the porous city - other - l.a. |
This is Lukas Bergstrom's personal weblog. You might want to visit my professional site. You can also find me on Twitter, Bluesky, and LinkedIn.
Still echoing
My favorite tacos in LA
Taking LA, circular style
Midnight Ridazz do group rides through LA. My bike is a POS and I'm probably not in good enough shape to hang with these guys, but Taco Tuesday meets five minutes from my house in ... two hours. So ...
Reason CCCLXXXXVI we are happy to revisit Los Angeles: the San Gabriel Valley
Real Sichuan food at Chung King.
The appeal of Los Angeles
It's simple: there are two big, exciting, diverse American cities that you can explore forever and never get bored. One has New York weather, one has LA weather. That's it.
Loving Los Angeles
I just had the spiciest meal I've ever had in this city, after five years of chasing Thai and Vietnamese delicacies. It was a pizza, at Mr. Pizza on Fairfax. They also have a silly good beer selection, with like six Samuel Smith varieties.
Last-minute holiday stuff
barcampLA 4: EmpowerThyself.com
EmpowerThyself.com is an activism engine - a social network, a community-edited site, and a game with achievement points. Contribute and learn about goals and tactics; recruit other activists; earn gold stars. Been around for a year now.
I've been wondering for a while how social network sites could be leveraged into real-world action - bingo! What an awful name though.
Man, two good talks in a row. Psyched.
I've been wondering for a while how social network sites could be leveraged into real-world action - bingo! What an awful name though.
Man, two good talks in a row. Psyched.
barcampLA 4: personal unit tests
Taking a concept from software development and applying it to your life: test small parts of the system constantly. These tests should:
Goal is mindfulness - being aware of different areas of your life. Good areas to include are things like: health, community, relationships, work, finances ... but avoid introspection. "It's so much easier to lie to yourself about things that are just in your head ... I decided to only test things that someone else could verify if they happened to be there."
Guy (I think his name is Ted) tracks what % of tests he tracks every day, and has a goal of hitting at least 50% every day. Has gradually trended upwards over time, best day was 73%. He makes his test results public, with a changelog.
"Personal unit tests are a way to discover if you're kicking ass."
Q: "How do you know if you've covering enough areas of your life?" A: "The simple answer is you don't."
My favorite BCLA4 talk so far.
- Be fixable within 1-2 hours after figuring out you failed the test
- Test steps, not ends ("did I study Spanish for 20 minutes today?" not "am I fluent in seven languages?")
- Test what, not how (don't really get this one)
- Be as easy as possible, or you won't do it. Pencil and paper? Spreadsheet? whatever
- Be answered every day. But you can create tests that have a time period longer than one day, e.g. "have I talked to my mother in the last seven days?" - you do it once, and then it's a freebie for the next six days
Goal is mindfulness - being aware of different areas of your life. Good areas to include are things like: health, community, relationships, work, finances ... but avoid introspection. "It's so much easier to lie to yourself about things that are just in your head ... I decided to only test things that someone else could verify if they happened to be there."
Guy (I think his name is Ted) tracks what % of tests he tracks every day, and has a goal of hitting at least 50% every day. Has gradually trended upwards over time, best day was 73%. He makes his test results public, with a changelog.
"Personal unit tests are a way to discover if you're kicking ass."
Q: "How do you know if you've covering enough areas of your life?" A: "The simple answer is you don't."
My favorite BCLA4 talk so far.
LA stuff oops late
Los Angeles writes thoughtful letters to the editor
- Show: photos of the early LA punk scene
- Saturday: Modeselektor + Adam Beyer (!)
- Sunday: DEEP: Larry Krivit
- Some party at Bergamot Station on Saturday
- Reading about once-fashionable tourist traps (??? Maybe!)
Living in Los Angeles
Finally, I'm so sick of people who don't live here recycling the same shit about Hollywood and how LA "doesn't actually exist", just because they can't submit to the fact that LA's too big and weird to figure out.
Los Angeles is where you confront the objective fact that you mean nothing; the desert, the ocean, the tectonic plates, the clear skies, the sun itself, the Hollywood Walk of Fame – even the parking lots: everything there somehow precedes you, even new construction sites, and it's bigger than you and more abstract than you and indifferent to you. You don't matter. You're free.LA residents given to talking about life in the city talk about freedom a lot. Without a cohesive citywide identity or community structure, without a city center in any sense of the word, you don't situate your life in relation to some imagined ur-community or parental figures. You're just there. But I'd add one thing: it's true that the city as a whole cares about nothing. But there are a thousand communities, more, within the city.
