Rancho Park Archery Range

What are you doing next Saturday morning? Mmm-hmm, mmm-hmm. I see. Well let me tell you what you should be doing next Saturday morning. Shooting things with a bow and arrow. One of my absolute favorite “insider tips” for a great way to experience L.A. is the Rancho Park Archery Range in Cheviot Hills. What makes it so great? Because it combines enjoying the outdoors, being a part of Los Angeles history, the low low price of free, and its a lot of fun.

The Rancho Park Archery was initially founded to accommodate the 1984 Olympic Games held in L.A. Los Angeles won the opportunity to host the 1984 Olympics basically by default, which interestingly is also how I plan to someday win an Olympic event. At the time the only other city interested in hosting was Tehran but they had a lot going on at the time and backed out. Despite the fact that much of Eastern Europe was boycotting that year, the Olympics set a record at the time for most nations participating, and the archery course itself was the site of the first ever paraplegic olympian to compete when New Zealander Neroli Fairhall was the first paraplegic Olympian at any Olympic Games, coming 35th in the Women's individual event.

Now you too can become the greatest archer that you or your friends knows. Every Saturday morning at 11AM there are free introductory archery classes which include free use of the equipment. The class is basically a safety class with some actual shooting instruction. Once you have completed the class you are able to come back to the range and shoot during any of their open shooting times. According to the website they happen on Saturdays from 9:30am to noon, Sundays from noon to 3:30pm, and for the more experienced, Wednesdays from 6:30pm to 8:00pm.

There is no rental fee, which is great. However they do take donations which go towards the upkeep of the course. I recommend bringing a couple of bucks to alleviate any guilt or peer pressure you may feel when faced with 12 year olds who are not only better shots than you but who also put $5 in the donation box.

The archery course is located in the back of the park next to the bocce court (yet another reason for visiting). The mandatory introduction class starts at 11am on Saturday mornings, however, it fills up rapidly. The first time that I went, it was already full. I actually recommend getting there about an hour before the class starts and putting your name on the sheet. Once you’re on the list you can go play bocce, have a picnic brunch, or hang out at the park until the class starts.

You can find all of the information including, times, directions, and more at the LA archery blog.

Experiencing Make Music Pasadena

One of the things that surprises many newcomers to Los Angeles is the fact that people tend to stay in their own small section of the sprawling metropolis. It is common to hear natives claim that they next to never visit the Westside (or East, depending on their starting location). There are actually two reasons for this. Traffic and traffic. If China had built the 405 freeway, the Mongolians would still be wondering what Chinese cooking tastes like.

Fortunately for my wife and I traffic was unusually and inexplicably light saturday, June 1st and we made it to Make Music Pasadena in plenty of time to catch many of the performances. Make Music Pasadena is an annual free music festival located in Old Town Pasadena. This year’s festival featured over 150 bands, many of whom are local bands, though some are definitely very recognizable. Last year there were over 15,000 people attending and all for the low, low price of free.

One of the differences between the beach cities and the more inland locations, is the temperature. While it was a comfortable 78 at my apartment when we left it was 91 in a crowded and sunny Pasadena but no one seemed to mind. Pasadena is unique in that area of Los Angeles for being distinctly “normal.” This beautiful city is more well known for the New Year’s Day Rose Parade and Tournament of Roses. If the Rose Parade symbolizes the pomp and ritual that comes with the New Year then the Make Music Pasadena Festival represents all of the excitement and possibility of summer fun.

Many of the bands were independent or unsigned acts and as previously mentioned, many are local bands. These bands spanned the spectrum from jazz orchestras to current MTV up and comers, but one band that stuck out was the Eagle Rock Gospel Singers. This act performed in one of the harder to find side stages and had a much bigger sound than I thought could come from such a small venue. When I first read about the band on the Make Music program, I thought it might be an ironic name (Eagle Rock is the native habitat of many of Southern California’s thriving hipster population). But it turns out that they sound a little more like if the Black Keys had snuck onto the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack. They genuinely are a local Gospel band that ranges from 9 to 15 members.

The bands playing were extremely diverse, ranging not only in sound, style, and genre, but in political and religious worldviews as well as languages (French, Spanish, and Portuguese). This one Saturday full of music reflects the cultural diversity and the cultural divides that make up Los Angeles. It can be difficult driving from one side of LA to the other, but it can be even more challenging to reach across the cultural divide at the end of the block. That’s what makes this festival so great, the opportunities to connect and share. Or just to take in some great music you may have never heard before.

And just in case you’re interested in checking out some of the bands, you can listen to a small sampling on this Spotify playlist.

