Author: Mona Day

Akhnaten

Mona Day Opera, See, stage, Theater

LA Opera’s 40th Anniversary Season will bring a revival of Philip Glass’s Akhnaten for  six performances February 28 through March 22.

The  opera is the last of composer Philip Glass’s portrait trilogy examining consequential figures in science (Einstein in Einstein on the Beach), politics (Gandhi in Satyagraha) and religion (the Egyptian pharaoh Akhnaten).  Glass describes this an opera about ‘religion, orthodoxy and reaction’.  

A co-production of LA Opera and English National Opera, its story is set in Ancient Egypt where the titular Akhnaten, a doomed visionary with plans to abandon the old gods and lead Egypt into a new age. His feats and foibles put his life in peril.  

Glass’s music has permeated modern culture from New York City Ballet to  Netflix’s Stranger Things.  Its most notable feature is an infinite ritualistic repetition which admirers find hypnotic transcendence as well as a test of endurance.  

The opera is sung in English, ancient  Hebrew and Akkadian. The libretto draws upon ancient texts like The Book of the Dead, ancient hymns, prayers, letters and inscriptions.  Highlights are the funeral music of Act I and the Hymn to Sun in Act II.

The spectacular production is visually arresting, featuring towering sets and costumes with animal heads, exotic plumes and intricate beadwork.  It is replete with soaring acrobats and astonishing juggling acts that pay homage to the earliest known record of juggling found in a four thousand year-old mural in an Egyptian cemetery complex.  Anthropologists think that the tomb depiction may be an analogy between balls and circular mirrors as representation of solar objects, birth and death.  The show’s choreographer, however, leaves its role as deliberately undefined: the objects can be alter egos to the characters’ ideas, miniature globular deities, bouncing thoughts, or even desert sand.

Making her LA Opera debut is Finland’s Dalia Stasevska, principal guest conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

The show is  approximately three hours, including two intermissions. Dr. Tiffany Kuo will present a pre-show talk in Stern Grand Hall one hour before every performance.

For more information and tickets, please visit LAOpera.org/Akhnaten.

Emporium Thai Market

Mona Day Dine, Restaurants

The popular Emporium Thai Market in Westwood has established a brand new outpost on the section of Sawtelle Boulevard that is already a bustling hub of Asian markets and eateries.  

The restaurant specializes in Southern Thai cuisine, highlighting the region’s signature balance of heat, acidity, aromatics, and depth.  Its signature dishes include Seafood Hor Mok, a fragrant, savory and spicy dish featuring a rich, smooth, custard-like mixture of seafood served as individual bites of shrimp, crab meat and scallop in a sweet coconut curry.  Jane’s Wings are crispy chicken wings glazed in a tangy, house sauce.   Other crowd pleasers are Phuket Wings, Kra Duk Moo Tod, deep fried marinated pork, BLACKPINK’s Lisa Meatballs, Tom Saap Pork Rib Soup, Khao Soi, a rich, creamy, coconut curry noodle from Northern Thailand, Honey Ribs, Choo Chee Salmon, and the Bangkok Jay Fai’s style Thai Crab Omelette.

Southern Thai dishes from the owners’ hometown are known for intense spice and rich flavors, expressed in the restaurants’ specialties like Kua Kling Gai Sab, a dry curry with ground chicken, Gaeng Som, a sour orange curry with catfish fillet, Pad Sa Taw Goong, stir-fried stink beans with shrimp – a dish not for newbies, Southern Thai Crab Curry with  fresh crab lump, and Pla Tod Kamin, a crispy whole Red Snapper with turmeric and garlic. 

Desserts range from Sweet Roti, a buttery, crisp Thai flatbread with sweetened condensed milk and sugar, and the crowd-favorite Cardi B Mango Sticky Rice.

The bar program is integrated with the restaurant’s cuisine, drawing on Thai herbs like galanga, lemongrass, turmeric, basil, and mint.  Signature cocktails include the Galanga Sunrise, Lemongrass Lavender Margarita, Coconut Espresso Martini, Dragon Fruit Martini, and Strawberry Yuzu Martini with Lychee.

They are complemented by an eclectic selection of wines, draft beers that include aromatic Thai lemongrass brews, Japanese imports, as well as local brews, and a lineup of zero-proofs. 

