Grand Performances has been providing free cultural entertainment to Los Angeles for some 30 years, and the 2017 edition promises an eclectic mix of events that’s sure to offer something for angelenos of all dispositions. From staged readings from award-winning playwrights to internationally acclaimed musical performers, this summer’s calendar is jam-packed with globally inspired gatherings, all taking place at California Plaza in Downtown L.A. Key highlights for this year include The Earth Harp (the largest playable instrument in the world), a special beer-themed series in partnership with Angel City Brewery’s Ale Academy, plus a season-ending performance by the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra on September 22. Check out the full schedule of free events below, and be sure to bookmark a few dates! Image via Grand Performances Grand Performances Summer 2017 ScheduleGospel Lunch FRI, JUN 2, 2017 at 12:00 PM William Close and the Earth Harp Collective FRI, JUN 2, 2017 at 8:00 PM INFO William Close and the Earth Harp Collective SAT, JUN 3, 2017 at 5:00 PM Bridging The Divide: Tom Bradley and the Politics of Race FRI, JUN 9, 2017 at 8:00 PM The Secret City SUN, JUN 11, 2017 at 12:00 PM L.A. X GDL: Gaby Moreno | Caloncho SAT, JUN 17, 2017 at 8:00 PM Long Beach Opera – FRIDA FRI, JUN 23, 2017 at 8:00 PM Miguel Atwood-Ferguson: Suite for Ma Dukes and New Originals SAT, JUN 24, 2017 at 8:00 PM Hip Hop: First Peoples, New Voices SAT, JUL 1, 2017 at 8:00 PM Beer 101 – History & More THU, JUL 6, 2017 at 7:00 PM The Thanksgiving Play by Larissa FastHorse FRI, JUL 7, 2017 at 8:00 PM Rahim AlHaj – Letters from Iraq | Asher Shasho Levy SAT, JUL 8, 2017 at 8:00 PM Cornerstone Theater Company – Magic Fruit SUN, JUL 9, 2017 at 7:00 PM L’Orchestre Afrisa International with special guest Ricardo Lemvo SAT, JUL 15, 2017at 8:00 PM Taste is (Almost) Everything – The Art and Science of Evaluating Beers THU, JUL 20, 2017 at 7:00 PM Sidestepper | Buyepongo FRI, JUL 21, 2017 R 8:00 PM Her Voice: Riffat Sultana | Meklit | Ulali SAT, JUL 22, 2017 at 8:00 PM La Linea FRI, JUL 28, 2017 at 8:00 PM MOTHERSHIP LANDING: Funk and The Afrofuturist Universe of ’77 SAT, JUL 29, 2017 at 8:00 PM Peter & The Wolf – The Classical SUN, JUL 30, 2017 at 3:00 PM, 4:30 PM What Began in the Fires SUN, JUL 30, 2017 at 8:00 PM Beer Pairings – How to Turn a Good Meal Great THU, AUG 3, 2017 at 7:00 PM NO SIDE NOW – Los Angeles Performance Practice FRI, AUG 4, 2017 at 8:00 PM Dorian Wood – Entre Les Étoiles (Among the Stars) | Kaumakaiwa Kanaka’ole SAT, AUG 5, 2017 at 8:00 PM Peter & The Wolf – Big Funky Jazz Band SUN, AUG 6, 2017 at 3:00 PM, 4:30 PM 9066::13769 (Executive Orders that Exclude) THU, AUG 10, 2017 at 7:00 PM Gospel Lunch FRI, AUG 11, 2017 at 12:00 PM Septeto Santiaguero FRI, AUG 11, 2017 at 8:00 PM Hamed Nikpay SAT, AUG 12, 2017 at 8:00 PM Peter Y la Loba – Lucky Diaz & the Family Jam Band SUN, AUG 13, 2017 at 3:00 PM, 4:30 PM Daymé Arocena FRI, AUG 18, 2017 at 12:00 PM Cameron Graves | Leon Ware Tribute FRI, AUG 18, 2017 at 8:00 PM Daedelus Grooves for COLA20 SAT, AUG 19, 2017 at 8:00 PM Peter & The Wolf – Edición Latinx SUN, AUG 20, 2017 sy 3:00 PM, 4:30 PM 未来の歴史 Mirai No Rekishi / History of the Future – Mark de Clive-Lowe SAT, AUG 26, 2017 sy 8:00 PM Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra FRI, SEP 22, 2017 at 8:00 PM Before attending be sure to check grandperformances.org for any updates on event timings or new additions the calendar. Parking is available in the California Plaza parking garage off Olive Street between 1st and 4th Streets for a special event rate of $8 (cash only) and is available 90 minutes before listed show times. Transit via Metro (exit Pershing Square station) is also highly encouraged! Article courtesy of We Like LA.
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Stock markets higher this week – After a few weeks of declines, stocks made up some ground as the beginning of first quarter earnings were released, a 7% decline in oil prices, and political headlines lead to a volatile week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended the week at 20,547.76, up from last week’s close of 20,453.25. The S&P 500 closed the week at 2,348.69, up from 2,328.95 last Friday. The NASDAQ closed the week just off Thursday’s all time high at 5,910.52, up from last week’s close of 5,805.15.
