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Showing posts with label los angeles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label los angeles. Show all posts
Thursday, July 12, 2018
Thursday, April 19, 2018
Thursday, March 1, 2018
Did You Know - 'The' SoCali Edition
This Is Why People In Southern California Say 'The' In Front Of Freeway Names
People insist on adding the definite article “the” in front of major freeways. Turns out, it’s not just some baseless regional slang, there’s a decent amount of history behind it.
Southern California’s affinity for “the + numerical freeway name” (“the 405,” “the 110,” and “the 5”) starts way back with the fact that it was an early adapter of a freeway system, according to this 2015 story on KCET. Today, we know Los Angeles as a haven of driving and car culture—because it has been exactly that for the past few decades.
Much
of Los Angeles city planning in the 1920s and 1930s centered around the
population’s love of cars and driving—and the traffic that resulted in
it. Traffic choking the boulevards. Traffic choking the streets. There
needed to be a solution for the city that devoted so much of its
transportation solutions to personal vehicles.
(Jalopnik.com)
People insist on adding the definite article “the” in front of major freeways. Turns out, it’s not just some baseless regional slang, there’s a decent amount of history behind it.
Southern California’s affinity for “the + numerical freeway name” (“the 405,” “the 110,” and “the 5”) starts way back with the fact that it was an early adapter of a freeway system, according to this 2015 story on KCET. Today, we know Los Angeles as a haven of driving and car culture—because it has been exactly that for the past few decades.
(Jalopnik.com)
Wednesday, October 18, 2017
These Are Some Awesome Works Of Art
The Most Badass Buildings in America You've Probably Never Heard Of
Emerson College
- Los Angeles, California
- Completed: 2012
In a city defined by its sprawl, Emerson College in Los Angeles strikes a
pretty stunning juxtaposition. The structured outer building frames
softer, more organic shapes threaded through the middle that serve as a
combination of classrooms, student centers, and dorms. Nestled on Sunset
Boulevard between Hollywood and the panoramic views of Griffith
Observatory, it's the kind of place you can't help but marvel at while
you're sitting in traffic.
Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- Completed: 2007
This offshoot of the Cleveland Clinic is unlike any other hospital, and
it almost didn't happen. Starchitect extraordinaire Frank Gehry swore he
would never build in Vegas, lest his work become another kitschy casino
or tourist trap. But his heart changed when beverage magnate Larry
Ruvo, who had lost his father Lou to Alzheimer's Disease, asked him to
design a research center focusing on neurological diseases. Gehry
demurred, but when Ruvo offered to expand the center's research to
Huntington's Disease, an affliction Gehry had long since advocated
research on, the architect signed on. The building is a Gehry
masterwork, all wending spirals of shined metal and tumbled facades with
the controlled chaos of the Strip as a backdrop.
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
We Finally Got It & Now We're Bored With It
6 Reasons Why the NFL in L.A. Is Already a Big Fail
1. There's too much else to do here.
To say L.A. has a wealth of entertainment options is an understatement. The Dodgers are doing well and heading toward the playoffs, despite their bizarre late-season crappiness. Basketball starts in a little more than a week. Hockey just started. We've got soccer, too. This is basically the busiest sports season of the year.
Then there's everything else: movies, music, Hamilton and restaurants, which Tyler Cowen argues have become the center of American culture, at least among a certain class of Americans. Between Netflix and the beach, there's no shortage of weekend activities vying for Angelenos' time.
It is, perhaps, too early to write off the NFL's second tenure in Los Angeles as a complete failure. As NFL spokesman Joe Lockhart told reporters during a conference call this week, "To a person, both at the club level and here at the league office, we remain confident that the city of Los Angeles can support in a very strong way two franchises, and we’re committed to making that happen as we work toward the opening of the new stadium."
Maybe the new stadium will change everything. Maybe the Rams are actually good and in a few weeks everyone will notice. Maybe we'll get a Super Bowl. Or maybe we just don't give a shit about football.
