Jon's L.A. Blog

[la-inasemester]

March 28, 2015. 7:23 P.M.

The Last Bookstore

For my friend Claire’s birthday, we decided to take her to various spots in L.A. One of the places she had been dying to visit was The Last Bookstore. Claire has always been a book worm, so the idea of this place completely enticed her. She is also a design major and had heard that the interior of this place was incredible, so she was hoping to see some interesting artwork inside. She was not disappointed.

The entire layout of the bookstore by itself was amazing. From flying books to book tunnels, this place was decked out from top to bottom. On the first floor, they mostly sold books, records, and old movies. If you went up a floor, there were collections of $1 books in an area they called the “Labyrinth.” Along the outer walls were small independent businesses that sold everything from old trinkets to crotchet clothing patterns. The whole place was like a huge organized mess, and it was for this exact reason that we couldn’t seem to leave. There were so many different nooks and crannies we wanted to check out, and we kept getting distracted by all the various sections of the store. We stayed till closing, and ended up leaving with 15 books, 1 record, and 6 movies.

Before the store first opened, owner Josh Spencer began by selling his books on Ebay in 2005. As his business began to thrive, Spencer was able to open up a small shop on 4th & Main. Eventually, The Last Bookstore became so popular, that he had to move to a bigger location on 5th & Spring St. in order to accommodate his large inventory. 

The Last Bookstore was named ironically, because not only is it the largest independent bookstore in California that buys and sells used & new books, but also one of the very last. It has become an icon in L.A., and has played a large role in the efforts to revitalize the downtown district. I think part of the reason why people love The Last Bookstore is because it reminds them of a romanticized past. The old, vintage feel of the store brings on a nostalgia about the time before technology infiltrated our everyday lives. It makes people think of the past as a simpler, better time, where people could sit around, enjoy their books, and listen to their vinyls. Ya know, “the good ol’ days.”

[princessaliicia-deactivated2015]

This place is one of the L.A. attractions to see for tourist. I think it also represents the ecology of downtown because it is one of the only independent bookstores in the area still around. 

[angel-maee-blog-blog]

I have always wanted to visit this place! I never knew about the origin of the shop’s name, but I always associated with the dystopic setting from the book The Last Book in the Universe. I like how you tied the location with the nostalgic desire for a simpler time when technology was not overbearing society. Thanks for sharing!

-Angel Mae Elchico

[jonslablog]

This may be one of the only two bookstores within the actual city, and the other one is just an antique and collectibles shop! I was also impressed by the decor and the content. I stopped by when I was in Pershing Square on the Saturday before Easter, and it was packed. Luckily I snagged a few books to add to my growing “Sylvia Plath works and subject matter” collection. Overall, I highly recommend going back there to shop and relax to a good book.

Jonathan Guzman

[jonslablog]

101 Freeway--May 10, 2015

Have you ever seen something on the freeway and stopped your car to have a better look?

Well I haven’t because that’s fairly dangerous. Hi-speed ventures are not salubrious trips, and it is perhaps this quality that makes us miss the interesting aspects of Los Angeles’s concrete freeways.

If you’ve ever driven north on the 101 Freeway, you may have noticed the murals painted onto the elevated on- and off-ramps. There are a myriad of them for about a two miles. (I couldn’t say for sure between which street you can find them; this is mostly due to my lack of free attention whilst driving at high speeds.)

I find these pieces of art particularly interesting just by their locale: They’re fixtures (though some are “mobile murals,” but fixtures, for all intents and purposes) to which drivers pay little attention, and any attention garnered whilst driving is quickly supplanted by more pressing manners. However, the 101 murals have remained there, in some form, for an incredible amount of time. I remember being a child in the back of my parent’s car and seeing these paintings--gazing at their sheer size and wonderful faded vibrancy.

I wonder what their purpose is? Perhaps they serve the purpose of lightening up the greying concrete, but plants could do the same; why is their position in an inherently fleeting location? I gather that they’re supposed to elicit some sense of nostalgia in the freeway’s daily patrons; in particular, I point to a mural of children at play along side the south side of the freeway: Some of them are jumping or running, one little boy has a basketball in his hand, and another is doing some sort of flip. At least for me, I yearn for my childhood when I see it, even if it is a two-second diversion.

I’m starting to think these murals play into the creation of the Los Angeles’s space and its redefinition as a place of fun and entertainment. In that case, the murals serve the same effect as a billboard ad. The children mural would be an obvious push the direction of “fun” and “young excitement,” but other murals like one which shows cars driving under a setting as palm trees sway to-and-fro propel this redefinition. I’m not entirely sure of this however, and it is a bit of a stretch considering the limited attention a driver can grant these pieces on a normal business day.

