Reporter Jack Ross:  

The Santa Monica Airport represents roughly 4% of the city land, and on Dec. 31st, 2028, the airport is scheduled to close, so that real estate is going to become available for development all at once. To put it mildly, that’s just not something that happens very often in cities today. More than a decade ago, residents voted to build a park on the airport site, but that was before homelessness exploded in LA County. Now, some Santa Monicans want to include affordable housing in the redevelopment plans. It’s gearing up to be the latest flashpoint in the fight over housing development in Southern California.

Santa Monica airport closure spurs push for housing

Santa Monica resident Vivian Rothstein wants to see 3,000 units of affordable housing on the Santa Monica Airport land along with the park. She was an activist in the civil rights movement, and sees this project as part of her lifelong fight against racial segregation. “It’s about integration on many levels. It’s about community building,” she says. 

Meanwhile, residents Mark Verville and Tricia Crane say they’re not opposed to building affordable housing in general, but they’re convinced that no money exists to construct any at the airport. So they think developers will create luxury housing instead, which they believe will make the city more expensive to live in.

Building lots of housing on the site would likely require voter approval through another ballot measure, according to City Councilmember Jesse Zwick, who supports building “some form of mixed-use, mixed-income housing” on the site alongside a park.

LA’s home for seekers of wisdom is hidden in Los Feliz

From the outside, the Philosophical Research Society building looks like an impenetrable beige cube. Founder Manly P. Hall, a Canadian native, moved to California as a teenager and became the minister of The Church of the People in Downtown LA, where people came to him with questions about spirituality and the meaning of life. He couldn’t find answers through the Bible, so he turned to ancient texts by philosophers and mystics. 

When he decided to leave the church at age 20, PRS shipping manager Amanda Brass recounts, “A woman said, ‘Hey, before you go, I'd like to have a meeting with you. My daughter and I live in Ventura. We've been coming to your church for years. You've helped us immensely, and the best way to thank you for that is to basically give you a checkbook, because we've struck oil on our property. So go and travel the world. Pick up whatever you think is important to you.’” And so, during his travels, Hall amassed a huge collection of ancient texts and rare books.

When he returned to LA, he purchased land and broke ground on a library, then added a lecture room and an amphitheater where he gave Sunday lectures. Over time, Hall became a magnet for people interested in the big questions of life, and even officiated Charles Bukowski's wedding in the courtyard of PRS. 

Today, PRS hosts tarot readings, meditation circles, film screenings, and concerts.

Political, playful, absurdist: LA artists known as Asco

The Chicano Movement that began in the late 1960s gave political and artistic voice to Mexican Americans, especially in Los Angeles, where four East LA artists in their early 20s formed a collective known as Asco in 1972. Patssi Valdez, Willie Herrón, Harry Gamboa, Jr., and Gronk staged absurdist and satirical guerrilla art, exploring police brutality, immigration, gender, and sexuality. ASCO: Without Permission is a documentary and anthology of short films and music from a new generation of artists inspired by Asco. It kicks off the Los Angeles International Latino Film Festival in Hollywood, which runs May 28th to June 1st.

Asco is the Spanish word meaning nausea or disgust. The group’s early work incorporated dead birds and other techniques to shock people, says Travis Gutierrez Senger, director of the documentary. Later, the group crystallized their concept into something more political. 

“There was incessant coverage of LA gangs, and that would end up … creating more violence. … They saw stereotypes in Hollywood, and they were so cartoonish and absurd and offensive, it gave them asco. And then when they saw police and batons raining down on innocent protesters and people getting killed and shot right in front of them, it gave them asco,” says Senger.

Hungry for Japanese food? Dodger Stadium has you covered

There’s nothing like chowing down on a Dodger Dog or sipping blue margaritas at Dodger Stadium. But thanks to Shohei Ohtani, the superstar slugger for the team, fans can buy all kinds of Japanese food. It’s part of the so-called Ohtani effect, says Eater LA Reporter Mona Holmes. 

One dish in particular stands out: “It’s a box in the shape of home plate, and it's got chicken skewers that are flavored with teriyaki sauce, Japanese dumplings, shishito peppers, some steamed rice, and some wonderful sauce.” 

If fans feel particularly adventurous, they can try the Kurobuta teriyaki hot dog that’s smothered in mayonnaise. A more savory pick is the takoyaki, an octopus ball that’s battered with tempura and layered with green onion and pickled ginger.

KCRW Partner Screening: SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)

KCRW and Onyx Collective invite you to a special screening of SLY LIVES! (aka the Burden of Black Genius), followed by a conversation, reception, and special DJ performance from KCRW's Novena Carmel.

SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius) examines the life and legacy of Sly & The Family Stone, the groundbreaking band led by the charismatic and enigmatic Sly Stone. This film captures the rise, reign, and subsequent fadeout of one of pop music’s most influential artists but also shines a light on how Black artists in America navigate the unseen burden that comes with their success. Drawing from his own personal experience and relationships, Questlove tells an empathetic human story about the cost of genius, reframing the way we all engage with pop culture.

Smorgasburg summer: Ice cream alley, BBQ Day and more

Each Sunday, one of LA's biggest year-round food pop-ups is Smorgasburg at The Row DTLA, from 10 AM to 4 PM. A parking lot off Central Avenue hosts scores of food vendors offering jerk barbeque, breakfast burgers, Thai street food, vegan tacos, and other specialties. 

Smorgasburg is getting ready for a series of special summer events:

• June 8: The Smorgasburger stand is returning for the first time since 2019.
• June 15: It’s Father’s Day and Smorgasburg's ninth anniversary. 
• July 6: The annual ice cream alley launches. 
• July 13: SmorgasJoon celebrates Iranian Angeleno food culture. 
• August 24: Annual BBQ Day.

Plus, KCRW DJs will be in attendance spinning tracks the first Smorgasburg Sunday of each month, including this Sunday, June 1st.