You Can't Eat The Sunshine

06/06/2020

New You Can't Eat the Sunshine podcast: Embedded with Kemal Antonio Çilengir Documenting the Black Lives Matter Protests in Los Angeles. https://esotouric.com/canteatsunshine138/

You Can’t Eat the Sunshine returns with an all-new Quarantine format, inviting folks who are passionate about Los Angeles history and historic preservation to join us for a conversation about the places that matter more than ever, as much of Los Angeles shelters in place under Mayor Eric Garcetti’s "Safer At Home" directive.

Our special guest on June 5th, 2020 is Kemal Cilengir, a street photographer and activist who has spent the past week running on adrenaline and fumes, documenting the Black Lives Matter protests in Los Angeles following the murder of George Floyd.

If you’ve ever wondered what compels a regular Angeleno to charge into the heart of a chaotic and dangerous street protest, camera in hand, then tune in for a bare knuckles trip into the Spring 2020 action, from Downtown Los Angeles to the Fairfax District to Santa Monica–and back again to document the emotionally tough scenes of the morning after.

Kemal loves his native Los Angeles, and has dedicated himself to telling stories that are overlooked by the mainstream media, even as network reporters phone it in from the safety of a helicopter or behind police lines. His Black Lives Matter protest photo essays paint astonishing scenes of strife, hope and courage in the heart of our city.

Weird fact: Kemal was in the same Santa Monica High School class as, and ran track with, Donald Trump’s policy advisor Stephen Miller. It’s probably nature and not nurture, but even his erstwhile classmate Kemal doesn’t know what that guy’s freaking problem is.

Listen to the podcast and find links for more info here: https://esotouric.com/canteatsunshine138/

05/28/2020

New podcast out now - YCES in Quarantine Episode #137: Judson Studios’ 123 Years of Innovation in Stained Glass. Tune in and learn more at
https://esotouric.com/canteatsunshine137/

Our guest this week is Dave Judson, the 4th Generation owner-operator of Judson Studios, crafting stained glass in the Garvanza section of Highland Park since 1897.

With most of the studio’s hands-on work paused by the coronavirus, we’ll talk with Dave about the recent release of his book "Judson: Innovation in Stained Glass," the history of the family business, how the landmark studio building has evolved, our shared adventures in the field seeking lost Judson glass installations in landmark buildings, and the new South Pasadena workshop where artisans bring their medieval craft into the 21st century with computerized kilns for crafting massive fused glass panels for commissions around the world.

We’ll also talk about: the wild Los Angeles City Planning Commission hearing when the fate of our threatened landmark Los Angeles Times buildings took an astonishing turn, corrupt councilman Jose Huizar twists in the wind, the ghastly new proposal to demolish Taix French Restaurant for the world’s worst mixed use project and why we think it’s not for real, how to score primo organic California olive oil without breaking quarantine and stray musings on LACMA redevelopment. So stay tuned!

Save LACMA friends of TAIX R.I.P. Los Angeles

05/09/2020

YCES in Quarantine Episode #136: The Larry Edmunds Bookshop & the (Nearly) Lost World of Hollywood Book & Memorabilia Dealers
https://esotouric.com/canteatsunshine136/

You Can’t Eat the Sunshine returns with an all-new Quarantine format, inviting folks who are passionate about Los Angeles history and historic preservation to join us for a conversation about the places that matter more than ever, as much of Los Angeles shelters in place under Mayor Eric Garcetti’s "Safer At Home " directive.

Our special guests on May 8, 2020 are rare book dealer and historian Howard Prouty, Vintage Los Angeles curator Alison Martino and Jeff Mantor, proprietor of the historic Larry Edmunds Bookshop on Hollywood Boulevard.

The episode takes us through Hollywood’s literary and retail history to highlight the importance of the Larry Edmunds Bookshop, which is today the last store standing on what was once a legendary Bookseller’s Row. The shop is the beneficiary of a flood of worldwide goodwill since the recent launch of its GoFundMe campaign.

