Best Of LA - Week Of December 22
Ready or not, Christmas week has arrived in Los Angeles. With it comes a few last minute opportunities to get into the holiday spirit, including must-see festive light displays, unique holiday food and drink opportunities, and live holiday performances and events for the whole family. Here's some of this week's best entertainment and dining options, Los Angeles. Merry Christmas and happy holidays!
Festival of Lights
3649 Mission Inn Ave.
Riverside, CA 92501
(951) 784-0300
www.missioninn.com
Before the holidays are over, make a worthwhile trek to the Inland Empire to visit one of the nation's largest light displays at The Mission Inn in Riverside. With over 4 million dazzling lights, this SoCal tradition (22 years running), displays the spirit of the season with lights, art, history, and festive decorations. Over 400 animatronic characters span the hotel and its city block, making this free event a must-see for the entire family. Keep warm with one of the unique holiday cocktail beverages including the Twelve Drummers Drumming, made of Starbucks Liqueur, Godiva Chocolate, and Hot Chocolate, or their Partridge in a Pear Tree, with Absolut Pears, Lime Juice, Pear Nectar, and Baileys Caramel.
Klezmatics: Happy Joyous Hanukkah
111 South Grand Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(323) 850-2000
www.laphil.com
The Grammy® winning Klezmatics kick up their heels tonight at the Walt Disney Concert Hall as they bring to the stage a unique mixture of traditional klezmer music with Eastern European, Latin, Celtic, Afro-Caribbean, and folk-flavored influences. The whole family is invited to the Hanukkah themed event; tickets for kids under 12 are 50% off regular price. L'chaim!
Christmas Timpano
Cecconi's
8764 Melrose Ave.
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(310) 432-2000
www.cecconiswesthollywood.com
Chef de Cuisine Alessio Biangini, of Cecconi's in West Hollywood, will be commemorating the season by offering Timpano as a nightly special. The iconic Italian domed pasta dish made famous in the Stanley Tuccci film "Big Night," features rigatoni with ragu bolognese and meatballs baked together in a handmade dough crust, "pot pie" style. Sale of this limited-time-offering will take place tonight through Christmas.
L.A. County Holiday Celebration
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion at The Music Center
135 N. Grand Ave.
Los Angeles 90012
(213) 972-3099
www.HolidayCelebration.org
The 55th Annual L.A. County Holiday Celebration, featuring seasonal music and dance spectucular, takes place tonight at The Music Center downtown. With over three hours of holiday cheer, this free show is perfect for the whole family. Music ensembles, choirs, and dance companies from the many neighborhoods and cultures of LA with take to the stage including Trio Ellas, a blend of mariachi, jazz, and country; the Greater LA Cathedral Choir; Western Standard Time, a 20-piece Jamaican jazz big band, performing holiday classics with a ska twist; and Latin/jazz fusion ensemble Buyepongo, presenting cumbia infused holiday music. Dance highlights include Los Angeles Ballet, performing the "Arabian dance" from The Nutcracker; JazzAntiqua Dance Ensemble, collaborating with Maetar to present "The Gathering," a boundless wave of energy, rhythm and melody; and Hālau Keali`i O Nālanis, who perform traditional Hawaiian dance to Grammy Award®-winner Daniel Ho's "Soon It Will Be Christmas." Can't make the event? It will be streamed live on PBS SoCal and at pbssocal.org.
Celebrate Christmas Day
If the concept of cooking a feast on Christmas Day is getting you down, consider heading to one of these great L.A. restaurants instead for a meal filled with holiday tastes, cheer, and no dirty dishes.
- FIG, located inside the Fairmont Miramar: Christmas Brunch featuring seasonal favorites such as Huevos Rancheros, Chorizo & Corned Beef Hash and, of course, FIG's signature Bloody Mary!
- Tanzy in Westwood: Open for lunch and dinner, this is the perfect spot for a pre or post meal after seeing a Christmas flick at iPic Theaters. The signature Hot Buttered Salted Truffle Rum can be delivered to your seat in the theater!
- Open Sesame: The Lebanese restaurant is open for an array of authentic dishes including Fried Potatoes sautéed with cilantro, garlic, roasted chili and lemon juice and the classic Baba Ghannouj, a blend of fire-roasted eggplant, garlic, lemon juice and tahini drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and served with warm pita bread for dipping.
Holiday Ice Skating
ICE at Santa Monica
Corner of 5th St. and Arizona Ave.
Downtown Santa Monica, CA
(310) 260-1199
www.downtownsm.com
Open on Christmas Day, bring the whole family or head down to Santa Monica with friends to skate outside. After all, where else are you going to find beachside ice skating around LA or anywhere in the world? Bringing a taste of winter to the beach, ICE offers young and old an 8,000-square-foot rink to hang out with friends and family, host a private holiday event, skate holding hands on a first date, beginner hockey skater clinics with the LA Kings or take skate lessons. Admission with skate rental is $15 per person. The rink will be open on Christmas day from 11am to 10pm.
Rockin' The Holidays Musical Review
74-855 Country Club Dr.
Palm Desert, CA 92260
(760) 341-2211
www.showclix.com
With one last chance to enjoy the holiday season, head to Palm Desert for a post-holiday getaway and magical holiday musical review. The Rockin' The Holidays Musical Review Spectacular, a first of its kind for the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort, features Broadway talent singing and dancing to your favorite classic holiday tunes with a rock n' roll twist. Closing this weekend, the show has been a festive success for the entire region and gives LA residents the perfect chance to de-stress and enjoy the last remnants of this year's Christmas season; a cocktail reception kicks off each show!
Holiday Hangover Festival
House of Blues
8430 Sunset Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(323) 848-5100
www.houseofblues.com
Sean Healy presents a Holiday Hangover Festival, an evening of live entertainment featuring local LA artists. Live music from The Mozzies, Bent Jetty, Cody Ray Mendoza, Juic2x, The 666, Gaucho Balboa, Fosho, Sammatik The Rebel, Pablo, LowDown DirtyGame, Ease, and A Plus Certified will rock the night from doors open at 6:30pm through midnight. Grab dinner before the event at Crossroads.
For the Record: Baz
7969 Santa Monica Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90046
(855) 367-7969
www.dbahollywood.com
After a three-month sold-out run, the hit "For The Record" series has extended their critically-acclaimed evening inspired by the films of Baz Luhrmann at West Hollywood's DBA through Sunday. Narrated by Harold Zidler and his Diamond Dogs, the audience journeys through the musical mind of Baz Luhrmann in a mash up inspired by "Romeo + Juliet," "Strictly Ballroom," "Moulin Rouge" and "The Great Gatsby." Iconic moments and songs from the films come together in an immersive experience for every member of the audience that truly can't be missed.
Sunday Brunch
La Boheme
8400 Santa Monica Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(323) 848-2360
www.globaldiningca.com
La Boheme, located in West Hollywood is finishing their year with changes including new management, and a new Executive Chef, Martha Esquivel. With the transformation comes a brand new Sunday Brunch offering, just in time for the post-holiday, tired-of-cooking afternoons. Enjoy brunch highlights including Lemon Curd French Toast; Chicken Chilaquiles with arbol salsa, queso fresco, fried egg, cilantro; and Mediterranean Omelet with spinach, goat cheese, caramelized onions, breakfast potatoes as you sit by the rustic fireplace this winter. Bottomless sparkling mimosa and Bellinis can be added for just $9.
