Lifestyle
Choose your own adventure at this Dungeons & Dragons-inspired pub hidden in downtown L.A.
Carlos Leon found himself in a depressed state — a personal relationship was stalling and his career seemed directionless.
What he craved was an escape, one inspired by the fantasy worlds he devoured as a child and continued to consume into adulthood. Think those inspired by “The Lord of the Rings” and Dungeons & Dragons, fantastical spaces filled with wizardry, wild creatures and, most of all, tales of adventure.
Lacking any real-life dragons to slay, Leon began attacking metaphorical demons by disappearing into these imagined universes. He found comfort, at last, by transforming his apartment bedroom into a Medieval bar for his roommates and friends. With limited economic resources, he began scouring online marketplaces to surround his Murphy bed with a cheap wooden table, a budget chandelier, battery-powered candles and modest wall sconces.
And thus, the first iteration of what would become Squirrelor’s Tavern was born.
“I was craving an atmosphere of warmth, coziness, camaraderie and food and beverage,” Leon says. His childhood nickname? Squirrelor, which he also uses as his gaming name.
Squirrelor’s Tavern is filled with hidden puzzles and a not-so-secret storyline, the latter of which guests can uncover in objects throughout the bar.
(Landon Donoho / Squirrelor’s Tavern)
“And I was hunting for it everywhere,” he adds. “The closest thing I got was an Irish pub. But I realized what I was really after was a tavern that you see in fantasy tales — a Prancing Pony, or any run-of-the-mill Dungeons & Dragons tavern.”
Today Squirrelor’s Tavern is a more polished affair, although it still maintains a do-it-yourself charm. To step into the pop-up fantasy pub — hidden in an upstairs room of a downtown Los Angeles sports bar — is to be welcomed by fake cobblestone flooring, flickering electronic candles, old-timey, slightly Gaelic music, and walls and shelving filled with odd ephemera, including skulls, plastic animal skeletons and a bevy of squirrel-related art.
And puzzles. They’re everywhere. Wooden boxes and mini chests sit locked on bookshelves, where one will instantly spy scrolls hidden in bottles or books that appear to be concealing veiled messages. And don’t be surprised if that picture is cloaking something behind its frame.
The first time I set foot in Squirrelor’s Tavern, it was instantly familiar, so much so I felt as if I had already visited it. In a way, I had. Raised on fantasy games and Dungeons & Dragons novels, I too had longed to venture into a fantastical pub, the kind of place where strangers instantly become friends over a pint and exaggerated stories, and where swords and shields dot the walls. Maybe, if you’re lucky, you’ll discover an adventure to embark upon, or perhaps your evening will simply be filled with drinking shanties.
Carlos Leon, center, behind bar, as Squirrelor, the proprietor of a fantasy-themed pub in downtown.
(Landon Donoho / Squirrelor’s Tavern)
Such is the vibe of the tavern, which taps into our renewed interest in fantasy. Running since March and extended through at least the end of October, Squirrelor’s Tavern has arrived during the 50th anniversary of Dungeons & Dragons, and when television series such as “House of the Dragon” and “The Legend of Vox Machina” continue to bring sword-and-sorcery stories to new audiences. Also, “Dungeons & Dragons: The Twenty-Sided Tavern” has become a theatrical hit in New York, and will begin a touring production in 2025.
Squirrelor’s Tavern has more humble ambitions. This is a gathering spot for puzzles and a light, escape room-inspired narrative with some immersive theater trappings — but it understands that drink, food and games, as well as heroic, mysterious myths, are timeless.
“It strips away all the stimuli technology that you are drowning in when you go to a bar,” Leon says.
The space, instead, is largely an invitation to play. A night at the bar runs $150 per person and contains about a three-hour narrative. As you’re seated, you learn, via the menu, that Squirrelor’s Tavern sits in the midst of a kingdom that has been thrown into disarray, with the peaceful elves losing power amid multiple warring factions. You’re invited to lean in, if you like, and if you do you’ll discover that throughout the tavern are hidden clues for those seeking to join the rebellion.
After all, no Dungeons & Dragons-inspired bar would be complete without a quest. The pub is full of narratives. A coat hanging on a wall hook turns out to be one that was left there in haste, with notes between distant lovers still residing in the pockets. I went to Squirrelor’s Tavern solo and was invited, at times, to join others in light social games — a bartender may hand out syrupy shots if participants can uncover the likes and dislikes of a stranger — but mostly focused on the bar’s underlying story as a space sympathetic to those fighting for the good of the kingdom.
