Southern California

Once, long before the Hollywood Freeway obliterated everything in its concrete wake, there sat at the mouth of the Cahuenga Pass an enchanting little group of bungalows and artist’s studios known a…

We went looking for a Los Angeles street scene for today's carspotting exercise simply because we haven't ventured to the City of Angels in a while, and we coul

“Daily at your door” . . . that was the Culver City-based Helms Bakeries motto. Long-time Angelenos of a certain age will certainly recall the signature blue-and-creamy yellow Helms Bak…

I found this old photo (dated 1957 on the back) in a box of my Dad's papers . The Cyclone Racer double wooden rollercoaster was partially on the beach by that time. When it was first built (originally called Silver Spray Pier) it was entirely out over the water. Ongoing construction of Long Beach Harbor over the years (off photo to the right) caused the Los Angeles River to divert sediment to the left of the harbor adding to the beach and pushing the shoreline further out. The round 'Looff…

This shot of the Cahuenga Pass near the Hollywood Bowl was taken in 1928. These days, unless you’re driving down there first thing in the morning, that area can be a bit of a nightmare, traffic-wis…

Griffith Observatory under construction (1933)

We went looking for a Los Angeles street scene for today's carspotting exercise simply because we haven't ventured to the City of Angels in a while, and we couldn't have found a more L.A. photo...

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L.A.'s only outlet mall owes its architectural grandeur to 1920s Hollywood, a tire factory, biblical strongman Samson and an ancient Assyrian king.

Beach umbrellas and beachgoers fill the sand in this aerial view of Long Beach Municipal Beach looking east. Swimmers crowd the surf. The tall building, top, is the Villa Riviera Hotel. Next to it is the Pacific Coast Club, and past that bluffs overlook strips of crowded beach. Photograph dated: July 24, 1938.

I’m sure this huge can of Reddi-Wip was a landmark that was hard to miss when passers-by passed by the corporate headquarters at 8025 Melrose Ave. This photo was taken circa 1957, by which time Reddi-Wip (which is whipped cream in a spray can) had been around for nearly 10 years. Judging by that woman on the sidewalk, I’d say the can must have been around 12 feet tall, including the stand. I doubt that anybody was going to miss it so I’m not sure that she needs to be pointing it out to…

Beatle fan frenzy in Los Angeles peaked each August from 1964 to 1966. The band performed at the Hollywood Bowl on Aug. 23, 1964, In 1965 th...