Category Archives: Venice Division

From the Stacks – ‘Portraits of Crime’ (1977)

Posted on April 29, 2011 by lmharnisch

    Two years after writing about  LAPD Det. Ector Garcia, I finally located a copy of his book, “Portraits of Crime,” which arrived in the mail from the U.K. while I was on vacation. No one will ever mistake … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1977, books, Crime and Courts, Downtown, From the Stacks, Hollywood, Hollywood Division, Homicide, LAPD, Pages of History, San Fernando Valley, Venice Division, West Hollywood, Zombie Reading List | 1 Comment

A Beat Fourth of July

Posted on June 26, 2010 by lmharnisch

  June 26, 1960: For the Fourth of July, the Beats of Venice plan to protest an ordinance against being on the beach between midnight and 6 a.m. by spending the night on the beach. Except there is no such … Continue reading →

Posted in art and artists, books, Comics, Nightclubs, Venice Division | 1 Comment

Found on EBay — Vintage Bongo Drums

Posted on September 17, 2009 by lmharnisch

  These vintage Valje bongo drums have been listed on EBay. Perfect for re-creating the mood of the Beats of Venice West. Listed as Buy It Now for $375.

Posted in books, Music, Stage, Venice Division | Leave a comment

‘Holy Barbarians’ Revisited

Posted on September 2, 2009 by lmharnisch

Coastlines magazine, Spring-Summer 1958, with a cover story on LSD. Note: In late June and early July, I wrote about Lawrence Lipton's 1959 book on the beatniks of Venice West, "Holy Barbarians." I was particularly interested in the account of … Continue reading →

Posted in #Jazz, art and artists, books, Music, Venice Division | 1 Comment

Ike Rides Wave of Popularity; Dodgers Call Up Reinforcements

Posted on September 2, 2009 by lmharnisch

Sept. 2, 1959: A story about President Eisenhower's European trip marking the 20th anniversary of Hitler's invasion of Poland notes that he remains popular. But look at what's happening in the country as Ike prepares to leave office: The prime … Continue reading →

Posted in #Jazz, art and artists, City Hall, Comics, Dodgers, Downtown, Film, Food and Drink, Hollywood, LAPD, Music, Nightclubs, Politics, RFK, Venice Division | 2 Comments

Judge Bars Bus Strike; Giants Beat Dodgers

Posted on August 29, 2009 by lmharnisch

Aug. 29, 1959: A judge's temporary restraining order prevents a bus and streetcar strike. Someone has a Cold War souvenir in the shed. Let's fire it up and see what happens. The threat of communist aggression casts a shadow over … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, #Jazz, art and artists, City Hall, Comics, Dodgers, Film, Food and Drink, Front Pages, Hollywood, LAPD, Nightclubs, Politics, Religion, Transportation, Venice Division | Leave a comment

Holy Barbarians — Continued

Posted on July 8, 2009 by lmharnisch

Reading "Holy Barbarians" has turned into a curious case of role reversal. I was a youngster when the book was published and the beats and squares who populate Lawrence Lipton's study of the Venice scene would have been my parents' … Continue reading →

Posted in art and artists, books, Venice Division | 1 Comment

Holy Barbarians

Posted on June 29, 2009 by lmharnisch

Above, the dust jacket of Lawrence Lipton's "Holy Barbarians" that's in pretty good shape. Obviously owned by a square. June 28, 1959: Lawrence Lipton uses a review of "The Beat Generation and the Angry Young Men," by Gene Feldman and … Continue reading →

Posted in Blues, books, Music, Nightclubs, Venice Division | 2 Comments

The bad dream

Posted on April 23, 2007 by lmharnisch

April 23, 1957 Los Angeles "It’s like a bad dream," he said. "You keep thinking you’ll awaken and find it’s a bad dream." Edward Simon Wein, given five death sentences under California’s "Little Lindbergh Law" for a series of kidnappings … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, Caryl Chessman, Homicide, Long Beach, San Fernando Valley, Venice Division | 3 Comments