Happy Friday, CuratedLA. We made it. I'm carving out time for new side projects with CURATIONS and gearing up for the CuratedLA v3 release, so today’s issue skips the usual event listings (they’ll return Tuesday—Monday’s off). In the meantime, I’ve included a few solid guides to carry you through the weekend, including picks for Cinco de Mayo. Thanks for sticking with me, and I’ll see you back here Tuesday. –Wyatt

Chipotle is going digital for Cinco de Mayo, dropping Ingredient Quest inside its Roblox Burrito Builder game on May 5th, where players collect virtual ingredient cards to win one of 50,000 free entrées. In addition, guests can snag free delivery (May 1st –5th with code DELIVER) and free chips and queso (May 3rd –5th with code CINCO25) through the Chipotle app and website.

This Sunday, Downtown Dough transforms Hilltop Coffee’s DTLA location into a wood-fired pizza spot after 3:00pm, co-led by Issa Rae and Good Vibes Only Hospitality (love the name + they’re team behind Somerville and Lost). Chef Geter Atienza fires up blistered Neapolitan pies, grilled branzino, and spicy lobster pasta, while beverage director Steen Bojsen Moller mixes soul-inspired cocktails like the coffee-spiked Black Moses and the elderflower Sweet Thang. Expect 1970s funk, a 179-seat room, and a sharp late-night pivot from café to vibe-heavy supper club. [EATER LA]

The Girl & The Chicken, a fast-casual Mediterranean-inspired concept in Burbank, quietly opened with a menu built around rotisserie-style chicken, turmeric chimichurri rice, and fresh-made sauces like lemon garlic tahini. Located on Riverside Drive next to The Palm Coffee Bar, this neighborhood newcomer offers wrap and bowl combos with kale slaw, hummus, and house-made pickles, all wrapped in vibrant red or green tortillas. While it draws some comparisons to The Chicken Shop in Newport Beach, this local venture has its own flair—offering saffron aioli and pomegranate molasses touches that give it an elevated yet familiar feel. Early online reviews note the generous portions, warm service, and standout sides like roasted potatoes with paprika oil. [INSTAGRAM]

Beloved Beverly Grove coffee shop Community Goods is expanding west, quietly landing a new location in Brentwood at The Lawn—a freshly remodeled retail complex on San Vicente Blvd. Tucked away toward the back of the property near Montana Ave, the outpost will bring the brand’s cult-favorite coffee drinks, breakfast sliders, toast, and signature banana bread to a more residential pocket of L.A. [TODDRICKALLEN]

LA Spud Guys has landed in Studio City on Ventura Blvd, serving loaded jacket potatoes Tuesday through Sunday from 7:00pm to midnight. Born from a birthday trip to England and fueled by TikTok inspiration, 22-year-old founder Emil Avetyan brings a late-night twist on the UK staple—crispy-on-the-outside, fluffy-on-the-inside spuds stacked with unlimited toppings. Originally a tent popup with a cult following (and celeb fans like Finneas), LA Spud Guys now offers $6 plain and $12 loaded options with everything from English baked beans to teriyaki chicken. It's not just fast food—it's a spud revolution. [INSTAGRAM]

​STARTS TODAY - MAY 26TH: The L.A. County Fair returns to Pomona's Fairplex today kicking off its 103rd edition themed Art Unleashed. Running Thursdays through Sundays and on Memorial Day (May 26th), the fair offers a vibrant mix of over 70 carnival rides, 29 games, 2,000+ food and commercial vendors, and a twelve-night concert series featuring artists like Cheap Trick, Chris Young, and Los Tucanes de Tijuana. New attractions include the Skate-R-Cade with free roller skating and arcade games, the centennial celebration of the Fairplex Garden Railroad, and art exhibits from LACMA. Advance adult tickets range from $18.50 to $27.50, varying by date. Parking is $20 online or $25 at the gate, with the venue operating cashless for all transactions. [LOS ANGELES COUNTY FAIR]

TODAY: Celebrate Cinco de Mayo in the heart of San Gabriel today from 5:30pm to 9:00pm at the vibrant Cinco de Mayo Mercado in the historic Mission District. This free, family-friendly event offers live performances, artisan vendors, food trucks, kids' activities, and a beer and cocktail garden hosted by Pez Cantina. Enjoy live music from the Roosevelt Elementary School's Mariachi Ensemble, Sol de Fuego Ballet Folklórico, and the Soto Band. Savor delicious offerings from food trucks like Tacos la Doña, Oaxaca on Wheels, and Kogi BBQ. Explore handcrafted goods from local artisans and enjoy specialty cocktails, sangria, and beer. Don't miss this festive evening celebrating Mexican culture and community spirit. [CITY OF SAN GABRIEL]

