I might be the only person who’s tickled by mini-malls with names. The idea, I assume, is to create a sense of space… albeit for a place in which no one thinks of as a space. Aside from panhandlers, pimps, pushers, and prostitutes; I doubt that anyone has ever made a day of hanging out at … Continue reading Mini-Mallism — What’s in a Name?
I assume that for most Americans, thoughts of the mall evoke the 1980s or an earlier era, when certain classes of young teenagers longed to spend their free time eating at places like Sbarro or Orange Julius, shopping at Banana Republic or the Limited, watching Hollywood blockbusters at the multiplex, and feeding tokens to machines at … Continue reading Mini-Mallism — Los Angeles’s Asian Malls
The obscure histories of suburbia’s overabundant and mostly uncelebrated retail spaces. If there’s a Los Angeles strip mall or other shopping center you’d like me to visit and write about, please let me know in the comments. Los Angeles’s Asian Malls Visiting 2829 Hyperion Avenue Visiting Atlantic Place Shopping Center What’s in a Name?
Strip malls (also called mini-malls, pod malls, power centers, retail parks, shopping centers, and shopping plazas) and malls in general are symbols of suburbia that although overabundant are rarely paid much attention. I find them interesting, however, mainly because I’m amused by their often pretentious names and ornamentation which I guess is designed to elevate … Continue reading Mini-Mallism — Visiting Atlantic Place Shopping Center
Strip malls (also called mini-malls, pod malls, power centers, retail parks, shopping centers, and shopping plazas) and malls in general are symbols of suburbia that although overabundant are rarely paid much attention. I find them interesting, however, mainly because I’m amused by their often pretentious names and ornamentation which I guess is designed to elevate … Continue reading Mini-Mallism — Visiting 2829 Hyperion Avenue
Last year, on 18 August, I published a piece celebrating San Fernando Valley Day. You see, in the US (and nowhere else, really), people write dates month/day/year. I know, it makes no sense. Chalk another one up for American Exceptionalism. 818 is the area code that closely responds to the San Fernando Valley (although it … Continue reading Happy 626, or, San Gabriel Valley Day!
INTRODUCTION Over the years I’ve drawn maps, painted maps, and created digital maps. For the latter, I’ve most often used Google‘s My Maps program for several reasons. It’s relatively easy, looks relatively good, has pretty good functionality (e.g. links to websites and decent customization) and because Alphabet Inc. (Google’s parent company) is the fourth-largest company … Continue reading Pendersleigh & Sons Cartography — The Google Maps
2017 marks the tenth anniversary of my explorations of the neighborhoods and communities of Los Angeles and Southern California. In the past decade, I managed, although not planned, to explore and write about exactly 100 communities for my California Fool’s Gold series. When I began writing about Los Angeles neighborhoods, there were a few others … Continue reading California Fool’s Gold — The 10th Anniversary
Los Angeles is the world’s great Pan-Asian Metropolis. In Los Angeles, Asians and Pacific Islanders together comprise more than 15% of the population. They are the most numerous racial minority and the fastest growing. Recognized Asian ethnic enclaves include Cambodia Town, Chinatown, Filipinotown, Koreatown, Little Bangladesh, Little India, Little Osaka, Little Saigon, Little Seoul, Little Tokyo, and Thai Town. Metro Los Angeles … Continue reading Pan-Asian Metropolis
Amongst the many resources available pertaining to Los Angeles are websites, blogs, podcasts, and other online-only resources. I read many of them regularly, some too much, and almost all of them occasionally. For my own use and for the use of others (especially explorers and adventurers) I’ve here compiled what I hope is as conclusive a … Continue reading Los Angeles Webography; or, Los Angeles Websites and Blogs
Eric Brightwell 