14 – Line Dance & Two-Step
June 28 – Bollywood/Bhangra
July 12 – K-Pop NEW!
July 26 – Cumbia
August 9 – Disco
August 23 – Ondo
September 6 – 60s Night
The always lovely Butterfly Pavilion is open at the Natural History Museum in Exposition Park now through September 2.
From the NHM:
“More than 53 different butterfly and moth species,” including this kind, the California Dogface:
“and an array of plants take up residence every summer for our much-anticipated seasonal exhibit, the Butterfly Pavilion. Wander through a unique changing ecosystem, witness free-flying creatures interacting with plant life, and emerge with a better understanding of the environment needed for the survival of these spectacular animals.
The Butterfly Pavilion showcases the fascinating dance between butterflies, moths, and the plants that surround them, an interaction that has been refined over the course of millions of years. See up close how butterflies use their tubular mouthparts to obtain nectar and witness caterpillars feed on leaves and go through the process of their transformation into adults. Various butterflies are present at different points during the season and the plants will grow and change. This means that each visit to the Butterfly Pavilion throughout the summer can be a different experience!
Some butterflies in the exhibit mate and lay eggs, however we regularly fill the pavilion with butterflies from all across the United States. Over half of the species we exhibit are oft-seen locals such as the monarch, mourning cloak, and California dogface. Some of the more exotic butterflies are shipped in from all across the country.”
This looks fun. Saturday, May 18, 2013 | 8 pm
LACMA Muse presents International Museum Night, an after-hours event celebrating LACMA’s position in the global art community and highlighting artwork from around the world.
The event will feature the work of global artists from as far as Sydney, Australia, and beyond. If any pictures catch your eye, there will be opportunities to purchase original artwork as well as specially produced prints. Who knows, you might even end up taking home one of the most sought after canvas prints Sydney has to offer as a souvenir.
Create your evening with these talks, tours, tastes, sights, and sounds:
DISCOVER: “LACMA Exhibitions Around the World”-this lecture follows California Design to Tokyo, Fashioning Fashioning to Paris, and more!
LEARN: “Classic Maya”-a gallery talk that takes a close look at heiroglyphic texts describing everything from creation to chocolate.
DISCUSS: “The Art of Looking”-explore the unique medium of printmaking through the work of Japanese printmaker Katsushika Hokusai and American printer Jack Stauffacher.
LISTEN: KCRW DJ Marion Hodges will spin eclectic mix of indie pop, soul, and gentle beats from points all around the world.
TASTE: Visit two tasting stations inspired by current exhibitions, Japanese Prints: Hokusai at LACMA and Henri Matisse: La Gerbe. Additionally, there will be a cash bar.
EXPLORE: The European, American, Latin American, Japanese, Chinese, Islamic, Greek and Roman galleries will be open until 11 pm.
Check it out: http://downtownartwalk.org/
In their own words:
The free, self-guided, public art phenomenon known as The Downtown Art Walk brings together art lovers and community friends to the ever evolving downtown Los Angeles. With exciting and unique offerings around every corner, downtown celebrates the arts each and every month on the 2nd Thursday. Please refer to your calendar for specific dates. Hours vary by gallery, but can typically range from Noon – 10PM.
Many of The Downtown Art Walk activities take shape in and around the galleries predominantly on Spring and Main streets between 2nd and 9th streets. However, there is a plethora of art related events and openings, activities, and special programming that take place all over downtown.
For the true art buyers and fans, arriving early offers a more relaxing stroll through the different galleries and art exhibits. As the evening progresses, more visitors descend on the area to meet up with friends and savor the local experience. Visitors and local downtowners can often be found patronizing the outcropping of local shopping, dining and entertainment establishments that have created the thriving, vibrant community