Happy Friday, CurationsLA Family. Our hearts are with the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department after an accident took the lives of three deputies earlier this morning. Thank you to all of those that serve + their families and loved ones. Onto today + this weekend’s Good Vibes. Back in your inbox on Tuesday. - Wyatt

Northern California's beloved Gott’s Roadside is expanding to Southern California with two confirmed locations. A notice recently posted on Wilshire Blvd Ste in Santa Monica confirms the former Osteria Del Fornaio space will be home to a new Gott’s outpost, expected to open next Spring. This follows news of another upcoming location at the Original Farmers Market at Third and Fairfax, set to debut later this year. Gott’s is known for its modern take on American roadside classics, including burgers, ahi tacos, hand spun shakes, and regional wines.

Cinque Terre West has reopened in Venice on Rose Avenue after its original Pacific Palisades location was damaged by fire earlier this year. The new all day restaurant offers a sunlit patio and indoor seating, serving brunch daily from 8:00am to 3:00pm with omelettes, Italian croissants, focaccia, and breakfast sandwiches. Dinner brings a coastal Italian menu of crudo, salads, pastas, pizzas, and house made gluten free options, with happy hour on weekends and extended evening hours on Friday and Saturday. 

Now open on Magnolia Boulevard, Viibz is the newest all day restaurant and bar serving up craft cocktails, customizable bowls, and a wide-ranging menu that spans everything from shrimp tacos and Nashville hot chicken to creamy mushroom pasta and hand tossed pizzas. Located near the NoHo Arts District, Viibz also offers live music, game day energy, and late night comfort classics like burgers, wings, and churros.

Los Angeles will see below normal temperatures and a mix of coastal fog and mountain instability from today through Monday. Expect marine layer clouds and morning fog near the coast and valleys, with a slight chance of isolated thunderstorms Friday in the San Gabriel Mountains and Antelope Valley. Skies should gradually clear into the weekend as monsoonal moisture fades, but cooler than usual temperatures will continue into Monday afternoon.

A seven-story, sixty-unit apartment building is planned on South Shatto Place in Koreatown, with fifteen units reserved for extremely low-income households. Designed by Andmore Partners and built under TOC incentives, the project includes parking, bike storage, open space, and is steps from the Wilshire Vermont and Wilshire Normandie Metro stations.

A 1970s-era office building on Ocean Park Avenue in Santa Monica is set to be replaced by a seven-story mixed-use development featuring 102 apartments, ground-floor retail, and a 122-car subterranean garage. Designed by JZA Architecture, the project includes courtyards and a rooftop deck, with sixteen units reserved for affordable housing under AB 1287 density bonus incentives. The site sits just north of Santa Monica Airport, an area under consideration for future park space redevelopment.

Gold’s Gym has officially opened a new 33,000 square foot flagship inside the Beverly Center, offering a 24-hour elevated fitness experience complete with a glute factory, turf zone, sauna, steam room, and juice bar. The opening drew early crowds and gave away swag and membership raffles to the first 200 guests, with a grand opening celebration slated for September.

Los Angeles is emerging as a key AI hub within California, joining San Francisco and San Jose as one of the state’s top metro areas for artificial intelligence readiness, according to a July 16th report by the Brookings Institution. The city’s strengths include leading universities, a vibrant entertainment industry, defense technology startups, and growing tech innovation, placing it in the “star hub” category for AI development. California stands out nationally with three metro areas in the top 10 for AI readiness, driven by talent, venture capital, patents, and job opportunities. While the AI economy remains heavily concentrated on the West Coast, other US cities are increasingly investing to compete.

Netflix has dropped the first trailer for the final season of Stranger Things, revealing an intense showdown with Vecna and a town under military lockdown. Set in the fall of 1987, the season will roll out in three parts starting November 26th, with volumes on Christmas Day and New Year's Eve. While this closes the chapter on the main series, spin-offs like Tales From ’85 are already in development.

Netflix reported $11.1bn in Q2 revenue and $3.8bn in operating income with a 34.1 percent margin, showing strong year over year growth as it shifts focus from subscriber counts to profitability. Boosted by recent price increases and low churn in core markets, the company now expects 2025 revenue to reach up to $45.2bn. It is also expanding its advertising model and exploring partnerships with global and social first creators, including YouTube talent, to grow its share of overall TV viewing.

August kicks off with The Naked Gun (project opening $20m–$30m), aiming to revive the R-rated comedy, while The Bad Guys 2 ($25m–$35m) targets families before summer ends. Horror entry Together tracks at $6m–$10m. The big one is Fantastic Four: First Steps on July 25th, projected at $100m–$125m, with Smurfs and I Know What You Did Last Summer pacing at $12m–$18m each.

The Dodgers start the second half at home with a three game series against the hot Milwaukee Brewers, winners of seven straight and close behind LA in the NL standings. Today’s matchup features Tyler Glasnow vs. Quinn Priester, followed by Emmet Sheehan vs. Freddy Peralta tomorrow, and Clayton Kershaw vs. Jose Quintana Sunday. The Dodgers, fresh off ending a seven game losing streak, rely on Shohei Ohtani and key hitters like Andy Pages and Freddie Freeman.

The Angels open their second half with a six game road trip starting today against the Phillies, followed by games against the Mets, Mariners, and Rangers. Sitting four games behind an AL Wild Card spot at 47-49, this stretch will be key ahead of the trade deadline. Los Angeles faces a strong Phillies rotation but avoids top starters Zack Wheeler and Christopher Sanchez to start. Yusei Kikuchi, the Angels’ lone All Star, pitches Sunday. Christian Moore remains on the injured list. The Phillies lead the NL East by half a game and boast one of the best home records in baseball.