The restaurant’s architecture pays homage to its Thai cultural heritage with the exterior recalling traditional Thai rooflines graced with an elephant motif , which continues inside with a bold elephant mural. An outdoor patio provides an option for al fresco dining. 

DANCE CAMERA WEST

Mona Day art, celebration, Dance, Entertainment, Film, See

Dance Camera West will present the 2026 edition of its dance film festival on January 22-25, with events on January 22-24 anchoring at Theatre Raymond Kabbaz in West Los Angeles. 

Continuing the Festival  tradition of honoring a major dance figure, the Festival opens January 22, 7:30 pm with a  Gala Retrospective and Tribute to David Roussève.   The evening will screen four of his films –  Bittersweet,  Hold your Heads to the Sky, Two Seconds of Laughter and Chili Pepper followed by a moderated discussion and a gala reception.

Roussève’s three-decade career weaves  movement, text, and multimedia to probe identity, race, queerness, and resilience and has resonated across generations. His company, David Roussève/REALITY has performed to much nationally and internationally to wide acclaim. 

Preceding the main program will be Stories and Tales, a selection of five short dance films from the US and the UK telling stories and creating portraits through dance and film.

Next day January 23, 7:30PM will present Shorts, a selection of 13 short experimental dance films with  a Francophone focus from France, Québec, and Belgium, along with an international selection from Finland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, Russia, and Spain.

January 24, 2:00PM will Doc Day Afternoon with two films.  The first, Dance to the End celebrates dancer, choreographer, artist and writer Eileen Kramer who lived and travelled the world for 60 years and continued working after returning home at age 99. 

The second film Origins  is a cinematic odyssey into the heart and mind of world-renowned choreographer Alonzo King, offering an intimate look at his creative process and his profound belief in the limitless potential of the human spirit. 

Saturday, January 24, 2026, 7 pm  will present LA Pops Up at the  Colburn in Downtown LA.  The new project spearheaded by Hysterica Productions and Dance Camera West celebrates a vibrant mix of styles spanning contemporary, hip-hop, poppin’, jazz, and more.   The screening will be followed by a filmmaker discussion.

Sunday, January 25, 2026 1:00 pm will present Experimental Experts at the Philosophical Research Society in Los Feliz.   The afternoon will feature Embodied Filmmaking with Karen Pearlman,  a screening of six films by Shirley Clarke.  The book launch and discussion celebrates the publication of Shirley Clarke: Thinking Through Movement.   

The workshop will audience to participate in a series of exercises designed to develop concepts, images, sounds, movement motifs, structures, and rhythms for new screen dance works. 

 LA Art Show

Mona Day art, art, See

The LA Art Show,  LA’s largest and longest-running fair, The LA Art Show, returns to the LA Convention Center for its 31st edition  January 7 – 11.  Led by director and producer Kassandra Voyagis, it will feature over 90 exhibitors from around the world. 

This year’s edition features international highlights include Ireland’s first time participation with Dublin’s Oliver Sears Gallery and Palm Beach’s Provident Fine Art with a solo presentation of Sylvester Stallone’s abstract works. 

Highlighting the intersection of music and contemporary art, this year’s fair will feature works by two notable British musicians: Paul Simonon of The Clash and Chris Rivers of Heaven’s Basement. 

In another first, Art of Contemporary Africa is presenting works from Dr Esther Mahlangu, a contemporary artist whose 8 decades of art has made her a beloved cultural ambassador of the Ndebele nation. 

Other notable exhibitions include the first public showing in over four decades of Karl A. Meyer’s 1980s woodcut prints at Switzerland’s LICHT FELD Gallery, and cinematic figurative works by Israeli artist Yigal Ozeri presented by Corridor Contemporary. A strong Korean presence continues with J&J Art’s “Elegant Freedom” by Jinny Suh, whose Hanji-based works reinterpret Korean tradition through a contemporary lens.

The fair will debut its new Latin American Pavilion curated by Marisa Caichiolo-who was recently selected to co-curate Chile’s pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale. Centered on themes of memory, migration and identity, the pavilion explores representation, provenance and the evolving trajectory of Latin American art.  The Pavillion is a timely reminder of the challenges posed by immigration issues for Latin American communities and their artists. 

