The Brief

The experience starts outside, with diners queued up behind the velvet rope as if they're headed into an exclusive movie premiere or a buzzy nightclub.

Instead, people like Justin Bernal are waiting to enter Netflix Bites, the streaming service's pop-up restaurant in Los Angeles' Mid-City neighborhood.

Bernal booked a table two months in advance for a date night with his wife, to see some of their favorite Netflix shows come to life. "We watch Iron Chef, a lot of these other shows, Nailed It — great shows," he said.

That's the idea behind Netflix Bites, to give fans a "screen-to-table" experience where they can try dishes and drinks crafted by chefs and mixologists featured on unscripted Netflix culinary shows.

But sometimes, it's reality that bites.

The splashy marketing expenditure behind Netflix Bites coincides with Hollywood's biggest labor fight in decades, and the timing and opulence of the promotional campaign couldn't be more surreal.

This month, after contract negotiations between the actors' union and major studios including Netflix collapsed, actors joined writers on strike, forcing a pause on production of most scripted films and TV series. That reality provides a jarring contrast to the escapism of the Netflix Bites experience.

It's not the company's first marketing event adapted from its streaming content. There's an annual Netflix Is A Joke comedy festival in Los Angeles and, previously, Stranger Things-themed pop-up stores in a handful of major U.S. cities.

The interior of the Netflix Bites pop-up restaurant, at Short Stories hotel in Los Angeles, is a riot of color and Netflix branding.

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But the thought of dining at a Netflix event while many of the company's own employees are fighting for better pay and protections has left fans like Bernal conflicted.

"I support the actors, I have a lot of friends that are in the unions, especially in SAG-AFTRA, and seeing what they're going through sucks," he said.

At the same time, he had already paid a $50 deposit for the reservation that he didn't think he could get back. That was before SAG-AFTRA, a union representing about 160,000 TV and film actors, joined the Writers Guild of America, who have been on strike since May.

"I feel terrible," he said. "It's just having money invested in something, when money is tight for me already — it's hard to make those choices."

Inside the flashy Netflix Bites bubble

Once inside, the immersiveness of the experience might make the contentious backdrop easy to forget for some. The temporary restaurant exists in its own bubble — outside of protests, password crackdowns and negative publicity.

The event space, which occupies the bar and courtyard of a hotel, looks like a theatrical set: Floor lamps flank dining booths; there's a barbeque pit and pizza oven; Netflix-branded pillows, walls and plates make for instant photo-ops.

The dinner menu includes dishes from a who's who of the celebrity chef firmament: Andrew Zimmern's grandmother's meatloaf, Ming Tsai's truffle and mushroom-stuffed "MingBings," and Rodney Scott's pulled whole hog.

American chef Andrew Zimmern's grandmother's meatloaf sits atop mashed potatoes and gravy.

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On a recent visit, the restaurant's wait staff exuded the poise of actors (and in some cases, actually are — don't be surprised if you recognize a face or two); they were hired through Australian celebrity chef Curtis Stone's events company, which is running the operation.

As a diner, it's easy to feel like you are the star of this quasi-reality production, like food judges on a competitive cooking show.

That excitement ended for some once the food arrived. Ivan Kim had been looking forward to trying dishes from Michelin-starred French chef Dominique Crenn after seeing her on Chef's Table.

"Atmosphere is good, pretty fast service," he said. "But the quality is not good because the chef is not there."

Lady Zaza pizza from Minneapolis-based pizza maker Ann Kim features kimchi, pork and scallions.

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Of the dishes he tried, Kim gave his highest rating to the kimchi-topped Lady Zaza pizza from Ann Kim. For dessert, Nadiya Hussain's light and layered honey cake was a hit, according to online reviewers on Yelp.

Since the restaurant launched at the end of June, many of the chefs featured on the menu have stopped in to tweak their recipes and greet fans. But Ann Klein, a general manager with Curtis Stone Events, says, "We're not trying to be a three-star Michelin restaurant."

"That's not what this is," she said. "You're doing a pop-up. It's a casual summer residence."

Netflix Bites may be casual, but it isn't cheap. With appetizers priced as high as $65 (Curtis Stone's crab legs in curry), there's a distinct feeling of exclusivity. As you dig into the almost-too-rich "Millionaire's Shortbread," you might wonder whether Netflix executives will see any profits from this culinary production.

