The Ford may be to The Bowl as a quickie in the elevator is to a rose-petal trail to a big…read morehoneymoon suite bed. The "Cinderella" of venues, it takes the grand, outdoor setting of the Bowl (concrete Jerusalem gates carved into the Hollywood hills) and the intimacy of a backyard party. With 1200 seats (opposed to 17500), you're always under 100 feet from the stage. The seats being steeply raked means you are closer to the stage than the Greek. (The Theater, I mean, not loud, hairy Niko guy next to you). And being tucked into a natural canyon makes the acoustics extra crispy, which made Erasure (10 years ago today) one of my favorite concerts. Side note: I found the 3 tickets on ebay for 99 cents, something that pissed off the guy next to me who paid $200. He Loved to Hate Me. He called me "Biggie Fries" all night, referencing Wendy's Value Meal. Built in 1920 by Christine Wetherill Stevenson, a wealthy heiress who wanted to build a space for her play about he life of Christ "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Calvary". No, it was "Pilgrimage Play" It burnt down in 1929 but rebuilt in 1931 to look like stone, making it feel like an ancient, rediscovered space. Anyway, it only hosted Christ plays (I would have called it "Nailed iT!") until the 1964 separation of church and state opened the venue to all arts. It was named after the county supervisor John Anson Ford, who was a champion of the arts. In the late 80's it was the "West Coast CBGB", hosting Ramones, Social D, X, Chili Peppers and Jane's Addiction. If you need more bands, just use your first three Wordle guesses: Tacos Marry Happy opened for Radio Caulk Barfy. It unveiled a $80 million renovation in 2017, so if it was gorgeous in 2006, I am sure it is Gorgeouser now. In 2019, the LA Phil took over, so now it is the little sister of the Bowl and Disney Concert Hall. In 2020, it had its centennial, marking 100 years since Stevenson first staged a Christ play in that canyon. To celebrate, the partygoers turned wine into pee.

Sometimes, I forget how much entertainment is available in LA, from theaters to museums to outdoor…read moreexcursions and more. I had previously seen advertisements for The Ford LA through various outlets, but I am frequently reminded of my introversion and often avoid driving through LA traffic. However, my wife wanted to check out the The Natural World of Studio Ghibli, and what a night it was! We have seen nearly all of Miyazaki's creations, but this was our first time watching "Howl's Moving Castle" in an outdoor theater. It was lovely! Fresh air, a few butterflies flying across the projector, stars in the night sky, and the iconic backdrop were some highlights to mention. The Ford is as fun as advertised, and I've already begun recommending it to my friends. This place has history, and you can feel it! Additionally, there isn't a bad seat in the house! We sat in Row P, and when I arrived, I took it all in. There's certainly a bit of magic here. The only negative is the parking. It's stacked parking, so you may end up waiting on other visitors to get to their cars before you can even think about moving. Otherwise, we already have plans to return to The Ford Theater!

Established in 1963, the Magic Castle is an exclusive members only clubhouse for magicians and…read moremagic enthusiasts. It's also the home of the Academy of Magical Arts. However, non-members can attend if they accompany a member or receive a pass from a kind magician. I've been here numerous times over the years. I've known members and people that worked here. I've seen amazing shows in the main room & fun shows in the parlors. I've been for dinner & brunch. This time I came with friends for drinks & fun. The Castle is big and there is so much to discover. It's charming & mysterious. Take your time and soak it all in. Grab a drink in the main bar, have a seat in Invisible Irma's Room, and ask her to play you a tune on the piano. The magicians are world class performers with unique talents. House magician Mike is darling and he dazzled us with card tricks, mentalist David Stryker wowed us with his mind reading capabilities, and Richard Turner amazed us with his ability to perform card tricks even though he is legally blind. The staff here are all fantastic and work well together. (Especially, Rose at the front desk.) We were treated with kindness & respect the entire evening. Food & cocktails are top notch. We shared Hummus that came with the softest pita bread, Shrimp Cocktail with large juicy shrimp, House Made Veggie Burger with Beer Battered Fries, and the Four Cheese Garlic Bread. Everything was delicious. For drinks we had: Smoke & Shadows (Mezcal Margarita), Cosmopolitan, Champagne, Manhattan, Perfect Timing (Vodka based), and Caymus Cabernet. A night at The Magic Castle is always a fun time and I think everyone should have the opportunity to experience it at least once. The dress code is strictly enforced and I'm ok with that. I appreciate that they adhere to the standards of the exclusivity of a private club. I also believe that if you are going out you should dress up. *No photography allowed inside. *Check website for dress code, valent, & entrance fee.

