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.)

Brian May and Elena Vidal talk about "A Village Lost and Found," their preservation and tribute of the stereo photos of TR Williams.

Off-Ramp's junior reporters tour the newest/oldest wing of LA's Natural History Museum ... The LA Garment Citizen shuts down ... LA's best hot dogs on the Eat-LA/Off-Ramp Collaboration ... Remembering animator Pres Romanillos ... Dinner Party Download ... Slot cars!

Return to Doodah Surf!

EatLA-Off-Ramp Collaboration covers relish ... sneak preview of the Natural History Museum's Beaux Arts Building ... Dinner Party Download ... Twitter Poets on CyberFrequencies ...

Todd Schorr's Universe ... Anime Expo takes over LA ... Taschen explores Big Butts ... CyberFrequencies ... Mr Irrelevant -- the last NFL draft pick -- isn't ... Alan Furst's historical spy novels.

Tom Hanks' lets Off-Ramp onto the set of his new movie, "Larry Crowne" ... the subtle (not) art of Jean-Leon Gerome, on display at the Getty ... Silverlake Man Builds Own Bread Oven in Backyard ... Bugs in your Backyard ... Local Man Forgoes Laker Playoff Game for Ring Cycle ... Firefighters Loved "Emergency!" Local Museum Gets Show's Firetruck ...

L-Word Creator tells CyberFrequency how she adapted to social media ... RH Greene on films and memories of Eastern Europe ... Tom Hanks on public radio, "Larry Crowne," and "Philadelphia" ... Charlie LeDuff on Fathers Day ... Larry Mantle talks radio with John.

Noisy chips ... Mark Peel's "The Point" ... best milkshakes in the Empire ... Soup that's probably too hot for humans (sane ones, anyway) ... Eat-LA-Off-Ramp Collaboration on Goat and Global Pizza ... Michael Cimarusti's "What I Learned on my Japanese Vacation."