Tag Archives: Los Angeles

On the Road

Posted on August 27, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

The iconic artist Ed Ruscha has long been inspired by urban America – its cars, billboards, gas stations and low-slung houses all strung out in a seemingly endless sprawl. The short film below combines images from the Getty Research Institutes’s … Continue reading →

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A clown can get away with murder

Posted on September 14, 2018 by Brian D. Butler

The always on-point street art collective INDECLINE recently completed a stealthy appropriation of an advertising billboard in Los Angeles to continue their attack on the ongoing shitshow in the White House. The clever work manages to reference 1970s serial killer … Continue reading →

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When is a book art?

Posted on August 30, 2018 by Brian D. Butler

H/t to Bonnie Kuster Butler for this post. When is a book art ? A current exhibition at LA’s Getty Research Institute explores the many ways in which artists create objects that straddle the worlds of books and art.  The … Continue reading →

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Bookstore Tourism: The Last Bookstore

Posted on July 25, 2018 by Brian D. Butler

I know that I’ve posted stories about this amazing bookstore in downtown Los Angeles over the years, but TBTP reader Christine P. sent a link for the wonderful little video of the bibliophile’s nirvana so I thought that I’d share. … Continue reading →

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Mind Your Metro Manners

Posted on October 17, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

The Los Angeles subway system thought it was a novel idea to use a Sailor Moon-inspired anime-like character named Super Kind Girl to star in a new series of PSA videos encouraging good public transportation manners. Each of the bilingual … Continue reading →

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Libros Schmibros: Great Name, Great Concept

Posted on March 2, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

Libros Schmibros is a community-based, not-for-profit bookstore/lending library located in the Boyle Heights section of Los Angeles. Run mainly by its dedicated founder and a team of volunteers, the project champions the pleasure of reading and its power to change lives. … Continue reading →

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California Dreaming

Posted on September 11, 2016 by Brian D. Butler

Pop art icon Ed Ruscha has been documenting California culture for more than 60 years. The short film “Ed Ruscha : Buildings and Words” was recently commissioned by the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art to celebrate the artist’s aesthetic. … Continue reading →

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Lost In Place

Posted on August 18, 2016 by Brian D. Butler

Getting lost in a new city isn’t always a bad thing. In fact, sometimes it’s the way that we discover the true spirit of a place. Lost iN is a marvelous series of locally curated travel guides that invites readers to “surrender … Continue reading →

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Welcome to The Last Bookstore

Posted on July 28, 2016 by Brian D. Butler

The Last Bookstore in Los Angeles is on every traveling bibliophile’s must visit list. The 12-minute documentary below, directed by Chad Howitt, explores the history of Southern California’s largest indie bookshop and the inspiring story of it’s owner Josh Spenser.

Posted in Books, Bookstore Tourism, Tourism, USA | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Heads Up or Headless

Posted on July 8, 2016 by Brian D. Butler

The Los Angeles Metro system has released a gruesome series of public safety videos that should have come with a PG-13 rating. Using stick figures and a stark yellow and black palette, the safety shorts emphasize the importance of basic … Continue reading →

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