Treasury Bond yields unchanged this week – The 10-year Treasury bond ended the week at 2.24%, almost unchanged from 2.23% last week. The 30-year treasury yield ended the week at 2.89%, unchanged from 2.89% last Friday. Mortgage Rates – 30-year drops below 4% for first time in 5 months – Mortgage rates dropped for the fourth straight week. The April 20, 2017 Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Survey reported that the 30-year fixed mortgage rate average was 3.97%, down from4.08% last week. The 15-year fixed was 3.23%, down from 3.34% last week. The 5-year ARM was 3.10%, also down from 3.18% last week. Rates increased slightly near the end of the week so next week’s average should be slightly higher. California’s unemployment rate falls to 4.9% in March – The Employment Development Department reported that California’s employers added 19,300 new non-farm jobs in March. The state’s unemployment rate dropped to 4.9% from 5% in February. Since February 2010, when the state’s unemployment peaked at 10%, California has gained 2,507,400 jobs. California home sales and prices strong in March – Low inventory pushes prices up – The California Association of Realtors reported that home sales totaled 416,580 in March on a seasonally adjusted annualized rate. That represented a 4% increase from February’s pace and a 6.9% increase from last March. The Los Angeles Regionwas even stronger. It saw an 8.5% year over year increase in sales from March 2016. The median price paid for a home in California was $517,020. It increased 8% month over month from $478,570 in February. We did see month over month prices down in January and February, so the 8% rebound made up those declines. Year over yearthe median price was 6.8%, higher than $484,120 last March. Inventory levels decreased as less people put their homes up for sale. The unsold inventory index dropped one full month to a 3-month supply of homes for sale. That’s down from a 4-month supply in February. A 3-month supply of homes for sale is the lowest March reading ever. U.S. Existing home sales at highest pace in over 10 years in March – The National Association of Realtors reported that sales of single family homes increased 4.4% in March to an annualized adjusted rate of 5.71 million homes. March’s sale pace is 5.9% higher than March 2016. It was the highest monthly rate of sales since February 2007.Year over year the median price paid for a home nationwide increased 6.8% from last March. It was the 61st consecutive month of year over year price gains. The number of homes for sale has dropped year over year for 22 straight months. Nationally, there is just a 3.8-month supply of homes for sale. The National Association of Realtors single family home figures include sales of detached homes, condominiums, town-homes, and co-ops. Author Syd Leibovitch (Photo by Saundi Wilson via LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr)If you drive down Wilshire at 10:01 p.m., it may seem like the whole city has shut down and gone to bed. But, like most everything in Los Angeles, appearances are deceiving. The city may not be known as one that never sleeps, but between all-night warehouse parties, students cramming for tomorrow’s test, early-morning joggers, and even the occasional JPL scientist monitoring activities on Mars, someone somewhere is out and about. So who fuels these nocturnal Angelenos? Where do they congregate? We’ve compiled a list of our favorite 24-Hour restaurants around to answer these questions, and may we suggest you bookmark this so you’re not frantically searching your phone for it at 3:00 a.m. Canter’s Deli Canter’s has been an integral part of Los Angeles nightlife since at least the Topanga Canyon scene of the late 60s/early 70s. It’s the place to go at 2:00 a.m. after the party (or 4:00 a.m. after the after party, or 7:00 a.m. after the whatever-the-hell-that-was). From the iconic autumnal ceiling, to the pitch-perfect deli sandwiches and matzo ball soup, to the epic people watching, it’s never (re: never) a bad idea to go to Canter’s. — Oren Peleg Canter’s is located at 419 N. Fairfax Ave. in Beverly Grove, 323.651.2030 (Photo by Marcelino A./Yelp)LA Cafe Even if you’ve never eaten there, you’ve seen LA Cafe’s yellow Smart Car delivery cars zipping around downtown at all hours. And while, these days, you’re less likely to see insomniac artists brooding over a plate of fries, you’re still sure to see an eclectic mix of partiers settling down for some late-night grub, police officers sipping coffee on break, and various downtown denizens milling about the al fresco tables. Breakfast, burgers, mango and goat cheese salad: check, check, and check at any hour of any day. — Oren Peleg LA Cafe is located at 639 S. Spring St. in Downtown, 213.612.3000 (Photo by Pancho V./Yelp)Fred 62 The Los Feliz crowd has been retreating to this 24-hour spot since 1997, which seems appropriate as the decor looks straight out of a Smash Mouth or Lit music video. Stroll (or stumble) into this Vermont Ave. diner before catching a movie at the Los Feliz 3, or after a night at the Dresden or the Greek. Whatever your scene, whatever the hour, take comfort in knowing that Fred 62 will be there for you with a warm plate of eggs, bacon, and hash browns. — Oren