Welcome to the apocalypse...again. This time you've got to run a little grocery store, remember what people say to you and deal with colorful characters...like a murderer. Oh, and shoot zombies. Service with a Shotgun got me with it's trailer and cute dystopian girl in said trailer. Add some kooky hi-jinks and you have a game that looks like it's from Newgrounds, but much longer.
Like I wrote, you'll be managing a little convenience store and trying to remember what customers say to you to get money. Money for what? Bullets. Bullets and zombie traps. So every convo you've go to pay attention, they're timed or at least the questions, asking about remembering, what characters said are. At the same time you've got to shoot zombies as they slowly make their way to one side of the store.
It's hard to switch between, funny and strange conversations explaining the lore of the land and getting to know people and busting a cap in a zombie. I could go all in on just the visual novel side.
So, a fun story mired in gameplay that's kind repetitive that doesn't really give a dopamine hit. Shooting the zombies isn't even that hard or anything it's kind of an annoyance.
I'd say this might need to be a learning lesson for the developer, there's effort put into it, no doubt, but it's hard to justify making it through for the whole crazy story.
The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, founded by George Lucas and Mellody Hobson, has a set date for opening, September 22, 2026. This new cultural museum will reside in Los Angeles’s Exposition Park.
We'll keep you up to date with any othe tidbits, but we've gone over some of this before. We didn't have a opening date though. And, it's still a bit of a wait.
Here some exhibits to get your mouth frothing:
• Life-size Naboo starfighter & General Grevious on his wheel-bike
• 2 theaters, 33 galleries, an event venue and a library
• Vintage comics including ones from Marvel & DC
• Original concept art for Indiana Jones
• A mythology exhibit with the earliest stories from Egyptian, Greek & Roman g-ds
Aniplex of America is thrilled to announce an advanced screening of the first four episodes of Fate/strange Fake at participating Alamo Drafthouse Cinema locations on December 9th! The screening event will feature a special themed menu with food and drink as well as a free giveaway.
Fans can reserve their spot with purchase of a food and beverage voucher which can be redeemed or exchanged for a refund at the show from the Alamo Drafthouse website on November 25, 2025 at 9:00AM PST.
Hammer Museum Announces Lineup for MoMA Contenders 2025 with Screenings and Exclusive Q&A’s with Cast and Filmmakers. 10 nights of film, followed by intimate post-screening conversations with filmmakers, cast, and crew.
Wednesday, Dec. 3, 7:30 p.m. If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Thursday, Dec. 4, 7:30 p.m. A House of Dynamite (talent TBA)
Tuesday, Dec. 9, 7:30 p.m. It Was Just an Accident
Wednesday, Dec. 10, 7:30 p.m. Sinners with director Ryan Coogler and actress Wunmi Moskau
Thursday, Dec. 11, 7:30 p.m. Nouvelle Vague (talent TBA)
Monday, Dec. 15, 7:30 p.m. Jay Kelly (talent TBA)
Tuesday, Dec. 16, 7:30 p.m. The Mastermind
Wednesday, Dec. 17, 7:30 p.m. Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere with director Scott Cooper
Thursday, Dec. 18, 7:30 p.m. One Battle After Another (talent TBA)
Hammer members pre-sale begins on Thursday, November 13 at 11 a.m. PST. Tickets go on sale to the public on Thursday, November 20, at 11 a.m. PST and can be purchased via the Hammer website.
Pricing: $20 for general public / $10 for Hammer members.
From Elf to Eek! — Holidays & Horror Collide at Rooftop Cinema Club
HAMMER MUSEUM 10899 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90024
Free for good
The Flux Screening Series brings the creative community together for a night of outstanding short films and music videos, featuring wildly inventive filmmaker presentations and performances.
Our fall program travels through the sights and sounds of international cities. We are proud to present the world premiere of Kyiv from electronic music artist Apashe, featuring Alina Pash. Filmed on 35mm in the capital during the ongoing war, the video showcases an extraordinary lineup of Ukrainian artists and marks the latest collaboration between Montreal-based director Adrian Villagomez and Apashe.
QUEENS OF THE DEAD November 13, 2025, 7:00 P.M. The Ray Stark Family Theatre, SCA 108, George Lucas Building, USC School of Cinematic Arts Complex, 900 W. 34th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90007
Free, RSVP
When a zombie apocalypse breaks out in Brooklyn on the night of a giant warehouse party, an eclectic group of drag queens, club kids, & frenemies must put aside their drama and use their unique skills to fight against the brain-thirsty, scrolling undead.
