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The Los Angeles Police Museum

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On York Boulevard in the Highland Park neighborhood of Los Angeles sits the Los Angeles Police Museum with three stories of exhibits on the history of policing in the City of Angels (and Bad-Asses).

Originally, we intended to visit the Heritage Square Museum with its Victorian mansions that were moved to a lot alongside the 110 (Pasadena) Freeway. Unfortunately, they were closed for a fund raising event, so we had to find an alternate. We had visited the LAPD Museum a couple years ago, so we decided to drive north and check to see if it was open. Fortunately, we were in luck.

The second floor has three interesting exhibits that are the heart of the museum:

  • The 1963 kidnapping of LAPD officers Ian Campbell and Karl Hettinger by two hoods. Hettinger managed to escape, but Campbell was executed in a Kern County onion field. Joseph Wambaugh wrote a novel about the incident in his novel The Onion Field.
  • The Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA) in May 1974, in which six members of the organization were killed when the LAPD attacked the house they were in.
  • Most interesting to me was the 1997 North Hollywood shootout between two heavily armed bank robbers and several hundred police officers. One of the exhibits was a video of the actual event.

Still from the February 1997 Bank Robbery

Afterwards, Martine and I had lunch and went to one of our favorite stores, the Galco Soda Pop Stop on York Boulevard. They sell an incredible selection of soda pop, beer, and wine from all over the world, in addition to nostalgic candies and toys from the 1950s and 1960s.

At Saint Sophia

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Details of Mosaic at Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral

This was the second Greek Festival at Saint Sophia since the end of the Covid-19 lockdown. It wasn’t like it used to be before the epidemic hit. Nonetheless, Martine and I enjoyed ourselves with some excellent spanakopita (spinach and feta cheese in a pastry).

We spent an hour in what is the most beautiful church in Los Angeles, whose building was spearheaded by American movie executive Charles P. Skouras. During services, Skouras controlled the lighting in the church from his reserved pew in the left aisle. Never mind that he was a bit of a control freak, but his splendid church is worth visiting. It sits on Normandie one block south of Pico Boulevard.

As America turns from being a country that welcomed minorities to one that imprisons and deports them, it is inevitable that, as time passes, the celebrations will become less ethnic, the food less authentic, and the parishioners more English-speaking. Also, we miss Father John Bakas who served for twenty-seven years as Dean of the Cathedral, but who retired in 2023.

I’ll still try to show up at the festivals, even though I am Hungarian and Martine is French. We love Greek food and find Orthodox Christianity more genuinely welcoming.

Saint Sophia’s Greekfests used to be held during the summer. The temperature today was perfect (in the mid-seventies).

Klassics for Kids

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Martine with One of Many Classic Chevies

We hadn’t been to a car show for several months, so when Martine handed me a flier for the Klassics for Kids Benefit Car Show sponsored by the Calas Park Volunteer Association in Carson, I jumped at the chance. It was a cloudy and muggy day (another of those Mexican monsoons), but it was an interesting event.

For one thing, Martine and I were probably the only gringos in attendance. No matter: It was a neighborhood event, and the people in attendance were super friendly.

Neighborhood Girls at the Klassics for Kids Car Show

Most of the cars being exhibited were souped-up classic Chevrolets, many of which were purchased from Giant Felix Chevrolet on Figueroa in Downtown Los Angeles. There were the usual hot rod modifications, including hydraulics, chain link steering wheels, and numerous artistic modifications. This is only the second show we have attended that concentrated on Hispanic car culture. It was an interesting experience.

Side View Mirror Art (with Martine’s Straw Hat)

Afterwords, Martine and I stopped at a Jollibee Foods Restaurant on Carson Boulevard. It was another cultural experience, this time of a culinary nature. Jollibee’s is a Filipino chain which is expanding rapidly in the United States. Based on the quality of their burgers and their chicken, I think they will succeed beyond their wildest dreams. I first encountered them at the food court of the Ala Moana Shopping Center in Honolulu. I didn’t sample their food then, but was curious at the loyalty of their customer base and the long lines at their restaurant.

Miami on the Pacific

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If It Gets Any More Humid …

Thanks, Mario! The Mexican storm of this name has, upon dissipating flooded California with moist, tropical air and the threat of thunderstorms. As I went downtown today for my weekly Mindful Meditation session at the L.A. Central Library, I suddenly felt many of my joints protesting—from my formerly broken shoulders (both of them) to my left hip (replaced a quarter of a century ago).

Somehow, I made it, even though the elevator down to the Metro Rail station at Seventh Street was closed for repairs. Back when it was built, the architects decided they didn’t need a down escalator: Stairs should do nicely. Hah!

The humidity will probably last through the weekend, regardless what the weather forecaster say. What do they know?

Cooking Flop

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Daily writing prompt
Write about your most epic baking or cooking fail.
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My biggest cooking failures are in not properly judging my sweetheart’s taste. Basically, she can’t eat anything that has a vowel in its name (or so it seems). Once I find something she’ll eat, I keep using the same recipe … without any changes whatsoever.

I also have cooking failures when I cook for myself, but they are no big deal.