Ask Silver Lake — The Mattachine Steps and… the Julian Eltinge Steps

~ Eric Brightwell ~ 4 Comments

What follows is my latest "Ask Silver Lake" for the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council's newsletter (with a few different images). If you have any questions about Silver Lake, leave them in the comments and I'll add them to the list. I'll list the current topic list after the post. ASK SILVER LAKE — THE MATTACHINE … Continue reading Ask Silver Lake — The Mattachine Steps and… the Julian Eltinge Steps

California Fool’s Gold — Exploring Mentryville

~ Eric Brightwell ~ 2 Comments

INTRODUCTION  The other day I found myself in Santa Clarita with a couple of hours to kill. I Googled "best restaurants in Santa Clarita" -- knowing full well that Google has been a mostly garbage search engine for years -- completely corrupted as it is by paid advertisements and SEO. I'm sure that there are … Continue reading California Fool’s Gold — Exploring Mentryville

Ask Silver Lake — Sunset Junction, What’s Your Function?

~ Eric Brightwell ~ 3 Comments

NOTE: a version of this piece was 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.‘ Like most large neighborhoods, Silver Lake is … Continue reading Ask Silver Lake — Sunset Junction, What’s Your Function?

Pan-Asian Metropolis — Pasadena’s Lost Chinatown

~ Eric Brightwell ~ 4 Comments

INTRODUCTION Most of my essays about Los Angeles begin similarly. A question is asked, an answer is hard to find or is deemed inadequate, and then I head straight down a rabbit hole. This one began when a friend asked a question that involved Altadena and a street there with a Japanese name. She then … Continue reading Pan-Asian Metropolis — Pasadena’s Lost Chinatown

Change in Store — Silver Lake’s 99 Cents Only Store Will Soon Be No More

~ Eric Brightwell ~ 9 Comments

NOTE: a version of this piece was 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.' On April 5th, it … Continue reading Change in Store — Silver Lake’s 99 Cents Only Store Will Soon Be No More

Nobody Drives in LA — The Ostrich Farm Railway

~ Eric Brightwell ~ 4 Comments

THE OSTRICH FARM RAILWAY Detail of Map of the City of Los Angeles, 1887, depicting the route of the Ostrich Farm Railway [Note: This essay was written for and originally appeared in the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council newsletter] Today Silver Lake is, by most accounts, moderately well served by mass transit. The website, Walk Score, … Continue reading Nobody Drives in LA — The Ostrich Farm Railway

Pan-Asian Metropolis — Indian Los Angeles

~ Eric Brightwell ~ 2 Comments

INTRODUCTION Despite its historic and cultural importance, there seems to be surprisingly little out there about Metro Los Angeles’s sizable Indian community. Los Angeles is, after all, known for its unparalleled ethnic diversity — especially of Asian communities — and India is the most populous nation (Asian or otherwise) on Earth. But, for whatever reason, searching … Continue reading Pan-Asian Metropolis — Indian Los Angeles

Southland Parks — Visiting the Huntington’s Chinese and Japanese Gardens

~ Eric Brightwell ~ 4 Comments

The other day, I visited one of my favorite places in Los Angeles — The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens (or, “The Huntington” to you and me). For anyone who hasn’t visited, the Huntington is the former estate of railroad magnate, Henry Edwards Huntington (1850-1927). After Huntington’s death, the mansion opened as the … Continue reading Southland Parks — Visiting the Huntington’s Chinese and Japanese Gardens

No Enclave — Exploring Jamaican Los Angeles

~ Eric Brightwell ~ Leave a comment

INTRODUCTION The other day, Evan Lovett of L.A. In a Minute asked me if I knew any history or tidbits about the Jamaican community in Los Angeles. If you somehow aren’t aware of L.A. in a Minute, take a check it out now. Anyway, as far as Jamaican Los Angeles went, I had little information. … Continue reading No Enclave — Exploring Jamaican Los Angeles

DTLA Bunker Hill Walk with John Yi

~ Eric Brightwell ~ Leave a comment

Late last year, California State Assembly candidate John Yi asked me if I’d like to lead a walk of a Downtown neighborhood within the borders of Assembly District 54. I immediately agreed. John had already led a walk of Koreatown. I’d attended his walk of Little Tokyo, led by Kevin Keizuchi. It was just a … Continue reading DTLA Bunker Hill Walk with John Yi