Wages grew at highest pace since 2009 – 201,000 new jobs created in August – The Labor Department reported that the U.S. economy added 201,000 new jobs in August. That number beat analysts expectations and marked the 95th conservative month of job growth. The unemployment rate held steady at 3.9%, a 50 year low. The highlight of the report was that wages grew 2.9% in August from one year ago. That was the highest wage growth since 2009. Wages have been rising at just 2.6% – 2.7% for many years. Usually when unemployment is at historic low rates, more competition for workers drives wages up. Until August, that has not happened. Experts have been baffled at how stubborn wage growth has been with such robust job gains. In January, it appeared that wages were finally moving higher, but wages dropped back to rising just 2.6% – 2.7% year-over-year in the following months until August. In the coming months we will see if this is a trend to higher wages or just a unique one month reading like we saw in January.
Stocks drop this week – Renewed trade and tariff talk weighed on stocks this week. A robust job and wage growth report did not cause a rally. With consumer spending accounting for nearly 70% of the economy one would think that higher wages and consumer confidence at a 18 year high would be encouraging. On the other hand if consumer spending picks up that could cause inflation, which is very low to pick up. Higher inflation would lead to higher interest rates and increase borrowing costs. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed the week at 25,916.53, down from 25,964.82 last week. It is up 4.8% year-to-date. The S&P 500 closed the week at 2,861.78, down from 2,901.52 last week. It’s up 7.4% year-to-date. The NASDAQ closed the week at 7,992.54, down from 8,109.64 last week. It’s up 14.5% year-to-date.
Treasury Bond Yields higher – The 10-year treasury bond closed the week yielding 2.94%, up from 2.86% last week. The 30-year treasury bond yield ended the week at 3.11%, upfrom 3.02% last week. We watch treasury bond yields because mortgage rates follow bond yields.
Mortgage rates almost unchanged in September 6 survey, but rates rose after jobs report. Next week’s rates will be higher. The September 6, 2018 Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Survey reported that the 30-year fixed mortgage rate average was 4.54%, almost unchanged from 4.52% last week. The 15-year fixed was 3.99%, up from 3.97% last week. The 5-year ARM was 3.93%, up from 3.85% last week.
Los Angeles provides no limit of things to do, some awesome and some not so awesome. Since time is precious in this fast paced city we curate a list of things to do in Los Angeles for every weekend that’ll help you decide how you want to spend your limited supply of attention (not to mention dollars!).
This weekend, from Friday, September 7 to Sunday, September 9, featuresThe Original Long Beach Lobster Festival, Frankenstein 200 Group Art Show, L.A. Food Fest, Long Beach Comic Con, the Bergamot Station Fall Open and MUCH more.
Enjoy!
Friday September 7th, 2018
1.The Original Long Beach Lobster Festival returns for the 22nd year in a row (September 7-9) with live entertainment, activities, and boat loads of fresh Maine lobster. Check for discount tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)
2. See Annenberg Space for Photography’s current exhibit, Not an Ostrich, after hours, along with live music, and a special documentary screening. FREE
3.LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes’s 4th annual Summer of Salsa concert comes to a close this Friday with Conjunto Costazul, led by salsa scene veterans Freddie and Johnny Crespo, bringing the sounds of swing and salsa with booming horns and percussion. FREE
4.Alpine Village Oktoberfest celebrates 50 years! The fun kicks off this Friday with traditional Bavarian fun like Oom Pah Pah party bands, German fare, and delicious cold German beers. Oktoberfest runs Fridays and Saturdays September 7 through October 27.
5.PaleyFest kicks off this Thursday at the Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills. Check out panels and screenings of the most hotly anticipated new fall TV shows from September 6-16. The fest will feature talents like Nathan Fillion (The Rookie), Aaron Paul and Alison Brie (BoJack Horseman), Jennifer Jason Leigh (Atypical) and plenty more.
6. The LA County Fair is open this Labor Day! Head to the Pomona Fairplex for an enormous assortment of activities, musical performances, carnival style food and more. Check for discount tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)
7. Westfield Topanga Restaurant Week kicks off on September 7 for a 10-day dining event across the Westfield Topanga properties, highlighting a diverse selection of choices and flavors, from fine dining steakhouses to good old Southern BBQ. The best part? Guests can expect savings of up to 20% off on uniquely crafted prix-fixe menus.
8. The Roadium in Torrance presents Classic Drive-in Movies. The family-friendly event features classic films projected on the screen tower. Closing out the series is a screening of On Any Sunday.
9. The Music Center’s annual Dance DTLA series is back for 2018 with a series of Friday-night events at Grand Park. The last installment is a 90’s theme dance night. FREE
10. The Griffith Observatory hosts a monthly forum where some of the most amazing phenomena in the known universe are explained and discussed. It’s called All Space Considered and it takes place on the first Friday of every month. FREE
11.Rooftop Cinema Club returns to the rooftops of LEVEL in DTLA and NeueHouse in Hollywood with multiple screenings this week that include Clueless, The Greatest Showman and more.
12. Are you a Chase bank customer? Got a freebie you might want to know about. Coolhaus is teaming with the Forum and Chase to hand out free ice cream sandwiches to Chase customers on Fridays all summer long. Locations will change every Friday, and the offer is ice cream sandwich per cardholder. Get more info here.
14. Since its the first Friday of the month check out all the cool events happening around town including block parties and art walks for First Fridays.
Saturday September 8th, 2018
15. Celebrate the 200th anniversary of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein at Corey Helford Gallery’s opening reception and month-long exhibition of Frankenstein 200 a group art show featuring over 100 artist. On view now through October 13. FREE
16.The 9th Annual L.A. Food Fest returns to Santa Anita Park for a tasting experience of signature bites from 100+ exhibitors. On top of that, there will be craft beer garden, craft cocktail bars, a tequila tasting, iced coffee lounge and an ice cream social.
17.Grand Park + Outfest Present PROUD Picnic + Movie Night inviting the LGBTQ and ally community to Grand Park for a night showcasing short films from Outfest Fusion Festival, coupled with a feature length presentation. FREE
19.Buskerfest in Downtown Long Beach will feature four flatbed trucks serving as stages for local and regional bands to perform throughout the day while guests dance in the streets. FREE
20.Crawfish for Cancer is part festival and part fundraiser that takes place around the country. They’ll head to the Santa Monica Pier for their first L.A. event this Saturday with a full day of unlimited crawfish and all the fixings, an open bar and live music to provide an authentic Cajun crawfish experience.
21.Long Beach Comic Con (September 8-9) returns for two-days of cosplay, panels, a space expo, screenings, and a behind the scenes look at the comic industry. Check for discounted tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)
22. Trancas Country Market will celebrate their unveiling of a new BumblebeeLovesYou installation with Endless Summer Satruday a fun filled day of free massages, a yoga class, Vintage Grocers BBQ, live music by Blu Juice, a Malibu Beach House Cornhole Tournament, crafts for the kids and much more.
23.Street Food Cinema returns this weekend with a screenings ofNick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist at Central Park in Glendale and La La Land at Marriott Golf Course in Manhattan Beach. Select screenings are discounted via Goldstar. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)
24. Saunter through charming Claremont Village tasting wine and food from more than 40 locations during this year’s Claremont Village Wine Walk.
26.The Silent Treatment Film Series taking place at The Autry will screen 3 Bad Men. Directed by John Ford, this epic Western will be shown in 35mm on the big screen at the Wells Fargo Theater, with live musical accompaniment from Cliff Retallick.
27. Celebrate the Institute of Contemporary Art Los Angeles’ first anniversary in DTLA with the return of their Incognito art sale where over 400 works of art from a range of upcoming, established and local artists will be available for sale.
