Natalia Alvarez, Author at Secret Los Angeles

Food & drink

Meet the prized California spiny lobster: the clawless local delicacy yielding 25% more meat that King’s Fish House is serving char-grilled through March

While most people associate lobster with the East Coast, Southern California has its own distinctive variety, and its highly anticipated season has officially arrived. Unlike Maine lobster, California...

Food & drink Things to do

Meet the Arcadia couple who turned a casual family recipe into the ‘Wife Special Noodle,’ the centerpiece of a Michelin-recognized destination hidden in a local strip mall

If you are looking for an incredible and authentic meal that won't break the bank, you need to head to Arcadia. Tucked away in a local strip mall at 921 S Baldwin Ave, you will find Lao Xi Noodle Hou...

Cinema Culture Things to do

In 2015, director Ava DuVernay founded ARRAY to break down independent film barriers; today, the collective operates a 180 Glendale Blvd creative campus in Los Angeles where every community screening is completely free

In 2015, director Ava DuVernay toured to promote her hit film 'Selma'. She noticed a recurring problem. Independent filmmakers faced massive barriers to distribution. She took action and founded ARR...

Red flag warnings to take effect across SoCal as strong Santa Ana winds raise ‘extreme’ fire concerns

Southern California is officially bracing for a major weather shift. A powerful Santa Ana wind event is sweeping into the region. These notoriously dry, strong winds are bringing a critical threat...

Six Flags abruptly closes Los Angeles Goliath and 8 other massive thrill rides coast-to-coast following tragic fatal incident in Georgia

Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia has temporarily shut down its Goliath roller coaster. Park officials made the call out of an abundance of caution following a fatal accident on a similar ride at Six F...

Culture Things to do

Once illegal and fined as a ‘trashy’ blight in the 1980s: Inside Glendale’s Museum of Neon Art, where local artists saved historic commercial signs from the scrapyard

Los Angeles is famous for its glowing neon landscape, but these iconic signs were once actively targeted for removal. During the 1980s, the American Beautification Act took hold across the city. Loc...

Food & drink Top news

Buc-ee’s just suffered a shocking drop to fourth place; meet the Midwestern retailer that claimed America’s number one spot

Planning a cross-country road trip soon? You might want to rethink your pit stops. The latest convenience store rankings from the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) are officially out. In...

Escapes Top news

Nearly free rides across Southern California: How to claim the 50% Metrolink student discount and skip expensive campus parking

Getting around Los Angeles and Southern California just got a whole lot cheaper. Metrolink is offering all students with a valid student ID a 50% discount on train tickets and passes. If you are ti...

Food & drink Things to do

In 1971, a Cuban immigrant started baking cakes out of her two-bedroom Silver Lake apartment; decades later, Porto’s Bakery has grown into a massive Los Angeles culinary institution

In 1971, a recent immigrant from Cuba lost her job and needed to reinvent herself to support her family. She started baking cakes right out of her two-bedroom apartment near Silver Lake and Sunset B...

Food & drink Top news

Costco and Aldi are quietly hiding $150 premium Napa Valley wines under their private labels for less than $30 due to a massive industry surplus

Wine lovers, your next grocery run just got a major upgrade. According to KTLA 5, California wineries are currently struggling with a massive oversupply of premium wines. To clear out their massiv...