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It’s a Memorial Day Monday, and many are taking the day off (deservedly), but we’re keeping our weekly to-do habit in line!
On tap this May 25-29 in Los Angeles, you’ll find a live musical staging of Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s legendary musical episode, Puck Bunnies at Dynasty Typewriter, Data + Donuts, Science on the Rocks Late Night at Skirball, MONSTERPALOOZA, and more.
Things To Do This Week
M = Less than .5 miles from an L.A. Metro Station, FA = Free Admission, TP = Top Pick
Fiesta Hermosa – FA > Fiesta Hermosa caps Memorial Day weekend in Hermosa Beach on Monday with a third day of celebration featuring a marketplace with over 250 vendors, a wine garden, food fair, live music and a carnival. Admission is free. Runs 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. More info here.
“Once More, With Feeling” Buffy, the Vampire Slayer Musical Episode Live! -> Dust off your leather jackets and stakes for a live musical staging of Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s legendary musical episode, “Once More, With Feeling,” at The Three Clubs. Directed and arranged by Kent M. Lewis, this energetic theatrical parody brings the Scooby Gang back together for a full-throttle performance of the show’s iconic songs, complete with demonic entrances, synchronized choreography, and plenty of camp. Audience members are highly encouraged to dress in theme and sing along to every track. Starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15.18. More info here.
Sketch Party – FA > Sketch Party’s twice-monthly drawing/drinking meet-up is back at Benny Boy Brewing this Tuesday. They’ll hook you up with sketch paper, pens, pencils, and markers, then it’s up to you to create, mingle, hang out, and enjoy BB’s solid lineup of craft beers and ciders. All artistic levels welcome. Free to attend. Runs 7 to 11 p.m. 21+ only. More info here.
WASHOKU | Nature and Culture in Japanese Cuisine – M FA > Uncover the profound philosophy behind Japan’s culinary traditions with a new exhibition now on view at JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles. Making its debut outside of Japan, this UNESCO-recognized intangible cultural heritage exhibition explores how geography, ingenuity, and a deep reverence for nature shape washoku. Developed in collaboration with the National Museum of Nature and Science in Tokyo, the gallery features a rich array of natural specimens, life-size seafood replicas, historical meal recreations, and interactive multimedia installations. WASHOKU remains on view through October 18, 2026. Free to visit. More info here.
PUCK BUNNIES: A Heated Rivalry Drag Musical Parody – > On Thursday, catch a fast-paced night of camp and comedy at Dynasty Typewriter with A Heated Rivalry parody written by Kyra Brown and Christan Leonard. Puck Bunnies is a genuine drag musical parody that lovingly lampoons the hit romance series Heated Rivalry utilizing celebrity impersonations, physical comedy, and pop culture critiques to tell its story. Tickets are $20 in advance, of $25 the day-of. Starts at 7 p.m. More info here.
Keith Tyson. The Generative Universe Opening Reception -> This Thursday, Hauser & Wirth Los Angeles hosts the opening reception for their newest exhibition, Keith Tyson. The Generative Universe. Marking the Turner Prize-winning British artist’s first Los Angeles exhibition since 2009, this comprehensive showcase spans more than three decades of paintings, intricate sculptures, and mixed-media installations. The collection embodies Tyson’s foundational philosophy that the universe functions as a single generative entity—a fluid, evolving network where all physical forms continually arise, transform, and dissolve. Guests can enjoy art alongside specialty craft cocktails provided on-site by Casa Dragones Tequila. Opening night runs 6 to 8 p.m. Free to attend. More info here.
Science on the Rocks – M FA > This Thursday, catch another edition of Science on the Rocks, which blends live science lectures, craft cocktails, food, live music, and table games inside a century-old basement speakeasy in the Historic Core of Downtown Los Angeles. Attendees can enjoy a casual intellectual night out surrounded by vintage jazz bar vibes, with doors opening an hour early for those looking to secure a good spot or grab a drink before the presentations begin. Admission is free, though advance registration is required due to limited space. Runs 7 to 9 p.m. at Rhythm Room L.A. More info here.
