Sgv Tapestries

Groundbreaking for Metro's Foothill Extension Phase 2A took place in 2010. I walked its length, exploring along the way, for my series, "Nobody Drives in LA" in 2013. The line opened in 2015. https://ericbrightwell.com/2013/02/27/nobody-drives-in-la-exploring-the-gold-lines-foothill-extension-phase-2a/

funny gift corgi society

Arcadia is a suburb of the San Gabriel Valley which now has a population that is roughly two-thirds Asian-American (mostly Chinese and Taiwanese). It is thus often jokingly referred to as "Arcasia." I explored it in my series, "California Fool's Gold' in 2011. https://ericbrightwell.com/2011/01/04/california-fools-gold-exploring-arcadia-the-san-gabriel-valleys-community-of-homes/

Monterey Park is a suburban city in the San Gabriel Valley. It is notable for it's Chinese American majority, although it has undergone changes over the years, from a predominantly Taiwanese Chinese population to a mainland Chinese and Hong Konger population. I explored it for my series, "California Fool's Gold," in 2010. https://ericbrightwell.com/2010/09/23/california-fools-gold-exploring-monterey-park-%e8%92%99%e7%89%b9%e5%88%a9%e5%85%ac%e5%9b%ad/

The Metro Silver Line is a bus with Bus Rapid Transit characteristics. The El Monte Busway portion opened in 1973 and in 2012 I decided to explore the route for my series, "Nobody Drives in LA." https://ericbrightwell.com/2012/11/20/nobody-drives-in-la-silver-line-stroll-from-union-station-to-el-monte/

Covine is a suburban city in Los Angeles County's San Gabriel Valley. I drew this map around 2010 -- but have still yet to explore the community for my series, "California Fool's Gold." Once I do, I'll probably make additions to this version.

Hacienda Heights is an unincorporated suburban community in the San Gabriel Valley. It is home to a large Taiwanese population and is home to the biggest Buddhist temple in the Western Hemisphere. I explored it for my series, "California Fool's Gold," in 2011. https://ericbrightwell.com/2011/06/19/california-fools-gold-exploring-hacienda-heights/

I drew this map of Asian American-dominated suburbs of the San Gabriel Valley in the style of 18th Century Chinese Cartographer, Mo Yi Tong. As communities have grown more Asian, demographically, I've added them to the original map. https://ericbrightwell.com/2013/05/14/east-of-the-eastside-the-far-eastside-at-the-amoeblog/

East Pasadena is a small, unincorporated community to the east of Pasadena -- which is slowly nibbling away at its edges. To be honest, it's not known for a whole lot and more folks use "East Pasadena" to refer to the eastern neighborhoods of Pasadena than they do this tiny community, which I explored for "California Fool's Gold" in 2013. https://ericbrightwell.com/2013/07/25/to-see-my-home-in-east-pasadena/

Rowland Heights is a suburb in the east San Gabriel Valley. Home to a large Taiwanese population, it's sometimes referred to as "Little Taipei" -- a nickname formerly applied to the suburb of Monterey Park, although that city is now home to more Hong Kongers and mainland Chinese. I explored for my series, "California Fool's Gold," in 2010. https://ericbrightwell.com/2010/05/28/california-fools-gold-exploring-rowland-heights-los-angeless-little-taipei/

South Pasadena is a small suburban city located, naturally, to the south of Pasadena. It, however improbably, retains and exudes a rather small-town feel which leads to its often portraying small towns in the Midwest on television and in film. I explored it for my series, "California Fool's Gold,' in 2011. https://ericbrightwell.com/2011/01/08/california-fools-gold-exploring-south-pasadena-where-the-past-is-the-present/

San Marino is a city in the San Gabriel Valley. Due to its large Taiwanese American population, it's sometimes affectionately referred to as "Chan Marino." It's also known for being home to the famed Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens. I explored it for my series, "California Fool's Gold," in 2008. https://ericbrightwell.com/2008/04/29/852/

Accounting is worth studying for

Accounting101

El Monte is a suburban city located in the middle of the San Gabriel Valley. It's something of a transit hub, with that valley's only private airport and the largest bus station in the west. I explored it for my series, "California Fool's Gold," in 2013. https://ericbrightwell.com/2013/01/23/california-fools-gold-exploring-el-monte-the-end-of-the-santa-fe-trail-or-at-least-some-trails/

Diamond Bar is a community in the San Gabriel Valley. I drew this map of it around 2010.

Walnut is a small suburb in the eastern part of the San Gabriel Valley. It is named, I expect, after the Black Walnut, a tree indigenous to Los Angeles. I explored it for my series, "California Fool's Gold," in 2009.

The theme song to the West Covina-set television series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend described West Covina is "the pride of the Inland Empire." It coule be said that that show put West Covina "on the map." Unfortunately, that map is not at all accurate. West Covina is in an altogether different county, Los Angeles, to be precise -- not the Inland Empire (i.e. Riverside and San Bernardino counties). I put it on the map in the correct place -- in the San Gabriel Valley.

Rosemead is a suburb of the San Gabriel Valley. It has a large Chinese, Vietnamese, and ethnically Chinese Vietnamese (Hoa) populations. It's notable for its numerous bánh mì joints. I explored it for my series, "California Fool's Gold," in 2008. https://ericbrightwell.com/2008/03/01/848/

Altadena is an unincorporated community located in the foothills and flats beneath the San Gabriel Mountains in the San Gabriel Valley. I explored and mapped it in 2012 for my series, "California Fool's Gold." https://ericbrightwell.com/2012/07/17/california-fools-gold-exploring-altadena-the-community-of-the-deodars-2/

Alhambra is a suburb of Los Angeles County's San Gabriel Valley. It was one of the first neighborhoods that I explored for my series, "California Fool's Gold," back in 2007. In fact, I didn't even have a name for the series yet -- and I drew the map (rather quickly) a couple of years later. https://ericbrightwell.com/2007/11/05/alhambra-the-gateway-to-the-san-gabriel-valley/

The San Gabriel Valley is one of the principal valleys of Metro Los Angeles. It's a fascinating region and I made a new map of it for a post about 626 Day (26 June), also known as San Gabriel Valley Day. https://ericbrightwell.com/2022/06/17/happy-626-or-san-gabriel-valley-day/