L.A. Dork

The Valley's Sherwood Forest was recognized in 2012, its name rooted in its history of large groves of trees, many on ranches. Most were removed for subdivisions. Richard Pryor was its most famous resident, living on Parthenia St. when he accidentally set himself on fire in 1980.

If you've ever wondered where Abbot Kinney's Venice canals were, you can still experience them by walking over their entombed pathways. This route is a reader fave from my "10,000 Steps a Day in LA" book and includes an extension into the existing canals (built by Moses Sherman).

Favorite street sign ever: Rare, whimsical "?Speeding?" signs to get people to slow down, their red letters & curlicue question marks as if designed by The Riddler. I took the left pic at 4359 Clear Valley Dr. in Encino in 2021. The sign is gone now. Anyone know of any others?

Hell yes I remember this. May Co. and other dept. stores too. You'd ride the escalators upstairs and get tickets at their Ticketron counters (defunct by 1990).

Among the treasures Altadena once held, well before the recent fires, were acres of poppyfields. Every spring, tourists scrambled to pick their blooms, as in this 1907 image. (Mt. Lowe trolley link in background.) There is still a Poppyfields Dr. in Altadena.

LA used to be a haven for miniature golf. Not so much Castle Park-type venues, but pocket courses like Hi-Point Miniature Golf on La Cienega, where my mom took me after school sometimes. Hi-Point was located at 1606 La Cienega. Same corner now, looking north, now a medical bldg.

If ever there was a town set up for endless jokes, it was Moron. Southern Pacific first named it Moro, then added the "n" to avoid confusion to Morro Bay. When "moron" became synonymous with feeble-minded, the town changed its name to Taft (named after the president) in 1909.

Old movie palaces like Warner Bros. (later Pacific Theatres) on Hollywood Bl. had basement nurseries for kiddies so Mom & Dad could watch films in peace. This being WB, this one was adorned with Bugs, Porky, Elmer (with gun!). H/T to "Exploring Hollywood Pacific Theatre" on YT.

Early Micky and Minnie costumes, like these at Disneyland's opening day in 1955, were the stuff of nightmares. Both look like their faces got mangled while sampling cheese in a mouse trap, with Minnie losing an ear as well. 😶

When Disneyland opened 70 years ago today, the Tomorrowland Boats (aka Phantom Boats) that plied the lagoon kept overheating. By 1956 they were scrapped, the first ride to permanently closed. Also love the free-flowing Autopia cas, which would get guide rails after accidents.

I just walked out of Superman, and the entire time, I thought I was watching a bangs-less Zooey Deschanel as Lois Lane... not realizing it was Rachel Brosnahan. Has this kinda thing happened to you? #GettingOld

2025 marks the 10th anniversay of my book "10,000 Steps a Day in LA: 52 Walking Adventures" (first edition). One of the first routes I submitted for my publisher was thru Santa Monica -- the pier, Palisades Park, 3rd Street, etc. Still one of my favorite summer-weather loops...

Happy 64th birthday to Kelly Leak, who was hitting .841 when this photo was taken. #BadNewsBears

Late '50s as Lucille Ball, Desi, Desi Jr. cross their house at 1001 Roxbury Dr. Her neighbors within two blocks were Jimmy Stewart, Ira Gershwin, Rosemary Clooney, Jack Benny, Peter Falk & Agnes Moorehead. I couldn't care less as a kid... Ball's house was the bomb on Halloween!

That time when RTD (now MTA) bus drivers used to practice-drive in the LA River... and LA City Council gave serious consideration to converting portions of the LA River to a "seasonal freeway" open to all vehicles during non-rainy months.

JUST ANNOUNCED: I'll be at the Homestead Museum in Sept. for a book signing and free show-n-tell of the 37 pivotal years that supercharged LA from a frontier town to a megalopolis. If you've never been, Homestead is an underrated gem with lots of ephemera of early LA's narrative.

While its true that SoCal palm trees are often imported (more fodder to call us "artificial"), a reminder that some riparian areas do contain native California Fan Palms. As an example, Wildwood Regional Park in Thousand Oaks appears to have several among its native chapparal.

Didja know the largest blooming plant in the world -- per Guinness Book of World Records -- is right here in SoCal? In 1894, a Sierra Madre couple planted a Wisteria. It's now more than one acre in size, weighing 250 tons and still growing. It's celebrated with a yearly festival.

Much as I am saddened by Cole's apparent imminent closure, the eatery no longer reflects the average working-class vibe of Philippe's, its French-dip cousin, and became more trendy several years ago with a speakeasy, etc. But no doubt, still a loss.

Sunset Strip 1985 vs. 2025: Before Book Soup relocated here, there was short-lived Other Side Records, an annex of Tower Records across the street. Sold only pricey "virgin Japanese vinyl" of LPs -- "no pops or hisses." My g-friend worked there, sold me The Wall at discount. 😉