Gab Chabrán
covers what's happening in food and culture for LAist.
Published March 22, 2024 5:00 AM
Selva's Arroz Chaufa — Peruvian style fried rice — made with smoked duck and a whole lotta crushed Flamin' Hot Cheetos.
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Gab Chabrán
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LAist
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Topline:
The best Colombian food in L.A. is actually in Long Beach, where guests can feast on Flamin' Hot Cheeto fried rice and technicolored Peruvian scallops on a half-shell.
South American-style cooking with a twist: Carlos Jurado was born in Cali, Colombia, but grew up in Long Beach before cooking for the country's best chefs. For the past few years, he's been cooking up brain-breaking South American-style cuisine that will delight your taste buds.
Why now? While there are plenty of other Colombian restaurants in Los Angeles, no one else in SoCal is doing Colombian food like Jurado. With his fine dining training and his funky, whimsical streak, Juardo makes it very much worth the slog down the 710 Freeway to Long Beach to see for yourself what he's cooking up.
Can we call it fusion? Sure, if you want. However, given the various influences that Jurado pulls from within his framework, which already features the natural mixing of cultures, we can call it excellent food with a great concept and leave it at that.
Entering the main dining room of Selva, the Colombian eatery located on a nondescript section of Anaheim Street, a busy thoroughfare in East Long Beach, feels as if you're entering a mad scientist's laboratory — if the said mad scientist was born in Cali, Colombia, and grew up in one of the most culturally diverse beach communities in California in the 90s, watching The Simpsons and listening to early Metallica.
Chef Carlos Jurado opened Selva two years ago, with partner Geoff Rau and has continued to amaze diners with his unique interpretations of his homeland's cuisine. (Traditionally, Colombian cuisine is known for its arepas and plantains, but it's much more, combining Spanish, Indigenous, and African influences.)
While there are plenty of other Colombian restaurants in Los Angeles, no one else in SoCal is doing Colombian food like Jurado, with his fine dining training and his funky, whimsical streak, making it very much worth the slog down the 710 Freeway to Long Beach to see for yourself what's he cooking up.
Chef Carlos Jurado is the Willy Wonka of Colombian cooking.
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Courtesy of Selva
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Selva, which means jungle or rainforest in Spanish, is a nod to the dense jungle surrounding the city of Jurado's birth.
Before opening the restaurant, he worked with various restaurant industry titans, including Sean Brock, Thomas Keller, Jordan Kahn, Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken.
He's gathered his knowledge from that pedagogy, which he fully displays at Selva, as a kind of Willy Wonka of Colombian cooking.
An excellent example I discovered during a recent visit was the arroz chaufa, a fried rice served that day with smoked duck breast (the protein of the day) and, upon request for those in the know, Flamin' Hot Cheetos.
I don't like to have closed boundaries in terms of food.
— -Chef Carlos Juardo
You read that correctly: smoked duck, fried rice, and Flamin' Hot Cheetos. What might sound like an odd pairing drove yours truly to house the entire plate on my own, with zero regrets.
"I don't like to have closed boundaries in terms of food," Jurado told me when I asked how the concept of fusion plays into his cooking style. He hates the word (I do, too, for the record), but understands my shorthand reference to the importance of mixing cultures.
This is especially true when cooking dishes from Colombia and Peru, whose cuisine is already rooted in various influences, such as Japanese and Italian culture. "It's just a cool little whirlwind of different stuff you get to play with," Jurado said.
The Flamin' Hot inclusion came to Jurado one day while watching the film Flamin' Hot while stoned.
The Perro Caliente Colombiano at Selva, AKA a Colombian hot dog.
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Courtesy of Selva
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It spurred a couple of memories for him, back to when he was first taken by the texture the Cheetos took on when introduced to liquid.
One was when he was a student at Wilson High School in Long Beach — just down the street from Selva — when he'd spend his lunch period dining on Flamin' Hot Cheetos doused with nacho cheese and lime.
Another memory is more bittersweet: Those teen years would lead to addiction and a jail stint, during which he and cell mates would make "spread," meals made out of Flamin' Hot Cheetos and instant ramen purchased at the commissary.
His love of junk food also shows up on the brunch menu at Selva with his take on a beloved Colombian street food item, the Colombian Hot Dog.
Jurado's version features a grilled chorizo sausage topped with sweet charred onions and peppers. The hot dog is showered with a handful of cotija, followed by a drizzling of aji mayo and sweet chili jam, and then topped off with a helping of crushed Lays potato chips.
The dish showcases his ability to take something familiar and elevate it to new heights, taking his diners down a jungle-like path to a series of divine flavors.
A whole smoked bird is served up with croquettes, plantains, arepas and fresh aji salsa.
