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Kitsch

Kitsch LA: Studio City’s Giant Hand

Angeleno Sights

A vintage Corvette tops a bigger-than-life hand and sponge along Ventura Blvd. at the Studio City Hand Car Wash. There’s no doubt the signage attracts a lot of attention but, personally, I think it’s a waste of a good sports car. However, that’s my only “objection” to the kitschy landmark, which has apparently sparked a [...]

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L.A. Coroner’s Little Shop of Horrors Now a Dying Business

Cryptic L.A.
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Considering how death rates trend upward during the holiday season, this macabre December 25 New York Times article profiling the L.A. Coroner’s Skeletons in the Closet store is oddly timely. (Still, it probably would’ve been better timed before Christmas to help last-minute shoppers needing gift ideas for those hard-to-please people on their lists.)
Ever on the [...]

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Bearing Christmas Greetings

Life in Angel City
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Decorated for the holiday season, this Santa Bear guards the Ferndell entrance to Griffith Park. Someone has apparently taken it upon himself to ensure the statue is always dressed appropriately for every occasion. A few weeks ago the bear was wearing a winter sweater. During the summer he’s bare (bear?) naked.
The bear was a gift [...]

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The Lights Are On in Hastings Ranch!

Life in Angel City
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Well, sort of… With the rain pouring and the troubled economy encouraging drastic energy conservation, the annual Upper Hastings Ranch Light Up seems more of a hit-or-miss event this year.
Driving through the soggy Pasadena enclave during a 10 p.m. deluge, I saw plenty of houses wired up with lights and displays, but few were actually [...]

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SoCal Kitsch: Pink Panther Muffler Man

Odds and Ends
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Muffler sculptures are a staple of auto garages everywhere, but thanks to our Car Culture, they’re especially ubiquitous here in Southern California.
As an art form, more often than not they lack imagination, frequently resembling uninspired robots or clunky mechanical aliens. When you come across one that’s truly whimsical — like this Pink Panther near the [...]

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