Thursday March 26
Wine Fest
Shade Hotel and Wine LA are hosting the first annual Stars Of Napa Valley Wine Festival. After nine years of hosting its annual Ultimate Wine Festival, Shade this year brings 40 Napa wineries showcasing their most popular pours, including Quintess, Alpha Omega, Trefethen, Heitz, Frank Family Vineyards, Barnett Vineyards, Bougetz Cellars, Black Stallion, Signorello Estate, Kenzo Estate, ZD Wines, Entre Nous Wines, Lail Vineyards, and Inglenook. The event also includes tray-passed hors d’oeuvres and auction items to bid on, all benefiting Manhattan Beach Middle School. $125 per ticket. The event will begin at 7 p.m. with a limited number of VIP at 6:15 p.m. admission tickets available for $175 per person. For more info, call Ian at WineLA at 310-451-7600 or visit www.winela.com/stars-of-napa-valley. Festival is located at 1221 N. Valley Drive, Manhattan Beach.
On the other side
The B*Side Players, a 10 piece powerhouse of bilingual reggae, funk and cumbia, play Saint Rocke. With a strong political bent and a broad international reach, The Players have shared the stage with, The Wailers, Toots and the Maytals, Ben Harper, War, James Brown, Cultura Profetica, Fred Wesley, and Maceo Parker, among others. $13. Doors open at 6 p.m., show at 9 p.m. See SaintRocke.com for tickets, located at 142 Pacific Coast Highway, Hermosa Beach, (310)-372-0035.
Friday, March 27
Pepperspray
The L.A. Jazz Institute presents an “All Star Celebration of Art Pepper” at 8 p.m. in the Hermosa Beach Community Theatre, 710 Pier Ave., Hermosa Beach. The All Star Saxophone Summit (with Richie Cole, Don Shelton, Doug Webb, and Gaspare Pasini), the Art Pepper Quartet Reunion (with George Cables, David Williams, and Carl Burnett), Laurie Pepper, and others will attend. Screenings and pre-concert discussion. Tickets, $45 reserved seats plus pre-concert events beginning at 6 p.m., and $30 general admission. For more information, call (562) 200-5477.
Still an orphan
“Annie, Jr.,” presented by the Metropolitan Educational Theatre Network, is geared for a new generation. It’s being performed at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday plus 2 p.m. Monday in the James Armstrong Theatre. For tickets call (310) 781-7171 or go to met2.org.
Saturday, March 28
Rank outsiders
Pat Todd and the Rank Outsiders play South Bay Customs, the motorcycle shop in El Segundo that doubles as an art gallerly and music venue. Pat Todd is also the frontman for The Lazy Cowgirls and the founder of the Rankoutsider Records, an independent LA-based roots and rock ‘n roll label. Also on the bill are the Voo Duo and The Grit Dogs. $6, doors open at 8 p.m. See SouthBayCustoms.Net for more info and advance tickets, located at 115 Penn St., 310)982-1300.
Sleight of hand
Presented by the Redondo Odd Fellows and Silver Crest Rebekah Lodges, “Poof Too! – XXV” takes place at 7 p.m. in the Hermosa Beach Community Theatre, 710 Pier Ave., Hermosa Beach. The show features the classical magic of Dale Salwak, the comedy magic of Jimmy H, Arthur Trace, Tom Frank, master of ceremonies Paul Green, Magic Castle award-winner Christopher Hart, and illusionist David Zirbel. Tickets, $30 now and $35 at the door. Phone Roberta Prosk at (310) 214-9338.
Contemporary photography
“Second Sight: New Representations in Photography” and “John Hyatt: My Brush with Angels” are two shows that open with a reception from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Torrance Art Museum, 3320 Civic Center Drive, Torrance. The first is a group show that features Kate Bonner, Chris Engman, Sean C. Flaherty, Megan Flanders, Ken Gonzales-Day, Valerie Green, Soo Kim, Nikki S. Lee, Joshua Mark Logan, Gina Osterloh, and Nancy Popp. Through May 14. For more information, visit Torranceartmuseum.com.
