Joni Mitchell's "Big Yellow Taxi" goes "they paved paradise, and put up a parking lot." Well ... what if they tore down a cool place to ... improve public transit? (Insert sound effects of a Progressive's head exploding here.)

Anyway, that's what happened. The Atomic Cafe, at 422 East First Street in Little Tokyo, was a famous punk gathering spot. It closed in 1989 and the building was demolished in 2015 to make way for the subway's Regional Connector.

But luckily for Off-Ramp listeners, dublab's Mark "Frosty" McNeill created an audio love letter to The Atomic Cafe that debuted on Off-Ramp in 2016.

And when I wrote to let Mark know, he wrote back:

The timing of the podcast episode is perfect. We're actually having a free, all ages event on Saturday, May 7th 4-8pm at Union Station to celebrate the Deep Routes radio series I've been producing with Metro Arts. 

You don't need to RSVP, just put it on your calendar now, and show up on the 7th in your hightops, ripped skinny jeans, and Union Jack t-shirt. 

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

(Off-Ramp theme music by Fesliyan Studios.)

This story is weird even by today's standards. It starts in Milwaukee, where Dolly Oesterreich secretly kept her teen lover Otto in the attic of the house she shared with her husband Fred. When Dolly and Fred moved to L.A., Otto moved, too; and was reinstalled in the attic of the Oesterreich's house in Silver Lake.

Everything was fine until one night in 1922, and for the rest of the story, we turn to Robert Petersen, host of the podcast The Hidden History of Los Angeles.  

But wait, there's more ... I've updated this story with a new interview that may creep you out as much as the original version, which was broadcast on 1/29/2017.

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

(Off-Ramp theme music by Fesliyan Studios.)

From Hollywood's historic Musso & Frank restaurant, Off-Ramp brings you a special Academy Awards preview episode.

Zoey Tur gets back in the chopper for her groundbreaking new job on Inside Edition; the head of WET in Burbank explains how to make a really cool fountain; a retro video game arcade in Old Town Pasadena lets you play on cultural artifacts.

We walk Skid Row with VA chief Bob McDonald; how Vidiots changed journalist Elina Shatkin’s life; a classical bassist who went to New Guinea to study a singing and composing tribe.

We spend a few minutes in the Idle Hour; talk bars with atmosphere with 1933 Group's Bobby Green; talk judges' robes with Kevin's dad; and meet radical quilters.

The annotated H.P. Lovecraft ... France's proud history of satire ... Oscar nods at the chosen few ... the late Taylor Negron loved Lucy

RH Greene sits down with Chaz Ebert at the Palm Springs Film Festival; we remember poet Michele Serros; Patt Morrison looks back and forward at Jerry Brown; and Marc Haefele takes us to the Fowler museum for an exhibit that almost didn’t happen.

As 2014 wraps up, Off-Ramp looks back at some of its best music coverage: all female tributes to Iron Maiden, Venice Beach's most beloved busker, Henry Rollins and more.

A surprising Hannukah TV special; a deeper look at "Batman Returns;" Angela Lansbury, Queen of all Medias - and Mediums; our All-Star Night Before Christmas