eat

My dinner course is served. It is a Campbell’s-inspired soup can, lightly angled so strands of broccoli are peeking out. I lift the can to uncover a slow-braised short rib and mashed potatoes. An American dish to represent an American artist, here Andy Warhol.

The room is overtaken with projections, scenes of bustling New York traffic paired with bachelor-pad-like guitar riffs. Shown on a wall above a dinner table is a selection of Warhol silkscreens. It’s a Friday night in West Hollywood, and I’m surrounded by a mix of out-of-towners and those celebrating an anniversary. And while this is a special occasion, we’re urged to get a little messy with our food — to use our hands, to paint with a salad, to draw on a cookie.

Play is the primary side dish at “7 Paintings,” a tech-infused dinner theater that aims to be a crash course in fine art. That selection of veggies paired with multiple mini cups of colorful dressings? Guests are encouraged to mix and match the vinaigrettes into a mess of hues, a nod to abstractionist Jackson Pollock. And yellowfin tuna with dashes of avocado and taro chips? That’s an edible tribute to Banksy, of course. What does raw fish have to do with stenciled street art? It’s bold, heavily angled and has a short shelf life? Maybe? Perhaps don’t overthink it.

“Have you ever eaten a painting before?” says Nadine Beshir, the Dubai-based creator of “7 Paintings.” “We try to get people out of their comfort zones and eating paper. I want to bring out the child in them.”

“7 Paintings,” held at Sunset House L.A. through the end of August, is the latest example of immersive dining to arrive in this city. These experiences often involve guest participation and are accentuated with advanced multimedia technology and sometimes theatrical elements.

Worldwide, there have been standouts. For instance, Eatrenalin at Germany’s Europa-Park, a dining room-meets-ride where participants are whisked around the space on trackless “floating chairs,” has just received a coveted Michelin star. Ibiza’s Sublimotion has similar haute ambitions, pairing 12 diners together in a room that will come alive with otherworldly projections and performers. At times, diners will win don virtual reality headgear.

But tech-driven immersive dining experiences have never quite taken off in Los Angeles as a trend. Last year, the Gallery, where fantastical cityscapes and projections surrounded downtown L.A. diners, stood just a couple months before the concept was abandoned.

“The economics of a restaurant are not the same as the economics of theater and the challenge of combining the two lies in thinking outside the box with respect to pricing and cost structure, such that the customer perceives high value from both the food and the experience,” says the Gallery co-founder Daren Ulmer.

Entrepreneurs keep aiming for that careful balance. “Le Petit Chef and Friends” is currently running at Tangier at downtown’s Hotel Figueroa, an event in which a fully animated film is projected on our plates and tables. Long-running pop-up event Fork N’ Film leans more dinner and movie, pairing dishes directly inspired by what is happening on screen. Upcoming films include “Ratatouille” and “Lilo and Stitch.”

The field comes with challenges. “The costs are very high,” says Joanna Garner, an immersive designer and former creative director with experiential art firm Meow Wolf. Garner has been experimenting herself with communal, immersive dinner events, and her next, the flirtatious “Please Open Your Mouth,” is set for July 11. (No tech there, as Garner is after a more sensual, adult-focused gathering.) Tickets for her event are $150 and a spot in the “7 Paintings” dining room runs $175, priced on par with a number of city’s most acclaimed restaurants.

There is also the reality that all public dining is in some fashion immersive, usually requiring varying combinations of engagement, communication and presentation. And then, are all these added elements distracting?

Throughout “7 Paintings,” for instance, an animated Mona Lisa, situated on the wall next to the main dinner table, will provide brief biographical details of each artist represented.

“Being able to nail the food, and nail the story, those are two very difficult threads to weave,” Garner says. “I do think, ultimately, people come to a dinner table to talk to the people at the table and to have intimate experiences. To have an experience where you’re constantly being taken away from the food, I’m not so sure if that’s what people are looking for.”

Food is framed as a star of “7 Paintings” but tasting it is just one component. At one point, we must uncover a cheese course in a tiny treasure chest, the code for the lock hidden in the projections (don’t stress, it’s not a hard puzzle). Beshir highlights the Pollock-inspired salad course, which is accentuated with a jazz soundtrack, as the thesis of the evening.

“This course is really about getting people to free their minds from preconceived ideas,” Beshir says. “Like, you have to eat with a fork and knife, or the salad comes and then the dressing. No, the dressing comes and then the salad, and it’s trying with big brushes to paint the way he did. A lot of people do not understand Abstract Expressionism, and they think it’s people just splashing colors around. But when you understand the link between the rhythm of the music and painting, you live it. We give you time to paint with your salad dressing.”

In L.A., Beshir has partnered with nightlife impresario Kim Kelly, who is plotting a “Sleep No More”-inspired walk-around theatrical show for the Sunset House venue later this year. “7 Paintings,” however, is fully seated, and purposefully a little silly. Beshir and Kelly have been evolving it during its L.A. run, recently adding a stronger painting component by giving guests their own canvas to work on throughout the evening. Each night crowns a winner.

