My L.A.

Folks’ Music

There are a few blocks of Pico Boulevard where one can still get a sense of what Santa Monica used to be like before most of it was bought up and turned into luxury lofts and the like. Rae’s Restaurant is still there, and the UnUrban Coffee House, along with a few other longstanding choice establishments, […]

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Angels Flight

Appearing repeatedly in L.A. films and film noir fiction, Angels Flight, a short, unforgettable funicular, is one of the city’s most fascinating landmarks.

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Chinatown

Lisa See ’79 spent lots of time in her grandparents’ family story in L.A.’s Chinatown. Here she remembers being entranced by Chinatown’s sights and aromas.

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The Last Book Store

There is magic and danger at the corner of Fifth and Spring. Jill Cornelio ’04 describes one of her favorite L.A. haunts—The Last Book Store.

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My L.A.: Venice Canals

Down a little-known avenue named Dell that runs between Washington and Venice Boulevards, you can actually drive through the Venice Canals. They used to encompass most of Venice Beach, but now just a few precious blocks remain where unearthly architectural masterpieces…

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