Banning Street in the industrial section near downtown Los Angeles, 1980.

1980, Banning Street in the industrial section near downtown Los Angeles. (William Reagh Collection).  Thank you to LAPL.

The Carpenters, "Yesterday Once More," 1973

"Yesterday Once More," 1973.  "Only Yesterday," 1975, another Carpenters' song.  The Beatles' "Yesterday" was released in 1965.  Too many songs about yesterday to get people to give up the present and the future and wallow in the past. 

This is a mildly painful song because it reminds me of my Dad who loved the Carpenters' voices, TV performances, and melodies.  When I hear them today, I love them, and in 1973 they remind me of my growing pains.  I was in my purposeless junior year of high school.  And my Dad was readying for retirement.  So as to careers, skills, and social reputation, he wanted nothing of it anymore, and he thoroughly enjoyed retirement, traveling with friends and family to Colorado, to Palm Springs, to Arizona, to Chicago and Indiana to see in person and live a Notre Dame vs. USC game.  O, and he maintained Frank and Marilyn's home in Glendale, cleaning their pool, vacuuming, dusting, and keeping the kitchen clean.  

For me, goals would have helped a lot instead of just letting time drift and waiting for others to pick me up.

Patti Smith, "Because the Night," 1978

Wow, seeing this I've performance makes me like Patti Smith a lot.  The song was written by Bruce Springsteen and Patti Smith and was released in '77 and placed on her 1978 album.

Patti Smith - Because the Night (1978) pic.twitter.com/tFU049yf6M

— 🎼🌺Music Love♥️ (@ThoNg676733) May 19, 2026

Her song, "People Have the Power," from her 1988 album, Dream of Life, is pretty good.  Not great.  Maybe too melodic and not enough bite.  

Her better work comes when she goes full grunge or Lou Reed with a feminine twist, like her 1979 "Dancing Barefoot."

"Smell of Teen Spirit," released on April 17, 2007 as part of her album Twelve).  Patti Smith’s version of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” often searched as “Smell of Teen Spirit” is a cover track on her 2007 album Twelve.

The Boys from Baldwin Park, 1980-1983

Well, I was in Azusa this morning getting a cup of coffee with the McDonald's at Azusa Avenue and Cypress and I was thinking of a memory, was thinking of the guys from UPS in Baldwin Park.  Two guys I worked with at night there were Dave Grinnell, Marty [can't think of his last name], and Roy Becerra.  These guys were friendly enough to host weekend parties.  Dave enjoyed drinking.  I attended one of his parties where instead of serving Coke & Rum, Dave served Meyers's Rum & Dr. Pepper.  Dee-licious.  There was another guy I liked too.  These guys could drink.  One buddy downed too many Long Island iced teas one night up at the bar at the City of Industry.  But the main guys were Roy, Marty, and Dave.  Roy used to invite us over to his place in City Terrace off of City Terrace Drive.  He's the one who introduced me to El Tepeyac's monster plates in East LA.  Afterwards, we'd go to his house on Evergreen, smoke a little pot, listen to music.  Someone gifted him with a pitbull puppy, a little "pitty."  Roy was a great guy, generous and kind.  He had good taste in music.  He liked Santana, of course, but he liked Rickie Lee Jones, too, so he enjoyed listening to her 1979 song "Chucky E's in Love." 

Roy was also enamored by Stevie Nicks. "Landslide" is from Fleetwood Mac's 1975 album, so I am sure that Roy may have been referring to it or another song on that album.  

Their 1977 album, Rumours, contained the terrific hit, "Go Your Own Way," released in 1976 before compilation on the album.  

The other song I remember falling in love with back in those days was The Clash's 1980 song "Charlie Don't Surf" from their Sandanista! [Nicaraguan communists] album.  "Charlie don't surf" is a line from the 1979 Apocalypse Now movie, starring Martin Sheen, Robert Duval, and Marlon Brando. 

With Dave Grinnell also, he had a bad back and he used to ask me like at least once or twice a night to crack his back for him, which meant that I had to lift him up off the ground.  He'd present his back to me, and I'd rap my arms around him and he'd hold his arms to his side and I'd lift him up, and you could hear the crack and his spine kind of falling into some alignment.  When I first met Dave, he was a sorter at the foot of the ramp, which was like 5 to 6 feet above me. And he'd insult me to get my attention.  I ignored him long enough before I started calling him gay and fagot.    That's how we got to know each other.  The 4 of us had fun because at least once a week, sometimes twice a week, we'd either go eat at Manny's in East LA, with a pitcher of beer, of course, and then maybe golfing at a 3-par.  One summer morning, we drove up Highway 39 in Azusa to go swimming in West Fork River.  And I recall that we saw one a snake swimming at the surface of the water.  Nature is always fun to observe.  So that was cool.  And, of course, we brought beer with us.  Marty was the biggest drinker in the group.  He was unfazed by alcohol.  Marty and Dave were the big drinkers. Roy not so much, and me even less.  I was a lightweight.

