The other night I went to the Stardust Club in Downey to see San Francisco Bay Area band, Starry Eyed Cadet. Before leaving home, I was fairly sure that I'd been to the Stardust before previously to see Zip Code play there. As I got closer, heading down Firestone Boulevard, I was certain that this was … Continue reading Swinging Doors — The Stardust Club
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
California Fool’s Gold — Exploring Sandberg
One of the pleasing ironies of Los Angeles County is that even though it's the most populous county in the US as well as the core of the nation's most densely populated metropolis -- it is also a region so vast and varied that it supports dozens of hamlets, ghost towns, and de-populated places which … Continue reading California Fool’s Gold — Exploring Sandberg
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Thiên Hương (aka “Tiny Yong”)
Thiên Hương -- better known as "Tiny Yong" is a French singer associated with the yé-yé scene of the 1950s and '60s. In fact, she was a pioneer on the scene, releasing yé-yé music before notable singers like France Gall and Jacqueline Taïeb. She was born Tôn Nữ Thị Thiên Hương on 8 February 1944 … Continue reading Thiên Hương (aka “Tiny Yong”)
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Thanksgiving II; or, a Super Bowl Party for people who hate the Super Bowl
Last Sunday, the Super Bowl took place. For the 98.7% of the world's population who didn't watch this televised spectacle; it featured billionaire Enos Stanley Kroenke's Rams in competition with billionaire Robert Kraft's Patriots; the musical stylings of the Empress of Soul (Gladys Knight), Proactiv's Maroon 5, Kardashian rapper Travis Scott, and Big Boi; as … Continue reading Thanksgiving II; or, a Super Bowl Party for people who hate the Super Bowl
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Where Fools Fear to Tread — A Snapshot of Japan
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
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No Enclave — Exploring Vietnamese Los Angeles
Metro Los Angeles is home to the largest population of Vietnamese outside of Vietnam. About two-thirds of the metropolis's population lives in Orange County -- home to the nation's oldest and largest Little Saigon. Los Angeles County, on the other hand, has the third-largest population of Vietnamese-Americans but one which is less than half the … Continue reading No Enclave — Exploring Vietnamese Los Angeles
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Pan-Asian Metropolis – Visiting Moonlight Forest
A couple of nights ago, Una and I visited Moonlight Forest, a lantern festival currently taking place Wednesday through Sunday nights at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden. Its one of several local winter light festivals happening right now, along with Griffith Park’s LA Zoo Christmas Lights and Holiday Light Festival Train Rides, … Continue reading Pan-Asian Metropolis – Visiting Moonlight Forest
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Homes Fit for Heroes — The Brigham Residence/Tokio Florist
With Homes Fit for Heroes, I normally celebrate multi-family housing. Every so often, however, I find a single-family home worth singing the praises of. Such is the case, I reckon, with the mansion at 2718 Hyperion Avenue which I re-visited for the first time after a roughly decade-long absence. In a way, it's multi-family housing … Continue reading Homes Fit for Heroes — The Brigham Residence/Tokio Florist
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Houses of the Hallows — Bethany Presbyterian Church
A few weeks ago I was moseying around the Silver Lake Farmers Market when I noticed that the doors of the old Bethany Presbyterian Church were open and so I temporarily set aside any cravings I might've had for pupusas, empanadas, or banchan and instead made a beeline for the temple. After all, as Jesus told … Continue reading Houses of the Hallows — Bethany Presbyterian Church
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Thanksgiving Themed Entertainment — Radio Dramas, Music, and Film
Happy Thanksgiving! If you're like me (and chances are that you aren't), you like to get into the holiday spirit not by watching an American Football match or squabbling with relatives but by listening to an appropriately themed radio drama, listening to some Thanksgiving music, or watching a Thanksgiving-themed film. Here are 100 Thanksgiving-themed radio … Continue reading Thanksgiving Themed Entertainment — Radio Dramas, Music, and Film
Eric Brightwell 