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The Brief

The most important stories for you to know today
  • Pilot generates 5,500 parking tickets in one month
    A FedEx truck is parked in a bus lane as a person walks into the street at a bus stop looking toward the approaching bus.
    Screenshot from LA Metro video documenting bus lane violations.

    Topline:

    New AI-capable cameras installed on just two L.A. Metro bus routes helped to issue nearly 10 times the typical number of bus-related parking tickets in the program’s first month.

    About the program: The first phase of the Bus Lane Enforcement Program focused on the stretches of bus lanes along Wilshire Boulevard and La Brea Avenue for the 720 and 212 routes within the city of L.A. — in all, Metro has nearly 120 bus lines.

    The context: More than 5,500 citations were sent to cars parked in a bus lane or at a bus stop along those two routes. The citations, which at $293 each generated $1.6 million in fines, mark a startling jump from the 570 similar tickets issued citywide in a typical month.

    If you parked in a bus lane or at a bus stop along Wilshire Boulevard or La Brea Avenue between February and March, you might have been among the first in the city of Los Angeles to get a ticket issued in part by automated cameras.

    Listen 0:46
    Cars parked in bus lanes or at bus stops are common

    New AI-capable cameras installed on just those two L.A. Metro bus routes helped to issue nearly 10 times the typical number of bus-related parking tickets in the program’s first month.

    More than 5,500 citations were sent to cars parked in a bus lane or at a bus stop along those two routes, according to data from the L.A. Department of Transportation — a startling jump from the 570 similar tickets issued citywide in a typical month.

    The first phase of the Bus Lane Enforcement Program focused on the stretches of bus lanes for the 720 and 212 routes within the city of L.A. — in all, Metro has nearly 120 bus routes.

    The fines are steep at $293 each. All together, the 5,500 citations total to more than $1.6 million in fines. Those fines are divided between Metro, which collects 75%, and LADOT, which receives the remaining quarter.

    To put that into context: Since 2020, the city has collected $100 million to $110 million in parking fines each year, according to Crosstown L.A. The news site, an LAist partner newsroom, reported that parking enforcement costs now exceed revenue brought in by about $65 million.

    The program’s goal, however, isn't to rack up citations or collect a lot of money, said Anthony Crump, who heads community relations at Metro.

    “ What we're looking to do is discourage drivers from using those bus-only lanes for things other than right turns and making sure that our buses can go as fast as possible,” Crump said.

    A black car is parked alongside a red curb, on which the words "NO STOPPING BUS ZONE" are written in white paint. On the sidewalk, a scooter leans on a light pole.
    A car parked in a bus-only zone along the 720 Metro bus route.
    (
    Kavish Harjai
    /
    LAist
    )

    How ticketing works

    Cameras, two per bus, were first installed to windshields on 50 buses that carry passengers along the 720 and 212 bus routes in November 2024.

    LA Metro paid a company called Hayden AI $10.5 million for the equipment and to facilitate the program.

    One camera detects cars in bus lanes and records a video. The other camera takes a photo of the rear license plate. Information from each camera is sent to a traffic officer at L.A. DOT who reviews the recording and photo and then makes the final determination on whether to issue a citation.

    If the officer decides the evidence doesn’t warrant a citation, images are destroyed within 15 days. If a citation is disputed, the images can be kept until 60 days after a final decision is made. Even if the officer decides to issue a citation, the images have to be destroyed within six months of the incident.

    For the first 60 days of the program, cars parked in bus lanes along the 720 and 212 bus routes received warnings.

    “That was basically a notice to people that you need to change your behavior because now we're beginning to enforce it,” Crump said, adding that Metro used social media and physical signage to inform riders that the enforcement program was about to start.

    Violators started receiving tickets on Feb. 17.

    The 720 bus route runs on Wilshire Boulevard from downtown L.A. to Santa Monica. The 212 bus shuttles riders on La Brea Avenue from Hawthorne to Hollywood.

    The routes were chosen because they have bus-only lanes and also have a large number of riders, Crump said.

    What’s next

    The violations aren't limited to those areas, as a video released by LA Metro (above) documents.

