Month: March 2025

Where to find affordable lunch in Los Angeles for or less

Where to find affordable lunch in Los Angeles for $15 or less

Published by Sam Flores

You may have noticed the prices at the grocery store or your favorite restaurant on the rise as businesses struggle to keep up with the soaring costs of goods and labor. No matter who you are, the effects of inflation are widespread and jarring. I’m ever cognizant of this as someone who eats out for a living, and I’ve watched my tabs grow at restaurants all over the city. But it’s still the best way to fall in love with Los Angeles, even if you’re on a budget. Maybe it stems from the summers I spent helping my grandmother cut coupons at her kitchen table, but I’m never prouder than when I find a deal, and get to share it. The following is a guide to some of my favorite meals priced at $15 or less before tax and tip. Some of these deals are specific to lunch, and others you can enjoy any time of day. There’s a soul-nourishing plate of fried chicken and greens in Chatsworth, beef noodle soup in Hacienda Heights and …

Los Angeles restaurants with a must-order signature dish

Los Angeles restaurants with a must-order signature dish

Published by Sam Flores

Decision fatigue is a real issue when it comes to dining in Los Angeles. With so many fantastic restaurants to choose from, the first hurdle is simply deciding where to go for your next meal out. Once you’ve narrowed that down, you’re then faced with menus that can range from sparse to compendious, like the famous 300-item menu at Thai Town’s Jitlada. But sometimes, one dish emerges as a house specialty. It takes the pressure off knowing that there’s a crowd-favorite item that never fails to delight. “I love signature dishes and hate when restaurants run out of them,” says Cento Pasta Bar chef Avner Levi. The restaurant is known for its spicy pomodoro that’s topped with whipped ricotta and verdant basil oil. “Its popularity wasn’t something I expected; the dish just took on a life of its own.” Even though the popularity of the dish can put pressure on the kitchen, Levi sees the signature dish as a sort of blessing because “it makes it easier for guests to come back and be more …

14+ Best Shower Cleaners of 2026, Tested & Reviewed

14+ Best Shower Cleaners of 2026, Tested & Reviewed

Published by Sam Flores

My shower is one of those areas I tend to avoid cleaning for as long as possible. Unlike my countertop or cooktop, it requires a lot more than just a simple spray and wipe; the tub gets gross very quickly with mildew and hair in the drain. This is where a good shower cleaner comes in handy. While I have a few brands that I often purchase, like Clorox and Lysol, I wanted to see what the best shower cleaner truly is. So the NBC Select team tested both chemical and enzyme-based shower cleaners and considered their effectiveness at removing soap scum and water stains, their scent, and whether or not they required scrubbing and rinsing. Then I spoke with cleaning professionals for their recommendations, and to get guidance on how to properly clean showers and tubs. We landed on 14 shower cleaners we found to be the best on the market, keep reading to find out why. Want more from NBC Select? Sign up for our newsletter, The Selection, and shop smarter. The best …

The clocks have gone forward – and should daylight savings be scrapped? | Science, Climate & Tech News

The clocks have gone forward – and should daylight savings be scrapped? | Science, Climate & Tech News

Published by skeptic

The clocks have gone forward, marking the start of daylight saving time in the UK. On Sunday 29 March the time jumped forward an hour when it hit 1am – and yes, it means you’ll have lost an extra hour of sleep. But the gain of an hour of daylight will mean lighter evenings and darker mornings. “Spring forward, fall back” has been part of our calendar for more than 100 years – but whether we should continue the practice is hotly debated. But why are some people against the clocks changing – and why do we do it in the first place? Here is what you need to know. Why do we have daylight saving time? The change from Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) to British Summer Time (BST) signifies the start of daylight saving time (DST) in the UK. DST lasts from the last Sunday in March until the last Sunday in October, when the clocks go back an hour. The day the clocks change always falls on a weekend to cause the least …

The clocks have gone forward – and should daylight savings be scrapped? | Science, Climate & Tech News

When do the clocks go forward – and should daylight savings be scrapped? | Science, Climate & Tech News

Published by Sam Flores

The clocks are going forward this weekend, marking the start of daylight saving time in the UK. On Sunday 29 March the time will jump forward an hour when it hits 1am – and yes, it means you will lose an extra hour of sleep. But the gain of an hour of daylight will mean lighter evenings and darker mornings. “Spring forward, fall back” has been part of our calendar for more than 100 years – but whether we should continue the practice is hotly debated. But why are some people against the clocks changing – and why do we do it in the first place? Here is what you need to know. Why do we have daylight saving time? The change from Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) to British Summer Time (BST) signifies the start of daylight saving time (DST) in the UK. DST lasts from the last Sunday in March until the last Sunday in October, when the clocks go back an hour. The day the clocks change always falls on a weekend to …

