The Brief

In early December, husband and wife team Tyler and Ashley Wells opened their new restaurant, Bernee, on Mariposa Street in Altadena.

It was their dream restaurant, envisioned after a successful run with their Los Feliz restaurant, All Time. A back-to-basics menu that changed daily, with most of the food prepared on an open wood-burning hearth.

For the first few weeks, the restaurant was a success, packed every night. Their personal lives did not go as smoothly — during this time, Ashley and Tyler decided to part ways as a couple.

Tyler moved into a small backhouse on the east side of Altadena, overlooking Eaton Canyon. But he would only spend a total of four nights there, because on Jan. 7, while he was at the restaurant, the Eaton Fire began sweeping through. His was one of the first houses to burn down.

The restaurant survived. But with smoke damage, and a hardware store next door filled with hazardous materials, it wasn’t safe to reopen.

“It was a heavy moment, and I felt helpless,” Wells said. “My first instinct was to accept that I was done in L.A., the restaurant wouldn't reopen, and I had no house. It felt like the universe was trying to tell me something,” he said.

Heavy smoke engulfed the block where their restaurant, Bernee, was located. Despite the devastation, the building remained standing.

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Courtesy Tyler Wells

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Before the fires, he’d been working 17-hour days at the restaurant, an intensity he had brought to his previous time at Handsome Coffee Roasters in downtown L.A. and All Time. While he loved what he had built, the loss of his marriage and now the community made him realize he needed to slow down, reassess his life, and make a change.

The Ecology Center

The change Wells sought appeared about 70 miles south, at a place called the Ecology Center in San Juan Capistrano. The 28-acre, regenerative, and organic-certified farm was founded by Evan Marks in 2008. Wells and Marks already had an established relationship, with Wells regularly purchasing produce from the farm and hosting occasional dinners.

“ The first time I set foot on this place, it changed me,” Wells said.

Wells had always been impressed by the scope of the operation, with fresh produce sold daily to the public, and served at a cafe and a restaurant space. Apprentices also learn the fundamentals of growing and harvesting organic produce, as well as running a farm stand.

When Marks learned that Wells was struggling, he called him regularly to check in. Realizing he had nowhere to go, Marks offered him a residency at the center, where he could live on the grounds.

Diners enjoy meals at The Ecology Center in San Juan Capistrano, where Chef Tyler Wells has been hosting his summer dinner series.

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Danielle Evonne Photography

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Courtesy The Ecology Center

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An open fire is utilized to cook sustainably-caught local fish, two aspects of Chef Tyler Wells' culinary practice at The Ecology Center.

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Danielle Evonne Photography

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Courtesy The Ecology Center

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It would take some convincing on Mark's part to get Wells to admit that he needed help, despite the humbling experience he had just gone through. Still, Wells understood that if he was going to make a change, he had to take a chance.

“ The moment when the universe just sat me down and said, 'No, you can't. You're physically unable to do anything. You don't even own pants.' The love that I was forced to receive and ultimately submit to changed my life, and that was from this farm,” Wells said.

He made a home for himself in a tent between two orange trees. Slowly, the residency evolved into him hosting an ongoing dinner series three days a week throughout the summer.

He said it was some of the most challenging work he’d ever faced as a chef, with the food cooked over an open fire in the fields, and an abundance of produce each week forcing him to constantly modify the menu.

But, he added, it ultimately helped him grow his skills and develop a closer connection to the land.

" I think there's a maturity and a confidence in my cooking that has never been there before,” he said.

The Farm Lettuce Caesar salad from Chef Tyler Wells's summer diner series at The Ecology Center in San Juan Capistrano.

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Gab Chabrán

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LAist

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Locally caught swordfish served with blistered cherry tomatoes and summer squash.

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Gab Chabrán

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LAist

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When I visited the Ecology Center recently, I had the chance to try some of his dishes. A massive Caesar salad made with little gem lettuce that had been picked that morning, accompanied by a beautifully creamy dressing. A locally caught swordfish topped with blistered cherry tomatoes and a summer squash salad finished with salsa verde.

