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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Seeing Stars Above Hollywood: An Hour at the Griffith Observatory

A few weeks ago I had a chance to make a brief visit to the Griffith Observatory, located in Griffith Park in the Hollywood Hills.

The Observatory originally opened in 1935 and recently underwent a massive restoration project.

It's back to it's former glory and well worth a visit. Plus, admission and parking are both free. Nice.


Outside of the Observatory is a large statue featuring Newton, Copernicus, Galileo and other astronomers.


Inside you'll find a Foucault Pendulum. It's movement is based on the earth's rotation.


There's also some incredible murals, including this ceiling fresco in the central rotunda.


There are numerous displays on the solar system, the Milky Way galaxy, and the universe.

"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands" wrote the Psalmist.

As a Christian, I'm reminded how the night sky and the universe itself points to a Creator.

One hundred years ago, the majority of astronomers believed the universe to be eternal. The Big Band theory, now the accepted understanding of the origin of the universe, shattered that long held belief in an eternal universe, and sounds strangely like Genesis 1:1: "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth."


Over the years, I've appreciated hearing from and interacting with university level scientists who've found that the scientific evidence actually points to a Creator.

While the Griffith Observatory doesn't formallly make mention of the existence of "The Beginner" - that is, the One who began it all - it does acknowlege "The Beginning" - what is known as the Big Bang.

In terms of the history of science, this is both a relatively new, yet very ancient, understanding of the origin of the universe.

More displays, this section on the sun and stars.

I understand the Observatory is at lot more crowded in the evenings, especially on weekends. The last time I was up here at night was for "Laserium" (anyone remember that?) in the mid-1970's.

Still more displays downstairs. This focuses on our solar system. There's a lot more to see, including an excellent planetium show which my wife and kids and I saw last year.


Outside, much of the building is accessable. The Observatory sits on a hillside on the eastern edge of the Santa Monica Mountains, and is visible for miles away.


There are also some incredible views of the city, which alone make it worth a visit. This is looking past Hollywood towards downtown Los Angeles - about eight miles away.


A group of German tourists enjoying a view of the Hollywood sign on nearby Mt. Lee.

Years ago I actually hiked up to the Hollywood sign, something I would not recommend today. Subject for another blog entry.


A final thought from one of the statuary astronomers standing at the entrance to the Griffith Observatory:

"No sciences are better attested to than the science of the Bible ... This most beautiful system of the sun, planets, and comets, could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful Being.... This Being governs all things, not as the soul of the world, but as Lord over all; and on account of his dominion he is wont to be called Lord God." Sir Isaac Newton; Principles.

More information on the Griffith Observatory can be found at: http://www.griffithobs.org/

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From the Hills of Westwood

I was at UCLA last night and caught this view from up near the dorms: Royce Hall (left) and Powell Library (right) with downtown Los Angeles, some twelve miles away, visible in the distance.

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In terms of work, I'll be much more focused at UCLA this year. It was thirty years ago when I started as a student there. The campus has changed dramatically since then.

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Fall Quarter began today, Thursday September 24th. The campus was packed - amazing place. I feel very fortunate to be there.

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More soon.

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Randy's Donuts

No blog on Los Angeles would be complete without a post on Randy's Donuts, located on the northwest corner of Manchester and La Cienega in Inglewood.

You'll have to go elsewhere if you're looking for something healthy or "California cuisine." Randy's serves one thing: donuts.

OK, technically, they also sell coffee and lottery tickets. Stick with the donuts: they are yummy.
How many donut shops have their own website www.randys-donuts.com?

On the other hand, how many donut shops are this famous? This being Los Angeles, Randy's Donuts has appeared in dozens of films, TV shows, commercials, and videos.
I've been here a few times, including a quick stop with my wife and kids coming back from Home Depot in Inglewood this afternoon. In addition to a picture we, of course, had to get a couple of donuts.

