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Throughout November, the Morgan-Wixson Youth Theatre program will perform The Addams Family Musical, based on the darkly comedic characters seen in various television and movie projects. The musical centers around the titular family hosting a dinner for daughter Wednesday Addams’ new boyfriend, tackling issues of togetherness as well as what it means to be “normal.”

“I love that it shows that we all have differences, but it does it in such a magnified way, and in such a humorous way that it’s a good reminder that you look deeper, and through those differences we really realize that, as a matter of fact, we’re all very much the same,” said director Eve Keller of the project.

Keller helms the latest project of the Morgan-Wixson Youth Education and Entertainment Series (YES), which gives youth opportunities to flex creative muscles in both plays and musicals throughout the year. The Morgan-Wixson has been an innovator in Santa Monica theater for 75 years, training new generations of actors, actresses and production practitioners. To provide a proper training ground for the cast, ranging from 12 to 16 years old, Addams Family is the full-on adult version of the musical rather than choosing the “youth version” of the show.

“We want an opportunity for our youth actors to be able to portray more weighty material … we want them to be able to play more adult-like characters, so they’re not always playing people of their own age,” Keller said. “We feel like it just gives them [an opportunity] to learn and grow as actors.

Providing opportunities for youth of all backgrounds has also been a point of pride for the YES program, as the cast contains a considerable amount of BIPOC actors. Keller credits the program’s online workshops during the pandemic as a bridge gap for equity, as the “pay what you can” model of the sessions brought in more children of color that were not exposed to the arts beforehand. Producer Cory Goldberg, who saw biracial daughter Maia earn the role of Grandma in Addams Family, says that the YES commitment to curbing the financial equity issue allows for a less “homogenous” cast.

Once brought together for Addams Family, Keller noted that the cast has been “incredible” and “risen to the occasion” by bringing a maturity to the characters.

“They love what they do, so they put the work in,” Keller said. “And they approach it from a really professional manner, or as best they can at their age, but it’s really quite impressive.”

Professional opportunities also extend to the production end of the musical. During the Addams Family run, various positions like tech crew, stage manager, light operators and sound operators are all youth ranging from 12 to 18 years old. 17-year-old Monty Oxman serves as assistant to the director, while 15-year-old Ever Golden serves as Stage Manager and 16-year-old Walden Sullivan handles assistant duties for the show’s musical director.

Between the cast and crew, the Morgan-Wixson program has become its own family collective, says 16-year-old Chase Klein who plays Morticia Addams.

“I’m particularly excited for The Addams Family because of the incredible production team, as well as the fantastic cast,” Klein said. “The Morgan-Wixson has been a home to me for three years now because of the welcoming, loving, and close community. We have been hard at work these past months and have grown so close.”

The Addams Family will run at the Morgan-Wixson Theatre, located at 2627 Pico Boulevard, on Friday nights Nov. 10 and Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. Saturday shows on Nov. 11 and Nov. 18 run at 2 p.m., while Nov. 25 runs at 7 p.m. Sunday showings on Nov. 12, Nov. 19 and Nov. 26 all begin at 2 p.m. For more information, visit morgan-wixson.org.

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War. What is it good for? Not much, sadly. Aside from the bonus of driving a multi-billion-dollar industry, conflict, terrorism, invasion, persecution and countless other crimes continue to necessitate the need to maintain an effective military. And since we’re not all cut out to do many of the things that are required from the brave men and women in our armed forces, we really should show our respect. And that’s exactly what Veterans Day is all about. The month of November is traditionally a time in many western countries where both those who have fought and fallen and those who continue to fight are remembered and honored.

The actual day singled out to recognize the commitment and sacrifice made by every member of the armed services, past and present, is November 11. This came about originally to mark the end of World War I, supposedly the war to end all wars. First celebrated as Armistice Day, the day marked the “11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month” in 1918 when the peace treaty was signed in Compiègne, France.

However, now it’s referred to as Veterans Day and it’s always officially observed on November 11, regardless of the day of the week on which it falls. The National Ceremony is always held on this day, however, when Veterans Day falls on a weekday, many communities choose to hold parades or other celebrations on the weekend before or after November 11, simply so that more people can participate.

