Things to do in L.A. this weekend

The masters of alfresco rooftop movie viewing have returned, with both a Santa Monica drive-in and a new rooftop in El Segundo.

Originally displayed at San Fransisco’s Alcatraz penitentiary, “Trace” displays portraits of activists and prisoners of conscience made from millions of LEGO bricks. The L.A. edition of artist Ai Weiwei’s installation includes 83 of the original 176 portraits, as well as a gold-colored wallpaper composition, entitled The Animal That Looks Like a Llama But Is Really an Alpaca.

Make up for a year of missed celebrations with this joyous installation in Grand Park. The free, month-long display from web radio collective dublab, artist Tanya Aguiñiga and curator Mark “Frosty” McNeill is blanketing the Downtown L.A. park in a series of five visual and audio pieces.

L.A.’s favorite cemetery screening series has left gravestones behind for now, but it’s been resurrected as a drive-in just outside of the Greek Theatre. Expect some familiar Cinespia fixtures at each screening, including DJs, a concession stand and meals that you can pre-order.

The prolific singer-songwriter finds room for lo-fi garage-rock riffs and acoustic strums at his shows, sometimes performed solo and at other times with the backing of his many associated bands.

For this streaming show, Segall and his band perform from Occidental College’s Remsen Bird Hillside Theater, an amphitheater in the hills of Eagle Rock.

NeueHouse Hollywood flips its third-floor terrace into an alfresco comedy club during this Friday night series. The 21-plus show on May 14 includes sets from Scotty Cav, Doug Benson, Eleanor Kerrigan, Caroline Rhea, Orny Adams, James Davis and Kennelia. Like a proper comedy club, there’s a two-drink minimum—which we suggest pairing with some tacos and margs from the Broken Spanish pop-up while you’re there.

Silver Lake’s Jewel plays host to this pop-up marketplace, with handmade, sustainable wares from over 20 vendors, as well as a DJ set from Matcab and, of course, food from the vegan-friendly cafe.

The series presents one of its last drive-in screenings before flipping back to outdoor movies with a showing of Jurassic Park at King Gillette Ranch.

See more than 100 works pulled from the archives of Judson Studios, L.A.’s celebrated 123-year-old glass studio, in this examination of its collaborations with contemporary artists pushing the boundaries of art glass.

Travel a few millennia back in time to see jewelry, sculptures and cuneiform writing from the ancient Sumerians, Babylonians, and Assyrians. The objects on loan from the Louvre are broken up into three galleries, each themed to a different “first”—cities, writings and kings—and filled with items that date from the initial Mesopotamian cities in about 3200 B.C. to Alexander the Great’s conquest of Babylon in 331 B.C. Timed reservations are currently required to visit the Getty Villa (and do note that you may have a brief wait when moving between the exhibition’s limited-capacity galleries).

Not quite ready to eat inside of a restaurant? Here are some of our favorite spots for alfresco eats in L.A.

You’ve eaten through two bags of beans and six cans of chickpeas. Now what? You leave it to some of the city’s top restaurants and bars, who are making your social distancing as painless as possible.

Some of L.A.’s best restaurants and bars have your back when you need a stiff drink at home. Restaurants and bars can now deliver alcohol to your door—whether it’s craft beer, wine or house-made cocktails—as long as they’re offering food, which means we can finally sip from some of our favorite spots in town from the comfort of our own couches.

Cinephiles, rejoice! You can watch a movie from somewhere other than your couch at L.A.’s half-dozen or so old-school drive-ins.

Alfresco screenings usually pop up across the city well past the summer season. But this year, with most screenings pivoting to drive in formats, it seems like we still have months of movies to look forward to.

Finally, our automobile-addicted culture has an upside: You can see some of L.A.’s most stunning scenery safely from your car window.

We’re so thankful that we have access to some many incredible trails in L.A. (assuming you’re following proper social distancing guidelines and wearing a face covering).

If your neighborhood isn’t conducive to walking and you’re looking for a wide-open outdoor space, most major gardens are open again. Do note that tickets are limited and must be purchased online. And remember to keep a safe distance from other visitors.

Most of our favorites are back open again—with a bunch of new exhibitions worth visiting.