3. Football games are too populist and too expensive.
Basketball arenas are small, intimate, like theaters or nightclubs. People crane their necks around to see who else is there. They're scenes, perfect for L.A. Football stadiums will never have that kind of vibe.
Which is not to say that Angelenos don't like cheap thrills. Plenty of people go to baseball games and soccer games. But tickets to those games won't set you back $100. And parking, just as important, won't set you back $100 — as it did at the Chargers home opener.
The NFL, at least in Los Angeles, is neither luxury product nor popular entertainment. It's in that awkward middle space.
Complete list (LAWeekly.com)
1. There's too much else to do here.
To say L.A. has a wealth of entertainment options is an understatement. The Dodgers are doing well and heading toward the playoffs, despite their bizarre late-season crappiness. Basketball starts in a little more than a week. Hockey just started. We've got soccer, too. This is basically the busiest sports season of the year.
Then there's everything else: movies, music, Hamilton and restaurants, which Tyler Cowen argues have become the center of American culture, at least among a certain class of Americans. Between Netflix and the beach, there's no shortage of weekend activities vying for Angelenos' time.
It is, perhaps, too early to write off the NFL's second tenure in Los Angeles as a complete failure. As NFL spokesman Joe Lockhart told reporters during a conference call this week, "To a person, both at the club level and here at the league office, we remain confident that the city of Los Angeles can support in a very strong way two franchises, and we’re committed to making that happen as we work toward the opening of the new stadium."
Maybe the new stadium will change everything. Maybe the Rams are actually good and in a few weeks everyone will notice. Maybe we'll get a Super Bowl. Or maybe we just don't give a shit about football.
3. Football games are too populist and too expensive.
Basketball arenas are small, intimate, like theaters or nightclubs. People crane their necks around to see who else is there. They're scenes, perfect for L.A. Football stadiums will never have that kind of vibe.
Which is not to say that Angelenos don't like cheap thrills. Plenty of people go to baseball games and soccer games. But tickets to those games won't set you back $100. And parking, just as important, won't set you back $100 — as it did at the Chargers home opener.
The NFL, at least in Los Angeles, is neither luxury product nor popular entertainment. It's in that awkward middle space.
Complete list (LAWeekly.com)
Tuesday, April 18, 2017
Tuesday, February 21, 2017
I Dunno About The World, But Yes To North America
Los Angeles named the most congested city in the world
It may be the City of Angels, but LA traffic is anything but heavenly. A new report named Los Angeles the most congested city in the world and not for the first time. In fact, LA has regularly made the top five for years now. The ranking is a surprise to no one who has ever tried to drive anywhere in the sprawling metropolis.
The study is an annual report released by INRIX called the Global Traffic Scorecard. INRIX is a company devoted to aggregating huge amounts traffic and driving data. The traffic data is useful to illustrate how much cities are growing and how they are handling that growth. The report is full of interesting tidbits. For instance; at 3.4 miles per hour, Dublin is the slowest city during congestion.
INRIX found that while the United State was fourth in over all traffic, the top ten most congested cities were largely American. Los Angeles, of course, tops the list. LA commuters spend and average of 104 hours a year staring at the bumper in front of them, a little over four full 24 hour days each year. Followed by New York in third place and San Francisco in fourth. Atlanta was eighth and Miami rounded up the list in the number 10 spot. Americans on a whole spend 42 hours a year in traffic. Cities outside the US that have legendary backups include Moscow at number two and the Columbian capitol of Bogotá at number five. Thailand was found to be the most congested country overall. Thais spend an average of 61 hours a year sitting in traffic.
(AutoBlog.com)
It may be the City of Angels, but LA traffic is anything but heavenly. A new report named Los Angeles the most congested city in the world and not for the first time. In fact, LA has regularly made the top five for years now. The ranking is a surprise to no one who has ever tried to drive anywhere in the sprawling metropolis.
The study is an annual report released by INRIX called the Global Traffic Scorecard. INRIX is a company devoted to aggregating huge amounts traffic and driving data. The traffic data is useful to illustrate how much cities are growing and how they are handling that growth. The report is full of interesting tidbits. For instance; at 3.4 miles per hour, Dublin is the slowest city during congestion.