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Courtesy of Selva
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The Smoked Pollo is one example that Jurado and his team constantly tinker with in his kitchen laboratory. While Jurado could efficiently serve a simple barbecue chicken grilled Colombian style, he instead opts to get lost in the sauce, creating something truly exceptional.
It starts with a 24-hour wet brine, followed by a three-hour smoke session before it kisses the grill, allowing the outside of the bird to slightly char. The meticulous attention to the dish exemplifies how tirelessly devoted Juardo remains to his craft.
The dish itself is a culmination of many milestones for Jurado.
One is grilling with his stepdad on the weekends; another is attending family get-togethers with family members with roots in New Orleans and Mississippi, to the proper down-home cooking education he received when working for Chef Brock in Nashville.
At Selva, "patron con hogan" is served, smothered in twice-fried -smashed green plantains and a creole sauce made with tomato, onions, cumin, and saffron.
The smoky meat, the crispy skin, the plantain's starchiness, and the sauce's bright flavors transport you to another place.
Selva's Peruvian scallop crudo shines in technicolor hues.
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Gab Chabrán
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LAist
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Speaking of beauty, Jurado has plenty of dishes on the menu that are particularly easy on the eyes. Take, for example, his Peruvian scallop crudo, served on a half-shell swimming in pools of psychedelic colors of greens, oranges from fermented rocoto, aji amarillo, allium oil, and aji juice, resembling a liquid light show. The rush of fresh, briny flavors mixed with sweet spice and topped with a dash of worm salt makes for one sensual bite.
Jurado says the dish that most represents him on the brunch menu (although it can be requested for dinner) is the "bandeja paisa," considered the national dish of Colombia. His take features a dry-aged flat iron steak grilled, a smoked pork belly chicharon, fried egg, rice, beans, arepa, plantains, and avocado.
"It won't be like my grandma or mom did," he said. "It's definitely like my version, my perspective of all my techniques and flavors, and I'm trying to meld that together and still feel a little traditional."
The melding of creative techniques and style that Juardo brings to the menu at Selva makes it unique. Those flourishes of creativity are like watching a painter apply different layers of paint to create an entirely new hue. In Jurado’s case, it's chicharron splashed with lime juice and dusted in his own blend of spices, giving way to some delicious results.
Selva's Bandeja Paisa is only served at brunch or dinner, so plan accordingly.
This billboard, pictured in October 2025, resets every January 1 at midnight.
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Courtesy Google Maps
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Topline:
An anti-smoking billboard has become a gathering point for L.A. people to celebrate the new year. The American Cancer Society says when it comes to raising awareness about getting screened for lung cancer, the more the merrier.
When the tradition started: It’s not clear exactly when, but the reports of it go back to the 2000s. It even earned a writeup in the L.A. Times in 2012, back when it was more of a neighborhood gathering. The billboard itself dates back to 1987.
How’s it grown: After going viral this decade, the tradition has only grown. Videos on social media show the block full of revelers, though not too many smokers.
Read on… for more on what the sponsors have to say.
It’s been a beloved Los Angeles tradition for well over a decade. On New Year’s Eve, a crowd of people gather around on Santa Monica Boulevard and Veteran Avenue in West L.A. to celebrate at midnight.
The crowd isn’t waiting for a ball to drop, or for a bell to toll — not in L.A. Instead, the crowd is waiting for the exact moment that an anti-smoking billboard resets. Its message warns of the dangers of lighting up by showing the number of people who’ve died that year due to smoking.
For one beautiful moment, the billboard shows that not a single American has died from lung cancer or other smoking-related illnesses in the new year. (Of course, there’s no way to know this for sure — the counter is based on previous estimates and statistical averages.)
The billboard has grown from a neighborhood gathering, as the L.A. Times reported in 2012, to a packed viral celebration in the 2020s. Some Reddit users even loosely planned this year’s meetup, and it’s now cemented as a mainstay of how this beautiful, occasionally smoky city rings in the new year.
What’s the origin story?
The billboard dates back to 1987. William E. Bloomfield Sr., an ex-smoker, anti-smoking advocate and Redondo Beach resident, put it up to make the effects of smoking feel more real, according to the L.A. Times.
“I want to do what I can to get even a few people to quit, or at least think about it,” Bloomfield told the Times back then.
Drumroll: What do the sponsors have to say?
LAist reached out to the billboard’s sponsors to get their take, and long story short: They’re fans of the tradition.
“Seeing the social media response of Angelenos counting down the New Year alongside this billboard is a powerful example of how impactful public awareness can be,” said Jen Maduko, the American Cancer Society’s senior executive director in Los Angeles, in a statement provided to LAist. “Lung cancer continues to claim more lives than any other cancer, and smoking remains the leading preventable cause.”