SATURDAY: L.A. TACO’s 16th Annual Taco Madness returns tomorrow, turning LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes into a 21+ taco lover’s paradise. Featuring twelve standout taquerías—from Mariscos Jalisco to Evil Cooks—plus DJs, guest judges, and a best-in-show taco showdown, this Cinco de Mayo weekend event celebrates the boldest flavors in the city. General admission starts at 5:00pm, early entrance at 4:00pm, with drinks flowing and tacos sizzling all night. L.A. TACO members enter free; for everyone else, tickets are required. [EVENTBRITE]

SATURDAY: UCLA Football takes over the Rose Bowl tomorrow for its Spring Showcase, doubling as a Cinco de Mayo celebration with a marketplace, boxing exhibitions, food + music throughout the day. The event offers a behind-the-scenes look at the 2025 Bruins and is free to the public with ticket reservation required. Doors and festivities begin at 11:00am. [ROSE BOWL]

SATURDAY: Famous Amos is throwing it back to the '70s for its 50th anniversary with a free, family-friendly block party tomorrow from 12:00pm - 5:00pm at Hollywood & Highland. In the spirit of founder Wally Amos’s legendary LA gatherings, expect break dancers, live music, roller skating, and of course—plenty of cookies—all in celebration of the cookie brand’s colorful legacy and community roots. [FAMOUS AMOS]

ONGOING: Eataly Los Angeles is hosting a series of immersive, hands-on Italian cooking classes through June 28th, offering locals a taste of Italy without the plane ticket. Held at La Pizza & La Pasta and Eataly Ristorante, each $97.92 session invites guests to learn authentic techniques—like crafting pizza Napoletana, hand-rolling ravioli, or preparing fettuccine Alfredo the Roman way—with dishes paired alongside antipasti and Italian wines. Classes run Wednesday evenings, with rotating menus that highlight traditional recipes and regional ingredients. [EVENTBRITE]

SATURDAY: Tomorrow from 12:00pm to 4:00pm MAUM Market returns to ROW DTLA’s Dock Street, spotlighting over eighty Asian-owned small businesses offering a curated selection of jewelry, clothing, art, ceramics, home goods, and specialty foods. Recognized by the Los Angeles Times as one of the city's top festive craft fairs and a key event for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month , MAUM Market provides a family- and pet-friendly atmosphere that celebrates AAPI creativity and entrepreneurship. Admission is $5 per person, with free entry for children under twelve and seniors over 65. [MAUM MARKET]

SUNDAY: Downtown Santa Monica hosts a family-friendly Cinco de Mayo celebration this Sunday from 3:00pm to 6:00pm on the 1200 block of Third Street Promenade. Expect outdoor dining from local favorites like Casa Martin and Cabo Cantina, a Latinx pop-up market curated by @molcajetedominguero, and live performances by Maria Sanchez and the Midnight Grove, Santa Monica Ballet Folklórico, and Los Mariachis de America. All ages and pets welcome; no RSVP required. [EVENTBRITE]

MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center has made history as the first hospital globally to successfully perform a robotic hip revision using Stryker’s Mako Total Hip with 5.0 software and the Mako 4 SmartRobotics™ platform, in conjunction with the Q Guidance System. This milestone showcases the center's long-standing leadership in surgical innovation and patient care. Robotic-assisted hip revision, a highly complex procedure, offers enhanced precision, reduced recovery time, and greater implant longevity, providing patients with a faster return to mobility. [PR NEWSWIRE]

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has launched a public safety initiative reminding drivers to pull to the right and stop when emergency vehicles approach with sirens or flashing lights. Highlights from the campaign:

Sheriff Robert Luna emphasized the campaign’s goal of making this lifesaving response second nature. The Sheriff’s Office will amplify this new campaign and it’s messaging across social media and other channels. [NBC4 LOS ANGELES]

The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank has received a $1m grant from the American Red Cross to support those impacted by the Greater Los Angeles Wildfires. The funding will strengthen the Food Bank’s disaster relief efforts by expanding emergency food kit distribution, stocking shelves for community partners, and providing shelf-stable food to displaced families. This initiative is part of the Red Cross’s national Long-Term Recovery Program, aiming to ease hunger and help communities rebuild after disaster. More info: LAFoodBank.org/find-food.

Alliance Residential has unveiled fresh plans for a five-to-seven-story mixed-use development in Culver City’s Fox Hills, set to replace the existing office building at 100 Corporate Pointe. The project includes 351 residential units—30 designated as affordable—plus 4,742 square feet of retail and 542 parking spaces. Designed by KFA Architecture and MJS Landscape Architecture, the wrap-style building will feature a retail plaza along Buckingham Parkway and walk-up units at street level. This is one of five major developments planned for Fox Hills, potentially adding over three thousand new homes to the area. [URBANIZE LA]

Landsea Homes has acquired 70 homesites for Canopy, a new residential community in Ontario, CA set to launch sales by late 2025. Located near 1355 W 5th Street, the project will feature three-story townhomes ranging from 1,532–1,739 sq. ft. with 3–4 bedrooms and smart home tech powered by Apple Home™ and Geek Squad. Positioned near schools and transit hubs—including Ontario Airport and Ontario Mills—Canopy joins Landsea’s expanding footprint in the Inland Empire alongside communities like Eave and Narra Hills. [LA YIMBY]