INRIX found that while the United State was fourth in over all traffic, the top ten most congested cities were largely American. Los Angeles, of course, tops the list. LA commuters spend and average of 104 hours a year staring at the bumper in front of them, a little over four full 24 hour days each year. Followed by New York in third place and San Francisco in fourth. Atlanta was eighth and Miami rounded up the list in the number 10 spot. Americans on a whole spend 42 hours a year in traffic. Cities outside the US that have legendary backups include Moscow at number two and the Columbian capitol of Bogotá at number five. Thailand was found to be the most congested country overall. Thais spend an average of 61 hours a year sitting in traffic.
(AutoBlog.com)
Thursday, January 19, 2017
Did You Know - Philippe's Edition
The Century-Long History of Philippe’s and Its Famous French Dip Sandwich
As for the creation of Philippe’s French dip, Andrew Binder says it was the byproduct of a happy accident. Although French immigrant Philippe Mathieu launched the restaurant in 1908 at its first location at 300 N. Alameda Ave., it wasn’t until he moved the eatery to 246 Aliso St. in 1918 that he would make his serendipitous mistake, inadvertently dropping a roll into pan drippings from a roast and serving it to a customer. The diner, who, according to Andrew Binder, was a fireman (it’s a common misconception that he was a policeman), apparently enjoyed it so much that he came back the next day with some friends and asked for it again — and the rest is history.
(KCET.org)
As for the creation of Philippe’s French dip, Andrew Binder says it was the byproduct of a happy accident. Although French immigrant Philippe Mathieu launched the restaurant in 1908 at its first location at 300 N. Alameda Ave., it wasn’t until he moved the eatery to 246 Aliso St. in 1918 that he would make his serendipitous mistake, inadvertently dropping a roll into pan drippings from a roast and serving it to a customer. The diner, who, according to Andrew Binder, was a fireman (it’s a common misconception that he was a policeman), apparently enjoyed it so much that he came back the next day with some friends and asked for it again — and the rest is history.
(KCET.org)
Monday, January 16, 2017
1 Of L.A.'s Scariests Streets, For Cars
This Super Steep Echo Park Street Is Hell on Earth for Cars
Baxter Street is not the steepest street in Los Angeles — that distinction goes to the less active thoroughfare Eldred Street in Highland Park — but as you ascend its peak, it becomes clear why this street has such a reputation among Angelenos.
It’s not just steep going up, it’s the exact same steepness going down. The street slopes at a 32-degree angle in both directions. At the apex, there is no stop sign. There is no moment to collect yourself for the crest of the hill. Hill is too small a word here. It’s a mountain.
(LAWeekly.com)
Baxter Street is not the steepest street in Los Angeles — that distinction goes to the less active thoroughfare Eldred Street in Highland Park — but as you ascend its peak, it becomes clear why this street has such a reputation among Angelenos.
It’s not just steep going up, it’s the exact same steepness going down. The street slopes at a 32-degree angle in both directions. At the apex, there is no stop sign. There is no moment to collect yourself for the crest of the hill. Hill is too small a word here. It’s a mountain.
(LAWeekly.com)
Friday, November 25, 2016
I Want To Eat At These Places One Day
22 Restaurants With Amazing Views in Los Angeles
3 Nobu Malibu
3 Nobu Malibu
- Arguably the most breathtaking restaurant in the city, Nobu Malibu caters to the rich and famous in everything from its contemporary design to its panoramic ocean views. The ultra sleek restaurant sits right on top of gently lapping waves that are illuminated in the evening, adding to the stunning ambiance that stands up well to its gorgeous clientele. —CC
- 22706 Pacific Coast Hwy Malibu, CA 90265 (310) 317-9140
- The Penthouse on top of the Huntley hotel treats its guests to chic, beachy decor that effortlessly lends itself to sweeping ocean views. The beautiful surroundings matches well with the venue's patrons, and makes for quite an idyllic girls' night out hotspot. —CC
- 1111 2nd St Santa Monica, CA 90403 (310) 393-8080
Wednesday, November 23, 2016
This Is How The 405 Looks Most Of The Time
Total Gridlock Turns LA Freeway Into Gorgeous Christmas Display
Last night, the 405 in Los Angeles did what the 405 does: slowed traffic to a turtle’s pace, sending commuters into a bumper-to-bumper nightmare. But the bright side—literally—was that ABC7 captured the traffic from the sky, and all those cars squeezed together created a beautiful Christmas display.
