Oh, The Places He'll Go: Celebrating Five Years of Militancy on the Blogosphere!

It was five years ago this very month when a mind-mannered, yet proud and literate native Angeleno was surfing the web and felt disturbed and disgusted by the lack of local pride and knowledge that the local blog scene was dispensing. He was so disturbed and disgusted, he took a long bike ride to the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains and ventured on a long hike up towards the Angeles National Forest, where he encountered a wild California black bear who bit him on the leg.

Hours later, he felt himself change and adopt super powers. He then logged back on to the Internet, and started to drop his own knowledge and pride of Los Angeles on the blogosphere. From then on, that mild-mannered native Angeleno adopted an anonymous, third-person identity and became THE MILITANT ANGELENO.

The Militant has taken you on quite an adventure during the past five years, so he recently sat down and took inventory of all the places he's been to and written about on This Here Blog since June of 2007. You can visit each location by navigating this interactive Google Map, where you can zoom in and click on each point of interest, and click on any of the blog posts that visit the location:


View The Militant Angeleno Map (Part 1) in a larger map

But wait...there's more! It seems The Militant has been to so many places in This Here Blog in the past five years that one Google Map cannot hold everything! So there had to be a second map!


View The Militant Angeleno Map (Part 2) in a larger map

Even with all those locations, those maps still are not a comprehensive representation of all the places The Militant has blogged about. Those maps do not include multi-location tour/map posts like his legendary Epic Militant CicLAvia Tour (Original Version and Updated Version), Militant tours of the Metro Gold Line, the Metro Expo Line and Los Angeles historical maps showing locales relevant to Michael Jackson, President Barack Obama and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The maps are also useful to The Militant for (what may or may not be) the next five years, as it also gives him a visual clue as to which locations he hasn't yet blogged about (can you see a "South Bay Week" in the near future?)!

What were your favorite Militant Angeleno posts in the past five years? Are there any places you'd like to see covered in the next five? Has The Militant Angeleno changed your life or rocked your world? Please share them in the comments!

With great power comes great responsibility! But it's been an honor to serve you as your Friendly Neighborhood Militant!

STAY MILITANT!

The Militant's Ultimate (M) Expo Line Tour!

This Wednesday, the first phase of the (M) Expo Line will be officially complete with the opening of the long-awaited Farmdale and Culver City stations. To celebrate, The Militant will take you on a tour of the interesting and obscure locales along and near the Expo Line route! He did the same for the Gold Line, uncovering farmer's markets, bird zoos, swallow nests, ginormous sandwiches and even a UFO.

This time around, The Militant shows you an in-depth guide to the line and its surrounding points of interest. Oh sure, others have done something similar and just blog about stuff they see near the stations, and just hop back on the train, but let's face it, no one can offer the historical and cultural knowledge of Los Angeles like The Militant Angeleno can!

Did you know along the Expo Line you can find surviving remnants of the old Pacific Electric Railway? A pretty cool French cafe and bakery? Los Angeles' Belizean district? Read on and re-discover the (M) Expo Line, Militant-style!

7th Street/Metro Center

1. "Metro Center"
For over 20 years, Metro Rail riders have used this station without even knowing why it's called that way. The story really isn't what is here as much as what isn't here - or at least what was supposed to be here. Taking a cue from the Washington D.C. Metro, this station is named for a major transfer station in the system. It was also the intended headquarters of the transit agency -- back then, the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission (one of the forerunner agencies of Metro) was located nearby  on 818 W. 7th St. But not much long later, the LACTC merged with the Southern California Rapid Transit District (RTD) to become the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (a.k.a. Metro) and instead built their own "Metro Center" in 1995 in the form of the Gateway Plaza at Union Station.

Pico/Chick Hearn

2. Convention Center/Site of Georgia St. Streetcar Facility
This site is home of today's Convention Center and what may or may not be tomorrow's Farmers Field, but it was also the Georgia Street Shops - a major streetcar maintenance facility in yesterday's world serving trolleys for the old Los Angeles Railway (Yellow Cars). After the system ended in 1963, the large swath of land became a prime location for the city's Convention Center, once proposed to be located where Dodger Stadium now stands.

Training ground for future Cable Guys on Washington & Flower.

