I’ve been thinking a lot about magic lately. Maybe it’s a survival mechanism because the times feel so dismal; maybe it’s because everyone I know is listening to The Telepathy Tapes and is equally buoyed and mystified by the idea of unknowable things; or maybe it’s because I was recently walking around the Silver Lake reservoir and saw a woman wearing a t-shirt that said “The World Needs Your Magic.” In any event, I’ve experienced magic in many forms over the years, and I think believing in it is a worthy way to go through life.
On a related note, my sister was in town recently and we found ourselves in the unenviable position of needing to find a place to eat at 9 pm on a Tuesday night in West Hollywood. After a couple of failed attempts—and thanks to her internet sleuthing—we called Sal’s Place. When I asked what time the kitchen closed, we were told we’d be taken care of when we got there.
It felt like walking through the wardrobe in the Chronicles of Narnia. Maitre d’ (and mascot of magic) Sam swept us into a bar tucked in a far corner of the restaurant where I was served a martini as big as my head. We were then escorted to a large round table fit for two queens. We dined on citrus salad, shrimp puttanesca, and salmon with brown rice (better than it sounds). Sam had us laughing all night and explained that Sal’s Place “winters” (sexy!) in Los Angeles, taking a vacation from their Provincetown home base. Our glasses were never empty and we were treated to dessert for nothing more than a belief in good vibes. To our shock, the restaurant is cash only, and while we were sans bills, we were told to just pay the next time we came. Jaws on the floor, we danced our way to an ATM and back, feeling alive in the crisp WeHo air. If you know me, you know there’s nothing I love more than a magical dining experience. I haven’t felt that sense of surprise in a long time. It reminded me that sometimes the best laid plans are no plans at all.
With that, I urge you to go find some magic of your own this month. If you do need a plan, might we suggest discovering the magical teachings of Corita Kent in the recently relocated center named after her (read more below), or go see some actual magic at the Magic Castle with this hack, if you’re clever. Go on a shopping spree at Spellbound Sky, do something Easter-y, or count down the days until the Jacarandas start blooming. Magic is around us; we just have to open our eyes. (But remember to keep some cash on hand, just in case.)
- Meredith Rogers
Cultural Events
The Room, Photo Courtesy of Wiseau-Films; Corita Kent Center, Photo: David Butow For The LA Times; Mona Hatoum, Hot Spot, 2013, Photo:Jörg Von Bruchhausen; Sam's Place, Photo:Jessie Clapp; ???; Tunde Adebimpe’s instagram;
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April 1 - “Thank You Very Much” Screening + Q&A (West LA) There is lots to be said about Andy Kaufman, but that’s due in part to the fact that you could never quite tell where the bit ended and reality began. As a relative Kaufman novice, I’m excited to see Alex Braverman’s new film — which won the documentary prize at the Venice Film Festival last year — and soak up the archival footage of a man pushing the limits creatively. (BK)
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April 2-6 - Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (Dorothy Chandler Pavilion) We love a good dance performance here at Loose Land. And when the greats come to town, we make sure to show up. I missed the Alvin Ailey retrospective at The Whitney in New York but I’ll never miss a chance to see his masterpiece, Revelations, an enduring classic performed to African American spirituals, gospel, and blues music. Itlasts 36 minutes and will have you dancing in the aisles and wiping your tears. If you can’t make it out to see it IRL, check out the 2021 documentary Ailey, directed by Jamila Wignot. (MR)
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April 13 - The St. Matthew Passion (First Congregational Church of Long Beach) I’m not saying that all of my classical music tastes have been determined by the movies, but I will say that I am more inclined to pay for classical music if I’ve heard it playing behind undulating seascapes or sublimated realities. There are exceptions, however, and foremost among these is my annual craving to hear Bach’s St. Matthew Passion every spring. Are there long languid stretches where you just hear spoken-word Bible verse in German? Hark ye when I say: ja warlich. But does it also have the power to overwhelm you by the sheer force of its beauty. Yea, verily. (DH)