“Everyone comes over to look at their art,” Kelly says. “It just kind of changed the whole thing, to be honest. People are now being creative throughout the entire evening. Instead of just watching and occasionally painting, you’re now painting the whole time.”

As for what, perhaps, soba noodles with edamame and mushrooms have to do with Pablo Picasso, or why Salvador Dali gets an unexpected dessert course of a white chocolate potato souffle, Beshir clarifies the goal of the evening. While the animated Mona Lisa will provide backstories on each painter, this isn’t an educational night. “It’s fun dining, not fine dining,” Beshir says.

And by the end of my night, strangers were socializing, showing off their painted cookie creations, sharing Banksy tidbits and asking for recommendations on various vinaigrette combinations. Ultimately, it’s an evening of discovery, packed with surprises like finding an entire course hidden under a canvas.

“We try not to have too much sophistication, like fried ants or something. I’m personally very adventurous in how I eat, but if I want to have this in 100 cities around the world, I cannot be too meticulous.”

And Beshir has big goals.

“I want this be your movie and dinner thing,” Beshir says. “I want people to be waiting for our next show, and to be able to afford to come every couple months.”

And to come home not with leftovers, but perhaps a painting of their own.

Bakeries

It has to be Københavns Bageri; they upgrade beloved Danish classics using the best ingredients. The cardamom buns are second to none, but the “potato cake” – that’s a choux bun filled with vanilla custard and topped with a cocoa-dusted marzipan disc to resemble a potato – might be my favourite. MF

For bread, go to Tír Bakery in the morning and stand in line – they sell out every day, but their bread is the best. For croissants, go to Bageriet B and sit outside and enjoy a good filter coffee. TH

Hands down, Juno the Bakery. Founded by pastry chef Emil Glaser, the space was designed so you can see the bakers at work. What makes it special is the level of technique and consistency; they’re known for their cardamom buns, which are buttery, fragrant … perfect, and their sourdough and croissants are flawless. I usually order a cardamom bun, perhaps a pistachio croissant (if it’s available), and a sourdough roll with comté. Then I sit with a coffee and watch the production. KB

My go-to right now is Albatross & Venner in Torvehallerne. We have our original taqueria nearby, so I love walking over to grab a quick pastry – usually the spandauer – before work. I love that they’re baking every day in this tiny space, serving pastries that are often still warm from the oven. Insider tip: they sell fresh baguettes, which is rare in the city. RS

Coffee

Det Vide Hus in the heart of Copenhagen is a hidden gemmuch loved by locals, and it’s a favourite breakfast spot among Copenhagen chefs. Everything from seasonal pastries to the decadent ice-cream bars are made in house. MF

I am a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to coffee; I never understood why filter coffee became a pour-over, so I go to one of Original Coffee’s places and order traditional beans. For an independent place, go to Enghave Kaffe for some Danish hygge – the coffee is really good, as is the BMO (bun with cheese and butter). TH

Copenhagen is incredibly lucky when it comes to coffee. If I’m near Sanchez restaurant, I’ll go to Prolog Coffee Bar in the Meatpacking District because the coffee is always excellent, the team are lovely, and the atmosphere feels relaxed but focused. If I’m looking to sit and have a pour-over moment, I love April Coffee. RS

Breakfast

Apotek 57, located inside the Frama store, is one of the prettiest eateries in Copenhagen. Chef-owner Chiara’s Italian roots are at the heart of her food, with an emphasis on seasonal vegetables, fragrant herbs and a generous drizzle of olive oil. Try the porridge with apple, thyme and Piedmont hazelnuts. MF

Cycle to Nordhavn and start at Andersen & Maillard. Get a BMO, coffee and pastry – a classic Danish breakfast – then cycle to nearby Skudehavnen, where you’ll find small fishing huts, boatsheds and a harbour. It’s a pocket from the past; find a tranquil spot at one of the piers, have your breakfast and dip your toes in the water. TH

Atelier September is an effortless meeting point between design, creativity and good food. I love the breakfast selection: eggs, avocado, vegetarian dishes – all delicious. There’s an energy; you feel connected to the city’s cultural pulse simply by sitting there. KB

I don’t typically go out for breakfast, but if I do, I love Amator, where they specialise in omelettes served with slices of bread and wonderful sides. The menu is small, but they’re dedicated to making everything the best it can be, which I always appreciate. Get the omelette with chilli, and always end with a lemon tart. RS

Cheap eats

There are so many great choices, but nothing beats soaking up the sun with a wedge of Diamond Slice pizza and a glass of wine. Even pineapple haters succumb to the Canadiana with fermented pineapple, ham and pickled jalapeños. MF

It’s hard to decide what I love most, books or food, but it is heaven when they go together. Brøg Litteraturbar has a great selection of both Danish and English titles, and a nice small cafe where they do an excellent lunch for a fair price. I get the tart or soup of the day, and this is hygge and full of love. TH

One of my favourite spots for a laid-back weekday meal is Slurp. Its ramen is exactly the kind of comfort I crave when I don’t feel like cooking: pure flavour and thoughtful but unfussy toppings. I’d recommend the house pork bone broth with chashu, spring onions and a soft‑boiled egg, or go for the miso‑based bowl for something a little lighter. It’s the sort of place I’d take my family for something quick and easy – relaxed and with genuinely good food. KB

