How To LA
How to L.A. aims to drop a little knowledge about ALL the things that affect the people of Los Angeles, whether that’s something that makes our city great (tacos!) or something that we need to work on, like the alarming number of traffic collisions. We serve the curious Angeleno who wants to better connect with our city, discover the new, navigate the confusing and even drive some change along the way. Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live. This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.
Episodes
#271: We love LA over here, but perhaps no one is a bigger fan of our city than Evan Lovett, the guy behind the LA history and discovery show: "L.A. in a Minute!"
Today, How to LA host Brian De Los Santos sits down with Evan to talk about how he stumbled into his career as a content creator, what truly makes L.A. special AND some of his favorite spots around town that really reflect the city's flavor.
Guest: Evan Lovett, host of ...
#270: Today, we’re coming to you once again from the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, where we had the chance to speak with some local authors about their work. In this episode: Michael Arceneaux, the New York Times-bestselling author of “I Can’t Date Jesus,” “I Don’t Want To Die Poor,” and his latest book, “I Finally Bought Some Jordans"; and Amy Price, former general manager of the Cecil Hotel in downtown L.A., and author of ...
#269: Today, we’re coming to you from the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, where we had the chance to speak with some dope local authors about their work, about Los Angeles, and how it all connects for them. In this episode, my conversation with Héctor Tobar, the Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist and novelist.
#268:
HTLA is checking out some more movie history with a spotlight on the world tour, The Art of the Benshi, coming to L.A. on April 19-21. In this episode, HTLA producer Victoria Alejandro comes on to chat Japanese silent cinema and L.A. history with host Brian De Los Santos.
Benshi were the narrators of Japan's silent film era. These artists introduced films and also provided live narration, portraying characters, and articul...
#267: This is our second episode exploring downtown L.A. — part of our series on L.A. neighborhoods. Last time (episode #266), we covered some of the history of the area, and the ups and downs it's experienced over the years.
Today, we’re looking at its present and possible future, largely through Oliver Alpuche's story.
Oliver has lived in downtown L.A. for 16 years and he's a sort of ambassador to the neighborhood. He's also th...
#266: It’s been a minute since we explored a L.A. neighborhood on How To LA. We’ve been to Little Tokyo, West Adams and Sylmar before. Now, we’re in downtown.
But we’re not going to try to boil down the entire area in one episode.
Today, we’re going to get into the history of the ups and downs the area has seen over the years, and learn a lot from a walking tour of downtown put on by the Los Angeles Conservancy (led by docent Ro...
#265: It's time for another Food Fridays! And that means Gab Chabrán is hitting the streets with HTLA host Brian De Los Santos to grub on our favorite food: PIZZA.
LA is going through what many artisans are calling a pizza renaissance right now. Hundreds of gourmet pizzerias have popped up around L.A. in recent years, taking advantage of the abundance of fresh produce in the region and marrying uniquely SoCal flavors and influence...
#264:
Go back to the movies with us!
We're still profiling LA's repertory theaters in Revival House cause there are SO MANY to check out! In this episode, we explore a cool space with some deep, messy history.
Fashion label Brain Dead has taken over a site that some would consider....a little cursed. Originally opened in the 1940s as The Silent Movie Theater on Fairfax, the venue was home to premieres and parties. Until a theft...
#263: When it comes to historical design, Los Angeles doesn't top a lot of people's lists. Compared to a San Francisco or New York, L.A. can feel a lot... newer. But we do have those cities beat in one category: our streetlights.
Los Angeles has the most examples of historical designs of any city in the country.
So today we're going on a Streetlight Safari... and we're doing it with India Mandelkern, author of the new book, Elect...
Part 4: Half a year after Star Garden reopens as a union club, the dancers are still negotiating a contract. LAist producer Emma Alabaster brings you the latest. Plus, some of the dancers have set their sights on a different dream: a worker-owned cooperative strip club.
Here are some resources that informed our reporting:
#262: Hey, How to LA listeners! We’re back with another social calendar to talk about new and interesting happenings in the city.
Guests: Imperfect Paradise host Antonia Cereijido and TV and podcast host Dexter Thomas
Here’s what each person pitched:
- André 3000's flute album (or better yet, catching a live performance)
- In the market for a flute of your own? Hit up Guillermo Martinez (like André 3000 did)
- Getting work do...
#261:
Despite being a hub for all things film, Los Angeles doesn't have what could be described as a major film festival. But starting tomorrow, the brand new Los Angeles Festival of Movies is bringing festival highlights and world premieres to three independent venues around the city. Forget the cost of a pass, airfare and lodging in a town like Sundance -- folks in L.A. can attend screenings for just $20 a ticket.
Today we're c...
#260: Tens of thousands of Vietnamese immigrants rely on nail salons as an economic powerhouse: a an attractive option that lets them work hard and express their creativity, all without needing to learn English. But worker pay can sometimes dip below minimum wage, depending on individual manicurists' client lists.
This wouldn't be a legal problem if the manicurists were classified as "Gig Workers," and until recently that's exactl...
Part 3: The Star Garden Topless Dive Bar reopens as a union strip club, but the fight doesn’t end there. What happens after the victory? LAist Producer Emma Alabaster has the story.
Here are some resources that informed our reporting:
- Working It: Sex Workers on the Work of Sex (In particular, the essay "White Supremacy in Organizing" by Domino Rey)
- Yes, A Stripper Podcast
- Unequal Desires: Race and Erotic Capital in the S...
#259:
Are you ready to get dancing, Los Angeles?
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, yes, that iconic New York dance company, will be hitting the Music Center's stage here in Los Angeles. But this is more than just a tour. It's a homecoming.
In this episode, host Brian De Los Santos talks with HTLA's associate editor Aaricka Washington about her experience taking a community dance class with the company, and how it felt to be a...
#258: Los Angeles is spending nearly $4 million to clean up and fence off the Oceanwide Towers after the three abandoned buildings were covered with graffiti. Some people are glad to see the graffiti go, but others say they like what the murals represent, arguing that their removal is a bad use of tax dollars.
Meanwhile, LAist reporting shows the company who owns the Oceanwide towers has been linked to bribery and money laundering...
#257: Today, we’re saying goodbye to a space with a storied legacy in this city – the Conga Room. The Latin nightclub opened in 1998, and brought in artists ranging from Celia Cruz and Tito Puente to Maluma and Bad Bunny.
The club’s star studded list of investors included Jennifer Lopez, Sheila E., comedian Paul Rodriguez, and actor Jimmy Smits.
This week, the Conga Room is closing its doors.
#256: Today we’re gunna get moving!
In our next installment of our series on How Not To Be Lonely in LA, we’re covering all the ways moving in synchrony together promotes closeness. Really, it’s just an excellent way to make friends.
Luckily in LA, there are unlimited amounts of classes, courses, leagues and clubs one can join based on your particular interests. Whether it’s a dance class, sports league or a mixed martial arts tr...
#255:
We're back with another episode of Revival House, but this time we're not heading to a 100 year old theater...
The David Geffen and Ted Mann theaters at the Academy Museum of Motion Arts and Pictures are a new addition to L.A's revival programming. In this episode, we explore what the theaters, which only opened in 2021, have to offer our city's moviegoing landscape. And hopefully, we demystify what seeing a movie here is a...
#254: The National Register of Historic Places is the federal government’s official list of locations it considers worthy of preservation. There are more than 98,000 places on the register, and about 600 of them are in L.A. County.
Angeleno Etan Rosenbloom is on a quest to visit them all. Since 2021, he's visted more than 200 spots in L.A., and he chronicles his journeys on his website and social media accounts, all titled "Etan D...
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