#101: We've all heard everyone's hot takes in recent months about AI, ChatGPT and other developments in machine learning. AI has also been a key point in negotiations between the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. AND one of the many reasons writers have been on strike since the start of May. But can AI really write the next critical hit? Today, we explore what artificial intelligence really is, how technology like ChatGPT is changing the game a...
May 16, 2023•17 min•Ep. 101
#100: Silver Lake and hipsterdom may go hand in hand, but tucked between the murals, high-end shops and corporate chains, there are some stellar, chef-driven eats to be found at a bargain. The HTLA team is celebrating 100 episodes by eating their way down Sunset... joined yet again by LAist food editor, Gab Chabrán. Check out his write-up to find his full list of neighborhood knock-outs: Cheap Fast Eats, Silver Lake Edition: Hong Kong-Style French Toast, 'Bomb AF' Mariscos Tacos, And — Of Course...
May 11, 2023•23 min•Ep. 100
#99: I’m sure you’ve noticed... fast fashion brands have become super popular over the past 30 years. Before fast fashion hit the market – beginning with Zara in the 70s and Forever 21 in the 80s – fashion brands produced clothes seasonally. Most Americans purchase new clothing only a few times a year. These days, Americans buy a new piece of clothing on average every five days. And in more recent years, a new cohort of companies have taken it to the next level. Many may think fast fashion is be...
May 10, 2023•24 min•Ep. 99
#98: Today we're diving deep into the history of Queer LA. Our LA Explained reporter, Caitlin Hernández, is taking us back in time to explain how West Hollywood became recognized as a mecca for LA's gay community. It's part of their research for the LAist series, Queer LA, where Caitlin's highlighting the joy, culture, and history of queerness in this city. You can find more of their reporting at laist.com/QueerLA Music in this episode composed by: Rae Bourbon, Austin Cross, Kylie Minogue, Masay...
May 09, 2023•15 min•Ep. 98
#97: "The writer's room is completely being decimated. It's no longer a big room with professional writers. Now it's mini rooms. It's like, you know, four to six people expected to do all the work that 10 to 12, 13 people used to do in the past." - TV writer Rafael Agustin Being a Hollywood writer these days isn't quite what it used to be. Writers say everything started to change with the rapid rise of streaming services: Netflix, Amazon, Apple…and ALL those limited series they are known for, li...
May 04, 2023•13 min•Ep. 97
#96: Hollywood writers are officially on strike. The Writers Guild of America failed to reach a deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers on Monday night, forcing the walk out. The two sides were negotiating over things like pay and residuals, which have decreased significantly with the onset of streaming services like Netflix, Amazon and Apple. Today we’re gonna talk about why this is happening, and why it matters. Because when writers go on strike, a lot of different pe...
May 03, 2023•15 min•Ep. 96
#95: HTLA host Brian De Los Santos has been sharing his experiences living with DACA – and returning to Mexico for the first time ever – in our special series, Finding Home con DACA. If you haven't heard those yet, that'd be a good place to start. The series was intended to be three episodes long... But, as is often the case with this kind of wide-scoped project, we found more threads to pull on as we were wrapping things up. One big loose end was the fact that so many immigrants who came to the...
May 02, 2023•18 min•Ep. 95
(Update) #2: Despite all the rain and snow, LA still has its water restrictions in place from June of 2022. Angelenos have been a doing a pretty good job at conserving... But even though it might look like we're sitting on a major water surplus, all that rain and snow only covers our water needs for about a year. So... what DO you do with a water surplus? Well, you save it. Last fall, HTLA host Brian De Los Santos and LAist climate emergency reporter Erin Stone met up with a sustainability role ...
Apr 27, 2023•13 min•Ep. 2
#42: We're celebrating Earth Week by bringing you some of our favorite outdoor episodes. This episode first aired on December 1, 2022. Southern California has more wild food than you might expect. There's a long history of foraging in and around Los Angeles. These foods have been everything from staples for indigenous communities, to delicacies for high-end chefs. (and, of course, food for critters!) Today, Jess Starwood is taking HTLA host Brian De Los Santos on a foraging hike. He tries his ha...
Apr 25, 2023•14 min•Ep. 42
#94: Are you all composting at home? Well, you should be, because we're now kind of required to by law! California’s landmark composting mandate went into effect in January of 2022. It states that all residents and businesses must separate “green waste” from other trash. To comply, LA developed a new composting program called “organics recycling,” but roll out has been complex, especially for multifamily residences. Today, How To LA and LAist's climate emergency reporter, Erin Stone, go to Park ...
