As the unofficial long-winded, self-proclaimed expert on all things lengthy in Southern California, I feel it is long past the time to address the elephant in the Basin: Long Beach. Ahh, Long Beach. The forgotten cradle of Western civilization. Long has the city with Beach in its name hungered for recognition as a cultural icon…
Here is something that happens every October in Southern California that I’ll bet most of the country never has to experience: a heat wave. Temps are forecasted to be in the 100’s by this weekend. Oh goodie. Everyone else has already broken out the winter wardrobe, and rotated the liquor cabinet to bring those…
Okay, by now you have probably gathered that I am highly impressionable and easily swayed by what I see on TV, which is dangerous since I work as a sound mixer on commercials. I recently worked on the Energy Upgrade California campaign that makes use of a live action animatronic bear to encourage Californians to…
When people think of Los Angeles, they probably envision endless miles of concrete, infinite strip malls that test the definitions of beige, and a Kardashian snapping a selfie on every corner. But if you ever get lost on the 210 Freeway, and take an off-ramp with the hopes of finding not only your way, but…
One current jewel of the great Southern California Basin is trendy, trendy Culver City, located near the Eastern border checkpoints blocking the way into the desirable West Side. If you bypass Checkpoint Charlie, and sneak in through the still active oil fields of Baldwin Hills, you can find this hip and in-demand town firmly nestled…
I recently had the mundane pleasure of spending the day in Arcadia, California. For those of you that have never heard of this San Gabriel Valley suburb of Los Angeles, let me try and help. On the map of Los Angeles, Arcadia is way to the right. Even more. That’s it, keep going, farther right,…
The “Other” Valley – the San Gabriel Valley “Where in the hell is the valley?” As the unofficial historian and self-proclaimed expert on all things Southern California, I completely understand the confusion. The problem for those without tans and agents is there are so many valleys. Too many. There is The Valley (which we covered last week),…
I am the unofficial historian of Southern California. I back this up with absolutely no credentials or merits of any kind. I am unqualified beyond belief. But since moving here many years ago, all my out-of-town friends ask me questions about The Great Southern California Basin, and seem to accept my answers as fact. Foolish…
Forrest Brakeman 