Los Angeles Weekly Roundup

Fun Things to Do in Los Angeles

This Week (October 16 – 19, 2023)

Monday

Gallery 33 at The Georgian Announces Third Exhibition, Marc Hemeon: Ocean Deep

Gallery 33 at The Georgian Hotel in Santa Monica is pleased to announce its third exhibition featuring works by Marc Hemeon for his first solo exhibition. Ocean Deep features a collection of paintings and sketches by the California-based visual artist, who invites viewers to reflect and return to their center. Marc Hemeon, former Facebook designer, presents works that effortlessly blend the domains of classical oil paintings, ink, and graphite, crafting magnificent works of art infused with the essence of the ocean. Catch the exhibit before it closes on 10/29. Free; Mondays – Sundays, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm; 1415 Ocean Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90401; 310.395.9945

Last Week to Experience Dine LA Restaurant Week

This is the last week to experience the culinary delights of Los Angeles at Dine LA Restaurant Week, a biannual event that spotlights our city as a top dining destination while celebrating its diverse culinary landscape. From enticing lunch to delectable dinner menus, you can savor the flavors of hundreds of local restaurants during the Fall 2023 edition, with a focus on dine-in experiences. No tickets or passes are needed; just visit a participating restaurant, request the Dine LA Restaurant Week menu, and indulge in new discoveries or beloved classics. Monday – Friday, Various hours and locations

• Beachside Restaurant & Bar: For Dine LA, Jamaica Bay Inn’s signature restaurant Beachside Restaurant & Bar is serving a delicious menu of Brussels Sprouts with Red Wine Reduction and Lemon Mascarpone, Branzino with Creamed Farro and Wild Mushrooms, or Sweet Corn Ravioli with Meyer Lemon Beurre Blanc and Balsamic Glaze! $55; Monday – Friday, 4 – 10:00 pm; 4175 Admiralty Way, Marina del Rey, CA 90292; 310.823.5333
• Crossroads Kitchen: For this fall’s Dine LA, plant-based favorite Crossroads Calabasas will offer a 2-course lunch special Monday – Friday. Highlights include Crossroads signatures such as Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms, Calamari Fritti, Impossible Cigars, Spaghetti Carbonara and Truffle Mushroom Bianca Pizza. $25; Monday – Friday, 11:00 am – 4:00 pm; 4776 Commons Way Suite A, Calabasas, CA 91302; 747.230.4210
• Hotel Figueroa: DTLA’s award-winning urban oasis Hotel Figueroa’s flagship restaurant Sparrow Italia and all-day eatery Café Fig invite you to dine with them for Dine LA Restaurant week. Hotel Figueroa is one of the country’s hottest new culinary-driven hotels and an ideal gathering place for Angelenos and hotel guests alike. Monday – Friday, various hours; 939 S Figueroa St UNIT 300, Los Angeles, CA 90015; 213.660.3006
  • Sparrow Italia: Coastal Italian Meets Mediterranean at Sparrow Italia! One of the city’s best-kept Italian dining experiences unlike any other, Sparrow Italia offers a resort-like respite with a modern touch. For Dine LA this fall, Angelenos and visitors alike can enjoy an elevated Dine LA tasting menu of Italian and Mediterranean classics from Executive Chef Joana Cruz. $75; Dine LA menu highlights include:
    • Braised Meatballs (American wagyu, veal, pomodoro, whipped ricotta, basil, and grilled bread)
    • Chicken Paillard (black garlic & Caper beurre blanc)
    • Lasagna Verde (truffle bechamel, chanterelle mushrooms, cashew ricotta, spinach lasagna)
    • Torta di Pere (poached pear, caramelized almonds)
  • All Day Eatery & DTLA Hotspot Café Fig: Hotel Figueroa’s sunny & cheerful all-day Café Fig will offer a three-course Dine LA menu featuring a selection of appetizers, fan favorite entrées, and a wide array of desserts. $55
    • Beef Cheek & Potato Croquettes (braised beef cheeks, salsa verde, red wine reduction)
    • Portobello Bahn Mi (sweet chili aioli, pickled daikon, pickled herbs)
    • The Classic Burger (double chef’s blend patty, bib lettuce, tomatoes, grilled onions, white American cheese & “café fig” secret sauce on brioche bun)
    • Seasonal Fruit Tart (shortbread, vanilla ice cream, seasonal fruits)
• The Surfing Fox Restaurant & Bar: Santa Monica’s newest restaurant and bar located at The Pierside Hotel in Santa Monica, is participating in Dine LA. Reservations are encouraged and can be made through OpenTable. $55; Monday – Friday, 11:00 am – 9:30 pm; Pierside Hotel -120 Colorado Ave., Santa Monica, CA 90401; 424.214.1830
  • Guacamole with onion, cilantro, serrano, tortilla chips
  • Shishito Peppers with charred onion aioli, togarashi, lime
  • Roasted half chicken with cilantro rice, coconut sauce, green sambal
  • Romanesco with calabrian chile tahini, garlic-miso oil, mint 
  • Snap peas with agrodolce
  • Crispy sweet potatoes with ponzu, charred onion aioli, togarashi
  • Thai Tea Tiramisu