We begin with Howard Prouty’s reminiscences of his 1970s visits to Hollywood bookstores, as a wide-eyed kid from Nebraska who had already built a relationship with the Larry Edmunds Bookshop as a mail order customer. He hops in the time machine to give us a sense of 1930s Hollywood bookland, populated with legendary characters like Louis Epstein (Pickwick Books), the genial salon host and rotten businessman Stanley Rose, and Rose’s one-time partner Larry Edmunds, plus cameos from celebrated patrons like Nathanael West and Raymond Chandler.

Then check in on Jeff Mantor, proprietor of the Larry Edmunds Bookshop, a Hollywood landmark now in its 82nd year. Jeff shares his personal history with the shop and other lost bookstores on the Boulevard, lets us know how the GoFundMe campaign is going, and shares plans for bringing "The Lare" into the 21st century to create a virtual community where film fans around the world can mingle until the lights come on again, and afterwards.

And we talk with Alison Martino of Vintage Los Angeles about the Larry Edmunds Bookshop’s role as a key location in the recreated urban landscape in Quentin Tarantino’s, "Once Upon A Time in… Hollywood," some of the other legacy businesses featured in the film that are currently struggling to survive, and memories of being a pre-teen memorabilia collector, sneaking into Hollywood to score rare posters and books from Larry Edmunds, and to the great Westwood shops, too.

For links to everything we talk about, visit the podcast page: https://esotouric.com/canteatsunshine136/

05/06/2020

New L.A. historic preservation podcast YCES in Quarantine episode #135: "Hollywood’s Historic Preservation Heroes & Villains," a deep dive with John Girodo on the dark side of redevelopment featuring the restless ghosts of activists who came before us.
https://esotouric.com/canteatsunshine135

You Can’t Eat the Sunshine returns with an all-new Quarantine format, inviting folks who are passionate about Los Angeles history and historic preservation to join us for a conversation about the places that matter more than ever, as much of Los Angeles shelters in place under Mayor Eric Garcetti’s “Safer At Home” directive.

Our special guest on May 5, 2020 is the preservation juggernaut John Girodo, who recently stepped down from his post on the board of Hollywood Heritage to spearhead the landmarking activities of the Art Deco Society of Los Angeles. The episode is a wide ranging ramble through the history of historic preservation in Hollywood, highlighting notable activists, lamenting public corruption, sharing redevelopment horror stories and the addressing the challenges facing quarantined Angelenos who love the history and landmark buildings of this threatened community.

On the agenda (visit the podcast page for clickable links with much more info: https://esotouric.com/canteatsunshine135):

• Thoughts about the GoFundMe campaigns of the scrappy Larry Edmunds Bookshop and Arena Cinelounge Hollywood and the well-heeled Amoeba Music, and the late lamented Aron’s Records.

• LeFrak’s project proposed to surround the Art Deco Attie Building (Playmates) and its beloved “You Are The Star” mural.

• The campaign for transparency around the American Cinematheque nonprofit’s efforts to sell the landmark Egyptian Theatre to Netflix.

• Proposed restoration of the Earl Carroll Theatre’s jaw dropping neon facade.

• How the CitizenM Hotel and Hollywood Center (formerly Hollywood Millennium). mega project stand to overwhelm the Capitol Records building and concerns about fast tracked permitting during the pandemic.

• John Girodo’s dream to turn the overgrown ruins of the Little Community Church of Hollywood (HCM #567) into a pocket park and the mysterious disappearance of essential pages in the landmarking file.

• The threatened garden court apartment buildings at 6220 Yucca, the incredible work done in his second floor apartment by performance art citizen activist John Walsh, life and death Metro Red Line whistleblowing, how history is whitewashed when free weeklies disappear from the internet and the literal collapse of Hollywood Boulevard.

• The abiding influence of Hollywood Heritage’s one-man un-wrecking crew Robert Nudelman.

• And what we all learned while helping to clean out John Walsh’s apartment after his death.