Sam Altman’s iris-scanning startup, World (formerly Worldcoin), officially launched its U.S. retail presence yesterday, including a flagship location here in Los Angeles. The project uses spherical Orbs to verify human identity via biometric scans, rewarding users with crypto and offering a World ID for use across platforms like Reddit, Discord, and Shopify. Backed by $140m in funding and 26m global users, the venture aims to curb bots and deepfakes while raising privacy concerns over decentralized data storage. New partnerships with Visa and Tinder signal growing mainstream integration, even as regulators remain cautious. [CNBC]

Live Nation $LYV ( ▲ 0.08% ) kicked off 2025 with record-setting momentum, reporting $2.5bn in Q1 revenue and $5.4bn in deferred concert revenue—up 24% from last year—as global demand for live music surges. Over 95m tickets have already been sold, driven by booming stadium shows (up 80%) and strong international growth, particularly in Latin America and Asia. Ticketmaster posted a 25% jump in April concert ticket sales, while food, beverage, and premium spend per fan rose across venues. With plans to open twenty large venues through 2026 and over 85% of sponsorships already locked in, Live Nation is positioning itself to sustain double-digit growth through a record-setting summer and beyond. [MUSIC BUSINESS WORLDWIDE]

Century City-based Fruitist Holdings Inc. (formerly Agrovision) is scaling fast, with new berry farms sprouting in Oregon, China, and soon California, to meet surging global demand for its jumbo-sized, selectively bred blueberries. The vertically integrated company, which controls every step from farm to shelf, has raised over $600m, including from Ray Dalio’s family office, and a recorded $350m in 2024 sales. Despite trade tensions and economic headwinds, Fruitist is betting on consumers’ growing appetite for high-quality, super-snackable fruit, already stocked at retailers like Trader Joe’s, Costco, and Whole Foods. [LOS ANGELES BUSINESS JOURNAL]

Waymo and Toyota have entered a preliminary agreement to explore a joint autonomous vehicle platform, aiming to bring driverless tech to personally owned vehicles (POVs). Woven by Toyota will support the collaboration, which prioritizes safety and broader mobility access. Toyota’s experience with advanced safety features like Toyota Safety Sense will merge with Waymo’s proven autonomous driving capabilities—currently powering over 250,000 weekly rides across cities like here in LA and neighboring Phoenix. Together, they aim to accelerate the path to zero-accident roads and a more inclusive mobility landscape. [WAYMO]

BSH Home Appliances has unveiled its new Experience & Design Center in Beverly Hills. The center is a 6,684 sq-ft showroom where architects, designers, builders, and consumers can interact with its premium brands—Bosch, Thermador, and Gaggenau—in a space shaped by coastal chic and Spanish Revival design. Beyond showcasing innovation and luxury, the showroom serves as a hub for events, product consultations, and community engagement. BSH is launching a wildfire recovery rebate program for impacted residents in Los Angeles and Maui, offering up to $2,500 back on qualifying appliance packages through December.

In Friendship, Tim Robinson makes his first movie lead an exercise in escalating discomfort, playing a sad-sack suburban dad whose new bromance with a weatherman (Paul Rudd) veers into full-blown unhinged territory. Directed by Andrew DeYoung and distributed by A24, the film starts as a spiritual sequel to I Love You, Man before descending into sketch-comedy chaos with Ari Aster overtones. Robinson leans into his signature persona — a jittery mix of self-loathing, delusion, and passive-aggression — but the longer format exposes the limits of his manic cringe, leaving behind the uneasy question of whether the character (and the film) has anywhere to go. [VARIETY]

Benson Boone somersaults into sketch comedy with his Saturday Night Live debut, bringing the same gymnastic flair he showed off at Coachella — backflipping into frame during promos alongside host Quinta Brunson and cast member Sarah Sherman. The 22-year-old pop star, riding high off his viral hit Beautiful Things and a surprise Coachella duet with Queen’s Brian May, will use the May 4th SNL performance to preview his upcoming sophomore album American Heart, out June 20th. [BILLBOARD]

The Lakers’ season ended in a Game 5 loss to the Timberwolves on Wednesday, capping LeBron James’s 22nd NBA campaign—a historic year that saw him play alongside his son Bronny, but also featured a midseason trade that sent Anthony Davis to Dallas for Luka Doncic. Despite James’s strong numbers, the undersized Lakers couldn’t overcome Minnesota’s physicality. Now 40, James says he’ll consider his future this summer, holding a $52.6m player option. With Rob Pelinka vowing upgrades and rookie coach JJ Redick earning praise, the big question remains: will LeBron run it back—or walk away? [MSN/THE WASHINGTON POST]