Each month we share five unmissable things to see and do in the Golden State. You heard it here first.
Words by DAVID NASH
LOS ANGELES
A Photography Show to Dye for From a Master Lensman
The Museum of Modern Art and Whitney in New York, along with the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the J. Paul Getty in Los Angeles, include William Eggleston images in their permanent collections. His exhibitions roster is lengthy and his auction results are enviable, but the 85-year-old photographer’s dye-transfer printing process for photography that defined much of his career’s work is coming to an end. Thankfully, DAVID ZWIRNER’s exhibition, William Eggleston: The Last Dyes, offers an opportunity to see and acquire the final prints created using the analog process. As one of the last major groups of the artist’s photographs to be produced using this method, the show is a rare opportunity to experience images in the format he initially presented them in the 1970s. Works on view include pieces from his Outlands and Chromes series, along with several images first shown at his 1976 MoMA exhibition in New York. Developed by Kodak in the 1940s, the dye-transfer process, materials, and film were phased out in the early 1990s. Since then, Eggleston and specialists in the field Guy Stricherz and Irene Malli — who have printed the artist’s work for 25 years — have been acquiring these all-too-rare materials, using much of it to print these final images. Nov. 16, 2024–Feb. 1, 2025. 606 N. Western Ave., L.A.; 310-777-1993; davidzwirner.com. D.N.
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SAN DIEGO AND SANTA CLARA
This Australian Brand Beloved by Californians Opens Two New Outposts
It’s a stylishly conceived, statewide expansion for ZIMMERMANN, as the Australian fashion brand’s fifth and sixth outposts have opened their doors in San Diego’s Fashion Valley and San Jose’s Westfield Valley Fair, respectively, in rapid succession. In the new upstate Silicon Valley location, the 1,631-square-foot boutique takes a pared back approach. A full-length windowed façade, surrounded by glazed three-dimensional tiles, frames a two-toned Mazzega glass chandelier suspended on the other side. The sophisticated lounge and fitting room include a soaring barrel-vaulted ceiling, another monumental chandelier, a custom Kilim rug, Warren Platner and Milo Baughman seating, rich patterned curtains, and artworks by Australian artists like Venn Miles and James Drinkwater. Down south, the more laid-back aesthetic pays homage to the region’s relaxed atmosphere and the brand’s Aussie origins. The narrow layout features a series of smaller rooms that lead to the lounge area, which is highlighted by exaggerated curved cornices, an elevated ceiling, furnishings by Yrgö Kukkapuro and Isamu Noguchi, and works of art by Delphine Perlstein, Emily Ferretti, and Jordy van den Nieuwendijk. Both boutiques were designed in collaboration with Studio McQualter and are stocked with a full range of offerings from the brand, which has secured a devoted following since sisters Nicky and Simone Zimmermann founded it more than three decades ago. 7007 Friars Rd., San Diego; 2855 Stevens Creek Blvd., Santa Clara; zimmermann.com. D.N.
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PALM SPRINGS
The Most Comprehensive David Hockney Prints Exhibition Ever
At 87 years old, British artist David Hockney is still as relevant to pop art and culture as he was at the beginning of his career in the early 1960s. If you’re not convinced of his star status, you need only look to prices achieved for his pieces at auction (like the $90.3 million sale of his 1972 painting Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures) at Christie’s in 2018) and the number of world-class museums and institutions that count his works among their permanent collections. Better yet, visit the PALM SPRINGS ART MUSEUM’s exhibition David Hockney: Perspective Should Be Reversed: Prints from the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation to see more than 240 works. As the largest survey of Hockney’s prints, the show includes works from 1954 to 2022 and presents the artist’s oeuvre from early printmaking to his tech-forward iPad drawings. The exhibition is part of the museum’s Q+ Art Initiative, which focuses on the work of LGBTQ+ artists and includes public programs, collection building, and awards geared toward solidifying their unique voices in the arts. “This exhibition not only showcases Hockney’s creative innovation but also aligns perfectly with our Q+ Art initiative,” says Adam Lerner, the museum’s JoAnn McGrath executive director. “Hockney’s work challenges views to see the world through his unique lens, embracing both artistic and personal freedom.” Nov. 23, 2024–March 31, 2025. 101 N. Museum Dr., Palm Springs, 760-322-4800; psmuseum.org. D.N.