There are very few places in Los Angeles that truly feel magical anymore, but The Magic Castle…read moreabsolutely lives up to the hype. This iconic Hollywood establishment is famously known for its secrecy and exclusivity, and after finally experiencing it for myself, I completely understand why. Hidden behind the mysterious entrance are some of the most talented magicians and performers you'll ever encounter. Many of them audition for the honor of performing there, and the level of talent throughout the evening was honestly incredible. We're fortunate enough to have a friend who is a member, and although we've been invited before, life always seemed to get in the way. This time, we cleared our schedules and made a full evening out of it and I'm so glad we did. We arrived around 5 PM, valet parked, and checked in with the maître d'. Since guests must be connected to a member, everyone had to be on the guest list and show ID before entering. One thing I absolutely loved was how seriously they take the dress code. Think black tie, cocktail dresses, suits, polished shoes; elegant and classy without feeling stuffy. No flashy outfits or over-the-top looks, just timeless sophistication. Once inside, you're immediately transported into another world. The entrance area has a charming little gift shop with T-shirts, magnets, playing cards, and magic-themed souvenirs. One of the coolest things I learned during the night was that Walt Disney was close friends with the founder of The Magic Castle, which inspired the magic shop on Main Street at Disneyland. As a Disney fan, I thought that was such a fun piece of history. And then comes the famous entrance. You stand before a bookcase, say "Open Says me " to the little owl, and suddenly the hidden door opens into the castle itself. It honestly felt like stepping into a movie. The castle is filled with multiple levels, intimate showrooms, hidden corners, bars, lounges, and surprises everywhere you turn. We ended up seeing five different magic shows throughout the evening, and every performer brought something unique. Some acts were funny, others mind-blowing, and a few genuinely left me speechless wondering how on earth they pulled things off. There's a bar on nearly every level, each with its own vibe. One of my favorite spots had close-up card magic happening right at the bar while people enjoyed drinks and appetizers. Speaking of food, surprisingly phenomenal. We had the chicken club sandwich, calamari, and garlic bread, and everything exceeded expectations. The customer service throughout the entire evening was stellar. Every single employee we interacted with was warm, welcoming, and genuinely kind. It also felt very community-oriented, everywhere we went, people greeted our member friend like family. The entire environment felt intimate, nostalgic, and special in a way that's hard to explain unless you experience it yourself. One thing I also learned is that there are a few other ways to gain access besides knowing a member. If you stay at the Magic Castle Hotel bungalows, admission is often included, and occasionally they offer admission opportunities through blood donation events. If you ever come across an opportunity to visit , take it immediately. The Magic Castle isn't just dinner and a show. It's an experience. There's truly surprise and wonder around every corner, and for a few hours, you genuinely feel transported away from reality. An unforgettable Los Angeles experience and absolutely something everyone should experience at least once in their life.

What an amazing show. I tell you what I was very impressed…read moreby this show. The MC was entertaining and very funny. The dancers were great and very talented. The sets where impressive. Now the lighting was incredible. Enhanced the dancers and have it a great vibe. The acts were so sexy, classy, funny, entertaining, and very well choreographed. I had a great time and want to go back. Zeke recommend!!!

Yesterday we visited the Montalban for The Empire Strips Back, a galactic burlesque show and parody…read moreof the well-loved original Star Wars trilogy (despite the name the storylines were not strictly based on the Empire Strikes back, but featured homages to all three films in the trilogy!) This review is for the show, rather than the venue, which I'll do a separate review for. I purchased VIP tickets for the Fever-run event as a Christmas gift for my significant other, and we both loved it! It was hilarious, and tastefully sexy! The different acts featured a variety of music genres, so there's something for everyone's taste! The show was about 2 hours in length with a 15 minute intermission between the first and second half of the show. VIP tickets got us VIP entry, 2 champagne or other sparkling beverages, and a t-shirt each (our selections are pictured! Also definitely recommend picking these up at the beginning to avoid long lines at the end!) Per google reviews of the show, lines were long for drinks, and merchandise, so to save time, we redeemed both our drinks at the beginning of the show. They also offered a QR code, order ahead option, for merchandise. Neither myself nor my significant other had ever been to a burlesque show before, and this was certainly a fun, and worthwhile, introduction! Tip: there is a 24 hour parking garage adjacent to the Montalban with a max $10 fee for the day!