Peleg Fred 62 is located at 1850 N. Vermont Ave. in Los Feliz, 323.667.0062 Pacific Dining Car (Photo via Pacific Dining Car/Facebook)Pacific Dining Car After nearly a century (it opened in 1921), the Pacific Dining Car still feels like an anomaly. It is, after all, gussied up to look like an errant dining car that had been stranded in Westlake (and, what with the ornate wallpaper and green booths, you really do feel like you’re rumbling along on the railroad tracks). Inside, however, it’s all about familiarity. Walk in at any given time and you’ll find patrons trading banter with the servers. Sometimes they’re on a first-name basis. Sometimes they’ll be talking Dodger baseball. The servers move around with a kind of ease, like they’ve been working here since the inception of the place. Which is all to say: where else can you find this homey sense at 2:00 a.m. on a Tuesday? Decor and sensibility aside, the food is expertly done, even if it’s nothing out of the ordinary. Certainly, you’ll get the baseball steak if you’re in a carnivorous mood (or if you’d just watched Training Day again on TV). It’s a fist-shaped chunk of bovine that’s more than hearty. There’s also a great Roquefort steak, as well as prime rib. Not down with the beef? Also popular are the crab cakes, as well as a seasonal vegan menu that includes mushroom risotto. —Tim Loc Pacific Dining Car is at 1310 W 6th St, Westlake, (213) 483-6000. A soon tofu bowl with accompanying side dishes at BCD Tofu House. (Photo courtesy of BCD Tofu House)BCD Tofu House Soon tofu, the bubbling hot Korean one-pot meal, is truly great comfort food—which is exactly what you need in the middle of the night. BCD Tofu House has several Southland locations, but my heart will always be with the one on Wilshire Boulevard in Koreatown, which is open 24 hours. They carry ten varieties of soon tofu, though my personal favorite is their traditional kimchi soon tofu with beef. All of their soups are served in traditional heavy black earthenware bowls with an array of side dishes. BCD Tofu House is located at 3580 Wilshire Boulevard in Koreatown. 213-382-6677 The BCD Tofu on Western and 9th Street (located at 869 S. Western Ave #2 in Koreatown) is also open 24 hours, as are their Irvine and Garden Grove locations. Sun Nong Dan (Photo via Tiffany E./Yelp)Sun Nong Dan Sometimes you’ll stumble out of the Normandie Club during the wee hours and wander aimlessly through Koreatown. The weather is nippy. Your head is in a funk. What you need is something warm, replenishing, and flat-out delicious. In comes Sun Nong Dan. Here, you can lap up some sullungtang, a broth that is somehow both light and substantial; make sure you pour in that sea salt to draw out the flavors. What’ll really wake you to your senses, however, is the galbi jjim, or short rib stew. The beef is achingly tender, and the pot (which can be split between a small party) is loaded with kimchi, potatoes, and rice cakes. It’s spicy, and will leave your nose with a slight dribble, but not so much heat that the flavors get drowned out. The lines for dinner can get pretty long (don’t even get us started about the parking). It may be wisest, then, to check in at an ungodly hour. —Tim Loc Sun Nong Dan is at 3470 W 6th St, Koreatown, (213) 365-0303. Carnitas Michoacan (Photo via Jonathan K./Yelp)Carnitas Michoacan At first blush, you’d think that the main appeal of Carnitas Michoacan is that, aside from being open 24-hours, it takes a maximalist’s approach to feeding us late-nighters. Take, for instance, the carne asada fries, which are so loaded you might need a team of petroleum engineers to get to the bottom of it. But the space, long a hang-out for night owls, isn’t just about big portions. The meats are always drenched in flavor, and they’re not diced to oblivion, as they often are at other places; you can actually sink your teeth into a hefty hunk of pork. The al pastor is tender, and the tripas is especially crispy. And when you need a soup/stew to bring some warmth back into your bones, you can’t go wrong with the cocido, the pozole, or the albondigas. There’s a new wave of chefs who are re-imagining Mexican cuisine—exciting times indeed. Carnitas Michoacan, however, stands as an bastion for the fare that so many Angelenos have grown up with. —Tim Loc Carnitas Michoacan is at 1901 N Broadway, Lincoln Heights, (323) 225-2729. (Photo by J R. via Yelp)Astro Family Restaurant
Despite its Silver Lake locale, this wonderfully old school diner remains gloriously unhip. There isn’t a spot of kale to be found on the menu, or an avocado toast in sight. Parking is plentiful (they have their own lot!) and it’s always well lit. I come for the pancakes and the diner coffee, and no one minds if I stay all night. There aren’t any outlets or free wifi, so it’s not your typical all-night working spot, but their booths are cozy and uncrowded and full of unpretentious charm. The Googie-style building was designed in 1960 by Louis Armet and Eldon Davis, two of the architects who helped popularize the midcentury Southern California architectural style. Astro is located at 2300 Fletcher Drive in Silver Lake. 323-663-9241 Article by LAist. Pershing Square fills up for the Women’s March on Jan. 21, 2017. Photo by Brian Champlin / We Like L.A.
