Yao Su Rong ("姚蘇蓉") is a Taiwanese singer and actress born on this day, 5 December, in 1946. Today she's still best-known for her 1969 hit recording of "今天不回家" ("Today I Won't Come Home"), the title track of a film of the same name. Her career was cut short at its peak by Kuomintang (KMT) … Continue reading Yao Su Rong (姚蘇蓉)
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Where Fools Fear to Tread – A Snapshot of Barcelona
In August, Una and I went to Barcelona. It was the first time for both of us in that city, or Catalonia (Catalan: Catalunya), the region of which it is the capital. Home to roughly 4.8 million, the Barcelona Metropolitan Area is also the sixth (after Brexit it will be the fifth) largest urban area in the … Continue reading Where Fools Fear to Tread – A Snapshot of Barcelona
Where Fools Fear to Tread — A Day in Detroit
A couple of weeks ago, my partner and I traveled to Michigan to reunite my sister with her cat, Iwashi Oda. Iwashi had been living with us for a little over a year whilst my sister lived in Kyōto. It was my first time back in the Middle West in several years and during our visit, we … Continue reading Where Fools Fear to Tread — A Day in Detroit
The Full Californian Breakfast — a California Fry-Up
I love breakfast. It's easily my favorite meal of the day (followed by second breakfast, elevenses, and supfast). When I die, if anyone wishes for whatever reason to celebrate my life, please do so with a "Brightwell Breakfast." Robert Burns gets his supper, after all, and surely if anyone deserves the sobriquet "ploughman blogger," it is … Continue reading The Full Californian Breakfast — a California Fry-Up
Where Fools Fear to Tread — A Snapshot of Cagliari
As part of the Boaty Weekender cruise, I got to spend eight hours in Cagliari, Sardinia. From the get-go, my partner, Una, had expressed her wish to spend her day at Poetto, Cagliari's main beach. To be honest, I thought that eight hours at the beach sounded a bit dull -- especially having come all the way … Continue reading Where Fools Fear to Tread — A Snapshot of Cagliari
Where Fools Fear to Tread — Cruising the Mediterranean aboard the Boaty Weekender
In August I went on my first cruise, Belle & Sebastian's Boaty Weekender. I'd never been on a cruise before. I was, at best, ambivalent about cruises. On the one hand, I have something an anthropological curiosity which in the past has compelled me to check out renaissance faires, Civil War reenactments, a Star Trek convention, … Continue reading Where Fools Fear to Tread — Cruising the Mediterranean aboard the Boaty Weekender
No Enclave — Los Angeles’s International Markets
Last week, the Los Angeles Times published a piece by Frank Shyong about the imminent closure and relocation of two of Chinatown's last remaining Chinese markets. On the same day, Jared Cohee published a piece about Holland International Market in Bellflower for Eat the World LA. Both got me thinking a bit about the role international markets serve. … Continue reading No Enclave — Los Angeles’s International Markets
Art in the Streets — The Happy Foot/Sad Foot (1986-2019)
For more than three decades, the Happy Foot/Sad Food sign has loomed over the intersection of Benton Way and Sunset Boulevard. Although designed as an advertisement for Sunset Foot Clinic, it became a symbol of the Mideast Los Angeles hinterland between Silver Lake and Echo Park. The Happy Foot/Sad Foot Sign reminds me a bit … Continue reading Art in the Streets — The Happy Foot/Sad Foot (1986-2019)
Pendersleigh & Sons Cartography — Map Merchandise
In recent years, I've had a lot of requests for printable version of "my map." I've made hundreds of maps but since the digital map I made of Los Angeles County has been viewed over a million times, I have to assume that that's the one most people are talking about. Of course, people who … Continue reading Pendersleigh & Sons Cartography — Map Merchandise
Nobody Drives in LA — Get on the Rapid Bus
Lately, there's been a surprising amount of talk about dedicated bus lanes and busways in Los Angeles. Metro is currently moving forward with three Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) projects: the North SFV BRT, the NoHo to Pasadena BRT, and the Vermont BRT. In 2017, Metro created a short, dedicated bus lane along Sunset Boulevard for the Dodger … Continue reading Nobody Drives in LA — Get on the Rapid Bus
