By MIKE TITTINGER
Hungry sophisti-cats can slip into Ma’Kai on Friday and Sunday nights to take a break from the ordinary weekend scene, where DJ DTaCH spins his eclectic mix of deep house, left field grooves and upfront party beats at this hip, upscale restaurant/lounge in downtown Santa Monica. Ma’Kai features two outdoor (weatherproof!) heated patios, a tropical lounge with waterfall and teakwood furnishings, and intimate indoor and patio dining rooms. The menu includes such fare as Pacific Rim tapas, sushi rolls, steaks, seafood and more, all served up in a decidedly tropical environment.
Ma’Kai is located at the corner of Broadway and Ocean Avenue.
MIKE TITTINGER
Thumpin’ in The Bu (w/#3)
Aside from being a founding member of the influential L.A.-based Freestyle Fellowship, Aceyalone is a funky dude in his own right. Since his solo debut “All Balls Don’t Bounce,” this crafty emcee has been pushing the boundaries of hip hop to limits unknown.
He’ll be rockin’ the Malibu Inn tonight. Tickets are still available to this must-see show for Westside hip hop heads and can be snatched up at www.malibu-inn.com. This show is open to all ages. The Malibu Inn is located at 22969 Pacific Coast Hwy. Call (310) 456.6060 for more information.
DANIEL ARCHULETA
Giving with Vladi (w/#1)
During his day job as a basketball star, Vladi Radmanovic is prone to shoot from beyond the arc with the best of them. During his off time, apparently he enjoys giving back to the community. The Lakers’ sharpshooter will be hosting his annual “Giving Tree” event at the Westside Pavilion, benefiting Five Acres, a child and family services agency that strengthens families and prevents child abuse through treatment and education programs.
To participate in this worthy cause, all you have to do is sponsor a gift from underneath the event’s “Giving Tree.” The gift will be given to an underprivileged family for the holiday season. For your donation, Vladi will be signing pictures of himself and handing out tickets to Lakers games. Not a bad deal no matter how you look at it.
The event takes place Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Westside Pavilion, located at 10800 Pico Boulevard in West Los Angeles.
Pretty fly for a white guy (w/#2)
John Mayer and his magic guitar will be rocking the Nokia Theatre stage this Saturday in Downtown Los Angeles. This bluesy dude will be ripping through a litany of his classics and covering some of the most soulful tunes in existence.
Tickets are still available to check out Mayer and should be considered a must-see for fans of skillful guitar work and pop ballads. For more information visit www.nokiatheaterla.com.
Slaying the ladies — old school style (w/#4 Photo by: Robert Millard)
“Don Giovanni” is Mozart's interpretation of the Don Juan legend with libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte.
The opera catalogs the dashing young lothario's 2,065 conquests and their aftermath, as he is pursued by those he seduced and abandoned and who now seek revenge. When he disdainfully invites a vengeful ghost to dinner, all hell breaks loose — literally — with the horrifying appearance of the statue of the murdered victims. The statue drags the murderer to hell, but Don Giovanni remains defiant and unrepenting even in the face of eternal damnation.
The opera is a product of the counterreformation, as it shows how Don Giovanni's sins have placed him on an irreversible path to eternal damnation from which there is no rescue and in its warning of the divine retribution that visits those who cross the limits of morals.
Despite Mozart classified his masterpiece as a jovial drama, the opera is in fact schizophrenic. Part of it does play out as a fast action comedy, but along with it comes a dark morality tale of philandering, betrayal, and murder. The central character too is part dashing hero, part callous user and murderer. And there's certainly nothing comic about the somber and chilling trombones in the graveyard scene.
The L.A. Opera presentation is conducted by Hartmut Haenchen and directed by Mariusz Trelinski, with Uruguayan bass Erwin Schrott playing the title role. The opera is sung in Italian with English supertitles, and there is a pre-performance lecture by Alan Champman one hour prior to each performance.
“Don Giovanni” continues through Saturday, Dec. 15.
For more information and tickets, visit online.losangelesopera.com or call (213) 972-8001.
MONA DAY
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Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on December 7, 2007. Read the original PDF.