    On March 10, L.A. DOT and Metro extended the cameras to buses that service the 70 and 910/950 bus routes. Both routes run from El Monte through downtown L.A., and the 910/950 routes extend down to the harbor.

    So folks who park in the bus-only lanes along those routes are receiving warnings until May 9. After that point, violators can expect to receive the $293 fines.

    Crump did not say when or if the camera systems will be installed on other bus routes in the city.

    Other cities in California, including Culver City and Sacramento, are implementing similar programs, made possible by a bill Gov. Gavin Newsom signed in 2021 that permits the use of cameras to aid cities in issuing parking citations.

  • Waves demolished beach, tore homes' foundations
    People stand on a boardwalk between waves crashing and some homes on the other side.
    Residents gather on the boardwalk to see what's left after strong waves pounded the Long Beach peninsula on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026.

    Topline:

    A stretch of beach along Long Beach’s Peninsula is gone after a weekend of pounding waves eroded massive amounts of sand. The hurricane-driven swell left the area’s boardwalk in tatters and is threatening to undermine the foundations of more than a dozen oceanfront houses.

    Why it matters: Homeowners and structural engineers were assessing the damage to about 20 residences, and crews were trying to rebuild defenses after a weekend of unforgiving waves pulled so much sand into the sea that, at low tide, there was a 15-foot drop from the boardwalk to exposed rocks below. The waves damaged the boardwalk’s already battered seawall and left dozens of homes exposed to future swells, which are expected to pummel Long Beach again on Tuesday evening.

    Why were these waves so bad? Hurricane Marie, originally a Category 2 storm that’s since been downgraded, gave the weather system most of its energy, said Marine Safety Chief Gonzalo Medina. Warm ocean temperatures, as hot as 80 degrees, caused the water to expand, resulting in greater volume and higher tide, Medina said. When combined with high swell, the Peninsula faced a “one-two punch” that produced large waves, as high as five feet, Medina said.

    Read on... for more on the damage from the storm.

    This story first appeared on The LA Local.

    A stretch of beach along Long Beach’s Peninsula is gone after a weekend of pounding waves eroded massive amounts of sand. The hurricane-driven swell left the area’s boardwalk in tatters and is threatening to undermine the foundations of more than a dozen oceanfront houses.

    Homeowners and structural engineers were assessing the damage to about 20 residences, and crews were trying to rebuild defenses after a weekend of unforgiving waves pulled so much sand into the sea that, at low tide, there was a 15-foot drop from the boardwalk to exposed rocks below. The waves damaged the boardwalk’s already battered seawall and left dozens of homes exposed to future swells, which are expected to pummel Long Beach again on Tuesday evening.

    Dennis Poulsen, who built his beachfront home on the Peninsula in 2005, said he has never seen the backside of the seawall. Now that it’s exposed, “it’s in far worse shape than I thought,” he said of the eroded wood. “It just has no muscle left to fight.” 

    Without the beach’s sand barrier and intact seawall, the ocean water can pour in beneath the boardwalk and attack the foundations of the ocean-facing homes, Poulsen said. Many houses are built atop shallow foundations that erode easily, as the waves drag sand back into the Pacific, compromising homes’ structural integrity, he said. 

    A person crouches down inspecting a collapsed concrete pathway leading to a home next to a boardwalk as another person, who's legs are only visible, watches over.
    A man jumps onto a collapsed pathway and looks at the waves coming under the boardwalk after strong waves flooded the Long Beach peninsula on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026.
    (
    Thomas R. Cordova
    /
    Long Beach Post
    )

    Poulsen said his home was built on fine sand compacted to the point that it behaves like concrete, but all the Peninsula’s homes were built under the assumption that the beach and seawall would offer protection. Now, the barriers are compromised, inviting the ocean into the homes built to overlook it. 

    Why were these waves so bad?

    In this neighborhood, residents are used to guarding against strong tides and waves.

    Heavy trucks commonly rumble up the shoreline to build a protective sand berm. City crews truck in the sand six days a week to replace what waves wash away, at the cost of about $1 million annually. Before storms, residents heap sandbags and tack up plywood, usually escaping major damage.

