Lifestyle

12 March launches and L.A. happenings you won’t want to miss

Published

1 year ago

March 4, 2025

12 March launches and L.A. happenings you won’t want to miss

Weekend Max Mara X Sebago

A penny loafer with subtle studs and detachable tassels? Weekend Max Mara and Sebago have our attention with their new, three-year co-branded collaboration, launching with a reimagining of Sebago’s iconic Dan penny loafer, a cult shoe that gained popularity among East Coast Ivy Leaguers in the 1950s. Crafted from smooth brushed leather and featuring hand-sewn details, the Dan penny loafer also features a durable waterproof sole in natural leather. The shoe is available in brown, burgundy and black, with the Weekend Max Mara butterfly stud applied on the side of each shoe too. Available now. us.weekendmaxmara.com

L.A. Rebellion at the Getty Center

L.A. Rebellion filmmakers Steve Tatsukawa, Rufus Howard, Eddie Wong, and Larry Clark

Filmmaker Julie Dash, curator LeRonn Brooks, and directors Bryant Griffin and Kitty Hu are coming together to celebrate the artists of the L.A. Rebellion — the Black, Asian, Chicano and Native American artists and filmmakers who emerged from UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television in the years after the 1965 Watts uprising. The filmmakers who came out of this historic moment developed revolutionary styles that challenged Hollywood’s restrictive representation of minorities. This event will feature a screening of the Emmy-winning “Artbound” episode “L.A. Rebellion: A Cinematic Movement” alongside Dash’s 1975 short film, “Four Women.” A conversation with the filmmakers on the historical and contemporary role of Black film as a revolutionary practice will follow the screening. Wednesday, March 26, 6:30 p.m. 1200 Getty Center Drive, Los Angeles. getty.edu

Bottega Veneta Ciao Ciao Bag

Bottega Veneta knows a thing or two about bags. Representing the gold standard of leather artisanship and contemporary design, its new SS25 Ciao Ciao bag is no exception. Meaning both “hello” and “goodbye,” the bag name conveys a playful nature, evident in details like its hidden hook closure. With one simple adjustment, the bag flap can be closed at the front for a classic shape or attached to the interior intrecciato tramezza (pocket) for a more slouched look. For added flexibility, the bag also features a top handle for hand carry and a removable strap for crossbody wear. Available now. bottegaveneta.com

Corita Art Center

The work of Corita Kent — an innovative artist, educator and social justice advocate often referred to as the “Pop-Art Nun” — is now more accessible than ever with the official opening of Corita Art Center (CAC) in the heart of the Los Angeles Arts District. Its inaugural exhibition, “Heroes and Sheroes,” pays homage to important figures including the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Coretta Scott King, Robert F. Kennedy and Cesar Chavez. Among educational workshops and activities, CAC also will offer access to a comprehensive archive of Kent’s life and works. Admission is free; reservations are required. Opening March 8. 811 Traction Ave., #3A, Los Angeles. corita.org

David Hammons and Charles Gaines at Hauser & Wirth

Leading contemporary and modern art gallery Hauser & Wirth has a jam-packed spring season. Two must-see shows: Charles Gaines’ “Numbers and Trees, The Tanzania Baobabs,” on view until May 24 at Hauser & Wirth West Hollywood, showcasing new Plexiglas works based on photographs of baobab trees that the artist shot during a trip to Tanzania in 2023, and David Hammons’ “Concerto in Black and Blue,” on view until June 1 at Hauser & Wirth Downtown Los Angeles, presented for the first time since its debut over 20 years ago. 8980 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, and 901 E. 3rd St., Los Angeles. hauserwirth.com

GYOPO X Audrey Nuna X Danbi Lunar New Year Collection

To celebrate the Year of the Wood Snake, L.A.’s GYOPO — a collective of diasporic Korean cultural and art professionals — has launched a two-piece wearable collaboration with L.A.-based musician Audrey Nuna and designer Lisa Danbi Park of the eponymous brand danbi. According to GYOPO, “the Year of the Wood Snake beckons the shapeshifting, shedding, patience and transformation we all need.” Layer both tops to conjure the feeling of a snake’s second skin. Available now. gyopo.shop

