Bob Baker Marionette Theater has been an L.A. institution since 1963, when it first opened inside a scrappy scenic shop near Downtown. It’s the kind of place that feels stitched into the city’s creative underbelly. In 2009, it was officially designated a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument, cementing what locals already knew: this wasn’t just a theater, it was part of the fabric.

Bob Baker passed away in 2014 at 90, but his spirit still floats through the rafters of its theater, which has since relocated to Highland Park, where a glowing neon marquee–white, red, yellow, and blue–beams like something out of a timeless storybook.

Push open the doors, and you’re met with a kaleidoscope of color: velvet curtains, hand-painted sets, and hundreds of lovingly crafted marionettes. It’s retro without being ironic. It’s earnest. Joyful.

I met the staff in the theater’s ice cream parlor to talk about their favorite puppets and, of course, their go-to L.A. restaurants. One by one, they told me about the East L.A. mom-and-pop spots their parents took them to, the cash-only spots they hit before a Saturday matinee, and the neighborhood bakeries that taste like home.

Pull almost anyone who grew up in Los Angeles aside, and they’ll have a Bob Baker story from a kindergarten field trip, sitting cross-legged up front, craning necks toward the stage lights. The hush before the curtain rises. Now those same kids bring their own children. Few places manage that kind of generational magic. Fewer still survive long enough to become ritual.

The current show, “Hooray L.A.,” is a love letter to the city, equal parts whimsical and winking. Fish swim through a glittering L.A. River. Cars stack into traffic jams. Landmarks shimmer and sway. It captures the strange poetry of this place: chaotic, tender, sun-soaked, and stubbornly imaginative.

Bob Baker Marionette Theater loves Los Angeles. And Los Angeles, in return, keeps showing up for Bob Baker Marionette Theater.

As its website puts it: “We look forward to another 60 years (at least!) of puppetry joy in L.A. and beyond.”

May the strings never tangle.

Adrian loves the Marimba Player puppet, “identified by his career, like so many of us,” they joke.

“So I'm gonna rep the LBC. My favorite restaurant is this Peruvian place called ," Adrian says. "It's incredible. I am a big fan of their ceviche, specifically their classic one; they are all flavorful and unique. I'm Peruvian, and I'm pretty picky, I'd say, with my places. Their lomito saltado is always my litmus test for whether a place is good, and theirs is really perfect. They have the Peruvian beer there, not a lot of places carry that. So it's just an excellent experience all around. The owner is such a sweetheart. She has been our server a lot of the time, too. They're just like a really incredible business.”

2308 E. 7th St. Long Beach, CA 90804

Dahlia lights up while talking about Wiggles the Fish, a newer puppet, sparkly, sweet, and a little bit magical.

Her L.A. comfort food? . Porto's has been a Los Angeles staple since 1976, when the owner, Rosa, opened her first official storefront, Porto’s Bakery, on Sunset Boulevard in Echo Park, which closed a few years later in 1982 due to having such high demand, which is what made them expand to their Glendale location.

“Whenever I pick up my mom from the airport, we stop at the one in Burbank. Spicy torta milanesa, potato balls to go, guava cheese, always,” she says.

During the pandemic, stuck in Texas, her family shipped take-and-bake Porto’s.

“It really was a little taste of L.A. in Texas,” Dahlia recalls.

3614 W. Magnolia Blvd. Burbank, CA 91505

Birdie’s favorite puppet is the glittering birthday cake—“a princess, glam, celebratory.” One of the most notable puppets that comes out at the end of a show to wish guests a happy birthday, give them a gift, and take a photo.

Their go-to meal matches the drama: crispy zaab chicken with garlic rice and a big broth from .

“I’m convinced it’s medicinal at this point,” Birdie laughs. “Because of this broth, I’m going to live to be 110.”

4354 Fountain Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90029

Benny’s favorite puppet is the Teddy Bear Riding on Car Number 4.

“That’s his God-given name,” he jokes.

At , Benny doesn’t hesitate to name a favorite.

