When a producer selects a politically charged play as part of their company season, one runs the risk of alienating and/or pleasing half of the audience, particularly in the current state of the US in these divided times.
In 1955, the Lee and Lawrence play “Inherit the Wind” brought about as much clamor from the public as applause in the recreation of the 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial. It was polarizing then and, in certain circles, still is.
The ICT presentation of Heidi Schreck’s “What the Constitution Means to Me” is equally polarizing and divisive, depending on the respective audience member’s worldview. It’s tough to tell if the work as presented is a stellar example of free-form theater that encourages truthful interaction from the audience or is a staged social media screed that seeks an echo chamber from the comments section. Showered with awards and a Pulitzer Prize nominee, the work itself has a clear, decided bent on which way it leans politically that cannot be ignored even with the considerable talents of the excellent cast, direction and production.
Three generations of circus performers bring 65 years of talent from one family to Circus Hermanos Caballero! Clowns, aerial acrobats, contortionists, dancers, magicians and death-defying motorcycle riders bring the thrills to two locations-Thousand Oaks and Arcadia this month. The circus includes my favorite act — the Globe of the Death, also known as the Sphere of Fear, which will blow your mind as three brave motorcyclists travel at more than 70 miles per hour inside of a mesh globe.
The Guadalajara- based circus, which does not exploit any animals, is kind of a combination of Cirque du Soleil and the old Midwest circuses I have only seen in movies. There is free parking, fun snacks, and audience involvement.
This Sunday, Mariachi Divas de Cindy Shea is treating moms to a special mariachi serenade at Vallarta Supermarket in Pasadena!
Based in LA, Mariachi Divas de Cindy Shea began in 1999. This two-time Grammy winning all-female mariachi ensemble is the official mariachi band of the Disneyland Resort.
The mariachi serenade takes place on Mother’s Day, May 19, from 9-10 a.m. at the Vallara location at 655 N. Fair Oaks Ave in Pasadena. While you’re there, why not buy your favorite mom agua frescas, sweets, and flowers? In addition, the first 50 moms in attendance can participate in an exciting giveaway.
This Sunday, May 12, is Mother’s Day. If your mom lives nearby, why not show her your appreciation by treating her to brunch or dinner? Make it a Mother’s Day to remember with the help of our list below.
Enjoy stunning photo opps that include some of Hollywood’s most iconic views – including the Hollywood Sign, Capitol Records and the Hollywood Hills – during rooftop brunch at Lemon Grove in Hollywood. Located at Top of the Aster, Celebrity Chef Marcel Vigneron’s Mother’s Day brunch will include MOMosas (mimosa kits) for each table, along with standout dishes like Dragon Fruit Chia Pudding, Chilaquiles & more. In addition, you’ll find new special dishes including Smoked Pork Belly Benedict, Shakshuka, and Strawberry & Burrata salad. More info here. Reservations can be made here
Every mother gets a complimentary cocktail – the Mama Spritz – at Ka’teen’s brunch this Mother’s Day. Other Yucatan-inspired brunch offerings from Chef Wes Avila (Angry Egret Dinette, Guerilla Tacos) include the new Strawberry Concha French Toast, Horchata French Toast, Flan Brulee Pancakes, and Plato Del Mar. More info here
Michelin-starred chef-owner Michael Cimarusti was inspired by both his beloved grandparents and his childhood summers in New England when creating Connie & Ted’s, his seafood-focused restaurant in West Hollywood. Still going strong after more than a decade, Connie & Ted’s has exceptional seafood and an expansive patio that will help make Mother’s Day special. Brunch standouts include Maine Lobster Croque “Connie” (with gruyere, figaro sauce, and a sunny side up egg), a Shrimp & Lobster Omelette, and Shrimp Chilaquiles. In addition, all moms will get a free dessert – a Strawberries and Cream Cookie sandwich – free with the purchase of an entrée. More info here
Located at the West Hollywood EDITION, Ardor, headed by illustrious Chef John Fraser has a lush dining room and jungle-like outdoor patio. For Mother’s Day, Ardor is offering a lavish brunch that that include a dessert garden, carving station, omelet station, and numerous shareable starters. Highlights include King Crab Pasta and Steak Frites. Brunch is $140 each, and $75 for kids. More info here.
