This is ... pleasant was probably the best description I heard from day one of the Arroyo Seco Weekend festival. The grass was green, the breeze was cool, and it was an easy walk between the three stages and the many, well-curated food and drink vendors. Which, if we're being honest, is more than you can expect from almost any festival these days (I'm looking at you and your crazy layout, FYF).



The food was one of the highlights of this brand new fest. New spots such as Frankland's Crab & Co. in Encino served lobster rolls, and Silver Lake's Fat Dragon paired its orange chicken with tasty teas. There were plenty of staples, too, such as pok? bowls from Sweetfin and ceviche from?Petty Cash.There were a few dishes I had for the first time that I'm already looking forward to eating again at their respective restaurants ? notably Kettle Black's fried mozzarella and Wolf's 10K Burger.
Meanwhile, Beer Belly's Jimmy Han made sure the beverage selection was an eclectic mix of local breweries, including Three Weavers and 101 Cider House, as well as expertly selected wines and cocktails. Maybe next year I'll actually listen to some music ...
Photos by Jakob Layman