October 26, 2022
West Oakland Botany
A walking tour of the plant life under the freeways in west Oakland by a man with a non-California accent.
permalink | October 26, 2022 at 09:36 PM | Comments (0)
October 22, 2022
Boston Rain
Shot in autumn 2019, just before the pandemic. It starts on Beacon Hill. The video, that is, not the pandemic.
permalink | October 22, 2022 at 07:10 PM | Comments (0)
July 26, 2022
6th Street Viaduct
There was a block party on the new 6th Street Viaduct in Los Angeles on July 9 and I went to it. It was open only from the Boyle Heights (eastern) end, and it only went to the edge of the L.A. River where a performance platform was set up for bands. There were about three more arches past that point that we couldn't get to. I took a lot of photos and the complete set is here. Some samples:
Besides the ramp, there will be stairways, but none are open yet.
The neighborhood the bridge passes above.
When I walked off the bridge I was surprised to see a lot of locals walking down the onramp to northbound 101. I followed them and it turns out they all knew where the best spot was to get a sunset view of the bridge and downtown skyline.
permalink | July 26, 2022 at 07:13 PM | Comments (0)
June 28, 2022
Million Dollar Theatre
A good shot of the Million Dollar Theatre while the Los Angeles World Naked Bike Ride was passing by. Photo by westwood1727.
permalink | June 28, 2022 at 08:05 AM | Comments (0)
June 16, 2022
Another Wrong-way Driver On Comm Ave IN THE SAME PLACE!
Actually, this one is going the wrong way outbound, while the other was inbound. The problem lies in the confusing intersection shown below. The outbound Green Line runs right up the middle of Comm Ave until it reaches this corner. After the run, Comm Ave picks up two additional side roads for local traffic, while the Green Line shifts to the right so it runs between the outbound Comm Ave lanes and the outbound local Comm Ave road. Sometimes cars going outbound will turn onto the Green Line tracks and get stuck. This intersection didn't even have traffic lights until the 1990s.
However, the confusing intersection at Packard's Corner is no excuse for the driver in the earlier video who was driving inbound in the outbound lanes. Probably just drunk.
permalink | June 16, 2022 at 08:47 PM | Comments (0)
June 7, 2022
Comm Ave, Allston
A bit of Commonwealth Avenue in the neighborhood where I used to live.
permalink | June 7, 2022 at 08:27 PM | Comments (0)
May 22, 2022
Neutra Homes In Silver Lake
A week ago I headed into Silver Lake for a tour of homes designed by Richard Neutra. It was part of Modernism Week which seems to take place three times a year now. This tour started at the Neutra VDL Studio and Residences at 2300 Silver Lake Boulevard. This was Neutra's home and office. There are nine homes designed by Neutra in the immediate neighborhood. The tour started with the interior of the Neutra VDL Studio, followed by a walk-by of the other homes, concluding with an interior tour of Reunion House at 2440 Earl Street, which the Neutra Institute took possession of just this past February. The complete set of photos is here. These are some samples:
Neutra VDL Studio and Residences.
Neutra's remains are interred in the courtyard of the house.
They let us climb these apparently insubstantial stairs to the penthouse.
Balcony overlooking the courtyard.
The gate to the Sokol House at 2242 Silver Lake Boulevard.
L to R: the Inadomi, Kambara and Yew Houses on Silver Lake Boulevard.
The entrance area for the Inadomi and Kambara houses.
Yew House at 2226 Silver Lake Boulevard.
Ohara House at 2210 Neutra Place.
Reunion House at 2440 Earl Street.
permalink | May 22, 2022 at 05:43 PM | Comments (1)
May 3, 2022
Four From The 80s
On the Brooklyn Bridge, facing Manhattan, 1985.
Facing Brooklyn, also 1985.
1985.
Frog Pond on Boston Common, 1983, Agfachrome.
permalink | May 3, 2022 at 06:27 PM | Comments (0)
April 17, 2022
Black Rock City Street Plan For 2022
The street names will be Esplanade, Apparition, Breton, Cocteau, Dalí, Enigma, Fugue, Glimmer, Hypnagogia, Inception, Jarry and Kahlo. No "L" street this year because they enlarged the block between "E" and "F."
permalink | April 17, 2022 at 11:18 AM | Comments (0)
April 13, 2022
Metropolitan Los Angeles Racial Map
This is supposed to be based on the 2020 census, but I have no idea who prepared it, so I can't vouch for its accuracy.
Notice that "Majority African" is black while "Majority Middle Eastern" is a very dark navy blue. The only way you can identify the very dark navy blue on the map is that it is adjacent to the purple "Plurality Middle Eastern." What, with only 11 colors they ran out of distinctive ones? How about bright or Kelly green?
permalink | April 13, 2022 at 06:35 PM | Comments (0)
April 12, 2022
Tracy Turco Buzz
Maybe this Tracy Turco thing will work out well. A point of view from waaaaaay outside the city could be good for generating tourism, but I find it a little grating when she refers the city as The Desert Hot Springs as if we were a freeway or a formerly occupied nation (The Ukraine, The Congo, The Sudan). But I do want to draw your attention to this "logo" (is that what it would be called?) that she has designed with a faux-neon font. It looks like something from Hot Springs Hotel, the "adult" TV show that was shot in the Miracle Springs Resort in the 1990s.
On the plus side, so far the city has given her only $25,000; her scope is limited to one block of Pierson Boulevard; she has real experience; and she's putting her own money into other investments in the city. The city will be getting some benefit from the time and money spent on the Downtown Vortex plan from years ago which tore down some of old buildings that were too small for commercial use, and bought up parcels so they could be combined to a practical size.
permalink | April 12, 2022 at 04:12 PM | Comments (0)
March 8, 2022
The 88 Cities of Los Angeles County
This will start you at 6:10 where they begin to list the 88 cities in order by date of incorporation. If you want to see the whole video, just go back to the start.
permalink | March 8, 2022 at 03:24 PM | Comments (0)
February 9, 2022
More 10 Freeway
Photo by Anas Hinde.
The 10 freeway heading into downtown Los Angeles. This is a reverse point-of-view compared to the photo I posted a couple of weeks ago, and by a different photographer.
permalink | February 9, 2022 at 04:42 PM | Comments (0)
January 26, 2022
The 10 Freeway
Photo by peries_imagery. Click for full size.
This is I-10 east of downtown L.A. photographed from this area. Mt. San Antonio/Mt. Baldy is the background.
permalink | January 26, 2022 at 03:23 PM | Comments (0)
January 16, 2022
On Broadway
Not my photo. This came in a recent email from the Museum of Neon Arts. Somebody shot this at the conclusion of the Jewish Lights Over Broadway Tour. I'm the one in the white sweatshirt wearing a pink cap. Left of me (on my right) is Edmon Rodman who led the tour. I think we lost three or four from the group at the mid-point of the tour, the Grand Central Market.
permalink | January 16, 2022 at 07:30 PM | Comments (0)
January 5, 2022
Four On Kentmere Pan 400
All these photos taken in Desert Hot Springs were shot on Kentmere Pan 400 film. Kentmere is Ilford's cheaper brand. I used a red filter with these.
Dollar General construction a few months ago.
El Reposo Spa, a former spa on Fifth Street. It's obvious they've been under a little pressure from code enforcement over the last couple of years to finally clean up the place. Not long ago they removed the plywood that had been covering these windows into the hot mineral water pool room, which I'm sure is no longer in use. I would think the room could get really overheated on sunny days.
This is the mobile home park between Fifth and Sixth Streets which is also finally getting seriously cleaned up.
permalink | January 5, 2022 at 08:46 PM | Comments (0)
December 23, 2021
Santa Claus Nabs A Hit & Run Driver
You'll probably appreciate this more if you speak French, which I do not.
permalink | December 23, 2021 at 03:51 PM | Comments (0)
December 22, 2021
Jewish Lights Over Broadway
The Museum of Neon Arts seems to be able to schedule a tour (or two) during each COVID low point. This past Sunday they offered "Jewish Lights Over Broadway." The route was simple. We met at the Eastern Building which is almost at 9th and Broadway. From there we walked up to 4th and Broadway (the Bradbury Building), turned around and came back down on the opposite side of Broadway. Along the way the tour leader shared his incredibly detailed knowledge on the history of the buildings, the neon, and the people who built it all, many of whom were/are Jewish. I'd be willing to do this tour any time of the year, although if you tried it in the summer you'd have to wait until well after 9 o'clock to insure solid darkness to appreciate all the neon. But at this particular time of year it appealed to me even more because it looked like a social event during the holiday season that was NOT likely to include traditional Christmasy stuff. And Hanukkah has passed, so I wouldn't even have to hear a dreidel song.
The entrance to the Eastern Columbia Lofts.
The neon wasn't turned on, but it was still up there.
Also at the Grand Central Market. The MONA had some connection to the creation of this display.
The complete set of photos is here.
permalink | December 22, 2021 at 12:15 PM | Comments (0)
December 16, 2021
Four Locations
Chicago, Ektachrome, 2000.
View of the Pru from the Christian Science Center in Boston, Kodachrome, 2000.
AIDS LifeCycle 1 in West Hollywood, Ektachrome, 2002.
permalink | December 16, 2021 at 08:39 PM | Comments (0)
November 26, 2021
Bicycling The Triboro Bridge
The GNI Gatherings are in August in northeastern Pennsylvania. I bicycled to the event from Boston several times. The first time I rode with Michael and we took the inland route which had us make a big curve north of the NYC area, but that made the route much longer than necessary. In subsequent years we (or I, solo) took the shorter, more direct route which was to cycle from Boston to New London, Connecticut, ferry from there to the eastern end of Long Island, and then ride from there directly to and through New York City. The usual way into Manhattan was via the Queensboro Bridge, but then the city closed the bike path on that bridge for a construction (or rehab) project, so I decided to try the Triboro Bridge (RFK Bridge) in August 2000 which, according to the information I had, also had bike routes (sidewalks) on it. It became an adventure. I arrived at the bridge just before sunset so I could get a few photos. I managed to get onto Randall's Island okay, but the gates on the pedestrian path on the bridge (on the north end of Randall Island) that would actually take me into Manhattan were locked shut. The city probably wanted me to go to the south end of the island and take the Wards Island Bridge, a pedestrian bridge used in The Wiz. But by then it was dark and I didn't relish the idea of trying to find my way to that bridge, plus I had a friend waiting for me on 125th Street in Manhattan. So I simply took my panniers off my bike, lifted the bike and then the panniers over the gate, climbed over it myself, put it all back together and then rode towards Manhattan. Along the way I came across a bum who was sitting on the bike path while injecting himself. He apologized and pulled his legs out of my way. There were more locked gates at the Manhattan end of the bridge, which I got past in the same way, and then continued my ride into Manhattan.
All photos are Ektachrome.
Hell Gate Bridge, the railroad bridge that parallels the Triboro Bridge here.
