James Bartlett

Originally from London, James T. Bartlett writes the Gourmet Ghosts series on L.A.’s haunted bars, restaurants and hotels—and the true crimes and history behind them. He hosts the “True Crime Tuesdays” book club at The Last Bookstore, and as a journalist he writes for the LA Times, the BBC, Atlas Obscura, Westways, Delta Sky, American Way, and many others. He's currently working on book about a 1950s murder and sex scandal.

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At their weekly Wednesday meeting, Los Angeles Breakfast Club members engage in a morning stretch they call Wiggle Waggle.

Ham, Meet Egg

For nearly 100 years, the Los Angeles Breakfast Club has been serving much more than a meal.

May 12, 2020

Taxidermist Tim Bovard in his workshop at the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles. Damp towels help keep the recently defrosted Tanzanian lion skins supple and malleable.

The Last of the Taxidermists

The last full-time museum taxidermist in the United States inspires a new generation of animal preservationists.

Mar 16, 2020

David Silverman has written histories of the former homes of Hollywood heavyweights like Marlene Dietrich, Frank Sinatra, and David O. Selznick.

The Secret Histories of Los Angeles Mansions

An entertainment lawyer turned history sleuth uncovers the past lives of homes for clients.

Dec 2, 2019

The building that housed the Original Spanish Kitchen, a favorite haunt of Hollywood stars, remained vacant on Beverly Boulevard in Los Angeles for decades after the restaurant closed.

Sorry, We’re Closed—For A Few Decades

A favorite of Hollywood stars, L.A.’s Original Spanish Kitchen sat mysteriously vacant for years and years.

Feb 20, 2019