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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

California Fool’s Gold — A Santa Barbara County Primer

This is an introduction to Santa Barbara County, designed to pique the reader’s interest so that they’ll vote for communities to be explored in future episodes of Santa Barbara County. To vote for as many Santa Barbara Counties as interest you, click on this link. Santa Barbara County is located along the Central Coast, a … Continue reading California Fool’s Gold — A Santa Barbara County Primer

California Fool’s Gold — A San Diego County Primer

This primer, you've by no doubt gathered from the title, is about San Diego County, one of the ten counties that make up Southern California. San Diego County is a county in Southern California’s Southern Border region. The region’s other county, Imperial County, has little in common with its more populous neighbor to the west. For … Continue reading California Fool’s Gold — A San Diego County Primer