Data + Donuts – FA > Data + Donuts features a morning discussion and networking session centered on the realities of civic technology, hosted at the La Kretz Innovation Campus in the Arts District. This month’s session, taking place on Thursday, features Patrick Kigongo, a product management consultant with the U.S. Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid Office and former product manager at 18F. Kigongo will share a retrospective on federal product management, examining the operational successes, failures, and systemic challenges of building digital government services. The event is a collaborative initiative between the City of Los Angeles, the County of Los Angeles, and the local civic tech community. Admission is free, and fresh donuts and coffee are provided. Runs 8 to 10 a.m. More info here.
Late Night! Outsiders, Outcasts, Rebels + Weirdos – TP > This Friday, celebrate the launch of the Skirball Cultural Center’s newest exhibition, Outsiders, Outcasts, Rebels + Weirdos: Punk Culture 1976–86 with an after-hours celebration featuring a live DJ set by Black Flag frontman Keith Morris, hands-on screen printing and leather workshops, and a record store pop-up from Cretin Hop. The night concludes with an outdoor screening of the 1984 cult classic Repo Man, introduced by Morris and co-star Zander Schloss. General admission tickets cost $25, while museum members enter for free. Runs 6 to 10 p.m. More info here.
UCLA Festival of Preservation – FA > Unlocking the vaults of cinematic history, the UCLA Film & Television Archive returns to the Billy Wilder Theater at the Hammer Museum for its 22nd biennial showcase. This three-day event (Friday to Sunday) features 45 meticulously restored works brought back to life, ranging from silent-era masterpieces and mid-century noir to television rarities preserved from rare kinescopes. Audiences can look forward to world premieres of unseen footage and post-screening discussions with preservationists and filmmakers. All free to attend! Get more info and see the full schedule here.
MONSTERPALOOZA – M > Unleash your inner creature as Monsterpalooza stomps into the Pasadena Convention Center this Friday to Sunday, taking over 100,000 square feet with a massive celebration of horror, science fiction, and fantasy filmmaking magic. This internationally acclaimed convention brings together over 450 specialized exhibitors, industry-leading special effects studios, and legendary monster makers. Attendees can explore a dedicated horror museum featuring screen-used props, witness live special effects makeup demonstrations, and attend exclusive panels featuring film directors and actors. Single day tickets start at $43.91. More info here.
Dining & Drinking
(picks by Christina Champlin)
Bengara Brings the Art of Fire to the Arts District
Does it ever feel like every new Japanese restaurant in Los Angeles hits the exact same notes? A bright white plate with a chorus line of sliced hamachi, drenched in ponzu and adorned with slivers of jalapeno. Been there, done that. Thankfully, Bengara is something else.
From the team behind Smoke Door Lake Tahoe Saryo, this Arts District newcomer is built around binchōtan charcoal and genshiyaki, a technique where proteins are cooked slowly through radiant heat at a careful distance from the coals. The process is primitive, but the result is precise, unhurried, and built for low key dining.
Chef and Owner Tyler Burges and Head Chef Phil Mireles bring fine dining experience to a menu that is approachable, ingredient driven, and meant for sharing. Sourced locally and from Japan, including seafood from Tokyo’s Toyosu Market.
The dishes deliver. Tiger Prawns arrive with a sauce built from grilled prawn shells. Intense and impossible to stop eating. The Uni Kiritampo, a grilled rice skewer brushed in red miso and topped with uni, sounds like a stunt, and if it is, it works. Crispy Pork Belly Tacos in mochi crepe with honey ume are rich, playful, and completely their own thing. The A4 Wagyu Katsu Sando on soft shokupan is as indulgent as a sandwich gets. End with the chestnut miso Mont Blanc, piped tableside, sweet, nutty, and the right way to finish the meal.
The drinks lean Japanese. Sake, shochu, and low-ABV cocktails pair naturally with the food and keep the evening unfolding at a gentle pace, which is a great match for the food.
All in all, Bengara is doing something different and they’re doing it well. That alone makes it worth the visit.
The restaurant is open for dinner Sunday and Tuesday through Thursday 5 to 9:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday 5 to 10:30 p.m. Lunch is served Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Reservations can be made via Open Table.
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