(Jalopnik.com)
Last night, the 405 in Los Angeles did what the 405 does: slowed traffic to a turtle’s pace, sending commuters into a bumper-to-bumper nightmare. But the bright side—literally—was that ABC7 captured the traffic from the sky, and all those cars squeezed together created a beautiful Christmas display.
(Jalopnik.com)
Monday, November 21, 2016
Welcome To L.A.
This Is The Realest Car We Saw At The LA Auto Show
We spotted this car down the block from the official Jalopnik AirBnB. Let nobody say we’ve gone Hollywood.
As you can see it’s an end-of-the-Clinton-years Chrysler 300M, crashed, smashed, curbed, wheels stolen, windows smashed and branded with the warning “snitch.”
The guys across the street who owned the ‘70s Ford Maverick laughed
about it and said the car had been there for about two months. Cops
drive by pretty regularly but nobody bothers it.
Another old Polish guy who moved into the neighborhood about 30 years ago (he said he fled his country back in ‘75, left Brooklyn some years later) said the guy was lucky he only had his car trashed. “At least he didn’t get a bullet,” he offered.
This little neighborhood (not quite Koreatown, I don’t think) used to see shootings every week, the guy explained, about 20-25 years ago. It’s cleaned up since they put the new school in down the way, but there are still extremely real signs of extreme realness to be found.
(Jalopnik.com)
We spotted this car down the block from the official Jalopnik AirBnB. Let nobody say we’ve gone Hollywood.
As you can see it’s an end-of-the-Clinton-years Chrysler 300M, crashed, smashed, curbed, wheels stolen, windows smashed and branded with the warning “snitch.”
Another old Polish guy who moved into the neighborhood about 30 years ago (he said he fled his country back in ‘75, left Brooklyn some years later) said the guy was lucky he only had his car trashed. “At least he didn’t get a bullet,” he offered.
This little neighborhood (not quite Koreatown, I don’t think) used to see shootings every week, the guy explained, about 20-25 years ago. It’s cleaned up since they put the new school in down the way, but there are still extremely real signs of extreme realness to be found.
(Jalopnik.com)
Monday, October 3, 2016
I Want To Try These Dishes
11 Super Secret Off-Menu Items Worth Trying in Los Angeles
1 Fried Chicken Sandwich at Night + Market Song
6 Pearl Menu at Herringbone
1 Fried Chicken Sandwich at Night + Market Song
- Does a ranch dressing and papaya salad-topped fried chicken sandwich sound insanely delicious to you? It should, and Night + Market Song is the place to get it. Kris Yenbamroong fries Chieng Rai-style skin-on fried chicken thighs until deeply crisped, tops it with som tum papaya slaw, tomato, jalapenos, cilantro, and a carefully crafted house-made ranch dressing. The sandwich is offered at lunch and as an off-menu item at dinner at Song, and for dinner only at the West Hollywood location.
6 Pearl Menu at Herringbone
- Ask for the secret Pearl Menu for a selection of grilled seafood items available only at the raw bar. These items aren’t available on the regular dinner menu, with seasonal highlights like hiramasa with paddlefish roe, yuzu koshu, white soy, micro shiso, and avocado, and whole Spanish mackerel with chimichurri, grilled lime, and black garlic.