“Princess cake,” he says. “ But honestly, anything Hannah [Ziskin] makes. And if I’m there . . . I’m getting a whole pie. The Sicilian corner is one of my all-time favorites.” ​​

Quarter Sheets opened their official spot in Echo Park in January 2022, though before that, real ones knew it as a little pop-up out of their house in Glendale, which then started the Detroit (ish) style pizza revolution in Los Angeles.

1305 Portia St. Los Angeles, CA 90026

Daisy’s favorite puppet is Happy Birthday Dog, a celebratory, loyal, always-ready-for-a-party dog. Her restaurant pick carries that same sense of occasion.

in East Los Angeles,” she says. “I’ve been going there my whole life. Family dinners, grown-up dates, it’s just the best.”

La Parrilla offers a vibrant, celebratory Mexican dining experience that captivates both locals and visitors alike and has been serving the Boyle Heights community for almost 50 years.

2126 Cesar E. Chavez Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90033

Joie’s favorite puppet is the late P-22, L.A.’s beloved mountain lion who resided in Griffith Park.

“I even have the P-22 library card,” they say, confirming that the love of P-22 doesn’t just stop with the puppet.

At , “the sauces can’t be beat,” they say. “I get a lot of things. But right now? The seabream.”

Little Izakaya and its sister restaurants have been a valley staple since they swung the doors of their first restaurant, Sushi Katsu-ya, in 1997. Little Izakaya is the laid-back, chill little sibling of the group, where you can still have the upscale experience without having to get all dressed up.

4517 Sepulveda Blvd. Sherman Oaks, CA 91403

Ray loves the black cat puppet.

“She’s a glamor girl. She’s a doll—and doll representation is important,” Ray says. “As a Cubana from Miami, tastes like home. Breakfast burrito with all the additions, guava cheese to go, cold brew in hand.”

“It’s such a community staple,” Ray says, noting its AA meetings and partnerships with Feed the Streets. In L.A., restaurants double as lifelines.

2900 Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90026

Brisa Sisk loves Huunot the Bear, who represents the L.A. River and honors Tongva culture.

At , she orders sopes piled high with carne asada and “everything on top.” The masa base soaks up salsa until it’s almost custardy at the center. It’s affordable, family-run, and steps away from the theater’s Highland Park home.

“It’s fresh,” Brisa says. “And it feels like community.”

5530 York Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90042

Jen’s favorite puppets are the lucky money cats, who wear top hats, carry canes, and wear vests.

Her Los Angeles staple is for shredded lemongrass chicken on bread that’s “soft and fresh and crispy.” The menu highlights Vietnamese cuisine with sandwiches, curries, and salads. Each sandwich features fresh vegetables, pickled toppings, and other flavorful fillings. “This spot has real mom-and-pop energy, it’s the kind of place you almost don’t want to tell people about because you want to keep it all to yourself.”

3119 Hyperion Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90027

Sophie’s favorite puppet is Emery the Onion, one of the oldest in the collection.

“You can really see Bob Baker’s original vision in him,” Sophie says.

Her mornings begin at . A coffee shop that has been in Echo Park since 2013 and is known for its pastries and unique market offerings.

“Huge shoutout to Jerry,” Sophie says. “That’s who I want my coffee from, always.”

“My close second is Quarter Sheets, though,” she says. For appetizers and dessert. People know the pizza is great but I think they sleep on the apps.”

1665 Echo Park Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90026

In an atmosphere reminiscent of a playoff game, Baker and La Grande, tied atop the Greater Oregon League standings, traded 3-pointers and layins — and often the lead — before the Bulldogs’ 3-point shooting in the final quarter finally turned back the Tigers before a raucous crowd in the Baker gym on Friday night, Feb. 13.

After four ties early into the final period, Baker scored nine straight points, including key 3-pointers by Eli Long and Gavin Scott, and the Bulldogs held off the Tigers 75-67 to clinch the regular season league title.

After La Grande got to within 68-63, Kale Dalke made three of four free throws in the final minute to keep the Tigers at bay.

Scott said he felt he needed to take his 3-pointer after La Grande’s Beckett Hutchins made two straight long balls.

