Imperfect Paradise: Why some chefs are trading high-end dining for home kitchens

In the infamously cutthroat industry of restaurants, some chefs are finding untraditional paths towards success. LAist food writer Gab Chabrán dives into the state of restaurants through the story of one chef who traded in his high-end dining job for a home kitchen operation.   Grow your business …

Imperfect Paradise: President Trump says ‘Hollywood is dead.’ What’s being done to revive it?

In 2025, California majorly boosted its film and TV tax credit program for the first time since 2014 in an effort to keep jobs in the Golden State. One year out, is it working as planned? And why is President Trump now calling for a national incentive program? On this episode of Imperfect Paradise,…

Imperfect Paradise: Is your smoke-damaged home safe? The toxic aftermath of LA’s 2025 fires

Many of the homes that survived the Palisades and Eaton fires are still not habitable because of contamination from smoke damage. Residents have been left battling with insurance companies over who is responsible for post-fire cleaning and testing. LAist’s David Wagner dives into where we are  with…

Imperfect Paradise: Is LA becoming a public transit city?

Los Angeles has long been considered a “car-centric” city, but is that changing? On this episode of Imperfect Paradise, LAist transportation correspondent Kavish Harjai joins to talk about the history of transit in L.A., the backstory behind the much-delayed People Mover train at LAX, and whether t…

Imperfect Paradise: How one man rebuilt his life, 100 miles at a time Redux

This episode originally aired on January 8, 2025. Struggling with addiction and reentry after multiple stints in prison, Cesar Quijano discovers ultrarunning, a hobby that turns into his addiction and salvation. Through Cesar’s story to complete  a 100-mile race, Imperfect Paradise host Antonia Ce…

Imperfect Paradise: Most Californians don't own a home until 47. What that says about the CA Dream

Is homeownership falling out of reach for millennials and Gen Z in the Golden State? LAist housing correspondent David Wagner joins Imperfect Paradise to examine this trend, the obstacles to homeownership and why we may need to shift our conception of what housing looks like in California.  Grow y…

Imperfect Paradise: More than an internet star. The life & legacy of Big Bear’s famous eagle Jackie

The death of Jackie signals the end of her story with Shadow – as well as for Big Bear Lake, and for millions of fans who followed the eagles’ saga on livestream for years. LAist reporter Makenna Cramer joins Imperfect Paradise to examine how the eagles turned the tides for a fight against luxury h…

Imperfect Paradise: After two years of progress, homelessness went up in LA. Why?

Homelessness increased in Los Angeles this year following two previous years of declines, according to the recently released 2026 “point-in-time” homeless count. It’s a setback for the region, and for L.A. Mayor Karen Bass who’s touted prior declines as evidence that her approach to addressing the …

Imperfect Paradise: Can a city built by the oil industry stop drilling for good?

The city of Los Angeles is home to over two thousand active oil wells, many concentrated in communities of color where residents have long reported serious health issues. On this episode of Imperfect Paradise, LAist’s Erin Stone takes us inside one neighborhood’s fight to shut down a drill site, an…

Imperfect Paradise: Who gets due process? Inside the fight over immigration bond hearings at Adelanto

Immigration bond denials have jumped sharply under the second Trump administration — nowhere more than at the Adelanto ICE detention center in Southern California. On this week's Imperfect Paradise: LAist's Jared Bennett follows the case of a 70-year-old L.A. street vendor held at Adelanto for six …