28.Eat|See|Hear returns for 2018 with a screening of Boogie Nights at LA State Historic Park. Check for discounted tickets at select screenings. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)
29.Nude Art LA is back for another year of pushing the artistic envelope through a show with 65+ artists from around the globe and live entertainment such as interactive exhibits, live semi-nude sketching, painting demonstrations both on canvas and the body, burlesque, live music and much more. Check for discount tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)
30.. The Silverlake Flea-Night Market taking place every Saturday from 5-10 p.m. all summer long features a plethora of local, independent sellers that offer vintage clothing, art, rare vinyl, crafts, and much more.
32. Returning for its 29th year, the Belmont Shore Car Show boasts over 500 classic, custom and novelty vehicles parked on over 14 blocks in Downtown Long Beach. Guests get to peruse, take pictures with, and sometimes, even get inside some of the cars. FREE
33.Swing Night At The Wiltern will jump, jive and wail on the dance floor all night long. The night will start off with an hour long swing dancing lesson then a live band will play 20’s through 40’s tunes. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)
34. L.A. Dragon Studios located in the valley is a all you can play gaming center with VR, Escape Rooms, and an Arcade all for a flat fee of $10. Open seven days a week.
35.A Dog Day Afternoon returns to The Lincoln in Venice featuring specialty cocktails, discounted Rosé bottles, dog treats, professional dog portraits, games, prizes, free hot dogs, adoption, and more. All dogs are welcomed!
37. E.P. & L.P. in West Hollywood continues their stylish cinema series Melrose Rooftop Theatre with a screening of Top Gin this Sunday.
38. There’s two new hyper-realistic VR experience at The VOID in Glendale a Ghostbusters themed experience and a scarier Nicodemus: Demon of Evanishment experience. Experiences run on different days, be sure to check their schedule.
39. A Yeti Village has been constructed on Hollywood and Vine in anticipation for the movie SMALLFOOT. Designed to look like winter, visitors of all ages can dance in a blizzard, swing on a cloud, ride a 20-foot slide, play in a snowball pit, sing karaoke, do arts and crafts and more. The family-friendly experience is free to attend and runs through September 14, 2018. FREE
40. Outdoor theater Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum, located in Topanga Canyon summer 2018 season begins on June 2 with a performance of Shakespeare’s Coriolanus. Check for discounted tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)
Unlike bad toasts, pointless meetings, and the Rolling Stones farewell tour, summer doesn’t go on forever. Thankfully, the end of summer in LA doesn’t mean the end of fun events — or even the end of trips to the beach, for that matter. There are a ton of fall activities waiting for you just around the corner, and we’ve rounded up all the ones you need to know about, ranging from music festivals and boozy parties to neighborhood art shows and dog-surfing lessons. You can now decide how to spend your weekends from here till eternity (er, until it rains).
September 7-9 Terranea Resort, Rancho Palos Verdes
A food and wine weekend for the ages, with all-inclusive passes available. Returning for its fifth year, you can expect rock-solid stuff like tasting sessions with sommeliers, wine and golf combined at “Pinot Putting,” and even a full-on food fest. Cost: $650
September 8 Santa Anita Park, Arcadia
You know the drill with food fests in LA: A wristband gets you all the food you can eat and drinks you can drink. The vendors are still TBA, but a VIP pass gets you in an hour early before all the lines form. What is there to even think about? Cost: $65-95
September 15 Glendale
Not much is announced yet for this promising Glendale festival, but you can safely count on there being music, art, kids activities, great food, and a craft beer garden. Cost: TBA
September 29 Huntington Beach
If this isn’t the most LA thing ever, I’m not sure what is. For the hordes and hordes of you out there who have been desperate to teach your dog how to surf, here’s your shot. Cost: Free
September 29 & 30 Long Beach
A ton of Long Beach’s best chefs (like Wesley Young, Rachel Aronow, and Christine Rivera) are joining forces with the likes of acts like New Order, James Blake, Janelle Monáe, and Broken Social Scene for a weekend of top-notch food and music. Oh yeah, and there’s an all-inclusive tasting event, too. You want to be there. Cost: $85-300
September 30 Venice
Four stages of music and spoken word, three beer gardens, and a ton of TBA tasty food trucks & vendors will be lining the streets of Abbot Kinney for the event that waaaaaay predates trends; it’s a 34-year tradition. Cost: Free admission
October 4-7 Newport Beach
Celebrity chefs (including Nobu Matsuhisa and Jet Tila) are at the forefront of this tasting event, which also includes cooking demos; seminars; cocktail, beer, & wine tastings; and live music. Cost: $125-250
October 4-8 Joshua Tree Lake Campground
This jammy, yoga-y fest is a steal if yoga/live music’s your thing, with a four-day wristband going for a relative pittance (as music fests go). Performing talent this year includes Fatoumata Diawara and Matador! Soul Sounds. Cost: $180 for a four-day wristband
October 5-7 Row DTLA
This inaugural fest is kicking off with some truly great stuff, like performances by T-Pain, Hannibal Buress, and your soon-to-be-favorite-new-comic Ahmed Bharoocha. Expect tons of great food, too. Cost: $255
October 5-8 Canyon Creek Summer Camp, Lake Hughes
All of the great stuff that Camp No Counselors normally offers is ramping up again in October, but this time with a focus on the LGBTQ community. All are welcome though, no matter who you are — but if you’re Mike Pence, your presence might be frowned upon. Cost: $450-699
October 6 LA Center Studios
LA’s biggest beer fest is back for fall, held once again at LA Center Studios. Expect live music, a dueling piano bar, and food trucks galore — oh, and with over 200 beers, there’ll probably be a little drinking as well. Cost: $55-80
October 6 Will Rogers State Historic Park
You’ll have a chance to watch polo, drink champagne, try to pronounce Veuve Clicquot, and even eat an individual lunch courtesy of Wolfgang Puck at this year’s Polo Classic. It’s an indulgent day, no doubt about it, but look: Sometimes we need those. Cost: Tickets range from $80 for GA admission, all the way up to $450 for VIP
October 7 Santa Monica
Santa Monica will be dedicating more than 2 miles of Lincoln Boulevard to close off to cars at this annual open street event. Starting at 10am, you’ll have the opportunity to hang out and enjoy tons of food, live music, and art. Cost: Free
October 12-14 Moreno Beach, Lake Perris
Tame Impala, My Bloody Valentine, and King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard are toplining this year’s Desert Daze. If dazey desert ambience and psychedelic music is your thing, you shouldn’t miss this somehow-only-$280 ticket weekend. Cost: $280-1,199
October 14-17 Santa Monica Pier
This big-time seafood extravaganza will feature winners like FIG, BOA, Herringbone, and Sushi Roku, as well as live music — including a performance by our very own Jeff Miller and the Black Crystal Wolf Kids. Cost: $50-100
October 21 Mack Sennett Studios, Silver Lake
The Silver-Lake-and-further-east food fest is back for round five with a TBA vendor lineup — but it’s safe to say it’ll be as killer as ever. And as always, the wristband is all-inclusive. Cost: TBA
October 26 & 27 NOS Event Center
Not only does this EDM fest boast A-Trak and Alan Walker, but it’s also got circus performers, scary mazes, and lots (and lots) of fire. Sure, it’s also not the cheapest fest you’ll attend all year, but sometimes the best things in life aren’t free. Cost: Prices range from $200 for two-day GA tickets, all the way up to $2,000+ for VIP SkyDeck tickets
November 8-15 All Over LA
LA’s premier film festival features all the trendiest Hollywood types you can imagine, gathering together for a week of screenings, tributes, retrospectives, conversations, and talent showcases. If you’re even partly interested in the film business, this fest is a must-attend. Cost: Varies by event
November 10 & 11 Dodger Stadium
A$AP Rocky, Post Malone, Kids See Ghosts, and, of course, Tyler, The Creator will be headlining this year’s edition of the Odd Future-curated music fest. Cost: $250-1,000
November 16 The Majestic, DTLA
Our craft cocktail scene is incredible in LA — so why not gather the top mixologists from over 30 LA spots into one building for a night of the the tastiest shenanigans you can conjure? Bars like Harvard & Stone, Melrose Umbrella Company, The Stubborn Nail, and Big Bar will be ready to party; so, too, should you be. Cost: $25
November 17 Downtown Burbank
Not much of a riddle with this one; Burbank will be lighting up the streets of its “downtown” section with a celebration of local businesses and, of course, tons of wine tasting. Cost: Free
Paso Robles is like the middle child of California wine country; despite its many great producers and tasting rooms, when most people think of a destination for a wine-filled weekend, they tend to think Napa or Sonoma. Take a closer look, though, and you’ll see Paso’s no slouch: Best known for producing Zinfandel, Paso Robles’ 11 distinct wine regions can actually grow up to 60 different varietals (unheard of for a wine region), and are home to world-class wineries with a chill, community vibe. Even better, Paso Robles is only a 60-minute flight into San Luis Obispo from LAX, or a 3 1/2-hour car ride, or a six-hour train ride. Here are the must-try wineries on any trip out to Paso’s wine country, from large-scale producers with storied pedigrees to boutique operations with onsite lodging.