Thursday, August 11, 2016
These Stations Are Preset On My Car Radio
1. KDAY - 93.5
- KDAY was the first classic rap station on the planet, and that is important. It also launched George Carlin’s career in the ’60s. But since 2004 the station has centered on oldies hip-hop, as it sews together cuts from several decades, from charted hits to deeper posse cuts, often throwing R&B and freestyle into the mix as well. 93.5 would likely have been on the top anyway, but now that it boasts "The Art Laboe Connection," the best long-running L.A. radio program ever? There’s no question. L.A. hall-of-famer Laboe now closes out every week with his Sunday evening broadcast. There is no better station to cruise the PCH to, lowride to, or put on in the backyard for a cookout than KDAY. If there is a higher power, KDAY will outlive us all.
- Power is the best place in L.A. for contemporary hip-hop and R&B ... and, in recent years, some pop and EDM, too. The station “Where Hip-Hop Lives” offers a solid stable of veteran DJs and personalities like Felli Fel, and it regularly features some top-shelf live mixing and scratching.
Wednesday, August 10, 2016
I Can Cross These Off The List
LA's 20 Most Iconic Dishes
1 Langer's #19
5 Baseball Steak at Pacific Dining Car
1 Langer's #19
- There is no more iconic single sandwich in Los Angeles (and no better pastrami sandwich in America) than the #19 at Langer’s. It’s the absolute pinnacle of a Jewish deli staple, complete with mile-high stacks of pastrami, Swiss cheese, and coleslaw on rye.
- Forget Training Day; the baseball steak at Pacific Dining Car transcends any one movie or Denzel Washington catchphrase. The meaty softball-sized main is the centerpiece of a large, classic menu at the Sixth Street location, which has been providing steakhouse elegance 24 hours a day since 1921.
8 Hot Dog at Pink's
- There is little debate that Pink’s offers the most iconic hot dogs in all of LA. Founded back in 1939 as a street cart, Pink’s has attracted a wide range of celebrities over the years, a fact that it proudly touts with the signed photos that cover its walls and the celeb-themed dogs on its menu. Just be wary of some pretty outrageous lines that can stretch to the end of the block.
Wednesday, August 3, 2016
Did They Choose The Right City In Your State?
The Most Obnoxiously Rich Suburb of America's 35 Biggest Cities
Las Vegas: Summerlin, Nevada
- Population: 100,000 (2010 estimate)
- Exciting and pompous fact: What's pompous in Summerlin, stays in Summerlin.
Is Summerlin actually in Las Vegas? Las Vegas and
its "suburbs" are a confusing entity, all kind of linked together in one
major way, like your and everyone else's next blood test results when
you enter one of those giant casino hotel pool parties. What we do know
about the area is that it is a master-planned community, which is
basically developer-speak for giant homes on square lots and at least
three golf courses within easy Bentley-ing distance. Of course, because
this is Vegas and everything is 40 times bigger, the population of this
"suburb" is still hugggggeeee, especially compared to most of these
other places. But yeah, if you live around Vegas and you want to
out-obnoxious a place where it's somewhat normal to see 50-year-old
grandmas wearing scrunched mini-dresses at a club, start here. -- K.A.
Los Angeles: Santa Clarita, California
- Population: 181,557
- Exciting and pompous fact: It officially rebranded itself as "Awesometown" in 2010.
Imagine Los Angeles in all its vapid, lipsticked
emptiness. Now imagine its churchgoing cousin with a minivan, who
actually looks like those women in the Clorox Bleach Pen commercials by
day, and an unfiltered Botox "after" picture by night. Suburban
indoctrination here starts in high school, where 14-year-olds with
driver's permits are taught that lifted trucks with Mammoth decals make
the loudest mating call, and perfect prom curls are somehow the everyday
beauty standard. It's zero surprise that Disney Channel starlets and that werewolf from Twilight all hail from this gilded 'burb.
Sure, some of the West Coast's most talented chefs
are just a 35-minute drive away, but soccer-mom fears of what lies
beyond the canyons (traffic! Liberals! A/C-less bathrooms!) mean that
chains like Macaroni Grill are relegated to "destination restaurant"
status. But life here is optimistic. Everyone is cordial and "is middle
class," even if said middle-classer might live in ritzier Stevenson
Ranch, where homes push the million mark. Closely related to the
humblebrag, this dishonest, self-serving version of modesty is probably
what most people associate with Los Angeles. Say this for LA and its
most noxious suburb: they truly deserve one another. -- Michelle No, production assistant
Monday, August 1, 2016
No Kiddin'
Report: Los Angeles Residents Are Dumb
A new report from personal finance site WalletHub suggests Los Angeles is not the smartest city around. In fact, by some metrics we're downright dumb.
