BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Esotouric - ECPv6.15.20//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://esotouric.com X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Esotouric REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Los_Angeles BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:PDT DTSTART:20240310T100000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0800 TZNAME:PST DTSTART:20241103T090000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:PDT DTSTART:20250309T100000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0800 TZNAME:PST DTSTART:20251102T090000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:PDT DTSTART:20260308T100000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0800 TZNAME:PST DTSTART:20261101T090000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250607T103000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250607T133000 DTSTAMP:20260420T084245 CREATED:20250124T192302Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250128T024639Z UID:10000661-1749292200-1749303000@esotouric.com SUMMARY:ANGELINO HEIGHTS & CARROLL AVENUE TIME TRAVEL WALKING TOUR DESCRIPTION:Angelino Heights is the living\, beating heart of Victorian Los Angeles\, a nearly perfect late 19th century neighborhood where time seems to stand still. \nBut the historic district—including every location scout’s favorite Carroll Avenue—is actually the happy result of decades of carefully planned house moving\, vintage streetlight sourcing\, power line burial\, design guideline crafting and passionate advocacy by local preservationists. They did such a terrific job that it looks as if it’s always been this way. \nEsotouric invites you to take an immersive trip back in time into Angelino Heights\, on a walk that tells the stories of the early Los Angeles neighborhood\, its notable characters\, landscape and landmarks\, and the visionary Angelenos who invented new tools to protect and improve the district. \nStarting from the foot of Angelino Heights on Sunset Boulevard\, where the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul operated the city’s first hospital\, we’ll set out to discover Angelino Heights’ rich and compelling cultural\, architectural\, historic preservation and true crime history. You’ll see fascinating bits of Victorian infrastructure both original and salvaged\, get to know colorful locals like the artist Leo Politi\, discover the architects who shaped this early streetcar suburb\, see where little Marion Parker was held in the kidnapping case that captivated the nation\, and enjoy a stroll among some of the most beautiful and eclectic residences in town. \nThis walking tour is illustrated with rare photos you can view on your smartphone. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n MEETING INSTRUCTIONS\nTour begins at 10:30am sharp\, with check-in time 10am outside of Guisados restaurant at 1261 Sunset Blvd\, Los Angeles\, CA 90026. Please arrive on time to get signed in and logged in to the smartphone slideshow. Scroll down for tour rules and recommendations. \nBRUNCH / SNACK OPTIONS\nGuisados opens at 9am\, and offers Mexican breakfast and lunch options\, with indoor and outdoor patio seating. The menu can be reviewed here. If you plan to eat\, please plan to arrive early\, as the tour will begin promptly at 10:30am. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n TOUR RULES & RECOMMENDATIONS:\nBE PREPARED: This is a walking hour lasting approximately 3 hours\, over a mix of level ground and occasional hills moving at a casual pace. Wear comfortable walking shoes\, sunscreen and a hat. Bring your smartphone so you can view the tour slide show. We will have a cooler with cold water\, and you’re encouraged to bring a full water bottle. A restroom will be available at the start and end of the tour. If you need more information about what to expect\, please email us. \nCOVID SAFETY: At this time\, we no longer require that masks be worn on walking tours. \nCAMERA POLICY: No video- or audio-taping unless it has been pre-cleared with us\, please. Still cameras and sketchbooks are fine. \n  \n\n \n \n \n \n \n PARKING & PUBLIC TRANSIT:\nThere is ample unmetered street parking with no time restrictions throughout the neighborhood. Please read any posted signs before parking. If using public transit\, this link can help you plan your trip. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n CONTACTING US ON OR BEFORE TOUR DAY:\nEmailing is the best way to communicate with us\, but after 8am on tour day you can call or text Richard on his mobile phone\, 213-915-8687. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n CANCELLATION / REFUND POLICY:\nIf you’re sick\, please do not attend the tour. Get some rest\, and let us know not to expect you. If notified at least 72 hours before tour departure\, we can refund or reschedule your booking. As long as you contact us before the tour begins\, we are happy to move your reservation to a future tour date. You may also gift your ticket to someone else—we will need their name\, email address and phone number to make this switch. URL:https://esotouric.com/event/angelino-heights-summer-2025/ LOCATION:Guisados Echo Park\, 1261 Sunset Blvd\, Los Angeles\, CA\, 90038\, United States CATEGORIES:walking tour ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://esotouric.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/angelino-heights-featuredWP-use.jpeg ORGANIZER;CN="Esotouric":MAILTO:tours@esotouric.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250614T103000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250614T133000 DTSTAMP:20260420T084245 CREATED:20250124T192538Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250611T023149Z UID:10000662-1749897000-1749907800@esotouric.com SUMMARY:TOUR POSTPONED - RAYMOND CHANDLER’S NOIR DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES DESCRIPTION:Due to the unrest in Downtown Los Angeles\, this tour date has been postponed. The Chandler tour is next on our calendar on Saturday\, September 6. Stay safe out there\, and see you next time! \n \n \n \n \n \n Join Esotouric for an immersive time travel trip in the footsteps of master detective novelist Raymond Chandler and his cynical alter ego Philip Marlowe\, in the historic heart of Downtown Los Angeles. \nChicago-born and educated in a fine English boarding school\, Chandler found his literary voice during long boozy lunches as a 1920s oil company executive\, quietly observing the criminal origins of great Los Angeles fortunes. Although he left Downtown in the 1930s and found success with fiction and screenwriting\, the old neighborhood cast an abiding spell and he returned to it throughout his career. \nThis tour explores some of the time capsule sites where the young Chandler worked and played\, and where the mature writer set some of his most memorable and murderous scenes. From Angels Flight Railway and old Bunker Hill to the Oviatt Building\, Clifton’s Cafeteria to seedy hotels on the edge of Skid Row\, we’ll bring Chandler’s real and invented worlds alive on a stroll among beautiful\, fascinating landmarks. \nAlong the way\, you’ll get to know the real Raymond Chandler\, with intimate details sleuthed out by the tour guides who over many years of noir exploration have discovered Chandler’s previously unknown comic operetta and penned a Chandler map and nonfiction novel The Kept Girl about the real life cult of angel worshippers who fleeced his oil executive colleague and were front page news in a crime crazed city. \nThis walking tour is illustrated with rare photos you can view on your smartphone. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n MEETING INSTRUCTIONS:\nTour begins at 10:30am sharp\, with check-in time 10am at the patio outside Grand Central Market in front of Maple Block BBQ at 324 S Hill St\, Los Angeles\, CA 90013. Please arrive on time and proceed to the check in table to get signed in and logged in to the smartphone slideshow. Scroll down for tour rules and recommendations. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n TOUR RULES & RECOMMENDATIONS:\nBE PREPARED: This is a walking hour lasting approximately 3 hours\, moving at a casual pace. Wear comfortable walking shoes\, sunscreen and a hat. Bring your smartphone so you can view the tour slide show. We will have a cooler with cold water\, and you’re encouraged to bring a full water bottle. A restroom will be available at the start\, middle and end of the tour. If you need more information about what to expect\, please email us. \nCOVID SAFETY: At this time\, we no longer require that masks be worn on walking tours. \nCAMERA POLICY: No video- or audio-taping unless it has been pre-cleared with us\, please. Still cameras and sketchbooks are fine. \n  \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n Parking & Public Transit:\nThere are numerous paid public parking lots around Grand Central Market\, including GCM’s multi-level lot at 308 South Hill Street Los Angeles\, California 90013.  The nearest Metro stations are Civic Center/Grand Park and Pershing Square. If using public transit\, this link can help you plan your trip: \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CANCELLATION / REFUND POLICY:\nIf you’re sick\, please do not attend the tour. Get some rest\, and let us know not to expect you. If notified at least 72 hours before tour departure\, we can refund or reschedule your booking. As long as you contact us before the tour begins\, we are happy to move your reservation to a future tour date. You may also gift your ticket to someone else—we will need their name\, email address and phone number to make this switch. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CONTACTING US ON OR BEFORE TOUR DAY:\nEmailing is the best way to communicate with us\, but after 8am on tour day you can call or text Richard on his mobile phone\, 213-915-8687. URL:https://esotouric.com/event/raymond-chandler-summer-2025/ LOCATION:Grand Central Market\, 308 South Hill Street\, Los Angeles\, CA\, 90013\, United States CATEGORIES:walking tour ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://esotouric.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/chandler-tour-collage.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Esotouric":MAILTO:tours@esotouric.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250621T103000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250621T133000 DTSTAMP:20260420T084245 CREATED:20241106T022130Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250515T194028Z UID:10000645-1750501800-1750512600@esotouric.com SUMMARY:KNOW YOUR DOWNTOWN LA: BRADBURY BUILDING\, BASEMENTS OF YORE AND THE DUTCH CHOCOLATE SHOP DESCRIPTION:As the historic heart of Los Angeles\, Downtown is a complex and confusing ecosystem\, where the old town and the new city collide and the past is always present. Join Esotouric for an immersive time travel trip as you explore Victorian time capsule interiors\, Prohibition-era speakeasy tunnels\, early public spaces and the richly layered streetscape\, all on a three hour tour like no other. \nStarting from Grand Central Market\, a culinary destination for more than a century\, we’ll set out to explore prominent Broadway Theater District and Main Street landmarks\, learn the lesser known history of the astonishing Bradbury Building\, explore the sprawling basement of the Van Nuys / Barclay Hotel (Morgan\, Walls and Morgan\, 1896) with its\, bookie stand\, sidewalk prisms and freight elevators and pay tribute to architect John Parkinson in his own King Edward Hotel\, including the basement King Edward Saloon speakeasy tunnels. Also on this tour\, we’ll make a rare interior visit to Arts & Crafts tile master Ernest Batchelder’s Dutch Chocolate Shop\, a remarkable 1914 time capsule that’s been in the news with recent efforts by Altadena’s Save the Tiles volunteers to rescue his work from fire damaged properties. \nThis walking tour draws on original research to tell the real stories of Downtown Los Angeles and is illustrated with rare photos you can view on your smartphone. \n  \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n MEETING INSTRUCTIONS:\nTour begins at 10:30am sharp\, with check-in time 10am at the patio outside Grand Central Market in front of Maple Block BBQ at 324 S Hill St\, Los Angeles\, CA 90013. Please arrive on time and proceed to the check in table to get signed in and logged in to the smartphone slideshow. Scroll down for tour rules and recommendations. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n Parking & Public Transit:\nThere are numerous paid public parking lots around Grand Central Market\, including GCM’s multi-level lot at 308 South Hill Street Los Angeles\, California 90013.  The nearest Metro stations are Civic Center/Grand Park and Pershing Square. If using public transit\, this link can help you plan your trip: \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n TOUR RULES & RECOMMENDATIONS:\nBE PREPARED: This is a walking hour lasting 3 hours\, over a mix of level ground and occasional hills and stairs moving at a casual pace. Wear comfortable walking shoes\, sunscreen and a hat. Bring your smartphone so you can view the tour slide show. We will have a cooler with cold water\, and you’re encouraged to bring a full water bottle. A restroom will be available at the start\, the middle\, and at the end of the tour. If you need more information about what to expect\, please email us. \nMASK POLICY: At this time\, we no longer require that masks be worn on walking tours\, with the exception of when we visit cramped and unventilated basement tunnels and the Dutch Chocolate Shop space. Please bring a mask to wear for this portion of the tour. If you forget your mask\, we can provide one on check in. \nCAMERA POLICY: No video- or audio-taping unless it has been pre-cleared with us\, please. Still cameras and sketchbooks are fine. \n  \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CANCELLATION / REFUND POLICY:\nIf you’re sick\, please do not attend the tour. Get some rest\, and let us know not to expect you. If notified at least 72 hours before tour departure\, we can refund or reschedule your booking. As long as you contact us before the tour begins\, we are happy to move your reservation to a future tour date. You may also gift your ticket to someone else—we will need their name\, email address and phone number to make this switch. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CONTACTING US ON OR BEFORE TOUR DAY:\nEmailing is the best way to communicate with us\, but after 8am on tour day you can call or text Richard on his mobile phone\, 213-915-8687. URL:https://esotouric.com/event/know-your-downtown-2025/ LOCATION:Grand Central Market\, 308 South Hill Street\, Los Angeles\, CA\, 90013\, United States CATEGORIES:walking tour ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://esotouric.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/know-downtown-featured.webp ORGANIZER;CN="Esotouric":MAILTO:tours@esotouric.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250622T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250622T150000 DTSTAMP:20260420T084246 CREATED:20250124T192935Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250128T024513Z UID:10000663-1750593600-1750604400@esotouric.com SUMMARY:MIRACLE MILE MARVELS & MADNESS WALKING TOUR (A Sunday) DESCRIPTION:Join Esotouric for an immersive excursion all around Wilshire and Fairfax\, the western terminus of the Miracle Mile. We’re on the trail of a layered history that leads from Columbian mammoths foraging in the last Ice Age to today’s construction cranes\, with some fascinating detours along the way. We’ll explore the La Brea Tar Pits as a zone of pre-colonial commerce and Victorian scientific discovery\, revealing the fossil hoard’s role in east coast theatrical spiritualism and a deathless romance. Then on to Wilshire Boulevard\, where bean fields turned almost overnight to an ultramodern Jazz Age canyon of car culture commerce\, including the magnificent Art Deco May Company (and yes\, it’s a crime scene). And as the county’s art museum struggles to remake itself with a controversial new building and curatorial vision\, we’ll honor the institution that was\, and sneaky artists who got their work displayed without curatorial review\, all seen through the candid lens of your guides’ advocacy for preserving the 1965 William Pereira campus. Plus\, a stroll through the immediate neighborhood on an architectural treasure hunt\, including some sweet echoes of the lost LACMA. \nThis walking tour is illustrated with rare photos you can view on your smartphone. And next time some silly person tries to tell you Los Angeles doesn’t have any history\, having taken this tour will give you everything you need to set them straight. \n \n \n \n \n \n MEETING INSTRUCTIONS:\nTour begins at 12 noon sharp\, with check-in time 11:30am at the picnic tables near the restrooms in the southeast corner of the La Brea Tar Pits park\, at the Wilshire & Curson Avenue entrance. Please arrive on time and proceed to the check in table to get signed in and logged in to the smartphone slideshow. Scroll down for tour rules and recommendations. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n PARKING & PUBLIC TRANSIT:\nThere is street parking in the neighborhood\, on Sixth Street\, Orange Street\, Crescent Heights Boulevard\, Eighth Street\, and Hauser Boulevard. As the tour is on a Sunday\, there are no restrictions on street parking. The nearest Metro station is Wilshire/Vermont. If using public transit\, this link can help you plan your trip. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n TOUR RULES & RECOMMENDATIONS:\nBE PREPARED: This is a walking hour lasting about 3 hours\, over a mix of level ground and occasional hills and stairs moving at a casual pace. Wear comfortable walking shoes\, sunscreen and a hat. Bring your smartphone so you can view the tour slide show. We will have a cooler with cold water\, and you’re encouraged to bring a full water bottle. A restroom will be available at the start and end of the tour. If you need more information about what to expect\, please email us. \nCOVID SAFETY: At this time\, we no longer require that masks be worn on walking tours. \nCAMERA POLICY: No video- or audio-taping unless it has been pre-cleared with us\, please. Still cameras and sketchbooks are fine. \n  \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CONTACTING US ON OR BEFORE TOUR DAY:\nEmailing is the best way to communicate with us\, but after 8am on tour day you can call or text Richard on his mobile phone\, 213-915-8687. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CANCELLATION / REFUND POLICY:\nIf you’re sick\, please do not attend the tour. Get some rest\, and let us know not to expect you. If notified at least 72 hours before tour departure\, we can refund or reschedule your booking. As long as you contact us before the tour begins\, we are happy to move your reservation to a future tour date. You may also gift your ticket to someone else—we will need their name\, email address and phone number to make this switch. URL:https://esotouric.com/event/miracle-mile-summer-2025/ LOCATION:La Brea Tar Pits\, Wilshire Blvd & S Curson Ave\, Los Angeles\, CA\, 90036\, United States CATEGORIES:walking tour ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://esotouric.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/miracle-mile-featured-WP.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Esotouric":MAILTO:tours@esotouric.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250628T103000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250628T133000 DTSTAMP:20260420T084246 CREATED:20250124T193240Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250128T024433Z UID:10000664-1751106600-1751117400@esotouric.com SUMMARY:WESTLAKE PARK TIME TRAVEL TRIP WALKING TOUR DESCRIPTION:When Los Angeles was young\, Westlake was a favorite pleasure park\, with boating\, a mini-zoo and exotic trees for lovers to spoon under\, surrounded by grand mansions and elegant hotels. Then in 1934\, Wilshire Boulevard punched through the lake\, marking the ascendency of the automobile. Westlake would never be the same. \nEsotouric invites you to take an immersive trip back in time exploring the layers of history hiding in plain sight in and around Westlake (MacArthur) Park. \nStarting from the tropical garden courtyard of the elegant William Penn Hotel—now called The Sinclair LA—we’ll set out to discover the rich and compelling cultural\, architectural and true crime history of this fascinating L.A. neighborhood. \nOn this walk\, you’ll learn about the legendary booksellers and influential art academies that thrived here\, see where cult leader Jim Jones lost his cool\, visit a little known monument to detective novelist Raymond Chandler\, learn where a bomb was set for the publisher of the Los Angeles Times\, thrill to the offbeat goings on at the Elks’ Lodge\, plus enjoy early pleasure park lore\, silent film locations\, mysteriously mummified infants\, and a stop to admire the only art nouveau castle home in Los Angeles\, a rare domestic commission by master architect John Parkinson. \nThis walking tour is illustrated with rare photos you can view on your smartphone. \n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n MEETING INSTRUCTIONS:\nTour begins at 10:30am sharp\, with check-in time 10am at The Sinclair LA at 2200 W 8th St\, Los Angeles\, CA 90057. Please arrive on time and proceed through the lobby to the central courtyard check in table to get signed in and logged in to the smartphone slideshow. Scroll down for tour rules and recommendations. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n PARKING & PUBLIC TRANSIT:\nThe nearest paid public parking lot is at 730 S Lake St 90057. This lot has an attendant to take your $10 payment (cash only). \nThe nearest Metro station is Westlake/MacArthur Park station on the B and D lines. If using public transit\, this link can help you plan your trip. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n TOUR RULES & RECOMMENDATIONS:\nBE PREPARED: This is a walking hour lasting approximately 3 hours\, over level ground moving at a casual pace. Wear comfortable walking shoes\, sunscreen and a hat. Bring your smartphone so you can view the tour slide show. We will have a cooler with cold water\, and you’re encouraged to bring a full water bottle. A restroom will be available at the start and end of the tour. If you need more information about what to expect\, please email us. \nCOVID SAFETY: At this time\, we no longer require that masks be worn on walking tours. \nCAMERA POLICY: No video- or audio-taping unless it has been pre-cleared with us\, please. Still cameras and sketchbooks are fine. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n CONTACTING US ON OR BEFORE TOUR DAY:\nEmailing is the best way to communicate with us\, but after 8am on tour day you can call or text Richard on his mobile phone\, 213-915-8687. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n CANCELLATION / REFUND POLICY:\nIf you’re sick\, please do not attend the tour. Get some rest\, and let us know not to expect you. If notified at least 72 hours before tour departure\, we can refund or reschedule your booking. As long as you contact us before the tour begins\, we are happy to move your reservation to a future tour date. You may also gift your ticket to someone else—we will need their name\, email address and phone number to make this switch. URL:https://esotouric.com/event/westlake-time-travel-summer-2025/ LOCATION:The Sinclair LA\, 2200 W 8th St\, Los Angeles\, 90057\, United States CATEGORIES:walking tour ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://esotouric.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/westlake-featured-WP.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Esotouric":MAILTO:tours@esotouric.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250712T103000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250712T133000 DTSTAMP:20260420T084246 CREATED:20250124T193628Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250128T025412Z UID:10000665-1752316200-1752327000@esotouric.com SUMMARY:FILM NOIR / REAL NOIR DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES WALKING TOUR DESCRIPTION:Film Noir is moody\, sexy\, dark and dangerous\, the nightmare flip side of the sun-drenched mid-century Southern California dream. \nJoin Esotouric on a walk that celebrates Film Noir and its abiding influence through visits to select filming locations\, sites connected to artists who shaped the genre\, and places where real life noir narratives were captured by dogged crime reporters\, bringing inspiration to Hollywood screenwriters in their daily newspaper. \nStarting from Grand Central Market in the Historic Core\, we’ll visit the Bradbury Building and some iconic locations off Pershing Square before plunging into old Skid Row between Main and Los Angeles Streets. This lost world of pawn shops\, burlesque halls\, all-night movie theaters\, “slave market” job boards\, shooting galleries\, b-girl bars\, rescue missions and decaying residency hotels is where the writers Raymond Chandler and James M. Cain found inspiration for books that were adapted into Noir screenplays like “Double Indemnity” (1944) and “The Postman Always Rings Twice” (1946). \nAnd of course we’ll visit Bunker Hill\, the sprawling Victorian neighborhood of aging boarding houses and shadowy back alleys that was Hollywood’s favorite back lot when the screenplay called for a gritty mixed use set—until the redevelopment agency evicted 9000 people and tore it all down. \nWe’ll ascend on Angels Flight Railway\, a short ride with a long filmography. Up on the hill\, historian Nathan Marsak\, author of Bunker Hill Los Angeles\, Bunker Noir!\, and Marsak’s Guide to Bunker Hill brings the lost neighborhood to life. And Bunker Hill native son Gordon Pattison explains how by playing up its sinister appearance\, Hollywood helped feed the urban renewal PR engine that sealed his beloved neighborhood’s fate. \nIf you’re interested in movies\, urban history\, true crime and the creative process\, you won’t want to miss it. \nThis walking tour is illustrated with rare images you can view on your smartphone. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n TOUR RULES & RECOMMENDATIONS:\nBE PREPARED: This is a walking hour lasting approximately 3 hours\, over a mix of level ground and occasional hills and stairs moving at a casual pace. Wear comfortable walking shoes\, sunscreen and a hat. Bring your smartphone so you can view the tour slide show. We will have a cooler with cold water\, and you’re encouraged to bring a full water bottle. A restroom will be available at the start\, and at the end of the tour. If you need more information about what to expect\, please email us. \nCOVID SAFETY: At this time\, we no longer require that masks be worn on walking tours. \nCAMERA POLICY: No video- or audio-taping unless it has been pre-cleared with us\, please. Still cameras and sketchbooks are fine. \n  \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n MEETING INSTRUCTIONS:\nTour begins at 10:30am sharp\, with check-in time 10am at the patio outside Grand Central Market in front of Maple Block BBQ at 324 S Hill St\, Los Angeles\, CA 90013. Please arrive on time and proceed to the check in table to get signed in and logged in to the smartphone slideshow. Scroll down for tour rules and recommendations. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n Parking & Public Transit:\nThere are numerous paid public parking lots around Grand Central Market\, including GCM’s multi-level lot at 308 South Hill Street Los Angeles\, California 90013.  The nearest Metro stations are Civic Center/Grand Park and Pershing Square. If using public transit\, this link can help you plan your trip: \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CANCELLATION / REFUND POLICY:\nIf you’re sick\, please do not attend the tour. Get some rest\, and let us know not to expect you. If notified at least 72 hours before tour departure\, we can refund or reschedule your booking. As long as you contact us before the tour begins\, we are happy to move your reservation to a future tour date. You may also gift your ticket to someone else—we will need their name\, email address and phone number to make this switch. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CONTACTING US ON OR BEFORE TOUR DAY:\nEmailing is the best way to communicate with us\, but after 8am on tour day you can call or text Richard on his mobile phone\, 213-915-8687. URL:https://esotouric.com/event/film-noir-summer-2025/ LOCATION:Grand Central Market\, 308 South Hill Street\, Los Angeles\, CA\, 90013\, United States CATEGORIES:walking tour ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://esotouric.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/film-noir-featured-2025-WP.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Esotouric":MAILTO:tours@esotouric.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250719T103000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250719T133000 DTSTAMP:20260420T084246 CREATED:20250124T194113Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250128T024318Z UID:10000666-1752921000-1752931800@esotouric.com SUMMARY:THE REAL BLACK DAHLIA DOWNTOWN WALKING TOUR DESCRIPTION:The Black Dahlia murder in 1947 is the most compelling unsolved crime Los Angeles has ever known. What Jack the Ripper is to London\, the Torso Killer to Cleveland\, the Black Dahlia is to L.A. And yet unlike those other cases\, the name Black Dahlia refers not to the killer\, but to the victim. What was it about Elizabeth Short that keeps her the object of obsessive fascination by writers\, musicians\, artists\, filmmakers\, cops and readers\, decades after she was slain? \nThe Real Black Dahlia tour seeks to answer this question by intimately exploring the last weeks of Elizabeth Short’s life\, asking not “who killed her?” but “who was she?”—and how do we know so much about a person who was a stranger in town\, with no fixed address\, no means of support and no real confidantes? The answer takes us deep into the twin shadow worlds of mid-century investigative reporting and detective work\, and a high stakes race to turn trauma into gold. \nThis walking tour around the Historic Core of Downtown Los Angeles takes us from the human hustle of Main Street to the serene lobby of the Biltmore Hotel (the second-to-last place she was seen alive)\, the discreet gay bar that was her final intended destination to the Greyhound station where she checked her bags\, and to the newspaper offices that sensationalized and humanized her. \nFrom the few personal possessions she left behind to the friends who scarcely knew her\, from the mass hysteria of the investigation with its fruitless leads\, wacko suspects and false confessions\, the tour reveals all that’s known about this enigmatic black-haired girl who reinvented herself at whim\, and shows how she came to be the unfortunate symbol of her time and place. \nThis walking tour is illustrated with rare images you can view on your smartphone. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n TOUR RULES & RECOMMENDATIONS:\nBE PREPARED: This is a walking hour lasting 3 hours\, over level ground moving at a casual pace. Wear comfortable walking shoes\, sunscreen and a hat. Bring your smartphone so you can view the tour slide show. We will have a cooler with cold water\, and you’re encouraged to bring a full water bottle. A restroom will be available at the start and end of the tour. If you need more information about what to expect\, please email us. \nCOVID SAFETY: At this time\, we no longer require that masks be worn on walking tours. \nCAMERA POLICY: No video- or audio-taping unless it has been pre-cleared with us\, please. Still cameras and sketchbooks are fine. \n  \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n MEETING INSTRUCTIONS:\nTour begins at 10:30am sharp\, with check-in time 10am at the patio outside Grand Central Market in front of Maple Block BBQ at 324 S Hill St\, Los Angeles\, CA 90013. Please arrive on time and proceed to the check in table to get signed in and logged in to the smartphone slideshow. Scroll down for tour rules and recommendations. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n Parking & Public Transit:\nThere are numerous paid public parking lots around Grand Central Market\, including GCM’s multi-level lot at 308 South Hill Street Los Angeles\, California 90013.  The nearest Metro stations are Civic Center/Grand Park and Pershing Square. If using public transit\, this link can help you plan your trip: \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CONTACTING US ON OR BEFORE TOUR DAY:\nEmailing is the best way to communicate with us\, but after 8am on tour day you can call or text Richard on his mobile phone\, 213-915-8687. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CANCELLATION / REFUND POLICY:\nIf you’re sick\, please do not attend the tour. Get some rest\, and let us know not to expect you. If notified at least 72 hours before tour departure\, we can refund or reschedule your booking. As long as you contact us before the tour begins\, we are happy to move your reservation to a future tour date. You may also gift your ticket to someone else—we will need their name\, email address and phone number to make this switch. URL:https://esotouric.com/event/black-dahlia-summer-2025/ LOCATION:Grand Central Market\, 308 South Hill Street\, Los Angeles\, CA\, 90013\, United States CATEGORIES:walking tour ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://esotouric.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/black-dahlia-walk-featured-WP.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Esotouric":MAILTO:tours@esotouric.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250726T103000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250726T133000 DTSTAMP:20260420T084246 CREATED:20250506T010736Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250515T194302Z UID:10000669-1753525800-1753536600@esotouric.com SUMMARY:EARLY HOLLYWOOD'S SILENT COMEDY LEGENDS WALKING TOUR DESCRIPTION:When Los Angeles was young\, it was the world’s biggest backlot\, its landscapes and landmarks recognized by millions of movie fans. One of the favorite places to film was the Westlake neighborhood\, with its eclectic mix of New York style apartment hotels\, wide boulevards and lush tropical gardens. Although Westlake has changed enormously in the last century\, many of these early cinema shooting locations survive. \nJoin Esotouric as we flip back the calendar pages for a time travel trip to the silent era (and a few more modern landmarks)\, featuring iconic filming locations used by Charlie Chaplin\, Buster Keaton\, Harold Lloyd\, Laurel & Hardy and Harry Langdon. As we stroll around\, you’ll hear about the productions\, the players and the featured buildings\, and thrill to stand just where iconic comedy legends stood when making motion picture gold. \nFeatured on the tour\, a stop at the Hayworth Theater to hear about its vaudeville days and current life as Dynasty Typewriter. \nThis tour evolved out of our occasional bus tours with silent cinema sleuth and author John Bengtson\, and we honor his brilliant work and friendship. John’s books are highly recommended by anyone seeking to know more about early location filming in Los Angeles. \nThis walking tour is illustrated with rare photos and film clips you can view on your smartphone. \n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n MEETING INSTRUCTIONS:\nTour begins at 10:30am sharp\, with check-in time 10am at The Sinclair LA at 2200 W 8th St\, Los Angeles\, CA 90057. Please arrive on time and proceed through the lobby to the central courtyard check in table to get signed in and logged in to the smartphone slideshow. Scroll down for tour rules and recommendations. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n PARKING & PUBLIC TRANSIT:\nThe nearest paid public parking lot is at 730 S Lake St 90057. This lot has an attendant to take your $10 payment (cash only). \nThe nearest Metro station is Westlake/MacArthur Park station on the B and D lines. If using public transit\, this link can help you plan your trip. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n TOUR RULES & RECOMMENDATIONS\nBE PREPARED: This is a walking hour lasting approximately 3 hours\, over level ground moving at a casual pace. Wear comfortable walking shoes\, sunscreen and a hat. Bring your smartphone so you can view the tour slide show. We will have a cooler with cold water\, and you’re encouraged to bring a full water bottle. A restroom will be available at the start\, middle\, and end of the tour. If you need more information about what to expect\, please email us. \nCOVID SAFETY: At this time\, we no longer require that masks be worn on walking tours. \nCAMERA POLICY: No video- or audio-taping unless it has been pre-cleared with us\, please. Still cameras and sketchbooks are fine. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n CONTACTING US ON OR BEFORE TOUR DAY:\nEmailing is the best way to communicate with us\, but after 8am on tour day you can call or text Richard on his mobile phone\, 213-915-8687. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n CANCELLATION / REFUND POLICY:\nIf you’re sick\, please do not attend the tour. Get some rest\, and let us know not to expect you. If notified at least 72 hours before tour departure\, we can refund or reschedule your booking. As long as you contact us before the tour begins\, we are happy to move your reservation to a future tour date. You may also gift your ticket to someone else—we will need their name\, email address and phone number to make this switch. URL:https://esotouric.com/event/silent-summer-2025/ LOCATION:The Sinclair LA\, 2200 W 8th St\, Los Angeles\, 90057\, United States CATEGORIES:walking tour ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://esotouric.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/silent-collage-WP-USE.webp ORGANIZER;CN="Esotouric":MAILTO:tours@esotouric.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250809T103000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250809T133000 DTSTAMP:20260420T084246 CREATED:20250506T011613Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250515T194509Z UID:10000670-1754735400-1754746200@esotouric.com SUMMARY:HOTEL HORRORS & MAIN STREET VICE DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES WALKING TOUR DESCRIPTION:From the founding of the city through the mid-20th century\, downtown was the true center of Los Angeles\, a lively\, densely populated\, exciting and sometimes dangerous place. After many quiet decades\, downtown again became a destination. But while the historic buildings remain\, their stories got lost. \nBlending true crime\, architecture\, theatrical\, documentary and social history\, this tour aims to revive the ghosts that cling to the bricks and alleyways and inside some time capsule buildings where the past is present. \nThis is a tour of the ribald\, racy\, raunchy old promenade where the better people simply did not travel\, but kicks were had by all who did. Burlesque babes and tattoo artists\, weird wax museums\, sword swallowers\, fake and real freaks\, taxi dancers and B-girl hustlers\, elegant hotels and dirty magazine stands\, sophisticated steak houses and nickel donut dives\, even Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones — these were the pleasures and the people to be found along Main Street during the 20th century. \nWe’ll visit the scenes of some more unforgettable debaucheries and share stories of bloodshed\, smut\, passion and commerce that bring a lost world to life. \nThis walking tour is illustrated with rare photos you can view on your smartphone. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n TOUR RULES & RECOMMENDATIONS:\nBE PREPARED: This is a walking hour lasting approximately 3 hours\, over level ground moving at a casual pace. Wear comfortable walking shoes\, sunscreen and a hat. Bring your smartphone so you can view the tour slide show. We will have a cooler with cold water\, and you’re encouraged to bring a full water bottle. A restroom will be available at the start\, and at the end of the tour. If you need more information about what to expect\, please email us. \nCOVID SAFETY: At this time\, we no longer require that masks be worn on walking tours. \nCAMERA POLICY: No video- or audio-taping unless it has been pre-cleared with us\, please. Still cameras and sketchbooks are fine. \n  \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n MEETING INSTRUCTIONS:\nTour begins at 10:30am sharp\, with check-in time 10am at the patio outside Grand Central Market in front of Maple Block BBQ at 324 S Hill St\, Los Angeles\, CA 90013. Please arrive on time and proceed to the check in table to get signed in and logged in to the smartphone slideshow. Scroll down for tour rules and recommendations. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n About Our Guest Host\nJoan Renner is a true crime author and commentator. Her blog\, Deranged L.A. Crimes\, covers 20th century crimes and scandals. The L.A. Weekly called her book The First with the latest: Aggie Underwood\, the Los Angeles Herald\, and the Sordid Crimes of a City\, “A great introduction to some long-forgotten L.A. crimes.” Over the past decade\, she has appeared in over sixty TV shows and podcasts such as City of Angels\, City of Death; Deadly Women; Buried in the Backyard; and Hollywood & Crime. She is currently working on a book for University Press Kentucky about Los Angeles during the Prohibition era. When she’s not writing about or researching crime\, Joan volunteers as an archivist at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Museum. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n Parking & Public Transit:\nThere are numerous paid public parking lots around Grand Central Market\, including GCM’s multi-level lot at 308 South Hill Street Los Angeles\, California 90013.  The nearest Metro stations are Civic Center/Grand Park and Pershing Square. If using public transit\, this link can help you plan your trip: \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CANCELLATION / REFUND POLICY:\nIf you’re sick\, please do not attend the tour. Get some rest\, and let us know not to expect you. If notified at least 72 hours before tour departure\, we can refund or reschedule your booking. As long as you contact us before the tour begins\, we are happy to move your reservation to a future tour date. You may also gift your ticket to someone else—we will need their name\, email address and phone number to make this switch. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CONTACTING US ON OR BEFORE TOUR DAY:\nEmailing is the best way to communicate with us\, but after 8am on tour day you can call or text Richard on his mobile phone\, 213-915-8687. URL:https://esotouric.com/event/hotel-horrors-summer-2025/ LOCATION:Grand Central Market\, 308 South Hill Street\, Los Angeles\, CA\, 90013\, United States CATEGORIES:walking tour ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://esotouric.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Hotel-Horrors-Main-St-Featured.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Esotouric":MAILTO:tours@esotouric.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250816T103000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250816T133000 DTSTAMP:20260420T084246 CREATED:20240416T021211Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250425T225904Z UID:10000617-1755340200-1755351000@esotouric.com SUMMARY:WEIRD WEST ADAMS WALKING TOUR / ELMER MCCURDY MUSEUM VISIT DESCRIPTION:Where busy Western Avenue crosses Interstate 10\, Esotouric invites you to slow down for a side street stroll back in time\, on a cultural and architectural history walking tour of West Adams\, to explore some of the city’s oldest streetcar suburbs. \nOn this walk through the West Adams Heights\, Western Heights and Sugar Hill neighborhoods\, you’ll see relics of early infrastructure\, transit and commerce\, adorable bungalows and fabulous mansions\, and the mournful shadows where landmarks used to be. \nYou’ll lament the tragic death of soul star Marvin Gaye\, be astonished by the weird career of folk artist Dan Van Meter\, tap your feet to the inspiring musical stylings of the Kids of Widney High\, hear how the national integration battle played out in the homes of Sugar Hill and Norman O. Houston’s Golden State Mutual Insurance Company offices\, and more. \nPlus you’ll have a chance to explore the stunning Mediterranean / Moorish Revival Linda Scott Residence (Frank Tyler\, 1906)\, Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #963\, which is also home to a most unusual display: Al Guerrero’s Elmer McCurdy Museum and Gallery of Sideshow Attractions. \nWe’ll wrap up the walking tour with an intimate viewing of the world’s only full-body effigy of the notorious Old West outlaw Elmer McCurdy\, who was famously mummified and exhibited as a sideshow attraction and as fun house decor from 1911-1977\, when authorities were alerted and he finally was laid to rest. Elmer’s effigy is displayed in an interactive\, multi-media installation alongside other hand-crafted folk art artifacts that celebrate the culture of the American Sideshow and the Spooky Rides\, Terror Trains & Fun Houses that were found there. \nWith a mix of tales dark and light\, and a rare chance to take a selfie with the beguiling Elmer McCurdy and hear about his posthumous career in Downtown\, West Adams and Long Beach\, this is a different kind of Los Angeles history tour you won’t soon forget. \nThis walking tour is illustrated with rare photos you can view on your smartphone. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n MEETING INSTRUCTIONS:\nTour begins at 10:30am sharp\, with check-in time 10am at the private residence at 1910 S Harvard. Please arrive on time and proceed down the driveway to the check-in table in the back garden\, to get signed in and logged in to the smartphone slideshow. Scroll down for tour rules and recommendations. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n TOUR RULES & RECOMMENDATIONS:\nBE PREPARED: This is a walking hour lasting 3 hours\, over a mix of level ground and hills\, moving at a casual pace. Wear comfortable walking shoes\, sunscreen and a hat. Bring your smartphone so you can view the tour slide show. We will have a cooler with cold water\, and you’re encouraged to bring a full water bottle. A restroom will be available at the start\, and at the end of the tour. If you need more information about what to expect\, please email us. \nCOVID SAFETY: At this time\, we no longer require that masks be worn on walking tours. \nCAMERA POLICY: No video- or audio-taping unless it has been pre-cleared with us\, please. Still cameras and sketchbooks are fine. \n  \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n Parking & Public Transit\nThere is ample side street parking around the neighborhood with a time limit of 10 hours. Check signs before parking. If parking on a main road like Washington Boulevard\, be aware that there are more restrictions. If using public transit\, this link can help you plan your trip. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CANCELLATION / REFUND POLICY:\nIf you’re sick\, please do not attend the tour. Get some rest\, and let us know not to expect you. If notified at least 72 hours before tour departure\, we can refund or reschedule your booking. As long as you contact us before the tour begins\, we are happy to move your reservation to a future tour date. You may also gift your ticket to someone else—we will need their name\, email address and phone number to make this switch. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CONTACTING US ON OR BEFORE TOUR DAY:\nEmailing is the best way to communicate with us\, but after 8am on tour day you can call or text Richard on his mobile phone\, 213-915-8687. URL:https://esotouric.com/event/weird-west-adams-2025/ LOCATION:1910 South Harvard\, 1910 South Harvard Blvd\, Los Angeles\, CA\, 90018\, United States CATEGORIES:walking tour ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://esotouric.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/west-adams-elmer-collage-EDIT.webp ORGANIZER;CN="Esotouric":MAILTO:tours@esotouric.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250823T103000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250823T133000 DTSTAMP:20260420T084246 CREATED:20250514T234336Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250815T043054Z UID:10000676-1755945000-1755955800@esotouric.com SUMMARY:SUMMER SALE - CHRISTINE STERLING & LEO POLITI: ANGELS OF LOS ANGELES DESCRIPTION:Esotouric invites you to attend a special Downtown walking tour that celebrates the life\, work\, passions and abiding influence of two remarkable Angelenos: the Mother of Olvera Street Christine Sterling (1881–1963) and acclaimed author and illustrator Leo Politi (1908-1996)\, through visits to time capsule locations that figure in their remarkable\, entwined Los Angeles preservation stories. \nFresno born\, educated in Italy and London\, Leo Politi arrived in Los Angeles in the depths of the Great Depression and instantly found something magical: a very old street lined with 19th century brick commercial buildings and adobe houses had been transformed into a thriving marketplace for artists\, traditional craftsmen\, booksellers\, antique dealers\, puppeteers\, cactus venders\, restaurateurs and numerous Mexican-American merchant families. \nPoliti fit in perfectly as Olvera Street’s public artist\, drawing and painting the old buildings\, colorful characters\, and festive events that honored his adopted city’s multi-cultural history and selling portraits to tourists and locals. Even after he became an award-winning children’s author\, he always returned\, notebook in hand\, to be with his friends and capture the lively scene. \nThis unlikely oasis was the brainchild of the Oakland born Chastina Rix Hough\, a struggling single mom who had christened herself with a glittering new name (Christine Sterling) to accompany her obsessive efforts to halt demolition of the historic Avila Adobe (1818)\, preserve the landmarks around it\, and revive Olvera Street as a place where Angelenos and visitors could escape the frantic modern world. \nWhen these two remarkable people met\, a lucky star must have been shining. Christine and Leo loved the City\, its history and its people\, and they never stopped fighting for places that matter. Although they’re both gone now\, their work changed Los Angeles for the better\, and you can still see and feel their influence today. Join us and see for yourself! \nThe tour will begin at Grand Central Market\, across from Politi’s beloved Angels Flight Railway funicular and below the redeveloped Bunker Hill that replaced his lost Victorian neighborhood. \nWe’ll visit the Bradbury Building\, the strangest and most beautiful Victorian office building\, then set out for Olvera Street and the Plaza to stroll all around Christine Sterling’s world\, and share insights into her poorly understood\, wildly successful campaign to stop time. You’ll see Leo’s Blessing of the Animals mural\, Pico House\, La Placita church\, Avila Adobe and pay your respects at Leo’s burial spot. \nOn the way and back\, replicating Leo’s pedestrian commute to Olvera Street\, we’ll enjoy a then and now tour of a much changed Downtown landscape\, using rare vintage photos to find clues to the landmarks lost to freeway construction and parking lots. Featured ghost buildings include the old Hall of Justice and Jail\, the lyrically luminous Baker Block\, the Old West stage coach stop at the Los Angeles Times building\, the famed red sandstone courthouse and off-kilter Hall of Records. Plus the Fort Moore Pioneer memorial\, lost tunnels\, the original city cemetery\, legends of Lizard People and downtown’s “other” funicular\, Court Flight. \nSpecial guest on this edition of the tour: Bunker Hill native son Gordon Pattison\, whose family home The Castle was a favorite subject for Politi’s paintings. \nThis walking tour is illustrated with rare photos you can view on your smartphone. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n MEETING INSTRUCTIONS:\nTour begins at 10:30am sharp\, with check-in time 10am at the patio outside Grand Central Market in front of Maple Block BBQ at 324 S Hill St\, Los Angeles\, CA 90013. Please arrive on time and proceed to the check in table to get signed in and logged in to the smartphone slideshow. Scroll down for tour rules and recommendations. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n TOUR RULES & RECOMMENDATIONS:\nBE PREPARED: This is a walking hour lasting approximately 3 hours\, over a mix of level ground and occasional hills and stairs moving at a casual pace. Wear comfortable walking shoes\, sunscreen and a hat. Bring your smartphone so you can view the tour slide show. We will have a cooler with cold water\, and you’re encouraged to bring a full water bottle. A restroom will be available at the start\, the middle and at the end of the tour. If you need more information about what to expect\, please email us. \nCOVID SAFETY: At this time\, we no longer require that masks be worn on walking tours. \nCAMERA POLICY: No video- or audio-taping unless it has been pre-cleared with us\, please. Still cameras and sketchbooks are fine. \n  \n\n \n \n \n \n \n Parking & Public Transit:\nThere are numerous paid public parking lots around Grand Central Market\, including GCM’s multi-level lot at 308 South Hill Street Los Angeles\, California 90013.  The nearest Metro stations are Civic Center/Grand Park and Pershing Square. If using public transit\, this link can help you plan your trip: \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CONTACTING US ON OR BEFORE TOUR DAY:\nEmailing is the best way to communicate with us\, but after 8am on tour day you can call or text Richard on his mobile phone\, 213-915-8687. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CANCELLATION / REFUND POLICY:\nIf you’re sick\, please do not attend the tour. Get some rest\, and let us know not to expect you. If notified at least 72 hours before tour departure\, we can refund or reschedule your booking. As long as you contact us before the tour begins\, we are happy to move your reservation to a future tour date. You may also gift your ticket to someone else—we will need their name\, email address and phone number to make this switch. URL:https://esotouric.com/event/sterling-politi-fort-moore/ LOCATION:Grand Central Market\, 308 South Hill Street\, Los Angeles\, CA\, 90013\, United States CATEGORIES:walking tour ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://esotouric.