Angel City Press

01/06/2026

Pann’s Restaurant is an icon for some coffee and a dose of Googie architecture. “An Architectural Guidebook to Los Angeles” by David Gebhard, Robert Winter, and Robert Inman highlights it as a Googie classic designed by the firm of Armet and Davis, whose work is the subject of another of our amazing books: “Googie Modern: Architectural Drawings of Armet Davis Newlove” by Michael Murphy and Alan Hess.

If you love Googie architecture check out both of those books and learn all about it!

01/05/2026

If you are familiar with downtown Los Angeles, you of course would be familiar with the Biltmore Hotel! This iconic hotel was built in 1923 and is located right next to Pershing Square. The architectural style is a mix between Mediterranean Revival and Beaux Arts styles, and the hotel has had multiple owners over the years.

You can see some of the architectural details in the illustration of the hotel on this wonderful cocktail napkin! You can find more cocktail napkins and their awesome design in “Bar Keeps: A Collection of California's Best Cocktail Napkins” by Patrick Quinn.

01/02/2026

Neon signs and bowling go hand in hand! Pictured here is a beautiful image of the Sunset Bowling Center which boasted 52 lanes, the largest bowling alley at the time, along with a coffee shop and cocktail lounge! Note the amazing full columns of neon and the neon bowling pins!

See this exemplary neon sign in “Hollywood Signs” by Kathy Kikkert, and catch some more bowling history in “Bowlarama: The Architecture of Mid-Century Bowling” by Chris Nichols and Adriene Biondo.

Image credit: Nathan Marsak Collection

12/29/2025

“An Architectural Guidebook to Los Angeles” is an indispensable guide to Los Angeles by David Gebhard, Robert Winter, and Robert Inman, as it delves through the entire span of the greater Los Angeles Area highlighting architectural points of interest.

The book features lesser known gems such as the Wild Beast Pavillion on the campus of CalArts. This coppery, snakeskin-like performance pavilion is unique and striking. Designed in 2009 by Hodgettes and Fung, it stands out against the rest of the campus with its unconventional appearance.

12/26/2025

The orange and California are inextricably linked, as proved in “The Orange and the Dream of California” by David Boulé. Taking a lively, literary, and extraordinarily visual look at the symbiotic and highly symbolic relationship between the Golden State and its "golden apple", the book features numerous orange advertisements like this one from Sunkist!

Note the Arts and Crafts style influences on the home in the advertisement, a popular style at the time in California that helped to blend the natural wonder of the state with the environment that homes were being built in, further enforcing the narrative of a “golden land” filled with prosperity!

12/24/2025

Angel City Press at Los Angeles Public Library wishes you a happy and restful holiday season!

Pictured is “Fairyland” photographed by George Fiske and featured in our book “A Country Called California: Photographs 1850s to 1860s” by Stephen White. This image is of the Yosemite Valley in 1910, depicting the winter wonderland that the Sierra Nevada transforms into during winter! Really goes to show you how wild and spectacular our state is, and puts you in the holiday spirit!

12/22/2025

This restaurant layout gives us all the cozy vibes we could want! This napkin from The Clock Steakhouse shows a sunken cocktail pit where guests could mingle around a fire. What a way to socialize! Check out some lovely graphic design and much more in “Bar Keeps: A Collection of California's Best Cocktail Napkins” by Patrick Quinn by following the link in our bio.

12/20/2025

One Santa Fe was a unique project at the time of its construction, in an industrial area with ideals to become a community hub of social engagement and commerce. With 20% of its units set aside for affordable housing and access to public transit nearby, it exemplifies the direction new construction multifamily housing in LA is going.

Learn more about the state of multifamily and community housing in “Common Ground: Multifamily Housing in Los Angeles” by Frances Anderton and pick up a copy at the link in our bio.

Image credit: Jceal Parker

12/18/2025

Boardwalk psychics have a longstanding tradition of offering their insights to patrons of seaside entertainment! This held true for many years on the Santa Monica Pier.

As described in “Santa Monica Pier: America’s Last Great Pleasure Pier” by James Harris, Doreena Adams and her family told fortunes on the pier for more than half a century from their beautifully designed and decorated shopfront.

Who wouldn’t want to get a glimpse of the majestic Pacific Ocean, and also a possible glimpse of your future! Sadly the Adams family shop is no longer in existence, but the Pier has so many activities to offer, which you can learn more about by picking up a copy of the book!

(Photo credit: Tom Vinetz)

12/18/2025

Coming up on its 25th anniversary! We’re so proud that so many ACP titles have had such longevity and impact!

Deanne Stillman is a widely published, critically acclaimed writer. Her books of literary nonfiction are place-based stories of war and peace in the modern

12/16/2025

Frances Kent joined the Immaculate Heart of Mary order of Catholic nuns in Hollywood in 1936. From the day she became Sister Mary Corita, IHM, her vision expanded, first as nun, teacher, artist, and finally as activist for social justice.

“CORITA KENT. ART AND SOUL. THE BIOGRAPHY.” by April Dammann is the painstakingly researched account of one of America’s icons, the nun who made a world of difference and, to her surprise, simultaneously made a name for herself.

Learn more about the life and art of Corita Kent by grabbing a copy!

12/15/2025

Architecture can look different in various lighting and at different times of day! Robert Landau’s photography in “Art Deco Los Angeles” exemplifies the artistic eye that it takes to view the beautiful Art Deco architecture that can be found across the city.

Seen here at night is Los Angeles City Hall, highlighting the dramatic geometric details that are framed against the night sky. Photographed 2003 by Robert Landau, you can find more of these striking photographs in “Art Deco Los Angeles”!