Jill Replogle
covers public corruption, debates over our voting system, culture war battles — and more.
Published January 8, 2025 4:53 PM
Evacuees from the Palisades Fire at an evacuation and shelter center at Westwood Recreation Center.
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Agustin Paullier
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AFP
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Topline:
As residents begin to recover from the Palisades and Eaton fires, here’s where you can get help finding housing, filing a FEMA claim, child care and more.
This is a truncated list so check out the full story below.
Housing for people and pets
211 LA is partnering with Airbnb and Hilton to offer free temporary housing for people displaced from their homes by fire. Start by filling out this form.
Dogtopia of East Pasadena is offering three free overnight stays for pups from families displaced by fire and a 50% discount afterwards, (626) 699-8577
Food/Drink/Park/Recharge
Planet Fitness locations in L.A. are offering anyone affected by the fires, including first responders, free access to their facilities, including showers, locker rooms, and WiFi. Contact the club near you for more information and hours
AT&T and T-mobile are offering people in fire-affected areas unlimited talk, text and data through Feb. 6 (if you don’t already have an unlimited plan). Check their website for a list of included ZIP codes
Other resource lists
Mutual Aid LA Network has put together an extensive list of resources for fire evacuees and folks who want to help
Know of something that should be on this list? Email us.
LAist relies on reader donations to power our nonprofit newsroom's coverage of wildfire and breaking news. Support LAist by giving now.
Among the few bright spots when disasters hit are the ways in which community members and businesses step up to support those who need it most. The state and county have both set up websites designed to be one-stop shops for victims of the fires that tore through L.A. neighborhoods in January:
LA County Recovers is a county site which includes the latest news on the recovery process, how to apply for disaster aid, get tax relief and connect with key county agencies like the department of child support services.
This state website has links to get help online with food, housing, and replacing documents, and information on the process to clean up and return to neighborhoods.
LAist is also maintaining this list of places where you can get a shower, shelter, food and more.
Note that this is an evolving list. Needs and supplies will shift and change in the days and weeks ahead. Check social media channels before you head out in case supplies or needs have changed. You could try calling as well, but know that many places will not have the capacity to staff phone lines.
If you have a question — or if you know a resource that should be on this list — please let us know.
Do you have a question about the wildfires or fire recovery?
Check out LAist.com/FireFAQs to see if your question has already been answered. If not, submit your questions here, and we’ll do our best to get you an answer.
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Housing/shelter
211 LA is partnering with Airbnb to offer free temporary shelter for people displaced from their homes by fire. Start by filling out this form.
Hilton is making 20,000 free hotel room nights available to people affected by the fires. If you've already filled out an application with 211 LA (see above), you don't need to apply separately. If you haven't filled out an application, start here.
The local hotel association is maintaining a list of hotels in and around L.A. with available space, including whether and what kind of discounts they're offering to fire victims and evacuees.
Transportation
LA Metro is offering free fares while fire conditions exist. All rail lines are running their regular service. Find the latest service alerts due to the fires here. LA Metro also has a map of donation and evacuation centers, animal care centers, and other resources near Metro lines.
LA Metro has also modified eligibility requirements for its reduced fare program to help fire victims get back on their feet. They're helping people enroll at FEMA recovery centers and Red Cross shelters.
Replacing documents
L.A. County residents directly impacted by fires can request property records, business filings, and vital records (like birth and marriage certificates) free of charge to help with recovery efforts.
YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles is opening its locations that aren't affected by the fires for temporary shelter, showers, basic amenities, and mental health support. They have also teamed up with L.A. Unified School District to provide childcare services for essential workers and affected families until schools reopen. Register on their website.
L.A. County is offering free day camps for children ages 5-17 from homes under mandatory evacuation or otherwise significantly impacted by the fires. Monday through Friday through Jan. 31. As of Jan. 23, there was a waitlist. More information here.
L.A. City's Recreation and Parks Department is offering day camps and teen centers for kids impacted by the Palisades fire through Jan. 31 at Mar Vista Recreation Center and Oakwood Recreation Center, although there were also waitlists for these programs as of Jan. 23. More info, or to be added to the waitlist, on their website.
