A section of Sunset Boulevard remained closed on Sunday because of last week’s destructive water main break, with officials saying they didn’t know when repairs to the 110-year-old pipe would be completed or the street reopened.
“While there is no set completion date yet, our crews remain dedicated to finishing the repairs as quickly and safely as possible,” the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power said in a Sunday release.
Some West Hollywood residents remained displaced Sunday from apartments where underground garages were flooded by Thursday’s water main rupture. And some businesses near the scene remained indefinitely closed.
An aerial view of workers viewing a broken water main at Sunset Boulevard and Holloway Drive in West Hollywood that sent water gushing down many streets, closing several of them Thursday.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Vanessa Lopez, an LADWP spokeswoman, said that two other water pipe ruptures on Saturday — one in Venice and another in Hollywood — had been repaired.
The city received a report of yet another break on an 8-inch water main at 1501 Lincoln Blvd. on Sunday morning, she said, which crews were still working to repair.
Lopez said those breaks were not related to each other or to Thursday’s fracture of the far bigger pipe in West Hollywood, which was constructed in 1916.
Officials said Sunday that Sunset Boulevard remains closed between Sherbourne Drive and San Vicente Boulevard, with limited local access on nearby streets including Cynthia and San Vicente.
City officials urged the public to avoid the area.
LADWP said tap water in West Hollywood remains safe to drink, but officials encouraged residents to conserve.
With the 36-inch water transmission line undergoing repairs, West Hollywood is currently being served by an 8-inch distribution pipe. Residents may notice low water pressure, especially those living in upper-floor apartments, officials said.
Book Soup, a popular bookstore on Sunset Blvd, was one of the shops and restaurants forced to close after streets were flooded.
“For the safety of staff and the community, we’re keeping the store closed for the time being,” an employee said in a recording on its answering machine Sunday.
“We want to reassure everyone that the store is completely fine and our books are safe and dry,” she added.
Thursday’s fracture was on a steel pipe that forms the major arteries for water delivery from reservoirs and tanks to smaller distribution lines across Los Angeles. That section of the Sunset Trunk Line had been slated for replacement in 2031, according to the utility.
In 2019, LADWP said roughly 29% of the city’s pipes were over 80 years old, nearing their typical 100-year lifespan.
When the trunk line ruptured early Thursday morning, millions of gallons of water gushed down Holloway Drive, inundating businesses and flooding underground parking garages.
Repairs to a water main on Sunset Boulevard Saturday in West Hollywood.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
West Hollywood Mayor John Heilman estimated that between 150 and 200 cars were damaged or destroyed in the flood.
The leak was stopped after a few hours, leaving a giant sinkhole in the middle of Sunset Boulevard.
On Saturday, city crews replaced a 25-foot section of the line. Workers have refilled the pipe with water and are now working to repressurize it, officials said Sunday.
The workers must then disinfect the pipe with chlorine and test the water’s quality for safety. The hole in Sunset Blvd. will then be filled and the street repaired, officials said.
Residents and businesses who lost property and suffered damages can find information about filing claims at www.LADWP.com/Claims.
IF YOU are looking for your next European city break, then look no further as the best spots on the continent have been announced.
From popular Spanish spots to Italian hidden gems, the best 15 cities in Europe have been named – though it is bad news for the UK that didn’t feature on the list at all.
Florence in Italy has been named the best city in Europe by Travel + LeisureCredit: Alamy
Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards are decided by readers’ votes and this year over 661,000 people took part.
Coming out on top is Florence in Italy, scoring 89.48 out of 100.
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Deputy Travel Editor Kara Godfrey, who has previously visited the city, said: “There is no better place to go for art lovers, with Florence being home to famous works from Michelangelo, Botticelli and Leonardo da Vinci.
“You can also dine like a king, with slices of pizza for €1.50 (£1.29) and pasta dishes from €5 (£4.29).
“All of the major attractions are a short walk from each other although if you really need a break, you can book an electric golf-buggy eco-tour that traverses the narrow roads.
“Something unusual to keep an eye out for is Florence’s wine windows – ordering a glass of vino through a tiny hole in the wall was created as a way to socially distance during the plague in the 17th century.”
Then in second place is Prague, in the Czech Republic – nicknamed ‘jewel in the crown of Europe’ – scoring 88.89 out of 100.
Prague in Czech Republic came in second placeCredit: AlamyThe city is known for having the largest castle in the worldCredit: Getty
One Sun reporter who previously visited the city said: “Prague may be best known for its beer, but hillside winery Vini ní Altan is a great option.
“There are great views from inside the intricately carved wooden gazebo, and children can burn off some energy in the vine-strewn park below.
“Prague boasts the largest castle in the world — effectively a small town on top of a hill.
Rounding out the top three is Salzburg in Austria, scoring 88.31 out of 100.
Rounding out the top three is Salzburg in AustriaCredit: GettyThe city is known for being the home of the famous film The Sound of MusicCredit: Getty
The Sun’s Laura Purkess said: “Salzburg, the home of Mozart and The Sound of Music, sits in Austria’s beautiful Eastern Alps.
“While most of us associate the Alps with snow- caps and skiing, this city makes an ideal summer holiday destination — and it’s affordable.
“If you’re a keen hiker, it’s relatively easy to get from the city centre into the mountains which are filled with stunning, tree-lined trails that take anywhere from 15 minutes to three hours to complete.
“Hardcore fans of The Sound of Music should swap the free walking tour for a proper guided one of the film sets that takes you to locations beyond the city centre, including Church Mondsee, where Maria wed the Baron.”
Porto, Portugal and Ljubljana, Slovenia – nicknamed the ‘green jewel of Europe’ – then followed to round out the top five.
Two spots in Spain featured on the list with Seville in 10th and Madrid in 13th.
A couple of Spanish cities also featured on the list as wellCredit: AlamyAnd a lesser-known Italian gem did tooCredit: Alamy
Seville is the capital of Spain’s Andalusia region and is known for its Moorish architecture as well as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
As for the Spanish capital, Madrid, you can head to a number of museums and Royal Palaces.