* indicates that this title is also available to rent, stream, or purchase on various platforms. Please note that streaming options may differ from these home video presentations in terms of visuals, supplemental features, etc.
“True Love” (1989, Kino Lorber) With a title like “True Love,” Nancy Savoca’s comedy-drama should be about all the little moments – the swirling emotions of to-be-marrieds Annabella Sciorra and Ron Eldard, the lunacy and love of their very Italian parents, the traditions, both sensible and otherwise – that form the building blocks of a wedding. Instead, this insightful indie looks at the reasons that two people shouldn’t come together in matrimony, and why their relationship still heads in that direction, despite all the red flags. “True Love” also doesn’t truck in tragedy: the humor and pathos aren’t mined from the couple’s downward trajectory, but rather from choices that are made based on family, tradition, experience, and sometimes, just how things are. There is love in “True Love,” but it’s complicated, and as such, rings a lot truer than a sunny rom-com or a gloomy “anatomy of a break-up” drama. Kino’s Blu-ray includes commentary by Savoca and co-writer/co-producer Richard Guay (also Savoca’s husband) and interviews with members of the production team, who recall the challenges and joys of working on a budget-minded indie in the 1980s.
In the summer of 1987, artist and curator André Heller invited over thirty celebrated artists to help him create Luna Luna, a fantastical fairground in Hamburg, Germany. Salvador Dalí, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, David Hockney and Sonia Delaunay, plus many others created surreal and artistic rides, and attractions.
Be amazed and delighted by Jean-Michel Basquiat’s Ferris wheel, covered with doodles and drawings, some fun, some political. Keith Haring’s Industrially fabricated tarps and merry-gp-round, David Hockney’s round Enchanted Tree, Roy Lichtenstein’s Luna Luna Pavilion, and Kenny Scharf’s Painted chair swing ride.
Instead of become a touring attraction, the rides were sealed into shipping containers where they languished for 37 years in Texas.
One of food hall Topanga Social’s most beloved spots – the Margarita Garden, featuring both a lush outdoor garden area and a chic indoor space – is hosting a Cinco de Mayo fiesta from 3-6 p.m. on 5/05. Here’s what’s in store:
Tinga tacos from Cilantro Lime
Margarita specials and the launch of the new Passionita Margarita (made with Tres Generaciones Plata tequila, passion fruit & more) from Margarita Garden
Michelada specials courtesy of I Love Micheladas
Thirst-quenching cerveza specials from Rock & Reilly’s
Live music
Exciting surprises
While you’re at Topanga Social, check out the newest location of Jinya Ramen Bar. The beautiful space has a full bar and is offering their beloved mini tacos – filled with spicy tuna, salmon poke, or Impossible “meat” – for just $2 each on Cinco de Mayo, plus every Tuesday in May.
Topanga Social is located at Westfield Topanga at 6600 Topanga Canyon Blvd. Salut!
Cinco de Mayo is a couple of days away. If you plan to celebrate at home this year, why not liven up your cocktail-making repertoire? No matter how much you love a classic margarita, it’s a good time to try some new agave-based cocktail recipes. See below for some inspiration.
Cantera Negra Cafe is a smooth, silky, coffee-flavored liquor made with 100% agave tequila, while the Dulce Noche cocktail riffs on the classic espresso martini. The inclusion of sweetened condensed milk makes for a flavor reminiscent of dulce de leche. Simply combine 1 part Cantera Negra Cafe with 2 parts espresso and .25 parts sweetened condensed milk in an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Shake and pour into a coupe or martini glass, then garnish with powdered cinnamon.
