Weekend Guide: Shrimp Tacos, Nahuatl Courses, Light Shows, John Legend Christmas & More ~ GTFO LA!

It’s Friday. Time's running out to wrap the presents, buy the masa, and do as much of that behavior you will supposedly not do starting in 2019 – procrastination perhaps. And here is your weekend guide, Los Angeles. So ... get the f**k out of the house!

Friday, December 21

East L.A. Blowouts at LA Plaza

[dropcap size=big]L[/dropcap]A Plaza de Cultura y Artes has a great exhibit on the East L.A. Blowouts titled ¡Ya Basta! The East L.A. Walkouts and the Power of Protest. The exhibition is part of the 50th anniversary celebration and features photographs, posters, documents, film footage, and contemporary art. More info here.

When: Friday, 12 pm to 6 pm
Where: LA Plaza, DTLA

Shrimp Tacos at Sara's Market

[dropcap size=big]S[/dropcap]ara's continues to be a prominent pop-up space this weekend, hosting Papa Pancho's fish and shrimp tacos. I'm told there will also be quesadillas filled with mariscos. More info here. 

When: Friday, 4 to 8 pm
Where: Sara's Market, East L.A.

'Reservoir Dogs' Midnight Show in 35mm

[dropcap size=big]Q[/dropcap]uentin Tarantino's New Beverly Cinema is presenting a midnight screening of Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs, arguably the movie that made it possible for Quentin Tarantino to eventually own his own vintage theater. Reservoir Dogs is also arguably his best film and worth seeing as it was intended – in an old, dodgy flick house, reel to screen, on a cold winter night in Los Angeles. Tickets here. 

When: Friday; 11:59 pm
Where: New Beverly Cinema, Fairfax

Light Show on the Waterfront

[dropcap size=big]T[/dropcap]ake a tour of the marina in Long Beach on an old school trolley. The trip starts at Legends and takes you on a lightshow around the Naples area. More info here.

When: Friday; 5:15 to 9 pm
Where: Legends, Long Beach

Arturo Sandoval at the Disney Concert Hall

[dropcap size=big]T[/dropcap]en-time Grammy winner Arturo Sandoval Big Band will swing in the holidays with some jazzy Christmas music. More info here.

When: Friday; 8 pm
Where: Walt Disney Concert Hall, DTLA

Saturday, December 22

Mujeres Market in El Sereno

[dropcap size=big]M[/dropcap]ujeres Market continues their one-year anniversary celebration with a holiday market curated by Nalgona Positivity Pride. More info here.

When: Saturday; 3 to 8 pm
Where: 5469 Huntington Dr. N., El Sereno

The Vandals in Anaheim

[dropcap size=big]T[/dropcap]he House of Blues Anaheim will host The Vandals' 23rd annual Winter Formal. The event is all ages – though maybe don't bring the babies to a Vandals joint – and tickets start at $22. More info here.

When: Saturday; 7 pm
Where: House of Blues, Anaheim 

Winter Glow in Grand Park

[dropcap size=big]I[/dropcap]t's the last weekend to catch the holiday celebration in Grand Park. Each night at sunset the park turns into a lighted winter wonderland. More info here.

When: Saturday; 5:30 to 10 pm
Where: Grand Park, DTLA

Belly’s Sliders & Wings in East L.A.

[dropcap size=big]T[/dropcap]he food fests continue at Sara's with Belly’s Sliders & Wings on Saturday. More info here.

When: Saturday; 5 to 9 pm
Where: Sara's Market, East L.A.

Sunday, December 23

Learn to Speak Nahuatl in Downtown L.A.

[dropcap size=big]L[/dropcap]A Plaza is hosting Nahuatl language courses every Sunday for beginners and intermediate speakers of the ancient Aztec language. More info here.

When: Sunday; 12 pm
Where: LA Plaza, DTLA

Vegan Food Festival in Gardena

[dropcap size=big]S[/dropcap]tate Brewing is another place that's been rocking the pop-ups with regularity. For the holidays, the bar is hosting VegPop, an afternoon of music, vegan food and beers, and dog treats for people's dogs, presumably. More info here.

When: Sunday; 12 to 5 pm
Where: State Brewing, Gardena

John Legend Christmas in DTLA

[dropcap size=big]M[/dropcap]r. EGOT Teigen himself, John Legend, is performing at the Microsoft Theater to promote his new Christmas album. The album is executive produced by Raphael Saadiq and features Esperanza Spalding and Stevie Wonder on harmonica. It's a nice little album if you're a sucker for Christmas tunes like I am. More info here.

When: Sunday; 8 pm
Where: Microsoft Theater, East L.A.

Winterfest at Santa Anita Park

[dropcap size=big]T[/dropcap]ake a horse-drawn carriage, eat, take in the lights, and go ice skating at Santa Anita Park with the whole family. More info here.

When: Sunday; 11 am to 7 pm
Where: Santa Anita Park, Arcadia

All-You-Can-Eat Vegan in Torrance

[dropcap size=big]H[/dropcap]ave yourself a merry massive vegan buffet from Southern Fried Vegan hosted at Yorkshire Square Brewery. Tickets even include a microwavable container so you can take what you can't eat home for Christmas. More info here.

When: Sunday; 12 to 4 pm
Where: Yorkshire Square Brewery, Torrance

Edward Scissorhands-inspired Musical in Los Feliz

[dropcap size=big]R[/dropcap]ockwell is hosting Scissorhands: A Musical, based on Tim Burton's beloved fairytale. More info here.

When: Sunday; 12 pm
Where: Rockwell, Los Feliz

Celebrate Accordions at NAMM

[dropcap size=big]N[/dropcap]AMM’s Museum of Making Music has an exhibit on corrido favorite, el acordeon. It's a ways down south, but the museum does a good job of taking on the history of modern music. The exhibit, Accordions: Expanding Voices in the USA, explores the accordion's resurgence, thanks in large part to its prevalence in the Regional Mexican music genre. The exhibit includes recordings from classical and jazz, to Norteño and punk. More info here.

When: Sunday; 10 am to 5 pm
Where: NAMM, Carlsbad