Two spots in Italy also featured on this list with Rome in seventh, and for a lesser-known Italian spot, head to Siena which featured in 14th.
The medieval city found in Tuscany, boasts a UNESCO-listed historic centre, where you can head to Piazza del Campo – the main square – and Duomo di Siena – a cathedral with black-and-white marble.
And places like Funchal – nicknamed the Hawaii of Europe – snuck into the top 20.
Europe’s best cities, according to Travel + Leisure
The San Fernando Valley has lost many of the great spots that made it a hot dog mecca over the years — among them, the Weiner Factory, Rubin’s Red Hot, Vicious Dogs, QT Chicago Dogs and the Infield, late home of the fried Twinkie dog. It was a relief, then, to find Fab Hot Dogs in Reseda still open and thriving. Best of all, the shop still makes an excellent Bald Eagle Ripper, the original owner’s homage to New Jersey’s Rutt’s Hut, “home of the ripper.” The dogs are deep fried just until the casing rips and on top, is a version of Rutt’s mustard relish, which at Fab is browner and said to include Hatch chile powder, shredded cabbage and carrots, garlic, oregano, onions, celery seeds, cider vinegar, and Düsseldorf mustard with sweet relish. Fab’s ripper dogs first got the attention of this paper’s late restaurant critic Jonathan Gold not long after it opened in 2008 and then Guy Fieri for a 2009 Food Network segment. Since then, Fab has become known not only for the ripper but for its many dog variations, including a very good Chicago dog with the right pickle, neon relish and sport peppers; several bacon-wrapped franks (with jalapeños and peppers on the L.A. Street dog; barbecue sauce and cheddar on the Kansas City dog, and Swiss cheese and baked beans on the Boston dog). A rotation of whiteboard specials includes a Santa Fe dog with Hatch green chiles and cotija cheese, and even a mac ‘n’ cheese dog. Together they make up what Gold once called a display of “the American frankfurter diaspora.”
BROOKS Nader stunned as she showed off her enviable figure during a trip to Venice with friends after it was revealed she’s ‘totally single’ following her fling with Taron Egerton.
The model, 29, took to social media to share snaps from the trip, posing up a storm in the stunning location.
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Brooks stunned as she pushed out her chest while posing in VeniceCredit: InstagramShe then showed off her enviable figure by slipping into a revealing two-pieceCredit: Instagram
In one set of photos, Brooks was seen in a simple black dress and sunglasses with the view of a canal in the background.
She made the most of her assets and pushed out her chest for the snaps before gazing out at the water.
Brooks then slipped into a blue and white polka dot two piece and flashed her toned tummy for the camera.
She added: “Obsessed with this vintage set from the 1950s.”
It comes after she and Taron were snapped on a romantic date earlier this yearCredit: FilmMagicBut Brooks says she’s ‘single, having fun, always’Credit: Instagram
As one of the biggest techno DJs in the world, Charlotte de Witte never has her feet on the ground for long. But she comes back to L.A. as much as she can.
In Sunday Funday, L.A. people give us a play-by-play of their ideal Sunday around town. Find ideas and inspiration on where to go, what to eat and how to enjoy life on the weekends.
“Since I started, L.A. has been one of those very important cities. You really want to hit it as a beginning artist. It’s where everything is centered and everything is happening,” De Witte said during an interview at the Grammy Museum in November. She was here celebrating the release of her self-titled album debut. “L.A. made a difference for me.”
Throughout her years partying and performing in L.A., she’s played clubs such as Sound and Exchange LA. Then she grew to larger spaces like the Shrine and City Market, where she played open-to-close sets.
In the past, when things haven’t been as hectic, De Witte has enjoyed many of L.A.’s unique cultural offerings. Here are a few of her favorite things to do on a Sunday in the city.
9 a.m.: Coffee at Maru downtown
When I’m staying around downtown, I like to go to the Arts District and stop by Maru for a coffee. They also make great matcha and pastries. Whether it’s to-go or you’re just hanging around for a bit, great coffee is the best way to start the day!
11 a.m. Roller skate from Venice to Santa Monica
If we have a little bit more time to enjoy L.A. on tour, we always go to Venice. It’s such a unique place to be, but it’s also a very chill place. You’re in L.A., which is a huge city, but because you’re also next to the ocean it’s more calming for the mind and soul. When I’m on tour, I’m always in big cities, in the middle and the heart of where everything’s happening, and I could miss some peace and quiet, because I live in the countryside at home in Lisbon. Venice is that bright, sweet spot in the middle, where you have the more relaxing presence of the water and the beach, but still connected to Los Angeles.
Noon: Lunch at Gjusta
My manager is a big fan of Gjusta. He goes there all the time, wherever he is staying, so I think it kind of rubbed off on me.
2 p.m.: Facial treatment at Formula Fig in Culver City
A facial treatment is one of my favorite self-care moments when I’m on the road. It helps me relax and keeps me feeling fresh. The area around the Culver City location is also really nice for a walk or to grab a drink or a bite.
4 p.m.: Cruise around L.A. with an old-school Manx Beach Buggy
Manx Beach Buggies are an amazing buzz! I recently had the chance to take one for a spin around the city with my wonderful friends at Race Service, the car culture hub on Venice Boulevard in Mid-City. They had an event at Living Room. People from all over the U.S. drove there with their cars. It was incredibly fun, and it felt very, very L.A.!
6 p.m.: Dinner at Dudley Market
I am kind of into wine, especially natural wines. In Portugal, we are doing a lot with wines. Actually, we are building our own vineyard, so it’s important to us to learn more about natural winemaking. Dudley has amazing food and a great wine selection, and it’s also in Venice, so it’s perfect.
11 p.m.: Night out in a rough and sweaty warehouse like Aurora
As a DJ, I obviously have to end my night on the dance floor. It’s such a primal feeling to go clubbing, to all come together and dance to a beat. To feel this in your chest, it’s an experience that human beings have been doing throughout history. Because of the time that I spent on the dance floor, but also the time that I spent on the other side as a DJ, I would really argue that clubbing is essential in everyone’s life. It’s also self-care. During my last stay in L.A. — the week I released my debut album — I played five shows during a three-day period. I enjoyed all the sets, but to end the day with a deep dive into the night, Aurora Warehouse is a great venue.
