A weather phenomenon: 'Pineapple Express'

JANUARY 31ST, 2024

Presented by:
Three Clubs in Hollywood

CURATEDLA: GOOD L.A. VIBES

😊 WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31ST 2024

• 👋 GOOD MORNIN’, CUTIE: Happy Wednesday, Los Angeles. I hope that you + your crew are doing well on this mid-week of a day. The HOV Lane has been added to CuratedLA. Located below, The HOV Lane will provide you with a quick snapshot of the goods from our in-depth newsletters. As CuratedLA is starting to provide more content, I believed this was a great approach: a quick skim on the day in The HOV Lane, with the ability to come back to CuratedLA’s Information Highway whenever needed. It might stick, it might not. Lmk what you think by replying to this email. -Wyatt

• 🍍 PINEAPPLE EXPRESS: A weather phenomenon known as the Pineapple Express is expected to bring significant impacts to California, including Los Angeles. The Pineapple Express is an atmospheric river that originates in the tropical Pacific Ocean, near Hawaii, and can result in heavy precipitation, strong winds, and potential flooding. The term Pineapple Express is a non-technical term for this meteorological phenomenon, characterized by a strong and persistent large-scale flow of moisture. The event is anticipated to bring several inches of rain, high winds, and the possibility of flooding to our area throughout this week.

⚡️THE HOV LANE:

📰 L.A. HEADLINES

• 💻️ TIKTOK: Culver City’s TikTok is opening up TikTok Los Angeles: Live Studios. The goal is to create an environment for TikTok Creators in Los Angeles to have a gathering spot where all can livestream and promote their brand’s merchandise on TikTok’s new eCommerce Store.

• 🎸 2024 CLIO MUSIC AWARDS: The Clio Music Awards will take place tonight at NeueHouse Hollywood. Notables this year include honors for both Pearl Jam and Ozzy Osbourne, both receiving public recognition for their contributions to the music industry. The Clio Music Awards celebrate music creativity and marketing, honoring individuals, groups, and organizations that have enabled the music industry to grow through creative works. The public can purchase tickets for tonight with cocktails starting at 6:30pm, awards ceremony at 8:00pm.

• 🏡 COVID EVICTIONS: As of January 30th, 2024, some renters in the city of Los Angeles are set to lose certain eviction protections, and their rents will increase on February 1st, 2024. This change comes as the COVID-19 eviction protections are set to expire, leading to concerns about housing instability for affected tenants. Despite the expiration of these protections, efforts are ongoing to advocate for permanent measures to keep tenants housed, and the city council has taken steps to protect tenants while they await rental assistance.

EATS

🗞️ HEADLINES

• 🍔 FREE MCDONALDS: McDonald's has launched a promotional campaign featuring the Hamburglar and his new Burgercuda car. Fans are encouraged to spot the Burgercuda, scan its code, and participate in a nationwide game. Those who spot the car and scan the vehicle's code can win rewards, including the chance to win free burgers for a year.

• ☕️ CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM POP-UP: Two locations of Menotti's Coffee will be transformed into Latte Larry's as a tribute to Curb Your Enthusiasm, which airs the first episode of the show’s final season on Sunday night. Latte Larry’s will offer Hot Cups of Spite and Extra Dry Scones in a nod to the series. The menu will feature vegan options and a special blend signature roast of Latte Larry's Beans. The pop-up is scheduled to run from February 2nd to February 4th from 7:00am to 4:00pm | [📸 @menottis]

• 💎 HIDDEN GEMS: Five new Los Angeles restaurants right now that are considered hidden gems and very much worthy of an eat.

🚀 OPENINGS

• 🌮 SHERMAN OAKS: Tacos 1986, one of L.A.’s favorite Tijuana-style taco shops, will have a grand opening for their Sherman Oaks location on Ventura Boulevard tomorrow. Known for its authentic street tacos, the Tacos 1986 offers a menu featuring carne asada, al pastor, mulitas, quesadillas, and vampiros. The Tacos 1986 brand has gained widespread acclaim and has become a cult favorite in the Los Angeles taco scene, with other locations across the city | [📸 @tacos1986la]

• 🇬🇷 BEVERLY GROVE: Greek Eats, the newest addition to Beverly Grove, is now open and ready for those that fancy authentic Greek cuisine. This take-out restaurant offers a delectable selection of Greek dishes: traditional gyros, flavorful souvlaki, fresh Greek salads and more | [📔 Menu]