Friday April 21st, 20171. The Los Angeles Master Chorale is hosting the 28th annual High School Choir Fest. Free performances will take place at the iconic Walt Disney Concert Hall in downtown L.A. The day begins at 11 a.m., with a concert from 16 members of the Los Angeles Master Chorale Chamber Ensemble, led by conductor Jenny Wong. FREE 2. The Great Horror Movie Nights at the Old Zoo in Griffith Park will screen Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The event will feature plenty of pre-show entertainment including games, prizes, and roaming scare-actors. Discount tickets are available via Goldstar while supplies last. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar) 3. Interactive light and shadow installation THE WOODS invites viewers into a knee-high forest of twigs as moving lights automatically illuminate their path. The immersive installation only admits two people at a time and will run Thursday through Sunday. FREE 4. The Groundlings: The Completely Different Late Show is a hilarious improv show by the cast of the Groundlings’ Main Company. Audience shout suggestions throughout the night for improvisational scenes performed by some of the best in the business. It’s also a testing ground for brand new material for the Groundlings’ main show. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar) 5. Grand Park is hosting a site specific installation called The Portals Project, an immersive experience where Angelenos get to connect and communicate to people around the global in real time from Amman, Berlin, Mexico City and more. Happening April 10-23. FREE 6. Spend a Night at the Aquarium of the Pacific and explore the aquarium after hours. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar) 7. Every Friday in April Greenbar Distillery in Downtown Los Angeles will host cocktail classes featuring seasonal and themed drinks. This week’s theme is Seasonal Produce Cocktails (Gin x Whiskey). 8. Metro Art Presents “Charles Phoenix: Southern Californialand” a slide show adventure exploring SoCal’s undiscovered valued mid-century architectural gems from the past and the present. FREE 9. Odd Nights heads to The Autry for their signature outdoors shopping experience. There will also be loads of shopping, live music and a full bar. 10. Ahmanson Theatre presents the much beloved Tony Award-winning Stephen Sondheim musical Into the Woods. The new rival of the classic will be performed by the acclaimed Fiasco Theater production. Happening throughout the weekend. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar) 11. Splendid, Ella Moss and 7 for All Mankind are joining forces with one epic warehouse sale happening in Vernon for one day only. Prices start at $5, we’ve been told this is the biggest sale yet! Shop from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Location: 5500 South Boyle Ave, 1st Floor Vernon, CA 90058 12. Festival M.A.R.S., a ten-day festival featuring unique merging of music, fashion, art and dance, is coming to Downtown Los Angeles from April 14 to 23. Taking place at Art Share L.A. and Angel City Brewery, the fest will include performances from 35+ local and internationally established musicians and visual artists. 13. The 1st Annual L.A. Get Down Festival will celebrate hip hop and spoken word from April 18-30. Presented by Greenway Arts Alliance and Da Poetry Lounge the events will include legendary writers, poets, musical performances and leading workshops celebrating diversity. 14. Free admission days this Friday for: Long Beach Museum of Art Saturday April 22nd, 201715. Los Angeles March for Science falls on Earth Day (April 22) From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., marchers will gather at Pershing Square to celebrate science and urge environmental, as well as human rights protection. 16. The newly renovated Los Angeles State Historic Park is having a grand reopening celebration this weekend featuring music, performances, family-friendly activities and food trucks. Starts on 10 a.m. on Saturday. 17. Celebrate the Ultimate Throwback with the 12th Annual Freestyle Festival in Long Beach. This one-day music festival will feature hit-makers from the 1980’s through 1990’s including Bell Biv Devoe, Lisa Lisa, The English Beat, Naughty by Nature and more. Check for discounted tickets while supplies last. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar) 18. The annual L.A. Times Festival of Books returns to USC (April 22-23) for a two-day festival featuring live readings from authors, cooking demonstrations, intimate conversations and forward-thinking panels on U.S.C.’s campus. FREE 19. Charles Bukowski’s Los Angeles Bus Tour put on by the folks at Esoteric Bus Adventures will take you to some of the literary giants favorite L.A. haunts, you’ll also see where he lived, worked and drank. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar) 20. Experience the food, culture and history of Downtown Los Angeles through a three hour foodie tour this Saturday and Sunday. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar) 21. Come enjoy a lively celebration of art and community in Santa Monica at the Bergamot Station Spring Fling. At this internationally renowned arts complex’s family-friendly event, you can check out more than 25 art exhibitions, listen to live music, shop from local vendors and grab a bite from local eateries. 22. Top comics Dane Cook, Kevin Nealon, Nikki Glaser, and special guests will be doing stand-up at L.A.’s legendary Comedy Store on the Sunset Strip. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar) 23. Monterey Park Cherry Blossom Festival comes to Barnes Park April 22-23 for an arts event with entertainment, learning, and fun in honor of the Japanese American culture. FREE 24. Celebrate Earth Day weekend with Renew- Reuse, Recycle, Restyle at Angel City Brewery this annual bazaar features live music, a clothing drive, photo booth, food, and more. This year’s event is being produced in collaboration with Society of St. Vincent de Paul Los Angeles. 25. The poppies are poppin’ this year, and there’s no better time to place to learn about these brilliant wildflowers than at the California Poppy Festival (April 22-23). Held at the Lancaster Museum/Art Gallery, visitors can can pickup free wildflower maps and tips on the best viewing locations before heading out to the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve to see the incredible spectacle for themselves. 26. The Museum of Ice Cream is coming to Los Angeles from April 22 to May 29. Created as an art installation, tempting features include a “sprinkle pool” filled with nearly 100 million sprinkles made of antimicrobial plastic (no edible), a melted-popsicle jungle and a banana split made of 10,000 bananas. 