Los Angeles magazine - September 2023

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FROM HELTER SKELTER TO … WHO KNOWS?

MANSON FAMILY KILLER FREED

JOHN WATERS SPILLS ON A CAREER IN CAMP

CONVENIENCE SCORE! MAR VISTA’S FATTY MART

09.23

Inside This Issue …

Buzz Eat Shop Back Pages Play

» Hollywood’s pedestrianfriendly Sycamore District has become a hub of music companies, retailers and restaurants

PLUS Violent robberies of Mexican food trucks in

South L.A. have locals furious and police flummoxed; TCM’s Classic Film Festival avoids the axe; Leonardo DiCaprio’s side hustle as a residential landlord

PAGE 15

» Celebrate the Jewish New Year with fare Bubbe would approve of PLUS Mar Vista’s Fatty Mart combines Asian comfort food and pizza

PAGE 27

» Talking trash with John Waters about his Academy Museum exhibit, show business and more

PLUS A New York photographer snaps Californians at home

PAGE 37

» Plush textures are in, transforming clothes into soft, fuzzy friends

PLUS Superstar spinner Cassidy Podell — aka DJ Cassidy — shares his style secrets

PAGE 49

HOT LIST

» L.A.’s most essential eateries, from Asterid to Workshop Kitchen + Bar

PLUS Hamasaku

chef Ei Hiroyoshi’s favorite dishes around town

PAGE 106

ASK CHRIS

» What’s happening with the old Sears store east of downtown?

PLUS Remembering the Zoot suit

PAGE 132

● SCENE STEALER

A photo of Ricki Lake in 1988’s Hairspray, part of the Academy Museum’s John Waters exhibit. (PAGE 37)

● LUNCH STOP The Wagyu beef Arayes and fries served at Avi Cue in Studio City. (PAGE 28)

● SPOT ON DJ Cassidy in his trademark boater and a silk suit of his own design. (PAGE 52)

Titanium and black ceramic case with integrated two-tone bracelet. In-house UNICO chronograph movement.

BIG BANG INTEGRATED

Features

CHARLIE’S ANGEL

» How Leslie Van Houten, the youngest member of the murderous Manson Family, ended up back on the streets

BY MICHELE MCPHEE

PAGE 64

RED ALERT

» Paramore’s Hayley Williams models fall’s redhot looks before going on tour with the band to open for Taylor Swift

BY LINA LECARO PAGE

80

THE BIG DIG

» Collectors are preserving coveted archive fashion through an underground network more akin to the art trade than traditional retail. After all, what is wearable

● HIGH FASHION Fall’s finery atop downtown L.A.’s Soho Warehouse. (PAGE 94)

● GLAD RAGS Sam Barback curates archive clothing at his store, Groupie. (PAGE 86)

art if not a thing to appreciate and that appreciates?

PLUS High-end hacks for archive shopping online

BY JEFF RABHAN

PAGE 86

URBAN LEGENDS

» This season, top designers feature downtown-edgy and big-city clothes that include snakeskin, feathers and leather

PAGE 94

● GLAM FOR A DAY

Hayley Williams trades her T-shirt and jeans for designer duds. (PAGE 80)

ON THE COVER » Hayley Williams

PHOTOGRAPHER

Elisabeth Caren

STYLIST

Lindsey Hartman

MAKEUP & HAIR

Brian O’Connor

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA’S ULTIMATE SHOPPING DESTINATION

A. Lange & Söhne · Alexander McQueen · Alexander Wang · Anine Bing · A.P.C. · Audemars Piguet · Bottega Veneta · Cartier

Celine · Chanel · Chloé · Christian Louboutin · Dior · Dior Men · Dolce&Gabbana · Fendi · Ferragamo · Gentle Monster

Gianvito Rossi · Gucci · Harry Winston · Hermès · Jimmy Choo · Lanvin · Loewe · Louis Vuitton · Marni · Max Mara · Missoni

Miu Miu · Moncler · Monique Lhuillier · Oscar de la Renta · Prada · Roger Vivier · Rolex | Tourneau Bucherer · Saint Laurent

Stella McCartney · The Webster · Thom Browne · Tiffany & Co. · Vacheron Constantin · Valentino · Van Cleef & Arpels partial listing

Valet Parking · Personal Shopper Program · Gift Cards · Concierge Services

Shirley Halperin

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Ada Guerin

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Benjamin Svetkey

MANAGING EDITOR

Eric Mercado

SENIOR EDITOR

Chris Nichols

STYLE EDITOR

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CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS

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INTERNS

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New Season

September 3 STREAM ON THE PBS APP

BY SHIRLEY HALPERIN

FLASHBACK When DIY Ruled

GEN X USED X-ACTOS TO CREATE FANZINES

ICOULDN’T HELP but chuckle at a July New York Times headline that read, “Gen X Is in Charge. Don’t Make a Big Deal About It.”

More than a clicky invitation for a cursory look, it beckoned a read with focus — what was once called concentration — like the old days when those of us who had something to say sewed it on our clothes, channeled it into art or started a fanzine (raising my hand).

For those unfamiliar with the term, a fanzine was like a blog in paper form, and in 1995, as a smug college grad with music on the brain and few responsibilities to speak of, I launched my own. As a first experience with publishing — outside of an internship at cannabis bible High Times — it was trial by fire. I learned to be an editor on the fly, the opposite experience of most who sit in an editor-in-chief position, climbing their way up the ranks to get there.

Putting to bed my first issue as EIC of Los Angeles — a magazine subscription purchased as soon as I got my first L.A. address — that rebellious spirit (with a touch of whatever, never mind) feels like it accomplished something and got me somewhere. To the West Coast, for one, where I came to chase the California dream and found life to the fullest, and into your hands, where I hope to relay the energy and diversity of the place we call home, includ-

ing the sights, sounds and flavors of our blended metropolis which long ago shed its status as a footnote to every other city’s cultural scene. Today’s L.A. is bursting with art (stroll down Western to see for yourself) and music (the Bellwether, where we shot this month’s cover, opened July 11). And like our ever-evolving skyline, fashion too is making its presence known on the local-to-global stage.

Our September cover subject, Paramore singer and songwriter Hayley Williams, certainly fits the bill as a generation-straddling style icon with roots in emo and punk. Long a redhead but platinum blond the day of our photo shoot, Hayley embraced the color anew as a wondrous lady in red in step with fall fashion.

A common refrain around our offices, where more than a few of our staffers are East Coast transplants, is that we still see our surroundings with tourist eyes. That sense of wonder — how warm and fragrant and picturesque it all is — is stronger than ever, and we hope you, too, can feel it in these pages.

● Paul Orfalea was a USC student who turned his frustration over waiting to use a Xerox machine into Kinko’s, which had 830 locations by the mid-1990s. The copy shops allowed anyone with a few bucks and a burning passion for esoterica to create a fan magazine devoted to their obsessions. The fast and cheap world of fanzines was out of control by 1994, when Los Angeles devoted two pages to Ben Is Dead, Shmuck-O Rat and Porkchops & Applesauce, named for a scene in Gen X favorite The Brady Bunch. “They’re popping up everywhere: clubs, coffee houses, record shops, even used clothing stores,” we reported that August, the same month we put comedian Garry Shandling on the cover. “They’re usually free, rough-hewn (picture Beavis and Butt-head armed with a prehistoric Mac) and cover everything from cows to Amy Carter.” It’s a window to a lost world of crudely designed collages, fan fiction, think pieces on music and whatever strange niche of pop culture compelled people (including multiple staffers) to spend all night armed with an X-Acto knife and a glue stick.

—CHRIS NICHOLS

Shirley Halperin, Editor-in-Chief

HAPPY TOGETHER

New Los Angeles editor-in-chief

Shirley Halperin, left, and creative director

Ada Guerin flank cover subject

Hayley Williams on set at the Bellwether in Los Angeles.

A fanzine was like a blog … and in 1995, I launched my own.

New Roots

THE ‘COOLEST STREET’ IN LOS ANGELES IS ATTRACTING MUSIC COMPANIES AND A DIVERSE ARRAY OF RETAILERS AND RESTAURANTS TO A STROLLFRIENDLY AREA JUST EAST OF LA BREA

BY GREG GILMAN

LOS ANGELES has a new, hidden hub of music, art, retail and restaurants frequented by some of the biggest stars in music who are increasingly lured to the area by industry staples including SiriusXM, Jay-Z’s Roc Nation, Beyoncé’s Parkwood Entertainment, recording studio Record Plant and, soon, Sony Music Publishing.

The 900 and 1000 blocks of North Sycamore Avenue, just east of La Brea Avenue — between Santa Monica Boulevard and Willoughby Avenue — have been rebranded as the Sycamore District. It’s quickly becoming a daytime destination for Angelenos seeking a relaxing stroll in a lively neighborhood filled with delicious eats, comfortable cafés, unique stores and art galleries.

SIGHTS MEET SOUNDS SiriusXM and other music companies have sprung up on Sycamore Avenue.

“It’s a very cool neighborhood,” SiriusXM president and chief content officer Scott Greenstein tells Los Angeles. The satellite radio giant opened its West Coast headquarters in 2019, and its live-performance space, “the Garage,” has hosted Coldplay, Florence + the Machine, Foo Fighters, Måneskin, Tom Morello, Metallica and Neil Young, among others, and also has drawn the likes of Jennifer Aniston, Robert Downey Jr., Jimmy Kimmel and Arnold Schwarzenegger — all of whom are being introduced to a reinvigorated area once better known for boardedup buildings, vacant lots, a cement factory (it’s still there) and a 99 Cents Only store.

“We took a chance on it; we were in there very early,” says Greenstein of the decision to move into 953 N. Sycamore Ave. — an eight-story, 67,787-squarefoot office space the company shares with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation and leases from CIM Group. “But it turned out to be a great choice because the studio is amazing, and the neighborhood is an asset where people want to go.”

Indeed, on the day Los Angeles visited, British artist Arlo Parks had just finished her SiriusXM set when audience members were spotted grabbing lunch at Tartine, Sightglass Coffee, Gigi’s and Mizlala and stopping in at record store Supervinyl. Barry Perlman, who opened Supervinyl in 2018, describes North Sycamore Avenue as “the coolest street in L.A.,” a sentiment echoed by every other tenant we spoke with, and the product of a vision carefully curated by CIM cofounders Shaul Kuba and Avi Shemesh. “I loved CIM’s vision of the street,” Perlman adds of his decision to set up shop in an area where vacant industrial buildings dominated the landscape. “I just liked that it was off the beaten track, that it was sort of a little hidden gem. . . . It has totally exceeded my expectations. The vision came true, and then beyond.”

The record retailer credits his music business neighbors for bringing in a steady flow of customers, many quite

Hot Spots in the Sycamore District

EAT, DRINK, SHOP AND CELEBRITY SPOT AT THE HIPPEST BLOCK IN THE CITY

1. GIGI’S  serves Californiainfluenced French fare alongside craft cocktails.

2. JEFFREY DEITCH opens eyes and minds through contemporary art exhibitions.

3. MIZLALA offers tasty Mediterranean food, with indoor and outdoor seating, plus a juice bar.

4. MOTOR CARS LA , MR. T, ROC NATION and SIRIUSXM all call the block’s flagship building home.

5. PAUSE provides a wide range of cutting-edge wellness treatments.

6. RECORD PLANT is where the biggest musicians have recorded some of their greatest hits.

7. SIGHTGLASS COFFEE is a popular place for a drink or a bite.

8. SUPERVINYL offers new music releases and slick turntables.

9. TARTINE features delicious breads, pastries, sandwiches and more in a relaxed, inviting atmosphere.

10. SONY MUSIC PUBLISHING, home to hit songwriters past and present, is the newest kid on the block. —G.G.

famous, who shop and eat unbothered by the paparazzi swarming other areas of the city. And because he’d like to keep it that way, he declined to mention any by name.

Perlman did, however, credit contemporary art dealer Jeffrey Deitch,

whose gallery exhibitions regularly bring foot traffic to the neighborhood.

Deitch, former director of the Museum of Contemporary Art, joined luxury retailer Just One Eye as the initial anchor tenants CIM secured in 2017 to start turning the area into

North Sycamore Avenue

North La Brea Avenue

JENNIFER LOPEZ

JEFF LEWIS

an intersection of culture and commerce, giving residents, employees, artists and tourists an attractive, walkable cityscape.

“It’s so lively,” says Deitch. “Every time I go to get a coffee at Sightglass, I see somebody I know who’s there

having a meeting. Artists have meetings there, film directors — it’s a real center for creative discourse. I see very interesting people going into Just One Eye, and great musicians come to Roc Nation and SiriusXM, so it’s quite a special place.”

Likewise, Greenstein cites Deitch as an influencing factor in his decision to plant SiriusXM’s West Coast headquarters there. “I saw many times in my career the way music followed art,” he says, referring to New York City’s historic melting pot of sound and vision in the ’60s, which informed the direction of rock music at the time. “When I saw the art community going in there, I thought, at a minimum, this will be a hip place.”

It’s a hip place made even hipper by exotic car dealership Motor Cars LA and wellness center Pause, both of which told Los Angeles that their businesses benefit from the celebrity foot traffic conducting business nearby. Then there’s Mr. T, an upscale dining experience serving contemporary French cuisine and fine cocktails named after songs by investor Jay-Z. We ran into owner Guillaume Guedj picking up a coffee down the street at Tartine, and the restaurateur said business is booming, with music icons including LL Cool J and Nas recently stopping by to enjoy dinner in a private backroom.

For Jeff Barnes, the manager of Record Plant, celebrity presence in the area is nothing new. The recording studio, which opened its doors on Sycamore in 1985, has hosted many of the biggest names in modern music: Beyoncé, Rihanna, Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga and Justin Timberlake, to name a few. In fact, the building, also owned by CIM, was once known as Radio Recorders Annex — the historic studio where Elvis Presley recorded.

“What we’ve seen over the last five years is a lot more forward-facing neighbors, whereas historically, we would have a lot more under-the-radar neighbors,” says Barnes. “It’s a much more approachable neighborhood now than it was 10 years ago. And it’s important to see investment into Hollywood, both from the real estate side of things and from the creator side. You have something really special in this town, where a number of different mediums converge into one place, so that’s huge.”

LADY GAGA

RIHANNA

SONY MUSIC CEO JON PLATT

NAS LL COOL J

ZACHARY QUINTO

OLIVIA RODRIGO

JEFFREY DEITCH

The Brief

Adds frequent taco truck customer Hector Chavez, “When you point a gun at a taco vendor, you point a gun at the heart of all L.A. — tacos are the lifeblood of the city.”

PLAY IT AGAIN, ZAS: TCM’S FESTIVAL AVOIDS THE AXE

FANS OF TCM’S annual Classic Film Festival will be delighted — and probably more than a little surprised — to learn that it will be going on as scheduled next spring.

L.A.’S TACO CRIME WAVE

A SERIES OF SHOCKINGLY VIOLENT ROBBERIES OF MEXICAN FOOD TRUCKS HAS LOCALS FURIOUS AND POLICE FLUMMOXED

IT’S HARD to imagine a more pathetic breed of criminal, but a slew of taco truck robberies has police looking for a ring of violent, pistolwielding bandits who for months have been terrorizing Mexican food stands in South L.A.

In June, five taco trucks in Gramercy Park were robbed at gunpoint in as many days, leaving two workers with bullet wounds and the street littered with shell casings. More recently, a taco truck robbery on 103rd Street was caught by a security camera; footage revealed one robber repeatedly smashing a gun butt over a worker’s head

BY MICHELE MCPHEE

while another thief jabbed a pistol into a chef’s throat and a third emptied the cash register.

“It’s scary that people can come into our neighborhoods and do this to people just trying to make a living,” says Violeta Garcia, a South L.A. resident who has been raising money for victims of these senselessly violent crimes. “They weren’t resisting. The thieves didn’t need to go there. I hope there’s a special place in hell for those people.”

Police believe this string of taco truck attacks is related but so far have made frustratingly little progress in identifying, let alone apprehending, the

perpetrators. “Where are the stings? Where are the cops?” asks Joey Perrelli, whose uncle was robbed at a taco stand in June. “All they do is tell the vendors to go cashless. Don’t they understand they are just trying to get by?”

For a while, it looked like the beloved event, which draws as many as 25,000 cinema buffs to the TCL Chinese Theatre and other central Hollywood venues every April to watch old flicks on the big screen, might have unspooled its last reel. Back in June, as Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav was gutting the beloved cable movie channel that sponsors the festival and firing large swaths of its staff — including Charles Tabesh, TCM’s well-regarded programming director for the past 25 years — there was every reason to

THE SHOW WILL GO ON Despite David Zaslav’s budget cuts, TCM’s Classic Film Festival lives.

suspect the gathering was next on the chopping block.

But pushback from the likes of Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese and Paul Thomas Anderson — who evidently engaged in a spirited exchange of ideas with Zaslav over a Zoom call in June — had the Discovery chief backpedaling. Tabesh got his job back, and some of the budget cuts were restored. Now, happily, Los Angeles can officially report that the festival will go on as scheduled.

In fact, in early August, TCM host Ben Mankiewicz tweeted that the event’s longtime organizer, Genevieve McGillicuddy, who was fired in June along with Tabesh, will also be getting her job back.

—CHRIS NICHOLS

HARVARD WESTLAKE HIT WITH A TRIO OF TRAGEDIES

A SLEW OF RECENT studies has revealed how difficult it is for teens to navigate the social and academic perils of high school life in the 21st century, but the pressure at one of L.A.’s most elite private schools,

Harvard Westlake, is apparently off the charts.

During the past seven months, there have been three student suicides, an astonishing number considering the school’s entire population is only about 1,600. The first, last spring, was a girl in Harvard Westlake’s junior class. A few months later, a senior boy shot himself. A third, a junior, killed himself after school broke for the summer.

“People were freaking out,” says one alum. “There were calls to cancel the school year, but they didn’t.”

“It’s tragic but not terribly surprising that students are feeling pressured from academic expectations and this whole L.A. lifestyle,” another grad says of the suicides, noting that lately those pressures have become even worse than when this person attended. “The more recent alums look older than they are,” he notes, “like they’ve had a hard life.”

Some close to the community point to the fact that spots at Ivy League and other top colleges are

KENOUGH ALREADY

The Barbie Do That’s All the Rage

FORGET THE record-breaking opening-weekend box office. Never mind the glowing reviews. The real test of a culture-shaking blockbuster is at the barbershop and hair salon. And by that measure, Greta Gerwig’s Barbie is an unquali fied smash, particularly when it comes to men’s dos. “Every stylist I know is booked up with guys going platinum,” reports Glendale haircutter Randi Loebig. Adds Natalie LaBarbera of Culver City’s the Hive, “Ken hair is everywhere. The movie is great for business.”

L.A.’S RANKING IN A RECENT STUDY OF THE LOUDEST AMERICAN CITIES, ACCORDING TO STATS COLLECTED BY RETIREMENT LIVING. LOS ANGELES MAKES MORE NOISE THAN NEW YORK, HOUSTON AND NEWARK.

a lot harder to land these days, ginning up competition among the students, many of whom come from elite families with practically unlimited resources. It leaves some students, says one observer, feeling like they “were promised a life they were denied.”

Administrators at Harvard Westlake declined to be interviewed but released a written statement: “The loss of any student is devastating for our entire community. Losing three students this past school year is unimaginable. Clearly, our school is not immune to the growing mental health challenges faced by an increasing number of teens nationwide.” —JASON

MCGAHAN

OY VEY, ANOTHER STREAMING SERVICE

TECHNICALLY, religious Jews aren’t supposed to watch television on Yom Kippur, but God might just forgive them for tuning into this new streaming service: ChaiFlicks, an L.A.-based platform that features

some 1,700 hours of Jewish content, including Shababnikim (a breakout Israeli sitcom about rebellious students at a yeshiva) and The Lesson (a heady political drama that won the Best Series prize at the 2022 Cannesseries TV festival).

Launched in 2020 as something of a passion project by three Los Angeles producers — Menemsha Films’ Neil Friedman and Heidi Bogin Oshin, as well as Bill Weiner, a former senior executive at New Regency — subscriptions, which cost $9.99 a month, have been selling like latkes. During the past three years, the service has expanded from the U.S. to Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the U.K.

“We believe we’ve only scratched the surface on what this platform can potentially be on a global basis,” says Friedman, who launched ChaiFlicks with almost biblical zeal, promising that “with our nimble financial model and loyal subscriber base, we will prevail like David against Goliath.” —MALINA

SAVAL

TV WITHOUT THE GUILT

The Israeli series Shababnikim (The New Black), about four rebellious yeshiva students, is among the streamer’s chai-lights.

To Let, by Leo

TURNS OUT LEONARDO DICAPRIO HAS A HIGHLY LUCRATIVE SIDE HUSTLE — HE’S BEEN RENTING OUT PROPERTIES ALL OVER TOWN

BY ALEXANDRIA ABRAMIAN

THE PANDEMIC helped expose Hollywood’s secreted cadre of A-list landlords, including Sandra Bullock, Jennifer Lawrence and Brad Pitt.

So while there is no shortage of celebrities who side-hustle house flips and discreet mortgage-covering leases, Leonardo DiCaprio has been particularly aggressive. Instead of buying, renovating and selling, the actor more often buys, and rents out, the extensive property portfolio he’s been accumulating along the way.

Today, the actor owns multiple homes on both coasts as well as in Belize, where he lays claim to an entire private island. Some of the

REAL ESTATE À LA MODE

FROM DESIGNERS TO TOP MODELS, L.A.’S FASHIONISTAS ARE STRAPPING ON THEIR SELLING SHOES

HOLMBY HILLS

HIGHLIGHTS Fashion designer Eva Chow’s 30,000-square-foot landmark compound comes with museum-worthy architectural details including 400-year-old Moorish columns, carved Florentine-style ceilings and a drop-dead Art Deco library.

PRICE $65 million

CONTACT Tomer Fridman, Carl Gambino at Compass, Drew Fenton of Carolwood Estates

homes have been leased to actor pals, some to relatives, and many to everyday, non-industry types — at least those who can afford to pay $3,750 a night to luxuriate, for example, in DiCaprio’s Palm Springs hideaway.

Designed by Donald Wexler for Dinah Shore in 1964, the home was purchased by the actor in 2014 for $5.2 million. Until he sold it in 2021, DiCaprio’s leasable digs included a 1,765-square-foot Carbon Beach gated retreat, which rented for $25,000 a month.

Looking for a bit more wiggle room? One of Leo’s more recent acquisitions — a four-bedroom, six-bath home in the flats of Beverly Hills — was promptly updated and put on the rental market, for a mere $32,500 a month.

THE 4 PERCENT SOLUTION?

> EVER SINCE L.A.’S so-called mansion tax passed, adding a 4 percent levy to real estate transactions above $5 million and 5.5 percent over $10 million, a glut of homes has hit the market at $4.99 million.

The far-from-accidental price is designed to not just help sellers avoid the tax but also to appeal to “boundary buyers” looking to stretch their dollars.

Tomer Fridman of the Fridman Group has doubts

MONTECITO

HIGHLIGHTS Known for his caricatures of fashion royalty like Anna Wintour and Karl Lagerfield, artist Donald Robertson has listed his four-bedroom Montecito home, recently updated by designer Paul Fortune, a favorite of fashionistas like Marc Jacobs.

PRICE $9 million

CONTACT Eric Haskell, Amanda Lee and Blake Varga of The Agency

65M $ 9M $ 2.6M $

about the tax’s viability. “This impacts the perceived market value and price per square foot for these homes,” he says. “With appeals in place, this year will tell if the action will be overturned by voters.”

BEVERLY HILLS

HIGHLIGHTS Home to Ukrainian-born Calvin Klein model Dima Gornovskyi, this 1932 traditional keeps its original rustic charm while a recently renovated kitchen with Carrara marble countertops, wine fridge and banquette seating provides ample space for entertaining.

PRICE $2.6 million

CONTACT Cody Thompson, Jon Grauman and Adam Rosenfeld of The Agency

ALL FIRED UP

1. & 2. The mood was festive as Engine Co. No 28, a historic downtown firehouse — and home to its namesake restaurant and Los Angeles magazine — celebrated its 110th anniversary on July 24.

3. Grammy Award-winning songwriter, musician and actor Rick Springfield, shown with soap actress Victoria Konefal and publisher Chris Gialanella, was the guest of honor. 4. & 9. Los Angeles editorin-chief Shirley Halperin interviewed Springfield about his new album, Automatic, living in L.A. and anecdotes in his 2010 memoir, Late, Late at Night.

5. & 6. Drinks included Beach Bar Rum, Sammy Hagar and Springfield’s spirited joint venture.

