As we hit April and museums begin to reopen, me thinks the trails ahead are looking a little bit brighter. After 1 year, LACMA and The Wallis Annenberg Pet Space have just reopened their doors. Yay! The Paley Fest is back, virtually that is, and it’s better than ever. The dance inspired “Moving Through” online series is being presented by Union Station and Metro Art LA. A new film screening and talk from the Skirball will definitely be inspiring, Tomatoes. And check out this week’s podcast too. Happy Easter and Happy Week!

Museum Openings This Week

With six new exhibit shows, including a highly anticipated Yoshitomo Nara retrospective, LACMA has thrown back open their doors to the public this week. And the Annenberg Pet Space is back for a specialized experience celebrating the human-animal bond.  They can’t wait to welcome you back, Tomatoes.

The six exhibits at LACMA look terrific.  And the Annenberg Pet Space is always always full of joy.   Both LACMA and the Pet Space have limited capacity requirements and you must make a reservation ahead of time.  These openings are a wonderful sign of better things to come IF we stay safe, Tomatoes.

Paley Fest

The fab Paley Fest 2021, produced by The Paley Center for the Media, has a marvelous lineup of online events — including the talents of Anya Taylor Joy of “The Queen’s Gambit” and Jason Sudeikis of “Ted Lasso”.  Let’s just say there’s a plethora (A LOT) of events with the biggest stars on TV, Tomatoes.  

The star-filled events are FREE and are all available now on Yahoo Entertainment!  Woo-Hoo! This is the 38th William S. Paley Television Festival, the premier television festival in the country. Named for William S. Paley, founder of CBS and The Paley Center for Media, PaleyFest proceeds support his mission to serve as a nonprofit cultural and educational resource in television, radio, and new media. ​Enjoy being a fan, Tomatoes.

Travel and Inspiration with Lea Lane

We had a great conversation with award winning travel writer Lea Lane, who has visited over 100 countries, about her travel memoir, her travel podcast, and travelling again. She also talks about being a “Covid long hauler” and discovering she had breast cancer during the pandemic. LISTEN IN.

Through April. “Moving Through”

During the month of April, Metro Art Los Angeles is premiering ?????? ???????, an online celebration series with dance and movement for our times of change from different corners of Union Station with site specific programs.  Gee Whiz, that sounds cool, Tomatoes. 

In collaboration with Pieter Performance Space, an LA-based platform and community, four Pieter teaching artists will bring their approaches to movement practice with each program. They will feature a connection to transit, from practical meditative movement to various forms of choreography Also included is the premiere of an all-new dance work for film, ???????, developed onsite in Union Station’s historic Ticketing Hall. The series will air on Metro, Metro Art and Union Station’s Facebook and YouTube channels. If you love dance then join in, Tomatoes.

April 6.  Skirball’s  Virtual Screening and Talk

The moving documentary “They Ain’t Ready for Me” will be available to stream leading up to the talk and Q&A with community leader Tamar Manasseh, the focus of this documentary film, and director Brad Rothschild. The film tells the story of Manasseh, who is leading the fight against gun violence on the South Side of Chicago. Tamar’s fearless force is to be admired, Tomatoes.

For years, Manasseh, a mother of two and an African American rabbinical student, has spent every summer day sitting on the corner in her neighborhood, dedicating the area for safe play. Through this simple but revolutionary act, Manasseh reminds her neighbors that there are people who care if they live or die. The film explores the challenges and motivations of this fearless leader, both authentically Jewish and authentically black, as she works to bring joy and safety to her community. And she’s just getting started, Tomatoes.

RSVP HERE.