Opening Reception Saturday, November 15, 2025, 7–10 PM Exhibition on view through January 11, 2026 Gallery & Retail Hours Wednesday – Sunday: 11 AM – 6 PM Monday - Tuesday: Closed Location BEYOND THE STREETS 434 N La Brea Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90036
BEYOND THE STREETS is proud to present SHEPARD FAIREY: OUT OF PRINT, a landmark exhibition devoted to the artist’s lifelong dialogue with printmaking. Bringing together more than 400 original screen prints alongside new and re‑mixed works that combine screen printing and stenciling, the exhibition surveys Fairey’s enduring commitment to the image, the multiple, and the power of mass communication.
Persona 3 Reload - Switch 2 Release - Voice Actor Meet & Greet Event at Game Realms in Burbank California!
November 15th, Saturday, at 12 PM (noon) to 4 PM.
GAME REALMS 137 N Victory Blvd Burbank CA 91502 $10 Admission Fee (Free Admission for kids under the age of 5.)
Grab your bowling ball and a White Russian and join us for a special FilmWeek screening of “The Big Lebowski.” Come watch Joel and Ethan Coen's 1998 L.A. crime comedy on the big screen with a few hundred other fans. We’ll be screening the film at the Gardena Cinema, a family-owned nonprofit independent theater that has been continually showing movies since 1946. While the film received mixed reviews when it premiered, it has since become a cult classic. In 2014, it was designated as a "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant” film and added to the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. After the screening, AirTalk host Larry Mantle will talk with special guests about the impact and lasting legacy of the film.
And come dressed in your Lebowski best for a chance to win our costume contest!
The Paramount Swap Meet's Inaugural Día de los Muertos Celebration featuring a Catrina Contest Sunday November 16, 2025 The Paramount Swap Meet invites the community to join us for the inaugural Día de los Muertos Celebration.
Paramount Swap Meet 7900 All America City Way Paramount, CA 90723
This free, family-friendly event honors the vibrant Mexican tradition of remembering and celebrating loved ones who have passed while embracing the beauty of life, culture, and community.
The year is 2031. California has seceded from the union but the Barbarians are coming to take back the Golden State. In this adaptation of Aeschylus’s Seven Against Thebes, a playwright struggles with the challenges of creating theater in a world that’s falling apart. How do you speak truth to power when the truth might destroy you?
This program may contain language and situations that are not recommended for persons under the age of 15.
November 15th & 16th Central Park 275 S Raymond Ave Pasadena, CA 91105
Free
Just in time for the holiday season, the Jackalope Indie Artisan Fair features over 200 curated booths showcasing trendsetting, locally-made goods. Explore original fashion and accessories, one-of-a-kind home décor, modern art & paper goods, children's items, and much more.
Come for the shopping, stay for the experience: Enjoy a variety of delicious eats--both sweet and savory--live music, and fun, family-friendly activities happening throughout the weekend.
The Boy and the Heron Show Dates Check with your local theatres or online ticketing site for specific showtimes. Saturday, November 15 (English Language Dub) Sunday, November 16 (English Language Dub) Monday, November 17 (Japanese Language with Subtitles) Tuesday, November 18 (Japanese Language with Subtitles) Wednesday, November 19 (English Language Dub)
Tickets are on sale now for The Boy and the Heron – After losing his mother during the war, young Mahito moves to his family’s estate in the countryside. There, a series of mysterious events lead him to a secluded and ancient tower, home to a mischievous gray heron. When Mahito’s new stepmother disappears, he follows the gray heron into the tower, and enters a fantastic world shared by the living and the dead. As he embarks on an epic journey with the heron as his guide, Mahito must uncover the secrets of this world, and the truth about himself – featuring the voices of Christian Bale, Dave Bautista, Gemma Chan, Willem Dafoe, Karen Fukuhara, Mark Hamill, Robert Pattinson and Florence Pugh.
The Feelings Dept is a 3 person group exhibition featuring artists Po Yan Leung, Kelly Sux and Lisa Kogawa at GR2 Gallery running from November 15th, 2025 to December 2nd, 2025.
Artwork goes live 11/15 at 12 noon PT.
Join us for our 2nd Little Tokyo Estate Sale on 📆 Saturday, November 15, from 1 - 4PM. 📍Centenary United Methodist Church, 300 S Central Ave, Los Angeles, CA.
Free parking and admission. NP members and our friends have donated a vast array of stunning, one-of-a-kind Japanese pieces, including dishes, platters, vases, scrolls, tea sets, textiles, crafts, and so much more.
Proceeds will go to immigrant support and the continued needs of Eaton Fire Survivors. Come by on November 15 and take home some beloved family heirlooms. It's the perfect opportunity to get a jump start on your eco-friendly holiday shopping!
