MAY 13TH, 2024

MONDAY

MONDAY’S VIBES

Eats | Events | Activities
Community | Development
Biz | Entertainment | Sports

🚀 HAPPY MONDAY MORNING, GOOD LOOKIN.’ THIS IS YOUR BEST WEEK YET. BUT…IT IS STILL A MONDAY.

• ☀️ SMALL DESIGNS, BIG GROWTH: Nerd talk disclaimer: skim if not interested in new design flow and simply want to get your day in LA started. Though a Friday newsletter was planned, I took the day to get outside beautiful LA. And the weekend rays of Vitamin D brought in some refreshing designs to all of us.

  • Bullet points will now be incorporated into appropriate content blurbs in hopes to provide better readability and content transitions for the digital-eye.

  • Content break bars will now be used between every content blurb for easier reading across all platforms.

  • Each sections now have additional links at the bottom if content and links for those sections were sourced and deemed appropriate for such.

  • A new submission form has been designed to submit events, content, and for those PR agencies and press contacts. I do apologize for the technology errors prior.

  • Though I enjoyed working with a vendor over the weekend for our CuratedLA Calendars, the system that we would have implemented would break certain HTML code (nerd talk to self), and thus, not be ideal on certain mobile devices. So today, I am going to start manually sourcing events to fill up the awesome events that we have ongoing, upcoming, and trending.

    • Speaking of which, both CuratedLA Calendars are now accessible via our main navigation bar and are housed within their own page. These Calendars all update automatically, so events on Google Calendars that you see here on a certain day instantly reflect what is seen on the CuratedLA Calendars page.

  • As CuratedLA continues to gain new Community Curators (subscribe, it’s free!), and new unique website visitors, it is important to keep an easy to read interface.

  • With our established Table of Contents, HOV Lane, Trending National Topics, and section links, CuratedLA will continue to allow us as community to quickly skim Good vibes before the day starts, allowing all of us to come back quickly to further read content, or uncover new content.

• Thank you, all of you, for allowing this dude to figure the digital things out for the better of CuratedLA, and the Good of Los Angeles, along the way. Feel free to reply to this email or comment with any feedback as you please.

Hang Ten Fam,

Wyatt of CuratedLA 

TRENDING 

THE HOV LANE

EATS

LOCAL HEADLINES

• ⚾️ ANGELS WIN, WE WIN FREE FOOD: The Angels have partnered with four food vendors this year, allowing us all to score big when the Angels score big.

  • McDonald’s: Angels’ win, either at home or on the road, gifts us with free medium fries, two-dollar minimum purchase, the following day. Must have McDonald’s App to redeem.

  • Chick-fil-A: If the Angels score seven or more at any home game, we will receive a free Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich. Download or open the Chick-fil-A App before 11:59pm on the night of the game to claim the reward.

  • Mountain Mike’s Pizza: When the Angels pitch a shutout, we win a free six-inch, one-topping pizza.

  • Juice It Up!: When the Angels record a save during a home game, Juice It Up Rewards! members will win a free small classic smoothie to be claimed the following day. Offer valid with a qualifying purchase.

• 🧢 AND WE ALSO WIN WITH THE DODGERS: And I couldn’t leave out the Dodgers as they have also partnered with four food vendors for season-long winning promotions.

  • Panda Express: A Panda Plate for five dollars until 11:59pm the following day by using the code, ‘Dodgerswin’ in the Panda Express app for any Dodgers home win.

  • McDonald’s: When the Dodgers score six runs, regardless of at home or away, we can receive a free six-piece chicken nuggets with the purchase of any size fries. Must have McDonald’s App to redeem.

  • Jack in the Box: A free Jumbo Jack with the purchase of a large Coca-Cola in the Jack App with the code ‘GODODGERS24’ when the Dodgers strikeout seven opponents.

  • ampm: A free hotdog when the Dodgers steal a base at Dodger Stadium through the ampm app.

OPENINGS

• 🥙 WESTWOOD: House of Mandi just had their grand opening in Westwood after their successful soft-opening on March 15th. This Yemeni eatery might be familiar to some as it is considered one of the top-restaurants down the road in Anaheim.

  • House of Mandi offers signature mandi dishes meant for sharing.

  • A group of three or four diners can enjoy a main dish, smaller items, and drinks for less than one-hundred dollars; dishes range from $26 - $35.