A travel journalist who travelled to Italy said they were nearly caught out by a rule introduced in the city of Venice to improve cleanliness
A journalist has talked about what happened when they visited Venice(Image: Emanuele Cremaschi/Getty Images)
A travel journalist who visited Venice said they nearly lost £86 after breaking a rule they didn’t know about. Joey Handler, a travel journalist, spent six days in Italy travelling around the iconic European country, visiting various popular cities en route.
However, in one of their latest pieces, they admitted they had five regrets from their time in Italy which formed part of a two week trip around Europe.
Reflecting on the trip, back in October 2022, the Joey touched on how at one point in Venice they were stopped by the authorities for doing an act they thought was innocuous.
Joey said the incident occurred after she had completed a walking tour and went for some lunch. Eventually, after passing full restaurant after full restaurant she said she cut her losses and bought an ice cream before deciding to sit down.
However, it was the sitting down that was the problem. The Business Insider journalist explained: “I eventually cut my losses and stood in line for gelato before sitting on a shaded step to enjoy it.
“As I was about to take my first bite, the nearby authorities waved their hands up and down at me — a gesture I could only take to mean ‘get up’. And there I was, committing an etiquette violation that, according to the City of Venice, may result in a fine of 100 to 200 euros.”
As well as being informed by the local authorities about the rule, tourists and others can also be informed by the local government website. On this rule, they said: “Do not consume food and drink sitting on the ground, do not sit or lie down on banks and foundations, monuments, bridges, steps, puteals and high-water walkways
“Fine: 100 to 200 euros DASPO – Urban banning order (offenders will be immediately banned from the place where the offence was committed).”
This means that offenders could be fined anywhere between £86.74 and £173.48 if they’re caught. On why such rules, which include not swimming in the canals, dumping rubbish, walking around in a swimsuit, feeding pigeons and seagulls, not cycling, and not bivouacking in public areas, are in place, the local authority say is to preserve the environment.
They explained: “Current regulations enforced by the Venice City Council Municipal Police forbid certain behaviour, in order to preserve urban cleanliness and landscape, and also for reasons of safety and public hygiene.
“The violation of such regulations involves the application of administrative fines – from €25 to €500.”
This isn’t the only charge people can face if they travel to Venice with tourists als facing an entrance fee which was introduced in 2024 by the city. This fee is around €5 (£4.34) and originally applied on peak days between April and July before being expanded.
However, the new mayor of Venice Simone Venturini, has talked about the possibility of increasing this to €50 (£43.37). He told Corrier della Sera: “If today it ranges from €5 to €10, my proposal is to increase it to €30 to €50.”
Whilst move was in part a reaction to the sheer number of tourists, opponents have warned it risks not being true to the city itself. Former mayor Massimo Cacciari went further and called for the scheme to be removed altogether: “There is no other city in Italy or Europe where you have to enter with a ticket, as though it was a museum.
“It is barbarous, uncivilised and, in my opinion, against the constitution. It is simply obscene. I thought that Venturini would be more intelligent than his predecessor and would scrap the fee.”
The mayor of Venice is proposing an increase to the city’s controversial tourist entry fee, which could see the charge rise to as much as €50 (around £43) in a bid to tackle overtourism.
12:04, 20 Jun 2026Updated 12:04, 20 Jun 2026
A European city wants to hike its entry fee(Image: Getty)
In 2024, Venice made history as the first tourist destination to impose an entry fee, initially set at €5, approximately $4.30, on busy days spanning April to July. Additional days were subsequently added to the scheme, with the charge for last-minute visitors later rising to €10, roughly £8.60.
Mr Venturini is now pushing to raise the entry fee to as much as €50. This, he argues, will “discourage people further from coming to Venice at certain times of the year”.
Speaking to Corriere della Sera, he said: “If today it ranges from €5 to €10, my proposal is to increase it to €30 to €50.”
Critics of the initiative however claim it has made minimal impact on tourist numbers. Most visitors reportedly view it as “relatively insignificant” when weighed against the cost of a single glass of wine or a pint, reports The Telegraph.
Venice has continuously grappled with the challenge of overtourism. This comes as the city’s population has plummeted from approximately 170,000 in 1950 to roughly 48,000 today.
Visitors to Venice consistently exceed the number of locals. However, there were concerns that a hefty entrance charge might put off tourists who were deemed less affluent.
Former city mayor Massimo Cacciari went so far as to describe the fee as “barbarous”. He said: “There is no other city in Italy or Europe where you have to enter with a ticket, as though it was a museum.
“It is barbarous, uncivilised and, in my opinion, against the constitution. It is simply obscene. I thought that Venturini would be more intelligent than his predecessor and would scrap the fee.”
One business owner, however, has urged for the charge to be increased even more substantially. Jewellery shop proprietor Setrak Tokatzian suggests the city ought to be introducing a €100 levy on visitors.
Tourism expert Doug Lansky, recognised as ReThinkingTourism online, reckons the €5 charge would be unlikely to put anyone off. In a YouTube video he said: “I predicted that €5 wouldn’t have any effect.
“I mean, €5 isn’t enough to get me to choose one dinner entre over another at a restaurant, I’ve paid that much for a cappucino or a bottle of water at a concert.”
A new Eurocamp in a location just a couple of hours from the UK offers easy access to a Blue Flag beach and one of the biggest waterparks in the entire country – and the perfect day trip is just a short drive away
16:58, 08 Jun 2026Updated 17:07, 08 Jun 2026
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A nine-hectare water park will be at the heart of the new holiday park(Image: Eurocamp)
Already looking for your summer 2027 holiday? A new Eurocamp opening could be the perfect choice if you like a beach and pool holiday, but also want to be in close proximity to an incredibly popular city break destination.
Set to open in May 2027, hu Eraclea Mare is a brand-new camping village on the Adriatic coast near Venice, covering over 100-hectares and set on a spectacular long stretch of Blue Flag beach. Bookings are already open on the Eurocamp website from May 1 next year, just in time for a half-term trip to Italy.
