THIS WEEKEND: How to Spend Your Time Through Presidents Day Weekend

BY KAREN YOUNG 

TONIGHT! Dining and Dancing Extravaganza:  The  Sportsmen’s Lodge  has something very special for the day after Valentine’s Day — a musical  extravaganza with dinner, dancing and a full bar. With its recent renovations, SL is seriously “old school cool” with a “new cool vibe.”  Tonight, the Johnny Holiday  Program will take over the historic Empire Room and  premiere the first of  11 performances. It’s a  retro  50s-style Big Band with amazing singers, dancers and other performances.   See Dean Mora and his Orchestra along with Christine Nelson, Adam Tunney,  The Satin Dollz Pin Up Dancers and  special guest star Toni Prima. They’ve blown the roof of the house at the Cicada Club downtown and are now bringing their unique brand to the valley.  Johnny Holiday has opened such  headliner legends  as Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Jerry Vale, Dick Haymes, Nancy Wilson, Johnnie Ray, Eddie Fisher, Don Cherry, John Gary, Tony Martin, Frankie Laine, Mel Torme and more. Doors open at 7 p.m. $20 for entertainment; $69 for dinner and dancing.  Reservations recommended. Tickets:   www.johnyholiday.eventbrite.com or call (818)  432-7502.  This is the first of 11 performances contracted at Sportsmen’s Lodge.

Chinese New Year Festival: The 15-day long celebration continues this weekend with the Chinese New Year Festival and the 114th Annual Golden Dragon Parade.  Enjoy spectacular floats, decked-out cars, dancers and bands as they parade down the heart of Chinatown. This year’s Grand Marshals includes Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and LAPD Chief Charlie Beck. The Chinese New Year Festival gets underway following the parade with cultural performances, children’s activities and hands-on cultural workshops for all ages. New for 2013, LA Chinatown, with the help of festival attendees and volunteers, will attempt to break the world record for paper folding—80,000 individually folded paper pieces will be assembled to create a large paper-folded snake sculpture. Eat traditional Chinese cuisine at nearby Chinatown restaurants as well as innovative cuisine offered by of LA’s tgourmet food trucks. There will also be a craft beer garden. 715 N. Hill Street. Los Angeles, Saturday, Feb. 16 from 12-8 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 17 from 12-5 p.m.  The 114th Annual Golden Dragon Parade is on Saturday, Feb. 16 beginning at 1 p.m. For more information on the Chinese New Year Festival visit www.chinatownla.com or call 213-680-0243.

Chumash Basket Weaving: Fill your heart and hands with Chumash weaving culture and technique at King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas.  Materials provided. Meet at the parking lot to left of pond. Free program, parking inside park $7.   Saturday, 1 p.m.-3 p.m. King Gillette Ranch, 26800 Mulholland Hwy Calabasas 818-878-0866 x228

Zoom Room Sherman Oaks Grand Opening: It’s a party and fundraiser on Saturday from 6 p.m. – midnight  at this new  canine training events center, retail store  and gym benefitting Strangest Angels Rescue.  Join host Jack McGee (better known as Chief Jerry Reilly on TV’s “Rescue Me” and Captain Mike Sutton on “Common Law”) for an evening of fun. Special four-legged guests include, Tillman the Skateboarding Dog, Sparkey Malarkey, Super Smiley and Maggie.  Photo booth, flash mob and tons of funFood and Beverages provided by: Fireman’s Brew, Hot Lips Soda, Antonio’s Pizza, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Zenify, Dama Tequila, and more. $10 per person. Auctions with goody bags and prizes. Zoom Room Sherman Oaks. 13618 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks.

Never Again. What You Do Matters: The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum brings its commemorative 20th anniversary National Tour to the Skirball Cultural Center on Sunday, February 17. The day-long event features a variety of opportunities to engage with Museum resources, people, and programs and pay tribute to local Holocaust survivors and World War II veterans. Conduct Holocaust-era family research in the Museum’s extensive archives; Bring your own historic photos, documents, and other artifacts to review with a Museum curator; Explore some of the unanswered—and unanswerable—questions about the Holocaust with educators, historians, and other experts; View Holocaust survivor testimonies and archival films rarely seen outside the Museum; Go behind-the-scenes with Museum curators to learn the stories of how certain artifacts became part of the collection; Participate in a children’s art project to create “building blocks of hope,” which will be displayed at the 20th Anniversary National Tribute in Washington, DC. (For children ages six and older.);Help Holocaust survivors’ and victims’ families discover the fate of missing loved ones by participating in the World Memory Project; Witness the presentation of the flags of the US Army liberating divisions. Click here for more information and a complete schedule of events. The day culminates with an hour-long tribute ceremony (from 4–5 p.m.) to honor Southern California-area Holocaust survivors and World War II veterans. 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., L.A., 310.440.4500.

Target’s Free Museum Monday Day at LACMA: Visitors of all ages are invited visit LACMA on Monday, February 18 for  a free day at the museum, with bilingual tours, free programs, art-making activities, and live music by Triple Chicken Foot at 12:30 and 2:45 pm. Triple Chicken Foot is an old-time trio playing early American fiddle and banjo songs. With Ben Guzmán on fiddle/mandolin, Mike Heinle on banjo, and Kelly Marie Martin on guitar—and all three singing—Triple Chicken Foot plays fiddle tunes, gospel songs, foot-stomping dance numbers, beautiful duets, and intense three-part-harmony a cappella ballads. Check out the exhibition California Design, 1930–1965: “Living in a Modern Way” to see California’s unique style.  Note: The Kubrick exhibit is not part of the free day.

Presidents Day  at the Reagan Library: Get a lesson in history at the  21st annual Presidents Day Celebration at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum. The fun includes musical entertainment, storytelling, and presidential and first lady look a-likes, along with hot dogs, pie, and other all-American food available for purchase. Presidents Day activities are free, but admission is charged to view inside the museum. Parking is free, with a shuttle pick-up, along Presidential Drive.

WEEKLY WEEKEND FARMERS MARKETS IN THE 818

Need a unique last minute gift or a great food item? Check out your neighbor Farmers Market this weekend!

Agoura Hills Farmers Market: Sundays, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. 5835 Kanan Road, Agoura

Burbank Farmer’s Market: Saturdays, 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. – Third Street and Orange Grove Avenue, Burbank.

Beverly Glen Farmers’ Market: Saturdays, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. 2936 N. Beverly Glen Circle Los Angeles

Calabasas Farmers Market: Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. is in Old Town, Calabasas on Calabasas Road., across the street from the Sagebrush Cantina.

Encino Farmers’ Market (ONEGeneration):  Sundays,  8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 17400 Victory Blvd. (between White Oak and Balboa).

NoHo Arts District Farmers Market: Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Bakman Avenue, between Magnolia Boulevard to the South and Weddington Street to the north.

Studio City Farmers’ Market: Sundays, 8 a.m – 1 p.m. – 12001 Ventura Pl, Studio City. (between Laurel Cyn and Radford. just north of Ventura).

Westlake Village Farmers Market: Sundays, 2797 Agoura Road. Westlake Village

GOT NEWS? TIPS? EmaiL: karen@mydailyfind.com

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