27. Cliftons Living History Tour is a 45-minute guided excursion led by Kahlil Nelson. Take a peek into DTLA history and the fascinating rooms at the iconic food hall. Although tour reservations are free, donations are strongly encouraged. 28. The 10th annual Record Store Day is filled with loads of local events. Stop by your local record store to buy special limited-edition vinyl and other releases, and for a chance to meet, see, and hear your favorite artists. There will also be cook-outs, body painting, parades and more! 29. Come celebrate Earth Day in Exposition Park during LASAN LA Sanitation’s earth-friendly day of fun! More than 50 exhibitors will be on hand with exhibits both educational and fun that will teach the whole family about sustainability and environmental awareness. FREE 30. Volunteer to clean up the L.A. River this weekend! Every year, thousands of volunteers scour various parts of the river, collecting trash and making an environmental difference. That could be you!!! 31. Celebrate Earth Day with nature-filled events at Descanso Gardens! On April 22 and 23, guests at this beautiful garden in La Cañada Flintridge will be treated to springtime programs focused on flowers, garden plants and a blingy trunk show. 32. Dapper Day at Disneyland, returning on April 22 and April 23, is your best excuse to step out in style at the happiest place on earth! Twice a year, in the spring and in the fall, the dapper-minded are encouraged to visit Disneyland dressed up in elegant ensembles while exploring the park during this very stylish weekend. 33. The Rockwell Table & Stage presents The Unauthorized Musical Parody of Mean Gurlz. Relive the catty girl-clique “The Plastics” through song and dance. The show has been selling out to great acclaim. Happening all weekend. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar) 34. The Original Renaissance Pleasure Faire is back at the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area in Irwindale April 8 through May 21. Come to the fair for an afternoon of games, rides, mouthwatering food and artisan crafts. 35. Still Life, a drama written by Academy Award-winning screenwriter Alexander Dinelaris (Birdman), is now playing onstage at The MET Theatre. Happening Saturday and Sunday. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar) 36. West Elm is partnering with Artisanal LA to highlight 10 local artisans on Earth Day by showcasing their products at the West Elm Santa Monica location. In addition guests can partake in a food tasting, terrarium workshops and more! Sunday April 23rd, 201737. Taking place on the fourth Sunday of ever month the Topanga Vintage Market includes over 170 vintage, antiques, and collectibles vendors along side local artists, crafters, designers, musician performances and food trucks round out one of the best vintage markets in LA. Parking is free, admission is $3, and kids under 12 are free. No pets are allowed. 38. Take in a few laughs at the end of the weekend at Cool Beans Comedy at the Ice House in Pasadena. FREE 39. Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust’s 25th annual community Yom HaShoah Day of Holocaust Commemoration event will take place at Pan Pacific Park. The full day of learning, commemoration and reflection, will include a Yiddish poetry reading and conversation with Holocaust survivor artists at noon. FREE 40. Cruise on over to Runway Playa Vista to check out 50+ American classic cars, awesome 50’s bands, artisan vendors and more. FREE 41. Friendship Buddies is a weekly stand-up comedy show at the Verdugo Bar in Glassell Park. Come hangout in the back patio, enjoy a cocktail, and LOL to outstanding stand-up comedians in Los Angeles. FREE 42. Free admission days this Sunday for: Museum of Latin American Art and Craft and Folk Art Museum (pay what you can) Article courtesy of We Like LA. Overlooking the newly renovated Los Angeles State Historic Park. Photo by Christina Minh / We Like L.A.
Los Angeles State Historic Park has been closed for the last three years, but after a major renovation to the tune of $20 million, the Chinatown park will reopen on Earth Day, April 22. Opened in 2006 and also known as Cornfield Park, the enlarged and revamped space now totals now totals 34 acres, with new features that include two acres of wetlands, a Welcome Center, a Blossom Plaza, a large promenade, room for farmers’ markets, a meadow, a paved parking lot and a pedestrian bridge perfect for taking in the views. The April 22 reopening will be a celebration featuring music, performances, family-friendly activities and food trucks. Check out East L.A. band Quetzal, local singer MILCK (famed for her musical performance at the Washington DC Women’s March), global bass from Subsuelo and a Shaolin Monks presentation. The reopening festivities begin at 10 a.m. As parking is limited, we recommend arriving by train — the park is easily to get to from the Chinatown Gold Line Station — or by bike. Article courtesy of We Like LA. Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg
U.S. mortgage rates dropped for a fifth week, sending home-loan costs down to their lowest point since the week after the presidential election. The average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage was 3.97 percent, down from 4.08 percent last week and the lowest since November, Freddie Mac said in a statement Thursday. The average 15-year rate decreased to 3.23 percent from 3.34 percent, the McLean, Virginia-based mortgage-finance company said. Yields for the Treasuries that guide mortgage costs have dropped on investor expectations that an economy under President Donald Trumpwon’t be as robust as anticipated, according to Guy Cecala, publisher of the newsletter Inside Mortgage Finance. “The real factor has been the stock market and investor perception of how the U.S. economy is doing,” he said. “After we saw health-care reform efforts fail, the stock market reacted and investors started rethinking what was doable under a Trump administration.” The decrease in mortgage rates may encourage homeowners to refinance in the short term as buyers take advantage of lower borrowing costs. An improving job market is increasing demand for real estate as supply of homes for sale tightens. Listings of existing homes for sale are scarcer than they’ve ever been, and bidding wars are becoming more common again in hot markets like the San Francisco Bay area, Denver and Boston. Article courtesy of Bloomberg. Frank Franklin II / Associated PressU.S. stocks are in decline Tuesday morning as Johnson & Johnson and Cardinal Health lead healthcare companies lower and weak trading results from Goldman Sachs drag down bank stocks. Stock indexes in Europe are tumbling after the British government called for a surprise early election next month.