Introductions All Around

Aaaannndd we’re back! While David from LA is on hiatus, I will be your guest blogger, James Browning. While David is an honorary member of the rare native Angeleno (he moved here at the age of 7), I, on the other hand come from as far away from Los Angeles as is humanely possible... the midwest. Los Angeles is a diverse and exciting melting pot. Little Tokyo, Little India, Little Osaka, Little Ethiopa, and lots of other little countries and foreign cities residing in Los Angeles, but MidWesterners are a different breed altogether.

I came to Los Angeles to pursue a degree in Spanish Language and Literature since Spanish is much more prevalent in Los Angeles than it is in Ohio. Since coming out to Biola University (La Mirada, CA) in 2005 I have moved a bit around Los Angeles and Orange Counties and I am now residing in West Los Angeles near Santa Monica. If there is one thing that I have learned in moving to an urban area is that traffic is terrible. If you are visiting Los Angeles you will find this truth to hold up no matter the location or time of day. The second truth is that parking is also pretty bad. As a result, I have discovered the joys and terrors of cycling.

Many studies have concluded that commute of 5 - 7 miles takes the same amount of time or less than by car in urban areas. Additionally studies have found that people who commute by bike are generally happier. And according to my wife, husbands who commute by bicycle are also very good looking and intelligent.

I’ll be looking forward to sharing my perspective on the experience of Los Angeles and some of my own personal favorite tips and tricks. Thanks for reading!

Experiencing L.A. - "Upper Deck" View from Santa Monica

Two years ago this month I had a doctor's appointment at the Santa Monica Medical Plaza, at 15th & Arizona. I expected a routine visit.

What I didn't expect was the view.

Wow, nice. Glad I had my camera.

This is looking northeast towards the Los Angeles communities of Brentwood and Westwood. 


A close up of the same location (click on any of these photos for a larger view). 

On the left is Brentwood, and on the right, Westwood. The hills in the distance are part of Beverly Hills and Hollywood - and in the far distance are the much larger San Gabriel Mountains.


Barely visible in the distance are the snow capped mountains, to the right. 

As an aside, later that same month (April) my wife and kids and I were at a conference in the local mountains, which had just received six inches of snow. We stopped at the beach on the way up and were in the snow about two hours later. Our kids were able to play in the surf and two hours later play in the snow.


From the same office tower, this is looking south toward the Pacific Ocean, with the western edge of Catalina Island - about 40 miles away - visible in the distance.


Turned out the doctor wasn't in that day - I had to reschedule. I had a few minutes, so I took the elevator up to the top floor for (in my opinion) an even better view. This is looking up Arizona Avenue, which runs between Wilshire and Santa Monica Blvds through Santa Monica into West Los Angeles.


Another close up looking the same direction. On the right side of the photo, just above the last tall building, you can see the Hollywood sign. 

As I've blogged previously, I was constantly reminded how fortunate we were to live in this area. It also was a reminder of the responsibility that comes with that. As the pastor at my church said many years ago, "if God has blessed us economically or materially, we shouldn't feel guilty - we should feel responsible."

I think it's easier just to feel guilty. Responsibility implies actually doing something.

Jesus said on multiple occasions "to whom much is given, much is expected."

I - and others on the westside of L.A. - honestly have been given much. And it was (and is) challenging thinking what that means in terms of investing my time, my abilities, and my resources in the lives of others. There were certainly lots of needs and opportunities. We hope that in a small way our lives made Los Angeles a better place for others.


A few more shots: this was looking north towards Brentwood is the massive Getty Center.


Looking northwest towards the community of Pacific Palisades with the Santa Monica Mountains and Topanga State Park in the distance.

Here's a final wide angle shot. Towards the right are the office towers of downtown Los Angeles, about 15 miles away.

The Santa Monica Medical Plaza is only about 10 or 12 stories tall - but it's a great location if you'd like a view of Santa Monica, the Pacific Ocean, and metro Los Angeles. 

Here's a final link to a previous post with a map of metro Los Angeles. 


View Arizona & 15th Street, Santa Monica in a larger map

© 2012 www.experiencingla.com - originally posted 7/4/2010


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So where - or what - exactly is Los Angeles?

One of the most confusing and difficult things about the City of Los Angeles (above, in blue) is knowing where it actually is.

When someone says "Los Angeles" - what do they mean? 
Greater Los Angeles? Greater Los Angeles represents a huge five county area (Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura Counties) with a total population of 16 million people. 

Los Angeles County? Los Angeles County (below) covers 4,061 square miles, and over ten million residents.

