With Homes Fit for Heroes, I normally celebrate multi-family housing. Every so often, however, I find a single-family home worth singing the praises of. Such is the case, I reckon, with the mansion at 2718 Hyperion Avenue which I re-visited for the first time after a roughly decade-long absence. In a way, it's multi-family housing … Continue reading Homes Fit for Heroes — The Brigham Residence/Tokio Florist
Tag: The Mideast Side
Houses of the Hallows — Bethany Presbyterian Church
A few weeks ago I was moseying around the Silver Lake Farmers Market when I noticed that the doors of the old Bethany Presbyterian Church were open and so I temporarily set aside any cravings I might've had for pupusas, empanadas, or banchan and instead made a beeline for the temple. After all, as Jesus told … Continue reading Houses of the Hallows — Bethany Presbyterian Church
Southland Parks — Visiting Elysian Park
INTRODUCTION The other day, I explored Elysian Park, because it was leading in the California Fool’s Gold neighborhood poll. When I created that poll, I hadn’t yet created Southland Parks. While Elysian Park is sometimes described as a neighborhood (e.g. the Los Angeles Times’ Mapping Los Angeles and Wikipedia) and there are a few homes … Continue reading Southland Parks — Visiting Elysian Park
Southland Parks — Visiting MacArthur Park
Neighborhoods often take their names from significant features within them, which in Los Angeles are often major street intersections and parks. Neighborhoods named after intersections include Vermont-Slauson, Broadway-Manchester, Central-Alameda, and Adams-Normandie. Neighborhoods named after parks include South Park, Alondra Park, Cypress Park, and, of course, MacArthur Park. MacArthur Park, however, was for half a century … Continue reading Southland Parks — Visiting MacArthur Park
Urban Rambles — The Passeggiata in Los Angeles and the Silver Lake Reservoir Stroll
I'm not sure when I first heard about the passeggiata -- a sort of ritualized stroll which takes place along the coasts and in the town squares of many Italian villages. I'm a fan of walking customs around the world, such as competitive pedestrianism, forest bathing, rambles, and walkabouts -- so, of course, the passeggiata is right … Continue reading Urban Rambles — The Passeggiata in Los Angeles and the Silver Lake Reservoir Stroll
Mist & Iron — Visiting Radio Hill
If you can't see the forest for the trees, Los Angeles might only seem like an exclusively horizontal city. The fact of the matter is, however, that no city on earth has greater difference in elevation, from below-sea-level Wilmington to 1,544 meter tall Mount Lukens. Tallest in the county is Mount San Antonio but even … Continue reading Mist & Iron — Visiting Radio Hill
There It Is, Revitalize It — Visiting the Silver Lake Reservoir
The other night (24 June), the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) and outgoing (in both senses of the word) city council member Tom LaBonge arranged to have the gates of the Silver Lake Reservoir unlocked for a few hours and thus the South Dam was briefly opened to the public. Despite the … Continue reading There It Is, Revitalize It — Visiting the Silver Lake Reservoir
Pendersleigh & Sons Cartography’s Map to 1650 Gallery
If you don't like, have, or know how to use GPS -- or you just prefer colorful, hand-scrawled maps -- here's a big scan of a map that I did for my upcoming art show at 1650 Gallery in Echo Park. X marks the spot! Feel free to download and print your own (just don't try … Continue reading Pendersleigh & Sons Cartography’s Map to 1650 Gallery
California Fool’s Gold — Exploring Victor Heights
FOREWORD Most of the communities that I explore and feature in California Fool’s Gold were chosen by popular vote but I explored Victor Heights for different reasons. Firstly, as one of the more obscure corners of Mideast Los Angeles (MELA), it’s long-held for me a certain appeal. Secondly, Big Red’s check engine light went on and … Continue reading California Fool’s Gold — Exploring Victor Heights
California Fool’s Gold — Exploring Franklin Hills
FOREWORD Franklin Hills DOT sign Usually, I determine what communities to explore for California Fool’s Gold based upon results of a poll. However, I explored the small neighborhood of Franklin Hills in August of 2014 not based upon the vox populi but in preparation for an art show of my maps which I called, Taste … Continue reading California Fool’s Gold — Exploring Franklin Hills
Eric Brightwell 