Family reunification assistance
If you need assistance locating or connecting with someone impacted by the wildfires, or you want to inform your family of your safety, the Red Cross may be able to help. Complete this Red Cross Inquiry form or contact the Red Cross at (800) 675-5799
FEMA claims
If you have experienced a loss during these fires, please file a FEMA claim so they can help begin the process of securing you the aid you deserve.
Disaster Resource Centers — which are intended to be a one-stop shop for fire victims and can help with a variety of needs beyond FEMA claims — are open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the following locations:
Westside
UCLA Research Park West, 10850 West Pico Blvd., Los Angeles
Eastside
Altadena Disaster Recovery Center, 540 W Woodbury Rd., Altadena
Digital equity nonprofit Human-I-T is offering fire victims free laptops and hotspots with three months of free internet service. Fill out a simple form to get more information.
Other resources for furry and four-legged friends:
spcaLA is also taking in animals affected by the fires, 5026 W. Jefferson Blvd., Los Angeles
Dogtopia of East Pasadena is offering three free overnight stays for pups from families displaced by fire and a 50% discount afterwards, (626) 699-8577
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has a Disaster Distress Helpline for disaster victims experiencing anxiety, stress, or other emotional distress. Callers can talk with a trained counselor 24/7 in multiple languages, (800) 985-5990
For displaced businesses and nonprofits
The county has launched a portal for displaced businesses and nonprofits in need of temporary space to operate.
The co-working firm Industrious is offering free office hours and other resources for fire victims. Find a location near you here.
The co-working firm International Workplace Group (Spaces, Regus, HQ) is also offering free work space for fire victims. Download the app on the App Store or Google Play or call (800) 633-4237, then present a business card at one of the locations, and register for the day.
Boomtown Brewery in the Arts District is offering to open its tap room during the day for those who need a place to be and/or WiFi, email or DM on Instagram
Food, rest, recharge, rebuild
EBT Users impacted by the recent wildfires in California can now use EBT benefits to purchase hot, ready-to-eat meals in Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, San Bernardino and Kern counties. This benefit is available until Feb. 8, 2025. Details here.
Planet Fitness locations in L.A. are offering anyone affected by the fires, including first responders, free access to their facilities, including showers, massage chairs, locker rooms, and WiFi. Contact the club near you for more information and hours
Chuze Fitness is also opening its doors to fire victims and first responders. Find a location near you here.
AT&T is offering people in fire-affected areas unlimited talk, text and data through Feb. 6 (if you don’t already have an unlimited plan). Check their website for a list of included ZIP codes
T-mobile is also offering unlimited talk, text and data to customers in cities affected by the fires through Feb. 15.
Verizon has a free wifi spot open at 23841 Malibu Rd., Malibu from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Odyssey Games in Pasadena is offering their shop to evacuees to charge cell phones, use the restroom, and grab a snack, 1795 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena
Octavia's Bookshelf is collecting water, air purifiers, and gift cards for fire victims. The store is transitioning to be a healing center for fire victims, with plans to offer therapy sessions, writing workshops and more. Watch their Instagram account for updates, 1353 N. Hill Ave., Pasadena
U-Haul is offering 30-days of self-storage and U-box rentals for free to fire evacuees and affected families: 92 facilities are participating, in L.A., Orange County, the Inland Empire and elsewhere. Check this document for contact info
Other resource lists
Mutual Aid LA Network has put together an extensive list of resources for fire evacuees and folks who want to help
The Jewish Federation of Los Angeles has compiled a list of resources for fire victims and evacuees, including legal and mental health support
Mariana Dale
explores and explains the forces that shape how and what kids learn from kindergarten to high school.
Published August 11, 2026 4:44 PM
An aerial view of the clean-up process at the Lineage warehouse on Friday, July 31, 2026. LAUSD reports there are dozens of schools within a three-mile radius of the fire.
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Allen J. Schaben
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Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
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Topline:
Los Angeles Unified School District officials said environmental tests have concluded the Boyle Heights warehouse fire did not result in widespread contamination at nearby schools. However, on Tuesday they reported lead levels in the soil at two elementary school campuses that exceeded California’s acceptable threshold.