The site looked at nine metrics in 150 of the nation's largest cities to come up with its ranking of 2016’s Most and Least Educated Cities. Los Angeles came in 85th overall, nestled nicely between the Florida city that Scientology built, and something called "Fayetteville, Arkansas." Our ranking for "educational attainment" was even lower — 101st. And for "quality of education," Angelenos ranked 32nd.
We did manage to come in 26th when it comes to the "average quality" of our universities — we can probably thank highly regarded institutions including Caltech, UCLA and USC for that. The problem is, you have to actually go to those universities to help our standing. We came in 57th for the number of students enrolled in top-200 universities. And WalletHub says we ranked 141st — nearly at the bottom — for the percentage of residents who hold a high school diploma.
We ranked 84th for the percentage of locals with a two-year degree or college experience.
(LAWeekly.com)
Friday, July 15, 2016
If You're Visiting Socal, These Places Are A Must Visit
The Great American Bucket List: 50 Restaurants to Try Before You Die
Complete list (Thrillist.com)
Even if you "don't eat fast food," In-N-Out
needs to be your exception, as every person who's ever lived on the
West Coast will tell you. Maybe this is because the food really is that
good, or maybe it's because hundreds of times a day, road trippers
gladly oblige the zagging yellow arrow and steer their way towards food
porn at its most explicit, or maybe it's simply because its reputation
precedes it in a way that no other fast-food joint's does.
Succulent patties bookmarked with melty cheese are shoved into golden buns, stacked side by side on trays with fries toppling out of their Cali-casual palm-printed dishes. Everything is completely globbed with Thousand Island and diced grilled onions (this is called Animal Style, and as far as you're concerned, it is not optional). It's a near-thousand-calorie meal that you'll refuse to quit on down to the very last gratuitous bite.
Succulent patties bookmarked with melty cheese are shoved into golden buns, stacked side by side on trays with fries toppling out of their Cali-casual palm-printed dishes. Everything is completely globbed with Thousand Island and diced grilled onions (this is called Animal Style, and as far as you're concerned, it is not optional). It's a near-thousand-calorie meal that you'll refuse to quit on down to the very last gratuitous bite.
Surely you’ve seen every
iteration of bougie chicken and waffles by now, and probably all of them
on Instagram. Roscoe’s is an oasis far, far away from all that -- the
waffles are huge, the chicken is also huge, and the whole plate is a
golden hue that would fluster a food photographer. Founded by a Harlem
native who decided to bring the soul food of his youth to the West
Coast, it’s got several locations in the greater LA area that all bring a
one-two punch of quantity and quality. The signature dish, the Country
Boy, has been effectively renamed the Obama Special (after the POTUS ate
it a few years back), and you should get it: three crackling, crispy
wings and a gigantic waffle with an ice cream scoop of butter on top.
Complete list (Thrillist.com)
Tuesday, July 5, 2016
My Friends & I Went On A Hunt For 1 Of These Roads Once
6 of L.A.'s Greatest Urban Legends
5. Gravity Hill in Altadena
5. Gravity Hill in Altadena
Most people think Altadena is a dairy. It's also an unincorporated area of L.A. County, just north of Pasadena. It's also haunted.
Well, not really. But there's a hill on Loma Alta that's said to be haunted. There, according to local lore, if you put your car in neutral, it actually rolls uphill. There are a couple of different versions of this legend, but the most common one is about a school bus crashing decades ago; the ghosts of the dead children push your car uphill to avoid another accident, or something to that effect.
There are a number of these supposed gravity hills in California, and the general consensus is that they're optical illusions — that is, you're not actually facing uphill when you think you are.
(LAWeekly.com)
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