It was a perfect summer meal in a place that felt like a blend of a chaparral oasis and a modern commune, with the sun setting over the hills and the Grateful Dead playing on the outdoor sound system.

“It's almost, man, this is spiritual. This farm is turning me into a hippie, and I grew up straight edge punk rock on a skateboard,” Wells reflected. “Sometimes I'll just feel some ingredients that need to go together…. my intuition, I think my mind is so clear, it's so uncluttered with other things."

Bernee becomes Betsy

Wells is now wrapping up his time at the Ecology Center and has shifted his focus back to his original dream. He’s now the sole owner of Bernee and he has been busy reimagining it.

It has a new name — Betsy, his mother’s name — but it's at the exact location on Mariposa Street, just across the street from the recently reopened Miya Thai. 

Betsy is set to open on Saturday, Aug. 30, marking a homecoming for both Wells and his staff. He’s brought back 12 members of his original team, including the entire front-of-house and kitchen staff.

Chef Tyler Wells and Joey Messina, a member of the original Bernee staff, who's returned to help lead the kitchen at Betsy.

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Skandia Shafer

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Courtesy Tyler Wells

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The menu is similar to Bernee, but with a stronger emphasis on sustainable seafood, another unexpected result of his time at the farm.

“I never had these deep relationships with fishermen, and now we do,” he said. “It’s just so exciting to me to know when it came out of the ocean, who caught it. Just the freshness and the quality are unbelievable."

Although he initially planned to wait until late fall to open, after talking with his staff and other community members, reopening now just felt right.

“The town feels good, and this crew is ready, and I couldn’t risk tearing that apart,” said Wells.

It may be entering a new era, but walking into the Original Pantry Cafe still feels like stepping back in time. The caged cash register is still there, with a worn spot on the floor in front of it, and the wood-board menus listing the day’s specials in chalk.

The iconic diner, which had served downtown L.A. from the corner of Ninth and Figueroa streets for over 100 years, closed in March 2025 amid a labor dispute, after the trust that owned it decided to sell the property. Now, under new ownership, it reopens Thursday, Nov. 19.

Leo Pustilnikov, a developer, bought the building in September 2025, and Hope the Mission, a San Fernando Valley nonprofit, will now run it, with all profits going to shelters for L.A.’s unhoused community.

Longtime staff are returning under a new contract with UNITE HERE Local 11. Rowan Vansleve, president of Hope the Mission, called bringing them back “incredibly emotional.”

What’s back and what’s not

Fans of the Pantry will find familiar names on the menu, including the famous coleslaw and sourdough toast from Frisco Baking Co. And of course, the beloved pancakes make their triumphant return, now made from scratch.

“We’ve got the same sourdough that we were using prior to Hope the Mission coming in,” Vansleve said.

The Pantry’s dining room and long counter keep their classic diner look, with a new bakery case near the front windows.

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Courtesy The Original Pantry Cafe

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Other dishes got a 2026 makeover. The Denver omelet now uses poblano peppers, the fried chicken sandwich comes with a spicy chile glaze and pickled radish, and a new bakery case is stocked with cookies, pies, chocolate malt crunch cake and peach cobbler.

“There are a few alterations on the menu,” Vansleve said. “Tastes have changed, and this needs to be successful.”

Two new sandwiches are named after donors who helped fund the reopening. The Betty Burger comes with Cooper sharp cheese, grilled onions, house pickles and Pantry Gold sauce on a sesame bun. Grant’s Sky High Deli piles half a pound of warm corned beef with Gruyère, horseradish slaw and mustard on toasted rye.

“I’m really excited for people to try our burger,” said executive chef Daniel Hur.

A stack of buttermilk pancakes made from scratch costs $16.

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Courtesy

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Courtesy The Original Pantry Cafe

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Buttermilk pancakes are $16, and the classic breakfast platter — eggs, meat, Pantry potatoes and toast — is $21.

“We did a lot of research to make sure that we’re just under pretty much everyone else in the local area,” Vansleve said. “We’re not gonna gouge you.”