[jonslablog]

Otis College--May 9, 2015

(I apologize for the picture quality; I’m awful.)

My penultimate visit lands me in some near LAX. Otis College is actually fairly close to Santa Monica, and the reason for visiting was to congratulate a friend on completing her undergraduate degree.

On this particular Saturday Otis hosted a showcase on Senior exit projects within a multitude of disciplines--story, digital, and commercial arts. Los Angeles has an aptly named “Art District” and even a museum of art. While Otis is a bit away from either area, it certainly captures a sense of creativity in the city. Of course, I believe there is a minor debate concerning the “in the city” part of that statement. Yet, Otis undoubtedly captures the city feeling in the amalgam of its students and the variety of their works.

In class, we’ve talked about the creation of the Los Angeles mythos and development of the city "place.” Art is important in both these aspects as it allows for the proliferation of a fantasy or the redefinition of space. Art is future, and while the exhibits at Otis weren’t overtly radical, these graduating seniors demonstrated a vast amount of potential. The commercial exposés struck me as particularly daring.

Overall, it was an enlightening night since I’ve never been to a place like this in Los Angeles. Usually I’m visiting urban centers that provide food and entertainment; this is certainly more subdued. Maybe I need more artistic knowledge, and my visit to Otis is just one more stepping stone towards reaching that level of understanding.

[jonslablog]

L.A. Live--May 3, 2015

Last Sunday I visited the general area known as “L.A. Live.” Situated near the Staples Center, it’s an area housing many entertainment venues like the ubiquitous movie theater and a multitude of restaurants to satiate ones appetite. From my understanding, it’s better to be here at night and in a group--two conditions that my excursion did not meet. Rather, my purpose was more so a scouting mission. 

We recently discussed the battle for Chavez Ravine. Dodger Stadium was built at the expense of low-income habitants within the Chavez Ravine. I wondered, as I explored the general vicinity of L.A. Live, if a similar battle for residential territory had occurred prior to its construction. How many households have been removed in exchange for a massive sports arena and multitude of eateries?

The area is a conveniently off the 110-Freeway and functions not only as an entertainment hub, but it also serves as tourist attraction. The Staples Center alone was enough to garner a few picture-takers and gawkers.

The entire area strikes me as just another advertised “Place-to-Be” in Los Angeles; it’s a sink that attracts people into the city and thus functions as a source of revenue. While I couldn’t find anything concerning zoning and construction problems in the development of L.A. Live, it wouldn’t surprise me if the its genesis was not dissimilar from the construction of Dodger Stadium--arguably, another source of city revenue. 

[jonslablog]

Pasadena Playhouse District--April 19, 2015

I’ve been to the Pasadena playhouse district before, but I never had the opportunity to explore it in the middle of the day. I came here once to watch the premiere of an English-dubbed anime release at the Laemmle Playhouse, but it was the dead of night and it was far too late to explore.

Once again, an everlasting quest towards finding bookstores drew me back to Pasadena, and once again, I find myself beset by a multitude of cafés and eateries. In fact, during the day the this area is bustling around cafes--which is the primary outing venues besides the playhouses lining Colorado Blvd. 

It took a second visit, the advent of this class, and a review of my picture collection to realize the significance of this place--beyond the obvious entertainment value. Pasadena is a monument to the lasting Spanish Fantasy in California. The buildings lining Colorado Blvd. and the surrounding streets had the signature red tile roofs and white facing. As pictured above, the famous Urth Caffe, in all its rich, organic goodness, proudly stands out as one of these relics of a constructed tale. Of course, no Spanish fantasy is complete without the tradition Californian fantasy of sunshine and palm trees--which are ubiquitous around Colorado. 

Interestingly, this central landmark perfectly encapsulates this phony paradise. 

The playhouse district is amazing; there was never any doubt in my mind about the fun and entertainment one can find up and around the adjacent mall and shopping centers. Many people live their lives--even outside of Pasadena--fully unaware of the architectures of fantasy that surround them. While on one side Pasadena offers excellent choices in venues, it also serves a reminder of Los Angeles’s constructed past.

Jonathan Guzman

[jonslablog]

Pershing Square--April 4, 2015

I will be honest: The purpose of that Saturday’s mid-day trip was not to visit Pershing Square. My main motivation for leaving my house that day was in search of a bookstore--The Last Bookstore specifically. The fact that I stumbled onto the park accidentally speaks to the nature of Pershing Square: It’s an unexpected venue in the middle of a concrete metropolis; So...why is it there?

The following day was Easter Sunday, so the square played host to pre-Easter events that ranged from concerts to egg scavenger hunts. A myriad of people around the city gathered into the city--to enjoy in the revelry of the Resurrection and then to shop around the square’s periphery.