And according to Eurocamp, at the heart of its newest site will be a nine-hectare water park – the largest ever built in an Italian holiday village. It’ll have six pools, including Olympic and semi-Olympic sized options, lagoons, waterslides, and a 40,000 square metre solarium.
But the pool won’t be the only place to make a splash. The park is being built on the long sandy Spiaggia Pannolenci where you’ll find calm, shallow waters for swimming and basking in the Italian sunshine. Or you can enjoy the shaded wooded trails that lead you to the nearby small town of Eraclea Mare.
Back on dry land, you’ll find activities including a tree experience and zip line, mini golf, paintball, and a huge variety of sports to enjoy with the whole family.
The mega-park will also include “30 food and drink outlets” according to Eurocamp’s website, including authentic Italian and Venetian restaurants, gelato shops, and bars. At night, a 1,500 outdoor theatre will host a range of family-friendly entertainment including music and lively events.
The new Eurocamp will also be well-located for day trips to Venice, so you can combine a sightseeing city break with a family holiday. The ferry port of Punta Sabbioni is just a 40-minute drive away, and you can park your car and take a boat in to avoid the traffic. The ferry is a picturesque 30-minute journey and an amazing way to arrive in the city. It docks close to the iconic Piazza San Marco, where you’ll find many of Venice’s top sightseeing spots just a short walk away.
Outdoor enthusiasts will also be able to visit the Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park, otherwise known as the Dolomites, a vast range of mountains and dense, unspoilt forest popular for hiking, sailing on serene lakes, and canyoning your way through its incredible landscape.
The Adriatic coast has a huge range of holiday parks along sparkling sea, and if you’re looking to visit this summer you can choose from existing accommodation options such as the 4-star Holiday Center Pra’ Delle Torri. This site has camping, a holiday village with mobile homes, plus an onsite hotel, with all guests enjoying access to a waterpark with slides.
If you prefer a hotel, you’ll also find the Park Hotel Pineta in Eraclea Mare. Set on a private sandy beach and surrounded by dense pine trees, this relaxed accommodation offers spacious family rooms and apartments.
Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com
Pitcher Violet Ascencio struck out 13 to lead Venice High to a 7-2 win over Eagle Rock in the City Section Division I softball championship game on Saturday.
Abilgail Ascencio had two doubles and finished with three hits.
Players held up a photo of the late Angelo Gasca, Venice’s football coach who also helped coach softball.
Division II
Arleta 11, Marshall 0: Naomi Tachin struck out four, walked none and led Arleta to the Division II title. Adriana Vasquez went four for four and Brenda Aguilar hit two doubles and finished with three RBIs.
Division IV
Franklin 17, Huntington Park 5: The Panthers, seeded No. 14, used their bats to become Division IV champions. Kamila Sanchez had three hits and five RBIs, including two doubles and a triple.
Southern Section
Division 4
Oxnard 3, Mission Viejo 1: Rachel Godoy hit a dramatic three-run home run in the fifth inning to lead Oxnard. Destinee Herrera threw a complete game.
Division 5
Irvine Northwood 11, Grace Brethren 1: Freshman Olivia Chen threw a two-hitter for Northwood, which went from missing the playoffs last season to Division 5 champions.
Division 3
Riverside Prep 4, Great Oak 3: Lila Morris threw a complete game, and Riverside Prep took advantage of two errors in the fifth inning to win the Division 3 title. Graclyn Necochea struck out 10 for Great Oak.
Division 8
Arroyo Valley 8, San Bernardino 5: Jaylin Casillas contributed three hits and two RBIs for Arroyo Valley. Aylssa Arredondo had four RBIs for San Bernardino.
Words are the tools I turn to, again and again, to make sense of events and shape them into narratives that do them justice. And yet, when it comes to the genocide in Gaza, my birthplace, language feels wholly inadequate.
There is a limit to what words can say. At a certain point, the instinct to describe, to explain and to make sense of what has unfolded begins to break down under the sheer scale of devastation and pain.
One scene from the start of the war has lingered in my mind: A bulldozer burying 111 unidentified bodies, wrapped in bright blue bags, in a mass grave. It appeared briefly in the endless scroll of social media before it disappeared again, replaced by yet another shocking scene. And another.
A hundred and eleven souls about whom we knew nothing; not their names, not their dreams or what their final moments were. A New York Times headline read: More Than 100 Bodies Are Delivered to a Mass Grave in Southern Gaza. Omission of the perpetrator aside, could that possibly capture the magnitude of such an event?
Every attempt to describe in words what Israel has inflicted on Gaza and its people has felt reductive, compressing something vast, ongoing and staggeringly lethal into language that cannot possibly hold it. What remains is a tension at the heart of the act of telling itself; knowing no account will ever be enough, how do you tell stories of such unspeakable horrors?
This tension lies at the heart of the Gaza Genocide Tapestry, which I am co-curating and which will be displayed at this year’s Venice Biennale. It is an art project that brings together Palestinian women in occupied Palestine and refugee camps in Lebanon and Jordan to document Gaza’s destruction in real time. They tell these stories in the way they know best: Needle and thread.
Mass grave. Embroidery by Nawal Ibrahim [Courtesy of Palestine Museum US]
Through 100 embroidered panels, each composed of 55,000 stitches, these women have created a testimonial that refuses to let the world forget what has been done and to whom.
Each panel tells a fragment of what has happened: A journalist weeping over his child’s dead body; young girls with empty pots being crushed at a soup kitchen; a child crying as her world crumbles around her.
Some of these images forced themselves into the public consciousness, if only for a moment; Khalid Nabhan hugging his dead granddaughter, the “soul of his soul”, for the last time before joining her a year later, or Dr Hussam Abu Safia walking towards a tank on the orders of Israeli soldiers, to then never be seen again.
But most images from Gaza are not granted that pause. They pass without names, context or farewell.
The tapestry defies this. To embroider is to decide something is worth the effort – hours, days and weeks of labour. This is to insist it is not lost to the sheer volume of images that pass briefly before our eyes.