Studio Symoné Residency at Sip & Sonder

Studio Symoné is a beauty media platform founded by writer Darian Symoné Harvin. Her viral social media series featuring interviews with shoppers at local L.A. beauty supply stores was inspired by her work as a reporter covering beauty at the intersection of politics and pop culture. As a continuation of this dialogue, Studio Symoné has partnered with Sip & Sonder Inglewood, a Black-owned cafe and roaster, for an ongoing residency. The “Studio Hours” program takes place Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., offering weekly work sessions where folks can come to study, dream, conspire and contribute to Harvin’s first edition of the Studio Symoné zine, which will focus on telling stories in the L.A. beauty communities. Every other Friday from 3-5 p.m., Harvin will DJ as part of her “In the Lab” series. 108 S. Market St., Inglewood. sipandsonder.com

Jil Sander Olfactory Series 1

Designed under the guidance of co-creative directors Lucie Meier and Luke Meier, Jil Sander Olfactory Series 1 is a collection of fragrances that fuse botany and technology with the brand’s iconic design codes across six unisex formulas. Each fragrance is infused with three natural ingredients — the synthetic molecules of aldehydes, alcohol from upcycled carbon emissions and water — to reach the “highest degree of olfactory clarity and expression.” “The fragrances were created with the best technologies,” says the brand, “to evoke the profound resonances between mother nature and human nature and express our deepest emotions.” Available now. jilsander.com

Cool Moms at the Line with Tika Sumpter

“I’m not like a regular mom, I’m a cool mom” is the ultimate motto for Cool Moms, a podcast and community event series hosted by Elise Peterson featuring mothers who prioritize their passions. Past Cool Moms guests include Ricki Lake, Evelynn Escobar and Brooke DeVard. With storytelling at its heart, Cool Moms aims to build an inspired world of mothers and supporters by cultivating access to entrepreneurial, wellness and financial knowledge aiding in an equitable future for all mothers. This month, don’t miss Peterson’s live conversation with actor and certified cool mom Tika Sumpter. Tuesday, March 25, 6–8 p.m., at the Line Hotel Apartment Suite. 3515 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. coolmomsworld.com

Staud Sport

L.A.’s favorite fashion brand for go-anywhere dresses and swoon-worthy handbags has answered our prayers and ventured into activewear with the launch of Staud Sport. As is to be expected, these aren’t your average gym clothes. Think convertible anoraks, packable neoprene ballet flats, oversize scrunchies that double as mini purses! Although Staud Sport is ideal for a workout, these pieces also seamlessly integrate into your wardrobe, ready to take you from Pilates to coffee or even a night out with style and ease, no matter the season. When asked about the newest category in the Staud world, Sarah “Staud” Staudinger, chief executive and creative director of Staud, said: “We’ve created a collection that delivers on comfort and performance without compromising style. These aren’t just clothes for sport — they’re clothes for life, because we believe life is sport.” Available now. staud.clothing

Design.Space

Digital marketplace Basic.Space merges art fair and department store with Design.Space, an innovative “IRL-to-URL” experience designed to make world-class designers accessible to all. From archival pieces such as Jean Prouvé’s 1969 Total Filling Station to contemporary ones like Max Lamb armchairs created exclusively for Design.Space, there’s a gorgeous variety of art and architecture for everyone. After an invite-only, in-person event at the Pacific Design Center, all items will be available online March 31–April 2. designspace.la

Cartier at LAX

Next time you’re traipsing through LAX, take refuge in the beachy design and blue hues of Cartier’s first airport boutique on the West Coast. Located in the Tom Bradley International Terminal, the store features a selection of the Maison’s signature jewelry, timepieces, fragrances and leather goods. Choose from classics such as Cartier’s iconic La Panthère fragrances, LOVE jewelry collection and Santos watches. stores.cartier.com

With contributing reporting by Alia Yee Noll.

