Downtown Los Angeles

Downtown Los Angeles is the central business district of Los Angeles, California, as well as a diverse residential neighborhood of some 50,000 people. A 2013 study found that the district is home to over 500,000 jobs.

A heritage of the city's founding in 1781, Downtown Los Angeles today is composed of different areas ranging from a fashion district to a skid row, and it is the hub of the city's Metro rapid transit system. Banks, department stores and movie palaces at one time drew residents and visitors into the area, but the district declined economically and suffered a downturn for decades until its recent renaissance starting in the early 2000s: Old buildings are being modified for new uses, and skyscrapers have been built. Downtown Los Angeles is known for its government buildings, parks, theaters and other public places.

History

Early years

The earliest known settlements in the area of what is now Downtown Los Angeles was by the Tongva, a Native American people. Later European settlement arrived after Father Juan Crespí, a Spanish missionary charged with exploring sites for Catholic missions in California, noted in 1769 that the region had "all the requisites for a large settlement." On September 4, 1781, the city was founded by a group of settlers who trekked north from present-day Mexico.

Los Angeles

Los Angeles (ⁱ/lɒs ˈændʒəlᵻs/ loss AN-jə-ləs or loss AN-jə-liss) (Spanish for "The Angels"), officially the City of Los Angeles and often known by its initials L.A., is the second-largest city in the United States after New York City, the most populous city in the state of California, and the county seat of Los Angeles County.

Situated in Southern California, Los Angeles is known for its mediterranean climate, ethnic diversity, sprawling metropolis, and as a major center of the American entertainment industry. Los Angeles lies in a large coastal basin surrounded on three sides by mountains reaching up to and over 10,000 feet (3,000 m).

Historically home to the Chumash and Tongva, Los Angeles was claimed by Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo for Spain in 1542 along with the rest of what would become Alta California. The city was officially founded on September 4, 1781, by Spanish governor Felipe de Neve. It became a part of Mexico in 1821 following the Mexican War of Independence. In 1848, at the end of the Mexican–American War, Los Angeles and the rest of California were purchased as part of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, thereby becoming part of the United States. Los Angeles was incorporated as a municipality on April 4, 1850, five months before California achieved statehood. The city experienced rapid growth with the discovery of oil.

Los Angeles (The Brilliant Green album)

Los Angeles is the third album by Japanese rock band The Brilliant Green, released in 2001. This album represented a shift in the band's sound, from the 1960s-influenced jangle pop to a darker, heavier early 90's shoegaze sound. When The Brilliant Green was featured on Time Magazine's "Ten Best Bands On Planet Earth" article, it was Los Angeles that was listed as their key album.

Track listing

All lyrics written by Tomoko Kawase, all songs arranged by The Brilliant Green. 

Notes

External links

Los Angeles (Graf Orlock album)

Los Angeles is an EP by Graf Orlock. It is inspired and based on the action/crime film Heat. It was released by Vitriol Records on April 10, 2012. The first 7" pressing was limited to 200 copies, while the second pressing is limited to 600.

Reception

Natalie Zina Walschots of Exclaim! described Los Angeles as "tight" and "explosive", "designed to titillate and entertain".

Track listing

Personnel

References

341 California

341 California is an asteroid belonging to the Flora family in the Main Belt, that has an unusually high albedo.

It was discovered by Max Wolf on September 25, 1892 in Heidelberg.

References

External links

California (Joni Mitchell song)

"California" is a song written by Joni Mitchell that first appeared on her 1971 album Blue. It was also released as the second single from the album, as a follow-up to "Carey."

Mitchell wrote "California" while living in France but longing for the creative climate she had experienced in California. In the song she expresses the depth of her longing for California by singing that if she was back in California she would even be willing to kiss a policeman, despite considering herself a member of the counterculture. Like "Carey", "California" takes the form of a travelogue and uses a stream of consciousness narrative technique.Pitchfork critic Jessica Hopper describes both songs as "how-Joni-got-her-groove-back ditties". The lyrics tell of her time in France, a trip she took to Spain and an excursion to a Greek island. At the end of each story in each location she expresses her desire to be back in California. The character that "Carey" was based on also appears in the second verse of "California". According to author Larry David Smith, Mitchell uses the descriptions in "California" as a strategy to demonstrate "principles associated with the Earth Mother manifesto."

1997 California 500

The 1997 California 500 presented by NAPA was the inaugural NASCAR Winston Cup Series stock car race held at California Speedway in Fontana, California. The race was the 15th in the 1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season. Though Greg Sacks was the fastest qualifier, he had to start 26th due to not being a first day qualifier, and the pole position was instead given to Felix Sabates driver Joe Nemechek, who ran with an average speed of 183.015 miles per hour (294.534 km/h). The inaugural California 500 was won by Jeff Gordon of Hendrick Motorsports, who also led the most laps with 113. A crowd of 85,000 attended the race, the first race in southern California since 1988, when Riverside International Raceway held the Budweiser 400.

The national anthem was performed by 20th Century Fox Records recording arists Ambrosia but it was not shown on ABC, NAPA vice president Wayne Wells gave the command for drivers to start their engines, and track executive Les Richter was the grand marshal.