RETNA is one of the most visually distinctive and culturally polarizing graffiti artists to come…read moreout of Los Angeles. He built his reputation on a signature style that looks like a secret alphabet from another world -- a fusion of: * Egyptian hieroglyphic energy * Arabic, Hebrew, and Blackletter calligraphy * Chicano LA graffiti handstyles The result isn't meant to be read -- it's meant to be felt. And that's exactly why it works.

This is a gorgeous mural. Great photo backdrop. It is located next to Craig's restaurant in West…read moreHollywood. It's in a very trendy and hip area. Retna, the artist of the mural, is a famous Los Angeles street artist. He has worked for multiple high end, luxury brands and celebrities. He is known for creating his own artistic script as his signature style.

A MUST DO! A FREE EVENT & FREE PARKING! The Elvis, Marilyn & Schwarzenegger Icons Wall Mural is one…read moreof LA's Secret Hidden Gems. It stands some 80 feet tall. It is located on Santa Monica Blvd & Wilton Pl. in Hollywood. Many people pass by here all the time & have never seen it because it is hidden on the back side of The Derby apartments. Elvis the King, Marilyn the Blonde Bombshell & Schwarzenegger Mural were painted by Hector Ponce. There is strip mall in front where you can partially see the mural. Park your car on the street & cross the street, you'll be able to see the strip mall & a partial view of the mural. Then cross the street & walk around & go to the back side of the building. There is a fence & you will be able to see the Mural in its entirety from there. You can't get closer because the fence is closed except for residents who live here. It is a really Cool Picture of Elvis from the 68 Comeback Special, Norma Jeane Mortenson aka Marilyn Monroe & I'll Be Back Arnold Schwarzenegger The Terminator Mural. Now next to that mural is another cool 80 foot mural & that's of The Fab Four The Beatles. Just around the corner is another mural The Marlon Brando Mural that's near the strip mall. It used to be, you had to have Mega Bucks & be really Rich to have the Good Life, not anymore. The Game has changed. You've been Upgraded. Now You Can Live Like a King on a Limited Budget!

I wouldn't call this a park- more like a starting point for a good waking path and good bike path…read more I really enjoyed my walk along the L.A. river.

Red Car River park is the location where the old Pacific Electric Red Cars used to cross the LA…read moreRiver from Silverlake into Glendale. Several years ago a beautiful mural was painted and dedicated to the amazing pocket park in Atwater Village. The pylons where the cars crossed are still standing, and it's an awesome reminder of what Los Angeles was like before the big car companies took hold of the Red Car and shut it down. This place is beautiful, and even though the 5 Freeway is rushing by on the western side, it's still serene and hardly feels like LA. This section of the LA River is really lush and green. It's an amazing place to take photographs, and feel some of LA's history. http://www.friendsofatwatervillage.org/projects/current/muralproject.html

This is in regards to Culver city's public works sanitation department specifically. Had to get rid…read moreof a box spring, mattress and accommodating bed frame. And while there appear to be some hiccups and false starts as a result or at least coming up out of covid that is to be expected. This department is in top of things and running smooth and efficiently which most of the residents are grateful for. A good deal of my neighbors have utilized their free pickup service and it helps to keep the neighborhood in streets free of debris and clutter. I thought I would hop outside to express my appreciation to this gentleman who must have had 8 to 10 mattresses and a host of other things inside the truck even before picking my order up. His attitude and demeanor was solid, and I expressed my appreciation for the hard job that he does. Chris-pictured is most definitely the CSA (customer service All Star) of this experience.

Culver City! Where? Who?…read more Unless you are a native of Southern California, the city of Culver will never come to your mind. It is an older city, quite unassuming, but, filled with many unique, new, iconic, old, you name it and much more things to see. Back in the 1900's Harry Culver moved there and motioned and eventually got the incorporated Culver City (named after him of course) Motion picture industry lives here. Started in the 1900's with silent movie productions. Then came MGM who later became Columbia and of course, Sony followed suit. Today- in the 2020's, you'd go to Culver City for food, fun and fellowship. Tours of old Culver City available for you to absorb its rich history. Many eateries, much shopping, much history! NUFF SAID. Go there or be square. (note- Central to almost all things West LA. about 15 minutes outside of LAX, another 15 minutes north to the Getty Center, Jump on the 10 West and you can visit sister city Santa Monica and I can go on and on and on)

Public Art Sculpture of The Culver Family…read more Harry Hazel Culver was the founder of Culver City. This sculpture is in honor of him. It is located in the Town Plaza where The Lion's Fountain is and just outside of The Culver Hotel. This is in a public area, open 24/7 and it's free. You just need to find parking, which may not be free. This sculpture is pretty much in the same area as The Culver Steps. This art was commissioned by the City of Culver City. It is a bronze sculpture of Harry Culver sitting on a bench perusing a newspaper dated September 20, 1917. Harry is the founder of Culver City and the paper announces the incorporation of this new city by the State of California. His wife, Lillian, is holding their daughter Patricia. Lillian is looking at the paper over Harry's shoulder. Fun Fact: The newspaper is a copper replica of the real one! His 1913 Speech is on the inside of his newspaper. The sculptor is De L'Esprie (Delesprie), Sculpture is cast by David Spellerberg at Great American Bronze Works, Inc. foundry. This artwork is part of the city's "Art in Public Places" program. It was placed here in 2006 when Culver City was 88 years old! You can come take a seat on the bench next to Mr. Culver any time!