7. Later, Springfield posed with seemingly the entire town. 8. Guests also had the chance to purchase colorful lithographs displayed by Engine Vision Media cofounder Mark Geragos (left) and L.A.-based multimedia artist Andre Miripolsky

WEST L.A.’S NEW HOME FOR LIVE PERFORMANCE

UCLA’s Center for the Art of Performance has a new venue for performing arts in Los Angeles that opens September 2023.

The UCLA Nimoy Theater is a reimagining of Westwood’s historic Crest Theatre as a flexible, state-of-the-art performance space. With seating capacity of up to 299, The Nimoy is designed to immerse audiences in a profoundly engaging experience in a variety of voices and creative expressions in music, dance, theater, literary arts, and collaborative disciplines.

Walk up anytime to catch a show. cap.ucla.edu

New & Notable

Avi Cue

STUDIO CITY

● Located in the legendary mini-mall that housed the original Sugarfish, this tiny shop stands out with its homemade rotating stack of Wagyu beef, used to make massive stuffed pitas exploding with tahini and veggies and ground into patties, stuffed in pita and toasted for flavor-bomb Arayes.

11288 Ventura Blvd., @avi_cue

Bo-Re-Kas

SHERMAN OAKS

ROSH HASHANAH (Sept. 15-17) and Yom Kippur (Sept. 24-25) are considered the most holy days of the Jewish year, with the former traditionally culminating in a familyoriented feast centered symbolically on sweetness and continuing health and the latter in large spreads both before and after a one-day fast. Fortunately, there are plenty of local eateries that can heighten the food during these days.

Akasha Richmond is basically L.A.’s High Holy Days queen: Ever since the 2008 opening of her namesake Culver City restaurant, Akasha, she’s been putting together special to-go menus. “It was the week of Rosh Hashanah the first year we were open,” she says, “and I thought, ‘Wow, if we don’t do something, we’re going to be really slow!’ ” She whipped together a menu of specials — and sold out of all of them. The COVID lockdown blew the takeout business way open.

PLATES OF AWE

Santa Monica’s beloved bakery Huckleberry will offer its own specialty meals, with dishes like grass-fed tomato-braised brisket and honey-glazed

baked apples with a walnut oat crumble.

“I think of our offerings as the home cooking you wish your mother made,” says Huckleberry pastry chef and partner Laurel Almerinda, who converted to Judaism four years ago. “It makes us happy to think of our food adorning holiday tables all over our community.”

Even if you don’t order from special menus, there are plenty of other amazing spots to next-level your home spread: Skewers and hummus from Saffy’s, kosher slabs of wood-cooked meat from Charcoal on Beverly or calling in bagels from Hank’s could elevate your High Holy Days feast. And, of course, there’s Birdie G’s: Although Jeremy Fox’s Santa Monica restaurant doesn’t offer a calendar-specific menu, the upscale-Jew-food reputation he’s built with moist noodle kugel and schmaltzy matzo ball soup inspired by his bubbe’s recipes means he always preps extra for those who choose to dine in or take to-go for the occasion. He’s already looking to stack the deck for the eight nights of Hanukkah in December, with guest-chef collaborations for each night — a tradition the restaurant began last year. Thankfully, there’s no shortage of options to fill your table.

● A small window is serving the best new savory Sephardic pastries in town, oozing with fungi, onion & truffle and potato & brown butter. The winner here is the cultured cheese with za’atar imported from Israel.

15030 Ventura Blvd., 818-688-4588

Pita ’Bu

MALIBU

● Crispy falafel is the star at this kosher-certified cafe that couldn’t get any more legit: It’s owned and operated by Chabad of Malibu. They’ve also got a gorgeous mezze platter stacked with salads, roasted eggplant and baba ganoush.

22935 Pacific Coast Highway, 424-235-2477

jewishmalibu.com

On the Birdie G’s menu: Trout roe, rose petal pie and the ever reliable matzo ball.

Quick Bites

MENUS IN THE BAR ARE AS ENTICING AS THOSE IN THE DINING ROOM AT L.A.’S MOST POPULAR RESTAURANTS. EVEN BETTER: NO RESERVATIONS REQUIRED

BY HEATHER PLATT

AS MUCH AS WE all love to gather around a table for a fabulous restaurant meal, sometimes we want to swap the tablecloth for a place setting at the bar. Thankfully, L.A. offers a wide range of chef-driven destinations that operate primarily as drinking establishments. From neighborhood haunts to chic hotel rooftops, these special menus best enjoyed with drinks abound. Here are some of our favorite happy hours, bar menus and late-night bites.

SUNSET HOUR AT BAR LIS

» From 6 to 8 p.m., take in panoramic views of Hollywood and the downtown skyline as the sun sets, while relaxing to live piano music. The celeb-heavy, French Rivierainspired rooftop bar and lounge at the Thompson Hollywood hotel offers indoor and open-air spaces to relax while drinking cocktails and eating canapés. Be aware of the “smart casual” dress code.

1541 Wilcox Ave., Hollywood, barlisla.com

GLASS OFF AT CITRIN

» Early birds can indulge in egg caviar and lobster bolognese at Citrin in Santa Monica, where Josiah Citrin’s Michelin-starred kitchen is serving beautifully executed dishes for $22 or less. The Mélisse burger runs $15, and beverages range from $7.50 for a glass of beer to $11 for a cocktail. Available for walk-ins at the bar only,

5:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

1104 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, citrinandmelisse.com

HAPPY HOUR AT GENGHIS COHEN

» Every Tuesday through Thursday from 3 to 7 p.m., the nearly 40-yearold Chinese food institution offers $8 old-school cocktails — like the Szechuan margarita, mai tai and Bloody Mary (add an egg roll garnish for $1) — alongside $8 glasses of sparkling, white and red wine and $5 bottles of Tsingtao beer.

Happy hour snacks including egg rolls, fried and steamed dumplings, fried butterfly shrimp and

cold sesame noodles are all $5, courtesy of proprietors Marc Rose and Med Abrous of Call Mom hospitality group.

740 N. Fairfax Ave., Fairfax District, genghiscohen.com

THE BARS AT MÍRATE

» This multilevel Mexican eatery offers two bars — a sceney downstairs hangout and a quieter upstairs space great for a romantic night out. Either is suggested for walk-ins because reservations can be hard to get. While they have yet to launch their happy hours, chef Joshua Gil’s entire menu is designed to be “bar food.” Think: dips and tostadas like

heirloom ayocote beans, fire-roasted eggplant, jicama aguachile and the signature cheesy chorizo yucca sucias (dirty fries).

1712 N. Vermont Ave., Los Feliz, mirate.la

HAPPY HOUR AT ROSSOBLU

» The bar at downtown’s Fashion District stunner offers specials from 5 to 6 p.m. (and all night on Mondays). At the bar, guests can enjoy chef Steve

Samson’s food in the form of small plates — like aged prosciutto di Parma with stracchino cheese and grilled focaccia, marinated olives and chickpea fries with pecorino and lemon — which range from $6 to $14. There’s also a pizza-and-drink combo for $25, $12 house wine and classic cocktails and $5 mocktails.

1124 San Julian St., downtown, rossoblula.com

NOSSA CAIPIRINHA’S SNACK MENU

» At this beloved Brazilian bar, 10 p.m. brings the late-night snack menu Wednesdays through Saturdays, including $3 fried chickpeas with togarashi (Japanese spices) and $6 salsa campanha with cucumber, mint and cilantro served alongside taro and tortilla chips. All pair well with the $6 Famosa lager and $7 Brazilian fernet.

1966 Hillhurst Ave., Los Feliz, caipirinhala.com

HAPPY MEALS

1. The view at Bar Lis. 2. A scallop tlayuda and an El Taquero cocktail at Mírate. 3. A Mélisse burger and a midnight margarita at Citrin.

4. A big spread at Genghis Cohen.

SEONG-JIN CHO JAMIE CULLUM SILVANA ESTRADA

MCLORIN SALVANT MARISA MONTE

HAHN

Convenience Score

MAR VISTA’S FATTY MART FEATURES ASIAN COMFORT FOOD AND PIZZA, WITH COMMUNITY IN MIND

BY JOSHUA LURIE

HEF DAVID KUO emerges from the kitchen wearing an orange-and-white “I Fatty” hat. T he “head fatty” runs Little Fatty restaurant and Accomplice Bar around the corner with wife Maki Ya. The couple recently transformed Mar Vista’s Grand View Market into Fatty Mart, a multifaceted neighborhood space with the same landlord that they see as “a great chance to showcase more food that we love to cook and provide more services for the community.”

Kuo leads a tour of the beautiful bow truss structure with exposed wood beams and an arched roof. A colorful mural from Josh Cochran conveys symbolism and “brings a lot of life to Fatty Mart.”

Kuo sees himself in Cochran’s stylized tiger, recognizing “a lot of energy pumped up inside, but it’s a friendly energy. It’s not here to attack you; it’s here to have fun.” His playful curiosity pervades the store’s stations and shelves.

A hot sauce aisle practically pulses with Scoville units. Kuo stocks bottles and jars from chef friends and other trusted brands, including Boon chili oil from Camphor chef/

co-owner Max Boonthanakit, who worked at Little Fatty; ZinDrew crunchy garlic chili oil from Zin Lee and her husband, Andrew; and Tumie Coco, a versatile new addition from chef Jason Fullilove. The aisle also hosts private-label Fatty Mart olive oil and balsamic and champagne vinegars. Expect “unique ramens” such as ChapaGuri jjajang noodles with spicy seafood flavor and lobster-flavored Aces Sriracha ramen noodle soup. Kuo sources complementary spice blends like sea-moss seasoning from Woon, a Chinese restaurant in Historic Filipinotown.

Kathryn Weil Coker, owner of Esters Wine

Shop & Bar in Santa Monica, is Kuo’s neighbor and curates the store’s “Asian beers and fun natural and biodynamic wine.” Nearby, a fridge displays nonalcoholic beverages including Milkis soda and Mela watermelon water.

Lay’s potato chips from around the world have been hot sellers. “We cannot keep these in stock,” Kuo says, especially the limited-edition rib eye-and-truffle flavor. Two local highlights are Mejorado tortilla chips and I Love Micheladas mix from the Lopez siblings, owners of Guelaguetza restaurant.

DAVID KUO

A freezer holds prized items like Starry Kitchen garlic noodles and Burritos La Palma burritos. Kuo also sells frozen Fatty Mart dumplings with fillings like fish and leek or pork and napa cabbage.

For prepared food, Fatty Mart initially cast a more international net and even launched with the Juntos taco concept. “We were quite ambitious to start with, but we’re gonna focus more on Asian food,” Kuo says. “That’s what we’re known for, and that’s what we want to really push out. But we definitely will throw in a birria pizza or mole pizza just to keep it interesting.”

Fatty Slice is a pizza collaboration with Noel Brohner of Slow Rise Pizza. “It’s light, crispy, chewy,” Kuo says. “The pizza holds up when you pick it up.” The dough ferments for four days and incorporates Bianco DiNapoli tomatoes, Grande cheese and Fat Gold olive oil.

Fatty’s Korean barbecue plates showcase proteins like L.A.-style short rib and spicy pork. In a nod to Skinny Dave’s, a Westchester restaurant the couple closed to focus on Fatty Mart, they sell banh mi. They also sell specials and grab-andgo containers filled with options like kimchi, peanut sesame noodles and orange chicken.

The Taiwanese breakfast roll is based on something Kuo’s Taichung-born mother would make for him and his three brothers in West Covina. His version involves a crisp, flaky scallion pancake cradling Taiwanese sausage, cucumber, chili mayo, scrambled egg and American cheese.

A coffee bar showcases a stylish red Modbar espresso machine and House Roots Coffee beans from friends in Granada Hills. Kuo praises both custom roasts (medium- and dark-roast Fatty Drip blends), saying they “aren’t bitter, finish nice and there’s a lot of flavor.”

Figuring out how to stock shelves, manage inventory and price items has been a learning curve for Kuo and his buying team. “We understand restaurants, but retail’s a whole other beast,” he says. “We’re adding more products, trying to find a specialty maker that has a great story that needs a platform.”

They also welcome customer suggestions. A sign with a QR code reads: “Tell us what you’d like to see. Message us. We’re enlisting the community to help stock the shelves with items you need and want to see.” This method is paying dividends with more SKUs and mutual trust.

12210 Venice Blvd., Mar Vista, 310-881-9577, fattymart.com

“We understand restaurants, but retail’s a whole other beast.”

— David Kuo

DIEGO SEBASTIAN

How to Get Fit for Life

At 53, Sebastian is one of the most photographed fitness models in the world, with magazine covers in more than 50 countries and over 100 fitness infomercials and commercials. Today, he is changing things up even as he remains a top Southern California celebrity trainer and lifestyle consultant. His new fitness center, in Sherman Oaks, sponsored by blk. water, promises facilities and instruction to address both the mental and physical sides of fitness. We caught up with Sebastian recently amid his travels around Southern California.

it like it does now. It’s a viable option to reduce stress and live a healthy and quality lifestyle.

You also train individual clients, many of them celebrities. What’s your fitness philosophy?

It’s all about setting the foundation first with good habits and mastering the fundamentals of training and nutrition, then building your individual repertoire of training according to your goals. A lot of fitness just promises results but if you don’t establish the healthy lifestyle and don’t learn anything you’re running in circles. What I look to do is establish the lifestyle, diet and nutrition, then bring the biohacking aspect as we progress. We peel away the layers and take away and add lifestyle hacks that work individually for your own personal well being.

The Ozempic craze promises dramatic weight loss without a corresponding wellness program. What’s your take? You can’t just count calories. You have to eat less calories but also learn how to eat efficiently and consciously so that you’re getting your proper nutrition and love what you’re eating. I never felt like I was on a diet, it was just a calculated choice of what I’m consuming. Gut health is everything. People eat too many processed foods with lots of chemicals that slow your metabolism down. Your system will run clean on raw ingredients if you stay away from that stuff—people are surprised when they just eat whole foods, proteins, vegetables and fruit. That’s 90 percent of the ballgame. During my career as a fitness model, some of the biggest shows were in Europe. I never gained much weight over there, because Europe has stricter standards for food—it’s fresh, much cleaner.

Think of your body as a race car: you don’t put cheap low octane gas and oil in a race car…. it slows down, but if you use high grade fuel and oil it will be a fine-tuned machine.

Through your fitness modeling, you showed millions the possibilities that a comprehensive workout program could achieve. Now that you’ve transitioned to a fitness ambassador and entrepreneur, what are your personal fitness goals?

brought my own personal spiritual advisor, Pamela Robins, to lead the way with her mediation practice here.

I simplify the process so my clients can actually implement habits into daily life and not be overwhelmed with social media do’s & don’ts. I prefer life hacks: bits of information to use daily and reap real benefits. You can wake up every morning to water with lemon and do a lot more stretching, yoga, and meditation. It may sound simple but little habits add up. We go into detail with each client. Every client undergoes a full overhaul like getting plugged into a diagnostic computer. We start from a full blood panel and then troubleshoot. We also have lots of cosponsorships and high level professionals we work with. I learned so much in my 38 years of training and education and keep learning from the high level of professionals I surround myself with. We are on the verge of so many new health & fitness hacks/products I love to dive in and see what really works and run it through my filter and pass it on to my clients.

Why did you choose blk. water as your collaborator?

Tell us about your new gym.

It’s a place I can call home base for my fitness community and have my resources under one roof and surround myself with top professionals I’ve cultivated to give my clients the knowledge and latest products to incorporate into their fitness lifestyle. Fitness is moving fast these days but one thing will never change and that is the fundamentals of training and nutrition. I want to address the mental aspect of fitness on the body. In today’s fast-moving society, the stress is real. My parents’ generation didn’t really have fitness as an outlet and they suffered for it—it was there but society didn’t embrace

I’m 53—I’m training for longevity, through life we all have some kinds of issues. Injuries, genetic, health issues. I train for flexibility, mobility, conditioning, mental and yes I still sprinkle in aesthetic training as I still model and why wouldn’t you want abs at 53 if you can. My generation zoned in on fitness training in the last 30 years, and that demographic is huge, we take care of ourselves and make it a priority. A guy my age shouldn’t think like a 25-year-old bodybuilder. It’s not healthy. When you have youth on your side you can get away with it until something happens. As an ex-EMT and fireman for U.S. Forest Service and the LAFD I blew out my knee and it was a life-changing experience that led me to where I am. You can always work around injuries and disabilities.

What can people expect from blk. Haüs?

At blk. Haüs we have seminars and professionals talking about health issues. Supplementation. Nutrition. Training. Peptides. Hormones. The mental aspect is huge so I

I grew up with American food corporations just simply lying to you. Full on marketing to sell you chemically induced products that claim health and wellness.

We didn’t know better.

When I tried blk. water and read the ingredients I was impressed. When I trained in my 20’s like a bodybuilder, we took trace minerals to fill the muscles with water and nutrients like amino acid and electrolytes to perform at a high level, that fact it had that caught my attention. It also has fulvic acid which is plant based and the benefits of fulvic acid are a mile long. We have lots of supplements and the options can get overwhelming but blk. water makes it easier to get essential minerals into your body for increased function and hydration. I believe blk. water is the next Gatorade in a holistic product. Plus, it’s good for the kids!

DiegoSebastianRawfFitness.com

@dsrawfitness IG | @dsrawfitness FB

LOS ANGELES IS everything a great American city should be,” John Waters once wrote. “Rich, hilarious, of questionable taste and throbbing with fake glamour.”

This September, one of L.A.’s grand new institutions, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, will repay the compliment, launching John Waters: Pope of Trash, an expansive yearlong exhibit that looks back at the 77-year-old auteur’s six decades of shock-and-awe filmmaking. Pulling from Waters’ archives at Wesleyan University, as well as his private collection of memorabilia — like the electric chair that zapped Divine in Female Trouble, which usually sits in his living room in Baltimore — it too promises to be hilarious, filled with fake glamour and, especially, of questionable taste. Says Dara Jaffe, who curated the show along with Museum of Modern Art alum Jenny He. “We wanted to show our reverence for John’s irreverence.”

While in town to open the exhibit, Waters will receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It is, he tells Los Angeles, the realization of a lifelong dream. “I always wanted to sell out to Hollywood,” he says. “Problem is, no one wanted to buy me.”

There’s a fair amount of crazy fan art in the exhibit, too, like a pipe-cleaner Queen Carlotta and a little doll of you holding an Oscar.

This show is, basically, your lifetime achievement award. Do you have any favorite pieces in it?

> I haven’t even seen it all. I’ll be discovering stuff I haven’t seen from my archives since the ’80s. But the electric chair that kills Divine in Female Trouble — that’s been in my living room for years. We would decorate it every year like a Christmas tree. But you can’t sit in it and take a selfie — I’m against the death penalty.

Impulse Buy

There are a lot of shoe and foot items: Divine’s baby shoes, Edie’s heels from Pink Flamingos, the foot-stomper paintings from Polyester and Patty Hearst’s white shoes from Serial Mom

> Shoes are such a ridiculous waste of a budget — you never see them in movies. That’s why I always have foot fetishists in my movies, to get my money’s worth. I don’t like to waste budget! Shoes are definitely important in my movies.

> I love the really bad naive ones the best, the unflattering ones, because they’re the most touching in a way. I have a studio full of them. It’s very flattering that fans do that for me, except when I’m on tour and someone hands me a 30-foot framed canvas. How the hell am I going to get this home?

You have this museum show, and the next day you’re getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Where exactly is your star?

> I don’t know, and you don’t get to pick. I said I hope it’s either in front of the old Frederick’s of Hollywood or in front of the Larry Edmunds Bookshop, which,

DIVINE INVENTION Is it sacred? Is it profane? Maybe a bit of both, but for a mere $875, this 12-inch, limited-edition gold-plated sculpture of the late, great Harris Glenn Milstead — best known as Divine, his stage name in several John Waters movies — can be all yours. Pick up a dozen at pidgindoll.com

on my first trip to L.A., I got a jaywalking ticket crossing the street to go to! I hope I’m near Alvin and the Chipmunks, and that there’s room for Divine to get one near me, too. I don’t mind if it’s in the most obscure place, as long as it’s not next to Trump’s because they are always destroying it.

People do crazy things on their favorite star’s star, like

“My biggest influence in the beginning was Walt Disney.”

DEAR JOHN

Left: The cast of John Waters’ 1972 gross-out masterpiece Pink Flamingos. Right: Waters at his Baltimore home in 2022.

snort lines. What do you hope they do on yours?

> What could people leave me on my star? No turds, please. Been there, done that.

What do you feel your biggest influence has been?

> My biggest influence in the beginning was Walt Disney because of his colorful villains like Captain Hook. Then I found Ingmar Bergman, whom I loved because he had vomit and suicide and despair in his movies. They were shown in Baltimore as sex movies because they had bare breasts in them. Summer With Monika was edited, all the dialogue removed and [the title changed to] The Sins of Monika. And certainly Warhol and the underground scene in New York. And Fellini was a huge influence.

You are sort of the American Fellini …

> I would never say that. The meanest review I ever got was, “Waters may think he was Russ Meyer, but he’s really [Mommie Dearest director] Frank Perry.” I don’t dislike Perry; he made some great movies. If they had called me David Lean, I would have been very insulted.

Are you an Academy member?

> Of course! I vote for everything, even the Razzies.

Which of your films do you think are Academy Award-worthy? Any of them?

> I think Kathleen Turner in Serial Mom deserved an Oscar. I badgered the studio to launch a campaign for her, but they refused. If you

lose, all that money from the Oscar campaign comes out of your profits. But it’s worth it. It’s very exciting.

You were a pioneer of independent filmmaking. What do you make of the current state of indie film?

> Well, it’s weird because young people don’t want to see art movies anymore — they want to go to the mall and see a comic book movie and then have a riot afterward. They don’t like feel-bad French movies with full-frontal nudity — that’s my favorite genre.

The museum draws tourists and school-trip kiddies. What do you want the uninitiated, who may only know Hairspray, to come away with?

> I hope kids realize they aren’t weird and that dreams really do come true. That’s what movies can do, take you into another world. That’s why I called my original studio Dreamland — it was a bedroom in my parents’ house where I made my first movie. In a way, I do find show business holy: It’s a miracle, and it’s all about believing.

You aren’t done yet believing, with plans underway to film your debut novel, Liarmouth. When you finally get your Oscar, who would you thank first?

> My parents! When I get the Walk of Fame star, I’m bringing a photo of my parents because they allowed and encouraged me even though they were horrified by the movies I made. That’s a really loving parent. I’ve had a lot of fans come up to me and tell me their parents showed them my movies, which is the opposite of what used to happen. Parents used to call the police on me. Times have changed.

Don’t Miss

IF YOU HAVE ONLY 15 MINUTES AT THE ACADEMY MUSEUM, CHECK OUT THESE ART-HOUSE ARTIFACTS

● The prop leg of lamb Beverly Sutphin (Kathleen Turner) used to kill Mrs. Jenson as she sang “Tomorrow” from Annie in 1994’s Serial Mom

● Shoes worn by Edith Massey as Aunt Ida — as part of her bondage outfit — in 1974’s Female Trouble

● Promotional barf bags handed out at early screenings of 1972’s Pink Flamingos

● Jean Hill as Grizelda Brown — after her makeover by Queen Carlotta’s ugly experts — in 1977’s Desperate Living

THE GUIDE / 09.23

FROM COSMIC ENCOUNTERS TO CHARGING QUARTERBACKS, YOUR SEPTEMBER CULTURAL AGENDA

BY JORDAN RIEFE

PHOTOGRAPHY

Alfredo Boulton

AUG. 29

THROUGH

JAN. 7

» One of the most important intellectuals of 20th century Latin America, Boulton was a seminal photographer of the modern period, redefining in the eyes of many his home country, Venezuela.

Getty Center, getty.edu

GAMING

Starfield

SEPT. 6

» Bethesda, the developer behind best-selling video game series The Elder Scrolls and Fallout, will finally launch its latest roleplaying title. This time, players explore outer space. It’s described as potentially the year’s biggest release, boasting an aweinspiring 1,000 planets across 100 unique star systems. bethesda.net

THEATER The Sound Inside

SEPT. 6

THROUGH

OCT. 1

» Nominated for six Tony Awards, including Best Play, The Sound Inside is Pulitzer Prize finalist Adam Rapp’s hairraising thriller about a writing professor who has a lifechanging encounter with a mysterious student.