• 🍄 UNIVERSAL STUDIOS: Universal Studios Hollywood has surprised visitors with a soft opening of Power Up Cafe, a follow-up to the popular Toadstool Cafe. This new quick-service cafe, inspired by the Super Mario franchise, offers snacky bites and bubbly drinks, with a menu and decor based on iconic symbols from the Super Nintendo video game. The cafe's exterior is adorned with neon-lit Power Ups, and its menu features items such as the Super Star Fizz with lemon popping boba and a mango-pineapple Power Up. Power Up Cafe is located on the upper lot by the park's entrance. The soft opening is available to the public, with the cafe’s grand opening to take place on February 15th. Admission to Universal Studios Hollywood is required for entry | [📸📍Toadstool Cafe]

• 🇲🇽 DOWNTOWN: Taco Side just had their grand opening in Downtown Los Angeles. I have a good feeling that this place is going to be a true hole-in-the-wall, hidden-gem. Taco Side is a full restaurant located inside a DTLA Shell Gas Station. But do not let any outdoor looks fool you, their menu has my alarm set for lunch tomorrow | [ 📸 @taco.side]

• 🏖️ VENICE: Chef Michael Fiorelli, known for his work at Olivetta and Love & Salt, is set to partner with the Cook's Garden in Venice to open a wood-fired pizza restaurant in mid-March. The new establishment, Fiorelli Pizza, will offer a more approachable and affordable dining experience, featuring wood-fired pizzas with various toppings, salads, sandwiches, and delectable desserts. The restaurant aims to resonate with the casual dining preferences of Venice locals and will operate from Thursday to Sunday, 12:00pm to 9:00pm. The venture is expected to provide a relaxed dining option for the community, emphasizing a laid-back atmosphere and a delectable menu | [📸 @fiorellipizza]

• 🐠 SHERMAN OAKS: Catch 818 Mariscos, a Mexican seafood restaurant, is set to open its second location in Sherman Oaks on Ventura Blvd. The restaurant will offer a variety of Mexican seafood dishes with this second location reflecting the restaurant's growing popularity and success | [📸 @catch818_mariscos]

• 🍷 PICO-ROBERTSON: Cardinale du Vin, a sleek new European-style cafe and wine bar, opened Friday in the Pico-Robertson neighborhood. The menu currently features oysters, crudo, and sandwiches, with plans to expand to include breakfast items, pastries, and lunch and dinner options in the future. The wine selection, mostly chosen by Liu and Ngamthonglor, offers options starting at $12 a glass, along with more high-end choices. The cafe and wine bar is set to provide a welcoming space for locals to enjoy accessible natural wines and Old World classics | [📸 @cardinaleduvin]

EVENTS

• 🎤 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 6TH: Liz (Elizabeth Guest) will give you the shirt off her back. Not in this performance although you never know. But unfortunately that has led to some pretty uncomfortable situations. For Liz. Not the people who have gotten shirts. Anyway, she’ll be at the theater on this day at this time, but as far as the show description goes it sort of has to do with the shirt thing but not also not at all. Anyway, she's kind of a mess right now and can't say why or about what but please come to the show where more will be revealed.

  Written & Performed by: Elizabeth Guest [📸 lizzguest]

  Directed by: Melanie Shaw

  Doors: 7:00pm | Show: 7:30pm | Tickets: $15.00

• 🔼 🎤 6:00pm: Fred Armisen's Playlist, Live! Permanent Records Roadhouse $5.67

• 🏆️ 7:00pm: Out Of The Blue - Mango Cart Late-Night Grammy Brunch w/ Ashley Kutcher & Braden Bales Winston House 💸

• 💭 7:00pm: Brain Party Trivia Alex’s Bar 💸 

• 🎶 7:00pm: We Found New Music (WFNM) w/ Cxloe, Parker Kay, Tyler Christian, & Ivy James Backbeat On Sunset at Hotel Ziggy 💸 

• 🤘 7:00pm: Breaking Sound LA w/ Zho Davis, Halo Kitsch, Zia Victoria, & Blackbird Adults Only

• 🎷 7:30pm: Ned Casual & The Tombstone Blues w/ Norman Woods The Silverlake Lounge

• 🎤 7:30pm: Dina Martina Dynasty Typewriter

• 🎸 8:00pm: James Mantis w/ Aspen Forest & Ulitsa Vostok The Echo

• 🎸 8:00pm: Zola Odessa The Hotel Cafe: Second Stage

• 🎸 8:00pm: The Overhead Bins w/ Ben Absent, Lonely Pirate Committee, & Holy Dose Genghis Cohen

