Los Angeles Greater Area
Your DTLA outdoor dining guide
Downtown al fresco eating spots are nothing new. But these days, open air dining has reached a whole new level. More patios. More plazas. More streetside seating and rooftop bars. And as the Mayor’s LA Al Fresco approval program expands, it’s just the beginning.
Finding autumn color around LA
Yes, fall foliage does exist in these parts! And from local public gardens to nearby country and mountain getaways, it’s in ravishing display these days. Take advantage of the perfect October-November timing to catch the array of red and gold hues at their brilliant best.
All of LA’s pop-up drive-in movies
With new venues, er, popping up all the time, it’s hard to get a handle on where to watch. So voilà: the very latest list of locations across LA and the OC. Drive-ins, poolside settings, rooftop park-and-watch places: they’re all here. Now to decide between The Polar Express and Pet Sematary.
Best day trips by train
Because rail ridership is down, it’s easy to get out of LA for the day on a socially distanced train ride. Here are seven of Amtrak’s most appealing day adventures, from the coast to the desert – complete with travel times and tips on all the fun things to do when you get there.
San Francisco Bay Area
Frida fun at the de Young
Set to debut in March, the de Young’s Frida Kahlo exhibit was delayed by half a year. Well, the museum is finally back open and one critic says it was worth the wait. Highlighted by “a treasure trove of possessions” from the famed Mexico City home that Kahlo shared with husband Diego Rivera, Appearances Can Be Deceiving offers a vibrantly personal look at the celebrated artist and cultural icon.
BART in your backyard?
Enjoying an entire BART car to yourself is a rare luxury in the Bay Area, particular in pre-pandemic times. Now you can experience it every day, thanks to a cool new program that allows people to “adopt” their own car as they are phased out and replaced by a newer fleet. The cost: Around $10,000, which covers the cost of transportation.
Artistry in action
Times of great duress can often spark intense artistic innovation. That’s certainly the case with these six black Oakland artists, who have turned what has been an extremely challenging year into a source of creative inspiration. Check out some of their work.
Mina moves north
Restaurateur Michael Mina is well known for both his fine dining establishments as well as the prolific number of them that he’s launched around the Bay Area. Wit & Wisdom Tavern, however, is his first venture in Wine Country. The new restaurant is located in the renovated Lodge at Sonoma just a few minutes from the town’s historic plaza, and 7×7 says it offers a little something for everyone.