    This time was different.

    One resident called it a “perfect storm” — the result of a hurricane hundreds of miles away, warmer ocean temperatures and the convergence of high tide and high swell. 

    Hurricane Marie, originally a Category 2 storm that’s since been downgraded, gave the weather system most of its energy, said Marine Safety Chief Gonzalo Medina. Warm ocean temperatures, as hot as 80 degrees, caused the water to expand, resulting in greater volume and higher tide, Medina said. When combined with high swell, the Peninsula faced a “one-two punch” that produced large waves, as high as five feet, Medina said.

    Workers work to bolt a seawall separate waves and homes next to a boardwalk.
    City workers salvage what’s left of the seawall as they prepare for the next round of strong waves along the boardwalk after waves pounded the Long Beach Peninsula on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026.
    (
    Thomas R. Cordova
    /
    Long Beach Post
    )

    High swells are expected again this evening, when high tide is predicted to crest over six feet, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Though Medina expects it to be smaller than over the weekend, he added that the weather system is dynamic and unpredictable. “We’re keeping our fingers crossed that it’s a lot less impactful than the last two nights,” he said. 

    Experts have warned that low-lying areas of Long Beach like this are especially vulnerable as climate change causes tides to reach further inland and exacerbates extreme weather.

    Residents brace for more 

    Inspectors on Tuesday were still trying to assess damage between 63rd and 67th places, where waves can hit the Peninsula after passing through a gap in Long Beach’s breakwater system. Evacuation orders remained in effect, and the boardwalk was closed to foot traffic.

    Residents remained uncertain about the immediate safety of their homes, let alone their long-term prognoses, and some returned to fortify their houses in the meantime.  

    One resident, Keith Holt, who moved into his oceanside home in 2015, said he was “just trying to save the house” as engineers drilled reinforcements into the seawall, all that stood between Holt and the ocean as waves pelted the walls and shot geysers of water into the air. 

    Firefighters stand on a boardwalk as waves crash on it. Parts of the boardwalk are damaged and windows from homes next to it are boarded up.
    Long Beach firefighters survey the damage along the boardwalk after strong waves pounded the Long Beach peninsula on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026.
    (
    Thomas R. Cordova
    /
    Long Beach Post
    )

    Ashley Simpson, a neighbor, walked out to the boardwalk in her pajamas to gauge the situation. Two of her kids participated as junior lifeguards every summer, running miles on the now-submerged Peninsula beach. She added that it’s devastating to see that land gone, especially in a community as tightly knit as Long Beach. 

    The swallowed beach puts other homes in jeopardy, because the oceanside homes protect the bayside homes, Poulsen said, adding, “If this goes away, the Peninsula goes away.” 

    Jennifer Pieracci-Jensen, who lives on 67th Place, said she “hasn’t stopped moving” since her street flooded with several feet of water two nights ago. She combined a pump in her subterranean garage, sandbags and a water gate to try to keep the ocean and accompanying debris at bay, but it had overcome the defenses on her low-lying street.

    A low angle view of a man shoveling sand on a boardwalk over a sea barrier.
    Robbie Cox shovels out 2 feet of sand in front of a home along the boardwalk after strong waves pounded the Long Beach Peninsula on Sept. 8, 2026.
    (
    Thomas R. Cordova
    /
    Long Beach Post
    )

    She has only spent a few years in the home, having purchased the duplex with her husband and family friends in 2023, yet she already knows that more battles are ahead. An exceptionally strong El Niño is headed to the region this year, and the coastal neighborhood will have to keep fighting rising sea levels.

    “It’s not going to get any better,” she said.

  • Sponsored message
  • Insurance programs don't cover landslide damage
    RANCHO-PALOS-VERDES-LANDSLIDES
    A section of Narcissa Drive is closed due to landslide movement in the Portuguese Bend neighborhood of Rancho Palos Verdes as seen on Sept. 1, 2024.

    Topline:

    Rancho Palos Verdes is drumming up support to lobby state legislators to offer an insurance plan for landslides.

