…because we want to.
We are writers, historians, and now restoring a Los Angeles monument!
Our current projects
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Our current projects 〰️
Restoring Morris Kight’s home in Westlake
Comparing current altered plans with building plans between 1911-1913
A great photo from 2008
1932 nugget found on Water and Power Associates site
Hello gorgeous linoleum under laminate floors!
Took a day to carefully take down the illegal room on the front porch
Hello porch! Right in time for Halloween and serving our neighborhood kitties
Amelia Earhart, L.A’s hometown hero and history’s favorite soft butch
Question: Why are you flying around the world?
Answer: Because I want to.
Always above our fireplace mantel
Overseeing her Lockheed Electra and taking press photos
Amelia’s perspective in her Lockheed Vega 5B
“Lisa Ben”
Our new space in North Hollywood, 2027
Lisa Ben will be a place to get coffee or a drink, a low-key, meet-up, hang out with a stage for poets, collectors, musicians, readers, writers, crafters, cat lovers, squirrel lovers, a lot of lovers. Come and talk or sit in a corner by yourself, participate or watch. Lisa Ben encourages in-person camaraderie, fun, lightness, deep stuff and friendship.
GEPHC
(We write historic resource nominations. Here are some of them.)
Full disclosure — we’re currently working on this one and can’t say anything about it, but we couldn’t resist sharing a glimpse: while researching we came across a neat photo of the Root Shop in Hollywood. More teasers as the project progresses….
Ugh, same again — we wish we could tell you more. We completed the Historic-Cultural Monument nomination, but we’ve had to put it on hold for now. We’re hoping to pick it back up and move forward by the end of 2026.
On August 8th, 2023, the Los Angeles City Council unanimously voted to designate Morris’ home a Historic-Cultural Monument!!
Morris Kight lived at 1822 West 4th Street from 1967 to 1974. At this time, a new generation of LGBT political activists were growing with anticipation and rage; born of the conservative homophile movement of the 1950s and the ongoing and escalating police harassment and brutality gays were experiencing. Kight and his colleagues led a profoundly influential gay liberation movement; 1822 West 4th Street was the epicenter of that movement. At his 4th street home, Kight co-founded and co-ran the Los Angeles Chapter of the Gay Liberation Front (GLF/LA), the Christopher Street West (CSW, now CSW Pride) parade, and the Gay Community Services Center (now the Los Angeles LGBT Center). We wrote the Los Angeles HCM nomination.
P.S. this is the home we’re restoring :)
