Jessica Koslow

Jun 18 2026

Food

Kick Off at the Coast: World Cup match-day sand sculptures and dining + attraction deals

Sometimes being called a hidden gem is a compliment. Other times, being hidden is not the goal.

Take Marina del Rey, for instance.

“Marina del Rey is oftentimes thought of as a hidden gem,” said Janet Zaldua, CEO of Marina del Rey Tourism, “and we don’t want to be so hidden anymore.”

This sentiment rings especially true now that FIFA World Cup 2026 has landed at its doorstep. Marina del Rey is 20 minutes from SoFi Stadium, where eight matches will be held through July 10.

“I’ve been involved with the visitor experiences committee of the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board,” explained Zaldua. “We heard from LA Sports & Entertainment Commission about what folks can do to participate. There was a lot of talk about how this is going to bring a lot of energy to Los Angeles. We didn’t want to be on the sidelines.” . . .

Read the entire article at The Argonaut.

Jun 18 2026

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Dance

Funky Cold Medina: Innovative LA choreographer showcased at Dance at the Odyssey

During a krump dance session a few weeks ago, a member of the Demolition Crew stepped into the cypher. It was the anniversary of his mom’s passing. As he started to freestyle, he immediately broke down in tears. In moments, everybody was crying.

“It was powerful,” shared Ricky Medina, a member of the Demolition Crew and one of the featured choreographers at Odyssey Theatre Ensemble’s “Summer Edition” of Dance at the Odyssey, running June 20 through July 5. His work, “Mighty Praise,” includes krump, house, hip-hop dance, breaking, popping and waacking.

“Some people have this perception that krump is angry and aggressive, and then you see somebody—this grown man—emoting in a way that expresses sorrow, and it’s beautiful,” he relayed. “That’s something that people don’t get to see about the street dance community if you’re not in it. For me, krump and spirituality go hand in hand. Krump has a deep history and culture around spirituality. To be able to show that on stage is a privilege.” . . .

Read the entire article at The Argonaut.

Jun 18 2026

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Food

Golden Hour Every Day: Hotel June’s new Caravan Cantina is a Baja-inspired taqueria + bar

Hotel June is perfectly located in LA. It’s just minutes from LAX and also near to Venice, Marina del Rey, Playa Vista and Santa Monica on one side and SoFi Stadium, Intuit Dome and the Kia Forum on the other.

Since June 2020, when it took over the 1960s modernist white tower then occupied by the Custom Hotel and originally designed by architect Welton Becket — whose firm is also responsible for the Capitol Records Building and the Beverly Hilton — Hotel June’s restaurant (and bar and pool) has slowly become a neighborhood spot on the Westside.

Its latest launch, Caravan Cantina is a full re-concept of its previous restaurant, Caravan Swim Club, into a Baja-inspired taqueria and bar, and it may be just what the locals ordered. . . .

Read the entire article at The Argonaut.

Jun 11 2026

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Food

It’s a Sweet World: Nosh on international desserts at New York Bagel Deli

When Lenny Rosenberg and Adaeze Nwanonyiri first met in 2013 at a private event in Malibu, it did not take long for them to imagine a future together. Nwanonyiri discussed her love of design, and Rosenberg relayed his affinity for food and baking.

“We wanted to learn more about each other’s passions,” said Nwanonyiri, who now handles the aesthetics, interior and exterior, of the couple’s two shops: New York Bagel Deli & Bakery in Santa Monica and New York Bagel Deli (NYBD) Mar Vista, which just changed ownership on May 13.

When NYBD co-founder Brian Gruntz decided to retire, the married restaurateurs purchased the business. They took over the Santa Monica location in February 2025 and agreed to buy the Mar Vista store the following year. . . .

Read the entire article at The Argonaut.

Jun 11 2026

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Dance

Inside the Mind: The Realm Company’s latest dances around mental illness

It is a classic rule of writing: Write what you know.

The second half of The Realm Company’s latest show, “Wires & Whispers: Identity Under Pressure,” which will be performed at USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance starting on June 20, takes the audience inside the mind of main character Harry Louis. A preview performance will be held at the Westside Black Box Theatre on Santa Monica on June 14.

The piece, choreographed by Realm’s founder Chasen Greenwood, is, in a way, a conversation about mental illness. The dancers in the story are an extension of Harry’s mind: a depressive performer, one on a manic high and the mediator who keeps him just level enough. . . .

Read entire entire article at The Argonaut.

Jun 08 2026

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Music

Summer Under the Stars: When the sun goes down, these artists come out(doors)

Some of music’s biggest stars wait until summer to hit the outdoor stage, and LA is home to some of the most iconic and historic amphitheaters: Catch Beck at The Greek, Santana at The Bowl or Flamenco! at the Ford. The days are lighter longer, and the tunes sound sweeter against the backdrop of lush natural landscape, whether it’s the Hollywood Hills or Santa Monica Mountains. Here’s what’s playing from June 20 through October 31 . . .

Read the entire article at LA Downtown News.

Jun 08 2026

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Art

‘Handwork 2026’: Year-long initiative explores handmade American artforms

Earlier this year, while speaking with teachers at the National Art Education Association conference, Ann Ruhr Pifer learned that today’s students seem hungry for craft activities in a new, different and more intense way.

“One teacher said she had a bunch of art activities in her room, and all the students go for the sewing activity, especially the ninth-grade boys,” shared Pifer. “She didn’t see that coming. We talked about how we feel it’s a reaction against—or perhaps a counterbalance to—the pervasiveness of digital experience in their lives.”

As of January 2026, Pifer, along with Robyn Hollingshead, is the co-executive director of Craft in America, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit arts organization that promotes original handcrafted work through programs in all media. The group is responsible for 35 episodes of the Peabody Award-winning, Emmy-nominated documentary series, “Craft in America,” on PBS, a YouTube channel and multi-disciplinary educator guides. The Craft in America Center in Los Angeles hosts exhibitions, talks by artists and scholars, workshops and K-12 school tours. . . .

Read the entire article at LA Downtown News.

Jun 04 2026

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Lifestyle

The Ultimate Pre-Show: The Anthem is the first lifestyle hotel in the Stadium District

One late afternoon in mid-May, guests at The Anthem Hotel in Inglewood sat face-to-face with celebrity pop culture astrologer Kyle Thomas for complimentary astrology readings. It was part of the hotel’s ongoing #GRWM (Get Ready With Me) pre-concert activation; tonight was Lorde’s show next door at Kia Forum.

“One of the best things about The Anthem’s location is that guests are right in the middle of one of the most exciting entertainment districts in the country,” said The Anthem’s General Manager Ruben Flores. “We’re just steps from SoFi Stadium, Intuit Dome, Kia Forum and YouTube Theater, so guests can easily walk to major concerts, games and events. They can spend the night at a sold-out show or big game and then be back at the hotel, relaxing by the pool or rooftop just minutes later, which is not something you typically experience in LA.”

The Anthem is also about 10 minutes from LAX, making it ideal for visitors attending the 2026 FIFA World Cup, 2027 Super Bowl LXI and LA28 Olympic Games. . . .

Read the entire article at The Argonaut.

Jun 04 2026

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Musical

‘Right Here Right Now’: Free rock opera features The Nextdoors and Street Symphony

It’s time. Last July, Pasadena resident Russell Mark received an individual artist grant from the City of Pasadena Arts & Culture Commission to create a project that would benefit the greater community.

On June 6, Mark will premiere “Pasadena Right Here Right Now,” a live rock opera for our place and time, at Crown City Dance Theater at 7:30 p.m. free for all ages. Think “The Who’s Tommy” except this hyper-local work was inspired by the stories and lived experience of the people of Pasadena. Although the premiere of the original rock opera is a go, the No. 1 word Mark would use to describe the project is incomplete.

“We set out for this to be a rock opera of 2025-2026 Pasadena, and there’s 6 more months to go,” said Mark. “I feel like there’s a lot of people I have not managed to reach, seniors and college students, for example. I’ve certainly spoken to some people who are seniors and a couple of college students, but I would like to get more.” . . .

Read the entire article at Pasadena Weekly.

May 28 2026

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Lifestyle

It’s Time for Manzanar Baseball: Doubleheader honors America’s national pastime

Sometime around 5 p.m. on Sunday, May 17, a giant windstorm hit Manzanar National Historic Site, located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains just north of Lone Pine. To Dan Kwong, the winds felt like they were blowing 80 miles an hour. The dust was gusting sideways, and he could not see 10 feet in front of his face.

When the dirt settled, Kwong was able to see that much of his and his fellow volunteers’ hard work was smashed to the ground. In 2023, the staff of Manzanar National Historic Site announced it would rebuild its WWII baseball field, which was used when more than 11,000 Japanese Americans were forcibly incarcerated between 1942 and 1945. The newly finished announcer’s booth was still standing, but the storm had destroyed most of the fencing on the first base side.

“It was just heartbreaking,” Kwong said. “To watch it slowly give way and just, bam, smash down. It’s the third time we’ve had damage from wind, but this was just absolute obliteration. . . .

Read the entire article at The Argonaut.

A Running Commentary About the Arts