I highly recommend Poulette and their spicy fried chicken sandwich. They’ve been around for some years now and are always consistent: very tasty, deeply comforting, and extremely filling and affordable. The sandwiches are made with their own spicy blend, the chicken is marinated in-house, and the crust somehow stays crisp. I also love that there’s nothing quite like it in Copenhagen. To elevate things beyond a quick meal, grab a glass of wine next door at Pompette and enjoy it outside. RS

Splurge meals

When I feel like spoiling myself, one of the best places is the newly renovated Krogs Fiskerestaurant overlooking the canals at the old fish market. It uses classic French techniques with the best local seafood and seasonal produce to make the most delicious food. The menu changes often but if you see anything with beurre blanc and four types of roe, choose that! MF

Mikkel Mårbjerg is one of a few chefs that represent modern Danish cooking – they call VIE in Nordhavn a modern inn. He gets his produce from his daughter’s regenerative farm, and you feel his love of vegetables. They cook cabbage like only a few do, served with langostino and bisque, and their potato bread with löjrom and creme fraiche is a must. If sandart (a local freshwater fish) is in season, please try it, and then finish with the almond cake and ice-cream – it’s divine. TH

For fine dining, it has to be Geranium. There’s a clarity and precision in every dish that’s hard to find elsewhere. Located on the eighth floor of Parken Stadium, overlooking Fælledparken, it holds three Michelin stars and is an experience from start to finish. The concept centres on a plant‑forward tasting menu, and the attention to detail is extraordinary. The pacing, the wine pairings, the service – everything is perfectly in sync. The bread course, with whipped butter and seasonal oils, and its signature raw scallop dish, have stayed with me. KB

I would definitely go to Akmē; it’s not necessarily three-star Michelin expensive, but it feels like a splurge (in the best way). I love that you simply go with the menu and let the team cook – there’s a real sense of trust in the experience. The food feels creative, and the hospitality is warm and genuine. Lately, it has become one of my favourite places for a special occasion, or even just to go to feel inspired. RS

The Meatpacking District

One of the best dinner spots in “the meat town” is fishy. Kødbyens Fiskebar, which sits under a fresco of a bull at the entrance to the old meat market, serves incredibly pretty dishes in this buzzy but unpolished food quarter: brill with a deep blush of rhubarb, topped with samphire and chive blossoms; bright orange roe crowned with scarlet nasturtium petals, to heap on a seaweed waffle; prawns in a buttermilk sauce marbled with emerald herb oil. It all looks exquisite and it’s not a hearty menu, although you could go for, say, the mussels steamed in a cream-laden cider.

Dolly Parton once said: “It takes a lot of time and money to look this cheap.” The nearby Superbon has only been around a few years but has the vibe of a generations-old family business, with its seemingly random but carefully curated 1970s velvet-and-chrome decor and 80s video games arcade on the way to the bathroom. The menu is Asian, delicious and affordable by Copenhagen standards – pork gyoza, soft-shell crab, lychee salad, bao with hoisin duck and pickled daikon, huge chicken leg with green sambal. Afterwards, go for an ice-cream at Ismagieret – the menu changes but you might try the amarena cherry or the marzipan with pistachio ganache. Young visitors could end their evening in one of the packed bars but you could also start your day with a cheese roll or a cardamom croissant at Hart Bageri, one of the bakery’s eight branches in the city. Opposite is Prolog Coffee, which has a range of speciality beans from Peru, Colombia and Kenya, and a small selection of Juno pastries, saving you from the social influenza of the queue at their Østerbro shop. TL

Cocktails

There are many great cocktail bars in Copenhagen, but none like Geoffrey Canilao’s crazy, cosy bar, Balderdash. The motto is: “Keep it hygge.” The Blonde Ambition with gin, elderflower, cardamom and bergamot is a forever favourite. MF

K-bar was one of the first places to take cocktails seriously in Copenhagen, and I’ve been coming here since it opened. I like to go there early for a classic negroni – there’s beautiful outside seating in the summer with a view to the old town. For a wine bar, I like Ancestrale, which is organic certified. I go here for a glass of red wine and cheese with hazelnuts and brown butter – one of its classics. TH

I go to Tadaima to dream as much as I do to buy pieces for my ever-growing collection of kitchenware. From porcelain egg cups to sculptural shelving systems, everything is carefully curated with a Japanese/Scandinavian minimalist aesthetic. It also has pieces from one of my favourite craftsmen/artists, the Danish glass blower Nina Nørgaard. MF

The best kitchen shop I know is Kunst og Køkkentøj in the centre of Copenhagen. Competent staff, a great cookbook selection, a specially made baking tin for rye bread, knives, baking equipment, and the best large tweezer I know. They wrap everything in brown paper, and you feel special when you leave the shop. TH

I like to visit Frama for homeware; I’m really drawn to the balance between warmth and simplicity in its designs. And I especially appreciate a lot of its soaps and scents. Frama is also associated with a number of restaurants and cafes that they have designed, so it’s always interesting to see how they curate spaces and atmospheres that feel calm and lived in. RS

I was explaining the location of my broken-down car in Angeles National Forest to the tow truck dispatcher when I suddenly found myself shouting.