The ACS also said that they hope that the billboard’s viral status will encourage smokers to quit, or at least make current and former smokers consider getting screened for lung cancer. You can find more info on that from the ACS here.
“Although we appreciate how it brings renewed attention to the effects of smoking, we hope that it encourages action throughout the year,” Maduko added.
So there you have it. The sponsors behind the smoking deaths billboard have given Angelenos the blessing to ring in the new year on the side of the road in West L.A.
Who knows, one day this billboard might become even more iconic than the more traditional celebrations at places like Grand Park in downtown L.A. and the Queen Mary in Long Beach — or even make it to a national telecast.
LAUSD's revamped Winter Academy has fewer students
Mariana Dale
explores and explains the forces that shape how and what kids learn from kindergarten to high school.
Published January 5, 2026 4:18 PM
Middle school students watch a paper flower unfold in a pan of water in a lesson on surface tension at the Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Students.
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Mariana Dale
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LAist
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Topline:
On the first day of Los Angeles Unified’s Winter Academy, enrollment is 14% lower than last year with about 64,000 students signed up for a week of credit recovery and enrichment camps.
The backstory: Winter Academy started in 2022 as "acceleration days,” meant to help students make up for lost learning time during the COVID-19 pandemic using winter and spring breaks. Enrollment has ranged from 71,000 to 74,000 students, with an average attendance of 55% to 60%, according to a statement provided to LAist by a district spokesperson.
New this year: The district moved the program to start in January this year, ahead of the second semester, rather than keep it in December at the end of the first semester, as in previous years. And it is now a full week instead of three days.
Why it matters: “Bringing kids in earlier, particularly students who actually need it, giving them a bit more of … a ramp into the second semester makes a great deal of sense to all of us,” Superintendent Albert Carvalho said Monday. He said that while enrollment is lower, he hopes overall attendance will be higher than previous years.
On the first day of Los Angeles Unified’s Winter Academy, enrollment is 14% lower than last year with about 64,000 students signed up for a week of credit recovery and enrichment camps.
The district moved the program to start in January this year, ahead of the second semester, rather than keep it in December at the end of the first semester, as in previous years. And it is now a full week instead of three days.
“ I believe that even though the enrollment is a bit lower, attendance hopefully will be higher,” said Superintendent Alberto Carvalho on Monday.
Families can still sign up
When is Winter Academy? Mon., Jan. 5 through Fri., Jan. 9.
Where is it?319 sites spread throughout the district and online.
How do I sign up? Fill out a paper application and take it to a participating school site.
The program started in 2022 as "acceleration days,” meant to help students make up for lost learning time during the COVID-19 pandemic using winter and spring breaks.
Enrollment has ranged from 71,000 to 74,000 students, with an average attendance of 55% to 60%, according to a statement provided to LAist by a district spokesperson.
Variations on winter recovery
Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies is one of 319 campuses offering Winter Academy. About 200 students attended the school’s enrichment camps, which in addition to STEAM programs (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics), included focuses on writing and math.
Middle schoolers at SOCES on Monday crowded around lab tables to watch folded paper flowers bloom when placed in a pan of water, a display of “capillary action”— the movement of sticky water molecules through a porous material.
Norman Goss keeps a foil ball aloft with the power of static electricity as classmate Catherine Galvez, left, watches, on the first day of SOCES' Middle School STEAM Camp during Winter Academy.
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Mariana Dale
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LAist
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Seventh grader Catherine Galvez said her dad signed her up for the camp because she wants to be an astronomer.
“We're trying to find STEM programs that are like, inviting, but also, like, easy to get into,” Galvez said.
Teacher Riley Leary said unlike the traditional Winter Academy, the Middle School STEAM Camp is not focused on replacing work from the school year.
“This is based on curiosity. This is based on wonder,” Leary said.
Across campus, seventh grader Sophia Bezgubenko's wonder is limited to whether she can bring up her grades in health and science. She's one of the 300 students who are signed up for credit recovery. Bezgubenko is here at her mom’s urging.
“ I'm a little annoyed, but it’s alright,” she said of having to get up early during the last week of winter break.
The Algebra II students in Raymond Toleco's Winter Academy classroom review linear functions and absolute value functions.
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Mariana Dale
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LAist
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A few doors down, 31 of 35 students enrolled showed up for Raymond Toleco’s Algebra II class.
Toleco said the additional days of Winter Academy give him more time to review with students instead of just assigning them work to complete on their own over the break.
“Mostly I have hardworking students and some of them wanna improve from D to hopefully a B,” Toleco said.
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Nick Gerda
is an accountability reporter who has covered local government in Southern California for more than a decade.
Published January 5, 2026 4:14 PM
Crews work on storm damage in Wrightwood on Christmas Day.