Ken Hathaway who I went skiing with at Wrightwood one Sunday.  He bought peppermint schnapps, carried it in one of those deerskin wine bags.  He was a good skier too, so we had fun doing that.  And we skied all night from 9pm to midnight, then drove to Baldwin Park to start our graveyard shift  at 1 am. 

Who else was there?  Mark Peterson.  He asked me if he could get a job at UPS, so I gave him the contact's name, I think Danny Macias. Danny did ask me if Mark was reliable, and I said yes.  I remember that Mark worked at Toys R Us in Rosemead right off the 10 Freeway.  To say "I got Mark Peterson a job" might be overstating it.  I vouched for him.  I don't know that "I got him a job," but I told him who to get in touch with.  This must have been 1983 because I wasn't around at Baldwin Park long enough because in April 1983, I was assigned a driving position im the Beverly Hills Hub at the Olympic Warehouse where I would later meet and reconnect with John Simpson, and get to know my supervisor Bruce, a light-skinned black man from Diamond Bar who loved playing basketball and invited me because I was tall.  

Mark and I were buddies at one time.  We spent a weekend in Santa Barbara once, slept in in back of my truck

Heart's Ann and Nancy Wilson Pay Tribute to Led Zeppelin. What a Tribute!!!

December 2, 2012 (at the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, D.C.).  This is the widely shared, highly acclaimed performance by Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart (with Jason Bonham on drums and a choir), tributing Led Zeppelin. It was recorded that day and later aired on CBS (around December 26, 2012)

Here is "Stairway to Heaven."  And lyrics.

One of the most famous cover performances in rock music history💫 pic.twitter.com/P0AtJqIuTz

— 🎼🌺Music Love♥️ (@ThoNg676733) May 17, 2026

And "Black Dog."  And lyrics.

"I Want to Know What Love Is," Foreigner, 1984

Nobody can sing this song anywhere near as good as Lou in his prime. So powerful. pic.twitter.com/wftWclneOG

— 🎼🌺Music Love♥️ (@ThoNg676733) May 18, 2026

"I Want to Know What Love Is" is a song by the British-American rock band Foreigner.  The "Lou" reference is to Lou Gramm.

Grok gives me a helping hand,

The X post shows a classic live performance of Foreigner (with Lou Gramm on vocals in a yellow tank top and bandana) performing"I Want to Know What Love Is" alongside a gospel choir in white robes (likely the New Jersey Mass Choir). This matches well-known 1984 footage from around the time the song was a massive hit from their album Agent Provocateur.

The song itself was released in late 1984 and featured the New Jersey Mass Choir on the studio recording (and often live). Videos and posts of this exact energetic stadium-style performance with the choir are commonly dated to 1984. 

This is impressive,

In 1977, Foreigner released its self-titled debut album, the first of six consecutive albums to be certified multi-platinum and reach the Top 10 in the US. The album produced two US Top 10 singles, "Feels Like the First Time" and "Cold as Ice". Their 1978 follow-up, Double Vision, was successful and included two more US hits: "Hot Blooded" 

LA PUBLIC LIBRARY

Samoan Gangs in [Carson] Los Angeles, 1990s

"One day I was one of life's losers / even my friends were my accusers / I'm winning / I'm winning / And I don't intend on losing again" --Russ Glyn Ballard

 

Heard this 1981 song by Santana, "Winning," tonight on the radio and I just loved it. Loved the opening guitar riff by Santana but also loved the alto voice by Alex Ligertwood.

He is best known as a lead vocalist for Santana, with five different stints from 1979 to 1994, which included the US Festival in 1982 and Live Aid in 1985. He is credited as lead vocalist on Santana songs such as "All I Ever Wanted," "You Know That I Love You," "Winning" and "Hold On." He also has co-writing credits for Santana songs including "Brightest Star," "E Papa Re," "Make Somebody Happy," "Somewhere in Heaven" and "The Nile." 

Here are the lyrics.

Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 1964-

One of the more elegant experiences for any kid in LA trying to learn what culture is.

 

Dorothy Chandler Pavilion is one of the halls in the Los Angeles Music Center, which is one of the largest performing arts centers in the United States. The Music Center's other halls include the Mark Taper Forum, Ahmanson Theatre, and Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Chaspeak Apartments at 512 W. 2nd Street [between Grand & Olive], Los Angeles, 1940s

I am sure that Dad would have loved to have seen these pictures.  Breaks my heart a little to see these without his eyes and comments on them.  He was at heart, aesthetically and nostalgically, a true Victorian, era 1837-1901, or maybe in love with his parents years and Victorian ornaments of the late 1880s. 

The Chaspeak Apartments at 512 W. 2nd street would have been my favorite building in L.A. had I lived there in the 40s. It was the inspiration for Arturo Bandini's rooming house in the 2006 film adaptation of "Ask the Dust." It is just creepy enough to be interesting. It was the home of a slightly mad spinster Josephine Hutchinson in the "Somewhere in the Night, 1946." Find more details at Water & Power.