3. Los Angeles Trade Tech College Pole Climbing Yard
Whatup with those utility poles on the corner of Washington and Flower? Is it some sore of abstract art installation? Naw, it's part of Los Angeles Trade Tech College across the street. It's a training ground for lineworkers taking classes or workforce development courses at the college to hone their skills.

23rd Street

4. Site of Washington Park/Chutes Park
The first permanent baseball field in Los Angeles isn't Dodger Stadium, nor was it South Los Angeles' Wrigley Field nor the Fairfax District's Gilmore Field. It was here at Washington Park, located near Washington and Hill, where the Pacific Coast League Los Angeles Angels of Los Angeles played from 1893 to 1925 (the first Washington Park stood from 1893 to 1912; the second was in use from 1912 to 1925. It was torn down in the 1950s. William Wrigley, the team's owner, left Washington Park after he was denied permission to build an underground parking garage. He then moved his Angels to his own Wrigley Field in 1925. Washington Park it was also one of the home venues of the USC Trojans football team before the Coliseum. Adjacent to Washington Park was an amusement park named Chutes Park that stood on the land where the municipal courthouse now stands.

5. Cathedrals at Figueroa & Adams
At the intersection of Figueroa and Adams stands three cathedrals built in the 1920s - Two to Christendom and one to the automobile. On the northwest corner is the Churrigueresque-style (Think Million Dollar Theater)  St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, built in 1923 and designed by local architect Albert C. Martin, Sr., who also designed today's Los Angeles City Hall. On the southeast corner is the Neo-Romanesque St. John's Episcopal Cathedral (1925; designed by brothers Pierpont and Walter Davis) and on the southwest corner is the Automobile Club of Southern California's Spanish Colonial Revival headquarters, built in 1922 and designed by Summer P. Hunt and Silas R. Burns, who also designed the Southwest Museum.

Jefferson/USC

6. Felix Chevrolet
This long-standing automobile dealership has stood at Figueroa and Jefferson for years, Named after founder Winslow Felix, who originally established his dealership at 12th and Grand in 1921, the famous cartoon cat became part of the branding image of the car lot thanks to Felix's friend, Pat Sullivan, the animator who created the animated feline.

7. Figueroa Tunnel
This short subway tunnel under the Figueroa/Exposition intersection was originally designed to keep the Expo Line immune from street closures resulting from the Los Angeles Marathon, which traditionally ran its course through Figueroa. Since then, the route has drastically changed, but the alignment remains, and all the better - if not for the tunnel, the soon-to-open LACMA Levitated Mass exhibit would have had a difficult time navigating through the Expo light rail catenary power lines. It's the only curved light rail tunnel built for the entire Metro Rail system (the curve near the Gold Line's Memorial Park station was a originally built for Santa Fe Railway trains and adaptively re-used for light rail).

Expo Park/USC

8. USC Widney Alumni House
The original building of one of Los Angeles' most prominent institutions of higher learning (one of the schools which The Militant may or may not have graduated from) stands just yards from the Expo Park/USC station at the relatively new entrance of the University of Southern California, on Exposition Blvd and Pardee Way. The Widney Alumni House is the oldest building on campus, built when the university was founded in 1880. Though it has moved a few times from its original location, it's considered a sacred historical artifact by the university.

10. Exposition Park
It bears mentioning origins of the light rail line's namesake. Built in 1872 as "Agricultural Park" (when much of Los Angeles was farmland), it was given its present name a century ago. Not because it hosted a World's Fair/World Expo (it never did), but because it was part of the late 1800s-early1900s "City Beautiful Movement" urban planning philosophy that created beautified streetscapes and monumental structures in cities across North America. The 160-acre park in its present form began with the establishment of the Museum of Science and Industry (now California ScienCenter), the National Armory, the Natural History Museum and the Rose Garden (at one time the largest rose garden in the world).

11. Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
You already know this venue as Los Angeles' most revered and historic, yet most neglected, athletic stadia. It's the only building in the world to host The Olympics (twice, in fact), the Super Bowl and The World Series. It's served as home base for the Rams, the Chargers, the Raiders, the Trojans, the Bruins, the Dodgers and even the now-defunct Aztecs and Xtreme. The Lakers, Kings and Clippers also played on the Coliseum grounds. The Militant was personally there to see the world's largest-attended baseball game evar and the Lakers' 2009 championship celebration. This is the home of Los Angeles sports, baby.