“Bear!” I yelled.

A black bear ambled across the road and into Red Box Picnic Area. I hollered at the bear, as did another person in the lot.

The bear ignored us both, focused on where it would find its dinner that night: a bear-proof trash can.

In this edition of The Wild, our weekly outdoors newsletter, I will share the three bear encounters I had last week with black bears in Angeles National Forest. They were my first, second and third times to experience bruins in the San Gabriels. The third time, when a bear slapped my backpacking tent, was the most memorable moment. We’ll get to that later.

For anyone feeling rusty on the best course of action when you see a black bear in our local mountains, here’s a quick refresher on the tips I got previously from a conservation biologist.

• 🙅🏃Don’t run. You will look like prey.
• 🗣️ Let bears know you’re there. Say something loudly and calmly — don’t shriek! — like “Hey, bear!” in a deep voice.
• 💪 Make yourself big. Put your hands up and out — don’t shake them around — and try to get the bear’s attention without indicating that you’re scared or that you’re a threat to that bear.
• 👀👀👀 Keep your eye on the bear. But don’t look it in the eye. That can be perceived as threatening or like you’re trying to be dominant.
• 🤔 Observe its behavior and react accordingly. To learn more about this portion of my tips, check out No. 4 on my list.
• 🏔️ Carry bear spray. Bear spray is legal to carry in Angeles National Forest and generally on national forest land unless otherwise posted. It is prohibited in Yosemite National Park and other California national parks.

Anyone who hikes in Angeles National Forest is likely familiar with Red Box Picnic Area. It’s where adventurers park to hike up to Strawberry Peak or other nearby trails, like the Gabrielino Trail, which I wrote about last week. That’s how I found myself briefly stranded in the forest.

I had spent the day hiking past gorgeous wildflowers and splashing around in the Arroyo Seco. I got back to my car around 7:30 p.m., discovered my car’s battery was dead and, after realizing I had cellphone reception, called for help.

As I waited, I chatted with a good Samaritan, an outdoors woman reading a book in her car who decided she’d wait with me until a service technician arrived.

The bear arrived in the lot around 8:30 p.m. As the sun dipped lower into the horizon, we watched the hungry fluffball knock over the brown metal trash can that was specifically designed to keep its species out.

After knocking the trash can down, the bear easily shoved its arms inside. Over the next several minutes, it repeatedly shook the can toward its (adorable) face. It was kind of like watching a human shake a potato chip bag toward their mouth to get the very last bits of delicious fried starch.

My new friend and I agreed, in all our travels throughout California, we hadn’t seen anything like this. I contacted the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to ask them: How normal is it for a bear to deftly navigate the mechanisms of a trash can built to resist it?

“It’s pretty uncommon that the bears actually break in,” agency spokesman Cort Klopping said. “When I was talking to our biologist about it yesterday and a couple people in the office, the reactions were all kind of like, ‘Wow.’ Either somebody didn’t secure that thing or that bear was an absolute hulk of a bear to get into a bear-proof or bear-resistant trash can. … I was joking with the biologist that I think I’ve actually had trouble opening those.

“You were witness to what I would refer to as a pretty rare sight,” Klopping added.

I’d known there was a bear in the area when I started my hike earlier that day. At Switzer Picnic Area, I read signs posted around the picnic tables warning visitors, “Active Bear Area: Do not feed bears or leave food unattended.” The flier featured an image of a bear standing on a picnic table, eating through some family’s meal.

Angeles National Forest spokesperson Keila Vizcarra said in an email that since last August, forest officials have received at least four reports from the public and staff about two bears active in the Switzer area.

Earlier this month, recreation staff spotted two bears at the Switzer Picnic Area eating food left unattended at a picnic table. They notified state wildlife officials.

“The animals may be the same bears seen last year, but it is difficult to confirm because tag numbers are not always visible or provided; in this case, one of the bears did not appear to be tagged,” Vizcarra said.

Forest staff use various hazing methods to discourage bears and other wildlife from eating human food, like making loud noises, securing or repairing trash cans and educating visitors about how to keep their food safe from animals, she said.

“A major contributing factor continues to be unsecured or unattended food, which attracts bears from long distances,” Vizcarra said.

The bear at Red Box finished its trash-inspired tasting menu and then walked past our cars. We both honked, but it was so unfazed, I wondered aloud whether it was deaf. (It wasn’t.)

It then headed south from the parking lot, and we didn’t see it again. I had already planned to write this week’s newsletter about that experience.

Then I went backpacking as a little treat to myself.

On Friday afternoon, my dog, Maggie May, and I headed out from near Pasadena down the Gabrielino Trail with a plan to camp overnight at the Gould Mesa Trail Camp. Despite loving the outdoors, I’d never been backpacking, but after my parents bought me a tent and sleep pad for my birthday in late May, I was itching to go. Gould Mesa is close to a city. It’s next to the Arroyo Seco with water to filter and reachable by a short two-mile mostly flat hike. It felt like the perfect first trip.

