How To LA

#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 s...

#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...

#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 a...

#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...

#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. Restau...

#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...

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 st...

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 fam...

#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...

#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...

#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...

#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 enoug...

LA was rocked on March 4 when Dave Fink, a golf influencer, posted a viral video on Instagram detailing how brokers - largely using a Korean messenger app- were snatching up prime time tees at Los Angeles’ public golf courses and reselling them. Here’s how an unlikely crew of golf enthusiasts’ fight to keep golf in L.A. accessible and affordable is paying off. Host Antonia Cereijido reports.   Gro...

Passing the Mantle is a new podcast from LAist Studios about family, curiosity and the things that change — and stay the same — across generations. It's co-hosted by Larry Mantle, host of LAist 89.3’s AirTalk , the longest-running daily talk show in Southern California, and his son Desmond Mantle. Even though Desmond is in law school pursuing a different career, he shares his dad’s fascination wit...

BONUS: The Tournament of Cheeseburgers is over! And we have your winner. Read alll about it here: https://laist.com/news/food/drumroll-please-we-announce-the-winner-of-the-laist-tournament-of-cheeseburgers This pop up joint along with some of the runner ups will be at Smorgasburg at The Row in DTLA this Sunday! Make sure to check out the free event and enjoy some excellent food. RSVP here: https:/...

#284: Happy 4th of July! It's the last day of our holiday Cheap Fast Eats marathon. Whether you're hosting the BBQ for your family and friends - OR you're just kicking it solo - if you're anything like us, the summer is all about FOOD. So kick back and enjoy some fireworks, or protect your dog from the big spooky boom booms, and do it while noshing on some of the best food L.A. has to offer. Origi...

#239: Today we're continuing our holiday marathon of Cheap Fast Eats! Whether you're hosting the BBQ for your family and friends - OR you're just kicking it solo - if you're anything like us, the summer is all about FOOD. So kick back and enjoy some fireworks, or protect your dog from the big spooky boom booms, and do it while noshing on some of the best food L.A. has to offer. Original episode de...

#193: What better way to celebrate the summer's favorite holiday than a marathon of Cheap Fast Eats! Whether you're hosting the BBQ for your family and friends - OR you're just kicking it solo - if you're anything like us, the summer is all about FOOD. So kick back and enjoy some fireworks, or protect your dog from the big spooky boom booms, and do it while noshing on some of the best food L.A. ha...

#134: The great thing about Los Angeles is that you can do the urban thing – go to museums, clubs, concerts and eat at good restaurants – and you can get out in nature whenever you want... or need.  There are ton a beautiful parks, sunset spots and hiking trails right in the middle of the city. Or if you are feeling more adventurous, you can venture out to farther flung places across the county. ...

Carol Kwang Park was 12 years old, working as a cashier at her family’s gas station in Compton, California, when the 1992 LA Uprising forever changed her life. Her mom was at the gas station that day and Carol was unsure if she’d even make it home. At the time, she didn’t understand why tensions came to a head in Los Angeles, following the acquittal of the officers who beat Rodney King. She also n...

#295: Don't get us wrong, we LOVE Los Angeles... but sometimes we just gotta get out. You know the feeling? Well, if you're looking for some inspiration for some summer day-trips, about 3 hours or less away from the city, we got you covered. From Santa Cruz Island to Idyllwild, we have some of suggestions for high adventure and a few ideas if you just want to chill and enjoy a new scene. Check out...

Today we have another story from LA On The Margins, the collection of stories produced by students at USC where every episode we profile an Angeleno struggling in some way to make it in this city. This time, a transition home that aims to help those who’ve struggled with their mental health and/or a history of addiction.  For years, LA county has funded programs to address cycles of incarceration...

Editor's Note: We mistakenly said in the version of this podcast that the Paris Olympics started at the end of June. It kicks off at the end of July and THAT will start the countdown until the games come to Los Angeles in 2028. During the 2028 games, the L.A. Memorial Coliseum will again host the track and field and Para Athletics events, making it the only stadium in history to host these competi...

Today we're bringing you another installment of LA on the Margins. This is a collection of pieces produced by students at USC, which profile people in our community as they work through the many challenges we face in our city. Along South L.A.’s Figueroa Corridor, activists have been calling for the closure of motels they say are complicit in sex trafficking and drug dealing. A campaign called “Fr...