Saturday, Nov 15, 2025 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM PST Japanese American National Museum Democracy Center
100 North Central Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90012
$5 General, Free for Youth (under 18), JANM Members
Join author Debbi Michiko Florence and artist Mark Nagata for a special reading of Debbi’s new book Monster Maker: The Strange Creatures of Mark Nagata. Then stick around for a conversation with them moderated by Maria Kwong, JANM’s Director of Retail Enterprise and curator of Kaiji vs Heroes, the exhibition that first connected Debbi to Mark!
Monster Maker: The Strange Creatures of Mark Nagata is a biographical account of toy designer, painter, illustrator, and collector Mark Nagata.
Featuring video synth portraits on the patio, installations, direct animation stations, fun drinks, and a slew of special guest performances, video submissions, and call-ins!
T.A.P.E. is fundraising for greater access to personal home media! Funds will be used for building more A/V racks for digitizing magnetic tape media, equipment rental upgrades, professional financial services, and stipends for all volunteers cooperatively working together.
How to Be a Guerrilla Girl presents the inner workings of the anonymous feminist art collective alongside a new commission at the Getty Research Institute. Drawing on the Guerrilla Girls’ archive, the exhibition explores the steps the group took to create their eye-catching and humorous public interventions. The exhibition places the Guerrilla Girls’ well-known posters in the broader context of their data research, protest actions, culture jamming, and distribution methods. Coinciding with the Guerrilla Girls’ 40th anniversary, the exhibition tells the story of their collaborative process and longstanding commitment to call for equity for women and artists of color in the art world.
The re-imagined The Running Man is out in theaters Thursday. Not sure how to feel with Edgar Wright doing a straight up action movie that looks like pure nonsense.
HAMMER MUSEUM 10899 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90024
Free for good
Made
in L.A. 2025 is the seventh iteration of the Hammer’s signature
biennial exhibition that showcases artists practicing throughout the
greater Los Angeles area. The 28 participants in the exhibition present
work not only made in the city but also grounded in its complex and
unfolding terrain. Neither myth nor monolith, Los Angeles is many things
to many people, and its dissonance is perhaps its most distinguishing
feature. The works presented in this year’s biennial include film,
painting, theater, choreography, photography, sculpture, sound, and
video. Attitude draws them together: Each engages with this city in ways
alternately literal, formal, material, and metaphoric. Conceived or
made in Los Angeles, they are of this city and nowhere else.
Oct 21, 2025–Jan 25, 2026 Getty Center Museum West Pavilion, Plaza Level Free All
exhibitions are included in your free, timed-entry reservation to
Getty. Reservations are available six weeks in advance. Please note,
there is a fee for parking.
Drawing
is a skill, gained like any other through study and practice. Combining
the movement of the hand with the dedication of the mind, drawing was
considered the foundation of the arts of painting, sculpture, and
architecture since the Renaissance. Proficiency in drawing was critical
for exploring, inventing, and communicating ideas visually, but how was
this foundational ability actually learned? This exhibition explores
artistic training and the mastery of drawing in Europe from about 1550
to 1850.
Update: During this Wildfire season, The Autry closes off, please check day of event
Let
the Autry cover your next visit with Free Hours at the Autry. Every
Tuesday and Wednesday from 1-4 p.m. will be free to all Autry visitors.
Enjoy access to all the Autry's exhibitions including Imagined Wests,
Reclaiming El Camino and more by reserving your spot today!
Thanks to the generous support of the Autry Foundation, Free Hours at the Autry* are every Tuesday and Wednesday from 1-4 p.m.
UCB, a cheapo comedy show almost every night, see comedians before they make podcasts and have stories about the UCB and before they hit the big time.
Sat, Aug 30, 2025 - Sat, Dec 27, 2025 9:00 am - 2:00 pm every Sat
Isamu Noguchi Plaza 244 S. San Pedro Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Free
"Join
us at the Little Tokyo Farmers’ Market, a vibrant new Saturday
tradition in the heart of Little Tokyo. Presented in partnership by
JACCC and Food Access LA, this weekly market brings together fresh,
affordable produce, rich cultural experiences, and meaningful community
connection."
10am-4pm at @rowdtla Free Entry, Family Friendly Beer Garden, No Pets.
Smorgasburg
is the largest weekly open-air food market in America, with markets in
Los Angeles attracting 50,000 people each weekend to eat from a hundred
local vendors.
Largo,
known for comedy shows. Grab some
tickets before everything sells out. Many new shows from some of LA's
top comedians. We see Bill Burr, Patton Oswalt,
Pete Holmes and Sarah Silverman performing here to name a few.
