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Category: Adventures in L.A.

  • A Story About Public Bathrooms and Public Transit in Downtown Los Angeles

    Little Tokyo Arts District Los Angeles Metro Station
    Inside the Little Tokyo/Arts District Metro Station (Photo: Liz O.)

    I chose the most inconvenient entrance to the 7th Street/Metro Center Station. It’s the one on the corner of 7th and Figueroa, the first one you’ll notice if you’re walking from Target, which I was, and the one that might be most convenient if you’re trying to take the Metro to Long Beach or Santa Monica, which I was not. I was going to Chinatown, which meant that I needed the A towards Azusa. This also meant that I would head down to the A/E platform, then upstairs to cross the tracks, then down again to board the Azusa train that might have been pulling up to the stop right as I hastened my pace. I darted up and down steps despite hauling two totes— one loaded with groceries, the other with a wet bathing suit and towel— and a purse. 

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  • The Record Fair I Almost Missed Because Social Media Sucks

    Michael Quatro and Melba Moore albums found at an In Sheep's Clothing record fair at Homage Brewing in Chinatown, Los Angeles
    Michael Quatro at Melba Moore records found at the In Sheep’s Clothing x Japonesia Night Market at Homage Brewing in Chinatown (Photo: Liz O.)

    In July, I wrote a story for LAist about how there are loads of cheap or free concerts happening in L.A., but finding out about them has become increasingly difficult because social media sucks and local music coverage is virtually nonexistent. It was a popular story. I ended up talking about it on LAist radio twice, including a spot that ran on Morning Edition. Loads of people told me they were having the same issue finding out about shows. Someone even came up to me while I was DJing at Underground and mentioned reading it. 

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  • Sunday Afternoon at the Art Book Fair

    Printed Matter L.A. Art Book Fair at Geffen Contemporary at MOCA on August 13, 2023 photo by Liz Ohanesian
    Inside L.A. Art Book Fair at Geffen Contemporary at MOCA on August 13, 2023. (Photo: Liz O.)

    Late in the afternoon on the final day of Printed Matter’s L.A. Art Book Fair, the line outside of MOCA’s Geffen Contemporary stretched to the Japanese American National Museum. I had just stumbled upstairs from the Little Tokyo Metro station and across 1st Street, which was closed to traffic and lined with people hanging out on the sidewalk. That had nothing to the with the book fair though. It was also Nisei Week and the parade was set to start soon. But, I didn’t know that at the time. I just saw throngs of people,  flashed back to the years in which I reported from Anime Expo and San Diego Comic-Con and groaned. 

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