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Editors' Picks 2018

Angelitos Negros at Broad Stage | Osofu Washington
Angelitos Negros at Broad Stage | Osofu Washington
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2018 was another ambitious year in California. The political, artistic and cultural landscape continued to shift so much that is was a challenge to cover every remarkable story. The editors, writers and producers at KCET worked hard to capture the stories that informed how we see California today, and what could be ahead in 2019. Follow the links below to our editors' picks for 2018.

The Decades-Long Evolution of Thai Cuisine in Los Angeles

Yum Mamuang (Mango Salad) from Chao Krung | Courtesy of Chao Krung

While Los Angeles’ Thai Town may be diminutive in size, only occupying a half-mile stretch in East Hollywood, its existence has been symbolic and influential in Thai culture on a much grander scale, locally and transnationally.

The Joshua Tree: Myth, Mutualism and Survival

the joshua tree myth mutualism and survey

The neat overlap of the range of the Joshua tree with the generally accepted boundaries of the Mojave Desert is an accident of evolutionary history. And this accidental relationship is in danger of coming undone.

Open Your Eyes: Lula Washington Dance Theatre

Lula Washington and her dancers | Ian Foxx
Lula Washington and her dancers | Ian Foxx

For Lula and Erwin Washington, the Lula Washington Dance Theatre is more than just a building or studio. It's a beacon of black ownership, a means in which to share a powerful message about race and society, and a necessary part of their community.  

Friday Night Lights: The Dorsey and Crenshaw Rivalry

friday night lights: dorsey and crenshaw rivalry

If you grew up in L.A., you know about the football rivalry between Dorsey and Crenshaw. For the high schools located in different gang territories, games took on a whole new meaning in the 90s. For the players, the field was a sanctuary because while the rivalries on the field were intense, the ones off the field came with real danger.

Pozole: The Most Controversial Soup in Indigenous Mexican Culture

pozole

Journalist Beto Lanz-Hola discusses what anthropologists have to say about this Mexican stew.

SoCal Wanderer

socal wanderer titlecard

"SoCal Wanderer" is an insider's guide to the land of sunshine. Whether your looking for guides to the best (or off-beat) destinations for history, hiking, or arts & culture, check out the expansive map and rich archive of articles and guides to Southern California.

California’s Atlantis: The Lost Superisland of Santarosae

Inspiration Point at Anacapa Island, Channel Islands National Park

Twenty thousand years ago, Santarosae Island was an imposing landmass just south of the Santa Barbara coast. Then it disappeared.

Green Gentrification on the Los Angeles River: A Battle for the Future of the City

Taylor Yard

What happens at the 42-acre Taylor Yard parcel on the banks of the Los Angeles River will set the stage for the future of the L.A. River and the diverse communities surrounding it for decades to come.

Giant Rock, Space People and the Integratron

giant rock

Alien sightings and contacts have inspired the continuing allure of the Mojave Desert's great landmarks: Giant Rock and Integratron.

'Dialysis Centers on Every Corner' in Southern California, the Business of Kidney Disease is Booming

Map of Dialysis Centers in Southern California

Chronic kidney disease is at epidemic levels worldwide. And as Americans live longer and get heavier, the number of patients with kidney failure requiring dialysis is growing at 5 percent a year.

The Lives of People on Olvera Street

People on Olvera Street | Samanta Helou Hernandez Olvera AB s9

Olvera Street means many things to many people. Hear the voices of those who find themselves drawn to this heart of Los Angeles.

Top Image: Angelitos Negros at Broad Stage | Osofu Washington

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A bald person adjusts his football uniform.

Early Screening: Inspiring Tale of 59-Year-Old Linebacker Mike Flynt in 'The Senior' at the PBS SoCal Cinema Series

The film screens March 26, with a Q&A with actor Michael Chiklis and producer Mark Ciardi immediately following the screening.
Two people look at something in the distance in horror.

Mystery Comedy 'Wicked Little Letters' Stars Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley: Early Screening at the PBS SoCal Cinema Series

The film screens March 19, with a pre-recorded Q&A with director Thea Sharrock shown immediately after the screening.
A person wearing glasses flips through a book at a desk.

'One Life' Portrays the Heroic Deeds of Nicholas Winton: Early Screening at the PBS SoCal Cinema Series

The film screens March 12, with an in-person Q&A with KCRW host and THR editor Kim Masters, whose mother was one of the children rescued by Nicholas Winton.