• 🎸 8:00pm: Baba G X DJ Brownie (Marc Brownstein and Jon "The Barber" Gutwillig of The Disco Biscuits) Venice West

• 🎸 8:00pm: Mae.Sun w/ Arc Iris Resident DTLA

• 🔼 🔥 🎤 8:00pm: Judd Apatow & Friends - A Benefit for Connecting to Cure Crohn's and Colitis Largo at the Coronet

• 🎛️ 9:00pm: Scenario w/ Noir JBW, Made of Oak, & Andres Coco The Love Song Bar 💸 

• 🔼 🎤 9:00pm: Fred Armisen's Playlist, Live! Permanent Records Roadhouse

• 🎤 9:15pm: Stand-Up Streamer Showcase w/ Jay Washington, Ify Nwadiwe, Jamel Johnson, Johnny Mitchell, Madison Shepard, Mav Viola, Natasha Vinik, Jalisa Robinson, Siena East, Hayden Johnson, & Conner McNutt Hollywood Improv: The Lab

• 🎛️ 10:00pm: Swavé with Alex Elena, Hedge, Nar, & Alexa Academy L.A.

• 🎛️ 10:00pm: Clinic with Mustafa Ismaeel (of Crosstown Rebels), HBB, & Soul2Soul Station1640 💸 

🧭 GUIDES

• 😎 CALIFORNIA: The ten best places to visit in California with kids 

More events for today | 🔖 Event Masters | Live updating on both
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THREE CLUBS HOLLYWOOD

Sing your heartbreak away with a live pianist whether that is from your seat or on stage with Crushed at Three Clubs!

Bring your friends, crush, or ex-lovers for this limited time pop-up experience featuring themed cocktails/mocktails, fun activities, and photo ops! 🫶

What to expect:
🎤 Singalong to your favorite heartbreak ballads
✍🏼 Add to the Crush List
☁️ Take a photo on Cloud 9
😢 Cry it out, we have tissues
👿 Shred that love letter, photostrip, or memento
💬 Talk it out with those you love
🔮 Ask the universe what’s next through a tarot card reading*

It starts with infatuation, your heart goes on a journey, and then you are left Crushed. We’re with you! Commemorate the cycles of having a crush at Crushed: A Singalong Piano Heartbreak Bar. 💜

Each ticket includes a 90-minute reservation and an interactive welcome cocktail/mocktail. Additional drinks and bites will be available for purchase on-site.

*Tarot card readings are an additional purchase and not guaranteed during your time slot. 💟

ACTIVITIES

• 🚴‍♂️ CICLAVIA 2024: CicLAvia has announced its 2024 schedule with the dates posted above. The first event this year is Melrose, a four-mile open streets event connecting Fairfax to Vermont. CicLAVia is our community’s opportunity to walk, ride, bike, skate, pretty much do whatever we want without the worry of cars. For the full schedule and details of all the events, visit the official CicLAvia website.

• 🧢 A JACKIE ROBINSON BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION: The Rose Bowl Stadium is hosting an open house to celebrate Jackie Robinson's birthday today. The event is scheduled to take place at 4:30pm at the iconic Rose Bowl Stadium in honor of the legendary Jackie Robinson's birthday. Additional celebrations will take place prior to the open house from 2:00pm to 4:00pm.

• 🎨 USC FISHER MUSEUM: The opening reception for Scene Shift: The Exhibit will be held tomorrow afternoon at 5:30 pm. The exhibition is inspired by the book Scene Shift: US Set Designers in Conversation and will feature the work of contemporary scenic designers such as Abigail DeVille, Regina Garcia, and Marsha Ginsberg. Additionally, there will be a curator walkthrough of the exhibition, providing guests with a guided tour to explore the work of the featured designers. USC’s Fisher Museum is the event host for tomorrow.

• ⌛️ TIME TRAVEL: Burbank’s Be Kind Video allows all of us to travel back into time with their VHS setup. One of our favorite outlets, Secret Los Angeles, has a great snapshot of what they offer. And a reminder: Be Kind Video is having a VHS Swap Event soon.

COMMUNITY

• 📷️ GETTY VILLA: The Getty Villa is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this month. The Getty Villa has been a popular destination for both tourists and locals alike as it celebrates and showcases arts and culture found throughout Los Angeles.

• 🌴 L.A. TREES: The greatest Los Angeles trees. And this is when my content blurb stood still…

• 💸 HOMEOWNER TAX RELIEF: Amidst soaring mortgage rates in 2024, homeowners in Los Angeles may find relief through various programs and exemptions. The California Mortgage Relief Program, initiated in December 2021, offers assistance to homeowners facing pandemic-related financial hardships. This program, funded by the American Rescue Plan Act's Homeowner Assistance Fund, has raised the limit for property tax relief.