The fair’s signature non-commercial platform, DIVERSEartLA curated by Marisa Caichiolo returns with the theme The Biennials, Art Institutions and Museums in the Contemporary Art Ecosystem exploring the evolution of contemporary art through global biennials and museums, and how the two  complement and challenge one another. The platform highlights their shared roles in artistic innovation, public engagement, and cultural dialogue.

The American Heart Association is again the charity beneficiary, receiving 15% of proceeds from every ticket sold for their Life is Why ™ campaign. 

For more information and tickets, please visit www.laartshow.com

The Los Angeles Wine & Food Festival

Mona Day Chefs, Dine, Food & Wine Events, Restaurants

The Los Angeles Wine & Food Festival returns for its second year with three sessions over the weekend of Friday, November 7 – Sunday, November 9. Friday and Saturday will feature Grand Tasting events while Sunday will conclude with The Final Bite: Peroni’s Italian Affair, an Italian-themed celebration hosted by Peroni, the official beer partner of The Los Angeles Wine & Food Festival. 

The 2025 Los Angeles Wine & Food Festival will bring together a star-studded lineup of notable chefs from across the nation and Southern California including culinary icons and rising stars shaping the future of LA dining.  Each of the three sessions will feature over thirty chefs presenting their signature bites along with  beverage selections from top regional and

 award-winning wineries, and craft cocktails from top mixologists at  walk-around tastings that will also include other immersive pop-ups and brand  installations.  Live entertainment will include top DJ sets will round out the experience.  

Featured chef personalities include Stephanie Izard, Gabe Bertaccini, Antonia Lofaso, Giorgio Rapicavoli, Brooke Williamson, and brother duo Michael and Bryan Voltaggio. appearances from Ludo Lefebvre of Petit Trois, Michael Symon of Lola, Claudette Zepeda of Leu Leu, Rashida Holmes of Bridgetown Roti, Avner Levi of CENTO Pasta and Raw Bar, and Jazz Singsanong of Jitlada. AWFF is produced by a21, the team behind some of the country’s top culinary festivals. 

This year’s event will be co-hosted by Tastemade, known for its leading food and lifestyle brand engaging audiences on major social and streaming platforms.  

The Los Angeles Wine & Food Festival is proud to support Event Zero Inc., a non-profit organization to help make the festival more sustainable.

Guests can choose between General or VIP admission. VIP pass holders enjoy early entry one hour before general admission and access to exclusive lounges offering exclusive bites and cocktails.  A special weekend pass maximises savings by offers access to all three days.  

For tickets and more information, visit https://www.lawineandfood.com/.

The Food Event

Mona Day Chefs, Dine, Food & Wine Events, Restaurants

Los Angeles magazine will host its 19th annual The Food Event at the iconic Calamigos Ranch on Sunday November 16th, 12:00 – 3pm. 

The much-anticipated epicurean extravaganza will feature samples from some of the city’s finest restaurants, along with premier wines, spirits and cocktail tastings, craft beer, live music, and more.

The lineup of participating chefs and restaurants represent the diverse and vibrant Los Angeles culinary scene.  They include All About The Cinnamon, Ayara Thai, Arth Bar + Kitchen, BOX Chicken, City Club LA, Descanso Restaurant, Emporium Thai, Fitoor Santa Monica, Gentry Market, Hansen’s Cakes, La Popular, Mastro’s Restaurants, Nobu Los Angeles, STK Steakhouse, Telefèric Barcelona, The Ranch Club, Uchi West Hollywood, WeVINO, and Wife and the Somm.

For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit LAMag.com/TheFoodEvent2025.

Eighth Annual Tito’s Fiesta Mexicana

Mona Day Dine, Entertainment, Food & Wine Events, Restaurants , ,

Tito’s Handmade Vodka and Tito’s Tacos will celebrate the eighth annual Tito’s Fiesta Mexicana on Saturday, October 4, from 3:00pm – 8:00pm at the iconic restaurant in Culver City to raise critical funds for the Culver City Arts Foundation in supporting a wide range of art, culture, and local artists. 

At the Fiesta guests 21+ can sip on Tito’s Handmade Vodka cocktails while savoring Tito’s Tacos’ award-winning cuisine. The celebration will also feature five hours of live entertainment headlined by world-class mariachi group, Mariachi Sol De Mexico de Jose Hernandez, folklórico dancers, and a traditional piñata station. 

