Hi CuratedLA Family, I hope that you all had a great weekend! We’re kicking off the week with the 'We Love LA' concert tomorrow at The Hollywood Bowl, honoring wildfire first responders and those impacted. The weather this week calls for rain, especially today, Thursday, and Friday. I’ll be out on Wednesday working on a new design for April and addressing some formatting updates, but you can always reach me at [email protected] if you need anything. Catch you all on Friday! - Wyatt

LA City, County & State Offices, including Libraries + Courts, will be closed today for César Chávez Day. Learn more about César Chávez Day.

Jeremy Adler, co-founder of Cobi’s, revives a Mar Vista landmark with Beethoven Market, a stylish Cal-Italian restaurant opened this past weekend. Housed in a restored 1949 grocery store, the space blends historic details with modern warmth, featuring an open kitchen, a custom rotisserie, and a sun-drenched patio. Chef Michael Leonard’s menu leans into California and Italian flavors, from crispy artichokes to octopus with lima beans and wood-fired pizzas. Nicole Mitchell’s cocktail program offers fresh takes on classics, while a retail section showcases local goods.

Three Flames Mongolian Bar-B-Q offers a unique blend of traditional Mongolian barbecue and inventive taco curations. Under the stewardship of a former Tacos Punta Cabras owner, this eatery serves up customizable stir-fry bowls alongside dishes like fried fish tacos, cauliflower ceviche, and a shrimp patty burger. An off-menu highlight is the ‘mongolito’ taco, featuring karaage, crispy noodles, and buttermilk-tomatillo sauce.

Italian gourmet chocolatier Venchi is expanding its California footprint, adding three new locations to its existing two in the state. The company will debut at Glendale’s Americana at Brand in late July, followed by a Century City location in October and a South Coast Plaza site in December. Founded in Turin in 1878, Venchi is known for its premium chocolates, gelato, and confectionery, crafted with high-quality cocoa from Central and South America, Caribbean rum, and Piedmontese hazelnuts. With over 180 global stores, including in London, Hong Kong, and New York, the brand continues to bring the Italian sweet life worldwide.

TODAY - APRIL 5TH: The Crow at Bergamot Station hosts the Bergamot Comedy Festival, starting today and running through April 5th, blending comedy, education, and networking. The six-day event features panels, workshops, and nightly showcases, with a mission to spotlight underrepresented voices and foster industry connections. Attendees gain access to industry showcases, one-on-one meetings, professional recordings, and community-driven experiences. Conveniently located at the 26th Street/Bergamot Metro Stop, the festival offers free parking and a creative hub for rising talent in comedy.

THIS FRIDAY: NHM’s 2025 First Fridays season dives into the power of sound, from music’s impact on our bodies to the role of natural sounds in conservation. This Friday, Sound and Nature explores how recording and studying the sounds around us can inform environmental awareness and wildlife preservation. The evening features a talk at the NHM Commons Theater, live music in the Nature Gardens, and immersive experiences like DJs, sound baths, and art installations throughout the museum.

APRIL 12TH - 13TH: The 29th Annual Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival rides into William S. Hart Park on April 12th - 13th, offering a free weekend of Western heritage, live music, and hands-on activities like archery, hatchet throwing, and mechanical bull riding. Beyond the main festivities, ticketed experiences include historical performances at The MAIN, a cultural celebration at Rancho Camulos, and Cowboy Family Night at the Newhall Family Theatre. Line dancing fans can enjoy Dancing into the Dusk on April 12th, while VIP packages ($125) grant access to the Cowboy Cantina with catered meals, drinks, and meet-and-greets. More details and tickets at CowboyFestival.org.

The City of Santa Monica is seeking creative proposals for the Santa Monica Airport which is set to close in 2028. Individuals, organizations, and firms are invited to submit Letters of Interest (LOIs) for arts, recreation, education, and other community-focused concepts for this nearly 200-acre property. While no master plan is being finalized, selected ideas may shape future development plans. The LOI deadline is May 5th.

The first-ever Venice Beach Half Marathon and 5K will take place on May 18th, featuring a scenic route along Ocean Front Walk, Venice Boulevard, and Abbot Kinney Boulevard, passing landmarks like Muscle Beach and the Venice Canals. Organizers expect over three-thousand participants across various events, including a Junior Jog, Family Walk, and kids' run. With a $25,000 fundraising goal, proceeds will support local schools, with prizes for the school with the highest participation. Entertainment, including a Grease performance, will also highlight the event. More details and registration at www.runvenicebeach.com.

