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Listen • 50:06Listen • 50:06This Old House Radio Hour: Designing for Disaster: How Los Angeles Builds Back Smarter + Saving The Outsider’s House + Four DIY Fixes: Chimneys, Circuits, Ceilings, and SteamThis week on This Old House Radio Hour—what does it mean to rebuild not just homes, but entire communities?
Sunset Magazine editor-in-chief Hugh Garvey joins us to discuss the magazine’s special issue devoted to the rebuilding of Altadena and Pacific Palisades in the wake of January’s devastating wildfires. Sunset, a voice in California architecture for over 125 years, has assembled an extraordinary coalition of architects, planners, artists, and historians. Together, they offer not just a plan, but a call to action—for fire-resilient homes, culturally grounded design, and a West that can weather what’s coming.
Then we travel from the hills of Los Angeles to the streets of Tulsa, where Danny Boy O’Connor—from House of Pain—takes us inside his remarkable second act. After bottoming out, he bought a run-down house for $15,000... and it just happened to be the house from The Outsiders. What followed was a full restoration, a pilgrimage, and a new life. We take a tour of the Outsiders Museum and meet the community that made it possible.
Later, Cheap Old Houses is back—Ethan and Elizabeth Finkelstein spotlight a dreamy 1870s Victorian in Fredonia, Kentucky and an off-the-grid cabin on federal forest land in Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, both for under $100,000.
Plus, another round of House Rules, our listener-powered game that tests your home renovation know-how. And in The Simple Fix, we show you how to find a stud in your baseboard—without breaking the wall.
And as always, we’re taking your calls. Got a house problem, project hurdle, or just need a little advice? Call us at (877) 864-7460.
All that and more, coming up on This Old House Radio Hour.
About How To LA
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(he/him)
We’re here to help curious Angelenos connect with others, discover the new, navigate the confusing, and even drive some change along the way. Host Brian De Los Santos brings you stories about L.A., for L.A., by L.A. — with your help. Like you, we know this city is unique, and that’s why it’s one of the reasons we love it.
How To LA Newsletter
Start every Saturday morning with stories and guides to help you discover more about L.A. County.
The Best of How To LA
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Young journalists from USC, UC and Cal State campuses share their perspectives about being a student and a reporter during a historic time. -
For Tacos 5 y 10 co-owner Daniel Martinez, serving food and community is about more than just money — it connects him back home. -
How one nonprofit is showing 1,500 movies a year across three theaters in L.A.
Featured
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Black people have for years put their own flavorful spin on the classic Mexican dish. Here’s how — and where to eat some. -
How To LA producer Evan Jacoby’s tips on going car-free. -
We have picks from an Angeleno on a quest to visit all the L.A. locations on the National Register of Historic Places.
You can power How To LA
This great community resource only exists with your reader support. Help us tell stories about LA’s rich history and exciting future, as well as answer the deeper questions on important issues. Step up and become a member today with a donation! Let’s explore and discover our great city together.
How To Get Around
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Cars may rule the roads here, but there are ways to make it work on two wheels. -
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There is too much parking in LA. There is too little parking in LA. Discuss. -
We all know LAX is a necessary evil, but can that ever change? Here’s your guide to the airport’s hacks, history and future. -
Look past the headlines and you’ll find a new public space Angelenos are making their own. Here are some of their stories. -
West Adams is a historic neighborhood that's going through change (again) and some wrestle with what that means for the community. -
The state's SB972 was signed by Gov. Newsom into law, providing relief for many who haven't been able to get the proper permits to sell certain foods on the street. -
Angelino Heights, a tiny enclave nestled between Chinatown and Echo Park, is home to unique architecture in L.A. -
L.A. County has an expansive bus system with more than 100 routes. But don’t be intimidated to hop on. We got you.