Dungeness crab legs in curry, a dish crafted by Michelin-starred Australian chef Curtis Stone, was featured on <em>Iron Chef.</em>

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Let them eat cake, while actors and writers seek better pay

The extravagant salaries paid to streaming service CEOs have been a central point of contention in the strikes, in which actors and writers are demanding better wages, increased residual payments and protections from the use of artificial intelligence.

A Netflix spokesperson told NPR that this pop-up, as with the others, is a marketing initiative that's not intended to turn a profit.

Netflix spent about 8% of its roughly $32 billion revenue on marketing events in 2022, a slight decrease in its marketing expenses from the previous year, according to data from Statista. That's a relatively small sum compared to traditional major studios.

British chef Nadiya Hussain's honey cake with salted hazelnuts rates highly with diners.

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Striking writers have been able to pierce the restaurant's bubble, if only temporarily. On Netflix Bites' opening night, striking WGA members picketed in front with a pop-up of their own, within feet of diners lined up to go in.

"Instead of negotiating with us, Netflix decided to open an overpriced restaurant," wrote Adam Conover, a comedy writer and TV host who helped organize the picket line at Netflix Bites, which is just a block away from the WGA building.

Actor Adam Lustick played a fictitious BBQ chef of "CEO Fridays," serving "exclusively billionaires and media CEOs," he quipped during the improvised parody. Picketers returned again in July to pass out leaflets.

The bill arrives in a red-and-white envelope — soon to be a relic of the days when Netflix customers rented movies delivered by mail. The streaming giant is ending its once-revolutionary DVD-by-mail service in September.

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Netflix and its temporary restaurant, meanwhile, aren't ruffled. Asked about the criticism it's received about the timing of the pop-up during the strikes, Netflix declined to comment. Klein, the restaurant manager, says the strike has not affected staff turnover.

After months of weathering inflation and a subscriber slump, Netflix reported steady growth in its most recent quarterly earnings. The pop-up, which runs into fall with no official end date, currently shows only a handful of open tables for the next 30 days. More reservations will open up on a rolling basis.

"We've been sold out, and have a waitlist anywhere from 300 to 500 every day," Klein said.

In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena and Pasadena’s music community have really shown up to support fire survivors, especially fellow musicians who lost instruments and record collections.

That effort continues this weekend with a special donation concert at a Pasadena record store, with the aim of getting vinyl records back in the hands of survivors who lost their collections.

“You know, our name is Healing Force of the Universe, and I think that gives me a pretty clear direction… especially after the fires,” said Austin Manuel, founder of Pasadena record store, where Sunday’s show will be held.

The record donation effort is the brainchild of musician Brandon Jay, who founded the nonprofit Altadena Musicians after losing his home and almost all of his family’s instruments in the Eaton Fire. Through Altadena Musicians’s donation and registry platform, Jay said he and his partners have helped some 1,200 fire survivors get their music instruments back.

Brandon Jay.

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Now, that effort has fanned out to restoring vinyl record collections.

“All of that stuff evaporated for thousands of people,” Jay said. “Look at your own record collection and be like, ‘Wow, what if that whole thing disappeared?’”

You might know Jay from several bands over the years, including Lutefisk, a 1990s alt-rock band based in Los Angeles. He and his wife, Gwendolyn Sanford, composed music for TV shows, including Orange is the New Black and Weeds.

Jay plans to play some holiday tunes at Sunday's record donation show (which LAist is the media sponsor), along with fellow musician Daniel Brummel of Sanglorians. Brummel, who was also a founding member of Pasadena’s indie-rock sensation Ozma, said he was grateful to Jay for his fire recovery work and to Manuel for making Healing Force available for shows like this.

Brummel, who came close to losing his own home in the Eaton Fire, recalled a show he played at Healing Force back in March.

Ryen Slegr (left) and Daniel Brummel perform with their band, Ozma, on the 2014 Weezer Cruise.

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“The trauma of the fires was still really fresh,” Brummel said. After playing a cover of Rufus Wainwright’s “Going to a Town,” that night — which includes the lyrics “I’m going to a town that has already been burnt down” — Brummel said his neighbors in the audience told him the rendition hit them hard. “It felt really powerful. And without that space, it just wouldn’t have occurred.”