Pershing Square is situated amidst near the jewelry and financial districts of Los Angeles. At least to me, it seems out of place compared the perceived narrowness of the surrounding skyscrapers and streets.

Even though at the time of my trip we had not yet discussed, in-depth, the topic of spaces and places, Pershing Square seems like an attempt to recreate the cramped (maybe murky) city space into a fun-filled place--one where people can enjoy the illusion of openness.

Perhaps this was the original intent of Pershing Square. However, even if this is a fairly new recreation, Pershing Square demonstrates how Los Angeles space can shift to fit a planned or prescribed purpose.

Jonathan Guzman

[jonslablog]

Sunset Boulevard--March 15, 2015

On a bright Sunday afternoon, I decided to get lost in some part of Los Angeles yet again. 

This time I stumbled onto an excursion towards Sunset boulevard. I’ve heard of this particular stretch of road for all my life--about the shops and food places amidst the shadows of tall palm trees that lined both sides of the street.

...Though on this particular day, I wondered on this particular day if this that image, too, was just another concocted fantasy. 

I honestly thought I had gotten lost! This place was by no means decrepit, but it certainly wasn’t the Sunset Blvd. from the stories I’ve heard. In fact, it seemed less exuberant, though not exactly run-down. Facing the opposite side of the street I could see stairs leading upward towards residential neighborhoods. From my vantage point, I couldn’t make out the kind of suburban façade--high-income or working-class suburbs. The point is that I alway imagined high-rise apartment buildings or lofts as places of habitation. If there were any, I certainly didn’t see them.

Despite the lack of trees or general greenery, it was a fairly enjoyable stretch of road. There were novelty shops and cafés, but not what the layperson would consider “high-end.” There were quite a few of bars and music venues, surprisingly, though they were obviously closed in the middle of day. 

One particular café I visited housed a used bookstore--my not-so-hidden penchant. The Patio Café is a perfect venue for regular urbanites like myself and warrants the experience of walking up and down a foreign stretch of street in the search of entertainment and ultimate relaxation. 

Though, I wonder: Is there another side of Sunset that I missed? Sunset, from my understanding, is a major selling point of Los Angeles; I know I’ve seen some greeting cards and images of a street called “Sunset” lined with trees and bustling with activity. As I prefaced earlier, “Sunset” is some sort of contrived place of glamor and clamor--where the well-to-do person can drive down and relax or party for a night. The Sunset I visited certainly did not encompass these notions (at least, not during the day). It felt subdued and...normally urban.

Jonathan Guzman

[jonslablog]

March 8, 2015--12 noon

In an effort to avoid studying for my upcoming developmental economics midterm, I drove westward once more towards the city of angels. Set on trying something new, I coughed-up a mere dollar in parking fees to visit city hall for the first time ever. 

Maybe I'm alone in my feelings, but it's embarrassing that I've never visited the location before--seeing as how it's a quick walk from one of my previous destinations, Little Tokyo. That fact that I am so out-of-tune with the general happenings of the city is jarring as well...

Upon arrival I noticed heavy police presence. Granted, city hall sits adjacent to the police station. Yet, the bikes and amalgam of officers seemed like a bit too much for a regular day in L.A.

As you're probably aware (I was not, for the majority of the day), Sunday was International Women's Day. A surplus of 500 people were gathered in front of city hall to protest for women's rights and for the end of sexual, racial, and gender discrimination in all facets of society. 

I've lived near the downtown region of Los Angeles for most of my life, but I don't think I've ever encountered a sociopolitical rally for anything. To be honest, I have a tendency to ignore events such as these in return for news and blog coverage. Regardless of the issue though, it's interesting to see that Los Angeles is still a center for political action and contention. Signs, posters, banners, and passionate speeches are the hallmarks of protests one reads about in a history text book. The concept of the protest, as this trip has shown me, is not a dead enterprise in Los Angeles.

[rachelgrano-blog]

On Friday February 27th around one o’clock I went out to explore the small area of land on campus that is preserved in memory of the Tongva people that used to inhabit the land that Cal State Long Beach is now on. My professor for UHP 101 told our class about this land and if I remember...

[jonslablog]

Very interesting! I had no idea that such a site existed on campus. I'll have to visit it sometime. 

Though, along the same vein of you thoughts, it's sad to think that this is all there is in terms of a dedication. 

-Jonathan G.

[jonslablog]

ANOTHER water main break?!--February 18, 2015.

A couple of days ago I was driving down the 605 as I listened to KFI AM 640. It's actually been a while since I've listened to the radio--let alone talk radio--but it's interesting to note how much insight one can gain from simply tuning in at the right time.

It was around two or three in the afternoon when I tuned-into listen to The John and Ken Show, where the eponymous John and Ken were discussing the latest water main rupture--this time in Hollywood Hills. Among the more salient and less inflammatory points made during that five minute segment was the fact that the pipe that broke was installed in 1926. Furthermore, this pipe was apparently rated "C" in terms of maintenance standards. 