Pasadena Playhouse, pasadena playhouse.org

HOBBIES Los Angeles Union Station Train Festival 2023

SEPT. 9 AND 10

» This celebration of all things trainrelated brings together commuters, industry professionals, aficionados, historians and architecture enthusiasts to ogle rare model train exhibits, participate in tours and celebrate the legacy of Union Station and Southern California’s rail systems Union Station, unionstationla.com

BOOK Elon Musk

SEPT. 12

» In this eponymous biography of “genius” Elon Musk, Walter Isaacson — author of bios on geniuses like Leonardo da Vinci, Albert Einstein, and Steve Jobs — tells the story of one of the richest people on earth, from his childhood in South Africa to the entrepreneurial moves defining his career

Simon & Schuster

CONCERT

Ed Sheeran

SEPT. 22

» Sheeran wraps his 14-city – Tour (Subtract Tour), with Ben Kweller, this month in L.A. Not to be confused with his concurrent stadium show, the + – = ÷ x Tour (Mathematics Tour), the intimate gathering features every track

SPORTS

Chargers vs. Dolphins

SEPT. 10

» The L.A. Chargers open their season at home against the Miami Dolphins. Behind promising young star quarterbacks, both teams will look to contend with the AFC’s elite after returning to the playoffs in 2022.

SoFi Stadium, sofistadium.com

from his latest album, – (Subtract) Shrine Auditorium, shrineauditorium.com

FESTIVAL 28th Annual Central Avenue Jazz Festival

SEPT. 23

» Stroll iconic Central Avenue, where jazz greats Billie Holiday, Charles Mingus and Ernie Andrews performed decades ago, to enjoy contemporary tunes on three stages, food at various stalls and unique wares sold by local artisans. The familyfriendly event is free. centralavejazzfest.com

OPERA Don Giovanni

SEPT. 23

THROUGH

OCT. 15

» L.A. Opera’s season opener is a new production of Don Giovanni starring Grammy-winning baritone Lucas Meachem as the lecherous title character. Also a star is preeminent production designer Es Devlin, a Tony winner for The Lehman Trilogy and stage sculptor for concert headliners including Beyoncé, Adele and U2. Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, laopera.org

BOOK

Thicker Than Water: A Memoir

SEPT. 26

» Kerry Washington’s new book chronicles her career as an artist, advocate, entrepreneur and family woman. After

enduring early childhood trauma and other setbacks, Washington benefited from inspirational mentors and carved an enviable path in show business Little, Brown Spark

DANCE Hubbard Street Dance Chicago

SEPT. 29

THROUGH

OCT. 1

» Straight out of Chicago, this dance troupe presents a program of mixed repertory including John Coltrane’s My Favorite Things, choreographed by Lar Lubovitch. See it performed before a backdrop reproduction of Jackson Pollock’s painting Autumn Rhythm Ahmanson Theatre, musiccenter.org

OPERA Star Choir

SEPT. 30 AND OCT. 1

» The Industry finally makes its postpandemic bow with the world premiere of this interstellar chamber opera about a starship crew seeking refuge on a hostile planet where they’re forced to evolve to survive. Composer Malik Gaines combines classical influences with psychedelic jazz in his sui generis score.

Mount Wilson Observatory, theindustryla.org

GAME ON Chargers safety Derwin James Jr.

Home Tome

A NEW YORK PHOTOGRAPHER TAKES AIM AT HOW FOLKS — LIKE, SAY, LINDA RAMONE — LIVE ON THE WEST COAST

BACK IN 2021, photographer Sally Davies pointed her camera at New Yorkers in their natural habitats — that is, inside their apartments — and put together a coffee table book aptly titled New Yorkers. It sold out in two weeks. Now, she’s following up with a sequel, California Dreamers, out this month from Ammonite Press, in which she gives denizens of the West Coast their due.

“I live in New York and don’t know a lot of folks in L.A. — I’ve been there maybe five times in my life — so I didn’t know how it was going to work out,” Davies tells Los Angeles. “But I have to say, people in California were so game to be shot. They were totally up for letting a stranger come into their homes and photograph them. I think I must have shot 150 people while I was there.”

Only about 80 of them made it into the final book, but there was no way not to include this photograph of Linda Ramone, widow of late Ramones guitarist Johnny Ramone, lounging in her abode in Sherman Oaks. “You can tell from this photograph of her nutty house what a great sense of humor Linda has,” says Davies. “She has these theme rooms — an Elvis room, a horror room, a Barbie room — like it’s an amusement park, except it’s in somebody’s house.”

ABOUT THE BOOK

 California Dreamers by Sally Davies (Ammonite Press).

PRETTY IN PUNK Linda Ramone in the rock and roll theme room of the Sherman Oaks house she shared with Johnny Ramone.

“You can tell from this photograph of her nutty house what a great sense of humor Linda has.”

Moving Pictures

SCORSESE AND DE NIRO! A NOVEL SUPERHERO! NAPOLEON MAKES A COMBACK! HERE’S WHAT’S ARRIVING ON THE BIG SCREEN

BY PAUL SCHRODT

Drive-Away Dolls Sept. 22

Ethan Coen breaks from his brother, Joel, to helm this road-trip-gone-wrong black comedy about two women who seek a life refresh in Tallahassee, Fla., and cross paths with a gaggle of incompetent criminals. The cast, including Margaret Qualley, Pedro Pascal, Beanie Feldstein and Matt Damon, should light up TikTok.

Dumb Money Sept. 22

This adaptation of Ben Mezrich’s book The Antisocial Network, about the 2021 GameStop short squeeze that shook the stock market and pissed off hedge funders everywhere, centers on rogue Reddit investment analyst Keith Gill (Paul Dano), who kicked off the financial fireworks, and his brother (Pete Davidson). If the poster is an indication, director Craig Gillespie (I, Tonya) is ready to flip the bird to Wall Street.

The Creator Sept. 29

For those left crestfallen by the possible postponement of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two, your ambitious sci-fi cravings may be satisfied in the meantime by this tightly under-wraps human-vs.-AI tale set in the future, from the mind of Gareth Edwards (Rogue One). John David Washington leads as an ex-Special Forces agent tasked with defeating a robot overlord’s potentially world-ending weapon.

Killers of the Flower Moon Oct. 6

Martin Scorsese veers back to mainstream-friendly fare, adapting this 2017 best-selling nonfiction book by David Grann that focuses on an FBI investigation of 1920s murders in the Osage Nation. It boasts quadruple male star power in Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Brendan Fraser and Jesse Plemons.

Kraven the Hunter Oct. 6

A new Marvel film that’s not from Marvel? Why not?! This Sony-produced comic book movie is directed by Oscar-nominated, cinephile-approved J.C. Chandor (Margin Call, All Is Lost) and centers on the titular antihero and Spider-Man adversary, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Kick-Ass, Bullet Train).

The Holdovers Nov. 10

Satirist par excellence Alexander Payne (Election, The Descendants) may have misfired with the 2017 box-office bomb Downsizing, but this smaller-scale dramedy following a prep-school teacher (Paul Giamatti) stuck with a troubled student looks like it might bring Sideways-style bite.

The Killer Nov. 10

David Fincher’s return to feature filmmaking (his most recent was 2020’s Mank) and genre form (based on a French graphic novel, it involves an unnamed assassin) stars Michael Fassbender and Tilda Swinton. Stylishness is all but assured.

Napoleon Nov. 22

At the tender age of 85, Ridley Scott morphs Joaquin Phoenix, Oscar-winning chameleon of our time, into the petite yet mighty Napoleon Bonaparte in a massively scaled historical epic (Stanley Kubrick wishes). The straight-to-the-point tagline: “He came from nothing. He conquered everything.”

ONLY IN THEATERS

Clockwise from top left: Dumb Money, Napoleon, The Creator, Killers Of The Flower Moon, The Killer

From a bloodless (hopefully!) Squid Game intense British procedural, here are new and returning series picks that don’t violate the rules of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA labor actions.

Unforgotten, Season 5

This unusually empathetic take on the crime procedural centers on London detectives solving yearsold cold murder and disappearance cases. Sept. 3, PBS

America Outdoors with Baratunde Thurston, Season 2

The Daytime Emmy-nominated writer and host ventures to the myriad, disparate natural wonders within the U.S., reflecting on their meaning for everyday Americans’ lives, work and connections with one another. Sept. 6, PBS

Love Is Blind, Season 5

Netflix has confirmed a new season of everyone’s favorite experimental, kind of trashy (but also kind of brilliant) dating show, keeping prospective suitors unseen by each other until they’ve kindled romantic feelings and watching the fireworks once they meet.

September, Netflix

Squid Game: The Challenge

No one dies (we think) in this provocative reality spinoff of the hugely popular, very bloody fictional South Korean series, but 456 contestants are tested to their physical and emotional breaking points. November, Netflix

RIMOWA

Personal Aluminum Cross-Body Bag. A unisex hard shell meant to house and transport your daily personal essentials

$1,575.00

RIMOWA at The Forum Shops

THE FORUM SHOPS

AT CAESARS PALACE

Lavish shopping. Sumptuous dining. Monumental attractions. An epic experience you'll never forget.

3500 Las Vegas Boulevard South Las Vegas, NV 89109

facebook.com/forumshops twitter.com/theforumshops instagram.com/theforumshops

Chloé

Chloé snow white Penelope bag

$3,750

Chloé at The Forum Shops

Saint Laurent

Jamie 4.3 Chain Bag. This chain bag features the YSL signature and allows for short or long shoulder portés. Available in soft black lambskin

$4,400

Saint Laurent at The Forum Shops

Diptyque

The tangy coolness of freshly picked blackcurrant berries. A few black bunches still have their leaves, their green and aromatic scent blending with the lively, flowery accents of rose

Burning time: 60 hours

$74.00

Diptyque at The Forum Shops

Tod's

Tod's Di Bag in Leather Small. A central ribbing and tubular handles characterize this elegant shopping bag with Tod's logo stamped on the front

$2,645

Tod's at The Forum Shops

Forum Shops Dining

DINE WITH A PURPOSE

FIGHTING HUNGER IN SOUTHERN NEVADA

Dine at participating restaurants at The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace® and a portion of the proceeds will benefit Three Square Food Bank.

September 1-30

Participating Restaurants:

Joe’s Seafood Prime Steak & Stone Crab

RPM Italian

Sushi Roku

Carmine’s NYC’s Family Style Italian Restaurant

The Palm Las Vegas Water Grill

True Food Kitchen

Trevi Italian Restaurant

SOL Mexican Cocina

PLATED + PERFECTION

Enjoy Dining at The Forum Shops

Café Lola (725) 696-5658

Carmine’s NYC’s Family Style Italian Restaurant (702) 473-9700

Joe’s Seafood Prime Steak and Stone Crab (702) 792-9222

Torneau | Bucherer

Manero Tourbillon

Double Peripheral Paradise. Limited Edition, 43mm dial with hybrid rupper strap. Bezel set with 40 Tsavorites, Sapphires and Rubies in rainbow colors baguette cut 3.9 ct

$158,500

Torneau | Bucherer at The Forum Shops

RPM Italian (702) 860-2225

SOL Mexican Cocina (702) 329-0884

Sushi Roku (702) 733-7373

The Cheesecake Factory (702) 792-6888

The Palm Las Vegas (702) 732-7256

Trevi Italian Restaurant (702) 735-4663

True Food Kitchen (702) 340-2600

Water Grill (702) 832-4777

HOME OF GRAND ARRIVALS & GREAT ESCAPES

Our newly remodeled Union Square hotel places you in the heart of San Francisco, with easy access to e City’s best restaurants, sights, and nightlife.

HAUTE FUZZ

PLUSH TEXTURES ARE IN, TRANSFORMING CLOTHES INTO SOFT, FUZZY FRIENDS

BY MERLE GINSBERG

HERE COMES the fuzz.

During the past few years, designers have gone all out with pieces in faux fur, fluff and feathers on everything from shearling­lined shoes (originated by Ugg, then reinvented by Gucci and Birkenstock) to bags, hats, cuffs, detachable collars and scarves — even mittens. In this age of anxiety, plush tactile materials are the fashion equivalent of Xanax.

The Danish word “hygge” — what we’d call “warm and fuzzy,” referring to things and people — has been trending for years. One dictionary definition reads: “calm comfortable times; the absence of frustrations; good friends, good food, hot drinks, blankets and candlelight.” Amid the pandemic, political strife and global warming, we’ll take comfort wherever we can.

As the sturdy, stalwart and wildly unflattering puffer started to go “poof,” after making bodies seem amorphously stiff for years, “chubbies” are back. Their first goround was in 1936, when Vogue declared the wild, young, waist­length fur jackets a mania. In 1971, Yves Saint Laurent, a fan of ’30s fashion, floated them down Paris’ high­fashion runways, causing yet another sensation. These were the early days of glam rock, and

YSL, with his love of louche looks, brought back platforms, turbans and chubby shrugs made of faux fur or feathers in true 1940s cocktail­hour style.

According to Nordic fashion journalist and TikTok star Mosha Lundström Halbert, who created the cozy sustainable­clothing brand Therma Kota with her Swedish family: “ ‘Hygge’ is Danish, but we use that term throughout Scandinavia. I grew up in a very hygge­forward household with blankets, candles and natural tactile textures galore, much needed for long winter nights.”

Therma Kota offers shearling outerwear, accessories and home goods in these irresistibly shaggy materials. “There’s something comforting, inherently nurturing about fuzzy fashion,” says Lundström Halbert. “It takes us back to childhood, being bundled up and protected. It speaks to our softer side. Postpandemic, there has been a style pivot away from the hard edge — anything scratchy, sharp or too structured feels harsh and dated right now. If we’re going to keep talking about ‘quiet luxury,’ we need to acknowledge that true luxury is about wearing things that feel good.” Brands like Loro Piana, Khaite, Burberry, Gucci, the Row and Adrienne Landau are comfortably on board — and on body.

Plush and Pretty

WHERE THE FLUFF LIVES Trapper Hat

ADRIENNE LANDAU

● With signature earflaps, the now­fashionable trapper hat — aka “aviator hat” — dates back to World War I, when it protected pilots’ heads from frost.

Tote

LORO PIANA

● Who needs a security blanket when you can tote your warm woolens everywhere with you?

Price upon request, loropiana.com

Handbag

BURBERRY

● The furry green leather Knight bag is one of the most playful accessories for fall.

$3,650, burberry.com —M.G.

Plush tactile materials are the fashion equivalent of Xanax.

WALK SOFTLY

Imagine the coziness of shag carpet on your feet. The Stella McCartney Loop Lace-Up Trainers do not sneak around. $795, stellamccartney.com

• HAT

“I started years ago experimenting with fedoras, but I would go to a hat store in New York City and kept eyeing this one boater hat. Eventually, I molded it into something my own.”

• SUIT

“Everything I wear onstage is bespoke. This is a custom silk leopard ensemble that I designed and my tailor put together with his own hands in L.A.”

• RING

“This ring is very special to me. It originally said ‘SF’ — Sam Faust — who was my grandfather. He escaped the Holocaust, and the ring was one of the few things he brought to America. My grandmother had the ‘SF’ remade to say ‘CP.’  ”

Hat Trick

HE’S PERFORMED FOR EVERYONE FROM OPRAH TO OBAMA AND CREATED BET’S LAUDED PASS THE MIC SERIES, BUT 42-YEAR-OLD SUPERSTAR SPINNER CASSIDY PODELL, AKA DJ CASSIDY, IS ALSO FAMOUS FOR HIS STYLE. HIS FASHION PHILOSOPHY: “DRESS LIKE IT’S YOUR LAST DAY OF GETTING DRESSED.”

BY JULIUS MILLER

• SHADES

“Most of my accessories are vintage finds. But these glasses are modern-day Versace, a tortoiseshell with golden Medusas.”

• BROOCH

“This is Estelle — that’s what I’ve named my leopard brooch. I purchased it at an antiques store in Juanles-Pins, a small town on the French Riviera. It’s a stunning leopard piece that feels very at home on the leopard lapel.”

• BRACELETS

“These are vintage costume jewelry from the ’70s and ’80s. One is a Kenneth Jay Lane that I found at a flea market in Cannes. Another I found at an estate sale in Beverly Hills.”

• SHOES

“Since I was a kid, I’ve worn two pairs of sneakers: Shell Toe Adidas and these Nike Air Force 1s, arguably the most classic sneaker of all time.”

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS LUX: HOW SUITE IT IS

There is no better venue to experience the magic of the NFL than in Los Angeles’s very own SoFI Stadium, and no better team to deliver an unparalleled fan experience than the Los Angeles Chargers. With 260 exclusive suites and 11 private clubs, premium fan accommodations are already way of life at SoFi.

Now, the Chargers are upping the game with the team’s Chargers LUX program, developed to re-imagine what a premium hospitality experience can look like and build upon one of the NFL’s most unforgettable game-day suite experiences.

Upon purchasing a Chargers suite at SoFi Stadium, owners are automatically enrolled in Chargers LUX at no additional cost. Chargers LUX members gain immediate access to year- round exclusive events, highly sought-after networking opportunities, and unique amenities; including access to a personalized concierge app that caters specifically to each Charger LUX member.

Many events hosted by Chargers LUX include personal appearances from current players, Hall of Famers, Chargers Legends, coaches, and even ownership. The LUX program also partners with world-renowned brands and service partners such as Giorgio Armani, Spring Place Beverly Hills, and award-winning spirits labels Hendricks Gin, The Balvenie and Glenfiddich.

The Chargers offer a variety of suite options accommodating eight to 78 guests, including field level Cabanas and Bungalows, level two Executive suites, fourth and fifth level Patio, Perch, and Stage Suites, and 7th level Terrace and Party Suites. Each boasts unique attributes and specialized offerings, providing options that will align with budgets and entertaining needs. Each suite includes parking privileges, dedicated stadium entry lanes, club access, and upscale food and beverage selection, and access to exclusive stadium events throughout the year. For more information on Chargers LUX, visit chargerslux.com

L.A. Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen

Photo Credit: LA ChargersMike Nowak

LOOKING GOOD!

THE

BY MERLE GINSBERG ❘ ILLUSTRATED BY JAYA NICELY

BEAUTY BOUTIQUE Chanel Beauty

» Rich colors. Velvet textures. Classic scents. Sheer elegance. No wonder Chanel Beauty is the world’s best. And no wonder Chanel chose the luxe Pacific Palisades Village to launch one of its first beauty and fragrance boutiques in the U.S.

» chanel.com

COSMETICS VALUE NYX Professional Makeup

» Founded in L.A. in 1999 by Toni Ko, NYX is named for the Greek goddess of night. Moderately priced, NYX is a vegan-friendly, cruelty-free brand whose rainbow-hued eye pencils and palettes forever changed the marketplace.

» nyxcosmetics.com

SUNSCREEN Flexpower

» This Santa Monicabased wellness brand, founded by Rasheen Smith, created FlexSun, a safe-for-coral-reefs sun product that deeply hydrates while protecting your skin with SPF 30. It’s also comfortably lightweight and perfect for all skin tones and types.

» flexpower.com

BREAKTHROUGH SKIN SERUM LAB31B

» Sculpt a more youthful complexion with a revolutionary at-home serum that mimics in-clinic treatments with more than 10,000 microneedles per jar. It features MicroMelt Needle Technology and PowerPeptide-5 to target wrinkles and boost collagen, for visible results from your first use.

» lab31b.com

NAIL PRODUCTS OPI

» Kitschy names like “I’m Not Really a Waitress” and “You Don’t Know Jacques” combined with Suzi Weiss-Fischmann’s radical color sense helped L.A.’s own OPI reinvent the entire nail polish game with its modern textures and kaleidoscopic colors.

» opi.com

MASCARA Thrive Causemetics

» L.A.-based Thrive has created a cult following with its award-winning Liquid Lash Extensions mascara. The brand’s best-known product creates longer, softer lashes and doesn’t clump, smudge or flake. Utterly dependable, it always works but remains subtle.

» thrivecausemetics.com

BEAUTY DEVICE Light-Activated Beauty

» Lights on, acne off! Light Activated Beauty (aka l.a.b.) introduces a game-changing, handsfree acne-zapping device that uses ultraconcentrated, FDA-cleared red and blue LED light to target blemishes for maximum results in three minutes.

» skinbylab.com

COMPLEXION BREAKTHROUGH Westmore Beauty Supreme Crème

» This cream perfects and enhances your complexion from head to toe with an ultra lightweight finish that looks and feels like your skin. It’s waterproof and lasts for 12 hours and is infused with a formula that improves skincare over time — a true win/win.

» westmorebeauty.com

LIP GLOSS Nude Envie

» Malibu’s very own Isabel Madison created products in a range of elegant nude shades that don’t conceal but, rather, enhance natural beauty. Her silky glosses come in clear and four tones from peach to caramel for luscious lips all year long.

» nudeenvie.com

BROW PRODUCT WONDERSKIN Wonder Blading Brow Stain & Go

» Not every brow solution is created equal.

Wonder Blading Brow Stain & Go uses its patented Liquid Blading Technology to hyperstain color for long-lasting, natural-looking — and feeling — brows. Get the brows you wish you’d been born with.

» wonderskin.com

SEASON’S TOP PRODUCTS — AND THE INDUSTRY PROS WHO GIVE THEM SHINE — ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN LOS ANGELES MAGAZINE ’S INAUGURAL BEST OF BEAUTY LIST AND EVENT

WIG DESIGNER Frederic Aspiras

» Not only was Frederic Aspiras nominated for an Oscar for the range of wigs he created for Lady Gaga for House of Gucci – but, with a long list of celebrity clients and devoted L.A. patrons, he’s also been catering to stars’ ever-changing looks for 15 years.

» @fredericaspiras

HAIR-PRODUCT INNOVATOR Jen Atkin, OUAI

» Celebrity stylist Jen Atkin, whose clients include Katy Perry, Jennifer Lopez and the Kardashians, launched OUAI in 2016 with products geared to specific hair textures. They’re safe for all kinds of hair — colored, treated, synthetic, extensions and wigs. No wonder L.A.-based OUAI now has sales of over $50 million a year.

» theouai.com

ESTHETICIAN Biba de Sousa

» For dewy, glowing skin, no one in L.A. is more trusted than Biba. With a client roster like Hailey Bieber, Miley Cyrus and Billie Eilish, the evidence is clear that Biba leads the way for healthy skin transformations.

» bibalosangeles.com

CELEBRITY MAKEUP ARTIST Pati Dubroff

» Hollywood’s foremost makeup artist is behind some of the world’s bestknown faces: Margot Robbie, Kristen Stewart, Elizabeth Olsen, Kaia Gerber, Priyanka Chopra, Natalie Portman, Dakota Johnson, Charlize Theron and Kirsten Dunst – just to name a few.

» @patidubroff

NAIL ARTIST

Chaun Legend

» L.A.’s own Chaun Legend has worked with celebs and major magazines alike, creating imaginative looks for SKIMS and Kylie Cosmetics ad campaigns and the well-manicured hands of Cardi B, Khloé Kardashian, Kendall Jenner and H.E.R.

» @chaunlegend

BEAUTY DOCTOR Zein Obagi

» In business for more than three decades, Dr. Obagi created the Beverly Hills Obagi Skin Health Institute and the luxe Obagi line of dermatological products with medical-grade retinol, which includes his famed eyelash- and eyebrowenhancing serums.

» zoskinhealth.com

CELEBRITY-INVENTED SKINCARE Molly Sims, YSE

» Yes, even supermodels have skin problems: Sims suffered from acne, melasma and hyperpigmentation as a teen, then an adult, trying everything. Eventually, Sims created YSE (pronounced “wise”): four-step morning and evening routines with vitamin C, retinol and brightening elements for surprisingly fast skin clarity.

» ysebeauty.com

CELEBRITY BEAUTY-LINE CREATOR

Gwen Stefani, GXVE

» Makeup aficionado Gwen Stefani spent four years developing and perfecting GXVE – the “X” means a kiss. The line includes great sharp brow pencils and wonderful face products. But it’s Stefani’s many iterations of her classic red lip – shiny, matte, liquid, tube – that go flying off Sephora’s shelves.

» gxvebeauty.com

CLASSIC HAIR COLORIST Kim Vo

» Known as “the best blonder in the business,” Kim Vo has had a storied Hollywood career with his salon, TV career (Extreme Makeover, E!, Bravo’s Shear Genius) and a celeb clientele including Gwyneth Paltrow, Britney Spears, Pam Anderson and Uma Thurman.

» kimvosalon.com

LEGACY PRODUCTS AWARD

Westmore Beauty

» When George Westmore came to Hollywood in 1917, he originated makeup departments at the film studios. Following in his footsteps, four generations of scions became leading makeup artists. Now McKenzie Westmore, George’s great-greatgranddaughter, is leading the legacy brand to more successful skin breakthroughs than ever.