Why it matters: Officials announced the results one day before classes resume at dozens of schools within a three-mile radius of the Lineage warehouse. The school district promised to give families advance notice of testing results ahead of the start of school on Wednesday. Those results were posted in a 561-page document uploaded to a district website Tuesday morning.
The district’s Office of Environmental Health and Safety concluded that schools near the disaster “remain safe for occupancy and that the Lineage fire did not result in widespread residual contamination or conditions at LAUSD campuses posing a health hazard to students or staff.”
The two campuses with high levels of lead: Officialssaid they found elevated levels of lead in soil samples from two schools. City Terrace Elementary School had 170 milligrams of lead per kilogram of soil, while Christopher Dena Elementary School had 120 milligrams. Both exceeded the 80 milligram threshold considered “acceptable” by the California Department of Toxic Substances Control.
What district officials are saying: Carlos Torres, director of LAUSD’s Office of Environmental Health and Safety, told LAist the district doesn’t believe the lead is tied to the warehouse fire. “Most likely this could be from things like lead-based paints from use in the past. It could be from agricultural use,” Torres said. “There isn't such a thing as clean soil anywhere.”
What's next: Torres said the front lawn at City Terrace and the tree wells at Dena, where elevated levels of lead were detected, have been fenced off. He said district staff are reviewing the lab results and could decide to conduct more testing, remove or otherwise remediate the soil, for example, by laying down mulch.
How families can learn more: The district plans to hold another virtual meeting for East L.A. parents on Monday, August 17 at 6 p.m.
This is a developing story. LAist will update this post as more information is available.
Los Angeles Unified School District officials said environmental tests have concluded the Boyle Heights warehouse fire did not result in widespread contamination at nearby schools.
However, on Tuesday they reported lead levels in the soil at two elementary school campuses that exceeded California’s acceptable threshold. Officials announced the results one day before classes resume at dozens of schools within a three-mile radius of the Lineage warehouse.
The district promised to give families advance notice of testing results ahead of the start of school on Wednesday. Those results were posted in a 561-page document uploaded to a district website Tuesday morning.
The district’s Office of Environmental Health and Safety concluded that schools near the disaster “remain safe for occupancy and that the Lineage fire did not result in widespread residual contamination or conditions at LAUSD campuses posing a health hazard to students or staff.”
District officials said indoor and outdoor testing found the presence of ammonia, formaldehyde and manganese, but at low levels that did not raise concern about fire-related contamination that could harm the health of students or school staff.
While some parents have told LAist they feel safe sending their children to schools in the area, others have said they’re worried about potential health impacts from the fire, which covered the neighborhood in smoke for more than a week and left tons of food to rot in the sun.
Two campuses with elevated lead levels
Officialssaid they found elevated levels of lead in soil samples from two elementary schools. City Terrace Elementary School had 170 milligrams of lead per kilogram of soil, while Christopher Dena Elementary School had 120 milligrams. Both exceeded the 80 milligram threshold considered “acceptable” by the California Department of Toxic Substances Control.
Carlos Torres, director of LAUSD’s Office of Environmental Health and Safety, told LAist the district doesn’t believe the lead is tied to the warehouse fire.
“Most likely this could be from things like lead-based paints from use in the past. It could be from agricultural use,” Torres said. “There isn't such a thing as clean soil anywhere.”
How the testing works
LAUSD tested 10 schools out of the more than 50 campuses located within a three-mile radius of the Lineage warehouse.
The report said the schools were selected based on their proximity to the warehouse and in relation to wind patterns that may have influenced where the fire smoke deposited contaminants. The district also tested one school farther from the fire, but similar to those near the warehouse because of its proximity to other industrial sites and a freeway.
The tests were conducted from July 28 to August 7.
The district collected:
Dust wipe samples from indoor and outdoor spaces including desks, drinking fountains, tables, and playgrounds
Soil samples from unpaved areas and gardens
Air samples from indoor and outdoor areas including athletic fields, classrooms and gyms
The district tested for substances that included metals identified as potential contaminants from the fire, including arsenic, lead, lithium and manganese, as well as ammonia, formaldehyde and hydrogen fluoride in the air.
