Valentine's Day in LA for Singles and Loners
Valentine’s Day is for lovers...or is it? Who says you have to stay in because you’re single? There are plenty of options for solo flyers in Southern California, even this Wednesday. So here are five Valentine’s Day suggestions for singles—whether you want to get lost in a crowd, or find a little solitude in the city:
- Casablanca. American Cinematheque screens the classic Humphrey Bogart-Ingrid Bergman romance "Casablanca" (1942) at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica on Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. Grab a bucket of popcorn and your beverage of choice, sit back, and watch Bogart lift Bergman’s chin and utter that magical line, “Here’s looking at you, kid.” Get to the theater early for a book signing at 6:30 p.m. with "Hollywood Celebrates the Holidays" authors Karie Bible and Mary Mallory. Tickets: $12.
- District Pub Anti-Valentines Party. The District Pub in North Hollywood, a local beer bar known for its “District Burger” and selection of exotic sausages, throws an Anti-Valentine’s Day party from 7:30 p.m. to midnight on Wednesday. There’s live music by Gene Micofsky Music and Christina LaRocca and they’ll screen Valentine’s Horror Movies. In addition, District’s serving up a special beer and anti-Valentine’s candy. If you bring a picture of an ex, you’ll be entered into a raffle for prizes. No cover.
Ooh La La Lucha!!! Lucha VaVOOM—a long-running variety show that mixes Mexican masked wrestling, burlesque, and comedy—returns to the Mayan Theater in Downtown Los Angeles with its Valentine’s Day show, Ohh La La Lucha!!! Comedian Ron Funches serves as special guest commentator for two shows (Wednesday and Thursday nights). BONUS: There’s great people watching during this spectacle of lucha libre wrestling. The show runs from 8-11 p.m. both nights. Tickets: $35 for general admission tickets (includes balcony and mezzanine seats) and $55 for ringside seating.
Photo Credit: David Chi - Dream Date. Dream Date is a choose-your-own-adventure, romantic comedy show at Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, Sunset on Wednesday at 7 p.m. The cast—led by Lover of Love Inessa Frantowski and Date Architect Patrick McDonald—picks one audience member who’ll get the date of their dreams, created live on stage. There are more than 150 different options of how the date could go as the audience calls the shots. While bringing a date is an option, a single person will be selected for the Dream Date. Tickets: $5.
Hollywood Bowl Walk. Who’s playing? No one. And that’s the point. The Hollywood Bowl is technically a park, owned and operated by L.A. County Department of Parks and Recreation, and is jointly managed with the L.A. Phil. The park is open to guests year-round, from sunrise to sunset. Valentine’s Day is a great time to enjoy the self-guided Bowl Walk. Check out the art, architecture and history of the Bowl—without the crowds. Bring a book, a snack and have a great solo outing. Free.
Image credit: Courtesy of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association
Christine N. Ziemba is a Los Angeles-based arts and culture writer who loves to tell people what to do (and where to go). Check out her events columns and other musings on PopRadarLA.com, and follow her on Twitter and Instagram.