It's also hosted everything from religious ceremonies to porno videos, from motocross to concerts (This was where, in 1981, the opening act for The Rolling Stones was boo'ed offstage by the crowd...it was some dude named Prince).

That said, it's in desperate need of new seats.

But from now on, you have absolutely no need to park at or near the Coliseum for any of its events!

Expo/Vermont

12. Masjid Omar ibn Al-Khattab
This masjid (mosque) opened in 1994 but took nearly 20 years to build. In 1977, a Muslim woman who visited her children, both of whom were students at USC, bought the land on the northwest corner of Exposition and Vermont, but became ill and died. Members of the local Islamic community contributed the funds to build a masjid on the land in her memory. It's one of the most visible houses of worship in Los Angeles' Muslim community.

Expo/Western

Tracey's Belizean Restaurant - one of the local Belize community businesses in the Expo/Western station area.

13. Belizean District
Did you know that Los Angeles' Belizean district (not officially designated)  is located near the Expo/Western station? Most of the city's 50,000 residents who claim heritage form the Central American country of Belize live in the South Los Angeles area, and the Western Avenue corridor (and nearby vicinity) from Jefferson to Manchester has a number of Belizean restaurants, markets and cultural institutions. Most Belizeans are Garifunas, who are of West African ancestry and are Spanish-speaking, so the historically black, increasingly Latino South Los Angeles has become a place where most in the Belizean community can easily blend in. Want a taste of Belize? Drop by Tracey's Belizean Restaurant on 3810 S. Western, just a half block south of the station!

Expo/Crenshaw

14. West Angeles Cathedral
The large bronze-colored building on the northeast corner of Exposition and Crenshaw is the West Angeles Cathedral, home of the West Angeles Church of God in Christ, one of the largest houses of worship in Los Angeles' African American community. The church was nice enough to lend its parking lot to Metro Rail commuters during weekdays, and the music is known to be pretty kickin' for Sunday services; music legend Stevie Wonder is known to regularly attend and sing there.

15. Earlez Grille
If you haven't had their jumbo turkey hot dogs, veggie chili cheese fries or dessert selections, you probably should. Just feet away from the Expo/Crenshaw station, you might as well just hop off the train and eat here. Earlez Grille should be to the Expo Line what Langer's is to the Red Line.

Farmdale

16. Dorsey High School
This high school was named after Susan Miller Dorsey, the first female superintendent of the LAUSD (circa 1920). Some of its famous alumni include MLB manager Sparky Anderson, U.S. congressmembers Diane Watson and Julian Dixon (who was instrumental in building our Metro system, incidentally), The Beach Boys’ Mike Love, The Fifth Dimension’s (and Solid Gold host) Marilyn McCoo, USC and NFL wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson and California Angels DH Chili Davis, among many others.

17. Rancho Cienega Sports Complex
Located next-door to Dorsey HS is this city-run recreation center, complete with ball fields and a swim stadium. In February 2007, Senator Barack Obama made his first presidential campaign appearance in California here to a modest crowd of about 500 people.

Expo/La Brea

18. The Village Green

Just a couple blocks southwest of the Expo/La Brea station is The Village Green, a 64-acre condo community (originally called Baldwin Hills Vilage) built in 1941 by architect Reginald Johnson and planner Clarence Stein. Now a National Historic Landmark, this planned residential complex with its emphasis on green and open space at the foot of the Baldwin Hills was regarded as rather innovative when constructed in World War II-era America.

Normandie Bakery Cafe, a magnifique French bakery/restaurant near the La Brea station.

19. Normandie Bakery Cafe
Just a short five-block walk west of the La Brea station, on Jefferson and Cochran, is this seemingly random restaurant/bakery/café with outdoor dining right off of Jefferson. Run by French chef Josette LeBlond, the Militant had a pleasant experience having lunch here one day, having himself a nice sammich in the sidewalk patio. He even got a baguette to go. You need to check this place out!

Expo/La Cienega

20. KABC/KLOS/KSPN Radio Facility
The radio towers seen from the station platform is home to one of Los Angeles' longest-running radio broadcasting facilities. Long before it was the home of Ken and Bob Company (EGBOK, y'all) and Mark and Brian (okay, maybe just Brian soon), it started out as KFVF-AM in 1925. Car salesman and local radio mogul Earle C. Anthony, who founded KFI-AM, bought KFVF in 1929 and turned it into a sister station KECA (his initials, you see...). KECA started operations amidst the oilfields on La Cienega and eventually became KABC 790 AM and KABC FM (which became rock radio institution KLOS-FM. The towers are KABC's 5,000 watt transmitter. KLOS' transmitter is high atop Mt. Wilson. The facility is also home to KSPN 710 AM, but their transmitter is located in North Hollywood, next to Los Angeles Valley College.