Lifestyle

They set out to elevate karaoke in L.A. — and opened a glamorous lounge that pulls out all the stops

Published

29 minutes ago

April 23, 2026

Press Room

They set out to elevate karaoke in L.A. — and opened a glamorous lounge that pulls out all the stops

Brothers Leo and Oliver Kremer visited karaoke spots around the globe and almost always had the same impression.

“The drinks weren’t always great, the aesthetics weren’t always so glamorous, the sound wasn’t always awesome and the lights were often generic,” says Leo, a former bassist of the band Third Eye Blind.

As devout karaoke fans, they wanted to level up the experience. So they dreamed up Mic Drop, an upscale karaoke lounge in West Hollywood that opens Thursday. It’s located inside the original Larrabee Studios, a historic 1920s building formerly owned by Carole King and her ex-husband, Gerry Goffin — and the spot where King recorded some of her biggest hits. Third Eye Blind band members Stephan Jenkins and Brad Hargreaves are investors of the new venue.

Inside the two-story, 6,300-square-foot venue with 13 private karaoke rooms and an electrifying main stage, you can feel like a rock star in front of a cheering audience. Want to check it out? Here are six things to know.

The Kremer brothers hired sculptor Shawn HibmaCronan to create an 8-foot-tall disco-themed microphone for their karaoke lounge.

1. Take your pick between a private karaoke experience or the main stage

A unique element of Mic Drop is that it offers both private karaoke rooms and a main stage experience for those who wish to sing in front of a crowd. The 13 private rooms range from six- to 45-person capacity. Each of the karaoke rooms are named after a famous recording studio such as Electric Lady, Abbey Road, Shangri La and of course, Larrabee Studios. There is a two-hour minimum on all rentals and hourly rates depend on the room size and day of the week.

But if you’re ready to take the center stage, it’s free to sing — at least technically. All you have to do is pay a $10 fee at the door, which is essentially a token that goes toward your first drink. Then you can put your name on the list with the KJ (karaoke jockey) who keeps the crowd energized throughout the night and even hits the stage at times.

Harrison Baum, left, of Santa Monica, and Amanda Stagner, 27, of Los Angeles, sing in one of the 13 private karaoke rooms.

2. Thumping, high sound quality was a top priority

As someone who toured the world playing bass for Third Eye Blind, top-tier sound was a nonnegotiable for Leo. “Typically with karaoke, the sound is kind of teeny, there’s not a lot of bass and the vocal is super hot and sitting on top too much,” he says. To combat this, he and his brother teamed up with Pineapple Audio, an audio visual company based in Chicago, to design their crisp sound system. They also installed concert-grade speakers and custom subwoofers from a European audio equipment manufacturer called Celto, and bought gold-plated Sennheiser wireless microphones, which they loved so much that they had an 8-foot-tall replica made for their main room. Designed by artist Shawn HibmaCronan, the “macrophone,” as they call it, has roughly 30,000 mirror tiles. “It spins and throws incredible disco light everywhere,” says Leo.

3. A concert-level performance isn’t complete without good stage lighting and a haze machine

Each karaoke room features a disco ball and dynamic lighting that syncs up with whatever song you’re singing, which makes you feel like you are a professional performer. There’s also a haze machine hidden under the leather seats. Meanwhile, the main stage is concert-ready with additional dancing lasers and spotlights.

Brett Adams, left, of Sherman Oaks, and Patrick Riley of Studio City sing together in one of the private rooms at Mic Drop.

4. The song selection is vast, offering classics and new hits

One of the worst things that can happen when you go to karaoke is not being able to find the song you want to sing. At Mic Drop, the odds of this happening are slim to none. The venue uses a popular karaoke service called KaraFun, which has a catalog of more than 600,000 songs (and adds 400 new tracks every month), according to its website. Take your pick from country, R&B, jazz, rap, pop, love duets and more. (Two newish selections I spotted were Raye’s “Where Is my Husband” and Olivia Dean’s “Man I Need,” which both released late last year.) In the private karaoke rooms, there’s also a fun feature on Karafun called “battle mode,” which allows you and your crew of up to 20 people to compete in real time. KaraFun also has an entertaining music trivia game, which I tested out with the founders and came in second place.

