Do You Work Here?

Hey everybody! It's our show's finale and we're talking about a job that Mike wishes he knew about earlier: master builder at LEGOLAND. Do you ever wonder how they build those cityscapes or dinosaurs? Or what kind of test you have to take to get such a fun gig? They go through millions of bricks and we're taking a tour of the workshop! Thanks for listening over all these weeks!

It's a museum day for us! We're headed to the Getty Center to talk to a team that tries to protect some of the priceless art from earthquake damage. Did you know that piece from antiquity in front of you might actually be on rollers? And some of them have ankle problems. We'll also dust off some really old books and talk about how the Middle Ages get a pretty bad rap.

Have you ever seen a surfing dog? Hanging ten with their paws? One of the top dogs out there is named Carson and we're going to meet up with him and Jill Nakano -- a surf dog instructor. We'll learn how all this started for these two champs, about how to get a pup on a board and about surf dog competitions. Get your Instagram pictures!

Join us for a trip to an LA original this week: the Original Los Angeles Flower Market downtown. If you can grow it -- and if it smells good -- this is where you'll find it. Florists come from all over town and go through millions of stems a year. Did you know flowers are like fashion? What do you think is "trendy" right now? We'll meet the man in charge and a second-generation vendor.

Our little show is back for a final five episodes and today we're heading out to The Teaching Zoo at Moorpark College. It's where students go to get degrees in animal care by getting hands on experience with all sorts of things with hooves, claws and feathers. We'll meet a pretty chatty bird -- he can introduce himself -- and get up close with some big cats! For more info about the school, head here: https://www.moorparkcollege.edu/current-students/teaching-zoo/home

We're headed to a ranch today to meet up with Dr. Katie Nenn. She's a large animal veterinarian and runs NENN Equine. This started as an episode on animal dentistry (horse mouthwash is a thing that exists) but Dr. Nenn tells us about all sorts of animals that you wouldn't expect to find in Southern California. Look for the team from NENN on TV soon, they're working on a new show.

Dress like a flower! We're taking a trip to the Natural History Museum of LA County today so we can check out the "Butterfly Pavilion." It's something that happens over a few months and it's a chance to learn about all sorts of butterflies. Why do we need them? Are they really that delicate? And how does a caterpillar turn into a butterfly? We're back with a previous guest from the old "I've Got Questions" podcast -- spread your wings and enjoy!

Have you ever been to a party or a wedding that had an ice sculpture? Was it some sort of dolphin? Maybe a swan? What about a giraffe or an astronaut? On this episode, we're headed to LA Ice Art to meet Rex Covington. He's been carving ice since the 1980's and he's one of the best around. We'll hear about some of the biggest pieces he's done and about how he forms that ice from a 300lb block into a work of art. For more on Rex and his sculptures: https://laiceart.com/

Get ready to get weird! We're headed to the "Oddities and Curiosities Expo" this week to take a walk on the darker side. We'll see booths with taxidermy, boxes full of creepy dolls, paintings of clowns, quack medical devices, soap named after serial killers, and funeral... collectibles? The expo is a traveling show that goes across the US and Australia. It started small but now draws more than 15,000 people each weekend. Take a look: odditiesandcuriositiesexpo.com

Time to head to LAX ... but not to catch a flight. We're paying a visit to LSG Sky Chefs, one of the largest companies that provides catering to airlines. It's a huge operation that runs 24/7 and cooks up 15,000 meals each day. How is all that food prepared? How fresh is it? What are they eating up there in First Class? We'll take a look at how menus have changed over time and do a full tour from the kitchen right out to the tarmac.

Come shopping with us at the Santa Monica Farmer's Market so we can get some plants at Logan's Gardens! Logan Williams and his father have one of the only black-owned nurseries in Los Angeles and they sell things you probably haven't heard of before. We'll do some tomato talk, explore leafy greens that have a kick and take you through their mint varieties -- berries and cream, anyone? Apple? They have 80 of them! You can find Logan's Gardens Wednesdays and Saturdays in Santa Monica and at the Hollywood Farmer's Market on Sundays.

Put on your costume and grab a turkey leg because it's time for the Ren Faire! We're headed out to Irwindale for the Original Renaissance Pleasure Faire. We'll watch some jousting, check out the shops, learn about glass blowing and fencing -- and maybe have a cup or two of mead. If you're catching this episode when it posts, find tickets for the final two weekends here: https://renfair.com/socal/

You break it, you buy it? On this episode, Mike visits Fine Art Restoration to put some things back together. The owner, Henri Laborde, works with everyone from moving companies to museums and some of the pieces he repairs are worth thousands of dollars. Others are just sentimental. This is our last episode for this round, so send us ideas: doyouworkhere@knxnews.com. Thanks!

Were the greens at your grocery store grown by a robot? If it says "Plenty" on the packaging, then yes! We take a visit to an indoor vertical farm in Compton. We'll be surrounded by big mechanical arms, grow lights, and towers full of spinach, kale, arugula and lettuce. These plants never touch human hands ... just robo-fingers.

Safety first, but we're going to blow some stuff up! For this week's episode, we're with the operators of a professional fireworks show in Manhattan Beach. We'll learn that most designers start with the soundtrack or finale first and then work backwards. And we'll hear about how most fireworks are named after flowers. No radio reporters were harmed in the taping of this podcast.

Reduce, reuse, recycle - even when it comes to water! We're learning about water treatment today with LA Sanitation, by taking millions of gallons of dirty water and making it clean. How good are the filters they use? How do they actually get all that gross stuff out? And what do they do with the water after? Hold your nose and let's get a closer look!

Have you ever been to the Last Bookstore? Even if you haven't, you might have seen it in someone's Instagram pictures. We're headed to a downtown LA landmark today to learn about what it takes to run California's largest new and used bookstore. Let's go treasure hunting through the shelves and then head up the stairs -- meet you in the book tunnel!

You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream! It's time to learn about Mike's favorite ice cream brand with a trip to the Thrifty factory! It's been sold for decades and has become a favorite - especially around Southern California. We'll talk about what goes into making those classic flavors and about the unique shape to the Thrifty scoop. Do you want a single? Or a double?

It's time to go to a basketball game! Actually, two basketball games. We're at Crypto.com Arena for a double header. Ignacio Guerra takes us through all the work that goes into switching courts, baskets, chairs, and banners -- in just a couple hours. And the ice for hockey? Look under the mat.

Put on your gloves and grab some clams because we're taking a trip to the The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach to prepare food for the sea otters! They get restaurant quality meals each day and there's a whole team of people helping out. Cuteness overload? Yep! But otters can also be pretty feisty. Also, did you know they have pockets?