Critical 5 things to do in L.A.: in the air, March 15-17
Lately, there's just been something in the air in L.A. -- and we don't mean smog. It's the feeling that summer is here. Sure, the warm season hasn't officially started, but that doesn't matter. It's hot, and people are starting to break out their bathing suits and sunglasses. That works out well, because L.A. always likes to do things before the rest of the world anyway.
This weekend there are a slew of colorful events that perfectly match the sunny disposition of the town and its people.
At first glance this event seems like yet another celebration of our patch-worked L.A. cultural heritage. But don't be fooled by the name. This isn't a metaphor for the colorful spectrum of diversity in Los Angeles. This is a festival actually devoted to colors. Like blue and green. With a backdrop of music, yoga and other revelry, the main focus of this festival is the throwing of dusty dry pouches of color. Walking out of this vivid festival, everyone is covered in a rainbow of pink, purple, yellow and orange. Make sure you attend (and wear clothes you don't care about).
Sunday Los Angeles will be painted green in celebration of St. Patty's Day. Do yourself a favor this year and head Downtown to L.A. Live for their St. Patrick's Day Festival. Co-hosted by the City of L.A. and 98.7 FM (and endorsed by Bud Light), the giant outdoor party will feature traditional Irish food, music and of course drinks. Grab your green beads and make sure you plan for street closures (all over town) for the L.A. Marathon.
The Hobbit & Lord of the Rings Marathon
Sunday, thousands of runners will be taking over L.A., participating in the extremely difficult challenge of completing the 26.2 miles that make up a marathon. For Angelenos that are looking for a less rigorous kind of marathon that doesn't require quite as much preparation, look no further than the Aero Theatre. This Saturday they're hosting a juggernaut of a movie marathon. Watching The Hobbit and all three of The Lord of the Rings films back to back is a certainly a feat in itself. And don't let those runners tell you otherwise. Tickets are a reasonable $15 ($13 for students) a pop.
Clearly this weekend is meant for bacchanalian festivities. The Nowruz Celebration is a great way to get into the free-spirited party mode... in a more civilized manner. This weekend the LACMA is hosting an event to commemorate the Persian New Year. With food, music, art, a film festival, and dancing, this is an excellent way to make both your rebel and your dignified sides happy.
Angelenos love their food. Forget Portland and New York, we are just as obsessed with being foodies as any other city. We also like our crafts (Ok, maybe not quite as much as Portland). This weekend Craft In America combines these two things to create something truly original. The event, Good Enough To Eat, delves into our fascination with food by objectifying it and the paraphernalia that we use to indulge. Check out this exhibit and make sure you have a good restaurant in mind for afterwards.
