LAaLALand Alert!!!! Happy Lunar New Year!
LAaLALanders,
This weekend’s events include the: First Fridays events, Echo Park Festival, Filipino Festival, Vintage Fashion Expo, Beverly Hills Trolley Tours, Hawai’i at the Grove, Afro-Latino Festival, Mountain-biking clinic, Belmont Shores Chocolate Festival and more!
Have a great time.
EnJOY…
LAaLA
***A special request***: I’m seeking new employment. Ideally, in the creative field but I’m flexible. I’m open to suggestions and leads (nationally). While I love producing this weekly resource list but this is not my bread and butter. If you’d like to find out more about me, click on the “About LAaLA” button above and or feel free to email my personal email address @ laalamatias@gmail.com. Thanks!
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5th
ALL SPACE CONSIDERED AT THE GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY 
Monthly at the Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon Theater join in the curatorial astronomy, space science, and space exploration discussion. This month’s focus is the “Haiti Earthquake: Living on an Active Planet.”
Free
7:30-9pm
Griffith Observatory
2800 East Observatory Road
Los Angeles
FIRST FRIDAYS AT THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM
Jam at this great Exposition Park music with experimental musicians Yeasayer as they provide a retro experience.
$9 includes museum admission
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
900 Exposition Blvd.
Los Angeles 90007
9TH HOUR HAPPY HOUR @ KATSUYA
This weekday event features cocktails and small bites for $9. Brentwood, Hollywood and Glendale Katsuya locales
Mondays-Fridays: 5-7pm
Katsuya
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6th
CORBA’s MOUNTAIN BIKING SKILLS CLINIC 
Learn the fundamentals of mountain biking and more valuable tips for your trail riding experience.
Free
8:30am signup; 9am class
Malibu Creek State Park
www.corbamtb.com/programs/skills.shtml
“CELEBRATING THE PHILLIPINES” FAMILY FESTIVAL
Explore the diverse Filipino culture at this festival full of hands-on crafts demos and other typical arts of that large South Pacific nation.
Free
Noon-4pm
Pacific Asia Museum
46 N. Los Robles Ave.
Pasadena 91101
http://www.pacificasiamuseum.org/
OPENING RECEPTION FOR JEFF RAMIREZ
This talented painter’s work is so vivid they look like photographs. His work has been featured in last year’s Crazy 4 Cult 2 at Gallery 1988, where Jeff’s four small paintings of Arnold Schwarzenegger quickly sold and later made into limited edition prints.
Free
7pm
Cella Gallery
5229 Lankershim Blvd
North Hollywood
ECHO PARK ART WALK
Meet in front of Chango, get a gallery map, and explore Echo Park.
Free
12-6pm
Chango Coffee1559 Echo Park Avenue
Los Angeles 90026
http://www.artneedsfreedom.com/
MODERN PREGNANCY
This is a solo exhibition of Kristina Buckley, an Academy of Fine Arts in Munich, Germany artist. There will be several drawings on paper with markers and pencils, and also includes a sculpture of the same title. The sculpture is made of steel, foam insulation, plaster and asphalt. The central performance work will be a pregnant stripper dancing on a pole from 8-10pm. Oh my!
Free
Reception from 7-10pm
Warehouse
1724 Baker St
Los Angeles
BELMONT SHORE CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL 
This 6th annual festival will be offer delectable chocolate treats, chocolate pie eating contest, homemade chocolate dessert contest, live music and more
$10
1-4pm
Belmont Shore
2nd Street
Long Beach
HAWAI’I AT THE GROVE
Aloha! Saturdays thru February, enjoy island warmth as The Grove becomes a remote version of Hawai’I featuring live Hawaiian music and hula lessons and performances presented by the Polynesian Cultural Center. Make your own flower lei, create unique palm frond crafts, get a temporary Hawai’i-inspired tattoo, and sample flavors of the Islands while entering to win a trip for two to Hawai’i.
Free 12-7pm The Grove189 The Grove Dr
Los Angeles 90036
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 7th
TENDER GREENS POT ROAST SUNDAYS 
Enjoy a Coleman Farms beef short rib “roast” braised in red-wine sauce, Yukon gold mashed potatoes, and a salad or vegetable for pennies on the dollar.