“We try to always make it as big as possible,” Fernando Sanjurjo, US Army, A&PA Specialist, said. “There are a lot of veterans in California and a lot of veterans here in the Los Angeles area, so this year’s event is going to be a little bigger and we have vehicles, helicopter flybys, live music and really a lot of great stuff going on.”

According to Sanjurjo, there will be a small recruitment station on the Pier and indeed, there will be a Oath of Enlistment Ceremony as a number of fresh recruits are enrolled into the armed services, but this isn’t the kind of event that the armed services consider conducive to recruitment.

“We will have a tent for recruiting, but in years past, it’s not been a big recruiting event. For us, it’s more of a community event, reaching out to the veterans within the local area. Veterans Day is more about thanking those that came before us, thanking those that are coming next, because we’re going to have 20 future recruits that have already committed to joining the army. If people are interested in getting them more information, we will be there to provide that for them,” he says.

“The reality is that we have over 150 different career fields that people can get into, as diverse as playing in the ceremonial band, electricians, drones pilots, mechanics, it’s just so vast,” Sanjurjo says, adding, “I joined to be a photographer, so we have something for everyone and we’re not asking for experience, we will give them the training and the experience that they require to get into any career field, provided they qualify and that the vacancy exists in that in that particular field.”

“As the mom of a vet and the mother-in-law of an active duty Army officer, I know the sacrifices that our veterans have made and military personnel and their families continue to make,” Mayor Gleam Davis told the Daily Press. “I also know how much it means to them that we recognize and honor their service. While I always am thrilled to participate in our local Veterans’ Day celebration, I hope that we remember our military, our vets, and their families throughout the year.”

An impressive itinerary of events is in store this year, with most being held on the Santa Monica Pier. Not only will there be speeches from Mayor Gleam Davis, Congressman Ted Lieu and Deputy Under Secretary of the Army Mario Diaz, but there will be flyovers featuring Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk and Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopters, a West Point drill team demonstration, plus live music and even the chance to win a PlayStation 5.

“The annual Veterans Day celebration has long been a wonderful experience here, originally in the beach lot north of the Pier, and beginning last year up on the Pier deck,” Jim Harris, Executive Director, Santa Monica Pier Corporation said, adding, “The event’s message of honor and respect is very moving, and the setting here, with the beach and ocean in the background, makes it even more so.”

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Finding the hottest cocktails in Los Angeles can often be a boozy scavenger hunt. The expected and nontraditional settings can yield outstanding results residing in hotel lobbies, new restaurants, hidden speakeasies, and beloved lounges. The spots on this list include openings less than six months old, along with new additions to cocktail bars that always hit the mark for cocktailing in Southern California. Here are 15 hot cocktail spots to check out in LA, arranged from west to east. (See the essential cocktail map for more established venues.)

Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process.

Though there’s Mediterranean fare at this 8,000-square-foot Woodland Hills space, the European-inspired cocktails are the showstopper at Casalena. Try the Spanish gin and tonic, Sicilian spritz, Parisian fizz, or something from the martini menu featuring the eye-catching caprese martini made with gin, tomato, basil, vermouth, and tomato celery bitters.

Above Vitello’s restaurant is the Velvet Martini Lounge, an Old Hollywood, Rat Pack-inspired space. The Studio City bar has one goal: to transport visitors to another time and place with live music, drinks, and dishes that stick to the theme, including an old-fashioned TV dinner served on a metal tray. Cocktails are well-made, especially Sammy’s jazzerac which comes together with rye, amaretto, bitters, and an absinthe rinse.

Jackson Kalb’s clubby new Hollywood restaurant just opened with a solid array of modern Italian American food and easy-sipping cocktails, like this Bellezza made with blanco tequila, Aperol, Bill’s honey, cucumber, and mint, which works as a sort of sweet-bitter starter to things like spicy vodka rigatoni and a shareable veal parmesan.

Echo Park hotspot Donna’s has a vibrant bar that fills up quickly with drinkers sipping on classic and signature cocktails, Negronis, and martinis. There’s also a nonalcoholic ghia spritz for those looking for a booze-free option.