About a mile in, a mountain biker warned us of a “big bear, really big bear” at the campground before he sped off. A female hiker told me the bear was average, probably 5 feet on its haunches. Others hadn’t seen it.

I was talking to another mountain biker, who was telling me the bear had been active in the area for about a month, when a man came racing down the trail, shouting about how the bear was aggressive and dangerous. The man said he’d lunged at the bear, trying to protect his food, and proceeded to make several choices that would likely be found on a “What not to do when you encounter a bear” list. Maggie and I continued onward.

We arrived at the campground around 4:30 p.m. and didn’t see anything. I asked a mother and son set up at the site next to mine about the bear, and they pointed to a large coast live oak where a small, young bear laid over a thick branch, its small feet dangling down, right above the trail. One reason hikers hadn’t seen the bear was that they’d walked right under it.

The bear had entered the campground from near the river, and without the mother-son duo realizing that the bear was approaching them, it grabbed their food right off their picnic table. The mom told me that she considered trying to pull the food back, but the bear made noises suggesting that it preferred she didn’t. It then left the campground, and presumably after eating the meal that her son told me had “a lot of protein” in it, the bear climbed into the tree and took a nap.

I’d camped in areas with bears before, including in Kings Canyon National Park where bears came into the campground every night. This bear wasn’t being aggressive. Instead, it seemed young and like it was testing out how easy it was to get food from these weird animals — we humans — in its backyard.

I decided to stay, especially after the bear left around 7:30 p.m., and none of us saw it again. The campground was full, and two of us, myself included, had bear spray.

Maggie and I got into the tent around 9 p.m. and soon fell asleep to the sweet serenade of frogs and toads singing their nightly songs.

Then, at 2:39 a.m., I woke up to the sound of something slapping the corner of my tent next to my head.

“What the f—?” I screamed.

I lay there, heart racing, listening.

I had put my tent’s rain fly on, so I couldn’t see outside, but I could hear the bear as it left. A large whoosh-whoosh sound headed away from my tent.

For the next 20 minutes, I listened intently to every single sound the forest made. Then, after checking that my bear spray and satellite communicator were close by, I fell back asleep. In the morning, I found a small cut in my rain fly that the bear’s paw had left. My dad later suggested that I date the hole with a marker.

Maggie and I left around 10:30 a.m. to beat the day’s heat. Once at my car and with strong cellphone reception, I must admit that I opened ChatGPT. I don’t have a bear biologist on speed dial — yet! — and I wanted to talk to someone about why the bear hit my tent.

I explained that there wasn’t any food or toiletries in my tent. I had packed everything inside a bear canister that I then placed inside the bear vault in the campground. The chatbot and I soon agreed: This bear was likely making its rounds for a late-night snack, hoping someone had dropped a marshmallow or hot dog, when it encountered my tent. Maybe my tent was in its way. Maybe it looked weird.

Later, I called Klopping with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife again.

When we’d spoke earlier in the week about the trash-can bear, I’d asked him whether that bruin was at risk of euthanasia.

I told him that Goldie, a mama bear euthanized by the state earlier this year after swiping at and injuring two people, was top of mind for me, along with Victor, a beloved bear in Mammoth who was euthanized in 2024.

Goldie was the first California black bear to be euthanized in 2026, Times staff writer Clara Harter reported. “There were two bears euthanized in 2025, three bears in 2024 and five  bears in 2023, according to Fish and Wildlife,” Harter wrote.

Klopping said the trash-can bear was just out for an easy meal and would be classified as a “no harm, no foul bear,” defined by the agency as “a bear that has strayed into an area where an incident could occur, has not engaged in nuisance activity or caused property damage, and may require assistance to return to nearby suitable habitat.”

He said it was unlikely, based on what I reported, that the bear would be moved since it was already in a forest far from any neighborhood. Instead, the only action would probably be that someone secure the bear-proof trash can so it actually functions properly. (Sorry, bear.)

“As much as I don’t want to say it, this bear is doing bear things,” Klopping said. “This is a natural thing for a bear to do. It’s searching out calories to sustain itself — they’re there, readily available. This bear knows how to get to them.”

When I called Klopping back to talk about the bear (or bears) at the campground, I was more worried. I reported the incident through the agency’s website because I know its biologists use the data for several reasons, including discerning when to implement bear-resistant measures in an area or relocate a bear. But again, I worried about what would happen to the bear or bears.

Klopping had told me it was rare for the agency to euthanize a bear: California Department of Fish and Wildlife received 2,735 calls and reports regarding black bears in 2025, including some duplicates where multiple people were reporting the same incident, compared with the two bear euthanizations that same year.

During our second call, he told me that a biologist would review the report I made and might call me to get additional information, but again, this wasn’t “aggressive” behavior, he said.

When bear yearlings separate from their mothers at around 18 months old — which often happens in June — Klopping said the agency will get reports of these adolescent bears wandering closer to populated areas.

“You would use the term ‘testing boundaries’ — that may have been exactly what happened here,” he said. “Odds are pretty good you probably scared it just as much as it scared you.”