» westmorebeauty.com

WINNERS’ CIRCLE

1. Frederic Aspiras

2. Jen Atkin

3. Biba de Sousa

4. Pati Dubroff

5. Chaun Legend

6. Zein Obagi

7. Molly Sims

8. Gwen Stefani

9. Kim Vo

10. McKenzie Westmore

FALL in LOVE

POWERFUL PORTABLE BLENDER

BlendJet 2 serves up big blender power on the go! Blend up your favorite smoothies, shakes, and lattes anytime, anywhere. It’s compact, quiet, and best of all, it cleans itself. Comes in 50+ colors and patterns. Free 2-Day S&H. Save 11% at blendjet.com/lamag

With these TOP FALL FINDS!

Hassle Free Hair Care!

HairNimation's The ZAM Effect Hydrating Deep Conditioning Mask is designed to improve and maintain the overall health of your hair through its exotic & clean ingredients. Amplify your hair care routine with the ZAM Effect. Use code ZAM25 for 25% off your entire order. | hairnimation.com

At-Home Skin Rejuvenation Device

Professional-grade results using microdermabrasion, massage and microneedling technologies with powerful serums for a transformative facial experience in 3 steps, 10 minutes!

Use Promo Code: LA20 for 20% OFF. trufacial.com

Performance Apparel

Elevate your workout experience with Peelers’ soft and durable athletic apparel. It's designed to provide unmatched comfort and performance. PeelersApparel.com | @peelersapparel

Want to be inside your favorite shows?

Entertainmint.com sells tickets into the making of movies, TV, games and more to fans who are tired of being on the outside! entertainmint.com

Cashmere You Can Actually Afford

Unbelievably soft 100% Mongolian cashmere sweaters for 50–80% less than other brands. Only at quince.com

RESTAURANT CRYSTAL CLEAN

All natural wine glass cleaner. No off tastes or odors to ruin your wine. Wines taste great. Glassware looks spectacular. Made in USA since 1999. amazon.com

ARTFUL APPRECIATION

Piranha by Gel Blaster

Make waves with our show-stopping Piranha Gel Blaster - not only is it water resistant for epic pool and beach battles, but its jaw-dropping design will turn heads and make you dive into action-packed adventures anywhere you go! gelblaster.com

Visit Gallery 612 & expose yourself to original, abstract art. Visual imagery from emerging & established artists. Become a collector today. $250 - $5,000. | gallery612.com

La Peony’s Sustainably Harvested Silk Dress

Chantelle Hartman Malarkey thrives in La Peony’s latest must-have: The artisanal Silk V-neck dress in pink, the outfit essential from the sand to the city - and everywhere in between. Visit lapeony.com

SEAN KUTLAY D.D.S

Kutlay General and Cosmetic Dentistry provide a complete menu of care and cosmetic services with a distinctively personalized approach. See transformations at @drseankutlay on Instagram. Call 661.254.1884 for consultations!

GRYT

GRYT is a multi-faceted movement to empower a struggling generation of youth. Building healthy mind-body habits to achieve a sense of self-efficacy, resilience, and a place of leadership.

Learn more at gotgryt.com

GOLDEN STATE CASINOS

Feeling lucky with the slot machines, tables, and high-stakes games at destination casino resorts? Our guide to gaming has all the info you need to make your visit a winner.

GOLDEN STATE CASINOS

AGUA CALIENTE CASINOS

YOUR FIVE-STAR ESCAPE

It is one thing to be honored as an esteemed Forbes award-winning resort. It’s quite anotherto be honored for four years in a row. Yet, Agua Caliente Casino Rancho Mirage has done just that.

The Coachella Valley resort casino has received two Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star awards for its hotel resort and The Steakhouse and one prestigious Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star award for Sunstone Spa. These distinctions, plus the resort’s world-class gaming, exciting entertainment and luxury accommodations, make it a must-visit destination.

Sunstone Spa is known for its exceptional service, luxurious treatments, and amazing amenities, with a unique emphasis on grounding and salt therapy. It is one of only two casino property FiveStar spas in California and one of only 119 Five-Star spas worldwide.

Guests can enjoy relaxing massages, facials, hair and nail services, Halotherapy, spa boutique shopping, cabanas, and more. One trip and you’ll see why Sunstone is a world-class desert escape.

After a day at the spa, treat yourself to a delicious meal at The Steakhouse. The award-winning restaurant offers the finest prime steak and fresh seafood in a sophisticated, comfortable setting. Add in an impressive wine menu, and it is sure to be a memorable meal.

To book your awardwinning getaway, visit aguacalientecasinos.com

THERE’S SOMETHING RELAXING IN THE

FOUR YEARS IN A ROW.

Rejuvenate with an array of holistic and therapeutic treatments at the Sunstone Spa, a Forbes Travel Guide award-winning destination. Make your appointment today at 760.202.2121.

CHUMASH CASINO RESORT

DESTINATION: FREEDOM

Escape the stress of the city and enjoy the serene beauty of the Santa Ynez Valley. Enjoy an easy drive up the coast to Santa Barbara wine country, where you’ll discover lush, rolling hills and a kaleidoscope of bright colors. Nestled in the heart of this wonderful valley is a destination getaway focused on helping you leave your cares behind: Chumash Casino Resort.

The moment you walk through our doors, you feel the difference. From our gracious hospitality to our warm, welcoming environment filled with luxurious amenities, there’s an undeniable sense of freedom that encourages you to simply relax and enjoy yourself. In fact, Chumash Casino Resort has something for everyone.

If gaming is your happy place, you’ll feel right at home on our expansive casino floor, featuring the latest slot machines and innovative games. Plus, you can test your skills at a variety of table games as well as in our new hybrid Stadium Gaming pit. Maybe you’re simply looking to relax and eat well. Make an appointment for rejuvenation at The Spa, boasting wonderful massage therapies and skin treatments. Or join us poolside for some fun in the sun. Then round out your day with a reservation at our AAA Four Diamond-rated Willows Restaurant and Bar for steaks, seafood, and an amazing wine list.

When you’re ready to call it a night, we have something special in store. Unwind in one of our newly remodeled guest rooms designed to put your mind at ease with a spa-like bathroom and plush bedding that invites you to experience a deep, mindful sleep.

This is what it means to truly escape.

Make every stay your own at Chumash Casino Resort.

Welcome to Freedom

GOLDEN STATE CASINOS

MORONGO CASINO RESORT & SPA

It’s time to hit the open road and head for Southern California’s best casino resort: Morongo Casino Resort and Spa! Where it’s always summertime and the good times never end!

Morongo has once again been crowned the best casino resort in the Southland, and it’s no wonder why! We have the best games, the best food, the best spa, the best rooms and suites, the best lazy river, and the best oasis pool—simply put, Morongo is the best!

Morongo has all your gaming needs covered, literally! A massive casino with over 4,000 slots and all the table games you love to play! Blackjack, pai gow, baccarat, roulette! It’s all here! So, play where you love and love where you play—Morongo!

Take those winnings and spend them on some much-needed self-care at sage spa! Sauna, steam, jacuzzi, cold plunge? Hot or cold, it’s up to you! Then pamper yourself with head-to-toe salon services and luxurious spa treatments at radiance salon!

The relaxation journey continues at the ultimate poolside getaway! Enjoy our stunning oasis pool from the comfort of your own private beachside cabana, or float the day away in our signature lazy river!

All that fun, excitement, and activity is sure to work up an appetite, and boy, do we have the answer: Fabio Viviani’s Marketplace! Seven unique restaurants featuring seafood, Italian, steakhouse, pan-Asian, Mexican, Southern comfort food, and mouthwatering desserts. It’s all you can eat—all in one great place—all for one great price!

But one day is never enough, so stay the night! Room, suite, or a private poolside casita—your choice.

Book now at morongocasinoresort.com. Good Times!

Morongo Casino Resort & Spa

49500 Seminole Drive, Cabazon (800) 252-4499 | Morongocasinoresort.com

GOOD TIMES FOR EVERYBODY

G OR EV F ES T M

BY MICHELE MCPHEE

Charlie’s Angel

YOU MIGHT PASS her in the produce aisle at a supermarket in Silver Lake. Or bump into her at a crosswalk in West Hollywood. Or even run into her at an AA meeting in downtown L.A. But chances are, you won’t recognize her — at 73, she looks nothing like the pretty, petite, auburn-haired hippie she was in 1969, and the telltale “X” she once carved into her forehead has long ago faded away. But she’s out there somewhere — conceivably, anywhere.

We’re talking, of course, about Leslie Van Houten, one of the most notorious killers in the history of Southern California, a woman who for the past five decades has been known as prisoner number W-13378. In July, to the surprise of virtually everyone, Van Houten was finally paroled after serving 53 years for her part in the brutal slaying of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca, the grocery store owner and his wife whose grisly deaths bookended the infamous Manson Family rampage that also took the life of actress Sharon Tate (pregnant at the time with Roman Polanski’s baby) as well as celebrity hairstylist Jay Sebring; coffee heiress Abigail

HOW LESLIE VAN HOUTEN , THE YOUNGEST MEMBER OF THE MANSON FAMILY — AND THE KILLER WHO WRAPPED A LAMP CORD AROUND ROSEMARY LABIANCA’S NECK AND STABBED HER MORE THAN A DOZEN TIMES — ENDED UP BACK ON THE STREETS

FAMILY AFFAIR Leslie Van Houten (foreground) at her arraignment in Los Angeles in December 1969 for the murder of the LaBiancas. Susan Atkins (second from left) and Linda Kasabian (right) were charged with the deaths of actress Sharon Tate and others.

SUPPER CLUB SERIES

This summer, Los Angeles magazine launched their inaugural Supper Club series. This exclusive experience allowed guests to engage in thoughtful conversation and networking while indulging in a captivating fusion of flavors from Mezcal 33, which were beautifully paired with California contemporary cuisine immersed in the intimate setting of the private dining room at Porta Via Beverly Hills.

Mezcal 33’s knowledgeable sommelier guided guests through the intricacies of Mezcal 33, sharing the rich history and artisanal craftsmanship behind this cherished Mexican spirit. The night served as a relaxing and engaging way to delve into the world of agave varietals, production techniques, and regional nuances for guests of this private dinner.

1. James Humphrey, California Marketing Manager for Mezcal 22, Christopher Gialanella, President and Publisher of Engine Vision Media 2 . Gavin Keilly toasting with Mezcal 33 3. Megan Bell, Stephen Chrisanthus, Christopher Gialanella, Jonathan Jackowski 4. Caleb Miller, Chris Karim, David Kovach enjoying pouring Mezcal 33 5. Currated dinner entre from Porta Via

Folger; Folger’s boyfriend, Wojciech Frykowski; and Steven Parent, a friend of the estate’s caretaker.

By most accounts — and certainly her own during her 2021 parole board testimony — Van Houten was a model prisoner. While serving her life sentence — commuted from a death sentence after capital punishment was ruled unconstitutional in California in 1972 — she earned both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree, tutored other inmates and underwent years of in-prison therapy. In all her decades behind bars, she incurred just one administrative disciplinary write-up (in 1981, for engaging in forbidden communication with inmates in another prison unit).

“Every single prison staff member that I came in contact with either shook my hand or hugged me,” her attorney, Rich Pfeiffer, told the 2021 parole panel, describing how representing Van Houten had made him something of a hero in the prison yard. “That’s what prison guards think [of her].”

Still, her release was a shocker, precisely because the crime she committed was so unforgettably shocking.

On Aug. 10, 1969, just one night after Manson Family members Charles “Tex” Watson, Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel and Linda Kasabian killed Tate and the others in a house on Cielo Drive in Benedict Canyon, Van Houten joined the gang for a second round of mayhem, this time in Los Feliz, where cult leader Charles Manson randomly chose the LaBiancas as their next victims, ordering Watson, Krenwinkel and, now, Van Houten — at 19, the youngest of the Family — to enter the couple’s home and murder them.

Van Houten later testified that she was “completely committed” to Manson “and his cause” and that she “had to kill” to bring about the “revolution” Manson dementedly claimed had been foretold by the Beatles. While Watson attacked Leno LaBianca with a bayonet, the two women went after his wife, Rosemary. Van Houten pulled a pillowcase over her head and wrapped a lamp cord around her neck while Krenwinkel plunged a knife so deep into her collarbone that it bent the blade. When Watson finished stabbing Leno to death, he too took

a turn at Rosemary, slicing into her eight times with the same bayonet he had used to kill her husband. Finally, Van Houten delivered the coup de grâce, jabbing into Rosemary more than a dozen times. Then she wiped the fingerprints off the weapons, and all three scrawled on the wall their now infamous après-murder postscript: “RISE,” “DEATH TO PIGS” and the misspelled Beatles’ title, “HEALTER SKELTER.”

“I live my life in remorse,” Van Houten claimed during her 2021 hearing, but at her trial in 1971, she presented a very different demeanor. Like all her codefendants, she giggled through the proceedings, mocking the families of the victims. Each of the accused etched an X into their forehead in a show of deranged unity with their leader, who sat in the docket with a sick grin on his face. As deadly serious as it was, the trial became a media circus, covered by the world press, with celebrities like Jack Nicholson slipping into the gallery to watch.

In the years that followed, Van Houten gave several jailhouse interviews — with Barbara Walters, Diane Sawyer and Larry King, among others — attempting to rehabilitate her image. The former homecoming princess from Monrovia revealed that, at 14, she was smoking pot and dabbling

Leslie Van Houten was ‘completely committed’ to Manson.

JAILHOUSE SHOCK

1. Cult leader Charles Manson being led to a courthouse.

2. Van Houten at a 2002 parole hearing. 3. Debra Tate, sister of murder victim Sharon Tate, who argued against Van Houten’s release. 4. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who also opposed her parole. 5. A dress featuring Van Houten’s image. 6. A poster for a 2019 movie about Van Houten.

in LSD and soon fell into a deep well of drug and alcohol addiction. She confessed that she’d been so devastated by her parents’ divorce that, at 17, she ran away to San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury during the 1967 Summer of Love. She explained how she met Manson through a friend shortly thereafter, was brainwashed and moved to Spahn Ranch, a hippie commune just outside L.A., where the cult resided.

Van Houten’s media offensive was surprisingly effective, turning her into something of a pop culture curiosity, if not exactly a hero, then something akin to a victim. Several films were made about her — like 2009’s Leslie, My Name is Evil — and to this day, her moniker and likeness can be found on T-shirts, tattoos and even The Simpsons (unless Milhouse Van Houten’s last name is a coincidence).

More to the point, it apparently softened the parole board’s view of her. Despite impassioned pleas by relatives of the victims — “Leslie Van Houten physically stabbed a prone, defenseless woman 16 to 18 times,” Leno LaBianca’s nephew said as he implored the board not to let her out — in 2016, she received her first of five recommendations for release (compared with zero for her coconspirators, including Manson, who died in prison in 2017 at age 83). Each of those recommendations ended up being reversed by the governor’s office — twice by Jerry Brown and three times by Gavin Newsom — until May, when Van Houten caught an unexpected break.

What was different this last time around was that she appealed the reversal and won in federal district court. Newsom, seeing the writing on

the wall, declined to continue blocking her. “The governor is disappointed by the Court of Appeal’s decision to release Ms. Van Houten,” a spokesperson wrote in a press statement, “but will not pursue further action as efforts to further appeal are unlikely to succeed.”

And so, on July 11, against all odds, Leslie Van Houten became the only Manson-affiliated murderer ever to be set free. Where she went after leaving

the prison gates is a tightly kept secret, though there are tantalizing clues in the transcripts of her parole hearing, mentions of potential tutoring jobs at colleges near Culver City and in East L.A.

Still, for all anyone knows, she could be anywhere, from South Pasadena to Santa Monica, possibly mere miles from the scenes of the city’s most horrific crimes.

LASOCIAL

HEROES of German Riesling

Wednesday, September 20, 7 p.m. PST | Virtual Event

“Heroes of German Riesling” is an educational tasting on the great producers of German Riesling! We interview and taste with the winemakers. Hosted by LearnAboutWine.com and tasting kits sent by Merchantofwine.com. Top producers like Robert Weil, Forestmeister Geltz-Zilken, Maximin Grünhäuser, Selbach-Oster & Müller-Catoir.

For tickets and more information visit learnaboutwine.com or STARSofWine.com

23 SEP

John Legend

Featuring Orchestra & Gospel Choir

September 23, 8:00 p.m.

Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles

John Legend will reprise his recent sold-out performances at Walt Disney Concert Hall with a special one-night-only concert at the Hollywood Bowl. An Evening with John Legend: a night of songs and stories at the Hollywood Bowl sees Legend joined by full orchestra and gospel choir. This special event will feature spectacular reimaginings of his greatest hits, as well as selections from his album LEGEND (Solo Piano Version), recently released via Republic Records. For tickets and more information visit hollywoodbowl.com

UPCOMING EVENTS & PROMOTIONS BY LOS ANGELES MAGAZINE

HONORING

THE KALLICK FAMILY

LIFETIME OF GIVING

SPECIAL SALUTE TO CEDARS

AWARD

SINAI CANCER

Concern Foundation for Cancer Research successfully produced its 48th Annual Block Party on the backlot of Paramount Studios in Hollywood featuring multiple stages of live entertainment, casino-style games, live and silent auctions, and food, desserts, and beverages from over 70 of Los Angeles’ best restaurants and caterers. Themed this year as “THE LAND BEFORE TIME: THE EXTINCTION OF CANCER,” the Foundation celebrated by honoring the Kallick Family with the Lifetime of Giving Award and saluting Cedars Sinai Cancer for their groundbreaking work focused on conquering cancer. The sold-out event hosted over 3,500 guests, successfully raising $2.1 million for cancer research through sponsorship, ticket sales, donations, and bids on auction items.

Los Angeles took over an entire street with exclusive cocktails from Beam’s new -136 brand, Casa Azul premium canned margaritas and curated tastes of Glenrothes whiskey. A live DJ kept the block party going alongside fun activations like Resorts World Las Vegas’ photo booth, Los Angeles magazine cover walls and a 360-photo experience. Mountain Valley Spring Water kept guests hydrated and happy with giveaways throughout the night while Roar Organics and HOP WTR offered unique and tasty nonalcoholic refreshments. This year’s sponsors include Beam Suntory’s -196 Degrees, Mountain Valley Spring Water, Resorts World Las Vegas, Casa Azul, ROAR, Glenrothes, HOP WTR, and Marsatta Chocolate. Los Angeles magazine has long been a proud sponsor of Concern Foundation, donating more than $375,000 over the last 16 years of our partnership.

Food 1212 Santa Monica

A.O.C.

Bar Hayama

Breakfast Club

California

Sushi Academy

Casablanca Restaurant and Catering

Casita Restaurant & Bar,

Sherman Oaks

Dulan’s on Crenshaw Soul Food

Emporium Thai

Factor’s Famous Deli

Farm Fresh to You Firefly

Fogo de Chao

Fresh Brothers

GourMel Catering

Gyu Kaku Japanese BBQ

H&H Brazilian BBQ

La Boheme

LAVO Ristorante

Leona’s Sushi House

Maria’s Italian Kitchen

Miracle Noodle

Niku Nashi Vegan Sushi

Nobu Malibu

Pink’s Famous Hot Dogs

Pitchoun!

Porta Via

Someone’s in the Kitchen

STK Steakhouse

TAO

The Gourmandise School

The Grill on the Alley

The Hideaway

The Highlight Room

The Village

This Messy Table LA

Vibrato Grill Jazz

West & Co.

Beverage

APB

Asahi

Beam Suntory

Boisset Collection

Casa Azul

Common Space Brewery

Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits

Don Francisco Coffee

duba.

Dulce Vida Tequila

Empress Gin

Glenrothes

HEAVENSAKE

HOP WTR

Milagro Tequila

Mountain Valley Spring Water

Nobu LA

Nuda Tequila

Pasquini Espresso Co.

ROAR Organics

Robeks

Shake N’ Teas

Simply Mixology

Skye Spirits and Imported

Wines

Suja Organic

Tequila Cabal

The Beverly High Rye

Tito’s Handmade Vodka

Weaver’s Coffee & Tea

Dessert

Bertha Mae’s Brownie Co.

Brique LA

Buzz Bar

Café Dulce

Crèmily Authentic French

Frozen Yogurt

DeLuscious Cookies & Milk

East Side Cheesecakes

Just Jan’s

La Conversation Bakery

Little Secrets Chocolate

Mamala’s Mandel Bread

Opposite page: 1 Best of LA® and Concern Foundation Block Party at Paramount Studios 2 The Kallick Family given a Lifetime of Giving Award 3 Guests enjoying the many dining options 4 Crowds on street and main stage

This page: 5 . Guests enjoy the casino games 6 . Beam Suntory’s -196 custom activation and pouring for guests 7 . HOP WTR collection of flavors 8 . Casa Azul showcasing their premium tequila 9 . Live band on the main stage 10 . Engine Vision Media COO Shelby Russell and President & Publisher, Chris Gialanella 11 . Glenrothes Whiskey collection for tasting 12 . Guest with Los Angeles magazine cover 13 . ROAR Organics serving drinks 14 . Guests in front of Resorts World’s custom photo activation 15 . Mountain Valley Spring Water sampling 16 . DJ on Los Angeles magazine street 17 . Don Francisco Coffee serving guests coffee 18 . Guests enjoying selfies on Los Angeles magazine’s street

TRAVEL Fall

Fall is Here!

The weather is enjoyable and if you don’t have travel plans ready to go, here are a few Southern California destinations to inspire that perfect fall getaway 

THE OASIS AT DEATH VALLEY

In the Middle of Nowhere You’d Rather Be

Nestled in the heart of Death Valley National Park, a serene oasis unlike anywhere else on earth is waiting to be explored. With stunning natural beauty and inviting accommodations, this oasis promises an escape from the ordinary. Welcome to the Oasis at Death Valley.

This fall is the perfect season to explore the wonders of this extraordinary destination. As the desert comes alive with vibrant hues and warm, pleasant temperatures, the resort offers a dramatic backdrop for your day of adventures. Discover towering sand dunes, rugged canyons and otherworldly salt flats. When the desert sun sets, witness celestial wonders fill the sky that are unseen anywhere else in the world.

The resort boasts two stunning hotels, the historic Inn at Death Valley and the family-friendly Ranch at Death Valley. Immerse yourself in the charm of the AAA-rated four-diamond Inn, which has welcomed guests since 1927. Natural springs run through the hotel and lush palms and flowering

bougainvillea adorn the property. Then there's the Ranch, a sprawling resort with huge lawns set along an 18-hole course; it's the energetic center of activity in Death Valley.

From fine dining at the elegant Inn Dining Room to casual fare at the 1849 Buffet and The Last Kind Words Saloon, there's something to satisfy every palate. Afterward, you can continue to indulge your senses by unwinding at the revitalizing Tranquility Spa or take a dip in the cleansing waters of the sparkling spring-fed pools at an always pleasant 87 degrees.

Whether you seek relaxation, adventure, or a bit of both, you’ll discover that this unique and historic desert oasis is perfect located in the middle of nowhere you’d rather be. Book your unforgettable fall getaway now by visiting oasisatdeathvalley.com

6312 Zabriskie Ln, Death Valley, CA 92328 (760) 786-2345

IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE YOU’D RATHER BE.

You don’t come to Death Valley because abundant life flourishes here. Which is exactly why a four-diamond resort in the middle of it is so special. Join us to experience two unique hotels in one amazing location: North America’s only authentic desert oasis. Learn more at OasisAtDeathValley.com

OMNI LA COSTA RESORT & SPA

Head down south to seaside Carlsbad for a sun-kissed getaway filled with uncrowded beaches, balmy temperatures, ocean breezes, and striking sunsets. Here are five enticing reasons why a trip to Omni La Costa Resort & Spa is at the top of our travel bucket list this fall.

1 Although Carlsbad is known for its evergreen landscapes, fall still paints the town with hints of autumn hues. Witness the transformation as the leaves acquire golden, amber and crimson shades, creating a scenic backdrop for your outdoor explorations.

2. On Saturdays, when the sun goes down and the stars come up, nights start to glow with neon lights and house music at the resort’s family-friendly pool. Tickets to “Neon Nights” are for all ages and include exclusive after-hours pool access, light-up lawn games, glow-in-the-dark pool floats, late night snacks, and more.

3 Compared to the bustling summer months, fall in Carlsbad offers a more serene and relaxed atmosphere. Enjoy the city’s array of worldclass attractions, like LEGOLAND and the Museum of Making Music, without the crowds for a more intimate experience.

4 This October, channel your inner sleuth at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa’s annual Murder Mystery Weekend. With a killer crowd of people, this getaway to die for will keep everyone looking over their shoulders and guessing who the next victim will be.

5 Go behind the scenes at the resort’s popular Test Kitchen Series, where patrons enjoy an exclusive glimpse of what's currently inspiring our chefs. Explore new flavors, directly share feedback, and have the opportunity to influence future menus. Seating is reserved to just 10 guests per event, creating an intimate, family-style dining experience not to be missed.

