Los Angeles Metro Mugs

South Los Angeles is a region of Los Angeles County. There is no set definition but most include independent cities like Compton and Inglewood. It is divided, by many locals, into east and west sides.

Planning for the Metro Purple Line Extension began in earnest in 2010. Construction of the Metro Purple Line Extension began in 2014. I walked (above ground) along its route, exploring the line's surroundings for my series, "Nobody Drives in LA" in 2013. https://ericbrightwell.com/2013/08/29/exploring-the-planned-course-of-the-metro-purple-line-extension-block-by-block-land-of-sunshine-kcet/

Southeast Los Angeles County -- or just "Southeast Los Angeles" -- refers to a cluster of gateway cities and unincorporated suburbs located between South Los Angeles's Eastside, the San Gabriel Valley, and North Orange County. I wrote a primer of the region, for my series "California Fool's Gold," in 2009 and drew an earlier version of the map at that time. This one was completed a short time after. https://ericbrightwell.com/2009/04/28/california-fools-gold-a-southeast-los-angeles-primer/

Groundbreaking for Metro's Foothill Extension Phase 2A took place in 2010. I walked its length, exploring along the way, for my series, "Nobody Drives in LA" in 2013. The line opened in 2015. https://ericbrightwell.com/2013/02/27/nobody-drives-in-la-exploring-the-gold-lines-foothill-extension-phase-2a/

The South Bay Metro Green Line Extension is a proposed light rail extension into the suburbs of the South Bay. I walked the potential route and explored the surroundings for my series, "Nobody Drives in LA," in 2013. https://ericbrightwell.com/2013/11/13/nobody-drives-in-la-exploring-the-south-bay-metro-green-line-extension/

West Adams, historically, refers to a sub-region of Los Angeles centered along West Adams Boulevard. Today, it also refers to a newer neighborhood of South Los Angeles, also bisected by West Adams. Thus, this map is distinguished as "Historic West Adams."

This is a composite image of the Los Angeles Metro Gold Line station in Azusa as a train pulls up. Four 1 second exposures, with a variable neutral density filter, were used to create this image of a translucent train arriving while another train waits on the opposite tracks. The Azusa Downtown station, and 5 other stations opened in March, 2016. I plan on creating more images of the Gold Line in the future.

Silver Lake is a restaurant in the Mideast Los Angeles (MELA) region. It is famously Los Angeles's "gayborhood," having been the birthplace of the Advocate magazine, Light House Book Store, the Black Cat protest (the nation's first planned gay rights action), the Mattachine Society, and countless gay bars. One of its affectionate neighborhood -- a reference to both its demographics and hilly topography, is "the Swish Alps." I explored it for my series, "California Fool's Gold," in 2010. https://ericbrightwell.com/2010/06/08/california-fools-gold-exploring-silver-lake-los-angeless-gayborhood/

The Santa Monica Mountains are, naturally, a mountain range. The name also refers to a region of Los Angeles County, located west of the Westside. I wrote a primer and painted this map for my series, "California Fool's Gold," in 2011. https://ericbrightwell.com/2011/06/01/california-fools-gold-a-santa-monica-mountains-primer/

Wilshire Center is one of those somewhat vague sub-regions of Midtown Los Angeles defined around Wilshire Boulevard -- along the lines of Mid-Wilshire or Mid-City. There are, nevertheless, LADOT signs posted at what one would assume to be its borders -- although the northernmost extend into what is generally regarded to be East Hollywood. This, then, is my compromise and an attempt at a more sane definition, which includes Koreatown and Little Bangladesh, and areas otherwise undesignated to the east, west, and north.

Metro opened the first phase of the Expo Line (now the E Line) in 2012. Phase 2 opened in 2016. I explored its route in 2013 for my series, "Nobody Drives in LA." https://ericbrightwell.com/2013/01/30/nobody-drives-in-la-exploring-the-course-of-the-metro-expo-line-phase-2/

Temple-Beaudry is a neighborhood of Mideast Los Angeles (MELA) named after the intersection of Temple Street and Beverly Boulevard. Its greatest attraction, arguably, is Vista Hermosa Park.

Elevate your style with our latest collection, where artistry meets fashion. Each piece is a visual journey, capturing the essence of urban landscapes and city vibes. Embrace the metropolitan spirit effortlessly embodied in these designs. Wear the cityscape, feel the rhythm. Explore your world in style.

Elevate your style with our latest collection, where artistry meets fashion. Each piece is a visual journey, capturing the essence of urban landscapes and city vibes. Embrace the metropolitan spirit effortlessly embodied in these designs. Wear the cityscape, feel the rhythm. Explore your world in style.

Elevate your style with our latest collection, where artistry meets fashion. Each piece is a visual journey, capturing the essence of urban landscapes and city vibes. Embrace the metropolitan spirit effortlessly embodied in these designs. Wear the cityscape, feel the rhythm. Explore your world in style.

Elevate your style with our latest collection, where artistry meets fashion. Each piece is a visual journey, capturing the essence of urban landscapes and city vibes. Embrace the metropolitan spirit effortlessly embodied in these designs. Wear the cityscape, feel the rhythm. Explore your world in style.

Elevate your style with our latest collection, where artistry meets fashion. Each piece is a visual journey, capturing the essence of urban landscapes and city vibes. Embrace the metropolitan spirit effortlessly embodied in these designs. Wear the cityscape, feel the rhythm. Explore your world in style.

Elevate your style with our latest collection, where artistry meets fashion. Each piece is a visual journey, capturing the essence of urban landscapes and city vibes. Embrace the metropolitan spirit effortlessly embodied in these designs. Wear the cityscape, feel the rhythm. Explore your world in style.