I hope the bears I encountered soon return to foraging for forest delicacies that don’t come in fast-food wrappers.

As interesting as last week was, I really hope the only bears I see the rest of the summer are at the pride festivals I attend. They’re absolutely welcome to go camping with me!

3 things to do

1. Frolic through the streets in South L.A.
CicLAvia will host a free car-free open streets event from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday through the Leimert and Exposition Park neighborhoods. The 3.6-mile pop-up park includes a short segment of Crenshaw Boulevard and mostly stretches along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard from Crenshaw to Figueroa Street. Visitors are welcome to walk, skate, bike, play and explore along the route. For more details, visit ciclavia.org.

2. Celebrate Pride along the river in Long Beach
Friends of the L.A. River will co-host an LGBTQ Pride nature walk from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday through the Dominguez Gap Wetlands with the California Native Plant Society South Coast Chapter. Plant enthusiast Tory Jaimez will guide the walk, teaching participants about local ecology. Register at support.folar.org.

3. Listen to the birds in Huntington Beach
We Explore Earth, a local outdoors community group, will co-host with Save Orange Hills and Friends of Shipley Nature Center a peaceful bird walk from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Saturday at Shipley Nature Center in Huntington Beach. Guides will help participants learn about local bird species and ecosystems. Register at eventbrite.com.

The must-read

Friends of Big Bear Valley, the nonprofit behind a popular eagle nest camera, is rushing to raise $10 million by July 31 to buy land that could become a lakeside gated community, leading to the destruction of crucial habitat that celebrity birds Jackie and Shadow use for foraging, along with other wildlife who call it home. Times staff writer Lila Seidman wrote that if the nonprofit can raise the money, then the San Bernardino Mountains Land Trust would conserve the roughly 63 acres and might transfer it to the U.S. Forest Service (a common practice of land conservancies). That’s if they meet the July deadline. “Failure is not an option,” said Jenny Voisard, media and website manager for Friends of Big Bear Valley. “We’re not going to let them build on it.”

Happy adventuring,

P.S.

After Goldie the bear was euthanized, lawmakers listened to the public’s demand for a more transparent process of when the California Department of Fish and Wildlife plans to kill a bear that the agency has deemed a threat to public safety. That includes Senate Bill 1135 by state Sen. Catherine Blakespear (D-Encinitas) that would “create the Wildlife Coexistence Program, which would provide public education, offer technical assistance and maintain a statewide incident reporting system. It would help communities deploy nonlethal devices to deter predators, like barriers or noise and light machines,” former Times staff writer Katie King wrote. The bill is set to have a hearing before the state Assembly’s Committee on Water, Parks and Wildlife on Tuesday at the state Capitol. Although the deadline to submit a letter to the committee has passed, residents can still attend the hearing, where they’re allowed to give their name, organization (if with one) and their position on the bill. You can still also contact your Assembly member or the committee.

For more insider tips on Southern California’s beaches, trails and parks, check out past editions of The Wild. And to view this newsletter in your browser, click here.

A fine place to stop for a milk tea-centered breakfast or lunch after exploring the labyrinth of African, Indian and other international shops and food stalls inside Chungking Mansions — one of the last remaining film locations in Wong Kar-wai’s iconic “Chungking Express,” where Brigitte Lin’s drug-dealing retired actor is seen conducting her business in a blond wig, trenchcoat and sunglasses. Lan Fong Yuen, in the basement of Heath Mall (which is technically part of Chungking Mansions but has a separate street entrance), has its own historic pedigree. Late founder Lam Muk-ho is credited with originating silk-stocking milk tea (it’s strained through a long cloth filter), and possibly yuenyeung (milk tea mixed with coffee), at the still-operating Gage Street stall he opened in Central in 1952. He’s also said to have popularized the thick-cut Hong Kong-style French toast and pork-chop buns so familiar in our own San Gabriel Valley cafes, as well as “lo-ding” instant noodle dishes, especially the chicken-chop version. The Tsim Sha Tsui location opened in 2009 but has an older diner aesthetic that attracts tourists and locals who line up for the scene and affordable Hong Kong comfort food.

Heath Mall basement, Shop No. S09, Chungking Mansions, 44 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Tokyo isn’t one city. It’s many cities, and each is its own universe.

Occasionally — at a certain subterranean bar big enough for only seven people, or a sushi counter on the fifth floor of a random office building — I feel as if I’m stepping into another time or dimension.

Finding your way to any of the millions of restaurants, cafes, bars and shops (some are micro-businesses in an alley in a village in the city) can be like figuring out a many-layered puzzle. Like Tokyo, each experience is dense.

The Japanese word for hospitality is omotenashi. But its meaning goes far beyond just customer service. Even the translations “wholehearted, selfless hospitality” or “flawless care” don’t cover all of the philosophies that make up omotenashi: magokoro (“true heart” or “sincere feeling”), ichigo ichie (“one time, one meeting”) and kuuki wo yomu (“reading the air”). The last refers to the intuitive ability to anticipate guests’ needs before they ask — an idea rooted in tea ceremony, which is rooted in Buddhism. It’s hard to grasp that level of selflessness.

