How To LA

Here at LAist, it’s Climate Solutions week, and we’re focusing on the future of food. How food and agricultural systems are tackling climate pollution and adapting to a changing planet. And why Southern California is at the center of how climate change impacts the food we eat, grow, and sell. So today on How to LA, we’re bringing you a throwback episode from 2022. It was one of our first episodes, and it focused on produce from a Compton farm. You’ll get to hear how the founders of Alma Backyard Farms set up a community service that engages local residents and employs formerly incarcerated people — all in the name of good food.  Guests:Erika Cuellar and Richard Garcia, co-founders of Alma Farms

#310:  Today, we're meeting up with one of our favorite L.A. based influencers, Drew Tillman!  Drew's known online for his date ideas in different pockets of this wonderful city, and in this episode, he's joining the How To LA team to take host Brian De Los Santos on a walking date around WeHo. We make the most of a beautiful Sunday by exploring spaces with delicious food and a strong community focus. Listen in to learn how to get curious about your city, and to hear some special spots in WeHo get a shoutout.  Don't forget to check out LAist on Instagram and TikTok too, for a video component to this episode!  Guest: Drew Tillman

#309: Today we are back with our summer series about places to explore and discover in Los Angeles. We’ve done parks, museums, road trip, and this time we are talking about happy hour! The neighborhood spots featured include: Big Bar in Los Feliz, The Raymond 1886 in Pasadena, and Chulita in West Adams.

In honor of the American Cinematheque's "Friend of the Fest" program, we're rerunning their feature from our mini-series, Revival House! Victoria Alejandro is one of the podcasters invited to present a film this year. This Sunday, 8/25 at the Egyptian Theater, she'll be introducing the 80s classic "To Live and Die in L.A." You can find tickets here: https://www.americancinematheque.com/now-showing/laist-presents-to-live-and-die-in-l-a-8-25-24/ Celebrating their 40th anniversary this year, screening 1500 movies a year in three iconic theaters across Los Angeles, the American Cinematheque has a movie for everybody, every night of the week. In this episode, How To LA producer Victoria Alejandro jumps into the history of these movie theaters and this programming group to shine a light on a little L.A. moviegoing history and spotlight the future of the American Cinematheque in this city. Check out our deep dive into the Egyptian Theatre's history and reopening here:  https://omny.fm/shows/howtola/revival-house-the-egyptian-theater-redux Guests: Professor and historian Ross Melnick, American Cinematheque artistic director Grant Moninger, Programmers Imani Davis and Cindy Flores, Senior Film Programmer Chris Lemaire

#308: It's like, totally wild that we haven't talked about the "Valley girl" accent yet. This week on How To LA, the team hits the streets to ask Angelenos about the origin of the accent...turns out, no one's really sure where it comes from. Except LAist reporter Caitlin Hernandez, who did a deep dive on the history of the iconic Valley sound. They join us to give the 411. It's like, so awesome, right? Read Caitlin's LAist story here: https://laist.com/news/la-history/los-angeles-valley-girl-accent-socal-california-english Guests: Caitlin Hernandez, man on the street interviews from Max, Calvin, and Monse on Wilshire. 

#307: Today we're heading out with LAist's Gab Chabrán to test some tasty cool drinks in L.A. — that's "cool" as in temperature, but also meaning something a little unique.We stopped for boba (and other tasty tea and coffee drinks) at Hey Hey on Sunset, sampled fermented Mexican drinks (tepache and pulque) at Mírate in Los Feliz, and finally tried out kava nectar (new to both me and Gab) at Kavahana in Santa Monica.

#306: We're publishing this on a Friday and you know what that means: we all scream for... (waiting for you to say it.)LAist food editor and Cheap Fast Eats co-conspirator Gab Chábran and HTLA host Brian De Los Santos host Culinary Connections: Ice Cream Social. It was a chat with owners from three Southern California ice cream eateries: Kinrose in Pasadena, Tocumbo Ice Cream in Anaheim, and 626 Hospitality Group in Arcadia.

#305:  What's the deal with the new mural on Western Avenue? A man holding a flowerpot crawling out of the sky?  That's performance artist Pope L., inviting folks into the new, permanent home of the non-profit formerly known as LAX Art. They've rebranded as The Brick, and their new brick and mortar gallery and exhibition space is formally opening in September. How To LA host Brian de los Santos spoke with artistic director Hamza Walker, and artists in the 3B Collective, to get the scoop on what this space means for contemporary art in L.A.  For more on the artists mentioned: Pope L.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0N7OnQkch7s 3B Collective: https://www.craftcontemporary.org/exhibitions/highway-hypnosis/   Guests: Hamza Walker, the 3B collective

#304: Today, we’re bringing you a deep dive into house music and how a music equipment lending library called Feminist Synth Lab is lowering the barriers to entry for people interested in DJing and making electronic music in L.A. This episode was reported by How To LA intern Veronica Daniel.