A Spanish estate sitting on a mountain with the best vineyard views
Sitting 14 miles from the ocean and 2,200 feet above sea level atop Daou Mountain, the family-owned and -operated DAOU Vineyards is the highest elevation vineyard in the Central Coast. The gorgeous estate has sprawling views of the region and an indoor outdoor tasting room with high-beamed ceilings and beautiful Spanish archways; grab a seat outdoors at the edge of the mountain and enjoy any of the Bordeaux varietals (like a glass of their Soul of a Lion) while noshing on snacks from their Lebanese-inspired menu. Cost: $40 per person for tasting flight (waived with the purchase of three bottles) Hours: 10am-5pm daily
Part winery, part hidden trailer park
Alta Colina (which means “high hill” in Spanish) gets its name from being elevated 1,800 feet above sea level, with optimal sun exposure and an ocean breeze that make ideal conditions for a well-balanced wine. The Adelaida District winery offers a few different choices for visitors interested in tasting: Walk-ins are welcome in the tasting room (up to six guests), but you can also reserve a private tasting in the cellar room and sip on current releases amongst barrels of wine. The pricier (but more picturesque) third option is the Summit Vineyard Tasting, a hidden oasis where you can sit back and enjoy stunning vineyard views on a shaded terrace while watching the sunset over the grape-filled hills. The winery is also home to The Trailer Pond, a private pond surrounded by five retro-colored trailers nestled under string lights — so if you want to spend the night surrounded by perfectly lined rows of grapes, you can. Cost: $15 per tasting (waived with a two-bottle purchase); Taste on the Vineyard: $35 per person Tasting hours: 11am-4pm daily
The winemaker that put Paso Robles on the map
One of the larger winemakers of the region, JUSTIN produces around 400,000 cases per year, and is best known for award-winning fruity, full-bodied Bordeaux-style wines (like their Isosceles red blend). The Restaurant at JUSTIN features a rotating seasonal menu with local ingredients and popular dishes like the Charter Oak Cheeseburger made with house ground meat. The winery has come a long way in recent years, following a local controversy involving the chopping down of thousands of mature oak trees; since then, they’ve been committed to supporting the local community and have donated to several nonprofit organizations. The winery and tasting room are a bit off the beaten path, so if you can’t make it all the way to their vineyard, word on the street is you’ll soon be able to visit a second tasting room in Downtown Paso Robles. Cost: $25 per tasting of five wines Hours: 10am-4:30pm daily
Historic wine ranch that you’ll tour in a vintage Land Rover
Halter Ranch isn’t just known for its delicious Syrah and Cabernet varietals; it’s also 2,000 acres of history in the heart of Paso Robles. A renovated, Victorian-style farmhouse greets you when you first enter the ranch, whose sprawling 2,000-acre property also includes three fresh water springs, 5 acres of olives, a custom private train, and a 5-acre holding pond. Book the three-hour excursion tour, and you’ll hop in a 1984 Land Rover to explore the property, including a scenic stop at Lion’s Ridge, the highest point of the vineyard. The eco-friendly tasting room, remodeled in 2016, has floor-to-ceiling windows offering panoramic views of the vineyards as you taste the estate-grown wines. (Pro tip: The Grenache Blanc is perfect on a hot summer day.) Cost: $20 per person for the tour, waived with a two-bottle purchase Hours: Mon-Thurs from 11am-5pm, Fri-Sun from 10am-5pm
Understated winery in Tin City (aka the new Funk Zone)
If you like the Funk Zone in Santa Barbara, then you’ll love its Paso Robles cousin, Tin City. The neighborhood gets its name from all the industrial buildings in the area, but this area gets pretty crowded on the weekends because it’s where smaller wine makers, local artisans, and craft breweries have set up shop. One of the first wineries to open a tasting room in Tin City, Giornata produces some excellent wines inspired from Italian regions like Barolo and Barbaresco — go for the 2017 Barbera, or the 2015 Nebbiolo. If you’re looking for a palate cleanser afterward, cool off with a scoop from Negranti Creamery, a nearby shop that specializes in ice cream made from sheep’s milk. Cost: $10 per tasting; by appointment Hours: 9am-5pm daily
A tasting room conveniently located in a luxury hotel
Allegretto Vineyards and Wines is one of the more recent luxury resort developments in Paso Robles. The jaw-dropping, Mediterranean-inspired architecture will make you feel like you’ve been swept away to the Italian countryside before you even taste the wine, and the property has nice acres of grapes growing from two varietals, the product of which you’ll sample in a small-but-beautiful tasting room that looks like it’s been around for 100 years (even though the hotel opened in 2015). The tasting room is open to the public, and for $25 you can try any combination of four red and/or white wines. (Pro tip: Try the 2013 Zinfandel, or the 2014 Viognier or Malbec.) Cost: $25 per tasting Hours: Sun & Mon from 1pm-7pm, Tues reservations only, Wed-Sat from 12pm-7pm
A boutique winery that proves you can still love lower-alcohol wines
The small-production winery with the signature grasshopper label is located on 52 acres at Kentucky Ranch: a quaint place surrounded by nature that you’d normally expect to find in… well, Kentucky. While Paso Robles has historically been known for bold wines, Thacher Winery is leading the way in another direction, creating more subtle wines with a lower alcohol content (some at just 10.5%) that enthusiasts can’t help but love. Their 2015 Cinsault has become a cult-favorite, which you can sample (along with many others) for $15 in the tasting room that sits adjacent to a 1920s-era barn. Cost: $15 per tasting Hours: Thurs-Mon from 11am-5pm
Dockless bikes! Smart bikes! Electric bikes! Scooters! Los Angeles is flooded with new options for getting around—they’re part of a new breed of transportation called “micromobility.”
These small vehicles are being touted as replacements for cars: They’re shared, sometimes electric-powered, easier to park, and take up less space on roads.
As these new bikes, e-bikes, and scooters made their way onto LA streets starting in 2017, the debate about whether these modes are sidewalk nuisances or gridlock saviors has dominated the narrative. LA lawmakers recently passed regulations, and some Southern California cities, including Santa Monica, Long Beach, and Culver City, have introduced some forward-thinking policies that might portend a real shift in the way Angelenos get around.