It’s a long, candid conversation, and one you won’t want to miss if you love Hollywood and care about keeping this unique corner of Los Angeles cool and culturally vibrant, despite the relentless efforts of international development, chain retail and our corrupt City Hall.

04/22/2020

YCES in Quarantine Episode #134: Last Stand on Koreatown’s Little New York Street with Carolyn Zanelli, Spencer Jones, Steven Luftman and Nathan Marsak

https://esotouric.com/canteatsunshine134/

Esotouric's Secret Los Angeles' podcast You Can’t Eat the Sunshine returns with an all-new Quarantine format, inviting folks who are passionate about Los Angeles history and historic preservation to join us for a conversation about the places that matter more than ever, as much of Los Angeles shelters in place under Mayor Eric Garcetti’s “Safer At Home” directive.

Our special guests on April 21, 2020 are Carolyn Zanelli and Spencer Jones of Save Normandie Avenue, Nathan Marsak (The Cranky Preservationist / R.I.P. Los Angeles) and Steven Luftman (Friends of Lytton Savings / Dept. of Urban Secrets), talking about the challenges of fighting to preserve the architectural integrity of their landmark “Little New York Street” (the 700 block of South Normandie) during quarantine, hopeful signs of cooperation from developer Jameson Properties, and how you can help save a unique L.A. time capsule by simply emailing City Council (instructions below). Plus, Nathan riffs on his long fantasized zombie apocalypse, density and Yimbyism in post-pandemic Los Angeles.

* * * * *
Want to help Save Normandie Avenue? Please visit this link:

https://cityclerk.lacity.org/publiccomment/?cfnumber=20-0087

as soon as possible (before April 29), to give emailed Public Comment. A sample email is below.

Sample email for Public Comment (feel free to add to this, or simply copy it and sign your name):

Dear City Council,

The proposed development by Jamison Properties at 738 South Normandie potentially jeopardizes the historical significance of the entire street, because it is entirely out of character with the existing block, which has not had any new construction in eight decades.

The block, which sits in the Normandie Mariposa Historic District, was built at the same time as the Ambassador Hotel, a landmark which was demolished after a long preservation battle. Today, it is one of the city’s most popular film locations, due to its time capsule appearance.

I am asking that CD10 Councilman Herb Wesson and the rest of City Council allow the CEQA appeal for 738 South Normandie, to help preserve the historic fabric of the block by ensuring that any new construction respects the existing historic structures and blends in, rather than standing out. Please do the right thing and help preserve Koreatown’s Little New York Street.

Sincerely

(My name, my zip code)

04/17/2020

The You Can't Eat The Sunshine podcast returns from a long hiatus with "YCES in Quarantine Episode #133: Stan's Donuts & LACMA Los Angeles County Museum of Art" with our guests Alison Martino (Vintage Los Angeles), Rob Hollman (Save LACMA) & Steven Luftman (Friends of Lytton Savings) Sorry the sound is a little tinny—we’re figuring it out as we go! https://esotouric.com/canteatsunshine133/

04/14/2020

Psst: the podcast is coming back! Stay tuned for details, and until then...

Today's virtual road trip:
1) Fire up the Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve livestream
https://www.parks.ca.gov/live/poppyreserve

2) Tune in to You Can't Eat the Sunshine podcast #68, as Ranger Jean welcomes you to her fluttery orange slice of Southern California heaven.
http://www.esotouric.com/canteatsunshine68

04/04/2020

Once upon a time at First and Spring... and other intersections favored by L.A.'s fascinating ink-stained wretches!

Virtual road tripping: You Can't Eat the Sunshine podcast episode #130 - Once Upon A Time At Times Mirror Square. Come back with us to a time when Los Angeles didn't just have newspapers, the papers had personalities, and shaped conversation and our world!
https://esotouric.com/canteatsunshine130/

10/18/2019

If you love LACMA like we love LACMA, join us as we build the public coalition to . This new non-profit represents the community voice that has been missing so far in decision making about the future of L.A.'s treasured encyclopedic museum. Pass it on! http://www.ourlacma.org

www.ourlacma.org