Saturday, October 27, 2007

Union Station (Revisted), Los Angeles


L.A. Snapshot concludes after a one year photographic tour of the Los Angeles area. I've returned safely to Union Station, the starting point of the journey and it's been a gratifying experience to share my views of L.A. with you. Thank you for taking the time to visit, and feel free to browse back through the archives. Also, I'd love to hear from you regarding L.A. Snapshot, and also about ideas for a photography series you'd like to see.
(Watch for a link to a new photography blog, beginning January 2008.)

Friday, October 26, 2007

Brentwood Gardens, Brentwood


Shopping is upscale at Brentwood Gardens on San Vicente Blvd. in Brentwood. The mini-mall includes 3 floors of shops, boutiques, services and restaurants.

Thursday, October 25, 2007

Rose Arbor, San Marino


It's a quiet afternoon in the Rose Arbor at Lacy Park in San Marino. Southern California residents have been staying indoors this week to avoid the poor air quality caused by the local fires.

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Painted Building, Eagle Rock


The side of a building on Shearin Ave. at Colorado Blvd. in Eagle Rock is painted in a way that it kind of looks like a rug. The business at this location is a Pilates gym.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Twohey's Restaurant, Alhambra


Twohey's Restaurant in Alhambra is the "Home of the Little Stink-O", the mascot on their neon sign seen here. In business since 1943 and famous for their onion rings and sundaes, this restaurant used to have a car-hop service, but it was discontinued after remodeling in 1977.

Monday, October 22, 2007

Hotel Lobby, Monrovia


This is the lobby of the historic landmark Aztec Hotel on Foothill Blvd. in Monrovia. It was originally built in 1925 and has been undergoing restoration over the past several years.

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Skyscraper, Los Angeles


The U.S. Bank Tower, also known as the Library Tower (across the street from the Central Library), is the 8th tallest skyscraper in the United States. It rises over 1,000 feet above the streets of Los Angeles.

Saturday, October 20, 2007

Country Squire, Sierra Madre


This old (1955?) Ford Country Squire Wagon parked in an alley of Sierra Madre has seen better days, but may be someone's living space.

Friday, October 19, 2007

Church, La Verne


This United Methodist Church of La Verne is the same church used in the wedding scene of the 1967 movie The Graduate, starring Dustin Hoffman, Anne Bancroft and Katharine Ross.

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Historic Garage, San Dimas


A scarecrow guards an old Ford at the entrance of the San Dimas Garage. Built in 1910, the garage on Bonita Ave. is a San Dimas historical landmark.

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Padua Avenue, Claremont


Padua Avenue leads straight up to the base of the mountains above Claremont on the eastern edge of L.A. County.

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Rooftop Cadillac, Los Angeles


This model Cadillac convertible, complete with a blonde "starlette", sits on the rooftop of one of the small eateries at St. Vincent Court, an old Los Angeles alley that has been designed to look like a Parisian street.

Monday, October 15, 2007

Beggar, Jewelry District


A beggar wearing an over-sized sombrero waits patiently for spare change on Broadway in the Jewelry District of Downtown Los Angeles.

Sunday, October 14, 2007

Country Club, San Gabriel


Wine is served to guests at the San Gabriel Country Club in San Gabriel before a dinner presentation on heart disease by a local cardiologist.

Saturday, October 13, 2007

Clifton's Cafeteria, Los Angeles


Clifton's Cafeteria has been serving meals in Downtown Los Angeles since 1931, and it appears to be stuck in a time warp. I have to admit that I had not been there in about 40 years, but when I walked in this afternoon it looked like it hadn't changed. They still offer "quality food at affordable prices", too.

Friday, October 12, 2007

Racks, Harbor Gateway


These metal racks are at the back of an industrial building on Torrance Blvd. in Harbor Gateway, a two-mile-wide corridor between Western and Normandie Avenues in south Los Angeles.

Thursday, October 11, 2007

Residential Street, Ladera Heights


This view is from 55th St. and Holt Ave. in Ladera Heights, looking south. The row of buildings in the distance is along Century Blvd. near LAX.