A formal program will feature remarks from Brian Herlihy, Field Sales Director at Tito’s Handmade Vodka; Lynne Davidson, Co-Owner of Tito’s Tacos; Wirt Morton, Co-Owner of Tito’s Tacos; and Jim Clarke, Board Chair at Culver City Arts Foundation.

Two ticket options are available:  The Responsible Partygoer ticket for $35 includes general admission, three Tito’s Tacos food items, and three refreshing Tito’s Handmade Vodka specialty cocktails.  The Non-Alcohol Partygoer ticket for $20 includes general admission, three Tito’s Tacos food items, and a soft drink.

An annual tradition since 2018, 100% of the event’s gross proceeds benefit the Culver City Arts Foundation supplementing several programs including Creative arts and performing arts grants, Culver City Arts Projecting Possibilities Program (a program that enables local artists to display their art at the Helms Design Center), and Culver City Arts Book Festival.  Over the past seven years, Tito’s Fiesta Mexicana has raised over $113,000, with $23,000 in 2024 alone.

Founded in 1959 by Benjamin Davidson and now run by his granddaughter Lynne Davidson, Tito’s Tacos is an iconic Mexican fast-casual restaurant in Los Angeles. Known for its “folded” hard shell tacos and burritos loved by celebrities, locals, and visitors alike, Tito’s menu features classic Mexican fare – crispy beef tacos, tamales, burritos, enchiladas, tostadas and guacamole, and more. The award-winning cuisine is made from scratch using original recipes and served to thousands of loyal fans daily, often by employees who have been with Tito’s for decades.

For more information and tickets, please visit https://titosfiestamexicana.net/  

La Popular’s Hollywood Debut

Mona Day Chefs, Dine, Restaurants

Mexico City’s celebrated modern Mexican dining concept, La Popular is making its much anticipated debut in the heart of Hollywood at the newly reimagined Ovation Hollywood, formerly Hollywood & Highland. 

Executive Chef Arevalo unveils a menu that celebrates traditional Mexican dishes with bold, inventive tweaks. 

Starters range from the Ahi Tuna tostadas with chipotle aioli and crisped leeks to the seafood ceviche brightened with citrus and serrano. 

The Soups & Salads section features a richly layered tortilla soup with fried ancho chiles and chicharron, and Corn Off The Cob Salad dressed in Tajín-lime vinaigrette. 

Taco Plates features classics like carnitas and ribeye along with the more inventive creamy chipotle shrimp taco with refried beans and rice. 

Enchiladas too upgrade tradition in smoky short rib Colorado, the Queso, the Suizas shrimp and pulled hicken. 

Mexican staples in Platos Especiales include braised quesabirria with consommé, a hearty burrito with birria, carnitas, or chicken,  the Asada with chimichurri butter, and the  chicken mole Poblano with sesame and spice. 

Sides recall the street culture with street corn, Tajín fries, and golden fried plantains.

A special Kids Menu features favorites like chicken or steak tacos, a gooey cheese quesadilla, a hearty chicken bowl with rice and beans, and a classic kids burrito with flour tortilla, rice, beans, and cheese that help make La Popular a family outing.

Dulces favorites include warm Churros dipped in rich chocolate and silky cajeta sauce, and flan topped with vanilla ice cream and caramel. There’s also a decadent Turtle Pie with peanut butter, chocolate, caramel, and candied pecans.  

The beverage portfolio emphasizes single-origin tequilas and mezcals, barrel-to-glass sourcing of  agave spirits in all their diversity.  The equila & Mezcal collection spans Blancos, Reposados, Añejos, Cristalinos, Rosas, and rare Single-Origin Mezcals from Espadín to Tobalá and Arroqueño.

There’s a  curated wine list and a craft-forward beer selection that integrates both Mexican and local producers.  Inventive cocktailslist complement both the menu and evolving guest preferences that incorporates a sophisticated non-alcoholic craft selection.

La Popular will officially open on Monday, September 22nd, 2025, Sunday through Thursday from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm, and Friday and Saturday from 11:00 am to 12:00 midnight. 

For more information and reservations, please visit www.LAPopularCDMX.com.