The Brief

I think I've found the best-kept secret for winter sunset photos in all of Southern California — it's at the top of the new sand berms at Bolsa Chica State Beach in Huntington Beach, and you can get some spectacular backlit shots that show off all those purple, pink and orange hues in all their glory.

Time it right, and it will look like the sun is setting on you, just for you.

Some say the best time to catch a SoCal winter sunset is before the winter solstice, which this year falls on Dec. 21. But sand berms will remain up until late winter, early spring. Now, all you have to do is make a plan to get out there and make your own photo magic.

Here's the backstory

Last month, heavy machinery was used to create sand berms stretching seven or eight feet high along Bolsa Chica State Beach. California State Parks Superintendent Kevin Pearsall told me the berms are a bit of an experiment to see if they can protect the coastline from the kind of costly flooding and storm damage that forced the closure of Pacific Coast Highway at times over for the last two winters.

Berms are typically created each winter, but never this high, Pearsall said. You'll also find sand berms at other beaches up and down the coast. But I think that extra height, combined with the southwest alignment of Bolsa Chica's shoreline, are the secret to the best winter sunset photos that I've ever seen.

I mean, just check this out:

A nearly-perfect family portrait.

(

Courtesy Rene Lynch

)

Let's start with why our winter sunsets are so great

Something enchanting happens each winter that jaded Southern Californians can sometimes fail to notice. It's a perfect kind of alchemy that leads so particularly pretty sunrises and sunsets.

Cloudy winter skies refract the sun’s rays as it dips. A “mirage” effect is created by overlapping inversion layers of cold air and hot … and the result is a riot of pinks and oranges and purples that make you marvel at the mysteries of the universe.

Ah, Southern California, I never, ever tire of your beauty.

But those dramatic sunsets come and go in an instant. So if you want to capture the best backlit winter sunset photos at the sand berms at Bolsa Chica or any other beach, here are some tips for making photo magic happen.

Here, my husband and my dog are standing on the bike path at Bolsa Chica. This photo, and the photo at the top, were taken just minutes apart. It just goes to show that a few minutes, and the right angle, can change everything.

(

Rene Lynch

)

Keep an eye on the clock

You want to know exactly when the sun is setting before you head out to take your perfect sunset photo. (The weather app on your smartphone should do it.) You want to be in place and ready to go well before the sun really starts dropping. Leave yourself plenty of time to deal with end-of-day traffic and parking. Plan for time to hit the bathroom and then walk over to the sand and so on. I would suggest planning to arrive 20 to 30 minutes before sunset.

Watch your feet

Climbing up the steep sand berms to pose for your sunset photo will be a bit of a struggle. I suggest sturdy footwear, such as sneakers. And take it slow. If mobility is an issue for anyone in your party, you can travel south to the flat outcropping that is the Huntington Beach Pier. There, you can also get great backlit sunset photos.

Who will take the photos?

You could try and do it all yourself if you have a tripod and you feel confident in your ability to line yourself up perfectly with the camera. (If you go that route, Climb the sand berm and leave a marker, like a t-shirt, in the sand. Then line up the camera. Going back and forth between the top of the sand berm and a tripod will take time, so plan accordingly.)

Another option is to pair up with a friend: One evening, they take your photo. Another evening, you take theirs. You could try to get in two photo shoots in one evening but it might be hard to cram in two sunset sessions. At the very least, you will need to move quickly. Again, plan accordingly.

Stage the photo ahead of time

I know I keep repeating myself, but you will only have a few minutes to get the perfect backlit shot. So plan in advance: How do you want the photo to look? If you are doing a family shot, do you want adults in the middle and kids on the ends? Or kids in the middle? Do you want to face the photographer? Or do you want to face the water, looking off into the distance. After you get some traditional shots maybe you want to try a few shots where everyone agrees to jump up in the air on the photographer's count? Just let everyone know what the plan is in advance so you can move quickly from shot to shot.

Take lots and lots of photos

This tip comes from Claire Muranaka, who is the public relations coordinator for Visit Huntington Beach, which has lots of helpful info about planning a trip to Surf City. Muranaka said her camera roll is filled with hundreds of sunset photos — a perk of the job. She said she encourages people to take way more photos than they think they should because the colors of the sunset change so quickly that you never know what you're going to get until after you check the photo roll.

Ugh. Those pants. That waist pack... but my husband's legs sure look good!

(

Courtesy Rene Lynch

)

Think about your silhouettes

I discovered this photo spot when I was walking along the beach last week with my husband and dog. We ran into a friend who was riding his bike along the beach. He encouraged us to climb to the top of the berms while he took our photos. Honestly, I didn't expect much at all, just an opportunity for a family photo at the beach. While at the top, my friend kept waving my husband and I this way and that, encouraging us to switch positions again and again.