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Walk in the Park, Baldwin Hills


A nice day for a stroll in the park at the Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area in the Baldwin Hills area of L.A.

Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Home Depot Center, Carson


The Home Depot Center is a sports complex in Carson with a soccer stadium, tennis stadium, event center (including a velodrome) and track & field facility.

Monday, October 08, 2007

Relaxing, Redondo Beach


A young woman relaxes on an uncrowded stretch of Redondo Beach during a beautiful Columbus Day on the West Coast.

Sunday, October 07, 2007

Closed Entryway, Silver Lake


The locked entryway to this abandoned building on Vendome St. in Silver Lake was photographed earlier this year. So I don't know if the building is even standing anymore, but it's another piece of interesting architecture in L.A. that has been deserted.

Saturday, October 06, 2007

Leprechaun, Pasadena


A leprechaun approaches the entrance to the Rose Bowl Stadium shortly before the start of the UCLA-Notre Dame college football game. The visiting Fighting Irish have not played in Pasadena for over 80 years, when they beat Stanford in the 1925 Rose Bowl Game.

Friday, October 05, 2007

Attention Grabber, Studio City


The unique sign on Ventura Blvd. grabs your attention as you pass Hand Car Wash in Studio City. The replica Corvette on top of the giant sponge and hand had to be lowered from its previous high perch due to a city ordinance.

Thursday, October 04, 2007

Kiosk, Altadena


This photo kiosk in Altadena, called FotoBuster, is no longer in business. It's a standing relic of what used to be a popular and convenient way to get film processed and printed. The leader of this drive-thru industry was Fotomat, which once had over 4000 locations throughout the United States.

Wednesday, October 03, 2007

Alex Theatre, Glendale


The Alex Theatre has been hosting movies and performing arts in Glendale since 1925. It underwent a $6 million restoration after Glendale's Redevelopment Agency purchased the landmark theatre in 1992.

Tuesday, October 02, 2007

Traffic, Cahuenga Pass


The 101 Freeway and Cahuenga Blvd. carry traffic through the Cahuenga Pass at dusk in this view looking north towards the San Fernando Valley from the Mulholland Highway Bridge.

Monday, October 01, 2007

Solitary Fisherman, Arcadia


A fisherman has the lake all to himself at the Peck Road Water Conservation Park (a.k.a. Peck Park) in an unicorporated area of Arcadia.

Sunday, September 30, 2007

Hidden Highlands Road, Agoura Hills


This locked gate at the entrance to Hidden Highlands Road leads to a private community of multi-million dollar homes in Agoura Hills.

Saturday, September 29, 2007

Wedding Reception, Shadow Hills


Rusty and Lindsay celebrate their marriage during a reception at the home of the bride's parents in Shadow Hills.

Friday, September 28, 2007

Car Wash, Duarte


Customers of a self-service car wash on Huntington Drive in Duarte get their cars clean for the weekend.

Thursday, September 27, 2007

San Jose Creek, City of Industry


The San Jose Creek runs right through the middle of the City of Industry, where it flows into the San Gabriel River.

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Helicopter, Whittier


L.A. County Sheriffs Department Rescue 5 helicopter prepares to land at the STARS (Sheriffs Training and Regional Services) center in Whittier.

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Mobile Home with Palm Tree, Covina


This view of a mobile home and palm tree in the Starlite Mobile Home Park is from the back parking lot of a furniture store on Azusa Ave., just north of Cypress St. in Covina.

Monday, September 24, 2007

Hospital Tour, Pasadena


A group of contractors and hospital administrators inspect the kitchen/cafeteria during a tour of the nearly complete $170 million West Tower of the Huntington Hospital in Pasadena.

Sunday, September 23, 2007

Conveyor, Irwindale


A conveyor rises into the early morning sky at United Rock Products. The Irwindale plant supplies the construction industry with sand and gravel produced at this 300 acre site.

