SAMANTHA BLONS
Assistant A&E Editor
Editor’s Note: This is the fifth of a seven-part series featuring fun, out-of-the-ordinary activities to do each day of the week. It is the perfect guide for those who find themselves searching for new ways to spend their nights.
The classes, the papers and the exams of another hard week are over. Weekend homework can wait until Sunday. It is Friday night and stressed out Pepperdine students can finally relax, rejuvenate and savor the first night of a well-deserved weekend.
Whether clubbing in Hollywood, exploring a museum or enjoying a comedy show sounds like an unforgettable Friday, the following list offers four unique ways to spend the evening.
Free Fourth Fridays at
the Pacific Asia Museum
46 N. Los Robles Ave., Pasadena
pacificasiamuseum.org
Just because it is the weekend does not mean students cannot learn. For those who want to enrich an afternoon by extending their studies, the Pacific Asia Museum displays more than 14,000 artifacts and artworks from Asian and Pacific Island cultures from the past 5,000 years, according to the museum’s Web site.
The museum entrance fee is waived on the fourth Friday of every month.
This month, in addition to its permanent exhibitions, the museum is also hosting two temporary programs: “Jade, Silk and Porcelain: the Materials of Asian Art,” and “Daily Rituals: Himalayan Art in Practice.”
Opening March 9, “Jade, Silk and Porcelain” honors the most important natural substances used in Asian art.
“It’s a great exhibit for someone with little or no experience with the art of Asia,” said Jennifer Caballero, manager of marketing and publicity for the museum. A video room in the exhibit shows the process of turning the raw, freshly harvested materials into beautiful works of art, she said.
The exhibit will be on display until the end of May.
“Daily Rituals,” which runs until August, features objects central to the daily life of the Tibetans and other groups who reside in the Himalayan mountain region.
“It’s all about taking things that look mysterious from Tibet and Nepal and Buton, and making them more accessible for [museum visitors],” said Caballero. The exhibit showcases cultural and religious artifacts, and also explains how they are used by the native peoples.
The museum opens at 10 a.m. Wednesday through Sunday and closes at 5 p.m. each day except Friday. It stays open late on Friday evenings, closing at 8 p.m. On regular admission days, student tickets cost $5, a $2 discount off of the regular price.
“The Completely Different Late Show” at
The Groundlings Theatre
7307 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles
groundlings.com
If the monthly Pepperdine Improv Troupe show leaves you eager for more, professional actors and comedians at The Groundlings Theatre perform a short-form improvisational show every Friday night.
“It is all made up on-the-spot based on audience suggestions, like ‘Whose Line Is It, Anyway?’” said Liz Nelson, audio services coordinator for the theater.
Nelson said the “laid-back atmosphere” of the show brings patrons from all age groups, but students make up a large portion of the audience.
Performers in the main company include several recognizable actors. Kristen Wiig of “Saturday Night Live,” Melissa McCarthy of “Gilmore Girls” and Wendy McLendon-Covey of “Reno 911” all perform at “The Completely Different Late Show.”
After 12 years of success, the show is one of the longest running on the Groundlings schedule.
As its name suggests, “The Completely Different Late Show” never gives the same routine twice. Returning audience members know they can expect to see a new laugh-out-loud performance every week.
Doors open at 9:45 p.m. and the show begins at 10 p.m. The show is open to everyone over the age of 16, but patrons under 18 must be with a parent.
Tickets cost $15 each and Nelson advises purchasing tickets in advance because this popular show tends to sell out.
Clockwork Orange at the Ruby
7070 Hollywood Blvd.,
Los Angeles
evilclubempire.com
It’s not just the twenty-somethings who want to dance all night. For clubbers ages 18 and up, the Ruby hosts the 80’s dance party, “Clockwork Orange.”
The Hollywood club boasts three separate rooms, a large dance floor and several DJ’s spinning a mix of 80s tunes, pop, hip-hop, indie, alternative and rock ‘n’ roll.
According to owner Mark Midgley, approximately 1,000 clubbers make their way out to Hollywood each Friday to dance the night away at the Ruby.
“It’s about dancing and the music,” Midgley said of the club. “Go everyplace. Everybody comes back here.”
Some clubbers dress to match the night’s 80s theme, but regular club attire is standard as well. A strict dress code against baggy and suggestive clothing is enforced, so choose wisely while styling for a night out.
Midgley encourages students to come out in groups, not because it is unsafe, but because people have more fun in large parties.
Like clockwork, dancing begins at 10 p.m. and the cover charge costs $13.
Firecracker at Grand Star
943 Broadway, Los Angeles
(213) 626-2285
Members of the 21-and-over crowd might want to plan an exciting night on the town at the Grand Star, a unique Chinatown bar and club. The Grand Star hosts “Firecracker” on the first, third, and fifth Fridays of each month.
Friday nights at Grand Star blend hip-hop, jazz and “old-school” house music, according to manager Tony Quon.
Patrons of all kinds visit the restaurant for its distinct and somewhat contradictory styles. Upstairs, clubbers can rock the night away to hip-hop beats spun by various local DJs.
Meanwhile, jazz club aficionados and first-timers alike can listen to the smooth sounds of the house jazz musicians downstairs, starting at 9:30 p.m.
Asian-style artworks decorate the walls of the jazz room, providing an interesting contrast to the club sounds but still perfectly compliments Firecracker’s Chinatown location.
The hip-hop club caters to mostly 21 to 30 year olds, said Quon, though the jazz club and restaurant attract older guests as well. “Firecracker” has been a staple at Grand Star for about nine years.
The bar opens for dinner at 5 p.m. and the “Firecracker” dance party begins at 9:30 p.m. There is a $5 cover charge before 10 p.m. and $10 afterward, so get to the party early.
03-01-2007