Sunday is Valentine’s Day, and before you head off to your fancy dinner date – wherever you’re going (maybe here) – say around 6 o’clock in the evening, you should consider checking out the Renaissance of Sinatra in our Lobby Bar, featuring the one and only Luca Ellis. Free, fun for all ages, and in the Lobby Bar from 6 pm to 8 pm, it’s a great way to kick of your Valentine evening.

Channeling Frank Sinatra in ways you can’t imagine but can definitely hear, Ellis is a throw-back to a classier time when the tunes were languid yet forceful, the tip of a hat was a greeting between two peers, and irony wasn’t the default in all things. Ellis can bring the romance and joy of “Fly me to the moon” and the pride and power of “My way.” He’ll put you in the mood, not just for romance, but for the good life.

Think of Ellis as the prelude to your evening of merrymaking. He won’t mind, not a bit.

Join us for this week’s Indie Thursday featuring the musical stylings of Natalie Closner. Closner is a singer/songwriter in Los Angeles, whose songs combine a pop sensibility with stunning vocals and authentic lyrics. Natalie plays regular gigs around town and is gearing up to release her debut EP on iTunes this spring. Hear some of her tunes at MySpace.

While enjoying the music, guests are encouraged to try the delicious appetizers, delightful entrees, and handcrafted signature cocktails available from the Lobby Bar.

All ages are welcome to these family-friendly events and, unlike a lot of venues in Hollywood, there’s no cover. That means free for everyone!

Like any ordinary couple, me and the missus have a pretty set routine for Valentine’s Day: The day before, we spin a globe in my office, drop a dart while blindfolded, and pick a country. The next day, we travel to that country’s capitol, explore the local museums, find the country’s most cherished national treasure, and then steal it. Usually, we have one or two run-ins with the local law, but it’s nothing we can’t handle; the real danger is the missus, who occasionally betrays me to the authorities for fun and leaves me for dead. Of course, call me Bruce “Midnight Express” Gorelick, because a little jail time has never kept me from my missus; there’s always a smooch by the end of the end of the night.

That said, this year, we’re doing something different. This year, it’s the KJAZZ 88.1 FM Valentine’s Day Jazz Dinner. With live music courtesy of KJAZZ, LA’s premier jazz radio station, and a real feast a’cookin’ at Twist Restaurant, I believe this year we’ll have a great time without all the handcuffs and jumping from moving vehicles.

Can you think of a more romantic accompaniment to dinner than live jazz? But from whom? Well, let me introduce you to your entertainer for the evening (if you choose to accept this mission of amor): Denise Donatelli. She grew up in a musical family, studying classical piano, and in 2005, Denise recorded her debut CD, receiving critical acclaim and winning a 2005 Blue Chip Jazz CD Award. Her latest recording was released in August 2008, about which LA Times writer Don Heckman wrote, “There’s so much right about this new CD that it’s almost redundant for me to sort through the beauties of each track.”

The Dinner, starting at 6 pm on February 14, 2010 (don’t miss it by coming in 2009), starts with a Salad of Roasted Beets, Belgian Endive, Candied Pistachio, Blue Cheese, Citrus Segments, and Champagne Vinaigrette; that’s followed by a soup course of Wild Mushroom Bisque, Shaved Reggiano, and Truffl e Oil (FYI, I know people who have killed for truffle oil) and then an intermezzo course of Champagne Sorbet, just to whet the appetite for the real deal.

Each person will have a choice of one of the following ridiculously delectable entrees: Butter-Basted Filet Mignon and Mesquite-Grilled Maine Lobster Tail with Lobster Smashed Potato; Herb Crusted New Zealand Rack of Lamb Provencal with Truffled Potato Puree; or Foraged Mushroom Stuffed Breast of Chicken with Squash Risotto and Grilled Asparagus. Desert, of course, is similarly fit for the Gods: Flourless Valrhona Chocolate Cake, with Dulce de Leche Gelato and Fresh Raspberries. I don’t even know how to pronounce “Valrhona” and that makes me know it’s good.

At $99 per couple, with a complimentary bottle of Aria Sparkling White Wine, this dinner’s a steal. Not that I’d ever steal anything… For reservations, call 323.491.1000 or visit KJAZZ.

This is Bruce, signing off.

This Sunday evening, experience the Renaissance of Sinatra, as Luca Ellis (a.k.a. The Voice) sings Sunday Standards from Ol’ Blue Eyes, from 6:00pm to 8:00pm in our Lobby Bar. Ellis is here every Sunday night, and the performance is free to all ages. If you have not heard or seen Luca perform, you can check him out at here.

Every week, music venues all around Los Angeles feature some of the top artists around for live sets both intimate and galactic in scale. Britney, Kesha (what is a “Ke$ha”? Would someone please tell me?), Band of Horses, Vampire Weekend, Alicia Keys, Luther Vandross (V-Day’s coming up, gentlemen!), etc. We’ve got it all… at times. Of course, with so many artists and so many venues, it definitely can be tough to keep track of all the shows.

For this particularly egregious problem, Twitter is really a great help. Who’s playing around town? Twitter will know; or at least, the venues should be tweeting who’s playing. And by all this I mean that my assistant Pierre watches this Twitterberry software religiously throughout the day, and presents me with a report detailing the entirety of tonight’s performance schedule around town in triplicate. Then I have the option of either setting Pierre on fire or going to a show he suggests. It’s an exciting time for both of us.

We (Pierre) put together this list of twittering venues around LA and Hollywood that have some of the top music shows in LA. Follow them, and know who’s on.

The Roxy: @theroxy
The Greek Theatre: @GreekTheatreLA
Viper Room: @theVIPERroom
The Troubadour: @theTroubadour
Hotel Café: @theHotelCafe
Largo’s: @LargoLosAngeles
The Wiltern: @wiltern
The Music Box at the Fonda: @FondaMusicBox
The Echo: @TheEchoLA
Amoeba Music: @amoebamusic
Nokia Theatre at LA Live: @nokiatheatreLA
Spaceland: @SpacelandLA
The Key Club: @Key_Club
The House of Blues on Sunset: @HOBSunset
The Mint: @MintLA
The Palladium: @thepalladium
The Whiskey A Go Go: @thewhiskyagogo

Please let me know if I’m missing anyone obvious. And, of course, we have our own live music each week, on Thursdays and Sundays, ranging from the finest of live jazz to the newest in pop rock and indie soul. So follow us too: @renhollywood

Speaking of, tonight’s FREE Indie Thursday is a major showcase of indie music talent. Starting at 7:30 pm in our Lobby Bar, come see Mara, Scott Simons (8:00), Gabrielle (8:30), Sharif (9:00), Jamie Drake (9:30), and Big Joe Hurt (10:00). Should be a great show, so I guess Pierre is safe for tonight.

This is Bruce, signing off.