How To LA

Episodes

Listen • 50:06

Listen • 50:06

This 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 Steam

This 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.

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Listen • 12:53

Listen • 12:53

Documenting L.A. in Galleries: Patrick Martinez on View at The Broad

#206

Each part of L.A. has its own history — join How To LA's host Brian De Los Santos at The Broad's newest exhibition all about the city.

Desire, Knowledge, and Hope (with Smog) is an exhibition that opened at contemporary art museum The Broad last month. More than 60 artworks from 21 Los Angeles based artists about the city are on display.

In this episode, Brian speaks with Jennifer Vanegas Rocha and artist Patrick Martinez to really get a sense of how they see L.A. in the works on view.

Take a look at the works described in this episode here, and on LAist.com. You can see Desire, Knowledge, and Hope (with Smog) at The Broad until April 2024 with a free ticket from their website.

It’s all a part of an occasional HTLA series centering on artists, mostly painters and photographers, who tell the story of Los Angeles through their works. You can find our earlier episodes on the feed.
Listen • 29:28

Listen • 29:28

Volunteers Take On The Homelessness Crisis, Part 3: 'Betting On A Motel'

#205: This is Part 3 of our multi-part series on volunteers who provide services for unhoused people throughout Los Angeles. Despite efforts from local government agencies to offer services to people, many people experiencing homelessness rely on volunteers to cover basic needs like water or overdose prevention.

Last week we asked, why isn't the government isn't putting its full weight behind things like fresh water access?

The answer was Housing. Interim housing - to be specific. Things like motels, tiny home villages... The idea is that it would be easier for people to access other services if they are at least inside and off the streets.

So today, HTLA host Brian De Los Santos and producer Evan Jacoby are taking a closer look at that theory by visiting a motel in L.A. Mayor Karen Bass's "Inside Safe" program.

NOTE: This episode has been updated on December 21 to remove a potentially confusing line about the number of people who have received a housing voucher, which is distinct from the number of people who have received vouchers for an Inside Safe motel.

Guests: Nono, unhoused resident of an Inside Safe motel in Palms; Nick Gerda, LAist Unhoused Communities Reporter; LA Mayor Karen Bass; Councilmember Kevin de León of Council District 14; Councilmember Nithya Raman of Council District 4; Hawk, U.S. Veteran & Skid Row Resident

Music in this episode composed by: Chris Schlarb, Dexter Thomas, Evan Jacoby, Geir Sundstøl, Meitei, Ricky Eat Acid, Woo
Listen • 17:18

Listen • 17:18

Day Laborers And The Odd, Sometimes Dangerous Jobs They Do

#204: You've probably seen jornaleros – or day laborers – as you drive to work. They might be looking for gigs outside of home improvement stores or moving services, or even a random donut shop.

There are estimates of 35,000 day laborers working in Los Angeles. The work they get hired to do often includes things like moving furniture, cleaning debris or helping with small construction projects. But sometimes the work can be dangerous and even illegal. Most have no idea what the work really is until they get the to the job site.

Today, How To LA host Brian De Los Santos speaks to LA Times reporter Brittny Mejia about the sometimes precarious tasks jornaleros do — and how going through a job center may protect them. Brittany recently published this story.

Guest: Brittny Mejia, Metro reporter at the Los Angeles Times
Listen • 20:11
Listen • 20:11

A (Not So) 'Hopeless' Alternative Rock Label Celebrates Its LA History
#203: In 1993, the Orange County punk band Guttermouth asked Louis Posen, then a film student at Cal State Northridge, to help them put out an album. That marked the start of the independent music label Hopeless Records and its 30-year history of representing punk, ska, metal bands — and later, alternative musicians more broadly.

Some of the most well-known bands they've represented include Avenged Sevenfold, All Time Low, Taking Back Sunday, Yellowcard, Thrice and New Found Glory.

Now, in celebration of its 30 year anniversary, the label has put together an exhibit of memorabilia that's currently on display at the Valley Relics Museum in Van Nuys. From there, it'll travel on to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and then the new Punk Rock Museum in Las Vegas.