Since the the availability of these micromobility services as well as the regulations vary widely from city to city—and change dramatically from week to week—it’s important to learn what you’re in for before you get scootin’ or pedalin’. Here’s our guide for how to ride, where to go, and what you need to know.
What’s the difference between dockless and docked bike share?
In the past year, a half-dozen dockless companies have deployed their bikes and e-bikes on LA-area streets. While traditional “docked” bike-share systems require that bikes be parked in stations where riders can find them, “dockless” bikes use GPS technology and smartphone apps to help riders locate bikes. In the cities that allow them, they don’t have to be locked to anything, and there are no designated pick-up spots or drop-off points.
Some cities in LA have “smart bikes,” which are also located by app on a smartphone, but they can’t just be left anywhere, they need to be locked. Riders can lock them to designated hubs for no extra cost, or to any public bike rack for a slightly higher fee.
Over the last few months, micromobility companies operating in the LA area have started offering electric bikes and electric scooters, which are dockless as well. These can also be found using apps, which display the location as well as the current battery life (the scooters and bikes get charged at night and put back on streets).
Where can I ride dockless scooters?
If you want to take a dockless scooter for a ride, a bike lane on the Westside is the place to be.
The greatest concentrations of scooter availability at the moment are in Santa Monica and Venice. You’ll also have the best safety infrastructure for riding in Santa Monica, which plans to use funds from its scooter pilot to accelerate the construction of new bike lanes.
On September 17, Santa Monica will launch a new pilot program where four operators—Bird, Lime, Lyft, and Uber—will manage the city’s e-bike and scooter share. In August, when the city’s rankings of the applications were released, Bird and Lime shut down in protest for a day because the companies did not rank in the top four, but the final decision included both operators. Ride-hailing giants Uber and Lyft will both be debuting their scooters in Santa Monica as well.
Although many scooters have been migrating eastward from the beach, the problem with riding most places in LA is that there just aren’t enough protected lanes for riders to feel safe.
This is why many people choose to ride scooters on the sidewalk, even though you’re not supposed to. But sidewalk-riding can be dangerous for you, other users of the sidewalk, and cars pulling out of driveways that don’t expect to see someone whizzing by at 15 mph.
Where can’t I ride dockless scooters?
On September 4, the city of LA passed regulations on dockless systems, but has yet to finalize the language of the policy. In the meantime, companies are supposed to apply for temporary permits to operate and will be limited to 3,000 vehicles citywide. Two council districts—District 15 and District 4—are already running pilot programs and have no vehicle caps until the end of 2018.
Previously, the City Council had asked LADOT to issue cease and desist letters to all dockless companies that don’t have permission to operate in the city. But it’s still not clear how the city will enforce the removal of vehicles, and riders are not being ticketed for using them—yet.
The city of Beverly Hills has made dockless electric scooters illegal—you can’t even ride one through city limits, so steer clear. The no-ride zone is clearly marked in all the apps, and riders are being ticketed. West Hollywood has banned the parking of scooters within city limits, but you’re allowed to ride through the city to get somewhere else.
In Santa Monica, the city has put together a guide for riders. Avoid the beach path, where electric scooters of any type are not allowed. Riders are being ticketed and scooters impounded. Also, you cannot ride on the sidewalks anywhere in California, but in Santa Monica it’s heavily enforced. In downtown Santa Monica there are now designated “drop zones” for scooters as well.
Get to know your local micromobility options
Dockless bikes: These are shared pedal bikes that don’t need to be “docked” at a station. You really can leave them anywhere that’s deemed to be accessible and safe. They just need to be parked in a way that’s not blocking the road, crosswalk, or sidewalk. Who to ride in LA: Lime
Dockless electric bikes: Shared electric bikes are like dockless bikes with a kick—these bikes use an electric motor that can boost your pedaling up to 15 mph. Also known as e-bikes, electric-assist bikes, and pedal-assist bikes. Who to ride in LA: Lime-E
Smart bikes: Smart bikes are like dockless bikes but have a lock-to system that’s integrated into the bike. They don’t have to be docked in designated hubs—for a small surcharge, you can lock the bike anywhere within the system’s limits. Who to ride in LA: Breeze Bike Share, WeHo Pedals, Beverly Hills Bike Share, Bruin Bike Share, Long Beach Bike Share
Station-based bike share: This is the traditional model for bike share where you must dock the bike in one of the hubs. No app is needed, and you can use your TAP card to check one out. Who to ride in LA: Metro Bike
Dockless electric scooters: These are the scooters everyone’s talking about. They’re powered by electric motors that you control with a throttle. Who to ride in LA: Lime-S, Bird, Spin, Razor
How far can I ride them?
As far as you want—kind of.
Technically you could ride Metro Bike anywhere you want as long as you dock it at a station when you’re done. You’ll just be charged for the time.
Similarly, the Bike Share Connect network, which encompasses much of the Westside, has very explicit boundaries outlined for where you can lock up its smart bikes. If you lock up a bike outside of the boundary, you’ll be charged $20.
For electric scooters and electric bikes, you’re limited to how long the battery lasts. Or until you reach the Santa Monica Mountains, whichever comes first.
Do I need to wear a helmet?
If you’re riding a scooter—yes. State law requires operators of electric scooters to wear a helmet, however, a state bill that’s awaiting the governor’s signature would make helmet use on scooters optional for anyone over 18.
Helmet laws for scooters are being most heavily enforced in Santa Monica. If you register on Bird or Lime’s app, they’ll send you one for free.
If you’re riding bike share or a shared e-bike, it’s not required by law unless you’re under 17, but it’s not a bad idea, especially if you’re riding on busy streets.
Do I need any other gear?
Not really. The great part about the design of these bikes and scooters is that they’re designed to be used in regular clothes, even suits, skirts, and dresses. To minimize the potential of your toes getting scraped, you probably don’t want to wear sandals or flip flops, although a lot of people do.
All the bike share bikes have big baskets on the front of them where you can stash your belongings so you don’t even need a special type of bag or purse. Lime’s bikes have a smartphone holder. Scooters, unfortunately, don’t have any kind of storage.
Shutterstock.com
What apps do I need to download?
For most of LA’s micromobility options you’ll need to download an app to locate, unlock, and pay for your rides. To make the most of what LA has to offer, we suggest downloading these apps that will give you a range of options across the region.
Lime: The most expansive of the dockless companies, Lime has pedal bikes, electric-assist bikes, and dockless scooters across a very wide geographic area. Besides the Westside, Lime has lots of bikes and scooters in the Port of LA and Wilmington area, and in Monrovia.
Bird: The Venice-based startup has the best scooter coverage on the Westside, and you can find them fairly regularly as far east as Fairfax.
Razor: Yes, the scooter of your youth now has dockless electric scooters to rent in Long Beach.
Metro Bike: LA’s station-based system has hubs in Downtown, the Port of LA, and Venice. It’s easily the best way to get around Downtown. You can’t pay for rides on the app, but you can register your TAP card to pay for rides that way. You can also pay for walk-up rides at the station kiosks using a credit card.
Social Bicycles: Last year, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and UCLAmerged their smart bike systems into the single Bike Share Connect network. Now you can use one bike booked through one app to ride from Hollywood to the beach and a fairly wide area in between. This app will give you access to the entire Bike Share Connect network, from Santa Monica to West Hollywood. You can also ride Long Beach’s bike share using the Social Bicycles app.
Generally, all the systems cost $1 to $2 per ride, with additional fees based on the length—as in time—of your trip. There are also monthly and annual plans, and plans for students and employers.
Once you register for each service through an app, you’ll link a credit card to your account, which bills you every time you complete a ride.
All the bike share and scooter companies also have options for subsidized passes. These require applications and eligibility is based on income restrictions. Some also have passes for people who don’t use credit cards. Lime offers a local program where qualified members can get 100 pedal-bike rides for $5.