This 100-year-old dive bar has been given new life under the reigns of Vinh Nguyen, whose Asian-inflected menu of scallion noodles, chicken liver pate, and Hunan barbecue pork ribs are terrific bites to have with the inventive drinks. Try the Oingo Boingo at the Ritz, a refreshing sipper with tomato sweet and sour, Thai basil syrup, and Coke.

Historic Filipinotown’s new bar is what’s needed in every LA neighborhood. No fuss, $4 beers, outdoor seating, and $13 cocktails in a relaxed setting designed to foster conversation.

If stationed inside Fairfax’s Blue Collar Bar, look for the hostess who (with a password) will open the hidden bookcase entry to Cold Shoulder. Once seated, order a Bananas Foster cocktail presented on an antique serving tray while observing the rugs and stools hanging from the ceiling, and psychedelic interpretive paintings of US presidents. It’s quite a vibe.

Cocktail destination Dante has an extensive drink list featuring eight different Negronis, and nine martini recipes, with a range of classic and signature cocktails. The other bonus at this bar-restaurant is rooftop views for lunch or dinner.

The vibes at the reincarnated Baroo in the Arts District are so different from the original East Hollywood that fans will have to reorient, but the results are so suave and lovely from the get-go that most people will be delighted. Chef Kwang’s menu is now served as five courses inspired by life phases at $110 a person, with optional wine or non-alcoholic pairing. The Korean-inspired cocktails by Jason Lee, such as the Omija, mixing maesil soju with five berry tea cordial and txakolina, work as surprising interludes.

Bar CDMX offers a taste of Mexico’s bar scene, complete with arcade games and rock en Español. Agave-based spirits and rum are the focus with four options on draft: margaritas, mojitos, and mezcal palomas, while the tropic thunder is made with rum, orgeat, pineapple, lemon, and ginger.

Opt for the mezcal and rum punch, caipirinha, and an old fashioned made with a spirit of choice.

LA’s nightlife veterans the Houston Brothers opened Sinners y Santos in September, bringing a bold Gothic cathedral-looking nightclub lounge decked out in stained glass, table service, and live lucha libre wrestling matches on a stage suspended above the bar. Expect guest DJs spinning behind a church organ booth and a cocktail menu by barman Devon Espinosa.

At Level 8 in Downtown, Mr Wanderlust beverage director Devon Espinosa draws from bars and cocktail histories around the world. It’s an inventive approach that includes collaborations with exceptional mixologists. There’s also a rotating bar and various live performances in this library-like space.

Santa Monica’s pintxos bar and restaurant serves mostly wine and vermouth, but the cocktails are worth scoping out as well. There’s the classic Calimoxto made with red wine, Coca-Cola, and cherry. Sandra’s cocktail, made with ginger, passion fruit, soju, and vermouth, is a sweet start to happy hour.

This very dark but energetic restaurant in Venice features two bars, one for the semi-outdoor dining area that feels very much like a hip South American or Central American destination (think Cartagena or the chef’s hometown of Panama City) while the inside also features a handy bar for refreshing drinks like a lime leaf paloma mixing guava, mezcal, and grapefruit. Try the surf clam ceviche and the fried chicken wings to pair with the cocktails.

Though there’s Mediterranean fare at this 8,000-square-foot Woodland Hills space, the European-inspired cocktails are the showstopper at Casalena. Try the Spanish gin and tonic, Sicilian spritz, Parisian fizz, or something from the martini menu featuring the eye-catching caprese martini made with gin, tomato, basil, vermouth, and tomato celery bitters.

Above Vitello’s restaurant is the Velvet Martini Lounge, an Old Hollywood, Rat Pack-inspired space. The Studio City bar has one goal: to transport visitors to another time and place with live music, drinks, and dishes that stick to the theme, including an old-fashioned TV dinner served on a metal tray. Cocktails are well-made, especially Sammy’s jazzerac which comes together with rye, amaretto, bitters, and an absinthe rinse.

Jackson Kalb’s clubby new Hollywood restaurant just opened with a solid array of modern Italian American food and easy-sipping cocktails, like this Bellezza made with blanco tequila, Aperol, Bill’s honey, cucumber, and mint, which works as a sort of sweet-bitter starter to things like spicy vodka rigatoni and a shareable veal parmesan.