  • Notable dishes include the Hrada of Seltah, a flavorful vegetable stew, and the shafoot, a refreshing chilled yogurt dip.

  • House of Mandi is located near the corners of Gayley and Kinross Avenues.

  • 🇾🇪Middle Eastern: Mandi, Arabic

  • 🕰️ Daily: 11:00am - 11:00pm | 📜 Menu

  • 💻️ Website | 📸 Instagram | ⭐️ Yelp |📍Map

• 📖 READ FURTHER: Restaurant review: House of Mandi unites Bruins with homey atmosphere, shareable food, via The Daily Bruin.

• 🇮🇹 MID-WILSHIRE: Andre’s Italian Restaurant, a cherished gem in LA’s dining scene for nearly six decades, has made a grand return in Mid-Wilshire’s iconic Dominguez-Wilshire Building.

  • Andre’s Italian Restaurant was previously located by the Original Farmers Market but can now be found in the former Eleven City Diner.

  • The restaurant has expanded and continues to serve its classic cafeteria-style service offering generous servings of spaghetti and lasagna. Future plans include gelato and al fresco dining.

  • Inside, diners can admire a mural chronicling Andre’s storied presence.

  • 🇮🇹 Italian: Cafeteria Style | 📜 Menu

  • 🕰️ Tuesday - Sunday: 11:00am - 7:30pm

  • 💻️ Website | 📸 Instagram | ⭐️ Yelp |📍Map

• 📖 READ FURTHER: Fifty-five year old classic Italian restaurant Andre’s has reopened in Mid-Wilshire, via Eater: Los Angeles.

• 🍜 KOREATOWN: N2 Pink just opened in Koreatown over the weekend. The name N2 Pink represents the heart of Koreatown on 3rd Street.

  • N2 Pink puts a focus on yen ta fo, a Bangkok popularity of a soup that is stuffed with seafood with the addition of hot pink broth and fermented red tofu.

  • The noodle eatery also serves up colorful and tasty-looking dishes that are comprised of boat noodles, pork belly sticky rice, and salted egg yolk fried shrimp.

  • 🇰🇷 Korean: Tofu, Soup, Seafood, Noodles

  • 🕰️ Daily: 11:00am - 11:00pm | 📜 Menu

  • 📸 Instagram | ⭐️ Yelp |📍Map

• 📖 MORE INFORMATION: More information, and continual updates, provided by Koreatown LA Directory.

• 🧆 WESTFIELD CENTURY CITY: Rumi’s Kitchen, the Atlanta-based Persian restaurant, is expanding to Westfield Century City. Recently applying for a liquor license within the shopping center, the eatery, helmed by chef Ali Mesghali, offers a diverse menu of Persian dishes including labne, fattoush, shirazi, falafel, hummus, various kabobs, sides, and desserts like baklava and ice cream. This new location marks a return to the chef’s roots in the City of Angels. The opening date for the new restaurant remains unannounced.

• 💁 OPENING REMINDERS: Here are some restaurants that have recently opened since they have been blurbed about on CuratedLA:

  • Azizam: Persian | Silver Lake

    • 323-928-2286

    • 2943 W Sunset Blvd, 90026

    • Mon: 5p - 10p | Sun - Thu: 12p - 10p

    • Official Website | Instagram | Yelp

  • Duchess: American | DTLA

    • 213-536-5122

    • 312 W Olympic Boulevard, 90015

    • Mon - Thu: 7:30a - 9p | Fri + Sat: 7:30a - 3:00a

    • Sun: 7:30 - 8:00pm

    • Order Online | Instagram | Yelp

  • Petitgrain Boulangerie: Bakery | Santa Monica

    • 424-229-5155

    • 1209 Wilshire Blvd, 90403

    • Wed - Sun: 8a - 4p

    • Official Website | Instagram | Yelp

BIG BRANDS

• 🍟 MCDONALD’S: With many McDonald’s customers concerned about their wallets (we all are), the company has announced that they are venturing into the strong possibility of introducing five-dollar value meals.

  • These meals would feature a choice of a McChicken or a McDouble, with McNuggets, fries, and a drink.

  • McDonald’s prices have soared by nearly 100% since 2014.

  • This strategic play comes off of CEO Chris Kempczinski’s promise to prioritize affordability for customers of the golden arches.

  • The most recent Q1 sales saw a two-percent increase in sales.

  • Currently, the price of a McDouble is $3.65.

