Los Angeles nomadic living
On my walk this morning I snapped a pic of the building I lived at a few years ago, just 2 blocks from where I currently live. It got me thinking that I would walk to all the places I’ve lived downtown, so I did. I also walked across three bridges and to a park. It was a very big walk.
Here are 5 pics of buildings I’ve lived in and one that I forgot about (who knows why), but I found an image in my photos library (that pic also has an excellent t-shirt worn by Jihaari Terry). They are in order of my first downtown spot to my current one.
Wall Street, Skid Row. (IG story pic.)
S. Spring Street, Historic Core. (IG story pic.)
I lived in that yellow building, S Santa Fe, the Arts District. I forgot about this one on my walk this morning.
S. Hewitt Street, the Arts District. (IG story pic.)
E. 3rd Street, the Arts District. (IG story pic.)
S. Broadway, Historic Core (IG story pic.)
Recently, there was a 10 year period where I had lived in 10 different places during that time. This sounds impressive somehow, but is a ridiculous trend, and I am ending it. For sure.
Places I’ve lived in L.A. since I moved back here 13ish years ago:
1. Maltman Ave in Silver Lake. Everyone called it The Love Shack and indeed I was madly in love. Just 100 square feet and I slept in a tiny attic space with my head hitting the ceiling when I sat up on the mattress, but it was on a beautiful property with a pool and Hollywood sign view.
2. Holly Ave in Hollywood. The craftsman house was the original country home of the people who owned Clifton’s Cafeteria in Historic Core. It had a porch swing, a badminton court, the original 1910s stove, and likely a ghost.
3. Panorama Terrace in Silver Lake. Gorgeous Spanish-style home with original fixtures, a brick courtyard with a koi filled fountain, and views of the Silver Lake hills.
4. Spring Street in the Historic Core. Corner loft on the 12th floor with marble floors and panoramic views. Slick and white and the elevators were always full of dogs.
5. S. Santa Fe in the Arts District. Small studio in an old brick building with industrial views and also a view of the studio of a famous artist who was totally crazy.
6. S. Hewitt in the Arts District. The aspirational luxury loft on the top floor with cement walls and vaulted ceilings.
7. E. 3rd Street in the Arts District. Massive, never remodeled space with gorgeous, fucked up wood floors and brick walls in a prime location with a less than-ideal loftmate.
8. S. Broadway in the Historic Core. My first solo living situation in over 25 years. A cement walled and floored loft with massive industrial windows that look directly to a building across a narrow alley, with no view of the sky. Industrial chic and mine, mine, mine alone.
Places I’ve lived in L.A. prior to this:
1. Wall Street in Skid Row. A massive loft that had its own freight elevator and stairs to roof on a very sketchy block. Downtown views but the window was industrial, frosted glass. We threw an extension cord down to a guy that lived in the alley and in turn he would escort me to and from my parking space.
2. N. Gramercy Place in Hollywood. A wonderful courtyard bungalow on a slightly shady street. At first with a boyfriend and then delightfully just me and my pit bull.
3. N. Genesee in West Hollywood. An excellent home with a yard, big fireplace, and a landlord who owned the porn theater and sex bar we shared an alley with. It was loud, but I loved living there.
4. Somewhere in Westwood. This was a weird move, because I am so not a Westside person. It was an excellent house though with original 1920s fixtures, and a huge yard with an outdoor fireplace.
5. Edendale Place in Silver Lake*. But I was also living in Yountville at the time, so this is only partial. It’s the asterisk of my Places I’ve Lived in L.A. list. Killer views in a strange house with a creaky floors and a indoor jacuzzi that didn’t work.