Explore more by visiting omnilacosta.com.

of the

ADVENTURE Dreamin g next

Follow the sun this fall

for a sun-kissed getaway filled with uncrowded beaches, balmy temperatures, ocean breezes and striking sunsets. Scout out a new scenic hike among Carlsbad’s extensive trail system. Taste your way through North County’s best craft breweries and tasting rooms. Take advantage of San Diego’s numerous fall festivals. No matter what your ideal trip may look like, La Costa has it all.

RESORTS WORLD LAS VEGAS

is filled with can’t-miss sets by DJ Snake, Nervo, Zedd, Tiesto, RL Grime, G-Eazy, and more. Over at our Resorts World Theatre is country music superstar Luke Bryan, set for an electric performance to close out the summer. Wherever you find yourself on Labor Day weekend at Resorts World Las Vegas, you’re bound for fun.

Focus on self-love at Awana Spa. Pause daily for those seeking blue skies and escape from the heat, lounge poolside at any of the resort's seven shimmering pools, including the adults-only Athena Infinity Ultra Pool with a breathtaking city view.

Embark on a flavorful journey like none other at Famous Foods. Introduce your taste buds to a Peking duck burrito, yakitori, sashimi, boba milk tea, and other delectable dishes to experience the curated collection of eateries. These food stall concepts by award-winning chefs from around the globe will have you traveling back for more.

The entertainment never ends when you start the day at AYU Dayclub and dance until dawn at Zouk Nightclub. Labor Day weekend

3000 South Las Vegas Boulevard, Las Vegas (833) 720-0585 | rwlasvegas.com

The summer season may be slowing down, but we surely won’t. Make the most of your summer with an incredible Labor Day weekend at Resorts World Las Vegas.

LAST CALL FOR SUMMER.

ONE RESORT WITH A WORLD OF RELAXATION

SAN DIEGO ZOO WILDLIFE ALLIANCE ADVENTURES

EXPLORE. CONNECT. PROTECT.

Travel with San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance conservation experts and be inspired by wildlife—and the planet we all share.

shorelines of the Galápagos Islands; to unforgettable safaris on the savanna with lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants, and even herds of cape buffalo on their great migration—each of these immersive and exclusive opportunities will intimately connect you with wildlife and make a meaningful difference in conservation worldwide.

Hosted by San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance experts, you’ll travel with our top conservation scientists, wildlife care experts, and photographers, who will share their lifelong passion for nature and an inside look

into the incredible efforts to save, protect, and care for wildlife at the world-famous San Diego Zoo, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, and around the globe.

Experience one-of-a-kind, life-changing adventures across the globe with the world’s most magnificent wildlife, like never before.

From leaping lemurs flying across the lush treetops of Madagascar; unique encounters with platypuses, Tasmanian devils, and koalas in the Land Down Under; snorkeling alongside sea lions and penguins; walking with 100-year-old tortoises on the sandy

Encounter the wonders of wildlife—up close and in depth—and be prepared to be transformed by the experience. As a wildlife ally, each and every exploration fuels critical conservation work—for wildlife, people, and the planet we all share—and the global commitment to a world where all life thrives. All of these adventures are 100% carbon neutral, and San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and its travel partners support carbon reduction projects to offset emissions equal to those released during the trip, including the transportation to and from your adventure.

Visit sdzwa.org/adventures to begin your exploration with San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Adventures today.

The world is out there waiting for you.

JOIN US ON THE ULTIMATE KENYA SAFARI

August 24 - September 5, 2024

Travel with a San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance expert to experience one of the greatest wildlife spectacles in the world—the Great Migration. Behold enormous herds of over two million wildebeest and zebra as they make their grand circuit across the Maasai Mara in this once-in-a-lifetime safari adventure.

RETETI ELEPHANT SANCTUARY

Take a private, expertly-guided tour of Africa’s first community-owned elephant sanctuary and witness the behind-the-scenes efforts that go into caring for orphaned elephants.

For details about this trip and all our Adventures, visit sdzwa.org/adventures

RED ALERT! RED ALERT!

STYLED BY LINDSEY HARTMAN

HAIR AND MAKEUP BRIAN O’CONNOR

LOCATION THE BELLWETHER

BY LINA LECARO

Before she hits the stadium-sized runway that is Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour — her band Paramore is opening on select European dates — HAYLEY WILLIAMS models this fall’s red-hot looks

PHOTOGRAPHED BY ELISABETH CAREN

ACNE STUDIOS TOP, $700, SKIRT, $700, SHOES, $800, AT SELECT ACNE STUDIOS STORES, ACNESTUDIOS.COM

ALICE + OLIVIA TRENCH COAT, $895, AT ALICE + OLIVIA BRENTWOOD, ALICEANDOLIVIA.COM

GENTLE MONSTER SUNGLASSES, PRICE UPON REQUEST, AT GENTLEMONSTER.COM

RALPH MASRI EARRINGS, $4,410, AT RALPHMASRI.COM

DJULA RING, $4,930, AT DJULA.FR

DARNER SOCKS, $30, AT DARNERSOCKS.COM

Today, however, as the now-34-year-old pop star arrives for Los Angeles magazine’s fashion issue photo shoot at the Bellwether — a new live music club in downtown L.A. — she’s rocking a very different style. She’s sporting a T-shirt, jeans and a pair of Converse, and her once-candy-colored ruby tresses are now a bold, impossible-to-miss platinum hue.

Appropriately, Blondie’s “Atomic” is blaring from the club’s speakers.

“My favorite thing about Debbie Harry is she’s a T-shirt and jeans gal, but she also can really glam up,” Williams says before glamming herself up by changing into a series of cutting-edge designer outfits, all in various shades of red, this season’s hot color. “That’s aspirational to me. I’m most comfortable in T-shirts and jeans, but I also like to express myself in different ways at different times, depending on how I’m feeling.”

How she’s feeling right now has to be pretty fabulous. After a five-year hiatus, Paramore came back to life in 2021, and the band — which also includes guitarist Taylor York and drummer Zac Farro — is on a tear. Its new album, This Is Why, debuted at No. 2 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and hit No. 1 on Top Alternative Albums. The band’s Kia Forum show in Inglewood in July, part of its West Coast tour this past summer, sold out immediately, leading it to add a second date, which also sold out. And if all of that weren’t enough, Williams’ group is opening for the biggest pop star on the planet during the European leg of the most hotly anticipated tour of the year.

“I can’t believe for as long as we’ve known Taylor, we finally get the chance to do anything with her,” Williams says of Swift, with whom she’s been friends since 2009, after meeting at a Grammy Awards party and exchanging phone numbers. “Especially at this incredible moment in her career.”

Williams’ own fairly incredible career began while in high school, mucking around with a funk cover band in her hometown of Franklin, Tenn., where she caught the attention of a couple

of music producers. They signed her to Atlantic Records, which saw Williams as a potential Top 40-style solo artist. Williams, though, had other ideas, picturing herself more as the frontwoman in an alternative-rock band.

I HAD ALREADY been box-dyeing my hair red with whatever I could find in the pharmacy. But on our first trip to Japan, the promoter gifted me a Fruits magazine, and looking at that magazine, I realized I wanted to really use hair as a means to express the confusion or the happiness or the boldness that I didn’t feel like I could. I met [stylist Brian O’Connor] at a salon called Pink Mullet, and the more we worked together, the more we realized that we were part of a conversation that was happening inside the music scene. People were copying our hairstyles from videos. It made me realize that there are so many different ways to connect with people and find your community. Brian and I really wanted to build that out and make it a bigger conversation. That was the seed for our own hair-color brand, Good Dye Young. We have a salon that we just opened in Nashville called Fruits Hair Lab — we want people to leave our salon feeling like they can really express this other side of themselves. It’s so fulfilling.

Enter Paramore, which she formed in 2004 with a group of friends — Farro, his brother Josh and bassist Jeremy Davis (York came aboard a few years later). In 2005, they released their debut album, All We Know Is Falling, which landed at an impressive 30 on Billboard’s Heatseekers Chart. But it was their next album, 2007’s Riot!, that really put Paramore on the map; thanks to catchy pop-punk singles like “Misery Business” and “crushcrushcrush,” the album went platinum and the group nabbed a nomination for Best New Artist at the 2008 Grammys. Their next, 2009’s Brand New Eyes, landed at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, selling nearly 200,000 copies during its first week. The 2013 album Paramore continued the streak, hitting No. 1 on the charts, with the single “Ain’t It Fun” scoring the group a Grammy for Best Rock Song.

From the start, though, keeping a group of teenage rockers together on a stage, particularly while touring, was challenging, and members began cycling in and out of Paramore.

“It was just growing up,” Williams says, “and for us, it was in front of the world. That added pressure. People have their own ideas of what the scene must have been like, and none of them are exactly correct. That’s OK and probably to be expected, but I just try to remind people that a lot of bands — especially with a young teenage girl — weren’t taken seriously at the time. It’s like you couldn’t just be a band that happened to have female-bodied people in it. So we really had to work hard to make it out of the trenches.”

By 2017, shortly after the release of their fifth and most melancholy album, After Laughter, they decided to take a break from those trenches, beginning what turned out to be a five-year hiatus. “Let’s see what it’s like not to hang our identities on Paramore all the time,” is how Williams described the thinking behind the temporary separation.

As it happened, around that same time, she was going through another split, this one from New Found Glory guitarist Chad Gilbert, whom she’d married just a year earlier, in 2016. She worked through the pain of that “toxic” relationship — as well as her sense of isolation and despair during the COVID pandemic — by writing songs about it for a solo album.

“I was kind of bearing the weight of my divorce and needing some very intense therapy,” she says of the soulful tunes on Petals for Armor, which was released to mostly positive reviews in 2020. “I was home, and I was going through a lot, learning a lot about myself, using that lens to see the world.”

Back in the mid-2000s, when Paramore first broke out in the music business, then-16-yearold Hayley Williams’ flaming red hair and brooding emo attire was her signature look, undoubtedly responsible for millions in sales at Hot Topic mall shops and Sally Beauty supply stores across the country.

HOW HAYLEY LET THE FLAMES BEGIN (AND STARTED HER OWN

OTTOLINGER

ACNE STUDIOS CHOKER, PRICE UPON REQUEST, AT ACNESTUDIOS.COM

ROGER VIVIER SHOES, $1,195, AT ROGERVIVIER.COM

PRIME OFFERINGS

Sam Barback, founder of Groupie, and his shop with rows of couture.

Collectors are preserving coveted archive fashion through an underground network more akin to the art trade than traditional retail. After all, what is wearable art if not a thing to appreciate and that appreciates?

The Big Dig

BY JEFF RABHAN PHOTOGRAPHED BY CATIE LAFFOON

FREAKS, PUNKS, losers and outsiders. Youthful expressionism has for generations been defined by rebellion: rejecting authority to find one’s place in a world that fits a size too small — whether by way of music, film or art. But fashion functions differently. As an emotional connection inspired by a societal — and increasingly global — zeitgeist, what you wear sends an almost telepathic message to all in your purview.

Before massive companies gobbled up high-end designer labels, luxury brands focused on an elite marketplace with limited numbers of pieces made and an appointment at the Parisian boutique required to purchase one. But the roots of modern fashion are steeped in designers who raged against the conformity of the industry, choosing instead to craft iconic pieces in small design studios that have withstood time and trends and blossomed into coveted treasures in the booming secondary market. The youth are pushing back on “luxury,” acquiring archival pieces as wearable art, and there’s a growing base of rabid collectors who define luxury as “scarcity” and are ready to pay a premium for these wares.

To a collector, a coveted piece of rare or limited-archive clothing hanging in the closet — wearable art’s most-desired includes the names Raf Simons, Helmut Lang, Yohji Yamamoto, Undercover, Comme des Garçons, Rick Owens, Martin Margiela and Issey Miyake — is no different from art hanging on the wall. In this domain, luxury refers to exceptional craft of limited pieces — 10 to 20 years old with three or more owners in their lifetimes that are difficult to acquire — often carrying a meaningful personal connection. And when passed along to the next collector, the value can skyrocket upon reentering the market. A 2003 handpainted Margiela Artisanal MM0 jacket or a 2001 Raf Simons “Riot” sweater could carry a price tag in the thousands or more. It’s the foundation of a $3 billion business that lives far outside the retail establishment.

Investing in fashion — actual pieces, not LVMH stock — has become a robust cottage industry, thanks to the secondary, consignment and auction markets whose user-friendly apps like Grailed, the RealReal and Depop make the barrier of entry as easy as having a PayPal account.

But the ecosystem is loaded with sketchy sellers and incorrect sizes, and returning goods or fighting scams is nearly impossible. Knowing what you’re looking for and building relationships with sellers is part of the thrill for the archival market as well as the risk. “The internet changed everything and gave oxygen to closets everywhere,” says Rory Tahari, cofounder of State of Mind Partners and former CEO of Elie Tahari, one of the last remaining independent luxury brands.

Corporate consignment shops trade in brands, boasting markdowns (mostly nominal) on familiar designer names under the guise of luxury. But is it, really? Author Dana Thomas’s Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster offers a fascinating look into the globalization of fashion, massive distribution chains and how mega corporations forever diluted the essence of high-end labels in exchange for profit. Today, anyone with a few hundred bucks can flaunt a Gucci belt purchased at a shopping mall. The mass production of so-called luxury items, often emblazoned with garish logos and absurd price tags and licensed out to third-party manufacturers, has turned these brands into a smash-and-grab mainstream commodity. What was once an exclusive VIP list is now a general-admission ticket, thanks to the likes of LVMH and Kering, which, combined, own more than 70 luxury names, including Louis Vuitton, Fendi and Gucci. Tahari, a 25-year veteran of the global fashion business, puts it plainly. “Art of craft has been replaced with a spreadsheet, and ‘Made in Italy’ now carries little weight,” she says. “You gotta make a deal with the devil to survive — it’s a supply-chain game, not about a designer’s vision.”

Indeed, retailers like Barneys New York, Browns and 10 Corso Como used to support new designers and invest in creators. Today’s apparel visionaries are required to produce full lines four to six times a year. Scoffs Tahari, ”No human is that creative.”

WHAT

MAKES a collectible piece?

Garments created out of need. Japanese collectibles, for instance, dominate the marketplace and are often based on the history of the rural poor: oversized pants, vintage shirts (hand-me-downs) or patchwork denim cut from one pair of jeans to darn another in a centuries-old practice mastered today by names like Kapital and Junya Watanabe.

“I think perfection is ugly,” says designer Yohji Yamamoto. “Somewhere in the things humans make, I want to see scars,

1: Maison Mar tin Margiela Artisanal ’99 painted Levi’s. 2: R af Simons x Brian Calvin ’13 sweater. 3: R af Simons Poltergeist ’05 sweatshirt. 4: Chrome Hearts gloves and Number (N)ine ‘The High Streets’ ’05 Class Rings.

“ The internet changed everything and gave oxygen to closets everywhere. ”

— Rory Tahari, State of Mind Partners

1: Issey Miyake x Takashi Murakami ’00 reversible coat.

2: Chrome Hearts ’90s one-off sample leather pants.

3: Middleman founder Kyle Julian Skye Muhlfriedel.

failure, disorder, distortion.” Archive fashion designers embraced imperfection as identity and uniqueness, rooted in their real-life experiences — and, often, the lasting damage that remained. “You cannot mass-produce feelings,” says Kyle Julian Skye Muhlfriedel, founder of Middleman.

“Basquiat’s neo-Expressionist art is no different than a wildly oversized and ill-fitting Raf Simons varsity sweater complete with holes, distress and hanging seams to express the same disdain for middle-class suburbia and the doldrums of teenage life,” says Collen Vogel, founder of MurderArchive, who is currently building out studios in Las Vegas and L.A. and has a fashion line in the works. “Tapping into the essence is art, regardless of the output. Creating a feeling that people respond to is the heart of archive, and I don’t give my heart away to just anyone — you have to understand this world to gain access.”

Archive fashion rejects the shallow consumerism of labels and the vapid audience seeking the empty applause of Instagram likes, yet it is an exercise in pure capitalism. For the archivist, the rush comes from knowing the difference between a $400 piece and a $2,000 piece that look nearly identical. The true flex is knowledge, skillfully navigating seasons, messaging, scarcity and condition to identify the true gems. As collector turned studio owner Sam Barback, founder of Groupie, expounds: “Pieces worth thousands of dollars often don’t make it on the open market — we trade or sell between friends and collectors, exactly as the art world has operated for decades.”

“I didn’t have any money growing up, but I always wanted to look fly and I imagined a big life,” adds Vogel. “I sold weed to buy my first 10 pieces, and from there I never looked back. No matter what you’re selling: Quality is always a business; good taste is a talent.”

entrepreneurs with full-blown spaces, collectives and networks that style shoots, rent pieces and curate collections for high-net worth individuals.

Curiously, menswear is the main driver of the collectible marketplace — a twist on an industry traditionally laserfocused on women and where consignment has long conjured images of Grandma’s Chanel bag or Hermès shoes put out to pasture. “Men haven’t always had choices,” notes Sara Wong, a New York-based archive fashion tastemaker. “There’s an agenda for women that has historically been adhered to. Men’s collectible items [came] more as a result of an industry that essentially didn’t think of men often enough.”

That was, of course, until punk rock and skate culture paved a path to hip-hop, and its blended culture arguably gave rise to streetwear. Emerging from the ’80s, art scenes in Tokyo and New York began printing T-shirts instead of tagging subways, and it was on. Initially ignored by the fashion elite, the sensibilities of the street gradually influenced the runway, eventually latching on to luxury brands. Key players in the coup included A Bathing Ape, Supreme, Mastermind, Number (N)ine, Yeezy, Undercover, BBC and Off-White, all of which engaged in limited-production runs and impactful collaborations between legacy brands like Nike and Louis Vuitton and artists such as Pharrell Williams and Hiroshi Fujiwara.

The birth of “collabs” — lending luxe brand logos and design elements to streetwear labels for limited-edition “drops” (product releases) — was a game-changing move. Luxury finally surrendered, propelling streetwear to mainstream prominence as trusted voices in the hallowed houses of Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton and many more. Icons ranging from Nigo to Nas, Murakami to Muhammad Ali, A$AP Rocky to Travis Scott supported the marriage and elevated streetwear from a subcultural movement to a dominant force with deep connections to art, music, sports and fashion.

WHAT began five years ago as a random group of disaffected hustlers operating on nascent sites, clandestine meetups, dubious Grailed accounts and scammer IG pages has evolved into a vibrant scene of passionate kids turned

Authentic partnerships — as opposed to convenient business alliances — collabs fed a rabid fan base and reinvigorated the sleepy legacy brands desperate for the kids with cash they simply couldn’t reach. Burberry felt like your dad talking, but Off-White x Burberry was like texting with a friend. “We figured out a way to be in fashion. We just decided what’s cool,” says Middleman’s Muhlfriedel. “The guardrails are off. Fashion is a blended statement of defining pieces that broadcast what’s underneath and what makes the heart beat. It can be Jordans today and Dior boots tomorrow. The rule book is out.”

Virgil Abloh, the founder of Off-White, deserves much of the credit for being the glue that connects archive fashion

“ We figured out a way to be in fashion. We just decided what’s cool. ”

— Kyle Julian Skye Muhlfriedel, founder of Middleman

and streetwear with looks that span decades. Ultimately ascending to creative director at Louis Vuitton before his untimely death in 2021, his coronation marked perhaps the most seismic cultural shift in fashion history — epitomizing how outsider art could infiltrate the upper echelons of luxury houses. Abloh “broke the mold, was fearless, wellliked across industries and brought intuitive taste” to one of the world’s most revered fashion brands, says Tahari. (Williams assumed the creative director of menswear position in February.)

That Abloh paid homage to Raf Simons, a visionary from Belgium raised on the soul-stirring sounds of Joy Division and New Order, and Rick Owens, an American inspired by the punk energy of the Stooges and the Ramones, as well as the daring cuts and drapes of punk’s glam-rock siblings, reflects an awareness: that the connection between an OffWhite sweatshirt you bought last year and the most valuable 20-year-old archive pieces is deeper than you think.

To wit: Kanye West quietly rented the revered 2001 “Riot” patch bomber jacket for $1,000 a day (for a week) because no one would sell him the Raf piece (valued at $40,000).

A$AP Rocky’s fervent plea to “Please Don’t Touch My Raf” affirms the respect within the hip-hop community, where Travis Scott and Lil Uzi Vert are among the rappers who have cosigned the work of Owens.

In the Venn diagram of fashion, archive pieces, streetwear, artists and collectors come together as one at the core — a testament to the magic that music, culture, spirit and sartorial expression can carry across generations. “We didn’t start collecting because the pieces just speak to us,” says Barback. “They speak for us.”

HIGH-END HACKS

LUXESWAP

WHEN MONEY’S (KIND OF) NO OBJECT

YAHOO! JAPAN

GRAILED

Still the Wild West of men’s archive with crazy pieces and crazier sellers. You can make offers up to 60 percent of asking price, negotiate and score great finds from every designer imaginable. Check reviews and look for high numbers of transactions for safe dealings.

The internet’s best style-centric swap meet is on eBay, which hosts a weekly auction with great deals and unique pieces from real fashion insiders. New items for men and women post on Thursdays, and the auction ends the

THE REALREAL

Daily “new arrivals” are often mismarked and underpriced, so if you know what you’re looking for, steals are there for the taking. A tip: When sorting, start with “lowest price” to find overlooked or mislabeled pieces that have languished for months and are cheap!

You need a Japanese proxy service like zenmarket.jp to locate desirables within Japan for a reasonable fee, but an overflow of rare and exciting pieces abound. Worth noting: Larger sizes are tough to find, and it can take a few weeks for items to arrive.

YOOX

More than 100,000 items of new retail/distribution remnants go up for sale weekly, covering every major designer for both men and women and offering the best return policy in all of fashion: 60 days, with a return label provided in the boxes. No questions asked. —

1: Marc Jacobs ’17 Kiki boots.

2: Fashion tastemaker Sara Wong.

Threading the Archival Needle

HOW A STYLIST TURNED HER LOVE OF FASHION INTO AN AIRBNB FOR CLOTHES

BY JULIUS MILLER

JORDAN GROSSMAN began her career as a stylist shortly after dropping out of FIDM and discovering a discreet Craigslist post from French photographer Alix Malka. Eventually, she began collaborating with fellow stylist Elizabeth Stewart to form the charity organization Chic Relief, which brought together Burberry, Gucci and Louis Vuitton to raise $100,000 during the pandemic.

She then pivoted to rentable fashion, and West Hollywood’s Clothed was born in late 2022.

Grossman had already developed a minor “shopping addiction” between eBay bidding wars. “I was making money off of the clothes that I was buying, but I always wanted to do my own thing,” she says. “This would be working with consignment shops and specialty items as opposed to renting to the masses.”

Along the way, she teamed up with fellow archivist Jennie Walker to form the largest Moschino archive in the country — 3,000 pieces strong.

Adds Grossman, “Everyone wants to say that they’re wearing some archive piece or vintage piece. Also, some of the clothes that are older are cooler than what’s out there now.”

But for Grossman, it’s not all transactional; some of her favorite moments come from working with the consigners. Between her own archive and Walker’s Moschino museum, the collection is as close to completist as it gets.

“The consignment people are really happy because these clothes that they’ve cherished forever end up on people they respect,” she says. “One person’s dress was on Bette Midler, and he said he just couldn’t believe it!”

IN THE CLOSET Top: Grossman, in a Norma Kamali Red Blanket coat made for Rihanna and valued at $17,000, arranges a $3,000 Celine Optical Illusion coat. Bottom: Clothed’s Moschino archive is the largest in America.

FROM LEFT: Marina in RACHEL GILBERT wool-silk gown with ELSA PERETTI red lacquer bean pendant (worn as bracelet) and JIMMY CHOO shoes.

Arthur in CHAOS Checkered Chain suit and BRAVADO T-shirt with VAGABOND shoes.

Kat in OLIVER TOLENTINO hand-beaded corset and detachable tulle skirt with TIFFANY & CO. Hardwear triple drop 18-karat gold earrings, ELSA PERETTI Amapola 18-karat gold and silk brooch and KACHOROVSKA shoes.

Urban Legends

STYLED BY ALVIN STILLWELL

PHOTOGRAPHED BY STEVEN SIMKO STYLE EDITOR MERLE GINSBERG LOCATION SOHO WAREHOUSE

Downtown L.A.’s Soho Warehouse club and hotel is an urban fantasy, a rare combo of true grit, retro design and contemporary art. The renovated building has been a 1920s factory and a 1970s recording studio with artists’ lofts, and now it’s a modern mash-up of both. What to wear? Downtownedgy meets big-city fashion, of course

Chain Reaction

THIS

PAGE: Kat in CHANEL cashmere pullover and cardigan, embroidered jeans and Mary Jane shoes with BULGARI Serpenti Spiga watch in 18-karat rose gold.

