Since leaving my basecamp in Hollywood, I’ve been staying in a hostel in South LA. Still don’t know why I came to stay here. I could have found a cheap hotel, or couch surfed. But after all that travel around Europe I kinda wanted to see what it would be like in an American hostel. To that, it is pretty different. I have been hanging out with more people, but most are actually residents rather than travelers. Otherwise, the neighborhood is fascinating. As it’s not exactly the kind of place for an evening stroll, I have had to be careful about parking my car. I also enjoying going down the road to shop at the Food4Less- that was our regular store when I was a kid! It has also been nice to have some time on my own. My travel/research schedule has been pretty 24/7 so even just sleeping in for the morning felt like a luxury.

then Out I went, visiting nearly twenty hall sites! There were two gems. I have twenty seven to visit tomorrow, but by car. I think that will be easier than all the exploring I did by foot today. Hopefully parking won’t be a problem, as my itinerary sends me into South Central and Boyle Heights tomorrow. I wonder how much I’m going to stick out, dorkily parading around with my camera. The funny thing is, for all the stereotypes about Boyle Heights, the period of history I’m documenting in LA is actually from when WHITE ethnic groups were moving out of downtown LA and into the first commuter suburbs. I feel like I’m documenting the slow departure of white communities from Los Angeles. It’s white flight in action, c1940!