From the Editor
As editor-in-chief, I always hope that every issue of this magazine will eventually become an artifact. This month we explore how the 1980s fundamentally changed L.A. For inspiration I flipped through the 120 issues from that decade in our archive. Karma Chameleon, those magazines were huge! If our job is to reflect the city back to itself, you could learn a lot about the L.A. zeitgeist from the covers alone. A few takeaways… Read
Features
The ’80s: The Decade That Changed L.A.
Edited by Nancy Miller and Mary Melton
It was the era of the go-go’s and n.w.a, when colors were bright, hair was big, and fernando-mania was in the air. With the help of movies, music, and something called the 1984 Summer Olympics, the city and its fashions became the center of the universe. grab your swatch—we’re going to travel through time
(Buzz)
CityThink
Buckling up for LAX’s takeoff; when Denny’s was just a Lakewood doughnut shop; test your knowledge of Donald Sterling; the historian who was seduced by Southern California; downtown’s big-screen dystopia
L.A. Archetype
A sustainable butcher who’s a cut above
Ask Chris
Chris Nichols sniffs out the county’s one and only dog beach
L.A. Story
Patricia Arquette on her Hollywood daze
The Seen
What actors are really like on the party circuit
(Shop)
In Store
The latest haul of nautical-themed accessories; shopping America with the MiA Project; Alternative Apparel busts a move; beach totes that began life as beer brewers
The Luxe Life
Discover what’s on the shopping list of AG Jeans creative director Samuel Ku
How to Dress in L.A.
Go straight from the beach to the bar in these stylish cover-ups
(Eat)
Small Bites
Toast goes gourmet; Joel Stein extols sous vide; Lou Amdur revives a penchant for sherry plus: Fifty Seven joins the industrial-modern crowd downtown, and new restaurants Superba Food + Bread, Bourbon Steak, and Pine & Crane
The DIY guide
How to set up your own home bar
The Dine Review
Patric Kuh on the Iberian heights of Perfecto Rocher’s smoke.oil.salt
Dining Out
143 of the city’s best restaurants, from Faith & Flower to Tar & Roses
(Do)
Culture Files
The World Cup taps into soccer’s L.A. fan base; MOCA’s new director goes on the record; Chris Isaak at the Bowl plus: How to do the Annenberg Community Beach House
Best of L.A.
Strolling the city’s most eye-catching art walks
The Guide
30 things to do in July, from fancy fireworks to an exhibition of motorcycle-themed art
(Columns)
Open City
By Anne Taylor Fleming
Actor Jason Patric fights to be a dad
Well-Being
By Ben Kallen
Skimping on sleep can widen your waist and damage your brain
TV
By Steve Erickson
Father, son, and the holy mess of Hollywood on Showtime’s Ray Donovan
Urban Affairs
By Kelsi Maree Borland
The improbable return of Echo Park’s rare lotus