Apparently, there are a couple other similar donut shops in the area (one in Compton and another in Long Beach) but Randy's is blessed by being very visible from the 405 Freeway, making it the most well known and successful.


What's the appeal of Randy's?

It's been around since 1953, and unlike the Century Plaza Hotel, there's no talk of putting in something "better." I mean, how can you improve on Randy's?

Second, it's one of Los Angeles' best examples of mid-century "programmatic architecture." Yes, that's actually a category of architecture, where the where the shape of the building represents the product sold within.

Here's a list of a few others found in the area: http://www.you-are-here.com/googie.html
I'll try and come up with something profound to write later. Meanwhile, stop by and enjoy a donut the next time you're in the area.

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Sunrise Over Los Angeles

Yesterday morning involved an early morning hike in the Santa Monica Mountains with a couple other guys from church. We try to get together once a week to hike, as well as to pray for each other, our families, and the larger community.

The the low coastal fog yesterday morning made for an especially spectacular sunrise.

Equally as impressive was the fog up against the Santa Monica Mountains. In the distance is the faint outline of the San Gabriel Mountains.

A lone palm tree peaking up through otherwise shrouded hillside homes here in Los Angeles.

A view out towards the ocean. By mid-morning this fog burned off, but we were able to enjoy it as it hugged the mountains.

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"In the morning, O LORD, You hear my voice;

..in the morning I lay my requests before You and wait in expectation."

..Psalm 5:3

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Little Ethiopia

One of the more unique ethnic neighborhoods here in Los Angeles is Little Ethiopia. It's a small cluster of businesses and restaurants on Fairfax south of Wilshire Blvd, in between Olympic and Whitworth.

Like much of Los Angeles, Little Ethiopia is strip of low rise commercial development, surrounded by a neighborhood of older single family homes, and small apartment buildings.

A friend from grad school who grew up in Ethiopia (his parents served as missionaries there) introduced me to this area - and Ethiopian food - some twenty years ago.
Little Ethiopia is actually a mixture of newer Ethiopian and older Jewish owned businesses. It's wild to see Amharic (Ethiopian) script on one store next to Hebrew on the next. It's not so much a clash of cultures as simply existing side by side.

There are half a dozen Ethiopian restaurants up and down Fairfax. Take your pick.

We ended up at Nyala Ethiopian Cuisine. We parked on the street, but they've also got free parking around back.

We got their just when it opened. Most restaurants in Los Angeles start really picking up between 7-8pm.

Nyala has a interesting display of traditional Ethiopian wares. I forgot to check and see if these were for sale, or just to add ambiance. Maybe both.

My wife and I went without the kids. That was a good call. They're not big fans of Ethiopian food (yet). We ordered the vegetarian combo and meet combo. A little something of everything.

So what is Ethiopian food? It's spicy vegetable and meat dishes, usually in the form of a thick stew, called "wot," served atop a large spongy sourdough flatbread, called "injera."

You don't use utensils, instead you just break off a small piece of injura, and then use it to grab some of the food. I'm not sure if Ethiopian food will ever gain the popularity of something like pizza (which was at one time considered "ethnic"), but we found unique and very delicious.

As a Christian living in Los Angeles, I appreciate the opportunity to not only sample different cuisine, but also to interact with people from all over the world. Will I ever travel to Ethiopia? Probably not. Do I have opportunities to interact with people from places like Ethiopia? Yes.(Although I'm the first to admit I don't always take them.)

There are times when I'm rushed, communication is too difficult, or I'm just lazy. The New Testament reminds me that Philip, one of the early followers of Christ, wasn't deterred by interacting with a someone from another culture - and a the destiny of an entire country was changed (Acts 8:26-40).

Christians of all people should be the most welcoming to men and women from other cultures. Easier said than done, I know.


A final look north up Fairfax towards Wilshire Blvd.

Here's the website to Nyala Ethiopian Cuisine: www.nyala-la.com

Enjoy.