The report said the district consulted with an industrial hygienist, a UCLA researcher, a geologist and a third-party environmental consulting firm to create the testing plan.
District officials have described their response to the warehouse fire in several virtual meetings, including:
Inspecting and twice replacing air-conditioning filters with those rated MERV-13, an indicator of the filter’s ability to trap small particles
Deep cleaning, including by washing walls and furniture, waxing floors and pressure-washing outdoor areas and playground equipment
Placing air purifiers with carbon charcoal filters in all classrooms
What's next
Torres said the front lawn at City Terrace and the tree wells at Dena, where elevated levels of lead were detected, have been fenced off. He said district staff are reviewing the lab results and could decide to conduct more testing that could lead to the removal or remediation of the soil, for example, by laying down mulch.
Julia Barajas
is following the impact of President Trump's immigration policies on Southern California communities.
Published August 11, 2026 3:22 PM
An ad inside Alexandra Lozano Kennedy's office in Commerce.
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Julia Barajas
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LAist
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Topline:
Alexandra Lozano Kennedy, a former immigration attorney who made wide use of social media and Latino religious iconography to attract clientele — had offices across the country, including one in the city of Commerce in Southeast L.A. Because she has been suspended from practicing due to alleged misconduct, immigrant advocates have provided guidance on what former clients can do to track and manage their cases.
Why it matters: Lozano Kennedy, who had tens of thousands of clients, is accused of falsifying stories of trafficking and abuse without her clients’ knowledge, according to lawsuits and immigrant advocates. She is also accused of using nonlawyers to perform client consultations and provide legal advice.
What do advocates recommend? If you were represented by Lozano Kennedy and have petitions or applications pending before USCIS, the Immigrant Legal Resource Center and Loyola Law School’s Immigrant Justice Clinic have provided guidance for former clients. M. Lucero Ortiz, the supervising attorney at the clinic, stressed that these are all steps community members can take for themselves, without the help of an attorney.
Read on... for more on how this fraud has affected Angelenos.
Alexandra Lozano Kennedy — a former immigration attorney who made wide use of social media and Latino religious iconography to attract clientele — had offices across the U.S., including one in the city of Commerce in Southeast L.A.
Lozano Kennedy was licensed by the Washington State Bar Association, which enabled her to represent clients nationwide. In May, she resigned in lieu of discipline for misconduct and is permanently barred from practicing law in that state. As of June 2026, she is also suspended from practicing before the Department of Homeland Security, including U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services; immigration courts; and the Board of Immigration Appeals.
Lozano Kennedy, who had tens of thousands of clients, is accused of falsifying stories of trafficking and abuse without her clients’ knowledge, according to lawsuits and immigrant advocates.
At her office in Los Angeles County, clients were met with a large image of the Virgin of Guadalupe in the reception area, flanked by flowers and votive candles, much like a scene inside a local Catholic church. This holy image was also on business cards distributed at the locale. Lozano Kennedy’s use of this iconography as a business strategy harmed community members, said M. Lucero Ortiz, supervising attorney at Loyola Law School’s Immigrant Justice Clinic.
“A lot of them are questioning their own faith," Ortiz said.
“Her fraud really only had a shelf life of about five to six years, because that's how long these cases take to be processed,” Ortiz added.
The clinic she supervises is using social media to help Lozano Kennedy’s former clients navigate the fallout amid the Trump administration’s ongoing mass deportation campaign.
Lozano Kennedy billed herself as a miracle worker, Ortiz said. The work permits clients received as their applications made their way through the immigration process bolstered this belief.
"Clients would think: ‘Oh, my gosh! Everybody else told me that my case was too complex, but this woman got me a work permit in six to nine months,’" Ortiz said. “But what they didn't know is that, five years later, that case would be denied. And they would be in removal proceedings.”
What is Lozano Kennedy accused of?
