‘Queer Eye’ star Jonathan Van Ness live, an actual alien convention, tropical tunes downtown, a dazzling Planned Parenthood benefit and more.
Serious Eats’ Ed Levine Talks with Nancy Silverton and Kenji López-Alt
Monday, June 17, 2019 / 8-10 p.m. / Ann and Jerry Moss Theater
Serious Eats founder Ed Levine will discuss the journey of unconventional entrepreneurialism captured in his new book, “Serious Eater: A Food Lover’s Perilous Quest for Pizza and Redemption,” with the mistress of cheese and bread, Nancy Silverton and chef turned author turned culinary consultant (for Serious Eats) Kenji López-Alt. Launched in 2006 with only $100, Serious Eats has grown to be an all-encompassing guide to culinary creativity.
In addition to the website’s rocky rise, the trio will also talk about the food scene, the glory of pizza and all relevant tangents pertaining to the modern world of eating and dining.
Tickets: $20 – $95 / More Information
“The Case for Birth Control†with Larry Goldings and Inara George
Tuesday, June 18, 2019 / 8:30-11:30 p.m. / Largo at the Coronet
Inara George — of The Bird and The Bee — and pianist/composer Larry Goldings lead this Planned Parenthood benefit show with songs they wrote inspired by historic letters from women to birth control advocate Margaret Sanger.
A little history: Sanger founded the birth control movement more than 100 years ago. During her time, women’s healthcare was a taboo subject and contraceptives were illegal. After many hurdles and a few arrests, she successfully opened a clinic in 1923 staffed by female doctors and social workers. That clinic went on to become the Planned Parenthood Federation of America.
Tonight, George and Goldings are joined onstage by a bounty of special guests, including Leslie Feist, Sydney Wayser, Erica Canales, Nataly Dawn, Alex Lilly, Kate Micucci, Vanessa Bryan, Maiya Sykes, Bella Porter, Jessalyn Brooks, Melinda Sullivan, Eleni Mandell, Darla Hawn, Ilyse Mimoun and Sarah Gossage.
Tickets: $30 / More Information
Autry After Hours: Celebrate
Wednesday, June 19, 2019 / 6:30-9 p.m. / Autry Museum of the American West
Subsuelo DJs close out this season’s Autry After Hours series with a night of their favorite internationally flavored music, poetry and art, including a live flamenco performance to boot. Salvadoran slam poet and activist Yesika Salgado curated the night’s poetry performances, which feature Matthew Hernandez, Aman Batra and Edwin Bodney. A special installation and community project by Tongva artist Mercedes Dorame will also be on view.
Part of the fun includes being tipsy and checking out some of the Autry’s current exhibits, such as the very cool coyote-centric art of Harry Fonseca.
Tickets: $5; free for Autry Members / More Information
Jonathan Van Ness: Road to Beijing
Thursday, June 20, 2019 / 7-10 p.m. / The Wiltern
“Queer Eye” star Jonathan Van Ness recently discovered he loves performing stand-up. To prepare for his “Road to Beijing” comedy tour, Van Ness took figure skating lessons from legendary gold-medalist Michelle Kawn. Not sure whether that means he’s traveling with a portable ice rink, or if he simply took advantage of being able to learn how to spin gracefully from one his heroes, just because he could. If all he does is get on stage and dole out hair care advice, that would be absolutely satisfying.
Tickets: $92-$170 / More Information
FIGFest Presents Buscabulla and Reyna Tropical
Friday, June 21, 2019 / 6-11 p.m. / FIGat7th
FIGFest, downtown L.A.’s annual music series continues, serving a twist of Latin flavors via Buscabulla and Reyna Tropical. Spanish-language experimental duo Buscabulla — which is Puerto Rican slang for “troublemaker” — describes its sound as “Caribbean music of the future.” Fusing Latin varietals like salsa gorda, Cuban psych and ’80s Argentine rock, Raquel Berrios and Luis del Valle utilize electronic and live instruments to create sensual, funky pop music.
Reyna Tropical consists of Portland-based guitarist and She Shreds founder Fabi Reyna and L.A.-based producer Sumohair. These two explore their heritage by layering Afro-Mexican melodies with folky guitar, reggaeton beats and tropical atmospheres.
Attendance is free / More Information
Garagiste Wine Festival: Urban Exposure
Saturday, June 22, 2019 / 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. / Glendale Civic Auditorium
Launched in Paso Robles in 2011, this highly acclaimed wine festival focuses on small-batch micro-wineries from all over California whose wines are not typically found in stores, tasting rooms or wine-country maps. Hailing from Sonoma, Napa, Paso Robles, Santa Barbara County and greater Los Angeles, the winemakers and owners themselves will be in attendance to pour samples and share their enthusiasm for fermentation and grape-stomping. Tickets are limited to ensure everyone has enough elbow room to sip until satiated from a selection of 200 wines hand-crafted by 50 artisan wineries.
Tickets: $69-$119 / More Information
AlienCon Los Angeles
Sunday, June 23, 2019 / 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. / Los Angeles Convention Center
And now for something truly far out. AlienCon Los Angeles brings paranormal experts, the stars of “Ancient Aliens” and science fiction heroes (like William Shatner) together for a weekend of revelry in all things extraterrestrial, including a huge marketplace full of alien-related fun and photo ops. Panels feature high-profile authors, researchers, scientists, archeologists, Kabbalah experts and UFO mythologists, investigators, explorers, engineers and spiritual channelers. Topics for discussion include the unexplained mysteries surrounding ancient civilizations, extraterrestrial life, paranormal theory and pop culture.
Tickets: $62-$625 / AlienCon runs from June 21-23 / More Information