Torched turns 1: A week of talks and toasts April 21-25

Well, Los Angeles, it's been quite a year. When I started this newsletter in April 2024, I never could have envisioned LA's current reality. As the headlines I write become more and more unimaginable, we should all take a moment to regroup, recalibrate, and reconnect for what's ahead. So as part of Torched's first birthday, I'm hosting an entire week of talks and toasts. Some of these will be on Zoom, some of these will be in person. All of them will be fun. Expect some surprises and perhaps even a few shenanigans. Or maybe a spontaneous gathering to simply cry somewhere in public when the LA city budget is released.

Torched's first birthday is also Torched's first pledge week. My goal is to add 250 new paid subscribers this year. To sweeten the deal, I'll be announcing new supporter levels with some very cool new incentives. How can you help me achieve my goal? I'm so glad you asked. If you're not yet, you can become a paid subscriber. And if you're already a subscriber, you'll soon be able to renew, or, even better, upgrade your subscription. You can also submit a testimonial by replying to this email. Share your favorite stories from Torched's first year on social media. Send me news tips! Or bring a friend to a Torched event. Hope to see you out there so we can celebrate. Because, in a time of great uncertainty, Torched will always be about people coming together for LA.

Meeting our megaevent moment

Monday, April 21
11 a.m. on Zoom Please note this time has moved to 11 a.m.!
Zoom invite | Google calendar | .ics | LinkedIn

Six months after the UCLA Lake Arrowhead Symposium, have major opportunities become missed opportunities? Juan Matute and Kerry Sempelsz from UCLA's Institute of Transportation Studies will join me to talk about what we can still accomplish as a region when it comes to meeting our megaevent moment. We'll also preview UCLA's Lake Arrowhead follow-up forum scheduled for May 19 at the California Endowment. Also: If you'd like to attend the May 19 event, I've got a few tickets reserved for 🔥🔥 subscribers — just reply to this email and you can sit with me at the Torched table. [Update: these seats have been filled, thank you!]

Ask an LA megaevent expert anything

Tuesday, April 22
12 p.m. on Zoom
Zoom invite | Google calendar | .ics | LinkedIn

Who pays when megaevents go over budget? What happens if countries boycott? How are the IOC and FIFA different? When will we see the LA28 mascot? For a full hour we're going to direct all our burning questions to the two most knowledgable LA megaevent experts I know: Rich Perelman, editor extraordinaire of The Sports Examiner, and Cristian Cardenas, assistant policy researcher at RAND. Think of this as an Olympics-focused JEOOOOOPARDY event but with people who actually know what they're talking about. No question is too dumb!

Stay tuned — to be revealed to subscribers that morning

Wednesday, April 23
12 p.m. in DTLA
I told you there'd be some surprises! Be sure to open the newsletter that arrives in your inbox Wednesday morning to find out where to go. There's a hint in my introductory newsletter published one year ago.

Update! You may have already guessed but we're going to see the only remaining structure of the 1932 Olympic Village. It's located on Olvera Street. Join me there today at noon and, afterwards, we'll go to Cielito Lindo to talk about the legacy of housing and LA's Olympics — taquitos on me

Data + Donuts with MobilityData's Eric Plosky

Thursday, April 24
8 a.m. doors, 9 a.m. presentation
LA Cleantech Incubator at the La Kretz Innovation Campus
525 S. Hewitt Street
Los Angeles, CA 90013
RSVP here | LinkedIn

Organized by the LA civic technology community, Data + Donuts is a monthly speaker series that brings some of my favorite people together. This month features MobilityData's Eric Plosky with a presentation about how data standards can help us achieve our transportation goals: "walkable streets, frequent buses, and a world where there would be no need for a transit planning app." (YES.) I'll be moderating the Q&A with Eric and LA mobility data experts as we discuss the importance of data standards as megaevents potentially bring millions of more passengers to our local transit systems. Join us in person at LACI for coffee and donuts (of course), and you'll be off to work by 10 a.m.!

Torched turns 1 happy hour

Friday, April 25
3 to 6 p.m.
Spoke Bicycle Cafe
3050 North Coolidge Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90039
Google calendar | LinkedIn

Join your fellow Torched fans on the banks of the Los Angeles River for this Friday afternoon family-friendly happy hour. Pay your own way through Spoke's menu of tasty fare, coffee drinks, and long list of local beers. Unlike the annual paid subscriber-only party, this happy hour is open to anyone and you don't have to be a paid subscriber to attend — but shouldn't you really become one? No need to RSVP — just show up and be ready to raise a glass or two to one year of Torched!