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/before-freeways-featured-02.jpeg ORGANIZER;CN="Esotouric":MAILTO:tours@esotouric.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250830T103000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250830T133000 DTSTAMP:20260420T084246 CREATED:20250506T012949Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250515T194700Z UID:10000672-1756549800-1756560600@esotouric.com SUMMARY:EVERGREEN CEMETERY\, 1877 DESCRIPTION:Los Angeles\, 1877: a sleepy village of 10\,000 souls on the cusp of a wild real estate boom. In the budding Eastside suburb of Boyle Heights\, a group of civic minded citizens establish a 67 acre cemetery with room to grow for the city to come: Evergreen! \nJoin Esotouric for an immersive time travel trip from the cemetery’s founding through the present day\, revealing the colorful characters who helped shape the ethnically mixed\, non-denominational cemetery and the city\, including prominent families like Lankershim\, Hollenbeck\, Van Nuys\, Bixby and Workman\, and other fascinating figures who rest forever among 300\,000 souls. You’ll see beautiful early monuments crafted by local stonemasons and a rare signed memorial\, spot the lucky lizard\, the hidden maiden and the prancing pink tiger\, descend into the Chinese Shrine and visit the shores of the lost Crystal Lake. \nThis walking tour draws on newly discovered\, unpublished documents to tell the forgotten early history of L.A.’s oldest cemetery\, and is illustrated with rare photos you can view on your smartphone. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n MEETING INSTRUCTIONS:\nTour begins at 10:30am sharp\, with check-in time 10am just inside the main cemetery gate. Please arrive on time and proceed to the check in table to get signed in and logged in to the smartphone slideshow. Scroll down for tour rules and recommendations. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n BE PREPARED: This is a walking hour lasting approximately 3 hours\, over level ground moving at a casual pace. Wear comfortable\, closed-toe walking shoes\, sunscreen\, and a hat. Bring your smartphone so you can view the tour slide show. We will have a cooler with cold water\, and you’re encouraged to bring a full water bottle. A restroom will be available at the start and end of the tour. If you need more information about what to expect\, please email us. \nCOVID SAFETY: At this time\, we no longer require that masks be worn on walking tours. \nCAMERA POLICY: No video- or audio-taping unless it has been pre-cleared with us\, please. Still cameras and sketchbooks are fine. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n PARKING & PUBLIC TRANSIT:\nThere is plenty of parking inside the cemetery along the main roads. Please do not use the stalls in front of the office or park close to the chapel. The nearest Gold Line station is Indiana. If using public transit\, this link can help you plan your trip. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CONTACTING US ON OR BEFORE TOUR DAY:\nEmailing is the best way to communicate with us\, but after 8am on tour day you can call or text Richard on his mobile phone\, 213-915-8687. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CANCELLATION / REFUND POLICY:\nIf you’re sick\, please do not attend the tour. Get some rest\, and let us know not to expect you. If notified at least 72 hours before tour departure\, we can refund or reschedule your booking. As long as you contact us before the tour begins\, we are happy to move your reservation to a future tour date. You may also gift your ticket to someone else—we will need their name\, email address and phone number to make this switch. URL:https://esotouric.com/event/evergreen-summer-2025/ LOCATION:Evergreen Cemetery\, 204 N Evergreen Ave\, Los Angeles\, CA\, 90033\, United States CATEGORIES:walking tour ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://esotouric.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/EastsideBabylon-evergreenGates-Cropped.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Esotouric":MAILTO:tours@esotouric.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250906T103000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250906T133000 DTSTAMP:20260420T084246 CREATED:20250506T202111Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250515T195006Z UID:10000673-1757154600-1757165400@esotouric.com SUMMARY:RAYMOND CHANDLER’S NOIR DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES DESCRIPTION:Join Esotouric for an immersive time travel trip in the footsteps of master detective novelist Raymond Chandler and his cynical alter ego Philip Marlowe\, in the historic heart of Downtown Los Angeles. \nChicago-born and educated in a fine English boarding school\, Chandler found his literary voice during long boozy lunches as a 1920s oil company executive\, quietly observing the criminal origins of great Los Angeles fortunes. Although he left Downtown in the 1930s and found success with fiction and screenwriting\, the old neighborhood cast an abiding spell and he returned to it throughout his career. \nThis tour explores some of the time capsule sites where the young Chandler worked and played\, and where the mature writer set some of his most memorable and murderous scenes. From Angels Flight Railway and old Bunker Hill to the Oviatt Building\, Clifton’s Cafeteria to seedy hotels on the edge of Skid Row\, we’ll bring Chandler’s real and invented worlds alive on a stroll among beautiful\, fascinating landmarks. \nAlong the way\, you’ll get to know the real Raymond Chandler\, with intimate details sleuthed out by the tour guides who over many years of noir exploration have discovered Chandler’s previously unknown comic operetta and penned a Chandler map and nonfiction novel The Kept Girl about the real life cult of angel worshippers who fleeced his oil executive colleague and were front page news in a crime crazed city. \nThis walking tour is illustrated with rare photos you can view on your smartphone. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n Parking & Public Transit:\nThere are numerous paid public parking lots around Grand Central Market\, including GCM’s multi-level lot at 308 South Hill Street Los Angeles\, California 90013.  The nearest Metro stations are Civic Center/Grand Park and Pershing Square. If using public transit\, this link can help you plan your trip: \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n TOUR RULES & RECOMMENDATIONS:\nBE PREPARED: This is a walking hour lasting approximately 3 hours\, moving at a casual pace. Wear comfortable walking shoes\, sunscreen and a hat. Bring your smartphone so you can view the tour slide show. We will have a cooler with cold water\, and you’re encouraged to bring a full water bottle. A restroom will be available at the start\, middle and end of the tour. If you need more information about what to expect\, please email us. \nCOVID SAFETY: At this time\, we no longer require that masks be worn on walking tours. \nCAMERA POLICY: No video- or audio-taping unless it has been pre-cleared with us\, please. Still cameras and sketchbooks are fine. \n  \n\n \n \n \n \n \n CANCELLATION / REFUND POLICY:\nIf you’re sick\, please do not attend the tour. Get some rest\, and let us know not to expect you. If notified at least 72 hours before tour departure\, we can refund or reschedule your booking. As long as you contact us before the tour begins\, we are happy to move your reservation to a future tour date. You may also gift your ticket to someone else—we will need their name\, email address and phone number to make this switch. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CONTACTING US ON OR BEFORE TOUR DAY:\nEmailing is the best way to communicate with us\, but after 8am on tour day you can call or text Richard on his mobile phone\, 213-915-8687. URL:https://esotouric.com/event/chandlers-noir-fall-2025/ LOCATION:Grand Central Market\, 308 South Hill Street\, Los Angeles\, CA\, 90013\, United States CATEGORIES:walking tour ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://esotouric.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/chandler-tour-collage.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Esotouric":MAILTO:tours@esotouric.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250913T103000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250913T133000 DTSTAMP:20260420T084246 CREATED:20240618T004454Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250731T205323Z UID:10000623-1757759400-1757770200@esotouric.com SUMMARY:FRANKLIN VILLAGE OLD HOLLYWOOD TIME TRAVEL TRIP WALKING TOUR DESCRIPTION:There is one Los Angeles neighborhood that seems to vibrate on a special frequency\, where the layers of offbeat spiritual\, cultural\, music industry\, motion picture\, architectural and true crime history knit together to tell an only-in-Hollywood story: Franklin Village. \nJoin Esotouric for an immersive walk back through time to get to know the colorful characters\, faith\, folly\, fantasies and heartbreak that left their eternal mark on this beautiful and historic corner of the city. \nStarting from the hillside Hindu ashram Vedanta\, where the English writers Christopher Isherwood and Aldous Huxley expanded their minds as the Hollywood freeway cut the neighborhood in two\, we’ll descend down into the flats then up again on a tour that spans the highest consciousness and the depths of depravity\, lovely architecture and landscapes\, real life and fictional noir narratives that will have even locals exclaiming “I never knew that!” \nStops include the Parva Sed Apartments from Nathanael West’s dark Hollywood fantasy The Day of the Locust\, the Chateau Alto Nido from Sunset Boulevard\, the site of the high profile police raid that inspired Jack Webb to create Dragnet\, a nightmarish tale of a Capitol Record co-worker run amok\, City Hall gadflies\, torched landmarks\, lost restaurants\, a serial killer who hunted in his own backyard\, and a visit to Monastery of the Angels\, the nearly century old community of Dominican nuns that is beginning a new chapter with its recent suppression by the Vatican. \nOn our return to Vedanta as the tour concludes\, you will have an opportunity to shop in the temple bookstore. \nThis walking tour is illustrated with rare photos you can view on your smartphone. It was featured in the VERA Virgin Atlantic in-flight magazine feature\, Lost Angeles. \n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CHECK-IN DETAILS:\nTour begins at 10.30am sharp\, with check-in time 10am under the Bo Tree to the right of the domed temple at the Vedanta Society of Southern California\, 1946 Vedanta Place\, Los Angeles\, CA 90068. Please arrive on time to get signed in and logged in to the smartphone slideshow. Scroll down for tour rules and recommendations. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n PARKING & PUBLIC TRANSIT:\nYou may park in the open air lot at the Vedanta Society of Southern California\, 1946 Vedanta Place\, Los Angeles\, CA 90068. The nearest Metro station is Hollywood and Vine on the B line. If using public transit\, this link can help you plan your trip. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n TOUR RULES & RECOMMENDATIONS:\nBE PREPARED: This is a walking hour lasting about 3 hours\, over a mix of level ground and occasional hills and stairs moving at a casual pace. Wear comfortable walking shoes\, sunscreen and a hat. Bring your smartphone so you can view the tour slide show. We will have a cooler with cold water\, and you’re encouraged to bring a full water bottle. A restroom will be available at the start and end of the tour. If you need more information about what to expect\, please email us. \nCOVID SAFETY: At this time\, we no longer require that masks be worn on walking tours\, but you are welcome to bring one. \nCAMERA POLICY: No video- or audio-taping unless it has been pre-cleared with us\, please. Still cameras and sketchbooks are fine. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n CONTACTING US ON OR BEFORE TOUR DAY:\nEmailing is the best way to communicate with us\, but after 8am on tour day you can call or text Richard on his mobile phone\, 213-915-8687. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n CANCELLATION / REFUND POLICY:\nIf you’re sick\, please do not attend the tour. Get some rest\, and let us know not to expect you. If notified at least 72 hours before tour departure\, we can refund or reschedule your booking. As long as you contact us before the tour begins\, we are happy to move your reservation to a future tour date. You may also gift your ticket to someone else—we will need their name\, email address and phone number to make this switch. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n Click the “+” button for the number of tickets desired\, then click “Get Tickets” to check out. URL:https://esotouric.com/event/franklin-village-fall-2025/ LOCATION:Vedanta Temple Hollywood\, 1946 Vedanta Place\, Los Angeles\, 90068\, United States CATEGORIES:walking tour ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://esotouric.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Vedanta-Featured-WP.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Esotouric":MAILTO:tours@esotouric.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250920T103000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250920T133000 DTSTAMP:20260420T084246 CREATED:20250515T190302Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250515T195123Z UID:10000677-1758364200-1758375000@esotouric.com SUMMARY:FILM NOIR / REAL NOIR DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES WALKING TOUR DESCRIPTION:Film Noir is moody\, sexy\, dark and dangerous\, the nightmare flip side of the sun-drenched mid-century Southern California dream. \nJoin Esotouric on a walk that celebrates Film Noir and its abiding influence through visits to select filming locations\, sites connected to artists who shaped the genre\, and places where real life noir narratives were captured by dogged crime reporters\, bringing inspiration to Hollywood screenwriters in their daily newspaper. \nStarting from Grand Central Market in the Historic Core\, we’ll visit the Bradbury Building and some iconic locations off Pershing Square before plunging into old Skid Row between Main and Los Angeles Streets. This lost world of pawn shops\, burlesque halls\, all-night movie theaters\, “slave market” job boards\, shooting galleries\, b-girl bars\, rescue missions and decaying residency hotels is where the writers Raymond Chandler and James M. Cain found inspiration for books that were adapted into Noir screenplays like “Double Indemnity” (1944) and “The Postman Always Rings Twice” (1946). \nAnd of course we’ll visit Bunker Hill\, the sprawling Victorian neighborhood of aging boarding houses and shadowy back alleys that was Hollywood’s favorite back lot when the screenplay called for a gritty mixed use set—until the redevelopment agency evicted 9000 people and tore it all down. \nWe’ll ascend on Angels Flight Railway\, a short ride with a long filmography. Up on the hill\, historian Nathan Marsak\, author of Bunker Hill Los Angeles\, Bunker Noir!\, and Marsak’s Guide to Bunker Hill brings the lost neighborhood to life. And Bunker Hill native son Gordon Pattison explains how by playing up its sinister appearance\, Hollywood helped feed the urban renewal PR engine that sealed his beloved neighborhood’s fate. \nIf you’re interested in movies\, urban history\, true crime and the creative process\, you won’t want to miss it. \nThis walking tour is illustrated with rare images you can view on your smartphone. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n TOUR RULES & RECOMMENDATIONS:\nBE PREPARED: This is a walking hour lasting approximately 3 hours\, over a mix of level ground and occasional hills and stairs moving at a casual pace. Wear comfortable walking shoes\, sunscreen and a hat. Bring your smartphone so you can view the tour slide show. We will have a cooler with cold water\, and you’re encouraged to bring a full water bottle. A restroom will be available at the start\, and at the end of the tour. If you need more information about what to expect\, please email us. \nCOVID SAFETY: At this time\, we no longer require that masks be worn on walking tours. \nCAMERA POLICY: No video- or audio-taping unless it has been pre-cleared with us\, please. Still cameras and sketchbooks are fine. \n  \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n MEETING INSTRUCTIONS:\nTour begins at 10:30am sharp\, with check-in time 10am at the patio outside Grand Central Market in front of Maple Block BBQ at 324 S Hill St\, Los Angeles\, CA 90013. Please arrive on time and proceed to the check in table to get signed in and logged in to the smartphone slideshow. Scroll down for tour rules and recommendations. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n Parking & Public Transit:\nThere are numerous paid public parking lots around Grand Central Market\, including GCM’s multi-level lot at 308 South Hill Street Los Angeles\, California 90013.  The nearest Metro stations are Civic Center/Grand Park and Pershing Square. If using public transit\, this link can help you plan your trip: \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CANCELLATION / REFUND POLICY:\nIf you’re sick\, please do not attend the tour. Get some rest\, and let us know not to expect you. If notified at least 72 hours before tour departure\, we can refund or reschedule your booking. As long as you contact us before the tour begins\, we are happy to move your reservation to a future tour date. You may also gift your ticket to someone else—we will need their name\, email address and phone number to make this switch. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CONTACTING US ON OR BEFORE TOUR DAY:\nEmailing is the best way to communicate with us\, but after 8am on tour day you can call or text Richard on his mobile phone\, 213-915-8687. URL:https://esotouric.com/event/film-noir-fall-2025/ LOCATION:Grand Central Market\, 308 South Hill Street\, Los Angeles\, CA\, 90013\, United States CATEGORIES:walking tour ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://esotouric.