Southland Parks — Visiting the Huntington’s Chinese and Japanese Gardens

02/02/202403/02/2024 ~ Eric Brightwell ~ 4 Comments

The other day, I visited one of my favorite places in Los Angeles — The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens (or, “The Huntington” to you and me). For anyone who hasn’t visited, the Huntington is the former estate of railroad magnate, Henry Edwards Huntington (1850-1927). After Huntington’s death, the mansion opened as the … Continue reading Southland Parks — Visiting the Huntington’s Chinese and Japanese Gardens

Pan-Asian Metropolis — Japanese Los Angeles

29/05/201923/08/2023 ~ Eric Brightwell ~ 18 Comments

Los Angeles was at one time home to the largest population of Japanese outside of Japan and the contributions of Japanese-Angelenos to history and culture are many. It was in Los Angeles that Hollywood created the first Asian-American film star. It was also in Los Angeles that a legal challenge in the Supreme Court re-shaped … Continue reading Pan-Asian Metropolis — Japanese Los Angeles

Where Fools Fear to Tread — A Snapshot of Japan

22/01/201905/01/2020 ~ Eric Brightwell ~ 20 Comments

INTRODUCTION On 1 June of last year, I visited Japan. Despite my sister having lived off and on (currently on) in Japan for many years, it was my first visit to the country. I’m always excited to travel to any new country, but with Japan, my impending trip seemed to produce a great deal of … Continue reading Where Fools Fear to Tread — A Snapshot of Japan

Pan-Asian Metropolis — Japan Film Festival Los Angeles

08/04/201121/06/2020 ~ Eric Brightwell ~ Leave a comment

The Japan Film Festival Los Angeles gets underway today with screenings in Hollywood, Irvine and Little Tokyo and goes until April 17th. Directors Kinshiro Ogino, Katsuhito Kobayashi, Kenji Kobayashi, Lisa Takeba, Hidetaka Inazuka and producer Shoichi Kawahara are scheduled to appear at various events. Click here to check out the website for scheduling, tickets … Continue reading Pan-Asian Metropolis — Japan Film Festival Los Angeles

Pan-Asian Metropolis — Pasadena’s Lost Chinatown

16/05/2024 ~ Eric Brightwell ~ Leave a comment

INTRODUCTION Most of my essays about Los Angeles begin similarly. A question is asked, an answer is hard to find or is deemed inadequate, and then I head straight down a rabbit hole. This one began when a friend asked a question that involved Altadena and a street there with a Japanese name. She then … Continue reading Pan-Asian Metropolis — Pasadena’s Lost Chinatown

Pan-Asian Metropolis — Indian Los Angeles

02/04/202402/04/2024 ~ Eric Brightwell ~ Leave a comment

INTRODUCTION Despite its historic and cultural importance, there seems to be surprisingly little out there about Metro Los Angeles’s sizable Indian community. Los Angeles is, after all, known for its unparalleled ethnic diversity — especially of Asian communities — and India is the most populous nation (Asian or otherwise) on Earth. But, for whatever reason, searching … Continue reading Pan-Asian Metropolis — Indian Los Angeles

DTLA Bunker Hill Walk with John Yi

02/02/202402/02/2024 ~ Eric Brightwell ~ Leave a comment

Late last year, California State Assembly candidate John Yi asked me if I’d like to lead a walk of a Downtown neighborhood within the borders of Assembly District 54. I immediately agreed. John had already led a walk of Koreatown. I’d attended his walk of Little Tokyo, led by Kevin Keizuchi. It was just a … Continue reading DTLA Bunker Hill Walk with John Yi

California Fool’s Gold — Exploring Elysian Heights

03/12/202303/12/2023 ~ Eric Brightwell ~ 4 Comments

INTRODUCTION The other day I explored Elysian Heights, a small neighborhood in Mideast Los Angeles that’s usually characterized as being part of Echo Park — despite its having been subdivided before Echo Park was even constructed. It wasn’t exactly my typical California Fool’s Gold exploration but rather part of a group walk that I led … Continue reading California Fool’s Gold — Exploring Elysian Heights

Hear on LA, the Republic (or Kingdom), of Los Angeles, its Provinces (or Counties), and their Capitals

29/11/202330/11/2023 ~ Eric Brightwell ~ 1 Comment

I was recently a guest on Tony Pierce’s podcast, Hear in LA (Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube — or read on the Hear in LA website) . Toward the end of our discussion, Tony proposed Los Angeles becoming its own country. We didn’t discuss what sort of state it would be, I don’t … Continue reading Hear on LA, the Republic (or Kingdom), of Los Angeles, its Provinces (or Counties), and their Capitals

Plaza del Valle & All Valley Everything

25/10/202326/10/2023 ~ Eric Brightwell ~ 6 Comments

I was recently a guest on a new podcast, All Valley Everything, hosted by Albert Corado and featuring a rotating cast of co-hosts. For the episode on which I was a guest, the co-host was Veronica Shirley, of Valley Girl Hiking Club. Albert asked me to prepare for my guest spot by thinking about some … Continue reading Plaza del Valle & All Valley Everything