Don't Knock the Rock is a film festival that's taken place now for ten years. Each year filmmaker Allison Anders (Gas, Food Lodging, Grace of My Heart, and Mi Vida Loca) and her daughter, Tiffany, curate probably the best film festival of its sort in Los Angeles, focusing on rare or new music documentaries about … Continue reading Don’t Knock the Rock 2013 is coming
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
Jon Moritsugu Retrospective in Downtown Los Angeles plus his latest film, Pig Death Machine
Jon Moritsugu (click here to read an Amoebog interview) and Amy Davis's latest film, Pig Death Machine, is playing in Downtown Los Angeles for one week (9 August till 15 August). For those that aren't familiar with him, Jon Moritsugu is an auteur in the proper sense of the word. From 1986's Mommy Mommy Where's My Brain … Continue reading Jon Moritsugu Retrospective in Downtown Los Angeles plus his latest film, Pig Death Machine
Share this:
Nobody Drives in LA — Exploring the Metro Green Line: From Nowhere to Nowhere and All Points in Between
With bicycles, buses, ferries, planes, rideshares, sidewalks, subways, taxis, and trains at Angelenos’ disposal, why would any sane person choose car-dependency? Nobody Drives in LA celebrates sense and sensibility in transportation. ***** On 26 July 2013 the Metro Gold Line celebrated its tenth birthday, an occasion that did not go unreported by much of the local media, who in some … Continue reading Nobody Drives in LA — Exploring the Metro Green Line: From Nowhere to Nowhere and All Points in Between
Share this:
Upcoming outdoor film screening — Monsoon Wedding
Although summer movies are usually associated with blaring GCI spectacles playing throughout the world's multiplexes, in Los Angeles we're blessed with a popular alternative option -- outdoor screenings. Instead of Crows, Goobers, Jujyfruits, Raisinets, and delicious but nauseating gallons of buttered popcorn a ttendees can in many cases pack a picnic basket or grab some proper … Continue reading Upcoming outdoor film screening — Monsoon Wedding
Share this:
Wah Ming Chang
Wah Chang was a Chinese-American artist and prop designer. Today he’s most recognized for his iconic designs on the television series Star Trek. He was born on this day in 1917 and with that in mind, it being Asian-Pacific Heritage Month, me planning on going to see the Star Trek Into Darkness tonight, and The Wrath … Continue reading Wah Ming Chang
Share this:
California Fool’s Gold — A South Orange County Primer
INTRODUCTION Most of us know the stereotypes and are familiar with the frequent characterizations of Orange County. It’s supposedly culture-less and even somehow history-less. Anyone who’s spent any time in Los Angeles has no doubt heard the same hollow, bafflingly ignorant observations made of about that richly cultured city yet sadly, many Angelenos (who ought … Continue reading California Fool’s Gold — A South Orange County Primer
Share this:
California Fool’s Gold — Exploring East Pasadena
TO SEE MY HOME IN EAST PASADENA This neighborhood exploration is about tiny East Pasadena. Despite its name, East Pasadena is an independent community and no more a part of the city of Pasadena than are South Pasadena or Altadena. Historically, it was a much larger community but through many annexations it has shrunk to … Continue reading California Fool’s Gold — Exploring East Pasadena
Share this:
California Fool’s Gold — Exploring Laguna Beach
A WEARY ROVER'S DREAM INTRODUCTION Laguna Beach is a quirky, affluent community in South Orange County. The city is the third oldest in Orange County, after San Juan Capistrano and Anaheim. It is widely known for its vibrant arts scene and environmental treasures. It's long seemed to me that dated and inaccurate stereotypes of Los Angeles … Continue reading California Fool’s Gold — Exploring Laguna Beach
Share this:
No Enclave — Exploring the Remains of Los Angeles’s Little Italy
Los Angeles and Orange counties are home to many official and unofficial (but widely recognized) ethnic enclaves, including Cambodia Town, Chinatown, Filipinotown, Koreatown, Little Armenia, Little Arabia, Little Bangladesh, Little Brazil, Little Ethiopia, Little India, Little Osaka, Little Russia, Little Saigon, Little Seoul, Little Tokyo, Oaxacatown, Tehrangeles, and Thai Town. Attempting to gain official recognition are … Continue reading No Enclave — Exploring the Remains of Los Angeles’s Little Italy
Share this:
Tales of the Texas Rangers — Police Procedural with a Lone Star Twist
It took me a while to discover the brilliant radio drama, Tales of the Texas Rangers. I inferred from its name that it was a juvenile Western -- possibly a derivative of The Lone Ranger. Even though The Lone Ranger provided my childhood introduction I have never been a fan of white hat vs. black hat … Continue reading Tales of the Texas Rangers — Police Procedural with a Lone Star Twist
Eric Brightwell 