Gentle colors
The Pastel Society of Southern California has a reception and awards ceremony from 1 to 4 p.m. at the South Bay Lexus Service Center, 24777 Crenshaw Blvd., Torrance. The show, up through May 9, features over 150 paintings by local and national artists. On the same day, Richard McKinley, author of “Pastel Pointers,” gives a free demonstration from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. Call Lynn Attig at (310) 374-8309 or go to pastelsocal.com.
Rocky road
The “South Bay Lapidary and Mineral Society Gem and Mineral Show: ‘Nature’s Treasures,’” can be seen from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, in the Ken Miller Recreation Auditorium, 3341 Torrance Blvd., Torrance. Among the attractions, an exhibit of rocks from all over the world that display beautiful colors under ultraviolet light, presented by the Fluorescent Mineral Society. Free. Call Richard Egger, (310) 291-9855 or go to palosverdes.com/sblap.
Stagecraft
Directed by John Malkovich, Julian Sands performs “A Celebration of Harold Pinter” at 8 p.m. in the Carpenter Center, 6200 Atherton St., Long Beach. Pinter was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2005. Tickets, $40. Call (562) 985-7000 or go to CarpenterArts.org.
Sunday, March 29
By the light of the moon
“LunaFest,” a traveling film festival of nine short films by, about, and for women, takes place from 2 to 5 p.m. in the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center, 1935 Manhattan Beach Blvd., Redondo Beach. There will be a short Q&A with film director Susana Casares about her film “Try-Outs.” Tickets, $35 now; $40 at the door (students with I.D., $25 online). Proceeds to benefit Breast Cancer Fund, Soroptimist International of Manhattan Beach Projects for Women and Girls. (424) 225-2050 or go to lunafest.org/redondobeach0329.
Movie goddess on stage
“Forever Marilyn,” presented by Long Beach Opera, is being performed at 2:30 p.m. at the Warner Grand Theatre, 478 W. Sixth St., Long Beach. The music is by Gavin Bryars (“The Sinking of the Titanic”) with a libretto by Marilyn Bowering. The role of Marilyn Monroe is divided between Danielle Marcelle Bond and Jamie Chamberlin, and Lee Gregory also stars. This is the work’s U.S. premiere. Tickets, $29 to $160. Call (562) 432-5934 or go to longbeachopera.org/tickets.
The power and the passion
“Rock Show: 30 Years of Rock Images by Don Adkins” goes on view today at the Frame & Art Dept., 950 Aviation Blvd., Hermosa Beach. Opening reception takes place on Saturday, April 4, from 6 to 9 p.m. Gallery hours, Monday to Saturday from 12 noon to 6 and Sunday from 12 noon to 3 p.m. Through April 12. Go to frameandartdept.com or to donadkinsphoto.com.
Monday, March 30
The French connection
“Vive la Differénce,” an exhibition by painters Annie Clavel and Joy Gonzalez, plus jewelry artist Marilyn Harrison, opens in the Artists’ Studio Gallery, located in the Promenade on the Peninsula, 550 Deep Valley Drive #159, Rolling Hills Estates. Reception on Saturday, April 18, from 1 to 4 p.m. Through May 3. Call (310) 265-2592 or go to artists-studio-pvac.com.
Tuesday, March 31
No hugs, but a big Kiss
Kiss frontman Gene Simmons is hosting the official release party for “Gene Simmons is a Powerful and Attractive Man and Other Irrefutable Facts,” written by Christina Vitagliano and with a foreword by The Man himself. It takes place from 5 to 8 p.m. at Rock & Brews, 143 Main St., El Segundo. Tickets, $75, and this includes a three-course prix fixe dinner, a signed book, and a photo with Simmons. Go to rockandbrews.com/elsegundo.
Jackson wine dinner
Abigaile restaurant is hosting a wine pairing dinner with Nick Holmes from The Spire Collection of Jackson Family Wines for an exclusive five-course wine pairing dinner prepared by executive chef Jorge Valines. The Spire Collection is comprised of the most esteemed wineries from the Jackson Family portfolio. Holmes will be on site to speak to each pairing and share his knowledge of the selection of Northern California wines. Dinner includes spot prawns, prime dry aged carpaccio, pork belly, seared branzino, and white chocolate and sea salt blondie, each paired with Jackson wines. 6 p.m., $60. Call 310-798-8227 for reservations or more information. Abigaile is located at 1301 Manhattan Ave, Hermosa Beach.