#303: We're continuing our summer series of places to explore - and this time we're heading to Miracle Mile and following the sweet sounds of jazz down Wilshire and onto the LACMA campus.  As LA's county museum, LACMA is exploring all sorts of ways to make sure the public feels welcome, from free membership for teens, free admission for LA County residents, and free jazz nights in the summers. You might even run into a friend, or see someone like artist Judy Baca working in the galleries. We ducked inside to get the scoop and see some art in the AC. And later, we shout out our other favorite museums around the city.  Read more on Judy Baca and LACMA on LAist here.  Guest: Chelo Montoya, assistant VP of public programs at LACMA

#302: Today we're talking about run clubs and how they foster community in L.A. Our associate editor (and our special resident marathon runner) Aaricka Washington looked into running clubs that were founded by Black, Asian and Latino people, the ways that they're offering inclusive, safe spaces for Angelenos, and why they've been growing more popular.  Read more at LAist: How BIPOC-led run clubs are fostering community and inclusivity in LA

#301: We're continuing our summer series of places to explore - and this time we're stepping out of the studio and into the wild. Evan's taking Brian on a tour of a park that meant a lot to him as a kid - and we're meeting the organization that acts as its steward: TreePeople.  You've probably heard of them before - they do everything from trail restoration work to planting shade trees, just about everywhere in Southern California. But this is their home base, and when they're not reforesting swaths of the Angeles National Forest you can find them in the heart of LA at the top of Coldwater Canyon. Guest: Alex Miller, director of communications for TreePeople Music in this episode composed by: Austin Cross, Imaginary Softwoods, Jerimiah Chiu & Marta Sofia Honer, Josiah Steinbrick, M. Sage, Mort Garson, Nicklas Nygren, Patricia Wolf, Wilson Tanner

#300: Three hundred episodes y'all! Can you think of a better way to celebrate than with the movable feast that is Cheap Fast Eats? I'll wait... No? Okay. Well buckle in and get ready to chow down as LAist's food editor Gab Chabran takes Brian to our first location OUTSIDE of LA County... From breakfast burritos to baklava and everything in between. This is Cheap Fast Eats, Fountain Valley. Restaurants featured: Artisan - 7 Leaves & Crema Bakery, Naugles, Ikram Grill

#299:  VCRs are buzzing again in the city...that's right! Watching a movie on VHS is back! But in 2024, with streaming and Blu-Ray, why watch something on tape? HTLA producer Victoria Alejandro spoke with VHS vendors, collectors, and other tape aficionados around the city (including filmmaker Vera Drew of "The People's Joker") to understand the subculture, the community, and let YOU know why tapes are back, baby! Guests: Filmmaker Vera Drew, head of Altered Innocence Frank Jaffe, Michelle Halac and Alex Gootter of Hollywood Entertainment, Erik Varho and Jessica Gonzales from Whammy!, Eliana Oropeza from Aztec Pickers, Jackie Forsythe from AMIA

We are back with another installment of LA on the Margins — USC student produced profiles of people in our community who are working through the many challenges life in the city can throw at you. In this final episode, we meet a reggae artist who is trying to make it in this beautiful, complicated city... and supporting his art by driving for Uber. Through reporter Yundie Li, we learn about his struggle with balancing the "city of the gig worker" with the "city of creativity." Take a listen.   

We're back with another installment of LA On The Margins, a collection of stories produced by students at USC. This time, reporter Sophie Sullivan takes us to the largest jail in LA County — a jail considered by many to be uninhabitable, and which, in 2021, was ordered closed by L.A. County Supervisors due to "inhumane conditions." But the jail still stands today. In this episode, we hear from families whose loved ones died while in custody of the jail and who now seek answers as to why. A warning - this episode contains mentions of suicide and includes strong language.This story was co-published and supported by the journalism non-profit the Economic Hardship Reporting Project.

#298: Did you know that we are in the middle of kitten season? It's a super busy time for shelter workers, cat rescues, and the many Angelenos who volunteer their time to help save cats. Today we are talking about those folks and what’s being done in L.A. and OC to try to improve the lives of free-roaming cats in Southern California. According to L.A.'s Department of Animal Services, there’s about 960,000 of them in the city of L.A. alone.  Read more at LAist: ‘Kitten season’ sounds cute, but it’s one of the toughest times for LA’s cat crusaders

#297: Looking to escape the heat this summer? Well, look no further than LA's biggest swimming pool. We've got the team here with Brian in LAist's Studio B to share our favorite coastal recommendations, whether you're looking for a place to have quiet picnic or you're learning to tandem surf with your dog. All summer we'll have more recommendations for more ways to spend your weekend, so keep an ear out!

#296: Flavors From Afar is a caterer and soon to be restaurant in East Hollywood. As part of the nonprofit TIYAA Foundation, Flavors From Afar also hosts a culinary training program for folks from all over the globe who are new to this city. Consisting of migrants and refugees resettling in L.A. and looking for work, it's an 8 week training program designed to teach aspiring chefs everything from knife skills to applying for licenses. Associate editor Aaricka Washington checked out a class and is on HTLA to tell host Brian De Los Santos all about it. Check out their website for culinary sessions, catering and the Global Dinner Series here: https://www.flavorsfromafar.co/ And if you're curious, the next culinary session course for new participants will begin August 6th.  

#141: Ok - no more Cheap Fast Eats... But we've still got a great holiday treat for y'all. Maybe something to do this weekend to beat the heat? Today, we're revisiting the time Brian and Evan went down the LA River in a kayak.  Original episode description below: Whitewater kayaking might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you picture the L.A. River. Too much concrete, right? Not enough water? Well, think again. Kayaking the L.A. River officially became legal in 2011 when the EPA declared it a "navigable waterway." And turns out... it's pretty fun! Join How to LA host Brian De Los Santos and producer Evan Jacoby as they paddle down a 2-mile stretch of river that does NOT have a concrete bottom and passes through the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Preserve. Guests: Gary Golding, guide with LA River Expeditions & survivalist; Dennis Mabasa, COO of Friends of the LA River There's a lot of local stewards of the river who are working to make sure that parts of it can be enjoyed by all of us Angelenos as well as the birds and resident critters.  If you want to  keep up to date on all the things going on with the river, make sure to follow FOLAR on social media or check out their website at folar.org Also, you check out more info on the river on LAist.com/HowToLA.