WEEKEND FORECAST

TODAY

JAZZ

Ocean jam fest

The West Coast Jazz Party, celebrating its 13th anniversary, has always offered an appealing combination of first-rate jazz and delightful environments, and this year is no exception -- with events by the pool, in the ballroom and, best of all, on the water in Sunday’s brunch cruise on the Hornblower Yacht. The long list of featured artists includes instrumentalists James Moody, Terry Gibbs, Ken Peplowski, Scott Hamilton, Jeremy Pelt, Steve Turre; vocalists Nancy Kelly and Dewey Erney; an all-star Count Basie salute; and a tribute to Mel Torme, featuring his son, Steve March Torme.

The West Coast Jazz Party, Irvine Marriott Hotel, 18000 Von Karman Ave., Irvine. Begins at 8 tonight. $30 to $75 per program. (949) 759-5003; www.westcoastjazzparty.com

Continues through Sunday.

FRIDAY

MOVIES

Mom is left feeling stuck

Family tensions boil over in the French drama “Private Property,” directed by Joachim Lafosse. Isabelle Huppert stars as a recently divorced mother caught between her high-maintenance, adult twin sons (Yannick Renier and Jeremie Renier) as she seeks a better life.

“Private Property,” unrated, opens Friday at Laemmle’s Music Hall, 9036 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, (310) 274-6869; and Laemmle’s One Colorado, 42 Miller Alley, Pasadena. (626) 744-1224.

POP MUSIC

He should be heard

There’s nothing like a teenage phenom to get the summer-pop juices flowing. Sean Kingston fits the bill, with his seductive Marley-via-Akon hit “Beautiful Girls” vying with Rihanna’s “Umbrella” as the single of the season. Time will tell whether the Miami-born, Jamaican-rooted singer is more than a sweet-voiced kid who caught a break, but for now we might as well enjoy the moment with him.

Sean Kingston, Key Club, 9039 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood. 7:30 p.m. Friday. $25 in advance; $30 day of show. (310) 274-5800.

MUSIC

Improv at keyboard

The annual “Tchaikovsky Spectacular” at Hollywood Bowl this weekend will have the usual blockbuster pieces -- the Piano Concerto No. 1 and the “1812 Overture,” enhanced with a fireworks display. But the piano soloist, Gabriela Montero, will also offer a bonus -- an improvisation as an encore. The Venezuela-born pianist has already issued a CD, “Bach & Beyond,” in which she improvises on Bach themes, and her spontaneity at the keyboard has caught the ear of renowned Argentine pianist Martha Argerich, who urged her to pursue that part of her talent. Accompanying her will be the Los Angeles Philharmonic led by Thomas Wilkins, who will also conduct the “Festival Coronation March” and a Suite of Dances. The USC Trojan marching band will be on hand too.

Los Angeles Philharmonic, Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N. Highland Ave., L.A. 8:30 p.m. Friday. $17 to $39. (323) 850-2000; www.hollywoodbowl.com/tix

Also 8:30 p.m. Saturday.

THEATER

Story of a survivor

Velina Hasu Houston explores a Hiroshima victim’s postwar years of anger, healing and growth in her newest drama, “Calling Aphrodite,” inspired by the true story of the Hiroshima Maidens, young women disfigured by the nuclear blast who were brought to the United States 10 years later to undergo reconstructive surgery.

“Calling Aphrodite,” International City Theatre at Long Beach Performing Arts Center, 300 E. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach. Opens 8 p.m. Friday. $32 to $42; opening night, $50 to $60 (includes post-show reception). (562) 436-4610. www.ictlongbeach.org

Runs 8 p.m. Thursdays to Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays. Ends Sept. 23.

EVENTS

Feast of cultures

It’s all about flavors at the Orange International Street Fair -- 15 variations of ethnic cuisine will be available at this venerable Labor Day weekend event that marks its 35th year. Besides the preponderance of food booths, the festival on the streets surrounding Orange Plaza offers children’s activities, including myriad games, rock climbing and face painting, and live music and dance on nine stages.

Orange International Street Fair, Orange Plaza, intersection of Chapman and Glassell avenues, Orange. 5 to 10 p.m. Friday. Free; food and beverage prices vary by vendor. (714) 532-6260; www.orangestreetfair.org

Also 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

SATURDAY

ART

Young and sulking

Patrick Painter Gallery presents an exhibition of new paintings by Austrian artist Christoph Schmidberger, whose risqué blend of hyper reality and banality is part cinema flash, part Calvin Klein ad. Playing with notions of realism in painting, Schmidberger’s work is no doubt “accurate” in its portrayal of recognizable objects, despite being ratcheted up with a luster that is morbidly glamorous and unsettling in its perfection. He appears to paint only young people, who sulk through these paintings in affected poses and intimate gazes. Bodies skim the surface of a swimming pool in a paradise tinged with just a touch of death.

“Christoph Schmidberger: Divide et Impera,” Patrick Painter -- East Gallery, 2525 Michigan Ave., Unit A8, Santa Monica. Opens Saturday. (310) 264-5988.

Hours: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. Ends Sept. 29.

SUNDAY

EVENTS

50 years with soul

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Stax Records, the California African American Museum has teamed up with Stax and big box retailer Target to offer a day of soul music at Exposition Park. Former Erykah Badu backup singer N’Dambi will be previewing tracks from her anticipated 2008 Stax release, and Studio City-based quintet Sovory will offer up what they call “California soul.” In addition to the free musical offerings, 1970s music fans at Exposition Park can expect giveaways from the legendary record label, roller-skating and a competition for those with “old school skills,” organizers say.

Target Sunday Series: CAMM/Stax Block Party, California African American Museum at Exposition Park, 600 State Drive, L.A. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Free. (213) 744-2132; www.caamuseum.org.

MONDAY

EVENTS

All about ice cream

The hot, hot heat of Los Angeles will grow a bit cooler and taste a lot sweeter thanks to the Great Los Angeles Ice Cream Party, an ice cream social that also serves as a fundraising event for the Heritage Square Museum and its planned restoration of the Perry Mansion. The cluster of nine Victorian homes that comprises Heritage Square serves as a picturesque backdrop for this family-oriented afternoon of sweet treats and socializing.

Great Los Angeles Ice Cream Party, Heritage Square Museum, 3800 Homer St., L.A. 2 to 5 p.m. Monday. RSVP requested to laicecreamparty@gmail.com. Free to attend and enjoy sundaes; donations of $10 to $35 earn extra benefits. www.thegreatla.com /icecream/index.html

TUESDAY

MUSEUMS

5,000 years in making

The Bowers Museum introduces a new permanent exhibit, “Arts of Ancient China: A 5,000 Year Legacy,” which features objects from the Neolithic period (circa 3000 BC) to the Qing dynasty (AD 1644-1911). The exhibit, curated by authorities from the Shanghai Museum, illustrates the evolution of Chinese technology, art and culture through nearly 75 objects: rare examples of bronze vessels, mirrors, polychrome potteries, sculptures, porcelain, paintings, ivory carvings and robes.

“Arts of Ancient China: A 5,000 Year Legacy,” Bowers Museum, 2002 N. Main St., Santa Ana. Opens Tuesday. $12 to $19; 5 and younger, free. (714) 567-3600.

Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays.