BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Esotouric - ECPv6.18.0//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:20250809T103000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250809T133000 DTSTAMP:20250515T194509Z 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. \nMASK POLICY: Masks are welcome\, but not required\, with the exception of on tours that visit unventilated historic spaces\, when we will provide masks for your safety. \nCAMERA POLICY: If you’d like to share about the tour on social media\, please tag Esotouric in your posts. We ask you don’t record long portions of your hosts’ tour presentations. 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:20250425T225904Z CREATED:20240416T021211Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250425T225904Z UID:10000617-1755340200-1755351000@esotouric.com SUMMARY:WEIRD WEST ADAMS WALKING TOUR / ELMER MCCURDY MUSEUM VISIT DESCRIPTION:Special Event: It’s tour host Richard Schave’s birthday week\, so we hope you’ll join us for a slice of cake at the end of the walking tour and museum visit. \nWhere 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. \nBIRTHDAY CAKE: Following the conclusion of the museum visit\, guests are invited to gather on the lawn for coffee and birthday cake. \nMASK POLICY: Masks are welcome\, but not required\, with the exception of on tours that visit unventilated historic spaces\, when we will provide masks for your safety. \nCAMERA POLICY: If you’d like to share about the tour on social media\, please tag Esotouric in your posts. We ask you don’t record long portions of your hosts’ tour presentations. 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:20250815T043054Z 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:20250515T194700Z 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. \nMASK POLICY: Masks are welcome\, but not required\, with the exception of on tours that visit unventilated historic spaces\, when we will provide masks for your safety. \nCAMERA POLICY: If you’d like to share about the tour on social media\, please tag Esotouric in your posts. We ask you don’t record long portions of your hosts’ tour presentations. 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 END:VCALENDAR