• 📖 READ FURTHER: McDonald’s is responding to sky-high fast food prices by rolling out a much cheaper value meal: report, via Entrepreneur.

EVENTS

Submit your event

TRENDING

BIG LIST OF EVENTS

ACTIVITIES

• 🎨 VENICE: The 45th Annual Venice Family Clinic Art Walk + Auction continues until this Sunday in Venice. The exhibition will showcase works by established, mid-career, and emerging artists at 910 Abbot Kinney.

  • Online viewing and bidding takes place at: bonhams.com/veniceartwalk. Proceeds from art sales support the Clinic’s innovative health care services for over 45,000 people across the Santa Monica Mountains to the South Bay.

  • A private celebration for artists, collectors, and Clinic supporters is scheduled for this Friday, followed by an extended post-auction exhibition until next Saturday, May 25th.

  • Notable artists featured include Ed Ruscha, Larry Bell, Ed Moses, Arthur Jafa, Alison Saar, Kenny Scharf, Jordan Wolfson, and Patrisse Cullors.

• 💎 BEVERLY HILLS: Join the city of Beverly Hills and its Community Services Department for the Spring Beverly Hills Art Show this Saturday, May 18th and Sunday, May 19th. Held in Beverly Gardens Park, this bi-annual extravaganza features exceptional works by 235 artists across eleven categories, including painting, sculpture, ceramics, and photography. Visitors can explore four blocks of artistic brilliance, enjoy gourmet food trucks, and unwind in the beer and wine garden while listening to music. With a rich history spanning over fifty years, the Beverly Hills Art Show remains a beloved community event, attracting over 40,000 visitors over the weekend.

  • 💻️ Official Website | 📸 Instagram

COMMUNITY

• 🦥 GO SLOTH-LIKE SLOW ON PCH: California’s transportation leaders recently unveiled the Go Safely PCH campaign in Malibu last week., aimed at reducing fatalities and injuries along the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH).

  • The comprehensive safety initiative includes strategies such as increased traffic enforcement, enhanced infrastructure, and a public awareness campaign.

  • Key elements involve Caltrans investing $4.2 million for lane separators, crosswalk striping, speed limit markings, and bike lanes from the McClure Tunnel in Santa Monica to the Ventura County line.

  • Take the Pledge to save lives on Pacific Coast Highway.

• 📖 READ FURTHER: Go Safely PCH Initiative launched to enhance safety on Coastal Highway, via Santa Monica Mirror.

  • 📚️ AND FURTHER: Santa Monica working with state and local partners to improve safety on Pacific Coast Highway, via City of Santa Monica.

• 🚨 FREEWAY CLOSURES START TODAY: Caltrans will be closing parts of the 2 Freeway and 5 Freeway connector ramps in Los Angeles starting tonight. The closures will impact the next three of our evenings.

  • NB ROUTE 2 + NB I-5: Tonight 7:00pm - tomorrow morning 6:00am:

    • Northbound State Route 2 Connector to NB I-5.

  • NB ROUTE 2 + NB I-5: Tuesday night 7:00pm - Wednesday morning 6:00am:

    • Northbound State Route 2 Connector to NB I-5.

  • SB I-5 + NB ROUTE 2: Tuesday night 7:00pm - Wednesday morning 5:00am:

    • SB I-5 to Northbound State Route 2.

  • SB ROUTE 2 + SB I-5: Wednesday night 11:00pm - Thursday morning 5:00am:

    • Southbound State Route 2 to SB I-5.

  • Crews will also replace the metal beam guardrail during this project. The estimated total cost of the project is $15.9 million, and it is expected to be completed either in the winter of 2026 or 2027. Drivers are advised to plan for extra travel time while the closures are in effect.

• 🍉 WATERMELON BEAR: A hungry bear helped itself to a refreshing snack from a family’s fridge in La Cañada Flintridge over the weekend, watch above via abc7’s YouTube.

• 🐶 WEST HOLLYWOOD: Community members gathered at Williams S Hart Park on De Longpre Avenue for a public art dedication event, celebrating the installation of the Rainbow Neon Dog. WeHo Arts Manager Rebecca Ehemann introduced Mayor John Erickson, who humorously referenced the neon art’s occasional slow rotation. Although the dog doesn’t spin, its radiant presence at the historic park is undeniable. Council members Chelsea Byers and Lauren Meister also attended, and community members received custom pins shaped like the neon art as mementos.

