JANUARY: Cultural Intentions

Loose Land

— 7 min read
JANUARY: Cultural Intentions
Photo Credit: Jeff Turlow

It’s an annual tradition: new year, older me! But honestly, I love looking back at my year, not in a sentimental haze but as an archeologist sifting through the debris, looking for clues about who I am, or who I might be becoming. I am a mystery to myself after all, and the quest to understand the self is neverending (just ask Oedipus). But don’t worry, I’ll leave the deeper psychic explorations for my journal (and my therapist), and for the purpose of this newsletter, I will stick to the things that I really enjoyed in this city, and the things that I want to enjoy more of in 2025…

What I Enjoyed

  • Walking into the Tam O’Shanter during the holidays and being enveloped in the most explosively festive scene, oozing (faux) authenticity in a way only LA can. The storybook-style cottage with medieval interiors was designed by art director and ye olde Angeleno Harry Oliver and is now over 100 years old, which is like Notre Dame status in this nouveau city of ours, with a view of Party City to boot (RIP!).
  • Seeing Pina Bausch’s Rites of Spring in person at the Music Center. I was simply bowled over by this iconic piece; but I was equally astonished to see LA show up dressed to the nines for an opening night! The red carpet scene rarely looks so Lincoln Center chic!
  • Going camping in Joshua Tree in the spring with Meredith during a full moon and realizing first-hand that April/May is the perfect time to camp there — you get the trifecta of longer days, warmer nights, and no fire ban.
  • Making my love for tennis official (and improving my game). I joined a ladder where I would meet up with strangers weekly to play matches. It was equally joyful to reinvigorate my competitive side (the Challengers soundtrack helped with this too) and shoot the shit between sets with folks I never would cross paths with otherwise.
  • Experiencing the incredible riches of our independent movie scene. First, I fell in love with the darling, community hub that is Vidiots and saw many great movies here (Postcards from The Edge being #1). And on the other end of the spectrum, going to the pristine, state-of-the-art Academy Museum to see Sofia Loren in The Life Ahead (the diva literally sat two rows behind us!!). Both theaters have their curation dialed in, are filled with serious movie buffs, and are some of the cheapest tickets in town.

What I Hope To Enjoy More Of

  • Exploring more of “old” LA — Philosophical Research Society and Monday Evening Concerts, I'm coming for ya!
  • Expanding my foray into organized sports and seeing what the LA biking scene is about by finding a group to ride with.
  • Keeping up the movie-going, while adding in some solo matinees to the mix.
  • Booking a few campsites for the spring.
  • Finding a mutual aid effort that I can do on a regular basis.
  • Not only going to see dance, but finding more opportunities to do it myself.
  • Getting out to see more music — excited to finally check out the intimate Moroccan Lounge.
  • Finding my new KSpa (RIP Natura) for some regular shvitzes and scrubs.

Armed with my grab bag of cultural intentions, I am going to get a few things on the calendar in advance, because LA is a city that favors the intentional. It is easy to keep to your routines here; denser cities carry you in their tides to interesting things. But if there is anything I have learned in the first 6 months of doing Loose Land, it is that there is no shortage of incredible, weird, engrossing things to do here. So check out our list below and get out there! This is LA’s best season after all, when the sun shines down on us generously while the rest of the country is gray. And even when it does rain, we are thankful for the invitation to join a cozier, greener, (drought-free?) spring.

