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.)

In the studio with LA artist Edward Walton Wilcox, called "a brilliant and romantic star hurtling through the same galaxy as ... Odd Nerdrum and Hieronymous Bosch."

Baseball announcing legend Ernie Harwell, dead at 92, remembered by friends and fans.

Norman Corwin turns 100 ... FOOD ARCHIVE: Colman Andrews and Jonathan Gold, Beard winners ... a blacksmith moves to Heritage Square ... Tyrus Wong, almost 100, feted by Otis College of Art and Design ... Artist Edward Walton Wilcox on faith and storytelling ...

Eat-LA and Off-Ramp get your goat ... Shirley Jahad's electric car diaries ... Dinner Party Download ... "Did I leave my i-Phone at the bar ..." RL Greene's tribute to his twin brother ... Charles Phoenix and the Third Dimension ...Leigh Brackett's screenplays include The Big Sleep and The Empire Strikes Back.

Tom Hanks talking with KPCC's John Rabe about World War Two, the movies, his tenuous link to Abe Lincoln, and public radio.

Award-winning journalists say former LAPD chief Daryl Gates responsible for riots, ran clandestine spy ring to intimidate foes.

Another take on the late Daryl Gates - spymaster ... Tom Hanks on public radio, World War Two, and more ... deaf and hearing actors in play about famous French murder case ... Kitty Felde talks with Vin Scully - in 1983! ... CyberFrequencies and life on the web ...

Joe Domanick: former LAPD chief Daryl Gates was responsible for the '92 riots ... Dinner Party Download talks with rappers Das Racists ... Mark Peel's lunch counter ... the men in skirts of Liberty Tax Prep ... TCM's Ben Mankiewicz says "I'm not hip - the goatee's in my contract!" ... fish eggs on pizza? ... Mark Lacter says, "Hey, billionaires -- ante up!"