...There's not too much I know about John and Ken since I'm an intermittent radio listener, but the one thing I do know about them is that they have the utmost abhorrence for the Department of Water and Power--namely, for whatever pension fund fiasco its involved in for the day. I also don't know too much about water pipe grading, but what invariably happened was that John and Ken blamed the DWP for its response and handling of the break. 

In the text, McWilliams dedicates a short section to California water. Water is an essential commodity for life and, apparently, for the growth of a city. It is the ends and the means of land speculators and investors; development is inextricably tied to local water resources. McWilliams argues that the natural Californian geography and the economic need for water has spurred conservation and management efforts.

Whether you blame the DWP for this egregious loss of water (whilst we're in a drought, mind you) or not, it's odd that a water pipe system as old as Los Angeles' hasn't received the apparent attention it needs. I emphasize "another" for a reason; the frequency of these main breaks seem to be increasing (the earliest one I can remember noting was the UCLA main break late last year). Water culture is certainly L.A. culture. Yet, the city as a whole exhibits a laxness to such an important resource...

[jonslablog]

Anaheim Packing House--February 8, 2015

It's been a full week since I've contracted my painful ear infection, and my hopes for recovery look high! So I thought that I would treat my younger siblings and myself to some crepes at the Anaheim Packing House on this fresh afternoon.

Situated amidst the Anaheim Packing District, the Packing House is the literal corner piece of the area. Just outside the building are various food, wine, and general vendors is a sort of farmers’ market arrangement. This is appropriate given the surrounding area: The Packing District and neighboring area house stationary food establishments and cafes. Just yesterday, my sister and I were down the street in a nice, cozy café--sipping our lattes and looking at our week in review. 

The Anaheim Packing House, however, is a new experience for me; in fact, I’m confused as to how I never knew about it until today. It is a massive building that holds even more food and treat eateries in its interior. It is a long, two-story (as far as I can tell) hall with a central area where patrons can eat and listen to live performances. The food selection is vast--from a delicatessen for meat-eaters, to a salad bar for fellow herbivores. Of course, my brother, sister, and I came in search for supposedly delicious crepes. We were not disappointed. 

During my visit, I couldn’t help but ponder the former history of the Packing House and its surrounding area. The outside of the building has an orange-shaped logo that proudly states “Sunkist”; some cursory Internet research confirms that the area actually was a center for the packaging and distribution of California oranges at some point in the past. The building today does convey that history explicitly. Its past is only apparent in the bits of furniture scattered about the hall (for example, fake packing boxes scattered around for the sake of appearance) and in the hall’s name. Last week’s readings and lecture dealt with how important orange production was to the proliferation and expansion of the California mythos. My sojourn to the Anaheim Packing House was enjoyable in the gustatory sense, but it was equally shocking when I consider how such an integral part of California’s history is just an empty, industrial shell--repurposed for local commerce.

[jonslablog]

Little Tokyo--February 1, 2015

This morning I managed to haul myself out of bed and drive ten miles west to Little Tokyo. I have only been here twice before--both times with friends--, but today I only managed to bring my acute ear infection to keep my company. Yet, despite my illness, I am still intrigued by how different aspects of Japanese culture come together amidst the urban jungle that is Los Angeles. 

Japanese Village Plaza around 11 in the morning.

Nestled between the skyscrapers of Downtown Los Angeles and Los Angeles River, Little Tokyo’s main attraction are the food, apparel, and hobby shops in its primary plaza. Adorned in traditional (or at least, what is perceived to be traditional) Japanese architecture, it offers both new and enduring amenities and services: Are you interested in tasting some Japanese confections and treats? There are numerous cafes and sweets shops along the plaza’s periphery in which to partake! Are you an anime fan--blossoming or seasoned? Little Tokyo offers a few hobby shops in which you can buy as many figurines, key-chains, manga, videos, et cetera, as your heart desires. Certainly, these are not the only facets of Little Tokyo; rather, this simple dichotomization serves to highlight the intermingling of the new and the old in the quaint Japanese Village Plaza. 

Of course, I can only speak for myself and only of the times I have visited Little Tokyo--usually in the morning or afternoon. If you are interested in visiting, I highly recommend any pre-evening endeavors, but a nighttime visit might be just as vibrant and exhilarating as one in the daytime. On a closing note, I noticed a new exhibit in the Japanese American National Museum across the street from the main plaza. The last time I visited, it was showcasing Japanese internment during World War II. This time around, it is presenting a history on the Hello Kitty franchise. I cannot think of a starker contrast in subject material within context of Japanese history...

Author: Jonathan Guzman