D.J. Waldie is an award-winning writer whose essays, articles and books have helped many readers better understand Southern California. Some essays are collected in Where We Are Now: Notes from Los Angeles. His most recent book is California Romantica. He co-wrote Real City: Downtown Los Angeles Inside/Out with photographer Marissa Roth. In 1996, he published Holy Land: A Suburban Memoir about Lakewood, the LA suburb where he was born, has lived all his life and has worked for 34 years as Public Information Officer. Last year, Waldie said he would retire. This year, he says he really means it.