Recreation Best of LA 2006: Culture & Recreation

2006 may have been year of the dog in some cultures, but for the denizens of Los Angeles, 2006 was the year of the face-lift, morbid bus tour, lard-filled art gallery and terrorist operetta. Culturally speaking, that is. —Elisa Jacobs

Best Museum Resuscitation: Getty Villa

After being closed to the public for roughly a decade, J. Paul Getty’s Malibu villa reopened to the public this year in all its faux-classical glory.

Best Face-Lift: Griffith Observatory

In 2002, the observatory closed for expansion and renovation. Now, it not only exudes Art Deco charm, but it also boasts a state-of-the-art planetarium and a Wolfgang Puck Cafe.

Best Writer's Block Party: The Writing Pad

Established and aspiring scribes flock to this Silver Lake den for intimate writing workshops where they hone their skills and sample gourmet food.

Best Sick-and-Wrong Spree: 1947project Crime Bus Tours

After launching a historic crime blog, 1947project, Kim Cooper and Nathan Marsak decided to bring their virtual morbid obsessions into the real world. The result is heebie-jeebie inducing.

Best Way to See People Embarrassed at a Nightclub: Mortified

We know, there's much competition in this category. But this year, comedy show “Mortified” outgrew its former digs and found a new home at Hollywood club King King. The show now has more than enough room for its hilarious tales of adolescent insecurities.

Best Revived Audio-Cinematic Experience: "Synchronize"

After a hiatus, Synchronize revived its residency at Cinespace to give classic and contemporary films new indie soundtracks.

Best New Culver City Art Gallery: LAXART

Since opening earlier this year, LAXART has posted art all over city billboards and filled its gallery space with lard. We can only imagine what 2007 holds.

Best Pink Seats: Billy Wilder Theater at the Hammer Museum

The end of 2006 marked the opening of the Hammer Museum’s Billy Wilder Theater, a $7.5 million state-of-the-art theater with hot pink leather seats, because some still like it hot.

Best Operetta About Terrorists: "The Beastly Bombing"

Cultural renegade The Steve Allen Theater added a new show to its eclectic repertoire this year, "The Beastly Bombing," a comic operetta about terrorism, drugs and falling in love.

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Recreation

Recreation

Best of LA 2006: Culture & Recreation