According to the Washington State Bar Association, Lozano Kennedy's alleged misconduct includes:
directing staff to use a script that contained false and/or misleading information when communicating with prospective clients
filing applications for immigration benefits with USCIS when she knew the clients were ineligible for those benefits
using nonlawyers to perform legal functions on behalf of clients, and/or delegating legal functions to non-lawyer staff, such as performing client consultations and providing legal advice
Find a full list of her alleged misconduct here. Lozano Kennedy has denied any wrongdoing.
What do advocates recommend?
If you were represented by Lozano Kennedy and have petitions or applications pending before USCIS, the Immigrant Legal Resource Center and Loyola Law School’s Immigrant Justice Clinic have provided guidance for former clients. The latter recommends former clients take the following steps:
Open an account online at my.uscis.gov. This allows people with pending immigration cases to manage and track their status in real time, including filing applications, receiving digital notices, uploading evidence and communicating securely with USCIS officers.
Submit a change of address (USCIS Form AR-11) request. Be sure to file online and mail the request.
Cases with a receipt number starting with EAC should mail the request to the Vermont Service Center, USCIS Service Center Operations, Attn: Humanitarian Division, 38 River Rd., Essex Junction, VT 05479-0001.
Cases with a receipt number starting with LIN, should mail the request forms to the Nebraska Service Center, USCIS Service Center Operations, P.O. Box 87918, Lincoln, NE 68501-7918.
Send USCIS a revocation of legal representation letter expressing that you no longer want the attorney of record to represent you and that you will be representing yourself (pro se) while you hire another attorney.
Request a copy of your case file online at USCIS FOIA and through email from Luz Legal.
Check your case status at USCIS and immigration court.
Submit a request to the victims’ compensation fund with the Washington State Bar Association (WSBA).
After you receive a copy of your case file, consult a licensed and experienced attorney about the strategy in your case.
Ortiz, the supervising attorney at the clinic, stressed that these are all steps community members can take for themselves, without the help of an attorney. You can find details for each step here.
The Immigrant Justice Clinic also addressed these frequently asked questions:
Should all of Lozano Kennedy’s former clients withdraw their pending USCIS application?
No, if a pending case is withdrawn, it can lead to a notice to appear (NTA)/deportation process. Consult with a licensed and experienced attorney before making any decision regarding your case.
Are all former clients eligible to join the two pending civil lawsuits against Lozano Kennedy?
No, not all former clients will be able to join the pending lawsuits.
In California, the statute of limitations for civil fraud claims is three years.
A civil lawsuit will not address or fix an individual’s pending immigration case.
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Mariana Dale
explores and explains the forces that shape how and what kids learn from kindergarten to high school.
Published August 11, 2026 3:21 PM
LAUSD is the country’s second-largest school district and is projected to enroll 378,000 students in transitional kindergarten through 12th grade in the 2026-27 school year.
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Genaro Molina
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Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
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Topline:
With another Los Angeles Unified school year starting tomorrow, district leaders say they're aiming to maintain recent academic progress at the same time they handle needed budget cuts.
Why it matters: LAUSD is the country’s second-largest school district and is projected to enroll 378,000 students in transitional kindergarten through 12th grade this school year. For the most part, LAUSD students told LAist they’re experiencing the usual mix of nerves and excitement associated with the first day of school. However, they’re also aware that local and national politics are reshaping their education, including who shows up for class.
Why cuts are needed: The district’s financial projections show LAUSD will be short $231 million by November 2027. District staff have previously said that plans to stabilize the budget could lead to more than 6,000 layoffs, amounting to more than 10% of LAUSD’s current workforce.
The backstory: The district presented preliminary results in July from the state’s standardized reading and math tests that show a third consecutive year of improvements. However, even with that progress, the majority of students do not meet the benchmark for either subject.
Read on… to hear how recent federal immigration raids have disrupted classroom learning.
As another Los Angeles Unified school year starts Wednesday, district leaders say they hope to maintain recent academic progress while they also contend with a series of budget cuts needed to make ends meet.
"The decisions will be hard, but we cannot lose sight of what defines us," said Andrés Chait, the district’s new superintendent, in a July speech kicking off the start of the new academic year. "We are the system that lifts students to opportunity, turns potential into achievement, creates spaces of belonging, healing [and] growth."
