A Fashionable Date

My latest date with my wife took us to one my favorite places in Los Angeles, the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) Museum & Galleries, for the seventh annual “The Outstanding Art of Television Costume Design” exhibit.

The exhibit features over 120 costumes from 15 TV shows and TV movies, including "Downton Abbey," the Liberace bio-pic “Behind the Candelabra," "Mr Selfridge," "Game of Thrones," and "House of Cards." These are the actual garments used on the show, giving you a chance to see some of the work that goes into your favorites and to see what size the actors actually are (holy moly, Michael Douglas and Matt Damon are small dudes).

Nick Verreos, star of TV’s “Project Runway” and a FIDM spokesman, calls the FIDM museum "one of the hidden treasures for costume design in the entire United States." Verreos said he has traveled the world and nobody offers a more up close look the clothing than FIDM

Kim poses with Project Runway's Nick Verreos.

Now our date was a bit high-fluting since we were there for the reception and media preview (see the Valley Press Showcase section for Aug. 9 for my story on the exhibit). Our date was filled with gourmet mac and cheese, incredible tacos, desserts,and Bombay Sapphire martinis and Grey Goose screwdrivers. We also got to meet some of the designers, see "histo-tainer" Charles Phoenix (a favorite of ours and a FIDM grad,and Sheriff Lee Baca, who was looking rather glum as his wife shopped in the FIDM store.

You, however, can make the exhibit part of a very inexpensive date (did I mention the exhibit is free?). The exhibit runs through Oct. 19. The museum, located at 919 S. Grand Avenue, is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturdays. Parking is available under the FIDM building, entrance on 9th Street, or in surrounding lots. Sorry, I don't know what the parking rates are. If you are relatively hale and hearty, my recommendation is to ditch the car and use the Metro rail system. The museum is about a three block walk from the 7th/ Metro station.

Costumes from Downton Abbey.

There are a couple of cheap places to eat nearby, but my advice is to pack a picnic and eat at Grand Hope Park, which is right outside the museum's doors, or eat at Grand Park. Check the schedule for Grand Park, there is almost always something going on over there, including farmer markets and yoga classes during the week and free movie screenings on Saturdays through the summer. If you're going to an evening event, get there early. That place does fill up.

This and That
 In the mood for some culture on your next date? By all means check out the Independent Shakespeare Co. at the old zoo grounds of Griffith Park. Every Thursday through Friday evening through Sept. 1, the company puts on one of the bard's plays. This August they are doing "Macbeth" and "As You Like it." The shows are free, but they will be soliciting donations. Give as your circumstances allow. We saw this company's production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" last summer and it was fantastic. It pains me that we haven't been able to get over there so far this summer.

Do arrive early and definitely pack a picnic. The show we went to filled much of the meadow. If you want to guarantee yourself a spot, you can reserve tickets from Goldstar for a service charge to sit in their area. Last year the Goldstar sitting was off to the right, as your looking at the stage. My advice, go early, explore the old zoo grounds, and settle in for picnic before the show.

There's another Shakespeare company that you might want to check out, "The Young, Classically Trained (and thoroughly broke) Downtown Repertory Company. They are staging Romeo and Juliet on weekends from Aug. 8 through Aug. 31 at the Pico House right across from Union Station and Olivera Street. Their productions are also free, but I suspect they too will be passing around the hat. I haven't seen this company, but I love that they are using the historic Pico House, built around 1870, for their productions. I also like the fact they are convenient to the Metro Red Line.

One of the sources of entertainment information I forgot to mention last week was libraries. My wife and I recently attended a presentation at the L.A. Central Library on Aggie Underwood, the first woman to become city editor of a major newspaper, and a couple of the more curious crimes she covered. We combined that presentation with a cross-town trip to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art to see the Stanley Kubrick exhibit. Cost of this entertainment: zip. The lecture was free and we’re LACMA members.

One more thing, keep you eyes open for opportunities. Coming out of the Kubrick exhibit we noticed one of the restaurants by the parking lot was having happy hour. We had a pizza and three beers for about $20, tip included. The restaurant also validated our parking.