How To Find The Best Food
Cheap Fast Eats
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Instagram LA snack maven Jason Goble launches a new series, taking us first to his favorite Ktown market to share his snack addictions -
Green chutney pizza, dosa onion rings and malai rigatoni are some of the restaurant's innovative offerings -
We’ve got a whole list of coffee shops, curated by locals. -
Just in time for summer, try these old-school restaurants and bars that remain as vibrant as ever -
With the proper planning and quality food and ingredients, you too can achieve barbecue bliss. -
Farmers' markets make it easy to find local, organic produce, and the open air can make grocery shopping feel like less of a chore. -
In our new monthly series, we visit neighborhoods across the city to find quick and tasty dishes that are easy on the wallet. -
Husband and wife Felix Agyei and Hazel Rojas combine food from their heritages, creating a marriage of West African and Filipino cooking -
A microcosm of L.A. culinary life in a North Hollywood strip mall. -
Continuing LAist’s guide to chowing down cheaply, but happily. This time we're right next to the Pacific (to be specific). -
Oklahoma-style smash burgers and Georgian dumplings make for some excellent cheap bites in Glendale -
Another round of stellar eats for every tastebud that go easy on your budget. -
We visit Culver City for another round of Cheap Fast Eats, scoping out Hawaiian, Argentine, and Jamaican gems -
The blending of regional flavors and the ways Black and Brown communities have been living close to each other in places like South L.A. have created a specific cuisine here. -
Cheap Fast Eats, Koreatown After Dark! Asian American Pizza, Hot Cheeto-Encrusted Corn Dogs And MoreCheap Fast Eats visits one of L.A.’s most distinctive neighborhoods for some nighttime bites. -
Food editor Gab Chabrán visits Silver Lake to try a diverse array of delicious offerings, including innovative Mexican seafood creations, Hong Kong-style French toast, and enough pizza, tacos and burgers to fill you up for another edition of Cheap Fast Eats. -
Inglewood is up to lots of good these days for excellent eats, ranging from regional Mexican dishes to bare-bones Jamaican takeout and, of course, hot wings to call home about. -
We enter the concha-verse to understand the importance of the famous pan dulce for Angelenos. -
Last week we shared our favorite places to get the pan dulce in Los Angeles, and asked you for your recommendations. Here's what you told us. -
Chinatown has historically served as a home base for various immigrant groups, offering multiple types of cuisine for around ten bucks. -
From some of the best pizza you can find in L.A. to smash burgers, plant-based tacos and strip mall dim sum, the Mid-City area delivers tasty bites for less. -
The city’s first and oldest food hall has gone through many iterations, evolving with the neighborhood. One thing that hasn't changed? It provides a sampling of L.A.’s wide variety of culinary offerings — all in one open-air structure. -
Los Angeles pizza is having a moment. Some of our favorite pizzaiolos tell us why -
For a delicious dough, some L.A. pizzerias are tapping a company that recreates the formula for New York City water. -
Cheap Fast Eats makes its inaugural visit to the San Fernando Valley. This time, we’re checking out the Canoga Park and Winnetka neighborhoods.
What LA neighborhood is special to you?
We're looking for the hidden gems, the secrets only people who live there know. Tell us about it and be on the show.
How To Play In LA
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We ran and biked the whole thing, meeting nature-loving Angelenos along the way. -
Traversing a waterway widely known for concrete, rogue inflatable flamingos and trash might not sound like your vision of water sports, but it is an actual joy. -
The Daley family, including three children under age 6, is now more than 80 days and 800 miles into an epic hike to Canada. -
A year after inception, LA's once-a-month thrifters' paradise Black Market Flea is still ‘Black as Hell’ -
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You don’t have to break the bank on concert tickets to enjoy some live jams in this city. -
How I got ready to run the L.A. marathon — and how you can, too. -
In these literary spaces, you can find a good read, conversation and community. -
Jessica Lin teaches BIPOC Angelenos how to search for edible plants in the city. -
Two new Latina directors from L.A. update the play with queerness, joy and expressions of bicultural life. -
Born out of the “happenings” of the 1960s New York loft parties, ambient music events are having a moment in and around L.A. -
Author Luis J. Rodriguez says L.A.’s literary scene is underrated: “L.A. shouldn't be forgotten for the great amount of literature and poetry that comes out of these communities." -
Now that it has been officially renovated and reopened, How to LA looks at the splash the theater's making now and back in 1922 when it first opened its movie palace doors.
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Co-owners Ray Limon and Stanley Swinger say the longer they operate in the area, the more they learn how instrumental this community was to L.A.’s art and music scenes. -
Students at Castellanos Elementary get grass, native plants and more than two dozen new trees. -
How "Pink Flamingos," "Rocky Horror" and "Eraserhead" helped build its rep as a destination for arthouse films. -
Midnight Hour is a musical hub in the city of San Fernando. The space also transforms into a venue supporting local artists, like photographers and musicians. -
Author Luis J. Rodriguez says L.A.’s literary scene is underrated: “L.A. shouldn't be forgotten for the great amount of literature and poetry that comes out of these communities."
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How this Mid-City theater evolved from a Depression-era nightclub to the movie house Tarantino bought. -
Owner Angelle Laigo brought back the city’s first record store in 20 years. -
Writer’s ‘Round seeks to bring LA’s musicians together to jam, and maybe make some friends -
The iconic Santa Monica video store reopened last year in a vintage theater in Eagle Rock, offering classic movie screenings and videos for $3 a pop. -
After the recent atmospheric rivers, it's time to check in on two popular wildflower spots to get the skinny on this year's post-storm bloom. -
"Rocky Horror Picture Show" helped spark my love for LA's film theaters. I'm visiting them in a 10-part series to highlight their ties to community. -
Writer’s ‘Round seeks to bring LA’s musicians together to jam, and maybe make some friends
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How the Kim family kept the movie theater afloat for almost 50 years through blood, sweat and the kindness of volunteers. -
A pair of local theaters that opened during the pandemic are attracting some new audiences. -
The Highland was one of very few movie theaters in northeast L.A., and a cultural hub for local movie lovers and filmmakers. -
The music will live on through the nonprofit Conga Kids. -
This weekend there will be multiple performances at the Hammer and the United Theater on Broadway -
L.A. is a vast place and it can be hard to connect. We have some suggestions. -
LA's Brain Dead puts its spin on a vintage venue. -
Research shows moving in sync with others in a group can help create bonds and promote feelings of closeness. -
It’s not just about Beyoncé’s "Cowboy Carter" album — this culture runs deep in L.A.’s Black communities.
How To Explain LA
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You may have noticed you're being bitten here there and everywhere this year. Enjoy being dinner for the pesky bugs. -
Is it a river? A sewer? A flood control channel? A place to film awesome drag racing scenes? A tool of gentrifiers to raise property values? What's the deal with the L.A. River, and why should I care about it? Let's find out. -
California’s wildfires have gotten increasingly destructive and deadly. That's been underscored with destructive fires kicking off 2025. -
There's the LAPD. And the L.A. Sheriff's Department. And 45 smaller departments. And every Cal State has a department. Also UCLA. And CHP. And FBI. And DEA. And... -
Angelenos can help change L.A.'s water future by ditching grass. Here’s how to update your turf and get paid to do it. -
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This summer, millions of Angelenos can't use use drinkable water for outdoor irrigation more than twice a week. Here are tips how to conserve. -
To understand the Eastside, you first have to understand the Eastside. -
Chinatown hasn't had a grocery store in three years; a new farmers' market fills some of the void. -
The city of Los Angeles is relaunching its speed hump program on Oct. 6, but it's only accepting a finite number of applications, so act quickly! -
Thousands of high-risk people need to be vaccinated, so clinics are showing up at local LGBTQ festivals to make it easy. -
The many reasons why more green space is needed in Los Angeles to mitigate extreme heat and pollution. -
Earlier this year, Pacoima Beautiful painted 10 square blocks and murals with a special coat that mitigates the hotness of the asphalt, reflects solar waves and beautifies the area. -
The city of Los Angeles is relaunching its speed hump program on Oct. 6, but it's only accepting a finite number of applications, so act quickly!
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Don’t worry, this loophole is legal and eco-friendly. -
A new memoir by sociologist Anthony Ocampo reflects on growing up gay and a child of immigrants in early 2000s L.A. -
A group out of USC is tackling the overdose crisis, armed with education, test strips and Narcan. -
A stormwater capture investment led to big improvements at one park in south L.A. -
If you’ve ever seen a street name that has multiple versions like drive, place and road, this one’s for you. It makes little sense now, but there’s an old reason for it. -
L.A. County renters are losing COVID-19 protections, but other safeguards will remain in place. -
Most Californians get extended coverage until November. -
Neighborhood Councils Are As Local As LA Government Gets. Here's How They Work – And How To Join OneFor anyone who wants a megaphone direct from your neighborhood to your city councilmember’s office. -
Valentine's Day is one of the most lucrative times of the year for L.A.'s street vendors. -
A final report is in the works but we hear from participants in the city's first guaranteed income program about how it impacted them -
It’s a combination of geography, atmospheric conditions and how we build. -
Sarah Ramos says she actually likes self-taped auditions, but without regulations: “This is a strain on our resources, a strain on our community and it's untenable.” -
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How did we get here? Who’s in charge of what? And where can people get help? Here are answers to common questions around homelessness. -
In the early days of hip-hop, a popular, trendsetting nightclub in L.A. turned into an after-school center for young artists and dancers; plus, how you can help with Maui fire relief efforts, and cool food for hot weather. -
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Ongoing research is being used to direct conservation and land management decisions today.
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