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VENICE
The Gjelina Cofounder Revives His Japanese Tavern on Abbot Kinney
Five years ago Travis Lett walked away from Gjelina, the wildly popular California restaurant he cofounded in 2008. Now he’s back refreshed and focused on his new project, RVR. The idea for the restaurant has been percolating since he opened MTN in 2017, two years before he left the Gjelina group. It was an izakaya, too, but this one, he says, completes the concept he had just begun: a casual Japanese tavern that combines everything he loves in the Japanese pantry with California’s glorious bounty. That means yakitori, tempura, bone broths, pickles, salads, and charcoal-grilled fish and meats. A fun hand-roll section uses any seafood at hand, while yakitori is cooked over binchotan charcoal. The kitchen makes its own gyoza skins and ramen noodles, and the broths are made from boiled down pork bones from local heritage pig farmers Peads & Barnetts. “I want to give everything more of a sense of place and specificity,” Letts says. You can easily make a feast with plates from every section of the menu. 1305 Abbot Kinney, Venice, 310-573-8077; rvr.la. S.I.V.
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SANTA MONICA
An Icon With Pacific Views and Plenty of Panache Opens Its Doors to Guests
A legendary hospitality brand has returned to Southern California with the opening of REGENT SANTA MONICA BEACH. Known worldwide as having opened “the world’s best hotel,” The Regent Hong Kong in 1981, the brand debuted The Regent Beverly Wilshire four years later, solidifying its luxury status (thanks, in part, to the starring role it had in the 1990 hit movie Pretty Woman). The new space — the first flagship property in the United States — is just steps away from the Santa Monica Pier and has stunning views of the Pacific Ocean. The property’s public spaces, designed by AvroKO’s San Francisco studio, were inspired by boats sailing and yachts touring the Mediterranean, complete with brass details, yacht-style flooring and green, gold, and cream-colored accents. Its 167 guest rooms, suites, and on-site Guerlain Wellness Spa were brought to life by award-winning studio Wimberly Interiors and evoke the ultimate sense of serenity. For the most indulgent stay, book the 3,200-square-foot Santa Monica Presidential Suite, complete with separate living, dining, and game rooms, as well as unbeatable panoramic ocean views. At a more modest 2,180 square feet, the Oceanfront Atrium Two-Story Two-Bedroom Suite spans the second and third floors. The hotel also includes four dining spots: Orla and Orla Bar by James Beard Award winner Michael Mina; Azure Bar, an outdoor watering hole; and Sweet July Café from restaurateur Ayesha Curry. From $1,100. 1700 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica; santamonica.regenthotels.com. D.N.
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IN PARTNERSHIP
Bogner’s Distinctive Designs Signal a Seasonal Shift
Inspired by towering alpine mountains and the breathtaking beauty of natural areas, BOGNER’s Fall/Winter 2024 collection was designed for boundless activity. Reflecting the German line’s heritage looks, nodding to its origins in sports fashion when its pioneering stretch ski pants were worn by champion skiers and such stars as Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor, the designs combine high-performance materials with timeless silhouettes. The freedom of an open trail, snow-covered landscapes, and clear winter air drive the distinctive looks this season, which include cropped or elongated puffers, capes, knit sweaters, wide pants and hooded fleece jackets for women. For men, sculpted puffers, polished jackets, monochromatic knits and sweatshirts, geometric sweaters, and flat-front pants are cut with sporty functionality in mind but designed for style. Striking new three-dimensional prints and contrasting materials are highlights, as are new corduroy, satin, and shearling pieces. There’s even a Bogner 007 capsule with high-tech all-terrain essentials and plenty of pockets for concealed gadgets. Meant for both the slopes and après-ski, the collection is a smart hybrid of innovative details and high design. 8500 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, 323-219-3519; bogner.com.
November 2024
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