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 • 17:29

Listen • 17:29

AI Explained: It's Not Coming For Your Writing Job...Yet

#101: We've all heard everyone's hot takes in recent months about AI, ChatGPT and other developments in machine learning.

AI has also been a key point in negotiations between the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. AND one of the many reasons writers have been on strike since the start of May.

But can AI really write the next critical hit?

Today, we explore what artificial intelligence really is, how technology like ChatGPT is changing the game and how this currently does -- and does NOT -- impact creative writing jobs.

Guests: Meredith Broussard, data journalism professor at New York University; Mike Ananny, associate professor of communication and journalism at University of Southern California
Listen • 22:55

Listen • 22:55

Cheap Fast Eats #7: Silver Lake

#100: Silver Lake and hipsterdom may go hand in hand, but tucked between the murals, high-end shops and corporate chains, there are some stellar, chef-driven eats to be found at a bargain. The HTLA team is celebrating 100 episodes by eating their way down Sunset... joined yet again by LAist food editor, Gab Chabrán.

Check out his write-up to find his full list of neighborhood knock-outs: Cheap Fast Eats, Silver Lake Edition: Hong Kong-Style French Toast, 'Bomb AF' Mariscos Tacos, And — Of Course — Smash Burgers

Eateries featured: Bodega Park, Needle, Simón

Music in this episode composed by: Austin Cross, Dexter Thomas, E Ro 3, Hafo Safo, Modarchive
Listen • 24:13

Listen • 24:13

Fast Fashion's Got A Tight Grip On LA

#99: I’m sure you’ve noticed... fast fashion brands have become super popular over the past 30 years. Before fast fashion hit the market – beginning with Zara in the 70s and Forever 21 in the 80s – fashion brands produced clothes seasonally. Most Americans purchase new clothing only a few times a year. These days, Americans buy a new piece of clothing on average every five days. And in more recent years, a new cohort of companies have taken it to the next level.

Many may think fast fashion is being produced "overseas" (i.e. NOT here). But zip up, because today, we're exploring fast fashion's tight grip right here in Los Angeles, and the many destructive impacts of this industry.

Guests: Josie Huang, Asian American communities reporter for LAist; Nayantara Banerjee, industry researcher and strategist for Garment Worker Center; Tracie Tung, assistant professor in fashion design and merchandising at CSUN
Listen • 14:50

Listen • 14:50

LA Explained: When LA's Gays Went West

#98: Today we're diving deep into the history of Queer LA. Our LA Explained reporter, Caitlin Hernández, is taking us back in time to explain how West Hollywood became recognized as a mecca for LA's gay community. It's part of their research for the LAist series, Queer LA, where Caitlin's highlighting the joy, culture, and history of queerness in this city.

You can find more of their reporting at laist.com/QueerLA

Music in this episode composed by: Rae Bourbon, Austin Cross, Kylie Minogue, Masayoshi Takanaka, Fats Waller, Woo.

Archival audio courtesy of the Library of Congress.
Listen • 12:31

Listen • 12:31

Being A Hollywood Writer Isn't What It Used To Be

#97: "The writer's room is completely being decimated. It's no longer a big room with professional writers. Now it's mini rooms. It's like, you know, four to six people expected to do all the work that 10 to 12, 13 people used to do in the past." - TV writer Rafael Agustin

Being a Hollywood writer these days isn't quite what it used to be.

Writers say everything started to change with the rapid rise of streaming services: Netflix, Amazon, Apple…and ALL those limited series they are known for, like The Drop Out, Inventing Anna, The Queen's Gambit.

These days, folks find themselves writing a whole year worth of episodes in two months – and sometimes these projects aren’t even greenlit. There’s more work but fewer episode guarantees, and THAT equals less pay.

HTLA host Brian De Los Santos gets the T from two TV storytellers.

Guests: Rafael Agustin, TV writer and CEO of the Latino Film Institute

Caroline Renard, TV writer and Writers Guild Association captain
Listen • 15:23

Listen • 15:23

The Hollywood Writers Strike Explained

#96: Hollywood writers are officially on strike. The Writers Guild of America failed to reach a deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers on Monday night, forcing the walk out.

The two sides were negotiating over things like pay and residuals, which have decreased significantly with the onset of streaming services like Netflix, Amazon and Apple.

Today we’re gonna talk about why this is happening, and why it matters. Because when writers go on strike, a lot of different people feel it throughout L.A.

Guest: John Horn. host of Retake, the LAist Studios podcast all about Hollywood stories.

Read John's latest story here: TV And Movie Writers Strike Over 'Gig Economy' Conditions. What’s At Stake In The WGA Walkout
Listen • 17:44

Listen • 17:44

Finding Home con DACA: Postscript

#95: HTLA host Brian De Los Santos has been sharing his experiences living with DACA – and returning to Mexico for the first time ever – in our special series, Finding Home con DACA. If you haven't heard those yet, that'd be a good place to start.

The series was intended to be three episodes long... But, as is often the case with this kind of wide-scoped project, we found more threads to pull on as we were wrapping things up. One big loose end was the fact that so many immigrants who came to the United States don't end up staying. So, in today's postscript, we're doing just that.

Guest: Caroline Tracey, author of the New Yorker piece "Fighting For The Right to Come and Go"
Listen • 13:12

Listen • 13:12

What To Do With A Water Surplus

(Update) #2: Despite all the rain and snow, LA still has its water restrictions in place from June of 2022. Angelenos have been a doing a pretty good job at conserving... But even though it might look like we're sitting on a major water surplus, all that rain and snow only covers our water needs for about a year.

So... what DO you do with a water surplus? Well, you save it.

Last fall, HTLA host Brian De Los Santos and LAist climate emergency reporter Erin Stone met up with a sustainability role model to get a handle on how it's done.

We're revisiting that scene, but we've got all the new numbers for you from our recent stormy winter.

Guest List: Erin Stone, Climate Emergency Reporter, LAist
Lynetta McElroy, Leimert Park resident and water conservationist