Apr 24, 2023•16 min•Ep. 94
#93: How to LA host Brian De Los Santos arrived in the U.S. from Mexico at the age of 2. He found out as a teenager that he was undocumented. Then he got DACA - deferred action childhood arrivals. He was able to get a driver’s license, qualify for in state college tuition and establish a path to a good career. But even under DACA Brian wasn’t able to the leave the county... until he qualified for something called “Advance Parole,” earlier this year. It's a program that allows DACA recipients to ...
Apr 20, 2023•17 min•Ep. 93
#92: The Bob Baker Marionette Theater is a legit L.A. institution. It opened in 1963 in Echo Park and, after the first building was sold to a real-estate developer, it reopened in Highland Park in 2019. Now, it might not seem like an obvious place to connect with Latino and LGBT communities in L.A., but you might be surprised! When HTLA producer Victoria Alejandro took our host Brian De Los Santos to the theater's ¡Fiesta! puppet show, they were delighted by what they discovered. Bob Baker himse...
Apr 19, 2023•12 min•Ep. 92
#91: There's all sorts of things we probably want to change about our neighborhoods. Maybe it's a desire for speed humps or public trash cans ...or fewer parties at the Airbnb down the street. Whatever it is, those issues probably can be addressed with the help of your neighborhood council - it's a volunteer group made up, most likely, of your neighbors. There's roughly 99 of them in the city and the folks who serve on these councils can often be that direct link to your city councilmember and o...
Apr 18, 2023•15 min•Ep. 91
#90: Happy wildflower season! Have you seen all the wildflowers popping up around the city and beyond lately? One of the wettest winters on record has paid off, and SoCal's spectacular array of wildflowers is our reward. Today, botanist Evan Meyer tells us all about this season's special bloom, which, due to the rain, will continue for months to come in what is called a "constant" bloom. California is one of the few places in the world that experiences this explosion of color beginning each spri...
Apr 14, 2023•15 min•Ep. 90
#89: How to LA host Brian De Los Santos arrived in the U.S. from Mexico at the age of 2. He found out as a teenager that he was undocumented. Then he got DACA -- Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. It let him get a driver’s license, get a work permit and helped him build a successful career as a journalist. But even with DACA, Brian wasn’t able to the leave the county to visit even visit family. That is, until he qualified for something called “Advance Parole.” In part 2 of Finding Home con ...
Apr 13, 2023•19 min•Ep. 89
#88: Since 2019, several Black women have founded literary spaces in Los Angeles that hold more than just books; they offer places where people can gather and find community. There’s Salt Eaters in Inglewood, Reparations Club near West Adams, the Radical Hood Library — home to the No Name Book Club — near Jefferson Park. Last month Octavia’s Bookshelf opened in Pasadena, named for beloved science fiction author Octavia Butler. There's also Our Watts Bookshop , which is currently online with plan...
Apr 12, 2023•12 min•Ep. 88
#5: To celebrate the sun shining and being outdoors, we want to bring you one of our first episodes, highlighting the real need for more trees and parks is Los Angeles. This episode first aired on September 7, 2022. 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 no...
Apr 11, 2023•12 min•Ep. 5
BONUS: This week we're dropping an episode from California Love: K-Pop Dreaming. There’s no better place to experience K-Pop fandom in all of its passion and glory than KCON. In the span of a decade, the annual fan convention has grown to a nationwide event drawing hundreds of thousands of fans. And just like many things K-Pop-related in the US – the extravaganza started right here in Southern California. Vivian and her childhood friends visit KCON held in downtown Los Angeles to witness the imp...
Apr 07, 2023•34 min
#87: Brian is surprised by a letter from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. It’s his Advance Parole document. He can travel to Mexico – his country of birth – for the first time in 30 years. The days ahead become a sprint to prepare and make travel plans. He only has a month to return to the U.S., or he could lose DACA and be denied reentry. "Finding Home con DACA" is a special three-part series from LAist Studios and How To LA. Part 1 follows Brian as he prepares for his journey and div...
Apr 06, 2023•20 min•Ep. 87
#86: HTLA is exploring another neighborhood - this time Montecito Heights. You may be thinking, where the heck is that? (Don't feel bad, so were we!). It's a tiny town in Northeast L.A., just across from better-known Mount Washington, adjacent to the famous Debs Park. We talk to the unofficial town mayor, Hans Maas, an 81-year-old fashion designer who makes clothing for Taylor Swift, Pharrell Williams and other stars, who has been living there for more than 30 years. This hilly enclave is filled...