Here are some of our favorite places to lose yourself in Tokyo. — Betty Hallock

I sat down recently and counted — surprising myself — that I’ve notched visits to 24 of Mexico’s 32 states, for leisure or while reporting. Querétaro is a highland charmer. Nuevo León is the country’s muscular northern colossus. Campeche, a verdant beauty. Everywhere I go in this country, I find new wonders. Then I visited Colima, and it hit me that Mexico is an endless cornucopia that will never vanquish a traveler’s curiosity.

Never heard of button-sized Colima? Don’t fret. A lover of Mexico may be vaguely aware of its important port at Manzanillo, or the state’s spectacular volcano complex. Otherwise, Colima is not commonly on visitors’ radar. The tourism industry is consistently ranked among Mexico’s smallest.

Yet it is a refreshingly contained and relaxed culture, with foods that are only found here. The depth of its riches are laid out in an ambitious recent series of culinary guidebooks by a group called Colima Sabe.

The state has international airports in Manzanillo and Colima, which you might call Burbank-sized, largely serviced by connecting flights from Mexico City. Weekend travelers also come in by road from Guadalajara. There is a smattering of mid-tier or boutique hotels in central Colima or the nearby village of Comala, and a few resort hotels in Manzanillo. If you go, here are a handful of to-do’s for a sure-to-be-surprising Colima journey.

Taste the tuba

Colima’s traditional devotion to tuba, the coconut palm ferment imported from the Philippines hundreds of years ago, comes into focus as you traverse the region and notice vendors congregating on busy street corners or central plazas with gourds or jugs of a milky liquid. It is tart, crisp and infinitely cooling for tropical temperatures. Embrace the “compuesta” style: tuba poured over ice and adorned with crumbled nuts and ruddy red fruit chunks, turning the liquid pink. El Camellón de la Tuba, a well-known stand near central Colima, made the best that I tasted on my visit. Avoid tuba that looks too brown or tastes too vinegary. * El Camellon de la Tuba, Avenida Constitución 2008, Centro, 28017 Colima, @camellondelatubaoficial

Savor Nico Mejía’s restaurants in Manzanillo

La Sal, breezy and surprising in a former carport at his mother’s home in Manzanillo, launched the fame of chef Nico Mejía as a destination cook in 2020. Earlier this year, he moved La Sal (Colima’s coastal lagoons produce excellent salt) to a plot directly on a beach facing the Pacific. The restaurant makes refined regional favorites like ceviche colimense and his tostada de pozole seco, and mixes cocktails with tuba. The white-walled Casa Rangel is Mejía’s power-meeting magnet for internationally inspired local fare. Not too far away, Mejía’s partner Melissa Santamaria Mora runs an excellent bakery called Santamaria. These are restaurants on par with any you’d see in Guadalajara or Mexico City. * La Sal Playa, Avenida Lázaro Cárdenas 797, Playa Azul las Brisas, 28217 Manzanillo, @lasalplaya_

Sip the prizewinning beers of Cervecería de Colima

Winner of the Copa Cerveza México 2025 for best large brewery, Cervecería de Colima has been my go-to for quality, consistency and innovation since I first tasted its pale ale, the Páramo. I’d hold it against any other in this style. Over the years, I’ve found that just about everything Cervecería de Colima brews is satisfying. I’ve enjoyed the session IPA called Piedra Lisa, the bright pilsner Colimita, and the brewery’s recent entrant in the nonalcoholic market, Colima Cero. The headquarters just outside Colima city offer tastings, and in February, co-founder Esteban Silva and his team opened a taproom in the city called Estación Colimita. When a restaurant anywhere in Mexico offers these beers, I know they know what they’re doing. * Estación Colimita, Avenida Constitución 1401-local 1, Jardines Vista Hermosa IV, 28017 Colima, @cerveceriadecolima

Take in coffee and casual dining in Comala and Colima

Comala is a postcard-ready pueblo a few miles north of Colima. Those familiar with Mexican literature will recognize the name matching the fictional town in Juan Rulfo’s 1955 novel “Pedro Páramo,” the groundbreaking book that Gabriel García Márquez said inspired his magical realism masterpieces. The connection is coincidental, yet a certain air of enchantment hangs over Comala’s cobbled streets and tiled rooftops. According to Silva, who lives near Comala, the restaurants worth noting here are Cuaxiote, De La Suerte, and Hacienda Pascual Nogueras with chef Alan Ramos. In Colima city for coffee and a nice meal, visitors should bookmark Puerto Café and Cumbre, a restaurant and bakery that stands out in a scene of growing maturity and ambition. * Cuaxiote, Degollado 81, Centro, 28450 Comala, @cuaxiote

Bite into Colima’s iconic pozole seco

It is Colima’s most famous regional specialty: all the ingredients and most of the preparation of a traditional white pozole, only without the liquid that makes it a stew. Its origins are uncertain, with one tale suggesting that a cook at Manzanillo’s mercado left a pot of pozole over fire and forgot it. When she returned to find the broth dried out, the lore is the cook slathered the remaining mass of meat and hominy on a tostada, and pozole seco was born. Find it at the local markets, cenadurías, comedores, and the sit-down restaurants that ring Colima city’s central plaza, such as Ramos’ new ¡Aquí Es Colima! * Aquí Es Colima! Portal Morelos 1, Centro, 28000 Colima, @aquiescolimaporgloriadedios

