7 Days In Arts

Saturday

Stocks in the dumper? Excellent timing, my friend. Today just happens to be the perfect day to be broke. It’s Arts Day in California, the one day a year where you can suck up all the cultural wonderment you can take, free of charge. Arts venues throughout the county will sponsor more than 150 free events for the “Los Angeles Arts Open House.” In the Brentwood area? Head to the Skirball. Hollywood your hood? Little Nosh Productions presents “Breakfast at Epiphanies,” a solo piece by Melissa Schultz. From Long Beach to Lancaster, they’ve got you covered.

For more information about L.A. Arts Open House, call (213) 972-3099 or visit

Sunday

No money? Stick with the Saturday plan. Kesef to burn? Send check or money order to Seven Days in the Arts. Alternately, we suppose you could look into this little thing over at Barker Hangar this weekend. The eighth annual L.A. Art Show will have over $50 million worth of fine art from some of the best art and photography dealers around. It’s actually not that pricey to look. Just remember: you break, you buy.

11 a.m.-4 p.m. $8 (general), $6 (seniors and students), free (members and children under 12). (Additional fees for food and wine tastings.) Bring a can of food for donation and receive $1 off admission. 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles. For reservations, call (323) 655-8587.

Monday

Desperate parents crying out for some peace of mind at the end of the night can turn to Dave Koz this month. His newly released CD, “Golden Slumbers: A Father’s Lullaby,” is a collection of new and old lullabies performed by top instrumentalists including Koz himself. The Valium-free solution to kiddie insomnia features tunes like “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and “Blackbird.”

$13.49. Available at www.amazon.com.

Tuesday

No need to panic. So the lullabies didn’t work. Time for plan B. No, not the Valium. We’re talking bedtime story. New out this month is “The Littlest Candlesticks,” the latest in the “Littlest” book series written by Sylvia Rouss and illustrated by Holly Hannon. It’s the story of youngest daughter Abby’s wish to have her own set of Shabbat candlesticks to light.

$14.95 (hard cover), $9.95 (soft cover). For more information, call (800) 232-2931.

Wednesday

Wayne Alaniz Healy’s art may not seem Jewish at first. The truth is, it’s not. But as a tribute to Jewish roots in Boyle Heights, the University of Judaism is sponsoring this Latino exhibit titled, “Wayne Alaniz Healy: 25 Years of Graphics, Self-Help and Friends,” An artist reception will be held Sun., Oct. 6.

Runs through Dec. 8. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. (Sunday-Thursday), 10 a.m.-2 p.m. (Fridays). University of Judaism, 15600 Mulholland Drive, Bel Air. For more information, call (310) 476-9777, ext. 201.

Thursday

Red carpet time downtown where they’ll be giving away Eddy Awards “in recognition of excellence in economic development” tonight. Those of us not invited have got better things to do anyway. Head to the ocean for some doo-wop, bebop and jazz stylings, care of The Manhattan Transfer. Half of that four-part harmony is Jewish. And all four parts perform at Pepperdine University this eve.

8 p.m. $60 (general), $10 (Pepperdine students). Smothers Theatre, Pepperdine University, 24255 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu. For reservations, call (310) 506-4522. The group also performs 8 p.m. tomorrow night at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, (562) 916-8501.

Friday

Outrageous suggestion of the week: Don’t shut off your brain just ’cause Friday night has arrived. Challenge yourself to some intelligent theater. Tonight, the Santa Monica Playhouse presents two back-to-back short plays: Ionesco’s “The Lesson” and Chekhov’s “The Boor.” Ionesco himself endorsed Actors’ Repertory Theatre’s past stagings of his works, saying their “fidelity to my original intent is incredible.” ‘Nuff said.

Runs through Dec. 13. Fridays at 7:30 p.m. $18 (general). Discounts available for students, teachers and seniors. Santa Monica Playhouse Main Stage, 1211 Fourth St., Santa Monica. For reservations, call (310) 394-9779, ext. 2.