OPPOSITE PAGE: Arthur in GUCCI wool jacket, silk crepe shirt, wool twill pants, chain belt and shoes.

Fast Times

THIS PAGE: Marina in MARCIANO cropped tweed jacket and miniskirt, MAX MARA leather trench coat and RVN knit bra top with ALEX AND ANI bracelets and JIMMY CHOO shoes.

OPPOSITE PAGE: Arthur in LOUIS VUITTON cotton-wool car coat, fringed crewneck and wool-silk pants with PANERAI Luminor Marina Fibratech watch.

Kat in LOUIS VUITTON wool-cashmere coat, waistcoat, shorts and handbag with KWIAT diamond hoop earrings.

Stone Cold

Kat in RACHEL GILBERT

feather-sleeve viscosenylon minidress with VAN CLEEF & ARPELS

Vintage Alhambra

carnelian necklace, Sweet Alhambra

carnelian bracelet and Lucky Spring ring, bracelet and necklace, JIMMY CHOO shoes and OZEN leather cap.

Party Animal

Marina in SPORTMAX snakeskin jacket, pants and bodysuit with KACHOROVSKA boots and DAVID YURMAN yellow gold and diamond cocktail ring and yellow gold drop earrings.

> Obey No One

FROM LEFT: Arthur in PRADA wool jacket, wool cardigan, gabardine pants and shoes with BREITLING Premium Chronograph watch and alligator strap.

Kat in PRADA panne velour capelet coat, micro miniskirt, shoes and Galleria Saffiano Special Edition handbag.

Marina in FERRAGAMO cotton coat, shoes and Hug handbag with ALEX AND ANI earrings.

PRESENTS

This summer Los Angeles magazine presented the LA Woman Happy Hour and Power Panel event providing an inspirational gathering of influential female leaders who are breaking barriers and shaping the future.

On a sunny afternoon in the heart of Hollywood, hundreds of women gathered to socialize and celebrate the resilience, ambition, and unwavering dedication to making a difference in our vibrant city. Our power panel featured Bridgid Coulter Cheadle, Founder and CEO, Blackbird Collective; Lisette Gaviña Lopez, 4th generation coffee roaster and CEO at Gaviña Coffee Company; AnnaLynne McCord, award-winning actress and activist; Rachel McCord, entrepreneur, best-selling author, and TV personality, and Chloe Temtchine, award-winning singer and songwriter. Each guest shared their personal stories of how they overcame daunting obstacles to achieve the success they enjoy today providing a truly inspirational evening for all who attended.

Hosted at the W Hollywood, the afternoon kicked off its networking hour with welcome cocktails by Hendrick’s Gin, a beautiful charcuterie spread and a variety of bakeryfresh breads from La Brea Bakery. Guests enjoyed the view on the terrace while sampling refreshing drinks from HOP WTR and Roar Organics and delicious pick-me-up bites of dessert from Nothing Bundt Cakes, Marsatta Chocolate, and delicious Don Francisco’s Coffee. Younger World Med Spa offered beauty specials and Kendra Scott’s jewelry pop up displayed a variety of pieces for sale.

1. Guests listening to LA Woman’s Panel 2 . Panelists (from right to left) Rachel McCord, Annalynne McCord, Chloe Temtchine, Lisette Gavina Lopez, Brigid Coulter Cheadle, Los Angeles magazine Editor and Chief, Shirley Halperin 3. HOP WTR colorful cans 4. Annelynne McCord, Rachel McCord and guests 5. Hendrick Gin pour 6. Roar Organics pour 7. Guests enjoying dining options 8. Guests enjoying Hendrick’s custom cocktails 9. Engine Vision Media President and Publisher, Chris Gialanella and guests 10. Kendra Scott exclusive shopping table 11. Brigid Coulter Cheadle and Shirley Halperin 12 . Don Francisco Coffee pour 13. Chole Temtchine, Lisette Gavina Lopez, Rachel McCord, Annalynne McCord, Shirley Halperin, Brigid Coulter Cheadle 14. Guests taking photos 15. La Brea Bakery bread selection for guests

THE HOT LIST

SEPT WEST

❂ Coucou

VENICE » French $$$

This France-meets-Venice Beach bistro boasts “aperitif culture” while serving wood-fired, California-inspired fare like Wagyu beef burgers, hanger steak frites, and vadouvan-spiced mussels in coconut broth. 218 Main St., or coucou.la; full bar

✤ Dear Jane’s

MARINA DEL REY » Seafood $$$$

The sister restaurant to Dear John’s has a lively formal dining area offering a view of the marina. The room evokes a feeling of special occasions, with mannered tableside service for items like shrimp Louie salad, which gets drenched in a citrusy, homemade Thousand Island-like dressing. There also are seafood towers, fish sticks with caviar, and a list of classic dishes like trout amandine, fish-and-chips, and cioppino. 13950 Panay Way, 310-301-6442, or dearjanesla.com; full bar

❂ Funke

BEVERLY HILLS » Italian $$$

Chef Evan Funke’s multistory namesake restaurant and rooftop-terrace Bar Funke are finally here. The reimagined Art Deco building is highlighted by a 20-foot-tall, glass-enclosed pasta lab, where the celebrated chef hand-folds agnolotti right before your eyes. 9388 S. Santa Monica Blvd., 424-279-9796, or funkela.com; full bar

❂ The Hideaway

BEVERLY HILLS » Steak House $$$

Hollywood actors Ryan Phillippe and Evan Ross invested in this clubby ode-to-1970s-Baja California Mexican steak house, where cocktail king Julian Cox makes margaritas to sip alongside

THE BREAKDOWN

WEST

Includes: Beverly Hills, Brentwood, Century City, Culver City, Malibu, Marina del Rey, Mar Vista, Palms, Santa Monica, Venice, West L.A., Westwood

DOWNTOWN

Includes: Aliso Village, Arts District, Bunker Hill, Chinatown, Historic Core, Little Tokyo, South Park

CENTRAL

Includes: Baldwin Hills/ Crenshaw, Beverly Grove, East Hollywood, Fairfax District, Hancock Park, Hollywood, Jefferson Park, Koreatown, Mid City, Mid-Wilshire, Pico-Robertson, Virgil Village, West Hollywood

EAST

Includes: Atwater Village, Cypress Park, Eagle Rock, East L.A., Echo Park, Elysian Valley Glassell Park, Glendale, Highland Park, Lincoln Heights, Los Feliz, Pasadena, San Gabriel Valley, Silver Lake

THE VALLEY

Includes: Agoura Hills, Burbank, Calabasas, Encino, North Hollywood, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Toluca Lake, Van Nuys, Woodland HIlls

SOUTH

Includes: Bell, Compton, El Segundo, Gardena, Hermosa Beach, Long Beach, Manhattan Beach, Torrance, Watts

snapper ceviche or New York Wagyu steak with chimichurri. 421 N. Rodeo Dr., 310-974-8020, or thehideawaybeverlyhills.com; full bar

❂ Ilé Bistro

CULVER CITY » Nigerian $$

Chef Tolu Eros brings fine-dining virtuosity and West African flavors to this casual build-yourown rice or soup bowl concept at Citizen Public Market. He sources ingredients from Nigeria for jollof rice and fragrant pepper soup. 9355 Culver Blvd., citizenpublicmarket.com; no alcohol

❂ Isla

SANTA MONICA » American $$$

Unlike many chef-driven restaurants, Isla is open all day. The daytime menu is limited to starters and Brian Bornemann’s skewers, including koji-marinated kanpachi topped with bright-orange fish roe and juicy duck breast drizzled with Luxardo-black garlic jus that’s been perfectly reduced to a glaze. These are best ordered with a side of garlic-nori rice, a bowl of fluffy white grains with a dusting of local furikake. 2424 Main St., isla-la.com; full bar

❂ Juliet

CULVER CITY » French $$$$

Seafood-forward French fare like tuna carpaccio with olives and tonnato pair well with a made-inFrance-only wine list. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, this all-day café is a true homage to the Parisian lifestyle. 8888 Washington Blvd., 310-643-5853, or juliet.la; full bar

La Dolce Vita

BEVERLY HILLS » California-Italian $$$$

The space conjures the feeling of Scorsese’s Casino, and the menu, spearheaded by chef Nick Russo (E.P. & L.P.), is designed to please the

Beverly Hills palate. Along with classics like spaghetti and meatballs, ricotta-and-spinachstuffed manicotti, and veal parmigiana, the menu offers bright, lighter fare with plenty of seafood like bigeye-tuna tartare and branzino piccata. 9785 S. Santa Monica Blvd., 310-278-1845, or ladolcevitabeverlyhills.com; full bar

❂ Paloma Venice

VENICE » Mediterranean $$$$

This newcomer serves organic, Californiaproduce-driven Mediterranean dishes that include spinach ravioli and avocado-infused hummus. Three seating options (indoor, patio, or bar) make this beachside destination a hit in the making. 600 Venice Blvd., 310-405-6385, or paloma-venice.com; full bar

❂ Willie Mae’s

VENICE » Southern $$

It’s the restaurant’s first outpost outside of New Orleans, and founder Willie Mae Seaton’s great-granddaughter Kerry Seaton Stewart is serving her signature fried chicken along with mac and cheese and corn bread. 324 Lincoln Blvd., 310-392-2766, or williemaesnola.com; no alcohol

CHEF FAVORITES EI HIROYOSHI HAMASAKU

DOWNTOWN

✤

❂ Asterid

BUNKER HILL » American $$

A departure from the extensive fare chef Ray Garcia previously offered, his expertise gets condensed into a modern California-leaning menu with seasonal starters like sunchoke rösti with crème fraîche and strawberry pepper jam. The chicken liver mousse is covered with a bouquet of grape compote, sliced pear, pickled pearl onions, and mustard, and served with sliced toasted sourdough. 141 S. Grand Ave., 213-972-3535, or asteridla.com; full bar

Baar Baar

DOWNTOWN » Indian $$$

New York’s popular Indian “gastro bar” is getting a new home in downtown L.A. With traditional Indian flavors at his cuisine’s core, chef Sujan Sarkar brings colorful, vibrant, and innovative style to the former Faith & Flower space. 705 W. 9th St., 213-266-8989, or baarbaarla.com; full bar

❂ Café Basque

DOWNTOWN » French $$$$

Daniel Rose of New York’s Le Coucou brings his award-winning cooking to downtown’s Hoxton hotel. Here, flavors of the southwest coast of France are the star. Try traditional Txangurro (spider crab) gratin with tomato and Armagnac or rockfish stew with mussels, shrimp, and saffron. 1060 S. Broadway, 213-725-5900, or cafebasque.com; full bar

✤ ❂ Camphor

ARTS DISTRICT » French/Indian $$$$ Camphor is, at its core, a French bistro where plump oysters are served in a bath of amaretto mignonette and the beef tartare comes with a side of tempura-fried herbs. Chefs Max Boonthanakit and Lijo George aim to bring something new to L.A.—that is, something not L.A. Camphor’s access to the spices from George’s southern Indian homeland makes it a standout. 923 E. 3rd St., Ste. 109, 213-626-8888, or camphor.la; full bar

Flor Y Solera

ARTS DISTRICT » Spanish Tapas $$$$

Tempura

OTOMISAN

RESTAURANT

One of the oldest Japanese restaurants; I think this is the last one [in Boyle Heights]. It reminds me of lots of memories and makes the best tempura in town! $10-$12, 2506 1/2 E. First St., Boyle Heights, otomisan restaurant.com

Shoyu Ramen

RAMEN NIPPON

This is a place I would go even it’s 10-plus miles away from my house.

Simple Shoyu ramen is my favorite.

$14.70, 6900 Reseda Blvd., Reseda, ramennippon.com

Corn Potage Soup

AKANE CHAYA

This is a hidden gem in Gardena.

It has Japanese yoshoku ya vibes. The corn potage soup that they offer before the main dish is my favorite.

$14-$26.60, 1610 W. Redondo Beach Blvd. , Gardena, akanechaya.com

—HEATHER PLATT

At this chic tapas bar from the team behind the Factory Kitchen, chef Mònica Angelats brings a new level of Spanish cooking to L.A. The food is delicate while also offering comforting dishes like her signature fideus rossejats amb cloïsses, a Catalan toasted noodle dish with clams and aioli. 1335 E. 6th St., 213-372-1636, or florysolera.com; full bar

Kaviar

ARTS DISTRICT » Sushi $$$$

Sushi has never been more glamorous, or gilded. Melt-in-your-mouth toro (or A5 Wagyu, if you’re in more of a beef mood) garnished with caviar and gold flakes, along with attentive service, makes this downtown newcomer the ultimate in luxury dining. 449 S. Hewitt St., 213-221-7078, or kaviarrestaurants.com; also at 70 N. Raymond Ave., Pasadena, 626-605-0330; full bar

❂ Pizzeria Bianco

ARTS DISTRICT » Pizza $

Chris Bianco’s L.A. debut at Row DTLA is a hit. During the day, a line forms for slices of his New York-style takeout pizza. At night, it’s full-service dining, featuring the wood-fired pizza Bianco made famous. 1320 E. 7th St., Ste. 100, 213-3725155, or pizzeriabianco.com; beer and wine

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✤ ❂ San Laurel

BUNKER HILL » California/Spanish $$$$

Chef José Andrés’s new restaurant serves pleasing California cuisine that shows off Spanish flavors. Sea urchin with raw scallops in a pool of gazpacho consommé gets a dazzling dollop of caviar. The food seems relatively down-to-earth considering the molecular gastronomy that made Andrés famous, the cocktails are whimsical. 100 S. Grand Ave., 213-349-8585, or sanlaurel.com; full bar

CENTRAL

Angler

BEVERLY GROVE » Seafood $$$

The San Francisco original is reopening its L.A. location with a completely transformed space. Now under the helm of chef Paul Chung, the menu stays true to Angler’s hearth-fired cooking but with touches of Chung’s Korean heritage, like seaweed rice with cured yolk, trout roe, and caviar. 8500 Beverly Blvd., Ste. 117, 424-332-4082, or anglerla.com; full bar

Bicyclette

PICO-ROBERTSON » French $$$

Walter and Margarita Manzke’s delightful, delicious follow-up to République brings a bit of Paris to Pico. The menu is stocked with exactingly executed bistro standards: onion soup with oozy cheese, hearty short-rib bourguignon, and a

luxurious bouillabaisse. Margarita’s baguettes and beautiful desserts are as great as ever. Resisting Bicyclette’s charms is futile. 9575 W. Pico Blvd., 424-500-9575, or bicyclettela.com; full bar

❂ Butcher’s Daughter

WEST HOLLYWOOD » Vegetarian $$

The new location of this plant-based empire dazzles. Cocktails are the star along with veggie versions of carnivore food like carrot “lox,” eggplant “oysters,” and cauliflower “strip steak.” 8755 Melrose Ave., 310-707-1630, or thebutchersdaughter.com; also at 1205 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice, 310-981-3004; full bar

❂ Casa Madera

WEST HOLLYWOOD » Mexican Coastal $$$$

The menu, is described as “Mexican cuisine with Mediterranean influence.” It features an array

of starters like whipped aubergine with pita slices; an extensive raw bar with standouts like the hamachi serrano marinated in fresh lime with cucumber and pickled onions; and duck carnitas tacos followed by unexpected mains like the Wagyu “top cap”—an extremely tender top cut of the rib-eye steak that pairs well with the confit truffle potatoes. Mondrian hotel, 8440 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, 310-878-0814, or thecasamadera.com; full bar

❂ Caviar Kaspia

BEVERLY GROVE » Eclectic $$$$

This offshoot of the Parisian caviar maison offers all the same glamour with a touch of L.A. ease. This means Dungeness crab crostini topped with caviar, and California chopped salad with green goddess caviar dressing. 8475 Melrose Pl., 844-952-3229, or caviarkaspiala.com; full bar

ONLY $1.66 PER ISSUE

Durango Cantina

FAIRFAX DISTRICT » Mexican $$

Seasoned chef Alex Carrasco’s talent shines at this cozy new Melrose cantina. Carrasco cooks meaty Mexican food from the Durango region: braised lamb shank, chipotle-glazed beef ribs, and rib-eye carne asada. 7661 Melrose Ave., 323-424-3950, or durangocantina.com; full bar

Hudson House

WEST HOLLYWOOD » Seafood $$$$

East Coast oysters are flown in daily to this outpost of the Dallas-based seafood restaurant. Cozy blue booths make for a nostalgic experience, along with cheeseburgers, truffle-Parmesan fries, and ice-cold martinis. 9255 Sunset Blvd., 213-441-1355, or hudsonhousehp.com; full bar

✤ Kinn

KOREATOWN » Korean $$$

Chef Ki Kim uses curated ingredients to delicately weave together Korean flavors into dishes that exist in a genre all their own. At $72 for six courses, Kinn’s is one of the more affordable tasting menus around and includes an evolving, playful menu of thoughtfully crafted dishes like yellowtail in a bath of oyster sauce and charcoal-grilled Wagyu short ribs.

3905 W. 6th St., 213-291-0888, or kinn.la; beer and wine

✤ ❂ Kuya Lord

EAST HOLLYWOOD » Filipino $$$

The shareable trays are a great way to experience a selection of proteins—sweet or savory sausage, grilled Caledonia blue prawns in garlic crab sauce, or chef Lord Maynard Llera’s famous lucenachon (crispy roasted pork belly)—all while sampling glistening chami noodles, tomato-cucumber salad, and wonderfully bright and vinegary pickled green papaya. Finish a meal here with tangy and sweet Filipino Calamansi key lime pie. 5003 Melrose Ave., or kuyalord.com; no alcohol

Meteora

HANCOCK PARK » Eclectic $$$$

Chef Jordan Kahn sees Meteora as a restaurant about rediscovery. A vegetable option includes fire-cooked stone fruit served with crispy brassica leaves, grilled roses, quark, cured duck breast, and lettuce leaves for wrapping. There’s the most perfectly grilled sea bream wrapped in banana leaf. The staff, dressed in white or light earth tones, are clearly trained with precision in mind. 6703 Melrose Ave., 323-402-4311, or meteora.la; full bar

Mother Tongue

WEST HOLLYWOOD » Eclectic $$$

This eatery inside a fitness club uses healthy ingredients to create international comfort food. It’s all cooked by Michael Mina with immense flavor. 960 N. La Brea Ave., 213-319-7850, or hellomothertongue.com; full bar

✤ Mother Wolf

HOLLYWOOD » Italian $$$

With its open kitchen, Mother Wolf is like theater, where chef Evan Funke’s talent and enthusiasm for perfecting Italian cooking is the star. Because he already had a major presence locally with his Venice restaurant, Felix, many are familiar with Funke’s ricotta-andParmesan-stuffed squash blossoms paired with an earthy glass of Nebbiolo. 1545 Wilcox Ave., 323-410-6060, or motherwolfla.co;. full bar

❂ Mr. T Los Angeles

HOLLYWOOD » French $$$

This Hollywood spinoff of the popular Parisian restaurant is already buzzing. The global menu gets California flair from bright dishes like the Chip N Dip, a pretty bowl of crème fraîche, herbs, pickled daikon, and trout roe. 953 N. Sycamore Ave., 310-953-4934, or mrtrestaurants.com; full bar

✤

❂

n/soto

MID CITY » Japanese $$$

Chef-owners Niki Nakayama and Carole

Iida-Nakayama’s izakaya-inspired restaurant, n/soto, offers all of the precision and excellence that earned the pair two Michelin stars for n/ naka, their modern kaiseki establishment. But n/soto exudes a more casual, relaxed spirit. Skewers are, of course, the heart of an izakaya, and the tender lamb chops and grilled shiitake

mushrooms stand out. The room is filled with diners who know to order the miso-baked bone marrow with umeboshi onigiri rice balls—it lands at most tables. For dessert, the melon float—a bright-green, soda fountain-style coupe—turns heads. 4566 W. Washington Blvd., 323-879-9455, or n-soto.com; full bar

✤ ❂ Saffy’s

EAST HOLLYWOOD » Middle Eastern $$$$

Chef Ori Menashe has described the food—shawarma plus lamb, pork, and chicken kabobs cooked on a wood-burning stove—to be the most like what he and his wife, Genevieve Gergis, might serve to guests in their home. The meat-centric menu is complemented by vegetable-forward sides like green falafel with tahini served atop puddles of a beet zhoug. Gergis’s pastry menu is short and, well, sweet: bergamot-chocolate cake with rose ganache, orange blossom creme caramel, and undoubtedly the best soft-serve around. 4845 Fountain Ave., 424-699-4845, or saffysla.com; full bar

❂ Saltie Girl

WEST HOLLYWOOD » Seafood $$$

This L.A. outpost of the Boston original is already buzzing. Oysters, tinned fish, New England classics like lobster rolls with chips, and clam chowder keep it true to its New England roots while playful creations like fried lobster and waffles are a nod to its local surroundings. 8615 Sunset Blvd., saltiegirl.com; full bar

Trophies Burger Club

FAIRFAX » Burgers $

Everything on the menu is under $10 at this retro burger joint. Chef Geo Delgado (Everson Royce Bar, Burgers 99) is a burger expert and will offer a few variations on the classic ketchup, mustard, diced onions, and pickles. 519 N. Fairfax Ave., trophiesburgerclub.com; no alcohol

Workshop Kitchen + Bar

Fairfax District » American $$$$

This Los Angeles outpost of the beloved Palm Springs original offers chef-owner Michael Beckman’s seasonal, French-influenced cooking in a former printing facility remodeled with a striking modern interor, lofty ceilings, and podlike concrete booths. 127 S. La Brea Ave., 323-413-2255, or workshopkitchenbar.com; full bar

Bar Chelou

EAST

PASADENA » French/Mediterranean $$$

The name “Chelou,” French slang for “unexpected,” or “strange,” or “weird,” suits this refreshingly relaxed bistro that also serves well-balanced cocktails and a rotating list of small-production wines. The menu, which chef Douglas Rankin describes as “haute Parisian cuisine,” embraces the European sensibility in four parts: tapas, smaller plates, larger mains, and desserts. 37 S. El Molino Ave., 626808-4976, or barchelou.com; full bar

Barra Santos

CYPRESS PARK » Portuguese $$$

The team behind Found Oyster brings this adorable Portuguese wine bar with a concise menu of traditional dishes like salt cod fritters, head-on prawns in garlic vinho verde, and confit chicken piri-piri. The food is best enjoyed at the bar, paired with Spanish or Portuguese wine. 1215 Cypress Ave., barrasantosla.com, full bar

❂ Bub and Grandma’s

GLASSELL PARK » Sandwiches $$

A sub shop serving brisket sandwiches made with the same loaves of sourdough and squares of ciabatta that owner Andy Kadin sells to 150 of L.A.’s most prominent restaurants. Kadin refers to the sandwiches as “Bub subs,” which pastry chef Christopher Lier, from Osteria and Pizzeria Mozza, spent at least six months developing. Chef Zach Jarrett heads the kitchen at Bub and Grandma’s, which currently serves breakfast and lunch. 3507 Eagle Rock Blvd., or bubandgrandmas.com; no alcohol

Dunsmoor

GLASSELL PARK » Southern American $$

“We don’t use processed foods because we try to work within the limitations from before the Gilded Age.” This culinary ethos is the force behind Brian Dunsmoor’s new restaurant, where his devotion to “heritage cookery” is on full display and activity centers on a wood-fired hearth 3501 Eagle Rock Blvd.,323-686-6027, or dunsmoor.la; beer and wine

Encanto

LOS FELIZ » Mexican $$

With its dark and moody interior, Encanto is a welcome addition to the neighborhood, with California-Mexican dishes like dry-aged whole branzino with mole verde and thyme as well as a steady flow of mezcal margaritas. 2121 Hillhurst Ave., 323-741-0140, or encanto.la; full bar

Lingua Franca

ELYSIAN VALLEY » California-Italian $$$

Wax Paper owners Lauren and Peter Lemos’s California-Italian food destination is here, serving comforting fare like root beer-braised beef cheek ragù, miso-grilled opah,and grilled pork collar with brown-butter corn bread. 2990 Allesandro St., 323-522-3725, or linguafrancaco.com; beer and wine

❂ Loreto

ELYSIAN VALLEY » Mexican Seafood $$$$

Here, raw seafood is followed by more raw seafood. Spicy shrimp aguachile with avocado balances a sweet paloma cocktail. The menu transitions to tostadas and botanas, or snacks, like a fried-prawn taco with pineapple and aioli. The desserts are as inventive as you’d expect: chocolate cake with milk chocolate crémeux, pecan toffee, pecan ice cream with carajillo foam, and shaved Oaxaca chocolate. 1991 Blake Ave., or loreto.la.; full bar