$10
Tender Greens
9523 Culver Blvd.
Culver City 90232
PLANT THE PERIMETER FRUIT TREE GIVEAWAY 
At this rare free food-picking event, the artist collective Fallen Fruit kicks off a yearlong project, EATLACMA, with a fruit tree giveaway. Learn more about horticulture as you pick up a free fruit tree along with planting instructions for your garden. This is the first in a series of food-related events throughout the year. Pick, pick, pick! Fruta!
Free
Noon
LACMA
5905 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles 90036
AFRO-LATINO FESTIVAL 
The Sculpture Garden opens up with stories from Africa & Latin America with storyteller Asha’s Baba, a Capoeira workshop & demonstration with Centrosul Capoeira, Carnaval Masks, Tambourines & Weaving workshops, a presentation by Dr. Irene Vazquez on the African Influence in the Americas, Afro-Peruvian Dance with Matalache and en vivo (live) music & dancing with The Boogaloo Assassins!
Free
12-6pm
Museum of Latin American Art
628 Alamitos Avenue
Long Beach
MELROSE TRADING POST 
Check out 200 eclectic vendors with bric-a-brac, food, music, records, furniture, and arts and crafts and more in the Fairfax High parking lot.
$2, $1/students and seniors
9am-5pm
Fairfax & Beverly
Los Angeles
dineLA RESTAURANT WEEK – WINTER 2010
Eat at family-owned eateries to upscale celebrity chef restaurants, dineLA Restaurant Week unites cafes, restaurants and bistros.
Thru Friday 2/5
Downtown Los Angeles
CA
http://discoverlosangeles.com/play/dining/
ALL WEEKEND
BEVERLY HILLS TROLLEY TOURS 
Take a 40-minute docent-led tour through the city’s avenues and past buildings of architectural interest on an old-fashioned trolley.
$5, kids under 13 – $1
11am-4pm – tours hourly, on the hour
Beverly Hills Trolley
Rodeo Dr. and Dayton Way
Beverly Hills 90210
VINTAGE FASHION EXPO
85+ vintage dealers host the best in vintage clothing and accessories including great vintage eyewear for men and women. Leigh Leshner, author and jewelry expert, provides appraisals of vintage costume jewelry from 12-2pm daily. James Zimmer and Cynthia Harper, of the UCLA vintage dance group, will be presenting vintage dances and lessons at 2pm daily. Sounds like a cultural shopping experience.
Sunday admission free with Saturday ticket purchase; Students admitted free on Sunday with ID; For directions & a $2 coupon off regular admission visit site; Saturday Early buy: 9-10:30am ($20); Regular admission: 10:30am–6pm ($10); Sunday Regular Admission 11am-5pm ($10).
Santa Monica Civic Auditorium
1855 Main Street
Santa Monica
COMPIMENTARY UNIVERSAL STUDIOS ADMISSION FOR SCHOOL WORKERS
K-12 teachers and school employees of California public, private and/or charter schools with required credentials (school and state ID presented to the box office) get in for free while their guests (up to 3) get in for half price.
Thru March 31st
Universal Studios
1000 Universal Center Dr
Universal City 91608
www.universalstudioshollywood.com
HELP WITH HAITIAN RELIEF 
The people of Haiti are suffering after the 7.4 earthquake that crushed the beautiful island nation. Support Doctors Without Borders as they provide much needed medical care via volunteer nurses and doctors and they were in Haiti prior to the disaster. I heard that the money donated is used within 5 minutes of processing in the country. Let’s help revive this very relevant nation!
http://doctorswithoutborders.org/
MICHAEL JACKSON: HIStyle EXHIBIT
In homage to the immortal King of Pop Michael Jackson, this iconic exhibit has been extended. It features some of Jackson’s seminal wardrobe pieces like the Thriller album cover suit, seven elaborately embellished jackets, two gloves and more. Also check out the 44-minute video of some of his most exciting GRAMMY performances.
