Results by title

From the day he was born, Federico Jiménez Caballero was predicted to be a successful man. So, how exactly did a young boy from Tututepec, Oaxaca, become a famous Indigenous jewelry artist and philanthropist in Los Angeles? Federico tells the remarkable story of willpower, curiosity, hard work, and passion coming together to change one man’s life forever.

As a child growing up in a small rural town in southern Mexico, Federico Jiménez Caballero faced challenges that most of us cannot imagine, let alone overcome. From a young age, Federico worked tirelessly to contribute to his large family, yet his restless spirit often got him into trouble. Finding himself in the middle of a village-wide catastrophe, he was exiled to a boarding school in Oaxaca City where he was forced to become independent, resilient, and razor-sharp in order to stay afloat. Through his incredible people skills, bravery, and a few nudges from his bold mother, Federico found himself excelling in his studies and climbing the ranks in Oaxaca City. He always held a deep love and respect for his Mixtec Indigenous roots and began to collect Indigenous jewelry and textiles. Through a series of well-timed connections, Federico met his wife Ellen, and, shortly afterward, he came to the United States as a researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles, in the late 1960s.

Carrying his passion for Indigenous jewelry with him from Oaxaca, Federico owned a series of shops in Los Angeles and sold jewelry at flea markets to well-known Hollywood stars. Over the years, he cultivated relationships and became a philanthropist as well as the owner of a museum in Oaxaca City. This book is the inspiring first-person account of eighty years in the life of a man who moved from humble beginnings to the bright lights of Hollywood, following his passion and creating long-lasting relationships as he climbed the ladder of success.

When fine dining met fine art, a new Los Angeles was born.

Between 1979 and 1987, the city witnessed two cultural breakthroughs that may seem unrelated. A wave of bold, design‑forward restaurants helped launch the nationwide “New American” movement, serving innovative cuisine in sleek, modern spaces adorned with contemporary art. At the same time, Los Angeles celebrated a milestone: the opening of the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), its first major museum devoted solely to contemporary art—an institution long missing from a city with global ambitions.

Though often told separately, these stories are deeply intertwined. In this lively, revelatory book, Alison Pearlman uncovers how restaurants became galleries as well as vital crossroads for the chefs, artists, collectors, architects, and civic leaders who reshaped L.A.’s cultural identity. Together, they revived hopes that L.A. could reclaim the creative energy of its 1960s heyday and join the ranks of the world’s cultural capitals.

Drawing on extensive interviews with those who built this transformative era, Pearlman shows how L.A.—through distinctive architecture, daring personalities, and unconventional collaborations—created a cultural moment with national impact. Vivid, engaging, and richly researched, this book brings to life a heady period in the city’s history.

A must‑read for lovers of art, food, and the vibrant alchemy that emerges when creative worlds collide.