How To LA

#15: Drug use among teens is actually down but overdose deaths have spiked, doubling nationwide in 2020, largely due to the spread of counterfeit pills. In Los Angeles, a 15-year-old girl died after consuming a pill laced with fentanyl. In a surprise move, the Los Angeles Unified School District now says it will distribute Narcan, which reverses the effects of an opioid overdose, to junior and sen...

#14: There are roughly eight thousand bus stops in Los Angeles but three-quarters of them don’t provide ANY kinda of shade from the sun. And with the inevitable schedule delays, you know Angelenos are sometimes waiting 45 minutes or more for their ride. This has long been recognized as a problem but now the L.A. City Council thinks they have a plan in place that'll make a difference. Will it? Plus...

#13: How to LA is back at it, exploring the different neighborhoods that make up this beautiful city. Today we’re checking out Little Tokyo, where we’ll learn how its art, food, and community advocacy make it such a special place. Guests: Grant Sunoo, director of community building & engagement at Little Tokyo Service Center; Brian Kito, owner of Fugetsu-Do; Sharon Kamegai Cocita, director of...

#12: Los Angeles has a lot to offer when it comes to the outdoors. But here's the thing: if hiking or camping wasn't a part of your world growing up, it can feel a little intimidating to make the plunge. HTLA host Brian De Los Santos is one of those Angelenos that didn't grow up exploring the outdoors... But that's all about to change at Debs Park, just east of the 110 near Montecito Heights.  Gue...

#11: Black Market Flea is like a cross between an outdoor bazaar and a party. Sure, you can buy some cool vintage threads but it is definitely a lot more than a flea market and has become something of a community space for Black Angelenos. It's been going on once-a-month for a year now so the How To LA team went to check it out at the Beehive in South Central Los Angeles. More details here .  Gues...

#10: Growing up as a gay Filipino man in the 90s and 2000s with immigrant parents, Anthony Ocampo felt confused and alone. Now a professor and sociologist, he wrote a memoir exploring the challenges of discovering oneself in LA during that period. He joins HTLA host, Brian De Los Santos, to talk about what he's learned over the years – and, to give a preview of what's inside his new book: Brown an...

#9: There are 1,900 monkeypox cases in Los Angeles County. Transmission rates are falling but this week the L.A. County Public Health Department confirmed the first death caused by the virus. Information about monkeypox is changing fast so host Brian De Los Santos checks in on the where things stand now -- and what people in high risk categories should know.  Guests:  Jackie Fortier, LAist Senior...

#8: Alma Backyard Farms in Compton is a lot of things to a lot of people. It grows fresh produce to sell to its neighbors, trains formerly incarcerated people to work the land, and teaches kids to garden and eat healthy meals. It brings the community together. During the dog days of summer, Brian De Los Santos and team went to see how it all works... and pick up some tomatoes.  Guests: Erika Cuell...

#7: Pacoima is one of the hottest neighborhoods in Los Angeles so some homegrown environmental activists are trying something new to mitigate the extreme heat: painting the pavement.  Guests:  Erin Stone, LAist Climate Emergency Reporter  Melanie Torres, Community Organizer with Pacoima Beautiful Eliot Wall, General Manager for Street Bond-GAF 

#6: Hungry and looking for some inexpensive grub? Come along with HTLA host Brian De Los Santos and LAist food editor Gab Chabrán as they go in search of cheap, fast eats in communities all over LA County. First up: some old school eateries in Pasadena.  Locations: Burrito Express, Sandwiches By Connal, Roma Market Guest: Gab Chabrán, food editor at LAist.

#5: For its size, Los Angeles is lacking in parks and other green spaces compared to other major cities. Meet one man who is on a mission to make a difference in some of L.A.'s most underserved neighborhoods - one tree at a time.  Guest: Aaron Thomas, Director of Urban Forestry for the non-profit Northeast Trees. Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe th...

#4: It's hot, Los Angles. We hear how people dealt. Plus, Chinatown is a food desert. The neighborhood is home to a lot of low income seniors and there is no local grocer that serves them. The new LA River Farmers' Market that opened up in nearby the LA State Historic Park hopes to fill some of the void.

#3: LA Metro's long-awaited K Line will soon be ready to ride. Seven stops will open later this year, taking folks from Crenshaw to Inglewood and Westchester (sorry but that LAX stop will take a minute). We get the tea from residents and business owners who've been waiting on this train for a few years. Next stop: Mar Vista -- to go shopping at the farmer's market, one of more than 100 in the coun...

#2: California is in a drought ... Again. LA has been facing water restrictions since June, and Angelenos have been a doing a pretty good job at conserving. The thing is, we gotta do more. It won't be easy, but we meet up with one long-time resident who shows us how it's possible. Guest List: Erin Stone, Climate Emergency Reporter, LAist Lynetta McElroy, Leimert Park resident and water conservatio...

#1: There's a lot you can learn by walking people's streets so How to L.A. will explore all the many neighborhoods of Los Angeles. Today, we start with West Adams, one of the oldest areas in LA. It also happens to be the neighborhood where HTLA host Brian De Los Santos grew up. Guests: Sandra Revolorio, West Adams thrift shop owner Mario Luna, father and West Adams resident

How to L.A. is the newest podcast from LAist Studios. Hosted by Brian De Los Santos, How to L.A. will show you how to make this city your own, in your own way... whether you’ve lived here a long time, or you just got here. We’re gonna explore LA’s neighborhoods…  talk about food and how to get outdoors. We’ll also get into complex issues like homelessness, and gentrification. We’re gonna learn tog...