BONUS: From LAist Studios, LA Made: The Barbie Tapes

For Barbie, the cultural upheaval of the 60s and 70s incites one identity crisis after another as Mattel tries to make sure that their doll, who had revolutionized the toy industry, didn’t fall behind the times. By popular demand, Mattel creates Ken, and gradually adds new supporting players to Barbie’s world.   In this episode, we investigate Ken's origin story, delve into the inner workings of Mattel, and hear how Barbie's inventor, Ruth Handler, was ousted from her own company.

Listen now at https://laist.com/podcasts/la-made  

#128: Everyone loves a fresh concha – that warm, doughy center with the crunchy cookie shell on the top could send any Angeleno's heart a'flutter. Today, Brian's taking LAist food editor Gab Chabran on a concha crawl. We're exploring the history of this famous Mexican treat, and checking out Brian & Gab's favorite spots across LA.

For more sweet-breaded goodness, check out Gab's article over on LAist.com

Panaderias visited: Panaderia Coatzingo in South LA, Vallarta, y Gusto Bread in Long Beach.

Got a favorite we didn't mention? Send us a DM! instagram.com/LAistofficial

Music in this episode composed by: Aaron Copland, Austin Cross, Haruomi Hosono, Radio Jarocho, Quetzal, Masayoshi Takanaka, The ModArchive, Dexter Thomas, Woo, Yeahman

#127: Hollywood is at a standstill right now, with first screenwriters — and now actors — out on strike. SAG-AFTRA, the union that represents actors, is calling for a number of changes in their now stalled contract negotiations with the AMPTP, the organization that represents studios and streamers. They include inflation-based wage increases, protections against artificial intelligence, and a share in revenue for streaming content. Another contentious issue? Self-taped auditions, which became the norm during the pandemic.

The amount of time and resources actors are now expected to spend recording themselves for auditions is a big issue for many actors, including Sarah Ramos (Parenthood, The Bear), who spoke with us about why the practice has become "untenable." Ramos is also on SAG-AFTRA's negotiating committee.

• Read SAG-AFTRA’s summary of negotiation points, including on the self-tape issue
• And what the AMPTP has to say about the negotiations

#126: It's summer! Time for all night, experimental ambient music gatherings....right??? 

Ambient music gatherings as a thing have been gaining popularity here in the LA area in the past few years. These immersive events combine elements of music, theater, dance, live visual art and poetry to create a really impactful experience meant to take you on a journey of sorts.  And the roots of these events come from what’s known as “happenings” that trace back to 1960s loft parties in New York, and even further to traditional, meditative trance music from places like India and Morocco. 

Today, HTLA producer Megan Botel takes you to a recent ambient music event called Tonalism at Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge to tell you what this scene is all about. 

Guests: Mark "Frosty" McNeil, co-founder of Dublab and Creative Producer of LA Phil; Hatt Merlino, producer at Dublab, Rachel Day, program director at Dublab

BONUS: From LAist Studios, LA Made: The Barbie Tapes

When Barbie arrives on the toy scene in 1959, her celebrity is instantaneous, and not just because of her controversial appearance. Worldwide, Barbie is still the best-selling doll of all time. But Barbie has always been more than just a doll - she's a cultural touchstone. This episode kicks off the origin story of Barbie as told by her creators in their own words.

This podcast is supported by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

Listen now at https://laist.com/podcasts/la-made  

#125: Right now, we're undeniably living in a Barbie world. So, co-host of the LAist podcast "LA Made: The Barbie Tapes" Antonia Cereijido joins HTLA's Brian De Los Santos for a chat about Barbie's Los Angeles origin story. We also explore why Barbie continues to fascinate folks today, whether they like her or not. 

#124: If you’ve ever worked in a restaurant, or as a barista or bartender, you know that tips matter. But on the customer side, it’s gotten a lot more confusing in recent years. More and more businesses are asking for tips now, including fast food restaurants and online retailers — places that didn’t used to make that request. Why?

To answer that question, we turned to NPR's Stacey Vanek Smith, to talk about her reporting on this. She's co-host of NPR's The Indicator from Planet Money. She's also a correspondent for Planet Money, where she covers business and economics.

#123: We're continuing our summer of discover neighborhood series, but this time with something new... and what better than our first episode in the 818? HTLA host Brian De Los Santos is taking producer Evan Jacoby on a tour of his former home town of Sylmar - the northernmost neighborhood in LA City. Join the tour as they cruise around town, eat too much pasta, and learn about everything that makes Sylmar - and the valley - special.

BONUS: We’re excited to share an episode of NPR’s Code Switch that highlights Brian’s “Finding Home, Con DACA” series that we published earlier this year.

(You can check out those stories here on our feed.)

Brian spoke to host Lori Lizzaraga about his time in Mexico as a DACA recipient, how he embraced being pocho and all those feelings that come along with being undocumented in this country.

Links:
Is "home" still home after 30 years away?

#68: This week, we're revisiting some of our favorite episodes for a little adventure-inspiration. Today we're going to Angelino Heights. So get outside with us and get ready to see all the food, culture and history LA's different neighborhoods have in store.

The How to LA team is checking out yet another neighborhood: Mid-City. Listener and TV producer Nisa Ahmad answered our call about what area of L.A. we should visit next and her love of this neighborhood lured us in. Officially, L.A.'s Mid-City region is bound by Pico and the 10 Freeway to the north and south, Crenshaw and Robertson to the east and west. Still, the EXACT area is a little squishy for some. Wherever it is, it's got a lot going on.

Join us as we learn about what makes this place special, from tree-lined streets to soul food eats...and get Nisa's tips on where to get some good pan dulce and hear some live jazz.  

Guest: TV producer, and How to LA listener/reader, Nisa Ahmad