Why L.A.'s Best Restaurants Are Dying — And What's Replacing Them

Hour 2 (7.31) Neil Saavedra, The Fork Reporter, is in the house and we're getting the number. How much weight has Neil actually dropped? The answer is 42 pounds following gastric sleeve surgery, and he's got plenty to say about the whole ride. Then we veer completely sideways into 3D printing tales — because Neil is fully, unapologetically addicted to big prints.  Then it's a galaxy far, far away and a whole lot of money. George Lucas sold Star Wars — and what it's worth today is staggering. We dig into behind-the-scenes stories from the legendary cantina scene, plus a question that trips up a lot of creators: if you use Star Wars files, do you have to pay for them? Also, one for the locals — Cinema Secrets in Toluca Lake has closed its doors for good.  From there we get into the food world, and it's messy. Chefs are a rebellious breed, and right now that rebellion is showing. Five-star restaurants are closing. Kitchens can't keep the lights on. L.A. is going through a real change, and experiential restaurants are challenging everything we thought a night out was supposed to be.  And before you go — check out Neil's 3D printing projects over at @Saavcoindustries on Instagram. The man is not messing around.  🎧 Listen carefully with headsets and microphone for the full experience.  Enjoy the podcast!  #NeilSaavedra #ForkReporter #WeightLossJourney #GastricSleeve #HealthJourney #3DPrinting #MakerCommunity #BigPrints #SaavcoIndustries #StarWars #GeorgeLucas #Lucasfilm #MayTheForce #CantinaScene #MovieTrivia #FilmHistory #TolucaLake #FoodieNews #ChefLife #RestaurantIndustry #LARestaurants #FineDining #ExperientialDining #EatLA #SoCalEats #Podcast #MorningShow #LocalNews #ListenWithHeadphones See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.