On the trail of writer/novelist
John Fante', I took a trip down to the
Bunker Hill Area with writer/novelist/spy master
Robert Eringer. It was a splendid day in Downtown L.A.
Skid Row never looked better. The Sun was shining, the bums were wining. Everyone was out and about, seemingly care free!
There were many facades to gaze upon.
When
Eringer and I do our
Zeitgeist Safari's for our
Surreal Bounce T.V. show, we are on edge, in motion; to pick up the subtle clues and ironies which seem to "find" us. We do our best to capture things on film (especially the surreal), and share them with you.
Eringer, the writer with satirical rye; and me, the artist with a critical eye.
Our quest this particular jaunt was to visit the old haunts of
American Writer, John Fante'. Bunker Hill; the area which
John Fante frequented when he was struggling in the 1930's; places like
Clifton's Restaurant, and
King Eddie's Bar, to get a feel for him, (and
Bukowski's inspiration, for that matter).
Angel's Flight; near the place where his apartment building was, is up and running as the shortest Rail Line in America.
It was a quick adventure of merely a few hours, but rich beyond imagination. If you want to get a taste of the show, which will have
Dan Fante as a guest, it will air live on
Public Access, Channel 17, on Tuesday February 22, at 6 pm. It will also stream live over the Internet after that.
Now, this particular photographic image I took on a spontaneous whim. It looks sort of like a
sun dial; artistically sculpted, in it's configuration adorning the top of an old Art Deco Building, on 7th and Grand. This photo captures an example of the subtle charms and miracles that life offers to us every day, if we only take notice.
What works for me are the following creeds: You will know what you need to know when you need to know it. You are always in the right place at the right time, (and never not). Life doesn't happen to you, it happens for you. Observe it's unfoldment, because no matter where you find yourself, there you are.
Enjoy the Surreality.