-Betsy Kalven

Cultural Events

Left to Right Clockwise: Confluence at VDL; William Eggleston Untitled, 1972; Ana Mendieta, Anima, Silueta de Cohetes (Firework Piece), 1976; Ikebana Exhibition, Photo by Courtney Mariko; Monday Evening Concerts; Indian Wells Tennis Open
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All Month - Kismet Steakhouse (Kismet) The vegetable-forward Mediterranean restaurant of our dreams is donning a new persona for the month of January as Kismet Steakhouse (though their love of vegetables will still shine through). LA loves a steakhouse and after a decade under my belt here, I get it. A dirty martini, shrimp cocktail, wedge salad and rare steak is a last meal type situation. I cannot wait to try these dishes in their adept hands, especially the cabbage “steak,” meyer lemon baked alaska, and their low abv cocktails. It is sure to be transcendent. (BK)
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All Month - William Eggleston: The Last Dyes (David Zwirner) As the daughter of a photographer and as someone who spent the majority of high school in the darkroom, I am fascinated by printing processes, the rarer the better. The photographer William Eggleston is known for using the dye-transfer color printing process, which is nearly extinct, to paint vivid colors with subjective precision on his prints, to breathtaking effect. (BK)
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Jan 3 - Anti-Inaugural Night of Poetry (Scribble) Scribble is just a really lovely space where beautiful stuff happens more often than not. It is also, in other words, the antithesis of whatever the hell it is that our next administration will be getting up to. Let’s dwell on that alternative reality together, via poems. (DH)
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January 4, 11, 18 - Confluence (Neutra VDL house) We Loose Landers are always on the hunt for good cultural tips. Never did I expect to receive one while sitting in the dentist’s chair. Thanks to Mary at Dr. Estrada’s office, I’ll be hitting up this water-focused exhibition of work by creative couple Lachlan Turczan and Lily Clark at one of LA’s most special treasures - Richard Neutra’s VDL house. (MR)
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Jan 4 - 5 - 8th Annual Cultural Ikebana Exhibition Inspired by Betsy’s New Year cultural resolutions, I resolve to try something new. While I have been wanting to try my hand at flower arranging, I think I will start by finding inspiration through Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging, at the magical JACCC. With programming including a rice-pounding ceremony and a music performance in the not-to-be-missed garden, I’m looking forward to seeing these works of art governed by nature, which (bonus!) are meant to bring good tidings for the new year. (MR)
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Jan 15 - The Multitude (The Elysian Theater) Local writer Priyanka Mattoo published a fabulous memoir and launched a variety show last year, which is lucky for all of us. Come check out her latest variety show this month which is sure to be magical. Mattoo’s belief behind the show is that a “necessary salve for our collective despair is creating and seeking out opportunities for collective joy.” Sign me up. (BK)
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Jan 18 + 19 - Monday Evening Concerts - (Zipper Concert Hall / 2200 Arts + Archives) Before the pandemic, I went to my first MEC concert and was blown away by the full-house of hip, intergenerational LA folks I had never seen before. With a storied history dating back to the 1930s, MEC might as well be considered a California treasure. Trust me, whatever Artistic Director Jonathan Hepfer is curating, you will want to be there with ears wide open. (MR)
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Jan 23 - The Films of Ana Mendieta (The Hammer) Here in Tinseltown, I always long to see something on the screen other than feature films (though I love those too!). With that in mind, I’m running (not walking) to The Hammer (my forever fave) to see this presentation of films by multidisciplinary artist and legend Ana Mendieta. Presented by Jay Ezra Nayssan of Del Vaz Projects (another jewel worthy of a 2025 cultural intention) and the artist's estate, I’m excited to see some of the exquisite stills from her Silueta Series come to life on the big screen. (MR)

Looking Ahead

March 2-16 - Indian Well Tennis Open (Indian Wells) Often called the fifth grand slam event, Indian Wells (officially known as BNP Paribas Open) is the easiest chance to see the best players (Sabalenka, Alcarez, Tiafoe, oh my!) in our sunny backyard. Tickets will only sell out and get more expensive, so get on it! (BK)

Ode To A Strip Mall

The Mini-Mall at Figueroa and Meridian

Did you come for the license plates? Too bad! License plates are out, and strip malls are in! (Though plate submissions are still welcome and eligible for year-end awards next December!) And although it’s reasonable to expect us to start big — with something like Gower Gulch — I’m gonna keep things local this month, and take a minute to reflect on my neighborhood mini-mall at Figueroa and Meridian. 

What’s so great about this particular collection of businesses? Well, as the previous tenants told us when we were getting ready to move in, the fries at Mando’s are I'm paraphrasing here, chunky salt canoes that can function as a complete meal in a pinch. But as we discovered later, it’s the breakfast burritos that are the star. One feeds two, and size aside, they’re legitimately great — especially if you opt for their habanero salsa. Between Mando’s and Donut Star, you could live well here — The Terminal-style — for more than several weeks. 

Now this isn’t a competition, but a place of appreciation. That said, it’s important to have some sense of what makes these places especially worthy of appreciation — and for me, it’s a few things:
(1) providing one absolutely essential neighborhood business
(2) having decent variety
(3) possessing some level of whimsy
(4/5) having potential as a safe-haven in an apocalypse and/or siege situation.

With those in mind, here’s what you’ll get at Figueroa and Meridian…

  • One Essential Neighborhood Business: Mando’s (cheap burgers and burritos)
  • Whimsy Factor: Low — but the silent/inscrutable collectibles shop has some power to surprise (if not delight)
  • Variety Level: Moderate
  • Life Expectancy, if Forced to Take Residence for an Extended Period of Time: Years
  • Quality of Life Under Same Conditions: Poor 

I’ve been planning this pivot for a minute now, but didn’t think to take a photo until the last second — so apologies for the shot. Do me a favor next month and if you have a favorite spot, send a photo early! Thanks in advance!

- Daniel Harmon

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