21. Sees Candies Factory
Canadian confectioner Charle See, along with his wife Florence and his mother Mary, founded Sees Candies on 135 N. Western Avenue in what is now known as Koreatown. Though now headquartered in South San Francisco, the La Cienega facility, built in 1946 and clearly visible from the station, is home to the company's main kitchen and factory. So if you see tanker trucks roll in, remember that they're filled with chocolate (please resist the urge to hijack them). It also has a factory store, which like totally boomed with business on April 28 of this year...Hmmm...wonder why...

Incidentally, Sees Candies is owned by mega-conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway, and the guy who arranged the purchase in 1972 was some dude named Warren Buffet.

21. La Cienega South Design & Arts District
Not to be confused with its long-established sibling to the north on the West Hollywood/Los Angeles border, the corridor of South La Cienega between Venice and Jefferson is emerging with its own spin on arts and furniture design, stemming from its industrial roots on the Culver City/Los Angeles border. Art galleries, design studios and associated shops and cafes have been springing up here in the past 20 or so years. Keep an eye on this place, it's likely to be the next arts district to blow up. And the Expo Line can take you there for their art walk.

22. Expo Bike Path
Remember when we first heard of a bike path along the Expo light rail line? And how we thought it's goon look all pretty and neat and all and look something like the Orange Line's bike path? And remember how we all got pissed when most of it ended up just being a striped bike lane on Exposition itself?  Well, take your bike to the west entrance to the station, on the south side of the tracks...there's the bike path you originally thought would get built...all 0.8 miles of it.

Hopefully there will be more bike path for Phase 2, but, c'mon, that's obviously kinda jacked for the South Los Angeles communities, right?

The old Pacific Electric bridge over the Ballona Creek still stands under its successor, track intact!

23. Pacific Electric Bridge
Everyone knows that the Expo Line was once the Pacific Electric Railway's Santa Monica Air Line, and that the century-old tracks and infrastructure was removed to make way for the modern light rail route. But did you know a small piece of the old Red Car line still remains? The old wooden bridge that spans the Ballona Creek is still intact, located directly below the Expo Line's elevated structure. 


24. Ballona Creek Bike Path
Definitely more than a measly 0.8 miles, this 6-mile bike path will take you all the way to Playa Del Rey. The Militant has taken it many times before. It's Summer now, so...you know what to do.

The Hayden Tract's Samitaur Tower welcomes you.

25. Hayden Tract
As your westbound train descends from the elevated structure after the La Cienega station, do look to the left side of the train for a set of architecturally-unique buildings. That's Culver City's Hayden Tract, a collection of offices, art galleries, design firms and entertainment and tech industry studios. What was once Culver City's oldest industrial district, architect Eric Owen Moss and developers Frederick and Laurie Samitaur Smith created the Hayden Tract in 1986 as a redevelopment project and economic development engine fueled by arts and design. The result is buildings known as "The Beehive," "The Stealth" and "The Umbrella," a dance studio known as Conjuntive Points, Moss' own design studio and one of Los Angeles' most innovative design centers.

Culver City

26. Pacific Electric Ivy Substation
Downtown  Culver City is already rich in retail and artistic activity, and has a bevy of well-known eateries, like the popular Father's Office. The Militant can cover that in its own post (and kinda already did before). But welcoming people to Downtown Culver City along Venice Blvd, a block from the Culver City station is an appropriate link to the past - the Ivy Substation. The single-story Mission Revival-style structure served as a powerhouse for the Pacific Electric Railway from 1907 to 1953, when the Expo Line's predecessor, the Santa Monica Air Line, ceased operation. Today, it's a 99-seat venue for The Actor's Gang theatre company, renovated in the early 1990s. How interesting that a building originally built for transportation infrastructure was repurposed into a building for the arts, which in turn attract people using the new transportation infrastructure.

Enjoy your complete Phase I Expo Line! The Militant may or may not revisit this tour with a sequel post in 2016 covering the other half of the line!