Explore Colima’s ancient history

Colima’s major pre-Hispanic site is La Campana, a grid of streets and structural bases that is believed to have been settled as early as 1870 B.C. in Mexico’s Pre-Classic period. The archaeological zone sits right beside urbanized Colima. At the former hacienda community Nogueras near Comala, an impressive museum features historical and archaeological artifacts, and the restaurant Pascual mentioned above. The museum holds ceramics of a dog from ancient times that is native to Colima, similar to Mexico’s more well-known native hairless dog the xoloitzcuintle. Colima’s tlalchichi breed is similar, with shorter legs. Though now sadly it is extinct, the tlalchichi is the state’s unofficial mascot, incorporated in signage, marketing and touristy knickknacks. * Museo Universitario Alejandro Rangel Hidalgo Nogueras, Nogueras s/n, 28450 Nogueras, Comala, @alejandrorangel_udec

Making a rib stop on the way to a game and then eating your barbecue inside your car — or, better, on the hood of your car if you don’t want sauce-stained seats — has been a classic move since the days the Lakers used to play at the Forum in Inglewood. Lately, however, it’s getting harder to find old-school L.A. barbecue — the wood-smoked ribs and links and small ends that have long powered this city. Luckily, Inglewood is home to two outposts from the first family of L.A. barbecue: Woody’s (see separate entry), started by the late Woodrow “Woody” Phillips and Phillips Bar-B-Que from Woody’s cousin Foster Phillips, who still inspires younger pitmasters. Where Woody’s has patio seating, Phillips, in traditional barbecue style, is a take-out-only shop with a tightly packed parking lot off Centinela Avenue. It’s the only location that remains after the 2024 closure of Phillips’ Crenshaw spot. Recently, I stopped in for pork ribs so tender the meat easily came free from the bone; small ends, a meaty cut Phillips helped popularize; plus sides of greens and an especially cheesy macaroni and cheese. If you order your rib sauce hot, it may not be as spicy as it was in the old days, but it still has the sweet taste of nostalgia.

First-timers visiting the 35,000-square-foot Mercado La Paloma, take heed: The line likely trailing out the door and into the parking lot is specifically for Holbox, the most decorated and popular among the market’s seven food vendors. Chef Gilberto Cetina’s mariscos creations are revolutionary in their freshness and jigsaw-intricate flavors. Tuna tostada, scallop aguachile, coctel mixto and smoked kanpachi taco number among must-try dishes. Other wonderful options in the mercado await without the Holbox queues. Begin at Komal, where Fátima Juárez’s quesadillas and tacos, as beautiful as they are delicious, showcase the earthy-fragrant masa she crafts daily from heirloom corn varieties, and Chichén Itzá, where the Cetina family serves lush, orange-scented cochinita pibil and other specialties from the Yucatán. The mercado is such a vital sanctuary for the city that fellow critic Jenn Harris and I ranked it number one on our recent guide to the 101 Best Restaurants in Los Angeles.

Don’t you ever wish you could explore one of L.A.’s most vibrant boulevards without a car? When the first phase of Metro’s extension to its D Line opens May 8, L.A.’s transit system will add what has long been a missing puzzle piece. A busy, traffic-snarled section of Wilshire Boulevard, home to world-class museums, restaurants and galleries, will at long last be significantly more accessible.

Ride and walk, for instance, to the newly reimagined Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and then stroll to the Original Farmers Market or the acclaimed République. Or take transit to a concert at the El Rey Theatre, then grab a pint at Tom Bergin’s. And do it all without stressing about valet or parking in a part of town where the latter is at a premium.

Though this initial phase of the D Line extension is only three stops, for residents and business owners in the community, it feels monumental.

“I’m so excited for Metro to open and for lots of people to hopefully come and peruse these streets,” says Christina Mullin, owner of Miracle Mile Toys & Gifts. Mullin, who also lives in the neighborhood, has seen the area disrupted by construction for the better part of a decade, and is hopeful the subway stops will bring in an influx of shoppers.

“It’s such a nice, walkable area,” Mullin says. “You can walk all of La Brea and all the way to the Sycamore Kitchen. This will be very good for the city.”

And it seems to be generating much excitement, at least if Metro’s own marketing is any indication. A line of innuendo-filled “Ride the D” shirts went viral and then almost instantaneously sold out. (Those looking for the shirts are likely out of luck, as a Metro spokesperson says the item was intended only as a limited-edition run.)

Here are some highlights of destinations along the new stations, which are located at Wilshire/La Brea, Wilshire/Fairfax, Wilshire/La Cienega and will collectively serve Koreatown, Miracle Mile, Hancock Park, Carthay Circle, the Fairfax District and Beverly Hills. All should be within about a 20- or 25 minute walk.

The second section of the D Line will continue west through Beverly Hills and Century City, and the third will extend to Westwood and UCLA. The full rail line, according to Metro, is expected to be open by the end of 2027.