The design inspiration for Mic Drop was 1920s music lounges and 1970s disco culture, says designer Amy Morris.

5. The interiors are inspired by 1920s music lounges mixed with ‘70s disco vibes

If you took the sophisticated aesthetic of 1920s music lounges and mixed it with the vibrant and playful era of 1970s disco culture, you’d find Mic Drop.

When you walk into the lounge, the first thing you’ll see is a bright red check-in desk that resembles a performer’s dressing room with vanity lights, several mirrors and a range of wigs. “So much of karaoke is about getting into character and letting go of the day, so we had the idea to sell the wigs,” says Oliver. As you continue into the lounge, the focal point is the stage, which is adorned with zebra-printed carpet and dramatic, red velvet curtains. For seating, slide into the red velvet banquettes or plop onto a gold tiger velvet stool. Upstairs, you’ll find the intimate karaoke studios, which are decorated with red velvet walls and brass, curved doorways that echo the building’s deco arches, says Mic Drop’s interior designer, Amy Morris of the Morris Project.

Sarah Rothman, center, of Oakland, and friend Rachel Bernstein, left, of Los Angeles, wait at the bar.

6. You can order nontraditional karaoke bites as you wait for your turn to sing

While Mic Drop offers some of the food you’d typically find at a karaoke lounge such as tater tots, truffle popcorn and pizza, the venue has some surprising options as well. For example, a 57 gram caviar service (served with chips, crème fraîche and chives) and shrimp cocktail from Santa Monica Seafood. For their pizza program, the Kremer brothers teamed up with Avalou’s Italian Pizza Company, which is run by Louis Lombardi who starred in “The Sopranos.” He’s the brainchild behind my favorite dish, the Fuhgeddaboudit pizza, which is made with pastrami, pickles and mustard. It might sound repulsive, but trust me.

As for the cheeky cocktails, they are all named after famous musicians and songs such as the Pink Pony Club (a tart cherry pomegranate drink with vodka named after Chappell Roan), Green Eyes (a sake sour with kiwi and melon named after Green Day) and Megroni Thee Stallion (an elevated negroni named after Megan Thee Stallion).

Lifestyle

You’re Invited! (No, You’re Not.) It’s the Latest Phishing Scam.

Published

12 hours ago

April 23, 2026

Press Room

You’re Invited! (No, You’re Not.) It’s the Latest Phishing Scam.

When John Lantigua, a retired journalist in Miami Beach, checked his email one recent morning, he was glad to see an invitation.

“It was like, ‘Come and share an evening with me. Click here for details,’” Mr. Lantigua said.

It appeared to be a Paperless Post invitation from someone he once worked with at The Palm Beach Post, a man who had left Florida for Mississippi and liked to arrange dinners when he was back in town.

Mr. Lantigua, 78, clicked the link. It didn’t open.

He clicked a second time. Still nothing.

He didn’t realize what was going on until a mutual friend who had received the same email told him it wasn’t an invitation at all. It was a scam.

Phishing scams have long tried to frighten people into clicking on links with emails claiming that their bank accounts have been hacked, or that they owe thousands of dollars in fines, or that their pornography viewing habits have been tracked.

The invitation scam is a little more subtle: It preys on the all-too-human desire to be included in social gatherings.

The phishy invitations mimic emails from Paperless Post, Evite and Punchbowl. What appears to be a friendly overture from someone you know is really a digital Trojan horse that gives scammers access to your personal information.

“I thought it was diabolical that they would choose somebody who has sent me a legitimate invitation before,” Mr. Lantigua said. “He’s a friend of mine. If he’s coming to town, I want to see him.”

