Mary Cassatt's After the Bath (circa 1901) The American Mother's Day was invented by Anna Jarvis in 1905, when her own mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis, died. Her mother's death proved the inspiration for a holiday and by 1908 others joined her in this macabre celebration.After five years of dedication to her obsession, Mother's Day was … Continue reading Mother’s Day Movies
No Enclave — Exploring Burmese Los Angeles
In 2010, 100,200 Burmese were counted by the US census and 15% of them lived in California. What "Burmese" means is slightly more complicated than it seems. Although “Burmese” refers to any citizen of Burma/Myanmar, regardless of ethnicity, the concept is closed entwined with that country's dominant Bamar ethnic group (from whom both “Burma” and “Myanmar” are both derived). … Continue reading No Enclave — Exploring Burmese Los Angeles
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May the Fourth — A Look at Star Bars and Deep Space Discos
The original Star Wars had a huge impact on pop culture. As a child, nothing in the film had more impact on me than the cantina scene -- and judging from the changes in dance music and imitations that followed I wasn't alone. What better occasion to reflect on the film's impact than May the … Continue reading May the Fourth — A Look at Star Bars and Deep Space Discos
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Pan-Asian Metropolis — An Introduction to the Asian Pacific Islander Communities of the Southland
Diversity has long been part of the fabric of Los Angeles and Southern California. Humans first arrived here at least 13,000 years ago and more than twenty Native American nations made their home here before the Spanish Conquest. The Spanish pueblo of Los Angeles was itself founded by people of Native, African, European, and mixed ancestries and … Continue reading Pan-Asian Metropolis — An Introduction to the Asian Pacific Islander Communities of the Southland
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California Fool’s Gold — An Imperial County Primer
INTRODUCTION TO IMPERIAL COUNTY Imperial County, along with San Diego County, comprises California's Southern Border Region but their similarities pretty much end there. Whereas the presidio at San Diego was established by the Spanish in 1769 and is the oldest European settlement in the state. On the other hand, Imperial County, created in 1907, is California's newest. Whereas … Continue reading California Fool’s Gold — An Imperial County Primer
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Tim & Eric Present: To Live and Deejay LA
Tim "Modern Brit" Shimbles (Amoeba employee and frequent traveling companion on California Fool's Gold) and yours truly are going to DJ a set of "locals only" music called To Live and Deejay LA on 12 May at the Melody Lounge in Chinatown. (Click here to join the Facebook event page). Los Angeles is a big place... bigger … Continue reading Tim & Eric Present: To Live and Deejay LA
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The Top 10 Shoegaze Bands of All Time, or, The Godlike Genius of Shoegaze
I'm still buzzing from the Ride show at the Warfield. "Cool Your Boots" has been running through my head non-stop for a week (although there was a break, at least in my sleep, when I had a dream which involved listening to Cedric Im Brooks). Since the show, I've been listening to a lot of shoegaze … Continue reading The Top 10 Shoegaze Bands of All Time, or, The Godlike Genius of Shoegaze
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No Enclave — Exploring Taiwanese Los Angeles
Diversity has long been part of the fabric of Los Angeles and Southern California. Humans first arrived here at least 13,000 years ago and more than twenty Native American nations made their home here before the Spanish Conquest. The Spanish pueblo of Los Angeles was itself founded by people of Native, African, European, and mixed ancestries and … Continue reading No Enclave — Exploring Taiwanese Los Angeles
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Ride rolls into the Warfield — and their thirteen most massive tunes
I'm currently down in San Francisco (well, Richmond actually) to see Ride play. Ride, for those keeping score, were the best of a crop of bands known way back in the early 1990s as shoegazers. Like most British bands that survived into those dark years of the mid-1990s, when a collective craze for slow motion guitar … Continue reading Ride rolls into the Warfield — and their thirteen most massive tunes
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Mini-Mallism — Visiting Atlantic Place Shopping Center
Strip malls (also called mini-malls, pod malls, power centers, retail parks, shopping centers, and shopping plazas) and malls in general are symbols of suburbia that although overabundant are rarely paid much attention. I find them interesting, however, mainly because I’m amused by their often pretentious names and ornamentation which I guess is designed to elevate … Continue reading Mini-Mallism — Visiting Atlantic Place Shopping Center
Eric Brightwell 