90021

TOY and Biscuit in same frame. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

I live in an extremely famous neighborhood in Los Angeles. But you'd never know it by driving around. I don't live in Hollywood, or Beverly Hills, or Malibu. You'll never see landmarks from here in postcards or visitor's guides. But chances are, you see my neighborhood every day on television. I live in the "Industrial District," where thousands of commercials, television shows and movies are filmed every year. You can't walk two blocks in any direction without seeing the ubiquitous "NOTICE OF FILMING" labels adhered to a random wall, door or gate. It's the prototypical "urban landscape."

The race sequence in the movie Grease? It's the LA River under the Sixth St. bridge. The cheesy projected background whizzing behind William Shatner as he rides a motorcycle in that Priceline commercial? Santa Fe St. All within walking distance.

I've taken to riding my bike around here at dusk, when the light is best, and snapping photos with one camera or another.

I figured the best place to start was my front door. The photo above is one third (the middle third) of the TOY loft building directly across from my front door. You can also see it way in the background at the end of this Saturn commercial. Look for the enormous letters spelling "TOY."

Expect more musings from 90021.