I love this one. Thanks to Franklin Avenue reader Paul Kuszynski for sending it in: "Geez, I'm late!"
Keep sending your license plates of the day!
Mispronouncing L.A. is an old tradition.The only thing most Angeleno pundits have agreed on over the years: The use of "L.A." is frowned upon.
"There is no other city in the world whose inhabitants so miserably and shamelessly, and with so many varieties of foolishness, miscall the name of the town they live in," author Charles Lummis wrote in 1914.
As early as 1880 the Chamber of Commerce issued this reminder to visitors (and residents):
The Lady would remind you, please
Her name is not Lost AN-jie-lees."
But what is the lady's name? It depends, of course, on whether one is talking about a Spanish or Anglicized pronunciation.
In the early 1900s, The Times advocated the Spanish version, carrying a box by its editorial page masthead that proclaimed the way to say Los Angeles was Loce AHNG-hayl-ais.
English speakers who found that difficult could only be thankful that the city had shortened its original name, which some scholars believe was El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de los Angeles de Porciuncula.
The magazine today has taken on the glow of a survivor, with a recovering bottom line and a couple of big journalism prizes having just arrived in the editor's office. It has shed its fixation with the city's Westside, gotten friendlier to time-strapped readers (features tend to be shorter) and shucked the skeptical remove that reigned in the 1990s, when a couple of editors from the East Coast ascended.Rainey gives props to Franklin Avenue pal Mary Melton, the Los Angeles mag editor "who has embraced the mission of doing less with more and unashamedly attempts to present her city in its full splendor and incoherence." Rainey notes that if anyone still thinks Los Angeles magazine sports a Westside bias, Mary lives in Eagle Rock.
The resulting magazine doesn't exactly demand to be read but when it is read can provide a tasty repast.
The first two “Historic Downtown 101” tours will be a general introduction to our rapidly developing neighborhood and an overview of the multiple histories of the streets of Broadway, Spring and Main.Sounds like fun. All tours begin at The Last Bookstore in Los Angeles, at 453 S. Spring St.
If you are a participant, you will see the first motion picture theater built, the place where Babe Ruth signed his contract with the Yankees, the hotel where Charlie Chaplin lived when he made his early films (and the place where he made his Los Angeles vaudeville debut in 1910) - plus the homes and haunts of everyone from actor Nicholas Cage, the Black Dahlia, Rudolph Valentino, LA’s version of Jack the Ripper, President Teddy Roosevelt, the Night Stalker, western outlaw Emmet Dalton, actor Ryan Gosling and more. And you will also visit where O. J. Simpson bought his knife.
You’ll explore an intersection where all four buildings were often visited by gunfighter/sheriff Wyatt Earp since they were all built or occupied by friends of his from Tombstone during the shoot-out at the OK Corral. At this intersection you will also discover what John Wayne, a prime minister of Italy, Houdini, Winston Churchill, boxer Jack Dempsey, Greta Garbo, President Woodrow Wilson and multiple Mexican boxing champions all had in common here.
MOTION PICTURES:Boyz II Men? Seriously, way to stay current, there, Chamber of Commerce.
Jennifer Aniston, Vin Diesel, Scarlett Johansson, John Lasseter, Malcolm McDowell, Sumner Redstone, Kate Winslet and Richard Burton (posthumous)
TELEVISION:
Valerie Bertinelli, Matt Groening, Mariska Hargitay, Patricia Heaton, Marg Helgenberger, Walter Koenig, and Adam West
RECORDING:
Pepe Aguilar, America, Boyz II Men, Hal David, David Foster, Vince Gill, Jennifer Lopez, Ann and Nancy Wilson (Heart) and Barry White (posthumous)
RADIO:
Ellen K.
The California Wigwam Motel was built within the city limits of San Bernardino in 1949, a period when citrus groves flourished. The motel would later acquire a Rialto postal address, creating confusions as the property actually sits in San Bernardino. The motel's village-style arrangement of nineteen 30-foot-tall tepees made from wood framing, concrete and stuco draws much admiration from all generations. Each individual wigwam is carefully equipped with all the traveler's essentials with grounds that includes of grass area, an outdoor barbecue grill and kidney-shaped swimming pool.
The mastermind behind this retro motel was a clever man by the name of Frank Redford, who was heavily influenced by the native Indian culture. He would bring his imagination to a reality in the early 1930s explained in the following section.
A total of only seven Wigwam Motels were built throughout the nation, of which three managed to remain preserved. Two of the last three remaining rest along historic Route 66 in the states of Arizona and California, while the other rests in Redford's home state of Kentucky.
KCSN/Los Angeles is proud to announce that legendary music industry veteran, Nic Harcourt, is joining the station. KCSN 88.5 FM is the non-commercial station that broadcasts a Triple-A format from California State University, Northridge.Read some of our past stories about Nic Harcourt here.
Harcourt worked for KCRW/Los Angeles for 12 years, 10 as music director and host of the highly influential “Morning Becomes Eclectic” program... He has also helped launch the careers of Phoenix, Dido, My Morning Jacket, Death Cab for Cutie, Franz Ferdinand, KT Tunstall, Ting Tings, Sigur Ros, Damien, Rice, The Shins, Interpol and countless others. He has been described by music writer Mark Weingarten as “the most influential DJ in America.”
Harcourt has also been a music journalist for the Los Angeles Times, and currently holds the title of Music Supervisor in Residence for MTV. He also serves as host of the award-winning Guitar Center Sessions on DirecTV’s 101 and n3D channels.
Karen Kearns, General Manager of KCSN commented, “Nic’s status as a music tastemaker will be a great addition to our programming.”
Sky Daniels, newly appointed Program Director of KCSN added, “It is an honor to have Nic join us as we begin a new journey as the Album Adult Alternative station for Los Angeles. Nic defines music discovery for Los Angeles listeners and will bring that devotion to KCSN. His vision will be an incredible asset to our listeners.”
Harcourt stated, “Change is good. I’m truly excited about the opportunity to work with the team at KCSN as they build a dynamic new music format for Los Angeles.”
I wanted to let everyone know that this morning the spiritual godfather of Rhino "Wild Man Fischer" passed away.
Wild Man used to hang out at the Rhino store, So when we wanted to record a theme song for the store and press it on a 45 we had him make one up.
When we decided to record our first album the only fitting artist was Wild Man. Somehow we managed to sell five thousand records which gave us enough money to release the next album.
Wild Man's creativity, passion and chutzpah to become as he would say "bigger than the Beatles" despite having a total lack of musical training, ability to keep a tune, and being schizophrenia symbolized the can do spirit we had in the early days of Rhino and fueled us on to never give up.
Wild Man never achieved his goal of being bigger than the Beatles but his passion sparked a little label that has brought joy to millions...