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

Southland Parks — The Beaches and Public Pools of Los Angeles

~ Eric Brightwell ~ 1 Comment

Since arriving in Los Angeles in the 1990s, I’ve always been surprised at how just many swimming pools there are — and how infrequently most of them (especially the private ones) are seemingly used... other than as bee graveyards to be occasionally skimmed by some unfortunate charged with dragging a pool rake across their otherwise … Continue reading Southland Parks — The Beaches and Public Pools of Los Angeles

A History of 1717 Silver Lake Boulevard

~ Eric Brightwell ~ 7 Comments

This post was born out of a shorter post originally written for the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council's "Ask Silver Lake" column. 'Ask Silver Lake' is dedicated to exploring the history and insights of our community. If you have questions or ideas you'd like us to consider, please drop a comment or send them to outreach@silverlakenc.org. … Continue reading A History of 1717 Silver Lake Boulevard

California Fool’s Gold — Exploring Torrance

~ Eric Brightwell ~ 8 Comments

I finally explored Torrance. I say “finally” because it occupied the top spot, based on reader votes, for the longest time — maybe since 2019. Then the COVID-19 pandemic happened… and Torrance is sort of far from me and not that easy to get to. So, in the meantime, when I explored, I stuck to … Continue reading California Fool’s Gold — Exploring Torrance

California Fool’s Gold — Exploring Miracle Mile

~ Eric Brightwell ~ 5 Comments

INTRODUCTION The other day, Mike Morgan — a frequent companion in my neighborhood explorations — asked whether or not I’d like to explore a neighborhood… or to maybe go to a museum. He asked, too, what community was currently topping the California Fool’s Gold readers’ poll. I informed him that Torrance still occupies the top … Continue reading California Fool’s Gold — Exploring Miracle Mile

Pan Asian Metropolis — Cambodian Los Angeles

~ Eric Brightwell ~ 6 Comments

INTRODUCTION According to the Pew Research Center, there were, in 2019, about 339,000 Americans of Cambodian ancestry. More than one-in-three lived in just one state, California. Cambodians in California can be found in large numbers in cities including Fresno, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Oakland, Richmond, San Francisco, and Stockton. Yesterday, for Songkran, I posted an … Continue reading Pan Asian Metropolis — Cambodian Los Angeles

SLHC Interview with Eric Brightwell, Silver Lake entrepreneur and cartographer.

~ Eric Brightwell ~ 2 Comments

I was interviewed, as suggested by the title (not mine) by the Silver Lake History Collective. Have a watch, if you've got fifty minutes to spare (or 25, if you increase the playback speed). https://www.youtube.com/embed/Id4QGJx8gHw Support Eric Brightwell on Patreon Eric Brightwell is an adventurer, essayist, rambler, explorer, cartographer, and guerrilla gardener who is always seeking … Continue reading SLHC Interview with Eric Brightwell, Silver Lake entrepreneur and cartographer.

On The Los Angeles Times’s “The Ultimate L.A. Bookshelf: 110 essential Los Angeles books”

~ Eric Brightwell ~ 7 Comments

In advance of the 2023 L.A. Times Festival of Books, 95 writers compiled a list of essential "Los Angeles Books." I reckon it's a good, if not very surprising list -- not that the number of surprises has anything to do with a list's quality. A few author, including Aldous Huxley, Joan Didion, and Raymond … Continue reading On The Los Angeles Times’s “The Ultimate L.A. Bookshelf: 110 essential Los Angeles books”

Where Fools Fear To Tread — A Snapshot of Seattle

~ Eric Brightwell ~ 9 Comments

The view from my airplane window as we descended into Seattle INTRODUCTION A week after Una, my sister, and I visited San Francisco; Una and I headed over to Seattle for a vacation we'd planned back in the summer of 2022 -- before my sister notified us that she'd be on the West Coast just … Continue reading Where Fools Fear To Tread — A Snapshot of Seattle

Ask Silver Lake — Silver Lake vs Silverlake

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This article was written for the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council feature, “Ask Silver Lake.” “Ask Silver Lake” is dedicated to exploring the history and insights of our community. It has been slightly updated for accuracy , clarity, and added information. If you have questions or ideas you’d like us to consider, please drop a comment or send them to outreach@silverlakenc.org. … Continue reading Ask Silver Lake — Silver Lake vs Silverlake

Mist & Iron — The Mountains and Hills of Metro Los Angeles

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Los Angeles and Southern California's mountains have been in the spotlight as of late. The mountains are always there, of course, but a seemingly endless barrage of drizzle, rain, freezing rain, hail, graupel, sleet, and snow have painted our semi-arid landscape with brilliant strokes of green and swathes of blinding white. The unexpected precipitation has … Continue reading Mist & Iron — The Mountains and Hills of Metro Los Angeles