I finished my Downtown Renaissance tour and I was looking down 5th st, there was a lot of activity there, so I headed on east.
I recently heard someone say, the best camera is the one you have on you, I had my phone and the pictures are not bad.Two years ago the King Edward Hotel was bought, cleaned up and now is low income housing. Low income in America is not like anywhere else in the world. Notice an air conditioner and a cable TV satellite.
As to the store ONSOMESHIT, interesting name, check the link, this is BMX clothing. You know skateboarders? I guess BMX is doing crazy stuff on bicycles. Oldest dive bar in the area King Eddy Saloon has new owners, but is still a dive. No I didn’t check it out inside.Engine 23 of course is no longer a fire station, it also appears to no longer be in use. I hope someone saves the building, meanwhile a cat.This is what Broadway looked like 10 years ago. Now there is a whole movement to bring back Broadway, so all of these kind of vendors have moved east, into what was skid row. Los Angeles street was the edge of Skid row, there were always businesses here, mostly garment businesses. One place I have to visit is B.Black and Sons, Best purveyor of wools and tailoring supplies around. It is just beyond this photo. Today many of the businesses are these kind, and the shoppers are here in drove.I don’t think this is still a viable business, I do love the sign.I don’t know when this mural was painted, although this area is still sketchy, Skid row has moved a little further east to San Julian St. and San Pedro St. where the missions and other homeless services are located. Notice how advertising and businesses are now crowding out the mural.This looks like someone had to get everything in on one building, from Buddha, Wicked, Andre the Giant, Day of the Dead and even some Native American messages.City Hall peeking out behind this interesting mural.A closer look. I’m trying to find information about this but can’t find anything yet. This is clearly about the old and new generation of Japanese women. (the mural is not far from little Tokyo). I love the dialogue between the two.Then there are the murals that simply remind me of a quilt, I wonder if the artist is aware of the block, Trip around the world.One more cat, this green one just popped up in Pershing Square, don’t know if it’s just temporary.
Leah
Interesting, as always! That green cat is one cat I wish had been at Pershing Square last month.
It’s not the camera, but how you use it that counts! GREAT photos, Leah!