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Eric Thayer
/
Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
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Topline:
Santa Ana winds are expected in Southern California this weekend, which forecasters say could topple trees in soil soaked by weeks of heavy rains that broke records in some areas.
What’s expected: Forecasters expect dry weather for the next couple of weeks, with moderate Santa Ana winds arriving this weekend. That carries a risk of downed trees, said Rich Thompson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s regional office for L.A., Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Louis Obispo counties. “The soil is still so saturated from all this rain that it'll be easier for trees to be blown down and things like that from the stronger wind,” he said. One positive from all the rain is that fire risk is now minimal in the near term, he said.
How heavy was the recent rainfall? The storms over the last several weeks have been “very impressive,” Thompson said. “ Some areas pretty much smashed their daily records in terms of rainfall.” Santa Barbara saw 4.5 inches of rain on Christmas Eve, setting a new daily rainfall record for Dec. 24. Downtown L.A. saw its fourth wettest time period since records began nearly 150 years ago, going back to 1877.
A couple weeks without rain expected: “Hopefully enjoy this next dry couple of weeks,” Thompson said. “Because we're still early into the season — we're not even halfway through the rainy season, so we’ve still got potential for more storms in the future. But right now just enjoy the next couple weeks, things should be dry.”
Gab Chabrán
covers what's happening in food and culture for LAist.
Published January 5, 2026 3:29 PM
Little Flower Candy Company owner Christine Moore was described by her children as "the heart and guiding force of Little Flower and our community."
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Courtesy of Little Flower Candy Company
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Topline:
Christine Moore, founder of Little Flower Candy Company in Pasadena, has died. Her children announced her passing Monday, describing her as "the heart and guiding force of Little Flower and our community." Moore built the beloved café over nearly two decades, most recently making headlines when she fed fire evacuees despite being displaced herself.
Why it matters: Moore's death is a significant loss to Pasadena's culinary scene. For nearly two decades, she was more than a business owner; she was a community anchor who built lasting relationships.
What people are saying: Community and industry tributes poured in, celebrating Moore as a "beacon of light" who fostered welcoming spaces. Pastry chef Nicole Rucker called her "the best of the best." Many highlighted her role as a champion for women in business and a steadfast supporter during the Eaton Fire crisis.
Read on... for more on Christine Moore's life and impact on the Los Angeles culinary scene.
Christine Moore, founder and owner of Little Flower Candy Company in Pasadena, has died. Her children announced her death on Monday in a post on the cafe’s Instagram describing her as "the heart and guiding force of Little Flower and our community."
Moore founded the beloved candy company nearly two decades ago from her home kitchen in Highland Park, where she pioneered what would become her signature sea salt caramels and handmade marshmallows.
In 2007, she opened Little Flower at 1422 W. Colorado Blvd. The cafe transformed her candy business into a neighborhood gathering place known for its French-influenced pastries and seasonal fare.
Moore built her reputation on what Pulitzer Prize-winning food critic Jonathan Gold described in her acclaimed cookbook “Little Flower Baking” as food that makes you "feel happy and well served by life." Moore also published her cookbook “Little Flower: Recipes from the Cafe”.
She trained in Paris under award-winning chef and baker Nancy Silverton, at the former Campanile restaurant in Mid-City.
Along with the cafe, Moore opened Lincoln restaurant in 2016 inside a restored 1920s machine shop in northern Pasadena. It closed permanently during the pandemic in 2020.
Moore’s family made headlines when her 17-year-old son, Colin, fought to save their home from the Eaton Fire as it swept Altadena last year.
Despite being displaced herself, she immediately opened Little Flower to feed evacuees and first responders with her staff of 27. The service embodied what Moore had long championed: "We have 200 chances every day to make someone happy."
Christine Moore was described by her children as "the heart and guiding force of Little Flower and our community."
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Courtesy Little Flower Candy Company
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"She was a beacon of light and hope for me and our Braeburn pod after the fires, like she was for so many others in our community. That's just who she was," wrote Olivia Gutierrez.
"Christine was warmth itself. She welcomed people, remembered them, celebrated families, and built a true community at Little Flower," wrote Rachel Bitan.
Artist Anna Chotiner recalled a recent conversation with Moore: "We talked about how special [Little Flower] is. We were both in tears in the middle of the store as she radiated love and pride for the legacy she built. She talked about how all she wanted was for LF to be a place where anyone can come in and feel loved and cared for and feel just a little better about the world."
Pastry chef Nicole Rucker wrote, "They better have their sh*t together in heaven cause if not Christine is gonna bust em up! The best of the best."
Moore is survived by her three children: Maddie, Avery and Colin. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Camp Conrad Chinnock, a nonprofit diabetes camp for children, in her memory.
Little Flower is temporarily closed until Tuesday, but service is scheduled to resume on Wednesday, according to the family.