Rachel Tobac, the chief executive of SocialProof Security, a cybersecurity firm, said she noticed the scam last holiday season.

“Phishing emails are not a new thing,” Ms. Tobac said, “but every six months, we get a new lure that hijacks our amygdala in new ways. There’s such a desire for folks to get together that this lure is interesting to people. They want to go to a party.”

Phishing scams involve “two distinct paths,” Ms. Tobac added. In one, the recipient is served a link that turns out to be dead, or so it seems. A click activates malware that runs silently as it gleans passwords and other bits of personal information. In all likelihood, this is what happened when Mr. Lantigua clicked on the ersatz invitation link.

Another scam offers a working link. Potential victims who click on it are asked to provide a password. Those who take that next step are a boon to hackers.

“They have complete control of your email and, in turn, your entire digital life,” Ms. Tobac said. “They can reset your password for your dog’s Instagram account. They can take over your bank account. Change your health insurance.”

Digital invitation platforms are trying to combat the scam by publishing guides on how to spot fake invitations. Paperless Post has also set up an email account — phishing@paperlesspost.com — for users to submit messages for verification. The company sends suspicious links to the Anti-Phishing Working Group, a nonprofit that maintains a database monitored by cybersecurity firms. Flagged links are rendered ineffective.

The scammers’ new strategy of exploiting the desire for connection is infuriating, said Alexa Hirschfeld, a founder of Paperless Post. “Life can be isolating,” Ms. Hirschfeld said. “When it looks like you’re getting an invitation from someone you know, your first instinct is excitement, not skepticism.”

Olivia Pollock, the vice president of brand for Evite, said that fake invitations tended to be generic, promising a birthday party or a celebration of life. Most invitations these days tend to have a specific focus — mahjong gatherings or book club talks, for instance. “The devil is in the details,” Ms. Pollock said.

Because scammers don’t know how close you are with the people in your contact list, fake invitations may also seem random. “They could be from your business school roommate you haven’t spoken to in 10 years,” Ms. Hirschfeld said.

Alyssa Williamson, who works in public relations in New York, was leaving a yoga class recently when she checked her phone and saw an invitation from a college classmate.

“I assumed it was an alumni event,” Ms. Williamson, 30, said. “I clicked on it, and it was like, ‘Enter your email.’ I didn’t even think about it.”

Later that day, she received texts from friends asking her about the party invitation she had just sent out. Her response: What party?

“The thing is, I host a lot of events,” she said. “Some knew it was fake. Others were like, ‘What’s this? I can’t open it.’”

Andrew Smith, a graduate student in finance who lives in Manhattan, received what looked like a Punchbowl invitation to “a memory making celebration.” It appeared to have come from a woman he had dated in college. He received it when he was having drinks at a bar on a Friday night — “a pretty insidious piece of timing,” he said.

“The choice of sender was super clever,” Mr. Smith, 29, noted. “This was somebody that would probably get a reaction from me.”

Mr. Smith seized on the phrase “memory making celebration” and filled in the blanks. He imagined that someone in his ex-girlfriend’s immediate family had died. Perhaps she wanted to restart contact at this difficult moment.

Something saved him when he clicked a link and tried to tap out his personal information — his inability to remember the password to his email account. The next day, he reached out to his ex, who confirmed that the invitation was fake.

“It didn’t trigger any alarm bells,” Mr. Smith said. “I went right for the click. I went completely animal brain.”

The new scam comes with an unfortunate side effect, a suspicion of invitations altogether. It’s enough to make a person antisocial.

“Don’t invite me to anything,” Mr. Lantigua, the retired journalist, said, only half-joking. “I’m not coming.”

Lifestyle

The New Rules for Negotiating With Multibrand Retailers

Published

13 hours ago

April 23, 2026

Press Room

The New Rules for Negotiating With Multibrand Retailers

Partnerships with multibrand players remain vital to fashion brands of all sizes, but the rules of engagement have changed as the sector has come under immense strain. BoF breaks down what brands need to know to reduce risk while building lasting relationships.