Details

Healing Force of the Universe Record Donation Show
Featuring: Quasar (aka Brandon Jay), Sanglorians (Daniel Brummel) and The Acrylic.
Sunday, Dec. 14; 2 to 5 p.m.
1200 E. Walnut St., Pasadena
Tickets are $15 or you can donate 5 or more records at the door. More info here.

Topline:

The case: In September, the city settled a lawsuit brought forward by two brothers in their 70s who said they suffered serious injuries after an LAPD officer crashed into their car. Days before the $18 million settlement was reached, lawyers for the brothers said Feldstein Soto called an expert witness testifying for the plaintiffs and “attempted to ingratiate herself with him and asked him to make a contribution to her political campaign,” according to a sworn declaration to the court by the plaintiffs’ attorney, Robert Glassman.

The response: Feldstein Soto did not respond to an interview request. Her spokesperson said the settlement “had nothing to do” with the expert witness. Her campaign manager told LAist the city attorney had been making a routine fundraising call and did not know the person had a role in the case, nor that there were pending requests for her office to pay him fees.

What Jurado says: In a statement to LAist, Jurado said she wants to “make sure that the city’s legal leadership is guided by integrity and accountability, especially when their choices affect public trust, civic rights and the city’s limited resources."

What’s next: The motion needs to go through a few committees before reaching the full City Council. If it passes, the motion calls for the city attorney to “report to council in closed session within 45 days regarding the ethics breach violation and give updates to the City Council."

Every year in Santa Ana, Luis Cantabrana turns the front of his home into an elaborate altar in honor of La Virgen de Guadalupe that draws hundreds of visitors.

Along the front of the house, the multi-colored altar is filled with lights, flowers and a stained-glass tapestry behind a sculpture of the Lady of Guadalupe. Cantabrana’s roof also is lit up with the green, white and red lights that spell out “Virgen de Guadalupe” and a cross.

Visitors are welcomed with music and the smell of roses as they celebrate the saint, but this year’s gathering comes after a dark year for immigrant communities.

Luis Cantabrana stands in front of the stunning altar he built in front of his home in honor of La Virgen de Guadalupe. Every year, his display draws hundreds of visitors.

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Why do they celebrate? 

In 1513, the Virgin Mary appeared before St. Juan Diego between Dec. 9 and Dec. 12, asking him to build a church in her honor. Her image — a brown-skinned woman wearing a green veil with her hands together in prayer and an angel at her feet — miraculously appeared on his cloak.

To celebrate in Santa Ana, worshippers gathered late-night Wednesday and in the very early hours Dec. 12 to pray the rosary, sing hymns and celebrate the saint.

Cantabrana has hosted worshippers at his home for 27 years — 17 in Santa Ana.

The altar started out small, he said, and over the years, he added a fabric background, more lights and flowers (lots and lots of flowers).

“It started with me making a promise to la Virgen de Guadalupe that while I had life and a home to build an altar, that I would do it,” Cantabrana said. “Everything you see in photos and videos is pretty, but when you come and see it live, it's more than pretty. It's beautiful.”

The Santa Ana home's elaborate altar in honor of La Virgen de Guadalupe draws hundreds of visitors each year.

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Gathering in a time of turmoil 

Many also look to the Lady of Guadalupe for protection, especially at a time when federal enforcement has rattled immigrant communities.

“People don’t want to go to work, they don’t want to take their kids to school, but the love we have for our Virgen de Guadalupe,” Cantabrana said. “We see that la Virgen de Guadalupe has a lot of power, and so we know immigration [enforcement] won’t come here.”

Margarita Lopez of Garden Grove has been visiting the altar for three years with her husband. She’s been celebrating the Virgencita since she was a young girl. Honoring the saint is as important now as ever, she said.

“We ask, and she performs miracles,” Lopez said.

Claudia Tapia, a lifelong Santa Ana resident, said the Virgin Mary represents strength.

“Right now, with everything going on, a lot of our families [have] turned and prayed to the Virgen for strength during these times,” Tapia said. “She's a very strong symbol of Mexican culture, of unity, of faith and of resilience.”

See it for yourself

The shrine will stay up into the new year on the corner of Broadway and Camile Street.