“I felt like they had the momentum, and we needed to take it back,” Scott said.

Baker coach Robert Barrington said he was pleased with Baker’s response to an 86-82 overtime loss to Pendleton on Feb. 6, also on the Bulldogs’ home court.

“It’s a great win,” Barrington said.

Although if Baker loses at Ontario on Feb. 19 the Bulldogs could potentially finish the regular season tied with either La Grande or Pendleton at 4-2, the Bulldogs hold the tiebreakers over La Grande and Pendleton — by virtue of sweeping the two games against La Grande, and by total points scored over Pendleton, albeit by just two points.

Baker beat Ontario 83-64 on Jan. 30, but Barrington isn’t taking the Tigers lightly.

“They’ll be ready for us,” he said.

Long led all scorers with 25 points. Quin Wellman added 13 points, including another key 3-pointer in the fourth quarter, and Ryder Nimmo and Hayden Churchfield had 9 points each.

Landon Hood led La Grande with 19.

The first quarter was as competitive as might be expected for two teams tied atop the league standings at 3-1.

They swapped the eight times before Hood scored eight quick points, including a pair of twisting drives to the basket, the second giving the Tigers a 21-15 lead.

Churchfield had a 3-pointer and a pair of free throws to keep Baker close.

La Grande led 23-15 after the first quarter.

The Tigers pushed the lead to 10, but Jack Joseph had a rebound basket, and Long scored four straight, on a drive and a 17-footer, and Nimmo made a short jumper to get Baker within 27-25 with three minutes left in the first half.

Nimmo swished a 3-pointer from the corner to extend his personal scoring run to five points, and the Bulldogs’ streak to 11, as Baker regained the lead at 28-27 with 2:30 left in the half.

Wellman joined the barrage with a 3-pointer from the opposite corner, and Baker had its biggest lead, 31-27.

Nimmo added a pair of free throws, but La Grande snapped the scoring run with a late basket to trim Baker’s lead to 33-29 at the break.

La Grande regained the lead with a 5-0 run to start the half.

The lead was short-lived, as Wellman made a 3-pointer from the wing and Baker led 36-35.

La Grande answered with another 5-0 run to lead 40-36.

Gavin Scott made a difficult floater with his left hand, and Long made a pair of free throws to tie it again at 40.

Long’s basket in the key regained the lead for Baker at 42-40, and Scott assisted Churchfield on a basket and the rollercoaster continued as Baker surged ahead 44-40 in the final two minutes of the third quarter.

But in what seemed predestined, La Grande responded with four straight points, and Hood’s steal and layin forged a 44-44 tie with a minute left.

Long rattled in a tough 8-footer in the key, with three defenders around him, and Baker led 46-44 entering the final quarter.

A 3-point shooting contest seemed to break out early in the fourth quarter, with four long balls, two by each team, in a span of 90 seconds.

Wellman started the spree, giving Baker a 51-48 lead.

La Grande’s Beckett Hutchins had consecutive 3-pointers, sandwiched around another by Long, and it was tied yet again, at 54.

Churchfield’s inside basket gave Baker the lead back at 58-56.

Long followed with another 3-pointer to boost Baker’s lead to 61-56 with 3:50 left.

Baker gained some breathing room a minute later when Gavin Scott swished a stepback 3-pointer, giving Baker its biggest lead, 65-56, with 2:53 left.

Hood 19, Hildebrandt 18, K. Abbott 2, Hutchins 11, McIlmoil 4, T. Abbott 13.

Scott 3 0-0 7, Gyllenberg 0 0-0 0, Churchfield 3 2-2 9, Long 9 5-8 25, Suarez 0 0-0 0, Nimmo 2 4-4 9, Joseph 3 0-0 6, Guzman 0 0-0 0, Dalke 0 3-4 3, Wellman 4 2-8 13, Coleman 1 0-0 3. Totals 25 16-26 75.

