Fiona Ng
is LAist's deputy managing editor and leads a team of reporters who explore food, culture, history, events and more.
Published January 7, 2024 5:01 AM
Bob's Big Boy in Downey.
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John Bare
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Jim Louder
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Topline:
Cities can no longer ban lowriders and cruising after a new California law went into effect days ago. LAist visits a spot in Downey that was one of the epicenters of L.A.'s cruising culture.
The backstory: Harvey's Broiler was founded in 1958 in Downey and the drive-in diner quickly became the place for teenagers and car lovers to hang out and cruise through.
What's it now? The restaurant is now Bob's Big Boy, which has continued to pay tribute to this legacy by putting on car shows and cruise nights since owner Jim Louder took over in 2009.
Cities can no longer ban lowriders and cruising after a new California law went into effect days ago.
To Jim Louder, owner and operator of Bob's Big Boy Broiler in Downey, the end of the restrictions means just another day.
That's because his old school diner-slash-local landmark at the intersection of Firestone Boulevard and Pomering Road was historically one of L.A.'s major cruising hubs. Ban or no ban, it's not uncommon to spot one of these pieces-of-art-on-wheels in his parking lot.
"This area in the late '50s was considered sort of the heartbeat of the custom car movement," Louder said. "There was customizers and painters up and down here on Firestone Boulevard."
Louder said this was where drivers and enthusiasts came to get their cars fixed up, painted and — in today's parlance — tricked out, as part of a car customization culture including hot rods and lowriders that took off after World War II.
To meet the zeitgeist, a giant restaurant with an equally giant parking lot sprouted up in 1958. That restaurant is called Harvey's Broiler — the predecessor to Louder's Bob's Big Boy that sat at the very same spot decades ago.
Harvey's Broiler sprouted up in 1958 in Downey and quickly became a cruising hub in the area.
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Jim Louder
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Its owners Harvey and Minnie Ortner tapped local architect Paul Clayton to construct a futuristic drive-in diner — the kind where food is delivered right to your car — at a former chicken farm in the hopes of luring hungry drivers off the road. And a lure it quickly became, drawing thousands of cars, on weekend nights in the 1960s.
"It was where kids got together to find out what was going on," Louder said. "They would cruise to a certain restaurant and then, you know, the other kids would be hanging out and they would find out where's the party, where's the race, where's something going on that they wanted to go to.
"The [restaurant] had a mile long of cars in line waiting to get on the parking lot, waiting to just cruise through and then get back in line again."
Harvey's legends were such that when Tom Wolfe decided to write about America's teenage car culture, he told it through the prism of the Downey restaurant.
He wrote in the essay The Hair Boys: “They cruise around in their cars in Harvey’s huge parking lot, boys and girls, showing each other the latest in fashions, in cars, hairdos (male and female) and clothes in the Los Angeles Teenage . . . and Second-Generation Teenage . . . modes, Teenage Paris! Harvey’s Drive-in!"
In the late '60s, Harvey's changed its name to Johnie's Broiler and maintained its place in the cruising culture, but by the 1980s many cities in the state started to ban cruising and lowriding — just as the latter was becoming prominent in the cultural mainstream.
It ushered in the end of an era for the drive-in diner as well. By the early 2000s, Johnie's and its parking lot were turned into a used car dealership — only to be demolished, illegally, in 2007.
That was when Jim Louder stepped in, the Bob's Big Boy franchisee who just happened to be in Downey looking for a spot to build a new restaurant.
"I remember driving by this location and it looked like a bomb blew up there and I thought, 'Well, what could have happened here?' This is really weird to see something like this in the middle of a town like Downey," Louder said.
Louder signed a lease to put in a restaurant, one whose design honed close to the original Harvey's style and sensibility. The new owner tried to salvage as much of the former restaurant's leftover materials as possible, including old signage, according to the Press-Telegram.
"We had to accommodate the current building codes," Louder said. But, "it really looks pretty much the way it did when it opened in 1958."
Bob's Big Boy Broiler in Downey reopened in October 2009. It brought another defining element from way back when — the car shows, where vintage rides sporting all manners of customization and paint jobs take over its parking lot.
"We've had tremendous response [to our] car shows. A lot of people from different parts of the world attended," Louder said, including collectors from Japan, Germany and Australia.
The last car show at Bob's Big Boy in Downey took place about four months ago, Louder said, which may well be its swan song.
"It's too hard for us to try to run the restaurant and the car show," Louder said. "I'd rather have somebody else out there taking care of that part of it. And I'm in here taking care of the customers."
But if he brings back the car shows, he said, it'd likely be in the summer, when the weather's good and folks are out and about.
In the meantime, there are the memories — the sometimes outrageous, always glorious memories.
