Historic Filipinotown is sponsoring its "HiFi Holidays Fil-Am Winter Market" this Saturday on Beverly Boulevard, in a holiday-themed afternoon highlighting small businesses, community, and culture with DJs, parol-making, vendors of clothes, candles, jewelry, and art, plus Filipino eats and more.
Dec. 16, 12-5 PM, 1665 Beverly Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90026. Closest Metro line and stop: Bus Line 14 - "Beverly/Union."
Production Club's non-profit arm MásForMore is organizing this Saturday's Toy Giveaway in Chinatown, giving away over 3,000 hand-selected toys to children in need, ages three months to 16 years old, and books for everyone from a tri-lingual staff. In addition, expect free plant-based food from repeat TACO Madness winners Villa's Tacos, live DJs, a play zone for kids, drinks, snow, and a Santa Claus photo opp.
Dec. 17, 11 AM-4 PM, 1725 Naud St. Los Angeles, CA 90012. Closest Metro line and stop: Bus Line 76 - “Main/Chavez (eastbound)” or "Main/Wilhardt (westbound)."
L.A. TACO investigative journalist Lexis-Olivier Ray put us on to Open Beer, made in a collaboration between pro skater Don "The Nuge" Nguyen and Colorado's New Belgium Brewery. The new beer is described as a bit of a session brew in a light and crisp Pilsner-style. Nguyen says it "bring our ethos into the beer industry. OPEN mindedness, diversity, art, music, and celebrating our friends because that’s all we have."
Holiday gifting classic See's Candy may have been founded in L.A., but it's time to switch it up this year. Tulsi Indian Eatery in Downtown, Westwood, and Northridge is making holiday gift boxes filled with aromatic Indian sweets, including various forms of halvah and barfee redolent with spices and ghee. Available at all locations in a colorful box.
Donations are being collected for the staff of Silver Lake's tragically shuttered staple Cafe Tropical, says Yesika Salgado, who puts everyone's pain into beautiful words with her memories of growing up here. Sadly, many former staff members are suffering from losing their wages and tips, and also had their final checks returned due to insufficient funds. A goal of $66,000 has been set.
Maydan Market's first pop-up will be this Saturday in West Adams, with proceeds benefiting CIELO (Comunidades Indigenas en Liderazgo). The event includes multiple food vendors cooking over live fire, including D.C.'s Michelin-winning Maydan restaurant, which is soon to open in the neighborhood. Poncho's Tlayudas, Tamales Elena y Antojitos, Nawal, Sesame, Plant Man, River Street BBQ, and many more will be cooking here, too. In addition, vendors of crafts goods and drinks from around the world will be offered, as well as DJs and live performances, and one free bite or beverage per $25 ticket. You can get yours here.
Dec. 16, 11 A.M.- 5 P.M., 3626 West Jefferson Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90016. Closest Metro lines and stop: Metro E or K Lines - "Expo/Crenshaw Station" or Bus Lines 38 and 210 - “Jefferson/Crenshaw.”
The barber is up front, and liquor is in the rear. It doesn't have to make perfect sense. It's the long-awaited return of Culver City's The Blind Barber, where you can get your hair cut up front in a clean, handsome space before or after retreating into the discrete speakeasy in the back for a "fancy" grilled cheese with chorizo, Manchego, and fig preserve, and a Tequila-based "Hot Heather." Rowr.
10797 Washington Blvd. Culver City, CA 90232. Closest Metro line and stop: Bus Line 33 - “Venice/Overland.”
With office dinners friend dinners, and family dinners still ahead in this rapidly waning holiday season, RDEN offers its impressive range in Hollywood's historic Taft Building, covering both modern steakhouse dishes and sushi omakase. Chef de cuisine Noe Olivera's spans the globe with choices like pork belly chicharrón with mole pipian, Peruvian-style ceviche, esquite, tempura, Wagyu tomahawk steaks, and uni pasta. Meanwhile, executive chef Tommy Ko taps his 23 years of sushi experience at a six-seat omakase bar, which also has an a la carte menu for the meek.
6280 Hollywood Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90028. Closest Metro lines and stop: Metro B Line or Bus Lines 180, 210, 217, and 222 - “Hollywood/Vine Station.”