The Standard & Poor’s 500 index shed 4 points, or 0.2%, to 2,344 as of 10:10 a.m. Eastern Time. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 76 points, or 0.4%, to 20,560. Goldman Sachs was responsible for almost all of that loss. The Nasdaq composite fell 7 points, or 0.1%, to 5,850. The Russell 2000 index of small-company stocks slipped 3 points, or 0.2%, to 1,358. Stocks are coming off their biggest one-day gain since March 1, when all four major indexes set record highs. They’ve mostly traded lower since then. HEALTHCARE WOES: Healthcare products giant Johnson & Johnson fell 3.2% to $121.67 after investors were disappointed with its sales. The company’s revenue was weaker than expected as sales of its Crohn’s disease drug Remicade declined 6%. The company also said growth for many consumer health products slowed down and payers demanded bigger rebates on treatments for cardiovascular ailments and diabetes and other primary care products. Prescription drug distributor Cardinal Health sank 11.5% to $72.43 after it said it will reach the low end of its profit estimates for this year and it projected a smaller profit next year, partly because drug prices continue to fall. The company also said it will pay $6.1 billion to buy Medtronic businesses in products for patient care, deep vein thrombosis and nutritional insufficiency. Those products have a combined $2.3 billion in annual sales. BANKS STRUGGLE: Goldman Sachs had a rare miss in its first quarter results, as its typically best-in-class trading desks did not perform as well as its competitors. The financial firm reported a drop in revenue from stock trading and its overall revenue wasn’t as good as investors expected. The stock slid 3.8% to $217.56. It’s up more than 35% over the last year and reached all-time high above $250 a share in March. Goldman has been a major contributor to the Dow’s post-election gains. WHAT ELSE IS ON? Streaming video company Netflix sagged 2.2% to $144.08 after it didn’t gain as many subscribers in the first quarter as investors hoped. Its second-quarter profit guidance also fell short of analyst estimates. EUROPEAN ELECTIONS: British Prime Minister Theresa May called for an early general election in June, which she had recently said she wouldn’t do. May formally triggered Britain’s exit from the European Union last month, and she intends to seek a stronger parliamentary mandate. The pound climbed after May’s announcement on the hope that the election will result in May getting a better deal for Britain in the Brexit talks. It rose to $1.2743 from $1.2563. European stocks fell. The unexpected vote creates even more political uncertainty in Europe as the first round of French presidential voting will be held Sunday. Polls don’t give a clear edge to any of the four leading candidates. The top two will advance to a May 7 runoff, and investors are unsettled by the chance that a far-left or far-right candidate could pull off a victory. Britain’s FTSE 100 was down 2%, and France’s CAC 40 lost 1.3%. In Germany, the DAX shed 0.7%. BONDS: Bond prices jumped. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.21% from 2.25%. U.S. ECONOMY: The Federal Reserve said industrial production posted a solid gain in March, but a closely watched gauge of manufacturing fell for the first time in seven months because of a steep drop in production of cars and car parts. Meanwhile, the Commerce Department said builders broke ground on fewer homes in March, but construction of houses remains faster in 2017 than it was the year before. ENERGY: Benchmark U.S. crude futures rose 10 cents to $52.75 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, used to price international oils, rose 2 cents to $55.38 a barrel in London. CURRENCIES: The dollar rose to 108.77 yen from 108.59 yen. The euro edged up to $1.0687 from $1.0642. ASIAN MARKETS: The benchmark Nikkei 225 index in Japan rose 0.4% while South Korea’s Kospi edged up 0.1%. The Hang Seng of Hong Kong shed 1.4%. Article by Associated Press. Photo by Brian Champlin / We Like L.A.
Monday April 17th, 20171. Vagabond Cheese Company and Angel City Brewery are teaming up (again) for a totally nerdy beer-pairing series that’ll boost both your appreciation and your knowledge of the ways beers and cheese can work together to create delicious results. The new three month-series starts this Monday with a focus on the beers and cheeses of Belgium. 2. Every third Monday of the month head to Santa Monica’s Basement Tavern to see top comedy headliners for free during Basement Comedy. This months performers include Taylor Williamson and Adam Ray. FREE 3. Still Life, a drama written by Academy Award-winning screenwriter Alexander Dinelaris (Birdman), is now playing onstage at The MET Theatre. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar) 4. Grand Park is hosting a site specific installation called The Portals Project, an immersive experience where Angelenos get to connect and communicate to people around the global in real time from Amman, Berlin, Mexico City and more. Happening April 10-23. FREE 5. Hot Tub With Kurt And Kristen at The Virgil is one of the most popular weekly variety shows happening on a Monday in Los Angeles. 6. Head to iOWest for Queer Window, a variety show where performers take a deep dive into the past and the present of the LGBTQ community and culture. From Paris is Burning, John Waters films to gay bars and broadway, the show will feature musical stylings of Micah James, drag from Kitty Meringue, stand-up from Daniel Franzese and more! Hosted by Zack Colonna. 7. The Business LA is a free comedy show at Little Joy featuring some of the best local comics in town. FREE Tuesday April 18th, 20178. Ahmanson Theatre presents the much beloved Tony Award-winning Stephen Sondheim musical Into the Woods. The new rival of the classic will be performed by the acclaimed Fiasco Theater production. Happening throughout the week. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar) 9. National Canadian Film Day will be celebrated for two days! On Tuesday and Wednesday the Cinefamily will host free marathon screenings of Canadian films all thanks to The Consulate General of Canada in Los Angeles. FREE 10. The 1st Annual L.A. Get Down Festival will celebrate hip hop and spoken word from April 18-30. Presented by Greenway Arts Alliance and Da Poetry Lounge the events will include legendary writers, poets, musical performances and leading workshops celebrating diversity. 11. Head to LACMA to catch a classic flick every Tuesday as part of their matinee series. This Tuesday features The Scarlet Empress. Tickets cost just $4. 12. Free admission days this Tuesday for: Los Angeles County Arboretum, South Coast Botanic Garden and Descanso Gardens. BONUS: Tuesday is tax day! Make sure to take advantage by checking out one of 10 L.A. Spots Where You Can Get $1 Drinks on Tax Day (and other great deals) Wednesday April 19th, 201713. Celebrate Earth Day 2017 with an educational fair at Grand Park!Families, friends and kids are invited to the Downtown L.A. park for a day filled with fun through various vendors, workshops, talks and more. FREE 14. FLIX at FIG screens Guardians of the Galaxy at FIGat7th in DTLA. The free movie screening happens every third Wednesday of the month. A live DJ and happy hour kicks off the night at 6 p.m. and the film begins at 7 p.m. FREE 15. Neon Silent Disco heads to The Bloc in Downtown Los Angeles for a free dance party with neon swag. FREE 16. Every first and third Wednesday of the month, BEAR CITY brings free comedy and free pizza to Que Sera in Long Beach! FREE 17. Enjoy an evening of Armenian music at the Hammer to commemorate the anniversary of the Armenian genocide. The concert features the UCLA Armenian Music Ensemble, VEM String Quartet and more. FREE Thursday April 20th, 201718. Every third Thursday of the month head to the Queen Mary’s Observation Bar for Local Band Hangout night. 19. Dave Chappelle and Neal Brennan cult classic stoner comedy Half Baked will screen at The Wiltern this Thursday for 420.DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar) 20. Brennan’s Pub in Marina del Rey will be temporarily closing their doors at the end of April, and to mark the hiatus they are throwing an “End of an Era” celebration on Thursday, which will of course include their signature turtle races. 21. The Rockwell Table & Stage presents The Unauthorized Musical Parody of Mean Gurlz. Relive the catty girl-clique “The Plastics” through song and dance. The show has been selling out to great acclaim. Happening Thursday and Friday. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar) 22. The Venice Art Crawl will host Music Connects Us: Photography & Art Show this Thursday at Runway at Playa Vista. This VAC fundraiser will transform the 3,800 square foot space into an urban art installation with over 70 artists featured! DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar) 23. Free admission days this Thursday for: Japanese American National Museum (from 5 to 8 p.m.), MOCA Grand & MOCA Geffen (from 5 to 8 p.m.), Skirball Cultural Center and Long Beach Museum of Art (3 to 8 p.m.) Friday April 21st, 201724. The Los Angeles Master Chorale is hosting the 28th annual High School Choir Fest. Free performances will take place at the iconic Walt Disney Concert Hall in downtown L.A. The day begins at 11 a.m., with a concert from 16 members of the Los Angeles Master Chorale Chamber Ensemble, led by conductor Jenny Wong. FREE 25. The Great Horror Movie Nights at the Old Zoo in Griffith Park will screen Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The event will feature plenty of pre-show entertainment including games, prizes, and roaming scare-actors. Discount tickets are available via Goldstar while supplies last. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar) 26. The Groundlings: The Completely Different Late Show is a hilarious improv show by the cast of the Groundlings’ Main Company. Audience shout suggestions throughout the night for improvisational scenes performed by some of the best in the business. It’s also a testing ground for brand new material for the Groundlings’ main show. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar) 27. Every Friday in April Greenbar Distillery in Downtown Los Angeles will host cocktail classes featuring seasonal and themed drinks. This week’s theme is Seasonal Produce Cocktails (Gin x Whiskey). 28. Metro Art Presents “Charles Phoenix: Southern Californialand” a slide show adventure exploring SoCal’s undiscovered valued mid-century architectural gems from the past and the present. FREE 29. Odd Nights heads to The Autry for their signature outdoors shopping experience. There will also be loads of shopping, live music and a full bar. 30. Splendid, Ella Moss and 7 for All Mankind are joining forces with one epic warehouse sale happening in Vernon for one day only. Prices start at $5, we’ve been told this is the biggest sale yet! Shop from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Location: 5500 South Boyle Ave, 1st Floor Vernon, CA 90058 31. Free admission days this Friday for: Long Beach Museum of Art Article courtesy of We Like LA. Stocks drop again this week – Markets were closed Friday in observance of Good Friday. In a shortened week stocks dropped again. While stock indexes are about 10% higher than they were before the election in November, stocks have dropped to mid February levels after reaching record highs in March. The Dow Jones Industrial Average on April, 13, 2017 was 20,453.25, down from last week’s close of 20,656.10. The S&P 500 closed the month at 2,328.95, down from 2,355.54 last Friday. The NASDAQ closed the month at 5,805.15, down from last week’s close of 5,877.81.
