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

Los Angeles Linguistics Part 2: Regional Differences

~ Eric Brightwell ~ 4 Comments

Most metropolitan areas -- at least the ones I'm familiar with -- are divided both into neighborhoods and larger, multi-neighborhood administrative divisions or regions. Paris has its arrondissements, New York City its boroughs, Busan and Seoul have gu (구), Taipei has qū (區), St. Louis and New Orleans both have wards, Mexico City has municipios, and on. Their names vary, then, but the concept is generally the … Continue reading Los Angeles Linguistics Part 2: Regional Differences

Swinging Doors — Los Angeles Train Pub Crawl

~ Eric Brightwell ~ 3 Comments

The train-enabled bar crawl is surely as old as the train itself. The first public transit line in Los Angeles was the Spring and West 6th Street Railroad, a railway founded in 1874 which served Downtown. Surely some bright 19th Century Angeleno had the brilliant idea of using the horse-drawn railcars to carry them from saloon … Continue reading Swinging Doors — Los Angeles Train Pub Crawl

Happy Lunar New Year’s Eve

~ Eric Brightwell ~ 3 Comments

Tonight is Lunar New Year's Eve in the Americas. It's already New Year's Day in Asia so I suppose I should've posted this earlier since a good number of my readers are in (descending order to gently if unlikely stoke a bit of competition) Japan, the Philippines, China, Singapore, Taiwan, Vietnam, Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, … Continue reading Happy Lunar New Year’s Eve

Southland Parks — Visiting MacArthur Park

~ Eric Brightwell ~ 12 Comments

Neighborhoods often take their names from significant features within them, which in Los Angeles are often major street intersections and parks. Neighborhoods named after intersections include Vermont-Slauson, Broadway-Manchester, Central-Alameda, and Adams-Normandie. Neighborhoods named after parks include South Park, Alondra Park, Cypress Park, and, of course, MacArthur Park. MacArthur Park, however, was for half a century … Continue reading Southland Parks — Visiting MacArthur Park

California Fool’s Gold — Exploring San Pedro

~ Eric Brightwell ~ 18 Comments

INTRODUCTION TO SAN PEDRO I finally visited San Pedro for California Fool’s Gold. It’s long been one of my favorite Los Angeles neighborhoods but in general (and in this case), I rely on you, the vox populi, to tell me where I should go.  The nation's busiest port, across the Main Channel (Image: Michael Morgan) … Continue reading California Fool’s Gold — Exploring San Pedro

Urban Rambles — The Passeggiata in Los Angeles and the Silver Lake Reservoir Stroll

~ Eric Brightwell ~ 6 Comments

I'm not sure when I first heard about the passeggiata -- a sort of ritualized stroll which takes place along the coasts and in the town squares of many Italian villages. I'm a fan of walking customs around the world, such as competitive pedestrianism, forest bathing, rambles, and walkabouts -- so, of course, the passeggiata is right … Continue reading Urban Rambles — The Passeggiata in Los Angeles and the Silver Lake Reservoir Stroll

Pan-Asian Metropolis — Overseas Chinese Cuisine

~ Eric Brightwell ~ 10 Comments

In recent years it seems to have finally begun to dawn on a growing number of folks that Chinese cuisine is far from monolithic. That this comes as a surprise to anyone comes as something of a surprise to me. Ancient human teeth were discovered in Hunan  -- and presumably, they were used to eat … Continue reading Pan-Asian Metropolis — Overseas Chinese Cuisine

Mist & Iron — Climbing Mount San Antonio

~ Eric Brightwell ~ 9 Comments

INTRODUCTION “You look like you got a bit of sun,” an acquaintance told me, last winter, having noticed that my face was bright red. I explained that I'd just hiked up Mount San Antonio and had, as I often do, forgotten to apply sunblock. His only response was a blank stare. Realizing that more people know … Continue reading Mist & Iron — Climbing Mount San Antonio

Swinging Doors — The Chain Pubs of Los Angeles

~ Eric Brightwell ~ 5 Comments

In 2015, whilst vacationing in England, I ducked into the first pub I encountered in the tiny village of Crowmarsh Gifford. It was the first real English pub that I'd ever been in and whereas I had been led to believe that all pubs were cozy, warm, and woozily welcoming places, this one had an ambiance … Continue reading Swinging Doors — The Chain Pubs of Los Angeles

There It Is, Revitalize It — The Los Angeles River

~ Eric Brightwell ~ 12 Comments

THE LOS ANGELES RIVER The Los Angeles River begins in Canoga Park, at the confluence of ... From there it flows 82 kilometers east and south into the San Pedro Bay. I decided to ride its length on my bicycle, Cream Soda. I invited anyone who wanted to join me but none came -- which … Continue reading There It Is, Revitalize It — The Los Angeles River