Kings Of The World!

In case you may not know already, the Los Angeles Kings ar...

naw, naw, naw...let's do that again.

In case you may not know already...


THE LOS ANGELES KINGS ARE THE 2012 STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS!!!!!!1

 Dude, this is like...history!

The Militant can't reveal where he was watching the devastating 6-1 victory over the New Joisey Devils, but later that evening, he wanted to bask in the glory of victory somehow, so he took the (M) Red Line to Downtown and walked down Figueroa.

No, he wasn't there to cause any trouble, and in fact, aside from a few minor incidents, there really was no riot to talk about whatsoever. A damaged newsstand and an overturned illuminated traffic arrow trailer (pictured left) were pretty much the extent of the irresponsible celebrating.

The Militant passed groups of straggler Kings fans, held out his palm and got free high-fives as he walked past them. A few horns honked, and the few that were still out on the streets, whooped and hollered in accord.

Some three hours after the game ended, and the crowds have cleared, the Staples Center, once a roaring beast earlier in the evening, was now darkened save for a few parties going on in the patio level.

The Militant went across Chick Hearn Court and stared at LA Live's characteristic near-seizure-inducing video displays, which bore the words, "CONGRATULATIONS LA KINGS - 2012 STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS."

The Militant just stared at those words for a few minutes, as if to have it sink in. As if, to verify for himself this was no dream or he had stepped into a bizarro-reality wormhole somewhere. But...it was real.

As the frequent Staples Center visitor has noticed, there is ia bronze likeness of former Kings player Wayne Gretzky, a man who, though still worthy of his "Great One" nickname, failed to make this night happen 19 years ago, and besides, never actually played inside the Staples Center (to be fair, neither did Magic Johnson, who is similarly immortalized. Gretzky was basically just a draw.

One would wonder which is the next Kings player to be immortalized like that. Jonathan Quick? Dustin Brown?

Of course, this victory was a team effort by all accounts. Still, that image of Gretzky looking across the street has a different meaning now. He was looking towards a future, a (albeit near-seizure-inducing) future brighter than what he was able to see. Because no matter how great you are, eventually there will be someone (or more) that will shine even brighter.

But Gretzky looks happy anyway, and that's all that really matters, right?

Victory Signs

The Militant wasn't kidding when he opened his last post, a paean to The Los Angeles Kings Fan, with a "May Or May Not" in terms of predicting a Stanley Cup clinch on Wednesday.

Now that the game has gone back on the road (which isn't a bad thing at all), and speaking of roads, The Militant noticed a couple street signs in town lately. As you know, The Militant is obsessed with our City's street signs. And then some. And this isn't the first time a sports team has been revealed through our City's street signs.

Along Beverly Boulevard, there is a "Kings Road" (pictured above) It takes 16 wins in the NHL playoffs to get Lord Stanley's Cup.

Since the Kings are playing the team representing the East, we head east. For 16 blocks, one block representing a playoff win.

So what street do we hit 16 blocks east of "Kings Rd?"

The Militant kids you not.

The Kings are also undefeated in Game 5s during the Playoffs.

We be gettin' the cup.

Go Kings Go!

A Destiny Fit For A King(s Fan)

By 9 p.m. tonight, the Los Angeles Kings may or may not have won their first Stanley Cup title (and if not, it will happen within the next few days…)

This one's for you…

The Los Angeles Kings Fans.

For 45 years (and today marks 45 years to the day the Los Angeles Kings hockey team was born, at the 1967 NHL Expansion Draft) you have proudly worn your purple and gold (or silver and black), hoping to taste that sweet glory of victory.

For the past 45 years other Los Angeles teams have basked in championship glory: The Lakers, the Dodgers, the one-time Raiders (whom the current Kings color scheme borrows from), even the Galaxy, the Sparks and the freaking Los Angeles Xtreme have won titles for their respective sports (The Clippers might soon be the only ones assed-out in this department...).

And oh for shame, you have even stood on the sidelines when your regional rival, the Anaheim Ducks, won the Stanley Cup (We need not remember that...).