For the most part, LAUSD students told LAist they’re experiencing the usual mix of nerves and excitement associated with the first day of school.
They’re also aware that local and national politics are reshaping their education, including who is in the classroom.
A note on student names
LAist is not publishing the last names of students to protect their privacy.
Andrea, a sophomore at Francisco Bravo Medical Magnet High School in Lincoln Heights, said there were days last year when so many students were absent that teachers would pause their lessons.
“What's the point of teaching it if half the class is gone?” Andrea said. “That really makes everybody behind.”
Educators have patrolled the neighborhood near Andrea’s school to notify families of any ICE activity nearby.
“That definitely made us feel more safe and more respected in the school,” she said. Throughout the year, she noticed more of her peers return to class.
LAUSD’s spending is budgeted to exceed revenue by $2 billion this school year. For the third consecutive year, the district plans to pay the difference with reserves that were largely built up by one-time federal pandemic relief dollars.
The L.A. County Office of Education, which oversees the finances of local districts, intervened in July after the board approved new labor contracts for LAUSD’s largest unions.
“The financial reality before the District raises serious concerns regarding its ability to meet its financial obligations,” wrote Debra Duardo, L.A. County Superintendent of Schools, in a July 2 letter.
If district officials decide to request an emergency loan from the state, it would trigger a rare takeover that would strip LAUSD’s board of decision-making power and likely take years to undo.
The county appointed a fiscal advisor to the district, but did not grant that person the authority to override the board or superintendent’s decisions.
The county directed LAUSD to provide more details about the district’s plan to stabilize the budget through $3.6 billion in cuts spread out over three years. District officials said their plan envisions furloughs for all employees in the 2027-28 school year — a move that requires negotiating with the unions that represent those employees.
“I think what they expect to see from us… is frankly a prove-up around the fiscal stabilization plan,” Chait said. “They want to see that we can actually implement what we put into that plan.”
District staff have previously said that plans to stabilize the budget could lead to more than 6,000 layoffs, amounting to more than 10% of LAUSD’s current workforce.
“As I was preparing for this talk, I was thinking about how to introduce myself,” Chait told a crowd of several hundred administrators at James A. Garfield High School. “But then I realized you don't introduce yourself to family.”
Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Andrés Chait speaks with educators and support staff at Pacoima Middle School on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026.
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Allen J. Schaben
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Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
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Chait highlighted preliminary results from the state’s standardized reading and math tests that show a third consecutive year of improvements.
However, even with that progress, the majority of students do not meet the benchmark for either subject. It’s unclear how LAUSD’s performance compares to the state because those results have yet to be released.
Chait is the first LAUSD insider to serve as superintendent in a decade. His hire came after two high-profile external hires — Alberto Carvalho, a former Miami schools leader, and Austin Beutner, an investment banker and former publisher of the L.A. Times.
LAUSD’s elected seven-member board, which has the final say on the district’s financial decisions, is unchanged. Voters re-elected incumbents to this year’s three board races from a sparse field of candidates in June’s primary contest.
California funds schools based on an average of how many students show up to class each day, with additional money for every student in the district who is low-income, an English-language learner, unhoused or a foster youth. Over time, fewer students could lead to less funding.
Even students who continued to attend school reported changing their behavior in response to the raids.
Alvira, a junior at Lake Balboa College Preparatory Magnet K-12, is an immigrant from Bangladesh. She started carrying a photocopy of her passport until she could get a REAL ID.
“Just in case anything happens, I can prove that I'm a citizen,” Alvira said.
Find your LAUSD board member
LAUSD board members can amplify concerns from parents, students, and educators. Find your representative below.
Julia Paskin
is the local host of All Things Considered and the L.A. Report Evening Edition.
Published August 11, 2026 2:48 PM
Dîner en Blanc had the backdrop of Beverly Hills City Hall this year.
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Julia Paskin
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LAist
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Topline:
For the first time since 2019, the outdoor white party held in cities around the world returned to Los Angeles this month, and there are plans to resume annual events.