Saturday, September 22, 2007

Train Depot, Monrovia


This abandoned train depot, originally built in 1926, will be given new life as the hub of Transit Village in Monrovia (click here for an artist's rendering). The redevelopment project will include offices, retail space and housing, along with a new stop for the Metro Gold Line.

Friday, September 21, 2007

San Gabriel River, South El Monte


The first clouds from an approaching storm appear as a reflection in the San Gabriel River in South El Monte. This view is from Peck Rd. near Durfee Ave.

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Prepared For Rain, East Los Angeles


After a hot dry summer, the weather forecasters are saying that rain is on its way. This pedestrian is prepared with a huge umbrella at the corner of Ford Blvd. and 3rd Street in East Los Angeles.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

L.A. County Fair, Pomona


The L.A. County Fair is in full swing for its annual run at the Fairplex in Pomona. This shot is of a vintage Pomona Fire Dept. truck carrying mascots and employees during the parade across the fairgrounds.

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Old Barn, Montebello


This old barn is part of the Taylor Ranch property, a community facility used for art classes and receptions in the City of Montebello.

Monday, September 17, 2007

Bonaventure Hotel, Los Angeles


The Westin Bonaventure Hotel has been a downtown Los Angeles landmark for over 30 years. Its unique cylindrical towers and glass elevators give it a futuristic appeal.

Sunday, September 16, 2007

Panda Express, La Canada


Panda Express isn't a five-star restaurant for Chinese food, but when you want some pretty good fast food other than burgers & fries, this is a tasty choice. It's also the fastest growing Chinese restaurant chain in North America.

Saturday, September 15, 2007

Neon Sign, La Crescenta


These two images of the same sign, shot from opposite directions, show that the unlit letters in "MOTEL" on one side are lit up on the other side. The location is the La Crescenta Motel on Foothill Blvd. in La Crescenta.

Friday, September 14, 2007

6th Street Bridge, Los Angeles


The 6th Street Bridge in Los Angeles as seen from behind a pile of gratuitous garbage along the west side of the L.A. River. The bridge was built in 1932 and has been deteriorating to the point of needing to be retrofitted or replaced.

Thursday, September 13, 2007

The Original Pantry Cafe, Los Angeles


A Los Angeles landmark since 1924, The Original Pantry Cafe is owned by former Mayor of L.A., Richard Riordan, who says, "We never close. We're never without a customer."

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Lunada Bay, Rancho Palos Verdes


Lunada Bay sits below some of the most beautiful and expensive real estate in California. This somewhat secluded coastline of Rancho Palos Verdes is guarded by local surfers who prefer that visitors keep out. Those who enter at their own risk are often harassed and may return to their car to find that the tires have been slashed.

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Hay Bales, Lomita


The parking lot of Lomita Feed Store is stacked with bales of hay, ready for customers from neighboring communities with horse property. The City of Lomita still has plenty of old-school businesses that help maintain the city's character.

Monday, September 10, 2007

Harbor Regional Park, Harbor City


The marshy surroundings of Lake Machado at Harbor Regional Park were the stomping grounds of Reggie the alligator for nearly two years. He had been released there by pet owners, then eluded teams of hunters until finally captured earlier this year. Reggie managed to put Harbor City on the map as animal lovers around the world checked in on his status during his stay in the park.

Sunday, September 09, 2007

Project Playhouse, Thousand Oaks


Thousand Oaks is just outside L.A. County, but is the host city for the 7th Annual HomeAid Los Angeles/Ventura Project Playhouse. This service project helps build or renovate transitional housing for temporarily homeless individuals and families. The playhouses, like the firehouse being forklifted into place here last week, are on display starting this weekend at The Lakes for about a month before they are auctioned off to the highest bidders.

Saturday, September 08, 2007

"McMansion", Mayflower Village


Mayflower Village is a small neighborhood on the border of Monrovia and Arcadia. This McMansion on Loganrita Ave. is typical of a house overbuilt compared to the general architectural style of homes in the area.