NOTE: Around 2009, I wrote a bunch of music biographies for Amoeba Music, which was then planning an ambitious project which ultimately never came to fruition. Some of the biographies I wrote did make their way onto Amoeba's current, scaled back website -- although they're somewhat buried and often don't credit the authors. A lot … Continue reading Man Parrish
Author: Eric Brightwell
Eric Brightwell is an essayist, rambler, explorer, cartographer, and guerrilla gardener. He lives in Los Angeles, not because he was born here, but because he chose to... for all of the things for which its famous: its verticality, its mass transit, its diversity, its schools, its liminal spaces, its architecture, its wildlife, its museums, its night markets, its cinemas, its theaters, its enclaves, its restaurants, its bars, its libraries, &c
Pan-Asian Metropolis — Korean Los Angeles
INTRODUCTION Los Angeles is home to the largest Korean community anywhere outside of Korea -- a distinction it has held since at least 1979. Metro Los Angeles is home to the enclaves of Koreatown (the world's first), Little Seoul, and Buena Park Koreatown -- as well as the communities with large Korean populations like Windsor … Continue reading Pan-Asian Metropolis — Korean Los Angeles
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No Enclave — Hongkonger Los Angeles
INTRODUCTION Hong Kong has long been one of those globally prominent places up there with London, Paris, Rome, and Tokyo -- and yet surprisingly little has been written about the Hongkonger diaspora. There's next-to-nothing specifically about Hong Kong emigration to Los Angeles -- despite the fact that nearly as many Hongkongers live in the US … Continue reading No Enclave — Hongkonger Los Angeles
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Pan-Asian Metropolis — Thai Los Angeles
Los Angeles is widely recognized for its ethnic diversity. There are several communities -- including those of Armenians, Guatemalans, Mexicans, and Salvadorans -- which are larger in Los Angeles than in anywhere else outside of their respective homelands. The same is true of numerous Asian peoples, including Cambodians, Filipinos, Koreans, Persians, Taiwanese, Thai, and Vietnamese which … Continue reading Pan-Asian Metropolis — Thai Los Angeles
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Pan-Asian Metropolis — Teresa Teng (鄧麗君)
Teresa Teng (鄧麗君) was a Taiwanese singer and Asian superstar who officially sold 22 million albums -- and an estimated 50-75 million bootlegs) during her tragically short life. Despite her death at the age of 42, her career traversed four decades. With her covers of Japanese songs in Chinese (including Cantonese, Hokkein, and Mandarin), she … Continue reading Pan-Asian Metropolis — Teresa Teng (鄧麗君)
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Pendersleigh & Sons Cartography — Coronavirus Pandemic Art Exchange
Who wants to participate in an art exchange? Perhaps you're quarantined or self-isolating and would like to channel your descent into madness toward something creative. Or maybe, like me, your work is deemed essential but without opportunity to let off steam at a bar or gym, you might benefit from a bit of a creative … Continue reading Pendersleigh & Sons Cartography — Coronavirus Pandemic Art Exchange
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No Enclave – Tajik Los Angeles
INTRODUCTION There are not, I don't think, many Tajiks or Tajikistanis in Los Angeles. I only know one, personally, and when we first met at a birthday party a few years ago, I got the impression from him that I was the amongst a very small numbers of Angelenos that he'd met who'd ever even … Continue reading No Enclave – Tajik Los Angeles
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Literary Los Angeles
A map of bookstores, libraries, and other literary amenities in Los Angeles and Orange counties. In the US, it seems like every month has some sort of literary observance. January is home to National Science Fiction, National Thesaurus Day, and Library Shelfie Day. February is National Library Lovers Month and includes Children’s Authors and Illustrators … Continue reading Literary Los Angeles
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New York City Neighborhoods Map
As most of my readers no doubt know, I’ve made neighborhood maps of many of the cities that I’ve explored, including Barcelona, Busan, Detroit, Glasgow, Los Angeles, San Diego, Seoul, and Taipei. There are many more big cities that I’ve visited, however, that I for whatever reason haven’t made neighborhood maps of — even cities … Continue reading New York City Neighborhoods Map
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California Fool’s Gold — Southern California’s Lighthouses
When you read (or hear) the words, “California Coast,” what images come to mind? If you’re a Southern Californian, you may imagine beach bums and bunnies, woodies and wave-riding surfers. If you’re in Northern California, your thoughts may well turn to rocky shores and groves of towering redwoods. If you live in Central California, I … Continue reading California Fool’s Gold — Southern California’s Lighthouses
Eric Brightwell 