The Merritt Building opened in 1915. Millionaire Hullet C. Merritt, the building’s owner, wanted to construct a 23-story edifice to himself but was turned down by the Los Angeles City Council. So he scaled back his plans and ended up with a ten-story design that set a rendition of Minerva’s…
Author: Philo Hagen

My Mother’s Childhood
Years ago I asked my mother to write her life story for me so there’d be a record of it. She passed away in 2016. Here’s what she managed to write down: My Life Story by Marjorie Fern Hagen (Highlights) I was born October 21st, 1919, in Loverna, Saskatchewan. My…

Best Albums of 2015
There’s something special not only about making music, but coming up with a selection of songs to go together and packaging them up as a distinct entity in and of itself. Taking a look back at the year in music is always an interesting thing to do. Sometimes there are…

Urban Coyotes in Los Angeles
It’s not every day you’re driving home late at night in the second largest city in America and encounter a pack of coyotes running down the middle of Beverly Boulevard. Turns out the National Park Service is tracking urban coyotes in LA and the one I captured on video must…

Light Painting on the 6th Street Bridge
Late night light painting shenanigans and self portraits on the 6th Street Bridge in Los Angeles – with Roman Udalov.

Macaroni n Cheese Pizza
If you’re downtown on a Sunday evening be sure and swing by Pizzanista for a slice of Macaroni n Cheese pizza. They open at 5pm and they only serve mac n cheese on Sundays. It’s the heaviest slice you’ll probably ever eat. Add a little sriracha on top and it’s…

The Bourgeois Pig
I recommend ordering the cold brew at The Bourgeoise Pig. It’s serious cold brew for serious coffee people. Rather mad scientist actually. They’re open until 2am.

Our Lady of Willoughby Ave
Near the corner of Willoughby Ave and Van Ness I discovered this lovely lady while riding my bike home last night. I’m not sure who she is, but she’s pretty wonderful.

World Naked Bike Ride Los Angeles
This weekend I joined more than 400 others and rode my bicycle naked through the streets of Los Angeles for World Naked Bike Ride Los Angeles 2015. Not everybody was naked, and some went with roller skates and skateboards instead of bicycles, but we rolled through downtown, Chinatown, Lincoln Heights,…

Cleveland Solstice Hoop Dance Explosion
So incredibly honored to have been invited back to perform modern hoop dance again this year at Solstice at the Cleveland Museum of Art. It’s such a completely amazing event on every single level and I’m beyond thrilled that I keep getting to be a part of it. Love these…

Dancing All Night with Dubtribe
Spent the very late night hours dancing my ass off to the wondrous sounds of Dubtribe Sound System at an underground warehouse event downtown. Great seeing my old friend Sunshine Jones here in Los Angeles doing his thing, and great seeing it happen with Moonbeam again too. It’s been a…

Down With Love
We begin in the midst of an earlier conversation with my best friend Choire in New York City: Philo: yesterday i ran into that ex boyfriend we were talking aboutChoire: no way!Philo: way! the interesting thing about it is that i was at the gym running 4 and a half…

Houseitosis
As I sat here tonight in my mustard yellow, authentic stucco California bungalow surrounded by lovely photographs of friends and family, I couldn’t help recalling the many joys and memories Martha Stewart has brought me throughout her illustrious career, primarily in the form of mocking laughter and snarky commentary. So…

Precita Park Hooping
While sipping a Fresca the sound of Native American flute music quietly fills my room while I remember a sun and fun filled day spent hooping in Precita Park. At the corner of Folsom and Precita, just past Cesar Chavez, you will find a two block strip of lush and…

I Love Freedom and I Love France
Many years ago I found myself in the city of Paris. I was walking along in my beret carrying a baquette in a feeble Americana effort to blend in. Standing on the corner of a busy intersection I watched in horror as a young man on a Vespa, in an…