Frenchtown Confidential

Sometime around 1870, a family of bakers and sheepherders from the Hautes-Alpes left France, emigrating to Los Angeles. For decades, custo...

Did you miss my LAVA Sunday Salon back in September 2017? Did you attend the Salon, but want to know more? Did you only just recently fi...

Los Angeles is, for many foodies, a dream destination. Year-round access to good fresh produce (and good wine)? Check.  One of the mos...

The French, whether in France or abroad, are known for a lot of things. Sophistication. Military might (fight me on this, Google). Knowing...

One estimate puts LA's historic French community at a mere 2 percent. Another estimate puts the figure at a whopping 20 percent - one ou...

Los Angeles was far from the only place in the United States to have its own French settlement. The cities of St. Louis, Detroit, Green...

Neon blade sign at Philippe the Original. Philippe Mathieu started out working in a deli in his native France. By the time he retired, h...

Whenever I'm asked about my blog, one question always pops up: how did I start on this journey? In the spring of 2013, I was doing two...

As I've mentioned a few times over the last few months,  I'm speaking at StaRGazing 2018 , Greater Los Angeles Area Mensa's annu...

For years and years, Los Angeles historians have searched in vain for even ONE surviving picture of Damien Marchesseault . The book If City ...

One hundred fifty years ago today, Damien Marchesseault got up early, walked to City Hall, wrote a letter to his wife, and shot himself in...

Most sources - including older ones - state that Jean-Louis Vignes' vineyard, El Aliso, was "about where Union Station is today.&qu...

History should be presented fairly and honestly. Otherwise, we'll never learn a damn thing from it. I strive to do that on this blog (...

If you read my first installment of this theatrical theme, you know there isn't *really* a musical about Frenchtown. My short-term obje...

I'm still sad about the French Hospital's recent closure . Thankfully, I have happier news to share. Marchesseault Street - rena...

I'm still bummed about the French Hospital. However, I am pleased to announce that I will be giving another Frenchtown lecture at Gre...

Dear KCET/Lost LA: I like you guys. I really do. But this is the SECOND time you've gotten mustard up my nose (French idiom - you guys...

LAVA's September Sunday Salon was yesterday. I was absolutely thrilled to give my talk and participate in the walking tour (and with a s...

I am pleased - thrilled, really - to announce that I will be speaking at LAVA's monthly Sunday Salon on September 24 . It's a free e...

I am thrilled to announce that I will be giving a presentation on Southern California's forgotten French roots at San Diego Mensa's ...