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.)

Jeanne Cooper, beloved/hated 83-year old matriarch of "The Young and the Restless," reveals the secrets of her success and long life ... including which TV crime show star she slept with. (Her first movie was "The Redhead from Wyoming.") Plus, Steve Julian's theory of why live theatre is struggling (it has to do with news), and an NPR executive reveals his surprising backstory (surprising for an NPR type).

Marking Ramadan, a time to fast, with a canned food drive. EatLA on pop-ups gone permanent. Dylan Brody learns something Down South. And: who's the guy in the chair?

Mars! Art! Replicants! Sports!

Ian Whitcomb's ukulele heroes, downhill skateboarding, Kwayzar the 84yo rapper, Tuesday night in Anaheim, and the El Segundo Blue.

David Misch on Funny, rethinking pole dancing, Disney and the Reagan Library, the roots of homelessness, and Brian May on 3-D photography.

Whitey Bulger lived unnoticed for years as a fugitive; Hank Rosenfeld knows his barber. Mike Roe takes us to Comic Con. "Hogan's Heroes" in sock puppets.

Come inside the historic Comedy Store on the Sunset Strip for routines from five of today's hottest comedians, and a roundtable on the essence of comedy.

Suicide by train and one man who survived ... Why are transit-riding iPhone users being punished for Apple's fight with Google? ... Real food in Altadena ...