Apr 05, 2023•13 min•Ep. 86
#85: We’re back with another segment of How I Got Started, highlighting dope Angelenos in different fields. From the arts, to entertainment, to advocacy – we're talking to people who are doing cool things you should know about. Gina Young wears a bunch of hats: theater director, musician, songwriter, DJ... But there’s a common thread in their work: they create community, and foster spaces that LA's queer folk are hungry for. Join HTLA host Brian De Los Santos as he talks to Gina about all the ab...
Apr 04, 2023•14 min•Ep. 85
BONUS: For many LA Latinx teens coming of age in the 2000s, flier parties and the party crew scene were an escape from the pressures from immigrant parents and the harsh realities of the world. From VICE and LAist Studios as part of the My Cultura Podcast Network, a series that explores what happens when your safe space isn’t always safe. Hosted by Janice Llamoca. Support Party Crews and other LAist Studios podcasts by donating now at LAist.com/join...
Mar 31, 2023•39 min
#84: COVID-era eviction protections for renters are set to expire on March 31. This time, there are no more extensions. What can renters and landlords expect? What ripple effects might this have on the county? How To L.A.'s host Brian De Los Santos speaks with LAist's David Wagner and Julia Barajas about the policies at play and who is most affected. You can find more of David's and Julia's reporting on Laist.com: https://laist.com/news/housing-homelessness/los-angeles-county-city-covid-19-pande...
Mar 30, 2023•11 min•Ep. 84
#83: Homelessness will be a major challenge for whoever wins the special election to fill the seat once occupied by disgraced former L.A. City Council President, Nury Martinez. The area she used to represent, Council District 6, has the highest concentration of unhoused people in the San Fernando Valley. And in District 6, that means more than 500 people living in about 400 vans and RVs that line the streets of neighborhoods like Van Nuys and Sun Valley. HTLA host Brian De Los Santos is walking ...
Mar 29, 2023•13 min•Ep. 83
#82: Last week, more than 60,000 workers and teachers in the nation's second largest school district went on strike. It was led by SEIU Local 99 — members of the Service Employees International Union, representing about 30,000 essential workers in Los Angeles Unified. These are LAUSD's bus drivers, teachers’ aides, custodians food service workers and other school workers – and they're among the lowest paid workers in the district. The teacher's union joined in solidarity. On Friday, after three ...
Mar 28, 2023•12 min•Ep. 82
#81: Cheap Fast Eats is back with it's first ever late-night extravaganza. And where else but Koreatown? The historic neighborhood features delicious foods from a variety of cultures, from Korean to Oaxacan, and everything in between. Join Gab Chabrán and Brian De Los Santos as they eat their way through LA's late-night neighborhood. Featured Restaurants: Love Hour, Guelaguetza, and Two Hands Corn Dogs. Check out Gab's full list of Koreatown's Cheap Fast Eats over on LAist.com: https://laist.com...
Mar 23, 2023•17 min•Ep. 81
#80. For many Latino kids in the 2000s in L.A., the party crew scene was it. There were "underground" parties happening in places all over the SGV and Eastside neighborhoods that provided spaces to make friends, have fun and escape the pressures of immigrant parents and the harsh realities of the world. But there were risks. There were shootings and police raids. Many adults saw the scene as gang-adjacent and the media fueled negative stereotypes of kids who were out of control. One of the teens...
Mar 22, 2023•16 min•Ep. 80
#79: The winners of the 38th annual LA Marathon. were elite runners Stacy Ndiwa, with a time of 2 hours and 31 minutes, and Jemal Yimer with a time of 2 hours, 13 minutes and 13 seconds. In total, about 20,000 people completed the race on Sunday, including our very own newsletter writer, Aaricka Washington, who ran that 26.2 miles in a little over 6 hours. It was the first time she's run a marathon and she says she'll do it again. Today she's joining Brian De Los Santos for a look back at her tr...
Mar 20, 2023•17 min•Ep. 79
#78: L.A. is the music capital of the world. It's where all the big studios are, almost every famous musician lives here, there are major concerts every night of the week. BUT, with huge price tags for concerts these days (and soaring ticketing platform fees...) it can feel hard to find places to see live music that are actually accessible (i.e. free or cheap). Today, HTLA producers Evan Jacoby and Megan Botel take you to a few spots around town where you can see live music without breaking the ...
Mar 17, 2023•14 min•Ep. 78
#77: Lots of Angelinos live without a car – and hundreds of thousands of people here don't use a car in their daily commute. But... it is definitely NOT the norm. HTLA Producer Evan Jacoby recently joined the car-less when he switched to a bike last fall. Today, he's showing fellow producer Megan Botel his work commute. And they're talking with people across LA about how limiting their car use, or even going car-free, changed their lives for the better. Guests: Fabian Santiago, Sahian Huesca, &a...
Mar 15, 2023•17 min•Ep. 77