"There was a lot of fun. We had crazy things. The guy brought a submarine one time, I mean, crazy cars like you couldn't believe, and these things came out of trailers and stuff, it was pretty wild," Louder said.
Julia Barajas
covers what Angelenos need to know and the essential news of the day.
Published July 24, 2026 3:00 PM
A LAHSA Commission meeting held on Friday, on April 25, 2025.
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Samanta Helou Hernandez
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LAist
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Topline:
The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority Commission unanimously approved a $496 million budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year, moments before the agency released its annual homeless count.
Why it matters: The agency's new budget, approved today, is down 40% compared to $829 million approved last year. The drop accounts for L.A. County’s move away from the agency — along with fewer dollars from the state. The agency’s budget is now 73% funded by the city of L.A. At the same time, homelessness in L.A. is up. New numbers show the population of people living outdoors in the city grew by7.9% between early 2025 and 2026.
What does the money do: In addition to the annual tally,the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority uses federal, state, county, and city dollars to provide a range of services — everything from safe places to park for people who live in their cars to permanent housing placement.
Who’s on the commission? LAHSA is governed by a 10-member commission that is half appointed by L.A. Mayor Karen Bass, and half appointed by each of the five county supervisors. Bass has served on the commission since appointing herself to it in fall 2023.
The backstory: The embattled agency, which has been at the forefront of the region’s response to homelessness for more than three decades, is currently fighting for survival. Following a series of harsh audits and a judge’s rebuke of LAHSA’s spending and management, L.A. County supervisors pulled funding from the agency. LAHSA is also in the middle of a court battle with the Trump administration, which is seeking to cut its access to hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funds.
The Pio Pico - Koreatown Branch Library in Koreatown is one of several cooling centers recommended by the city.
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Gary Coronado
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The LA Local
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Topline:
While a late July heatwave baking Los Angeles is expected to break by Monday, a new heatwave could be following close behind next week.
More details: Temperatures will linger in the high 80s and low 90s in downtown and the surrounding neighborhoods, including Koreatown, Pico Union and Westlake. The National Weather Service projects temperatures will peak on Sunday afternoon. Meteorologist Bryan Lewis with the National Weather Service said residents can expect more humidity than usual.
Stay cool: During hot weather, the beach is an immediate go-to for folks that want to stay cool, but Lewis warns against this as the surf will be extra choppy. Here's some places to beat the heat.
Los Angeles will be under a heat wave advisory until Monday evening as temperatures show no signs of letting up over the weekend.
Temperatures will linger in the high 80s and low 90s in downtown and the surrounding neighborhoods, including Koreatown, Pico Union and Westlake.
The National Weather Service projects temperatures will peak on Sunday afternoon. Meteorologist Bryan Lewis with the National Weather Service said residents can expect more humidity than usual.
While dense, urban centers have more concrete and see more vehicle traffic, downtown and the surrounding areas will not be the hottest locations during this heatwave in the Southland, as the Antelope Valley will be under an extreme heat advisory over the weekend.
During hot weather, the beach is an immediate go-to for folks that want to stay cool, but Lewis warns against this as the surf will be extra choppy.
The Pacific Coast will see large swells “coming up from tropical systems off the coast of Mexico,” Lewis said. “We are issuing a beach hazard statement that’ll be in effect through at least the weekend [which] may be extended.”
While the weather is expected to cool down on Monday, forecasts show that another heatwave could develop by the end of next week.
Councilmember Heather Hutt’s office recommends residents to rest in shade or a building with air conditioning and to stay hydrated with plenty of water.
Residents should also:
Cool down at a public library, recreation facility, senior center or other public air-conditioned building
Check up on relatives and neighbors, especially if they have pre-existing health conditions
Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances
When possible, reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening
Wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothing when possible
To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends frequent rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned environments and staying hydrated
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Faheem Khan
is an associate producer for LAist's daily news show, AirTalk
Published July 24, 2026 2:24 PM
Chaiwale and Co.'s location in Orange, CA.
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Shilapjot ‘Sunny’ Singh
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Courtesy of Chaiwale & Co.
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Topline:
The owner of Chaiwale & Co tells us about where chai comes from and misconceptions around the drink. Plus, we try some South Asian desserts.
The backstory: The Indian subcontinent’s dominance in tea production can be traced back as early as the 19th century when British colonizers established plantations in western India. While the British preferred their tea black and lightly sweetened, the Indian populace began to make their own version of the tea, giving birth to what we now know as chai. Today, chai has become more than just a drink for South Asians around the world. It is a symbol of hospitality, community and respect.
What is chai? Traditional chai is prepared in a dhoodh pati style, which refers to chai that is boiled with milk, sugar, green cardamom and sometimes other aromatics like cinnamon, ginger and star anise, a combination known as masala.
