{"id":858710,"date":"2026-06-11T00:57:21","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T00:57:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/858710\/"},"modified":"2026-06-11T00:57:21","modified_gmt":"2026-06-11T00:57:21","slug":"jim-heimann-and-gary-baseman-explore-wilshire-fairfax","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/858710\/","title":{"rendered":"Jim Heimann and Gary Baseman Explore Wilshire & Fairfax"},"content":{"rendered":"

The two native Angelenos will discuss the history of the famed intersection at Johnie\u2019s Coffee Shop this Thursday<\/p>\n

One hundred years ago, Wilshire and Fairfax was wide open country. Rural enough that Charlie Chaplin\u2019s brother Sid thought it was a great place for an airport. Not long after, the corner was bustling with restaurants and shops and became the western terminus of the Miracle Mile. The opening of the new LACMA and the D-Line last month have brought new energy and interest to the corner.<\/p>\n

Designer and historian Jim Heimann<\/a> is coming to Johnie\u2019s Coffee Shop on Thursday to share the story of one of Los Angeles\u2019 most fabled intersections as part of artist Gary Baseman<\/a>\u2019s Off the Menu<\/a> exhibition inside the long-closed restaurant. The exhibit closes on June 14. The pair of L.A. natives will discuss Baseman\u2019s family history in the neighborhood, the places that have come and gone from the corner, including the May Company department store, the dazzling drive-in restaurants of Simon\u2019s and McDonnell\u2019s and not one, but two airfields with images drawn from Heimann\u2019s vast personal archives.<\/p>\n

\"\"Looking northwest at the corner of Wilshire and Fairfax circa 1937Credit: Photo from the Jim Heimann collection<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve known Gary for years and have written various things for his catalogs,\u201d says Heimann, who is also executive editor for art book publisher Taschen<\/a>. \u201cHis family lived right off Beverly, he went to Fairfax High, and his mother worked the bakery counter at Canter\u2019s<\/a> for 30 years. \u201cThe thread that held us together is that we\u2019re both illustrators and collectors.\u201d<\/p>\n

Baseman is inspired by his collection of odd objects from century-old mannequins to toys and pop culture of the 1930s, 40s and 50s. Heimann\u2019s legendary archive<\/a> is focused on early Hollywood and Los Angeles in the 20th century, including artifacts from famous restaurants, hotels and nightclubs. Ephemera like menus, cocktail napkins and souvenir photos are sometimes the only objects left to tell the story of a long-gone landmark. Baseman describes it as an \u201cevening of discussion about Dining & Drawing in Los Angeles, how dining culture has shaped our hometown, and the importance of this intersection at Wilshire & Fairfax.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"A Baseman illustration of Heimann, Alina and animal friends at Du-Par\u2019sCredit: Photo by Gary Baseman<\/p>\n

Heimann\u2019s next book for Taschen is a look inside his personal collection. \u201cWere working on the layouts and have lined up 3000 images over 500 pages. It\u2019s massive,\u201d he says. \u201cIt represents maybe 2 to 5% of what I have. Believe me, there is so much shit even I can\u2019t believe it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"The wildly eclectic architecture at Wilshire and Fairfax includes Johnie\u2019s Coffee Shop and the Petersen Automotive MuseumCredit: Photo by Chris Nichols<\/p>\n

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ARTIST TALK: \u201cMeet Me at Wilshire and Fairfax\u201d
Thursday, June 11, 6pm
Johnie\u2019s Coffee Shop, 6101 Wilshire, Los Angeles
Limited capacity. Come early to claim a seat. <\/a><\/p>\n