Natalia Alvarez, Author at Secret Los Angeles

Based in Madrid, Natalia is a globe-trotting journalist who grew up exploring Los Angeles through a steady diet of cinema, television, and frequent travels. With a background studying media across Madrid, Stockholm, and Sydney, she previously reported for Agencia EFE, Europe's major news agency. Armed with a Master’s in Music Business, you can usually find her hunting for the perfect soundtrack, dissecting West Coast pop culture, or uncovering the best LA secrets from across the pond. Contact: natalia.alvarez@feverup.com

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...

Escapes Food & drink Music Things to do

Once a playground for Elizabeth Taylor, Cary Grant, and Clark Gable; the 100-year-old Fairmont Breakers in Long Beach is restoring its original Hollywood glamour with an intimate new jazz and whiskey lounge

This landmark Southern California hotel is restoring its original social energy. The Fairmont Breakers is bringing music and glamour back to Long Beach with Alter Ego, an intimate jazz and whiskey loun...

To avoid raising taxes on local residents, 7 L.A. County cities are pushing new measures to make tourists and Airbnb guests fund 911 and fire services

Rising inflation continues to squeeze city budgets across Southern California. In response, seven L.A. County municipalities are turning to visitors to help fund essential public services, according t...

Food & drink Things to do

45 years ago, an unassuming Western Avenue buffet pioneered the all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ; today, MJD Korean BBQ still serves the exact same iconic L.A. Galbi cross-cut ribs it originally invented

An unassuming restaurant space on Western Avenue holds a dual legacy in the culinary history of Los Angeles. About 45 years ago, this location pioneered the all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue format. I...

Tropical storm ‘Rachel’ breaks SoCal heatwave with weekend rain and mountain snow

Southern California's intense October heat wave is officially coming to an end as a major weather shift takes over the region. The October heat wave is over According to KTLA 5, the extreme heat th...

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