It wasn't until I actually climbed down that I noticed there were a handful of other people also posing along the sand berms up and down the beach. And when I finally looked at my friend's camera, I was gobsmacked. These photos were amazing.

Except ... I couldn't help but notice that my baggy hiking pants and waist pack weren't exactly doing me any favors in a backlit photo. So, take a tip from me. Avoid baggy clothing and toss that fanny pack off to the side before taking any photos!

I surely will, next time. My husband and I are planning to go back this week.

Our friend has agreed to meet us for a second photo shoot.

And if you think you've got a better place for a winter sunset photo, please email me and let me know about.

The restaurant:

Detroit-style pizza is hard to find in Southern California, given how far away it is from the Motor City.

Angelenos can consider themselves fortunate though to have a spot tucked in West Hollywood — DTown Pizzeria. The pizzeria is owned by Ryan Ososky, the 2025 Pizza Maker of the Year at the International Pizza Expo. He's received numerous honors for his pan pizzas.

The food: 

Oskosky's been all over the map during his time as a chef, and he's worked under the likes of Michael Mina, Charlie Palmer and Wolfgang Puck. After gaining all that experience, he’d eventually start a pizza pop-up in West Hollywood.

“I’m a chef by trade, but I guess I just happen to own a pizzeria and won some awards around it,” Ososky said.

What Austin tried:

• Goomba
• "Haole" aka not Hawaiian
• The 313
• The 1946 cheese

The verdict:

“Excellent puff of flavor in the middle of an excellent pizza, soft crust,” Austin said after trying the pepperoni-topped Goomba slice.

When taking a bite of the 313, Austin said “the pesto on top of this zings it up,” adding, “It stays moist … but it’s got a moist and crisp with soft dough.”

Listen:

Los Angeles Angels legend Garret Anderson has died. The team announced his death today on social media.

The cause and location of his death were not immediately announced.

"Garret was a cornerstone of our organization throughout his 15 seasons," owner Arte Moreno said in a statement, "and his stoic presence in the outfield and our clubhouse elevated the Angels into an era of continued success, highlighted by the 2002 World Series championship."

Anderson's story is a Southern California one in so many ways. He was born in Los Angeles and graduated from Kennedy High School in Granada Hills, where he was a three-sport star in baseball, basketball and football. He won All-Los Angeles City and All-League Honors as a junior and helped lead Kennedy's basketball team to an L.A. City Championship.

The Angels drafted him out of high school in 1990, and he made his Major League debut in 1994.

He spent all but two of his 17 Major League seasons with the Halos and was a key player on the 2002 team that won the franchise's first, and still only, World Series.

After the Angels decided not to renew his contract at the end of the 2008 season, Anderson signed with the Atlanta Braves in 2009 before returning to SoCal in 2010, this time as a member of the Dodgers. He spent a single season there before retiring in 2011.

He leads the Angels all-time in a slew of statistics, including games played (2,013), hits (2,368), RBIs (1,292), doubles (489) and several others. He was a three-time All-Star, the 2003 Home Run Derby winner and All-Star Game Most Valuable Player.

But Angels fans will probably remember him best for his go-ahead, three-run double in Game 7 of the 2002 World Series. It gave the Angels a 4-1 lead, which they never surrendered.

But despite all the accolades, one of the most impressive stats from Anderson's career was his reliability. He had a stretch of eight seasons where he appeared in at least 150 games and played in at least 140 games in 11 of his 17 seasons in the pros.

Shortly after he retired, he joined the Angels television broadcast team to provide pregame and postgame analysis.

The Angels will wear a special "GA" memorial patch on their uniforms for the remainder of the season. They'll also play a tribute and hold a moment of silence in his honor before tonight's game against the San Diego Padres at Angel Stadium.

This story first appeared in The LA Local.

For Koreatown resident George Chan, the appeal of public transit in Los Angeles is simple: avoiding the daily grind of driving.

“I don’t like cars, so I’m all for having more public transportation,” said Chan, who lives near Olympic Boulevard and Hobart Street and uses transit about twice a week to get to work in Culver City. “I feel like that’s one of the things L.A. really lacks, a working public transportation system. You go to any other major city and you’re able to take a train anywhere, but here you can’t.”

Even if it takes longer, he said, public transit offers something driving doesn’t.

“I don’t have to sit in traffic. I don’t have to deal with drivers at all,” he said. “I feel pretty comfortable on the train and bus, so it’s not a big deal for me.”

That’s why Chan is looking forward to the opening of the first phase of the Metro D Line extension on May 8, which Koreatown residents like him say will make it easier to reach some of Los Angeles’ most visited cultural hubs without sitting in traffic.

Where things stand

The project, more than a decade in the making, will add three new underground stations along Wilshire Boulevard at La Brea, Fairfax and La Cienega, closing an important gap between Downtown Los Angeles and the Mid-Wilshire area.