Chai tea? No, no, no: To set the record straight once and for all, chai in Hindustani directly translates to “tea.” So, the term “chai tea” — which many people use — is actually redundant because it translates to “tea tea.”
Listen
13:36
Food Friday: Chaiwale & Co
How to visit:
Address: 177 N Glassell St, Orange, CA 92866
Hours: Sun-Thurs from 8-10 a.m., Fri-Sat 8 a.m.-11 p.m.
Cost: A 12 oz. cup of chai costs $4.99, Samosas are $7.99 each, Rose Pistachio Loaf is $6.49 a slice, and a slice of Gulab Jamun Cheesecake is $7.99
Read more... to learn how Chaiwale provides the ultimate chai-drinking experience with traditional clay cups.
Chai is more than just a drink for South Asians around the world. It’s a symbol of hospitality, community and respect.
Shilapjot ‘Sunny’ Singh, co-owner of Chaiwale & Co., joined AirTalkFriday host, Austin Cross, to talk about how he’s preserving the traditions around the drink — and to sip some chai, of course.
Community and connection
For as long as he can remember, Singh has been connecting with loved ones over a cup of traditional homemade chai.
“Desi chai is very different from what the Western world knows – not only in taste, but the meaning of it too,” Singh said.
The phrase desi comes from the Sanskrit word desha, meaning "land" or "country," andis used to describe people, cultures and products of South Asia and its global diaspora.
Singh and his brother opened the chai shop in 2024 with a clear goal in mind — community and connection.
Chai in its truest form
Chai takes on many different shapes and sizes, but its truest essence can be traced back as early as the 19th century, when British colonizers established plantations in western India, where the Indian populace made their own version of tea, called chai.
To set the record straight once and for all, chai in Hindustani directly translates to “tea.” So, the term “chai tea” — which many people use — is actually redundant because it translates to “tea tea.”
Traditional chai is prepared in a dhoodh pati style, which refers to chai that is boiled with milk, sugar, green cardamom and sometimes other aromatics like cinnamon, ginger and star anise, a combination known as masala. So, chai tea latte — also redundant.
Singh was inspired by all the misconceptions around chai to fill what he saw as a gap in the market.
New Desi wave
In addition to the nostalgia Chaiwale & Co. provides, they’ve also dabbled in South Asian fusion, most notably with their rendition of a gulab jamun cheesecake.
Gulab jamun cheesecake
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Shilapjot ‘Sunny’ Singh
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Courtesy of Chaiwale & Co.
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Gulab Jamun — deep-fried dough balls soaked in a sugar syrup — are a South Asian household staple, usually enjoyed at festivities and weddings, and of course, over chai.
The clay cup tradition
Dhoodh pati style chai served in a traditional clay cup
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Shilapjot ‘Sunny’ Singh
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Courtesy of Chaiwale & Co.
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The chai at Chaiwale is served in traditional clay cups and copper teapots to pay homage to how it's done back in the subcontinent.
One of the most nostalgic chai snacks is Parle-G cookies, which are served complimentary with the chai.
The ultimate Chaiwale experience
Every Sunday, Chaiwale & Co. has ‘Bollywood High Tea’ from 12-2 p.m. at its Orange location, where you can experience traditional chai and samosas to fusion items like a butter chicken burrito and gulab jaman cheesecake.
The experience costs $35.99 per person ($15 online reservation + $20.99 in-store) with a table minimum of two people.
The Paramount logo is displayed at Columbia Square along Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, Calif. on March 9, 2023.
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Patrick T. Fallon
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AFP via Getty Images
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Topline:
Skydance-owned Paramount on Friday agreed to delay closing its $81 billion buyout of Warner Bros. Discovery well into next year, as a judge continues to consider a challenge from 12 states seeking to block the deal altogether.
The backstory: Twelve states, led by California, sued to block Paramount’s pending buyout of Warner last month — alleging that such a combination would “extinguish competition” in Hollywood and lead to fewer choices for consumers, particularly moviegoers and cable customers.
Read on... for more on the backstory.
NEW YORK (AP) — Skydance-owned Paramount on Friday agreed to delay closing its $81 billion buyout of Warner Bros. Discovery well into next year, as a judge continues to consider a challenge from 12 states seeking to block the deal altogether.
In a court filing, Paramount said it wouldn’t close the merger until five days “after the merits determination in these matters” or June 1, 2027. The move arrives just days after U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín granted a temporary restraining order requested by the states to freeze the transaction for several weeks.
Twelve states, led by California, sued to block Paramount’s pending buyout of Warner last month — alleging that such a combination would “extinguish competition” in Hollywood and lead to fewer choices for consumers, particularly moviegoers and cable customers. Paramount has called the states’ claims meritless and vowed to “vigorously defend” its merger.