Can I use my Metro TAP card?
For Metro Bike and Bike Share Connect, yes! When you register your Metro Bike membership on your TAP card, it makes it especially easy to tap out a bike—you won’t even have to use an app. Registered TAP cards also work for Bike Share Connect smart bikes.
The biggest news for Metro Bike is that fares have been slashed to $1.75 per trip, meaning rides are now the same cost as taking a Metro bus or train. Plus, since your Metro Bike account can be linked to your TAP card, you’ll soon be able to “transfer” from bus or rail to a bike, and vice versa, saving you even more money.
Can I ride my bike or scooter on the sidewalk?
If you’re riding a bike, technically, yes—in some cities in LA County. Use this LADOT guide to see where sidewalk-riding is allowed.
Most people don’t know this but riding a bike on the sidewalk is legal in the city of LA. The city acknowledges that sometimes the sidewalk is the safest place to ride on a busy street, and allows it, as long as bike riders do not endanger pedestrians.
California law says you can’t ride an electric scooter on the sidewalk. A bill tried to change thatto make the law similar to bikes—but will likely only eliminate helmet requirements. But a lot of people do ride on the sidewalk because there aren’t safe places to ride. When in doubt, walk the bike or scooter.
How do I find the safest place to ride?
Google Maps and the trip-planning apps Transitand Citymapper have decent bike and scooter directions, but the bigger challenge across the LA region is the lack of infrastructure—there are major gaps in the bike route network and few protected lanes.
A handful of LA-area cities like Santa Monica, West Hollywood, and Long Beach have better infrastructure for biking and scooting.
Also, be vigilant about potholes and uneven pavement. Bike share bikes are fairly sturdy and can handle a bumpy, unpredictable road. Scooters have tiny wheels and low clearance and you’ll very likely bottom out. Do not ride the scooters downhill—you won’t be able to stop.
Can I take a dockless bike or scooter on the train?
No, you’re not supposed to. But along many lines, and especially on the Expo Line, most stations have a variety of micromobility options to choose from once you get off.
Can I ride at night?
Yes, you can ride bikes at night. All of the bike share bikes in LA have pedal-powered lights that activate as you ride. Some scooters do have lights but most are taken off the streets to charge them.
Why do I need a drivers’ license to ride a scooter?
Good question. This is perhaps the most incongruous state law to govern what should be a smart alternative to driving, but, in the state of California you must have a valid drivers license to operate an electric scooter. The apps will make you check a box or scan your license before you ride.
For bike share, riders must be 16 and over. Scooter share riders must be 18 and over.
What’s next for LA’s micromobility scene?
Lots more electric bikes. LA’s hills, mild climate, and long distances make it a perfect candidate for more e-bike share. In 2018, Uber bought Jump, which has smart e-bikes in several cities and will be bringing them to Southern California as part of Santa Monica’s pilot program. Lyft, which recently acquired Motivate, the country’s largest bike-share operator, will also be debuting an e-bike in Santa Monica.
Even traditional station-based systems are experimenting with options beyond pedal bikes. In certain parts of the city, Metro Bike plans to add smart bikes that won’t need to be parked in hubs. There’s also a possibility that e-bikes could get added to docked systems. In San Francisco, the Ford-operated station-based GoBike added station-based electric bikes this year.
Finally, many cities are looking at adding bikes that can serve a wide variety of users. In Detroit, MoGo bike share launched a fleet of adaptive bikes including recumbent bikes, tandems, and cargo bikes.
Wages grew at highest pace since 2009 – 201,000 new jobs created in August – The Labor Department reported that the U.S. economy added 201,000 new jobs in August. That number beat analysts expectations and marked the 95th conservative month of job growth. The unemployment rate held steady at 3.9%, a 50 year low. The highlight of the report was that wages grew 2.9% in August from one year ago. That was the highest wage growth since 2009. Wages have been rising at just 2.6% – 2.7% for many years. Usually when unemployment is at historic low rates, more competition for workers drives wages up. Until August, that has not happened. Experts have been baffled at how stubborn wage growth has been with such robust job gains. In January, it appeared that wages were finally moving higher, but wages dropped back to rising just 2.6% – 2.7% year-over-year in the following months until August. In the coming months we will see if this is a trend to higher wages or just a unique one month reading like we saw in January.
Stocks drop this week – Renewed trade and tariff talk weighed on stocks this week. A robust job and wage growth report did not cause a rally. With consumer spending accounting for nearly 70% of the economy one would think that higher wages and consumer confidence at a 18 year high would be encouraging. On the other hand if consumer spending picks up that could cause inflation, which is very low to pick up. Higher inflation would lead to higher interest rates and increase borrowing costs. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed the week at 25,916.53, down from 25,964.82 last week. It is up 4.8% year-to-date. The S&P 500 closed the week at 2,861.78, down from 2,901.52 last week. It’s up 7.4% year-to-date. The NASDAQ closed the week at 7,992.54, down from 8,109.64 last week. It’s up 14.5% year-to-date.
Treasury Bond Yields higher – The 10-year treasury bond closed the week yielding 2.94%, up from 2.86% last week. The 30-year treasury bond yield ended the week at 3.11%, upfrom 3.02% last week. We watch treasury bond yields because mortgage rates follow bond yields.
Mortgage rates almost unchanged in September 6 survey, but rates rose after jobs report. Next week’s rates will be higher. The September 6, 2018 Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Survey reported that the 30-year fixed mortgage rate average was 4.54%, almost unchanged from 4.52% last week. The 15-year fixed was 3.99%, up from 3.97% last week. The 5-year ARM was 3.93%, up from 3.85% last week.
Unlike bad toasts, pointless meetings, and the Rolling Stones farewell tour, summer doesn’t go on forever. Thankfully, the end of summer in LA doesn’t mean the end of fun events — or even the end of trips to the beach, for that matter. There are a ton of fall activities waiting for you just around the corner, and we’ve rounded up all the ones you need to know about, ranging from music festivals and boozy parties to neighborhood art shows and dog-surfing lessons. You can now decide how to spend your weekends from here till eternity (er, until it rains).