Speaking of the Lakers, your team has been the forgotten, ignored little brother, and have lived in its shadow for all of those 45 years. From the Sports Arena to the (Fabulous/Great Western) Forum and now to the Staples Center, it's always been Lakers this, Lakers that. Granted many of you are Lakers fans as well, but even when you cheer at a home game and look up at the rafters, you're constantly reminded that the Lakers have 16 Championship banners, and the Kings still have none (Never forget though, for it was the Kings who donned the Purple and Gold first!)

The Militant, being a hardcore Dodger, Laker and team of his unspecified local Pac-12 University fan, will say this once and for all, with no qualms whatsoever:

Los Angeles Kings fans are the most hardcore fans of any of our local teams.


Though The Militant is by no means a bandwagon fan (For the record, he has been going to Kings games since the (post-Gretzky) late '90s, and in fact even blogged about going to one miraculous comeback game against the Dallas Stars in '07, he doesn't deserve to be considered a hardcore Kings fan either.

(Maybe until just recently) people who wear Kings gear wear it with total pride. It's quite possible for someone who rocks a Kobe 24 jersey around town to not know how many Championship rings his shirt's namesake has won, or someone wearing a blue "LA" cap to know the difference between a Kershaw and a Koufax.

Championships are great, but they do (and this is true of every team) load up The Bandwagon…which is good, since that's how fan bases grow. There's nothing wrong with jumping on a bandwagon…it's the jumping off of it that makes you suck. The loyal fan never jumps off, and never plans to.

Another advantage over other local sports fans: Los Angeles Kings Fans are the best at using transit to their games.


The Militant started noticing it in the fall of 2001, just but a few months after the Red Line was completed to The Valley. He spotted one of his operatives, in full Kings gear, sitting on the train. And he wasn't alone. There were more than a handful of them on the train, headed to Staples. And this was just a regular season game. Lakers fans?  Maybe during the playoffs you might take transit, but most of you find a way to park Downtown. As for Clippers fans...are you even around during the regular season? The Dodger Stadium Shuttle might have had high ridership, but most of that is out of spite for The Team's Former Owner Whose Name Will No Longer Be Mentioned, rather than a genuine concern to reduce traffic and pollution. The Kings fans, it's like they didn't need to be told.

This is a team of destiny. A goaltender named "Quick." A defenceman named "Martinez," who, despite being of European Spanish heritage and hailing from Michigan, is as Latino and local as you can get in the NHL for the Los Angeles fan base. And for goodness sakes, there's a guy on the team named "King."

But most of all, though this squadron might boast a Kopitar Hero and a Brown that wears the captain's crown, there seems to be a noticeable deficit of egos and an abundance of strength, heart and chemistry. This is a team.

You Los Angeles Kings Fans are hardcore. You followed the actions of ancient prophets like Vachon, Dionne, Taylor, Robataille, Gretzky. But only until now are you being led to The Promised Land.

So what if no non-athletic goods stores in town carry Kings gear? So what if the New York-based NBC network refuses to air the Stanley Cup Finals home games in the Los Angeles market (If they did, knowing, the pea(sized)cock network, they would air the games on 3-hour tape delay)?

That's not gonna discourage you. Because you're hungry, hardcore and you're getting what you've pined for for the past 45 years:

Lord Stanley's Cup.

The Militant proudly and honorably raises his fist to the Los Angeles Kings Fans.

Go Kings Go...And fulfill your destiny.

Mini-Adventures In Lil' Brazil

Qualé? (That's Portuguese for "Whatup?!")

The Militant was riding the Metro Rapid on Venice Boulevard around the Palms/Culver City area not too long ago when he happened upon a single-story building on the southwest corner of Venice and Westwood boulevards that called itself the "Brazilian Mall." The Militant instantly did a "O_o" face and vowed to return for a Militant mission to see more.

The Portuguese-speaking Brazilian community (many of them consider themselves "expatriates" rather than "immigrants') in Los Angeles may be an asterisk within our local Latin American demographic, but there's a healthy community of them who have called the Palms/Culver City area for some 30-40 years, with restaurants, markets and other Brazilian-owned shops along the Venice Blvd corridor between Sepulveda Blvd and Motor Ave.

This Brazilian Mall has actually been around for some 20 or so years. The building, home to some half-dozen businesses, is topped by a skylighted atrium structure, where dining tables are set up underneath, for a Brazilian pizza restaurant which has only been around since 2010. It is a 'mall' in the true sense, as all of the other businesses also have entryways from the atrium.