• 🏡 BRENTWOOD: The City of Los Angeles is considering zoning changes to address the need for more affordable housing. Currently, a significant portion of residential land in Los Angeles is zoned exclusively for single-family homes. This has led to discussions about the potential benefits of allowing multi-family housing in single-family zones. Comments are encouraged within this topic, as requested by the City.

• 🪸 MALIBU: The City of Malibu has approved a long-term contract with the California Highway Patrol to improve safety on the Pacific Coast Highway. The contract is for a term of two years, with a financial commitment not to exceed two million. This initiative aims to enhance traffic safety on PCH by providing additional CHP traffic officers, establishing a dedicated three-officer CHP unit, and implementing a Smart Corridor project to make PCH a safer route.

• 🎞️ FILM PERMIT DEADLINES: The Offices of the City, the County and FilmLA will be closed on Monday, February 19th in observance of Presidents’ Day. Crews should make themselves aware of date changes to film permitting deadlines to reflect the holiday.

DEVELOPMENT

• 🏥 UCLA HEALTH: UCLA Health has acquired West Hills Hospital and Medical Center, located in the San Fernando Valley, as part of its efforts to improve access to healthcare in the region. This development is in line with UCLA Health's aim to address the healthcare needs of the area and is part of its broader strategy to expand its healthcare network.

• 🏡 UNIVERSITY PARK: Property located on S. Scarff Street in University Park was initially intended for a ten-unit development. However, the developer has shifted its plans and is now proposing to build a 78-unit affordable housing complex at the site.

• 🏨 PIXAR PALACE HOTEL: Disneyland Resort welcomed The Pixar Palace Hotel yesterday. This highly anticipated hotel is the first fully Pixar-themed hotel in the United States, featuring 479 rooms filled with nods to beloved films from Toy Story to Ratatouille and every Pixar feature film to date. The hotel offers new dining options, a rooftop pool area and play court, a fitness center, and a grab-and-go coffee shop in the lobby. Guests staying at the hotel can enjoy benefits such as early theme park entry and convenient theme park access.

BUSINESS

• 🕯️ CANDLE + SCENT BAR: A Candle & Scent Bar is set to open on the Third Street Promenade, marking the chain's second store location in California. The store's arrival adds to the evolving retail landscape of the Third Street Promenade, which has seen several new additions in recent years. Watch via TikTok.

• 👾 REDDIT: Some of our Curators at CuratedLA came way via Reddit. That said, I thought it was interesting to share this: Reddit’s IPO is more likely to come in March with close to a $5bn valuation.

• 📺️ TIKTOK: TikTok is now going full swing with YouTube. TikTok Creators can now post videos that are longer than one minute, so long as the account is at least three months old and the content wishing to run over a minute does not contain political ads.

• 🎮️ BLIZZARD ENTERTAINMENT: Johanna Faries was announced yesterday as the new president of Irvine’s Blizzard Entertainment, a subsidiary of Santa Monica’s Activision. Faries is a 2003 Harvard Alum and prior to joining Blizzard in 2018, Faries served a long tenure with the NFL.

ENTERTAINMENT

🗞️ HEADLINES:

• 🏈 YOUTUBE ADBLITZ: YouTube has launched the 2024 AdBlitz to showcase all the Super Bowl ads. The AdBlitz hub serves as a central location for fans to watch, rewatch, share, and discuss their favorite Super Bowl ads before, during, and after the game. According to Comscore’s analysis, a significant percentage of adults ages 18–49 saw Super Bowl ads on YouTube, highlighting the platform's importance in reaching audiences.

• 📺️ AMAZON PRIME: Amazon Prime introduced an ad-supported version of its subscription service, allowing subscribers to pay an additional $2.99 per month for an ad-free experience. The ad-supported tier, which was launched on Monday, offers lower ad prices than competitors at launch, with the option for Prime subscribers to pay extra for an ad-free experience.

• 💰️ SMARTLESS: The SmartLess podcast, founded by Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, and Sean Hayes, has signed a multi-year agreement with SiriusXM, reportedly worth over $100 million. This deal grants SiriusXM exclusive advertising and distribution rights to SmartLess and selected SmartLess Media shows. Starting this summer, the majority of the show's library will be placed behind SiriusXM's paywall, making it the sole platform for the podcast's complete catalog. Subscribers will also gain early access to new episodes of SmartLess and other podcasts from SmartLess Media.