The City of Los Angeles? Located within Los Angeles County are 88 different cities (along with numerous "unincorporated" areas). The largest of these cities is, of course, the City of Los Angeles, featured above in red.
The City of Los Angeles covers 469 square miles, and has 4 million+ residents.

It's huge - and is perhaps the most oddly shaped city major city in the world.
The City of Los Angeles consists of all the areas in white - and red. 

Downtown Los Angeles? In the map above, Downtown Los Angeles is the small red area. As you can see, it's no where near the geographical center of the city.
photo credit: student.britinnaca.com

From downtown, you can go less than a mile to the southeast - and be out of the city limits. Or, you can go 40 miles northwest and still be in the City of L.A. 

photo credit: Dan Wyman http://www.pbase.com

So where's the geographical center of the City Los Angeles? The Franklin Canyon Reservoir (above) in the Santa Monica Mountains. If it looks familiar, it's because it was used in the opening scenes of the old "Andy Griffith" show. Here's a link to some additional information from a previous post.

As a Christian, I'm reminded of the importance of what a friend - and university professor in Europe - calls "the sense of place." Both Jewish and Christian Scriptures describe events in real places. Archeology continues to validate the historical descriptions found in throughout the Bible. 

More on the geography of Los Angeles, especially the City of Los Angeles, in a future post. 

(Hmmm, I said said over two years ago. Time to do it.)

.© 2011 www.experiencingla.com - originally posted 6/27/09

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"Tehrangeles" - Westwood Blvd. Los Angeles (Part I)

"Tehrangeles" is a nickname given to the huge Persian community here in Los Angeles, a blending of "Tehran" (capital of Iran) with the "Angeles," of Los Angeles.

A couple months back I took an hour to walk up and down Westwood Blvd. between Wilshire Blvd. (pictured above) and Santa Monica Blvd. This one mile strip is the commercial center of Los Angeles' huge Persian (Iranian) community, estimated between 500,000-600,000 people. It's the largest Persian community outside of Iran.

The highrises along Wilshire quickly give way to low rise commercial buildings along Westwood Blvd. This is looking south on Westwood Blvd.

An office building along Wilshire provides a backdrop of the Crest Theater on Westwood Blvd, with Persian businesses, stores, and restaurants beginning almost immediately after this.

One of dozens of signs in both English and Farsi along Westwood Blvd.

The majority of the Persian community arrived in Los Angeles during the Iranian Revolution in the late 1970's. These were men and women who fled Iran after the Shah of Iran was deposed by the Ayatollah Khomeini. In some ways, a similar situation to the Cubans who fled Castro's Cuba in the early 1960's.

And like the Cubans immigrants of the 1960's, the immigrants fleeing the Iranian revolution were among their countries "best and brightest" - doctors, lawyers, engineers, and business leaders. Men and women with the most to lose by staying in Iran. For them the United States became a place of freedom and opportunity.

And many (but not all) arrived with money. About 25% of the population of Beverly Hills, located just a couple of miles to the east, is Persian, including their two term mayor Jimmy Delshad. They have invested billions of dollars into the Los Angeles economy - and yet, for the most part, have remained out of the public spotlight.

According to Tara Bahrampour in the November 2003 New Yorker article, Persia on the Pacific: “To some extent they [Persian-Americans] are all elite. In Iran, they were not maids or shepherds but people who had enough sophistication and cash to get to America.”

As a result of the large, well-educated and successful Iranian immigrant community, Los Angeles boasts 10 Iranian newspapers; numerous Iranian-owned stores, restaurants and other businesses; locally produced Iranian television and radio shows; Iranian yellow pages; and the largest Persian bookstore outside of Iran, according to Edmund F. Scherr, a Washington correspondent. 

Here's the link to the article from the New Yorker.

More in Part II on "Tehrangeles"

Super Bowl Sunday at the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook

Super Bowl Sunday I took my family over to the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook here in Los Angeles. The Baldwin Hills are a distinctive outcropping of hills several hundred feet high south of the 10 (Santa Monica) Freeway, and east of the 405 (San Diego) Freeway.


The Scenic Overlook is a newly opened 50 acre park located in the heart of urban Los Angeles and is part of of the California State Park system. The entrance is located on West Jefferson Blvd.


There are trails leading to the top, but we opted for the stairs that go straight up the side of the hill.


The stairs are fairly steep and are a good little work out. Here's some on-line reviews from yelp.com: http://www.yelp.com/biz/baldwin-hills-scenic-overlook-culver-city


Almost to the top - we could see people at the overlook.