Admittedly not as familiar with Brazilian culture as he is with others, he wanted a quick, inexpensive taste of South America's largest country, so he checked out Supermercado Brasil.

Typical of our local ethnic markets, this one also features nearly everything for the homesick, including snack foods, beverages, cooking ingredients (the brands Yoki and Soya are well-represented here), and even CDs/DVDs, flags, t-shirts and (this being Brazil of course), bikinis.

Although, it doesn't matter what country an ethnic market represents, you will always find Italian panettone for sale. Is The Militant right?

Having not too much money in his pocket, he was still able to get a little taste of Brazil. He got a bag of plantain chips, a bottle of maracuya juice (Though he learned "maracuya" is just a fancy Portuguese way of saying "passionfruit") and a bag of Batata Palha, or potato sticks, which is considered a side dish rather than a snack food in Brazil.

The woman who was in line before him pointed to a fancy dish of bonbon-like confectionaries under a glass, and asked for a few which were placed in a plastic bag. The Militant was naturally curious and asked about them.

He was told they were Brazilian hand-made candies, made either out of chocolate (brigadieros) or coconut (beijinhos), each for $1.50.

He got a beijinho (pictured left), which was chewy and sweet, with the taste of coconut, sugar and condensed milk. Apparently they are made for birthday parties in Brazil.

For more of that Brazilian flavor, you can check out some of local restaurants in Lil' Brazil on Venice, such as Cafe Brasil or Kikafulô (formerly Zabumba) -- both within walking distance of the Brazilian Mall.

Also, don't forget to check out the Brazilian Day festival later this Summer on Saturday, September 7 at Hancock Park, right by the La Brea Tar Pits.

Ficas Militante!

Bobble On and On

It was a nice day and excuse to go to a ballgame, the Militant's second since Opening Day and his first in the Post-McC*urt Era on Tuesday night.

Of course, the other 51,000 people were here to get themselves one of them free bobble heads, featuring the classic Dodger Big Blue Wrecking Crew infield of 1973-1981.

It was also a day to the a return of Beast Mode to The Stadium, fresh off his recovery from the Disabled List:

Despite a 9th-inning double that seemed to spark a rally, the Boys In Blue lost to The Brew Crew 2-1. But The Militant had his first Magic spotting at The Stadium:

Yes, that's Magic in the front row, and that's the recently-unemployed Mickey Hatcher sitting to the right of Tommy Lasorda, with some of the Guggenheim Baseball Management jefes sitting in between.

North Atwater Park: Up Close and Personal with the Los Angeles River

Oh, it's been one of those blog lapses again.

Very well. Moving forward...

It was an ordinary Saturday...The Militant was dropping off some E-Waste at a local Los Angeles City S.A.F.E. disposal center when he ventured around the area out of his own militant curiosity. He found himself on Chevy Chase Drive in Atwater Village and the voices inside his head his militant instinct told him to venture forward, to the road's end. It was there where he saw it: North Atwater Park.

There was a small parking lot along with a bicycle parking rack, so he knew he was in the right place. Any beyond the lot was an open area with picnic tables, benches, a clay dirt path and various California native plants. But beyond that...

...The Militant found his personal El Dorado.





It was the Los Angeles River, flowing, running wild and pure. Yes, he had encountered The River before. But this time, there were no fences or railing to encumber him.

This is what nearby Griffith Park, just yards away, past The River and the the 5 Freeway, was meant to be like over 60 years ago. A peaceful parkland that welcomed one to the Los Angeles River, interrupted due to the aforementioned freeway. All but realized until recently.

On this day, there were several people painting along the banks of the river. No, not taggers or graff artists wielding spray paint cans, but people holding brushes, painting on canvases set up in locations to their liking (pictured left).

According to one of them, they were all enrolled in Barnsdall Art Park's 3-hour Plein Air painting class, where they were assigned this week to show up at North Atwater Park and paint their subjects along the riverside.

The Militant was in awe. He could hear the river water rush just inches away from him. He walked further south along The River's east bank, passing by some people chatting, one of them greeting The Militant, and an Australian Shepherd dog who seemed to take a liking to him. He saw ducks walking in the standing water along the concrete riverbed, watching them march hurriedly towards the water as The Militant approached.

It was the perfect scene that was marred only by the sound and occasional sight of cars whooshing by on the 5 Freeway on the other side of The River. If not for that, The Militant would probably never leave (which may or may not be problematic, as he couldn't blog again if he did).

