The passing of Pulitzer Prize-winning food writer Jonathan Gold has left a big void in Los Angeles. His brother remembers him, and local chefs reflect on what he did for L.A.'s food culture. Plus, after a landslide took out a stretch of Highway 1, local businesses in Big Sur that depended on through-traffic were devastated. We check in with a local business to see how things are now that it's reopened. And the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power talks about the stability of the power grid in advance of a heatwave.
How Jonathan Gold put L.A.'s food scene on the map
Jonathan Gold died Saturday of pancreatic cancer, he was 57. Gold was a Pulitzer Prize-winning food writer, and still the only food writer to ever win that honor. However, he was more than that because in doing his job he was also LA's cultural warrior. An Angeleno born and raised he was not just defending what the city eats but, by extension, how it's people live and think, as a diverse and sprawling metropolis. Through all the different restaurants he wrote about, from Jitlada in East Hollywood to Guelaguetza in Koreatown, Gold brought Angelenos together as neighbors, bridging the gap between the city's many cultures, one meal at a time.
Guests:
- Mark Gold, one of Jonathan Gold's brothers
- Food writer Javier Cabral, former restaurant scout for Jonathan Gold
- Genet Agonfer, whose restaurant, Meals by Genet, was written up by Jonathan Gold
Preparing the electric grid for more heat waves
Well, if you haven't already heard, Southern California is in for another hot week. Temperatures could creep into the triple digits in some areas and that could lead more people to reach for the thermostat. But it also increases the chances of heat-related power outages. A heat wave earlier this month left tens-of-thousands of Angelinos without power. So can we expect anything different this time around?
Guest:
- Marty Adams, Chief Operating Officer for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
Highway 1 in Big Sur has reopened, so how's business?
The stretch of Highway 1 that runs through Big Sur officially reopened July 20. We see how local businesses are faring after so many months of the road being closed.
Guest:
- Kirk Gaffill, restaurant owner, Nepenthe
The "Guardians of the Galaxy" franchise needs a hero
Disney has severed ties with "Guardians of the Galaxy" director, James Gunn, over inappropriate jokes he shared on Twitter. Some actors are defending Gunn, but what does his firing say about Hollywood's changing attitudes about the behavior of its big names? But the futures of two other super hero franchises are looking brighter: "Black Panther" could nab some awards nods and the CW's "Supergirl" has a pioneering new character.
Guest:
- Vanity Fair's Rebecca Keegan
L.A.'s influence on fashion designer Alexander McQueen
Over the weekend, a documentary about the late designer Alexander McQueen premiered. McQueen was a British designer with a global presence, including Los Angeles, where his flagship story continues to draw shoppers.
Guest:
- Michelle Dalton Tyree, editor of the website Fashion Trends Daily