I hope you’ve adjusted to the new sunrise and sunset times. Well, shopping might brighten your days …and there are a slew of holiday shopping opportunities coming up and their timing couldn’t be more perfect.  The ones that stood out to me are, The American Indian Arts Marketplace, The Pasadena Arts & Crafts Show, and the Hollywood Night Market Winter Bazaar. If you are a coffee geek, your dreams have just come true with the arrival of  the Coffee Festival. And the Antaeus Theatre Company is premiering a much-anticipated play. Get your rest …it’s going to be a busy November week Tomatoes!

November 8-10.  LA Coffee Festival

Coffee aficionado’s and coffee lovers your wait is over, “The Los Angeles Coffee Festival” is back in DTLA. Yippee! Meet local and international roasters, taste hundreds of different coffees and celebrate Los Angeles’ burgeoning and vibrant specialty coffee scene. It’s sure to be fab, Tomatoes!

In this great city of culture, this will LA’s flagship coffee event with food, music and art as well.  10% of ticket sales will be going to charity, the Project Waterfall , to support life-changing water projects in coffee growing regions. Since 2011, Project Waterfall has raised over $1 million, bringing clean water to more than 25,000 people in coffee growing communities across 7 countries. At the Los Angeles Coffee Festival, you’ll enjoy endless complimentary coffee tastings, interactive workshops, demonstrations from world-class baristas, delicious street food, coffee cocktails, live music, art and more. Celebrate the Coffee Culture in Los Angeles Tomatoes and have fun.

This was a very happy Happy Hour episode talking “weed” with Jeanne Sullivan one of the rising stars in the cannabis industry. We talked about the history of cannabis, the health benefits, the investment opportunities, and what you need to know when you’re buying CBD products. Listen in here or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Indian Arts Market Place

What better way to celebrate American Indian Heritage Month Tomatoes than by visiting “The American Indian Arts Marketplace” this weekend at the Autry. It just so happens to be the largest high-end Native American arts fair in Southern California.  Wow! Worth putting your shopping shoes on Tomatoes!

Two hundred Native American artists who represent more than 40 tribes from across the country have items for sale like sculptures, pottery, beadwork, basketry, photography, paintings, jewelry, textiles, wooden carvings, mixed-media works, and more from top Native American artists. That’s a mighty long lists of beautiful wares Gals. The marketplace also includes performances, activities, talks and demonstrations and the annual short play festival from “Native Voices,” the Autry’s award-winning resident theatre company. Sounds like a something for everyone extravaganza Tomatoes.

Nov 8-10. Pasadena Arts & Crafts Show

Pasadena’s largest handcraft market is big shopping extravaganza, Tomatoes. “The Pasadena Arts and Crafts Show” includes hard to find small production wines, spirits, gourmet food, a market, and a stunning collection of special artisan gifts in the spirit of the Crafts Movement. Another special shopping opportunity to help you keep a step ahead on your Holiday gift giving Tomatoes.

A gift market extravaganza before the holidays –reserve wines, rare specialty foods –jewelry makers, glass workers, weavers, ceramists, clothiers & merchants –something interesting for everyone. Many very fine creations to choose from Tomatoes. Pasadena Arts & Crafts Show was established by artisans who were inspired by the Arts & Crafts Movement. They wanted to offer special artisan gifts –wines, gourmet foods, and handcrafted products –direct from the artists, artisans, and tradespeople. Sounds like a unique one-stop shopping experience Tomatoes!

November 14-Dec 19.  Hollywood Night Market Winter Bazaar

The Hollywood Night Market is creating a new Hollywood tradition with “The Winter Bazaar,” an inclusive Holiday craft fair & night market event that celebrates all people, and all traditions at the historic Yamashiro Restaurant Gardens atop the Hollywood Hills. Can’t beat the scenic location for a magical evening of shopping Tomatoes.

Each night Tomatoes and their family and friends of all ages can enjoy live music featuring some of the best Christmas & Chanukah classics; soulful carolers spreading the holiday cheer; Santa photos; food trucks, an outdoor bar for seasonal cocktails; a gift wrapping station and last but not least,  a spectacular Instagram worthy Light show & Tree lighting throughout the market. Ooops! Almost forgot to mention the more than 30 artisan craft vendors offering a wide variety of unique gift items. You will certainly find something memorable for your loved ones for this holiday season The Winter Bazaar Tomatoes!

Till Dec 15. Eight Nights

“Eight Nights” at the Antaeus is a world premiere theatre event with a poignant story that follows the poignant journey of a German Jewish Holocaust survivor and her family who is haunted by her past but bravely moving toward the future.  A very relevant play today as it honors the global refugee experience in the world now and I have no doubt it is brilliant Tomatoes as Antaeus Theatre productions are always top-notch entertainment.

The Three Tomatoes LA, moi included, loves that it is #1)written by a woman; Jennifer Maisel, #2) directed by a woman; Emily Chase and #3) stars women in the role of Rebecca ; Zoe Yale(young Rebecca, 1949-1978) and Tessa Auberjonois(older Rebecca, 1988-2016). Three for three.  So fab Tomatoes. Although Antaeus has presented new work in the past, this is only the second full production of a play developed in the company’s Playwrights Lab. “It was essential to me — seeing the parallels between the Syrian refugee crisis in 2017, when I started writing the play, and the Jewish refugee crisis of the 1930s — that this piece be an exploration of the universality of that experience and its overlap with other communities,” explains Maisel. “It’s about people finding a way to live after surviving loss and trauma and witnessing how that brings joy to the future.” It sounds like a real winner Tomatoes!