BONKS ~ This is Los Angeles

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<p><span style="font-weight: 400">Blending her time in the kitchen as a line cook with her passion for storytelling, Lauren Bethke writes about community, inclusivity and the city she loves the most—Los Angeles.</span></p>


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Lauren Bethke

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Events

Microdosing World Peace at Downtown L.A.’s Michelin Restaurant-Themed Sex Party

<p>Julianne Le graduated from UCLA in 2025 with a major in English and minor in Asian American Studies. Maybe it&#8217;s because she isn&#8217;t jaded yet, but she is super eager to peek into the overlooked corners of L.A. and write about them. Le is the former editor-in-chief of UCLA&#8217;s Pacific Ties Newsmagazine and was a finalist for the Associated Collegiate Press&#8217; &#8220;Podcast of the Year&#8221; award in 2024.</p>


Julianne Le

a man poses with an array of artistic sex toys

This Modern-Day Digital Jester Is an Absurdist Sex Toy Artist

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Comix

Sunday Taquitos #27: Losing Bet and Mercenaries

<p>Izzy Ramirez is a Los Angeles-based staff reporter with L.A. TACO, documenting immigration enforcement and state power as it unfolds on the ground. Their work centers real-time alerts and long-term public archiving throughout the Southern California region.</p>


Izzy Ramirez

a woman with tattoos holds up a tattoo flash sheet she has created

7 Tattoo Artists in L.A. Resisting ICE Through Flash Sheets

Sunday Taquitos #26: Obnoxious Experienced

<div>Ivan Ehlers is an Ecuadorian-American cartoonist and writer. He is a regular contributor to <i>The New Yorker</i>, <i>MAD Magazine</i> and the <i>Los Angeles Times</i>.</div>
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<div>IG: <a id="m_-8957504711371111195plusReplyChip-0" class="gmail_plusreply"></a>@ivan_ehlers</div>


Ivan Ehlers

Sunday Taquitos #25: Nuclear Codes and Presidential Pardons

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Aisha Wallace-Palomares

Hunger Strikers Facing Solitary Confinement in Adelanto ICE Processing Center, According To Anonymous Source

<p>Lexis-Olivier Ray is an award-winning staff investigative reporter for L.A. TACO known for holding powerful people in Los Angeles accountable and his reporting on Los Angeles culture. As well as an artist and filmmaker. In 2022, the Society of Professional Journalists&#8217; Los Angeles chapter named Ray one of their &#8220;distinguished journalists.&#8221; In 2023, Ray won a second place Anthem Award in their Health Innovation category for a texting service geared towards the unhoused community and service providers that he launched in 2021 with L.A. TACO and Subtext. Ray was a 2020 USC Center For Health Journalism (CHJ) Data Fellow. As well as a 2022 CHJ Impact Fellow. As a freelancer, Ray has contributed to the L.A. Times, Men&#8217;s Health Magazine, KCET and SFGATE.</p>


Lexis-Olivier Ray

City of L.A.'s public records request website photographed with a piece of glass to distort the image.

Taco Members Only

Investigations Newsletter: LAPD’s Public Records System is ‘Broken’

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Food

These L.A. Restaurants Are Speaking Out After The Influencers They Paid Ghosted Them

<p>Publisher, L.A. TACO.</p>
<p>I enjoy exploring every corner of Los Angeles, looking for art wherever I can find it.</p>


Blazedale

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Media

OpEd: How To Strengthen and Grow Californians’ Access To Trusted Local News

L.A. TACO STAFF

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<p>Jared Cowan is a photographer who also writes and podcasts extensively about L.A. filming locations. He is the co-founder of My Valley Pass, through which he leads film tours of the San Fernando Valley and Pasadena. Jared is also the co-editor of the recent book &#8220;World Film Locations: Los Angeles Volume 2&#8221; and the editor of the upcoming &#8220;World Film Locations: Philadelphia.&#8221;</p>
