Each month we share five unmissable things to see and do in the Golden State. You heard it here first.
Words by KELSEY McKINNON
PALM SPRINGS
The Webster’s Tenth Store Is a Desert Oasis
The Webster, Palm Springs. Photo by Doublespace Photography.
Laure Hériard Dubreuil has made her long-term love affair with Palm Springs official with the opening of the tenth Webster boutique. After spotting the new location—the former studio of famed interior designer Arthur Elrod—in the heart of downtown, Hériard Dubreuil says, “It felt like a sign; it was so perfect that it had to be the next home of The Webster.” To celebrate, The Webster partnered with L.A.-based brand AMIRI and the Italian house Pucci for two special capsule collections to round out the assortment of luxury destination wear on hand. Hériard Dubreuil turned to French designer Stéphane Parmentier to revive the historic building in the style and spirit of Brazil. Somehow the dreamy pink cloud painted ceiling that’s meant to evoke the sunset over Copacabana feels perfectly at home against the backdrop of the San Jacinto Mountains. 850 North Palm Canyon Dr., Palm Springs, 352-574-6049; thewebster.com.
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SAN MARINO
The Huntington Rose Garden Tea Room Reopens
Left: View of the south entrance to the bowling alley (now the Tea Room), flanked on either side by a stone lion statue, circa 1918. Right: Tea Service in the newly renovated Rose Garden Tea Room. Photo by Jose Lopez.
The Huntington is famous for its many themed gardens, including California, Australian, Camellia, Desert, Jungle, Chinese, Japanese, Palm, Ranch, and Subtropical—to name a few. But this month the focus turns inside the former San Marino estate with the reopening of the Rose Garden Tea Room. Originally built in 1911 as a bowling alley for Henry E. Huntington, the space was converted into a sunny spot for high tea in 1928 and remained an elegant dining destination until 2020, when it closed during the pandemic and underwent an 18-month restoration. The dining room on the west side of the building faces the Herb Garden, which can be used for private events, and the east side overlooks the daisies and daffodils in the poetic Shakespeare Garden. The traditional tea service also features seasonal housemade scones and a variety of savory and sweet offerings, including smoked salmon with dill cream cheese and caviar, banoffee tarts, and buckwheat financiers—the perfect stopover between garden tours. 1151 Oxford Rd., San Marino; huntington.org.
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DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES
The Grand LA Spotlights the Life and Work of Jean-Michel Basquiat
The exhibition is produced by The Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat, with his sisters Lisane Basquiat and Jeanine Heriveaux serving as executive producers and curators, in collaboration with Ileen Gallagher and ISG Productions Ltd. Photo by Kurt Iswarienko.
Even though Jean-Michel Basquiat was only 27 years old when he died in 1988, he left behind an immense and complex body of work. The art world has spent the next 35 years decoding it—and fighting over it at the auction blocks. On the heels of its landmark run in New York, Jean-Michel Basquiat: King Pleasure wows DTLA at The Grand LA, offering an up-close and personal look at the artist’s life and process. Organized in part by Basquiat’s sisters, Lisane Basquiat and Jeanine Heriveaux, and stepmother Nora Fitzpatrick, the show features more than 200 pieces that have never (or rarely) been seen. The exhibition includes paintings, drawings, ephemera, and artifacts—such as Basquiat’s birth certificate, report cards, bicycle, and sketchbooks—from the family’s estate, as well as recreations of the Basquiat home, Basquiat’s New York studio, and New York’s Palladium nightclub. The show chronicles Basquiat’s time in Puerto Rico, his travels to Ivory Coast, his life in New York City, and his work at Venice Beach studio (two large-scale paintings were originally created directly on the fence behind the studio, which Basquiat took down). There’s also a map that shows Basquiat’s favorite Los Angeles stops, including Mr. Chow, L’Hermitage Hotel, Maxfield, Tower Records, Chateau Marmont, and the now-defunct Power Tools nightclub. 100 S. Grand Ave., L.A.; kingpleasure.basquiat.com.
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CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA
Enjoy Oceanside Hospitality at Carmel Beach Hotel
Carmel Beach Hotel. Photos by Josh Rose Photography.
Spread across seven historic cottages atop a seaside bluff, Carmel Beach Hotel makes its much-anticipated debut on the California coast this month. The residential-style sister property to L’Auberge Carmel boasts just 26 guest rooms and three suites (along with a forthcoming spa and gym) designed by Carol Padham and Phyllis Martin-Vegue. Chef Justin Cogley of Michelin-starred Aubergine will oversee the on-site restaurant, Secoya, churning out breakfast (delivered daily to each room), lunch, and dinner—along with prepared picnic baskets and an all-day snacking menu. Local and seasonal highlights, including the fresh oysters, crudos, and caviar, are best enjoyed on the outdoor dining pergola overlooking the Pacific. 13th and San Antonio Blvd., Carmel-by-the-Sea, 831-293-0388; carmelbeachhotel.com.
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COSTA MESA
LADP’s Romeo & Juliet Suite Premieres at Segerstrom Center
Romeo & Juliet Suite.
Following his feature film debut, Carmen, Benjamin Millepied is heading to the Segerstrom Center for the Arts this month for the American premiere of Los Angeles Dance Project’s Romeo & Juliet Suite. Now in its tenth season, Millepied’s LADP has made a name for itself presenting radical pieces in unconventional settings. Here Millepied filters the classic story through a modern prism with two star-crossed lovers in an urban environment where social norms prevent them from living out their love story. With a changing cast each night, Millepied’s version also showcases diverse couples—male/female, male/male, female/female—in a performance that combines cinema, dance, and theater. May 12-14; scfta.org.
Feature image: The Webster, Palm Springs. Photo by Doublespace Photography.
May 2023
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