    How we got here: A portion of Rancho Palos Verdes sits on an ancient landslide. For decades, land movement was minimal. But above-average rainfall in 2022 and 2023 rapidly accelerated — up to 1 foot per week in some places — prompting Southern California Edison and SoCalGas to shut off utilities for hundreds of residents.

    Why it matters: The city is looking at prior precedent: after the Northridge earthquake insurers only covered 50% of damages prompting the state to create the California Earthquake Authority. Now, around two-thirds of California’s earthquake insurance market is on the plan.

    What happens now: City staffers will reach out to other cities and counties impacted by landslide damage to lobby state legislators in December to create an alternative plan.

    Rancho Palos Verdes is leading the charge to create a new landslide insurance option for homeowners.

    The effort brings together a coalition of city and county governments who say they need financial relief as they address ongoing issues like coastal erosion.

    RPV's problems

    A portion of Rancho Palos Verdes sits on an ancient landslide. For decades, land movement was minimal. But above-average rainfall in 2022 and 2023 rapidly accelerated the slip — up to 1 foot per week in some places — prompting Southern California Edison and SoCalGas to shut off utilities for hundreds of residents.

    Roughly three years after above-average rainfall fueled a devastating landslide in Rancho Palos Verdes, the landscape has become almost unrecognizable. Around 20 homes, ripped apart by the land movement, have been red-tagged, meaning they can’t be lived in. Dozens have been yellow-tagged.

    A sign about the dangers of walking along a trail damaged by a landslide.
    Landslide damage has closed dozens of trails in the Portuguese Bend area of Rancho Palos Verdes on April 04, 2026.
    (
    Brian Feinzimer
    /
    LAist
    )

    The city’s eventual plan is to buy back some of these homes and turn them into open space, but trying to slow the landslide has pushed the city to the financial brink, with Rancho Palos Verdes spending on landslide mitigation as much as it takes to run the whole city.

    Meanwhile, homeowners have had to put their savings — including their retirement — back into homes to repair landslide damage. Insurance companies haven’t helped. Generally, homeowners insurance does not cover landslides that aren’t caused by earthquakes.

    In 2024, Rancho Palos Verdes surveyed residents who lived in the landslide area about their insurance coverage. None of the residents surveyed had insurance that covered landslides.

    Other solutions haven’t panned out

    An assembly bill to allow the governor to declare a state of emergency for landslides that aren’t caused by earthquakes, AB 986, failed.

    RPV also dabbled with creating a joint powers authority where two or more public agencies come together to combine resources to coordinate services. Examples include clean power alliances like the Orange County Power Authority, and the California Community Housing Agency. But, under California law, JPAs cannot provide insurance options to private property owners.

    Why the new effort matters

    Rancho Palos Verdes is not the only city grappling with lack of landslide insurance for its residents. Cities mostly along the coast including Dana Point, Malibu, Laguna Beach and San Clemente have dealt with infrastructure damage due to coastal erosion over the years. San Clemente, a beach town reliant on foot traffic, has had to close public access to some of its beaches due to increased coastal erosion. Recurring landslides in the city have also disrupted coastal rail service.

    Some counties including Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Diego also voiced their support for measures like the failed AB 986.

    So what's the proposed solution?

    Rancho Palos Verdes hopes to push state legislators to create a program similar to the California Earthquake Authority and the California FAIR Plan.

    The state legislature created the California Earthquake Authority to provide optional earthquake insurance after the 1994 Northridge earthquake, which resulted in $20 billion in residential damages. Only half of the damages were covered by insurance. The CEA is a nonprofit that is managed by the state but privately funded through insurance premiums and represents about two-thirds of the residential earthquake market in California, according to Rancho Palos Verdes city staff.

    The California Fair Plan was created in 1968 to offer insurance plans for homeowners who have trouble getting private insurance in areas that are prone to wildfires. It has grown to about 610,000 policies as of June 2025, a 154% increase since September 2021, as other insurance companies have canceled or stopped issuing new policies in California, citing growing wildfire risk. The plan is run by insurers who do business in the state but is not publicly managed.

