Last September, we posted a blog deconstructing the meanings behind several Los Angeles neighborhoods, and you guys wanted more. Well, you don’t need to twist our arm to get us to discuss LA. But instead of looking at a new batch of neighborhoods, we wanted to take a closer look at the names of a […]
Seth Styles
Indio Native Abi Carter Rises from Palm Springs VillageFest to American Idol’s Finalist Stage
Photo credit: Abi Carter/Facebook To really see the twinkling stars in the night sky with clarity, you need to leave the bright lights of Palm Springs behind. It’s a truth with multiple perspectives for Abi Carter, who competes for the Idol spot on Sunday night against the other two finalists in a season of American […]
The Blackburn Cult: Teen Mummy Queens, Sacrificed Cars, and Angels with Book Deals
Cult leadership tends to be a male-dominated field. But in the 1920s, one woman turned that expectation on its head… not that that’s necessarily a point of pride. May Otis Blackburn and, as history remembers them, the Blackburn Cult believed in a post-apocalyptic future ruled by 11 queens. And this cult, run by Blackburn and […]
Los Angeles Architecture 101: French Normandy (and Châteauesque)
Featured image credit: Los Angeles This far into our Los Angeles Architecture 101 series, boundaries begin to blur a bit more. Sure, they were already blurring over the last few revival styles. And today’s focus, French Normandy (and the closely related Châteauesque) highlights another revival style, though one with a very distinguished look. However, it […]
Restaurant Service Fees Go the Way of the Dodo Thanks to Anti-Drip Pricing Law
While not specific to Los Angeles, hidden restaurant fees have been plaguing Angelenos with a heightened intensity since restaurants re-opened in the wake of the global pandemic. But relief may be on the horizon thanks to a new law that goes into effect across California on July 1. Aimed at eliminating hidden fees in ticket […]
Los Angeles Architecture 101: Googie Architecture
Featured image credit: monkeytime | brachiator Architecture is such an important element of real estate that we feel it deserves its own regularly occurring series. Especially the architecture of Southern California with its wealth of diversity. Therefore, we welcome you to the first Los Angeles Architecture 101 blog exploring the structural art of LA. And […]
The Distinctly Los Angeles Phenomenon of the Z Channel Inspired a Generation
If you didn’t grow up in Los Angeles (or did so, but after 1989), then you likely missed out on a region-specific cultural phenomenon that found teenagers, industry insiders, and film buffs glued to their TV screens. For 15 glorious years, a signal beamed out of Santa Monica broke down barriers and expanded minds with […]
The Sigalert LA Motorists Know All Too Well Has a Storied Past
The sound of the sigalert LA motorists instantly recognize is like the heralding trumpets of apocalyptic angels. Equal parts curse and blessing, a Los Angeles sigalert could warn of any number of traffic disruptions: accidents, flooding, rockslides, wildfires. If you’re lucky, you’ll hear it in time to replan your route. Other times, it’s simply confirmation […]
Griffith Park Observatory in Danger Following LA’s Annual Budget Plan
Featured image credit: Prayitno Everyone’s favorite free spot to bring out-of-town guests is in trouble. With the reveal of Mayor Karen Bass’s civic budget plan for the year, it’s apparent that LA’s Department of Recreation and Parks (RAP) is a low priority in a year fraught with financial hardship. This means Griffith Park, along with […]
10 Crazy Conspiracy Theories That Could Only Happen in LA
Los Angeles can be weird. Often it’s an endearing quality. Other times, not so much. It’s no wonder this city has conjured its own collection of crazy conspiracy theories specific to our locale. Sometimes, they even pop up in this blog, like the time we discussed the legend of Devil’s Gate Dam being a portal […]