Los Angeles: November 2025 (What you should do this month)
Published 4 months ago • 3 min read
FREE subscriber issue : November 2025 (What you should do this month)
Dear Reader, (I love that we are now on a first-name basis!*)
A special welcome to new subscribers and a welcome to the new and improved Los Angeles Curated! I am very excited to leave Substack behind. I hope this new format helps you find what you are looking for faster and inspires you to get out and explore this fantastic city.
There are ten small businesses—with the potential for more—to support this month.
*if it says Reader or a username where your name should be, you can add your first name here.
In this issue
This Ugly Beautiful City Tour/Explore DTLA with a local
Your one thing to do this month
Your free itinerary (Finally, that book crawl!)
Your one small business to support
Resources for those who are impacted by the government
New to This Ugly Beautiful City
New paid subscriber tiers
This Ugly Beautiful City Tour
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1:00 pm-4:00 pm
Explore DTLA with a local
DTLA is a little misunderstood part of the city, and on this tour I want to show you its history, architecture, and some of the small businesses I love in the area—and I hope you’ll love them too.
See the invitation for the stops and to buy tickets.
Note: Paid subscribers have received discount codes in their dedicated issue.
Your one [fill in the blank] this month
Culver City CicLAvia with paid subscribers
Your One [Thing To Do] this month
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 23
CicLAvia Melrose
It is the last CicLAvia of the year! This organization has ramped up its programming with regular run/walks/rolls in the diverse neighborhoods of Los Angeles, demonstrating how different Los Angeles would be if more streets were closed to cars. Today’s car-free event will take place on Melrose and will also be a collab with Stranger Things, which will launch its final season a few days later.
Free prizes
1980s attire encouraged
Small business shopping and eating along the route.
Perfect to walk off some pounds before Thanksgiving.
At long last, I am giving you my free Book Crawl on the E Line itinerary. This is a great way to support small businesses for the holidays. This is also a perfect silent book club field trip idea. There are five bookstores and bonus stops.
I want to highlight a small business that you may have heard me talk about before—Bé Ù.
Here is why they need your support this month:
Through their restaurant, they feed 200+ Angelenos weekly. (Fire victims still in need of assistance, unhoused neighbors, and vendor buyouts.) Whether you need them for yourself, your neighbors, or want to support a small business that supports so many, they are there for you.
If you have the means to support them, consider eating there, or they accept donations through their Toast Tab site — donations can only be made when orders are live.
Crowdsourced resources for those impacted by the federal government
As I write this, we are more than 30 days into the government shutdown, and SNAP benefits were cut off yesterday.
With social safety nets and services stopped, some of you (or your neighbors) may be in need of assistance. (Plus, we are still reeling from the fires.)
There are many restaurants and local businesses, such as Bé Ù, that are stepping up. A This Ugly Beautiful City favorite, South LA Cafe, is always there, as well as Nourish LA. If you are looking for food resources in Los Angeles, check out FoodOasis. If you aren't in Los Angeles, FindHelp.org is a service that connects you with food, jobs, housing, and more.
Updates to the Los Angeles on a Budget Series-like closed restaurants and galleries. This is an excellent resource if you want to save money in Los Angeles for No Spend November.
New Paid Tiers
My new paid tiers reflect some of the things I’ve gathered and the things I hope for This Ugly Beautiful City. (See the product descriptions.)
For the month of November, I will donate $5 from each subscription purchased to No Kid Hungry.
If you have a Substack subscription and would like to know when it expires, please contact me.
$28.50 / year
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This tier is for those who want to see This Ugly Beautiful City grow, and you believe in the mission to support small... Read more
If you didn't know, I am a travel advisor who plans trips for art lovers, food enthusiasts, and those seeking local experiences. If you're looking for similar experiences to what I post about Los Angeles, but in other cities around the world, let's chat.
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