    Rancho Palos Verdes officials will be reaching out to other affected cities and counties to drum up support. They then plan to reach out to state legislators and the insurance commissioner by the end of the year.

  • Got one after the Lineage fire? What to know
    A close up of a person holding a parking ticket in their hand.
    The Los Angeles Department of Transportation said it would not enforce certain parking restrictions through Sept. 30 as part of a relief effort after the Lineage warehouse fire.

    Topline:

    Residents in parts of Boyle Heights may be eligible to have certain citations waived and benefit from relaxed parking enforcement through Sept. 30 following the Lineage warehouse fire.

    Why now: The change comes after small business owners shared with elected officials that they’ve been struggling with low foot traffic after the fire. Councilmember Ysabel Jurado, in a statement, said she hopes the new parking guidelines can “reduce unnecessary burdens” and make it “easier for customers to continue supporting neighborhood businesses during the recovery.”

    Where to get help with a citation: Residents who believe they received a citation in error may contact Jurado’s Boyle Heights field office at 323-526-9332 and ask for the small business liaison.

    Read on... for a map and list on where parking relief applies.

    This story first appeared on The LA Local.

    Residents in parts of Boyle Heights may be eligible to have certain citations waived and benefit from relaxed parking enforcement through Sept. 30 following the Lineage warehouse fire. 

    The change comes after small business owners shared with elected officials that they’ve been struggling with low foot traffic after the fire. Councilmember Ysabel Jurado, in a statement, said she hopes the new parking guidelines can “reduce unnecessary burdens” and make it “easier for customers to continue supporting neighborhood businesses during the recovery.”

    Rosie Echeverria, a representative for Council District 14, informed the Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council about the relaxed parking enforcement at its Aug. 26 meeting. She provided attendees with a map showing the original assistance area and an added expansion. (See the map below). 

    “You should not be getting ticketed for meters. You should not be getting ticketed for overnight parking. You should not be ticketed for limited parking. For example, if it’s a ‘two-hour parking only’ and you end up staying three hours, you should not be getting a ticket for that,” Echeverria said.

    The Los Angeles Department of Transportation said it would not enforce certain parking restrictions through Sept. 30. Here’s what you need to know. 

    Where the parking relief applies

    Relaxed enforcement applies to eligible violations in the designated fire-affected areas. Enforcement is relaxed daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.  

    Original area (eligible for violations issued July 29 to Sept. 30)

    A map shows relaxed parking enforcement areas across the Boyle Heights neighborhood.
    A map shows relaxed parking enforcement areas.
    (
    Jackie Ramirez made with Atlist
    )

    The area bounded by: 

    • Boyle Avenue
    • Cesar Chavez Avenue
    • Lorena Street
    • Olympic Boulevard

    Expanded area (eligible for violations issued Aug. 17 to Sept. 30)

    A map shows an extended area of relaxed parking enforcement where streets are marked in red lines.
    A map shows an extended area of relaxed parking enforcement.
    (
    Jackie Ramirez made with Atlist
    )

    The original boundaries, plus the area bounded by: 

    • Soto Street
    • Cincinnati Street 
    • Evergreen Avenue
    • Cesar Chavez Avenue 
    • This includes Mott Street and Fickett Street, but excludes Forest Avenue

    What parking enforcement is covered and what is not

    Under this effort, the L.A. Department of Transportation is not enforcing parking restrictions related to:

    • Street meter parking
    • Residential street sweeping zones
    • Time limit restrictions, such as two-hour parking zones
    • Areas designating no parking between certain time frames
    • Overnight, oversize and preferential parking districts 

    The effort, however, does not suspend all parking enforcement, according to Jurado’s office. Areas that remain fully enforceable include: 

    • Red zones 
    • Bus zones
    • Handicapped zones
    • “No Parking Anytime” zones
    • “No Stopping Anytime” zones
    • All temporary “No parking” or “No stopping zones”
    • White curbs
    • Alleys and sidewalks

    Where to get help with a citation

    Residents who believe they received a citation in error may contact Jurado’s Boyle Heights field office at 323-526-9332 and ask for the small business liaison.

