StardustLosÁngeles: Aug 7, 2007

The Smoking Gun's new collection of news reels and non-fiction videos even features Howard Hughes' one-time Long Beach Harbor flight of the Spruce Goose...

El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles de Porciúncula

The Village of Our Lady, the Queen of the Angels of Porciuncula, now simplified for English speakers as "Los Angeles," has always been a blank slate for all who come here. Most who've ended up here throughout the centuries came to leave behind something and to recreate their lives.

Like any city, Los Angeles is what one makes of it; except anyone can come here and find the fit for them instead of having to conform to a dominant lifestyle.

With its diverse population from the farthest reaches of the world, the beauty of this city is that it is difficult to characterize. It is as ugly as it is beautiful. It is in many places a city of a Third World Country just as it is a city of the First World. It is old and it is new. It is always surprising, especially when we leave our cars behind and explore on foot.

With the shadow of Hollywood discouraging a more complete picture, this city is totally misunderstood and so, totally underrated.

It is for this reason that I share my experiences and perspectives...

- - Jean-Luc Turbo