An embroidery by Basma Natour of an illustration by Mahmoud Abbas of Dr Hussam Abu Safia heading towards an Israeli tank [Courtesy of Palestine Museum US]
A national archive in thread
The Gaza Genocide Tapestry is a new chapter of the award-winning Palestine History Tapestry Project, which I co-chair alongside Gaza-born designer Ibrahim Muhtadi. Following in the tradition of the famous Bayeux Tapestry and the Great Tapestry of Scotland, it is the largest body of Palestinian embroidery narrating the history of Palestine and its people.
The tapestry was started in 2011 in Oxford by Jan Chalmers, a British nurse who lived and worked in Gaza for two years in the 1960s. An avid embroiderer, Jan was previously involved with the Keiskamma History Tapestry, which chronicles the history of South Africa’s Xhosa people and now hangs in the South African parliament.
Recognising the centuries-old embroidery tradition of Palestinians, tatreez, Jan believed a Palestinian history tapestry was in order. I met Jan in 2013 in Oxford during my postgraduate studies. That is when I first joined this invaluable effort.
Tatreez, recognised by UNESCO in 2021, has long expressed Palestinian heritage and belonging. Its motifs encoded identity, place and social status. After the 1948 Nakba, it became a means of preserving Palestinian culture in the face of attempted erasure. Today it is something else again: Testimony.
Not long after Israel unleashed its devastating military assault on Gaza in 2023, the tapestry found new momentum by merging with the Palestine Museum US, an independent institution founded and led by Palestinian American entrepreneur Faisal Saleh. The tapestry is now housed at the museum in Woodbridge, Connecticut, and travels from there for exhibits worldwide.
An embroidery of Khalid Nabhan hugging his dead granddaughter [Courtesy of Palestine Museum US]
It was within this expanded framework that the Gaza Genocide Tapestry took shape. Jan, Ibrahim, Faisal, and I came together to discuss how best to document the genocide. We initially created two panels to mark this dark moment in Palestinian history – Gaza on Fire and The Palestinian Phoenix. Faisal then proposed we do 100 panels focused solely on Gaza.
The challenge of producing in a single year what had previously taken a decade was formidable, but it was an urgency dictated by an unfolding genocide and made possible by the scale, visibility and global reach the museum provided.
United in pain
Women in Gaza were initially among the most active contributors to the Palestine History Tapestry. Their work was vibrant and meticulous, and offered them a means of support. But as bombardment intensified, most became unreachable, often displaced multiple times. Materials could not enter Gaza, and finished panels could not leave.
Gaza’s women became the subjects of the story, rather than its narrators.
But the tapestry, at its core, is a kind of “lam shamel” (Arabic for family reunion), as one embroiderer put it. Despite borders and forced displacement, the labour of Palestinian women everywhere converges into a single visual record of the Palestinian experience.
For Iman Shehabi, Basma Natour and the dozen women in Ein el-Hilweh refugee camp, embroidery is how they make a living. But the tapestry project, they said, “restored” a part of their “dignity”.
“It was a space where heritage pulsed, and where our needles stitched both our pains and our hopes,” they wrote to us in a letter upon completion of their panels.
And it is not only the embroiderers who contributed. One of the panels in the Gaza Genocide Tapestry, embroidered by Shahla Mahareeq in Ramallah, was based on an image of Hind Rajab illustrated by London-based artist Khadija Said.
A Palestinian embroiderer stitches the panel ‘al-Shifa Hospital’ in Ein el-Hilweh refugee camp, Lebanon [Courtesy of Palestine Museum US]
A panel of blindfolded men, arbitrarily detained by Israeli soldiers in Gaza, was painted by Haifa-based lawyer and rights activist Janan Abdu, a Palestinian citizen of Israel. It was embroidered by Bothaina Youssef in Lebanon’s Ein el-Hilweh refugee camp.
Another artwork by Gaza-based artist Mohammed Alhaj, depicting displacement in Gaza, was also embroidered in Lebanon by Kifah Kurdieh, before a million people in southern Lebanon were themselves displaced.
The process of putting together the Gaza Genocide Tapestry has been painstaking. For more than a year, Faisal, Jan, Ibrahim and I held weekly meetings to research and select representative panels across various themes and coordinate the work. Each panel had to be translated by Ibrahim into a format that could be embroidered, then sent to a woman to stitch through field coordinators in each location.
There were constant questions, both ethical and practical. What do we choose to include, and what is left out? What does it mean to translate suffering into a stitched pattern?
At the Venice Biennale
Starting May 9, the Gaza Genocide Tapestry will be exhibited publicly at Palazzo Mora under the title: “- – – – – – – – – – -” * *Gaza – No Words – See The Exhibit
It will be available for viewing through November.
When we were informed in November last year that our biennale submission was selected, I felt a complicated kind of recognition. On one hand, it is an honour and a chance for this work, and the women behind it, to be seen on one of the world’s most prominent cultural stages.
On the other hand, it captured the paradox of a world increasingly willing to name what is happening in Gaza, to look it in the eye, call it a genocide, and yet remain unable or unwilling to stop it. What does it say about humanity when art becomes a primary site of real-time testimony because political systems have failed?
I have no simple answer. What I know is this: Palestinian women continue to tell these stories and demand accountability. Theirs is a collective response to my late mentor Refaat Alareer’s final instruction before he was killed: “If I must die, you must live to tell my story.”
A group of Palestinian embroiderers prepare panels to embroider in as-Samu, the occupied West Bank [Courtesy of Palestine Museum US]
At this year’s Venice Biennale, the story isn’t just about what’s on display—but what’s missing. Withdrawn countries, postponed ceremonies, and a fractured jury have turned the world’s oldest art exhibition into a stage for geopolitical tension.
Al Jazeera’s Karly Abou Samra explains.
The 61st Venice Biennale — the world’s most celebrated international exhibition of contemporary art — made headlines Thursday when its awards jury resigned amid a growing controversy over its April 23 decision to exclude countries charged with crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court.
In the current moment, this specifically meant Israel and Russia, and an uproar ensued — particularly with regard to Israel. The Israel Foreign Ministry blasted the decision on social media, writing in an April 26 post that the boycott “is a contamination of the art world. The political jury has transformed the Biennale from an open artistic space of free, boundless ideas into a spectacle of false, anti-Israeli political indoctrination.”