I took classes with Striptease Symposium for most of 2008. The classes are wonderful for aspiring…read moreburlesque performers and those looking to do a private show in front of the bedroom mirror. Classes consist of a warm-up, technique and a cool-down. There are often handouts with tips on makeup, performance preparation and choreography. The classes are taught by professional burlesque dancers so everything covered is relevant to real world performance. I highly recommend their classes for anyone interested in finding out more about burlesque.

In 2013 I took a class here and as a performer I felt very blocked. 13 years later in 2026 I have…read morenever felt more open as an improvisational performer. After coming off of multiple weeks of study at the grounding, I decided to take a break between Groundlings level one and Groundlings level two so I decided to do UCB 101 improv. This is a great way to break up your study of the funny in LA. It's a long-term approach and one that can sharpen different tools in your actors tool shed. Jessica Eason was everything for us in our one week intensive. She would let us go until we understood the game, then help us redefine different elements to ultimately make it easier for us to perform. The school is not about being funny. It's about understanding the game and trusting the game and your Scene Partner's. I cannot wait to take my next level 201 as our student show was a success and I'm grateful to have met so many wonderful friends who support each other. Amy Poehler be proud.

Came here for some fun improv and it was great! Found some good street parking around the corner…read moreand waited for the doors to open. The staff were friendly & got everyone inside quickly & orderly. I loved that there was plenty of seating and it ended up being a full house which was great! They also offer drinks for purchase but I ended up not getting any. The show was great & I can't wait to come again!

We went to the one at the hotel Biltmore, Los Angeles. David's magic happens right in front of your…read moreeyes -- and somehow it still feels impossible to figure out how he does it! He's not only an amazing magician, but also a super fun storyteller who keeps everyone engaged from start to finish.

He was a great magician. We saw him for our anniversary at the biltmore hotel in DTLA. Smaller…read morecrowd so he could interact well. The seating was great because you could see well. He was funny and did great tricks. Left us wondering and talking about it for hours after. Highly recommend for a fun and different night out! I wish it would have been longer!

We had a great experience with wonderful service! First time visiting the lounge, it opens 1hr…read morebefore the show & intermission. They have 2 private restrooms, a bartender with unlimited drinks (alcohol, sodas, water, juices, coffee, tea, etc). They have to-go cups so you can bring drinks inside the theatre. You can preorder your snacks & drinks before the show for intermission so it's ready for you (nuts, pretzels, fruit snacks & lots of candy choices). They had a basket of baked goods (cookies & brownies including gluten free options) and a charcuterie board & a plate with hummus, veggie sticks, caprese & fruit. The door to the lounge is located on the left after entering the theatre. To access the lounge you or someone you know needs to have the presidents club membership, which also gives you access to the first 12 rows center orchestra & free parking.

The small bite offering leave lots to be desired. The room smells stale. Other than that the…read moreservice and staff are EXCEPTIONAL

I remember I had come across this business when having a Universal annual pass last year. Even…read moreafter the annual pass expired, they still send me emails on being cast as a background actor on Universal City Walk or now, upcoming t.v. shows that they need audiences for. They pay, of course, CA's minimum wage of $10.50/hr., but not sure if it is whole day rate of $84. I guess just go by whatever the email states. Doing some extra gigs myself, not affiliated with this business; these jobs also tend to sometimes throw in a weird overtime like $147 ($84+$63OT), included within the day rate. Cannot wait to work for them! Within the month of December, I remember seeing an email blast regarding a party/get together for all the people they have cast that year. Of course, since I was not in California at the time, I could not attend it.

COMPLETE SCAM. Do not work with this company because they…read moredon't pay. I was promised payment within 5 days after working as an audience member with them. It's been almost a month and I haven't been paid. I've sent multiple emails asking when the check would be sent out and haven't gotten any responses. Then they ended up blocking me. They seemed pretty sketchy from the beginning so I guess I'm not surprised, but don't work with this company.