This week, you can: find out about planning for the 2028 Olympics, go back to the future of the Cold War; take a long, long walk through Los Angeles; buy some affordable original art; and join the mobility revolution.
1) Going for Gold: Planning for the LA 2028 Olympics
Los Angeles has won its bid to host the Olympics for the third time, bringing the games back to the U.S. for the first time since 1996. LA’s last games in 1984 have been generally regarded as a success. Can the success be repeated? Much of that will come down to planning. So what does the city need to consider, in terms of infrastructure, equity, health and recreation between now and then?
The LA chapter of the American Planning Association is hosting a discussion about the experience of other recent host cities and whether the Olympics can benefit all Angelenos.
The first panel, “Lessons Learned from Other Host Cities” will include Dr. Eva Kassens-Noor, Urban & Regional Planning at Michigan State University; Michael Dobbins with the School of City and Regional Planning at Georgia Tech; Richard Marshall, International Strategy Director at Perkins and Will; and Bill Hanway, LA 2028’s Director of Venues & Infrastructure and Executive Vice President, Leader for Global Sports at AECOM. KCRW’s DnA host Frances Anderton will moderate.
The second panel, “Can the 2028 Olympics Be a Success for all Angelenos?” will include Therese McMillan, Chief Planning Officer at Metro; Dr. Genevieve Guiliano, Sol Price School of Public Policy at USC; Lakisha Hull, Senior Planning Deputy for Los Angeles City Councilmember Curren Price; and Bill Hanway. DnA producer Avishay Artsy will moderate.
When: Thursday, Nov. 16 from 6-9:30 pm
Where: LA84 Foundation, 2141 W. Adams Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90018
Tickets: $20 for APA members, $40 non-members and $10 students. Tickets can be purchased here.
2) Wende Museum Opens at Historic Culver City Armory
One of the most fascinating and curious museums in Los Angeles is the Wende Museum collection of Cold War artifacts, founded by Justinian Jampol and long hidden in an office park near Ladera Heights. This week it opens its permanent home in a refurbished, 1949 armory in Culver City. The armory was originally created during the Cold War to prepare for World War III. Cold War Spaces, opening November 19, is the first exhibition at the new 13,000 square foot campus, which was redeveloped with support from publisher Benedikt Taschen, designer Michael Boyd, and architect Christian Kienapfel. Exhibits include a 1970 poster of a Soviet moon rover (pictured above), and a top-secret map of divided Berlin, used by East German border troops in preparation for a possible occupation of West Berlin. “Our aim is to creatively connect past and present,” said chief curator Joes Segal. Listen to Jampol explain the goals of the new museum on this DnA.
When: Opening Night Gala Saturday, Nov 18, 7 – 11 pm; Community Open House Sunday, Nov 19, 12 – 5 pm
Where: The Wende Museum, 10808 Culver Blvd, Culver City, CA 90230
Tickets: Gala $100; Community Event Free. You can get tickets here.
3) The Great Los Angeles Walk/In Our Shoes
In a city with almost 200 official neighborhoods, it may seem like Los Angeles is just too big to connect. The Great Los Angeles Walk changes all that. Here’s your chance to get in the slow lane and see the city up close and personal during this 17 mile urban hike across Los Angeles. The event kicks off at the Japanese American National Museum and from there, makes its way through downtown and onto Beverly Boulevard, one of the oldest boulevards in Los Angeles. From there you walk through East Hollywood, Hollywood, the Fairfax District, and Beverly Hills and on until you reach the ocean — and an after-party! Along the way take in landmarks including the L.A. Times building, City Hall, the Original Tommy’s, CBS Television City, Cedars-Sinai, Canter’s (above) and much more.
When: Saturday, November 18, 9 am
Where: The event kicks off at the Japanese American Museum, 100 N Central Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Metro Gold Line Little Tokyo/Arts District Station.
Tickets: Free.
In Our Shoes
And speaking of walking. . . on Friday, Los Angeles Walks and the LA Vision Zero Alliance, a nonprofit that advocates for safer streets, will host a “World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims”, to honor the “505 people who have died in traffic collisions in the City of Los Angeles since August 24, 2015, when Mayor Garcetti launched Vision Zero.” It takes place 12 noon to 5pm in Downtown LA’s City Hall Park South. Click here for more information.
4) Gabba Gallery Wishlist 5 Affordable Art Show
Now in its 5th year, the Affordable Art Show at Gabba Gallery in Filipinotown is selling the work of over 60 established and emerging artists. Nothing costs more than $1,000, it’s all original work, you can take your purchases with you and the walls constantly change as pieces sell. Find something for your own home or a gift for someone else’s. And there will be music and drinks.
When: Saturday, November 18, 7 -11 pm
Where: Gabba Gallery, 3126 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90057
Tickets: Free; click here for more information.
5) LA CoMotion Mobility Festival
How is Los Angeles going to tackle its massive traffic and transportation challenges as we move into the new mid-century? Well, one way is to get people out of cars — and showing you enticing alternatives to the private automobile is the goal of LA CoMotion Public Expo Festival, taking place this weekend at which you can check out Gita, the robot suitcase on wheels that’s intended to get you walking; SWITCH!, a Gensler-designed prototype of climbable streetlight-come-benches that are part of LADOT’s “playstreets” initiative; the Transdev autonomous shuttle, as well as electric scooters, cutting-edge bicycles and other innovations that might hit our streets in the near future. Live DJ sets, food trucks and more. Listen to Tuesday’s episode of DnA for more on Gita.
When: Saturday and Sunday, November 18 and 19
Where: Arts District, 1200 E 5th St., Los Angeles, CA 90013
Tickets: Free; find more information here.