Spooky Season Unmasked: Your Ultimate Guide to Halloween 2023 in Los Angeles

Embrace the spooky season in style with our guide to the most thrilling Halloween events in Los Angeles. From haunted mazes and scary thrill rides, to bar crawls, parades, and costume parties, we’ve curated a list of the city’s top attractions that will make Halloween 2023 unforgettable.

Tuesday

Celebrate National Pasta Day with a Slice of Coastal Italy at The Restaurant at The Georgian Hotel

Today is National Pasta Day and the perfect place to celebrate is the newly restored 1930’s hotel bursting with vintage glamour, The Georgian. The Santa Monica property houses two restaurants inspired by Italy’s coastal cuisine: the art deco, ocean view Restaurant at The Georgian and the illusive subterranean Italian steakhouse The Georgian Room. With menu direction by Chef David Almany, an Osteria Mozza-alum, the Restaurant at The Georgian offers a decadent and refined pasta selection. The coastal inspired dishes include Mezzi Rogatoni Cacio E Pepe, with a five-pepper blend and pecorino Romano, Sweet Corn Capellacci, with Maine lobster, butter, and chervil, and Linguine Alla Scampi, with blue prawns, sundried tomatoes, and white wine. Meanwhile, The Georgian Room features live jazz and an array of opulent pasta dishes including Doppio Ravioli, made with rosemary braised pork, sweet corn, and peach jus, and Gnocchi Al Tartufo Nero, with crème fraiche and Australia winter truffle. $24+; Tuesday, 5 – 9:00 pm; The Georgian Hotel – 1415 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, CA 90401; 310.395.9945

Vicini Curates Special Menu for National Pasta Day

In light of National Pasta Day, Vicini Ristorante & Wine Bar will be celebrating the holiday with a curated menu highlighting a selection of pastas like Pumpkin Mezzelune, Tagliolini al Limone with scallops, and beef tortellini in a rich chicken broth. Vicini, the Westside’s newest addition, was born from Chef-owner Lucio Bedon who opened the restaurant in the same space where he landed his first chef gig in Los Angeles. The concept pays tribute to his childhood with a menu dedicated to celebrating his familial roots from the Veneto region of Italy offering crudo, cicchetti, and more. After coming full circle more than 25 years later, Chef Lucio gets to cook what he wants and is going all out in celebration of National Pasta Day. Guests who dine at Vicini this National Pasta Day can delight in a three-course prix fixe menu with options from orto (garden); mare (seafood); and fattoria (farm). A wine pairing is also available. The menu also includes dolci (dessert) such as a decadent Chocolate Ravioli with English cream or luscious Lemon Crostata. Reservations must be made in advance and can be booked online or through Yelp. $55 and +$30 (wine pairing); Tuesday, 5 – 9:00 pm; 10645 W. Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064; 310.744.8902

Wednesday

Hollywood Park Moves Presented by Cedars-Sinai Offers Free Fitness Classes

Every Wednesday, Hollywood Park will hold a series of FREE fitness classes as a part of their ongoing wellness program, Hollywood Park Moves Presented by Cedars-Sinai. A popular spring and summer series, Hollywood Park Moves will continue to offer energizing workout classes throughout the remainder of 2023. From its inception in June 2021, Hollywood Park Moves is a dedicated health and wellness program designed to help the Inglewood community and Los Angeles locals improve their physical and mental health through access to free exercise classes. The high-energy HIIT workouts, led by Inglewood local Claudine Cooper, are held in the basketball court at Hollywood Park. The workouts require no equipment and are designed to be inclusive of all ages and activity levels. Free; Wednesdays, 9 – 10:00 am;  The Court at Hollywood Park –  Parking: PS-2 Lot at 1130 S Prairie Ave.

