You See La: February 2023
Five Things To See And Do In Los Angeles, Handpicked By Amir H. Fallah
Amir H. Fallah was born in Tehran, Iran and lives and works in Los Angeles. He received his B.F.A. in Fine Art & Painting from the Maryland Institute College of Art and his M.F.A. in painting from the UCLA Department of Art. His work has been shown extensively in solo and group exhibitions across the United States and abroad. View Fallah’s work at the Fowler Museum at UCLA in The Fallacy of Borders, the artist’s first museum exhibition in Los Angeles (on view through May 14) and at Shulamit Nazarian Los Angeles in A War on Wars, an exhibition of new paintings and sculptures (opening Feb. 17).
Eaton Canyon
For all of the noise and winding highways, Los Angeles is uniquely nestled in the southern foot of the breathtaking Angeles National Forest. Looking toward the east from the 10 Freeway you can see the San Gabriel Mountains towering over the growing downtown skyline; which brings me to Eaton Canyon, one of my favorite hiking spots in the LA area. The trailhead is just a short drive from my home and studio near the San Gabriel Valley. A couple of times a week after dropping off my son at school, I’ll drive out with my dog Baxter to get a dose of peace and restoration before coming into the studio for the day’s work.
No matter how often I go, I’m always blown away by the fact that you can find yourself completely immersed in the quiet and peace of nature, seemingly in the middle of some remote and distant wilderness, while still just a few miles from one of the busiest cities on the planet. Eaton Canyon has plenty of trails for all different kinds of hikes and difficulty levels. I especially love the 1.5 mile trail to the canyon’s 40-foot waterfall—on any given day you might come across deer, coyotes, bobcats, and all sorts of mountain wildlife. It’s usually nothing but blue skies and super fresh air, and by the sound of rushing water, the gentle wind, and the chirping birds, you’d never know the 10 was just down the hill.
Magpies
Magpies is my go-to local dessert spot, located on York Boulevard in Highland Park. They specialize in vegan treats ranging from soft-serve pies to a variety of house-made ice cream and toppings. Pretty much everything on the menu is super inventive and delicious, and it’s becoming a tradition in my family to get a pie every year whenever a birthday comes around.
Also, definitely don’t miss the vegan malted chocolate soft serve!
Hammer Museum
I visited L.A. in 2000 before moving here in 2002 to get my M.F.A. from UCLA, and one of my formative memories from that time is visiting the Hammer Museum for the first time—where I was greeted by Barry McGee’s powerful contribution to the museum’s artist project wall (the Hammer Museum lobby is currently being renovated, with a public unveiling scheduled for Mar. 26). This program is a shining testament to the power of great curation. It’s a collaborative endeavor with the museum that provides artists with a unique opportunity to work directly with the architecture and transform the space altogether. Each new project serves as an expressive highlight that sets the tone for what you’ll discover inside the museum’s galleries.
So much of my work pulls from this intersection of fine art, street art, graphic design, and the blurry lines separating these categories, and seeing McGee’s bold mural wrapping through the museum’s entrance on my way into the collection was a gut-punch of an introduction. I’ve loved it every time since.
(Fun fact: the title of Beautiful/Decay, the art magazine I started with a friend in highschool that went on to become an international publication, was actually inspired by McGee himself!)
Bob Baker Marionette Theater
The Bob Baker Marionette Theater (BBMT) is another great institution near me on York Boulevard—the theater is not only one of L.A.’s bona-fide cultural fixtures, but it’s also truly unique and special, and something that you’ll only find here. It’s truly a rarity in its vision, founded entirely on the principles of inclusivity and fun, which has been going strong for 60 years and counting. While it’s an institution in its own right, the theater is totally accessible and provides so many different types of shows and opportunities to be enjoyed by all.
They put on great shows at their performance space in Highland Park, they collaborate with musicians and artists around L.A., and not to mention the puppets themselves are incredible creations. You can even book their puppeteers for birthday parties and other events, and a BBMT performance is simply just a blast for both kids and adults. It’s odd, delightful, funny, just a gem.
The Comedy Store
I think it’s safe to say The Comedy Store is unparalleled as far as stand-up venues go. About in the epicenter of West Hollywood, on any given night you can stop in to see a lineup of legendary comics do their thing, some billed and some who just drop in unannounced to work out some of their new material. Weekend nights are stacked with sets ranging from short spots to full hours, and after midnight it can get pretty weird with some acts essentially verging on performance art. It really does stand out in L.A.’s jam-packed entertainment landscape, and over the years I’ve been lucky to see some of the most iconic comedians of all time bring it down.
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