$14.95, general; $11.95, students $ seniors; $10.95, military & youth 6-17 years old
Grammy Museum
800 W. Olympic Blvd., #A-245
Los Angeles 90015
213.765.6800
“IT’S A NUMBERS GAME” EXHIBIT
This Loft at Liz’s presents an exhibit exploring the overwhelming presence of numbers. Cell phones, credit cards, passports, time, money, distance – numbers are everywhere! However, this group show features artists Anthony Hansen, Alvaro Valenzuela, Bendow, Doni Silver Simons, Daniela Arbizzi, Anna Dusi, Joan Tucker, Mary Larsen, Michael Babyak, Mike Saijo, Robert Morgan, Savva and RetiMade Jewelry. Sounds very numerological.
Free
Exhibit thru February 16th
453 S. La Brea Ave
Los Angeles 90036
http://theloftatlizs.com/blog2/its-a-numbers-game/
FREE BOWLING 
Join the AMF’s Bowling E-Club and bowl for free. They’ll even send you a birthday gift and other incentives.
http://www.amf.com/corporate/inquiries/e_club_inquiry.amfx
FREE SKI LIFT TICKET ON YOUR BIRTHDAY!
Caps, Aquarians and Pisces: with a valid ID, go to the resort ticket office of the resorts listed below and enjoy free skiing, snowboarding, rides, ski-lift ticket, night skiing and more
GIVE A DAY (VOLUNTEERING), GET A (FREE) DISNEY DAY
Contribute to the community AND get something material back in return. How rare is that?! Give a day to a Disney approved charity and you’ll get a pass to get into Disneyland or Disney World. They hope to inspire one million people to volunteer a day of service with this incentive. There will only be tickets given to the first million volunteers who participate so don’t procrastinate if interested. Get your friends, family, organizations and others to participate so you can all attend together for free.
http://handsonnetwork.org
GRATIS HOT AIR BALLOON RIDES
Something you may have always wanted to try but never did – a hot air balloon ride! This time around, it’s green too. Check out the OC skyline from 500 feet up. There will be thirty people on each ride, it’s handicap accessible, registration is 15 minutes before flights and sign a waiver to participate. http://www.ocgp.org/visit/hours-directions/
DOWNLOAD THE NEW COLDPLAY ALBUM FOR FREE 
Wow! I love Coldplay. They’re offering 14 songs from their “Left Right Left Right Left” album for free at the link below.
http://www.coldplay.com/lrlrl/lr.html
FOOD BANK RESOURCES
If you or anyone you know needs free food due to a lack of funds, check out the links below. There’s no reason anyone should be homeless or starving anywhere, nevertheless in a wealthy country like the US!
http://www.lafightshunger.org/
http://www.lafightshunger.org/agencies_serving_daily_meals.htm
http://www.jfsla.org/sova/LocationsServices.php
http://www.laokay.com/FoodBanks.htm#LosAngeles
http://02bcd4a.netsolhost.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=70&Itemid=94
RESTAURANT.COM GIFT CERTIFICATES
Every few days this unique site does an amazing sale. Here’s how their site benefits over 5 million customers: find the restaurant you want to eat at and gift certificates of multiple denominations. Normally a $25 gift certificate that requires a minimum $35 purchase (+ 18% gratuity on the total bill) for 2 people sells for $10. Well, if they’re having an 80% off sale that voucher comes out to only $2! Spend $2 and get $25 off of your $35 check. This is totally legitimate and restaurants are usually quite appreciative for the new business.
ICEKATING AT THE W HOTEL
Check out to the rink at the W Hotel, on the faux-ice under the sunshine. Taste the spiked pumpkin lattes, spiked hot chocolates, smores or grilled cheese panninis.
Monday-Friday, 3-10pm, Saturday & Sunday, 10am-10pm
W Hotel – Westwood
930 Hilgard Ave.
Los Angeles 90024
http://www.whotels.com/losangeles
***A special request***: I’m seeking new employment. Ideally, in the creative field but I’m flexible. I’m open to suggestions and leads (nationally). While I love producing this weekly resource list but this is not my bread and butter. If you’d like to find out more about me, click on the “About LAaLA” button above and or feel free to email my personal email address @ laalamatias@gmail.com. Thanks!