Puzzles can be found in menus and scrolls at Squirrelor’s Tavern, a fantasy-themed pub in downtown Los Angeles.
(Tara Pixley / Squirrelor’s Tavern)
Here, a guest book may be anything but, and cipher puzzles may reside in knickknacks while shields may turn out to be more than just decoration. To uncover the secret narrative of Squirrelor’s Tavern should take you about half the night, depending, of course, on how much drinking and socializing you partake in. You can also opt to simply interact with the cast, or solve an assortment of puzzles divorced from the main story. There’s also a three-course meal of simple pub fare — think pretzels, wings and sausage plates.
In addition to Leon, now general manager of downtown’s First Draft Taproom & Kitchen, where Squirrelor’s Tavern resides in an upstairs nook, the fantasy pub was the creation of Taylor Frost and Alicia Minette, who bring experience in event production and television and theatrical fabrication. The team, ranging in age from their mid-30s to early 40s, bonded over a love of immersive entertainment and began developing the idea of a full-blown Squirrelor’s Tavern during the 2023 Hollywood strikes when work began drying up.
Throughout Squirrelor’s Tavern are puzzles and chests, each awaiting to be solved or opened.
(Landon Donoho / Squirrelor’s Tavern)
Frost led the design of most of the puzzles, having also contributed to the narrative development of numerous live-action role-playing games.
“The escape rooms I love the most are not the ones that have the hardest puzzles,” Frost says. “They’re the ones that are the most immersive and story-driven. With the tavern, we wanted to give it a choose-your-own-adventure vibe.”
There are now two core storylines running concurrently at Squirrelor’s Tavern, the second geared toward returning guests who want to further develop the narrative. If all goes according to plan, the team hopes to create a third, and to someday be successful enough to run the tavern as a hangout space when it’s not hosting its primary ticketed event. For now, Frost says the bar is breaking even, necessitating an one-day-at-a-time approach.
But Leon believes the concept appeals far beyond those familiar with a 20-sided die. “Every single person that I speak to that has seen the tavern or I show the tavern to has said, ‘I want to go there.’ It’s a human craving for an immersive escape that’s centered around interaction. Yes, there are puzzles and storylines, but personally my favorite part is just sitting and living in the space. You forget you’re in the second floor of this little sports bar in downtown L.A.”
The spell is only broken when the night ends, not with an out-of-control orc or goblin but with something far more mundane: a bill.
Online prediction market platforms allow people to place bets on wide-ranging subjects such as sports, finance, politics and currents events.
Photo Illustration by Scott Olson/Getty Images
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Photo Illustration by Scott Olson/Getty Images
The rise of prediction markets means you can now bet on just about anything, right from your phone. Apps like Kalshi and Polymarket have grown exponentially in President Trump’s second term, as his administration has rolled back regulations designed to keep the industry in check. Billions of dollars have flooded in, and users are placing bets on everything from whether it will rain in Seattle today to whether the US will take over control of Greenland. Who’s winning big on these apps? And who is losing? NPR correspondent Bobby Allyn joins The Sunday Story to explain how these markets came to be and where they are going.
This episode was produced by Andrew Mambo. It was edited by Liana Simstrom and Brett Neely. Fact-checking by Barclay Walsh and Susie Cummings. It was engineered by Robert Rodriguez.
We’d love to hear from you. Send us an email at TheSundayStory@npr.org.
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Now you can pair your big show with dinner and a more intimate listening experience. The Hollywood Palladium, an Art Deco music venue graced by performers like Frank Sinatra, Richard Pryor, Jimi Hendrix, Lady Gaga and Jay-Z since 1940, has debuted a swanky lounge known as Vinyl Room.
Inspired by 1970s Japanese high-fidelity (hi-fi for short) listening rooms and operated by entertainment company Live Nation, it’s a space where concertgoers can have dinner, grab drinks and catch a vinyl DJ set before, during or after their ticketed event in the same venue.
With a name like Vinyl Room, you can expect to see vinyl records everywhere.
“You’re in [for] a whole night of music,” says Geni Lincoln, president of the California region for Live Nation, adding that her team put “so much thought” into the sound and design of the space, which was in development for more than two years.