The Pantry no longer runs around the clock, and it now takes cards.

But Vansleve hopes the shortened hours will be temporary. “The Pantry’s not truly back until it’s 24 hours,” he acknowledged, adding that hours will expand as demand allows. He also hopes to reopen Riordan’s Tavern, the adjoining bar, “in some renewed format sometime late next year.”

Not everyone is sold

As soon as the new menu was posted online, commenters flooded the restaurant’s Instagram page and Reddit, pleading for nothing to change.

Hur, who grew up in Culver City, said he understands. “I love Tito’s Tacos. It’s been around since the ’50s. If someone came in there and changed the Tito’s Taco, I’d be like, ‘Why?’” he said. “So I get it.”

The specials board greets Angelenos ahead of the Nov. 19 reopening.

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Courtesy The Original Pantry Cafe

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Hur said he’s had to weigh purists against diners looking for something new, aiming to welcome back regulars while drawing in a new crowd. He’s open to feedback. “I know even if I’m not open to it, I’m gonna get it,” he said. “So I might as well be open to it.”

Vansleve’s pitch is simpler: “Give it a go, come in.”

Every meal helps, he said. “100% of the profits is gonna go back to the charity.” Hope the Mission runs 35 shelters housing about 3,500 people on any given night, according to Vansleve

To reach its 24-hour goal, he said, “We need to see those lines around the corner like they used to be.”

One of Broadway’s most popular shows in years, Oh, Mary! is now at the Ahmanson Theatre through Dec. 6. It stars drag performer extraordinaire Alaska Thunderf*ck 5000, known mononymously as Alaska.

Alaska caught up with LAist host Julia Paskin to talk about taking the Tony Award-winning dark comedy on the road, how competing on RuPaul's Drag Race has changed over the years, and where to see a great drag show in Los Angeles.

A role she was made for

The list of actors who have played the titular role of Mary ranges from seasoned comedians, like show creator Cole Escola, to Jane Krakowski and Bowen Yang, the latter of whom is currently on an extended Broadway run.

Jane Krakowski during her broadway run in "Oh, Mary!"

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Emilio Madrid

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Center Theater Group

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“It's going on my tombstone,” Alaska said. “Like, it's the biggest deal ever.”

The role not only has big proverbial shoes to fill, but also requires donning a large, heavy hoopskirt for a costume. That was not a problem.

“If you ever just wanna, like, change your entire personality, just put on a hoopskirt,” she said. “It really changes the way you move and the way you kinda act and the way you stand. That's drag, I guess, because drag is sort of transforming based on what you're putting on your body, and it really does change everything.”

The higher cost to compete on Drag Race 

Speaking of drag, Alaska initially rose to fame appearing on Season 5 of RuPaul’s Drag Race in 2013 and the second season of the All Stars spinoff in 2016, which she won. Longtime fans of the reality show can confirm a lot has changed over the years with the competition becoming more expensive and queens investing in pricey, commissioned costume pieces and drag accessories.

Alaska said she’s grateful she competed when she did.

“I got in under the wire,” Alaska said. “I got onto that show back when you could show up with a bag of dirty laundry and you could do pretty well. When I went on that show the first time, I was borrowing stuff from other girls. I really just went to the thrift store and got some stuff. I had my friends make some stuff with me as well.”

She says the pressure is also more intense with the audience expecting a high production quality.

“The viewership is so knowledgeable about fabrics, and designers, and fashion, and polish and wig lines,” Alaska added. “That's good. I mean, I think that it's a pendulum, and it swings back and forth. Yes, we love to see exquisite, fabulous costumery on Drag Race. But, we also like to see some, stupid, silly drag as well.”

Where to catch great drag in LA 

Alaska recommends Meatball’s Phat Slut show at Precinct in downtown L.A., and added "anything happening at Precinct is going to be unique, fierce, fun, and just like an excellent vibe.”

Another top recommendation is “The Golden Girls Live” from drag queens Jackie Beat and Sherry Vine.