The jury posted its brief statement of resignation online four days later “in acknowledgment” of its original decree, in which it wrote, “At this edition of the Biennale, we wish to set out our intention — to express our commitment to the defense of human rights,” before explaining it would not consider certain countries for awards.
The Biennale moved swiftly to reverse course after the jury’s resignation, issuing a news release that noted, “All National Participations included in the 61st Exhibition … are eligible … following the principle of inclusion and equal treatment among all participants. This is consistent with the founding spirit of La Biennale, based on openness, dialogue, and the rejection of any form of closure or censorship. La Biennale seeks to be — and must remain — a place of truce in the name of art, culture, and artistic freedom.”
To that end, the awards ceremony originally scheduled to take place on May 9 has been pushed to November 22 — the last day the exhibition is open to the public. There is precedent for “exceptional circumstances” delays, and the last one took place in 2021 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Without precedent, however, are the newly established awards, created to replace the coveted Golden Lion awards that the jury traditionally hands out to two winners each year. This year, instead of the Golden Lion for best national participation at the Biennale; and the Golden Lion for best participant in the Biennale’s central exhibition, the Biennale has established two Visitors’ Lions to be awarded in the same categories.
Instead of a jury deciding the winners this year, the honor will be left — as the new award name specifies — to the exhibition visitors.
“Visitors eligible to vote for the Visitors’ Lions are ticket holders who have visited both Exhibition venues,” the release reads.
“Visits to both venues will be verified through the ticketing system’s tracking. Each ticket holder may cast one vote for each of the two awards, in one single session.”
Whether Visitors’ Lions will become a Biennale mainstay remains to be seen — but I can imagine the democratic idea might keep its place when the Golden Lions make their return next year.
I’m Arts editor Jessica Gelt doing my best to tread water in difficult times. This is your arts and culture news for the week.
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The week ahead: A curated calendar
FRIDAY
Quentin Lee and Justin Lin on the set of their debut feature, “Shopping for Fangs.”
(Margin Films)
Celebrating 30 Years of Margin Films Award-winning filmmaker Quentin Lee and his production company mark three decades in the business with a weeklong screening series. Lee’s breakout 1997 debut “Shopping for Fangs,” co-directed by Justin Lin, is the opening film. Also screening: “Ethan Mao,” Saturday; “The People I’ve Slept With,” Sunday; “The Unbidden,” Monday; “Rez Comedy,” Tuesday; “Last Summer of Nathan Lee,” Wednesday; and a sneak peak of three episodes of the Canadian TV series “Comedy InvAsian III,” Thursday. Selected screening includes a Q&A. Lee is also releasing a book, “Cinemasianamerica,” commemorating the occasion. Each film screens one day, 1:30, 4:30 and 7:30 p.m., through Thursday. Laemmle Royal, 11523 Santa Monica Blvd., West L.A. laemmle.com
Dvořák and Korngold Conductor Andrés Orozco-Estrada and the Los Angeles Philharmonic pay tribute to Michael Tilson Thomas, who died April 22, with his composition “Agnegram,” and perform Korngold’s “Concerto in D major for Violin and Orchestra” with violinist María Dueñas. The evening concludes with “Symphony No. 7 in D minor” by Dvořák. 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. laphil.com
Anna Van Valin, from left, Elias Scoufaras and Bruce Nozick in “Warsaw” at International City Theatre.
(Jordan Gohara)
Warsaw The world premiere of British playwright and “Selma” screenwriter Paul Webb’s drama about the fate of a woman whose life links two monumental historic moments, World War II and Sept. 11. 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays, through May 17. International City Theatre, 330 E. Seaside Way, Long Beach. ictlongbeach.org
SATURDAY
The Kronos Quartet, from left: Gabriela Díaz, David Harrington, Ayane Kozasa and Paul Wiancko.
(Danica Taylor)
Kronos Quartet The West Coast premiere of the group’s latest large-scale multimedia project, “Three Bones,” which combines live performance, video, visual art, recordings and environmental sound to explore the histories of Indigenous, Gullah Geechee and Chinese American communities in the United States. 6 p.m. UC Santa Barbara campus, Campbell Hall. artsandlectures.ucsb.edu
Michael Caine, from left, Scarlett Johansson and Hugh Jackman in the “The Prestige,” screening Saturday at the Aero.
(Francois Duhamel / Touchstone & Warner Bros. Pictures)
The Prestige Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale square off as rival magicians in a 20th anniversary 35mm screening of Christopher Nolan’s sci-fi thriller. 7:30 p.m. Aero Theatre, 1328 Montana Ave., Santa Monica. americancinematheque.com
The cast of “Carlota: Alhajero de Secretos,” opening Saturday at LATC.
(Teatro Alebrijes)
Carlota: Alhajero de Secretos Writer-directors Rodrigo García and Ugho Badú reimagine Federico García Lorca’s tragedy “The House of Bernarda Alba.” The co-production between San José-based LGBTQ+ ensemble Teatro Alebrijes and L.A.’s Latino Theater Company is in Spanish with English supertitles. 8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays, through May 24. Los Angeles Theatre Center, 514 S. Spring Street, downtown L.A. latinotheaterco.org
SUNDAY
Henri Lubatti in “Exit the King” at A Noise Within.
(Daniel Reichert)
Exit the King Eugène Ionesco’s classic absurdist comedy about a desperate monarch who refuses to admit his time has come, translated by Donald Watson and directed by Michael Michetti. Previews, 2 p.m. Sunday; 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and May 8; opening night, 7:30 p.m. May 9; runs through May 31. A Noise Within, 3352 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena. anoisewithin.org
Organist Anna Lapwood performs at Walt Disney Concert Hall on Sunday.
(Gerald Matzka / Getty Images)
Anna Lapwood The popular organist performs work from “The Da Vinci Code,” “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” “The Lord of the Rings,” “Star Wars Episode I – The Phantom Menace,” “Flight” and “Pirates of the Caribbean,” as well as Olivia Belli’s organ solo “Limina Luminis,” in this recital. 7:30 p.m. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. laphil.com
TUESDAY
Willie Birch, “Uptown Memories (A Day in the Life of the Magnolia Project),” 1995. Painted papier-mâché and mixed media, 82 × 62 × 60 in. New Orleans Museum of Art.