Film
American Cinematheque-A celebratedindependent theatergroup that brings both the talent and catalog of films to make for some of LA's best movie nights.
Vidiots -A
one-of-a-kind hub for film lovers, filmmakers, and everyone curious
about cinema. A small theater is more than made-up for with the constant
content and special screenings.
At my dinner table, my toughest critics aren’t editors or readers—they’re my two young daughters. Like many parents, I face the nightly battle of picky eaters. Rather than surrendering to dinosaur-shaped nuggets and boxed mac and cheese, I’ve expanded my repertoire, experimenting with flavors and techniques from around the world. Japanese cuisine has become an unexpected ally in this effort to get my kids to eat real food.
That nightly struggle made me curious about resources that go deeper than recipes, so when Things To Do In LA learned that Kodansha USA would be distributing a new English-language edition of the Japanese Culinary Academy’s Complete Japanese Cuisine series, I leaped at the chance to review it. Described as the “definitive resource for traditional Japanese cooking,” the series is ambitious: each volume is a book-length exploration of a theme or technique, offering a level of comprehensiveness rarely available outside formal culinary training. For those who want to move beyond step-by-step cookbooks into the deeper cultural and technical foundations of Japanese cuisine, it fills a crucial gap.
For Los Angeles readers, this series also resonates with the city’s own history. Little Tokyo has long been a gateway for Japanese flavors into American dining, home to the country’s first sushi bar, the first shabu shabu restaurant, and the first Japanese curry restaurant. It also boasts Kouraku, the oldest continuously operating ramen shop in the United States. Little Tokyo is even tied to the origin story of the California roll—most often credited to Ichiro Mashita at the former Tokyo Kaikan in Little Tokyo. What began in Little Tokyo—once the largest Japantown in the United States—radiated outward from this historic district, shaping how Americans understand and enjoy Japanese food. Reviewing this series for Things To Do In LA feels like a natural extension of that legacy: connecting the roots of traditional Japanese cuisine to the cultural landscape of Los Angeles.
As a Hollywood-adjacent arts and culture writer and a fourth-generation Japanese American, my family meals reflect that blend: mostly home-cooked, minimally processed food rooted in American traditions, but with a healthy smattering of European and Japanese influences. My interest in Japanese cuisine is not simply in reproducing dishes as they exist in Japan, but in weaving flavors, aesthetics, and techniques into a repertoire that reflects both heritage and adaptation. Applying Japanese culinary concepts outside their original context requires a deep understanding of their foundations—precisely what this series provides.
The First Volume: Essential but Less Compelling
The opening volume, Introduction to Japanese Cuisine: Nature, History and Culture, is well written, richly illustrated, and comprehensive in scope. Yet as an introduction, it is also the least “reviewable” of the series. It reads more like a cultural textbook or coffee table volume than a cookbook, and it shines brightest not as a standalone work but as the cultural and historical backbone that enriches the technical volumes that follow. It introduces the foundations of washoku: the principle of shun (seasonality), the five basic cooking techniques, the centrality of umami, and the rituals that shape Japanese dining.
While recipes are included, many are geared toward professionals and assume prior knowledge, with much of the technical detail covered in companion volumes. One early example is a chilled turtle soup served in a winter melon (Reisei Mame-tōgan Suppon Kenchin). It’s a fascinating dish—even for readers who might hesitate at the idea of turtle—but it also demonstrates the book’s limits as a standalone resource. To prepare it properly, you’d need to draw on knowledge scattered across the series: dashi in Flavor and Seasonings, turtle and fish butchery in Mukoita I, shellfish in Mukoita II, and simmering techniques in later volumes. This is where the book’s role becomes clear: less a practical manual, more a cultural and historical foundation for the rest of the series.
The lessons I’ve drawn from studying traditional Japanese cuisine aren’t abstract—they’ve reshaped the way I cook for my family. Understanding umami as a structural principle has changed the way I season soups and sauces across cuisines. Knife techniques honed through Japanese practice have sharpened my approach to Western preparations. Even aesthetics—balance of color, texture, and negative space—have influenced how I plate meals at home.
Parenting has also shown me that Japanese cuisine has underappreciated potential for picky eaters. Japanese food may only make up about 5% of our family meals, but it’s an essential 5%. Sometimes novelty is all that’s needed to keep everyone at the table happy: yakitori-style skewers (smaller format, playful alternative to backyard barbecue); oblong Japanese-style meatballs (spark more curiosity than spherical ones); takoyaki pans (adapt to kid-friendly fillings beyond octopus); Japanese curry (beloved solo or as British-inspired pot pie filling); even decorative garnishes coax smiles. And teriyaki—whether chicken, salmon, or beef—is universally loved.
