Los Angeles Art Show: It's hard to throw a paintbrush during the month of January and not hit some outsized visual arts event. (Plus, we'd kindly ask you not to throw.) So many talks and tours unroll during LA Art Month -- that's this month -- that finding one mondo thing to land upon can be tricky. But here's a start: The LA Art Show. It's at the convention center through Sunday, Jan. 19, and it's le creme de la creme, or whatever analogy you wish to use to describe something top-notch. Ready to discover a favorite new artist? A bunch of 'em? A one-day ticket is twenty bucks.
photo l.a.: The huge look-admire-marvel-recoil-love-think art-tacular weekend wouldn't complete without photography having its own mondo rollout. It shall, over nearly the same dates as the LA Art Show, and not too far off, distance-wise. The LA Mart is the scene of the shutterbug gathering, a lens-lovely convention which puts the focus on classic works as well as the contemporary scene. Cost? Again, twenty bucks. Jan. 17 through 19
Free Day at the National Parks: Some of the most beautiful pockets and spreads of nature on this world, and maybe any other, can be found in our protected parks. And while many of them are free to all, a few charge entrance fees. But on select days each year, those parks waive admission. The first date? It's Monday, Jan. 20, in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Yosemite and Death Valley are two of the fee-waiving parks, so perhaps head to one of those treasures.
The Forum's Re-Debut: The Inglewood landmark is back and gussied up, after being taken over by the Madison Square Garden people, and it is set to start strong. How strong? The Eagles are the weekend's opening act; Sting, Paul Simon, and Kings of Leon shall follow in the weeks ahead. Oh, and check it: Loads of local food places are making a show in concessions, including Coolhaus and Cole's.
Farewell, Downtown on Ice: Well, goodness. A sunshine-loving ice skater couldn't have handpicked a more glorious weather weekend for spinning at Pershing Square one last time for the season. The downtown seasonal rink says farewell on Monday, Jan. 20, so be sure to get your pirouettes in before the roll up the ice (proverbially, of course).
