Detiling

I'm fallen way behind, so here's a little catch-up. I hope you had a chance to say goodbye to the old checkered tile inside the Arcade Building. Out with the old, in with the new. The new tile is already filthy, so you can hardly tell the difference.

At one point Royal Clayton's Pub was supposed to take over a space now leased by an electronics business, but as far as I can tell the electronics businesses are still there, still handing out BARGAINS!

7/21/12

7/21/12

7/27/12

Signima

Like most chain businesses, the signs for Famima convenience stores come in several different types. Look at the difference between the signs on the Famima at the Roosevelt building at 7th and Flower...and the Famina at the Arcade Building on Broadway, a short stroll away from each other.

Which design/scale is a better fit for an historic building? Does it matter?

7th St.

Broadway

Broadway

Famina plans

The contractor left a set of construction plans in plain view at the Broadway Arcade Building...another Famima convenience store is on the way.

I'm a fan of their onigiri, which I usually just call "triangles." Those rice balls wrapped in seaweed were lifesavers when EzraPounded and I were working in Japan...we were only paid once a month, and our company deducted all kinds of upfront housing fees from our first month's checks. By the end of that first (second?) month, we were living off of bread from the Little Mermaid bakery and triangles from 7-Eleven.

Although I can walk a few blocks to one of the Famimas already open for business, this one will be the closest yet to home sweet home. Or as they write in Japan, home sweat home.

Broadway snake

Every so often I witness a shell game happening on the sidewalks of Downtown Los Angeles. Dudes set up a cardboard box and folks (presumably plants to lure in suckers) throw down $100 bills to guess which of three Starbucks bottle caps hides the mystery ball.

Last Sunday I saw something new...caring parents pay a fellow to photograph their children posing with a monster snake. Look at the smile on that kid's face. Christmas will surely be a letdown after snaky.