Echo Park hotspot Donna’s has a vibrant bar that fills up quickly with drinkers sipping on classic and signature cocktails, Negronis, and martinis. There’s also a nonalcoholic ghia spritz for those looking for a booze-free option.

This 100-year-old dive bar has been given new life under the reigns of Vinh Nguyen, whose Asian-inflected menu of scallion noodles, chicken liver pate, and Hunan barbecue pork ribs are terrific bites to have with the inventive drinks. Try the Oingo Boingo at the Ritz, a refreshing sipper with tomato sweet and sour, Thai basil syrup, and Coke.

Historic Filipinotown’s new bar is what’s needed in every LA neighborhood. No fuss, $4 beers, outdoor seating, and $13 cocktails in a relaxed setting designed to foster conversation.

If stationed inside Fairfax’s Blue Collar Bar, look for the hostess who (with a password) will open the hidden bookcase entry to Cold Shoulder. Once seated, order a Bananas Foster cocktail presented on an antique serving tray while observing the rugs and stools hanging from the ceiling, and psychedelic interpretive paintings of US presidents. It’s quite a vibe.

Cocktail destination Dante has an extensive drink list featuring eight different Negronis, and nine martini recipes, with a range of classic and signature cocktails. The other bonus at this bar-restaurant is rooftop views for lunch or dinner.

The vibes at the reincarnated Baroo in the Arts District are so different from the original East Hollywood that fans will have to reorient, but the results are so suave and lovely from the get-go that most people will be delighted. Chef Kwang’s menu is now served as five courses inspired by life phases at $110 a person, with optional wine or non-alcoholic pairing. The Korean-inspired cocktails by Jason Lee, such as the Omija, mixing maesil soju with five berry tea cordial and txakolina, work as surprising interludes.

Bar CDMX offers a taste of Mexico’s bar scene, complete with arcade games and rock en Español. Agave-based spirits and rum are the focus with four options on draft: margaritas, mojitos, and mezcal palomas, while the tropic thunder is made with rum, orgeat, pineapple, lemon, and ginger.

Opt for the mezcal and rum punch, caipirinha, and an old fashioned made with a spirit of choice.

LA’s nightlife veterans the Houston Brothers opened Sinners y Santos in September, bringing a bold Gothic cathedral-looking nightclub lounge decked out in stained glass, table service, and live lucha libre wrestling matches on a stage suspended above the bar. Expect guest DJs spinning behind a church organ booth and a cocktail menu by barman Devon Espinosa.

At Level 8 in Downtown, Mr Wanderlust beverage director Devon Espinosa draws from bars and cocktail histories around the world. It’s an inventive approach that includes collaborations with exceptional mixologists. There’s also a rotating bar and various live performances in this library-like space.

Santa Monica’s pintxos bar and restaurant serves mostly wine and vermouth, but the cocktails are worth scoping out as well. There’s the classic Calimoxto made with red wine, Coca-Cola, and cherry. Sandra’s cocktail, made with ginger, passion fruit, soju, and vermouth, is a sweet start to happy hour.

This very dark but energetic restaurant in Venice features two bars, one for the semi-outdoor dining area that feels very much like a hip South American or Central American destination (think Cartagena or the chef’s hometown of Panama City) while the inside also features a handy bar for refreshing drinks like a lime leaf paloma mixing guava, mezcal, and grapefruit. Try the surf clam ceviche and the fried chicken wings to pair with the cocktails.

Ice At Santa Monica

Through Jan. 15, 2024

Ice at Santa Monica, 1324 5th St., Santa Monica, CA

From Downtown Santa Monica, Inc.:

"Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. brings the holidays to the downtown district with a wide array of festive offerings as part of its holiday programming, including Ice at Santa Monica, presented by Netflix skating rink, produced in partnership with Los Angeles-based Willy Bietak Productions.

"The beloved ice rink will once again transform the corner of Fifth Street and Arizona Avenue into a winter wonderland, bringing a touch of holiday magic to the beachside community.

"The rink will be open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Sundays through Thursdays, and from 11:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays through Monday, January 15, 2024, alongside a lineup of other exciting holiday events throughout the downtown district.

"In addition to regular hours, the rink will offer extended hours from December 15 to December 30, open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.