September 7-9 Terranea Resort, Rancho Palos Verdes
A food and wine weekend for the ages, with all-inclusive passes available. Returning for its fifth year, you can expect rock-solid stuff like tasting sessions with sommeliers, wine and golf combined at “Pinot Putting,” and even a full-on food fest. Cost: $650
September 8 Santa Anita Park, Arcadia
You know the drill with food fests in LA: A wristband gets you all the food you can eat and drinks you can drink. The vendors are still TBA, but a VIP pass gets you in an hour early before all the lines form. What is there to even think about? Cost: $65-95
September 15 Glendale
Not much is announced yet for this promising Glendale festival, but you can safely count on there being music, art, kids activities, great food, and a craft beer garden. Cost: TBA
September 29 Huntington Beach
If this isn’t the most LA thing ever, I’m not sure what is. For the hordes and hordes of you out there who have been desperate to teach your dog how to surf, here’s your shot. Cost: Free
September 29 & 30 Long Beach
A ton of Long Beach’s best chefs (like Wesley Young, Rachel Aronow, and Christine Rivera) are joining forces with the likes of acts like New Order, James Blake, Janelle Monáe, and Broken Social Scene for a weekend of top-notch food and music. Oh yeah, and there’s an all-inclusive tasting event, too. You want to be there. Cost: $85-300
September 30 Venice
Four stages of music and spoken word, three beer gardens, and a ton of TBA tasty food trucks & vendors will be lining the streets of Abbot Kinney for the event that waaaaaay predates trends; it’s a 34-year tradition. Cost: Free admission
October 4-7 Newport Beach
Celebrity chefs (including Nobu Matsuhisa and Jet Tila) are at the forefront of this tasting event, which also includes cooking demos; seminars; cocktail, beer, & wine tastings; and live music. Cost: $125-250
October 4-8 Joshua Tree Lake Campground
This jammy, yoga-y fest is a steal if yoga/live music’s your thing, with a four-day wristband going for a relative pittance (as music fests go). Performing talent this year includes Fatoumata Diawara and Matador! Soul Sounds. Cost: $180 for a four-day wristband
October 5-7 Row DTLA
This inaugural fest is kicking off with some truly great stuff, like performances by T-Pain, Hannibal Buress, and your soon-to-be-favorite-new-comic Ahmed Bharoocha. Expect tons of great food, too. Cost: $255
October 5-8 Canyon Creek Summer Camp, Lake Hughes
All of the great stuff that Camp No Counselors normally offers is ramping up again in October, but this time with a focus on the LGBTQ community. All are welcome though, no matter who you are — but if you’re Mike Pence, your presence might be frowned upon. Cost: $450-699
October 6 LA Center Studios
LA’s biggest beer fest is back for fall, held once again at LA Center Studios. Expect live music, a dueling piano bar, and food trucks galore — oh, and with over 200 beers, there’ll probably be a little drinking as well. Cost: $55-80
October 6 Will Rogers State Historic Park
You’ll have a chance to watch polo, drink champagne, try to pronounce Veuve Clicquot, and even eat an individual lunch courtesy of Wolfgang Puck at this year’s Polo Classic. It’s an indulgent day, no doubt about it, but look: Sometimes we need those. Cost: Tickets range from $80 for GA admission, all the way up to $450 for VIP
October 7 Santa Monica
Santa Monica will be dedicating more than 2 miles of Lincoln Boulevard to close off to cars at this annual open street event. Starting at 10am, you’ll have the opportunity to hang out and enjoy tons of food, live music, and art. Cost: Free
October 12-14 Moreno Beach, Lake Perris
Tame Impala, My Bloody Valentine, and King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard are toplining this year’s Desert Daze. If dazey desert ambience and psychedelic music is your thing, you shouldn’t miss this somehow-only-$280 ticket weekend. Cost: $280-1,199
October 14-17 Santa Monica Pier
This big-time seafood extravaganza will feature winners like FIG, BOA, Herringbone, and Sushi Roku, as well as live music — including a performance by our very own Jeff Miller and the Black Crystal Wolf Kids. Cost: $50-100
October 21 Mack Sennett Studios, Silver Lake
The Silver-Lake-and-further-east food fest is back for round five with a TBA vendor lineup — but it’s safe to say it’ll be as killer as ever. And as always, the wristband is all-inclusive. Cost: TBA
October 26 & 27 NOS Event Center
Not only does this EDM fest boast A-Trak and Alan Walker, but it’s also got circus performers, scary mazes, and lots (and lots) of fire. Sure, it’s also not the cheapest fest you’ll attend all year, but sometimes the best things in life aren’t free. Cost: Prices range from $200 for two-day GA tickets, all the way up to $2,000+ for VIP SkyDeck tickets
November 8-15 All Over LA
LA’s premier film festival features all the trendiest Hollywood types you can imagine, gathering together for a week of screenings, tributes, retrospectives, conversations, and talent showcases. If you’re even partly interested in the film business, this fest is a must-attend. Cost: Varies by event
November 10 & 11 Dodger Stadium
A$AP Rocky, Post Malone, Kids See Ghosts, and, of course, Tyler, The Creator will be headlining this year’s edition of the Odd Future-curated music fest. Cost: $250-1,000
November 16 The Majestic, DTLA
Our craft cocktail scene is incredible in LA — so why not gather the top mixologists from over 30 LA spots into one building for a night of the the tastiest shenanigans you can conjure? Bars like Harvard & Stone, Melrose Umbrella Company, The Stubborn Nail, and Big Bar will be ready to party; so, too, should you be. Cost: $25
November 17 Downtown Burbank
Not much of a riddle with this one; Burbank will be lighting up the streets of its “downtown” section with a celebration of local businesses and, of course, tons of wine tasting. Cost: Free
Paso Robles is like the middle child of California wine country; despite its many great producers and tasting rooms, when most people think of a destination for a wine-filled weekend, they tend to think Napa or Sonoma. Take a closer look, though, and you’ll see Paso’s no slouch: Best known for producing Zinfandel, Paso Robles’ 11 distinct wine regions can actually grow up to 60 different varietals (unheard of for a wine region), and are home to world-class wineries with a chill, community vibe. Even better, Paso Robles is only a 60-minute flight into San Luis Obispo from LAX, or a 3 1/2-hour car ride, or a six-hour train ride. Here are the must-try wineries on any trip out to Paso’s wine country, from large-scale producers with storied pedigrees to boutique operations with onsite lodging.
A Spanish estate sitting on a mountain with the best vineyard views
Sitting 14 miles from the ocean and 2,200 feet above sea level atop Daou Mountain, the family-owned and -operated DAOU Vineyards is the highest elevation vineyard in the Central Coast. The gorgeous estate has sprawling views of the region and an indoor outdoor tasting room with high-beamed ceilings and beautiful Spanish archways; grab a seat outdoors at the edge of the mountain and enjoy any of the Bordeaux varietals (like a glass of their Soul of a Lion) while noshing on snacks from their Lebanese-inspired menu. Cost: $40 per person for tasting flight (waived with the purchase of three bottles) Hours: 10am-5pm daily
Part winery, part hidden trailer park
Alta Colina (which means “high hill” in Spanish) gets its name from being elevated 1,800 feet above sea level, with optimal sun exposure and an ocean breeze that make ideal conditions for a well-balanced wine. The Adelaida District winery offers a few different choices for visitors interested in tasting: Walk-ins are welcome in the tasting room (up to six guests), but you can also reserve a private tasting in the cellar room and sip on current releases amongst barrels of wine. The pricier (but more picturesque) third option is the Summit Vineyard Tasting, a hidden oasis where you can sit back and enjoy stunning vineyard views on a shaded terrace while watching the sunset over the grape-filled hills. The winery is also home to The Trailer Pond, a private pond surrounded by five retro-colored trailers nestled under string lights — so if you want to spend the night surrounded by perfectly lined rows of grapes, you can. Cost: $15 per tasting (waived with a two-bottle purchase); Taste on the Vineyard: $35 per person Tasting hours: 11am-4pm daily
The winemaker that put Paso Robles on the map
One of the larger winemakers of the region, JUSTIN produces around 400,000 cases per year, and is best known for award-winning fruity, full-bodied Bordeaux-style wines (like their Isosceles red blend). The Restaurant at JUSTIN features a rotating seasonal menu with local ingredients and popular dishes like the Charter Oak Cheeseburger made with house ground meat. The winery has come a long way in recent years, following a local controversy involving the chopping down of thousands of mature oak trees; since then, they’ve been committed to supporting the local community and have donated to several nonprofit organizations. The winery and tasting room are a bit off the beaten path, so if you can’t make it all the way to their vineyard, word on the street is you’ll soon be able to visit a second tasting room in Downtown Paso Robles. Cost: $25 per tasting of five wines Hours: 10am-4:30pm daily