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April 16 - Lunchtime Art Talk on Mona Hatoum (Hammer Museum) If you don’t work a 9-5, consider popping out and ingesting some culture for lunch. I’ve been meaning to do the lunchtime art talks at the Hammer for some time. I think I’ll start with this one on British-Palestinian artist Mona Hatoum. Hammer Curatorial Assistant Nyah Ginwright will walk us through Hatoum’s powerful work for a brief 30 minutes. Maybe I’ll grab a bite at Lulu afterward, if I’m still hungry. (MR)
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April 17 - Tunde Adebimpe (of TV on the Radio) (Zebulon) My favorite thing about April is not going to Coachella. But I still love to get in the spirit and see some live music while everyone is in the dez. This month I want to check out Tunde Adebimpe performing from his forthcoming solo album Thee Black Boltz. On top of going solo, Tunde’s been busy pursuing a career as a character actor. His creativity knows no bounds and I would be a Happy Idiot not to see it for myself. (MR)
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April 19 - DJ set with Ian Svenonius of ESCAPE-ISM (DADA ECHO PARK) You know those friends who seem to have the magic touch. My friend Christine is like that. When it comes to food, fashion, architecture and music, her taste is always impeccable. So when she opened DADA ECHO PARK in my old neighborhood, I was beyond thrilled. In true Dada fashion, she’s programmed a sexy line-up of DJs in the restaurant where killer cocktails and nibbles are served. Continuing with our plans for No-chella, we’ll be there to see author/filmmaker/musician Ian Svenonius of ESCAPE-ISM on the decks from 10pm-2am. Frankly, we can’t imagine someone more DADA. (MR)
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April 19 & 26 - Corita Art Center (Arts District) Corita Kent is one of many artists that figure into the creative legacy of Los Angeles. A nun and artist (known primarily for her screenprinting), Corita’s work investigates themes such as Christianity, advertising, and social justice. I love artists that straddle multiple worlds, and Corita Kent certainly fits the bill. (Loose Land fun fact: Corita Kent was the inspiration for our hand-cut logo.) The Corita Art Center recently moved to a new space in the Arts District, which is open to the public on Saturdays (but take care to reserve ahead). I can’t wait to see some of her work in person, as well as get out into the city and experience the self-guided view-finding tour. (BK)
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April 24-27 - TCM Classic Film Festival (Hollywood Theaters) The more time I spend re-watching films I already know I love via various streamers (some virtuous, others… less so), the more I find myself wanting to actually see those movies the way they were intended: on film, in theaters, and among other people. The TCM Classic Film Festival is a destination event for film fans looking to connect with their wider community, and we don’t even have to travel for it. Also, they’re showing The Wiz. (DH)
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April 25 - Tommy Wiseau in Person for The Room (Landmark Westwood) I’ve only been to one The Room screening (aided by several explainers about how to participate and why), but it was such a rapturous experience that I spent much of the following year writing and revising an academic-ish essay on the topic for which I received an unspeakably low dollar amount (where “dollar” would be an exaggeration). This movie is, in other words, divine — and any opportunity to see it is a blessing. Plus, the man behind “I already ordered a pizza,” “Oh, hi Mark,” and “You are tearing me apart!” will be there in person. (DH)
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April 26 - Wildfire Edit-a-Thon (Pasadena) As we exit the immediate aftermath of the fire, finding ways to offer support becomes a little more challenging. That’s why my history-and archive-loving soul lit up when I saw this opportunity to gather IRL to help Wikipedia document many of the places that were affected by the fires, which is essentially our collective memory at this point. This meetup is a tangible way to preserve the beloved school, coffee shop, or historical house that you are missing. (BK)