Los Angeles <3 San Francisco
- Fri: An evening with John Waters
- Thurs on: Seven artists explore the vinyl frontier
- Thurs: Silver Lake art crawl kickoff party
- Fri: Thinkspace, so probably more Jim Woodring wannabes, but it's free
- Wed-Sat: New Chinese cinema
- Sat: Light artist Jim Turrell at Pomona
- Sat: art opening: God Only Knows (what I'd be without you)
- Mon: avant-garde animation festival
Super-useful, how did I not see this before.
This is about my speed right now. Go weird LA, go.
Kyochon has the best fried chicken I've tried in Los Angeles
6th and Serrano, a couple blocks east of Western. Then go to Lollicup a few doors down for boba. Perfect. (via Jonathan Gold, of course)
Los Angeles may be visiting Big Sur this weekend
- Aaron LaCrate and Kraddy on Friday. But it's at the Getty! Too far for what's basically happy hour.
- William Gibson reads from Spook Country. Also a haul, but maybe. I went to hear him read when I was in high school, at a public library in Minneapolis. I think it was Virtual Light then. I embarassed myself nicely with a question about Roger Zelazny (no, he hasn't read him.)
- LA Beer Chug Championships and Drunken Spelling Bee
- Jason Peters, Paileontology (sculpture)
LA warehouse treasure trove of comics and collectibles
Frank and Son Collectible Show in the City of Industry. Not really my thing but I haven't gotten nearly enough exposure to the kitsch+comics+pop cult+lowbrow art side of LA.
Because we don't do enough driving in Los Angeles
Spoon at Little Radio
The picture captures it - sweaty, rocking, a little loose. Which is sorta shocking because, shit, a Spoon show? in LA? Guess we're playing summer league rules.
Really useful and loving portraits of LA neighborhoods. They just started, but they say they want to do all of them. Tons of photos, maps, recommendations on places to go, the works. You will feel less guilty about saying the word "blog" after checking them out.
Why, maybe I do want to hear embarassing stories from total strangers. Shows in LA on July 25th and August 22nd, at King King.
June 29 2007 weekend - Los Angeles is: sundrunk
- Rogue Wave '07 - 12 Artists from Los Angeles at LA Louver, supposed to be one of the best galleries in LA.
- Damn, I should really go see Eden's Edge.
- Daft Punk: Electroma midnight movie showing, Friday.
- High and Dry, Smoke and Fog, a "site-specific" exhibit focusing on "sex, cars, culture, and California."
Cliff jumping in Malibu
Although with the drought this year, jump at your own risk...
Random cool stuff on a Friday
Los Angeles notes I
I'm dreading Eli Broad's massive downtown ego extension. Give LA a center, are you kidding? "I was fearful we would have unplanned development there that would create a mess" - something's happening here, and you don't know what it is, do you, Mr. Broad?
I want a bullet train to the Bay as much as anybody, and arguing that you can't invest in rail because "the voters are crying for relief from congested freeways" is the very definition of myopic, but Governator's got one good point: if you can't attract private investment (for a state-sponsored monopoly ... with a glut of capital looking for an opportunity ...) maybe time for a reality check.
Pulls from a bunch of different LA food blogs ... but no LA-specific feed?
Maybe LA: An Everpresent Gray Has Conquered the Sky And Defeated the Sun Edition
Slaving away near the sin mines
I'm now spending a few days a week working for a company in the Flynt Building. On my floor is a mysterious room.
Fr'instance, LA Beer Map.
Need to buy beer in Los Angeles? A lot of it?
Theater in Los Angeles, imagine that.
Free - at Begamont Station - 7-9 - with beats.
Talks about killradio, "a Los Angeles collective of activists and DJs devoted to non-commercial radio and independent media", and cool stuff to do in LA, including a Joshua Tree sculpture environment.
LA Dec 23: Downtown Art Deco Tour and Union Station Walking Tour
LA Christmas double feature: Bullitt and Dirty Harry
At SCI-Arc.
Yellow loading zones are in effect from 7 to 6 only, and not on Sundays, and green loading zones are 8 to 6 only, not on Sundays, but white loading zones are 24/7. And don't fuck with red or blue ever.
But apparently it's evil.
Good categories list for browsing. Oo and they link to chowhound threads!
GOD I MISS LA.
LA apts: Rentslicer
LA rental prices by neighborhood + individual listings, overlaid on Google Maps. Neat.
