PaleyFest Los Angeles Opens: Television has been around for a good long time now, but seeing a lauded TV cast chat, on a panel, outside of a talk show appearance, is still a fairly rare thing. Unless you're at PaleyFest, the Paley Center for Media's week-plus celebration of TV casts, creatives and the fans who want to know all. The 2015 runs from March 6 through 15 at the Dolby Theatre and as for those shows and stars on the stage? Kerry Washington and "Scandal" will be in the house and Gina Rodriguez from "Jane the Virgin," too. Sometimes hints are dropped about what's ahead, if you're into that, though the celebrations stay remarkably (for this day and age) spoiler-free.
The Festival of the Kite: It matters not if there's a boat way out on the horizon, or cool bit of kelp that's just washed onto shore, or someone buried up to their shoulders in sand (an impressive feat, always). If there's a kite overhead, at the beach, attention is drawn upward, because a fluttering, beautiful object over the waves is just about number 5 on the List of Life's Best Sights. This long-running gathering at Redondo Pier is free. You can fly your kite, too, on Sunday, March 8, or just enjoy one of Life's Best Sights from the beach.
Return of the Grunion: Most people are familiar with the small silversides fishes that wriggle up onto land, to spawn, during certain nights of the year, but tell someone who has never heard of the natural wonder and they'll likely say "aw, go on and pull the other one." It's all true, it is a marvel to behold, and Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro hosts an informative program on the nights that the grunion are expect (much has to do with the moon and tides, as has been tradition for eons). Only a few nights are ahead for 2015, and Saturday, March 7, is the first.
Lantern Festival: Say farewell to the many Lunar New Year festivities with this afternoon-long (and into evening) free happening at the Chinese American Museum downtown. There shall be the making of abacuses, there shall be the making of kites, there will be lessons in calligraphy, too. And, of course, you'll make lanterns, the glowing centerpiece of the celebration. Have you spent a moment ushering in the Year of the Ram yet? Let your lantern lead the way. Saturday, March 7
Casino Moderne: Southern California presents ample opportunity to get swanky, including swanky circa the 1920s. One of the nicest of natty nights is Casino Moderne, a fundraiser for the Art Deco Society of Los Angeles at the Los Angeles Athletic Club on Saturday, March 7. People wear flapper-style frocks and feathery headbands and dress as though they stepped out of an Errol Flynn movie, all while sipping Sidecars and playing Roulette. A general admission ticket is $65, but the compliments you'll get on that long pearl strand of your grandmother's you mean to wear more? Worth a bundle in good feelings, too.
