Susan Hancock

A July Roundup of Restaurant Openings and Closings

After a five-year run in Culver City, the eccentric Japanese maid cafe/art gallery Royal/T closed in late July, celebrating its final days with tea ceremonies and pop-ups. "It was successful beyond my imagination," says owner Susan Hancock, who plans to take her brand on the road with pop-ups in New ... More >>

Royal/T to Close: Top 5 Memorable Events at the Culver City Maid Cafe

Royal/T is preparing to close its Culver City digs. The popular restaurant/art gallery cultivated a unique vibe with a staff dressed in costumes inspired by Japanese maid cafes and a variety of unusual events. While the physical location is closing, there's more in store for the popular local brand. ... More >>

Yoshitomo Nara, Jeff Koons and Yoko Ono Become 'Party Animals' at Royal/T. Woof!

Keith PlocekYoshitomo Nara's Your Dog​Pulling works from an art collector's private cache and organizing them around a theme is often a tricky affair, where capitalized nouns such as Transgression or Race or Patriarchy wind up applying to just about anything a curator hangs on the wall. Maybe ... More >>

The Nonlife Zoo at Royal/T: Cute Dolls With Skull Faces & An Animal Graveyard

​ These little eco-friendly guys from The Nonlife Zoo were partying at Royal/T this weekend (they'll be there until August 23). See how the face resembles a skull? That's deliberate. The Nonlife Zoo is a project by two Asian designers known as Biaugust. The dolls are an exploration of the idea ... More >>

It's a Beautiful World

Hello Kitty, Rock Star?

Liz OhanesianDave Navarro with Royal/T owner Susan Hancock​ You're at a Hello Kitty party inside a maid cafe and realize that you're standing next to Dave Navarro. What do you do? You ask him who his favorite Sanrio character is. I was expecting him to mention one of the darker characters, ... More >>

Finding Mom's Inner Schoolgirl: Royal Mom Mother's Day Brunch at Royal/T

Royal/T: Gallery, shop, museum, cafe, party space, Superflat extravaganza all in one.Not every mom will be comfortable with mild exposure to Japanese fetish culture, but we know some moms who'd be into it. For them, we recommend Culver City's "Japanese-inspired maid café" Royal/T for your special S ... More >>