As it was Super Bowl Sunday, I was surprised how many people were out and about doing other want things. This group is enjoying the view, with downtown Los Angeles in the background. If you to enjoy the view without the hike, you can drive to the top (parking = $6).


It had rained the day before, so I was really hoping that there would be snow on the San Gabriel Mountains behind the Hollywood Hills. For whatever reason, that was not the case. Still, a pretty amazing view, including the Hollywood Sign.


The Scenic Overlook is one of the best - perhaps THE best - view in Los Angeles. Unlike the overlooks at the Griffith Observatory or the Getty Center, the Baldwin Hills Overlook faces north, with sweeping views of downtown, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Westwood, Santa Monica and the Pacific Ocean. All framed by the Santa Monica and San Gabriel Mountains.


My daughter trying out the camera she got for Christmas.

Looking out over Los Angeles with my family, I'm reminded of the question posed in Jonah 4:11 - "should I not be concerned about that great city?"

I appreciate and am deeply challenged by what New York City based pastor and New York Times bestselling author Tim Keller has shared on this passage. I found it worth listening to: http://sermons2.redeemer.com/sermons/sermonlist/11

My son taking a photo of the city, with downtown L.A. in the background.

Baldwin Hills is also the name of a television show on BET (Black Entertainment Network). Baldwin Hills has been referred to as "Black Beverly Hills" due to the large concentration of African American professionals and celebrities who've lived in the community.

Heading back down towards our car.

Two unique aspects to Los Angeles are the weather and the topography:

Mediterranean climate is only found in four other places on earth: the Mediterranean basin (hence, the name), western and south Australia, southwestern South Africa, and part of central Chile. Mediterranean climate means mild winters and warm, dry summer. No complaints here: it's pretty ideal.

In terms of topography, metro Los Angeles has six major mountain ranges: the Santa Susannas, the San Garbriels, the San Bernardinos, the Santa Anas, the Palos Verdes, and the Santa Monica Mountains. In addition, there are numerous smaller features like Baldwin Hills. FYI, the "Hollywood Hills" are really just part of the Santa Monica Mountains.

The kids had a "good attitude" marching up and down the stairs, so we stopped off in Culver City at a 7/11 for a little treat.

Some things (a trip to 7/11) are definitely not unique to Los Angeles.

Here's the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook website with more information: http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=22790

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Pico and Sepulveda: an Intersection, a Song, or a Couple of People?

A trip to the local lumber yard normally would not warrent a blog entry, except that Anawalt Lumber is located at the corner of Pico and Sepulveda.


Pico Blvd travels east - west from downtown Los Angeles to the Pacific Ocean 16 miles away.


Sepulveda Blvd travels north - south from the edge of the San Fernando Valley to Long Beach. At over 42 miles, it's the longest street in Los Angeles.


Looking northwest: as you can see, there is absolutely nothing unusual to see at the intersection of Pico and Sepulveda.

However, this being Los Angeles, the 1947 song "Pico and Sepulveda" by bandleader Freddy Martin took an obscure interection ... and turned it into an obscure song. That is until Dr. Demento (a locally based DJ featuring off beat, odd, and humerous songs) made it a regular staple of his nationally syndicated show.



Pico and Sepulvdea (the song, not the intersection) actually has a catchy little tune. It was featured a a 90 second clip from the 1980 film "Forbidden Zone" (1980).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znHA1rYxmN4



A search on YouTube yielded another - actually more entertaining - version of the song. My kids like this rendition of of "Pico and Sepulveda" even more: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D98BR1DYrkg.

The song celebrates various place names in Los Angeles - many of which are mispronounced by visitors or new comers.


Pico (the person, not the street) was none other than Pio Pico (1801-1894), the last Mexican governor of California. Here's a little info for all you California history buffs: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C3%ADo_Pico


Sepulveda (again, the person, not the street) was Francisco Sepulveda (1775 - 1853) a member of the influential Sepulveda family.

At one time Francisco Sepulvdea owned a 50 square mile cattle ranch in what is now Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, Santa Monica, and West Los Angeles. More info about the Sepulveda family can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francisco_Xavier_Sepulveda


Back at Pico and Sepulveda, this time looking west on Pico towards the San Diego Frwy.


The individuals may be interesting, the song may have a catchy tune, but unless you're in need of some lumber or something across the street at the mini-mall, Pico and Sepulveda is not a destination.

In another L.A. moment, I noticed a double decked tour bus at the intersection. The add for the HBO ad "Bored to Death" seemed to take on a double meaning.

No doubt those out of town guests are asking themselves: "why are we here?"

Hopefully, on their way to the beach.

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