LA: 9 Reasons to Be Optimistic About 2015

2014, you were great. But this is Los Angeles. Onward and upward, both in rent and spirit. Behold, our 9 Reasons to Be Optimistic in 2015. Get pumped.

9. Adam Perry Lang Opens a Restaurant
For the past two years, master BBQ guy Adam Perry Lang has been posting up on Jimmy Kimmel’s backlot and slinging a Texas farm’s worth of beef. Now he’ll open a restaurant in a to-be-determined location. Look forward.

8. More True Detective and Game of Thrones
First of all, Mad Men will finally, irrevocably and probably disappointingly, end. What will happen to Don Draper? Will Colin Farrell and Vince Vaughn live up to last year’s True Detective? How many people will die in Game of Thrones? Let’s look forward to intense water cooler chatter and endless binge watching.

7. Star Wars and Mad Max Fury Road
Two big tent poles emerge from our past, all shiny and new: JJ Abrams redoes Star Wars, adding a religious idol of a lightsaber. George Miller supes up his Mad Max franchise with Charlize Theron and Tom Hardy and the most badass trailers ever (here then here).

6. We Get an Alamo Drafthouse
If you’ve ever been to Austin, Texas, you’ve heard of the Alamo Drafthouse, one of the best movie theaters on the planet. Well, they’re officially opening one on 7th and Flower, and it will be epic. Drink beer, watch movies old and new. They also do a show in which comedians heckle a movie. It’s great fun.

5. The NFL Will Find a Team for LA, Maybe
They’ve been saying this for years, and it’s been the subject of much rumor and even an episode of Entourage, but according to NBC it could happen. As to where the stadium would go, that remains to be seen.

4. No Drought, Also Maybe
If we continue to get rain storms like the ones we’ve been having, and snow continues to dump in the mountains, it’ll lessen our terrible drought. Regardless, there is currently a lot of snow for ski season.

3. Say Hello to The Broad
Eli Broad’s impressive museum will open later this year and will house one of the most extensive modern art collections in the world. It’ll also have an outdoor theater and a chic restaurant from Bill Chiat (Bestia, Republique, Redbird) and Chef Tim Hollingsworth (French Laundry).

2. Take a Train from Downtown to the Ocean
The Metro Line from Downtown to Ocean Boulevard in Santa Monica should be completed in late 2015. That means you can ride from one side to the other in less time than it will take to drive. Let’s just hope they have enough trains for this.

1. Cuba
In case you hadn’t heard, we’re kissing and making up with Cuba. And while the floodgates are still a ways from being fully open, relaxed travel restrictions means we can hop over to La Havana.