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Off-Ramp
Hosted by John Rabe

Exploring Southern California with John Rabe

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Episodes
  • One late King of Food helps us remember another: Jonathan Gold on the legacy of King Taco
    Sure, there had been tacos al pastor before he did them, but after the popularity of King Taco, everybody had tacos al pastor. People had had carnitas before, but, suddenly, everybody had carnitas. It just seemed to form the template of what the modern Los Angeles taqueria should be. 

    --Jonathan Gold, 2013

    Nine years ago, Los Angeles lost an unsung hero, Raul Martinez Sr., the founder of King Taco. To find out why this man was so important to LA, I shared a taco or two (or three) with the late Pulitzer Prize-winning food writer Jonathan Gold at King Taco #1 in Cypress Park. (Gold died in 2018.)

    Support for this podcast comes from Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live; and by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

    Off-Ramp theme music by Fesliyan Studios.

  • A rite of passage for LA journos: Rabe recounts his angry phone call from Harlan Elllison
    In 2013, I visited an utterly charming and impish Harlan Ellison at his remarkable home and talked at length with him about his work as a prolific Sci-Fi writer. Then came the dreaded - and expected - phone call from Harlan's alter-ego. (Ellison died in 2018 but I wouldn't be surprised if he sent an angry message from beyond about using his name and "Sci-Fi" in the same sentence.)

    Support for this podcast comes from Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live; and by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

    Off-Ramp theme music by Fesliyan Studios.

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  • Two fighters take part in a Dog Brothers event.
    Wham! Ouch! Stickfighting on Off-Ramp - 4-9-2011
    Chicano Batman ... CyberFrequencies ... ghosts of the past as Peruvians vote in LA ... downtown LA's power list ... downtown LA treasure: San Antonio Winery ... a stickfighting dojo ... Pato's response to the Friday haters ...
  • "High Wall," a 1947 film noir with Robert Taylor as an amnesiac World War Two vet. One of the selections in the 13th Annual Festival of Film Noir starting Friday at the American Cinematheque's Egyptian Theatre.
    A gun, a dame, and an innocent man. It's Off-Ramp - 4-2-11
    Noir film festival returns to The Egyptian ... The Angles on the Angels and the Dish on the Dodgers ... Peru Elections ... EatLA ... Dinner Party Download ... Play with Fire and Submit a Story for Burn This! ... Sam Slovick's gay teenage life, and new Slake short story: "Tommy Crow"
  • John Albert in Claremont, on the last non-suburban stretch of Baseline Boulevard. This is where he first heard Van Halen's "Eruption," and it would change his life. He writes about it in the new edition of Slake, LA's literary quarterly.
    Van Halen Memories - Off-Ramp 3-26-11
    Slake's John Albert remembers when Van Halen was groundbreaking and good ... Riding the Blue Line ... Poison or Pleasant - what is the plant in Kevin's backyard ... Bike Advocate ... Seth MacFarlane ticket winners singing with spoons ... Simon Cowell previews The X Factor ...
  • Southern California earthquake damage, 1971.
    Are YOU ready for the Big One? Off-Ramp 3-19-2011
    Disaster preparedness in SoCal ... Dinner Party Download ... Apollo, the Getty Villa's handsome but dangerous god ... Poppies return ... Running the LA Marathon ... Owsley Stanley remembered ... Seth MacFarlane SINGS ... Lomita's "Black Widow"
  • Maila Nurmi in the RH Greene documentary Schlock!
    "Vampira and Me" -- A special documentary from RH Greene - Off-Ramp 3-12-11
    Filmmaker and author R.H. Greene presents "Vampira and Me," a special documentary for Off-Ramp that tells the story of Maila Nurmi, creator of the cultural icon Vampira.
  • Hard Times and Columbo: Off-Ramp, Fundraising Edition - 3-5-2011
    This week: Columbo co-creator William Link, hard times for Marshelle Mills, underemployed mother of three and more!
  • Julian Bermudez and husband John Rabe -- in safety glasses -- drinking beer at the "This Old House" wrap party in Silverlake. This week on Off-Ramp, the show's experts give you their top renovation tips, and tell you what they learned working in LA.
    Why the Blue Line Kills - Off-Ramp 2-26-2011
    LA's Blue Line the most dangerous rail line in the US ... EatLA on the best sausage in LA ... the lonely wolverine ... home renovation advice from Kevin, Norm, and Richard of This Old House ... Dinner Party Download ...
  • The Harlem "Rens," world champions of 1939.
    Kareem's new movie -- Off-Ramp 2-19-2011
    Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's doc on 1930's all-black basketball champions ... See Richard Run - but for/from what? ... CyberFrequencies on The Social Network ... Death warmed over is good ... butterflies in your backyard and flowers at Customs ... Meet Mr. Lincoln ...
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