Due to the rise in quality television and the sad, hopefully-not-irreversible decline of Hollywood films, any unbiased viewer of both would have to agree that television is entirely capable of producing great art. Much of the credit goes to cable (e.g. Breaking Bad and Mad Men) and online television (e.g. Homestar Runner and House of Cards). … Continue reading Ziv Television and a brief history of syndicated television in America
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Taking Public Transit to the Beach It may be chilly and windy today (perfect for flying kites) but it's officially spring and in Southern California, the beach beckons. Although many Angelenos are holding their breath waiting for a "Subway to the Sea" that won't arrive until sometime after 2035, there is (despite the suggestion to … Continue reading
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The Rural Upsurge — A Brief History of Country Cool and Uncool
Arthur Rackham illustration for The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse Since the US's founding, Americans have steadily moved from the countryside to the city but the story of our pop culture has always been the product of a dialogue between the two worlds, with urban and rural fashions coming and going. While being country … Continue reading The Rural Upsurge — A Brief History of Country Cool and Uncool
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Nobody Drives in LA — Taking Public Transit to the Beach
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. ***** Although spring has officially just begun, thanks to our chaparral climate even Los Angeles winters have more than their fair share of warm days, perfect for taking trips … Continue reading Nobody Drives in LA — Taking Public Transit to the Beach
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Sing a song of eiderdowns
It's blustery and breezy in Los Angeles today. A barely measurable amount of precipitation fell which inevitably resulted in chaos on the county's concrete freeways. I climbed out of bed at 5:30, an act made almost Olympian due to the combination of pre-dawn darkness, drops and drizzle, and the warmth offered by my eiderdown. Winsor … Continue reading Sing a song of eiderdowns
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Happy quasquicentennial, Orange County!
On this day in 1889, Orange County, California was born, making it 125 years young today. Pendersleigh & Sons Cartography's map of Orange County In early 1889, Pemberton Medicine Company (later Coca-Cola) incorporated in Atlanta, Colombia Phonograph (later Columbia Records) launched, Japan adopted the Meiji Constitution and the Eiffel Tower opened in Paris. Meanwhile in … Continue reading Happy quasquicentennial, Orange County!
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Nobody Drives in LA — Exploring Foothill Transit’s 187 Line
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. ***** Foothill Transit, one of Southern California's many public transportation agencies, recently turned 25 years old. It may come as something of a surprise then, that at this still … Continue reading Nobody Drives in LA — Exploring Foothill Transit’s 187 Line
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California Fool’s Gold — Exploring Monterey Hills
Monterey Hills sign on Via Mia RUNNING UP THAT HILL -- MONTEREY HILLS In Los Angeles, the Monterey Hills can refer to more than one thing. One is a landform known as the Monterey Hills that is technically part of the Repetto Hills, a chain of hills that runs from between the San Rafael Hills … Continue reading California Fool’s Gold — Exploring Monterey Hills
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Pseu Pseu Pseudio – Pseudonymous Musical One-Offs
In thinking about and working on a post covering one-album-wonders, I was reminded of a few single releases that were pseudonymously attributed to otherwise non-existent performers. Of course many musicians release music under stage names and a list of their releases would include the entire catalogs of everyone from David Bowie, to Elton John, to … Continue reading Pseu Pseu Pseudio – Pseudonymous Musical One-Offs
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You probably haven't heard but today is Missouri Day. For this piece I'm honoring Missourians who've worked in Hollywood -- mostly as actors but as directors and film scorers as well.
Eric Brightwell 