Tournament of Roses
Get a behind-the-scenes look at the Rose Parade by helping put the final touches on the flower-covered floats (December 28-30). Also happening prior to the parade, Pasadena City College will host Bandfest (December 29-30), which features field shows by the parade’s top-notch marching bands. The Tournament of Roses culminates on New Year’s Day with the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl Game. Through January 2nd; 626.449.4100
New Year’s Eve party at Bowlmor AMF
The largest operator of bowling entertainment centers in the world, is offering two packages to celebrate the New Year. The Daytime Family Party Package includes two hours of unlimited bowling—shoes included, kid friendly buffet, and sparkling cider and/or Champagne toast. The Nighttime Ball Drop Package includes four hours of unlimited bowling—shoes included, gourmet buffet, soft drinks, sparkling cider and/or Champagne toast
N.Y.E.L.A.
Grand Park and The Music Center are ringing in 2018 with the annual N.Y.E.L.A. celebration, featuring two stages of music and an interactive countdown with 3-D digital video mapping on City Hall. Hosted by D’Lo, music performances include Dexter Story and the All-Star New Year’s Eve Band, The Beat Junkies (featuring DJ Babu, Mr. Choc, Shortkut) and DJ Francesca Harding. The festivities also include food trucks and photo booths. Free; Sunday, 8 pm; Grand Park, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Marina del Rey NYE Fireworks & Glow Party
The L.A. County Department of Beaches & Harbors invites the whole family to enjoy not one, but two New Year’s Eve fireworks displays over the beautiful waters of Marina del Rey! Taking place at Burton Chace Park, the Fireworks & Glow Party starts at with fun, family friendly activities including DJs, dancers, Circuit Breaker Robot, face painting, bubbles, photo booth, free giveaways, food trucks and more. Just before 9 pm, there’s a 30-second countdown to the Times Square ball drop, followed by a 10-minute fireworks display. Then it’s the West Coast’s turn, with a 30-second countdown to 2018 followed by another 10-minute fireworks display. Watch the spectacular fireworks from Burton Chace Park, Fisherman’s Village, or the many waterfront restaurants. $8/parking in County Parking Lots #77 and #4: 13650 and 13500 Mindanao Way. Free admission, for faster entry RSVP at Eventbrite; Sunday, 7 pm; Burton Chace Park, 13650 Mindanao Way, Marina del Rey, CA 90292
Westbound’s NYE Party
The DTLA cocktail bar, Westbound is inviting you to “Let It Go” and party your way into 2018. The speakeasy-inspired space will have a “Frozen” themed bounce house, a Champagne toast, and party favors. For $55 and waived general admission, you can also enjoy a New Year’s Eve Roast Dinner of either Flannery Dry Aged Ribeye, seaweed butter, and truffled creamed corn; or turbot, braised celery, Champagne beurre blanc, and caviar. $20/general admission; Sunday, 5 pm-2 am;300 S. Santa Fe Ave, Suite N, Los Angeles, CA 90013; reservations are available here.
Winsome’s New Year’s Eve Dinner
No prix fixe menus or cover charges – just a classy dinner with some spectacular specials. In addition to the regular dinner menu, guests can enjoy specials such as: oysters (with fennel mignonette, shallots, cocktail sauce, sea asparagus), black garlic-rubbed New York steak (with cipollini onion, pickled green tomato, braised Tuscan kale), and house-made gnocchi (with Maine pink shrimp, Meyer lemon, English peas, pea shoots, urfa) just to name a few. For dessert, end the night on a sweet note with a hazelnut almond daquoise with milk chocolate mousse & coffee caramel. Sunday, 5:30 pm – closing; 1115 Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90012 (entrance on White Knoll Drive); 213.415.1818
Winsome’s New Year’s Day Brunch
Start off 2018 with a true breakfast of champions or soak up last night’s sins with Winsome’s brunch favorites like potato rostis and eggs or some gooey buckwheat pancakes. In addition to its regular menu, Winsome will be serving up brunch specials including a Rosti “burger” with egg, heirloom tomato and bacon; baked mac & cheese with gruyere & bacon bread crumbs; and fried chicken & waffles with jalapeño & fresno aioli. For something sweet, enjoy chocolate peppermint old fashioned cake donuts by Pastry Chef Leslie Mialma and for a little hair of the dog, indulge with their new bloody mary or special cocktail, the Watermelon Garibaldi (made with earl grey Campari, OJ, salted watermelon, lemon & Peroni) Monday, 8:30 am – 2:30 pm; 1115 Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90012 (entrance on White Knoll Drive); 213.415.1818
New Year’s at Church Key
Choose your food and drink package at this Sunset Strip dim sum spot, with the top option being a four-course meal along with a la carte offerings, unlimited premium bar selections, and a midnight Champagne toast. There also happens to be a hangover brunch on Monday to soak up all the suds from the night before. $85/four courses & Champagne toast, $145/four courses & unlimited bar til midnight, Sunday, 6:30 pm, Monday, 10 am-3:30 pm; 8730 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069; 424.249.3700
All NYE and New Year’s Day events here.
