Los Angeles Map Shorts
Description: 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/
Description: The Eastside is a region of Los Angeles County. It includes the communities of Boyle Heights, East Los Angeles, El Sereno, Lincoln Heights -- as well as numerous smaller communities like Belvedere, Brooklyn Heights, City Terrace, Eastmont, Happy Valley, Hillside Village, Maravilla, Rose Hill, and University Hills. I wrote a primer, for my series, "California Fool's Gold," in 2011. https://ericbrightwell.com/2011/03/30/california-fools-gold-an-eastside-primer/
Description: Downtown Los Angeles is a region of Central Los Angeles which is home to many small neighborhoods and districts. I explored and mapped it for my series, "California Fool's Gold," in 2011. https://ericbrightwell.com/2011/03/15/california-fools-gold-a-downtown-los-angeles-primer-2/
Description: Los Feliz is a neighborhood in Mideast Los Angeles (MELA). It's named after the Feliz (also spelled Felix and Felis) family who ranched there decades ago. I explored it for my series, "California Fool's Gold," in 2010. https://ericbrightwell.com/2010/11/16/california-fools-gold-exploring-los-feliz-the-mideast-sides-pill-hill/
Description: Little Central America is a nickname given to the neighborhoods of Westlake and Pico-Union, which are home to large numbers of residents from Salvadoran, Guatemalan, and other Central American backgrounds. It's also home to a large number of restaurants and businesses owned by and catering to people of various Central American backgrounds.
Description: 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/
Description: A bold typographic composition filled with an intricate Los Angeles street map, blending urban cartography with clean graphic design. The detailed grid of roads and highways forms each letter, creating a striking contrast in black and white. This piece captures the complexity and rhythm of LA’s layout, appealing to fans of cityscapes, geography, and modern minimalist aesthetics. Perfect for those drawn to architectural patterns and metropolitan design.
Description: Pasadena is today only the ninth-most populous cities in Los Angeles County. However, it is easily one of the most historically and culturally important. I explored it for my series, "California Fool's Gold," in 2012. https://ericbrightwell.com/2012/01/04/california-fools-gold-exploring-pasadena-the-crown-city-of-roses/
Description: Highland Park is a neighborhood in Northeast Los Angeles. It was, along with Sycamore Grove, one of the first two communities to be annexed by Los Angeles, in 1895. In 1927, part of Annandale, Garvanza, Hermon, and York Valley (formerly New York Valley) joined together in an alliance as "Greater Highland Park." I explored the neighborhood over the course of two days for my series, "California Fool's Gold," in 2010. https://ericbrightwell.com/2010/10/03/california-fools-gold-exploring-highland-park/
Description: 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.
Description: I moved to Los Angeles in 1999. I couldn't find a map of all of the neighborhoods of the city. I set about making my own -- exploring the vast county on foot and mass transit. Along the way, I drew maps with ink and painted them in watercolors and oil paint -- or some combination (including correction fluid). As a lefty converted to a righty, my handwriting is terrible and my maps are sometimes hard to read when reproduced or reprinted -- and so I've made these clean, digital versions for people who prefer that sort of thing.
Description: I wrote a primer and mapped the San Fernando Valley, or simply, "The Valley," for "California Fool's Gold" in 2012. This watercolor map, however, dates to 2013 or so (when I experimenting with watercolors). It is primarily a region of the city of Los Angeles but also includes the municipalities of San Fernando and Burbank, as well as the unincorporated community of Universal City. https://ericbrightwell.com/2012/11/05/california-fools-gold-a-san-fernando-valley-primer/
Description: Monterey Park is a suburban city in the San Gabriel Valley. It is notable for it's Chinese American majority, although it has undergone changes over the years, from a predominantly Taiwanese Chinese population to a mainland Chinese and Hong Konger population. I explored it for my series, "California Fool's Gold," in 2010. https://ericbrightwell.com/2010/09/23/california-fools-gold-exploring-monterey-park-%e8%92%99%e7%89%b9%e5%88%a9%e5%85%ac%e5%9b%ad/
Description: 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/
Description: 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/
Description: City Terrace is a small neighborhood on Los Angeles's Eastside. In 2013, I explored it, with a dog named Dooley, for a piece that appeared in my series, "California Fool's Gold." https://ericbrightwell.com/2013/12/24/been-up-to-city-terrace-to-see-whats-a-happening-exploring-city-terrace/
Description: Hacienda Heights is an unincorporated suburban community in the San Gabriel Valley. It is home to a large Taiwanese population and is home to the biggest Buddhist temple in the Western Hemisphere. I explored it for my series, "California Fool's Gold," in 2011. https://ericbrightwell.com/2011/06/19/california-fools-gold-exploring-hacienda-heights/
Description: The Mideast Side -- also known as "Mideast Los Angeles" and "MELA" -- is a region of Central Los Angeles (i.e. Hollywood, Downtown, Midtown, and the Mideast). It's the region of Los Angeles in which I live. I wrote a primer in 2011 and painted this version of the map, the third, a couple of years later. https://ericbrightwell.com/2011/03/16/california-fools-gold-a-mideast-side-primer/
Description: I explored a bit of Montebello's history for "California Fool's Gold" in 2007. In fact, it's one of the rare cases where I drew the map afterward -- after I began getting a bit of positive public and media attention. https://ericbrightwell.com/2007/11/03/montebello-montesmello-if-youre-nasty/
Description: An ink and correctional fluid map of Los Angeles's Westside region. It's home to enclaves like Little Brazil, Little Britain, Little Odessa, Little Osaka, and Tehrangeles; UCLA; world-famous Venice Beach, and a handful of places with "Beverly" in their name. I wrote a primer about the communities of the Westside for "California Fool's Gold." https://ericbrightwell.com/2011/08/18/california-fools-gold-a-westside-primer/
Description: Boyle Heights is a neighborhood on Los Angeles's Eastside. Once it was thought of as the "Ellis Island of the West," on account of its diverse population of Jews, Japanese, Russians, Mexicans, and others. I explored for my series, "California Fool's Gold," in 2010. https://ericbrightwell.com/2010/01/28/california-fools-gold-exploring-boyle-heights/
Description: Venice is a Westside neighborhood founded in 1905 as a seaside resort town. It was later associated with Beatniks, hippies, and other bohemians. Today it's largely associated with tech bros and yuppies in the mainstream although it retains a distinctly eccentric character. I explored in 2011. https://ericbrightwell.com/2011/01/19/1447/
Description: Hancock Park is a neighborhood in Los Angeles's Midtown region. Although primarily composed of single-family homes, Rossmore Avenue is home to a charming section of older, mid-rise apartment buildings. I explored it for my series, "California Fool's Gold," in 2015. https://ericbrightwell.com/2015/05/28/california-fools-gold-exploring-hancock-park/
