How To LA – Details, episodes & analysis

#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

#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

#181: Revival House – our weekly love letter to vintage and indie theaters across LA – will be back next week. Today, we're revisiting the episode from last fall that inspired the series, profiling the recently reopened Egyptian Theater in Hollywood.

Original episode description below.

The historic Egyptian Theater in Hollywood officially reopened its doors after a three-year closure and extensive renovation. It's sale to Netflix in 2020 drew some criticism but moviegoers so far have been enthusiastic about it being able to sit in its seats once again to watch a film. 

The theater has a long history in Los Angeles. When Sid Grauman first opened it in 1922 it helped establish Hollywood as a destination and the city as a place for the movies. 

How to LA producer Victoria Alejandro caught a movie herself at the Egyptian and joined host Brian De Los Santos to talk about the significance of it opening back up. 

Additional Guests: Ross Melnick, theater historian who teaches film and media at the University of California at Santa Barbara, and Grant Moninger, Artistic Director at the American Cinematheque

#241: California universities are supposed to provide abortion medication to students who are need of it, thanks to a law that went into effect early in 2023. But a lot of students don't know this as many of these campuses fail to mention it.  

In their latest reporting, LAist senior health reporter Jackie Fortiér and higher education correspondent Adolfo Guzman-Lopez recently put the spotlight on this issue and how students are trying to fill the silence. 

Guest: LAist senior health reporter Jackie Fortiér 

Read Jackie and Adolfo's reporting here: 

California Universities Are Required To Offer Students Abortion Pills. A Lot Just Don't Mention It

Where California Universities Go Quiet On Abortion, Students Fill In The Silence

#240: For the next installment of our finding community series, we're talking music! 

Writer's 'Round LA is a Nashville-style, singer-songwriter showcase and hang for artists and non-artists alike. Think a 60s or 70s era Laurel Canyon open mic night. Good vibes all around.  

Today, producer Megan Botel explores how people are creating strong connections and building community through groups like Writer's 'Round LA. 

Guests: Greg Gilman, singer, songwriter for Greg in Good Company and founder of Writer's 'Round LA; Kat Hamilton, curator for Writer's 'Round LA and singer-songwriter. 

Here are the musicians you heard in the episode, check them out! 

Leah Ashton, listen to her latest album here.

Erica Dawson (who has a show coming up). 

Dylan Kanner, who played the open mic. Check out his dreamy music. 

Greg In Good Company, check out their new single, "Home."

#239: Cheap Fast Eats is back! Did you miss us? It's our monthly segment featuring LAist food editor Gab Chabrán and all his favorite spots to grab a quick and inexpensive meal throughout L.A. This time we're in Boyle Heights - the true East Side, for those who know.

Come along as we eat our way through some rainy day comfort food.

Restaurants featured in this episode: Pioneer Chicken, Brooklyn Ave Pizza, Mariscos Jalisco

For Gab's full list of Cheap Fast Eats in Boyle Heights, check out his article on LAist.com: 
https://laist.com/brief/news/food/cheap-fast-eats-chow-down-in-historic-boyle-heights-for-10

#238: As we continue our series "Revival House," How to LA producer Victoria Alejandro is taking us to The New Beverly Cinema over in Fairfax, where movies are always on film.

The theater, owned by Quentin Tarantino, has a long history as complex as LA's. Join us as we explore the building's history and discover what makes it a special place to catch a double feature today. 

Guests: Theater and operations manager Jules McLean, projectionist Danielle Wakin, and film professor and theater historian Ross Melnick. 

#237: Today we’re talking about Lunar New Year and how it’s celebrated in this city — from the 125th anniversary of the Golden Dragon Parade to a student-run lion dance team at UCLA.

Guests:

• Jenny Lin, board member of the Chinese American Museum
• ACA Lion Dance team coordinators: Kristine Ly, Laura Kubiatko and Samuel Lu
• Alexis Wong, former ACA Lion Dance team coordinator
• Scarlett Yen, event manager of the Golden Dragon Parade, Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles

Upcoming Lunar New Year events:

• Golden Dragon Parade, Saturday February 17th
• Alhambra Lunar New Year Festival, Sunday February 18th
• Spring Fest at the Chinese American Museum, March 2nd

*Editor's note: This episode has been updated with a clarification about the origins of the Golden Dragon Parade in L.A.

#236: Sick of dating apps? It's almost Valentine's Day, so How To LA is mixing things up...and going speed dating! 

It's part of series we are running with every Tuesday, over the next 4 weeks, that examines feelings of loneliness in this town and how people are dealing with it by making new connections in the city.

Given this time of year, we are going with romantic connections. In a city that's perceived as being very hard to date in, speed dating is gaining in popularity, especially among Gen Z. 

How To LA host Brian De Los Santos and producer Megan Botel went to two speed dating events – one for straight folks and one for LGBTQ folks – to check out how this whole thing works and give you some tips! 

They also speak to dating and relationship expert Damona Hoffman for some advice. 

Guests: Damona Hoffman, certified dating and relationship coach and author of "F The Fairytale"; Andrea Ramirez, founder of The Next Fun Thing (Love In LA); David Greenberg, chief operating officer of The Next Fun Thing (Love In LA)