A postcard from the Piñata District

Good morning, it’s Monday June 15 and you can expect the scattered clouds to do little to temper the heat (mid 80s). 

Ever since immigration agents invaded Los Angeles a year ago, the piñata makers of Los Angeles have been hard at work, churning out piñatas in the shape of ICE agents.

There are many ways to catch the vibes of a particular moment in a particular place. In Los Angeles, piñata makers use cardboard, staples, tissue paper and glue to reveal how people are reacting to local and national politics. Their temporary works of art become a key indicator of what matters to us – what we fear, what we love, and importantly, what we loathe so much we want to smash it to bits. It all hangs from the ceilings of piñata stores, waiting to be busted open to the shrill cackles of both kids and adults.

L.A. Material contributor Alex Zaragoza has a dispatch from the Piñata District in downtown L.A.

MONDAY: Expect plenty of international news this week as global leaders gather in France for the G7 summit. 

Closer to home, a Los Angeles City Council committee will hold a special meeting to finish debating proposed changes to the City Charter before the full council takes up the issue Wednesday. The council will ultimately be deciding which of the proposed changes will go on the November ballot for voters to approve — but we’ll have more on that in tomorrow’s newsletter. 

And Iran’s World Cup team will face off against New Zealand Monday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. The game has brought complex emotions in a city that’s home to the largest Iranian population outside Iran. 

TUESDAY: For the fish-inclined, Cabrillo Marine Aquarium will host a Grunion Run Tuesday night in San Pedro. 

WEDNESDAY: MacArthur Park stalwart Langer’s Deli will celebrate its 79th anniversary.

THURSDAY: SoFi will welcome another World Cup game, with Switzerland playing Bosnia-Herzegovina. 

FRIDAY: There will be numerous celebrations and commemorations of Juneteenth Friday and into the weekend. Eater LA’s Mona Holmes has a great guide to  L.A.’s essential Black-owned restaurants in honor of the holiday. 

SATURDAY: LACMA is hosting a free, all-day block party. 

SUNDAY: Sunday is Father’s Day and the L.A. Times has you covered with last-minute gift ideas. Plus, Iran will vie against Belgium at SoFi Stadium. 

POSSIBLE IRAN DEAL: The U.S. and Iran reached a tentative agreement Sunday that could halt the fighting and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

EXPANDING WEST COAST MEDIA: MSNOW’s Jacob Soboroff launched a new weekend cable show anchored from L.A. He interviewed mayoral candidate Nithya Raman on the premiere episode; she said that unlike Spencer Pratt, she doesn’t see L.A. as a “hellscape,” but does think he was speaking to “very real frustrations.”

SOCCERMAXXING: In case you missed it, Torched’s Alissa Walker has an excellent and jam-packed guide to experiencing the World Cup as part of L.A.’s civic narrative. 

DANGEROUS SURF: Historic swells will continue battering California beaches until Wednesday. Two beachgoers have died amid the high waves.

For today’s peek inside our subscriber-only Discord server, @laurajnelson finds a Subaru with big vibes in the #vanityplates channel. 

AND FINALLY… A poem to pair with your morning coffee:  “A Meeting” by Edith Wharton.

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