(Roman Alokhin)
Willie Birch: Stories to Tell This career retrospective details Birch’s exploration of the Black American experience since the 1960s, posing difficult questions along the way in his work as an artist, community organizer and “cultural provocateur.” 10 a.m.to 5 p.m. Tuesdays to Saturdays; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays, through Oct. 21. California African American Museum, 600 State Drive, Exposition Park. caamuseum.org
Lucía performs Tuesday at the Carpenter Center in Long Beach.
(Shervin Lainez)
Jazz in Long Beach Two jazz-influenced acts come to the Carpenter Center next week. Lucía brings her signature mix of traditional American jazz and Latin folk in a Spotlight Sessions concert on the Cabaret Stage. She’ll also be performing songs from her forthcoming album. “The Magic of Manhattan Starring Benny Benack III” is a tribute to the Big Apple and the songs and singers most associated with it, including Blossom Dearie, Frank Sinatra and Billy Joel. Lucía, 8 p.m. Tuesday; Benny Benack III, 7 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday. Carpenter Center, 6200 E. Atherton St., Long Beach. carpenterarts.org
Smith, Cabezas & Childs Molly Turner conducts the LA Phil New Music Group, with multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Gabriella Smith, cellist Gabriel Cabezas and jazz pianist Billy Childs in a program of eco-friendly music curated by Smith, including compositions by Smith, Childs, Michael Gordon, John Cage and Esa-Pekka Salonen. 8 p.m. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. laphil.com
WEDNESDAY Andrés Jaramillo: A Journey of Immigrants, Part II The Colombian American pianist follows up on his January 2025 program with a celebration of the global cultural exchange created by immigrants, placing Latin American composers within the Romantic tradition. Featuring works by Chopin, Calvo, Mejía, Barber, Lecuona, Friedhoff-Calvo and Pinzón-Arroyo. Presented by Piano Spheres. 8 p.m. Wednesday. Thayer Hall at Colburn School, 200 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. pianospheres.org
Morgan Freeman, left, and Brad Pitt star in David Fincher’s 1995 film “Seven.”
(Robert Isenberg / New Line Cinema)
Seven A 4k screening of David Fincher’s 1995 thriller about two cops on the trail of a serial killer. Appearances by production designer Arthur Max and set decorator Clay Griffith. 7:30 p.m. Academy Museum, 6067 Wilshire Blvd. academymuseum.org
THURSDAY
“Dancing with Bob: Rauschenberg, Brown & Cunningham Onstage” at the Wallis, May 7 to 9.
(The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts)
Dancing With Bob: Rauschenberg, Brown & Cunningham Onstage This kinetic retrospective captures the cross-disciplinary collaborations between vanguard artist Robert Rauschenberg and choreographers Trisha Brown (“Set and Reset,” with an electronic score by Laurie Anderson) and Merce Cunningham (“Travelogue,” created with John Cage). 7:30 p.m. Thursday and May 8; 2 p.m. May 9. The Wallis, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills. thewallis.org
The Physicists Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton are residents of an insane asylum beset by murder, mayhem, espionage and questions about the morality and ethics of science in this 1962 German satire by Friedrich Dürrenmatt. Directed by Brent Hinkley. 8 p.m. Thursdays and Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays, through June 20. The Actors’ Gang Theater, 9070 Venice Blvd., Culver City. theactorsgang.com
Arts anywhere
New and recent releases of arts-related media.
The Adding Machine Currently running at the Theater at St. Clement’s in Hell’s Kitchen, New York City, through May 17, this New Group production with a revised script by Thomas Bradshaw receives a one-time livestream next week. “[Elmer] Rice’s expressionist drama is known for being a tale of man vs. machine in an age of merciless efficiency, but inhumanity in a broader sense is its true core subject,” wrote Laura Collins-Hughes in a recent New York Times review. “The happy news about Scott Elliott’s handsome yet under-realized revival … is what a delight Daphne Rubin-Vega is to watch as Mr. Zero.” The cast also features Sarita Choudhury, Michael Cyril Creighton and Jennifer Tilly. The League of Live Stream Theater: 4 p.m. Tuesday. $40, includes 24-hour replay.
Art Work Photographer and writer Sally Mann weighs in on the creative process with stories, advice and life lessons, all illustrated with photos, journal entries and letters, making for a compelling, often surprising journey. Abrams Books: 272 pages, $35
“Insomnia & Seven Steps to Grace” by Joy Harjo.
(Smithsonian Folkways Recordings)
Insomnia and Seven Steps to Grace The new album by Joy Harjo, the first Native American to be named United States Poet Laureate, serving from 2019 to 2022, combines jazz, funk, rock and Native music sounds with her signature “vibration of love” as she boldly confronts injustice and draws inspiration from ancestral memory and the political turmoil of the moment. The double LP’s packaging features original art by Harjo and the poet’s extensive liner notes. Five-time Grammy winner Esperanza Spalding produced as well as contributed vocals and played bass on the project. Smithsonian Folkways: Double vinyl LP ($33), CD ($17), hi-res digital download ($13), digital download ($10).
— Kevin Crust
Culture news and the SoCal scene
Michael Tilson Thomas in 2018.
(Paul Marotta/Getty Images)
Times classical music critic Mark Swed wrote a lovely appreciation of conductor Michael Tilson Thomas, who died last week at the age of 81. Tilson Thomas, Swed wrote, “made music matter by making hope matter. He was, moreover, one of us. He achieved greatness though an epic amplification of a uniquely L.A. positivity in which grumpy became wistful.”
LA Opera music director James Conlon is preparing to step down after a record 20 seasons with the company, and in a recent story, Swed cataloged his impressive numbers: “More than 500 performances of 70 different operas at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and occasional neighboring venues, such as the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.” Swed attended a recent farewell gala and noted some highlights, including excerpts from “The Marriage of Figaro.”