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/film-noir-featured-2025-WP.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Esotouric":MAILTO:tours@esotouric.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250927T103000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250927T133000 DTSTAMP:20260420T084246 CREATED:20250515T190815Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250515T195236Z UID:10000678-1758969000-1758979800@esotouric.com SUMMARY:ANGELINO HEIGHTS & CARROLL AVENUE TIME TRAVEL WALKING TOUR DESCRIPTION:Angelino Heights is the living\, beating heart of Victorian Los Angeles\, a nearly perfect late 19th century neighborhood where time seems to stand still. \nBut the historic district—including every location scout’s favorite Carroll Avenue—is actually the happy result of decades of carefully planned house moving\, vintage streetlight sourcing\, power line burial\, design guideline crafting and passionate advocacy by local preservationists. They did such a terrific job that it looks as if it’s always been this way. \nEsotouric invites you to take an immersive trip back in time into Angelino Heights\, on a walk that tells the stories of the early Los Angeles neighborhood\, its notable characters\, landscape and landmarks\, and the visionary Angelenos who invented new tools to protect and improve the district. \nStarting from the foot of Angelino Heights on Sunset Boulevard\, where the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul operated the city’s first hospital\, we’ll set out to discover Angelino Heights’ rich and compelling cultural\, architectural\, historic preservation and true crime history. You’ll see fascinating bits of Victorian infrastructure both original and salvaged\, get to know colorful locals like the artist Leo Politi\, discover the architects who shaped this early streetcar suburb\, see where little Marion Parker was held in the kidnapping case that captivated the nation\, and enjoy a stroll among some of the most beautiful and eclectic residences in town. \nThis walking tour is illustrated with rare photos you can view on your smartphone. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n MEETING INSTRUCTIONS\nTour begins at 10:30am sharp\, with check-in time 10am outside of Guisados restaurant at 1261 Sunset Blvd\, Los Angeles\, CA 90026. Please arrive on time to get signed in and logged in to the smartphone slideshow. Scroll down for tour rules and recommendations. \nBRUNCH / SNACK OPTIONS\nGuisados opens at 9am\, and offers Mexican breakfast and lunch options\, with indoor and outdoor patio seating. The menu can be reviewed here. If you plan to eat\, please plan to arrive early\, as the tour will begin promptly at 10:30am. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n TOUR RULES & RECOMMENDATIONS:\nBE PREPARED: This is a walking hour lasting approximately 3 hours\, over a mix of level ground and occasional hills moving at a casual pace. Wear comfortable walking shoes\, sunscreen and a hat. Bring your smartphone so you can view the tour slide show. We will have a cooler with cold water\, and you’re encouraged to bring a full water bottle. A restroom will be available at the start and end of the tour. If you need more information about what to expect\, please email us. \nCOVID SAFETY: At this time\, we no longer require that masks be worn on walking tours. \nCAMERA POLICY: No video- or audio-taping unless it has been pre-cleared with us\, please. Still cameras and sketchbooks are fine. \n  \n\n \n \n \n \n \n PARKING & PUBLIC TRANSIT:\nThere is ample unmetered street parking with no time restrictions throughout the neighborhood. Please read any posted signs before parking. If using public transit\, this link can help you plan your trip. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n CONTACTING US ON OR BEFORE TOUR DAY:\nEmailing is the best way to communicate with us\, but after 8am on tour day you can call or text Richard on his mobile phone\, 213-915-8687. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n CANCELLATION / REFUND POLICY:\nIf you’re sick\, please do not attend the tour. Get some rest\, and let us know not to expect you. If notified at least 72 hours before tour departure\, we can refund or reschedule your booking. As long as you contact us before the tour begins\, we are happy to move your reservation to a future tour date. You may also gift your ticket to someone else—we will need their name\, email address and phone number to make this switch. URL:https://esotouric.com/event/angelino-heights-fall-25/ LOCATION:Guisados Echo Park\, 1261 Sunset Blvd\, Los Angeles\, CA\, 90038\, United States CATEGORIES:walking tour ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://esotouric.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/angelino-heights-featuredWP-use.jpeg ORGANIZER;CN="Esotouric":MAILTO:tours@esotouric.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251004T103000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251004T133000 DTSTAMP:20260420T084246 CREATED:20250704T003857Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250714T215613Z UID:10000679-1759573800-1759584600@esotouric.com SUMMARY:CHARLES BUKOWSKI’S WESTLAKE WALKING TOUR DESCRIPTION:Before Charles Bukowski was a famous poet\, novelist\, screenwriter and columnist in the underground press\, he was a real life barfly\, drinking hard and running wild\, getting thrown out of apartments and fired from jobs\, delighting in torturing himself and everyone around him. \nBukowski’s lowlife experiences in the 1940s and ‘50s would provide the rich subject matter for his mature writing. His home during much of this pivotal time was a series of cheap rooms in the Westlake District of Los Angeles\, and his companion was the hard drinking older woman Jane Cooney Baker\, who would be the muse and love of his life. And he would return to Westlake decades later\, when Barfly director Barbet Schroeder chose the Royal Palms as the exterior and the Bryson for the interior of Wanda’s (Jane’s) apartment. \nJoin us for a walking tour that celebrates a lost world of day time drinking and all night carousing\, featuring real places that figure in the life and legend of Charles Bukowski\, and some of the colorful characters who inhabit his fiction. From Barfly locations to the site of the toughest love poem in Los Angeles letters\, gritty SROs and elegantly aging landmarks\, it’s a side of the city that will surprise and inspire you. \nTour hosts Kim Cooper and Richard Schave have dedicated themselves to preserving Bukowski’s Los Angeles\, through their work helping to landmark Bukowski Court in East Hollywood\, the Downtown to East Hollywood bus tour Haunts of a Dirty Old Man\, advocacy to protect the SRO hotels and rent controlled apartments where creative people can afford to screw around\, and through their acclaimed second audio track on the recent Blu-Ray reissue of Barfly (imprint\, 2022). \nThis walking tour is illustrated with rare photos you can view on your smartphone. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n MEETING INSTRUCTIONS:\nTour begins at 10:30am sharp\, with check-in time 10am is in the courtyard of the Olympic Hotel at 725 S Westlake Ave. Los Angeles\, CA 90057. The courtyard is accessed through the lobby of the hotel.  Please arrive on time and proceed to the check in table to get signed in and logged in to the smartphone slideshow. Scroll down for tour rules and recommendations. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n TOUR RULES & RECOMMENDATIONS:\nBE PREPARED: This is a walking hour lasting about 3 hours. There are a few hills along the way but mostly we will be walking over level ground at a casual pace. Wear comfortable walking shoes\, sunscreen and a hat. Bring your smartphone so you can view the tour slide show. We will have a cooler with cold water\, and you’re encouraged to bring a full water bottle. A restroom will be available at the start and end of the tour. If you need more information about what to expect\, please email us. \nCOVID SAFETY: At this time\, we no longer require that masks be worn on walking tours. \nCAMERA POLICY: No video- or audio-taping unless it has been pre-cleared with us\, please. Still cameras and sketchbooks are fine. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n PARKING & PUBLIC TRANSIT:\nThe nearest paid public parking lot is at 730 S Lake St 90057. This lot has an attendant to take your $10 payment (cash only). \nThe nearest Metro station is Westlake/MacArthur Park station on the B and D lines. If using public transit\, this link can help you plan your trip. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n CONTACTING US ON OR BEFORE TOUR DAY:\nEmailing is the best way to communicate with us\, but after 8am on tour day you can call or text Richard on his mobile phone\, 213-915-8687. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n CANCELLATION / REFUND POLICY:\nIf you’re sick\, please do not attend the tour. Get some rest\, and let us know not to expect you. If notified at least 72 hours before tour departure\, we can refund or reschedule your booking. As long as you contact us before the tour begins\, we are happy to move your reservation to a future tour date. You may also gift your ticket to someone else—we will need their name\, email address and phone number to make this switch. URL:https://esotouric.com/event/bukowski-westlake-fall-2025/ LOCATION:Olympic Hotel\, 725 S Westlake Ave\, Los Angeles\, CA\, 90057\, United States CATEGORIES:walking tour ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://esotouric.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/hank-walk-featured-WP-USE-REDUX-e1751589373216.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Esotouric":MAILTO:tours@esotouric.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251011T103000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251011T133000 DTSTAMP:20260420T084246 CREATED:20250704T004905Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251010T220558Z UID:10000680-1760178600-1760189400@esotouric.com SUMMARY:SOLD OUT - KNOW YOUR DOWNTOWN LA: BRADBURY BUILDING\, BASEMENTS OF YORE AND THE DUTCH CHOCOLATE SHOP DESCRIPTION:As the historic heart of Los Angeles\, Downtown is a complex and confusing ecosystem\, where the old town and the new city collide and the past is always present. Join Esotouric for an immersive time travel trip as you explore Victorian time capsule interiors\, Prohibition-era speakeasy tunnels\, early public spaces and the richly layered streetscape\, all on a three hour tour like no other. \nStarting from Grand Central Market\, a culinary destination for more than a century\, we’ll set out to explore prominent Broadway Theater District and Main Street landmarks\, learn the lesser known history of the astonishing Bradbury Building\, explore the sprawling basement of the Van Nuys / Barclay Hotel (Morgan\, Walls and Morgan\, 1896) with its\, bookie stand\, sidewalk prisms and freight elevators and pay tribute to architect John Parkinson in his own King Edward Hotel\, including the basement King Edward Saloon speakeasy tunnels. Also on this tour\, we’ll make a rare interior visit to Arts & Crafts tile master Ernest Batchelder’s Dutch Chocolate Shop\, a remarkable 1914 time capsule that’s been in the news with recent efforts by Altadena’s Save the Tiles volunteers to rescue his work from fire damaged properties. \nThis walking tour draws on original research to tell the real stories of Downtown Los Angeles and is illustrated with rare photos you can view on your smartphone. \n  \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n MEETING INSTRUCTIONS:\nTour begins at 10:30am sharp\, with check-in time 10am at the patio outside Grand Central Market in front of Maple Block BBQ at 324 S Hill St\, Los Angeles\, CA 90013. Please arrive on time and proceed to the check in table to get signed in and logged in to the smartphone slideshow. Scroll down for tour rules and recommendations. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n Parking & Public Transit:\nThere are numerous paid public parking lots around Grand Central Market\, including GCM’s multi-level lot at 308 South Hill Street Los Angeles\, California 90013.  The nearest Metro stations are Civic Center/Grand Park and Pershing Square. If using public transit\, this link can help you plan your trip: \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n TOUR RULES & RECOMMENDATIONS:\nBE PREPARED: This is a walking hour lasting 3 hours\, over a mix of level ground and occasional hills and stairs moving at a casual pace. Wear comfortable walking shoes\, sunscreen and a hat. Bring your smartphone so you can view the tour slide show. We will have a cooler with cold water\, and you’re encouraged to bring a full water bottle. A restroom will be available at the start\, the middle\, and at the end of the tour. If you need more information about what to expect\, please email us. \nMASK POLICY: At this time\, we no longer require that masks be worn on walking tours\, with the exception of when we visit cramped and unventilated basement tunnels and the Dutch Chocolate Shop space. Please bring a mask to wear for this portion of the tour. If you forget your mask\, we can provide one on check in. \nCAMERA POLICY: No video- or audio-taping unless it has been pre-cleared with us\, please. Still cameras and sketchbooks are fine. \n  \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CANCELLATION / REFUND POLICY:\nIf you’re sick\, please do not attend the tour. Get some rest\, and let us know not to expect you. If notified at least 72 hours before tour departure\, we can refund or reschedule your booking. As long as you contact us before the tour begins\, we are happy to move your reservation to a future tour date. You may also gift your ticket to someone else—we will need their name\, email address and phone number to make this switch. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CONTACTING US ON OR BEFORE TOUR DAY:\nEmailing is the best way to communicate with us\, but after 8am on tour day you can call or text Richard on his mobile phone\, 213-915-8687. URL:https://esotouric.com/event/know-your-downtown-fall-2025/ LOCATION:Grand Central Market\, 308 South Hill Street\, Los Angeles\, CA\, 90013\, United States CATEGORIES:walking tour ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://esotouric.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/DCS-4.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Esotouric":MAILTO:tours@esotouric.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251018T103000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251018T133000 DTSTAMP:20260420T084246 CREATED:20250704T005540Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250714T215434Z UID:10000681-1760783400-1760794200@esotouric.com SUMMARY:THE RUN: GAY DOWNTOWN HISTORY WALKING TOUR DESCRIPTION:Join Esotouric on a walking tour of 20th century LGBTQ landmarks in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles\, for a time travel trip along The Run\, the circuit of queer friendly spaces that provided community\, culture and connection at a time when homosexuality was still criminalized\, and in the early years of gay liberation. Drawing on original archival research and featuring unpublished images\, this tour will bring a lost world to life. \nStarting from Grand Central Market\, we’ll take you where the action was\, from Pershing Square to the Main Street fun zone\, private assignations to bold political organizing\, groundbreaking legal cases to discrete bars\, and even into the shuttered 1920s-era speakeasy beneath the King Eddy Saloon to see scrawled hook up messages in the only cruisy bathroom that’s a designated National Register landmark! Plus\, we’ll put the nail in the coffin of the urban legend that there was a gay uprising at Cooper’s Do-Nuts that predates the Stonewall Rebellion. \nThis walking tour is illustrated with rare photos you can view on your smartphone. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n MEETING INSTRUCTIONS:\nTour begins at 10:30am sharp\, with check-in time 10am at the patio outside Grand Central Market in front of Maple Block BBQ at 324 S Hill St\, Los Angeles\, CA 90013. Please arrive on time and proceed to the check in table to get signed in and logged in to the smartphone slideshow. Scroll down for tour rules and recommendations. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n TOUR RULES & RECOMMENDATIONS:\nBE PREPARED: This is a walking hour lasting 3 hours\, over a mix of level ground and occasional hills and stairs moving at a casual pace. Wear comfortable walking shoes\, sunscreen and a hat. Bring your smartphone so you can view the tour slide show. We will have a cooler with cold water\, and you’re encouraged to bring a full water bottle. A restroom will be available at the start\, the middle\, and at the end of the tour. If you need more information about what to expect\, please email us. \nMASK POLICY: Guests are welcome to wear masks\, but they are not required except when we visit historic interiors that don’t have ventilation. When we go into the basement speakeasy under the King Edward Hotel\, we ask that all guests wear a mask. Please bring your own\, or ask for one on check in. \nCAMERA POLICY: No video- or audio-taping unless it has been pre-cleared with us\, please. Still cameras and sketchbooks are fine. \n  \n\n \n \n \n \n \n Parking & Public Transit:\nThere are numerous paid public parking lots around Grand Central Market\, including GCM’s multi-level lot at 308 South Hill Street Los Angeles\, California 90013.  The nearest Metro stations are Civic Center/Grand Park and Pershing Square. If using public transit\, this link can help you plan your trip: \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CANCELLATION / REFUND POLICY:\nIf you’re sick\, please do not attend the tour. Get some rest\, and let us know not to expect you. If notified at least 72 hours before tour departure\, we can refund or reschedule your booking. As long as you contact us before the tour begins\, we are happy to move your reservation to a future tour date. You may also gift your ticket to someone else—we will need their name\, email address and phone number to make this switch. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CONTACTING US ON OR BEFORE TOUR DAY:\nEmailing is the best way to communicate with us\, but after 8am on tour day you can call or text Richard on his mobile phone\, 213-915-8687. URL:https://esotouric.com/event/the-run-gay-dtla-fall-2025/ LOCATION:Grand Central Market\, 308 South Hill Street\, Los Angeles\, CA\, 90013\, United States CATEGORIES:walking tour ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://esotouric.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/the-run-featured-2025-WP.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Esotouric":MAILTO:tours@esotouric.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251025T103000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251025T133000 DTSTAMP:20260420T084246 CREATED:20251002T211405Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251013T165527Z UID:10000691-1761388200-1761399000@esotouric.com SUMMARY:SOLD OUT - KNOW YOUR DOWNTOWN LA: BRADBURY BUILDING\, BASEMENTS OF YORE AND THE DUTCH CHOCOLATE SHOP DESCRIPTION:THIS TOUR IS SOLD OUT.  Please sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date on the next time we will offer it. \nAs the historic heart of Los Angeles\, Downtown is a complex and confusing ecosystem\, where the old town and the new city collide and the past is always present. Join Esotouric for an immersive time travel trip as you explore Victorian time capsule interiors\, Prohibition-era speakeasy tunnels\, early public spaces and the richly layered streetscape\, all on a three hour tour like no other. \nStarting from Grand Central Market\, a culinary destination for more than a century\, we’ll set out to explore prominent Broadway Theater District and Main Street landmarks\, learn the lesser known history of the astonishing Bradbury Building\, explore the sprawling basement of the Van Nuys / Barclay Hotel (Morgan\, Walls and Morgan\, 1896) with its original horse stables\, bookie stand\, sidewalk prisms and freight elevators and pay tribute to architect John Parkinson in his own King Edward Hotel\, including the basement King Edward Saloon speakeasy tunnels. Also on this tour\, we’ll make a rare interior visit to Arts & Crafts tile master Ernest Batchelder’s Dutch Chocolate Shop\, a remarkable 1914 time capsule that’s been in the news with recent efforts by Altadena’s Save the Tiles volunteers to rescue his work from fire damaged properties. \nThis walking tour draws on original research to tell the real stories of Downtown Los Angeles and is illustrated with rare photos you can view on your smartphone. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n MEETING INSTRUCTIONS:\nTour begins at 10:30am sharp\, with check-in time 10am at the patio outside Grand Central Market in front of Maple Block BBQ at 324 S Hill St\, Los Angeles\, CA 90013. Please arrive on time and proceed to the check in table to get signed in and logged in to the smartphone slideshow. Scroll down for tour rules and recommendations. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n Parking & Public Transit:\nThere are numerous paid public parking lots around Grand Central Market\, including GCM’s multi-level lot at 308 South Hill Street Los Angeles\, California 90013.  The nearest Metro stations are Civic Center/Grand Park and Pershing Square. If using public transit\, this link can help you plan your trip: \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n TOUR RULES & RECOMMENDATIONS:\nBE PREPARED: This is a walking hour lasting 3 hours\, over a mix of level ground and occasional hills and stairs moving at a casual pace. Wear comfortable walking shoes\, sunscreen and a hat. Bring your smartphone so you can view the tour slide show. We will have a cooler with cold water\, and you’re encouraged to bring a full water bottle. A restroom will be available at the start\, the middle\, and at the end of the tour. If you need more information about what to expect\, please email us. \nMASK POLICY: At this time\, we no longer require that masks be worn on walking tours\, with the exception of when we visit cramped and unventilated basement tunnels and the Dutch Chocolate Shop space. Please bring a mask to wear for this portion of the tour. If you forget your mask\, we can provide one on check in. \nCAMERA POLICY: No video- or audio-taping unless it has been pre-cleared with us\, please. Still cameras and sketchbooks are fine. \n  \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CANCELLATION / REFUND POLICY:\nIf you’re sick\, please do not attend the tour. Get some rest\, and let us know not to expect you. If notified at least 72 hours before tour departure\, we can refund or reschedule your booking. As long as you contact us before the tour begins\, we are happy to move your reservation to a future tour date. You may also gift your ticket to someone else—we will need their name\, email address and phone number to make this switch. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CONTACTING US ON OR BEFORE TOUR DAY:\nEmailing is the best way to communicate with us\, but after 8am on tour day you can call or text Richard on his mobile phone\, 213-915-8687. URL:https://esotouric.com/event/know-your-downtown-fall-2nd-2025/ LOCATION:Grand Central Market\, 308 South Hill Street\, Los Angeles\, CA\, 90013\, United States CATEGORIES:walking tour ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://esotouric.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/DCS-4.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Esotouric":MAILTO:tours@esotouric.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251101T103000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251101T133000 DTSTAMP:20260420T084247 CREATED:20250704T012221Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250714T215342Z UID:10000683-1761993000-1762003800@esotouric.com SUMMARY:EVERGREEN CEMETERY\, 1877 DESCRIPTION:Los Angeles\, 1877: a sleepy village of 10\,000 souls on the cusp of a wild real estate boom. In the budding Eastside suburb of Boyle Heights\, a group of civic minded citizens establish a 67 acre cemetery with room to grow for the city to come: Evergreen! \nJoin Esotouric for an immersive time travel trip from the cemetery’s founding through the present day\, revealing the colorful characters who helped shape the ethnically mixed\, non-denominational cemetery and the city\, including prominent families like Lankershim\, Hollenbeck\, Van Nuys\, Bixby and Workman\, and other fascinating figures who rest forever among 300\,000 souls. You’ll see beautiful early monuments crafted by local stonemasons and a rare signed memorial\, spot the lucky lizard\, the hidden maiden and the prancing pink tiger\, descend into the Chinese Shrine and visit the shores of the lost Crystal Lake. \nThis walking tour draws on newly discovered\, unpublished documents to tell the forgotten early history of L.A.’s oldest cemetery\, and is illustrated with rare photos you can view on your smartphone. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n MEETING INSTRUCTIONS:\nTour begins at 10:30am sharp\, with check-in time 10am just inside the main cemetery gate. Please arrive on time and proceed to the check in table to get signed in and logged in to the smartphone slideshow. Scroll down for tour rules and recommendations. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n BE PREPARED: This is a walking hour lasting approximately 3 hours\, over level ground moving at a casual pace. Wear comfortable\, closed-toe walking shoes\, sunscreen\, and a hat. Bring your smartphone so you can view the tour slide show. We will have a cooler with cold water\, and you’re encouraged to bring a full water bottle. A restroom will be available at the start and end of the tour. If you need more information about what to expect\, please email us. \nCOVID SAFETY: At this time\, we no longer require that masks be worn on walking tours. \nCAMERA POLICY: No video- or audio-taping unless it has been pre-cleared with us\, please. Still cameras and sketchbooks are fine. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n PARKING & PUBLIC TRANSIT:\nThere is plenty of parking inside the cemetery along the main roads. Please do not use the stalls in front of the office or park close to the chapel. The nearest Gold Line station is Indiana. If using public transit\, this link can help you plan your trip. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CONTACTING US ON OR BEFORE TOUR DAY:\nEmailing is the best way to communicate with us\, but after 8am on tour day you can call or text Richard on his mobile phone\, 213-915-8687. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CANCELLATION / REFUND POLICY:\nIf you’re sick\, please do not attend the tour. Get some rest\, and let us know not to expect you. If notified at least 72 hours before tour departure\, we can refund or reschedule your booking. As long as you contact us before the tour begins\, we are happy to move your reservation to a future tour date. You may also gift your ticket to someone else—we will need their name\, email address and phone number to make this switch. URL:https://esotouric.com/event/evergreen-fall-2025/ LOCATION:Evergreen Cemetery\, 204 N Evergreen Ave\, Los Angeles\, CA\, 90033\, United States CATEGORIES:walking tour ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://esotouric.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/EastsideBabylon-evergreenGates-Cropped.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Esotouric":MAILTO:tours@esotouric.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251108T103000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251108T133000 DTSTAMP:20260420T084247 CREATED:20250704T011531Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250714T215249Z UID:10000682-1762597800-1762608600@esotouric.com SUMMARY:HIGHLAND PARK ARROYO TIME TRAVEL TRIP WALKING TOUR DESCRIPTION:Come take a walk back through time in one of our favorite early Los Angeles suburbs: Highland Park\, down around the Arroyo. We’ll begin the adventure at El Alisal\, the Pueblo Revival / Craftsman style home of author\, preservationist and civic booster Charles Fletcher Lummis. Following a tour of the house museum and tales of The Old Man’s advocacy for saving Southern California landmarks\, documenting traditional recipes and songs\, and recognizing Native American achievements in art and architecture\, we’ll set out on a stroll around the lower Arroyo\, for tales of fascinating characters\, remarkable buildings and places where the past is so very present you can almost kiss it. \nOn our walk\, we’ll explore Griffin Avenue\, part of an early subdivision\, and share stories of crimes and oddities that took place there. And we’ll stop at the one-time home of Florencio Morales\, to honor the neighborhood hero folk artist whose wild holiday displays were a citywide sensation in the early 1990s. \nWe’ll stop outside the Arturo and Mabel Bilderrain House (1912)\, an unusual\, transitional home that blends the then popular Craftsman and Mission Revival styles with elements that reflect the inward facing adobe culture of the Spanish Colonial-era\, to learn about the famous pet rooster\, and ascend 40 steps to see the landmarked Young-Gribling Residence (R.B. Young\, 1885) and enjoy fabulous city views in the company of California historian and neon sign maker Paul Greenstein\, who restored both homes. \nAnd we’ll visit Heritage Square\, the living history museum of rescued buildings\, to hear about the tragedy of the landmarked mansions The Castle and The Salt Box that were moved from Bunker Hill. And we’ll hear some much happier historic preservation success stories. Plus you’ll get to see Heritage Square’s vintage Los Angeles streetlight boneyard\, with rare lamps awaiting future restoration. \nThis walking tour is illustrated with rare photos you can view on your smartphone. \n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CHECK-IN DETAILS:\nTour begins at 10:30am sharp\, with check-in time 10am at Lummis House\, 200 East Avenue 43\, Los Angeles\, CA 90031. Please arrive on time to get signed in and logged in to the smartphone slideshow\, and take a stroll around the grounds. Scroll down for tour rules and recommendations. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n PARKING & PUBLIC TRANSIT:\nThere is ample unmetered street parking with no time restrictions along Carlota Boulevard\, by the East gate of Lummis House. Please read any posted signs before parking. The nearest Metro stops are Heritage Square / Arroyo and Southwest Museum. If using public transit\, this link can help you plan your trip. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n TOUR RULES & RECOMMENDATIONS:\nBE PREPARED: This is a walking hour lasting 3 hours\, over mostly level ground moving at a casual pace\, however\, halfway through the tour we will walk up 40 steps to get to an late 19th century home. We will have to go back down those same 40 steps as well to leave. Total distance walked is about 3 1/2 miles. Wear comfortable walking shoes\, sunscreen and a hat. Bring your smartphone so you can view the tour slide show. We will have a cooler with cold water\, and you’re encouraged to bring a full water bottle. A restroom will be available at the start and end of the tour. If you need more information about what to expect\, please email us. \nCOVID SAFETY: At this time\, we no longer require that masks be worn on walking tours. \nCAMERA POLICY: No video- or audio-taping unless it has been pre-cleared with us\, please. Still cameras and sketchbooks are fine. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n CONTACTING US ON OR BEFORE TOUR DAY:\nEmailing is the best way to communicate with us\, but after 8am on tour day you can call or text Richard on his mobile phone\, 213-915-8687. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n CANCELLATION / REFUND POLICY:\nIf you’re sick\, please do not attend the tour. Get some rest\, and let us know not to expect you. If notified at least 72 hours before tour departure\, we can refund or reschedule your booking. As long as you contact us before the tour begins\, we are happy to move your reservation to a future tour date. You may also gift your ticket to someone else—we will need their name\, email address and phone number to make this switch. URL:https://esotouric.com/event/arroyo-time-travel-fall-2025/ LOCATION:Lummis House/El Alisal\, 200 East Avenue 43\, Los Angeles\, CA\, 90031\, United States CATEGORIES:walking tour ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://esotouric.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/arroyo-featurd-WP.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Esotouric":MAILTO:tours@esotouric.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251115T103000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251115T143000 DTSTAMP:20260420T084247 CREATED:20250704T012915Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251112T202609Z UID:10000684-1763202600-1763217000@esotouric.com SUMMARY:POSTPONED DUE TO RAIN - RICHARD’S BIRTHDAY WALK – ALVARADO TERRACE & SOUTH BONNIE BRAE TRACT TIME TRAVEL TRIP DESCRIPTION:THIS TOUR IS POSTPONED DUE TO RAIN. The new date for this tour is Saturday Jan. 31st. Please consider attending the rescheduled date and we regret any inconvenience this has caused. \n \n \n \n \n \n When people talk about Victorian Los Angeles\, they usually bring up Carroll Avenue in Angelino Heights and the lost neighborhood of Bunker Hill above Downtown—and we offer tours of both those neighborhoods. But there are other time capsule residential districts that are just as beautiful and compelling\, hiding in plain sight just off Pico and Olympic in the heart of the city. \nEsotouric invites you to take an immersive trip back in time exploring the layers of history to be found in Westlake / Pico-Union\, on a walk that includes two stunning National Register Districts: Alvarado Terrace and the South Bonnie Brae Tract\, as well as the handsome homes and apartment hotels that are their near neighbors. \nStarting from the tropical garden courtyard of the elegant William Penn Hotel—now called The Sinclair LA—just south of MacArthur Park\, we’ll set out to discover the rich and compelling cultural\, architectural and true crime history of these historic residential neighborhoods\, and the commercial corridors that connect them. \nOn this walk\, you’ll see gorgeous homes reflecting the eclectic range of styles in the late Victorian and Edwardian eras—Queen Anne\, Gothic\, Colonial Revival\, Craftsman\, Mission Revival\, Chateauesque\, Shingle\, Chalet and Tudor—and get to know the interesting original residents and the curious characters drawn to their white elephant mansions in later decades. Featured players include a colorful cast of self-dealing politicians\, crooked cops\, gay physique photographers\, cult leaders\, civil rights activists\, wild teens\, do-gooders and lost souls whose stories will stick with you. \nThis walking tour is illustrated with rare photos you can view on your smartphone. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n MEETING INSTRUCTIONS:\nTour begins at 10:30am sharp\, with check-in time 10am at The Sinclair LA at 2200 W 8th St\, Los Angeles\, CA 90057. Please arrive on time and proceed through the lobby to the central courtyard check in table to get signed in and logged in to the smartphone slideshow. Scroll down for tour rules and recommendations. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n PARKING & PUBLIC TRANSIT:\nThe nearest paid public parking lot is at 730 S Lake St 90057. This lot has an attendant to take your $10 payment (cash only). \nThe nearest Metro station is Westlake/MacArthur Park station on the B and D lines. If using public transit\, this link can help you plan your trip. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n TOUR RULES & RECOMMENDATIONS:\nBE PREPARED: This is a walking hour lasting about 3 hours. There are a few slight hills along the way but mostly we will be walking over level ground at a casual pace. Wear comfortable walking shoes\, sunscreen and a hat. Bring your smartphone so you can view the tour slide show. We will have a cooler with cold water\, and you’re encouraged to bring a full water bottle. \nA restroom will be available at the start and end of the tour. If you need more information about what to expect\, please email us. \nCOVID SAFETY: At this time\, we no longer require that masks be worn on walking tours. \nCAMERA POLICY: No video- or audio-taping unless it has been pre-cleared with us\, please. Still cameras and sketchbooks are fine. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n CONTACTING US ON OR BEFORE TOUR DAY:\nEmailing is the best way to communicate with us\, but after 8am on tour day you can call or text Richard on his mobile phone\, 213-915-8687. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n CANCELLATION / REFUND POLICY:\nIf you’re sick\, please do not attend the tour. Get some rest\, and let us know not to expect you. If notified at least 72 hours before tour departure\, we can refund or reschedule your booking. As long as you contact us before the tour begins\, we are happy to move your reservation to a future tour date. You may also gift your ticket to someone else—we will need their name\, email address and phone number to make this switch. URL:https://esotouric.com/event/richards-b-day-walk-2025/ LOCATION:The Sinclair LA\, 2200 W 8th St\, Los Angeles\, 90057\, United States CATEGORIES:walking tour ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://esotouric.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Alvarado-Terrace-WP.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Esotouric":MAILTO:tours@esotouric.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251122T103000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251122T133000 DTSTAMP:20260420T084247 CREATED:20250708T172607Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250714T215105Z UID:10000685-1763807400-1763818200@esotouric.com SUMMARY:THE REAL BLACK DAHLIA DOWNTOWN WALKING TOUR DESCRIPTION:The Black Dahlia murder in 1947 is the most compelling unsolved crime Los Angeles has ever known. What Jack the Ripper is to London\, the Torso Killer to Cleveland\, the Black Dahlia is to L.A. And yet unlike those other cases\, the name Black Dahlia refers not to the killer\, but to the victim. What was it about Elizabeth Short that keeps her the object of obsessive fascination by writers\, musicians\, artists\, filmmakers\, cops and readers\, decades after she was slain? \nThe Real Black Dahlia tour seeks to answer this question by intimately exploring the last weeks of Elizabeth Short’s life\, asking not “who killed her?” but “who was she?”—and how do we know so much about a person who was a stranger in town\, with no fixed address\, no means of support and no real confidantes? The answer takes us deep into the twin shadow worlds of mid-century investigative reporting and detective work\, and a high stakes race to turn trauma into gold. \nThis walking tour around the Historic Core of Downtown Los Angeles takes us from the human hustle of Main Street to the serene lobby of the Biltmore Hotel (the second-to-last place she was seen alive)\, the discreet gay bar that was her final intended destination to the Greyhound station where she checked her bags\, and to the newspaper offices that sensationalized and humanized her. \nFrom the few personal possessions she left behind to the friends who scarcely knew her\, from the mass hysteria of the investigation with its fruitless leads\, wacko suspects and false confessions\, the tour reveals all that’s known about this enigmatic black-haired girl who reinvented herself at whim\, and shows how she came to be the unfortunate symbol of her time and place. \nThis walking tour is illustrated with rare images you can view on your smartphone. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n TOUR RULES & RECOMMENDATIONS:\nBE PREPARED: This is a walking hour lasting 3 hours\, over level ground moving at a casual pace. Wear comfortable walking shoes\, sunscreen and a hat. Bring your smartphone so you can view the tour slide show. We will have a cooler with cold water\, and you’re encouraged to bring a full water bottle. A restroom will be available at the start and end of the tour. If you need more information about what to expect\, please email us. \nCOVID SAFETY: At this time\, we no longer require that masks be worn on walking tours. \nCAMERA POLICY: No video- or audio-taping unless it has been pre-cleared with us\, please. Still cameras and sketchbooks are fine. \n  \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n MEETING INSTRUCTIONS:\nTour begins at 10:30am sharp\, with check-in time 10am at the patio outside Grand Central Market in front of Maple Block BBQ at 324 S Hill St\, Los Angeles\, CA 90013. Please arrive on time and proceed to the check in table to get signed in and logged in to the smartphone slideshow. Scroll down for tour rules and recommendations. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n Parking & Public Transit:\nThere are numerous paid public parking lots around Grand Central Market\, including GCM’s multi-level lot at 308 South Hill Street Los Angeles\, California 90013.  The nearest Metro stations are Civic Center/Grand Park and Pershing Square. If using public transit\, this link can help you plan your trip: \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CONTACTING US ON OR BEFORE TOUR DAY:\nEmailing is the best way to communicate with us\, but after 8am on tour day you can call or text Richard on his mobile phone\, 213-915-8687. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CANCELLATION / REFUND POLICY:\nIf you’re sick\, please do not attend the tour. Get some rest\, and let us know not to expect you. If notified at least 72 hours before tour departure\, we can refund or reschedule your booking. As long as you contact us before the tour begins\, we are happy to move your reservation to a future tour date. You may also gift your ticket to someone else—we will need their name\, email address and phone number to make this switch. URL:https://esotouric.com/event/black-dahlia-fall-2025/ LOCATION:Grand Central Market\, 308 South Hill Street\, Los Angeles\, CA\, 90013\, United States CATEGORIES:walking tour ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://esotouric.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/black-dahlia-walk-featured-WP.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Esotouric":MAILTO:tours@esotouric.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251129T103000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251129T133000 DTSTAMP:20260420T084247 CREATED:20250915T214732Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251121T022028Z UID:10000690-1764412200-1764423000@esotouric.com SUMMARY:HOLLYWOOD NOIR WALKING TOUR DESCRIPTION:Esotouric invites you to sleuth out noir landmarks in the heart of Hollywood\, on a walking tour featuring iconic filming locations and some of the real life crimes\, scandals and uniquely L.A. characters that inspired the directors and screenwriters\, in the fascinating mixed use neighborhood around Hollywood and Western. \nOn this tour\, packed with seedy tales and cinema classics spanning the 1940s-1990s\, you’ll thrill to the true crime and movie industry Easter eggs that Billy Wilder and Raymond Chandler hid in “Double Indemnity\,” admire cafeteria king Clifford Clinton’s lovely Spanish Colonial Revival home and hear how it was bombed by dirty cops working for City Hall racketeers\, peep into Black Dahlia murder victim Beth Short’s lonely crash pad life and discover how with a little clever set dressing\, a historic bank in Thai Town stood in for a mid-century Hollywood premiere in “L.A. Confidential.” \nPlus tales of cinema censors and the sly screenwriters who outsmarted them\, the sleazy XXX porno district\, SRO hotels\, teenage runaways\, poets\, assassins\, dreamers and schemers who left their sometimes greasy marks on the Hollywood Noir district. \nThis walking tour is illustrated with rare images you can view on your smartphone. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n MEETING INSTRUCTIONS:\nTour begins at 10:30am sharp\, with check-in time 10am on Western Ave just outside the main entrance to Lazy Acres Market\, 1841 N Western Ave\, Los Angeles\, CA 90027. Please arrive on time to get signed in and logged in to the smartphone slideshow. Scroll down for tour rules and recommendations. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n TOUR RULES & RECOMMENDATIONS:\nBE PREPARED: This is a walking hour lasting approximately 3 hours\, over a mix of level ground and occasional hills moving at a casual pace. Wear comfortable walking shoes\, sunscreen and a hat. Bring your smartphone so you can view the tour slide show. We will have a cooler with cold water\, and you’re encouraged to bring a full water bottle. A restroom will be available at the start\, and at the end of the tour. If you need more information about what to expect\, please email us. \nCOVID SAFETY: At this time\, we no longer require that masks be worn on walking tours\, but you are welcome\nto bring one. \nCAMERA POLICY: No video- or audio-taping unless it has been pre-cleared with us\, please. Still cameras and sketchbooks are fine. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n Parking & Public Transit:\nThe nearest Metro station is the Hollywood/Western station on the B Line (5450 Hollywood Boulevard) . \nArriving by car? You can pay to park in a lot\, or look for street parking in the neighborhood. Scroll down for details. \nPaid parking lot option: Target at Sunset and Western (5500 West Sunset Boulevard)\, which is half a mile from the tour meeting spot\, in front of Lazy Acres Market at 1841 N Western Avenue. Here is a map to walk from Target to Lazy Acres. Important: the Lazy Acres lot is only for customers\, so do not park there for the tour. \nInstructions for parking at Target: You need a cell phone to pay. After parking\, look for a sign with a barcode. Scan it to start the payment process. You’ll enter your license plate number\, credit card info\, cell phone number and how long you want to park. (The tour runs for about three hours and ends near Target\, and check-in begins 30 minutes before we start walking.) You’ll get a reminder text when you’ve got 30 minutes left\, with an option to extend your time if you wish. \nPrefer street parking? The green streets on the map below usually have some street parking. Please give yourself time to find a spot\, and be sure to read all posted signs if parking on the street. \n \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CANCELLATION / REFUND POLICY:\nIf you’re sick\, please do not attend the tour. Get some rest\, and let us know not to expect you. If notified at least 72 hours before tour departure\, we can refund or reschedule your booking. As long as you contact us before the tour begins\, we are happy to move your reservation to a future tour date. You may also gift your ticket to someone else—we will need their name\, email address and phone number to make this switch. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CONTACTING US ON OR BEFORE TOUR DAY:\nEmailing is the best way to communicate with us\, but after 8am on tour day you can call or text Richard on his mobile phone\, 213-915-8687. URL:https://esotouric.com/event/hollywood-noir-fall-2025/ LOCATION:Lazy Acres Natural Market\, 1841 N Western Ave\, Los Angeles\, 90027\, United States CATEGORIES:walking tour ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://esotouric.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/hollywood-noir-feature-use.jpeg ORGANIZER;CN="Esotouric":MAILTO:tours@esotouric.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251206T103000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251206T133000 DTSTAMP:20260420T084247 CREATED:20250708T173606Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251205T191640Z UID:10000686-1765017000-1765027800@esotouric.com SUMMARY:HOTEL HORRORS & MAIN STREET VICE DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES WALKING TOUR DESCRIPTION:From the founding of the city through the mid-20th century\, downtown was the true center of Los Angeles\, a lively\, densely populated\, exciting and sometimes dangerous place. After many quiet decades\, downtown again became a destination. But while the historic buildings remain\, their stories got lost. \nBlending true crime\, architecture\, theatrical\, documentary and social history\, this tour aims to revive the ghosts that cling to the bricks and alleyways and inside some time capsule buildings where the past is present. \nThis is a tour of the ribald\, racy\, raunchy old promenade where the better people simply did not travel\, but kicks were had by all who did. Burlesque babes and tattoo artists\, weird wax museums\, sword swallowers\, fake and real freaks\, taxi dancers and B-girl hustlers\, elegant hotels and dirty magazine stands\, sophisticated steak houses and nickel donut dives\, even Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones — these were the pleasures and the people to be found along Main Street during the 20th century. \nWe’ll visit the scenes of some more unforgettable debaucheries and share stories of bloodshed\, smut\, passion and commerce that bring a lost world to life. \nThis walking tour is illustrated with rare photos you can view on your smartphone. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n TOUR RULES & RECOMMENDATIONS:\nBE PREPARED: This is a walking hour lasting approximately 3 hours\, over level ground moving at a casual pace. Wear comfortable walking shoes\, sunscreen and a hat. Bring your smartphone so you can view the tour slide show. We will have a cooler with cold water\, and you’re encouraged to bring a full water bottle. A restroom will be available at the start\, and at the end of the tour. If you need more information about what to expect\, please email us. \nCOVID SAFETY: At this time\, we no longer require that masks be worn on walking tours. \nCAMERA POLICY: No video- or audio-taping unless it has been pre-cleared with us\, please. Still cameras and sketchbooks are fine. \n  \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n MEETING INSTRUCTIONS:\nTour begins at 10:30am sharp\, with check-in time 10am at the patio outside Grand Central Market in front of Maple Block BBQ at 324 S Hill St\, Los Angeles\, CA 90013. Please arrive on time and proceed to the check in table to get signed in and logged in to the smartphone slideshow. Scroll down for tour rules and recommendations. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n About Our Guest Host\nJoan Renner is a true crime author and commentator. Her blog\, Deranged L.A. Crimes\, covers 20th century crimes and scandals. The L.A. Weekly called her book The First with the latest: Aggie Underwood\, the Los Angeles Herald\, and the Sordid Crimes of a City\, “A great introduction to some long-forgotten L.A. crimes.” Over the past decade\, she has appeared in over sixty TV shows and podcasts such as City of Angels\, City of Death; Deadly Women; Buried in the Backyard; and Hollywood & Crime. She is currently working on a book for University Press Kentucky about Los Angeles during the Prohibition era. When she’s not writing about or researching crime\, Joan volunteers as an archivist at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Museum. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n Parking & Public Transit:\nThere are numerous paid public parking lots around Grand Central Market\, including GCM’s multi-level lot at 308 South Hill Street Los Angeles\, California 90013.  The nearest Metro stations are Civic Center/Grand Park and Pershing Square. If using public transit\, this link can help you plan your trip: \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CANCELLATION / REFUND POLICY:\nIf you’re sick\, please do not attend the tour. Get some rest\, and let us know not to expect you. If notified at least 72 hours before tour departure\, we can refund or reschedule your booking. As long as you contact us before the tour begins\, we are happy to move your reservation to a future tour date. You may also gift your ticket to someone else—we will need their name\, email address and phone number to make this switch. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CONTACTING US ON OR BEFORE TOUR DAY:\nEmailing is the best way to communicate with us\, but after 8am on tour day you can call or text Richard on his mobile phone\, 213-915-8687. URL:https://esotouric.com/event/main-st-vice-fall-2025/ LOCATION:Grand Central Market\, 308 South Hill Street\, Los Angeles\, CA\, 90013\, United States CATEGORIES:walking tour ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://esotouric.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Hotel-Horrors-Main-St-Featured.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Esotouric":MAILTO:tours@esotouric.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251213T103000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251213T133000 DTSTAMP:20260420T084247 CREATED:20250708T174705Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250714T214920Z UID:10000687-1765621800-1765632600@esotouric.com SUMMARY:WESTLAKE PARK TIME TRAVEL TRIP WALKING TOUR DESCRIPTION:When Los Angeles was young\, Westlake was a favorite pleasure park\, with boating\, a mini-zoo and exotic trees for lovers to spoon under\, surrounded by grand mansions and elegant hotels. Then in 1934\, Wilshire Boulevard punched through the lake\, marking the ascendency of the automobile. Westlake would never be the same. \nEsotouric invites you to take an immersive trip back in time exploring the layers of history hiding in plain sight in and around Westlake (MacArthur) Park. \nStarting from the tropical garden courtyard of the elegant William Penn Hotel—now called The Sinclair LA—we’ll set out to discover the rich and compelling cultural\, architectural and true crime history of this fascinating L.A. neighborhood. \nOn this walk\, you’ll learn about the legendary booksellers and influential art academies that thrived here\, see where cult leader Jim Jones lost his cool\, visit a little known monument to detective novelist Raymond Chandler\, learn where a bomb was set for the publisher of the Los Angeles Times\, thrill to the offbeat goings on at the Elks’ Lodge\, plus enjoy early pleasure park lore\, silent film locations\, mysteriously mummified infants\, and a stop to admire the only art nouveau castle home in Los Angeles\, a rare domestic commission by master architect John Parkinson. \nThis walking tour is illustrated with rare photos you can view on your smartphone. \n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n MEETING INSTRUCTIONS:\nTour begins at 10:30am sharp\, with check-in time 10am at The Sinclair LA at 2200 W 8th St\, Los Angeles\, CA 90057. Please arrive on time and proceed through the lobby to the central courtyard check in table to get signed in and logged in to the smartphone slideshow. Scroll down for tour rules and recommendations. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n PARKING & PUBLIC TRANSIT:\nThe nearest paid public parking lot is at 730 S Lake St 90057. This lot has an attendant to take your $10 payment (cash only). \nThe nearest Metro station is Westlake/MacArthur Park station on the B and D lines. If using public transit\, this link can help you plan your trip. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n TOUR RULES & RECOMMENDATIONS:\nBE PREPARED: This is a walking hour lasting approximately 3 hours\, over level ground moving at a casual pace. Wear comfortable walking shoes\, sunscreen and a hat. Bring your smartphone so you can view the tour slide show. We will have a cooler with cold water\, and you’re encouraged to bring a full water bottle. A restroom will be available at the start and end of the tour. If you need more information about what to expect\, please email us. \nCOVID SAFETY: At this time\, we no longer require that masks be worn on walking tours. \nCAMERA POLICY: No video- or audio-taping unless it has been pre-cleared with us\, please. Still cameras and sketchbooks are fine. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n CONTACTING US ON OR BEFORE TOUR DAY:\nEmailing is the best way to communicate with us\, but after 8am on tour day you can call or text Richard on his mobile phone\, 213-915-8687. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n CANCELLATION / REFUND POLICY:\nIf you’re sick\, please do not attend the tour. Get some rest\, and let us know not to expect you. If notified at least 72 hours before tour departure\, we can refund or reschedule your booking. As long as you contact us before the tour begins\, we are happy to move your reservation to a future tour date. You may also gift your ticket to someone else—we will need their name\, email address and phone number to make this switch. URL:https://esotouric.com/event/westlake-time-travel-fall-2025/ LOCATION:The Sinclair LA\, 2200 W 8th St\, Los Angeles\, 90057\, United States CATEGORIES:walking tour ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://esotouric.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/WESTALKE-FEATURED-USE.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Esotouric":MAILTO:tours@esotouric.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251220T103000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251220T133000 DTSTAMP:20260420T084247 CREATED:20251013T220238Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251218T024036Z UID:10000692-1766226600-1766237400@esotouric.com SUMMARY:KNOW YOUR DOWNTOWN LA: BRADBURY BUILDING\, BASEMENTS OF YORE AND THE DUTCH CHOCOLATE SHOP DESCRIPTION:As the historic heart of Los Angeles\, Downtown is a complex and confusing ecosystem\, where the old town and the new city collide and the past is always present. Join Esotouric for an immersive time travel trip as you explore Victorian time capsule interiors\, Prohibition-era speakeasy tunnels\, early public spaces and the richly layered streetscape\, all on a three hour tour like no other. \nStarting from Grand Central Market\, a culinary destination for more than a century\, we’ll set out to explore prominent Broadway Theater District and Main Street landmarks\, learn the lesser known history of the astonishing Bradbury Building\, explore the sprawling basement of the Van Nuys / Barclay Hotel (Morgan\, Walls and Morgan\, 1896) with its\, bookie stand\, sidewalk prisms and freight elevators and pay tribute to architect John Parkinson in his own King Edward Hotel\, including the basement King Edward Saloon speakeasy tunnels. Also on this tour\, we’ll make a rare interior visit to Arts & Crafts tile master Ernest Batchelder’s Dutch Chocolate Shop\, a remarkable 1914 time capsule that’s been in the news with recent efforts by Altadena’s Save the Tiles volunteers to rescue his work from fire damaged properties. \nThis walking tour draws on original research to tell the real stories of Downtown Los Angeles and is illustrated with rare photos you can view on your smartphone. \n  \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n MEETING INSTRUCTIONS:\nTour begins at 10:30am sharp\, with check-in time 10am at the patio outside Grand Central Market in front of Maple Block BBQ at 324 S Hill St\, Los Angeles\, CA 90013. Please arrive on time and proceed to the check in table to get signed in and logged in to the smartphone slideshow. Scroll down for tour rules and recommendations. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n Parking & Public Transit:\nThere are numerous paid public parking lots around Grand Central Market\, including GCM’s multi-level lot at 308 South Hill Street Los Angeles\, California 90013.  The nearest Metro stations are Civic Center/Grand Park and Pershing Square. If using public transit\, this link can help you plan your trip: \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n TOUR RULES & RECOMMENDATIONS:\nBE PREPARED: This is a walking hour lasting 3 hours\, over a mix of level ground and occasional hills and stairs moving at a casual pace. Wear comfortable walking shoes\, sunscreen and a hat. Bring your smartphone so you can view the tour slide show. We will have a cooler with cold water\, and you’re encouraged to bring a full water bottle. A restroom will be available at the start\, the middle\, and at the end of the tour. If you need more information about what to expect\, please email us. \nMASK POLICY: At this time\, we no longer require that masks be worn on walking tours\, with the exception of when we visit cramped and unventilated basement tunnels and the Dutch Chocolate Shop space. Please bring a mask to wear for this portion of the tour. If you forget your mask\, we can provide one on check in. \nCAMERA POLICY: No video- or audio-taping unless it has been pre-cleared with us\, please. Still cameras and sketchbooks are fine. \n  \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CANCELLATION / REFUND POLICY:\nIf you’re sick\, please do not attend the tour. Get some rest\, and let us know not to expect you. If notified at least 72 hours before tour departure\, we can refund or reschedule your booking. As long as you contact us before the tour begins\, we are happy to move your reservation to a future tour date. You may also gift your ticket to someone else—we will need their name\, email address and phone number to make this switch. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CONTACTING US ON OR BEFORE TOUR DAY:\nEmailing is the best way to communicate with us\, but after 8am on tour day you can call or text Richard on his mobile phone\, 213-915-8687. URL:https://esotouric.com/event/know-your-downtown-winter-2025/ LOCATION:Grand Central Market\, 308 South Hill Street\, Los Angeles\, CA\, 90013\, United States CATEGORIES:walking tour ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://esotouric.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/DCS-4.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Esotouric":MAILTO:tours@esotouric.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251221T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251221T150000 DTSTAMP:20260420T084247 CREATED:20250710T195140Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250714T214820Z UID:10000688-1766318400-1766329200@esotouric.com SUMMARY:MIRACLE MILE MARVELS & MADNESS WALKING TOUR (A Sunday) DESCRIPTION:Join Esotouric for an immersive excursion all around Wilshire and Fairfax\, the western terminus of the Miracle Mile. We’re on the trail of a layered history that leads from Columbian mammoths foraging in the last Ice Age to today’s construction cranes\, with some fascinating detours along the way. We’ll explore the La Brea Tar Pits as a zone of pre-colonial commerce and Victorian scientific discovery\, revealing the fossil hoard’s role in east coast theatrical spiritualism and a deathless romance. Then on to Wilshire Boulevard\, where bean fields turned almost overnight to an ultramodern Jazz Age canyon of car culture commerce\, including the magnificent Art Deco May Company (and yes\, it’s a crime scene). And as the county’s art museum struggles to remake itself with a controversial new building and curatorial vision\, we’ll honor the institution that was\, and sneaky artists who got their work displayed without curatorial review\, all seen through the candid lens of your guides’ advocacy for preserving the 1965 William Pereira campus. Plus\, a stroll through the immediate neighborhood on an architectural treasure hunt\, including some sweet echoes of the lost LACMA. \nThis walking tour is illustrated with rare photos you can view on your smartphone. And next time some silly person tries to tell you Los Angeles doesn’t have any history\, having taken this tour will give you everything you need to set them straight. \n \n \n \n \n \n MEETING INSTRUCTIONS:\nTour begins at 12 noon sharp\, with check-in time 11:30am at the picnic tables near the restrooms in the southeast corner of the La Brea Tar Pits park\, at the Wilshire & Curson Avenue entrance. Please arrive on time and proceed to the check in table to get signed in and logged in to the smartphone slideshow. Scroll down for tour rules and recommendations. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n PARKING & PUBLIC TRANSIT:\nThere is street parking in the neighborhood\, on Sixth Street\, Orange Street\, Crescent Heights Boulevard\, Eighth Street\, and Hauser Boulevard. As the tour is on a Sunday\, there are no restrictions on street parking. The nearest Metro station is Wilshire/Vermont. If using public transit\, this link can help you plan your trip. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n TOUR RULES & RECOMMENDATIONS:\nBE PREPARED: This is a walking hour lasting about 3 hours\, over a mix of level ground and occasional hills and stairs moving at a casual pace. Wear comfortable walking shoes\, sunscreen and a hat. Bring your smartphone so you can view the tour slide show. We will have a cooler with cold water\, and you’re encouraged to bring a full water bottle. A restroom will be available at the start and end of the tour. If you need more information about what to expect\, please email us. \nCOVID SAFETY: At this time\, we no longer require that masks be worn on walking tours. \nCAMERA POLICY: No video- or audio-taping unless it has been pre-cleared with us\, please. Still cameras and sketchbooks are fine. \n  \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CONTACTING US ON OR BEFORE TOUR DAY:\nEmailing is the best way to communicate with us\, but after 8am on tour day you can call or text Richard on his mobile phone\, 213-915-8687. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CANCELLATION / REFUND POLICY:\nIf you’re sick\, please do not attend the tour. Get some rest\, and let us know not to expect you. If notified at least 72 hours before tour departure\, we can refund or reschedule your booking. As long as you contact us before the tour begins\, we are happy to move your reservation to a future tour date. You may also gift your ticket to someone else—we will need their name\, email address and phone number to make this switch. URL:https://esotouric.com/event/miracle-mile-fall-2025/ LOCATION:La Brea Tar Pits\, Wilshire Blvd & S Curson Ave\, Los Angeles\, CA\, 90036\, United States CATEGORIES:walking tour ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://esotouric.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/miracle-mile-featured-WP.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Esotouric":MAILTO:tours@esotouric.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251227T103000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251227T133000 DTSTAMP:20260420T084247 CREATED:20250710T195941Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250718T024935Z UID:10000689-1766831400-1766842200@esotouric.com SUMMARY:HUMAN SACRIFICE: THE BLACK DAHLIA\, ELISA LAM\, HEIDI PLANCK & SKID ROW SLASHER CASES DESCRIPTION:Join Esotouric’s Kim Cooper and Richard Schave\, the Skid Row historians featured in “Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel\,” and their special guest Joan Renner\, on a true crime and cultural history walking tour that explores the terrifying intersection of real estate speculation\, housing insecurity and death in Downtown Los Angeles from the 1940s to the present. \nStarting from Grand Central Market\, we’ll fan out over the historic core to visit significant sites in the investigations of three notorious and heartbreaking cases: the kidnapping and murder of Beth Short in 1947\, the serial killing of seven poor or homeless men by Vaughn Greenwood between December 1974 and January 1975\, and Elisa Lam’s disappearance and drowning while staying at the Stay on Main hostel inside the single room occupancy Hotel Cecil in 2013. We’ll also talk about the October 2021 disappearance of Heidi Planck\, although we won’t trek as far as the Hope + Flower apartments where she was last seen. \nYou’ll learn about the importance of newspaper reporting to 20th century crime investigations\, and the role of internet communities today\, hear about how previous generations slept rough in all-night movie theaters\, alleys and under bushes\, how the high cost or lack of housing options make victims more vulnerable\, and about property developers who bend the rules to transform low-income residency hotels and market rate apartments into profitable blind spots where people can vanish. \nAlong the way\, you’ll get to know the victims as sympathetic and relatable people who serve as fascinating windows into real life and death in Los Angeles over the decades and learn how public policy choices can set the stage for avoidable tragedy. \nCan understanding why true crimes happened help Los Angeles finally solve its housing crisis? We think it can! \nThis walking tour is illustrated with rare photos you can view on your smartphone. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n About Our Guest Host\nJoan Renner is a true crime author and commentator. Her blog\, Deranged L.A. Crimes\, covers 20th century crimes and scandals. The L.A. Weekly called her book The First with the latest: Aggie Underwood\, the Los Angeles Herald\, and the Sordid Crimes of a City\, “A great introduction to some long-forgotten L.A. crimes.” Over the past decade\, she has appeared in over sixty TV shows and podcasts such as City of Angels\, City of Death; Deadly Women; Buried in the Backyard; and Hollywood & Crime. She is currently working on a book for University Press Kentucky about Los Angeles during the Prohibition era. When she’s not writing about or researching crime\, Joan volunteers as an archivist at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Museum. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n MEETING INSTRUCTIONS:\nTour begins at 10:30am sharp\, with check-in time 10am at the patio outside Grand Central Market in front of Maple Block BBQ at 324 S Hill St\, Los Angeles\, CA 90013. Please arrive on time and proceed to the check in table to get signed in and logged in to the smartphone slideshow. Scroll down for tour rules and recommendations. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n Parking & Public Transit:\nThere are numerous paid public parking lots around Grand Central Market\, including GCM’s multi-level lot at 308 South Hill Street Los Angeles\, California 90013.  The nearest Metro stations are Civic Center/Grand Park and Pershing Square. If using public transit\, this link can help you plan your trip: \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n TOUR RULES & RECOMMENDATIONS:\nBE PREPARED: This is a walking hour lasting 3 hours\, over a mix of level ground and occasional hills and stairs moving at a casual pace. Wear comfortable walking shoes\, sunscreen and a hat. Bring your smartphone so you can view the tour slide show. We will have a cooler with cold water\, and you’re encouraged to bring a full water bottle. A restroom will be available at the start and end of the tour. If you need more information about what to expect\, please email us. \nCOVID SAFETY: At this time\, we no longer require that masks be worn on walking tours. \nCAMERA POLICY: No video- or audio-taping unless it has been pre-cleared with us\, please. Still cameras and sketchbooks are fine. \n  \n\n \n \n \n \n \n CONTACTING US ON OR BEFORE TOUR DAY:\nEmailing is the best way to communicate with us\, but after 8am on tour day you can call or text Richard on his mobile phone\, 213-915-8687. \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n CANCELLATION / REFUND POLICY:\nIf you’re sick\, please do not attend the tour. Get some rest\, and let us know not to expect you. If notified at least 72 hours before tour departure\, we can refund or reschedule your booking. As long as you contact us before the tour begins\, we are happy to move your reservation to a future tour date. You may also gift your ticket to someone else—we will need their name\, email address and phone number to make this switch. URL:https://esotouric.com/event/human-sacrifice-winter-2025/ LOCATION:Grand Central Market\, 308 South Hill Street\, Los Angeles\, CA\, 90013\, United States CATEGORIES:walking tour ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://esotouric.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Hotel-Cecil-WP.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Esotouric":MAILTO:tours@esotouric.com END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR