Imagine if you were alive circa 1932. Chances are you would have spent Sunday Afternoons at either of these theaters, located south of 5th, on Broadway: The Roxie (which replaced Quinn’s Superba theatre); Clune’s Broadway (aka the Cameo); and the Pantages (aka Dalton’s and Arcade). Indeed, you may have gone to the Theaters well into [...]

Situated in the middle of an old, industrial section of Los Angeles, is the Los Angeles State Historical Park. Located close to the Chinatown Metro, it’s an open space paradise, especially for walkers and joggers. With the cityscape right behind, and the San Gabriel Mountains on the horizon, the Los Angeles State Historical Park is [...]

Los Angeles used to have a thriving theater area located in downtown known as the Broadway Corridor. It consists of twelve theaters, each with their own distinct architecture, history, and character. They all played a major role in bringing an amalgam of stage, culture, visual arts, and literature to the people of LA. Located within only [...]

Located on the AT&T building at 420 S. Grand Ave., is one of the most innovative pieces of public art I’ve ever seen. Measuring 36 feet wide and 17 feet high, the sculpture-cum-installation, “Bell Communications around the Globe,” incorporates small bits and pieces from telephone components including coils, coin box chutes, cables, and bells which [...]

If you’re walking on the 3rd Street, on the Grand Central Market side of the street, take a look down at the sidewalk. Why? Because you might learn a few new facts about the city you live in. Here’s what I learned today: “UNDER YOUR SOULS – 5,000 miles of storm drain channels * The distance from LA to [...]

MOCA, the Museum of Contemporary Art, is currently celebrating its first 30 years, with the exhibit, “More than 500 art works by More than 200 Artists.” Running until May 3, 2010, this exhibit entitled “Collections,” is guaranteed to be a once in a lifetime opportunity to see such an incredible grouping of talented artists. “Founded in 1979, [...]

Obviously in Los Angeles we don’t get nearly enough annual rainfall to serve our city and county’s population water needs. So when you turn on your faucet, do you know where that water comes from? Believe it or not, most of California’s water supply comes from rain and snowfall. That’s right, even though we might not [...]

First opened in 1926, Los Angeles Public Library’s Central Library is the third largest in the nation, and its subject departments contain more than 2.6 million books; 10,000 magazine subscriptions; 3 million historic photographs; 5 million U.S. patents; language learning tutorials; and and a plethora of multi-media resources.  The Central Library is headquarters for the [...]

The photograph above was taken in 1908. With a 1 hour exposure set by the photographer, 5000 feet atop Mount Wilson, the shot using the dark hues and tonality of black and white. It captures Los Angeles’ main arterial roads of that time, but provides a striking night view of the city’s evening outdoor lights.  [...]

The downtown central branch of the Los Angeles Public Library has several important walls. They’re not ordinary walls, but were visually, artistically, and architecturally created, to express a wide-range of thought, wisdom, and philosophy. The famous poet, Robert Frost is well known for his oft repeated and well-proven quote that: “Poetry is when an emotion has [...]

Inside Maguire Gardens, a small park surrounding the Central Library is the World Peace Bell.   Inscribed on the Plaque located beneath the Bell The World Peace Bell is an internationally recognized symbol of world peace. The bell is cast from coins and medals donated by 103 countries and represents a common bond among the nations of the [...]

We recently wrote a story about the Fine Arts Building on 8th street, just east of Figueroa, but we’re far from done. Figueroa Street is a treasure trove of beauty. In this story, we’ve discovered and documented much more art in the public domain. Indeed, its located within a two block radius– from 5th to [...]