LA Culture

Singer Gwen Stefani gives a speech during her “Walk of Fame” ceremony in Hollywood on Oct. 19, 2023. Photo by Benjamin Hanson. It was 11:30 a.m., on a recent, radiant Thursday morning on Hollywood Boulevard, as throngs of fans gathered behind metal fences to get a glimpse of their queen bee—singer Gwen Stefani—for...

People ride the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad rollercoaster in Disneyland on Nov. 8, 2023. Droves of people gather in front of the Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland every night at 9:30. People from all across the world fill Main Street U.S.A. Some have scouted out viewing spots two hours in advance. Others scramble...

Within a strip mall in Winnetka, a Food 4 Less and Seven Eleven are accompanied by the scent of filled to the brim, crunchy and evenly cooked empanadas that would lure almost anyone passing by into the restaurant. Johnny Pacific is an A rated fast casual family-owned restaurant. The staff...

Blake Williams, an editor for the Dodger Blue blog, stands in front of a mural in North Hollywood on Nov. 10, 2023. Photo by Daniela Raymundo. While Jazzlyn Flores can’t remember much of her first Dodgers game, she can recall the Dodger dog that her small hand could barely hold, the sea of...

Dominic Anaya stands in his vendor tent at Melrose Trading Post in Los Angeles on Oct. 22, 2023. Photo by Benjamin Hanson. Turn one corner on North Fuller Avenue in Los Angeles, which is full of quiet residential houses, and a new world emerges, with more than 300 shops selling jewelry, inking tattoos...

Entrance to the Grand Central Market in Downtown Los Angeles on Oct 26. 2023. Photo by Dannie Carreon. The Grand Central Market, first named “Wonder Market,” is a historical landmark in Downtown Los Angeles. It opened in 1917 on the ground floor of the Homer Laughlin Building. It currently has...

Founder Rafael Vega’s family pictures at Casa Vega’s lobby in Sherman Oaks on Saturday, September 16, 2023. Photo by Lourdes Suasnabar. As the lights dim, the classic Mexican tune “Contigo,” by the famous trio Los Panchos, resonates throughout the dining room of his hidden gem. With mustard-painted walls streaked with...

Model Ashley Cardenas. Photo illustration by Rachael Rosenberg. In his Beverly Hills office, which is like his second home, Dr. Jay Calvert’s fingers hold a scalpel drenched in red liquid that slides into the flesh of a patient lying on an operating room table.  As he cuts through the cartilage,...

(L-R) Jennifer Martinez and Ella Sapphire pose at “Porvidalosangeles,” a Hispanic Heritage Month event at the Arts District in Los Angeles, on Sept. 15, 2023. Photo by Daniela Raymundo. The streets of East LA Viridiana models at the RepurposingLA fashion show in East Los Angeles...

Whizzles, fireworks, laughs and old school reggaeton music play under an array of colorful neon lights reflect the vibe of a restaurant where it feels like it is someone's birthday everyday.  And that is because Kalabareas creates a welcoming culturally authentic atmosphere with home made food and traditional drinks.