New coffee shops and cafes in Los Angeles to try

New coffee shops and cafes in Los Angeles to try

Published by Sam Flores

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Los Angeles is a coffee city. In fact, it might just be the best coffee city. There are world-class coffee shops, internet-famous cafes, Vietnamese coffee destinations and specialists that source beans only from particular regions and appellations. Every imaginable coffee experience can be found across the region, and some of its newest are the most exciting. About This Guide Our journalists independently visited every spot recommended in this guide. We do not accept free meals or experiences. What should we check out next? Send ideas to guides@latimes.com. Over the last few months, L.A. has seen a boom in these openings, be it standalone coffee shops or cafes that also offer ample food programs. Some flip from daytime concepts to full-fledged restaurants or wine bars by night. One is a meticulous matcha purveyor. Another doubles as a record store, complete with listening stations and a DJ booth, while a new East Hollywood cafe hopes to be a community art gallery. You can sip strong Armenian coffee with …

What to do and where to eat in Indio, home of the Coachella festival

What to do and where to eat in Indio, home of the Coachella festival

Published by Sam Flores

In 2021, Indio native Ejay Gomez had a dream that he was walking through a bustling town full of thriving businesses. Kids were playing, dogs were barking and all the storefronts were full. “I thought it was like downtown Pasadena or something,” said Gomez, who had opened Indio’s first cafe, Everbloom Coffee, with his business partner, Matthew Ortega, just a few months before. “It was a communal space where people were hanging out in a ‘live, eat, work’ kind of place.” In the dream, Gomez asked God where he was. God told him, he said, that this was the future of what was then a largely deserted stretch of downtown Indio, just a block away from where Gomez grew up. “He said, ‘If you steward this well, I will make this place prosperous,’” Gomez said. “It was such a real dream that it became a core conviction.” Gomez’s vision may not have come fully to fruition just yet, but with a host of new businesses opening in the past year and several more on the …

L.A. cafes where you can enjoy coffee and buy plants

L.A. cafes where you can enjoy coffee and buy plants

Published by Sam Flores

The newly opened coffee shop-cum-arboretum Creature’s was created to provide a place where one could “be a creature amongst other creatures.” To that effect, the establishment filled with native plants and succulents hosts events that promote compassion for all — there’s been a free clothing swap, local makers fairs, a nature sketching gathering and a presentation in tandem with Citizens for Los Angeles Wildlife (CLAW) about peacefully coexisting with L.A.’s native animals. Owned by Hope Creature, the business sells plants, gifts and garden supplies in one building and organic drinks and pastries in another. A 50-foot greenhouse shelters indoor tropicals, organic edibles, drought-tolerant native plants and small potted succulents, which go for less than $2. The outdoor seating area is outfitted with plants available for purchase. “A lot went into making this space architecturally stunning as well, with every design detail considered,” Creature says. “The space also serves as a platform for our ongoing community programming, which showcases what the space is all about — bringing people together to explore, learn and connect.” The queer-owned-and-run …

A group of 8 artists lived in a mall for 4 years — this documentary uncovers their secret world

A group of 8 artists lived in a mall for 4 years — this documentary uncovers their secret world

Published by Sam Flores

While shopping malls have been hit with hard times due to the ease of online shopping, back around the turn of the 21st century, they were desirable places to go and hang out — so bustling and packed with people that, in 2003, a group of eight artists, led by Michael Townsend, got away with living in a secret apartment they built and furnished in the Providence Place mall in Providence, Rhode Island for four years. The terrific new documentary “Secret Mall Apartment,” directed by Jeremy Workman (“Lily Topples the World”) and produced by Jesse Eisenberg, chronicles this amazing true story, which is described by one interviewee in the film as a “work of art,” “performance art,” “trespassing” and “a prank.” Townsend, along with his seven coconspirators — whose names had not been divulged until this film was made — regroup for the first time in 17 years to describe why they did it, and how they went undetected for so long. “It seems like you shouldn’t be able to pull it off,” one artist stated, but Townsend and …

Flight delayed or cancelled? These are your rights to care and compensation | UK News

Flight delayed or cancelled? These are your rights to care and compensation | UK News

Published by Sam Flores

Joint US-Israel strikes on Iran – and a subsequent retaliation from Tehran – has caused widespread disruption on air travel. Whether it’s a man-made problem or a weather issue, flights are often prone to lengthy delays or cancellations. The average delay for flights from major UK airports was 18 minutes and 24 seconds in 2024, with Gatwick the worst culprit for delays. Here’s a look at what rights you have as a passenger if your flight is delayed or cancelled. Iran latest: Tehran hit with new wave of airstrikes after death of Khamenei Your rights during delays Your flight is covered by UK law if it departs or arrives at a UK airport on a UK or EU airline, or arrives at an EU airport on a UK airline. When it comes to significant delays, UK law says airlines must provide you with care and assistance. Significant delays are classed as: • More than two hours for short-haul flights of under 1,500km (932 miles)• More than three hours for medium-haul flights of 1,500km-3,500km (932 to …