Liquid Lunch, a creation from Emyla Tequila, merges peach slices, basil, and lime juice with tequila for a bright, refreshing sipper. In a cocktail shaker, muddle slices from two peaches with four basil leaves and 1 oz. lime juice. Add 2 oz. Emyla Tequila and 1 oz. agave (or one bar spoon of brown sugar), shake, and strain into a rocks glass over ice.
One Carat is a refreshingly different take on agave-based cocktails from Maestro Dobel Tequila. In a shaker, pour 1 1/2 oz. Maestro Dobel Diamante Cristalino Tequila, ½ oz. Ancho Reyes liquor, 1 oz. carrot juice, ½ oz. lemon juice, and ½ oz. cinnamon syrup. Shake and serve in a glass over ice with a basil leaf garnish.
To the best of my knowledge, Brian Eno has appeared in person in LA just a couple of times; at the Roxy Music debut American tour when it hit the Whisky in 1972, and for a lecture he gave at a university around 1990. He doesn’t often play live, so it’s not as if he’s singled us out not to appear here. But on Saturday, the Alex Theatre will present “Eno”, a fairly unique documentary proposition directed by Gary Hustwit. This project has taken all the material in Eno’s extensive archive, hundreds of hours of unseen footage, along with new interviews, and created a situation where a single two hour viewing might be stitched together from any of those components by AI, on the fly, resulting in a completely different presentation every time it is shown.
Leave it to Eno, one of modern music’s great fearless experimenters, to twist the idea of a documentary being some kind of final statement, or attempt to present the subject in a certain light. And at the exact moment that creative types are cursing AI to the sky, he’s using it to do something that sounds genuinely to be of human interest. His expansive career, from the shocking blast that was Roxy to his terrific rock albums as a solo artist, to the creation of “functional music” such as his Ambient series to his production work with other trailblazing artists, seems to resist a single two hour narrative. No matter what was in the two hours, it could never be complete and never be enough. This is a way to acknowledge the futility of the attempt, yet present something anyway, and allow that maybe by the next screening, it will have improved.
Hustwit will appear at the screening to answer questions, and Dublab DJs will spin in the courtyard until the wee hours.
Legumes a la Grecque from Church & State Bistro Taste of the Nation 2014 (Elise Thompson)
Taste of the Nation for No Kid Hungry, one of our favorite benefits, is returning Saturday, May 4th, to Media Park in Culver City. This strolling event features unlimited delicious bites, sweets and cocktails crafted by more than 40 of Los Angeles’s top chefs and mixologists. Beautiful trees shade the many comfortable hangout spaces in the bucolic park. As you wander the rolling grassy knolls, enjoy live music, interactive games, raffles, and live cooking demonstrations.
Event Chairs are Brooke Williamson, television personality and executive chef/owner of Playa Provisions, and fellow Top Chef alumni Mei Lin, executive chef/owner of daybird, known for their exciting use of Szechuan peppercorns that make your mouth tingle and go numb. Chef Mei Lin will also present a cooking demo, as will LA Beat fave, Bricia Lopez of Guelaguetza, who will teach you the secrets of mole.
Other chefs making a personal appearance include Suzanne Goin, chef/owner of AOC, Stephanie Izard, chef/owner of the hotspot of the moment, Girl & the Goat, the charming Jazz Singsanong, chef/owner, of Jitlada, serving the spiciest Thai food in LA, Candace Nelson, Founder of cupcake gamechanger Sprinkles, Shirley Chung, chef/owner of Ms Chi Cafe, known for their inventive dumplings and mochi donuts, Greg Dulan, chef/owner, of Dulan’s Soul Food Kitchen, which dominates all of the top ten lists, and Michael Reed, chef/owner of the awesome Poppy & Rose.
When a producer selects a politically charged play as part of their company season, one runs the risk of alienating and/or pleasing half of the audience, particularly in the current state of the US in these divided times.
