Look out, people – March in L.A. is comin’ in hot!  Maybe a little too hot (80 degrees??? I’m already sweating and it isn’t even Spring yet).  On the plus side, the city’s offerings are hot, too, but in a cool way.  We’ve got a first lady in a disco, a band to raise your spirits, the Oscar nominees under one roof, proof that you don’t need to be in New York to get you Fashion Week fix, and a food fest from New York that’ll have you running, not walking, to say “Yes, Chef.”  Oh, and there’s plenty of running this month, too.  Here’s your Guide to the Good Stuff.

HERE LIES LOUBOUTINS

Remember Imelda Marcos, former First Lady of the Philippines, and proud owner of 1,000 pairs of shoes (and 800 handbags)?  Well, she’s back – on stage, anyway – and she’s a disco queen.  At least, that’s how we see her in the groundbreaking musical, “Here Lies Love.”  With exhilarating music by David Byrne (the Talking Heads) and Fatboy Slim, the show explores Imelda and the Marcos family’s rise to power and subsequent fall amid the Philippine People Power Revolution. In a disco!  It’s a wild party boogie-ing now at the Mark Taper Forum, extended til April 5th. Shows run Tuesday through Sunday, showtimes vary. Mark Taper Forum, 135 N. Grand Ave, Los Angeles. Finally, a good reason to break out your platform shoes!  GET THE DETAILS.

 WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD

If the idea of a century of visual storytelling in a century-old building gets your history and art juices flowing, here’s something you’ll want to see.  “What A Wonderful World: An Audio-Visual Poem” is an ambitious project presented by The Julia Stoschek Foundation.  Spanning all six floors of the Variety Arts Theater (circa 1924) in Downtown LA, this immersive exhibition features 45 artists and 45 time-based artworks, and bills itself as “a sweeping odyssey into the depth of human experience, unfolding across 100 years of visual storytelling.”  It’s an eye-popping way to spend an evening, with an eye-popping price: FREE!  Runs Wednesday to Sunday, 5:00 p.m. to midnight, through March 20 at the Variety Arts Center, 940 S Figueroa St., Los Angeles.  Did I mention there’s also free popcorn??? GET THE DETAILS.

A REAL HALLELUJAH CHORUS

On the freebie front, The Getty Center’s Sounds of LA continues to offer no-cost (except for parking) concerts for the public to enjoy all month.  My pick for best bet is Jimetta Rose & The Voices of Creation, a gospel choir that blends traditional gospel with jazz, soul and funk. The group creates “uplifting performances where collective voices come together to heal the soul. Guided by Jimetta’s powerful vision, the Los Angeles-based group centers harmony, joy, and shared expression, bringing warmth and inspiration wherever they perform.” Who couldn’t use some of that? Gimme an “Amen!” Performances are Saturday, March 7th at 7:00 pm, and Sunday, March 8th at 4:00 pm at the Getty Center, 1200 Getty Center Drive. Tickets are free (Hallelujah!), but you need to reserve them in advance. GET THE DETAILS.

MUSE/IQUE

The late, great music composer/producer/impresario Quincy Jones gets a rapturous tribute in “Quincy’s World,” the season opener from the immersive live music program at The Wallis called “MUSE/IQUE.”  Q’s music formed the life soundtrack of generations, from Frank Sinatra’s “Fly Me To The Moon,” to moonwalker Michael Jackson’s “Human Nature” and Ray Charles’ “Let The Good Times Roll,” among countless others.  Featuring celebrated vocalists Vanessa Bryan and Brandon Victor Dixon, along with the MUSE/IQUE Orchestra, this Q-athon will have you on your feet and singing…or at least mouthing the words.  The show runs Thursday, March 5th through Sunday, March 8th at 7:30 pm, with an additional matinee on Saturday the 7th at 2:30 pm. At The Wallis, 9390 N Santa Monica Blvd, Beverly Hills. It’s gonna be a “Thriller.” (Reference for the musically unaware: Quincy produced the Michael Jackson mega-album.) GET THE DETAILS.