Treasury Bond yields lower again this week – The 10-year Treasury bond ended the week at 2.23%, down from 2.38% last week. The 30-year treasury yield ended the month at 2.89%, down from 3.00% last Friday. Mortgage Rates – Mortgage rates dropped for the third straight week. The April 13, 2017 Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Survey reported that the 30 year fixed mortgage rate average was 4.08%, down from 4.10% last week. The 15 year fixed was 3.34%, down slightly from 3.36% last week. The 5-year ARM was 3.18%, about the same as 3.19% last week. Rates dropped Wednesday and Thursday so next week’s rates should be about 4% for a 30 year fixed. Retail sales fall for second straight month – The Commerce Department reported that retail sales dropped 0.2% in March. This followed a 0.3% decrease in February which was the first decrease in a year. Last March retail increased 5.2% so a 0.2% decline this March has investors wondering just how strong the economy is. Inflation becomes more tame in March – The Labor Department reported that it’s Consumer Price Index slipped 0.3% in March. It was the first decline in prices since January 2015. For the last 12 months through March The CPI rose 2.4%. That’s down from last month when prices were 2.7% higher than last February. Author Syd Leibovitch Richard Drew / Associated Press
Investors were in a selling mood at the end of a mostly subdued week of trading, sending U.S. stocks lower for the third day in a row Thursday. Energy stocks led the broad decline, which gathered momentum in the final hour of trading before the long Easter holiday weekend. The slide marked the lowest close for the stock market since Feb. 13 and came on a day when several major banks reported quarterly results, kicking off the company earnings season. Traders also weighed the potential for rising geopolitical tensions after news that the United States attacked an Islamic State tunnel complex in eastern Afghanistan with the largest non-nuclear weapon that the U.S. military has ever used in combat. Bond yields continued to drop. Gold surged to its highest level since early November. The dollar weakened versus the yen and euro. “Investors have plenty of reasons to be cautious and have become more cautious in recent weeks,” said Erik Davidson, chief investment officer at Wells Fargo Private Bank. “The market had a great run, and it just hasn’t been given a lot of reasons for much follow-through on that.” The Standard & Poor’s 500 index slid 15.98 points, or 0.7%, to 2,328.95. The Dow Jones industrial average declined 138.61 points, or 0.7%, to 20,453.25. The Nasdaq composite index fell 31.01 points, or 0.5%, to 5,805.15. Small-company stocks fell more than the rest of the market. The Russell 2000 index sank 13.96 points, or 1%, to 1,345.24. More stocks fell than rose on the New York Stock Exchange. The decline deepened the market’s losses for the month. Bond prices edged up. The yield on the benchmark U.S. 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.23% from 2.24%. Gold, which investors often buy in times of global uncertainty, climbed $10.40 to $1,288.50 an ounce. Oil prices went up as traders shrugged off an International Energy Agency report that said that demand growth for oil will slow for a second consecutive year this year. Benchmark U.S. crude rose 7 cents to $53.18 a barrel. Brent crude, used to price international oils, rose 3 cents to $55.89 a barrel. Even so, energy stocks fell sharply. Chesapeake Energy was the biggest decliner in the S&P 500, dropping 4.2% to $5.89. After a week of mostly subdued trading without major new economic data or company news, investors got a look at the first batch of big bank earnings Thursday. Several banks reported better-than-expected results thanks to improved revenue from trading and rising interest rates. That gave the stocks a boost early in the day, but their gains faded. Citigroup fell 0.8% to $58.04, JPMorgan Chase sank 1.2% to $84.40, and PNC Financial Services slipped 0.2% to $115.80. Wells Fargo sank 3.3% to $51.35 after Warren Buffett‘s Berkshire Hathaway sold some of its stock in the lender to avoid being designated a bank holding company. Wells also reported flat quarterly earnings, reflecting continuing struggles to recover from its sales practice scandal. Pier 1 Imports’ latest quarterly results failed to impress investors. The company’s shares slumped 9.1% to $6.59 after the home decor retailer reported disappointing sales. U.S. Steel fell 5.9% to $29.42 as investors weighed the effect of a wastewater spill at one of the company’s steel plants in northern Indiana. Federal officials were waiting for the results of tests aimed at determining whether a potentially carcinogenic chemical entered Lake Michigan during the Tuesday spill. Tesla climbed 2.4% to $304 after Chief Executive Elon Musk said the company will unveil an electric cargo truck in September. Trovagene leaped 21.3% to $1.04 after the San Diego developer of diagnostic technology announced a new board member. Major stock indexes overseas closed mostly down. Germany’s DAX fell 0.4%, while France’s CAC-40 shed 0.6%. London’s FTSE-100 lost 0.3%. Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 and Sydney’s S&P-ASX 200 each slid 0.7%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell 0.2% after a report showed China’s export growth accelerated in March, while import growth cooled. Seoul’s Kospi climbed 0.9%. The dollar continued to weaken the day after President Trump said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal that the dollar was “getting too strong” and that he won’t declare China a currency manipulator. The remarks helped push the yen to its highest level since mid-November, just after the presidential election. The dollar slid to 109.16 yen from 109.71 yen late Wednesday. The euro strengthened to $1.0612 from $1.0598. Wholesale gasoline slipped 1 cent to $1.73 a gallon. Heating oil held steady at $1.65 a gallon. Natural gas rose 4 cents, or 1.3%, to $3.23 per 1,000 cubic feet. Silver rose 21 cents to $18.51 an ounce. Copper rose 3 cents to $2.57 a pound. U.S. markets will be closed Friday for the Good Friday holiday. Article by Associated Press. |
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