Historic wine ranch that you’ll tour in a vintage Land Rover
Halter Ranch isn’t just known for its delicious Syrah and Cabernet varietals; it’s also 2,000 acres of history in the heart of Paso Robles. A renovated, Victorian-style farmhouse greets you when you first enter the ranch, whose sprawling 2,000-acre property also includes three fresh water springs, 5 acres of olives, a custom private train, and a 5-acre holding pond. Book the three-hour excursion tour, and you’ll hop in a 1984 Land Rover to explore the property, including a scenic stop at Lion’s Ridge, the highest point of the vineyard. The eco-friendly tasting room, remodeled in 2016, has floor-to-ceiling windows offering panoramic views of the vineyards as you taste the estate-grown wines. (Pro tip: The Grenache Blanc is perfect on a hot summer day.) Cost: $20 per person for the tour, waived with a two-bottle purchase Hours: Mon-Thurs from 11am-5pm, Fri-Sun from 10am-5pm
Understated winery in Tin City (aka the new Funk Zone)
If you like the Funk Zone in Santa Barbara, then you’ll love its Paso Robles cousin, Tin City. The neighborhood gets its name from all the industrial buildings in the area, but this area gets pretty crowded on the weekends because it’s where smaller wine makers, local artisans, and craft breweries have set up shop. One of the first wineries to open a tasting room in Tin City, Giornata produces some excellent wines inspired from Italian regions like Barolo and Barbaresco — go for the 2017 Barbera, or the 2015 Nebbiolo. If you’re looking for a palate cleanser afterward, cool off with a scoop from Negranti Creamery, a nearby shop that specializes in ice cream made from sheep’s milk. Cost: $10 per tasting; by appointment Hours: 9am-5pm daily
A tasting room conveniently located in a luxury hotel
Allegretto Vineyards and Wines is one of the more recent luxury resort developments in Paso Robles. The jaw-dropping, Mediterranean-inspired architecture will make you feel like you’ve been swept away to the Italian countryside before you even taste the wine, and the property has nice acres of grapes growing from two varietals, the product of which you’ll sample in a small-but-beautiful tasting room that looks like it’s been around for 100 years (even though the hotel opened in 2015). The tasting room is open to the public, and for $25 you can try any combination of four red and/or white wines. (Pro tip: Try the 2013 Zinfandel, or the 2014 Viognier or Malbec.) Cost: $25 per tasting Hours: Sun & Mon from 1pm-7pm, Tues reservations only, Wed-Sat from 12pm-7pm
A boutique winery that proves you can still love lower-alcohol wines
The small-production winery with the signature grasshopper label is located on 52 acres at Kentucky Ranch: a quaint place surrounded by nature that you’d normally expect to find in… well, Kentucky. While Paso Robles has historically been known for bold wines, Thacher Winery is leading the way in another direction, creating more subtle wines with a lower alcohol content (some at just 10.5%) that enthusiasts can’t help but love. Their 2015 Cinsault has become a cult-favorite, which you can sample (along with many others) for $15 in the tasting room that sits adjacent to a 1920s-era barn. Cost: $15 per tasting Hours: Thurs-Mon from 11am-5pm
The intent of this “cheat-sheet” is to denote specific free days in any given month where Los Angeles museums that normally charge an admission waive their entry fees (not including parking). For this post we’re detailing September, 2018.
There are a couple highlights we want to call out to for the coming month: First, Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day will feature more free admission to more than a dozen museums in Southern California as part of a national free museum day event. Secondly, be advised that both the Natural History Museum and the La Brea Tarpits Museum are both free every Tuesday of September.
[SEPTEMBER 6] Huntington Library (note that you have to reserve passes for the free day in advance, and it books up fast. For this reason we’d suggest you take a look at the free day for October and start planning when you need to be online to grab the tix)
[SEPTEMBER 11] Los Angeles County Museum of Art (also free for L.A. County residents with valid I.D. after 3:00pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays & Fridays all month long)
As a reminder, it’s ALWAYS good to verify the status of free days before you visit, so be sure to check the official museum websites to verify visiting hours, parking costs, and any other pertinent details. Keep in mind free admission days may not include specially ticketed exhibitions.
August in LA always feels like a waiting game: The city’s kids are just about to start school, we all know the heat is gonna break at some point, and restaurants are often biding their time to open and gain traction just before the holiday rush. That doesn’t mean we missed out this month, though; among the best new restaurant openings are a casual take-out window from one of LA’s hottest restaurant-preneurs, a new food hall with amazing offerings near USC, and one of the US’s most acclaimed ice cream chains. Here are LA’s most exciting new restaurants that opened in August, followed by the overall best spots in town at this moment in time.
Casual lunch takeaway spot from LA’s BBQ master
Adam Perry Lang’s steak-and-short-rib powerhouse APL opened just a couple months ago, but he’s already doubled down with this new lunchtime window, which is blasting out high-end chili dogs with hand-cut prime-chuck chili, house-cured smoked beef toasted sandwiches, and a nutso $50 sandwich with a heap of pit-cooked shaved Prime NY Strip, pickle salad, onions, and horseradish on Texas toast.
An all-day westside hang, for everyone
This new neighborhood spot has some serious pedigree, with Chef Vicki Fan Matsusaka (formerly of Superba) behind the stoves, and a Daniel Boulud alum as GM; they’re doling out upscale American classics like turkey meatballs in marinara on creamy millet, and a lunch chilaquiles with avocado mash and a 63-degree egg.
Chinatown’s new contender for noodle king
This dipping-ramen specialist makes all of its thick noodles in-house, along with broths literally cooked for days. Options include bowls stacked with grilled pork ribs and marinated soft-boiled eggs, as well as cold tofu noodle ramen.
A new food hall stacked with delicious options
This food hall’s conveniently located just next to the new incoming soccer stadium by USC, which means it’ll no doubt be crammed with Trojans chomping down on food from iconic LA vendors, including ceviches from Coni’Seafood, southern specialties from Barbara Jean, and burritos from Burritos La Palma.
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A Jonathan Gold-inspired take-out window
Sarkis Vartanian’s new international sandwich window was inspired by hearing the late, great JGold speak. “He basically said that the Los Angeles food scene was an amalgamation of different ethnic foods within few blocks of each other,” says Vartanian, and this new spot’s trying to get all of it under one roof, with a Turkish-ish sujuk (sausage & egg wrap) and the British-themed chip butty (with double-cooked fries and schug sauce on lavash) among the offerings.
Finally, an In-N-Out-style burger joint for vegans
After wowing audiences (literally!) at Coachella and Eat Drink Vegan, Monty’s Good Burger now has a brick & mortar in Ktown with the same monstrous vegan burger they’ve sold — and sold meat eaters on — at those fests. They’re using Impossible meat for their burgs, also stacked with vegan cheese; there’s also milkshakes and more, all of which are entirely plant-based.
Boozy NorCal-based iced-creamery finally makes it down south
Sure, LA has tons (and tons) of artisan ice cream shops, but this newbie from San Francisco serves up some fascinating, boozy flavors like its signature bourbon-with-corn-flakes number and the seasonal Hawaiian Shaved Ice: a Roy Choi collab with condensed ice milk and a blueberry swirl.
The beloved Asian karaage chain comes to LA
This new Little Tokyo fried chicken spot is an import from ACTUAL Tokyo, with over 50 locations spread throughout Asia. At the first US drop, they’re doing their ultra-crispy fried chicken in a bowl, as a plate, or on a sandwich; if you’re not into chicken for some reason, they’ve also got shrimp stir-fries and curry.
A hot new burger joint with a special milkshake LA’s got plenty of great burger places, and this new one — from the guy behind Birdies, who is also the former personal chef for Pamela Anderson — seems to be a great new addition to the list. But the classic roadside-style burgers aren’t the only attraction: they also have a CBD-infused green matcha milkshake, for when it’s time to burger-and-chill.
Downtown’s acclaimed Japanese eatery makes its way west
It’s always good news when you no longer need to drive far for something great, which means that anyone who doesn’t live Downtown (or east of Downtown — we’re looking at you, Covina) should be celebrating the West 3rd opening of Inko Nito. The original restaurant has been crushing DTLA with delicious yellowtail collar, charcoal-grilled beef cheek, and fried shrimp maki rolls, all of which will also be on the menu at the new spot.
