The Nighttime Lights at Hogwarts Castle
You might think it’s psychotic to go to Universal Studios on a weekend—for a four-minute light show, no less—but let me tell you something: The Nighttime Lights at Hogwarts Castle are pure magic (and yes, of course the pun is intended). I never thought I’d say this about electromagnetic radiation projected into the shapes of a badger, a snake, a raven, and a lion, but I was, like, emotionally moved by the experience. The lights are synced with the curvature and height of the castle’s walls and turrets, and the whole shebang is set to a new arrangement by composer John Williams. If you or someone you know has any affinity for the Harry Potter series whatsoever, head to the park, post up with some Butterbeer (I’d recommend the frozen variety), and maybe bring a tissue or something because I can almost guarantee the spectacle will hit you right in the feels. Should you find yourself unable to get out of the house, catch a Facebook Live stream on Universal Studios’ page tonight, June 23, at 8:45 p.m. More information (Opens June 23, Universal Studios)
Arroyo Seco Weekend
L.A.’s newest music-slash-food festival descends on Pasadena this weekend, and the lineup—both in terms of chefs and bands—is stellar. Headliners like Tom Petty, Mumford & Sons, and Weezer play across three stages, and food from hometown heroes like Sotto, Wolf, LocoL, and Union will be served. (Not to mention all the craft beer and wine you can handle.) Wanna know which sets to catch (spoiler: Jeff Goldblum and the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra should definitely be on your list)? Take it from some of the biggest acts at the festival, including Alabama Shakes and Dawes. More information (June 24-25, Brookside golf course grounds)
Dwell on Design
If the words modern and prefab make your heart race, bring a pocket defibrillator to the massive interior/exterior design fair at the L.A. Convention Center. More than 300 brands hawk their wares, and two days of L.A. home tours arm you with all the design inspo you can handle. There are panel discussions, too. More information (June 23-25, L.A. Convention Center)
Coffee and Cake Tasting
If you’re not already on the Caffe Luxxe bandwagon, there’s no better time than this weekend to get on board. The boutique westside coffee chain recently opened a Malibu outpost; on Saturday, they’re teaming up with Sweet Laurel Bakery for a coffee and cake tasting. A cool $75 gets you in, which sounds steep until you consider all of the glorious cake and coffee you’ll get to consume. Sweet Laurel will be slicing from their entire menu of cakes—we’re talking chocolate caramel, vanilla coconut jam, carrot—and Caffe Luxxe will be pouring a bunch of different brews that pair with each flavor. The price also includes a Sweet Laurel gift bag and coffee beans from the shop, which sounds like a pretty sweet deal IMHO. More information (June 24, Caffe Luxxe Malibu)
Constellations
When I say, “Hey, you should go see a play about quantum physics and also love,” your natural response might be: “No.” Who’s the expert here, though? Constellations, Nick Payne’s Olivier award-nominated play, is lovely and sad and fascinating and thought-provoking—it’s everything and nothing like you’d expect it it to be, which makes all 80 minutes engrossing. Ginnifer Goodwin (Once Upon A Time) and Allen Leech (Downton Abbey) play Marianne and Roland, a physicist and beekeeper (respectively) whose lives play out in front of audiences as part of the quantum multiverse; that is to say, various scenes from their relationship repeat over and over, sometimes with different outcomes. The show delivers on the concept of “What if”—as in, “what if I did that differently,” or “what if I said that in another way”—and will leave you wondering about the possibility of your own alternate realities. More information (through July 23, The Geffen Playhouse)
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