❂ Mírate

LOS FELIZ » Mexican $$$

Mírate prepares inventive food that tells a story. It grinds its own masa for tortillas and uses grain from the Tehachapi Heritage Grain Project. Thick-cut yucca fries come drenched in cheesy, meaty queso. Bowls of hamachi aguachile ceviche with black lime and tomatillo is fresh and bright, and pairs nicely with a frothy sour papaya tequila cocktail. 1712 N. Vermont Ave., 323-649-7937, or mirate.la; full bar

Monarch

ARCADIA » Cantonese $$$$

Designer Humberto Leon, who opened Chifa in 2020, and his family are serving Hong Konginspired dishes like fried rice with jumbo shrimp and fish roe; braised curry lamb shanks; and Wagyu filet mignon tartare in a chic bar and dining room. 1212 S. Baldwin Ave., 626-596-2818, or monarch-sgv.com; full bar

Pijja Palace

SILVER LAKE » Indian-American $

Indian-American restaurateur Avish Naran brings pizza and pasta featuring the flavors of his childhood to a strip-mall sports bar. The innovative menu includes Malai rigatoni with tomato-masala sauce, pizza topped with chicken tikka, and cardamom-and-cookies soft serve. 2711 W. Sunset Blvd., or pijjapalace.com; full bar

THE VALLEY

❂ Black Market Liquor Bar

STUDIO CITY » New American $$

Some nights, it seems as if half the Valley is here, enjoying the colorful patio. Top Chef graduate Antonia Lofaso’s Italian chops are visible in the buxom ricotta gnudi with brown butter and pistachios. The deep-fried fluffernutter sandwich is a reminder that food, like life, should not be taken too seriously. 11915 Ventura Blvd., 818-446-2533, or blackmarketliquorbar.com; full bar

❂ The Brothers Sushi

WOODLAND HILLS » Sushi $$$

This hidden gem, reinvigorated when chef Mark Okuda took the helm in 2018, is worth traveling for. The excellent omakase is available in the restaurant, on the patio, or to go. You can order à la carte or get non-sushi items. 21418 Ventura Blvd., 818-456-4509, or thebrotherssushi.com; beer, sake, and wine

Hank’s

BURBANK » Bagels $

The L.A. bagel revolution continues at this stylish spot that serves up carefully constructed sandwiches. Tomato, aioli, and maple-glazed bacon elevate a simple bacon, egg, and cheese. Grab a tub of Hank’s “angry” spread—a spicy, slightly sweet concoction—to have in your fridge. 4315 W. Riverside Dr., 818-588-3693, or hanksbagels.com; also at 13545 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, 818-588-3693; no alcohol

Tel Aviv Authentic Kitchen

ENCINO » Middle Eastern $

Deeply comforting Israeli skewers, kabobs, and merguez come with a colorful and tasty array of salads showcasing produce like red cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplant, and pumpkin. The spicy sauces on the side work well with everything. 17630 Ventura Blvd., 747-444-7001, or telavivkoshergrill.com; no alcohol

SOUTH

❂ Ali’i Fish Company

EL SEGUNDO » Seafood $$

This small, unassuming spot shames all the glossy poke purveyors around town. Glistening cubes of tuna, flown in fresh from the Islands daily, remind you how great poke can be. The smoked-ahi dip with house-made potato chips is not to be missed. 409 E. Grand Ave., 310-616-3484, or aliifishco.com; also at 4437 Sepulveda Blvd., Torrance, 310-540-2323; beer and wine

❂ Fishing With Dynamite

MANHATTAN BEACH » Seafood $$$

A premium raw bar near the beach shouldn’t be unusual, but it is. The same goes for velvety clam chowder; here, it achieves smoky richness—you can thank the Nueske’s bacon for that—without any of the floury glop. 1148 Manhattan Ave., 310-893-6299, or eatfwd.com; full bar

❂ Little Coyote

LONG BEACH » Pizza $

That most amazing slice of pizza you had that one very drunken, late night in your early twenties in New York lives on . . . in Long Beach. The crust is carby perfection: tangy, crispy, thin but with a healthy puff. The concise menu doesn’t perfects the usual suspects. 2118 E. 4th St., 562-434-2009, or littlecoyotelbc.com; also at 3500 Los Coyotes Diagonal, 562-352-1555; beer and wine

✤ ❂ RYLA

HERMOSA BEACH » Eclectic $$$$

There is nothing fussy or pretentious about the menu at RYLA. The fried rice comes flecked with sweet Chinese sausage and pickled ginger and is buried in a thick dusting of shaved black truffles from Burgundy. Start a meal with Hokkaido milk bread with fish roe-nori spread and make your way down the menu to a main dish like the grilled New Zealand Tai snapper that comes in a pool of lime-coconut broth with mussels, daikon, and Fresno chiles. 1220 Hermosa Ave., 424-247-9881, or eatryla.com; full bar

WE WELCOME YOUR COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS. PLEASE EMAIL US AT LETTERS@LAMAG.COM

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

With the region’s vibrant culture and welcoming climate, it’s no surprise that Los Angeles County attracts students from around the world.

Whether you are a parent looking for quality K-12 options, a high school senior navigating college applications, or a professional considering an advanced degree, possibilities abound!

L.A. County is home to a wide range of K-12 private schools, plus renowned colleges and universities. With choices from intimate campuses and specialized curriculums to sprawling institutions with world-class reputations, you’re sure to find your match.

FAST FACTS

• There are 13 private colleges within the Los Angeles city limits and 43 private colleges within 50 miles.

• The average private-school tuition Los Angeles County is $17,238.

• 55% of private schools in Los Angeles County are religiously affiliated.

• According to Niche.com, the number one-rated private high school for the 2023 school year in Los Angeles County is Harvard-Westlake School.

ECHO HORIZON SCHOOL

3430 McManus Avenue, Culver City, CA 90232 (310) 838-2442 | echohorizon.org

Open House: Thursday, October 12, 2023

Echo Horizon is a visionary independent school fostering a joyful and engaged learning community where students are free to explore, question, and imagine. The school’s commitment to diversity is rooted in its Echo Center, where 15 percent of students are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH). Offering a co-enrollment program, DHH students learn and play alongside their hearing peers using technology such as hearing aids and cochlear implants. A dynamic curriculum combines the best of both worlds: strong research-based and evidence-tested academic practices and a supportive, student-centered learning environment. The school’s commitment to JEDI work (justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion) means that unique individuals and the multifaceted experiences that they bring to the community are honored and celebrated with the belief that embracing diversity leads to social/emotional and academic excellence. This pursuit prepares scholars for matriculation to top independent schools and graduates healthy empathetic leaders who positively impact the world.

Year Founded: 1983

Grades Served: Pre-K to 6th grade

Current Enrollment Number: 180

Student-Faculty Ratio: Pre-K 8:1; K 10:1; Grades 1–6 12:1

Graduation Rate: 100%

EF ACADEMY PASADENA

1505 East Howard Street, Pasadena, CA 91104 (626) 507-9300 | efacademy.org/pasadena

Open House: Saturday, October 21, 2023; Saturday, December 2, 2023

EF Academy is a private day and boarding high school in Pasadena, California, committed to empowering high school students to become confident, resilient, and responsible global citizens.

Our mission is to help students become successful—and happy. We use a competency-based and project-based learning curriculum, as well as a holistic educational approach to ensure that students are learning by doing, solving realworld problems related to the subject being studied, and discovering their true potential while prioritizing their well-being.

Students have the opportunity to grow their passions inside and outside of the classroom through extra-curricular activities such as visual and performing arts, athletics, and robotics, and take on leadership roles through programs such as student council, peer tutoring, and university engagement ambassadors.

EF Academy Pasadena offers a diverse high school education in a global community of leaders. Our programs and one-to-one guidance equip students with the tools and skills to lead bright, impactful futures.

Uniforms Required: No

Tuition: 2023-2024 Pre-K $30,477; K–6 $38,128

Accreditations: California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) and Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)

Year Founded: 2022

Grades Served: 9-12

Current Enrollment Number: 200

Student-Faculty Ratio: 6:1

Graduation Rate: Based on statistics from our New York Campus: 99% Tuition: Day student: 42,000; five-day boarding: 66,000; seven-day boarding: 69,500

Accreditations: California Department of Education, MSA

LANDMARK COLLEGE

19 River Road South, Putney, VT 05346

(802) 387-6718 | landmark.edu

Open House: September 30, 2023

Landmark College—the college for students who learn differently—is a global leader of integrated teaching methods for students with learning differences, including dyslexia, ADHD, autism, and executive function challenges. LC offers associate and bachelor’s degrees; online programs, including high school dual enrollment, online associate degrees, and College START, a fully online first-year of college; and summer programs for high school and college students. LC's Bay Area Success Center provides in-person or online support for neruodiverse teens and adults.

Students, faculty, and education professionals are drawn to Landmark College for its innovative educational model, which has been developed over four decades of working with students who learn

differently. LC’s curriculum, designed for students to master academic skills and strategies in a way that builds from semester to semester, helps them become confident, self-empowered, and independently successful learners. Ninety percent of Landmark College graduates are employed or in graduate school, and LC alumni graduate at a significantly higher rate when compared to other college students with learning differences.

LC's on-campus and online programs offer career support that begins during the application process and continues beyond graduation. The Office of Career Connections provides a robust menu of career and internship services designed for students who learn differently, including on- and off-campus internships and an Employment Readiness Program for students who are just starting out in the workforce. The Landmark College Institute for Research and Training pioneers LD research and trains educators to implement studentcentered best practices. LC’s Center for Neurodiversity champions cultural, social, DEI, and scholarly perspectives that aim to strengthen an understanding of neurodivergence in the workplace and society at large. Find out why U.S. News has rated Landmark College a top college in the Northeast for Undergraduate Teaching and Innovation! Discover your learning ability at Landmark College!

Year Founded: 1985

Grades Served: College (bachelor's and associate degrees)

Current Enrollment Number: 450

Student-Faculty Ratio: 6:1

Tuition: $64,290

Top Awards/Recognitions: A top-rated college in the North Region for Undergraduate Teaching and Innovation by U.S. News and World Report ; Great Value Colleges' Best Disability Friendly Schools.

Accreditations: New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)

Year Founded: 1964

Grades Served: preschool to 12th grade

Current Enrollment Number: 740

Student-Faculty Ratio: 7:1

Uniforms Required: Yes

Tuition: $25,350–$38,440

LE LYCÉE FRANÇAIS DE LOS ANGELES

Main campus: 3261 Overland Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90034

(310) 836-3464 | lyceela.org

Open House: October 26, December 5, 2023; January 23, 2024

Le Lycée (pronounced lee-say) offers a challenging international education that emphasizes collaboration, research, respect, compassion, and leadership. A blend of the sciences and arts, Le Lycée's dual curriculum (international and French section programs) provides each student with the ability to learn, think, and make decisions based on a sound foundation of logic, knowledge, and character. Academics are balanced with art, drama, music, and sports, as well as strong core human values. LyceeLA students become engaged, vibrant, and productive global citizens.

NO NEED TO SPEAK FRENCH TO ENROLL.

Top Awards/Recognitions: Offer College Board AP Capstone, Classic Baccalaureate (BAC), the Baccalaureate French International (BFI), and the U.S. high school diploma. Five age-appropriate campuses in West Los Angeles and Pacific Palisades. Affiliated with Theatre Raymond Kabbaz, the contemporary performance space showcasing eclectic plays, concerts, dance shows, and films.

Accreditations: WASC, French Ministry of Education, NAIS, AEFE

TOP DENTISTS OF 2023

NOVEMBER 2023

For advertising inquiries, contact Carly Allen, Director of Sales at callen@lamag.com

DIRECTORY

AGBU Manogian/Demirdjian 6844 Oakdale Avenue, Canoga Park (818) 883-2428 agbumds.org

ASA Silver Lake 2772 Rowena Avenue, Los Angeles (323) 666-6706 appliedscholastics.org

Academy of the Two Hearts 406 33rd Place, Hermosa Beach (310) 748-9870 academyoftwohearts.org

Adat Y’shua Academy 23676 Blythe Street, West Hills (818) 222-0200

Alex Pilibos Armenian 1615 North Alexandria Avenue, Los Angeles (323) 668-2661

Armenian Mesrobian 8420 Beverly Road, Pico Rivera (562) 699-2057 mesrobian.org

Bais Chaya Mushka Chabad 9051 West Pico Boulevard, Los Angeles (310) 859-8840 bcmla.org

Bay Shore School 228 Corona Avenue, Long Beach (631) 968-1100 bayshoreschools.org

Berean Fellowship Christian School 38050 30th East Street, Palmdale (661) 272-9980 bereanav.org

Brentwood School

100 South Barrington Place, Los Angeles (310) 476-9633 bwscampus.com

Bridgeport 13130 Burbank Boulevard, Sherman Oaks (818) 781-0360 thehelpgroup.org

The Buckley School 3900 Stansbury Avenue, Sherman Oaks (818) 783-1610 buckley.org

Calvary Baptist Church and Schools

2990 Damien Avenue, La Verne (909) 593-5346 calvarybaptist-laverne

Calvary Chapel Christian 12808 Woodruff Avenue, Downey (562) 803-6556 cccsdowney.org

Calvary Chapel Christian Academy 931 South Maple Avenue, Montebello (323) 724-8464 thearkmontebello.com

Campbell Hall

4533 Laurel Canyon Boulevard, North Hollywood (818) 980-7280 campbellhall.org

Canyon View School 762 West Cypress Street, San Dimas (909) 599-1227

mckinleycc.org

Carousel 7899 La Tijera Boulevard, Los Angeles (310) 645-9222 carouselschool.com

Carson Christian School

21828 South Avalon Boulevard, Carson (310) 609-2300 carsonchristian.com

Center for Learning Unlimited

2785 Pacific Coast Highway, Suite G, Torrance (310) 997-1900 cflu.org

Chadwick

26800 South Academy Drive, Palos Verdes Peninsula (310) 377-1543 chadwickschool.org

City of Knowledge

3285 North Garey Avenue, Pomona (909) 392-0251 cityofknowledge.com

Crane Academy of Excellence 23119 Vose Street, West Hills (818) 716-7220

Crossroads School for Arts and Sciences 1714 21st Street, Santa Monica (310) 829-7391 xrds.org

Da Vinci Design

12501 Isis Avenue, Hawthorne (310) 725-5800 davincischools.org

Delphi Academy of Los Angeles

11341 Brainard Avenue, Lake View Terrace (818) 583-1070 delphila.org

Desert Christian Schools

44662 15th Street, Lancaster (661) 948-5071 desertchristian.com

Discovery Cube

11800 Foothill Boulevard, Sylmar (818) 686-2823 discoverycube.org

Echo Horizon School 3430 McManus Avenue, Culver City (310) 838-2442 echohorizon.org

EF Academy 1505 East Howard Street, Pasadena (626) 507-9300 efacademy.org/pasadena/

The Episcopal School 6325 Santa Monica Boulevard, Los Angeles (323) 462-3752 es-la.com

Faith Baptist 7644 Farralone Avenue, Canoga Park (818) 340-6131 myfbs.org

Faith Christian Academy 6100 Florence Avenue, Bell Gardens (562) 806-7540

First Lutheran School 1300 East Colorado Street, Glendale (818) 507-9591 first-lutheran-church.com

Flintridge Preparatory School 4543 Crown Avenue, La Canada Flintridge (818) 790-1178 flintridgeprep.org

Golden Day Schools 4508 Crenshaw Boulevard, Los Angeles (323) 296-6280

Harvard-Westlake School 700 North Faring Road, Los Angeles (818) 980-6692 Hw.com

Highland Hall Waldorf School 17100 Superior Street, Northridge (818) 349-1394 highlandhall.org

Hillcrest Christian 17531 Rinaldi Street, Granada Hills (818) 368-7071 heritage-schools.org

Hope Chapel Academy 2420 Pacific Coast Highway, Hermosa Beach (310) 374-4673 hopechapel.org

International School of Los Angeles 1105 W Riverside, Burbank (818) 994-2961 internationalschool.la

Keystone Academy 8615 East Florence, Suite 207, Downey (562) 862-7134 keystoneacademyschool.com

Lancaster Baptist School 4020 East Lancaster Boulevard, Lancaster (661) 946-4668 lancasterbaptistschool.org

Le Lycée Français de Los Angeles 3261 Overland Avenue, Los Angeles (310) 836-3464 lyceeLA.org

Lighthouse Baptist Academy 2600 North White Avenue, La Verne (909) 596-0060 lbclaverne.com

The Lighthouse Church 1220 20th Street, Santa Monica (310) 829-2767 lighthousechurch.com

Logsdon, Inc. 7600 East Graves Avenue, Rosemead (626) 572-8424

Los Angeles Master Chorale Education Program 135 North Grand Avenue, Los Angeles (213) 972-3110 lamasterchorale.org

Los Encinos School 17100 Ventura Boulevard, Encino (818) 990-1006 losencinosschool.org

Loyola High School 1901 Venice Blvd., Los Angeles (213) 381-5121 loyolahs.edu

Los Angeles Adventist Academy 846 East El Segundo Boulevard, Los Angeles (323) 743-8818 laadventistacademy.com

Marymount High School

10643 West Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles (310) 472-1205 mhs-la.org/page

Marlborough School

250 South Rossmore Avenue, Los Angeles (323) 935-1147

marlborough.org

New Harvest Christian

11364 East Imperial Highway, Norwalk (562) 929-6034 newharvestnorwalk.church

New Open World Academy

3201 West Eighth Street, Los Angeles (213) 480-3700 now-lausd-ca.schoolloop.com

New Roads School

3131 Olympic Boulevard, Santa Monica (310) 828-5582 newroads.org

Nishiyamato Academy

2458 Lomita Boulevard, Lomita (310) 325-7040 nacus.org

Notre Dame Girls Academy

2851 Overland Avenue, Los Angeles (310) 839-5289 academy.ndasla.org

Notre Dame High School

13645 Riverside Drive, Sherman Oaks (818) 933-3600 ndhs.org

Oakwood School

11600 Magnolia Boulevard, North Hollywood (818) 732-3000 oakwoodschool.org

Pacific Baptist

3332 Magnolia Avenue, Long Beach (562) 426-5214 pacificbaptistschool.com

Pilgrim School

540 South Commonwealth Avenue, Los Angeles (213) 385-7351 pilgrim-school.org

Rancho Dominguez Preparatory

4110 Santa Fe Avenue, Long Beach (310) 847-6400 rdps-lausd-ca.schoolloop.com

San Fernando Valley Professional 6215 Laurel Canyon Boulevard, North Hollywood (818) 985-9485

Seton, Inc.

44751 North Date Avenue, Lancaster (661) 948-8881 setonhome.org

Shalhevet School 910 South Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles (323) 930-9333 shalhevet.org

Sierra Canyon School

11052 Independence Avenue | 20801 Rinaldi Street, Los Angeles (818) 882-8121 sierracanyonschool.org

South Bay Faith Academy

101 South Pacific Coast Highway, Redondo Beach (310) 379-8242 homeschool-life.com

Stephen S. Wise Temple Elementary School

15500 Stephen South Wise Drive, Los Angeles (310) 476-8561 wisela.org

Sunland Christian School

13216 Leach Street, Sylmar (818) 523-6791 home-schooling.org

Village Christian Schools

8930 Village Avenue, Sun Valley (818) 767-8382 villagechristian.org

Village Glen

13130 Burbank Boulevard, Sherman Oaks (818) 781-0360 villageglen.org

Village Glen, Westside

4160 Grandview Boulevard, Los Angeles (310) 751-1101 thehelpgroup.org/school/village-glen-school Vistamar School

737 Hawaii Street, El Segundo (310) 643-7377 vistamarschool.org

The Webb Schools

1175 West Baseline Road, Claremont (909) 482-5214 webb.org

West Hollywood College Preparatory School

1317 North Crescent Heights Boulevard, West Hollywood (323) 822-7999 westhollywoodschool.com

West Valley Christian School

22450 Sherman Way, West Hills (818) 884-4710 westvalleychristianschool.com

Wildwood School

12201 Washington Place, Los Angeles (310) 397-3134 wildwood.org

PRIVATE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIESLOS ANGELES COUNTY

Academy for Jewish Religion California 574 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles (213) 884-4133 ajrca.edu

American Film Institute Conservatory

2021 North Western Avenue, Los Angeles (323) 856-7600 afi.com

Antioch University

400 Corporate Pointe, Culver City (310) 578-1080 antioch.edu

Azusa Pacific University 901 East Alosta Avenue, Azusa (626) 969-3434 Apu.edu

Biola University

13800 Biola Avenue, La Mirada (562) 903-6000 biola.edu

California Institute of the Arts 24700 McBean Pkwy, Valencia (661) 255-1050 calarts.edu

California State Polytechnic Univ., Pomona 3801 West Temple Avenue, Pomona (909) 869-7659 cpp.edu

Claremont McKenna College

888 North Columbia Avenue, Claremont (909) 621-8000 Cmc.edu

Columbia College Hollywood 18618 West Oxnard Street, Tarzana (818) 345-8414 | Columbiacollege.edu

Harvey Mudd College (Claremont Colleges) 301 Platt Boulevard, Claremont (909) 621-8011 | Hmc.edu

Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion

3077 University Avenue, Los Angeles (213) 749-3424 | huc.edu

Landmark College

19 River Road South, Putney, VT (802) 387-6718 | landmark.edu

Life Pacific College

1100 West Covina Boulevard, San Dimas (909) 599-5433 | lifepacific.edu

Loyola Marymount University

1 Loyola Marymount University Drive, Los Angeles (310) 338-2700 Lmu.edu

Marymount California University 30800 Palos Verdes Drive East, Rancho Palos Verdes marymountcalifornia.edu

Mount Saint Mary’s University 12001 Chalon Road, Los Angeles (310) 954-4000 msmu.edu

Occidental College

1600 Campus Road, Los Angeles (323) 259-2500 Oxy.edu

Otis College of Art & Design

9045 Lincoln Boulevard, Los Angeles (310) 665-6800 Otis.edu

Pepperdine University 24255 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu (310) 506-4000 Pepperdine.edu

Southern California Institute of Architecture 960 East 3rd Street, Los Angeles (213) 613-2200 sciarc.edu

Southern California University of Health Sciences

16200 Amber Valley Drive, Whittier (562) 947-8755 scuhs.edu

Touro College Los Angeles 1317 North Crescent Heights Boulevard, West Hollywood tcla.touro.edu

University of La Verne 1950 3rd Street, La Verne (909) 593-3511 Laverne.edu

University of Southern California Los Angeles (213) 740-2311 | Usc.edu Vanguard University 55 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa (714) 556-3610 | vanguard.edu

Whittier College 13406 E, Philadelphia Street, Whittier (562) 907-4200 | whittier.edu

Woodbury University 7500 North Glenoaks Boulevard, Burbank (818) 767-0888 woodbury.edu

THE ANNUAL LIST OF TOP WOMEN ATTORNEYS

Super Lawyers selects attorneys using a patented multiphase selection process.

Peer nominations and evaluations are combined with independent research. Each candidate is evaluated on 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement. Selections are made on an annual, state-by-state basis.

The objective is to create a credible, comprehensive and diverse listing of outstanding attorneys that can be used as a resource for attorneys and consumers searching for legal counsel. Since Super Lawyers is intended to be used as an aid in selecting a lawyer, we limit the lawyer ratings to those who can be hired and retained by the public, i.e., lawyers in private practice and Legal Aid attorneys.

The Super Lawyers selection process involves the steps outlined in the graphic below.

OUR PATENTED SELECTION PROCESS NOMINATIONS

Diverse list of the top attorneys nominated by their own peers

U.S. Pat. No. 8,412,564

• System and method for identifying excellence within a profession

• April 2, 2013

Evaluated by third-party research across 12 key categories

LEARN MORE

SuperLawyers.com/SelectionProcess

Reviewed by a highly credentialed Blue Ribbon Panel of attorneys

2.5% of attorneys selected to Rising Stars

5% of attorneys selected to Super Lawyers

QUESTIONS?

SL-Research@thomsonreuters.com

visit SuperLawyers.com

Search for an attorney by practice area and location, and read features on attorneys selected to our lists.

TOP 50 WOMEN

Abell, Nancy L.

Babrick, Jessica G.

Boyer, Holly N.

Brecht, Celeste M.

Brill, Laura W. Bryan, Sharon A.

Cox, Cynthia R.

Dai, Cornelia H.

Djang, Caroline R. Fraigun, Marina Kats

Fresch, Elaine K.

Glaser, Patricia L.

Grebe, Sibylle

Harrison, Genie Holley, Shawn

Keller, Jennifer L.

