Hello, 

Who remembers those commercials where people in suits with balloons and a giant check showed up at someone’s doorstep to deliver a sweepstakes prize, and the way you knew they were real (maybe) was that the door answerer was still in a robe with messy hair? Or more KCRW-specific, who remembers when KCRW producer-at-large Matt Holzman called sweepstakes winners live to surprise them? Those calls were so popular that the poor guy (also the host of The Document) couldn’t make work phone calls without people yelling “Did I win?” the moment they heard his voice (let me know if you ever got a Matt call)! 

Well, those days are done. But just because you’re not hearing about it, doesn’t mean people aren’t out here #winning! Meet Roy and Tim — the winners of our Ritvales Festival Sweepstakes. KCRW sent them VIP-style to Medellin, Colombia for an experience they described as “incredible”:

So many great international artists performed at the festival and their time slots were all long enough to let their sets really evolve (looking at you Coachella!). The setting for the fest was a densely forested large urban park easily reached by metro train from other parts of the city. Arriving at the fest on Day 1…to hear Robag Wruhme absolutely tear it up was the right way to kick things off. Unforgettable! …A torrential rainstorm moved in on Day 2. This was the kind of intense rain that would absolutely shut LA down but the Colombian party people were undeterred. Ultimately, our takeaway is Medellin is a fascinating and complicated city with great food, cool people, and the cleanest, safest, and most efficient metro system I’ve ever used. My partner Tim McDonald and I can’t thank KCRW enough for the trip. We’ll be talking about this one for years to come! Support your local public radio station because you never know where your membership will take you!  Thanks again! —Roy

*Ed note — 👀 what I bolded!

Connie Alvarez
Your KCRW Insider 

P.S. Design lovers, scroll down for a chance to get lucky you’ll like.

From the Slutmobile to the Starship

When was the last time you said “slut” so casually? Yup, this was another era and this is another episode of the raucous Groupies-led Lost Notes podcast! In it: Rodney Bingenheimer’s English Disco. The Continental Hyatt House. The Rainbow Bar & Grill. Glam rock was the genre du jour and there was no more convenient or welcoming circuit for an intrepid teenage groupie to land in than the Strip in the early 1970s. As for Led Zeppelin, LA became their spiritual home-away-from-home (read: wives). From flying in on their private jet, the Starship, to cruising down Sunset picking up groupies in their white stretch limo, the Slutmobile, Led Zeppelin’s superstardom marked a new era, and level, to groupiedom.

YouTube and Streaming Upends Gen Alpha’s TV Habits

The big question on the horizon is, “How are young people consuming their media?” And if content providers can figure this out, the next thing they need to figure out is how to get in on the action — and you know they’ll hustle for that answer. Younger audiences are drawn to other platforms, including YouTube, where a third of the website’s audience is under 17. And much of what they see is likely being made by an independent producer. What can the larger “mainstream” networks do to get into the space… efficiently?

Racializing Fast Food as Black

Southern California has historically been ground zero for fast food brands. It's where many chains, from McDonald's and In & Out to Taco Bell and Jack In The Box, got their start. These success stories are often framed as shining examples of American opportunity and entrepreneurialism. But fast food franchises tend to be clustered in Black communities — and that isn't exactly ideal. In fact, their presence often signals deep socioeconomic divides and leads to exploitation.

Space Becomes Mundane in Samantha Harvey’s Orbital

If you’re looking for a good book to read (which I am), curled up under a blanket as the weather turns colder and the days shorter, look no further than the winner of this year's Booker Prize, Orbital, by Samantha Harvey. Harvey joins a long tradition of authors whose books take place in a single day, only on this day there are 16 sunrises and sunsets because her characters are astronauts aboard the International Space Station. Listen in as NPR’s Ari Shapiro chats with Samantha Harvey about the monotony of the daily cosmic rhythms she wanted to convey in her novel. 

Also up for a Booker this year was Rachel Kushner for her book, Creation Lake. Check out her chat with Press Play’s Madeleine Brand, or dig into the Bookworm archives for her conversations with Michael Silverblkatt about her earlier work: The Flamethrowers and The Hard Crowd: Essays 2000-2020.

Be Enchanted

Enjoy a night of wonder at Enchanted Forest of Light at Descanso Gardens. The tulips are electric, the oaks are awash in color, and the rose garden is aglow. Wander a one-mile path through illuminated, interactive light experiences and art installations. This year’s Enchanted will feature the model trains of the Descanso Railroad, lit up especially for the holiday season, and returning favorites like the magical “stained glass” houses by Tom Fruin, dazzling geometric structures by HYBYCOZO, the vibrant Flower Power installation on the Promenade, and the beautifully lit Ancient Forest. Enchanted is the perfect family tradition for the holidays or a romantic date night. Spend the evening in wonder. Enchanted runs November 17th–January 5th.

A Stoics Guide to Doing the Right Thing

As an overly passionate person, I must say, expressers and empaths, tuck in those feelings and try something new. Part of stoicism is the belief that as we face situations that require a response, we can choose how to react — or whether to react at all — and it’s entirely within our control. In his new book, Ryan Holiday explores how the ancient Greek philosophers Marcus Aurelius, Aristotle, and Seneca sought to provide a more pragmatic approach to happiness and virtue… And whether those same principles can impact how we live today. Listen in as Jonathan Bastian and Ryan Holiday examine making choices that aren’t always in our self-interest.

Calling all KCRW Members!
We want to send you to WestEdge Design Fair for their Opening Night on Saturday, November 23rd! The first member to reply to this email with your favorite modern designer will receive a pair of tickets and parking care of KCRW.

Not a KCRW member? Join today so you never miss out on exclusives like this.