Times theater critic Charles McNulty spent a recent trip to New York almost entirely in various Broadway theaters, catching up on what he says is a “strange season by all accounts.” McNulty notes that Broadway is still the place acting powerhouses like Adrien Brody, John Lithgow and Laurie Metcalf go in search of the kind of depthy material increasingly unavailable onscreen. He looks at four such shows — and their epic leading actors — including “Death of a Salesman,” “Giant,” “The Fear of 13” and “Dog Day Afternoon.”
David Henry Hwang (book adapter, “Flower Drum Song”) and Alexandra Silber (book adapter, “Brigadoon”) at the James Irvine Japanese Garden in Little Tokyo.
(Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)
Malia Mendez wrote a great piece about a trio of classic musicals running concurrently in L.A. She takes a closer look at “Flower Drum Song,” adapted for East West Players by David Henry Hwang; “Brigadoon,” adapted for Pasadena Playhouse by Alexandra Silber; and “The Sound of Music” at the Hollywood Pantages. All three were originally written by two of the 20th century’s most dynamic and celebrated writing duos: Rodgers and Hammerstein (“Flower Drum Song” and “The Sound of Music”) and Lerner and Loewe (“Brigadoon”). And all still resonate in modern times.
Mendez also wrote about a special event taking place this weekend called Night at the Library — held as part of the downtown Central Library’s centennial celebration. “The four-hour extravaganza Saturday will feature more than 200 artists and 25 to 30 activations peppered throughout the library campus, plus DJ sets and local food truck fare. Highlighted performers include Bob Baker Marionette Theater and Los Angeles Master Chorale,” Mendez writes.
Doug Chiang, Podrace Crash, production art for “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace,” 1995-99.
(Lucas Museum of Narrative Art)
The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art unveiled its inaugural exhibitions this week — noting that all 20 were curated by George Lucas himself. The $1-billion museum will open to the public on the first day of fall and the exhibits will be shown in more than 30 galleries spread over 100,000 square feet of exhibition space. And, yes, “Star Wars” memorabilia will be part of the “cinema” exhibit with large-scale vehicle installations, production designs, props and costumes.
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Lincoln Clauss, center, as the Emcee in Asolo Repertory Theatre’s “Cabaret,” at the Old Globe.
(Courtesy of Cliff Roles)
The board of directors of San Diego’s Old Globe named Trish Santini as the theater’s new managing director. Santini joins Artistic Director Barry Edelstein as a co-chief executive, and enters her new role on July 1. Among other arts leadership posts, Santini was the inaugural executive director of Little Island in New York City, and led the launch of the $250-million public park and performance venue.
An estimated five million people travel from the UK to Italy on holiday each year – and chef Vincenzo Prosperi has named the one authentic city that should be on every traveller’s radar
15:01, 29 Apr 2026Updated 15:01, 29 Apr 2026
A chef says Bari is an ‘authentic’ Italian destination(Image: Getty)
An Italian chef has highlighted an “authentic” city worth visiting – and it’s not Milan, Venice or Florence. The recommendation comes as roughly five million Britons jet off to Italy for holidays each year.
While countless holidaymakers head for coastal spots like Puglia or Rimini, the nation is equally renowned for its stunning city escapes. According to chef Vincenzo Prosperi, known as Vincenzo Plates online, there’s one particular city that offers a genuine taste of Italy.
Vincenzo champions Bari on the Adriatic Sea as an “old town where the nonnas make pasta on the sea”. In a YouTube video, he said: “A really wonderful city.
“It has really improved in the last 10 years. It is one of the best places to see in the south of Italy. This is authentic, this is great.”
Boasting just over 315,000 residents, Bari ranks amongst the most significant cities in southern Italy. It serves as both a breathtaking Mediterranean port and a thriving university hub, reports the Express.
Bari divides into separate districts. The old town, known as Bari Vecchia, comprises a maze of ancient streets housing the historic Basilica of Saint Nicholas, which originates from the 11th century.
The delightful Piazza del Ferrarese gazes out over the Augusto Imperatore waterfront while its palm-lined avenues provide the ideal fusion of historic town and contemporary seafront. Its name derives from a Ferrara merchant who resided there during the 1600s and maintained his warehouses on the square.
Remnants of a Roman road stretching back to the 2nd century lie cordoned off on the piazza. Nowadays tourists can savour a peaceful moment while observing the vibrant boats gently rocking in the harbour.
Meanwhile, the Murak Quarter, constructed under Joachim Murat, serves as the pulsating centre of contemporary Bari. It’s renowned for its orderly grid pattern of streets, thriving retail area, and lively café scene.
Its energetic character stands in stark contrast to the ancient old town. Travel authority Mark Wolters advises that anyone visiting Bari must head to Strada Arco Bass where residents prepare orecchiette pasta right on the street.
In a YouTube video, he said: “When you come here, you’re going to see there’s a street where all these grandmas, all these ladies, are making orecchiette, they’re making a special kind of pasta from here.”
He added: “We bought two bags for like five euros and it was so worth it. We got to see the lady and she was making them and they had them out there, it was a really cool thing.”
Mark also urges travellers to Bari to try the focaccia barese – a bread crafted from mashed potato and semolina flour. He said: “Focaccia is like a really fluffy, almost like a pizza-bread dough bread, and in it they put tomatoes and olives and it is fantastic, it’s a really special one from here.”
The expert advises that anyone keen on embarking on a road trip around the wider Puglia region should pick up a hire car at Bari airport before exploring the surrounding area. He explains that you “don’t want to drive” in the city itself, particularly around the old town.
Flights from the UK to Bari start at around £70 on Skyscanner. During the summer months, temperatures can soar to as high as 30C, with May typically seeing highs of around 23C.
![A Palestnian embroiderer stitches the panel 'Shifa Hospital'. Ain Al-Haleweh Refugee Camp, Lebanon [Courtesy of Palestine Museum]](https://i0.wp.com/www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/A-Palestnian-embroiderer-stitches-the-panel-Shifa-Hospital.-Ain-Al-Haleweh-Refugee-Camp-Lebanon-Courtesy-of-Palestine-Museum-US1-1778316354.jpg?w=640&ssl=1)