Notorious restaurateur Bill Chait returns with this Hollywood ode to meat
Bill Chait was once the most well known restaurateur in LA, with a hand in now-legendary spots like Republique and Bestia, and a seemingly golden touch — until he was forced out of his restaurant group, reportedly due to internal financial issues. He’s back in the game, though, with this meat-heavy restaurant on the Sunset strip serving charcuterie, crispy veal shortbreads, and a 34-oz dry-aged ribeye, all in a beautiful space that has wood-slatted ceilings and a tiled common table.
An indulgent meat-centric nirvana from Adam Perry Lang
BBQ genius/Jimmy Kimmel’s best friend Adam Perry Lang has finally opened his first LA restaurant, and to say it’s a barnburner would be an understatement. He legitimately may have the best steak in town with his rib-eye, the French onion soup will knock you out, and — oh yeah — there’s a giant dinosaur-sized short rib that’s as perfectly smoked-and-dry-rubbed as anything you’ve ever eaten in your life. Will your wallet feel hurt after you leave? It will, but this is definitely a good kind of hurt.
The Valley finally gets a taste of chef Ludo Lefebvre
Ludo Lefebvre’s Petit Trois has been a long-standing favorite in Hollywood thanks to absolutely perfect French omelets and a burger that many people rave about, but the second location in the Valley is larger and more ornate — a testament to the new excitement around food in a part of LA long considered a culinary wasteland. The menu here is expanded from the original, so expect breakfast tartines and crabcakes at dinner, as well as the old favorites.
Middle Eastern follow-up from the team behind Bestia
Bestia has been on our best-of Eat Seeker list since its inception, so it’s no surprise that the opening of the Middle Eastern sequel to that iconic Italian spot has also garnered a spot on the list. The menu’s full of cross-regional specialties like lamb flatbreads and confit turmeric chicken legs, as well as duck hummus (aka the one thing you never want to hear at a food fight).
Mozza and ERB’s chefs join forces for a new Eastside pizza spot
It says, “the place where they weigh the pizza” on the outside of this new small Highland Park Roman-style pizzeria, and that’s the basic concept: you tell ‘em how much you want, and you pay by the pound. You’re going to want a lot, though, because the pizza here comes from a truly legit pedigree: the chefs behind it are Nancy Silverton (Mozza) and Matt Molina (ERB), which has quickly propelled it to destination status. Get there quick.
The first LA spot from Momofuku’s David Chang
Celebrated Momofuku restaurateur/Ugly Delicious star David Chang’s first-ever LA concept is a tough reservation, which is no surprise: the dude’s food, which draws from Asian cuisine as well as US traditions, is practically made for LA. Early favorites include Benton’s sausage-stuffed, fried Korean peppers, and a short rib made a la BBQ master Adam Perry Lang, with kitchen duties from exec chef Jude Parra-Sickels (who was Roy Choi’s No. 2 man for years).
When Evan Funke was at the now-defunct Bucato in Culver City, his handmade pasta was considered some of the best in LA — and since closing that restaurant, he’s spent time in Italy and made it even better. It’s not hyperbole to say that the pastas at Felix are among the best we’ve ever eaten, anywhere, and they’re made even more delicious somehow by the open-kitchen vibe in the restaurant: The best seats are by the pasta-making window, where Funke and his staff hypnotically knead and roll dough. Come hungry.
This mysterious, much-hyped project from former Red Medicine/current Destroyer chef Jordan Kahn’s not for the weak-walleted: a set menu for dinner costs $250. But, when it’s been described by the team behind it as “a dimension of cuisine that is neither rooted in tradition nor culture — it is from a time that is yet to be, and a place that does not exist,” it’s impossible to not be intrigued. Essentially, it’s like the OK Computer of restaurants: moody, unique, and boldly futuristic.
Sure, these guys’ newer Italian restaurant Jon & Vinny’s is hot right now, too, and their seafood restaurant Son of a Gun is also a stone-cold classic at this point. But the OG from these dudes still stands out for its delicious creativity; years in, they haven’t let the menu get stale at all, which means you’re gonna be ordering the classics — and then whatever insanity they’ve put on the menu today, since it may not be there again tomorrow.
This tiny James Beard-nominated restaurant, hidden in a strip mall in a no-man’s-land section of East Hollywood, would be voted least likely to succeed on looks alone. Once you glance at the tiny, challenging-to-understand menu, you may be even more tempted to bounce. Don’t. The food is from guys who did time at Noma and Daniel — two of the world’s best restaurants — and the $15-or-less grain bowls and pastas they’re serving burst with the flavor and love of those 10-times-as-expensive world-class restaurants. Just check the website/give them a call and make sure they’re open before you head there — they leave for months at a time for “inspiration trips,” but when they come back, the food’s somehow even better than before.
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: Since its opening in 2012, Bestia’s sort of become the definitive LA restaurant, offering a menu that appeals to both eat-anything foodies (pan-roasted chicken gizzards!) and eat-carefully dieters (tomato & plum salad!) in a setting that feels both industrial and homey, with prices that won’t make you feel wallet regret when you wake up in the morning. It’s no surprise it’s still one of the few tough reservations in the city; despite its size, everyone who leaves immediately wants to go back.
Before she was on the wildly popular Netflix show Chef’s Table, Niki Nakayama’s hole-in-the-wall Culver City spot — where she makes impossibly meticulous Japanese food that seems to hit all your taste buds at once — was already one of the most buzzy restaurants among foodie-type people in LA. But now that the cat’s out of the bag, it’s become nationally famous as well, which means getting in is a struggle — a totally worth-it struggle.
Seriously, are they ever going to run out of stall space at GCM — which, at this point, should just be considered a treasure of the city? Let’s hope not: Not only are all the old spots great (and set up for killer mash-ups), but newer openings (like Union chef Bruce Kalman’s pasta spot Knead & Co, the vegan ramen joint Ramen Hood, a Golden Road Brewing stall, and the bivalve-y Oyster Gourmet) make it a must-visit. Like, all the time.
Despite lots of competition from upstarts, Providence is still LA’s best special-occasion restaurant: The service is impeccable, as is Michael Cimarusti’s seafood. Is it cheap? It is not. Is it worth it? Most definitely.
This fried chicken spot’s had lines from day one, but that’s no surprise: The now-defunct truck of the same name, which specialized in the same Nashville hot chicken as the brick & mortar, was absolutely exceptional. Add to that the fact that neighbors in the Chinatown mini-mall include Roy Choi’s Chego! and the revolving test-kitchen Unit 120, and you may want to hit them all with a large group for a sharing-friendly feast.
This long-standing, high-priced, gorgeous sushi bar Downtown finds its way back to Eat Seeker thanks to an insane premium omakase, just added to the menu. Give the chef a few days’ notice and he’ll source rare, seasonal fish from Japan and elsewhere around the world, with a 15+-course tasting of flavors you literally can’t get anywhere else in LA (and that al dente vinegar rice is outstanding, too).
LA Weekly’s Besha Rodell unexpectedly crowed about this unpronounceable Israeli spot, and now food fans in LA are racing to get there for dishes like Lamb Ragooooo (yes, the extra os are on purpose) and Instagram-ready presentation, with piles of meat and veggies atop heaps of labneh.
If we told you that one of the best pizza spots in the city was in Brentwood, would you believe us? You should: Chef Daniele Uditi is from Naples and insists his pizza taste like home, with Italian-imported ingredients making up the bulk of the toppings. Don’t miss his on-special margherita (which is topped with a crunchy basil mixture that gives it far more texture than a traditional pie) and the fried artichoke salad, which hits you with flavor and bite.
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