Each month we share five unmissable things to see and do in the Golden State. You heard it here first.
Words by CATHERINE BIGELOW, DAVID NASH, and ELIZABETH VARNELL
LOS ANGELES
Doug Aitken’s Multisensory Masterwork, Lightscape, Arrives
“It’s almost feral, creatively,” says Doug Aitken, a multidisciplinary artist based in Venice, Calif., of his just-completed boundary-pushing project, Lightscape, at the MARCIANO ART FOUNDATION (Dec. 17, 2024–March 15, 2025). His latest work encompasses film, music, live performance, and installation, using a mesmerizing method of storytelling through images and sound. The feature-length piece — he calls it “polymedia” — plays out as a fever dream of the modern world propelled by what Aitken says is a “constant sense of continuous movement.” He sees the polyphonic partnership uniting the Los Angeles Master Chorale, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and numerous dancers, musicians, friends of the artist, and passersby as a modern mythology. “It’s like a river of different stories,” Aitken says of the film, and the landscape of Southern California itself — mountains, valleys, freeways, and factories — and its ecology plays a starring role. “Lightscape explores the idea of the future, where we are now, and where we could be going,” Aitken says. The film installation, accompanied by minimalist compositions and vocal parts, includes a schedule of live performances with the L.A. Phil’s New Music Group and the Chorale’s singers. Marciano Art Foundation, 4357 Wilshire Blvd., L.A., 424-204-7555; marcianoartfoundation.org. E.V.
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PALM SPRINGS
A Modernist Desert Hotel Deserves Its Own Zip Code
Live like a snowbird — if only for a long weekend — at the newly opened THOMPSON PALM SPRINGS, a modern two-and-a-half block oasis along downtown’s iconic Palm Canyon Drive. The 168 bungalow-inspired guest rooms, including 18 suites, feature private balconies with sweeping views of the skyline and San Jacinto Mountains. Soft natural hues, pops of green, and woodlike textures bring the awe-inspiring landscape inside as envisioned by Irvine-based SMS Architecture and B2 Design Co. out of Dallas. The lobby’s open-air design beckons guests with lush pathways and one-of-a-kind artworks marking the way to their accommodations, each of which is outfitted with amenities like Italian-woven SFERRA linens, flat-screen TVs, curated minibars, and D.S. & DURGA bath products. The second floor of the hotel is home to Lola Rose Grand Mezze, a Levantine-inspired restaurant that celebrates sophisticated Mediterranean style with an all-day mezze-style dining experience led by executive chef Quentin Garcia. Coming soon are the HALL Napa Valley Tasting Room & Wine Lounge, a cozy cocktail spot called Bar Issi, and another 42 guest accommodations set to debut in early 2025. From $550. 414 N. Palm Canyon Dr., Palm Springs, 760-778-1234; hyatt.com/thompson-hotels. D.N.
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WEST HOLLYWOOD
This Store Is a Trove of Treasures for the Home
Like his dreamy coffee table tome, Ken Fulk: The Movie in My Mind (Assouline, $105), heralded AD100 designer KEN FULK recently premiered his first Technicolor concept boutique in the West Hollywood Design District. The eponymous garden bungalow, swathed in an olive green facade and accented by an Edenic manicured courtyard, features an array of luxurious objets curated from Fulk’s fantastical creations for private clients, exclusive social clubs, and luxury resorts over the span of his award-winning 25-year career. Amid the wood-paneled galleries, which also includes a design studio for his Los Angeles creative team, Fulk offers accoutrements and artworks essential to elevating the lifestyle and art of hosting for his customers, imbued with his passion for beauty, craftsmanship, and la dolce vita. Among the treasures: French linens, Linda Fahey candles, antiques (sourced from his 25,000-square-foot San Francisco warehouse), vintage table settings, jewelry, Belgian boucle throws, fine art books, garden tools, and to-go floral designs. 555 Norwich Dr., West Hollywood; kenfulk.com. C.B.
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MONTECITO
The South of France-Inspired Bistro With an Outdoor Patio to Dine For
If you’re already dreaming about next summer’s travels along the Côte d’Azur, there’s a new French Riviera–inspired restaurant that will quell your hunger pangs for seaside cuisine. BAR LOU, the latest venture from Restauranteurs Brandon Boudet and Warner Ebbink (the duo behind L.A. hotspot Little Dom’s), has taken up residence in the space long occupied by Montecito’s favorite roadhouse, Peabody’s. With sea-to-table dishes, the menu combines California coastal cuisine with a South of France sensibility and the flavors of continental Europe. Try the Smoked Black Cod Smørrebrød with dill pollen crème fraiche and pickled fennel, Santa Barbara Sea Urchin Spaghetti with locally sourced uni, or the peppercorn-crusted Steak au Poivre & Frites accompanied by a glass (or bottle) of wine from its well-curated list — or a cocktail like the Jaune made using yellow chartreuse and lemon. The interiors — from dark green hues and vintage French oak flooring to honey colored leather booths and mirrored walls — were dreamed up by Ebbink, Boudet, and Isabelle Dahlin who tapped Mahte Design to evoke a modern cottage complete with four intimate dining rooms and what is arguably the most impressive outdoor patio of its kind in town. 1198 Coast Village Rd., Santa Barbara, 805-845-5489; barloumontecito.com. D.N.
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PALO ALTO
A Beloved Northern California Retailer Doubles Down With an Expansive New Flagship
For nearly 60 years, WILKES BASHFORD has remained a sartorial institution for generations of well-heeled Bay Area residents. Founded in 1966 by the dapper gentleman for which it’s named, the independent department store was credited with introducing Giorgio Armani to the U.S. market — and was among the first to carry Italian designer labels like Versace and Zegna. In 2009, as part of Bashford’s succession plan, his brand was acquired by Mitchell Stores, a four-generation family-owned luxury retail business. After 23 years, Wilkes’ Palo Alto outpost has been replaced by a 25,000-square-foot flagship that’s twice the size of its predecessor. Conceived by San Francisco architecture firm Gensler, the immersive shopping experience is punctuated by a light-filled and airy aesthetic, and a plethora of natural materials and elements indicative of California’s iconic coastal aesthetic. In the center of the store, delineating menswear from womenswear, 21 jewelry cases fan out below three sculptural chandeliers suspended from a double-height skylight. Upstairs houses a private VIP suite, complete with a full kitchen, designed to host intimate events, from trunk shows to client dinners. Two massive dressing rooms on the retail level are outfitted with fully stocked bars, while a third beverage bar is conveniently located in the middle of the store’s luxe offerings. And with more than 41 designer collections available at the style sanctuary, there’s a little something for everyone from the likes of Khaite, The Row, Lanvin, Brunello Cucinelli, Kiton, Dolce & Gabbana, and Odeeh to name a few. 180 El Camino Real, Building FF, Palo Alto, 650-322-7080; wilkesbashford.mitchellstores.com. D.N.
December 2024
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