    The L.A. Department of Transportation said that if someone believes a citation was issued in error and would like to contest it, they can contact the Parking Violations Bureau online or by phone at 866-561-9742. 

    L.A. Documenter Yliana Roland contributed to this story. L.A. Documenters trains and pays L.A. residents to take notes at local government meetings around Los Angeles. You can find meeting notes and audio at losangeles.documenters.org

  • A new NFL season, a play remembering 9/11 and more
    Folkorico dancers wearing skirts in varying colors perform in the street during a parade.
    Celebrate Orange County's Latino communities at Santa Ana's Fiestas Patrias on Sept. 12 and 13.
    A play looks back on 9/11, NFL season kicks off, a Mexican Independence day celebration in Santa Ana, postcards from Ukraine and more of the best things to do this week.

    Highlights

    • NFL season is here again, and the Rams first game of the year is taking on our neighbors to the north, the 49ers. Head to the Regent for a free watch party.
    • There’s still plenty of good weather for a free outdoor Americana folk concert, and that’s exactly what’s in store at Santa Monica’s Gandara Park.
    • Celebrate Orange County's vibrant Latino communities at Santa Ana's Fiestas Patrias in honor of Mexico’s Independence Day.

    I was fortunate to get a sneak peek at the new Lucas Museum of Narrative Art last week and given how many thoughts our Best Things to Do readers had on the new LACMA Geffen Galleries, I can’t wait to hear what you think of the Lucas once it opens to the public on Sept. 22. Please share your thoughts when you go!

    I was blown away by the building — it’s light and airy while feeling futuristic and somewhat imposing at the same time. The gardens are green and have plenty of places to sit and soak up the sun or the shade, and the reading room (which will be free and open to all) is definitely going on the "best places to cowork" list. The art collection is mostly organized by subject rather than era and includes works by artists from Norman Rockwell to Frida Kahlo to Banksy to Lucas himself via the many pieces of Star Wars history on display. There's truly something for everyone.

    Elsewhere on LAist, get a peek inside the Thrifty Ice Cream factory, make a plan to visit with us on Saturday at Cafe Calle, or grab a ticket for Sunday’s Arts Jubilee at Segerstrom in Costa Mesa.

    Music

    Wednesday

    Thursday

    Friday

    Saturday

    Sunday

    Monday

    Tuesday

    Events

    NFL kickoff watch party: 49ers vs. Rams 

    Thursday, Sept. 10, 5:35 p.m.
    The Regent 
    448 Main St., Downtown L.A.
    COST: FREE; MORE INFO

    Two football players holding footballs below a header that says THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL WATCH PARTY
    (
    Courtesy The Regent Theater
    )

    I guess summer really is over because football season is here again and the Rams first game of the year is taking on our neighbors to the north, the 49ers. Head to the Regent for a free watch party; there’s a state-of-the-art sound system and LED video wall, plus it’s free.


    Americana in the Park 

    Sunday, Sept. 13, 1:30 to 6:30 p.m.
    Gandara Park 
    1819 Stewart Ave., Santa Monica 
    COST: FREE; MORE INFO

    Alright, kids are back in school and football season started, but is it ever really not summer here? There’s still plenty of good weather for a free outdoor Americana folk concert and that’s exactly what’s in store at Santa Monica’s Gandara Park. Put on by our friends at McCabe’s Guitar Shop, there will be performances from Albert Lee, Ricardo Lemvo & Makina Loca, Abby Posner & the Big Fall, Jason Luckett, the Bob Baker Marionettes.


    Fiestas Patrias Festival

    Sept. 12-13 
    Multiple locations, Downtown Santa Ana
    COST: FREE; MORE INFO

    Celebrate Orange County's vibrant Hispanic and Latino communities at Santa Ana's Fiestas Patrias in honor of Mexico’s Independence Day. There’s a parade and street fair, live entertainment from local bands, carnival rides, food, and more.