"Mountain and loft parties, puppet shows synced to garage music, bake-offs at 180 beats per minute, late night bike tours, costume balls, instant beach art, movies in unusual places, unlicensed parades, outlaw slip and slides, extravagant variety shows, benefits for the non existent and random games of dodgeball."
I'm skeptical of the butterfly and the philosophy (if I wanted a car-free city I wouldn't have moved to LA, kids) but what the hell.
I'm skeptical of the butterfly and the philosophy (if I wanted a car-free city I wouldn't have moved to LA, kids) but what the hell.
A PDF to print out and keep on the coffee table to stimulate thought and the occassional ill-advised venture into the unknown.
"Whether you're interested in space aliens, Sound Baths, or local history of the strange kind, the Integratron is a can't-miss Morongo Basin landmark." - Hi-Desert Star, January 11, 2006
overheard in a Los Angeles coffehouse
"Well I figure if I fool around with him long enough he'll take my headshots for free..."
Taking the train through southern California is a strange, foreign luxury, like having a sommelier pour your drinks at a football game. Most of the trip has been through densely populated areas, so the driver's been leaning on the horn (or the conductor's been hanging on it, or whatever) most of the way. The train tracks don't skirt the cities - it's a constant level of sprawl and we're just cutting through it. Mostly, though, it's the novelty of public transportation that makes an impression - you've given up some of your God-given auto-driving freedoms to sit on this train, and in exchange you get to sit and relax for a bit. USC April 2006 - "Microfinance and Beyond" conference
Hosted by the business school. Mohammed Yunus, founder of Grameen Bank, is one of the speakers.
Hosted by the business school. Mohammed Yunus, founder of Grameen Bank, is one of the speakers.
The Great Taco Hunt
Tracking down every little frickin taco truck roaming the streets of LA. Insanity.
Tracking down every little frickin taco truck roaming the streets of LA. Insanity.
Gallery nineteen eighty eight
The archetypal LA hipster art gallery.
The archetypal LA hipster art gallery.
LA Eats with Maps
Ning clone of Citysearch. But it's interesting now because it's populated solely with restaurants people cared enough about to add to the database.
Ning clone of Citysearch. But it's interesting now because it's populated solely with restaurants people cared enough about to add to the database.
ArthurBall Feb 25-26 LA
Music festival, outside in Echo Park, featuring Joanna Newsome plus lots of bands I've never heard of. Also films. Also a "vibrational healing chamber".
Music festival, outside in Echo Park, featuring Joanna Newsome plus lots of bands I've never heard of. Also films. Also a "vibrational healing chamber".
Compression
Last friday of every month at King King. Tech-house, electro, techno, goodstuff.
Last friday of every month at King King. Tech-house, electro, techno, goodstuff.
Sour Harvest
"Your one-stop reference source for all the latest happenings in the LA art underground."
"Your one-stop reference source for all the latest happenings in the LA art underground."
Los Angeles Shortcuts - A-1 Courier - Messenger Service Los Angeles
The stuff that I'm qualified to judge is right on. This is my best post ever. Yes, better than Leisure Town.
Holy shit, Crenshaw to Rossmore.
The stuff that I'm qualified to judge is right on. This is my best post ever. Yes, better than Leisure Town.
Holy shit, Crenshaw to Rossmore.
Tim Burton's garage sale
Near LA, March 11-13.
Near LA, March 11-13.
This is 50mm Los Angeles, L.A.'s original Graffiti Art website.
edit: seems like that's dead, but the Instagram account is active as of 2023.
edit: seems like that's dead, but the Instagram account is active as of 2023.
US Treasury Auctions in LA
US Marshals List of Sellers (federal seizures)
Supposedly the savings here are not that great, and you wouldn't be able to have a mechanic check the car out first.
A bunch of people on MeFi try to convince me not to be an idiot
US Marshals List of Sellers (federal seizures)
Supposedly the savings here are not that great, and you wouldn't be able to have a mechanic check the car out first.
A bunch of people on MeFi try to convince me not to be an idiot
I had a donut from some random sketchy place in LA last night. They also served cheesesteaks and cafeteria-style Chinese food. It was great, as good as any Krispy Kreme I've ever had.
So I'm just saying, they're out there.
So I'm just saying, they're out there.
LAist
Thank God. Defamer sucks so hard.
Thank God. Defamer sucks so hard.
Pro Cricket - Fast n' Furious Global Action >> Schedule
July 18th in LA.
July 18th in LA.