Chef Priyanka Naik Teams Up with Café Gratitude (Venice)

As part of their ongoing pop-up dinner series, Café Gratitude invites guests to Venice for an enchanting evening with celebrity chef and author Priyanka Naik. Café Gratitude’s Executive Chef Dreux Ellis and Chef Priyanka have curated a four-course, entirely plant-based, Indian-fusion dinner that will be served al fresco on the restaurant’s warm and inviting outdoor patio accompanied by live acoustic music. Celebrate the spirit of India with dishes like an Amuse-Bouche, made with Chaat Masala, spicy tomato chutney, and herbed coconut cream. Followed by a Tamarind Tofu Bánh Mì, with a herby cucumber carrot slaw, sriracha mayo, and tamarind tofu on a toasted baguette. Lastly, a Mango Mousse Parfait for dessert. $130 (with a $20 gift card redeemable at any Café Gratitude location) and $150 (with a copy of Chef Priyanka’s cookbook, The Modern Tiffin, and an intimate book signing by Chef Priyanka and a $20 gift card, redeemable at any Café Gratitude location); Wednesday, 7 – 10:00 pm; 512 Rose Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90291; 424.231.8000

Thursday

Celebrate Oktoberfest with Beer-Infused Dishes & Exclusive Beer Tastings by Boston Beer Company at SALT Restaurant and Bar

In the spirit of Oktoberfest, Boston Beer Company is taking over SALT Restaurant and Bar at Marina Del Rey Hotel for the October edition of their Meet Your Makers Series. An Oktoberfest-style feast, guests will enjoy beer-infused dishes, an exclusive tasting experience and beer education from the pros at Boston Beer. A renowned name and trailblazer in the world of craft brewing, Boston Beer Company has given birth to iconic brands like Samuel Adams, creating exceptional brews with a rich history. $49.43; Thursday, 7:00 pm; Marina del Rey Hotel – 13534 Bali Way Marina del Rey, CA 90292; 310.301.1000

Your ticket includes:

• Three Beer-Infused Dishes (BBQ Shrimp and Avocado Salad, Cowboy Beef Boston Lager Chili & Samuel Adams Boston Lager Chocolate Cream Puffs)
• Exclusive Samples of Rare Beers & Ciders 
• Take-Home Swag

Coming Soon

(10/24): Chef Guest Series: KA’TEEN Welcomes Chef Jerome Grant to Los Angeles

On 10/24, Hollywood’s favorite Mexican coastal restaurant, KA’TEEN will host the second iteration of its Guest Chef Series. James Beard Nominated Chef Jerome Grant will make his way to Los Angeles for an immersive dining experience that promises exciting flavors and collaborative story-telling. Guests can expect a four-course meal carefully crafted by both Chef Wes Avila and Chef Jerome Grant that will skillfully blend Yucatan-inspired cuisine and elevated BBQ for a tantalizing fusion of Mexican and Afro-Filipino flavors, all served family-style for diners to enjoy. $95; 10/24, 6 – 10:00 pm; Tommie Hollywood – 6516 Selma Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90028; 323.410.6360

(10/26): Three-Course Fall Bourbon Dinner Experience at Black Angus

As the temperatures cool,  Black Angus Steakhouse, the original American steakhouse since 1964, heats up and announces the return of their popular one-night dinner series with a Bourbon Dinner Experience. On 10/26, all steakhouse locations will host a three-course, curated bourbon cocktail dinner featuring the highest quality 21-day aged steaks complemented by barrel-aged bourbon cocktails made with well-known and loved brands. The dinner begins with a Lobster and Potato Fritter paired with a Makers Mark Bourbon Gold Rush cocktail. The dinner will continue on, satisfying the bourbon connoisseurs, as the entrée will consist of a Fire Grilled Top Sirloin paired with a Maple Bourbon Old Fashioned made with Woodford Reserve. The third and final dessert course will be a Chocolate Pot de Crème complemented with a Chocolate Manhattan. $51.99; 10/26, 7:00 pm; Various locations