“I’ve been coming to the Palladium since I was a teenager, so it’s really special to see,” she says.
Entering Vinyl Room feels like you’re stepping into a secret speakeasy for music lovers, one with iconic music memorabilia, a thoughtful food menu and premium sound quality. Want to check it out? Here are five things to know.
Everything inside of Vinyl Room is inspired by the sounds and the musicians who’ve played at the Hollywood Palladium since 1940.
1. Vinyl Room is exclusively open to members and concertgoers with an upgraded ticket
Vinyl Room is open only on Hollywood Palladium show nights, starting 90 minutes before doors open, and remains open one hour after the concert. Admission is limited to concertgoers who purchase a ticket upgrade, which starts at $35. Early reservations are recommended.
Vinyl Room also offers annual membership packages, which start at $2,000 and come with various benefits such as complimentary guest passes to Vinyl Room, access to an exclusive menu, valet parking, table reservations inside the lounge, a dedicated private entry, complimentary coat check and concert ticket credits.
Tip Dunn, also known as DJ tenSpeed, played records during opening night at Vinyl Room at the Hollywood Palladium.
2. Hi-fi is having a moment in Los Angeles — and Vinyl Room delivers on sound quality
From Common Wave Hi-Fi in Boyle Heights to Slow Jamz Gallery in the Arts District and Gold Line bar in Highland Park, hi-fi — a 1950s term used to describe the high-quality reproduction of sound — venues and experiences have been slowly popping up around L.A. over the last few years. Vinyl Room joins a short list of places where audiophiles can go to listen to music on hi-fi equipment, which many argue is the best way to experience it.
Much like the Hollywood Palladium, which is known for its top-tier sound, Vinyl Room also makes sound a priority. The lounge utilizes hi-fi sound equipment including Master Sounds Clarity-M speakers to ensure that the records sound as crisp as possible. Live DJs spin records on a set of turntables, which helps to create a richer and more analog sound that is closer to the original track than compressed versions such as MP3s.
Ruthie Embry, vice president of architecture and design at Live Nation, says the records and other memorabilia inside the space “connects you directly to the venue’s history the second you walk in the door.”
3. All of the decor ties back to music and the Hollywood Palladium’s rich history
With a name like Vinyl Room, you can expect to see vinyls everywhere. Records line most of the walls and shelves, drinks are served on vinyl-shaped coasters and tables and light fixtures are designed to the theme. There’s even vinyl wallpaper in the photo booth. In one corner of the lounge, you can dig through records under a neon sign that reads, “But have you heard it on vinyl?”
Ruthie Embry, vice president of architecture and design at Live Nation, says the records and other memorabilia inside the space “connects you directly to the venue’s history the second you walk in the door.”
Some standout items include a Red Hot Chili Peppers show flier, a Hollywood Palladium postcard signed by late musician and host Lawrence Welk and a photo of late singers Bonnie Baker and Orrin Tucker at the venue. Even the bathroom creates a memorable photo moment: The stalls are filled with photos of musicians and an “on air” studio sign lights up when a stall is occupied.
Vinyl Room’s menu, created by Chef Ryan DeRieux, is inspired by Asian flavors and includes items like the “Vinyl Roll,” which is made with spicy tuna.
4. Don’t worry about dinner plans before or after the show. Vinyl Room has got you covered
Eliminating the need to find a pre- or post-show restaurant, Vinyl Room has a full Asian-inspired menu created by Chef Ryan DeRieux.
Think sushi tots (like crispy tuna but with tater tots instead of rice), tuna poke nachos, chili crunch chicken wings and shiitake tempura burgers. There’s also a mouth-watering 10-ounce American wagyu skirt steak served with shishito peppers, pickles and charred carrots. For dessert, try the taiyaki, a popular fish-shaped Japanese street food, which is served with a delicious passion fruit cream that I wanted to take to go because I liked it so much.
Signature cocktails at Vinyl Room, inspired by popular songs, include the Superfly, Escape (if you like piña coladas) and Smoke on the Water.
5. The craft cocktails aren’t just delicious — they each have a story
Vinyl Room’s old-fashioned is made with Nikka Yoichi whisky, which is made in Japan.