Elevate your style with our latest collection, where artistry meets fashion. Each piece is a visual journey, capturing the essence of urban landscapes and city vibes. Embrace the metropolitan spirit effortlessly embodied in these designs. Wear the cityscape, feel the rhythm. Explore your world in style.

Elevate your style with our latest collection, where artistry meets fashion. Each piece is a visual journey, capturing the essence of urban landscapes and city vibes. Embrace the metropolitan spirit effortlessly embodied in these designs. Wear the cityscape, feel the rhythm. Explore your world in style.

Elevate your style with our latest collection, where artistry meets fashion. Each piece is a visual journey, capturing the essence of urban landscapes and city vibes. Embrace the metropolitan spirit effortlessly embodied in these designs. Wear the cityscape, feel the rhythm. Explore your world in style.

Elevate your style with our latest collection, where artistry meets fashion. Each piece is a visual journey, capturing the essence of urban landscapes and city vibes. Embrace the metropolitan spirit effortlessly embodied in these designs. Wear the cityscape, feel the rhythm. Explore your world in style.

Elevate your style with our latest collection, where artistry meets fashion. Each piece is a visual journey, capturing the essence of urban landscapes and city vibes. Embrace the metropolitan spirit effortlessly embodied in these designs. Wear the cityscape, feel the rhythm. Explore your world in style.

The Metro Silver Line is a bus with Bus Rapid Transit characteristics. The El Monte Busway portion opened in 1973 and in 2012 I decided to explore the route for my series, "Nobody Drives in LA." https://ericbrightwell.com/2012/11/20/nobody-drives-in-la-silver-line-stroll-from-union-station-to-el-monte/

Definitions of what constitutes the Inland Empire vary; the smallest include just the cities of western Riverside County and southwestern San Bernardino County. Others extend the term to include the Coachella Valley, including Palm Springs. The broadest definitions include all of San Bernardino and Riverside counties. The latter, it's hopefully clear, is the definition depicted with this map.

Terminal Island is an augmented mudflat in the San Pedro Bay. It was formerly home to a Japanese fishing village and the center of canning and shipbuilding. It is today home to the busiest port complex outside of Asia as well as a prison. I explored it for my series, "California Fool's Gold," in 2014. https://ericbrightwell.com/2014/12/16/california-fools-gold-exploring-terminal-island/

Wilshire Park is a small neighborhood west of Koreatown in Midtown Los Angeles. It's home to the home seen in on the television series, My Three Sons. I explored it in 2009 for my series, "California Fool's Gold." https://ericbrightwell.com/2009/10/08/california-fools-gold-exploring-wilshire-park/

The Venice Canal Historic District is a district in the Venice neighborhood that is noteworthy for its canals built in 1905 by developer Abbot Kinney as part of his Venice of America plan. Sadly, a number were filled-in in 1929 to allow for paved roads and more automobiles.

South Pasadena is a small suburban city located, naturally, to the south of Pasadena. It, however improbably, retains and exudes a rather small-town feel which leads to its often portraying small towns in the Midwest on television and in film. I explored it for my series, "California Fool's Gold,' in 2011. https://ericbrightwell.com/2011/01/08/california-fools-gold-exploring-south-pasadena-where-the-past-is-the-present/

St. Andrews Square is a small neighborhood in Midtown Los Angeles. Presumably named after the local street, St. Andrews Place, it also shares a name with a city square in Edinburgh. St. Andrew is, of course, also famous for being the patron saint of Scotland.

Santa Ana is the county seat of Orange County. It's known as "Orange County's Downtown" and is one of the few cities in that county that can truly be characterized, in part, as urban. I explored it for my series, "California Fool's Gold," in 2010. https://ericbrightwell.com/2010/08/11/california-fools-gold-exploring-santa-ana-downtown-orange-county/

Sherman Oaks is a mostly-suburban neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley. In the 1980s, it was widely associated with the Valley Girl subculture thanks in large part to the Sherman Oaks Galleria -- which figured into the films "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" and "Valley Girl," the song "Valley Girl," and "Val" culture. I explored it for my series, "California Fool's Gold" in 2010. https://ericbrightwell.com/2010/07/16/california-fools-gold-exploring-sherman-oaks/

San Gabriel is a suburban city in the San Gabriel Valley. The majority of its populace are foreign-born -- mostly in Vietnam and China -- lead to it's affectionately being nicknamed "Chan Gabriel." Its official name is derived from Mission San Gabriel Arcángel, a Spanish mission built in 1776. I explored it for my series, "California Fool's Gold," in 2011. https://ericbrightwell.com/2011/11/10/california-fools-gold-exploring-san-gabriel-a-city-with-a-mission/

The theme song to the West Covina-set television series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend described West Covina is "the pride of the Inland Empire." It coule be said that that show put West Covina "on the map." Unfortunately, that map is not at all accurate. West Covina is in an altogether different county, Los Angeles, to be precise -- not the Inland Empire (i.e. Riverside and San Bernardino counties). I put it on the map in the correct place -- in the San Gabriel Valley.

Walnut is a small suburb in the eastern part of the San Gabriel Valley. It is named, I expect, after the Black Walnut, a tree indigenous to Los Angeles. I explored it for my series, "California Fool's Gold," in 2009.

This is a composite image of the Los Angeles Metro Gold Line station in Monrovia as a train pulls up. Five 5 second exposures, with a variable neutral density filter, were used to create this image of a translucent train arriving. The Monrovia station, and 5 other stations opened in March, 2016.