HISTORICAL NOTE

The Chaspeak Apartments at 512 West Second Street became a familiar presence in Hollywood films. The building appeared in Somewhere in the Night, directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, and later in The Days of Wine and Roses. Its steep setting and layered architecture made it a natural backdrop for stories set in Los Angeles’ older neighborhoods.

By the mid-20th century, buildings like these reflected the changing character of Bunker Hill. Once home to wealthy residents, the area had become a dense working neighborhood filled with apartment houses and rooming establishments. Residents included laborers, retirees, and recent arrivals, giving the district a lived-in, textured quality that filmmakers often sought to capture. 

1950, * A closer view of the Chaspeak Apartments highlights the square bays, twin towers, and rounded entrance arch. Photographer Arnold Hylen can be seen walking in the foreground.

Thanks to the great Jack Feldman for these photos and their captions.  1950 – A closer look at the Chesapeake or Chaspeak? Apartments at 512 West 2nd Street.

Its twin towers are arched entrance made it one of Bunker Hill's most recognizable buildings.

"You don't know how much I'd give / Or how much I can take / Just to reach you" --Melissa Etheridge, 1993.

1993 single, "Come to My Window," Melissa Etheridge. 

I would dial the numbers

Just to listen to your breath
I would stand inside my hell
And hold the hand of death
You don't know how far I'd go
To ease this precious ache
You don't know how much I'd give
Or how much I can take
Just to reach you

Just to reach you
Just to reach you
Come to my window

Crawl inside, wait by the light
of the moon
Come to my window
I'll be home soon
Keeping my eyes open

I cannot afford to sleep
Giving away promises
I know that I can't keep
Nothing fills the blackness
That has seeped into my chest
I need you in my blood
I am forsaking all the rest
Just to reach you
Just to reach you
Oh to reach you
Come to my window

Crawl inside, wait by the light
of the moon
Come to my window
I'll be home soon
I don't care what they think

I don't care what they say
What do they know about this
love anyway
Come to my window

Crawl inside, wait by the light
of the moon
Come to my window
I'll be home soon

source: https://www.lyricsondemand.com/melissa_etheridge/come_to_my_window

1937 film “Heidi”, starring Shirley Temple, all the alpine scenes were filmed around Big Bear and Sky Forest, Lake Arrowhead.

 

Bruce Dunseth explains that "In the 1937 film “Heidi”, starring Shirley Temple, all the alpine scenes were filmed around Big Bear and Sky Forest, Lake Arrowhead."

Thanks to Bruce Dunseth @ Southern California Nostalgia.

Ending Scene of Chaplin's 1921 The Kid was Filmed on Olvera Street, Los Angeles

I had no idea that this ending scene was shot behind Olvera Street in Los Angeles.  

This video comes from Silent Locations.

Court Flight, 1904-1943

Thank you to Alvaro Guevara.

My dad would have loved to see this pictures.

Angels Flight & 3rd Street, 1901-2025

Knott's Berry Farm Restaurant, Buena Park

 

from the looks of the women's hairdo and the men's ties, I'd say this is 1967 or 1968.  Thanks to Jeff Tucker for the pic.  Another picture from about 1985.

Dad absolutely loved the chicken dinners at Knott's Berry Farm.  I know for a fact that he used to go here with Marilyn and her friends a few times.  I went at least once with Dad.  One reason he loved it was because they served rhubarb cobbler on the side.  Talk about your old-fashioned treat!  He loved rhubarb.  I don't know what his earliest experience with it was, but he loved rhubarb.  

I did go on a date here with Joanne and her sister, Jen, chaperoned.  Joanne liked the place a lot because she and her family used to attend here along with her boyfriend, Dennis, from Calvary Chapel. 

 

There are other names for tart or crumble: Other names for fruit desserts include cobbler, crisp, buckle, betty, grunt, slump, and pandowdy. Each of these desserts has its own unique preparation and topping style.

ABBY STEINER top-end speed and mechanics at the 2022 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

The cheetah’s daughter! 😮 pic.twitter.com/AUYcGQP3RX

— Epic Clip Vault (@EpicClipVault) April 4, 2026

This is a clip from the women's 100m sprint final at the 2022 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

It shows University of Kentucky sprinter Abby Steiner (in the blue-and-white uniform) on one of the legs—famously surging from behind with explosive late acceleration to nearly overtake the field, which is why the viral caption calls her “the cheetah’s daughter.”

Exact date of the race: Saturday, June 11, 2022 (women’s 100m final at ~2:32 p.m. local time in Eugene, Oregon).

Kentucky took 2nd overall in that final (Texas won), but Steiner’s race went massively viral for her top-end speed and mechanics. The clip is from her standout college season where she also set the NCAA 200m record earlier that same weekend. 

As a champion, she's had other victories.