INTRODUCTION Hollywood and Vine -- The heart of Downtown Hollywood Although it continues to attract millions of tourists every year, there are few places in Los Angeles that locals avoid as deliberately as Downtown Hollywood's Walk of Fame. To put it bluntly, most Angelenos that I know would rather jostle with the crowded sidewalks along … Continue reading Greater Streets: Exploring the Walk of Fame — Heart of Hollywood
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
Nobody Drives in LA — Los Angeles Train Map
Los Angeles was made possible by trains. Rate wars between Southern Pacific and Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe railways ignited the first population boom. To this day, the vast, expansive Pacific Electric Railway was the largest interurban electric railway the world has ever known. Its primary purpose was o expand growth in the suburbs -- or as … Continue reading Nobody Drives in LA — Los Angeles Train Map
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Nobody Drives in LA — Opening Day of the Gold Line Foothill Extension
Back in February 2013, my brother and I walked along the route of Metro's then-planned Gold Line Foothill Extension. Even though Foothill Extension is 18 kilometers long, thanks to detours and construction, our walk from Pasadena to Azusa ended up being stretched to 27 kilometers. The newly-opened train lane reduces that distance and travel time considerably. Now one can theoretically … Continue reading Nobody Drives in LA — Opening Day of the Gold Line Foothill Extension
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Women’s History Month: 25 Women in Los Angeles History
March is Women’s History Month, an observation which traces its beginnings to the first International Women's Day, declared in 1911. As of 2014, Los Angeles County was home to an estimated 5,129,169 women, making it home to more women than any other county in the US. As of 2010, the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim urban area … Continue reading Women’s History Month: 25 Women in Los Angeles History
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Los Angeles Webography; or, Los Angeles Websites and Blogs
Amongst the many resources available pertaining to Los Angeles are websites, blogs, podcasts, and other online-only resources. I read many of them regularly, some too much, and almost all of them occasionally. For my own use and for the use of others (especially explorers and adventurers) I’ve here compiled what I hope is as conclusive a … Continue reading Los Angeles Webography; or, Los Angeles Websites and Blogs
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David McComb and The Triffids
David McComb [Triffids 3-5-85] The late David Richard McComb, best known as lead singer and songwriter in The Triffids, was born 54 years ago today on 17 February 1962. His parents were plastic surgeon Harold McComb and geneticist Athel Hockey. The couple had five boys and lived in an historic home, The Cliffe, in the affluent Peppermint Grove suburb of … Continue reading David McComb and The Triffids
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California Fool’s Gold — Exploring Montecito Heights, the Wilderness of the City
SEASON 10, EPISODE 1: "MONTECITO HEIGHTS" Montecito Heights Yesterday, compelled by voters like you, I explored the Los Angeles neighborhood of Montecito Heights in Northeast Los Angeles. It was unseasonably hot -- especially considering Angelenos had been told to brace for a "Godzilla El Niño." Instead, we have a record-breaking heatwave and Santa Ana winds carrying … Continue reading California Fool’s Gold — Exploring Montecito Heights, the Wilderness of the City
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No Limit Records 1990-1996: The Independent Years
In the 1990s, when people still primarily consumed music by via aluminum compact discs, rap label No Limit Records rose to national attention in part by flooding shelf space with a seemingly endless number of releases by rappers whose albums were packaged in brightly colored cases, recognizable by their insane, perspective-defying artwork courtesy of Pen & Pixel, and musically … Continue reading No Limit Records 1990-1996: The Independent Years
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California Fool’s Gold’s Introduction to Southern California
There is no official definition of what comprises Southern California but there’s certainly something like a general consensus that the region includes the ten southern-most counties in the state: Kern, Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties. By this definition, its northern border neatly formed by the … Continue reading California Fool’s Gold’s Introduction to Southern California
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California Fool’s Gold — A Ventura County Primer
This California Fool’s Gold is an introduction designed to provoke interest in the communities of Ventura County. And, armed with a little information, please vote for as many communities of Ventura County as you’d like to see featured in forthcoming episodes of this series by clicking here. ***** Ventura County is located on the Central … Continue reading California Fool’s Gold — A Ventura County Primer
Eric Brightwell 