INTRODUCTION TO IMPERIAL COUNTY Imperial County, along with San Diego County, comprises California's Southern Border Region but their similarities pretty much end there. Whereas the presidio at San Diego was established by the Spanish in 1769 and is the oldest European settlement in the state. On the other hand, Imperial County, created in 1907, is California's newest. Whereas … Continue reading California Fool’s Gold — An Imperial County Primer
Month: April 2015
Tim & Eric Present: To Live and Deejay LA
Tim "Modern Brit" Shimbles (Amoeba employee and frequent traveling companion on California Fool's Gold) and yours truly are going to DJ a set of "locals only" music called To Live and Deejay LA on 12 May at the Melody Lounge in Chinatown. (Click here to join the Facebook event page). Los Angeles is a big place... bigger … Continue reading Tim & Eric Present: To Live and Deejay LA
The Top 10 Shoegaze Bands of All Time, or, The Godlike Genius of Shoegaze
I'm still buzzing from the Ride show at the Warfield. "Cool Your Boots" has been running through my head non-stop for a week (although there was a break, at least in my sleep, when I had a dream which involved listening to Cedric Im Brooks). Since the show, I've been listening to a lot of shoegaze … Continue reading The Top 10 Shoegaze Bands of All Time, or, The Godlike Genius of Shoegaze
No Enclave — Exploring Taiwanese Los Angeles
Diversity has long been part of the fabric of Los Angeles and Southern California. Humans first arrived here at least 13,000 years ago and more than twenty Native American nations made their home here before the Spanish Conquest. The Spanish pueblo of Los Angeles was itself founded by people of Native, African, European, and mixed ancestries and … Continue reading No Enclave — Exploring Taiwanese Los Angeles
Ride rolls into the Warfield — and their thirteen most massive tunes
I'm currently down in San Francisco (well, Richmond actually) to see Ride play. Ride, for those keeping score, were the best of a crop of bands known way back in the early 1990s as shoegazers. Like most British bands that survived into those dark years of the mid-1990s, when a collective craze for slow motion guitar … Continue reading Ride rolls into the Warfield — and their thirteen most massive tunes
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 Atlantic Place Shopping Center
High Rising — Architecture, Urbanism, and the Cinema
April is National Landscape Architecture Month. This got me thinking about an idea for a piece but, as often happens, I found myself tumbling down a rabbit hole of research tangents and decided I’d start with a post about architecture of the non-landscape variety. Apparently there is no "National Architecture Month" and Los Angeles proclaimed October … Continue reading High Rising — Architecture, Urbanism, and the Cinema
California Fool’s Gold — A Riverside County Primer
In 2007, California Fool's Gold began exploring Los Angeles County one community at a time. In 2010 I expanded my adventures into Orange County. It's now 2015 and I would like to turn my sites to Riverside County. ***** Riverside County is one of the ten counties of which Southern California is comprised. At 146,366 … Continue reading California Fool’s Gold — A Riverside County Primer
Eric Brightwell 