Next to the native plants area was a large dry ravine, with native wildflowers, which ran diagonally towards The River (pictured right). It's gated off by temporary fencing, but there are stairs leading down to it, so it might be accessible in the future. The purpose of the ravine, according to an informational sign, was for a means to allow runoff water from the nearby water treatment plant to cleanse itself naturally by entering the local water aquifer. It seems that sustainable water runoff treatment is the in-thing these days.

This is Memorial Day weekend, and most of you have better things to do than to real local blogs (unless you're looking for something to do). If you're like The Militant and don't get leave town (or at least never publicly admit to doing so), he recommends spending a few hours chilling here by The River at North Atwater Park. It's free to visit, after all. Our river is a link to both our past and our future. A pedestrian/bicycle/equestrian bridge across The River here will begin construction next year.

Most of all, The Militant found his new Happy Place. You may or may not see The Militant here sometime. But if ever you do, please turn off your cameras/recording devices and raise ya fist!

Deux Ducks.

The Militant makes a new friend.

Save for these motorcycle remains, The River was amazingly clean and junk-free!

Rapids transit.

The Militant, For One, Welcomes Our New Dodger Overlords

Take a good look at the picture above, grabbed from the official website of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Just like that, the 8-year McCourt Regime has ended and new leadership has taken over today!

Welcome to Los Angeles sports, Guggenheim Baseball Management. Of course, one of them needs no introduction, having been one of the most celebrated athletes and businessmen of our city.

In fact, he may or may not get his own bobblehead soon:

In closing, The Militant would like to sincerely thank Mr. Frank McCourt --Thank him for being the butt of many of the Militant's jokes. Adios, suckaaaaa!

ARE YOU READY TO EXPO?!?!

The (M) Expo Line, taken here during last weekend's Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, was a major tease. But this weekend, it's ready to go all the way, baby.

Can you feel it, Los Angeles?

THE MILITANT SAID, CAN YOU FEEL IT?!?!

Yes folks, It's that time again, time for another Metro Rail line to be added to our 22-year old system as the (M) Expo Line opens up this weekend at long last! The Militant has been attending every single Metro Rail Grand Opening since The (M) Blue Line opened in 1990, and he was there to bring you the (M) Gold Line Eastside Extension's opening back in aught-nine.

The Militant may or may not be gearing up to bring you another Vlogstyle video. But he has been noticing that Metro has been gearing up itself lately in terms of maps and wayfinding displays.

The local vicinity way finding displays on the subway level have been updated, to show Los Angeles attractions that tourists from around the world come to this fabled land just to visit, like the 777 Tower Building.

The Tree Has More Branches: Notice anything new about this Metro system map?

Even the line maps on the Red/Purple Line trains have been updated.

This big way finding display was placed at 7th Street/Metro Center, where now four rail lines converge. The middle panel wants you to make sure you don't get your trains mixed up. It's unfortunate though that the Nippon Sharyo light rail cars had to stay with the old-school rolling signs and not the more practical LCD displays.

The (M) Gold Line was once considered to be dubbed "The (M) Rose Line" but that was shot down because, quoth one of the County Supes: "Rose is too close to Red." Of course...EXPO IS TOO CLOSE TO BLUE.

The good news is that we'll see a lot more of these line openings in the years to come. This summer, the Farmdale and Culver City (M) Expo Line stations will complete the first phase of this route, and in just four years we'll be Ready To Expo all the way to Santa Monica. Around that time, the Foothill Extension of the (M) Gold Line will also take us to Aczusag-na. But wait, there's more! The (M) Purple Line Westside Extension will take us from K-Town to the edge of Beverly Hills at long last (as for the rest of the line, those rich muh'fus in BH better grow up and stop BitcHing). Then there's the fifth light rail line going through the Crenshaw Corridor and to LAX. We'll also have the Regional Connector - DTLA's second subway - which will turn three of the light rail lines into two (Doing away with "Expo Light Blue" and having a north-south Blue Line and east-west Gold Line - so get ready for the paradigm shift, folks!), and even a possible rail line which May Or May Not go through the Sepulveda Pass.  

Think it takes forever to build them all? Consider we've had Metro Rail operating longer than you'll have to wait for nearly all of the aforementioned lines to get built. Time flies when you're going Metro!