• 🎸 TRAIN + REO SPEEDWAGON: Train and REO Speedwagon are set to bring their Summer Road Trip tour to the Kia Forum on Sunday, September 8, 2024. The tour will also feature special guest Yacht Rock Revue. This event is part of their joint tour, offering fans the opportunity to enjoy live performances by these iconic bands at the Kia Forum.

• 🎸 JONI MITCHELL: Joni Mitchell, the legendary Canadian singer-songwriter, is set to headline her first Los Angeles concert in twenty-four years at the Hollywood Bowl on October 19. This highly anticipated performance, titled Joni Jam, will revisit the format of her 2023 Gorge Amphitheatre show, featuring collaborator Brandi Carlile and other renowned artists.

🥳 FUN:

• 🥸 APPLE’S VISION IS PRO: The $3,500 Apple Vision Pro headset is being marketed with a focus on its potential for entertainment, but its biggest selling point is its versatility and advanced features. The headset is designed to offer immersive experiences, and it incorporates eye tracking technology, making it attractive for a variety of applications beyond entertainment. Apple envisions the device being used as a tool for productivity, high-end entertainment, and in various workplace applications such as surgery, aircraft repair, and education.

• 🏁 HOT WHEELS: Mattel has teamed up with Netflix, providing Netflixers with Hot Wheels: Let’s Race. Fans of the Hot Wheels series can start their streaming engines on March 4th. 📺️ Watch the trailer below:

🏆️ AWARD SEASON:

• 👨‍👩‍👧 FAMILY FILM & TV AWARDS: The Family Film & TV Awards took place on Saturday and aired on CBS. The awards celebrated excellence in family-oriented film and television across eleven categories. The event was hosted by Akbar Gbajabiamila and Amanda Kloots. Notable winners included Margot Robbie, whose film Barbie won for Best Ensemble Feature Film, and Ghostbusters, which was recognized as the Best Iconic Family Film. The ceremony also featured a special segment honoring the U.S. Marines Toys for Tots program, with the Humanitarian Award presented to Lieutenant General James B. Laster (USMC retired) and Major General Len Anderson IV (USMC). The awards show showcased the significance of family entertainment and featured appearances by various stars, including Margot Robbie, America Ferrera, Adam Sandler, and Drew Carey.

• 🎧️ 2024 PODCAST HALL OF FAME: The 2024 Podcast Hall of Fame ceremony was presented by Libsyn and took place at the Podfest EXPO in Orlando, Florida this past Friday. The inductees for the 2024 Podcast Hall of Fame are Adam Carolla, Aaron Mahnke, Daniel J. Lewis, Doug Kaye, Jesse Thorn, Laurie Sims, Maria Hinojosa, and Michael Butler.

• 👏 FILMFARE AWARDS: The 69th Annual Filmfare Awards took place in Gandhinagar, Gujarat this past Saturday. The event was held at the GIFT City and was a significant collaboration between the Gujarat Tourism Corporation Limited and Worldwide Media Pvt Ltd. The ceremony celebrated the best talent and technical achievements in the Hindi Film Industry, and it was the first time that the prestigious Filmfare Awards were hosted in Gujarat.

• 🎸 LENNY KRAVITZ: Lenny Kravitz is set to receive the 2024 Global Impact Award at the Recording Academy Honors, presented by the Black Music Collective. The event is part of the 2024 GRAMMY Week and will take place at the Fairmont Century Plaza. This prestigious award recognizes Kravitz's significant contributions to the music industry and his enduring impact on global music culture.

 🎬️ Top Ten Streaming Movies:

 🚀 TV: Top Ten Acquired Streaming Programs:

💰️ TV: Top Ten Acquired Streaming Programs:

SPORTS

• 🏉 PRO BOWL: The NFL announced a new format to this year’s Pro Bowl, set for play this tomorrow, February 1st. Tomorrow players will showcase their talent in a skillset competition game followed by flag football on Sunday. Four players will represent the Los Angeles Rams on the NFC Roster: Matthew Stafford (QB), Kyren Williams (RB), Puka Nacua (WR) and Aaron Donald (IL). The AFC Roster will be represented by two Los Angeles Chargers: Keenan Allen (WR), and Khalil Mack (OL).

• 🏈 CHARGERS: Joe Hortiz has agreed to terms to become the Los Angeles Chargers' general manager, as announced by the team yesterday. Hortiz will oversee all player personnel and scouting matters, including free agency and the NFL Draft. Hortiz previously served as the director of player personnel for the Baltimore Ravens.

CU FRIDAY, L.A!