The Los Angeles City Planning Commission has approved a six-story mixed-use development on Ventura Blvd. in Woodland Hills, replacing a surface parking lot with 54 apartments and ground-floor retail. Designed by Aaron Brumer & Associates, the project includes density bonus incentives, allowing for reduced parking in exchange for six very low-income affordable units. Featuring a stucco-clad, courtyard-wrapped design with rooftop decks, the development aligns with broader zoning changes that could transform Ventura Blvd. into a denser residential corridor.

City Ventures is set to transform a vacant lot on Adella Avenue in South Gate into a 54-unit townhome community. The three-story homes, designed by KTGY and C2 Collaborative, will feature three- and four-bedroom layouts, with shared open spaces, pedestrian walkways, and a central park. Six units will be reserved for moderate-income buyers. Construction is expected to begin this June and wrap up next year in September. City Ventures continues its expansion with projects in Artesia, Santa Ana, and Northern California.

The NFL and WePlay Studios have teamed up to launch NFL Offsides, a high-energy weekly game show blending sports and video games. Premiering on April 15th, at 4:00pm local, this live-streamed show will feature NFL players, Legends, and top gaming creators competing in physical challenges, unpredictable mystery segments, and gaming showdowns. Hosted by Cameron Dicker and Ovilee May, each episode promises a mix of strategy and reflexes, with future guests including Terrell Owens and the Botez sisters. NFL Offsides aims to connect with Gen-Z fans through engaging, interactive content that merges nostalgic gaming with the thrill of professional football.

California lawmakers are pushing for a major expansion of the state’s film and TV tax credit program, aiming to increase the annual cap from $330m to $750m while raising the credit to 35 percent. The bill, SB 630, seeks to counter a downturn in filming caused by industry contraction and competition from states like New York and Georgia. The proposed changes would expand eligibility to include shorter TV episodes, animated projects, and certain unscripted productions, while also offering an extra five percent credit for filming outside Los Angeles. 🐰

David Ayer’s blue-collar drama A Working Man has secured a surprising win at the box office, earning $15.2m and surpassing Disney’s Snow White, which only took in $14.2m. While Snow White experienced a steep 66% drop in its second weekend, A Working Man’s solid performance marks a symbolic victory for Amazon MGM Studios. The film, starring Jason Statham as a former black ops vet turned construction worker, delves into a gripping story of corruption and human trafficking. Despite its struggle, Disney remains optimistic about Snow White's prospects, citing upcoming spring break crowds.

Ahead of CinemaCon, Gower Street Analytics has increased its 2025 global box office forecast by over $1b, now estimating a total of $34.1b. This marks a 13% year-on-year rise from 2024, though still 13% below pre-pandemic averages. The revision stems from strong first-quarter performances, notably the surprise success of Ne Zha 2 in China, which helped raise China’s 2025 forecast by $1b to $7.6b. Meanwhile, the international box office (excluding China) is projected to see a marginal increase to $17b, and domestic projections have been slightly reduced to $9.5b, attributed to a lack of breakout hits so far this year. The forecast adjustments come as the industry gears up for CinemaCon in Las Vegas.

Lauren Betts anchored UCLA’s 72-65 victory over LSU, scoring 17 points with seven rebounds and six blocks, despite sitting out the second quarter due to foul trouble. Gabriela Jaquez and Timea Gardiner added 18 and 15 points, respectively, stepping up in Betts’ absence. The Bruins, who last won a national title in 1978, secured their first-ever NCAA Tournament Final Four berth. LSU’s Flau’Jae Johnson led all scorers with 28 points, but the defending champs fell short as UCLA avenged last season’s Sweet 16 loss.

Mookie Betts delivered a clutch, two-homer performance in the Dodgers' 8-5 win over the Detroit Tigers, leading them to a 4-0 start to the season. His late-game heroics included a go-ahead home run in the 10th inning, capping a five-run rally. Betts' emotional celebration followed a challenging few months, battling a debilitating illness that caused him to lose nearly twenty pounds. Despite his struggles, he returned to the field just in time for the home opener and showed resilience, reflecting on the journey with pride. His performance was a pivotal moment in the Dodgers' opening stretch, which also saw the team receiving their World Series rings in a memorable celebration.