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.)

Mateo Stoneman, White Mariachi; My Way on the Highway; Where Your Money Goes; Dumpster Diving For the Working Poor; Skid Row's Only Women's Shelter; Tree of Life; Words as Currency; Classical Music Forecast; Guacamole, Mon Amour; NPR Name Game; The Unsung Pelon; Giving's Only Natural; Soundtrack of Your Life; Letters

Off-Ramp wins LA Press Club's National Entertainment Journalism Award; City Government says: Waste Water; Prudent Planting; Immigration Affairs; Videos Galore; The Barbers at Legends; Let It Snow, Let It Snow; Life in the "Fast" Lane; Pasadena Newsstand Closes; Bratton on Britney; The Restaurant With No Sign; A San Francisco Dandy; My Story

Soundtrack of Your Life; Song Stories; Okies at the Getty; Sound of Los Angeles; Skid Row: Treating Diabetes; Bike On; Mix Tapes; Letters

BCAM Cometh; How Great The Art?; Bob Dylan at the Skirball; Marlene Dietrich sings "Blowin' In The Wind."; Firth In Our Hearts; Happy Valentine's Day! Love, Milton; Shabu Shabu; For Valentine's Day; Racism for Dummies; Commuters Looking For Community; Holocaust Museum Breaks Ground; Letters

Former Daily Show Correspondent on Super Tuesday; Fast Food Dude on the State of the Union; Buy America; How To Get Around Saving; In the Spin Room; Young American; McCain's New Theme Song; Rally Maverick; Latino Vote; Bill Can't Stop Thinking About Yesterday; Ch-Ch-Changes; D.I.Y. T.V.; Super Bowl Past; Doo Dah; JPL Marks 50th Anniversary of the First U.S. Mission Into Space

Doo Dah-Palooza; A (Deli)cious Tradition; Guacamole, Mon Amour; The Ineffable Off-Ramp Mysterions land at Doo-Dah; The Dresser's Dilemma; The Dresser's Answer; Too Hot!; Pop Star; Abundant Pharmacy; And We're Off!; Grand Theft Antiquities?; Tarzan of Tarzana

Father's Day; Stay at home dad; MYOB; Maila Nuri, Vamp Extraordinaire; It's a Wonderful Life in Encino; A Broad View of History; A Dream Partnership; Inside Huxley's World; No Frills B.B.Q.; Nothing, Honey.; Off-Ramp Exit Interview; Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

Grade A Investigator; Grover Grades Restaurants; Gotcha!; Graciela Iturbide on La Fotografia; Identy Theft or Art?; Watching the L-Word Is Code for I'm Gay!; It's Raining, It's Pouring, The Ocean is Groaning; Green Streets; He Giveth and Taketh Away; Don't Burn the Beans!; Seven Spicy Seas