From Koreatown, the new stops will put destinations like the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures and the La Brea Tar Pits within roughly a 15- to 20-minute ride from Union Station, offering a faster alternative to driving along one of the city’s most congested corridors. 

Another view of the Wilshire/La Brea Station.

(

Courtesy Metro Art

/

Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority

)

Metro projects the new stations will add roughly 16,200 daily riders and increase foot traffic for local businesses. The opening comes more than three years behind its original 2023 timeline and about $700 million over budget, with this part of the project now reaching around $3.51 billion. 

The project is part of Metro’s “Twenty-Eight by ’28” push to finish major transit expansions before the 2028 Olympics and Paralympics.

For Chan, that could mean easier trips west, whether that’s grabbing brunch near Miracle Mile or visiting museums that currently require multiple transfers.

How residents are feeling

Other residents said the expansion is also expected to reshape how often they use transit, particularly for trips that currently require driving. Davis Read, a Koreatown resident who is a part of the Wilshire Center Koreatown neighborhood council, says he uses Metro about once a week now, but that will likely change once he gets more access to the museums by La Brea. 

“I’m also excited to be able to go to Beverly Hills, where a lot of my medical appointments are,” Read said. “That’s something that was usually like a half-hour drive.”

But while many welcome the expansion, residents say the city still has work to do — especially when it comes to building housing people can actually afford, shortening timelines for major transit projects and improving bus infrastructure.

Sherin Varghese, a Koreatown resident and organizer with Ktown for All, said buses remain essential for many in the neighborhood.

“A lot of our neighbors, housed and unhoused, don’t have cars,” she said. “Building out infrastructure that isn’t car-forward is generally a good move.”

At the same time, she noted that buses, which often serve lower-income riders, have historically been deprioritized.

“I’m really excited about the trains,” Varghese said. “But I also want us to continue investing in bus infrastructure, like dedicated bus lanes that don’t get closed off that aren’t just for rush hour.”

Wilshire/La Brea Metro station remains closed off to the public as of April 14.

(

Marina Peña

/

The LA Local

)

For Varghese, who relies on transit regularly, the D Line will open up parts of the city that currently feel out of reach.

“I’m going to be able to take the D straight to LACMA or to the Academy Museum to see a movie,” she said. “It opens up a huge amount of access to the west side.”

Metro's overall plan

The D Line extension is part of Metro’s broader plan to connect Downtown Los Angeles to Westwood through a nine-mile subway, with future phases expected to open in 2027. Additional stations will include Beverly Drive, Century City, Westwood/UCLA and Westwood/VA Hospital.

Another major project — the K Line Northern Extension — would further expand that network by linking South L.A. to West Hollywood. But with funding not expected until 2041 and an opening still years after that, between 2047 and 2049, many residents say the timeline highlights a broader frustration.

After last-minute negotiations between Mayor Karen Bass and local leaders, Metro’s board voted unanimously in late March to approve the route. The planned underground extension would tie into four major rail lines and is projected to carry up to 100,000 riders daily

“There’s a repeated trend in which these great public projects are having to conform around the needs of wealthy home ownership groups. I think that’s frustrating,” Read said. “I think at this point, we should be pressuring our elected leaders to act quicker on the Metro.”

He pointed to the K Line extension as one example, where opposition from a group of homeowners in Mid-City, particularly in affluent Black neighborhoods like Lafayette Square, raised concerns about construction, safety and property values, contributing to delays.

“That’s the most important stitch in the Metro system — it would be a game changer,” Read said. “A two-seat ride to LAX from Koreatown or downtown would make a huge difference. Right now, it takes about three lines and can take just as long as driving in traffic.”

The Wilshire/Fairfax station where the D line and K line would meet is expected to add 33,000 riders, according to Metro.

Residents ask: Why'd it take this long

Varghese, who has lived in Koreatown for 15 years, said her frustration is less about the current timeline and more about missed opportunities in the past.

“I wish we had started this 50 years ago,” she said. “But I’m glad it’s happening now.”

Alongside transit improvements, residents also raised concerns about what new development around stations will look like, particularly whether it will include housing that current residents can afford.

“A lot of the housing is built for upscale renters,” he said. “If they built low-income or cheaper housing, that would be great, but that’s not what’s happening.”

Read said transit and housing need to be planned together.

“If we don’t act drastically to construct new housing, we’re never going to dig ourselves out of this crisis,” he said.

Varghese echoed that concern, pointing to what she sees as a gap between policy goals and what’s actually being built.

“We need to build housing that people can actually afford now,” she said. “We need to be affecting the supply directly and not hoping that housing eventually trickles down in terms of pricing.”

The post ‘I wish we had started this 50 years ago’: Koreatown is ready for Metro’s D Line appeared first on LA Local.