Kiley, Anne C.

Kwan, Verlan Y.

Leal, Dolores Y.

Lee, Irene Y. Lodise, Margaret G.

Ly, Geraldine MacIsaac, Suann C. Mandles, Melanie D.

Marino, Nina Masry, Louanne Matthai, Edith R. McGaughey, Erin

Meyer, Lisa Helfend

Mizrahi, Ramit Peebles, Jane Perrochet, Lisa Phillips, Stacy D. Ramey, Christa Haggai

Reddock-Wright, Angela J.

UP-AND-COMING 50 WOMEN

Acevedo, Elizabeth G.

Blas, Lauren

Bray, Kendra

Bricken, Hilary

Burns King, Julian

Chan, Minna

Chang, Hazel S.

Duel, Jasmine A.

Fund, Cathryn G.

Galligan, Kelly Lucinda

Goldstein, Anya

Gordon, Jessica

Habes, Heather W.

Hackler Flynn, Cynthia

Harper, Brandi L.

Hinojosa, Kelly L.

Hobbs, Kristin E.

Jackman, Sherry E.

Jackson, Kirsten C.

Jenkins, C. Genevieve

Karp, Britt

Katz, Corinne B.

Kaufman, Ilana

Kleindienst, Katherine

Lee, Sharlene D.

Madjidi, Mahru

McKibben, Molly M.

Morrow, Xinlin Li

Moser, Jana M.

Moss, Jaime E.

Munyer, Lindsey F.

Nogle, Megan F.

Nowels, Sarah Jane

Okhovat, Anna

Rickert, Kelly Chang

Rothschild, Kristi D.

Rotter, Alana Hoffman

Savitt, Linda Miller

Seck, Ibiere N.

Sedrish, Laura Frank

Shore, Sussan H.

Spagnoli, Christine D.

Teren, Pam

Teukolsky, Lauren

Wasser, Laura A.

West, Michelle Marie

Whyte, Nicole

Wright, Lauriann

Zitser, Diana P.

Payton, Chantal

Peatman, Stephanie

Perkins, Rebecca

Pompeo, Celeena B.

Qassim, Setara

Rahman, Rabiah A.

Ricketts, Morgan E.

Ricotta, Nicole

Rodriguez, Griselda S.

Scheideman, Erika

Shu, Lily Tielle

Solmer, Lilit

Steinberg, Alexa

Usahacharoenporn, Proud

Vartanian, Lucy A.

Ward, Shannon H.P.

2023 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA RISING STARS

SORTED ALPHABETICALLY

Selected to Super Lawyers

BETI BERGMAN PENINSULA LAW, A PROFESSIONAL LAW CORPORATION

3220 Sepulveda Boulevard

Suite 203

Torrance, CA 90505

Tel: 310-694-8703

bbergman@peninsula.law

www.peninsula.law

ESTATE & TRUST LITIGATION

ESTATE PLANNING & PROBATE

Beti Bergman is the founder and principal of Peninsula Law, an elite, boutique firm specializing in probate and conservatorships. With an extensive litigation background and degrees in applied mathematics, Bergman created Peninsula Law with a laser focus on probate law and built it into a probate powerhouse. She represents fiduciaries and beneficiaries in administering and settling estates. She is certified by the California Board of Legal Specialization in estate planning, trust and probate law, and has earned a Master Advocate Designation from the National Institute of Trial Advocacy. She has also successfully completed the mediation program at Pepperdine Caruso School of Law: Mediating the Litigated Case and is available

Selected to Super Lawyers

KAREN L. GOLDSTEIN

LAW OFFICES OF KAREN L. GOLDSTEIN

1645 North Vine Street Suite 306

Los Angeles, CA 90028

Tel: 888-445-6313

Fax: 323-467-7229

kgoldstein@klgcriminaldefense.com

www.klgcriminaldefense.com

CRIMINAL DEFENSE

CRIMINAL DEFENSE: WHITE COLLAR

practicing state and federal criminal defense since 2003. She fights hard to obtain victories for her clients accused of serious crimes ranging from murder, child molestation, and white-collar offenses to gang-related crimes, rape, child pornography, and RICO cases. She has a strong reputation in the community for fighting the most challenging of sex crimes cases and remaining represents indigent clients in both federal and state court as a member of the Central Justice Act (CJA) conflict panel and the Indigent Criminal Defense Appointment (ICDA) panel. She graduated cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center and magna cum laude

Selected to Super Lawyers

SHARON A. BRYAN

LAW OFFICE OF SHARON A. BRYAN

21515 Hawthorne Boulevard Suite 490

Torrance, CA 90503

Tel: 310-540-8855

Fax: 310-316-1307

sharon@mbsllp.com

www.mbsllp.com

FAMILY LAW

honoree in Southern California, and by Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent in legal ability and ethical standards. She is a Certified Family Law Specialist by State of California Board of Legal Specialization; USC Gould School of Law; UCLA professional designation in Personal Financial Planning; instructor at California State Bar, and judge pro tem in LA Superior Court. Served as past president Association of Certified Family Law Specialists; editor ACFLS Newsletter; past president South Bay Women Lawyers; three years State Bar Family Law Executive Committee; editor of Family Law News; president 2021-2022, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, of

Selected to Super Lawyers

DENA A. KLEEMAN

LAWYERS

499 North Canon Drive Suite 200

Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Tel: 310-247-0727

Fax: 310-887-7012

dak@kleemanlaw.com

www.kleemanlaw.com

FAMILY LAW

handles complex divorce matters involving business valuation, divorce taxation, real property, and complex compensation, benefits, intellectual property and child custody issues. She financial arrangements during marriage and prevent divorce-related problems that might otherwise ensue. when called for. She teams with experts from other disciplines to assure that her clients receive the most knowledgeable,

Selected to Super Lawyers

ALICE CHEN SMITH

YOKA | SMITH, LLP

445 South Figueroa Street

38th Floor

Los Angeles, CA 90071

Tel: 213-427-2300

Fax: 213-427-2330

asmith@yokasmith.com

www.yokasmith.com

CIVIL LITIGATION: DEFENSE

PERSONAL INJURY PRODUCTS: DEFENSE

PERSONAL INJURY GENERAL: DEFENSE

Alice Chen Smith is the Managing Partner of Yoka | Smith, LLP, recognized by U.S. News – Best Lawyers as a Best Law Firm for product liability and personal injury litigation defense in Los Angeles. Her primary focus is litigating products liability, catastrophic personal injury and business matters for clients such as manufacturers of tires, automobiles, industrial and heavy equipment, fitness clubs, restaurants, and prominent retailers. She practices throughout the State of California in trial and appellate courts. She was named one of the 2022 Women of Influence: Attorneys by the Los Angeles Business Journal, has been on the Super Lawyers lists since 2012, is a member of ABOTA since 2019, and serves on the Boards of ASCDC, ABTL

Selected to Super Lawyers

ANNA DARBINIAN IMMIGRATION LAW FIRM

DARBINIAN

8484 Wilshire Boulevard

Suite 711

Beverly Hills, CA 90211

Tel: 310-247-6070

ad@asherson.net

www.asherson.net

IMMIGRATION

Immigration Law by the State Bar of California and has been Super Lawyers lists, affirming her extensive knowledge and experience. As managing partner of the Immigration Law Firm her clients in numerous federal and state courts. She practices all aspects of immigration law, including removal defense. She has represented asylees, detainees, employees, employers, and entertainers, among many others. She resolutely believes that no case–no matter how challenging or complex–is impossible,

Selected to Super Lawyers

THERESA J. MACELLARO

THE MACELLARO FIRM, P.C.

1748 Preuss Road

Los Angeles, CA 90035

Tel: 310-399-8585

Fax: 310-399-8686

tmacellaro@macellarolaw.com

www.MacellaroLaw.com

BUSINESS LITIGATION

ENTERTAINMENT & SPORTS

ESTATE PLANNING & PROBATE

Theresa Macellaro is a business and entertainment attorney who handles high-profile litigation in both state and federal court. A Forbes entity selected and interviewed Macellaro as

The Los Angeles Lakers and Comerica Bank jointly presented excelling in the legal profession. Los Angeles CityBeat magazine has called her a powerhouse litigator. Macellaro and her cases can be read about in the Hollywood Reporter, Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Daily Journal, New York Daily Journal, and Chicago Tribune

Selected to Super Lawyers

PAM TEREN TEREN LAW, P.C.

225 Avenue I

Suite 203

Redondo Beach, CA 90277

Tel: 310-543-2300

Fax: 310-543-2303

pam@terenlawgroup.com

www.terenlawgroup.com

EMPLOYMENT LITIGATION: PLAINTIFF

then switched sides, prosecuting claims of sexual harassment, race/sex/age/disability discrimination, retaliation, wage violations and other illegal conduct against employers.

experience, education, and writing skills, and her empathetic and down-to-earth communication style empowers her clients

LALIST

BUZZ WORTHY EVENTS | HAPPENINGS | PROMOTIONS

Stravinsky and Shostakovich with Dudamel

Friday, October 6, 8:00 p.m. | Saturday, October 7, 8:00 p.m. | Sunday, October 8, 2:00 p.m. 111 South Grand Avenue, Los Angeles

Gustavo Dudamel kicks off the Walt Disney Concert Hall 2023/24 season with Stravinsky’s original suite from The Firebird and Shostakovich’s First Concerto. laphil.com

Dreaming of an Endless Summer

It’s a wonder-fall time for an adventure. Head down south to seaside Carlsbad for a sun-kissed getaway filled with uncrowded beaches, balmy temperatures, ocean breezes and striking sunsets. Learn more at omnilacosta.com

Last Remaining Seats

Every June (dates vary every year)

The Los Angeles Conservancy’s Last Remaining Seats presents classic films the way they were meant to be seen—on the big screen in one of L.A.’s spectacular historic movie palaces. Proceeds from this summer series support the Conservancy’s efforts to preserve Los Angeles County’s cultural and architectural heritage. laconservancy.org

Psychedelic Style: Skechers X Jen Stark

LA-based artist Jen Stark creates hypnotic art primarily on murals and pottery and now, thanks to a collaboration with Skechers, shoes. Enter the Skechers x Jen Stark universe and you’ll be instantly lured into Stark’s vibrant drip designs. Skechers.com

IN FOCUS

IN FOCUS

What is Super Lawyers In Focus?

HIGH-NET-WORTH DIVORCE

Stearns & Ryan, Lawyers

S-3

CATASTROPHIC PERSONAL INJURY

Chang I Klein LLP

S-4

SEXUAL HARASSMENT

Barrera & Associates

S-6

The attorneys featured here are included among the Super Lawyers and Rising Stars selectees. For a complete list of selected attorneys, including additional areas of practice, visit superlawyers.com . There you will also find information about the Super Lawyers patented selection process.

F O C U S O N

STEARNS & RYAN, LAWYERS

Over the past 30 years, Stearns & Ryan (SR Lawyers) has represented clients at all levels of wealth and with a wide range of needs, amassing significant knowledge and experience across several practice areas. But the lawyers’ mission has remained steadfast: to provide each client with ardent advocacy, highly skilled legal services and straight talk.

In high-net-worth divorce cases, the firm’s lawyers believe in creating realistic expectations. They conduct in-depth client consultations, thoroughly evaluate each case up front, and provide objective assessments, candidly telling clients what they need to hear. This focused attention and frank communication foster client trust and appreciation.

Partners Ryan Stearns and Michael Ryan are backed by a diverse group of highly trained lawyers and support staff. When

clients hire SR Lawyers, they get the whole team: talented, technologically proficient professionals who are fully versed in current and trending legal developments. This collaboration consistently yields optimal results for the client.

Back Row L-R: Michael J. Ryan, Paula Dionne, Davina Dawson

Front Row L-R: Ryan E. Stearns*, Kathleen R. Choe

*Selected to Super Lawyers

21250 Hawthorne Blvd., Suite 310, Torrance, CA 90503 | (310) 793-9570

11777 San Vicente Blvd., Suite 555, Los Angeles, CA 90049 | (310) 424-1424

sksrlawyers.com

CHANG | KLEIN LLP

After achieving great successes and record verdicts at one of the most prestigious personal injury law firms in the country, Deborah Chang and Candice Klein joined forces to create a women-owned law firm in 2021 that focuses on catastrophic injuries and wrongful death cases. Their firm specializes in finding compelling stories and causes in complicated, highprofile cases with a social justice element. With each case, they fight for justice for their clients to make the world a better and safer place. Their attorneys have effectuated meaningful changes in the law and in many industries as a result of their landmark cases.

Known for their relentless passion, as well as the use of the latest, cutting-edge technology coupled with beautiful, compelling visual graphics, they have obtained some of the highest-record verdicts and settlements in the country. Clients and referring attorneys count on their lawyers to find winning strategies where others cannot through innovative brainstorming and creative, out-of-the-box thinking.

Recognized by their peers as some of the top trial lawyers in America, they prepare every case as if it is going to trial, and they leave no stone unturned in their never-ending pursuit of the truth to get their clients the results they deserve and need.

With nearly 90 years of cumulative trial experience, their legacy of success not only speaks for itself, but also encourages and motivates other women trial lawyers throughout the country. Their firm, located in Los Angeles, is one of the six firms that are proudly affiliated with Athea Trial Lawyers, LLP, a national women-owned law firm that was founded by Deborah Chang, Randi McGinn, Zoe Littlepage, Charla Aldous, Lisa Blue and Bibi Fell. Committed to the belief that it is time for women to step out of the shadows and into the spotlight at trial in important cases, both law firms are changing the ways in which lawyers, judges and jurors view women in and out of the courtroom. All of these amazing women have been repeatedly selected and recognized in their various states as Super Lawyers honorees— and are committed to changing HERstory, one verdict at a time.

F O C U S O N

BARRERA & ASSOCIATES

Pat Barrera is a force to be reckoned with in the employment law arena. One of Barrera’s specialties is representing victims of sexual harassment. A member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, he has tried or settled cases resulting in recoveries exceeding $100 million for his plaintiff clients.

“Victims of sexual harassment often suffer in silence,” Barrera says. “If their attempts to resolve the situation are unsuccessful or result in retaliation, they may simply leave their jobs. But there are better paths forward. It’s our job to help our clients relieve that suffering, protect them from recrimination and seek justice.”

Barrera & Associates has delivered millions of dollars specifically for victims of sexual harassment. The firm offers comprehensive employment law service for people experiencing mistreatment at work throughout Southern California. “We’re champions for the civil rights of all employees,” says Barrera, a Super Lawyers honoree for 20 consecutive years.

Pat Barrera Selected to Super Lawyers

2298 E. Maple Ave. El Segundo, CA 90245 (310) 802-1500 | baattorneys.com

Red Alert!

CONTINUED FROM 82

By 2021, though, Williams, York and Farro were ready to reunite for what’s shaping up to be a much more upbeat Paramore. “It’s nice because now we operate at an optimal level together, where we get to have fun and be friends,” she says. “We’re family at this point, and I think that where we’re at now is so much more respectful of who each of us is as individual people inside of this entity that we’ve built together. Along with the fans, we’re finally just enjoying it.”

They certainly seemed to be having a blast at their two Forum shows this past summer, with Williams not only debuting a slate of funky, mid-tempo rock jams from Paramore’s latest album, This Is Why — as well as bringing Billie Eilish onstage for a crowd-pleasing duet on “All I Wanted” — but also unveiling a whole new look. Ditching the Hot Topic emo-wear of her youth and sporting her new platinum locks, she literally sparkled in a Barbarella-esque sequined minidress on night one, then slipped into a gold lamé blouse and skirt for the second show (both custom-made by L.A.-based brand Rodarte).

Still, despite the slick image makeover, Williams remains very much the indie rocker she’s always wanted to be. To open for Paramore during part of the band’s West Coast tour, she invited L.A.’s own the Linda Lindas, the teenage hell-raisers who nearly broke the internet during the pandemic with their viral hit “Racist, Sexist Boy.” As it happens, Paramore’s longtime producer, Carlos de la Garza, is the father of two members of the Linda Lindas, but that’s not entirely what drew Williams to the all-girl group.

“They’re not afraid to speak their mind and stand up for what they feel is right,” she says. “I just find them to be the truest version of a punk band we have today.”

Williams’ own turn opening for Taylor Swift on the European leg of her Eras Tour — expected to gross upward of a billion dollars worldwide once it’s finally finished in 2024 — might seem like an unequivocally mainstream career move, but she doesn’t see it that way. On the contrary, she considers it a raised fist of empowerment.

“It feels like a crazy victory lap,” Williams says. “It’s just so historic to be a part of it. Both [Taylor and I] started really young and we’ve grown up alongside our fan bases, and that makes both of our stories really unique in a way that we get to come together from two different sides of the industry. Paramore isn’t quite mainstream, but people know our band, and we’ve had a really lucky, long career thus far. For both of us to be feeling like we’re in our prime now in our early thirties, career-wise, that’s just so special, and we don’t take it for granted. I’m so

grateful that all these years later, we’ve stayed connected. So we’re trying to seize the moment alongside her.”

Back at the Bellwether, Williams is fully in the moment. As Beyoncé, Talking Heads and the Sugarcubes pulse from the club’s speakers, she strikes a pose for the camera, first in an Hermès dress, then a Stella McCartney coat, then an Ottolinger pantsuit, all in fall’s scarlet-hued tones. It’s yet another thing she shares in common with Swift — a deep affection for the color red.

“Red has been really crucial for me my whole career,” she says, referring to the hairstyle that helped launch her into rock and roll stardom back in her teen years. “It felt like such a great visual identity. It’s bold, but it’s also a sensitive color. It seems to stand for a lot of things, whether it’s rage or romance. I like that it embodies all these different extremes because I very much feel like that’s where I am in my life.”

Shopping Directory

PAGES 94-95: On Marina: RACHEL GILBERT gown, price upon request, at rachelgilbert.com. ELSA PERETTI pendant (worn as bracelet), $450, at Tiffany & Co. Rodeo Drive, tiffany.com. JIMMY CHOO shoes, $995, at Jimmy Choo Westfield Topanga, jimmychoo.com. On Arthur: CHAOS suit, $4,200, at alabamablonde.com. BRAVADO T-shirt, price upon request, at bravado.com. VAGABOND shoes, $200, at vagabond.com. On Kat: OLIVER TOLENTINO corset and skirt, $4,995 for both, at Oliver Tolentino Beverly Hills, olivertolentino.com. TIFFANY & CO. Hardwear earrings, $900, and ELSA PERETTI brooch, $4,300, at Tiffany & Co. South Coast Plaza, tiffany.com. KACHOROVSKA shoes, $122, at kachorovska.com. PAGE 96: On Kat: CHANEL pullover, $3,700, cardigan, $5,600, embroidered jeans, $3,100, and Mary Jane shoes, $1,275, at Chanel Rodeo Drive, chanel.com. BULGARI Serpenti Spiga watch, $11,900, at Westime Beverly Hills, westime.com. PAGE 97: On Arthur: GUCCI jacket, $2,500, shirt, $1,600, pants, $1,350, belt, $2,959, and shoes, $1,490, at Gucci Americana at Brand, gucci.com. PAGES 98: On Marina: MARCIANO jacket, $290, and miniskirt, $180, at marciano.com. MAX MARA trench coat, $1,895, at Max Mara South Coast Plaza, maxmara.com. RVN bra top, $115, at rvnnyc.com. JIMMY CHOO shoes, $995, at Jimmy Choo Westfield Topanga, jimmychoo.com. ALEX AND ANI bracelets, prices upon request, at alexandani.com. PAGE 99: On Arthur: LOUIS VUITTON car coat, $4,550; crewneck, $1,700, and pants, $1,200, at Louis Vuitton Rodeo Drive, louisvuitton.com. PANERAI watch, $16,400, at Panerai Rodeo Drive, panerai.com. On Kat: LOUIS VUITTON coat, $6,200, waistcoat, $3,650, shorts, $3,650, and bag, $2,670, at Louis Vuitton Fashion Island, louisvuitton.com. KWIAT earrings, $4,950, at Gearys Beverly Hills, gearys.com. PAGE 100: On Kat: RACHEL GILBERT minidress, $1,295, at rachelgilbert.com. VAN CLEEF & ARPELS Vintage Alhambra necklace, $18,4000, Sweet Alhambra bracelet, $1,560, and Lucky Spring ring, $6,650; bracelet, $2,740, and necklace, $4,000, at Van Cleef & Arpels Rodeo Drive, vancleefarpels.com. JIMMY CHOO shoes, $995, at Jimmy Choo Westfield Topanga, jimmychoo.com. OZEN cap, $300, at aykutozen.com. PAGE 101: On Marina: SPORTMAX jacket, $3,790, pants, $2,740, and bodysuit, $645, at Max Mara Rodeo Drive, maxmara.com. KACHOROVSKA boots, price upon request, at kachorovska.com. DAVID YURMAN ring, $19,500, and earrings, $2,750, at David Yurman South Coast Plaza, davidyurman.com. PAGES 102-103: On Arthur: PRADA jacket, $4,900, cardigan, $2,150, pants, $1,370, and shoes, $1,270, at Prada Rodeo Drive, prada.com. BREITLING watch, $8,750, at Breitling Westfield Century City, breitling.com. On Kat: PRADA capelet coat, $4,600, micro miniskirt, price upon request, and shoes, $1,320, with Galleria Saffiano Special Edition handbag, $7,500, at Prada Rodeo Drive, prada.com. On Marina: FERRAGAMO coat, $3,400, shoes, $1,050, and Hug handbag, $2,900, at Ferragamo Beverly Center, ferragamo.com. ALEX AND ANI earrings, price upon request, at alexandani.com.

What’s happening with the old Sears store just east of downtown?

CHRIS’S PICK Hey, Pachuco

REMEMBERING THE ZOOT SUIT

A:The 96-year-old Art Deco tower on Olympic Boulevard housed a Sears department store and mail-order fulfillment center in its 1.8 million square feet until 2021. Developer Izek Shomof paid $29 million in 2013 and pitched turning it into high-end apartments and a food hall. After that failed to materialize, the project pivoted to “the largest facility for the unhoused ever built on planet Earth,” according to Shomof adviser Bill Taormina. The “Life Rebuilding Center” would include health care, dental, mental, animal and chiropractic services — as well as entertainment and sports venues and a dog park — on 26 acres, plus a free clothing store. After a 2022 presentation went south with shouting protesters, embattled Councilman Kevin de León withdrew support. “When you go into a community and shit the bed, it’s hard to reel it back in,” says De León chief of staff Jennifer Barraza. “The project is on, like, a hold,” Taormina says, hoping to sell Mayor Karen Bass on the idea.

Q: Did Josh Flagg’s grandmother introduce nylons to Los Angeles?

A: Fashion mogul Edith Flagg, who often joined her grandson on Million Dollar Listing, imported a British polyester called Crimplene to L.A. in 1965, a

quarter-century after the first synthetic nylons debuted here.

Monsanto called its polyester Acrilan, and American Cyanamid dubbed it Creslan, but apparently, these chemical stews make great pantyhose. The late Flagg was busy fighting Nazis in the

Netherlands when DuPont introduced its wonder fabric to L.A. in May 1940.

Q: Is it true the bikini was invented in L.A.?

A: Popularized, maybe, but the bikini — originally a trade name, like Kleenex — was actually launched

by Frenchman Louis Réard in 1946. Still, stars here had long favored tiny two-pieces. Pre-Hays Code costumes by Orry-Kelly were especially skimpy.

“Hollywood was so influential from the 1920s on. The Busby Berkeley musicals had practically nude showgirls,” says Kevin Jones of FIDM. Beach Party and Gidget showcased wiggling bikinis on L.A. beaches, and Rudi Gernreich of West Hollywood invented L.A.’s most famous ’kini: his “monokini,” unveiled in 1964 with only a strap around the wearer’s neck.

● Luis Valdez’s play Zoot Suit premiered at the Mark Taper Forum in 1978, closer in time to the 1943 Zoot Suit riots than today. The melee had a huge impact on the city, which recently apologized and declared a Zoot Suit Heritage Week. The musical was itself a milestone as the first Chicano production to go to Broadway. It spawned a film version, which launched the career of Edward James Olmos. It also inspired the Estrella family to open El Pachuco Zoot Suits in Fullerton, where it sells customtailored copies of the baggy suits with the “drape shape” and “reet pleat.” The family is hosting a 45th anniversary gala Sept. 16 at the Grand Theater in Anaheim as a fundraiser for its foundation. The event boasts a dinner, a dance contest and live music. We hope that instead of the play’s racial tension and violence, we get to see what scholars call “radical dandyism.” This is one party where you won’t wonder about the dress code.

—CHRIS NICHOLS

ART HOUSE

The iconic Sears building in Boyle Heights.