Posts from: History

Hancock Park is one of those Los Angeles neighborhoods that never has to try too hard. It does not need ocean views. It does not need flashy gates or exaggerated modern mansions to prove its value. It is one of the rare neighborhoods in Los Angeles that feels established…

The Bird Streets are one of those Los Angeles neighborhoods where the name sounds almost too charming for what the area has become. Blue Jay Way. Oriole Drive. Thrasher Avenue. Nightingale Drive. Warbler Way. Flicker Way. It sounds whimsical. Almost quaint. But today,…

Angelino Heights is one of those neighborhoods that makes Los Angeles feel older than people expect. Most of LA’s early residential history has been erased, redeveloped, widened, demolished or paved over. But just above Echo Park and minutes from Downtown, Angelino…

Koreatown might be the most misunderstood neighborhood in Los Angeles. A lot of people know it for Korean barbecue, nightlife, karaoke, spas, and late-night energy. That is all real, and it is part of what makes the neighborhood so alive. But Koreatown is much more than a…

The San Fernando Valley may be the most misunderstood part of Los Angeles. For some people, “the Valley” means suburban sprawl, hot weather, strip malls, car culture and jokes about Valley girls. For others, it means Studio City, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Tarzana, Valley…

Highland Park is one of those neighborhoods that people think they discovered, even though Los Angeles has been rediscovering it for more than a century. A few years ago, it became almost impossible to talk about Northeast LA without hearing about Highland Park. The…

Pasadena is one of those places that feels older, more established, and more self-assured than most of Los Angeles. It has the Rose Bowl, the Rose Parade, Caltech, the Pasadena Playhouse, Craftsman homes, grand old hotels, historic bridges, tree-lined neighborhoods, and a…

Beverly Hills is so famous now that it almost feels inevitable. The name itself has become shorthand for money, celebrity, shopping, privacy, palm trees, gated estates and some of the most valuable residential real estate in America. But Beverly Hills did not begin as a…

Venice is one of the few places in Los Angeles that still feels like it was invented by someone with an imagination that was almost too big. Most beach neighborhoods are built around the obvious things: sand, surf, ocean views, and walkability. Venice has all of that. But…

Santa Monica is one of the most famous beach cities in the world. People think of the Pier, Palisades Park, ocean-view condos, beach cottages, luxury homes north of Montana, and walkable streets that feel more like a true coastal city than just another part of Los Angeles.…

Downtown Los Angeles has always been the place where LA tries to decide what kind of city it wants to be. It is the birthplace of Los Angeles, the historic business center, the civic center, the transit hub, the old theater district, the high-rise office core, the Arts…

Inglewood may be one of the most misunderstood cities in Los Angeles County. For some people, it is still defined by old stereotypes. For others, it is now simply the place with SoFi Stadium, the Forum, the Intuit Dome, and some of the biggest sports and entertainment…