    Steel Magnolias 

    Thursday, Sept. 10, 7:35pm
    Rooftop Cinema Club 
    888 S. Olive St., 4th Floor, Downtown L.A. 
    COST: $31.05; MORE INFO

    Two women with light skin tone stand next to each other in formal clothing
    (
    Rooftop Cinema Club
    )

    Rooftop Cinema Club is honoring Dolly Parton’s legacy with a screening of the ultimate ode to Southern female friendship, Steel Magnolias (in both Spanish and English), with 10 percent of ticket sales benefiting Parton's Imagination Library.


    Staged reading of WTC View 

    Friday, Sept. 11, 7:30 p.m.
    Celebration Theatre & LA LGBT Center 
    The Village at Ed Gould Plaza (Renberg Theatre)
    1125 N. McCadden Place, Hollywood 
    COST: FROM $29; MORE INFO 

    A black and white view of a skyline
    (
    Los Angeles LGBT Center
    )

    Michael Urie (Ugly Betty) directs this special September 11 anniversary reading of WTC View, Brian Sloan’s 2003 play about the weeks following 9/11 in Lower Manhattan. The story looks at a gay photographer’s struggle to find community in a time of societal and personal change. “I was just beginning my third year of drama school in New York on 9/11, and I vividly remember how raw we New Yorkers still were when we premiered the play in 2003,” said Urie. “Now Brian’s beautiful play is a time capsule of those weeks following 9/11, when we were all babies in a new world and the interactions we had with strangers were so intimate and heartfelt.”


    Spotlight Arts Festival 

    Sunday, Sept. 13, 2 to 5 p.m.
    Bank of America Performing Arts Center
    2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks 
    COST: FREE; MORE INFO

    A group of people with their arms raised, a man pointing at a painting and a woman with red hair talking to a child
    (
    Eventbrite
    )

    The first-ever Spotlight Arts festival in Thousand Oaks brings together local artists, performers, and community organizations for a free afternoon of art, music, creativity, and connection. The festival will feature 15-minute live performances from a range of local groups, artist booths, hands-on activities, live painting, and more.


    Maria Koutsogiannis in Conversation with Gaby Dalkin

    Saturday, Sept. 12, 11 a.m.
    Now Serving 
    727 N. Broadway, #133, Chinatown 
    COST: FROM $11.49; MORE INFO 

    Hands with light skin tone hold a plate of dips with pita bread
    (
    Eventbrite
    )

    Didn’t get to the Greek Islands this summer? No problem. Greek chef, author, and Instagram favorite Maria Koutsogiannis is bringing Greece to us as her debut cookbook, Greek Out, launches at Now Serving. The book features more than 120 Greek-inspired recipes alongside personal stories rooted in family, culture and tradition. She’ll be in conversation with Gaby Dalkin at Now Serving.


    Come as You Are: The Musical 

    Tuesday, Sept. 15, 7 p.m.
    The Ripped Bodice 
    3806 Main St., Culver City 
    COST: $22.58, MORE INFO 

    Blue text EMILY NAGOSKI and pink text COME AS YOU ARE: THE MUSICAL against a pink pattern background
    (
    Eventbrite
    )

    Emily Nagoski, PhD has the answers to all the things you were afraid to ask about sex – and now you can sing along. The New York Times best-selling author of Come As You Are and Come Together has packed her ukulele for a fun night of music and sex talk (what could be better?) at the best romance book store around, Culver City’s The Ripped Bodice.


    Postcode Ukraine: Diary of a Volunteer 

    Sept. 11-30
    Westwood Contemporary 
    1101 Westwood Blvd., Westwood Village
    COST: FREE; MORE INFO

    A woman with light skin tone in a camouflage jacket with tattoos on her hands holding the jacket closed by her neck
    (
    Postcode Ukraine
    /
    postcodeukraine.com
    )

    As we head into a fifth year of war in Ukraine, the Wende Museum’s Westwood Contemporary is highlighting the work of British photographer Mark Neville, who has been documenting the lives of everyday Ukrainians through his expansive project, Postcode Ukraine. Postcode Ukraine: Diary of a Volunteer is here through the end of the month, ahead of a larger international tour.