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Santa Monica Pier: The First 100 Years

Wednesday, September 9th, marked the 100 year anniversary of the Santa Monica Pier. The day was filled with various celebrations, culminating with a fireworks show off the pier - the first one since 1991.


Even though we homeschool, Wednesday night was a "school night" for our kids, so we decided to avoid the crowds and traffic at the pier, and watch the fireworks from Palisades Park, overlooking the pier and ocean below. We found a good spot just south of Montana Avenue, with a nice, unobstructed view (above).


From where we were at, the fireworks show was "good, but not great." There was zero wind coming off the ocean, and as a result, much of the fireworks got lost in the large, smoky cloud that formed out over the ocean. Oops. I don't think that was part of the plan.


In many ways, the best part about the night wasn't the fireworks, but the crowd that came out to watch. There were families, kids, parents, grandparents, and (this being in Santa Monica) tons of single adults.

The pier means a lot of different things to different people: a place to fish, people watch, or enjoy the view of the coast and mountains. A place to ride the (relatively tame) roller coaster, impressive Ferris wheel, or historic carousel. Time in the arcade or one of the restaurants. A summer concert or winter sunset.

My guess was Wednesday's crowd wasn't there just for the fireworks, but to celebrate these kinds of memories and the fact that a 100 year old structure is still going strong. In other parts of the country, 100 year old buildings or structures are fairly common. In Los Angeles, they're historic.

As a Christian, I'm reminded of the times God commanded those who look to Him to remember the past. Joshua, the successor to Moses, is perhaps the most obvious example, but there are many others. Not to live in the past, but not to ignore it either. To learn from it, to "remember."

There is a time and a place to celebrate milestones, achievements, and what earlier generations accomplished. For us, the one hundred year anniversary of the Santa Monica Pier was a good reminder of that.


Spencer Weiner Los Angeles Times

Here's a really nice shot from the Los Angeles Times of both the pier and fireworks. Additional photos can be found at: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-santa-monica-pier-pictures,0,1419253.photogallery


More info on the pier can be found at: www.santamonicapier.org

Happy Labor Day

Ernie Marjoram "Lonely Vigil"

Our local paper recently featured this painting by artist Ernie Marjoram. His work really captures the feel and vibe of the westside of Los Angeles: www.erniemarjoram.com.

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I especially like this painting of the beach and lifeguard station in Ocean Park (south Santa Monica).

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My wife and kids and I, along with her sister and kids, were at this same beach Saturday. Great place for kids and families. Even parking was easy (wow).

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I though this was an appropriate post on a day when so many fellow Angelenos will be at the beach, sort of that "last day of summer."

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Happy Labor Day.

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The Station Fire

Wally Skalij - Los Angeles Times

As of this morning, Saturday September 5th, the Station Fire in the San Gabriel Mountains, which claimed the lives of two firefighters, is 49% contained. The fire has burned over 154,000 acres.

That's over 240 square miles.

In terms of area, it is the largest fire in the recorded history Los Angeles County.


Don Bartletti - Los Angeles Times

The huge thunderheads (pictured above) are more than smoke. The intensity of the heat from the fire creates its own micro-climate which causes these clouds to form above the fire. They actually have their own name: pyrocumulus.

The communities affected by the fire (La Cresenta, La Canada, Flintridge, Pasadena, Altadena, San Marino, Monrovia) are a full thirty-five miles away from where I live. Aside from smokey skies and the large plums of smoke, my information about the fire has been limited to the Los Angeles Times.


Luis Sinco - Los Angeles Times

The San Gabriels stretch seventy miles from east to west, and twenty five miles from north to south. Most peaks are between 6,000-8,000 feet high, and are the picturesque snow capped mountains behind L.A. during winter months. The mountainsides are very steep, making fighting the fire extremely difficult.

These three photos from the Times caught my eye. Many more can be found at: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-0826-morris-fire-pictures,0,2039975.photogallery

Sobering. More thoughts later.

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