These small adaptations underscore why learning traditional Japanese cuisine matters. It’s not just about reproducing Japanese dishes or flavors as they exist in Japan, but about weaving Japanese principles into a broader repertoire—whether in a professional kitchen, a cultural essay, or a family dinner where picky eaters need a little extra coaxing.
Conclusion
The Japanese Culinary Academy’s Complete Japanese Cuisine series is a five-star achievement, one of the most ambitious and rewarding Japanese culinary resources available in English. Taken as a whole, it offers a depth of cultural and technical knowledge that few other works can match. Individually, however, the volumes vary in how compelling they are to read. Introduction to Japanese Cuisine: Nature, History and Culture is the least exciting in that sense—its textbook-like format will not appeal to everyone. Yet it is also the most essential, the foundation upon which the rest of the series rests.
For chefs, culinary students, cultural enthusiasts, and home cooks alike, Introduction to Japanese Cuisine provides the grounding that makes the rest of the series shine. It may not sparkle on its own, but like the hidden stock in a good soup, it deepens everything around it—whether that’s the technical detail of later volumes or the nightly meals that keep my family at the table. From Little Tokyo’s pioneering restaurants to my daughters’ plates in Southern California, this book reminds us that Japanese cuisine is more than recipes: it is a foundation for creativity, adaptation, and connection across generations.
Disclosure: The publisher provided Things To Do In LA with a complimentary advance copy of this book for review. No payment or editorial input was received, and the opinions expressed are entirely independent.
SO excited to announce that our first ever U.S. Digital Circus themed cafe will be running this December in LA in collaboration with Requiem Cafe! You'll find TADC-themed food, drinks, and a bunch of fun activities! More info in the link below! pic.twitter.com/SaEWF9moQG
Woah, didn't see this happening. But, didn't expect a cartoon with existential dread be so beloved by kids. That's right, The Amazing Digital Circus is teaming up with the Requiem Cafe for a specially themed cafe that is almost on Christmas, between Dec 5-21. Supposedly, you'll be able to enjoy themed drinks, treats, merchandise, events, and more!
Why am I writing about Krampus events in November? Easy there pal, do I tell you how to run your website? Really though, it's cuz these babies sell out. People like the evil Santa and the mayhem he causes. We've got four events in December for the taker of bad children.
FRIDAY, DEC 5 KRAMPUS RUMPUS & Holiday Market Benny Boy Brewing, 1821 Daly St, Los Angeles, CA 90031 6:00-11:00PM — HOLIDAY MARKET 8:00-10:00PM — STAGE SHOW (w/ Krampus Attack at end) $43.89
SATURDAY, DEC 6 KRAMPUS RUMPUS & Holiday Market Benny Boy Brewing, 1821 Daly St, Los Angeles, CA 90031 6:00-11:00PM — HOLIDAY MARKET 8:00-10:00PM — STAGE SHOW (w/ Krampus Attack at end)
$43.89
SUNDAY, DEC 7 KRAMPUS RUMPUS & Holiday Market Benny Boy Brewing, 1821 Daly St, Los Angeles, CA 90031 4:00-9:00PM — HOLIDAY MARKET 7:00-9:00PM — STAGE SHOW (w/ Krampus Attack at end)
$43.89
HOLIDAY MARKET
Arrive early to shop, drink, and rub elbows with your fellow Krampus-fanciers. Food and craft vendors will be open throughout the event.
KRAMPUS ATTACK!
Soon after the last tuba note fades, an unholy clanking and clattering will arise. Those at a safe distance will soon see horns waggling over the crowd. The brave and foolish on the frontline will feel the swat of switches as the stomping, snarling devils of KRAMPUS LOS ANGELES ATTACK, out in full force NOTE: They’re friendly to photo requests (assuming you’ve been good this year). But beware the towering black goat-demon, Habergeiss!
Philosophical Research Society (PRS) 3910 Los Feliz Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027 LIMITED PARKING. Small venue lot. Limited street parking nearby.
$28.52
Join us for an evening celebrating everyone’s favorite Alpine monster, with author and Krampus expert Al Ridenour and friends. Ridenour is the author of The Krampus and the Old Dark Christmas (Feral House, 2016), the only in-depth English-language study of the folkloric creature. Now in its second printing, it has been praised by critics including the LA Times’ Elizabeth Hand, who found the book “gleefully erudite,” remarking that it “deserves to become a classic.” He’ll give an illustrated presentation each evening revealing how the often-misunderstood figure of the Krampus is connected to centuries-old witchcraft beliefs and an older, darker understanding of the Christmas season as a time offering access to the spirit world.
