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November, 2011:

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2011-11-13

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Delores Del Rio Mural – Hollywood, CA

© Frank H. Jump

Irv’s Burgers – Since 1950 – Santa Monica Blvd – Hollywood, CA

© Frank H. Jump

© Frank H. Jump

The historical story behind Irv’s Burgers is a fascinating weave of colorful stories. According to Mollie Zucker, who owned the original stand Queensburger (1950) (photo at left), from 1958-1973, the stand served as a ‘local’ for many Los Angeles actors, both known and unknown; its devoted regulars included John Cassavettes, Gena Rowlands, Sally Marr (mother of comedian Lenny Bruce), and Shelly Winters. Tucker Smith, the actor/dancer best known for his role as “Ice” in West Side Story, lived in the apartment building next door and often brought the ‘Sharks’ and the ‘Jets’ over between filming on the sound stage. As Los Angeles rapidly developed into the center of the 60s and early 70s burgeoning music scene, one could often spot Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin among the regulars. Linda Ronstadt used the roadside stand as a backdrop for the album art for one of her best-selling recordings (“Living in the USA”, photo below). Even then, what’s now known as Irv’s Burgers had a reputation for great food; Mollie’s husband went to Fairfax Avenue’s legendary Diamond Bakery every morning at 5 a.m. to get fresh breads and purchased the prime meat for the hamburgers at the now defunct Arrow Market, the last of the independent neighborhood family grocery stores.

[click image to enlarge]

Today, Irv’s Burgers is struggling to stay open and remain at its original location. The stand is owned by the Hongs, a Korean-American family who invested their entire life’s savings in buying Irv’s business from a former tenant of long-time owner Irving Gendis. The Hongs are beloved by scores of West Hollywood residents and businesses, many of whom eat there daily. Sadly, the Hong’s five year lease has expired and they are currently operating on a month to month agreement with their new landlord. Currently, the building’s land lease is held by Seltzer Commercial Real Estate who plans to develop the corner lot and lease the space to other operators. Peet’s Coffee, a major, albeit socially conscious, corporation, has been in leasing negotiations with the Seltzers for several months, but has not finalized their deal due to local concerns that Irv’s Burgers could be destroyed and the Hongs displaced. – Save Irv’s Burgers

Brooklyn Photographer Captures Relics of a Bygone Era by Caitlin McNamara – Brooklyn Eagle

In ever-changing New York City, the old often falls to make way for the new. One instance of this is the slow but accelerating disappearance of the fading “ghost” advertisements, those signs painted on walls, often high above the city’s sidewalks, offering curious glimpses to the observant into a culture of the past.

Frank Jump has been passionately documenting these ads for 20 years, since his discovery of the Omega Oil ads in Harlem. For Jump, the ads have become “a metaphor for survival… as many of these ads have long outlived their expected life span.”

Although this project isn’t directly about HIV/AIDS, Jump likens his fading ad photo campaign to his more than 25-year survival with HIV. On his website he writes, “It is no accident I’ve chosen to document such a transitory and evanescent subject.”

Frank Jump (left) and husband Aiosa at at the National Equality March for LGBT Rights in Washington on Oct. 11, 2009. taken by B. Snow

A New York native, Jump has lived with his husband, Vincenzo Aiosa, in Brooklyn since 1989. Jump continues to document these “ghost ads” today, and regularly updates his blog on the same topic [www.fadingad.com]. – CLICK HERE TO READ MORE!

Nether Street Art – Baltimore, MD

Girl with red bra strap & fedora: Chase & Clay - © Nether Street Art - CLICK FOR LARGER IMAGE

Orleans & Collington - © Nether Street Art - CLICK FOR LARGER IMAGE

Walls of Fame - Secret Bridge Spot - © Nether Street Art - CLICK FOR LARGER IMAGE

Vacant Rowhomes - Whitelocke Avenue - © Nether Street Art - CLICK FOR LARGER IMAGE

Wyman Park Bridge - © Nether Street Art - CLICK FOR LARGER IMAGE

Artist: Nether
Photographer: Nether
City: Baltimore

Bio: NETHER is a urban art campaign that hopes to impact and beautify BMORE’s bleakness through vibrant street art with the hopes of evoking public discussion. The pieces that are wheatpasted to the chosen (usually vacant) surfaces directly comment on the city and the forces that have brought it to it’s shameful state.

Nether sees his work as a force that solidifies people’s connections to locations in the city that are distinctly Baltimore. He tries to reclaim and recycle the tragic landscape. This city is a place that is simultaneously loved and hated for bringing both contentment and fear, anger and joy; it’s vibe is a permeating force that becomes part of every mind experiencing it’s poetic chaos. The intention is to relentlessly pursue capturing that beauty in the mundane, that excitement in the fear, and whatever force brings out the orange and purple as a heart- felt declaration of true Bmore pride. OWN.YOUR.CITY  – Nether

Featured Fade – Harlem, Flour, Hay, Grain & Feed Revisited – Carter Harris

West 128th Street, Harlem - © Carter Harris

THR Building & Sculptures – Bushwick, Brooklyn

© Vincenzo Aiosa

© Vincenzo Aiosa

© Vincenzo Aiosa

Estey Brothers Company – Bronze, Iron Wire Works – Bushwick, Brooklyn

© Vincenzo Aiosa

© Vincenzo Aiosa

© Vincenzo Aiosa

Fulton History - Brooklyn Eagle

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2011-11-06

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Conduit – Revs Hope! – Bushwick, Brooklyn – Vincenzo Aiosa

© Vincenzo Aiosa