San Laurel is kicking off the holidays with a special evening featuring world-famous chef  José Andrés and his team at the Conrad Hotel in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday, Nov. 19.  The evening includes passed seasonal bites, hand-carved jamón, curated cocktails, and a live paella station on San Laurel’s terrace with views of Walt Disney Concert Hall. Tickets are $295, available here.

 Written Hand is the latest culinary pop-up transforming the Ever Bar at Kimpton Everly Hollywood. The Mediterranean-inspired dining experience led by Executive Chef Ashley Thompson and mixologist Naomi Schimek, features a dramatic grilled bluefin tuna collar with harissa rub, tableside sherry and vermouth service, and cocktails like the evaporative infusion limoncello with suspended Meyer lemons. 

José Andrés

Chef José Andrés and team (Courtesy San Laurel)

The romantic Hotel Per La has debuted a new lineup of Jazz programming. It will host weekly performances from award-winning artist Justin Chart, best known for “Los Angeles the Song.” The evenings will be held at the property’s ground-level restaurant, Ristorante Per L’Ora, offering free entry with a dinner reservation.

In celebration of the second season of Arcane, Boba Bear Koreatown has teamed up with Riot Games for a pop-up designed to transport visitors straight into the heart of Zaun, with Boba Bear transformed into the show’s  Last Drop Bar for a limited time.

From Monday, Nov.  18  through  February 2025, visitors can enter a fully reimagined Boba Bear, complete with custom decor,  activations, and a special Arcane-inspired beverage menu that features signature cocktails inspired by Vi, Jinx, and other elements from the show.  Expect Shimmers,  non-alcoholic drinks served in commemorative glowing glass tubes, soju-themed cocktails like the Knuckle Sandwich, a fiery blend of soju, jalapeño, habanero, and mango, and the Pow Pow, a playful mix of soju, blue raspberry, honey, lemon juice, and pop rocks for a fizzy kick. Walk-ins are welcome,  reservations are encouraged. 

Thursday, Nov.  21, Suzanne Goin and  Caroline Styne are continuing their popular cookbook series at Caldo Verde, welcoming food writer Khushbu Shah to celebrate the recent release of her debut cookbook, AMRIKAN: 125 Recipes from the Indian American Diaspora.  At $95 per person,  the tasting menu will showcase Goin’s take on recipes from AMRIKAN, with offerings ranging from Rice Krispie Bhel and tandoori chicken wings to biryani baked in squash and saag paneer lasagna,  with mango pie for dessert.

What’s Popping Up is a column in the L.A. Weekly that explores everything new in food and drink.

Arcane x Boba Bear Shimmer

Arcane and Boba Bear Shimmer