Explore Costa Mesa
Travel Costa Mesa is ready and waiting for you: You’ll get $100 to spend at South Coast Plaza if you stay in one of the participating hotels for two nights. What would you want to spend it on in South Coast Plaza, you ask yourself? Well, Top Chef finalist Amar Santana’s knockout tapas restaurant Vaca is down there, for starters, and that chicken cannelloni will change your life. Cost varies by hotel, but packages start at $230 for two nights; Through January 7th; Costa Mesa, CA
INKO NITO Opens
Opening in the heart of Los Angeles’ Arts District, INKO NITO is the casual Japanese restaurant from Rainer Becker, creator and co-founder of Zuma restaurants worldwide, ROKA London, Oblix and ETARU. INKO NITO serves unconventional, contemporary robatayaki, developed by Becker and by Group Executive Chef Hamish Brown. Designed for you to navigate with ease, INKO NITO’s menu is diverse yet approachable with bold flavors, an assortment of salads, Nigaki (new style sushi), hot dishes and robata meat, fish and vegetable. Dishes include salads of Salmon Tataki with sesame ponzu dressing, baby spinach and ikura; Yellowtail Sashimi Salad with mizuna, yuzu truffle dressing and crispy garlic; and Dungeness Crab Tartare with wasabi, mayo, chicken skin, and roasted nori. NIGAKI is served with roasted nori, sushi rice and a choice of toppings including The Chirashi with salmon, yellowtail, and wasabi shiso; The Veggie with avocado, yuzu, garlic, and crispy rice; and The Cali with Dungeness crab, avocado, wasabi tobiko and yuzu mayo. A selection of hot dishes includes Panko Fried Chicken with chili garlic yogurt; Brussels sprouts with sesame furikake and wasabi mayo; and Kimchi Rice with Korean miso, scallions, sesame and egg yolk. In addition to the Robata selection of meat, fish and vegetable, you’ll find Chicken Tsukune with smoked teriyaki sauce and shichimi; Lamb Shoulder Chop with wasabi shiso marinade and roasted nori yoghurt; Baby Back Pork Ribs with chili and Japanese whiskey glaze; Whole Tiger Prawns with garlic and lemon sansho; Salmon Fillet with grapefruit miso and sansho salt; Scallops with shiso, sweet soy, shichimi yoghurt and lemon, and seasonally driven Cauliflower with roasted garlic soy aioli and parmesan panko; Tenderstem Broccoli with onion wafu; Sweet Potato in Husk with chili nori butter and chives; and Shishito Peppers with dried yuzu and sansho salt. Serving a full wine, beer, and sake selection, INKO NITO’s handcrafted cocktail program will include six signature still and carbonated cocktails on tap, including Inko Spritz, Plum Highball and Nori Old Fashioned. INKO NITO will also offer a selection of rotating beer taps, which on opening will include Orin Lager, Kirin Lchiban draft, and Echigo Red Ale, while Sake selections such as Kikusui Funaguchi ‘Red’, Kikusui Funaguchi ‘Yellow’, and Nanbu Bijin Tokobetsu will be offered. 225-227 S Garey St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