• 🚇️ SPRING VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEETING: A virtual community meeting is taking place today from 12:00pm to 1:00pm to discuss the Sepulveda Transit Corridor. Another meeting also takes place tomorrow, in-person, from 5:30pm - 7:30pm at the Westwood United Methodist Church in Westwood.

  • The natural barrier created by the Santa Monica Mountains makes traveling between the Valley and the Westside complex and challenging. It will require innovation and multiple solutions. Metro is working to evaluate alternatives for a high-quality, reliable transit service option connecting the San Fernando Valley and the Westside.

  • 🔗 MEETING LINK: The virtual meeting is to take place using this Zoom Link. Call-in Number: +1-669-900-6833 | Webinar ID: 848 5610 6007

    • 🖥️ VIRTUAL MEETING INVITATION: Sepulveda Transit Corridor - Spring Virtual Community Meeting, via Metro.net.

    • 🤝 IN-PERSON MEETING INVITATION: Invitation to Sepulveda Transit Corridor - In-Person Spring Community Meeting at Westwood United Methodist Church, via Metro.net.

• 📖 READ FURTHER: Sepulveda Transit Corridor Project, via Metro Projects.

DEVELOPMENT

• 🚇️ SANTA BARBARA X METROLINK: The Santa Barbara County Association of Governments is spearheading a commuter rail service initiative that will bridge Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.

  • The plan, unveiled in a recent meeting, outlines the introduction of a new early-morning Metrolink trip from Moorpark to Goleta, with a mid-morning return journey extending to Los Angeles Union Station, and an afternoon return via an existing Amtrak Pacific Surfliner.

  • This is a collaborative financial effort between local government bodies and could see an extension based on its initial success.

  • With federal funding on the horizon after a three-year run, the program’s approval could see the new service operational by October, marking a significant milestone in the region’s public transportation network.

• 📖 READ FURTHER: Santa Barbara agency asks for agreement for launch of Metrolink service, via Trains.com.

  • 📚️ AND FURTHER: New Metrolink commuter rail service from Moorpark to Goleta presented Wednesday, via KEYT.

  • 📚️ AND FURTHER: Officials on track to bring Metrolink Train Service from Ventura County to Santa Barbara, Goleta, via Noozhawk.

• 🏡 HOLLYWOOD HILLS: A Hollywood Hills duplex dating back to the early 20th century may soon give way to new small lot homes. Property owner and applicant David Hu has submitted plans to the Los Angeles Department of City Planning for a project on N. Holly Drive. The proposal involves subdividing the property to create up to five single-family homes, each reaching a height of thirty-four feet and featuring three bedrooms. Gibbs Architects is designing the three-story buildings, arranged in a row, with ground-floor garages and rooftop decks. The project site, situated just north of the US-101 Freeway and one block east of Cahuenga Boulevard, is less than half a mile from the iconic Hollywood Bowl.

• 📖 READ FURTHER: Five small lot houses planned at 2048 N. Holly Drive in Hollywood Hills, via Urbanize Los Angeles.

• 🏡 CHINATOWN: Chinatown is set to transform with a proposed mixed-use on North Main Street. The project aims to replace an existing parking lot with two buildings, one seven stories and the other ranging from two to four stories. The East Phase will feature 124 residential units across various configurations, alongside substantial commercial space, while the West Phase focuses on commercial offerings. A community care facility will provide essential services, including skill training and healthcare, complemented by retail spaces serving the neighborhood. Designed to serve lower-income households, the development will integrate with the California Endowment campus via a pedestrian pathway. The design showcases a light, neutral color scheme with materials like stone and plaster, and includes terraces and balconies for private outdoor spaces.

BUSINESS

• 🌐 MILKEN GLOBAL CONFERENCE: Beverly Hills was jam-packed this past week with the world’s leading innovators, all brought together by Santa Monica’s own Milken Institute for their 2024 Global Conference. This year’s theme was Shaping a Shared Future, with a focus on geopolitical challenges to the power of artificial intelligence.

  • Alphabetical notable speakers, with respective session replays:

    • Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan, A Conversation.

    • President Bill Clinton, Founder and Board Chair of the Clinton Foundation; Shaping a Shared Future.

    • Thasunda Brown Duckett, President & CEO, TIAA; Financial Industry Leaders Revolutionizing America’s Retirement Landscape.

