Time Out Los Angeles news

It’s been a whirlwind year for new restaurants and dishes to try, but 2018 had even more newness up its sleeve than the onslaught of openings: Some of L.A.’s older, most notable spots hit the refresh button this year, sometimes flipping concepts entirely, sometimes adding as much as a new wing to their space. It can be a struggle for restaurants to compete with exciting new restaurants and trends flooding the market, but chefs are also a restless breed: If they’re not holding themselves to the whims of the local dining scene, they’re often challenging themselves in a constant, personal one-up to push for better quality and guest experience. The result? Revamps that flipped the script and made us take note—or fall in love with a restaurant even more. Maude For three-or-so years, Maude’s tasting menu rotated monthly, each iteration focusing on a single ingredient. By the time Curtis Stone and his team flipped the concept in January of this year, they estimated they’d generated 1,000 unique dishes. And while there’s something appealing about the creative churn of a monthly menu focused on, say, something like peas or corn, we’re partial to the new and improved Maude. Four times a year, Stone now whisks us to a wine region as close as Santa Cruz or as distant as his homeland of Australia to bring us truffle-topped lasagnas, peach-fermented spot prawns and goat-butter–warmed vegetables. In 2018, his team—and by proxy, diners—traveled through La Rioja, Spain; Burgundy, France;

You can play fetch with a frog-cat, fend off a ferocious beast with a flashlight and steal a lost pearl from a vengeful temple guardian. Listing off such “where else could you do these?” sorts of experiences feels like a trope when talking about virtual reality, but, seriously, where else could you do these outside of the boundless, ever-evolving worlds of Dreamscape Immersive? Dreamscape, which opens its first storefront today, creates grand virtual reality encounters that allow visitors to literally step into the narrative. The Westfield Century City space debuts with three 12-minute productions running (Alien Zoo, Lavan’s Magic Projector: The Lost Pearl and The Blu: Deep Rescue), and plans to add a fourth by next spring. // (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = 'https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v3.2'; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); // Lavan's Magic Projector A virtual reality experience like no other. Explore right here in LA. Get showtimes 👉 bit.ly/visitdreamscape Posted by Dreamscape on Wednesday, December 5, 2018   Unlike VR arcades, Dreamscape aims to set itself apart with its cinematic ambitions: Cofounder Walter Parkes has produced sci-fi standards like Men in Black and Minority Report and held top positions at Amblin and DreamWorks; Hans

The holiday season means togetherness, presents and warming, themed cocktails, but throughout South America and the North American Southwest, you’d better believe it also means tamales—copious, heaping piles of tamales. You can find these masa-based meals in L.A. throughout the year—steamed in their sleeves of corn husks or banana leaves—but around Christmastime, the tradition is ever-present: Vendors pop up on corners otherwise bereft of tamal stands the rest of the year, while some of the city’s most notable chefs and restaurants offer seasonal catering for the item. Families and friends gather for tamaladas at home, hand-making their own batches. The dish bears religious symbolism, as a staple of the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, but we’re just thrilled to have an excuse to indulge any day. Stuffings, wraps and salsas vary by region, all making for their own take on the tamal. Chichen Itza’s Yucatán variety leans vaporcitos, long and flat and encased in banana leaf; at Guelaguetza, find theirs thick and blanketed by a Oaxacan mole negro. Peruvian chef Ricardo Zarate, who runs the kitchen of Rosaliné, makes tamales like you’ve never had before. “I call it Juane tamale,” he says.  Photograph: Stephanie Breijo Technically, on the menu of his West Hollywood restaurant, it’s the Juane de Chancho: a tamal-adjacent dish that traditionally stuffs a massive banana leaf with rice, masa, olives and egg. But in the kitchen of Zarate, a Lima native, he reimagines this Pe