"This year's ice rink offerings promise an even more enhanced experience, with special treats and concessions provided by local favorites, Ugo Trattoria and Stefano's Pizzeria, available for purchase, the opportunity to enjoy exclusive rink-side fire pit experience with artisan s'mores kits by S’moreology, private party tent rentals plus a diverse lineup of special events and themed skate nights.

"Admission is $22 for a 60-minute session, which includes skate rental.

"Wednesdays on Ice: Every Wednesday from November 15 through January 10 | 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. sessions. Ice at Santa Monica, presented by Netflix, invites guests to join Wednesdays on Ice themed skate nights during the 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. sessions throughout the season.

"Themes:

MORE INFO & TICKET LINKS HERE

--Image courtesy of Downtown Santa Monica, Inc.

After a precipitation-scarce summer, Mother Nature will be sending a potentially dangerous storm to the Los Angeles area this weekend.

Hurricane Hilary, a rapidly strengthening storm, has been traversing along the coast of southwestern Mexico, and is poised to continue north and bring impacts to Southern California throughout the weekend and into Monday. According to the National Weather Service’s National Hurricane Center, Hilary was about 475 miles off the coast of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, as of 2 p.m. PDT Thursday, packing maximum sustained winds of 110 mph.

Initially named a tropical storm on Wednesday morning, the system intensified into Thursday, eventually strengthening into a Category 2 hurricane. A report by AccuWeather states that Hilary is forecast to peak as a Category 3 hurricane as it spins off Mexico’s Baja peninsula this weekend.

The NWS report notes that rainfall amounts between 2-4 inches, with isolated locations receiving more than 8 inches, will be possible throughout portions of Southern California, including parts of the Los Angeles metro area.

While mountains to the east of Los Angeles will shield Santa Monica and other cities on the coastline from Hilary’s worst impacts, rounds of heavy rain and high wind gusts are forecast, along with rough surf which will build throughout the early part of the weekend. According to Surf Forecast, the most powerful waves at the Santa Monica Pier area are forecast to arrive Sunday morning, with waves swelling up to 3 feet every 17 seconds.

Due to the Marine Weather Statement issued by the NWS for the storm, the Santa Monica Office of Emergency Management is coordinating with local response agencies to prepare for the storm. Chief Resilience Officer Lindsay Call recommended that residents avoid recreational outdoor activities during the storm, prepare for high winds by securing items such as patio furniture and gas grills, and to prepare for potential power outages by keeping devices charged and having battery-operated flashlights, radios and backup batteries available.

State officials are also monitoring the development of Hilary, with the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services coordinating across state government to support state and local preparations. The State Operations Center in Mather is also coordinating a response across state agencies, pushing resources to potentially impacted regions to support recovery efforts in Hilary’s aftermath.

The NWS forecast points to likely showers and thunderstorms on Sunday evening and Monday morning, mainly between 11 p.m. Sunday and 11 a.m. Monday. A chance of showers remains on Monday evening, before partly sunny conditions return Tuesday.

Rainfall will be making a rare appearance in Santa Monica, with very little precipitation since a deluge of atmospheric rivers caused massive downpours between January and March. According to Weather Underground’s Santa Monica Municipal Airport observation station, a total of 15.45 inches of precipitation fell in the city between January and March, with a peak of 2.69 inches falling between March 14 and March 15. Since April began, however, just 0.08 inches of precipitation have been recorded in the city.

Travel delays will also be a concern from Hilary, as travelers along the coastline will see delays due to worsening conditions over deserts and eastern slopes of the mountains. Incidents of flash flooding, mudslides and debris flows are also possible.

Since official record keeping on hurricanes and tropical storms began in 1949, no such storms have officially made landfall in California. The most damaging tropical storm to have directly hit the state occurred in September 1939, when the storm known as “The Lash of St. Francis” killed 45 people via deadly flooding and winds of up to 75 mph.

A close call with tropical storm landfall took place in September 2022, when Tropical Storm Kay was just 130 miles offshore from San Diego. According to the National Weather Service office in Los Angeles, temperatures in the city rose to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit during Kay’s arrival, with the first round of rain from the storm evaporating before hitting the ground due to the excessive heat.

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