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April 26-27 - The Los Angeles Festival of Books (USC Campus) Book “events” often struggle to merit the term, but there’s a weird way in which the general scope (wide) and ambition (ambitious) of the Los Angeles Festival of Books takes the pressure off of any one talk/roundtable/Q&A and allows you to just generally enjoy LA’s book scene—which is indeed a scene! I’ve been, and had a great time just wandering around, but there’s the chance to see/hear from some real stars (many established, but many others still rising!) if you plan ahead. (DH)
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April Anytime - Gustave Caillebotte: Painting Men (The Getty) Didn’t you hear? Democracy is dead and men are cool again! At least that’s what I thought when I saw banners for The Getty’s new blockbuster exhibition. I am so glad my Dad (a man!) insisted we go see it on his recent visit to Los Angeles. The show, quite frankly, was magnificent. As Loose Land’s resident Francophile, I am of course biased because I’ll sit in any room if I can look at imagery of Paris all day. But who could resist this expertly curated showfeaturing breathtaking play with light and shadow, masterful consideration of the human form (there are some women too!), and the exhilarating, frenetic energy of Impressionist-style paint applied to canvas. My dad had tears in his eyes standing in front of Paris Street; Rainy Day. Men are definitely cool again. (MR)
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April Anytime - Sam’s Place (Highland Park) Sitting at the wood-clad bar at Sam’s Place, you would be forgiven for thinking you had just time-traveled to Big Sur in the ‘70s. This small spot has charm to spare alongside a curated menu of great wines and a dialed-in bar menu with no misses. It’s the kind of neighborhood bar that we all wish we lived around the corner from, but I for one, have no issue with travelling for this California time-capsule. Sam’s Place, like Sal‘s Place (mentioned above) reminds us that great hospitality can feel like magic. (BK)
Ode To A Strip Mall: 9000 Venice Blvd
People used to talk about “stopping to smell the roses.” Honestly, I hate roses, and my hate has only grown as I have tried, over the past several years, to murder one particularly resilient non-native rosebush in our front yard; but I do acknowledge the wisdom of stopping to do something every once in a while — especially if that thing is pointless. But as it turns out, stopping to do something is actually quite hard.
FOR INSTANCE: Every month I make a plan to talk in some detail about an area strip mall for the purposes of blog. But no matter how early I decide which strip mall I am going to talk about and how I’m going to pass by it in the course of my normal life, I have never yet managed to casually pull over and take a normal photograph. Instead, I reliably find myself shoving my phone against a smeary side window at the very last minute, frantically taking pot-shots of whatever happens to be in-frame. And that is the story of how I wound up with the image above, despite the fact that I commute past this particular strip mall every single day of the GFD week. (More on that another time.)
The point is that I have failed, yet again, to pull the car over, haul myself out, and take a better bad photo, intentionally. There are a lot of reasons for that, but they all boil down to inertia. Like I say, it’s hard to stop a thing that’s moving. But this strip mall, to its credit, is firm in its commitment to not moving. Culver City may be building up, but 9000 Venice Blvd. is hunkering down. There is real dignity in that. So, with that said, let us move to categories:
One Essential Neighborhood Business: Inflation is real, which makes The Jerk Spot’s lunch specials (real/incredible) worth seeking out if you are anywhere proximate (and I’m speaking directly to those still waiting in line at Mendocino Farms Culver City).
Quality of Life under Same Conditions: Decent, save for the air quality.
Whimsy Factor: Ehhhhh. It’s not necessarily a fun kind of whimsy? But it’s still pretty whimsical to offer no-frills food and services in the heart of Culver City.
Variety Level: Moderate-Plus -- I mean we’re talking LA burgers, jerk snapper, donuts (required), tailoring, jiu-jitsu, and massages all in one place. (I think there’s also flooring and jewelry businesses per the sign, but wasn’t able to confirm those still exist at a haphazard 35 mph.)
Life Expectancy, If Forced to Take Residence for an Extended Period of Time: I mean, look, if you’re living at a strip mall, your cholesterol levels are going to be high; there’s no way around that. But at 9000 Venice you can at least balance your ingestion practices with some Jiu-Jitsu, which will also help against intruders? Let’s say 60-65.