This art installation, just a stone's throw from the Japanese American National Museum,…read morememorializes issei Toyo Miyatake's contraband camera, which he constructed to capture camp life at Manzanar during World War II. After Executive Order 9066 was issued, Miyatake smuggled a camera lens into the internment camp and began taking candid photos of his surroundings -- from the barbed wire, watch towers, and tar paper-covered barracks to the faces of internees making the best of the situation. His photos provide a rare perspective that the American government did its best to stifle at the time, producing several propaganda films showing Japanese-Americans happy to be imprisoned. His work is on par with Anne Frank's diary. The statue of Miyatake's camera stands in front of a former Buddhist temple and from time to time projections of his work appear from inside one of the building's windows. It's quite poignant. Not far from it is also the Go For Broke Memorial, another must-visit if you come by the museum for some Japanese American history.

Summertime in the LBC. The weeklong public mural festival has been renamed Long Beach Walls and…read moreArt Renzei. Read all about it here: https://lbpost.com/hi-lo/pow-wow-is-now-long-beach-walls-heres-your-guide-to-the-colorful-mural-festival https://www.longbeachwalls.com/ https://www.artrenzei.com/ https://www.instagram.com/longbeach_walls/ There are events centered around this week. One past year, Sun Bum (sunscreen) was a sponsor and held an event at the beach that ended in a movie showing. Some year before that, KCRW held a party in collaboration. This last time, I joined in the free yoga session (with RSVP). Led by Pedal Movement, bike tours are held during this time to visit the murals. The run club I'm involved in throws a couple of the murals in the downtown area being worked on into the running route during this time. Volunteer opportunities are available (such as being on site with the artist making sure they have what they need.) Look out for it next summer!

"Pow! It's the impact that art has on a person. Wow! It's reaction that art has on a viewer."…read morePowWow - a gathering that celebrates culture, music and art. The weeklong event that originated in Hawaii has expanded out to other parts of the country and world, including its 5th year in Long Beach. I was a bit disappointed the first year or so because they brought in a lot of outside artists when there are so many talented ones here. It also seems as if there is little collaboration between the artists and the places they paint. Businesses offer their walls and artists are given the freedom to create whatever inspires them at the time. Sometimes, the pieces seem random, whereas, others perfectly reflect the feel of the establishments. This year, I was happy to see a lot more local artists represented in the community. Some of them even took the time to collaborate with either the business or Parks & Rec to design pieces that emulate the nature of the places. I live close to Drake Park and was happy to see 3 artists beautifying it by adding more color and character. By request from neighborhood folks, Crisselle Mendiola and Jason Keam added butterflies to match the playground while Bodeck Luna depicted young people shooting hoops along the wall facing the basketball court. Another highlight from Pow! Wow! Long Beach was the closing party in the Promenade. I absolutely loved that KCRW DJs Mathieu Shreyer and Anthony Valadez came and served us some eclectic dance music. I can't wait to see what's in store next year!

Bixby Knolls has lost its charm over the years. Take a stroll through the entire Bixby Knolls…read morearea. Make a day of it. Nice area to walk around and get some steps in, however the level of self absorption by its residents has reached an all time high. More specifically, the south side of Bixby Knolls. Facebook moms and never ending "post-able" content seekers on every street. Residents hosting drinking parties on their front lawns. Summer and winter concerts hosted in driveways with liquor being passed around till midnight. Playdates where parents are video recording and snapping cell phone photos non stop, searching for that perfect post-able photo! Neighbors copying each other's home re-models and re-landscape projects trying to one up each other. One neighbor buys a new car only for 3 other neighbors to run out and buy more expensive cars....again trying to outdo one another. I do not understand what has happened to Bixby Knolls. Seems like a majority of residents have become complete narcissists and are constantly in a battle of being better and having more than the next person. Very sad to see the superficial bubble world that Bixby Knolls has become. Self absorption is only one example of behavior I have observed in Bixby Knolls. There are many residents here that seem to think that they should involve themselves in everybody's lives and business, even when it does not concern them. It seems that COVID has brought out the worst of these types. While taking a stroll through Bixby Knolls, on the west side of Olive Ave., between Marshall Place and Roosevelt streets, one resident actually came outside of their house and started screaming at me, "6 feet, 6 feet!" All because I was taking a leisurely stroll with a family member that I live with. So here, the screaming Bixby Knolls resident was screaming at me all because I was walking on a public sidewalk! WOW! This is a prime example of how a Bixby Knolls resident was trying to get into somebody else's business that did not concern them! This type of behavior can be seen all over the area. If you are a Bixby Knolls resident, beware of who you associate with. Neighbors gossiping about other neighboring families, resulting in rumors flying up and down the streets is sadly an everyday occurrence. Neighboring parents bragging about their kids. "My kid is better than your kid." Again, a sad daily occurrence in Bixby Knolls. The scent of weed comes and goes all day. Take a walk in Bixby Knolls and you will smell it. Live in Bixby Knolls and have your windows open on a hot day? You will have the scent of weed blowing into your house. Take a drive through Bixby Knolls and you will smell it seeping into your car. Those kids that were better than yours? Wait till they reach adulthood - you will know why you are smelling weed everywhere. Overall, a nice place. Beware of who you associate with in Bixby Knolls. Sincerely, - a lifelong resident.