For the first Off-Ramp podcast episode, let's go back to that amazing day in 2013 when my friend Chris sent me a message:

"Hey, John. My sister and her husband just bought a home in the Valley with a fallout shelter that hasn't been touched in decades. Wanna do an Off-Ramp piece about it?" 

Would I? Should you wear a sport coat to Musso & Frank? Are horizontal fence slats getting old? Are you legally required to take visiting relatives to The Huntington? Yes!

The piece you're about to listen to was probably the most popular one we ever did, in no small part due to the great photos by Mae Ryan. 

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.)

Welcome from host John Rabe, a public radio veteran and bon vivant who turned exploring Southern California into a radio art form on KPCC's Off-Ramp. Now, he's sharing stories from the Off-Ramp archive - in a lead-lined vault deep beneath Mt Wilson - with you!

Check your feed every Friday, then sit back, listen, enjoy ... and then get out and make your own SoCal adventures!

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)

Camille Rose Garcia ... an anatomy of a California prison ... Herb Alpert and Lani Hall on their music ... Dinner Party Download makes you smarter.

"Andy Rooney" on Mike Duvall ... CyberFrequencies on Life on the Web ... Culture Clash does Aristophanes at the "Pancho" Villa ... KFWB Dumps All-News

The Station Fire Threatens The Station ... A Culture Clash Sneak Preview ... Dinner Party Download Users See 12% Brain Increase

John goes in-depth with Nicholas Meyer on making Star Trek movies ... and exclusive tour of Whittier Boulevard in East LA with Charles Phoenix.

The Baader Meinhof Complex screenwriter ... CyberFrequencies unveils the Facebook Future ... Art that makes you dance ... Still Burlesque at 94 ...

CyberFrequencies looks at life on the web ... Rod Roddenberry unveils a new comic book WITH NO SUPERHEROES ... We pepper the Mayor with questions ... and meet the Hammer's new curator.

Remembering "The French Chef," Julia Child ... Summer reading goes high-tech on CyberFrequencies ... Dinner Party Download.

Stan Lee Defies Time ... Fallen Fruit's Jam Session ... The Last Prop Sale