“It happens in a very small room,” Alaska said. “So you're literally sitting onstage with the Golden Girls. There's really nothing like it.”

You can see Alaska in Oh, Mary! at the Ahmanson Theatre and when her Revolution Tour stops in at Pacific Electric May 8, 2027.

Rhea Borja and her husband, Eric Wee, bought their home in Altadena in 2022. After the January 2025 Eaton Fire, it still stood, in a pocket of other homes that also survived.

At first, that was a relief. As many fire survivors have found, though, remediating smoke damage has been nearly as daunting as rebuilding a home that burned.

That has been true for Borja and Wee too. They’ve been living in Northern California since the fire, while they work to get their home cleared of the toxic remnants of the smoke.

The Eaton Fire destroyed 9,414 structures, including homes and businesses. For the thousands of structures were left standing, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed laws in September setting new rules for smoke damage cleanup.

What has that looked like in practice? Three Eaton Fire survivors spoke with LAist recently about the challenges they’ve faced.

Remediation challenges

Rhea Borja stands in her driveway just a month or so before the January 2025 fire. All of the houses behind her across the street burned down, including all the trees and greenery.

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Rhea Borja

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On the blocks around Borja’s home, the frames of homes being rebuilt are taking shape. But her home has stood empty for 22 months.

“It has been an enormous test of patience,” she said.

Her home has gone through four remediations. The lead test results after the most recent remediation cleared EPA standards. Since then, Borja has had a new HVAC system installed.

Next up, re-insulating the attic.

She’s hoping to be back in Altadena early next year but recognizes there’s still a lot to do, including remediating the front and back yards. She’ll have to pay for those projects out of pocket.

“I miss Altadena. I miss Los Angeles. I miss being by the San Gabriel Mountains,” Borja said. “So I just feel kind of removed from the area, and sometimes it almost just seems like a dream.”

A hallway in Rhea Borja’s home after it was remediated for a third time in June 2026.

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Rhea Borja

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Rhea Borja removed the remediator’s tape and plastic covering over a living room window of her Altadena home in mid October.

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Courtesy of Rhea Borja

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Simon Perry and his partner have two properties in Altadena that still require remediation.

One is their home right outside of the fire zone, and the other is a rental property right in the middle of it.

At Perry’s home of 15 years, the contamination was off the charts.

“To give you an indication of how badly contaminated it is, the attic crawl space tested at 3,391 units of lead,” Perry said. “So there's 50 times the safe level of lead in the crawl space of the attic.”

Perry had intended to retire the week of the Eaton Fire. He postponed that while he dealt with the fire’s aftermath — spending hours itemizing personal items, then throwing them away.

By the end of September, he and his partner moved for the fourth time since the fire.

Before that move, their temporary home was “full of cardboard boxes and boxes full of stuff, you know, because everything is in transition and has been in transition for 20 months,” he said.

A return home

After 19 months of being displaced, Susan Mohini Kane, husband Bernard Kane and their cat returned to Altadena.

Being displaced was unsettling, but Kane said she learned a lot.

Susan Mohini Kane shared this photo with LAist from March 2026 after most of her home’s contents were removed. The walls were cut up for rewiring.

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Susan Mohini Kane

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Susan Mohini Kane and her husband Bernard Kane began moving in over the summer. A friend gifted her hand-sewn quilt to replace one they lost to smoke damage.

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Susan Mohini Kane

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“More things happened every day that I didn't expect,” Kane said. “They ended up, basically, having to tear our house down.”

The walls of the Kane home were removed and then replaced. They filled and hauled bags of fire-damaged goods out of their home.

Now that she’s back, Kane is excited to return to her work as a voice teacher, singer and songwriter.

Susan Mohini Kane and her husband Bernard Kane are happy to be back in their home after 19 months of remediation and repairs after the Eaton Fire.

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David Rodriguez/LAist

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She wants people who didn’t experience the wildfire to know what people are still going through nearly two years later.

“We're still here. We're still suffering. We're still needing so much help,” she said.