I just don't know. It has a discussion panel and it's sponsored by the city - bad signs.
machine project
Cool-sounding LA art gallery.
Cool-sounding LA art gallery.
Tony Pierce
Lives in Los Angeles.
Lives in Los Angeles.
eatLA
Restaurants, bars, stories.
Restaurants, bars, stories.
sixspace
LA gallery.
LA gallery.
pics from Big Sur will go here
kozyndan
"kozyndan are Los Angeles based mad scientists ... the couple also moonlights as freelance illustrators."
"kozyndan are Los Angeles based mad scientists ... the couple also moonlights as freelance illustrators."
LA Observed
LA blog.
LA blog.
Luke Ford
Who the fuck...
update: ...is this prick? Today's post: "I'm scared of black people because I'm Jewish."
Who the fuck...
update: ...is this prick? Today's post: "I'm scared of black people because I'm Jewish."
california is burning
The satellite pic I've been wanting to see.
The satellite pic I've been wanting to see.
freeway blogger
"Someone is blogging the highways of Southern California..."
"Someone is blogging the highways of Southern California..."
todo: channel 101
the route (revised)
La Punta to Quebec to El Contento to Alcyona to Vine to Argyle to Hollywood to Fairfax to Sunset to Barrington to San Vicente to 4th to Wilshire.
La Punta to Quebec to El Contento to Alcyona to Vine to Argyle to Hollywood to Fairfax to Sunset to Barrington to San Vicente to 4th to Wilshire.
un-city
I'm having some aesthetic problems with Los Angeles. Where are the moderns? I know, believe me I know, Los Angeles is Not New York, but people came out here, I thought, to build something new. So they threw off their shackles, went west, watered the desert, and created...kitsch? Some of my favorites -- Neutra, Wright -- did their stuff out here, but the kids have forgotten about them.
I'm having some aesthetic problems with Los Angeles. Where are the moderns? I know, believe me I know, Los Angeles is Not New York, but people came out here, I thought, to build something new. So they threw off their shackles, went west, watered the desert, and created...kitsch? Some of my favorites -- Neutra, Wright -- did their stuff out here, but the kids have forgotten about them.
local hikes
Hikes near Los Angeles.
Hikes near Los Angeles.
Supply and Demand for Electricity in California
Graphs usage vs capacity in almost realtime.
Graphs usage vs capacity in almost realtime.
Blogging.LA
Cool pic.
Cool pic.
beyond baroque
Will avoid the poetry slams, but some of this might be fun. Do they serve drinks?
Will avoid the poetry slams, but some of this might be fun. Do they serve drinks?
Tech
Audio, Shopping, Automobile, s60, Mobile, barcamp, Web analytics, Product Management, MacOS, WRX, Open, Collaboration, Web, Hardware, Business, Wearables, Android, Energy, Development, PIM, Crowdsourcing, a11y, Data, AI, Visual, Security, Medical, Javascript, Social, Net, Storage, RSS, OS
Other
Geography, Transportation, Travel, Food & Drink, History, NYC, Surfing, CrowdFlower, Boston, Agriculture, California, Toys, Statistics, Quizzes, Personal care, Friday, Housing, Feminism, Podcasts, L.A., Law, Berlin, Activism, Politik, Sports, Life hacks, Bicycling, Games, Video, Minnesota, Clothes, San Francisco
Music
Mp3s, L.A., Streams, Mailing lists, Making, Lyrics, Events, Boston, Mixes, Videos, Business, Hip-hop, History, Booking, Musicians, Shopping, Labels, Good tracks, Reviews, House
People
Buddhism, ADD, Family, MOTAS, Languages, Me, Meditation, Weblogs, Vocations, Enemies, Friends, Heroes, Gossip, Health, Subcultures, Life hacks, Stories, Working with, Exercise
Commerce
Investing, Marketing and CRM, IP Law, Non-profit, Microfinance, Personal finance, International Development, Insurance, Taxes, Macroeconomics, Real Estate, Shopping, Management consulting, Personal services, Web
Arts
Outlets, Visual, Burning Man, Movies, Animation, Spoken Word, Sculpture, Poetry, iPad bait, Desktop wallpaper bait, Events, Comix, Literature, Humor, Rhetoric
Design
User experience, Type, Tools, Algorithmic, Architecture, Process, Web, Data visualization, IA, Furniture, Presentations, Cool
Science
Cognition, Psychology, Zoology, Statistics and Data, Physics, Environment, Networks
Travel
Uganda, Vagabond '08, Kenya, Kingdom of Siam