La Grande 23 6 15 23 — 67

Baker 15 18 13 29 — 75

With the Greater Oregon League regular season title possibly at stake, and a chance to avenge an earlier loss to rival La Grande, the Baker girls basketball team dominated the Tigers in the key with a barrage of second-, third- and even fourth-chance points, going on to a 75-57 win before a packed crowd in the Baker gym on Friday night, Feb. 13.

Baker scored almost all of its points on baskets in the lane or on free throws, as the Tigers couldn’t counter the Bulldogs’ size.

Baker grabbed more than 10 offensive rebounds in the first half, converting most into points.

After a back and forth first 10 minutes or so, Baker closed the first half with a 16-3 run, with no basket coming from more than 10 feet away.

La Grande’s Rowan Evans scored 16 points in the third quarter as the Tigers got as close as seven points twice, but Baker opened the fourth quarter with an 8-0 run and the rout was on.

“The girls were really hungry to play this game,” Baker coach Jason Ramos said. “They felt they had something to prove.”

Baker can clinch the GOL regular season title by beating Ontario on Feb. 19. Baker won the first game against the Tigers, 77-13.

Friday’s win was Baker’s second-highest point total this season.

Although Baker and La Grande could potentially finish tied with 5-1 lead records, Baker holds the tiebreaker, which is total points scored in the two games.

La Grande won the first game by just three points, 47-44, on Jan. 20 in La Grande.

Ramos said the Bulldogs talked frequently this week about the importance not only of beating La Grande, but of winning by at least four points to ensure Baker had the tiebreaker.

“The girls played with a ton of energy,” Ramos said. “We talked about this game all week.”

La Grande led 5-2 early on Rowan Evans’ 3-pointer. Baker then scored 10 of the next 11 points, all on baskets from the key or on free throws as the Bulldogs took advantage of their height.

Gwen Rasmussen and Macey Morgan each had four points in the run.

The Tigers responded with a 6-0 run to tie it at 12 on Evans’ two free throws with 2:22 left in the first quarter.

Evans’ free throw regained the lead for La Grande at 13-12, but Lily Logsdon made a free throw with 2.2 seconds left to tie it at 13 after the first period.

The teams swapped the lead three times early in the second quarter, but Baker surged ahead, closing the half on a 16-3 run.

Gwen Rasmussen bounced in a 10-footer from the key, and then she scored inside on an assist from her sister, Molly, and was fouled. Gwen Rasmussen’s 3-point play gave Baker its biggest lead, 22-18, with 5:16 left in the first half.

Baker extended the lead to 26-18 as Logsdon assisted on consecutive inside baskets by Jaxyn Ramos and Molly Rasmussen, both on cuts to the key.

The lead reached double digits at 28-18, and Baker’s scoring run was 11-0, when Molly Rasmussen rebounded her own miss and scored with 1:50 left.

Peyton Daggett ended the scoring run with a 3-pointer, but Baker closed the half with a 5-0 run — four by Gwen Rasmussen — and the Bulldogs led 33-21 at the break, outscoring the Tigers 20-8 in the second period.

Baker dominated on the glass, particularly on the offensive end with at least 10 offensive rebounds, several of which led to baskets or free throws.

Gwen Rasmussen’s last basket of the half came after Baker’s third straight offensive rebound on the same possession. Almost all of Baker’s field goals came from within 10 feet.

Gwen Rasmussen scored 13 points to lead all scorers in the first half.

Evans scored eight points in the first three minutes, but Baker answered with more dominance inside. Ramos had two baskets in the key, one on an offensive rebound, and Baker led 38-29 with 5:06 left in the third quarter.

Evans continued her scoring onslaught, adding a free throw and a 3-pointer to cut the Baker lead to 42-35, but Gracie Spike matched it with a 3-pointer to make it 45-35 with 3:06 left in the third quarter.

Baker led 53-44 at the break. Evans scored 16 of La Grande’s 23 points in the third quarter.

Baker took control with an 8-0 run to start the final period, capped by Noelle Quintela’s 3-pointer that boosted the lead to 61-44 and prompted a La Grande timeout with 6:08 left.

Baker continued to score almost at will from the key, and the lead swelled to 68-46.