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The pros of being single, Lizzo's new project, Yama Sushi, FilmWeek and more
What's your favorite part about being single?
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Jordi Salas
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Today's show: AirTalk Friday host Austin Cross discusses favorite parts about being single, new Lizzo children's book, Yama Sushi, FilmWeek and Michael Mann's Collateral. Cross is also LAist's local Morning Edition host.
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What are the best parts about being single?
The topic:
Partnered people get a lot of the spotlight in our society, to the point where being single is seen almost as a transitional state one should aim to crawl out of. But hey, depending on the numbers you look at, a good chunk of people are single. So what do people like about being single?
It’s not all bad: Sure, you can’t split your expenses with a partner if you don’t have one, but you also don’t have to compromise on toppings when ordering a pizza. And hey, you don’t have to worry about someone else’s expectations of you.
Join the conversation: So what do you like about being single? What benefits of singledom do you miss as a partnered person? Give us a call at (866) 893-5722 or you can email us at atcomments@laist.com.
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Lizzo on helping kids find their ‘instrument’
US singer Lizzo performs on NBC's "Today" at Rockefeller Plaza in 2022.
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Angela Weiss
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Getty Images
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The topic:
Lizzo is known for many things — singing and rapping, hosting the reality TV show Lizzo's Watch Out for the Big Grrrls, body positivity and even for playing the flute. She can also now add “children’s book author” to that list. Her new book, illustrated by Mark Pett, is Lil Lizzo Meets Sasha B. Flootin’ (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2026) and publishes on Sept. 8.
Finding your instrument: In the book, a little girl finds her voice with the help of a flute. Lizzo told the New York Times that she wants to inspire kids to fall in love with music. She joins AirTalk Friday host, Austin Cross, to talk more about that message.
Guest:
- Lizzo, four-time Grammy Award-winning singer and musician, her new children’s book is Lil Lizzo Meets Sasha B. Flootin’ , which publishes on Sept. 8
Yama Sushi Marketplace on setting the standard for Japanese food
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The topic:
Yama Sushi Marketplace is a local chain that aims set the standard for quality sushi and Japanese cuisine in Los Angeles. On this week’s Food Friday, we talk to the current owner-operator about how they do it.
Restaurant details:
- The original location opened in 1984 in San Gabriel. Kenzo Yamada opened the business in 1984 after working as a local fish broker. He eventually sold the business in 2021 to Scott Kohno and his family.
- The Kohno family has since expanded the business to West L.A. and Koreatown. A fourth location is set to open in Sherman Oaks, although its official opening date hasn’t been announced.
- Co-owner Wendy Kohno has a background as a kikisake-shi — sake sommelier — and has helped build out the market’s over 200 sake selections, most of which you can find at their San Gabriel and West L.A. locations.
- They also host chef’s classes where you can learn about making sushi or miso. They also host sake tasting classes.
How to visit:
- Address: San Gabriel location is 911 W Las Tunas Dr., San Gabriel
- West L.A. location is 11709 National Blvd, Los Angeles
- Koreatown location is 3178 W. Olympic Blvd Los Angeles
- Hours: All three businesses are open every day from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Cost: 6-piece California roll costs $7.39; sushi platters range from $49 to $114.95.
Guest:
- Scott Kohno, co-owner of Yama Sushi Marketplace, a local Japanese market chain with locations in San Gabriel, West L.A. and Koreatown
FilmWeek: ‘By Any Means,’ ‘The Sun Never Sets,’ ‘Onslaught’ and more!
Dakota Fanning and Jake Johnson in The Sun Never Sets, written, directed, produced, and edited by Joe Swanberg.
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Courtesy Independent Film Company
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The topic:
Larry Mantle and film critics Peter Rainer and Manuel Betancourt discuss this week's biggest releases including the quiet but sweet romantic drama The Sun Never Sets starring Dakota Fanning and Jake Johnson set in Anchorage, Alaska, and Mariannne Elliott’s feature directorial debut The Salt Path starring Gillian Anderson.
The films:
- By Any Means, Wide Release
- The Sun Never Sets, Wide Release
- Mayday, Apple TV+
- Onslaught, Wide Release
- Filipiñana, Laemmle Monica Film Center [Santa Monica] & Laemmle Glendale
- Boorman and the Devil, Laemmle Monica Film Center [Santa Monica]
- Virginia Woolf's Night & Day, In Select Theaters
- The Salt Path, In Select Theaters
Guests:
- Peter Rainer, film critic for LAist and the Christian Science Monitor
- Manuel Betancourt, film critic for LAist and interim editor of Documentary Magazine
What makes Michael Mann’s 'Collateral' one of the best LA-set films?
Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx in Collateral, directed and produced by Michael Mann.
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Courtesy DreamWorks Distribution
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The topic:
For our most recent FilmWeek screening on Aug. 22, Larry Mantle and critics Tim Cogshell and Claudia Puig went to the Frida Cinema in Santa Ana for Michael Mann’s 2004 neo-noir thriller, Collateral. The critics, along with special guest Barry Shabaka Henley, who plays jazz club owner Daniel in the film, discuss the movie’s impact, its portrayal of Los Angeles and the great acting by co-leads Jamie Foxx and a rare villainous Tom Cruise.
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The panel:
- Tim Cogshell, film critic for LAist, Alt-Film Guide and CineGods.com
- Claudia Puig, film critic for LAist and program director for the Santa Barbara International Film Festival
- Barry Shabaka Henley, film and television actor who plays the character Daniel in Collateral
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Today on AirTalk: NBA Clippers investigation latest, USPS whistleblower, Strip Club Heiress book, El Niño preparations, first week of college football and TV Talk. -
Today on AirTalk: L.A. Rams owner buys Anaheim Angels, AI in LAUSD and healthcare, latest in street vending, AMC launches indie distribution and jury deliberation tips. -
Today on AirTalk: Wildfire damages deal, Nithya Raman and DSA-LA, Grand Theft Auto VI, prediction market law and Santa Ana Unified School District lunch changes.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
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