The last time we dedicated a magazine issue to the Convoy District was in 2021. Since then, the neighborhood has undergone a transformation, and so has our global culture. Squid Game broke Netflix viewership records (season 3 got more than 60.1 million views in its first three days), anime went from a niche subculture to a bookshop standard, and you can find boba everywhere now.

We looked at the history of Convoy through four lenses—urban planning, self-care and wellness traditions, food, and karaoke. We hit the streets, sang Linkin Park, and asked Convoy chefs which restaurants they visit after they hang up their aprons. Their recommendations may give Convoy regulars some mealtime inspo. We also traced the connection between Jurassic Park and the reason why you have so many K-beauty products in your bathroom drawer.

Also in this issue is an El Niño explainer, broken down in the way a 5-year-old could understand, because let’s be real: Do you actually know what an El Niño is? And because it’s flu season, we check out a new drug out of a San Diego lab that might make it easier for you to stay sniffle-free in the ’ber months. You can’t get it yet—it’s still in a Phase 3 trial—but if approved, it could help protect people who are immunocompromised.

We hope there’s something on these pages that inspires you to visit the Convoy District.