The cocktail program, developed by third-generation bartender Sean Kenyon, is inspired by the songs created by musicians who’ve graced the Hollywood Palladium stage. A nod to the 1970s, the Superfly is a fizzy, citrus-forward play on Curtis Mayfield’s 1972 track and is made with Roku Gin and yuzu and sencha syrup. Other signature drinks include the rum-based Escape (if you like piña coladas) with coconut oolong syrup, pineapple juice and miso, and the tart yet sweet Smoke on the Water, which is reminiscent of Deep Purple’s 1972 song. The bar also offers an espresso martini (called the MT Joy), a signature old-fashioned (made with Nikka Yoichi whisky) and a Japanese whiskey highball (made with Hibiki Harmony whisky). The bar offers a number of non-alcoholic options as well.
A screenshot from George Mélière’s Gugusse et l’Automate. The pioneering French filmmaker’s 1897 short, which likely features the first known depiction of a robot on film, was thought lost until it was found among a box of old reels that had belonged to a family in Michigan and restored by the Library of Congress.
The Frisbee Collection/Library of Congress
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The Frisbee Collection/Library of Congress
The Library of Congress has found and restored a long-lost silent film by Georges Méliès.
The famed 19th century French filmmaker is best known for his groundbreaking 1902 science fiction adventure masterpiece Le Voyage dans la Lune (A Trip to the Moon).
The 45-second-long, one-reel short Gugusse et l’Automate – Gugusse and the Automaton – was made nearly 130 years ago. But the subject matter still feels timely. The film, which can be viewed on the Library of Congress’ website, depicts a child-sized robot clown who grows to the size of an adult and then attacks a human clown with a stick. The human then decimates the machine with a hammer.
In an Instagram post, Library of Congress moving image curator Jason Evans Groth said the film represents, “probably the first instance of a robot ever captured in a moving image.” (The word “robot” didn’t appear until 1921, when Czech dramatist Karel Čapek coined it in his science fiction play R.U.R..)
“Today, many of us are worried about AI and robots,” said archivist and filmmaker Rick Prelinger, in an email to NPR. “Well, people were thinking about robots in 1897. Very little is new.”
A long journey
Groth said the film arrived in a box last September from a donor in Michigan, Bill McFarland. “Bill’s great grandfather, William Frisbee, was a person who loved technology,” Groth said. “And in the late 19th century, must have bought a projector and a bunch of films and decided to drive them around in his buggy to share them with folks in Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York.”
McFarland didn’t know what was on the 10 rusty reels he dropped off at the Library of Congress’ National Audio-Visual Conservation Center in Culpeper, Va. A Library article about the discovery describes the battered, pre-World War I artifacts as having been, “shuttled around from basements to barns to garages,” and that they, “could no longer be safely run through a projector,” owing to their delicate condition. “The nitrate film stock had crumbled to bits on some; other strips were stuck together,” the article said. It was a lab technician in Michigan who suggested McFarland contact the Library of Congress.
“The moment we set our eyes on this box of film, we knew it was something special,” said George Willeman, who heads up the Library’s nitrate film vault, in the article.
Willeman’s team carefully inspected the trove of footage, which also contained another well-known Méliès film, Nouvelles Luttes extravagantes (The Fat and Lean Wrestling Match) and parts of The Burning Stable, an early Thomas Edison work. With the help of an external expert, they identified the reel as having been created by Méliès because it features a star painted on a pedestal in the center of the screen – the logo for Méliès Star Film Company.
A pioneering filmmaker
Méliès was one of the great pioneers of cinema. The scene in which a rocket lands playfully in the eye of Méliès’ anthropomorphic moon in Le Voyage dans la Lune is one of the most famous moments in cinematic history. And he helped to popularize such special effects as multiple exposures and time-lapse photography.
This moment from George Méliès’ Le Voyage dans la Lune (A Trip to the Moon) is considered to be one of the most famous in cinematic history.
George Méliès/Public Domain
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George Méliès/Public Domain
Presumed lost until the Library of Congress’s discovery, Gugusse et L’Automate loomed large in the imaginations of science fiction and early cinema buffs for more than a century. In their 1977 book Things to Come: An Illustrated History of the Science Fiction Film, authors Douglas Menville and R. Reginald described Gugusse as possibly being, “the first true SF [science fiction] film.”
“While it may seem that no more discoveries remain to be made, that’s not the case,” said Prelinger of the work’s reappearance. “Here’s a genuine discovery from the early days of film that no one anticipated.”
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