What is it? Special locations, which have included the Santa Monica Pier and Pasadena City Hall, are kept secret until just before the dinner begins. The event is a celebration of French culture and customs, where guests are required to dress in all white and get fancy. Hats, wigs and masks are encouraged.
Sounds spendy: You can spend a little more and have a table, chairs and even your meal pre-made, but the DIY of it all is a big part of the appeal. Awards are given out for the best dressed and the best all white table-setting.
Read on ... to hear the experience of LAist’s Julia Paskin and whether the experience lived up to the hype.
Dîner en Blanc — the DIY, fine, alfresco meal held in secret locations — has returned to L.A.
The event had been on hiatus here for seven years, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and struggles to find a new volunteer host.
But on Aug. 1, around 1,500 people dined and danced right on the street in front of the Beverly Hills City Hall. Past locations include the Santa Monica Pier and the plaza at the Music Center in downtown L.A. The mostly volunteer organization says it's looking to come back in March 2027 with double the attendance.
I heard about Dîner en Blanc about 10 years ago and always wondered if it was worth the hype, a question I’m asking myself more frequently as many pop-ups are more geared towards cool photo-ops as opposed to a good experience.
The event is held in cities around the world, but started in France and is rooted in both celebrating French culture and the tradition of gathering to break bread together —- a concept I can get behind.
Attending requires some planning and legwork, including online registration, a membership fee, a nice picnic, carrying a table and chairs, not knowing where you are going because the location is kept secret until the last minute, and working with a group of strangers to find the spot and set up everything.
Everything you wear and put on your table has to be white. Not eggshell. Not cream. Not even off-white. Paper and plastic are discouraged.
Guests are encouraged to get extra fancy with their table decor and outfits, and awards are given out for both. Those who go all out wear full costumes with wigs, masks and hats, and some tables are decorated with shining glass and twinkling lights.
Then there’s the cost
Creative table settings are encouraged, and judges choose one for a prize.
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Julia Paskin
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LAist
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Entry is $65 per ticket, plus a $14 membership fee. Tickets are sold in pairs.
It's $15 for table and chairs rental (optional instead of bring your own). This is worth it if you don’t already own white folding chairs. Plus you don’t have to transport anything.
A multi-course meal for two is prepared by Todd English, a celebrity chef. That costs up to $125 — or you can bring your own. The prepared meal is a good option with enough food for two people (if that’s in your price range), but I enjoy putting a picnic together, so I would personally opt to do that part myself in the future.
For beverages:
Water: 18.5 ounces, optional instead of BYO, $4, or $32 for a box of 12.
Wine: There's no BYOB. Packages including Chambord and chocolates, from $25 to $68.
And none of that includes parking, gas or rideshare costs.
So was it worth it?
To quote first-time attendee Lilli Burrows: “I don’t need more stuff, I need experiences. I need to have fun things to do and create wonderful memories.”
Guests await the ceremonial napkin wave to start the meal after setting up Dîner en Blanc in Beverly Hills recently.
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Julia Paskin
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LAist
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Hector Gama also attended for the first time and was already planning for next year.
“We kind of downplayed it this time, but I’m sure next time there’s going to be a lot more stuff,” he said.
Alexa Kushner, 26, was invited by friends. “It feels like a really socially unique experience, and it's bonding the community of Los Angeles in a really fun way,” he told me.
Pro tips from guests
Don’t worry about getting your outfit, meal or table set up perfectly. Be as extravagant as you want, but there are no fashion police or even any judgey vibes.
Wear comfortable shoes since you have to carry your items or at least walk to your table.
Bring a stain remover. Sharing a Tide Pen will make you very popular.
As for me?
I would pay the extra 15 bucks to not have to bring my own table and chairs.
I would not pay more than $100 on the pre-made meal when I can bring a cheaper picnic that's more to my taste.
Would I recommend it? Its a festive event with food, music and sparklers which could make for a fun holiday-like tradition with a group of friends, or if you just want to meet new people in a friendly atmosphere. If that's not your cup of tea, there's plenty of great picnic spots in L.A. that are free.
Get notifications for next year’s Dîner en Blanc here.
