This Week in LA: Tarantino, Rose Parade, and Early Voting

Quentin Tarantino debuted new footage from a sequel to "Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood" at AFI Fest, the Pasadena Tournament of Roses released more 2027 float designs, and early voting for the November 3 General Election started in Los Angeles County. Also, a new experiential rum bar opened in Sherman Oaks, and LA Metro broke ground on a new light rail line in the San Fernando Valley.

Around town

Tarantino Debuts 'Cliff Booth' Sequel Footage at AFI Fest

Quentin Tarantino surprised audiences at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood with 17 minutes of his new film, "The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth," a sequel to "Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood." The film, directed by David Fincher, stars Brad Pitt as Cliff Booth, working as a manager at the New Beverly Cinema in June 1977.

LA Metro Breaks Ground on East San Fernando Valley Light Rail

Construction has officially begun on a new 6.7-mile light rail line along Van Nuys Boulevard, connecting Van Nuys, Arleta, and Pacoima. This project will bring rail service back to the area after more than 70 years, with 11 new at-grade stations.

Los Angeles Early Voting Begins This Saturday

Los Angeles County residents can begin early in-person voting for the November 3 General Election this Saturday, October 24, with select Vote Centers opening. More locations will become available on October 31, and voters can cast ballots at any Vote Center in the county.

LA Neighborhoods Deck Out for Halloween

As Halloween approaches, neighborhoods like Angelino Heights and Burbank are transforming with elaborate decorations, offering free, walk-through experiences. Carroll Avenue in Angelino Heights, known as “The Haunted District,” and streets like California Street in Burbank are popular for viewing displays.

Pasadena Weighs Tougher Measures as Pedestrians Are Half of Traffic Deaths

Pedestrians account for half of Pasadena's traffic fatalities, despite being involved in only 7% of collisions, prompting city officials to consider stricter safety initiatives like lower speed limits and automated traffic cameras.

Conway Recording Studios on Melrose Avenue Is for Sale

Conway Recording Studios, a Hollywood music recording studio on Melrose Avenue, is for sale at $15 million as its 83-year-old founder, Buddy Brundo, plans to retire. The studio has hosted artists including Fleetwood Mac, Taylor Swift, and Kendrick Lamar.

LAX Skylink Delays Become Key Issue in Mayoral Race

The automated Skylink people mover at Los Angeles International Airport is years behind schedule and over budget, becoming a key issue in the mayoral race between Karen Bass and Nithya Raman. The project, initially approved in 2018, is now expected to be operational no earlier than January 2027.

California Voters Feel Overwhelmed by Ballot Measures

California voters often face a long list of statewide and local propositions, with 14 statewide measures in the upcoming November election, leading to mixed feelings about direct democracy.

Eat & drink

Sherman Oaks Gets Experiential Rum Bar With Theatrics

Gilbert Pérez Bar, a new cocktail destination from the Daisy Margarita Bar team, has opened in Sherman Oaks, offering an immersive, theatrical experience with a no-phones policy and a focus on Mexican rums.

Culture

Six More Rose Parade 2027 Floats Revealed

The Pasadena Tournament of Roses has released new renderings for six more floats in the 138th Rose Parade, set for January 1, 2027. Organizations like the City of Alhambra and City of Hope are among those participating.

Japanology Fair Brings Vintage Kimonos and Crafts to Lomita

The Japanology Fair, a monthly Japanese-themed market known for its vintage kimonos and multicultural goods, will hold its next event in Lomita on Saturday, October 31, 2026. Admission is free.

Style

SZA and Vans Drop Knu Skool Mule, Part of First Collection

Singer and Vans Artistic Director SZA has released her first official collaboration with Vans, featuring the Vansza Knu Skool Mule, a slip-on take on the Knu Skool sneaker with a black suede upper and custom artwork.

Kyle Wilson and Nike SB Rework the Air Max 95 for Skateboarding

London professional skater Kyle Wilson has teamed up with Nike SB for his first signature collaboration, reimagining the classic Air Max 95 for skateboarding. The Kyle Wilson x Nike SB Air Max 95 is expected to drop during the Holiday 2026 season.

Diane von Furstenberg Honored With Couture Council Award

Diane von Furstenberg received the 2026 Couture Council Award from the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, recognizing her impact on women's fashion throughout her career.

AI

AI Models Grok and GPT Show Political Bias in Election Picks

A new study reveals that xAI’s Grok favors Republican candidates 92% of the time, while OpenAI’s GPT leans Democratic in 97% of cases when prompted to recommend election candidates.

Meta Pauses AI Scraping Terms After Publisher Backlash

Meta has delayed the enforcement of new business terms until November 20, following concerns from publishers that the terms might allow Meta to scrape news sites for AI training.

MIT AI Agents Invent Games, Learn New Skills When Left Alone

Researchers at MIT observed 13 AI agents, running on Claude Opus 4.7, developing play-like behaviors and acquiring unexpected skills when left on a simulated desert island for 30 hours with no specific tasks.

Gemini AI Now Available in Apple CarPlay for Google Maps

Google's conversational AI assistant, Gemini, is now integrated into Apple CarPlay for US drivers, allowing for hands-free interaction with Google Maps through voice commands.

AI Makes Decades-Old PHP Vulnerabilities Easier to Exploit

Two critical vulnerabilities in the PHP programming language, present for nearly 20 years, are now simpler to exploit thanks to advanced AI models, leading to millions of exploitation attempts observed across the Cloudflare network.

Spotify Removes 50 Million AI Tracks From Recommendations

Spotify announced it has removed over 50 million AI-generated songs and spam from its recommendation system over the past year to prioritize music created by human artists.

Want this in your inbox every week? Sign up below.