Enthusiastic public historian Charles Phoenix is the reigning king of kitsch—and googie, Americana and anything else you want to file under “the way we was”—and if it ended up looking beautiful in a Southern California snapshot taken anytime between say 1951 and 1969, then Phoenix probably has the original Kodachrome slide filed in his archive. At this particular performance, he’ll be exploring Long Beach like it was before they tore down all the good stuff and put up the condos, so expect (and/or hope) to see the Pike, the Pacific Coast Club, the Municipal Auditorium, Herman the German and more, all in lovely living color. It’s a chance to experience nostalgia, civic pride and the comparatively less well-known sensation of civic regret, all in one engaging sitting. Refreshments to follow afterward at inRetrospect.
Sat., April 2, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., 2016
(Expired: 04/02/16)