Hey savvy shoppers! Los Angeles is full of incredible deals, if you know where to find them. We’re here to help with a weekly list of all the best sample sales across the city. This is the info you’ve been searching for—who has the best deals of the week, when and where to nab them, exactly what you’ll find at each sale and whether you need to bring cash or plastic. So check in each week to stay on trend and in the black—your wardrobe and wallet will thank you. Who: Heidi Merrick To celebrate the 12 days of Christmas, the Los Angeles-based (and beach inspired) designer is offering a different deal daily leading up to the holiday. There’ll be surprise discounts, gifts with purchase and more. Follow along on Instagram to check for the current offering. Where: online When: through Dec 24 Who: Building Block The chic L.A. accessories brand has slashed prices on AW18 pieces by 30 percent, which you can take advantage of online or in their Chinatown storefront. Merchandise is (understandably) moving fast but last we checked there are still a few round wristlet bags, belt packs, card sleeves and more to choose from—just in time for the holidays. Where: 970 N Broadway, Unit 104 and online When: while stock lasts Who: Creatures of Comfort Because the stylish retailer is shuttering all stores, shoppers can save 50 percent on edgy-cool pieces in their Silver Lake shop as well as online (though the brand tells us there’s a long wait time on shipping, FYI), including denim

We’re no stranger to odd sightings in the sky in L.A.: rocket launches, military test fires and omnipresent LAPD helicopters. But Thursday night into Friday morning, you’ll be able to spot a celestial phenomenon that doesn’t involve any aircraft. The Geminid meteor shower, one of the most dependable such occurrences, will peak tonight. The shooting stars are actually pieces of dust from a rocky object dubbed 3200 Phaethon, according to NASA. As the debris passes through our atmosphere each December, we’re graced with a reliably active meteor shower. The moon sets just after 10:30pm on Thursday night, and after that you should be able to start spotting meteors, likely between 30 to 40 per hour. Look up at a 45-degree angle and the Geminids should be visible in any direction, with peak viewing conditions between 1 and 2am, according to the American Meteor Society. There’s good news and bad news for Angelenos. The good: We’re only a few degrees north of the 30th parallel, where the best vantage point to see the Geminids is expected. The bad news: L.A.’s sprawling light pollution blots out much of the night sky. That said, we do have some excellent less-polluted locations nearby. Website Dark Site Finder lists Mojave National Preserve and Joshua Tree National Park as optimal spots. But if you don’t want to drive that far, you’ll find satisfyingly dark skies in L.A.’s mountainous regions, most accessibly in the Santa Monica Mountains, parts of the Palos Verdes Peninsula and alo

In January, Lawrence Longo sat down at a table in Connie and Ted’s, opened the camera on his phone and hit record. “It’s 2018 and I’m gonna be the L.A. burger king,” he says straight to the lens, then tackles the restaurant’s Hook Burger. His verdict? “Don’t come and get the seafood, come and get the burger.” It’s been a meaty year for Longo. While he’s professionally known as a partner in the forthcoming Burgers Never Say Die pop-up–turned–restaurant and the entrepreneur behind the app Off the Menu Club, he’s become more recognizable as “the guy who eats a burger every day.” There’s good reason for that. Longo’s 20,000-plus Instagram followers tune in to his @bigshot account and watch live as he eats his way through L.A.’s food scene, where he scores notable, cult-classic and audience-recommended burgers on a points scale and provides a breakdown of every patty between buns that crosses his path. He’s tried the slider at Doheny Room. He’s ordered the off-menu burger with tofu buns at Matsuhisa. He’s eaten three separate burgers at Umami, the lamb burger at Badmaash and the Meatzilla burger that’s sandwiched between pizza buns. Longo’s eaten his way through stalwarts like Pie ’N Burger and Canter’s, as well as newer options like the stacks from Trois Familia, Malibu Burger Co. and 189 by Dominique Ansel. View this post on Instagram Burger Review (full episode on #igtv ) @sawyersilverlake 🍔. Also please be aware that the bun I am ea

Disney fans with a thirst for capital “A” Adventure(land) should start planning their journey to the theme park’s newest restaurant, which is set to open soon. At the top of the year, Disney surprise-announced the Tropical Hideaway, a market-style restaurant with a torch-lit patio that sits right along the edge of Adventureland’s beloved Jungle Cruise ride—and now we’ve finally got a first look at the space, courtesy of the Disney Parks Blog. While the full menu is still somewhat of a mystery, we do know that the new spot will offer steamed bao in at least three varieties (spiced vegetable, kaffir lime chicken, and bulgogi beef) in addition to chilled ramen salads, tropical-inspired snacks and, for dessert, fried pineapple lumpia that’s stuffed with pineapple and sweet cream cheese. Photograph: Courtesy Disneyland Resort/Joshua Sudock “This one-of-a-kind destination will be a popular rest stop for Adventureland locals and weary explorers alike,” the initial announcement read. “Guests will be able to rub elbows with their favorite skippers in an exotic traders’ market, featuring all of the sights, sounds and flavors of the tropics.” The new concept sports a name that’s likely a nod to the theme song of the adjacent Tiki Room—“Welcome to our tropical hideaway, you lucky people, you”—and, fittingly, there are Tiki Room birds and other bric-a-brac hung around the restaurant. Look for a few other nods to the attraction, such as small, labeled birdhouses found around th

Hey savvy shoppers! Los Angeles is full of incredible deals, if you know where to find them. We’re here to help with a weekly list of all the best sample sales across the city. This is the info you’ve been searching for—who has the best deals of the week, when and where to nab them, exactly what you’ll find at each sale and whether you need to bring cash or plastic. So check in each week to stay on trend and in the black—your wardrobe and wallet will thank you. Who: ban.do/Girlfriend Collective Cult favorite cheeky paper goods and accessories brand ban.do is transforming its Hollywood HQ into a full-on mall (complete with Auntie Anne’s pretzels!) just in time for holiday shopping. In addition to being able to score major discounts on its products—like 20 percent off planners and 12-month wall calendars, and a buy-more-save-more deal where when you spend $75 you can take 20 percent off, $100 take 25 percent off, and $150 take 30 percent off—there will be a ton of other vendors offering individual discounts. Sustainable activewear brand Girlfriend Collective is one such vendor, and they’ll be bringing along some samples to shop at slashed prices. Where: 1110 N Beachwood Dr When: Dec 8, 9 10am–4pm Who: Building Block The chic L.A. accessories brand has slashed prices on AW18 pieces by 30 percent, which you can take advantage of online or in their Chinatown storefront. Merchandise is (understandably) moving fast but last we checked there are still a few round wristlet b

If you’ve been meaning to live out your on-the-rails wanderlust dreams but have never made it farther than a few Metro stops away, Amtrak is allowing you and a friend to cozy up in a compartment at a steep discount. The national passenger railroad service is offering a buy one get one deal on its roomettes. These narrow but private compartments house two seats that essentially convert into bunk beds for long haul trips. Each Amtrak promo fare also includes meals, bottled water, soap and shower amenities (for a nearby restroom and shower), towels and linens, and turn-down and coffee service. Photograph: Courtesy Amtrak   Amtrak says the promo, which runs January 7 through May 23, 2019, is valid for select destinations. Here in L.A., we’ve found the most notable BOGO rates departing from Union Station on the Coast Starlight (which, despite its name, only really hugs the coast through Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties). While you’ll save half off the normal price of a roomette, keep in mind that these promo fares are still roughly double the cost of two tickets at Amtrak’s cheapest service tier. Note that if you’re just looking for a quick taste of that roomette life, you won’t find the seating option on Amtrak’s popular short-distance Pacific Surfliner. You could take the Coast Starlight to the Bay Area, but the $183 price tag for the nearly 12-hour trip (we know, crazy, right?) doesn’t seem like the most efficient use of the fare. Instead, consider booking a trip on

L.A.’s most iconic doughnut shop is already a screen star, with appearances in the likes of Mars Attacks!, Coming to America and Futurama, but on Monday, Randy’s Donuts is finally—literally—making its way to Hollywood. Situated at the bottom of the Hollywood & Highland complex, the newest outpost of Inglewood’s famed sweet spot is set to open at 8am right at the center of the action on Hollywood Boulevard. The new doughnut shop sits right along the Walk of Fame, so in addition to the regular roster of fluffy, yeasty, secret-recipe glazed and iced doughnuts that’ve made Randy’s a favorite since 1953, the Hollywood location will also offer an exclusive-to-this-spot Hollywood Star doughnut. (And yes, you’ll also find the fritters and the stuffed varieties and cake doughnuts, too.) The new spot joins a few satellite locations in Randy’s recent push to expand: a stall in Westfield Century City and a shop at the base of El Segundo’s Apollo Landing. The latest won’t feature an exact replica of Inglewood’s legendary, hole-y doughnut sign visible from the 405 (and probably from space), but instead, guests of the Hollywood store will pass through an 18-foot-wide doughnut-shaped entrance. Inside, there’s a pop-culture collage that depicts famous film, TV and art moments that featured the OG location, which, we’re betting, should be good for a photo op—you’re in prime tourism territory anyway; might as well lean in. Pro tip: If the lines are too massive, you can always order ahead wit