    • Arvind Krishna, Chairman and CEO, IBM; Leading in the Generative AI Revolution.

    • President Iván Duque Márquez, 33rd President of Colombia, Rewriting the Rules of Global Conversation.

    • Elon Musk, Co-Founder and Technoking at Tesla and Owner at X Holdings Corp; A Conversation.

    • Kerry Washington, Actress, Producer, and Director: Founder, Simpson Street; Author, ‘Thicker than Water: A Memoir;’ Creating Content That Matters.

    • All recorded sessions and their program details can be found here. 🐇 I did my best to showcase those sessions that were of both general public interest and sessions that limited/refrained from political statements. We at CuratedLA do not understand politics or morbidity.

• 📖 READ FURTHER: Milken Institute Global Conference: 2024 Highlights, via Yahoo Finance.

• 🥬 SWEETGREEN: Sweetgreen saw its shares soar by 35% following a revenue triumph that exceeded Wall Street’s expectations, leading to an uplifted full-year forecast.

  • Sweetgreen reported $158 million dollars in revenue, significant leap from the $125.1 million of the previous year and surpassing the $152 million London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) consensus estimate. This surge is mirrored in the company’s stock, which has impressively climbed 189% thus far YTD.

  • Sweetgreen recently announced recent menu expansion to include meat options and also announced are the deployment of the Infinite Kitchen robotic technology, enhancing efficiency in their restaurants.

  • 🏢 HQ: Cienega |💲NYSE:SG 

    • 🔎 Built In LA Profile | 📸 Instagram | 💼 LinkedIn

• 📖 READ FURTHER: Sweetgreen shares soar 35% after company beats revenue expectations, via CNBC.

ENTERTAINMENT

HEADLINES

• 🏢 OFFICE REBOOT UPDATE: Peacock has officially greenlit a fresh iteration of The Office, not as a reboot or spinoff, but as a new mockumentary show set in the same universe. The official logline reveals that the documentary crew, famous for immortalizing Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton branch, now seeks a new subject: a dying historic Midwestern newspaper and its publisher’s efforts to revive it with volunteer reporters. Domhnall Gleeson and Sabrina Impacciatore lead the ensemble cast, with production scheduled to begin in July. Greg Daniels, co-creator of the original American version, collaborates with Michael Koman on this comedic storytelling venture. The series promises fresh characters and laughs, bridging the gap between nostalgia and new audiences.

• 👨‍🦱 MIKE POSNER: At the Hollywood & Mind Summit’s closing session this past week in Beverly Hills, Mike Posner reflected on his journey from a chart-topping artist with hits like Cooler Than Me to a Grammy-nominated songwriter for I Took a Pill in Ibiza, and how fame led to a personal crisis. Now thirty-six, Posner has emerged from a self-reflective odyssey that included climbing Mount Everest and a cross-country trek, with a newfound focus on mental and physical health. His candid revelations at the event, which brought together nearly fifty experts from the entertainment industry and mental health field, underscored the importance of wellness in the high-pressure world of showbiz.

  • Takeaways from Posner’s insights:

    • The Power of Disillusion: ‘The things that I wanted, the fame and the money…the popularity, I thought they would change my life. But they didn’t. So if not, when? And that’s what the second chapter about my life was about.’

    • The Power of No: ‘You can always say no. If you feel like you can’t say no, you need to learn to say no.’ 

    • Get Away From Social Media: Posner writes Instagram captions that he wants, and then shares those captions with his team. He indicates that he does not have the social media apps themselves on his phone, which has helped combat trolls. ‘I [don’t] read the comments…I don’t have the apps on my phone…these things are a bit addictive. And that’s why the algorithms work. It really loves the drama of someone saying something nasty…depression, negative thoughts, cynicism, and self-pity have a truly addictive nature to them. I no longer want those [elements] to be vessels that control my life.'

  • 📖 READ FURTHER: Mike Posner serves up invaluable advice at Second Annual Hollywood & Mind Summit, via Billboard.

SPORTS

• 🧢 DODGERS: Shohei Ohtani was removed after his fourth at-bat due to back tightness against the Padres on Friday. L.A. manager Dave Roberts expressed minimal concern but indicated that Ohtani would likely sit out Sunday’s series finale as a precautionary measure. The Dodgers secured a 5-0 victory, with starter James Paxton delivering an impressive performance.

CU WEDNESDAY, LA!