 OSCAR SEASON, IN SHORT

The 98th Annual Academy Awards festival du film airs this year on Sunday, March 15th.  And as usual, you may be asking yourself, “how can I see the nominated shorts?” You may also be asking yourself,”what’s a ‘Bugonia’?” (I have no idea, but I love Emma Stone). As for the first thing, you can see all the Oscar-nominated documentary and animated shorts a week before the televised festivities at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.  The filmmakers will be on hand to introduce and screen their films this weekend; you can catch the animated shorts on Saturday, March 7 and the documentaries on Sunday the 8th; both programs start at 11:00 am — and they may help you win the Oscar pool on awards night.  Academy Museum, 6067 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles 90036. Fun fact: the Academy Awards may be 98 years old, but they live in L.A., so they don’t look a day over 70.

GET THE DETAILS FOR THE ANIMATED SHORTS.

GET THE DETAILS FOR THE DOCUMENTARY SHORTS.

FASHION WEEK

If you’re a die-hard “Project Runway” fan, then you no doubt already know this (and have tickets), but a few of you may not be aware that “Fashion Week” is not just a New York City thing.  That’s right, we Angelenos have our own “Fashion Week” – and it’s happening this month, in all its runway glam and glory. So grab your own girl-posse and dress to impress like you’re Carrie-Samantha-Charlotte-Miranda at this coveted designer-clothing orgy.  And if you splurge on VIP tickets, maybe you’ll make some new fashionista friends in the VIP Lounge.  Los Angeles Fashion Week happens Friday and Saturday, March 13 and 14,  at The Lot studios in West Hollywood. So it’s a short week, but as the website describes it, “Two days. Five runway shows. The defining moment of the season.”  Mic drop. GET THE DETAILS.

FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD

Well Fashion Week isn’t the only thing you no longer have to fly cross-country for. NYC’s viral sensation “Yes Chef Food Fest” is plating in Los Angeles at the end of the month.  Get ready to start drooling!  This gastronomaganza is vastly more than a food court in a parking lot.  It’s a spectacle, an experience, a celebration of the best food in L.A., and an Instagrammable feast for your eyes as well as your taste buds. Scheduled events include a 300-lb bluefin tuna cutting, live on stage, and a massive 100-lb pig-roasting and carving.  Don’t worry, vegetarians, there’s also a pickle fountain.  You heard me.  “Yes Chef Food Fest” is open for feeding on Saturday, March 28th and Sunday, March 29th in split sessions; you can attend from 11:00am to 3:00pm or from 5:00 to 9:00 pm.  At Reframe Studios, 4561 W. Colorado Blvd, Los Angeles 90039. Come hungry! Duh. GET YOUR TICKETS.

MEATLESS IN L.A.

If you’re a foodie, but the thought of being surrounded by animal proteins – no matter how magnificently prepared and served – is not a pleasant one, you can skip “Yes Chef” and say yes to “Vegan Street Fair Los Angeles.”  Pretty much self-explanatory, this annual event gives anyone and everyone access to yummy vegan foods from a variety of local restaurants. Of course, you won’t see any animals – other than maybe dogs on leashes – and you can be sure that whatever’s on your plate, if it looks like a duck and it tastes like a duck, it’s still not a duck. But it’s probably delicious.  Vegan Street Fair plants itself the weekend of Saturday, March 28th and Sunday, March 29th from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm, at 1036 Broxton Avenue in the heart of Westwood Village.  Bon Appetite (and no need to worry about bones)!  GET THE DETAILS.

 BORN TO RUN

One last tidbit, since I mentioned running up top: the 41st annual LA Marathon hits the starting gate on Sunday, March 8th.  This year, over 26,000 participants are scheduled to compete in the 26.2 mile course.  You might want to find a spot to cheer on the runners.  Or you might want to watch the race on TV (airing from 6:00 am to 11:00 am on NBC4 and Telemundo). And while no one can predict the winner, one thing is undeniably certain: traffic is gonna suck. GET THE DETAILS.