Guests: Louis Posen, Hopeless Records founder and president; Erin Choi, Hopeless Records employee; Carissa Leong, Loyola Marymount student and Hopeless Records fan; DE'WAYNE, musician and former Hopeless Records artist

Songs featured in this episode:
- "Hopeless" by Guttermouth
- "Eternal Rest" by Avenged Sevenfold
- "Die Out Here" by DE'WAYNE (ft. Poorstacy)
- "Just A Little" by Masego, DE'WAYNE
- "Better By Myself" by Hey Violet
- "Superpowers Enable Me To Blend In With Machinery" by Dillinger Four
- "Coffee Shop Soundtrack" by All Time Low
- "5,6,7,8" by LØLØ (ft. girlfriends)
- "Jet Song" by Schlong
- "Te Llevo Conmigo" by Destroy Boys
Listen • 16:57

Listen • 16:57

LA's Grand Central Market Is The OG Of Food Halls

#202: What started more than a 100 years ago as a true marketplace for produce, spices, pastries, deli meats and other specialty groceries… is now 40 stalls of LA’s best local restaurants.

Grand Central Market is a true sampling of LA’s diverse culinary scene that has gone through many iterations and evolutions since it opened.

Today, HTLA chats with Gab Chabrán about the rich history and evolution of this LA icon. And of course, Gab tells us where — and how — to eat there.

Guests: Gab Chabran, food editor at LAist; Tomas Martinez, owner of Tumbras a Tomas

Eateries we visited:

For the Win
Berlin Currywurst
Shiku Shiku
Broad Street Oyster
Fat & Flour
Saritas
Tomas Tacos
Listen • 17:10

Listen • 17:10

How The Mayor Changed Course On Affordable Housing Plans

#201: Last December, L.A. Mayor Karen Bass signed Executive Directive One (ED1), an order for city staff to approve applications for 100% affordable housing developments within 60 days, and to issue building permits within five days. Six months later, the rules to ED1 were quietly updated: projects would no longer be able to move forward in single-family neighborhoods.

Join us as host Brian De Los Santos chats with LAist housing reporter David Wagner to understand what that means for the future of affordable housing in L.A.

You can find more of David Wagner's reporting on ED1 here: https://laist.com/news/housing-homelessness/los-angeles-housing-affordable-executive-directive-one-ed1-mayor-karen-bass-raman-blumenfield-yimby-lawsuit

Guest: LAist housing reporter David Wagner
Listen • 33:41

Listen • 33:41

Volunteers Take On The Homelessness Crisis, Part 2: 'The Forever Bandaid'

#200: This is Part 2 of a multipart series, exploring the kinds of services mutual aid groups are providing for our unhoused neighbors. Many people experiencing homelessness rely on volunteers for basic needs like water or overdose prevention.

The situation leaves many people we spoke to wondering: "Why is this work being done by volunteers?"

Today, HTLA host Brian De Los Santos and producer Evan Jacoby bring this question to our city leaders.

Guests: LA Mayor Karen Bass; Councilmember Kevin de León of Council District 14; Councilmember Nithya Raman of Council District 4; Hawk, U.S. Veteran & Skid Row Resident; Sade Kammen, Volunteer With WaterDrop LA; Nick Gerda, LAist Unhoused Communities Reporter

Music in this episode composed by: Dexter Thomas, Evan Jacoby, Floating Points, Ill Considered, Imaginary Softwoods, indiegamemusic.com, Nala Sinephro, Laurie Spiegal, Meitei, Ricky Eat Acid, Woo
Listen • 16:11
Listen • 16:11

LA's Indie Booksellers On Best Books About The City — Just In Time For The Holidays
#199: Today, we’re enlisting some local booksellers to help us understand L.A. better.

Staffers from Skylight Books in Los Feliz, The Iliad Bookshop in North Hollywood, Book Soup in West Hollywood and Chevalier’s Books in Larchmont Village shared their favorite books about Los Angeles:
- "Amnesiascope" by Steve Erickson
- "The Dog Park" by Dennis Etchison
- "City of Quartz" by Mike Davis
- "Everything Now: Lessons from the City-State of Los Angeles" by Rosecrans Baldwin
- "The Library Book" by Susan Orlean
- "Writing Los Angeles: A Literary Anthology" edited by David Ulin
- "Dear Los Angeles: The City in Diaries and Letters, 1542 to 2018" edited by David Kipen
- "Ed Ruscha/ Now Then: A Retrospective" from MoMA Press
- "The Cobrasnake: Y2Ks Archive" by Mark Hunter
- "She" by Michelle Latiolais
- "Seventy-Two and One Half Miles Across Los Angeles" by Mark Ruwedel
- "Koreatown Dreaming: Stories and Portraits of Korean Immigrant Life" by Emanuel Hahn
Stay tuned for more picks from other local indie bookshops in the New Year!